Thoughts Higher Than Mine_Living Word Chronicle

Many of my people have allowed the enemy to oppress them at the gate. Retreat not because of his oppression. Hasten toward the gate in praise unto me. David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. He did not retreat because of Goliath's oppression. Offer praise unto your King, the Stone, and I will be your Stone in the sling of praise. I shall sink my fist into the heads of the enemies at the gate. Fear not the enemy at the gate. He has made a pit and is fallen into the ditch that he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head. His violent dealings shall come down upon the crown of his head. I have destroyed the enemy, who had the power of death, by my death in the flesh. Go forth in praise and the beauty of holiness, for my mercy endures forever. Go forth in praise. I have set ambushments against the spirits at hell's gate. Fear not these spirits. Go and bring out the souls. These spirits shall be as chaff before the wind, for the angel of the LORD shall chase them. Their way shall be dark and slippery, for the angel of the LORD shall persecute them. Go and bring out the souls that are promised to you. They are as the stars of heaven. Go and bring them out. By the finished work of Calvary, you possess the gates of hell, and nothing can prevent the deliverance that I have brought to these gates. Go and bring out those who are mine. The Savior is in you doing a mighty work.

(RHEMA: The Ambushments of Your Foes In Exchange For Your Praises)

Many of God's people have allowed the enemy to oppress them at the gate. I do not retreat because of his oppression. I hasten toward the gate in praise unto God. David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. He did not retreat because of Goliath's oppression. I offer praise unto my King, the Stone, and he will be my Stone in the sling of praise. God shall sink his fist into the heads of the enemies at the gate. I do not fear the enemy at the gate. He has made a pit and has fallen into the ditch that he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head. His violent dealings shall come down upon the crown of his head. The Lord has destroyed the enemy, who had the power of death, by Jesus' death in the flesh. I shall go forth in praise and the beauty of holiness, for God's mercy endures forever. I shall go forth in praise. God has set ambushments against the spirits at hell's gate. I do not fear these spirits. I purpose to go and bring out the souls. These spirits shall be as chaff before the wind, for the angel of the LORD shall chase them. Their way shall be dark and slippery, for the angel of the LORD shall persecute them. I am determined to go and bring out the souls that are promised to me. They are as the stars of heaven. I will go and bring them out. By the finished work of Calvary, I possess the gates of hell, and nothing can prevent the deliverance that God has brought to these gates. I shall go and bring out those who are his. The Savior is in me doing a mighty work.

By Moses Hightower

Moses and Thelma Hightower

The Light of Love Banishes Betrayal and Hatred

The love of many is waxing colder and colder. Take heed that no man deceives you. Come away from the table of devils. Can you eat from the table of the Lord and the table of devils?

Many are coming in my name saying, "I am Christ," and shall deceive many. Iniquity is abounding more than ever before, and the love of many is at a very cold point. Love my law and me and then will your heart be armed against being offended. Betrayal is rampant. Hatred has become a sea of coldness. Its waves flow through the earth like a river when it is out of control. The unfaithful shall be cast into this river of hatred, and many shall die for the word of God and the testimony that they hold. I have called you. I have chosen you. Now be faithful. How will you endure unto the end if you are not persuaded to be faithful? How will you be caught away before the great day of my wrath with spots and wrinkles in your garment?

Am I pleased with spots and wrinkles in the garments of salvation?

Behold the power within you. You are born again of incorruptible seed by the word of God, which lives and abides forever. As a lamb without blemish and without spot, I was manifested for you. You have purified your soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, so love one another with a pure heart fervently. I redeemed you with precious blood, not with corruptible things as silver and gold. Now do not allow corruptible things to prevent you from loving one another. Only perfect love can successfully contend with fear. Unless you seek the love of God and abide in it, your heart will fail you for fear and for looking after the things which are coming on the earth. Take heed to yourself. Watch and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before me. Take heed, for you do not know the time of my coming. Be ready every twinkle of an eye, for I will come suddenly and without an announcement. I say unto you and I say unto all, "WATCH."

I am the good shepherd. I included you in my flock. You entered by the door into the sheepfold and not by some other way; therefore, you are not a thief or a robber. Many are attempting to enter into the sheepfold as thieves. I will reject them, for they have rejected the intimate relationship that I offered by means of the only door. My sheep hear my voice. I call them by name and lead them. Seek to follow me, for I go before those who are mine. I have tuned your ears to know my voice. The voice of the strange shepherds is seducing many. Many are ensnared because they will not flee the stranger. My sheep do not know the voice of strangers. Go not out of the door of the sheepfold to follow those who have forsaken the right way. Your pasture is green, and your waters are still. I have led you here. Now lay down in my hand. You are safe from the thief who came to steal, to kill, and to destroy. There is life in my hand. It is abundant and full of satisfaction. I came and gave my life for you. I have given you the example of leadership through my life as the good shepherd. Do you know each of the people in your pasture intimately?

I have given you the example. You should know them by name. They should know your voice, and you should know their voice. Many have followed the strangers because the shepherds do not know them. Arise to the example of true leadership, and get to know those I have given you. You could not find your way. You were lost. The kingdom of God was in your face, but you could not find it. I sought you and brought you into the hiding place of God. I have preserved you from trouble and compassed you about with songs of deliverance. You have been given sheep that minister to you with songs never sung before. Their songs of deliverance have been strength to you, a shepherd. Be grateful, and abound with thanksgiving. I am instructing you and teaching you in the way that you should go. I am guiding you with my watchful eyes and graceful hands of mercy. I have not treated you as a horse or mule. I have given you the intimacy of my tender love. Be glad in me and rejoice. Shout for the joy of deliverance and the fellowship of the Great Shepherd.

I brought you to fresh waters and gave you a mind to eat from my hand. Now drink from the veins of the fresh water in my hand. I pulled out the briars while you slept and removed the wild beasts from your dreams. I gave you peace in the night and wrapped you in hands of love. Come and follow me today. There are fresh waters and new streams of life. Fresh pastures await you as you follow me. Come and follow. Hear the direction given by me, and be led by the voice of love. There are sheep on the edges. Some are stubborn and have strayed too far. I am giving you sensitivity so that they might be rescued from the dangerous position that they graze in. Go not in your own strength or knowledge, but follow my presence. My presence shall be a comfort for them. Reach for them through my presence and not through your human spirit. The shadows of your human spirit will frighten them. Follow my presence. It is filled with peace. Come and follow me.

By Don Grigsby

Don and Linda Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - The Light of Love Banishes Betrayal and Hatred

His sheep know his voice. They will not follow the hireling or stranger. Our Great Shepherd of the sheep lies down in the door of the sheep fold. His defense and protection will never allow that which would destroy us or harm us to enter the door. God either allows or disallows everything in our lives. His plan for us may lead us into strange settings and encounters with others. Yet there is always a reason for our meeting even those who seem to be an enemy. Joseph was a father to Pharaoh. In loving our enemies, we find that we see a bigger scale of events than that which only concerns us. God has a plan on a grand scale that transcends the skirmishes that we have in our daily lives. Love will reveal that it is more powerful than hate and sweeter that bitterness. Love will reveal the trivial plays of hate and betrayal and will lift us above its exercises into a dimension of freedom above its gravity to pull us down. Grace is not weak, and love is not a cream puff. It takes the strongest people to love with the measure that Jesus reached out to Judas with and never stopped. God will preserve us if we will not allow the desire to fight a battle that only he can win to corrupt our love.

BETRAYAL AND HATRED

The love of many is waxing colder and colder. I take heed that no man deceives me. I come away from the table of devils. I cannot eat from the table of the Lord and the table of devils. Many are coming in Jesus name saying, "I am Christ," and shall deceive many. Iniquity is abounding more than ever before, and the love of many is at a very cold point. I purpose to love his law and him and then will my heart be armed against being offended. Betrayal is rampant. Hatred has become a sea of coldness. Its waves flow through the earth like a river when it is out of control. The unfaithful shall be cast into this river of hatred, and many shall die for the word of God and the testimony that they hold. He has called me. He has chosen me. Now I will be faithful. I cannot endure unto the end if I am not persuaded to be faithful. I will not be caught away before the great day of his wrath with spots and wrinkles in my garment. God is not pleased with spots and wrinkles in the garments of salvation.

I behold the power within me. I am born again of incorruptible seed by the word of God, which lives and abides forever. As a lamb without blemish and without spot, God was manifested for me. God has purified my soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, so I will love others with a pure heart fervently. He redeemed me with precious blood, not with corruptible things as silver and gold. Now I will not allow corruptible things to prevent me from loving others. Only perfect love can successfully contend with fear. Unless I seek the love of God and abide in it, my heart will fail me for fear and for looking after the things which are coming on the earth. I take heed to myself. I determine to watch and pray always that I may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before God. I take heed, for I do not know the time of God's coming. I purpose to be ready every twinkle of an eye, for he will come suddenly and without an announcement. God says unto me and he says unto all, "WATCH."

Jesus is the good shepherd. He included me in his flock. I entered by the door into the sheepfold and not by some other way; therefore, I am not a thief or a robber. Many are attempting to enter into the sheepfold as thieves. God will reject them, for they have rejected the intimate relationship that he offered by means of the only door. His sheep hear his voice. He calls them by name and leads them. I seek to follow Christ, for he goes before those who are his. He has tuned my ears to know his voice. The voice of the strange shepherds is seducing many. Many are ensnared because they will not flee the stranger. His sheep do not know the voice of strangers. I will not go out of the door of the sheepfold to follow those who have forsaken the right way. My pasture is green, and my waters are still. God has led me here. Now I lie down in his hand. I am safe from the thief who came to steal, to kill, and to destroy. There is life in God's hand. It is abundant and full of satisfaction. He came and gave his life for me. He has given me the example of leadership through his life as the good shepherd. I do not know each of the people in my pasture intimately. God has given me the example. I should know them by name. They should know my voice, and I should know their voice. Many have followed the strangers because the shepherds do not know them. I arise to the example of true leadership, and I will get to know those God has given me.

I could not find my way. I was lost. The kingdom of God was in my face, but I could not find it. Jesus sought me and brought me into the hiding place of God. He has preserved me from trouble and compassed me about with songs of deliverance. I have been given sheep that minister to me with songs never sung before. Their songs of deliverance have been strength to me, a shepherd. I will be grateful and abound with thanksgiving. God is instructing me and teaching me in the way that I should go. God is guiding me with his watchful eyes and graceful hands of mercy. He has not treated me as a horse or mule. He has given me the intimacy of his tender love. I am glad in the Lord, and I rejoice. I shout for the joy of deliverance and the fellowship of the Great Shepherd.

The Lord brought me to fresh waters and gave me a mind to eat from his hand. Now I drink from the veins of the fresh water in my hand. God pulled out the briars while I slept and removed the wild beasts from my dreams. He gave me peace in the night and wrapped me in hands of love. I will go and follow him today. There are fresh waters and new streams of life. Fresh pastures await me as I follow him. I will go and follow. I hear the direction given by God, and I will be led by the voice of love. There are sheep on the edges. Some are stubborn and have strayed too far. God is giving me sensitivity so that they might be rescued from the dangerous position that they graze in. I will not go in my own strength or knowledge, but I follow his presence. His presence shall be a comfort for them. I reach for them through his presence and not through my human spirit. The shadows of my human spirit will frighten them. I follow God's presence. It is filled with peace. I will go and follow him.

INSPIRATION

By Don Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - True Spirituality Is Produced by the Spirit of Truth

Truth sets at liberty with a freedom that produces not only creative powers but miraculous growth. His words are spirit and truth. They will launch us into dimensions of spiritual life that we will almost feel as if we were translated to another world. As we become one with him, we lose our own identity and put on his. We will have less and less desire to return to a dimension where charlatans and false teachers are filling the landscape with shadows of phantoms that are not there. A tidal wave of the demonstration of signs and wonders await those who will step forth and speak and live the words of truth. Fanciful orators of man's ideas will always stand in the dust of confusion. Truth sets in motion the great chariot of truth that will run over all the host of the enemy and scatter his host like chaff before the wind.

(Continued)

Many have been crushed by vain deceit; therefore, receive this love of the truth that I am imparting, and you will not be deceived, nor be a victim of my strong delusion. Pray without ceasing. Pray out of a heart filled with love for me, and love not your own life unto death. Worry not about those who would betray you. Allow my love that works in you to express itself then will you cease to worry about those who would do you wrong. Avail yourself to others and their needs. Love cannot be conquered by wrong, yet love will overcome all evil. I have loved you and given my life for you. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friend. I have called you a friend, yet I have also invited you to become my bride.

171. Will you remain just a friend, or will you yield to the willing expressions of brideship?

Many who think they are wise are fools. Do not be tempted by fame. Remember, I made of myself no reputation. If you seek a reputation, you will be lured into the path of worldliness. There is nothing but spiritual death that awaits all who journey down its paths; therefore, go not on a voyage where you know there is no return. I have set before you death and life. Choose life; therefore, choose not fame and reputation. The flesh is weak. Give not that which is weak this dangerous advantage by exposing it to its only source of strength. When you are completely yielded to the spirit, the flesh has no power.

172. Does the darkness have power to prevail in the presence of the light?

Look for me, the Blessed Hope, and love my appearing. I gave myself for you. I redeemed you from all iniquity. I am purifying unto myself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

173. How can my good works shine before men if your light shines from the bed of spiritual adultery?

174. What fellowship does light have with darkness?

175. What concord does Belial have with me?

176. What part does a believer have with an infidel?

177. What agreement does the temple of God have with idols?

(To Be Continued)

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