Thoughts Higher Than Mine_Living Word Chronicle

The Garment of Praise Instead of Willows for Garments

By Moses Hightower

This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Rejoice before the tempter tempts you. Be glad before the tempter tempts you. From a thankful heart, express the fruit of joy and gladness, and you will see the difference in the outcome of your day that I made for you. Many will spend their day warring with adversaries that they did not have to war against because they went down paths of lamenting. Do not greet me with tears of complaints, but greet me with gladness. Serve me with gladness and come before my presence with singing. First, present me with a bouquet of praises instead of a flood of tears that water the thorns that have created the pains in your life. Replace the weeping willows of the mourner with a high, new song of life and victorious expectation. Resist the temptation to bring to me a deep, death song of the blues and of mourning. Many are controlled by grief, sorrow, and regret; therefore, they come to me as weak, lamenting worshippers of their problems and their emotions. Do not wear the willows given you by unbelief, but rather adorn yourself with the garment of praise. Do not wear sackcloth and ashes, but wear the breastplate of faith and love.

Where is your helmet?

Your helmet is the hope of salvation. Did you come to my throne with the hope of salvation or with your head bowed to your troubles?

I have not appointed you unto wrath but to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ. Who can you comfort and edify while you are in deep mourning?

I have given you righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon your head. I have already worn the garments of vengeance for you; therefore, cast off the willows you adorned yourself with, and put on the armor of light that shines through praise. Remain dressed in the armor of righteousness that I have placed on the right hand and on the left. Remain dressed in the whole armor of God, and then will you be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Do not remove your helmet of salvation. Many remove their helmet of salvation in the morning and adorn themselves with crowns of lamenting expressions. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and come forth with great rejoicing in the Lord. Let your soul be joyful in me, for I have clothed you with the garments of salvation. I have covered you with the robe of righteousness. I am causing righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations; therefore, arise and take hold of my strength, and rejoice in the goodness of your God. Remember the mercies of David. I will not turn away your face from me, for you are anointed. Remember, you are clothed with salvation, so shout aloud for joy. You are budding like the horn of David and a lamp for your feet is given for your path. Arise up and cast off the willows for a garment. Be adorned with the garment of praise. You are accepted in the beloved, and all your problems are already worked out in my victory. I have clothed your enemies with shame and placed a crown of praise upon your head.

ADVERSITY, GRIEF, LAMENTING, MOURNING, REGRET, SORROW, AND TEMPTATION

By Milton Rodriguez

This is the day that the Lord has made. I rejoice and I am glad in it. I rejoice and I am glad before the tempter tempts me. From a thankful heart, I express the fruit of joy and gladness, and I see the difference in the outcome of my day that God has made for me. Many will spend their day warring with adversaries that they did not have to war against because they went down paths of lamenting. I will not greet the Lord with tears of complaints, but I will greet him with gladness. I serve him with gladness and come before his presence with singing. First, I will present him with a bouquet of praises instead of a flood of tears that will water the thorns that have created the pains in my life. I will replace the weeping willows of the mourner with a high, new song of life and victorious expectation. I resist the temptation to bring to God a deep, death song of the blues and of mourning. Many are controlled by grief, sorrow, and regret; therefore, they come to the Lord as weak, lamenting worshippers of their problems and their emotions. I refuse to wear the willows given to me by unbelief, but rather I will adorn myself with the garment of praise. I will not wear sackcloth and ashes, but I wear the breastplate of faith and love. I have on my helmet. It is the hope of salvation. I came to the Lord’s throne with the hope of salvation and not with my head bowed to my troubles. God has not appointed me unto wrath but to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ. I cannot comfort and edify anyone while I am in deep mourning.

The Lord has given me righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon my head. Christ has already worn the garments of vengeance for me; therefore, I cast off the willows that I have adorned myself with and put on the armor of light that shines through praise. I will remain dressed in the armor of righteousness that God has placed on the right hand and on the left. I will remain dressed in the whole armor of God. Now I am able to stand against the wiles of the devil. I purpose not to remove my helmet of salvation. Many remove their helmet of salvation in the morning and adorn themselves with crowns of lamenting expressions. I take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and I come forth with great rejoicing in the Lord. I let my soul be joyful in Christ, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness and is causing righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations; therefore, I arise and take hold of God’s strength and rejoice in the goodness of my God. I remember the mercies of David. The Lord will not turn away my face from him, for I am anointed. I remember that I am clothed with salvation, so I shout aloud for joy. I am budding like the horn of David, and a lamp for my feet is given for my path. I rise up and cast off the willows for a garment. I am adorned with the garment of praise. I am accepted in the beloved and all my problems are already worked out in Christ’s victory. The Lord has clothed my enemies with shame and placed a crown of praise upon my head.

By Don Grigsby

Don and Linda Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - The Garment of Praise Instead of Willows for Garments

We have dressed for the feast of our King as a bride adorned for her husband. We are not getting ready, but we stay ready with the anointing of joy that is the strength of our lives. Our garments are not the garments of anger and hurt but the bright garments of celebration. We put off sorrow and sadness when we turned our entire wardrobe of sin over to heaven's laundry to destroy them properly. All the sweet perfume of the incense of the spices of worship is in the folds of our garments. We do not smell of the smoke of revenge or of judgment, but we have the fresh scent of forgiveness and mercy in every fiber of the robe of righteousness.

God recently spoke to us and said, "This is the day of your rejoicing. You have acted out rejoicing almost like an actor on stage, but rejoicing is about to act up in you! You will not be rejoicing over a parable of promises, but you will be rejoicing over packs of promises that have opened before you. Your shouting will not be only for promises heard but of promises provided in the present."

We have been called to sing about life and not the tears of death. The dancing music of our hearts is the tune of mercy and grace.

By Moses Hightower

You must lead the new souls into a proper identification, lest they take upon themselves the false identity of the world. Friendship with the world is enmity against me; therefore, choose between friendship with me and friendship with the world. Many have become my enemy because they have led the young into the traps of Satan. How many of the young have come through your sanctuary and never came back? Were they rejecters of truth, or were they devoured by the evil among you? Go and strengthen the vessels that they may be strong enough to survive and defend the young. I have many people who have not bowed their knees to worldliness. Go and lift the heads of the people with my word and develop children who can speak with the enemy at the gate. The young will imitate the old, for the old is their example. Is your example an expression of wisdom and safety, or is your example an expression that leads others to folly and death?

By LWWC Confession Writers

I must lead the new souls into a proper identification, lest they take upon themselves the false identity of the world. Friendship with the world is enmity against God; therefore, I choose between friendship with him and friendship with the world. Many have become the Lord's enemy because they have led the young into the traps of Satan. Many of the young have come through our sanctuary and have never come back. Some were rejecters of truth, and some were devoured by the evil among us. I will go and strengthen the vessels that they may be strong enough to survive and defend the young. God has many people who have not bowed their knees to worldliness. I will go and lift the heads of the people with his word and develop children who can speak with the enemy at the gate. The young will imitate the old, for the old is their example. My example to them shall be an expression of wisdom and safety, not an expression that leads others to folly and death.

By Don Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - The Handiwork of Righteousness Has Defeated Damnation and Defeat

Damnation and defeat are the twin horror flicks that the enemy wants to keep rewinding in our imaginations. We have the weapons to demolish and cast down every false imagination that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. Our past has been buried in the depths of the sea. It is behind God's back, however distant that is. God whispers, "All of your failures are the false charges of the enemy. I have turned all the failures of the past into the canvas that I will paint the portrait of my plans for you. My plans are not those of failure but of overcoming everything in the world. Holiness is in the shades of paints that will illuminate the figures that will dance across the frame. Only the memory of the past will be the backdrop that will enhance the victories of today. I will hang the painting of your journey of grace in the gallery of my glory. I will give you my honor in the face of all the shame that would try to efface and erase the blessing that I have placed in your life."

God's handiwork will undo all the knots of the rope of defeat and failure. We are free from the fear of failure in the arms of our Father!

By Moses Hightower

(Continued)

Do not walk any longer along the empty desert places in life. These paths do not end. They are endless paths in the sands of time. I have placed the highway of holiness in the desert of time. You have come to the highway of life.

263. Will you simply observe the peculiar construction in the sands of time?

264. Or will you hear the call from this peculiar place and join the priesthood of the holy in the royal place built in your path?

Many have come by this holy place and observed these peculiar people and their strange worship, which is in spirit and in truth.

265. Will you enter in and join the holy, or will you pass on into your deserts of dryness and death?

(To Be Continued)

By Milton Rodriguez

January 29, 2007

Lord, I thank you for today and I acknowledge your creative power, for this is the day that you have made. I rejoice and I am glad in it. I rejoice and I will be glad before the tempter tempts me. From a thankful heart, I express the fruit of joy and gladness, and I see the difference in the outcome of this day that you have made for me. It is unfortunate that many will go down the paths of lamenting and will spend this day warring with adversaries that they did not have to war against, but I give you praise today that I do not have to be a part of the many and I can greet you with gladness and a grateful heart. I will not greet you with tears of complaints, but I will greet you with gladness. I serve you with gladness and come before your presence with singing.

First, I present you with a bouquet of praises instead of a flood of tears that will water the thorns that have created the pains in my life. I will replace the weeping willows of the mourner with a high new song of life that is filled with victorious expectation. By your grace, I resist the temptation to bring you a deep, death song of the blues and of mourning. You have not made me a part of the many who are controlled by grief, sorrow, and regret; therefore, I do not come to you as a weak, lamenting worshipper of my problems and my emotions. I refuse to wear the willows given to me by unbelief, but rather I adorn myself with the garment of praise. I am thankful that you have given me power over my emotions so that I do not have to wear sackcloth and ashes. I put on the breastplate of faith and love. I have on my helmet. It is the hope of salvation. I came to your throne with the hope of salvation and not with my head bowed to my troubles. I rejoice in your divine election, for you have not appointed me unto wrath but to obtain salvation. I acknowledge that I cannot comfort and edify anyone while I am in deep mourning; therefore I have put off mourning, and now I am free to comfort others. My heart is filled with praises unto you.

You have given me righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon my head. You have already worn the garments of vengeance for me; therefore, I cast off the willows I had adorned myself with and put on the armor of light that shines through praise. I continue to praise you, and I will remain dressed in the armor of righteousness that you have placed on my right hand and on my left. I purpose to remain dressed in the whole armor that you so graciously provide. Now I am able to stand against the wiles of the devil. I purpose not to remove my helmet of salvation. Help me Lord to keep on the helmet of salvation each morning and not adorn myself with crowns of lamenting expressions as others have decided to wear. I take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is your word, and I come forth with great rejoicing. My soul is joyful in you, for you have clothed me with the garments of salvation. You have covered me with the robe of righteousness, and you are causing righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. Now, I arise and take hold of your strength and give vibrant praises for your goodness. I remember the sure mercies of David, and I am so glad that you have anointed me and will not turn my face away from you. I purpose to always remember that you have clothed me with salvation. I thank you for the new thing that you are doing in my life as I am budding like the horn of David and a lamp for my feet is given for my path. I rise up and cast off the willows as a garment, and now I am adorned with the garment of praise. I am accepted in you, my beloved, and all my problems are already worked out in your victory. You have clothed my enemies with shame and placed a crown of praise upon my head.

I am indebted to you for providing me with a robe of righteousness. Now I am adorned as a bride for her husband and dressed for the feast. I cherish your omnipresence and your fulfilled word in my life; therefore, I am determined to stay ready with the anointing of joy that is the strength of my life. My garment is not as the garments of anger and hurt but it is as the bright garment of celebration. I put off sorrow and sadness when I turned my entire wardrobe of sin over to heaven's laundry to destroy them properly. All of the sweet perfume of the incense and the spices of worship are in the folds of my garments. I no longer smell of the smoke of revenge or of judgment. Now, I have the fresh scent of forgiveness and mercy in every fiber of my robe of righteousness.

You recently spoke to me, and I rejoice in your expression as I received it. This is truly the day of rejoicing. In previous times, I have acted out rejoicing almost like an actor on stage, but now rejoicing is about to act up in me! I am not rejoicing over a parable of promises, but I am rejoicing over the packs of promises that you have opened before me. I am confident in your word and now I shout for joy, not only for the promises heard but for the promises provided in the present. I am exhilarated that you have placed your calling and election on my life, for you have called me to sing about new life. I give you praise and many thanks, my King, for the dancing music you have placed in my heart, for it is the tune of mercy and grace. I love you and I give you praise.

RE: PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING - January 29, 2007

In Deuteronomy 28:47&48, Israel was admonished to serve the Lord with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things. Because they failed to do this, they became the prey of their enemies. They went into servitude and bondage that would eventually destroy them. Our attitude in the kingdom of God is about 90 percent of our dynamic of daily living. A negative attitude leaves the door open to every evil influence. We are taught that a negative report is an evil report (remember the ten spies that came back from the Promised Land with an evil grasshopper analogy). We are taught to hate an evil report. A good report makes the bones fat and is like health to our countenance. Constant gratitude is the open door for continuous blessing. Praise is comely in the mouth of his saints. Praise and thankfulness makes us irresistible to God! His blessings will run you down and overtake you as we give the sacrifice of praise unto him.