God had blessed Abraham and his nephew Lot. Their flocks were getting big and competing for the grassland. Abraham told Lot they had to part company, and he could choose any place to go first. Lot choose the valley of Sodom and Gomora. Those two cities were evil and wicked. Jesus and two angels came to visit Abraham to tell him that God was going to destroy them. Abraham began to intercede for them. He asked if God would find 50 righteous people would He spare the cities. God said He would. Then he asked if God would find 10 righteous people would He spare the cities. God said He would. What Abraham was doing was standing in the gap for them. Those people in Sodom and Gomora couldn’t ask God for mercy, but Abraham could. The problem was that there weren’t 10 righteous people in Sodom or Gomora. The cities were destroyed. But God honored Abraham’s prayer. There are times when God can’t find someone to stand in the gap and people are destroyed. We are the watchman on the wall. You will find yourself asking God to stop something. If you are persistent, God may change His mind. Because we have a relationship with God, we have confidence to approach the throne. And if we have faith and staying power, God will move on our behalf.  

1 Corinthians 14:8 “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”

Ezekiel 3:17-21 “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand…”

Ezekiel 22:29-31 “…30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none…”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

The bible says that we are to sanctify God in our hearts and have an answer to everyone that ask about the hope we have in our hearts. On this earth it is our job to do the will of God. What is the will of God? Jesus said to preach the gospel, heal the sick, deliver the bound, and to show that the kingdom of God has come. He also said start in Jerusalem and then go to the world. It seems that defending the faith is going out and doing the will of the Father. This means outside of the church building. I saw the power of God in people before I came to God. They showed me that He was real and alive in this world. Where are you going? And what are you going to do? I have seen so many twists and turns in human behavior. People seems to go with the flow. Defending the Faith isn’t a small thing. Everything you believe will come into question. You have to believe for the right reasons, or you could lose everything. It is never about you and it is always about God. Your power to defend the faith comes from God. Trusting and relying on God is the only option there is. I’m talking as a soldier of Christ. I have served on the front lines of battle for many years. I know what it requires. It requires total commitment to God.  

2 Timothy 2:1-5 “… 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier…”

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Life is difficult to start with. When you walk with Jesus, your life seems to get harder. But that really isn’t the case. Its not that your life is difficult. It is that your life now has opposition. God called us to go out into the world and preach the gospel. We look and see the opposition and declare that we can’t do it. And we get discouraged. When God called us to believe in HIs son Jesus, He knew our strengths and weaknesses. So God provided a way for us, even though it may seem difficult. The faith part is stepping out to do what God has called us to do. Then when we do step out, we don’t see the opposition as a threat. The threat becomes just an annoyance. And we wonder why we were stopped by that annoyance. How can this be? It is very simple, God goes before us and makes the way smooth. The scripture says if God be for you, who can be against you. Which means that no one can stop God for any reason. People have tried to stop God and literally He has destroyed them. As a child of God, He has given us gifts that will with the using make us stronger every day. It is up to us to use our gifts, like they were intended to be used for the kingdom of God. That is the faith part of our lives. Our lives and our eyesight change into the eyes and hands of God. We can see clearly about what is important in our lives and in the lives of others. So I say use your faith and change your eyesight. God is waiting for us to use of faith and walk all the way home to heaven.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Paul always talk about things that the people of the day could understand. The Romans ruled the known world in Paul’s day. A Roman soldier was trained for 5 years before he was assigned to any battle. The soldier had armor given him to protect him in the battle. Paul wrote about being soldiers in Christ army. He talked about putting on the armor of God, your loins gird with the truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. The sword of the spirit is the Word of God. I have become very adept with the sword of the spirit. I can use it at will. I have learn the word and have memorized much of it. I have been trained in warfare. I have fought in many battles. I have won most of them. When I started God asked me if I would die for him. I didn’t want to die, but I wanted what God wanted. I made my decision and became a warrior. That was 40 years ago. I had to learn to use the armor of God. It took training. Sometimes I didn’t want to train, but God said now is the time and today is the day of salvation. I’ll tell you the biggest battle I was in. I was in a small church and God separated me from it. God wanted to get to the pastor. God sent the morning of the battle a minister to the pastor’s house. God wanted this pastor to repent of his sins.  I went to my parent’s house. No one was home. As I stood in the kitchen a cold feeling came upon me. I felt strange and began to pray. I felt the blood drain from my face and arms. They turned an ashen grey. I was praying intensely as I shook my arms to get the blood back into them.  I was afraid and prayed by myself for 3 hours. Then I went to a friend’ house because I was afraid. Praying all the time. As I enter her home, she became afraid. She called pastors and preachers who didn’t understand. I was standing against death itself. He was coming for the pastor to take him. After 7 hours of pray, the pastor repented and death left me. God wanted me to stand not knowing what was going on. Even though I was afraid, I wasn’t going to let some stupid devil destroy people in my life. God knew I would stand. Put on the armor of God, stand up and be counted.

Ephesians 6:10-18 “…… 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places…..”

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

I grew up being taught there was a God in heaven. This God was all knowing and powerful. I began to see Him work in people on this earth. I saw miracles happen and wondered. When I was eight years old, I was watching TV on a Saturday afternoon. I was watching Billy Graham. Thousands of people had gathered to listen to this man. I listened and then prayed the prayer at the end of the service. Since that day I have witnessed God protect, heal, delivered and save my family and friends. My faith has grown since I was 8 years old. God showed me how to use my faith in any situation. I am as the bible says to give a response to anyone who ask about God. I took my faith and began to work it. I prayed for headaches, to start my car, bees that attacked, for money, for favor, for a broken finger and every silly little thing that I could think about. God answered my prayers and build my faith. My faith became strong enough to ask for bigger things. The first one was to straighten someone’s back and He did. I prayed to cast out devils and to heal the sick. Went to a local hospital to pray for a friend. He was in a ward. So they asked me to pray for this man. I thought he was sleeping. I began to pray and the family began to scream and holler. The man woke up. Then I found out we were in the Terminal Ward of the hospital. The man was in a coma, dying. Faith will take you from here to home. You have to use it and exercise it. God has given everyone the measure of faith. This is where you start on your journey home.

Matthew 21:21 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When I first started with God, I was praying and communing with Him. God spoke to me. I was in my car headed back to the house. I stopped at a railroad track for a train. God spoke to me and said get out of your car and tell everyone stopped that I love them. I froze and told God I couldn’t do it. In a split second God removed His hand, and I was alone. I never felt so alone in all my life. I got home and began to seek God. Finally He spoke to me. From that point on we began to work on boldness. God called me to speak to people. He said I will send you to people and you will tell them what I say. I read the bible and had learn to pray, now it was time to do the Word of God. What God did was to send people to me. They would walk up to me and ask a question. The question was about God. People would sometimes not even know why they did. I have seen miracles, healings, deliverance, and salvations. Every time I opened my mouth, God moved. I started going to a new church. I didn’t know anyone. God said if you want friends show yourself friendly. I began to stand at the front door on Sunday morning and introduce myself to people. Soon people were greeting me all the time. You take the Word of God you have learned and put it into practice. It is not my job to see that the Word works. It is God’s job. And He isn’t a liar. The people of the first century only knew a few scriptures and they turn the world upside down. Now it is your turn.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

James 2:14-24 “… 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works…”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

The bible of the first century was not divided into chapter and verse. The bible was written on a continuous scroll. Depending on how big the script was, it determined how long the scroll was. Sometimes there were several scrolls. And the only people had these scroll was the Jewish synagogues. This is why Paul always began at the synagogue. It was very expensive and few people own one. That is why the ordinary person would go to a house meeting to hear the word of God preached. The reason that Paul called the Bereans more noble than anyone else. It was because they had a copy of the bible and would search it every night to prove what Paul said was right. Reading the word of God will separate you from everyone else. As you read you will change into the image and likeness of God. The bible says that when we see Jesus again we will recognize Him. It is because we will look like Him. So everybody waiting for the rapture if they don’t read the bible won’t see Jesus returning. The bible is a picture of Jesus, from Genesis to Revelations. There is a few other things in there that we need to know. Like how to use you faith in a fight or how to pray or how to minister to people. The bible covers many topics which you have to read and learn to be able to use them in life. 

Acts 17:10-12 “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so…”

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Did you know that God gives everyone the measure of faith before they become believers? It says in the bible that you must believe that God is and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. So every person has faith in the form of hope. Did you know that unbelief is faith in reverse? When I came to the Lord, I understood that God was much greater than I could ever be. He alone could solve all of my problems. I had enough faith to trust God for my salvation, but not for anything beyond that. So I had to work on my faith as God said to do. I read the bible. Not only did I read the bible, I had one in my car, one at home and one at work. I had always enjoyed reading stories of David in the Old Testament. It encouraged me that God was intervening in the affairs of man. God had me to start small. I prayed for a headache. Then as I grew the task became larger and larger. Until one day God had me to take on death itself. It scared me but I knew that God was standing with me. I knew if I continued in the battle I would win. I did and it taught me that all things are possible through Jesus Christ. Faith is needed when we start walking with God and it is needed to go home to heaven.

Matthew 17:14-21 “… 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When I first began with the Lord, I was a servant of God. And I was very happy to be that. When I found out that I was a son of God and an heir to the kingdom of God, I was ecstatic. God had given to me the world. It belong to me. Every son is treated like a servant until they are old enough to take on the responsibilities of the kingdom. As a servant I had to learn about God, my Father, and what He expected of me. Your give your children a little responsibility until they are able to bear the burden. As the bible says that foolish is bound up in a child’s heart, and it also says that the rod of discipline drives it far from them. I am a king and priest unto God and had to use the power correctly to perform God’s will on this earth. As Jesus said greater things shall you do because I go to my Father in heaven. What did Jesus do? He preached the gospel, heal the sick, delivered people from spirits and any miracle you can think of. John and James were angry with some people and wanting Jesus to zap them with lightning. Jesus said no and called them the sons of thunder. The power isn’t for revenge, personal gain or pleasure. It is to do the will of our Father in heaven.

Romans 8:14-19 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father…”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When Jesus rose from the dead, He had all His disciples to meet together to talk to them. He told them that He wasn’t going to leave them powerless. After they had received the Spirit of God into their hearts, Jesus told them of a power from God they would receive on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit would not only protect them, but He would also give them power to carry out the will of the Father. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered in the upper room. They shut the doors and began praying. It says there was a mighty rushing wind that blew all the doors and windows open. Everyone began to speak in other tongues. Tongues of fire from the Holy Spirit descended upon each one’s head. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. There were 1000’s of people in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. People came to see what all the noise was about. Peter began to speak to the crowd about what God had done. He said this was the promise that God made to Abraham. People heard Peter speak in their own language. There were people from almost every country in the world. Every great revival has started in Pentecost. Unfortunately it seems that it didn’t last. Not because God did anything different. Man moved away. Our lives are tied to the children of Israel. For 2000 years, the children of Israel haven’t had a home. Only after WWII did they return unto the Promised Land. In 1967, the Israelites took back Jerusalem. Then began worldwide a series of Holy Ghost revivals. They are still happening today. It is very important in God’s plan that we are Pentecostal, filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com