let thine heart keep

The writer of Proverbs says, let thine heart. Let thine heart, sounds like something our heart desires to do, that we need to let it do.

I believe this to be true. All of mankind is seeking and searching for something bigger than themselves. Some look for it in science, some look for it in false religions and some find it in Christ.

In Proverbs three, the writer said: ” <strong>My son forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments.”

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Proverbs 1 – Wisdom – The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

This post deleteted itself….frustrated. Sorry

How long, ye simple ones?

Proverbs 1:22a,25a
” How long, ye simple ones?

But ye have set at nought all my counsel, “

I must be the simplist  of the simple. 

After 20 some odd years, you would think I would learn. 

When someone asks your professional  advice, then they do not  follow your council.

The only smart thing to do is to leave them, stay away, run as fast as you can.  If you stay…..

It doesn’t matter what you do to try to rectify their error. They will always blame you, when what they expected  doesn’t work as they wanted.

If they won’t listen, leave.

The Wisdom of a discouraged simpleton.

Please pray that I will have wisdom and grace, favour with God and man.

Revelation Knowledge? : The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

My Pastor Davis Jones opened my eyes this AM. He noted the Scriptures; I am expounding on that Revelation.   For the thirty five years I have been saved I have believed man is made in the image of God.  In Genesis we find that Adam was made in Gods image

Then Adam sinned;  This caused  a Spiritual death.  He was no longer immortal and became  Adam the sinner man. 

Understand before they sinned, Adam and Eve had free access to and could freely eat of the Tree of Life.  Until  sin there was no death.  After sin Adam lives eight or nine hundred years before physical death but Spiritual death was immediate.

Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God kicked them out of the garden so they couldn’t partake of Tree of Life, after they had sinned and had eaten of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil.

So now we get to the meat of the matter:

Genesis 4:25-26
“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.”

If we stop there we understand all Adams children were made in the image of God. The next chapter should cause us to reconsider.

Gen 5:3
“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:”

Adam begat a son in his own likeness and image. Since the fall the Holy Spirit would come upon individuals as He willed. Man was appointed a day to be born and a day to die physically. The Holy Spirit came upon the worthy (Moses, Joshua, David ), and the unworthy (Samson, Saul), alike, according to his work and will.

After Jesus, it was promised that the Holy Spirit would live within, giving us once again eternal life. So the children that are born to Spirit Filled Believers, (all who except Christ as Lord have a measure of the Spirit ), are born in the image of our heavenly Father and therefore fall under the protection of:

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”

Now does this mean Children of Christian parents have a free ticket to heaven? NO.

Exodus 34:7
“Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”<

The sins on the unrepentant fathers is passed dowto the third and forth generation. The child born of Christian parents has a leg up. The Lord shows Mercy,forgives iniquity and transgression (original sin?), until sin, rebellion enters their lives.

To me that means babies that die of Christians are with the Lord. Our Children that stay in the Ark of our covering, will be blessed by the Lord. They will have to make the decision to Follow the Lord but will not have to hit bottom to realize the need of Salvation.

Please look up “Your God is too small”, ” How big is your God” and “Who than shall be saved?” in my archives for Scripture.

Our Children are truly blessed. I believe the Word of God and the examples we find of Gods mercy and grace.

take heed to your spirit, — The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

We find this warning in the book of Malachi, the full quote from the Amplified Bible is this:

“Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].”

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A peculiar treasure – The Fix- it Shop – Filling Station

Is there something in your life that you treasure? A car your home a piece of jewelry?  It could be anything , a picture, a peice of furniture, something you treasure beyond all be else.

I have a few things, a jewelry box my grandfather made as his senior project in wood shop.

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My father made a table, with shelves for books and a drawer that locks.  Also a senior project.

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On my mothers side I have my great grandfathers clock….We have this beautiful mirror from my wife’s side of the family.

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I treasure these things , and would hate to lose them but they really are not important.

What I treasure most, ( in this world), is my wife and daughter, They love the Lord.  My wife sets a great example.

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The treasure, I would  bring to your attention, is beyond price, it’s mercy and grace, salvation and the peace of God that passes all understanding.

It is the blessing of knowing and walking with Jesus. Of learning to take up his yolk and to do his work and his will.

That is a treasure to hold onto and keep every day of our life.  God has paculiar treasures also.

Do you know what God considered a treasure? We find it mentioned in Exodus 19:5.

” Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

To be God’s peculiar treasure, all we need to do is obey his voice and keep the covenant.

The covenant is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Deuteronomy 7:6 tell us a little more about being a peculiar treasure for God.

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

If we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are a special people to God, a holy people, a people loved by God and forgiven.

1 Peter 2:9
” But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

A people who can go into the Holy of Holies to find grace and mercy in our times of need.

Are you a peculiar treasure unto  God, do you seek to walk with Him, to know Him, to love Him, to be obedient to Him ?

Are only real requirement is love. If we love, we will find ourselves sharing His awesome greatness, His unfettered love grace mercy and forgiveness.

As we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of our needs will be fulfilled, we will find ourselves sharing his greatness everywhere.

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Lord please, change my heart, make me a vessel that You can use to draw people to You, to heal the sick, to comfort the hurting, to cause the blind see, the deaf to hear and those with hard hearts to turn towards you.

Thank you for your word, your power, your grace and your love.

behaved himself wisely; The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

“Behaved himself wisely.”
David, as a young man, was chosen by the Lord to replace Saul as King.  Saul hadn’t made it through his first battle, before disobeying and disappointing the Lord. 

Samuel, mourned for Saul, the Lord told him He had rejected Saul, stop mourning and go find a new King.

” I have provided me a king,”

We know David was a “man after Gods own heart.”
One of the ways we see that played out is:
“He behaved himself wisely.”   This phrase is written 4 times in 1Samuel 18 alone.

” David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely:

David had slain Goliath, had been splitting his time between home and Sauls service.  He is now full-time in the Kings Court.  He plays to calm Saul when he is troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord.

Saul made him head of the army, sent him into battle, hoping he would be killed.

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I have provided me a king – The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

” I have provided me a king “
The word of the Lord to Samuel after rejecting Saul as King.  He chose David, because ” the Lord looketh on the heart.”

He chose David the Man after Gods own heart.

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  the word of the Lord was precious – The Fix-it Shop – Filling Station

This is from 1 Samuel 3:1.  ” the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”

We find Eli the High Priest a man that knew  the Form, Rituals, Duties and Laws of the Lord but didn’t seem to know the Lord at all. 

His sons were ungodly, taking the best of the Sacrifices for themselves, leaving the dregs for God.  Entertaining themselves with the Prostitutes who were in the area.

       The Temple should have had  a warning sign.

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It was a form of godliness, denying the power thereof.

I believe that is why the sons were off track. 

Their  Rituals were dead, there was no life. No truth to their Worship.  It’s hard to be a Servant of the living God, when He is far from you because of your sin and unbelief.

Hannah, had come and prayed for a son, whom she would dedicate to the Lords service.  Her prayer was answered and after the child was weaned, she entrusted him to Eli to learn the ways of the Lord.

It is a wonderful thing that Eli, a man who knew not the Lord, could teach Samuel to be a man that the Lord could and would use. 

Why Samuel and not his sons?  Hannah had given him to the Lord, prayed for him, taught him at home before giving him to Eli. Hannah shared her living faith.

Samuel had an open heart and mind to serve and obey the Lord.

It wasn’t long before Samuel heard the voice of the Lord, who gave him a Word of Knowledge, the Lord told him of the end of Eli and sons.

So  the Word of the Lord was precious, (hidden, not proclaimed), until a suitable vessel was in place.

Today Saints, the Word of the Lord could go forth in Power and Might, if the Lord found suitable vessels in His body.

By the ninth chapter we find:

“the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came,”

Samuel was an open, obedient, reliable and humble vessel, the Lord told Him many things, before they came to pass.  Wouldn’t that be handy in our lives?  

Has the Lord spoken into your ear?  Would you recognize His voice if He did?  The Lord will speak to those who will listen.  Has He been trying to get your attention?

Is there something in your lo life that is more important than Him?  A person or thing, greed,
lust, pride?

It could be that small sin you won’t left go of.  You feed it when you’re alone.  You don’t want anyone to know, it shames you, you believe you have it conquered, then it sneaks back into the light.

No matter how hard we try, the old man raises his ugly head. How long oh Lord?

Until, you are fully immersed in His Word, desire His presence, allow His leading, guiding, directing your path.

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We must take a page from Samuels book.  Love and Obey the Lord with our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Love one another, be open to say:  “Speak Lord, your servant listens.”

Then we may find Power and Might in our Worship.

“the father of a fool hath no joy.” – The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station

Proverbs 17:21
King James Version (KJV)
“He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.”

My poor father could not of had any joy during my teenage years.  There was never a bigger fool then me, before Christ.  Sex, Booze, Drugs, Rock and Roll. 

I had absolutely no respect for authority,
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as many as touched him were made whole. – The Fix-it Shop – Filling Station

Mark 6 is a chapter all about perception, the people. thought Jesus was doing mighty works.  He said He could do no mighty works because of their unbelief

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.
He could only heal a few sick.  He was doing the work of His Father.  Being His Father’s  hands.

He fed 5,000, walked on the water with Peter, calmed the storm.  The desiples were astonished.

When they landed on the other side.

” And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.”

Do people run around the villages to bring the sick to your Sunday or weekday services?

When we learn to touch Him, maybe He can then use us to touch others.

Lord, help me to be a vessel for Your love, healing and
Salvation.  May Your Spirit reign in my life.

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Thanks for visiting,
The Fix-it Shop-Filling Station
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Know you are loved.

deliver us only, we pray thee, – The Fix-it Shop, Filling Station

And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
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Here we go again.   Lord, I know I have this problem because I did that thing I shouldn’t have.  So Lord, help me out of this today, please.

We have a loving God so help comes.  Repeat.

What we fail to understand is He helps, saves us so we might to serve Him.  Spend time with Him, love and obey Him.   If we did, we would find a peace in the midst of the worst storms of our lives.

Lord, help us to love, honer, obey to walk in Your yoke…..with You every day of our lifes.  Don’t let us wait, until it’s too late.

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Thanks for visiting,
bill theunfetteredpreacher cote.
Know you are loved.

Who’s in your wheelhouse?

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A quilt square at Core Sound Waterfowl Museum :

Thanks for visiting,
blessings;
bill theunfetteredpreacher cote.
Know you are loved.

Drawn to or Driven from – The Fix-it Shop

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Are people Drawn to or Driven from:

         – The Church
         – The Gospel
         – The Godhead
         – The Faith
         – Jesus

Why is my church not growing?  Where is everyone?  Why is the church up the street growing?  What is wrong with my church?   Why are we driving people from our midst?

Are they offended by  the Joy of the Lord?
    I don’t think so, there is too little Joy.
Are they afraid of the Power of the God?
    I don’t think so, there is so little Power.
Is the problem the Love of the Lord?
    I don’t think so, we do not practice His Love.
It must be Gods Mercy and Grace?
    You think?   Are we Merciful?   Do we display Grace?

Are we as Preachers, really teaching or do we just preach?

” Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Even with this blog, I find myself preaching more than teaching.   We need to admonish in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs…..singing and memorizing the Word of God.

We can find and share the Love of the Lord as we sing of His Glory.

The steps of a good man. …
He that dwelleth in the secret place…
Give ear to my words, oh Lord…
The Lord God is a sun and shield. …
I will sing unto the Lord. …
We are a chosen generation. …
I love You Lord, and I lift my voice….

Singing the Word of God has helped me memorize scriptures, find my way out of depression,  understand the Promise of God.

It is hard to condemn when singing of Gods love and grace.   We need to learn how to share His Love in song.

Thanks for visiting, blessings;
bill theunfetteredpreacher cote.

” Lord, my heart is not haughty,” – The Fix-it Shop

Psalm 131
King James Version (KJV)
” Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.  Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.  Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.”

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Lord, I do rest in You.  You tell me “Take no thought what you eat, drink or wear.”  Lord I am trying to do that but I  feel I must remind you, some bills were due the 20th,  others come due the 1st of next month.

You may not ever be late….but I am.  I know the trying of my faith worketh patience.   I  am waiting and walking in You,  I  trust You will not leave me wanting.  You are my Shepherd,  I shall not want.

So I  thank You for Your Mercy, Love and Provision in Jesus name.  Thank you for the work we need. Amen

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For Joshua drew not his hand back, – The Fix-it Shop

For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

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I don’t know about you but I have a sin that easily besets me.   It is a part of me that I  cannot give to the Lord, though I long to.  Like Paul I cry for the Lords deliverance,  no joy.

The problem is I haven’t utterly destroyed the sin nature within.   Romans 12 tells us how:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Reasonable service, renewing our minds, be transformed.  

We need to let the Lord do His work by doing our reasonable service.

” For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Do I have the faith to change into His image. …not unless I do the reasonable thing.  Study, renew my mind, be transformed by Gods Word and Spirit.   No longer be conformed to this world,  think, pray live for the Eternal.

We need to not draw back our hand, till the old man is utterly destroyed.  Set your face like flint to seek Him.

Lord, help us to draw closer to You…

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the eyes of them both were opened, – The Fix-it Shop

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;”

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This scripure is from Genesis 3….the fall of man, when he realized he was a sinner.

This blog has been written primarily to Believers, in hopes of inspiring them to a closer walk with the Lord.  I  have assumed a certain basic knowledge of the Word from my readers.

What of those who stumble across it, and just think it is religion, they haven’t experienced or recognized, the gentle knock at their hearts, of the Lord.

They may believe, believers to be weak, in need of a crutch….not as strong or intelligent as they.   Somehow less….

They have not recognized their nakedness.   Their eyes have not been opened.  

When I was first saved, I would almost beat them with the Word. 

As I realized people avoided and rejected me, I backed off till they didn’t recognize  I was a believer.  I  wasn’t showing Christ at all.

Failure on both counts.

I have learned, it is not my job to save them.  It is Christ, in me, the hope of glory.  My job is to sow, water and if I am blessed reap. 

I must walk worthy of His high calling.   Honest, upright,  loving, giving, caring.  Be different from the world, gracious, understanding, welcoming.  Willing to lead and teach.

Jesus wasn’t religious, He ate with publicans and sinners.  He did not share in their sin but showed them a more excellent way.

It is Gods job to open their eyes and our job, to show the more excellent way.

Lord, help us to recognize our part of Your plan.  To obey and realize You said, “it is finished “…..

We must rest in You as You bring people to Yourself by the Spirit, through our lives.

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He hath not dealt with us after our sins; The Filling Station

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“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.   As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.”

I often need to remind myself how wonderful and forgiving is our God.  The good I  would, I don’t.  The wicked thoughts, imaginations and yes sometimes actions, I do.

Why is He so gracious, so giving and forgiving?

” But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;”

For many years I lived, unaware of His love and grace, did not know His mercy, compassion or peace.  My parents and especially my Dads parents were good Catholics.

They would kneel in their living room and pray,  while Mass was on the radio daily.   Yet, I  don’t believe they knew the Lord.

I came out from under the curse, when I  met the Lord.  I read in the OT,  the blessings upon Esau and Lots decendants and realize the blessing that is upon my daughter, because I love the Lord.

Yes, I  am greatly blessed and my family is also. As long as they stay under the umbrella of Gods love.  Esau and Lots decendants lost their protection when they attacked Gods people instead of living in peace with them.

So my advice to those who love Him is:

” Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.”

Thank the Lord,  thank the Lord and thank the Lord.  Bless Him with Praise and thanksgiving.   Sing unto the Lord a new song.  Lift your hands, heart and soul to Worship the King.

I and we deserved nothing and He has given us all.

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Do we understand how to pray? The Filling Station

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As a Believer, for over 35 years, I have listened to many public prayers.  We pray for health,  finance, marriage, jobs, peace.  All wonderful things to pray about. 

As we look at the prayers of Paul, we see something totally different.

” First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, “
“without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;”

” That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

” Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  Let all your things be done with charity.”

” Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. ”

” I Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”

”  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;”

” That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

” Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ,   That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

” Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”

” Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

…………….

If you would like this prayer, prayed for you daily.  Leave a comment and I will pray it for you.  Please pray it for me.

Let’s try it for a month and compare notes. 

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