Fear ye not me? saith Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed sand for bound of sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Lord our God, that giveth rain, both former and latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us appointed weeks of harvest.

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass deeds of wicked: they judge not cause, cause of fatherless, yet they prosper; and right of needy do they not judge.

Shall I not visit for these things? saith Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in end thereof? Jeremiah 5:22-31. ____________

Yet number of children of Israel shall be as sand of sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are sons of living God, Hosea 1:10.

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know Lord.

And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith Lord, I will hear heavens, and they shall hear earth; And earth shall hear corn, and wine, and oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her unto me in earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God, Hosea 2:19-23.

~ Changing Your Scars from Sand to Stars ~

(suggested midi - Keeper of Stars)

If you haven't personally felt waves roaring, your foundation shaking, earth around you quaking ~ you may have already been there, done that, and found Living God and His Kingdom.

But, more than likely, you're experiencing more sea than anyone one person should experience in an entire lifetime. You may be in process of discovering that nothing you've ever been taught or believed in has prepared you for overcoming spiritual warfare.

By your dependence upon faith and teachings of others, or even by your study of God's word using anything but scripture's definitions, you may be discovering that not even God's word works to overcome these battles. And, by lack in truly knowing God, you may, thereby, have also been source of tribulation for others.

However, if none of above applies, you may be no threat to Satan at all. ____________

The ultimate purpose of tribulation is to bring us to place of entering Kingdom of God, Acts 14:22, because, without it, we could never be that camel making it through eye of a needle, Luke 18:25. We are equipped with such strong instincts of survival that we actually have to come to end of ourselves to find something even better.

Like it or lump it, this is how it is. There is no longer peace by following religious status quo. We are leaving church age and entering age of Kingdom of God, preparing for Jesus' return, and setting up His Kingdom to where God will again dwell with man. God wants His throne back, in YOUR heart and life. (Don't worry about what someone else is doing.)

About a year after I was called by God to preach, a door of opportunity opened up for me to preach at a local nursing home. As I walked down hall to chapel area, my eyes were filled with tears of compassion for condition of folks I encountered. Over next few years, Lord opened doors in nursing homes in several surrounding cities whre I ministered for a season. Yet, this first nursing home I preached at was to remain part of my ministry for fifteen years.

One thing about nursing homes is that folks come just as they are. Some in wheelchairs, some on walkers, some walking or being pushed in wheelchairs by another resident. It was a supreme effort for many to be at a church service and Lord looked with favor upon our times together. I had to be choir director, Sunday School teacher, special singer, and preacher. The Lord surely taught me many things during this ministry.

We never took an offering, yet one particular lady would always present me with something. It might be a penny, a soda cracker, a piece of candy, or a coupon for something. She had a nervous breakdown when her Mama ran off with her husband. This special lady had been well-educated, she could speak Greek, could play piano, and sing fairly well. She would always dress in her choir robe when she came to service. I believe Lord has a special place in Heaven for folks like her.