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Called For Such A Time As This

Mar2

Purim Blessings 5786

Sweetness in overcoming joy! Celebrate Purim.

The Feast of Purim is in the month of Adar and is the happiest, most joyous celebration time in the Hebraic calendar. This is definitely a month for those who have prevailed with us on the “Quest of the Overcomers” to experience fullness of  joy!

   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22 NKJV

     Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV

 The Feast of Esther is on the 13th of Adar, which celebrates the story in the book of Esther about the beautiful Jewish girl that became the queen of king Ahasuerus in ancient Persia. The Feast of Purim, on Adar 14, is remembrance of when the wicked schemes of Haman’s bitterness towards the Jew, Mordecai, (Esther’s uncle) to destroy all the Jews in the land, were overthrown and turned into sweetness of joy!

     “When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.” Esther 3:5-6 NASB

   “…In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.” Esther 3:12-13

     And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14

Esther trusted in the wise counsel of her uncle Mordecai and submitted herself and the eminent destruction of her Jewish people to God. She relied totally on Him alone as she instructed all her handmaidens and the Jews in the city to fast and pray with her. With clear instructions, requiring her trust and obedience, she was not disappointed to see the salvation of God. In the end it was Haman and his entire family that were destroyed and the Jewish people were saved!

   “By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

     The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday.” Esther 8:11-12, 16-17a NKJV

What is our Spiritual warfare assignment in this month of Adar? Pray about this.

 

Blessings and Shalom, Love Beyond Measure

Beth Auman and JoBeth Kested

Living From The Tree of Life

Feb23

Adar 5786 — Declaring the End From the Beginning

By Beth Auman and JoBeth Kested

Living from the Tree of Life is learning how God declares the end of a thing from the beginning. The month of Adar 5786 is the twelfth month on God’s Holy Calendar, the most joyful month when He turns bitter things sweet. It is the month where sorrow must give way to rejoicing, and hidden deliverance is revealed.

Many times in life, we focus on beginnings and hope we will finish strong. God begins with the end already established. What I have learned through celebrating Rosh Chodesh on God’s Holy Calendar is that He invites each of us to meet personally with Him in His appointed times — His moedim.

• Shabbat — weekly rest

• Rosh Chodesh — the first fruits of each new month

• Rosh Hashanah — celebrations for the civic new year

• All His appointed feasts including Yom Kippur, Passover and Shavout/Pentecost

Through the free will He has given us, we choose whether or not we will keep these divine appointments. Personally, I have come to treasure these times in my heart. I thank God that I get to meet with Him at His appointed times. What a privilege, not obligation, but an invitation. When we choose to keep our appointments with Him, He pours out fresh revelation withunderstanding that enables us to move forward strategically.“Now!”

This is the essence of living from the Tree of Life:

• Our Abba is the Master Strategist.
• He holds every answer.
• He illuminates our path.
• He teaches us to walk circumspectly in His timing to lovewhat He loves, doing what He says, simply because He says it and His Word is true.

Declaring the End From the Beginning

Please read this Scripture aloud to Abba:

“Remember things that happened at the beginning, long ago — that I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. At the beginning I announce the end, proclaim in advance things not yet done; and I say that my plan will hold, I will do everything I please to do.”(Isaiah 46:9–10 CJB)

Did you hear Him? At the beginning, He announces the end.Before you ever step into the month, He has already declared its victory. Before the battle appears, He has already written the outcome. Before the strategy unfolds, He has already secured the plan.

Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh: Divine Strategy Points

• Abba meets with us on Shabbat, at the close of our week, Friday evenings through Saturday and in this time of rest He imparts strategy for what lies ahead.
• He meets with us at Rosh Chodesh, at the beginning of the new moon, the new month, revealing new prophetic insights withrevelation and wisdom for the next season before us.
• He gives light for our path because His Son, Yeshua, is the Light of the world.
• He does not leave us guessing.
• He invites us into understanding.


Adar — The Month of Sweet Exchange

When JoBeth and I began writing our book, The Quest of the Overcomers, we began in Adar — the final month in God’s calendar cycle. We responded to His call to us fromIsaiah 46:9–10. He turned bitter things sweet. He replaced heaviness with joy. He opened hidden treasureswith understanding for us within His times and seasons.He brought us into revelation knowledge in discerning His ways. He opened His Word in ways that were practical, powerful, and transformative. We are learning how to live from the Tree of Life, following as He leads, because only He knows the way.

He is not merely a way. He is the Way. He is the Tree of Life. Jesus said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”(John 14:6 NKJV)

The month of Adar includes the story of the Feast of Purim, told in the book of Esther, that  celebrates the destruction of enemies with overcoming joy. Haman plots to destroy all the Jewish people which would include Queen Esther. After prayers and fasting, his scheme is exposed to the king, who authorizes an alternate plan for the Jewish people to overthrow this strategy with the ability to destroy their enemies, including the death of Haman.

Personal story from JoBeth:

Many years ago my husband and I experienced a grievous betrayal from Christian’s we had worked closely with for about 18 years. We fell on our knees declaring our trust in the Lord’s goodness, mercy, justice and provision for us when we had no idea where to go or what to do. The Lord sovereignly opened a door of opportunity for a totally new beginning; fulfilling a dream we had in our hearts for many years. He turned our sorrows into one of the most joyful and blessed times of our lives! We were truly able to go out in peace with rejoicing! Our God is more than able to give, “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, thegarment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV)

A Call for Adar 5786

During this final month of Adar in God’s Holy Calendar, ask Abba to reveal to you His end from the beginning over your life.Take Yeshua’s hand, committing to walking through HisBiblical Calendar with Him. Embrace His teachings. Be intentional. Choose to enter into the most fulfilling relationship with your Lord and Savior that you have ever known. Learn how to walk in His strategic victory. Our lives have changed because we chose obedience; but even more, because we discovered how deeply loved we are through the overcoming, empowering blood sacrifice of Yeshua.

 HIS LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Our Declaration Prayer:

Oh, Lord, in this month of Adar we declare that You are Jehovah Jireh — our Provider; El Shaddai — our all sufficient One; El Gibbor — our Champion who fights for us and Jehovah Nissi — our victory that we will be overcomers against any enemies or giants in our territories. We choose to receive the joy of the Lord, Your strength made manifest in our weakness to embrace the new beginnings with all the blessings You have for us. In Jesus Name, amen!

Faith Or Fear, Which Will You Choose By JoBeth Kested

Jul23

I’ve felt the need to share this article I wrote several years ago. My hope is that it will be an encouragement to someone that needs to see this today. ??

Faith Or Fear, Which Will You Choose?
By JoBeth Kested

Have you ever realized that whether you live in faith or fear is a choice? You might say, “I always fear the worst about everything and I can’t help it; that’s just the way I am”. Let’s take a look at the Bible definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (NKJV). What if we replace the word faith with the word fear? “Now fear is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Isn’t that exactly what fear is when we allow our minds to run away imagining every possibility of all the bad things that might happen? Those imaginations can run around and around in our heads over and over, like a hamster on a wheel, until we are paralyzed with fear and hopelessness expecting only the worst. Do we have a choice? According to 2 Corinthians 10:5, we can choose to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (NKJV).

We need to realize that the choice between fear or faith is like coming to a fork in the road. We can choose to go down the path of fear, mulling over all the worst possibilities that can happen, or we can choose the path of faith; taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and putting our trust in God’s limitless power to intervene in our circumstances. The choice is ours. We are either going to put our trust in the worst possibilities of hopelessness or put our trust in God’s supernatural power to perform miracles on our behalf. Because, we KNOW His plans for us are good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope! (Jeremiah 29:11) So, fear or faith, which path will you choose?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help us to choose the path of faith and to take every thought captive, pulling down every stronghold of fear that comes against our obedience to walk in the path of goodness and hope you have for us in Jesus. In Jesus name, AMEN.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

© JoBeth Kested 2014

We are Excited to Announce..

Mar5

You are invited on an overcoming journey through the Hebraic Calendar, learning Christianity’s Jewish Roots and discovering the prophetic symbolic fruit from the Tree of Life.

Quest of the Overcomers is being published and will be available soon.

The Book Cover was beautifully designed by https://www.davidmunozart.com/

Preparation for Prayer, Intercession and Prophetic Ministry By Beth Auman and JoBeth Kested

Jun2

Presented on 6/1/23 on Glory Risers Empowerment with Pastor Briana Clark by Beth Auman – Click here: https://fb.watch/kVJuHclwN_/

To partake of this Encounter Teaching please go to the Glory Risers Empowerment page on Face Book.

Praying, interceding, prophesying, and laying on of hands is exciting. It is an honor granted to us by Abba and is one of the most weighty things that we can ever endeavor to do; ministering to see people encouraged, healed and set free. Yeshua is our chief intercessor and example to follow. All gifts flow from His throne for the “shalom” (peace, wholeness, wellness) of His chosen people. We are privileged to minister to those whom He loves at His altar.

Prayer

Abba, we lay ourselves down in subjection to Your authority, in Yeshua’s name. We ask for forgiveness for anytime that we have attempted to minister by leaning unto our own understanding, rather than  relying upon Your anointing. Please “Vav” (divinely connect) us to Your heart! We choose to enter into Yeshua’s prayer for us. Make us “echad” (one) as You and Yeshua are One. Lead, guide, guard, protect and provide for each and every one of us; that You will receive all the glory. Amen.

“I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”John 17:20-21 NASB

The word weighty in Hebrew is the verb “kabed.” The basic meaning of “kabed” is, “to be heavy, being burdened, having importance.” It can also have the broader meaning of, “being weighty, prestigious, honored and to be glorified.” Becoming a worthy vessel for the anointing of the Holy Spirit is a weighty responsibility and must be handled with honor; not to be presumed or taken for granted.

Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble [with awe-filled reverence] at His word: “Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.” Isaiah 66:5 AMP

Another Hebrew word “kavod “ indicates worth and value, and results in praise. Glory in Hebrew should be seen as abounding in honor and reverence, almost to a degree that it is terrifying. Exodus 24:17 is a  prime example of this “terrifying glory”

“Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.” Exodus 24:17 NASB

Taking a moment to consider the weightiness and responsibility of prayer, intercession and laying on of hands is vital before charging ahead. Remember, fools rush in and we truly never want to stand before Yeshua on that day when we enter into eternity to hear, “I never knew you.”

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV

How then do we guard ourselves? It begins with submitting ourselves unto the LORD. We want to live a life of intercession before Yeshua, in His presence, because only then are we able to befilled to overflowing with His Holy Spirit and ready to pour out from the overflow. When we live a submitted life unto the LORD with our hearts yielded to His, we then gain the authority enabling us to resist the devil, knowing he will flee.

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” James 4:7-8,10 NLT

Definition of Intercession

The word intercession comes from a Greek word “paga.”

Lexicon : Strong’s H6293

intercession; to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, to intercede

(Qal)

to meet, light upon, join

to meet (of kindness)

to encounter, fall upon (of hostility)

to encounter, entreat (of request)

to strike, touch (of boundary)

(Hi Phil)

  1. to cause to light upon
  2. to cause to entreat
  3. to make entreaty, interpose
  4. to make attack
  5. to reach the mark

The Weapons of our Warfare

The Armor of God

It is important to know how to appropriate our armor and the weapons we have been given in

Ephesians 6:11-18.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore,

having belted your waist with truth,

having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace;

taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming

arrows of the evil one,

take the helmet of salvation,

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be

alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,” NASB

We will be known by our fruit!

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV

Boundaries and Character Weapons

Boundaries are vital with Abba; and the establishment of a clear boundary around each of us, individually as well as corporately, is a must in every ministry circumstance. Less recognized as critical weapons in spiritual warfare, is the importance of our character.

And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; Acts 17:26-27 NASB

  1. God is love. The first boundary that we must not violate is love. The banner of God’s love must be over us and all we do. If love is not present, then the anointing that is in operation is false. Either you will be a tree that produces loving, good fruit or a bad tree that produces bad fruit. Rest assured though, if the boundary of love is violated, the fruit will be bad, and the words that are spoken over someone will produce bad fruit.

He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love. Song of Solomon 2:4 NASB

“But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5 AMP

“If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” I Corinthians  13:1-2 NASB

  1. Humility always overcomes the temptations of pride.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:6-8 NKJV

  1. Mercy with compassion is welcoming to the the presence of the Holy Spirit. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13 NKJV

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

  1. Truth always exposes and repels the lies and deceptions of the enemy. You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah Psalm 60:4 NASB

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 NKJV

  1. Obedience – Partial obedience is disobedience. What happened when Saul only partially obeyed the Lord? Samuel’s response to Saul’s deception and disobedience: “Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,he has rejected you as king.” 1 Sam 15:22 NLT

Minister from a Pure Heart

We must make sure that our hands are clean and our hearts are pure in order to receive everything that God has for us from His Holy Spirit. He will freely give us the things that we need to know in order to minister to anyone in any situation.

The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who live in it For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers Who may ascend onto the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place One who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to deceit And has not sworn deceitfully He will receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation. Psalm 24:2-5

Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Matthew 5:23-24 NASB

Surrendered to the Holy Spirit

We must be ones that are led by the Holy Spirit and we must be reliant upon the attributes of the Holy Spirit.

The Ruach of ADONAI will rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and insight, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of ADONAI. Isaiah 11:2 TLV

Wisdom – discerning what God wants to do in this situation

Insight – divine perspective beyond our own understanding

Counsel – Holy Spirit’s instructions of what we need to do and how to do it

Might – becoming a yielded vessel for the power of God to manifest

Spirit of knowledge – supernatural revelation beyond what we could know

Fear of the Lord – totally dependent upon the Lord and all glory is unto the Lord!

Yeshua came to destroy the works of the devil and to destroy the works of destruction in people’s lives. He is the Great Intercessor and all truly anointed prayers of intercession must flow from His heart of love. When we flow in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and have the privilege to pray for people, we must trust Him to show us how He wants to expose, unravel anddestroy the enemy’s entrapment in people’s  lives.

“Therefore He [Jesus] is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. [Here is] the High Priest [perfectly adapted] to our needs, as was fitting–holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:25-26 AMP

The person being prayed for has a responsibility to receive what Abba is doing and the way that He is doing it. Sometimes healing and deliverance are instant and sometimes it’s a process. Many people have much to work through and we are a part of that process. The moment that you step beyond the Holy Spirit’s boundary of instruction to pray or instruct from your own selfperceptions, you can cause harm. We do not want to cause any more harm to a person seeking the LORD in prayer ministry.

Resisting the spirit of the World

We cannot charge into prayer leaning on our own understanding, relying on how we have prayed or seen answered prayers from ministry in the past. That is operating in the spirit of the world. We do not want to be attempting ministry in the spirit of the world! The spirit of the world is performance, competition, comparison, seeking validation from the approval of man. It is entertainment. It says, “Look at me, see how I pray!” “Look how anointed I am!” It is “I, me, me, me;” which is an anti-Christ spirit. It is a  fleshly spirit of the world and we must give it no opportunity in us.

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:12 NASB

Scriptural Instructions for Laying on of Hands

  1. Caution, do not rush to minister in haste.

Do not lay hands upon anyone too quickly and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. 1 Timothy 5:22 NASB

  1.  Minister from a fresh anointing in the gifts God has given you. Don’t rely on old manna; what worked yesterday or last year.

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6 NASB

  1. Minister from the uniqueness of who God has created and anointed you to be. No need to imitate or to copy others!

Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was granted to you through words of prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 1 Timothy 4:14 NASB

The PIT Crew Strategy for Intercessors

JoBeth is my longtime friend and writing partner. We have interceded on many teams; strategically prayed, prophesied and been well formed arrows in Abba’s hand, hitting our targets. We have seen people set free, healed, employed and delivered. It happens because we have learned to rely on each other’s unique strategic anointing. When praying together we clearly hear Abba’s voice, to then declare, decree, perform prophetic acts and then watch Abba’s faithfulness to do what only He can do. Because…HE IS GOOD!!

The PIT Crew Strategy:

In the same way that a race car driver requires a pit crew to provide the essential maintenance, refueling and repairs to run the race, a visionary leader needs a PIT Crew (Prayer and Intercession Team) for strategic spiritual warfare in order to run the race to accomplish their God-given, Kingdom vision in ministry or the marketplace.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us layaside every weight, and  the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 NKJV

PIT is an acronym for Prayer and Intercession Teams; as well as Prayer and Intercession Training. If you have ever watched a NASCAR car race or the Indy 500, you would have noticed the critical position of importance a pit crew has in the outcome of a race. Each person in a pit crew team has unique talents and skills, yet they have learned the importance of working together in unity to accomplish their goal for their car to win the race. Spiritually cars always represent ministry and Jesus is who we are working for to be glorified in every ministry opportunity.

For every ministry team there is a vision. There is a leader or leaders and it is their responsibility to pray and see that each person is operating in the right position. It is the responsibility of each one who has accepted a position to walk and minister to in unity; to align and flow with the vision, not impose their own vision. Each time that we begin planning for ministry encounters,there will be opportunities to flow  in our giftings. Each one is just as vital as the others, but just the same as in a pit crew, we need to have  every post covered. Prayer and intercession ministry is no place for competition or attempting to copy how anyone else is ministering. We must remember that the works that we are putting our hand to is for the glory of Adonai alone. Your gifts will make room for you. (Proverbs 18:16)

Important questions to always ask

  1. LORD, where are you and what are you doing in this situation?
  2. Where is the enemy and what is he doing?
  3. How do you want me to pray?

We are promised by Yeshua in Matthew 16:17-18 that these signs will accompany those who have believed. Correct alignment with the Holy Spirit, knowing our place, our boundaries and weapons of warfare is vital. And, making sure that we have clean hands and pure hearts to minister with love, humility, mercy, truth and obedience before Him.

These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Matthew 16:17-18

“Let everything you do be done in love (true love to God and man as inspired by God’s love for us).” 1 Corinthians 16:14 AMPC 

 

copyright 2023 all rights reserved Beth Auman and JoBeth Kested

 

 

Purim Blessings 5783

Mar6

Sweetness in overcoming joy! Celebrate Purim.

The Feast of Purim is in the month of Adar and is the happiest, most joyous celebration time in the Hebraic calendar. This is definitely a month for those who have prevailed with us on the “Quest of the Overcomers” to experience fullness of  joy!

   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22NKJV

     Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10NKJV

 The Feast of Esther is on the 13th of Adar, which celebrates the story in the book of Esther about the beautiful Jewish girl that became the queen of king Ahasuerus in ancient Persia. The Feast of Purim, on Adar 14, is remembrance of when the wicked schemes of Haman’s bitterness towards the Jew, Mordecai, (Esther’s uncle) to destroy all the Jews in the land, were overthrown and turned into sweetness of joy!

     “When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.” Esther 3:5-6NASB

   “…In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.” Esther 3:12-13

     And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14

Esther trusted in the wise counsel of her uncle Mordecai and submitted herself and the eminent destruction of her Jewish people to God. She relied totally on Him alone as she instructed all her handmaidens and the Jews in the city to fast and pray with her. With clear instructions, requiring her trust and obedience, she was not disappointed to see the salvation of God. In the end it was Haman and his entire family that were destroyed and the Jewish people were saved!

   “By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

     The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday.” Esther 8:11-12, 16-17a NKJV

What is our Spiritual warfare assignment in this month of Adar? Pray about this.

Blessings and Shalom, Love Beyond Measure

Beth Auman and JoBeth Kested

The Sovereignty of GOD By JoBeth Kested

Feb27

 Learning to accept and yield to the sovereignty of God is not an easy process. When it seems our prayers only hit the ceiling. When we can’t understand “WHY!” in all the affliction of our circumstances. Everything we thought we knew about the character and ways of God isn’t making sense. Our faith may be deeply shaken or feeling shattered under the weight of a broken heart. The disappointments and suffering sometimes leads us into a dark night of the soul that no one would ever choose. As believers we are forced to deal with scriptures that we would prefer to quickly pass over.

    Is anyone excited about being invited to come and die? “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25). Or, what about those not mentioned by name in the Hebrews Hall of Faith, “of whom the world was not worthy…having attained a good testimony of faith yet did not receive their promise.” (Hebrews 11:38-39).No, that is NOT encouraging! And, none of us go around believing for the promise at the beginning of John 16:33! “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” It’s definitely not easy to embrace this scriptural command to be cheerful in the middle of our trials and suffering. But, that is exactly what we’re told to do in the process of learning how to live in the overcoming power of Jesus.

    I once heard a message by a minister that had paid a high price for persevering faith. He said, “Both Satan and God are out to kill us, the choice is ours who gets to do the job!” What a sobering statement! Though I didn’t fully understand his premise at that time, I never forgot that message and have drawn from the truth of it many times. Our best option is definitely to choose a loving Father God that not only promises a glorious eternity, but peace that passes understanding, sufficient grace, merciful kindness, and a future with hope. 

    Some years after experiencing a radical salvation, I found myself captive in a deep dark pit of depression; and couldn’t see any way out. At some point I came to the realization that I was faced with a choice. I could continue down the slippery slope into the deep dungeon of hopeless despair, defending and holding on to all my dashed dreams, rejected woundedness with self righteous victimizing pity; or choose to believe that God is Who He says He is in His Word. That meant no longer believing in a God that was supposed to fit into all my boxes. It required making the critical choice to believe that the Word of God is more real than my feelings. To surrender to the truth that He is sovereign and worthy of worship even if I never understand His ways or purpose in my circumstances. The light of His Word began to shed light in my darkness. It was a process of learning to discover His sufficient grace with mercy and blessings in each new day, and choosing gratitude instead of victimization with it’s accompanying hopelessness. God’s word truly became light unto my steps. 

    Father God, I pray for anyone finding themselves relating to these words. Please remove any blinders from their eyes. May Your merciful loving kindness heal broken hearts and help them forgive those that betrayed and wounded them. Break them free from the chains of bondage, victimization and self pity. Let them know your goodness and find your empowering sufficient grace to make the hard choice of surrender to Your sovereignty. Help them accept that Your ways are not our ways, nor are Your thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) May the truth of Your Word shed light in the darkness; revealing Your overcoming path for them. In Jesus’s Name, amen.

    May the following scriptures be light in the dark for you as much as they were for me. 

    “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalms 27:13-14) 

    “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)  

    “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

    “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”  (Isaiah 41:10)

    I truly believe and declare, that like me, you will also discover the resurrection healing power of God in your life. You will not only experience the reality of Isaiah 61, but you will now qualify to walk in an anointing of those called to set other captives free.

    “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:1-3, 6a-7 NIV

 

Photographer unknown, Free Sunrise Wallpaper Wallup.net posted 3/5/2017

All scriptures are from NKJV unless otherwise stated.

© JoBeth Kested 2023

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jan22

Scripture for the week of January 22, 2017
By JoBeth Kested

When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:7,9 (NKJV)

Have you ever known someone, or maybe you are someone, who tries to plan for everything and feels like everything must have a plan? Oh, how frustrating when all our well laid plans fall apart! At some time or another we all need to be reminded of the truth of this scripture, that we can plan and set admirable goals all we want, but it is the Lord that directs our steps. I am sure each of us could tell stories of sorrows with hidden blessings, of hopes lost with joys found or disasters that have lead to surprising opportunities or miracles. It is well and good to make plans to our hearts content; yet still be pliable and yielding to the Lord, trusting in Him to direct our steps. After all, we also have this promise that when our steps please the Lord, He is even able to make our enemies be at peace with us. Yes, Lord!

Scripture of the Week by JoBeth Kested

Oct10

Scripture for the week of October 10, 2021

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

Have you ever felt like a misfit, too different or unacceptable amongst your friends, at work or in your family? What an encouragement to find in this scripture what God has to say about you. You are a chosen one! You are a part of the elite inner circle with access to God; a Holy nation! And, you are part of a distinctive people that have accepted God’s invitation to come out of the dark painful, depressing and hopeless places into the marvelous light of His love! So lift your heart, your hands and your voice to praise the Lord because you are a chosen, special one with the opportunity to display His goodness and glory to all those around you in this world! Thank You, Lord!

By JoBeth Kested

Scripture of the Week by JoBeth Kested

Aug29

Scripture for the week of August 29, 2021

…Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

Have you ever heard the saying, “Don’t let your yesterday’s determine your tomorrow’s”? Are you trying to run your race still carrying the baggage and burdens of your yesterdays? You may remember watching how hard it is for a child learning to walk to keep from stumbling and falling when they keep looking back instead of focusing their eyes ahead. This scripture reminds us that in order to successfully run our race we need to stop looking back at the mistakes, problems, and even accomplishments or the joys of our yesterdays so we can reach for the blessings of today and the hope of our tomorrows. Therefore, in the Lord’s enabling grace, let go of anything in the past that would keep you from reaching for the future and the heavenly prize that is yours in Jesus, today! Selah, Ponder sand think on that.

By JoBeth Kested