09/02/13
BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT

Scripture: Genesis 13:17 "Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you."

Abraham was given this mighty promise before he left Egypt and started on his journey of faith. God declared that the land belonged to Abraham, but also said that it would not be his until he walked the length and breadth of it. Abraham had to claim every inch of God's promise for himself. So by faith, Abraham packed up everything that he had and began to search for the fulfillment of this word from God. He was seventy-five years when he started on this mission to accomplish his destiny and God's divine purpose for his life.

Each of us travel our own individual paths and it is only as we experience those paths that we can understand them. We may skirt around on the outside of financial difficulty but we can't understand true financial stress and anxieties unless we have walked through the length and breadth of all that financial lack has to offer. We may come close to suffering and physical pain, but pain explained by someone else is no pain at all for us personally. We must suffer the depths of affliction in our own body to comprehend what pain is all about. We can't understand abuse unless we have been abused and neither can we understand the pain of a broken heart unless we have experienced rejection and abandonment. We are not able to realize the struggles of cruel addictions or the loneliness of being in prison without having experienced the length and breadth of those emotions first hand. We can't share the sorrow of someone who has lost a loved one to death unless we have walked through that same valley of grief before them. The bottom line is that we can not own the knowledge of any experience until we have walked the length and breadth of it or as the popular slogan goes, until we have "Been there and done that."

When the writer of Hebrew 4:15 said that Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities, he spoke the truth. Jesus climbed every mountain of hardship, walked through every valley of sorrow, and battled every temptation that we will every face. He was a man of sorrow and understands the pains of our heart. Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected and despised by men. He was spit upon, physically beaten, mocked, ridiculed, abandoned, and shamed. He was innocent and without sin but He died a terrible death on the cross. He walked the length and breadth of everything that we will ever experience in this life and through those experiences He learned how to comfort us in our adversities and pains. Because Jesus has been there and done that, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He understands our needs and will be there to help us through each and every conflict of life. We can depend upon Him. +++

09/03/13
INTIMACY WITH GOD

Scripture: Psalms 103:7 "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel."

The children of Israel saw God deliver them from Egypt through various signs and wonders. God parted the waters of the Red Sea for them and they experienced dry ground for their crossing. Then God's mighty hand destroyed Pharaoh's army in those same waters. They heard the thunders of God's voice on the mountain as He spoke with Moses, and they were led through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a fire at night. They drank water from the rock and every day for forty years they ate fresh manna from Heaven. Yet regardless of all of these mighty acts, the children of Israel were never able to comprehend or understand who God really was. They saw God's acts and experienced His miracles but never knew His ways. They never truly knew the heart of God and therefore they never were able to trust His Word nor enter into the place of His promise.

God is pleased when we acknowledge His acts because they demonstrate His power and glorify Him. Yet, He is more pleased when we acknowledge Him as a person and simply believe that "He is" (Hebrews 11:6). God created us in His image and He wants us to appreciate Him as our Father God. For instance, we appreciate the fact that our children think that we are good parents and we are honored when they trust us to provide for them. Yet, our greatest delight is when they simply love us and know us as Mom and Dad. We want them to recognize our character and understand our ways which are governed by our hearts.

Knowing God's ways is a process. The Apostle Paul said that He was determined to know Christ. Yes, he wanted to know the power that flowed from Christ, but more than seeing His acts or signs and wonders, Paul wanted to experience the person of Christ in an intimate way. He said, "That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Christ, perceiving and recognizing the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly" (Philippians 3:10)." Paul's intimate knowledge of Christ did not come because of a one time experience on the road to Damascus, as great as that experience was. Neither did Moses' intimate knowledge of God come at the burning bush. Both men's knowledge of God and Christ came through an intimate relationship with them. Moses came to understand God and His ways as God talked with Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Paul sought this same kind of relationship and through faith he pressed towards Christ. Like Moses and Paul, would you like to know God's ways and not just witness His acts? It is a possibility and it is simple. The way to gain this intimate knowledge of God is to spend intimate time with Him. +++

09/04/13
POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND

II Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy about two spiritual qualities that Timothy possessed. First, Timothy had acquired a true and solid faith because of the influence of his mother and grandmother. Second, Timothy had received the gifts of God, for Paul, himself, had imparted these special gifts to Timothy when he laid his hands upon him. Paul now exhorted Timothy to stir up those gifts and to exercise his faith in the Lord. God's work needed to be made manifest in his life, for the gifts of God and true faith are useless if they are only held within ones heart and never released for the benefit of others.

When Paul addressed Timothy's fear, He also addressed our issues. God still imparts gifts and faith to His children, yet as believers, we face the same dilemma that Timothy faced. We allow the awesome gifts of God and the faith that is within our hearts to be shrouded by a spirit of fear. We are timid and shy with those that we are trying to minister to and intimidated by those about us who are more experienced in the things of God than we are. Even though God has filled us with His Holy Spirit, many times we are so afraid of personal failure that we will not allow His power to flow through us and manifest itself in our lives. We are afraid of what will happen if the person that we are witnessing to scorns us instead of receiving God's plan for eternal salvation. We question ourselves with the thoughts, "What if my prayers for healing do not work, or worse, what if the person I am praying for dies?" We are even afraid to love because love makes us vulnerable to possible rejection and pain. We have given our hearts away before and were only wounded in return. Even our minds become unsound and clouded with confusion because of the fear that overwhelms us. It is any wonder that when fear dominates our lives in this manner that we can't work the works of the One who sent us?

These feelings are very real. Timothy experienced them and Paul understood what Timothy was feeling. Yet even though the spirit of fear is real, it is not from God and we do not have to allow it to reign within our being. We are destined and ordained to be an overcoming people, full of God's power, operating in His love, and exercising good sense and self-control. These things are from God. Let us graciously receive His spirit of power, His spirit of love, and His spirit of a sound mind. +++

09/05/13
THE ROCK OF REVELATION

Scripture: Matthew 16:18 " ... upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus asked Peter a powerful question, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Jesus saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Flesh and blood did not reveal this knowledge to Peter. God the Father opened Peter's heart, enlightened his spiritual eyes, and granted him the revelation that Jesus was His Son, the promised Messiah. This revelation is the foundation for the Church of the Living God and it is the rock that we build our own personal faith upon. Many recognize Jesus as the Christmas babe in the manger or Jesus on the cross. Yet they never come to know Him as Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God or discover that He is the Rock of their salvation.

The revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, opens a whole new spiritual dimension in our lives. This knowledge enlarges the borders of our heart and increases our personal influence with others. Jesus becomes the foundation that we place our faith upon and we find that He is endless, His power is boundless, and His love is without measure. As we continue to look into the chambers of His heart, we see His goodness, His mercy, and His grace. In His presence, we experience His joy and His peace, and in each heartache and pain, we come to know His compassion. The more intimate we become with Jesus, the more we realize that our relationship is not about what we have done or can do for Him, but it is about who He is, what He has done, and what He will do for us in the future. He is the Messiah of our lives.

Often, however, we develop a Messiah syndrome by taking the weight of the world and our problems upon our own shoulders. We allow ourselves to become bound by the enemy of our souls because we do not lean upon the Holy One of God or draw from His mercy and grace. Our attempt to work ourselves and others free from the bondages of evil creates frustration when all we really needed to do was simply call upon Jesus. As our Messiah, Isaiah chapter sixty-one declares that Jesus came to take our burdens and set us free from all bondage. He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild. He does the work in our individual lives by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and when He does it, it is remains eternal. When we recognize that Jesus is our Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the gates of Hell can not prevail against this revelation. +++

09/06/13
LITTLE BUT WISE

Scripture: Proverbs 30:24-28 "There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants ... the conies ... the locusts ... and the spiders." 

Solomon was a man who was granted supernatural wisdom from God and yet he chose four small and insignificant creatures to show us what true wisdom is and how it operates. The first example is the ants because of their preparation and hard work. We are not only amazed as we see these small creatures carrying their enormous and heavy loads, which are twenty times their own weight, but we are also astonished that they have the foresight to prepare for the future. Proverbs 6:7 tells us that the ants "have no guide, overseer, or ruler, but they work all summer." One reference said they are the "most laborious insects in existence," each doing its own job without show or expecting any honor, working without weariness until the work is complete.

The other three examples are just as amazing. The conies or badgers show us the importance of protection and sure foundations. These small animals build their houses in the tight places of the cleft of the rocks where there is protection on all sides, and then cautiously face outwards. The next wise creature, the locusts, display exceptional unity and organization. They have no king or leader, yet they band together as one unit and work in harmony. And finally, the spiders show us boldness and confidence. They will go anywhere without fear, even the king's palaces. They are not easily discouraged and when their webs are swept down, they spin them again and again.

As we look at these four examples we come to understand that wisdom doesn't depend upon how great or rich we are, but on how we conduct ourselves in life's circumstances. We can use these examples of wisdom in our spiritual lives as well. Like the ants who store up food in the natural, we must store up bread of Heaven or the Word of God so that we can make it through the seasons of famine in our lives. We can't allow ourselves to wait until we are faced with a crisis. David said, "I will hide Your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You." We must feed on God's Word in our summer seasons so that we are prepared for the winters of our life.

Like the badger's hidden home in the cleft of the rock, Jesus is our refuge and secure hiding place. He is the solid rock and if we build our trust and faith on Him, He will be our sure foundation and protection from our enemies. We must allow the Lord to surround us on all sides and also we must continue to maintain a vigilant watch, for our adversary, the devil, goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

The locusts show us the incredible wisdom of banding together with other believers so that we can experience tremendous victories as we work together in unity and harmony. There is great power in agreement and the Word tells us that if one can chase a thousand, two can chase ten thousand. On the day of Pentecost we see the results when just 120 believers came together in complete harmony and one accord. God sent the promise of His Holy Spirit as a rushing mighty wind to empower them to become His witnesses. Because these few believers manifested unity, harmony, and power, they changed the world.

Finally, the spiders teach us to be bold and confident so that we can go anywhere and everywhere that God sends us. They not only show us how to go forth with courage, but that we should have faith for the king's palaces. They demonstrate how to refuse failure. Regardless of whether we fail on our own or because someone else sweeps our web away, God's gifts and callings are without repentance (Romans 11:29). Like the spiders, we still have the ability and responsibility to get up, start again, and spin another web. 

So which one of Solomon's examples do you need to follow to become wise? The answer is all of the above. All these principles need to be operating in your physical and spiritual life so that you may prosper in your body, soul, and spirit. +++

09/09/13
OBEDIENCE BRINGS THE BLESSING

Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:8 "The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you set you hand to do."

None of us really know what will happen in the future or how to prepare for life's uncertainties, but God gives us a promise in this scripture that can sustain us in every circumstance. He sets the guidelines and conditions for either blessings or cursing to come upon our lives. His instructions are very simple and very clear. He told us that if we listen diligently to His voice and observe to do all that He commands, He will bless us. But He also says that if we neglect to listen to Him and refuse to obey His voice, we will be cursed. 

How the blessings will transpire and come to us is up to God. We don't have to figure it out, for He has plans that are higher than our plans and He can create a blessing that we've never even thought of. If the blessing comes is up to us. Our responsibility is to obey God's voice and when we do, He will command the blessing. This powerful God who intends to command a blessing upon us is the same God that spoke the worlds into existence. He started with nothing, but look what He ended up with. His command has power and when He speaks, all nature responds whether visible or invisible.

In I Kings, chapter seventeen, we see this principle at work in the life of Elijah. As he acted in unquestioning obedience to God's Word, God commanded blessings to come to him. First, God commanded the ravens to bring him food in the mornings and evenings and provided water from the brook. Then, when the brook dried up, God commanded a widow woman to sustain him. These blessings came to Elijah only because he listened to God's voice and obeyed His Word. Had Elijah refused to go to the brook or to the widow's home, he would not have experienced God's blessings and provisions for his life. Not only that, he would have also robbed the widow and her son from receiving a blessing as well. We must understand that our obedience always touches the lives of others.

There may come a time when you face an extreme circumstance in your life. Remember that God has already thought it through and He has a plan to match that hour. He not only has a plan, He has the power to command a blessing on the plan and will do just that if you remain under His covering and meet His requirement of obedience to His every word. +++

09/10/13
YOU ARE SO LOVED

Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

These twenty-five words tell of God's enormous love for us, and in a very simple way they explain the gospel message. The good news of the gospel is that God loved us so much that He came up with a plan to save us from an eternal death. God's love refused to allow us to be held in captivity by the devil, even if it meant the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus. The reason that God made this awesome sacrifice and gave His precious Son to die on the cross was because He "so loved" us. It is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend God's love, for very few of us could give our only son in the place of another.

When the Holy Spirit breathed this scripture into the heart of John, the words that the Spirit used to describe God's abundant love for mankind was "so loved." Yet these two words speak volumes. God's love was so great that it's depth, height, length, and breath could not be measured or explained with words. God just so loved! His love knew no boundaries or limits. It reached to the highest mountains and flowed to the lowest valleys. His love passed all human understanding (Ephesians 3:17). God so loved that He gave that which He loved the most, His only begotten Son.

Any love, divine or natural, that can be measured is indeed little love. If you can put your love in a box, it is not worth much. If you can buy a gift that represents the value of your love, your love is cheap. If you can confine your love to mere words, it is lacking. If you can explain your love with measurements and borders, it is limited. If your love is conditional and controlling, it is not true love. Think about the love in your own heart and then reflect on God's love. Can you measure the love that possesses your heart for your own children? Your wife or husband? Your family? Your pastor and special friends? It is an impossible task. So it is with God's love. There are no words to explain the love that possesses God's heart when He thinks of you. If you had been the only one in the world, God still would have given His Son in your place because He "so loves" you. +++

09/11/13
THE WORD TRIED HIM

Scripture: Psalms 105:19 "Until the time that his word came (to pass); the word of the Lord tried him."

When Joseph received a dream from God, it took about sixteen years for that dream to come to pass. In the meantime, God worked to get the physical circumstances just right and also worked changes in the heart of Joseph. There were many challenges that Joseph had to face as he waited on God's purpose and perfect timing to come to pass. Many times he must have experienced the let down of hope and the frustrations of delay. He may have even gotten sick and tired of trying to hold on to his hope, for Proverbs 13:12 tells us that "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."

The disappointment that comes when our hopes are not realized is hard to cope with. Like Joseph's situation, when God reveals His intentions and purposes for our lives, things do not always happen immediately. Our calling demands a season of testing and training where God rids our heart of things that would hinder His anointing and prevent His purpose. During this time, He never allows us to see behind the scenes. He places a veil between the natural, that which we see, and the spiritual, that which He is doing that is unseen, and He forces us to walk by faith. And until the word that we received from God comes to pass, He tries that word. Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and was tried in other areas before the words concerning Him came to pass. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be "a tried stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16).

God is the potter and He knows His clay. He is attempting to mold you and make you into the image that He has designed and ordained. You must make a predetermined decision to submit to God and allow Him to sort things out in your heart. The challenges and trials that you will face during this preparation process will develop wisdom and give birth to God's precious anointing. God has good intentions and your best interest at heart but you cannot be used until you have been tried and tested. Adversity will form you and it is the basis of your life message. You can only truly know what you have actually experienced. You can only rescue others from the valleys that you have been through. God has given you a word, a hope, and vision to keep you stable as He fits your life into His plan. Trust His faithfulness even while your word of promise from God is being tried. +++

09/12/13
ARISE AND SHINE

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."

God encourages us to rise to a new life. The Amplified Bible reads, "Arise from the depression ... in which circumstances have kept you." We all face disappointments in life, either through circumstances or in our relationships. When we do not deal with those disappointments, we become discouraged. Then as we give in to discouragement, depression follows.

Depression is like being in a dark room. In the natural, if you find yourself in darkness, you must make an effort to get up and turn the light on. When you turn the light on, you do not have to battle with the darkness any more. The light itself dispels the darkness. Likewise, when your inner man is in a dark room of depression, you must do the same thing. God is there with the light of His Word, but you must arise and allow that light to illuminate your spirit and renew your faith. Verse two says that as you arise, "His glory shall be seen upon you." It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit as He draws you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.

King David faced this darkness when his city was burned and his possessions and family were taken captive. If that wasn't hard enough, his own men blamed him for the loss and wanted to stone him. I Samuel 30:4 says that David cried until he couldn't cry any more, but then he began to encourage himself in the Lord his God. He arose and began to allow the light of God to shine in his darkness. As he did, new plans developed. He pursued the enemy and took back what the enemy had stolen. He could have sat there forever in depression and defeat and never regained what belonged to him. The choice was his.

I Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. You are in his path, but you are to give him no place in your heart. You must encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. From the beginning, you must refuse to allow disappointment to lodge in your heart until it turns into discouragement. Learn to trust God's Word which says, "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose." Arise, shine, and allow God's light to supernaturally dispel the darkness. +++

09/13/13
OUR GREATEST SPIRITUAL ASSET

Scripture: Matthew 28:20 "... I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Our greatest comfort and our greatest joy is the assurance of these words from Jesus. Every moment, His followers are promised His personal and empowering presence. This promise is our greatest spiritual asset, and we could ask for no greater treasure. We could depend on no better security. We could reach no higher heights or experience no deeper depths than to know that Jesus is with us. How awesome is the thought that Jesus will never leave or forsake us. He will always be there. Others may leave, but He will remain. He is with us in our laughter and He is with us in our tears. He is with us in our triumphs and He is with us in our tragedies. He is there with us as we experience joy and He is there in our pain. And He is always touched with the things that our hearts are caused to endure. 

Jesus made this commitment to be with us to the ends of the world or the end of the age. It doesn't matter if we are at home or in a distant land, His presence surrounds us, fills our lonely hearts, and girds us with strength. We only need to recognize Him and know that He is there. It doesn't matter if we are doing menial tasks or are involved in a major undertaking, He is there to help us in the time of our need. It doesn't matter if we are in peace or engaged in war, for His protecting arms surround us at all times. It doesn't matter if it is Sunday, Monday, or another day of the week, He is there always and His mighty presence fills every moment. In His presence there is a peace that passes all understanding. There is also a trust that cannot be described, an abounding love that fills the heart, and a grace that is sufficient for the soul.

We do not have to dread the road ahead or be anxious about the future, for the Lord's presence will lead us and He will take care of every detail. The power of His presence will always make a way where there seems to be no way. He will go before us and make a way in the wilderness and cause streams in the desert (Isaiah 43:19). His presence will even cause us to bloom in the hard places where we are planted. Isaiah 42:16 says, "He will make the darkness light before us, and the crooked things straight. These things He will do for us, and He will not forsake us." We must hold to the promise that the presence of Jesus will always be with us, for this is the greatest asset that we could ever hope to gain. +++

09/16/13
KEEP ON ASKING

Scripture: Luke 18:1 (Amplified) "Always pray ... do not turn coward, faint, lose heart and give up."

This scripture deals with a widow who received justice from a judge. The judge gives his account of the situation and explains why he granted her justice. He said that he did not avenge her because he reverenced and feared God. Neither did he grant her petition because he had respect and consideration for her as a person. The judge avenged her because he began to realize that she was not going to give him any peace until she got some answers. Every time he turned around, she was there, and her voice was in his ears. She was bothersome and an intolerable annoyance to him. She was determined in her spirit and was not going to leave without getting an answer.

In verse seven, Jesus said, just like this unjust judge, "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?" How many answers do we fail to receive because we quit praying and give up? James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." This speaks of Elijah's earnest prayers concerning rain. His petition was not a "one time" prayer. I Kings 18:42-43 tells us that Elijah cast himself down upon the earth, put his face between his knees, and prayed seven times until he saw that his answer was on the way. Effective prayer continues until there are results. It is like boiling a pot of water. Water must reach 212 degrees before it begins to boil. We can stand there and wait until it reaches 210 degrees and give up each time just before it starts to boil, or we can see the process through. 

In Mark 8:22-25, Jesus put His hands on a blind man the second time before the man's vision was restored completely. And Daniel's prayer was heard from the first day that he prayed, but his answer was delayed twenty-one days (Daniel 10:12). Shameless persistent faith holds on until the answer comes. You must never give in to disappointment and discouragement if you want to experience victory. And you must not turn coward and faint. Instead, "Ask and keep on asking, and it shall be given unto you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door shall be opened to you." (Luke 11:9 Amplified). +++

09/17/13
MAKE YOUR DAY COUNT

Scripture: Psalms 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom."

These words were spoken by Moses in a prayer that he offered to the Lord. He wanted every day of his life to count. In the previous verses, he stated that man is only given seventy to eighty years to live. Moses realized that regardless of his natural strength, human life is limited here on earth, so he asked the Lord to show him how to number his days so that he could use his days wisely. This should also be our prayer and our goal. We should endeavor to be good stewards over each moment that God has entrusted to us and filter out the things that devour our time. For it is only as we spend our time wisely that we will be able to fulfill the purposes and plans that God has ordained for us.

When you visit those who are near death, most often they do not speak of their great accomplishments and successes. As they see the end on the horizon, they speak of those things that they never got to do or the places they never got to see. Their regrets are their unfulfilled dreams and the ventures never taken. It is sad to think that many songs were never sung, many poems never shared, and many words never written. They were buried deep in the hearts of those who died with a dream but who had never found the time or the courage to step out in faith and follow through with action.

Consider the following words by Marilyn Hickey:

"There are 1,440 opportunities every day to succeed.
That is how many minutes there are in each day.
I find that putting God first in my day
enables me to use my time wisely
and accomplish the goals that I have set.
It is He Who gives me
the wisdom to plan my day,
the intelligence to carry out each task,
and the energy to do it.
And then He gives me the joy
and satisfaction of achievement."

Like Moses, ask the Lord to help you number your days and make each one of the 1,440 minutes count. Strive to finish your course like the Apostle Paul with no regrets or unfulfilled wishes. God has good plans for your life. He can give you wisdom, intelligence, and energy to bring your dreams out of the forgotten past and make them realities of the present and the future. +++

09/18/13
REST FOR AWHILE

Scripture: Mark 6:31 (Amplified) "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest for awhile."

The disciples were so busy that they had no time to rest. In fact, they couldn't even sit and eat a meal in leisure without being interrupted by the people who continually followed them. The masses drew upon their time and energies and left them totally spent. Finally, Jesus called them away to a solitary place just to rest.

Our own lifestyles have become similar to this scenario. We have become exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally because our schedules allow very little time for us to rest and regenerate. Often, if we are not careful and determined, we even fail to make time to pray and study God's Word. Yet, our strength to maintain life's demands and cope with stress depends upon getting physical rest and having fellowship and communion with the Lord. Isaiah 40:29-31 tells us that as we wait upon the Lord and linger in His presence, God will increase our strength, causing it to multiply and making it abound. As we rest in His presence and renew ourselves spiritually, God renews our physical strength and causes us to be able to walk and run without getting weary or faint. Isaiah said even the young men would fall with exhaustion, but those who wait upon the Lord would be like eagles, full of strength, soaring above every situation.

Jesus also told us what to do if we become weary, over burdened, and stressed out. He said, "Come to Me, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28-30). Supernatural strength is imparted when we come into the presence of the Lord. He said, "Take My yoke upon you." In other words, "Surrender everything you are to Me. If you will allow Me to pull the load, you will find relief from pressures and be refreshed in your spirit. Get to know Me, for I am very gentle of spirit. If I give you a burden to bear, it will be easy and light, for I will never put more on you than you can bear. Cast all your cares on Me, for I care for you. Come away with Me to a solitary place for a while and rest in My presence. As you become still, you will come to know that I am God (Psalms 46:10) and peace will enter your soul. As My presence surrounds you, you will find refreshing and blessed quietness for I will cause you to rest." +++

09/19/13
FEW WORDS

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Let your words be few."

These are the words of King Solomon and we should pay close attention to them because he was declared to be the wisest man who ever lived. He was actually speaking about our prayers to God, but he wasn't telling us not to talk to God very long. Solomon clarified his words by saying, "Don't be rash with your mouth or let your heart be hasty to utter a word or make a vow before God." He also reminded us that God is in Heaven and we are on Earth. God knows much more about what is going on in our lives than we could ever presume to know so we should keep our ears open for God's voice and our hearts attentive to His spirit. When we stop and listen to God, we will discover that He has more to say about our situation than we do. In fact sometimes we are so busy chattering to God about our problem, that He can't get a word in edgewise to covey His solution to us. We are to be still and to know that He is God. 

Jesus said similar words about our prayers. He said, "Don't use vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking" (Matthew 6:7). Prayer is not supposed to be a big theatrical production but a personal one-on-one audience with the Lord. Yet many times, in our attempt to get what we want, we either make rash promises to God or we resort to making railing accusations about the things that are happening in our lives that we do not understand. We forget that God is still God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and that He is still on the throne and in control.

Solomon said, "To listen is better than to speak foolish words." Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). Foolish words are not profitable, for by our words we are either justified or condemned. We must not allow our mouths to lead us into sin and condemnation. We need to be quiet unless we know that we are praying according to God's will. When we come to God we need to come without formulas and techniques. We are to simply approach Him like a child approaches their earthly father. When we do this, we will evoke God's presence. Then as we find ourselves alone with God, we will be so awed by His presence that our focus will shift from ourselves to Him. In His presence, we will forget about our own desires and we will want His will to be done in our lives here on Earth as He has ordained in Heaven. When we commune with the Lord, let our words be few so that we can listen and hear what the Lord is saying to us. +++

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09/20/13
EMBRACE YOUR DESTINY

Scripture: Hebrews 11:13 "... having seen them (God's promises) afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ..."

This chapter of Hebrews lists some of the incredible saints who walked in faith and a brief comment about their great accomplishments. They were persuaded of and embraced God's promises. They even confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims, not allowing their affections to be tied to this Earth. Yet, if you go back and read their stories, you will find that even though they acted in faith, they still had their own personal conflicts and flaws and experienced their own individual valleys and mountains. There was Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joseph, to list a few. None of these were perfect even though they journeyed intimately with a perfect God. There was even a harlot named Rahab listed among these great men of faith.

God's Word always forces us to deal with the dimensions of truth and the truth is that God is moved by faith. When we look in the mirror, we see the reflection of ourselves; our lack of education, our lack of ability, and our limited resources. God really doesn't care about our lack. He looks at the same image and sees great potential. Instead of seeing our lack of education, He sees His knowledge, understanding, and wisdom flowing through us. He sees His strength as being greater than our disabilities. He sees no problem with our limited resources because He is Jehovah Jireh and is able to provide everything needed. He looks at our image and discerns a spirit that is longing for His will and purposes and a vessel that He can possibly work through. He sees our soul that is waiting for His measure of grace to be poured upon it so that we can do the things that He is calling us to do.

Each journey of faith begins with the first step. Noah began gathering the wood for the ark and securing the first boards together. Abraham packed up his family and left his country. Isaac sowed his precious seed in the ground in the time of famine. Moses lifted his rod and performed signs and wonders in the courts of Pharaoh, and Joseph stayed faithful in unjust circumstances. Like these men, God waits for us to take our first step of faith regardless of how foolish it may seem. What is He saying to you? When He speaks, you must take your eyes off of where you are right now and get the vision of where you need to be. You must accept the challenge to go further with God than you have ever gone before even though there may be conflict and valleys along the way. You must be aware that the devil's warfare is based upon your potential and that he fights accordingly. However, there is no problem that God can't solve and no dream that He cannot fulfill. When God gives you a promise and shows you your destiny, you must embrace it with total faith and take your first steps towards that journey's end. +++

09/23/13
PRAY AGAIN

Scripture: James 5:18 "And he prayed again."

Elijah prayed earnestly and asked God to send rain. Six times, nothing happened, but on the seventh time, the heavens opened and the rain began to pour. Elijah could have given up on the sixth time that he prayed, but he didn't because he was determined to pray until an answer came. What if Elijah had stopped praying after his first prayer because he felt that true faith doesn't pray a second time? What if he questioned himself after the second prayer by wondering if he was righteous enough to go before God? What would have happened after the third prayer if he thought his request may be considered selfish in the eyes of God? After the fourth prayer, what would have happened if he had stopped praying because he felt ridiculous praying about the elements of nature? Surely, he had doubts after the fifth time that he bowed himself before God with the same petition, for the scriptures record that he was a man of like passions just like you and me. When he prayed the sixth time, he may have wondered if God was even listening at all. Yet Elijah didn't give up, and when he went boldly before God's throne of grace on the seventh time, he received his answer.

Powerful and effective prayer doesn't just happen. Sometimes you must stand at length before God's throne before you see any results. You must ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking until God answers. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah several times and Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night before he received his blessing. He wrestled so long and so hard with God that his hip was thrown out of place and he walked with a limp for the rest of life. Jesus, Himself, prayed for a blind man twice before the blind man's sight was totally restored, and Jesus also went to God three times for Himself and asked that the cup of suffering be removed from Him.

The tenacity of prayer and faith is illustrated in the definition given by three boys. The first boy said, "It is taking hold of Christ"; the second said, "It is keeping hold of Christ"; and the third said, "It is not letting go!" We are not to simply skirt around on the outside of God's presence, but instead take time to venture deep into the Spirit. We must reach beyond our simple petition and go boldly before God's throne of grace in our time of need. We should not let go but approach God as many times as we need, without any reservations. We must always remain submitted to the Father's will, but never take no for an answer until God says no. Until the answer comes, we must pray and pray again. +++

09/24/13
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD

Scripture: Psalms 130:3 "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

God is a God of mercy and grace. He doesn't follow us around writing down every indiscretion that we commit. Like the psalmist said, "If He counted all of our iniquities, who would be able to stand?" God understands all of our temptations and all of our failures because His Son was tempted in all of the areas that we are tempted in. Yet, Jesus is the only one who remained without sin.

God never condemns us for our transgressions, regardless of how big or how small they are. He patiently waits for us to confess them to Him so that He can forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). He is very faithful in this area. Psalms 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west." And verse ten tells us that God doesn't deal with us after our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities. In other words, He doesn't punish us according to the degree of our sins. We never have to fear God in terror of His punishment, for His discipline and punishment is meant for correction and protection. However, we are instructed to give Him reverence and to fear Him as a child respectfully fears their loving father. 

God looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. He sees how vulnerable we are and because we were created from the dust, He doesn't expect us to be gods. If God marked or kept record of all of our iniquities and punished us accordingly, no one would be able to stand before Him, for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He made provision ahead of time for our failures. God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness and cleansing. Since God made this ultimate sacrifice, it stands to reason that His desire and intention is to forgive. God doesn't want to record our sins, He wants to forgive them. His love will cover a multitude of sin, if only we ask. +++

09/25/13
WITNESSING

Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall be witnesses unto Me."

We often make witnessing about Jesus such a big ordeal when in reality it is just talking about Him. It is so easy to tell others about a movie that we've seen and describe the main characters and all of their attributes. We may even quote a few lines that they said and be able to convince our listener that the main character was either good or bad. Witnessing about Jesus and the things of God should come just as easy and natural if we truly know Him. We should be able to talk about Him as a person, and in a simple way tell the facts about His life. God's Word should be so alive to us that we are able to quote our favorite lines that Jesus said or other scriptures pertaining to Him.

Witnesses who take the stand in a court of law are only required to tell the facts they know. They do not have to know and understand everything about the circumstances. They only have to reveal the truth as they know it. In Luke 7:20-22 the disciples of John came to Jesus and asked if He was the Messiah that should come or should they look for another. Jesus replied and said, "Go tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor." They were to tell only what they had witnessed personally. When you give witness of the things that Jesus has done for you, the facts will speak for themselves and your experience will make your words come alive.

Psalms 105:1-5 gives us some instructions about how to witness. The psalmist said in part to give thanks to the Lord and sing. There is a great witness that goes forth when you simply give praise to God and sing songs that honor Him. You are also to remember and make known His deeds among the people and talk of all His wondrous works, giving glory to His Holy Name. Your witnessing is not just a formula that you have been taught in evangelism class. It also should never be burdensome but should generate spontaneously from your heart. Jesus said, "You shall be My witnesses." Your message is a real person and that person is Jesus. +++

09/26/13
CREATED IN HIS IMAGE

Scripture: Genesis 1:26 "God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."

God created the heavens and the Earth and called light into existence. He made the sun, moon, and planets and placed them in their appropriate positions. He also scattered the stars across the heavens according to His own divine pattern. He created the mighty oceans and formed the seas and then filled them with enormous amounts of water that cannot be measured. He divided the lands, formed the mountains, and dredged out the rivers. He also created all of the animals and brought plant life into existence. Then as a finishing touch, He created man and woman.

God commanded life into everything that He made. Yet, the creation of man was different. When God created man, He said, "Let Us make man." God the Father called for a divine council with God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and all were included in the creation of this special being called a man, who was formed from the dust of the Earth. Another thing that was different about man was that he was created in God's own image. None of God's other creations could lay claim to this high honor.

When we began to understand why we were created in God's very own image, it is a very sobering thought. God wanted someone like Himself that He could commune with on a personal basis, and He wanted someone that had the capacity to love and worship Him in spirit and truth, even though all nature cries out with praise to God. He also designed His most special creation to have His own attributes and to show forth His likeness. God created man with the capacity to be holy as He, Himself, is holy (I Peter 1:16). That may seem like a far stretch to most of us, but God created us to be filled with His Spirit so that we could display His image of holiness to a wayward world. We are to be like a healthy tree and manifest the fruits of His Holy Spirit. When others look at us they are to see God's image of love, joy, and peace. As His witness, we are to display His image of patience, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. When others encounter our presence, they should experience God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness because Christ is within us. God's image of wisdom that comes down from above is to rest upon us and we are to be His light to a darkened world. We must acknowledge and respect God's work in us and understand our constant responsibility to be His image in the Earth. Everything that God is, He has designed us to be also, for He created us in His own image. +++

09/27/13
MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

Scripture: I Peter 1:7 "The trial of your faith, being more precious than of gold."

These words were written by Peter to the Christians, who had been scattered. These Christians were chosen by God, obedient to the blood of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Yet, their situation was one of suffering and trial because they were trying to live faithfully in a pagan and hostile society. Peter's message of hope was intended to comfort them and to encourage them to rejoice and stand firm even in the midst of their trials. 

Life has not changed and neither has the message of Peter to the church of the Living God. When all hope is gone, God's Word to His people today is the same as it was to the early Christians. We are to "greatly rejoice" though we are in a season of heaviness because of manifold temptations. Manifold temptations mean that the trials are multiplied. One of Satan's tactics is to attack your faith from all sides. He did this with Job. A messenger came to give Job bad news, and while the messenger was still speaking, there came another bad report. It was one bad thing after the other in Job's season of testing. He had to face the devil in every arena. Yet, Job refused to curse God and instead, he made a declaration of his commitment. He said, "Though God slay me, still I will trust Him." He left his life and future in God's hands.

The Apostle Paul's faith was also tried in manifold situations. He said, "We are troubled on every side ... perplexed ... persecuted ... and cast down ... that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." Yet, he maintained a spirit of faith through it all (II Corinthians 4:8-13). And Jesus, Himself, faced a series of testing in the wilderness. Satan tempted Him in three areas, but Jesus placed His faith in the Word of God and remained faithful. 

You may be scattered in your mind right now with manifold trials and temptations but remember the devil only has a season. Always keep in mind that your times of testing are precious times because you are held in the palms of God's hands. His eyes are ever on you just as His eyes were on those Christians who were scattered. God never leaves the refining pot to tend to other matters. You are His main concern and the strength of your faith is important to Him. He has judged you and counted you mature enough to endure the conflicts and the reproach that you are now facing.

Satan's main goal is to destroy your faith in today's test so that it will affect your hope for the next season and your ultimate destiny. But God knows the degree of heat that you can handle, and if things get too hot He has promised to rescue you by making a way of escape. God believes that your faith will come forth as pure gold as He allows the fires of adversity to refine it. As your faith passes through the fire, things that are impure will separate from you. When this process is complete. only genuine faith will remain. In the midst of the fire, God will deliver you from fear, agitating passions, and moral conflicts. So as the fires come, embrace them and live above the reproach. Allow God to purify your faith and burn out the things that are foreign to His nature. As you do, your faith will come forth as pure gold and your suffering will be changed into glory and honor for Him. +++

09/30/13
DOING THE FATHER'S BUSINESS

Scripture: Luke 2:49 "... I must be about My Father's business."

All the words recorded in scripture concerning Jesus depict His mission on Earth, which was to bring eternal life to a dying world and destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). His whole life was about doing His Father's business. From the very beginning of His life, Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies with His birth in Bethlehem. Then, as a young child, Jesus sat in the midst of the doctors in the temple and declared to His parents that He "must be about His Father's business." He recognized very early in life that He was anointed by God to do a particular work and He remained focused on that agenda.

Jesus had a dream and knew His destiny. He was to fulfill the work that His Father in Heaven had given Him to do here on Earth. So, despite the fact that His call and His mission included the cross and its shame, Jesus endured all that was set before Him with joy, knowing in His heart that He was pleasing His Father (Hebrews 12:2). However, there was opposition along the way. In fact, Jesus lived in a perpetual state of conflict because He was headed towards His dreams. The king tried to destroy Jesus when He was a just a small child. Religious leaders of the day tried to keep Him from proclaiming His message of the Kingdom and healing the oppressed. And Satan, himself, tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Yet, Jesus never strayed from His call or doing His Father's business. When the time came for His work to be completed, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, never flinching from the cross of Calvary (Luke 9:51).

Your Father in Heaven also has plans for you. He has big dreams and envisions you being a big part of those dreams. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you are to be about His business, for you are the hope of His glory. You are an epistle which will be read of all men and by your works and influence, men will come to know God and will learn to love Him or dislike Him. You have a responsibility to do God's business and do it well. Never lose sight of the dream that God has for you. Ask Him to breathe upon those dreams and ignite you for His service. Like Jesus, you will face opposition. There will be heartache and disappointment along the way but keep your eyes on Jesus and keep focused on the dream. Endure the rough places with joy knowing that you are fulfilling God's plan and doing His business. +++