🙌 This is a prayer thanking God for providing, and asking wisdom as I work through the word on trusting God for daily bread, Mt 6:11, and favor as it seems this is His course, Ps5:12. May The Word of The Lord spread rapidly and be glorified, 2Thes3:1, and may He give some signs to confirm His path, but mostly let the Word be efficacious and fruitful, and may He supply all our needs, Phil4:13, and should He use His custom of providing through people with willing hearts, Ex35:21, 2Cor9:7, then may His will be done, Lk22:42, 2Sam15:25-26. Thank you in Jesus' Name.
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After job searching for eighteen months, I feel You want me to trust You for provision of a different manner, Mt6:10...
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Now the Feast of Passover was near. Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming. He said to Philip, 'Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?' But He was ASKING this to TEST HIM, for HE HIMSELF KNEW what He WAS INTENDING to do. Philip answered, 'Two hundred denarii would not buy enough... Andrew... said to Him, Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make? ...Have the people sit down, Jesus said." Jn6:4-5, 6 ,7,8-10.
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🙏 Jesus, thank You for what The Father has already provided. I haven't thanked You enough. You've provided for me for 29 months. Reading the above verses yesterday brought a shift in my thinking. First, from the actual text, YOU, Jesus, as TEACHER, give us "pop-quizzes," tests, lessons, examinations, repeat lessons, requiring not only written responses, but life responses, examination of life responses, make-up exams, personal tutoring, on-the-job training, and so forth until we know it enough to show it and reproduce it -- having been called to teach obedience to everything You said and did, Mt 28:20.
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Now I love the actual textual part of the word, cause it's the marrow -- but in so far I could write another page or two, I'll be brief... It says in rough Greek, "This He spoke to Phillip in order to prompt him (in advance) for He Himself Had already seen (in advance) what He was purposing to effectually create." So Jesus had already seen what The Father had shown Him, so He knew it a creative miracle was about to ποιεῖν (poiein)," Jn 6, Creatively Construct, Make, Fashion -- weakly translated, "do," which no doubt it could be reduced that low, as we could say, e.g., In the beginning God "did" the heavens and the earth -- But the word is closer to POEM -- more of a constructive "work" or something creatively made -- It's a God thing, yeah???
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Facts are: You clearly sent me back to The States, there's been learning, Mt10:29, pruning, Jn15:2, growing, Eph4:16, stretching, 2Cor1:8, refining,Ps 66:10, Is 48:10, Rev 3:18 and fruit has been born vertically with You, downward with grounding, Is37:31, Eph3:17 and horizontally in evangelism, Mk12:30-31, but most acutely in relationships with others,Gal5:14, especially toward my wife, Eph5:32-33. Now Your returning me back! Thank You! "Know that the Lord is God. It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture," Ps100:3. You sit in the heavens and do whatever You please, Ps115:3.
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🌾 There's so much work to do and You have given me not only a clean and authentic understanding of The Gospel, where people turn back to You from sin and make You Lord of their lives whenever it's shared -- (since it's the content of The Gospel preached that is the power of God to save, Rom1:16, creating faith, Rom10:17) -- but called me to both preach The Gospel AND make disciples of all nations teaching obedience to all You've taught, Matt28:20.
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🙏 I'm open to support as a means of financial provision. It's totally in there from The Law, Histories, Psalms, Wisdom Lit, Prophets, Gospels, Acts and Epistles. In fact the "tentmaking" of Paul and others is great when you've called them to it, as I always figured You would do that with me, but Peter caught "nada" "nichts," "absolutely nothing" when he tried to go back to it, and that's what it's feeling like for me, like Your directing me that way. If I'm wrong, and sorry for being blunt, I respectfully ask You open a door while still in the States, as it is, what would you say Lord, at least 100X harder abroad? Honestly? So that's 9900% more difficult to find a job here while there. And it needs to be in day there (so graveyard here) so as not to strain the marriage being awake at night working while they sleep, and sleeping at day while they're awake, especially as we are laying a foundation for years to come after a 10 month separation -- not to mention I'm a bit past learning a new field, my industry is in shambles here in the U.S., it has to be a U.S. Based Company Paying in Dollars or fruitlessly chasing wind, and has to be ok with my living abroad. I'm also a few years from SSI minimum. If You open a door and this happens while fixing car, cleaning place, driving 2 days, making flight plans, visiting tax advisor and before leaving to fly for 2 more days, then it is clearly Your will, "not my will but yours be done," Mt 26:36, Mk 14:35, Lk 22:42.
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📖 However, I have to admit it, You have called me to ministry and I have had prophecies that said you were going to use people I know from over the years to partner in minstry -- and please reshape the thinking of the church to see that the reward is the same for the one who sends and the one who reaps, 1Sam30:24-25, Jn4:37, 1Cor3:7, 2Cor8:13-14, 1Pet4:10is the method more clearly prescribed by You, Jesus. You were a carpenter for 30 years then it seems You lived off voluntary contributions, Luke 8:3,1-2. You didn't make a lot of it, though -- I mean You taught on money a lot but not on this in detail, did You? I might very well be missing it... Thank You for Your statement, "The worker is worthy of his support," Matt 10:10, Lk 10:7," and thank You for Your Spirit inspiring Paul, who verifies it, "Those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel," 1 Cor 9:14. He clearly denied himself of a priviledge in order to be an example, but mentions only He and Barnabas lived that way, 1 Cor 9:6... The weight of his teaching is in accord with Yours, and where he was working in Corinth, tentmaking with Priscilla and Aquila, preaching seemingly on sabbaths exclusively, Acts 18:1-2, 3-4, he left the tents with them and went headlong into Gospel ministry when some relief came from the Macedonians through Silas and Timothy, "And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to The Word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ," Acts 18:5. So I'd have to say that he did it as or when needed, maybe a little bit grudgingly? But when provision was there he burned like a New Testament John The Baptist, Jn 5:35.
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Paul's favorite proof-text seems to be, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn," Deut 25:4, 1 Cor 9:11, 1 Tim 5:18...
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🙏 I do understand the principle of partnership, and totally see the value and reason of it, it's just -- different to the unrenewed mind...
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🙏 So I do ask for provision, Gen 22:14, supply all our needs via riches in glory in Your Inheritance, Phil 4:13, abundantly bless the provision of Zion, Ps 132:15, open doors no one can shut, Rev 3:8. If Melchizedek was the Archetype of The Priesthood of The New Covenant, Ps 110:4, which the writer of Hebrews is never done articulating, Heb 5:6 Hebrews 7:17, "For it is testified: 'You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.'” Heb 7:21, "But Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” -- Well the point in this prayer-essay is that Melchizedek collected tithes, Heb 7:2, even from Abraham and therefore Levi, Heb 7:9-10, Gen 14:18-20.
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🙏 Father, thank You for helping me work through this. I thank You for those that have already contributed especially in prayer, and those who have offered willingly, which is Your preferred means from Genesis to The Tabernacle, to the First Temple, The 2nd Temple and clearly in us, The New Temple, Acts 7:48, 17:24, Eph 2:19, Heb 3:6, 1Pet 2:4.
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🙏Keep them from temptation, Lk 11:4, sin, lies, fear, Zeph 3:13, sin, 2 Cor 13:7, deceit, secret or shameful ways, distortion of The Word, but rather in open proclamation of truth in commending consciences before humanity and GOD Himself, 2 Cor 4:2.
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🙏We specifically ask for protection from deception and lies, Prov 30:8, Rev 12:11, from greed, Lk 12:15, Heb 13:5, love of the world, 1 Jn 2:15, and the love of money, 1 Tim 6:9-10, smother the love of The Father, choke out The Word, and lead to crop failure, Mt 13:22, Mk 4:19, Lk 8:14.
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🙏Instead grant contentment with food, clothing and shelter, 1 Tim 6:6-7, 8, 9, being thankful for our food, provision, and fellowship, Acts 2:42, and contentment in every situation, the ability to do all things comes from Christ who strengthens us, Phil 4:11-12, 13.
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🤺Guard us from evil people for not all have faith, 2 Thes 3:2, and the evil one, Matt 6:13, John 17:15, whose methods we stand firmly against, Eph 6:10-11, 12, resisting him firmly in the faith, 1 Pet 5:9, and in submission to God resist the devil and he will flee from us, James 4:7. With thanksgiving we let our requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which passes comprehension shall guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Phil 4:6-7, Amen.
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📖 "We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work," John 9:4.
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📖"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth, Acts 1:8" -- Fill us up to overflowing with the fullness of God, Eph 3:18-19, let us be filled continually with The Holy Spirit, Eph 5:18, love and discernment filled with fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, Phil 1:9-11, Fruit of The Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control, Gal 5:22-23, thank You again in Jesus' Name!
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📖"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved" Acts 2:42-47
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📖“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness," Acts 4:29-31.
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🙌"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all," 2 Cor 13:14.