07/01/13
IF WE FAINT NOT

Scripture: Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

We all would like to be "well doers" who reap rewards. Yet rewards are only promised to those who do not faint in the middle of the season. Look at the farmer who plants his fields. From the very beginning, he has to cope with each challenge that comes his way. First, through much labor, the ground has to be cleared and turned with a plow. Then fertilizer has to be shoveled and mixed with the dirt, which is not the most pleasant project. This is just the beginning of his work, for the seeds have to be planted and then continually watered and the ground weeded. After this, the tender shoots and crops have to be protected from the frost and animals. The farmer cannot relax in any of his efforts or put off any project during this entire season.

The farmer not only experiences a lot of hard work in the physical, but must also extend a lot of emotional effort. He begins his process in faith that his seeds will produce, that God will send rain from heaven, that the sun will shine, and that the harvest will come forth. He doesn't concentrate on the negative but believes for the best and understands the principal that he will reap only what he sows, so regardless of how weary he becomes or how hot the season gets, he doesn't neglect his fields. He knows that for his crops to mature, he must endure and not faint in his labors. He also labors with patience; for there is no way that he can rush the season regardless of how much he needs the harvest.

It's easy for us to get discouraged when we are sowing in God's fields. We often want immediate results as we witness and try to draw others into the kingdom of God. We also become frustrated because we can't understand why those in the kingdom can't see the light and change their attitudes. The enemy continually tries to steal our seeds, and we wonder if we will ever reap the promised harvest. Often, we become tired and begin to faint along the way and our purpose and conviction weakens. We begin to lose our spiritual strength and vigor and if we are not careful, we forfeit our harvest just before due season.

Jesus gave us a clue as to how to keep from giving up and how to see the results through to the end. He told a parable concerning a widow who troubled a judge until she obtained results. She did not become weary, but instead she wearied the judge by her persistence until he finally gave in. Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). Prayer brings strength and is Jesus' antidote to weariness and weakness. If you don't faint or become weary, you will eventually reap your harvest. Your loved ones will be saved, relationships restored, bodies healed, and finances replenished. Today, begin to look to the Lord of the harvest and do not grow weary or faint but pray for your due season is near. +++

07/02/13
UNDER HIS WINGS

Scripture: Psalms 91:4 "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shall thou trust."

Psalms ninety-one gives us many promises of God's protection. It tells us that if we "dwell in the secret place of the most High that we shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." To be in His shadow means that you are in His presence. Psalms 31:20 speaks of the secret of His presence that hides you. The following story is copied from an unknown source:

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live.

These tiny chicks experienced the love of their mother. How much more love has our Almighty Father shown us? He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that we would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And Jesus loved us so much that He willingly left His throne in Heaven, became flesh, endured the shame of the cross, and sacrificed His life for us. Knowing that you are loved this much should make a difference in your life. All you need to do is trust God and climb underneath the shelter of His wings. He will take care of you. +++

07/03/13
EXTREME DEMANDS

Scripture: I Kings 17:13 "Make me a cake first ... and bring it to me."

The prophet Elijah made a hard request to a widow in the time of famine. When he first saw her, she was out gathering up a few sticks so that she could make a fire in order to cook the last meal for her and her son. Elijah asked her to give him a little water to drink. This was the same prophet who had brought the famine into existence by prophesying that no rain would come for years. He declared that rain would only come according to his word, so in essence, he could end the famine or produce water at any time by his words. Instead of ending the famine, he made an extreme demand upon the widow, and while she was going to get his water, he asked her to also bring him a cake of bread. The widow only had a handful of meal and a little oil left in her provisions, but she obeyed his word and believed the promise that he made to her. He told her that her barrel of meal and cruse of oil would not fail until the day that the Lord sent rain upon the earth.

God often makes extreme demands upon us, but there are two facts to consider. God never asks us to give that which we do not have and every request that He makes brings a blessing back to us. He exchanges the sacrifices that we make for the provisions that we need. Like the prophet, He says, "Make me a cake first and bring it to me, then I will sustain you throughout your particular famine." God tells us to forgive everyone for everything that they have done against us. This is for the benefit of our own soul as well as theirs, for it is only in forgiving that we can receive forgiveness for ourselves. When we feel that no one cares for us and that there is a famine of love within our lives, He tells us to start showing our love and to include the unlovely, for as we love, love will be bestowed upon us. The Lord tells us to give Him our past and all of its pain so that He can give us a future and a hope. Like the widow, He asks us to give when it seems that we have so little. His demands may seem extreme and selfish. Yet, in time, we come to understand that God's ways are overwhelmingly simple and that it is only as we give that we will receive.

You may be in extreme circumstances today in some area of your life and God may be telling you to give your all to Him. He may be telling you to forgive when it is not easy, to love the unlovely, to give Him the pieces of your broken heart, or to give what little you have materially to someone who needs it more than you do. God's purpose in asking you to give is not to take from you but to get you to a place where He can bless you more abundantly than you could ever imagine. He wants to exchange the small amount of meal and oil that you have in your hands for the bountiful blessing that He holds in His hands. So trust God and give Him a chance to prove Himself. When you bring your all to Him, He will come through for you. +++

07/04/13
BLESSED NATION

Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked.

The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God. Speaking of God, He said:

"Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend?
Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live,
the more convincing proofs I see of this truth --
that God governs in the affairs of men.
And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings,
that 'except the Lord build the house,
they labor in vain that build it.'
I firmly believe this."

Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++

07/05/13
FREE INDEED

Scripture: John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

Free indeed means that your freedom is without a doubt. It is an unquestionable fact or a certain reality. When you are free, you are not held in bonds and you are not required to give allegiance or serve that which you do not support. When Jesus spoke these words, He wanted us to understand that we have freedom through Him and that we are no longer bound to sin or the devices of the devil. In verse thirty-four, Jesus stated that if you commit sin, you are a servant to that sin. It holds you in bondage. But when Jesus makes you free, you are free indeed. His sacrifice on the cross did not accomplish a partial work but brought total freedom and redemption. We are free in the spirit the moment that we are saved, yet there is a process before a total manifestation of freedom is achieved in our lives.

I found a moth that was trapped in my kitchen. It desperately wanted freedom and to return to its own environment outdoors. At this point, I was lord over the moth and held in my hands the power to do whatever I wanted to do with it. I could trap it and keep it enslaved, or even kill it, but my desire was not to harm it. I wanted the moth to be free just as much as it wanted to be free. Rescuing it, however, was a different process. I finally captured it in a plastic cup and covered the cup with a paper towel. I did all I could do to protect it during the process of bringing it to its freedom. Unfortunately, the moth did not have knowledge of the plan or understand what was happening to it. It only knew that its world had suddenly become dark and that it was sensing unknown motion. So it began to fight furiously for its freedom and beat its fragile wings against the cup. I spoke comforting words to it in the midst of its frantic moments while I took it to the door to release it. It was only took a few moments, but I am sure that it must have seemed like an eternity to the poor captive. Maybe when it was released, it understood that I meant no harm and that I only wanted to give it the freedom that it desired and to help it to be able to complete its destiny.

Like the moth in this story, God wants us to complete our destiny. He wants us free of sin and the snares of the past, which we have made ourselves servant to. In our hearts we agree with God's will and want to be free to do what He has called us to do. We can see the light and hear God calling, but we just can't seem to get there, for there are too many barriers. So we just pray and then suddenly one day God answers our prayers, and He begins to deal with our situation. When He captures us, it seems frightening, for darkness surrounds us and we can feel the motion of His Spirit taking us to the unknown. We begin to beat ourselves against the sides of the cup that God is holding in His own hands because we don't know what He is doing. We don't know what is happening, but we do know that we have no control. All we can grasp in the natural realm is that an unseen force is holding us in bondage. All the while, God is speaking words of comfort to our hearts. He may possibly try to share His plans and the purpose for our confinement as He desperately attempts to get us to the door where He can set us free.

We will face this same process many times in life because we will fall into many snares. Our spirit is willing but our flesh is so weak. Yet, in all of our dilemmas, God will faithfully come to our rescue. Yet, we must understand that freedom always comes with a price. We must let go and allow God to have His way before we can be totally free. +++

07/08/13
IF THE BLAME GAME

Scripture: Proverbs 28:13 "He that covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy."

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, neither one of them wanted to take responsibility for their actions. Adam not only blamed Eve, but also blamed God for his failure to obey God's Word. He told God, "The woman whom You gave to be with me," like it was all God's fault that Adam had sinned. Then Adam accused Eve of enticing him to eat the fruit, but the last few words of the sentence reveals the truth of the matter when he said, "And I ate it." Adam was the one who ate the fruit, but he didn't want to admit his guilt or assume responsibility for his actions. His real problem was that he gave in to Eve's wishes because he wanted to be one with her. When God confronted Eve she also refused the blame by saying, "The serpent beguiled me and I did eat." Yet before both of them knowingly sinned against God's Word, they had walked with God in the Garden everyday and communed with Him on a personal basis. His words were very simple and He made His will very plain to their hearts. Adam and Eve knew that they were doing wrong and after they transgressed against God's words, they covered themselves and tried to hide from His presence in shame.

There is a standing joke where I work concerning my errors. When the reports are incorrect and the books are out of balance, I joke and say, "The printer made a mistake," but everyone knows that the wrong data entries are the real problem and that I am the one to blame. Even today, many of us do not want to be accountable for our shortcomings, but want to place the fault on someone else or upon our circumstances. We blame our weaknesses on our genes or our past generations. We declare that it is just our nature, and like Adam, sometimes we even blame God. Yet at some point in our life, things need to change and we have to stop trying to cover ourselves by blaming others. We must own up to our own weaknesses and realize that our current actions are not our mother's fault, our father's fault, the fault of our environment, or other negative influences in our life. It is because we haven't sought for God's deliverance and help in these areas.

II Corinthians 5:17 declares that "If any man be in Christ, He is a new creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become new." When we are born again, there is a greater voice and stronger Spirit within us than the one that is in the world. The Holy Spirit of God guides us and gives a witness and a peace in our spirit confirming that our actions are in obedience to the will of God. The Holy Spirit also leads us into truth and lets us know when we are listening to the wrong voices or going in the wrong direction. He causes us to feel uneasy, to grieve, and to be anxious over the matter. We have no excuse for falling into sin or trying to cover our failure by blaming others. We can ask God to help us in the midst of our temptations or find forgiveness and mercy when we fail. All we need to do is ask Him for the Lord's help and He will reveal our sins and shine His light into our lives. As He uncovers those things that are drawing us into disobedience, let us forsake them and seek His forgiveness. As we do, we will obtain His mercy and find prosperity. God gives us a choice to walk away from sin. If we fail to do this, we can only blame ourselves. +++

07/09/13
STRENGTHENED THROUGH SUFFERING

Scripture: I Peter 4:16 "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf."

Suffering as a Christian is much different than suffering the consequences that result from wrongdoings because it has purpose and brings honor instead of shame. Since Christ suffered for us, we need to have the same mindset and be willing to suffer for His purposes. In verse twelve Peter said, "Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange or unusual were happening to you." Peter was fully aware that at times we would look at our tests and trials and think, "This situation is really strange." He knew that questions would come to our mind but encouraged us to glorify God in the midst of our adversity.

We can glorify God because there are strengths that come through suffering, for in our sufferings our weaknesses are revealed to us and a dependence upon God is created within us. Through suffering, God destroys our self-reliance, which is the highest form of pride. God doesn't even like for us to look proud. In fact Proverbs 6:16-17 list that attribute as one of the things that God hates. God gave us an example with the life of the apostle Paul, who was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him from self-exaltation. Although Paul prayed three times for deliverance, God's response was, "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul declared that he was glad to glory in his infirmities so that the power of Christ could rest upon him (II Corinthians 12:7-9). For in Paul's weakness and dependence the glory of God was revealed.

Suffering also makes us more useable for God. I Peter 1:7 says, "The trial of your faith is more precious than gold ... tried with fire" Tests and trials purify our hearts like gold that is purified in the fire. Only through trials are the impurities burned away and we become pure vessels fit for the Master's use. Another accomplishment of suffering is that the trials and tests that we go through provide us with experience to encourage others. II Corinthians 1:4 tells us that God comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we may also be able to comfort and encourage others. Through suffering, we learn to minister, for we can only bring someone out of a valley that we have gone through or rescue them from a storm that we have encountered.

When facing trials and tests, don't consider it a strange ordeal, but rather put your trust in God and depend upon Him. His grace is sufficient enough to help you endure the purifying fire. Rejoice to know that you will be strengthened through your sufferings so never be ashamed in your affliction. Rather, give glory to God, knowing that He is qualifying you to minister to others with the same comfort that He is presently extending towards you. +++

07/10/13
MINISTERING TO JESUS

Scripture: John 9:4 (Amplified) "I must work the works of Him Who sent Me, and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming when no man can work."

Jesus was conscious of the limited time that He had to complete the Father's business here on Earth. In the short time that He was here, He proved Himself diligent and effective. Even as a young boy, Jesus lingered in the temple, listening to the doctors and asking them questions. When His mother and father finally found Him, He responded with the words, "Didn't you know that I must be busy about My Father's business?"

We too have a short time to fulfill the work that God has designed for us. Often, however, we wait for some prestigious opportunity to come along that will be big and important. We forget that God's call is not about our own ego but about helping people and ministering to hurting humanity. Our job description is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide for the widow and fatherless, visit the sick and those in prisons, and take care of the homeless. Yet we shun the thought of mingling with those who are poor and can't dress well, and we seldom think of ministering to the homeless street people or those in prison. Even the widows and orphans with their daily needs are far from our minds and busy lives as we seek to serve Jesus. However, if we stopped and listened, their spirits would speak to us, "Don't you recognize me, I'm the Jesus you say that you love." For Jesus said in Matthew 25:45, that if we fail to minister to the least of these who are with needs, we have failed to minister to Him.

Our ministry call is to find a void and fill it; find a need and meet it; and find a hurt and heal it. We are to allow God to do His work through us on this earth while there is still day. Very soon the night will come and our opportunity will be gone. If we are not careful, we will never finish the work that God has ordained for us because we will pass up the simple in search for the grand. Taking care of God's business is simply ministering to each need that we see. If we do this, one day Jesus will say to us, "I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you clothed Me. I was sick and in prison and you visited Me. When you ministered to the least of these, you were ministering to Me" (Matthew 25:40). +++

07/11/13 

OVERWHELMED

Scripture: Psalms 61:2 "When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

Have you ever been overwhelmed by circumstances and could not seem to find your way out? You feel utterly overcome and upset by either the physical or emotional forces that are coming against you. You have no control over what is happening, and there seems to be no one to help you. You feel like a vessel that is being engulfed and submerged by the waves of the sea. It's very frightening because you don't know what to do at that present moment and certainly can't predict the future outcome.

King David was experiencing these same emotions when he wrote this psalm. He was overcome but he knew the answer for his dilemma. He cried out to God in his overwhelming situation and asked the Lord to lead him to the Rock that was higher than himself. David knew that his physical strength was insufficient and that he couldn't depend upon his own understanding. He wanted help from the One whose ways were higher than his own ways and whose thoughts were higher than his own thoughts. He looked to the past and remembered that God had always been there as his shelter and strong tower in times of distress. In every situation, God had protected him from the fierce enemy.

In Psalms 142, David again spoke of his spirit being overwhelmed. He poured out his complaints to the Lord and showed Him all of his trouble. David said, "No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me ... Lord, You are my only place of refuge." Life presents us with many challenges and often overwhelming circumstances. Like David, there will be times in our life when there will be no one in the natural that we can turn to. No one will want to listen to our problems or share our grief. Yet, we can always go to the Rock of our salvation and find our answers and comfort. So, when you find yourself overwhelmed with life and its many battles, remember that someone really does care you. Then make every effort to find your way to the Rock, Christ Jesus, and place your confidence in Him. Jesus really is your only faithful refuge. +++

07/12/13 

GO AND POSSESS

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:21 "Behold the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it."

The Promised Land was a prosperous place that God wanted His chosen people to have so He set it before them and then told them to go in and possess it. The land belonged to them because of God's promise but it did not come to them as they sat idly by. They had to possess the territory by their own faith and use the skills that God imparted to them. It was necessary for them to sacrifice their homes and leave everything that was familiar. They had to travel through the wilderness, trusting God, one miracle at a time. They received water from a rock and were sustained forty years with daily manna from Heaven. They had no maps or instructions but were led by a fire at night and a cloud during the day. Their experience was a long journey of trust in God, which many did not finish because their faith failed in the process. Those who finally made it through the wilderness were faced with another challenge. They discovered that there were giants in the land, which they had to drive out in order to possess the promise that God had given to them.

Times have changed since God led His people out of Egypt, but our lives are no different than theirs because we all have our own individual Egypt or bondages to deal with. Their experiences were recorded for our benefit and the lessons are valuable because we face some of the same things. We make it through some ordeal using all the faith that we have and then at the end, we discover there is still one more giant to conquer. We learn that we have to trust God on a daily basis because every promise that He gives comes to us with a challenge. His Word to us, "Go and possess," is a call to battle and a charge to conquer. His promises are true but it is our responsibility to possess the new territories.

It is exciting when God shows us something new that is beyond ourselves and when He gives us permission to go in and possess it. We rejoice when we see that He is enlarging our borders, moving us to higher levels, and taking us to places that we've never been. We are very ready to move forward with God's new plan, but then reality shows up. We begin to understand the commitment that must be made on our part and the scope of our own personal responsibility that comes with the promotion. Suddenly, the glorious new place becomes an overwhelming challenge to our natural mind.

Success on any level is never handed out on a silver platter. It is gained through sacrifice, determination, and labor. God's promises only come to fruition when we take action to possess that which He offers. God gives us a mountain but He expects us to climb it. He gives us a vision and a hope, but our actions of faith bring the promised blessing into being. Victory will not come easy or without sacrifice but we have an assurance that God will be faithful to His Word and will be with us every step of the way. What has the Lord spoken to you? If He has filled your heart with a vision or given you a word of promise, He wants you to have it and He gives you permission to go after it. So define the new territory that God has promised you and prepare your heart to go in and possess it. +++

07/15/13
THE THRONE OF GRACE

Scripture: Hebrews 4:16 " Let us come boldly to the throne of grace ..."

The Message Bible quotes this scripture in a more direct way. It says, "So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." We are encouraged to come boldly and fearlessly into God's presence so that we can obtain mercy for our failures and find grace to meet every need. We are to approach God's throne of grace with a solid confidence in our heart that He will help us with every situation that we are facing. We don't have to shrink before God in fear because of the sins that we have committed or live in shame because of our failures, for He understands our hearts and is able to sympathize with all of our weaknesses. Jesus knows how vulnerable the natural man is and declared that the human spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Jesus experienced everything so that He could become our Mediator and our High Priest. He is ready and willing to help us. When we come before God's throne with our petitions, Jesus, as our Mediator, is sitting at the Father's right hand and supports us as we present our needs to Him. Even though Jesus sits at the Father's right hand, He is not out of touch with reality or the weaknesses that we face in our flesh. Jesus, as our High Priest, is constantly interceding for us because He understands what we are going through. He was tempted in every area that seeks to challenge us, yet He was able to remain without sin.

This is not the case with us, for we are not able to remain without sin. The Lord was aware that we would fail and that our faults would overwhelm us so He provided a way for us to find mercy and grace. The throne of grace is a special place where God's unmerited favor is poured upon us. It is a place where we can find total forgiveness when we make confessions with hearts that are filled with true repentance. At His throne of grace, we can find direction for our lives and healing for our souls.

There is also physical healing, restoration, and provision for every need at this special place of mercy and grace. Is it any wonder that the devil will try to make us feel unworthy to approach God and present our needs to Him? The devil will condemn us with true and false accusations to keep us from talking with God. We must never allow the devil to steal our blessings by mingling his lies with truth. We cannot listen to him when he tells us that we are not worthy to approach God's throne of grace. Jesus paid too big a price for us to forsake this privilege or to let the moment pass. There is a place where all needs are met and it is at the throne of God's grace. We must be bold enough to go there. +++

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of July 2013

07/22/13
WHEN GOD BLESSES

Scripture: John 6:9 "There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fish: but what are they among so many?"

Jesus gave His disciple, Phillip, an impossible task. He asked Phillip where they could buy enough bread to feed the multitude that was following them. Verse six says that Jesus asked this question to prove Phillip, for Jesus, Himself, knew what He was going to do. Jesus had a solution before He ever presented the problem. I'm sure Phillip must have panicked as he explained to Jesus that they didn't have enough money to buy food for the 5,000 that needed to be fed. Another disciple, Andrew, spoke up and said that there was a lad there who had five loaves of bread and two fish. This was the only resource available and Andrew recognized that it was nothing in comparison to the need. He asked, "What are they among so many?"

We often face similar situations in our own lives where our needs are greater than our resources, whether it is in the material, physical, or spiritual realm. We receive our pay at the end of the workweek but can't seem to stretch it to meet all of our needs. Our duties and responsibilities call upon us but our energies are not quite sufficient to meet the extra demands. God calls us to serve Him in a special way and our abilities are lacking. We look at the challenge before us and it appears to be an impossible task. It is like trying to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. We ask as Andrew asked, "What good is the little that I have when the need is so great?"

This same story is also related in Mark 6:38-44 and gives further insight into what Jesus did concerning the need. First, He organized the people and instructed them to sit in companies. Jesus then took the five loaves and two fish and looked up to Heaven. He didn't look to the natural, but to God the Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He had confidence that if God could create bread and fish, He could certainly multiply it. After Jesus focused His thoughts upon God, He blessed the bread. When He blessed the bread and fish He was asking God to do something supernatural. When all was finished, the 5,000 were fed and there were twelve baskets of fish and bread left over.

This example should speak faith into our hearts when our resources are lacking. First, we must put things in order the best that we can and then look to Heaven for our solutions. Regardless of how little we have to offer, we must ask for God's blessings to be upon it because He is our source and He still knows how to multiply. When God blesses, He turns our weakness into strength and our emotional distress into joy. He gives us beauty for the ashes of our lives and expels the darkness around us with His light. He meets all of our material needs according to His riches and He empowers us with His anointing, which drives away our spiritual lack. This is just the beginning of what happens when God blesses. +++

07/23/13
TREASURES OF THE HEART

Scripture: Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good."

Jesus compares your heart to a treasure chest and says the contents of your heart will depend upon what you put into it. You make the choice of the types of treasure that you store in your heart. You can fill your treasure chest with the trash of the world or the treasures of God. The decision is yours, but consequences will follow your choice and actions. Only what you have deposited can be drawn out, whether good or evil. For Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak."

If you deposit pennies in a coin bank, you can't expect those pennies to turn into quarters. What goes in is what will come out. So it is in the spiritual. If you have been filling your treasure chest with God's words of faith and promise, then positive words of faith and hope will flow out of your mouth "ministering grace to the hearer" (Ephesians 4:29). On the other hand, if you have been taking in the vain language that the world offers, then negative, vain, and corrupt communication will dominate your speech. The treasures of your heart can't be hidden for very long, for eventually, your mouth will speak and expose your thoughts to the world, whether they're good or evil.

To store good treasures in your heart, you must first find good treasures. You must expose yourself to the Word of God by listening to good teaching, preaching, and through personal Bible study. Proverbs 2:1-4 instructs you to receive God's words, hide them in your heart, incline your ear to them, search to understand them, and cry out for them. It continues to say that you must search for the wisdom of God's words as though you were searching for silver or hidden treasure. You are not slack concerning your material treasures as you make your paycheck a daily priority. Your spiritual treasures demand no less. Just as a conscious and diligent effort must be made to search for natural treasures, so it is with the spiritual. If you desire to fill up your treasure chest with God's words you must search for them as you would for silver or gold. You will only be able to draw good treasures from your heart in proportion to the good deposits that you have made. +++

07/24/13
WHEN YOU PRAY - BELIEVE

Scripture: Mark 11:24 "What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them."

What a promise from the word of God. It sounds so simple. When you pray, believe. Yet, how many times do we just say a prayer rather than pray with real faith? Prayer should be a reverent petition to God, not just words uttered aloud. When you pray there should be great expectation. For prayer to be effective, you must reach out in faith and release your request in the spirit. As you do, the answer will come to pass in the natural. Awesome things happen when a simple prayer that is mixed with faith meets God.

Notice Jesus said, "When you pray, believe ... and you shall have." There is a time to believe and that is at the moment you ask. After your encounter with God in prayer, your faith may be tested, but keep holding on. The faith in your heart will work even though doubt is attacking your mind. Just before Jesus told his disciples to have faith when they prayed, He cursed the fig tree that had no fruit. Jesus had faith when He spoke to the tree and it began to wither on the inside. There was no evidence of change on the outside, but when the disciples passed by the next day, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. Jesus used this example to teach the disciples some important principles concerning prayer. He said, "You shall have." In other words, your answer is on the way. Most of the time we can't comprehend that our prayers are in the process of being answered because we can't see God at work. Too often we give up just before the answer comes.

Verse twenty-two says, "Have faith in God." God delights in honoring your faith. When you believe and trust in God, you set a mighty force to work. Like gravity, which is the strongest force in nature that can't be seen, faith is a very strong force in the spirit. Although faith can't be seen or explained, FAITH works. So when you pray, believe, and when you truly believe, you shall have. +++

07/25/13
SONGS OF DELIVERANCE

Scripture: Psalms 32:7 (Amplified) "You are a hiding place for me; You Lord, preserve me from trouble: You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance."

David wrote this psalm and he knew what it meant to face adversities and danger. When he was just a lad in the open field tending sheep, he was forced to fight a lion. Another time, he had to fight a bear. Then he went from protecting sheep to protecting men and also the nation of Israel when he came against the giant, Goliath. With just a sling and a few stones he conquered the giant, while others trembled in the presence of this mighty foe. David also had personal battles. He had to flee the presence of King Saul who was determined to kill him. And David had to bear the heartache of the insurrection of his own son, Absalom, who sought to take David's kingdom for himself.

David's conflicts were not always one on one as he also battled against great armies. David was a mighty warrior in battle and conquered thousands, yet he never depended upon his own strength. He always leaned upon God and sought out His direction and guidance. David knew that the Lord would preserve him from trouble and he made God his hiding place and trusted in Him for deliverance. He wrote many songs to this effect, which even today bring comfort and instill hope. Whether David was up or down or fighting against one person or an army of thousands, the Lord's presence was always with him, surrounding him with songs of deliverance.

David was not the only one who was surrounded with songs of deliverance. Songs of deliverance went before the armies of Jehoshaphat in II Chronicle 20. As they sang praises to God, their enemies destroyed themselves. Songs of deliverance surrounded Paul and Silas as they praised God at the midnight hour in the prison. As they worshipped God, the prison was shaken, the doors were opened, and their bonds were loosed. Songs of deliverance will also surround you. In the midst of your adversity, whether it be fear, loneliness, depression, or other challenges, you will hear a sound from heaven in the private chambers of your heart. Allow that melody to arise within you and join with God as He surrounds you with songs of deliverance. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over you with singing." +++

07/26/13
KNOWING THE TRUTH

II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, his son in the faith, and cautions him about the world around him. In the previous six verses, Paul tells him that perilous times would come and he then gave Timothy a list of things that would be happening in the last days. Paul said that men would be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affections, trucebreakers, false accusers, uncontrolled, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and that there would be silly women laden with sins seeking to lead them astray. Paul also said that a form of godliness would abound, but declared that the power of God would be denied.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words in 63 AD, which was about 30 years after Christ was crucified. But you would think that he was describing our problemed society today, for we witness these characteristics every day as we watch the television, hear the news, or observe public behavior. It is very evident that there are many who are truly "ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth." There has never been a time when the gospel was more accessible or proclaimed through so many mediums. And yet, many who hear the Word never change their lives. Satan deceives them from recognizing their true needs and their self-satisfying lust blinds them from being able to understand the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, Himself, used graphic illustrations in His teachings and made everything He taught come alive. Yet even in His day, many could not understand or receive His simple teachings because their minds were closed to the truth.

The scriptures are given by inspiration of God and are designed to teach us good doctrine and instruct us in the ways of righteousness. They are also there to reprove and correct us (II Timothy 3:16). Our shortcomings may not be in the list that Paul gave to Timothy, but we must acknowledge that we all have areas in our lives where God is dealing with us. We hear a word that pricks our heart, but we tend to push it away because we don't want to be accountable to its truth. Like Paul's statement, we learn about the truth but we never come to know the truth because we do not allow ourselves to experience it.

It is one thing to learn that we are to live a holy life but it is quite another to understand that truth by submitting our entire being to God and actually living a holy life before Him. There is a difference in learning about thankfulness and being truly thankful. We can learn about the spirit of arrogance but that does not impart a spirit of humility into our lives. We have to work at making a change. The Holy Spirit will teach us daily and guide us into the truth, but we must give heed to His leading. If we want to change we must make a determination that as we hear the truth, we will discipline ourselves to obey God's words of wisdom. If we do not obey them, we will find ourselves fulfilling the words of Paul, "ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth." +++

07/29/13
GOD'S PRECIOUS MEMORIALS

Scripture: Acts 10:4 "Your prayers and your alms are come up for a memorial before God."

Have you ever tried to talk to someone, but knew in your spirit that they weren't listening to you? Worse still, they may even cut you off right in the middle of your words. Even though you really had something important to share, no room was given for you to exchange your thoughts and express your opinions. It was as though your concerns were of no importance or even nonexistent. Communication of this sort is frustrating, but we can rest assured that this is not the type of communion that we experience with our Father God. Our prayers and the words that we address to the Lord are very meaningful to Him. As we speak, He listens with the intent to hear, considers our thoughts, and doesn't forget them. He keeps our words before Him as a memorial. 

Just as we listen to the simple words of our own children or grandchildren, God listens to us. How often have we kept a scrap of paper that had the words "I luv you" or something similar scribbled in crayon as a special memorial of a child's love and adoration for us? Those words were a personal treasure to our heart and God feels the same about the words that we offer to Him. He is not so much concerned about the eloquence of our communication as He is the condition of our heart and our love for Him. Our words are precious to Him and He looks at our earnest and honest intent. It is written in Revelation 5:8, that He takes our prayers and saves them as memorials in golden vials. Then the angels mingle our prayers with incense and offer them upon the golden altar that is before God's throne. Regardless of how simple our words might be, God loves them and appreciates them. As our prayers ascend unto God, they become as sweet odors in His nostrils (Revelation 8:3-5).

Sometimes we may think that God has forgotten our request, but we soon discover that although He is rarely early, He is never too late. Our need is ever near His heart and He always answers right on time! God keeps our words and our expressions safe, whether they be praises or petitions. When we make our thoughts and needs known unto God, they are placed in a golden bowl near His throne. They remain as memorials before Him until the appropriate time that He desires to respond. Then when the fullness of time comes, our sovereign God reaches into the golden bowl and pulls out our prayer. And to our utter amazement, He answers our petition when we least expect it. So never give up on your prayers because they are a memorial before God. When you prayed, God listened, God heard, and your answer is on the way. +++

07/30/13
BLESSINGS OF THE LORD

Scripture: Proverbs 10:22 (Amplified) "The blessings of the Lord, it makes (truly) rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

There is a tremendous difference in the blessings that come from God and chance that just happens in our lives. Without exception, blessings that come from the Lord are good and they make us truly rich, for He knows exactly what to give us and what to hold back. He knows our needs better than we do and His plans for us are for good and not evil to give us a good future and a hope. There is never any grief or sorrow that comes with God's blessings and for that reason you never hear the expression "bad blessing." With luck, it is different. It is like the pendulum of a clock that swings back and forth, for it can go either way. If you choose to believe that your life is governed by luck, you can have good luck or you can experience bad luck.

A man in our local community won thirteen million dollars a few years back. Some of my close friends knew him personally. At first glance, we would have called this win a blessing and the world would have labeled him a lucky man. Yet, at the end of the matter, things did not turn out good for this individual, for there were no blessings attached for him personally. In fact there was only devastation, for within two years of winning this enormous amount of money, he was divorced, lost his home and family, and ended up taking his own life because of the grief and sorrow that surrounded him.

A blessing is supernatural and comes from the heart and hands of God. It is not something that we can produce ourselves. In I Chronicles 4:10 there is a prayer recorded by a man named Jabez. Jabez asked God for something that Jabez himself could not produce. He asked for a supernatural blessing and then left his life in the hands of a sovereign God. Like Jabez, we need to present ourselves to God and look to Him for blessings rather than to depend upon fate or luck. We have God and He is all that we need to help us make it through life. Ephesians 1:3-7 tells us that God has already blessed us with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. He has chosen us to be holy before Him, adopted us, and made us accepted in the beloved. Through the Lord Jesus we have redemption and through His blood we have the forgiveness of sin. We must agree that we are truly blessed and believe that these blessings make us rich and do not bring with them sorrow of any kind. +++

07/31/13
COMPASSION VERSUS FAILURE

Scripture: John 4:6 "Jesus was weary with His journey and sat on the well."

It is hard to imagine Jesus being weary and thirsty, but He was. And this natural situation caused Him to be in the right place at the right time so that He could minister to a very special woman. While His disciples went into the city to buy food, Jesus sat on Jacob's well and waited. His waiting had a purpose. He wasn't waiting for a multitude. He was waiting for one person. Finally, a woman of Samaria came to draw water from the well. Jesus was a Jew and was to have no dealings with the Samaritans, but when the woman came to the well, He disregarded the traditions of men and yielded to the will of God. He made time for this woman, and even though He knew her failures, He had compassion upon her. 

As He began to talk with the Samaritan woman, He exposed her failures. He knew everything about her and approached her sins with tenderness and compassion. She had been married five times and the man that she was presently living with was not her husband. They were just living together. Yet, Jesus looked far beyond her faults and saw her needs. He recognized her thirst for God and knew that there was something deeper within her scarred heart than men could see. Jesus asked the woman to give Him a drink of water and when she responded, He offered her living water. He told her that the living water that He could provide would be able to quench her thirst and that she would never thirst again. Jesus was not speaking of natural water and natural thirst, but of the Spirit.

The water of the Spirit quenches the thirst for the things that are of the flesh. Just as Jesus waited by the well that day, He patiently waits for you so that He can minister to you, one on one. You are important to Him whether you realize it or not and His love for you may be more than you can even believe. Jesus usually ministered to the multitudes. Who would think that He had time for one Samaritan woman who was living in sin? Yet, He did and He loves you just as much as He loved the Samaritan woman. The Lord draws you to Him by His Spirit so that He can impart the Living Water to you. When God imparts the Living Water, it will drive away those ungodly things that you thirst for and struggle with such as impure thoughts and desires, lust, jealousy, and covetousness. As the Lord ministers to you, you will find yourself overflowing with new life and you will know that His compassion is far greater than your failures. +++