Julie Vivienne podcast

The Grace And Glory Of Gratitude To GOD

In Nehemiah 12:45-46 we read of songs of both thanksgiving and praise to GOD.
The people Israel are now regathered in their land after 70 years of captivity in Babylon.
The Hebrew word for "Thanksgiving" is "Todah" which comes from the root word and is closely related to "yadah" meaning intimacy of knowing someone. It is our thanksgiving that leads us into intimacy with GOD Himself.
In Hebrew the word for "thanksgiving" "Todah" is spelled with 3 Hebrew letters :
Firstly "Tau" which means The Truth
Jesus Christ is The Truth (John 14:6)
The 2nd letter is "Daleth" which means a Doorway. Jesus Christ is The Door, the doorway to salvation ( John 10:9)
The 3rd letter is "Heh" which means the Presence of GOD. In this one Hebrew word "Todah", the Gospel is proclaimed.
We come to The Truth,The Living Word of God, we go through The Door Who is Jesus Christ Himself into The Presence of The Living GOD. Hallelujah! Whatever our own circumstances this day, we can give thanks with a grateful heart to The Holy One because He has given Jesus Christ His Son.
Psalm 100:4
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His Name"
Note thanksgiving is separate from praise but thanksgiving leads to praise.
Psalm 7:17
"I will give thanks to The LORD because of His righteousness, I will sing the praises of The LORD Most High"
Whilst intimately related, thanksgiving and praise are separate.
We enter His gates firstly with thanksgiving because this Hebrew word speaks of Messiah Himself, The Truth and The Door of salvation into The Presence of GOD. Christ Himself is the gateway into the Presence of GOD.
Philipians 4:6-7 says that with thanksgiving we are to present our requests to GOD.
2 Corinthians 4:15 says that overflowing thanksgiving glorifies GOD.
See also
1 Timothy 4:4-5
" Offer to GOD the sacrifice of thanksgiving" Psalm 50:14-15
As the beautiful worship song says :
"Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to The Holy One
Give thanks because He has given Jesus Christ His Son"
(Words and music by Henry Smith)
Shalom shalom

Fixed Focus For The Heart Of Father GOD

Psalm 16:8
"I have set the LORD always before me because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken"
The statement "I have set the LORD before me" is rich in meaning in the Hebrew text.
The word "set" is from the Hebrew word "shavah" which means to be equal to or identical to not in a physical sense but to be identical to in thinking. David had made up his heart and mind to be identical to the heart and mind of his beloved LORD, and to put the desires and thoughts of his LORD before his own. He then states that from this decision and mindset he will not be moved. The Hebrew word for moved here is the word "mot" meaning to be shaken or to become weak, to fall or slip. So David is saying that he will not allow his resolve for his heart and mind to be identical with the LORD 's heart and mind to be weakened.
Psalm 16:8 with the rich Hebrew meaning of the original text can be rendered as " I have made my mind and heart to be identical with the mind and heart of God and I will not allow this resolve to be weakened".
Satan will immediately attack such a resolve. We therefore must make that decision that come what may, our resolve will not weaken.
The more we resolve to love what God loves and hate what He hates, the more the battle will intensify because our enemy, Satan, will challenged us at every step BUT if we are born of His Spirit, then GOD Himself dwells inside us and " it is God Who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure" Philippians 2:13 and we can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. ( Philippians 4:13).The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is the One Who comes alongside us and strengthens us.
See John 14:26, 15:26 and 16:7
See John 16:7 in the Amplified translation. The Person of The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counsellor, Strengthener and Standby. He is the One who comes alongside us, in Greek "Paracletos". He helps us to not abandon our calling, but to keep our resolve fixed and firm in the face of fierce opposition and to be of one heart and mind with The LORD our GOD.
When we are born again The Holy Spirit comes alongside us from WITHIN us. See1 Corinthians 6:19, 2 Corinthians 1:22 and 6:17
We are therefore never abandoned and never alone.
See Romans 8:35-39
David did not have The Spirit dwelling inside him because he lived before the death and resurrection of Messiah. The Spirit came upon him but not able to indwell him at that time. Yet his heart longed to be close to GOD's own heart.
Selah....
Our society tramples the heart and mind of GOD underfoot. The 10 commandments once the foundation of our laws and society, are torn down, and His Word is despised.
The 10 commandments reveal the heart of GOD to us.
See Exodus 20:1-17
The 6th commandment is "You shall not murder"
NB the Hebrew word is "murder" Some translations weaken the strength of this word by using the word "kill".
If we love the Word of GOD we agree with it that human life starts at conception and that all human life is sacred from conception to a natural grave.
See Psalm 139:13-16
Jeremiah 1:5
Luke 1:39-44
Galatians 1:15
Human beings are made in the image of GOD Himself.
See Genesis 1:26-27
We must therefore oppose abortion and assisted suicide because they are nothing less than murder
Selah
We must resolve to keep moving forward and to be identical in heart and thinking with GOD Himself, as revealed to us in His Word and by His Spirit in us.
Shalom shalom

Walking With The Beloved

The original Hebrew meaning for walked in Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with GOD" implies that Enoch went up and down, in and out, to and fro, arm in arm with GOD continually conversing with Him and growing ever closer to Him. He lived 365 years, a year for every year of 365 days: a year of years. The LORD Himself was his very life, so much that he did not see death. See Hebrews 11:5
God took him up, translated him to Himself without him experiencing physical death.
If we are born again of the Spirit of GOD, we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son.
See Colossians 1:13
Enoch walked pleasingly before GOD in the midst of a very wicked society that was growing ever more corrupted.
Yet he was, involved in every day life. He wasn't a hermit in a remote cave.
He cared for his wife and children and worked yet he was not earth bound. In an ungodly society where the people became as beasts in their hearts, full of depravity, lust and violence, Enoch became more and more like The One his heart loved. This walk of faith in Him and intimacy with Him pleased God.
The phrase "he was not" in Genesis 5:24 as well as being translated, taken up and away, also means "not of this world". In his spirit, in his heart and mind, he was, not a part of the wickedness to the world. He was not bound to this world yet he undertook all his earthly responsibilities. Nothing kept him from his walk, his communion with his GOD and Companion.
His testimony was that he pleased GOD.
See Hebrews 11:5-6
These verses are often separated but they should be read together as one thought.
His daily walk of fellowship with his Creator produced the kind of faith that GOD loves.
Remember the society that Enoch lived in was before The Flood and people were becoming ever more wicked, lustful, hard of heart, sensual, corrupted and violent... ever more like the god of this world.
Enoch however became ever more like His Creator and Companion The LORD GOD. He was in love with The LORD and became ever more like the One he loved. The greatest desire of his heart was, simply to be with his LORD GOD.
Enoch had no bible or song book, no fellow church members or teacher. Because he lived before the death and resurrection of Messiah, the Holy Spirit did not dwell within him as He does in us who are born again of The Spirit of GOD. Yet he knew GOD
See Hebrews 11:6 The faith that pleases GOD is that which is tied up in intimate fellowship with Himself.
There are 3 important rewards that come to us when we believe on and walk with Him in faith.
Firstly God's control of our lives and His Presence with us in every circumstance of life
Secondly having the light of revelation by The Holy Spirit with direction and discernment
Thirdly protection from our enemies
See Isaiah 54:17
The original Hebrew of this verse, paraphrased, says "No plan, no instrument of destruction, no satanic artillery shall push you or run over you but it will be done away with"
The faith that pleases GOD is rooted in intimacy with Him, in Whom we place all of our love and longings because we know Who He is.
That is what Enoch did. He walked with GOD, up and down, in and out, to and fro, arm in arm with GOD in continual fellowship and ever closer intimacy.
Selah...
Shalom shalom

Be Pegged Into Christ

"If my people who are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray..." 2 Chronicles 7:14. The Hebrew word for "pray" is "palal" which means "tent peg". The third symbol ( Vav) of the Holy Name of God YHVH ( Yahweh) is a tent peg. Tent pegs secure a covering, a dwelling place. Without the tent pegs there can be no tent. If the tent pegs are not securely pegged into the ground and the tent is not securely fastened to the pegs, any gust of wind will blow it down or away. The same is true for a believer without prayer. Like a tent peg, prayer wraps around God Himself and an ABIDING relationship is developed.
"strengthen your tent pegs /stakes" Isaiah 54:2
" Pray without ceasing" I Thessalonians 5:17
Let us be anchored into GOD ( Hebrews 6:19). In these days spiritual storms will continue to increase. None of us can afford to be a drifter. We must each individually be pegged into The LORD, nailed into Him and wrapped around Him, and abide in the secret place, the shelter, the tent of The Most High.(Psalm 91:)
Satan knows his time is short and is full of wrath. ( Revelation 12:12) We therefore must be pegged deeply into GOD and His Word, anchored into Him.
Isaiah 54:2
Strengthen your tent pegs.
Shalom shalom

Who Is My Greatest Treasure?

To live this life without knowing and having fellowship with our Creator, our Heavenly Father, would be a life of utter vanity of vanities.
See Ecclesiastes 1:2
To know HIM is the ultimate goal of the born again believer's life. Without Him, all is meaningless.
See Psalm 73:25
The level of intimacy we enjoy with our LORD is up to us. GOD The Son, Jesus Christ has dealt with sin through His death and resurrection. The ball is in our court. Nothing compares to our knowing our LORD, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
See
Philippians 3:7-11
Paul expresses in verse 10 his most passionate longing - that I may know Him, in personal union with Him.
When we love someone, nothing is too much for us to do for them.
John 14:15 says that if we love The LORD Jesus we will keep His commandments
John 15:14
We are His friends if we do what He says to do.
Abraham treasured GOD Himself above all.
See Genesis 22:16-17 and
James 2:21-23
To obey the commands of, GOD may be extremely costly
See Matthew 10:34-39
The essence of evil is to pursue our greatest joy in anyone or anything other than GOD Himself.
He warns us of judgement if we fail to find our greatest treasure in Him alone.
The 1st Commandment : You shall have no other gods before me
Exodus 20:3
Deuteronomy 5:7
In other words He is saying "Find Me to be your greatest Treasure"
Our love for our LORD is to be our chiefest treasure and pleasure. The love we have for others flows first and foremost from our love for Him.
Selah....
Is there anything or anyone we take and find more joy in than in GOD Himself?
If so, that is idolatry.......
We all need regularly heart checks before the gaze of The Holy Spirit
Psalm 73:25
"There is nothing on earth that I desire besides You"
Thankyou ABBA Father, Thank you Holy Spirit for Your enabling Grace through Jesus Christ.
Selah
Shalom

Do Not Drink The Gold

When Moses first went up on the mountain to receive the 10 commandments from The, LORD, the people of Israel made a, golden calf to worship. See Exodus chapter 32:1-6
The Hebrew word for "calf" here is "egel" meaning a young bull of about one year old which fits the description of the Egyptian god Apis, a highly regarded pagan deity of strength and fertility. Apis was, linked to the Pharaoh himself through it being a symbol of strength, vitality, authority and kingship. The spirit of the god Apis was, belived to indwell a physical bull which at one year old was sacrificed and Pharaoh would eat its flesh taking within himself, as it were, the spirit of Apis.
Gold does not corrode or tarnish and the ancient Egyptians referred to it as "the skin of the gods". Gold is not toxic and the ancient Egyptians believed that ingesting gold would bring them the strength of their gods. Pharoah would eat the flesh of a real bull that represented the false god Apis and people ingested gold which was, believed to be "the skin of the gods" because it did not tarnish, to join themselves to their god. In Exodus 32:20 we read that Moses burned the golden calf, most likely wood overlaid with gold. It was the gold that did not burn up that the people drank. Gold is not toxic. The Egyptians injested gold because they believed it would give them the strength of their gods. They joined themselves to their gods by ingesting the "skin of the gods"- gold. The English translations of Exodus 32:20 give the impression that Moses forced the people to drink the gold, but the Hebrew text does not say that. It says they were caused to drink the water ans and the implication is that the people chose to drink the water and the Hebrew word for drink here is "yasheqe" meaning both to drink and to kiss mouth to mouth. The text also indicates clearly that not all the people injested the gold. The Levite priests killed about 3000 people but the number of the people was much much more. The people who chose to drink the gold revealed the true allegiance of their hearts.
The people who drank the gold jouned themselves to their god Apis of Egypt and Pharoah and gave them honour. Much sexual activity and immorality was connected to Apis, the god of fertility, vigour and power, including sexual power and gross immortality. See Exodus 32:6 where it says they revelled in the fertility cult orgies without moral restraint.
See also Exodus 32:25 They broke loose naked and without restraint.
The god of this world covers himself in the glittery gold of success, power, wealth, strength and wealth. He shall be crushed however by The LORD GOD under the feet of His own ( Romans 16:20)
Let us check and guard our hearts from ingesting anything of the idolatry of this world system. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and mammon See Matthew 6:24 .Mammon is all that this world system exalts... the accumulation of riches, lustful greed and sensual pleasure without restraint. Surely this is the god of the world system. There is nothing new under the sun.....( Ecclesiastes 1:9)
Let us ask ourselves on a regular heart check basis:
"Who is on The LORD's side?" Exodus 32:26

In Whom There Is No Guile

The Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see GOD." A pure heart is characterized by integrity of character – no duplicity, no contradiction between thoughts, intentions, and actions. It's about being like The LORD Jesus even when no other person is watching..
It's about having an undivided heart- a single minded pursuit of GOD Himself, seeking Him whole heartedly.
See Psalm 42:1-2
To obtain and maintain a pure heart we must cooperate with The Holy Spirit.
Firstly He is The One Who gives us the complete spiritual heart transplant that we all need in the new birth in Christ. He makes us a new creation in Him. See 2 Corinthians 5:17
He cleanses us with the shed blood of The LORD Jesus Christ.
Secondly by spending time with Him in His Word He washes our hearts. See Ephesians 5:26.
We all need to give ourselves regular heart checkups and go to The Holy Spirit whenever we see the symptoms within ourselves of spiritual heart disease.
Eg apathy, indifference or being distracted from GOD.
We need blockages removed such as pride, unforgiveness, jealousy and other hindrances to our spiritual vitality that clog up our spiritual arteries.
We must embrace, literally take to heart, the words of Matthew 5:8.
Our hearts define who we are and GOD values a pure and a holy heart.
In John 1:47 The LORD Jesus commended the heart of Nathaniel. "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile"
When He spoke of him being without guile, He referred to something far deeper than outward appearance. He was reaching into the soul, to the very heart of righteousness.
An innocent heart without deceit, hypocrisy, dishonesty or duplicity in our thoughts and in our actions.
To beguile is to deceive or to lead astray.
He was touching the key to goodness and to the Christlike life. See 1 Peter 2:22 and 1 Peter 3:10
To be without guile is to be pure in heart - an essential virtue of those who would be counted among true followers of Christ.
As born again believers the only limitation on our intimacy of fellowship with The LORD is forged by us, not by Him. How much do our hearts long for Him? How much do we want to see and know Him fully?
Do other things clog up our hearts?
Selah....
Shalom shalom

Messiah Both The Navel- Umbilical Cord Of Shalom And Eternal Husband

The English translation of the Hebrew words of Isaiah 9:6 only skims the surface of the rich meanings of these familiar words.
Isaiah 9:6
" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
The word for "government" here is the Hebrew word "miserah" meaning to carry the authority and responsibility of protecting someone or something. These words are actually the words declared in a, Jewish wedding ceremony: " hamiserah 'al shikemu"
The veiled bride circles the bride groom three times to indicate the eternity of their betrothal as GOD desires to be betrothed to us forever.
See Hosea 2:21
The three circles represent her teaching her husband by example the righteousness of GOD, the love and mercy of GOD and the faithfulness lf GOD by being faithful in all circumstances of life, good or bad.
The bridegroom then removes the bride' s veil and declares that GOD has honoured him to be her provider of love and affection and to be the protector of her heart. These words are vows of marriage.
Let's now look at the other beautiful words in Isaiah 9:6
'Wonderful' is "pele" and means Miracle or Wonder. 'Counsellor' is "yo'es" and means Advisor or Purpose Giver
'Mighty God' is "El Gibbor" and is a military term for a mighty warrior who lays down his life for those he defends to deliver them from an oppressor. The LORD Jesus is our Commander Who has defeated Satan for us. He fights life's battles for us and is with us and turns the direction of our lives towards victory if we make Him our Commander. He is El Gibbor, our Hero, The Mighty GOD Who laid down His life for me.
Selah..
'Everlasting Father' is "Av'Ad" meaning a Father who forgives us, helps and delivers us again and again and again and again..... He helps and delivers us over and over again. His love is unconditional and He is Daddy GOD Who is always there for us and always faithful to us ....
Selah...
'Prince of Peace' is "Sar Shalom". The word "sar" literally means "navel" or "belly button" , the place where the umbilical cord of the mother is joined to her unborn child and is the source of all the child needs to grow and develop within her womb. The LORD Jesus is our "Navel Of Shalom" He is our Source of Life and wellbeing.
'Shalom' means to nothing missing and nothing broken, all safety, security and wellbeing.
So The 'Prince of Peace' means the Source of all our safety, security and wellbeing.
The words "A child is born" and "a son is given" are an expression of BOTH the humanity and Divinity of Messiah, The Promised One.
"yeled yulad lanu" - "a child is born" signifies the humanity of Messiah and His entering this world from the womb of a woman.
"ben nittan lanu" - "a son is given" emphasises Messiah'a unique Divine Nature as a, gift from GOD The Eternal Father to GOD The Eternal Son.
The word for given is the Hebrew word "nathan" and the word in Hebrew carries a beautiful picture of a circle, circular giving meaning what you give out will come back to you. Both in Hebrew and English the word "nathan" is spelled exactly the same forwards or backwards.
A circle also expresses eternity. The Hebrew text here conveys the eternity of The Son. He has always existed and will always continue to exist.
Selah..
In conclusion, this verse conveys beautiful pictures to us of GOD's provision from eternity, from the Hebrew wedding vows of eternal covenant and from the womb of the mother to the unborn child within her being supplied with life and nourishment from the umbilical cord, the Sar Shalom. Truly our GOD is Wonderful, a Wonder and a Miracle Maker.
Shalom shalom.

Choose The Compressed Narrow Way .mp3

John 15:18
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you"
The more we seek to love our LORD with all of our life, the more narrow and compressed the way we must take becomes because to live as a disciple of Christ in this life will be costly. If we want to be popular in this society and system we will have to compromise our faith and convictions.
But if we truly love The LORD Jesus Christ and His Word, then we accept the rejection of the world just as He did.
Isaiah 53:3
"He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acqainted with grief"
To be a disciple of Christ is to expect hostility from the world. We daily choose to whom we belong:to myself or to The LORD Jesus.
We see in the Apostle Paul a disciple of Christ who was continually rejected and persecuted.
See Acts 20:22-24
ABBA Father is with us at every moment and step of the way.
Everything in this world system is transient and passing away. There is no life or deliverance in it but only in The Living GOD Himself.
Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
Selah
Shalom

Christ The I Am My Wisdom .mp3

Literally, the Greek word "philosophy" means love of wisdom. The wisdom of this world, which the world esteems, is foolishness to God however. God's wisdom is not merely speculative, it is the person of God Himself. God's wisdom and power are not abstract forces, but personal qualities that manifest themselves fully in the life, teaching, death and resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ.
When GOD revealed Himself as The I Am That I Am He was declaring that He is The Eternal Living Being in Whom we find all that we desire and require. If we need deliverance He is our deliverance. If we need comfort, He is our comfort.
He Himself is our salvation.
"Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Yeshuah" which literally means "Yahweh saves" or "salvation". "Christ" is the Greek form of the Hebrew word"Maschiach" , or in English "Messiah" meaning "Anointed One".
No matter the need, GOD Himself is I Am.
This world system glorifies and exalts what the Bible calls foolish. People are esteemed for so called "knowledge" eg Evolution, the Big Bang,the Climate Change religion, Transgenderism etc etc
Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 both declare it is the fool who says in his heart that there is no God. Any belief that contradicts the reality of The Person of GOD The Creator is utterly foolish and it is a lie.
The world system exalts self reliance. It declares that human life is cheap. This world system declares that we should all be in a panic to save the planet. Our education system and Wikipedia is teaching our children that there are in excess of 72 genders. All of these lies are the propagation and aggressive evangelism of practical atheism.
Let the authority of our entire lives be our LORD Jesus Christ The Word of GOD. GOD and His Word are One.
1 Corinthians 1:30 says He is the source of our life in Christ Jesus Who GOD made our wisdom, righteous and sanctification and redemption.
He is I Am to every individual who believes on Him.
Shalom