12/01/14
GOD'S PROMISE OF HELP

Scripture: Isaiah 41:13 "Fear not; I will help you."

Israel had become feeble and despised by the other nations so God addressed her by saying, "Fear not, you worm!" Israel was God's chosen and called out nation but was being stepped on by those around her as if she were a mere worm of the dust. However, God, in His mercy, is getting ready to change everything about this abusive situation. In the preceding verses, God promises to strengthen and uphold Israel with His own hand of righteousness. He also promises Israel that her enemies will be confounded and become as nothing in her sight. She will be like a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth and all those who strive against her shall perish. She will become like a mean machine that is able to thresh the mountains of adversity and tear the enemy apart.

Fear was a mighty enemy for Israel and it is a mighty enemy for us as well. For this reason, God addresses fear many times in the scriptures. Each time that God issued a challenge to one of His servants or manifested Himself, He said, "Fear not." He addresses fear because it is a strong emotion that can paralyze and hold in bondage those who yield themselves to it. The Lord wants us to know that we have nothing to fear because the spiritual realm operates by authority and spirits know their limits. The devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He watches our reaction to the spirit of fear and can only come through the doors that we open. When we boldly resist fear as we would any other temptation, it has to flee. It is not by our might or by our own power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Our strength has no influence over fear. It is God's power that accomplishes the work.

Fear can be big or fear can be little, but all fear is tormenting. General Patton said, "I learned early in life not to take counsel with my fears." Like General Patton, from the very onset, we are to set fear aside and refuse to allow it any place in our hearts. We must guard our hearts, for what we allow into our spirits will eventually manifest itself. Job said, "What I have greatly feared has come upon me" (Job 3:25). His fear opened the door for destruction in his life. It is said what you put into the well is what you will draw out. If you receive fear into your heart that is all that you can draw out. When you give place to the devil, you allow him the authority in your life. When you give place to God and His promises, you allow God the authority to rule your being.

Like Israel, you may see yourself as a worm before your enemy. You may feel feeble and despised because of the abusive situations that you are in. Fear may be knocking at your door and all may seem lost. Regardless of how hopeless it all may seem, you must turn your thoughts to God and remember that He has chosen you to rule and reign in this life. He has made you an overcomer and He wants to change you and your self-image. The Lord speaks to you as He did to Israel and says, "I will change you from being a worm into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth and you will tear down the mountains of adversity that are before you. Fear not, for I will help you." +++ 

12/02/14
JESUS HAS BEEN THERE

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to understand and sympathize with our weaknesses ..."

Jesus was with God in the beginning of time, but came to this earth so that He could redeem mankind. When He came to Earth, He came in the likeness of man. As the Son of man, He embraced all that we would have to experience as human beings. He allowed himself to be acquainted with physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

Jesus suffered and wept with friends when His own friend, Lazarus, died. He felt the rejection of His own mother and brothers who thought that He was mad. He experienced frustration with the religious hypocrites and He became angry with those who were abusing the temple of God. He suffered disappointment with those who had been part of His ministry team for three years when they all left Him in His time of need. Judas betrayed Him and then Peter, one of His closest friends, cursed and denied their friendship. Jesus wearied Himself with doing the work of the ministry so much that He was able to sleep in the midst of a great storm. He also suffered the abuse of a mocked trial, great physical torture, and endured the pain of the crucifixion. He then died in shame, feeling totally abandoned by His Father God. Jesus subjected Himself to all of this so that He could know and be touched with our feelings.

Jesus experienced more than we've ever dreamed of experiencing. Even though He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of Man. We tend to think that Jesus had it easier than us because He was God in the flesh. Yet, Hebrews 5:7 tells us that in the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up very definite and special petitions to God and that His prayers were filled with strong cries and tears. He wanted God to deliver Him from the coming death and asked that the cup pass from Him. The last part of this verse in the Amplified Bible says "He shrank from the horror of separation from the bright presence of the Father." And because of His cries, "He was heard in that He feared." It is hard to imagine these words, "Jesus feared." But we know that He prayed with such anxiety in the garden of Gethsemane that He sweat great drops of blood. He went through this agony for you and for me. He has already been down every path of pain and sorrow that you will ever travel. Jesus knows exactly where you are and He wants you to know that He understands your heartaches. He is touched by your feelings and all that you are experiencing. Just lean upon Him. Jesus understands because He has been there. +++ 

12/03/14
GOD HONORS OUR EFFORTS

Scripture: Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be open to you."

God is sitting on His throne in Heaven desiring to accomplish His work in our life. Jesus is sitting there beside Him interceding in prayer for us and the Holy Spirit is hovering around the throne waiting for instructions. Even the angels are waiting to do God's bidding on our behalf. They are all involved in bringing solutions to our problems and helping us in our situations, but everything is on hold because they are waiting for their work orders to come through before they proceed. They are waiting for a heart that is full of faith to draw upon Heaven's resources. They are listening for the words of our prayers and are watching to see if anyone is searching for them. And, they are hoping that someone will knock at their door. 

All too often we don't involve God in our daily needs even though He is our loving Father and He wants to give us answers and to provide for us. He wants us to search for Him so that we can find Him and experience His awesome presence. He wants to open doors for us that no man can shut and He delights to show us great and mighty things that we have never seen before. He desires to lead us to the green pastures and beside the still waters. God is ready to respond to us but the delay rest in the fact that we need to make an effort in His direction. We need to ask for our provisions if we want God to provide them. We must seek Him with all of our hearts if we ever expect to be drawn into His presence. If we want to see the great and mighty things that are promised, we must call upon Him (Jeremiah 33:3). If we want to be led to the green pastures and still waters, we must follow Him wherever He leads. If we desire God to draw near to us, we must first draw near to Him.

Psalms 78:41 says that God's chosen people limited the Holy One of Israel. God wanted to do great and mighty things for them but they never received God's promise because of their own unbelief. It takes faith to ask, faith to seek, and faith to knock. Yet, the scripture says that everyone that asks will receive an answer, will find what they are searching for, and that doors will be open to them (Matthew 7:8). You only have to take one step towards God for Him to begin to move in your direction. He will meet you at your level of faith and take care of all of your needs. He will come to you with His love, comfort, healing, direction, and provision. So, instead of fretting over your needs, make a decision to simply approach God in faith and on His terms. He will honor your efforts and you will receive your answers. +++ 

12/04/14
PROMOTION COMES FROM GOD

Scripture: Psalms 75:6-7 "For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one and lifts up another."

God holds our lives in His sovereign hands, and regardless of our abilities and talents, we can go no further than what He allows. Even our boastings will not promote us, but will only make us look foolish to those who are listening. Verse four of this chapter says, "I said to the arrogant and boastful, don't deal arrogantly - don't boast; and to the wicked, don't lift up the horn of personal aggrandizement" (Amplified Bible). In today's language we would say, "Don't blow your own horn." Proverbs 27:2 says, "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."

God has good plans and purposes for your life, but He takes you through many tests and makes sure that you are seasoned and mature before He releases you into those places of responsibility. Often those tests become very discouraging and it may seem that God will never show up. God kept Moses on the backside of the desert for forty years and caused Joseph to pass through the pit and prison for about 16 years before promoting him. When the fullness of God's time finally came for these men, He appeared to Moses in a burning bush and promoted Joseph to second in the kingdom in just one day. Even Jesus, Himself, had to wait until He was thirty years old before His promotion and fame came. Then suddenly after His water baptism and His temptation in the wilderness, "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through the entire region" (Luke 4:14). The people marveled and spoke, "Is this not Joseph's son?" They couldn't believe that this simple carpenter's son was doing these mighty works. God almighty had promoted Him.

God desires to promote you, but He has a principle that He operates by. If you know anything about God's principles, you know they always seem to be opposite of our natural thinking. For instance, if you want to receive - you must give; if you want revenge - you are to do something good for your oppressor; if someone steals from you - you are to give them something more. Now God says if you want to be promoted, humble yourself and He will exalt you (I Peter 5:6). This principle is found again in Matthew 23:12 (Amplified), "Whoever exalts himself with haughtiness and empty pride shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself - who has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly - shall be raised to honor." Trust in God, for He is your judge and your promotion will come from His hands. +++ 

12/05/14
PRAYER MOVES GOD

Scripture: Genesis 19:29 (Living Bible) "So God heeded Abraham's plea and kept Lot safe, removing him from the maelstrom of death that engulfed the cities."

We serve an awesome God who, even though He holds all power and authority in His hands, still listens to our voices and responds to our intercessions. It's an incredible thought that we can change the heart of the Almighty God by our simple words.

In the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, Abraham conversed with God concerning the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah who were utterly evil. God was planning to destroy the entire city, but Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the godly with the wicked. He even challenged God by saying, "Far be it from You to do such a thing - to kill the righteous with the wicked." Abraham then reminded God that as the Judge of all the earth, He must remain fair and do right. When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He remembered Abraham's words and yielded to his intercessions. God spared the lives of Lot and Lot's daughters by sending them out of the city.

Abraham's intercession was simple but effective. He simply reminded God of who God was and then asked Him to regard the righteous that were in the wicked city. There are many people in our lives who need our prayers. For one reason or another, they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are walking in darkness and don't even realize that they are being deceived. Even though we feel that they are on the edge of impending danger, there is nothing that we can say in the natural to change their minds. Our counsel is of no effect and our only recourse is to follow Abraham's example and intercede for them. Our prayers may be their only hope. Who knows, but that God would heed our prayers and keep them safe by removing them from their present danger.

Ezekiel 22:30 tells us that God seeks for a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap for the land. We have a responsibility and God is depending upon us to pray and intercede for His people and the unsaved world. God heeded Abraham's plea and He has made a promise to do the same for you. It has been said that "God moves the mountains, but prayer moves God." +++ 

12/08/14
SUFFICIENT GRACE

Scripture: II Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

The apostle Paul was a man who had supernatural experiences with God and had received great revelations from God. Yet, Paul didn't have things easy. He said that he was given a thorn in the flesh so that he would not be exalted beyond measure because of the revelations that he had received. We are not certain what the thorn was, but time and time again, the devil attacked Paul. Yet, Paul did not allow the devil to have the upper hand. In verse ten he said, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul experienced something greater than the hardship and adversity that was at hand. He experienced the grace of God and came to know and understand that God's grace was sufficient for every circumstance and that God's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness.

Grace is unmerited favor and comes by divine impartation. God places a part of Himself, a portion of His very being, inside of you so that you can endure for a season. It is special and it is supernatural. You may think you can't endure the challenge, and like Paul, you may pray three times for the thorn to be removed. Or like Jesus, you may ask three times for the cup to pass from you. You may later wonder how you ever made it through the impossible ordeal that you were forced to encounter. But also like Paul, you will come to know and understand that God's grace was the element that kept you in your time of need. It was God's grace, a portion of Himself inside of you, which gave you strength in your weakness.

It is marvelous to know that God is still in the business of dispensing His grace. His grace gives hope in a hopeless situation, turns our mourning into joy, gives added strength when our labors increase, mercy in our afflictions, faith for our challenges, and peace in a troubled world. His grace is always enough. It is sufficient and is never lacking. God seems to measure His grace out. It is like the manna that fell in the desert ... it's this much grace for this much need. It can't be gathered and stored up ahead of time. Grace is just there when you need it as you face every hardship and emotional pain. Something special happens as you lean upon God and experience His grace. Somewhere in the midst of your situation you realize God's goodness in allowing you to embrace the pain. As you see yourself changing, you begin to take pleasure in the infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses. Like Paul, you will say, "When I am weak, then I am strong. The God of grace and the God of strength is inside of me and that is sufficient for all of my needs." +++ 

12/09/14
DISCIPLES OF LOVE

Scripture: John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another."

God has a purpose for your life. You may not see it clearly at this time or even be aware that He is using you in your daily routine. Never the less, God is doing an awesome work through your life. He is showing forth His love through you and using you as a minister of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18). Whether your good deeds are great or small, you are announcing to the world the message of God's grace and reconciling others to Him. That message is validated by the love that is manifested in your life and the world will know that you are His disciple because of the love of God that is in your heart.

People are not interested in religion. They are looking for relationships. As they watch your life, they recognize your devotion to God and are able to truthfully discern if the love that you are manifesting for God and towards them is real. The Apostle Peter instructed us to make sure that we have an "unfeigned love of the brethren." This means that our love cannot be false. He said, "See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently" (I Peter 1:22). Love has no value if it is not true and real. 

God wants to raise up committed believers who will be servants of God's love. You can't earn any place or position with God, for His place comes by His grace. He chooses and establishes His vessels when He feels that He can trust them to show forth His love in all situations. That is not always an easy task. It means turning the other cheek and many times taking the blame. Jesus showed His love for mankind and His commitment to God the Father by pouring out His life on the cross even though He had no faults. He then gave us a commandment to love as He loved. Like Jesus, we are to pour out our lives for others so that they may see our good works and glorify the Father who is in Heaven. When our love towards the world is manifested in this manner, we become a strong witness and others recognize and acknowledge that we truly are disciples of Jesus. +++ 

12/10/14
ANOTHER CHANCE

Scripture: Genesis 4:25 "God has appointed me another seed."

Adam and Eve had two sons named Cain and Abel. Both of these sons gave an offering to the Lord, but the Lord was only pleased with Abel's offering. He totally rejected Cain's offering and because of the rejection anger and jealousy raged in the heart of Cain. When the opportunity presented itself, Cain killed his brother, Abel. His deed left a grieving mother but she found comfort when she gave birth to another son. To Eve, the birth of Seth meant restoration of what had been destroyed by a selfish and evil act. Seth's birth brought hope and renewed vision to a very wounded soul. Eve could now look beyond the loss that she had suffered and envision a brighter future. She saw this blessed event as God granting her another opportunity. 

Today is the first day of the rest of our life. We stand on the edge of our future. We have more control than we realize, for our destiny is governed by our choices and actions. There is a seed of hope within each of us that is waiting to come alive. We can either mourn the past and its many disappointments or celebrate the days to come. We can look at life and declare that there's nothing to hope for or we can place our faith in God and declare that He is appointing us another chance.

God has promised to restore the years that have been devoured and wasted (Joel 2:25 & Isaiah 58:12). Things are never so bad in our lives that God cannot restore them, for He is God and He is our awesome Creator. Losses are never so great that He cannot redeem. No sickness is so grave that He cannot heal, and even death, itself, cannot resist His resurrection power. The Lord is able to repair anything and everything that is broken in our lives. All we have to do is give Him all of the pieces of our broken lives and shattered dreams and He will perfect those things that concern us. As we patiently wait for Him, He will appoint to us another season, another chance, and a new beginning. +++

12/10/14
LED BY THE SPIRIT

Scripture: Romans 8:14 " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

Our loving heavenly Father is just like any earthly father and continually deals with us and tries to lead us in the right paths. He is concerned with every aspect of our lives and always has our best interest in mind. His Holy Spirit speaks to our spirits, giving us a sense of direction and reminding us to stay in the bounds of God's commandments. We can rest assured that His continual dealings with us are for our benefit, as He desires to fulfill His promises to us and complete His purposes within us. Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you ... to give you a future and a hope in your final outcome." Yet, it is altogether possible to miss the destiny that God has planned for us if we do not follow Him.

Psalms 32:8 says, "I, the Lord, will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel or guide you with my eye." This brings to memory my own parents who instructed me and taught me the proper way to act. When I disobeyed, I felt grieved knowing that I had failed their expectations. It took only one glance from them in my direction, and the expression in their eyes would call me to repentance very quickly. I had a choice to either change my behavior or continue in rebellion and reap the consequences.

David continued in this psalm to tell us that we are not to be stubborn as horses or mules that have to be forced in the right direction with bits and bridles because they have no understanding. We are given a choice. We can choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and follow God's instructions and gentle reminders or we can be restricted by God as He attempts to keep us on the right path. God feels the same towards us as we feel toward our own children. He takes no pleasure in having to restrict us as though we have no spiritual direction. God's will is that we seek Him and be sensitive to His voice and that we behave as mature sons and daughters. Consider these questions as you endeavor to follow God and be led by His Spirit.

1) Do my thoughts line up with the Word of God?
2) Does the Spirit of God bear witness with my spirit?
3) Will my decision lead me closer to God or away from Him?
4) Am I following after peace?
5) Is God providing for me to go in this direction?
6) Am I listening to God's voice or being influenced
by the opinions of others?
7) Has my decision been confirmed by godly counsel? +++ 

12/12/14
GOD'S THOUGHTS

Scripture: Psalms 139:17-18 "How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them. If I could count them, they are more in number than the sand."

Imagine that you are on a beach that stretches for miles and miles. You make yourself comfortable and then you begin to count the grains of sand that hold back the vast ocean. One by one, you count each grain until you are finished, and then you go to the next beach and start all over again. You do this until you have counted all of the grains of sand on the Earth. We know this is an impossible task and so is taking inventory of God's thoughts towards us. David said "if" he could count God's thoughts towards him, they would be more numerous than the sand. God's thoughts towards us are so precious and they are so many that they reach into eternity.

God begin to think about us before we were ever conceived. We are His special design. When we are being formed in the secret place of our mother's womb, He forms our being into the awesome vessel that He desires. He creates within us special abilities so that we will be able to correspond with His mighty plan and fulfill His purposes. We may look at ourselves and think that we are very little, but the Lord makes no mistakes. Our life has always been in His hands, and He has always been in control. The crown is upon His head and the scepter is in His hands. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We must acknowledge that He is God and that He made us to be the person that He wanted us to be. When we accept God's sovereign plan for us, we begin to find our place and to understand our purpose.

You will face challenges through the day and you will be thrown some curves in your life. There will be cold dark valleys to pass through and tough mountains to climb. There will be hot dry deserts and raging rivers to cross. There will be decisions to make and disappointments to deal with. There will also be pain to bear. In these places, you must always take refuge in the knowledge that God is thinking of you and that His thoughts are for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Just as you watch over your own children when they are unaware, your heavenly Father is watching over you. He never slumbers or sleeps and He will never leave you, nor forsake you. His thoughts towards you are more precious than you could ever imagine, and they are more in number than the grains of sand. +++

12/15/14
POWER OF FAITH

Scripture: I Corinthians 2:5 "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

The Apostle Paul did not preach a message with enticing words of man's wisdom but a message that was a demonstration of the power of God. His message required faith. Natural wisdom often discourages us by telling us that faith doesn't work. We must understand that faith is not contrary to reason but exceeds reason. We are not required to explain God or the words that He has spoken, we must only believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Faith is a gift and a fruit of the Spirit and it doesn't come simply because of our needs or desires. It is supernatural and Paul said that it comes only by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:7). In Matthew 9:29 Jesus spoke to two blind men who were seeking healing and said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." These men had been following Jesus and their faith had been stirred as they heard the reports and testimonies of what Jesus was doing throughout the land. Jesus' fame had spread because He had done many mighty miracles, and had even raised a young girl from the dead. Faith in Jesus had come into the blind men's hearts because of what they had heard and Jesus responded to their heart full of faith, not their desperate situation. He was looking for those who would believe in Him. Jesus passed many people who did not receive a miracle because there was no faith in their hearts. In one city, the scriptures declare that He could not do any mighty miracles because of their unbelief.

Jesus speaks the same words today, "According to your faith, be it unto you." You can only receive what you believe for and you can only believe for the things that you hear from God, for His words are spirit and life. What are you trying to believe God for? Your faith will not stand in the wisdom of men, for reasoning will speak out against the foolishness of your faith. You must find your faith building answer in God's Word, for your faith will stand only in the power of God. His words are creative and full of power. As God speaks into your heart, your faith will rise and that faith will become substance to your hopes. Then according to your faith, it will be done unto you. +++

12/16/14
GOD'S GUIDANCE

Scripture: Psalms 27:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path."

When journeying across the country, we travel many roads and encounter many situations. Some are challenging while others are uneventful. Often, we can see miles down the road and drive with no thought as to what direction we are heading. We are able to relax as we make progress towards our destination. At some point, however, this comfortable place ends and we are forced to make choices. When decisions must be made concerning the correct turns, we begin to search the road map and watch for signs along the way that will insure that we stay on the right course. If necessary, we stop and get directions.

So it is with our lives. We submit ourselves to God and start in the direction that we believe He wants us to go. Things proceed very smoothly for a while and we are quite sure that we are on the right path. It seems that we can see far into the distance and feel confident while we remain on this steady path. But then things begin to change, and we are forced out of our comfort zones and onto side streets that we've never traveled before. We are faced with the unfamiliar and must make decisions concerning new paths that we need to take. These unfamiliar paths can be frightening to us if our trust is not in a Savior who said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

I remember an incident when I was to follow my brother's car to a house in the country. We exited the main highway, and turned down one country road after another until it seemed that we were just traveling on little trails. I had no choice but to keep following my brother because he had all of the directions. Finally, everything came to a sudden stop and we ended up in someone's driveway at the end of the trail. It was a frightening situation because huge dogs began to bark and jumped at our cars. Yet, my faith remained in my brother, for I knew that he would not forsake me. Finally, we both worked ourselves out of the situation, returned to the main road, and eventually reached our destination safely.

As we listen to the news today with all of its natural disasters and rumors of war, it reminds us that things can change very suddenly in our lives. The road we are on, which seems so clear and steady now, may not be so clear tomorrow. We may come to the end of the current road and have to make sudden decisions concerning unfamiliar paths that lie ahead. Yet these are not times to fear, but times to trust. We must remember that God knows where we are and He knows what is happening in our lives. Our Father God has all of the directions. All we must do is stay close to Him and follow where He leads. We can be assured that He will teach us His way and make the path plain before us. +++

12/17/14
FAITHFULNESS AND TRUTH

Scripture: Isaiah 25:1 "... Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."

The Prophet Isaiah spoke to the Lord and said, "O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name; for You have done wonderful things." He then declared that the Lord's "counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." There have been situations in my life when I have sought for counsel from individuals. At the time, their advice seemed reasonable, so I followed it because they knew more about the subject at hand than I did. Unfortunately, however, there were times that things did not fall into place as they had suggested and their advice turned out to be ill advised.

Just the opposite is true with God's counsel. Even though many times His counsel goes beyond human reason, it always turns out to be faithful and true. What kind of wisdom tells a man to build an ark on dry ground in a time when rain had never fallen before upon the earth? Yet, these were Noah's instructions that saved him and his family from the flood. What kind of counselor would tell a man to lead millions of men, women, and children out of the security of Egypt into the uncertainty of the wilderness with no natural provisions? Not only that, who would ever instruct them to cross through the Red Sea? Only God would tell Moses to do such a foolish thing. Who would tell an army to go out singing before their enemy instead of preparing them for battle? Yet Jehoshaphat won the battle by following these simple words of counsel from God. Or what kind of commander would have his army march around a city for seven days and then shout until the walls came down? That was God's counsel to Joshua at Jericho. Who would tell a young shepherd boy to go against a giant with just a few stones? But that was how David won the victory over Goliath. These were the counsels of Almighty God who is always faithful and true.

Sometimes God tells us to do things that are foolish to our natural minds just like He did the saints of old. He may tell us to share our last portion with the needy, do something that seems unwise in the eyes of others, or instruct us to go somewhere that we normally would not go. Yet, God always does things with purpose and His counsels often times confound the wise. We must remember that when the Lord gives us counsel, He will make things work together and cause them to come out for our good. God is able to breathe life into His Words of counsel. He will create that which has never been and resurrect the things that we thought were dead, for God is not limited by natural law. His Name, that is above every Name, stands behind His Words of counsel. We can trust Him and we can trust His Words. We can be sure that His Words of life, which are written with the precious blood of His Son, will forever remain in faithfulness and truth. +++

12/18/14
PRAYER HAS A VOICE

Scripture: Luke 11:2 "And He said unto them, When you pray, say .... "

When Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray, the first thing that He instructed them to do was to audibly say the words of their prayer to God. God is omniscient and He know the thoughts of our mind and the meditations of our hearts. He understands our motives and intentions better than we do. He also sees our pain and disappointments and listens to the cries of our heart even though we do not give them sound. Yet, even though the Lord can see what is going on internally within us, He shares with us a very important principle of prayer, which is that He wants us to give voice to our prayers.

Jesus told us that our Father God knows what things we have need of before we ask for them, but He doesn't say that we are not supposed to ask (Matthew 6:8). In fact, following the statement that God knows what we have need of, Jesus taught us that we still need to make our needs known and that our request should be prayers that can be heard. James 4:2 says, "You have not because you ask not." And then in John 16:24, Jesus said, "Up until now, you have asked nothing in My Name: ask, and you shall receive so that your joy may be full." Even when the blind man was crying out to Jesus, Jesus asked him what he wanted. It seemed that the blind man's need was very evident to everyone near, but Jesus wanted him to declare his specific request. Asking for a need to be met not only causes you to acknowledge your need of the Lord's provision, it also allows Him to determine where your faith is. When Jesus heard the blind man say that he wanted Jesus to restore his sight, Jesus knew the blind man believed in Him and also that he believed Jesus could do that mighty work. He told the blind man, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole."

Today, I want you to think about the things that you want God to do for you or someone else in your life; recent things or things that you have held in your heart for many years. They may be things that you think you do not deserve or things that seem too impossible for even God to do. Then I want you to make those needs known to God and ask Him to grant your requests in the Name of Jesus. I want you to remind God of the scriptures above and release your faith in Him to accomplish what He has promised to you. Allow your spoken words to declare your faith in God and your belief in what He can do for you. Remember you have not because you ask not. Prayer has a voice and you need to speak your words aloud to God. As you do, I believe that God will listen and that He will answer as Jesus said so that your joy may be full and complete. +++

12/19/14
COVERED WITH DARKNESS

Scripture: Isaiah 50:3 "I clothe the heavens with blackness."

A storm hit our area one mid-afternoon and it became pitch black outside. The sky had been clear and the sun had been visible just a few hours earlier, but in a very short amount of time all light was shut out by the impending storm clouds. The only hint of light was the lightening as it flashed across the sky. It was darker than night because at night time, the stars shine and the moon reflects the light of the sun. It was as though a cloak had suddenly been thrown across the earth and had separated the earth from the lights of the heavens. Like Isaiah declared, it seemed that God was clothing the heavens with blackness.

When all of this was happening, I had no thought or fear that the darkness that presently surrounded me would prevail forever. I did pray for safety, but I went about my business and occasionally looked outside to view the storm and the darkness. I did not allow the circumstances to affect me because I knew that the storm had an end and that it would eventually run its course. I believed that things would return to normal and had no doubts that the sun would shine again. When the storm finally ended, I had to clear away the limbs that had fallen across my path and then travel down roads that were flooded. Yet, in the end, God protected me and I was safe from all harm. I am sure that somewhere in our area God's covenant of the rainbow was visible.

We know a lot about nature and we should seek to know just as much about God. If we truly knew God, we would experience much more peace when we are challenged with the storms of life. I am not talking about the physical storms, but those things that challenge us in areas of our health, wealth, and emotional well-being. If we could just trust our lives to God, we would be still and calm when the thunder rolled, the lightening flashed, and the fierce winds of adversity blew against us. We would not panic or allow circumstances to force us into unwise decisions while we were entrapped in the valley of darkness. If we understood that God controlled the darkness, our confidence in His judgment would save us from a lot of grief concerning our own future. We would remember the storms and the darkness of the past that we had safely made it through and would have hope for our present deliverance. Terror would not be able to prevail in our soul because we would know that the storm that rages so fiercely around us has no power except for that which God allows.

God's plan for our lives does not always make sense. Yet, we do know that in the seasons of darkness we discover a deeper devotion within us for the Lord of our life and we develop a greater faith in His might and power. In the darkness, we come to understand that God is faithful in all things and at all times, and that we live by His promises and not by His explanations. When the water gets too deep, the fire burns too hot, the way becomes too long, and the darkness covers our soul, we know that God's promises are still true. Even though God may not explain the darkness that is hovering over us, we know that we can trust in Him, for He is the light within our soul. +++

12/22/14
TRADITIONS AND TRUTH

Scripture: John 14:6 " Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life."

There are many traditions that we engage in during this special season. Yet as we hold to these traditions that have been passed from one generation to another, we rarely give thought to what they mean, how they began, or what truths support them. I have never heard any documentation on some of the traditions that we honor, but I thought we would explore some possibilities with truth as our guide.

We send and receive the traditional greeting cards each year to our close friends and family wishing them peace, reminding them about the birth of Jesus, and often adding our own personal message. This is a wonderful heart warming tradition but as we look at the scriptures we see that the first salutation was made by the angels on the hills of Bethlehem. They brought a personal message of goodwill to us, which came straight from God in Heaven, as they declared the birth of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. We put up a traditional tree, but fail to connect this tree that we have adorned with beauty to the tree of Calvary that became a rugged cross of suffering, shame, and death. We top the tree with a star, which in essence reminds us of the true star of Bethlehem, which guided the wise men who traveled from the East and also marked the place of Jesus' birth. We decorate with candles and beautiful lights, but the purest light is Jesus who drives away the darkness of evil and gives eternal light to men's souls. We sing the traditional carols that men have composed, but the first carols were created by the angels whose voices resounded with praise saying, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on Earth, and goodwill towards men."

One of our greatest traditions is giving gifts, but we must consider the gifts that were given long ago. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child, and God gave the most precious gift of all, His only begotten Son so that we could inherit everlasting life. Jesus is the most valuable gift that has ever been given and the most precious gift that can be received. He, Himself, is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life." Nothing and no one can be compared to Him. As you experience this season, remember that traditions are to be enjoyed, truth is to honored, and the life that Jesus gives is to be cherished. Let us celebrate Jesus and His birth! +++

12/23/14
FAITH TO CONCEIVE

Scripture: Luke 1:31 The angel said to Mary, "Thou shalt conceive ... and bring forth."

There can be no birth without first a conception. This is a natural fact and also a spiritual truth. Even the Holy Christ Child was conceived by Mary. She conceived ... and then she brought forth. It was an unusual conception in that it happened as the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and the power of the Highest overshadowed her (Luke 1:35), but still there was a conception. This supernatural occurrence was a picture of what happens in our spirits when God wants us to give birth to His purposes in our lives. First, His Holy Spirit comes upon us, inspiring us with a vision, a hope, or a dream. After our spirits conceive His thoughts, we then must nurture those thoughts or seeds with faith. Finally, we bring forth or give birth to the vision by the power of God.

God is so awesome in His plan. The supernatural comes about in such a simple way. Like the conception of a natural child that comes through love making, conception of the spiritual also comes through loving and worshipping God. We see so many examples in the scriptures of people who received a natural blessing when they worshipped God in their spirits. The leper worshipped Jesus and was healed (Matthew 8:2). The ruler worshipped and his daughter was raised from the dead (Matthew 9:18-26). Again, a young girl was delivered of a devil when her mother worshipped Jesus (Matthew 15:22), and a man possessed with many devils was also delivered and made totally whole when he worshipped the Lord (Mark 5:1-13).

You cannot birth healing or any other blessing until you have first conceived it from God in your spirit. You prosper and have health in the natural as your soul prospers (III John 2). It's so simple - whatever you need or desire has to happen first in your heart. Your heart is like a natural womb where the seed is conceived. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As you think in your heart, so are you." Intimacy with God changes you. When you worship God in the midst of your need and hopeless situation, the Holy Spirit overshadows you. True love and worship opens your heart to conceive the supernatural and then faith brings about its birth. You must surrender to God's will and exercise your faith to conceive His promise. As you do, God will plant His vision of victory deep inside of you and give you strength to deliver in due season. +++

12/24/14
FAITH'S RESPONSE

Scripture: Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

Gabriel, a special messenger angel, was sent by God to speak good tidings to two individuals. As Gabriel delivered his message he received two opposite responses to the words that he spoke. One response was filled with faith while the other was clouded with doubt. When Gabriel told the priest, Zechariah, that he would become the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah responded by saying, "How shall I know this?" He wanted solid proof, but by questioning the validity of the message, he questioned the validity of the messenger (verse 18). Zechariah's doubt provoked the angel and Gabriel told him, "You shall be dumb, and not be able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you didn't believe my words."

Gabriel's second visit was to a young virgin named Mary, who was destined to become the mother of Jesus. Questions also arose in Mary's mind. However, her questions were not the result of unbelief, but rather dealt with the information that she might have needed to fulfill the promise. In Luke 1:34 she said, "How shall this be, since I don't know a man?" She was possibly wondering if this great miracle would happen through natural means so she informed the angel that she was a virgin. Gabriel answered her question with these words, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." When she realized that it would come about supernaturally, she began to rejoice in faith saying, "Be it unto me according to your word." Mary was blessed because she believed.

How often do we hear from God and go through great struggles with the words that He has revealed to us? Like Zechariah, we often ask, "How do I know this promise is true?" rather than saying, like Mary, "How shall this be or how shall this happen?" When God speaks, He doesn't want us to question His word, but He does want us to ask for His direction to bring about that word. Most of the time there are necessary steps in the natural that must be taken for God's words to come to pass so God wants to reveal His plans to us. For instance, when God speaks to a minister to build a new church, faith arises in the minister's heart. He grasps the vision but physical actions have to be taken on his part for the word of faith to come to pass. Regardless of whether God plans to do a natural or a supernatural work through us, He still desires a faith response to His initial word. In essence, our attitude should be like Mary's, "I believe You, God. How is this going to happen and what do you want me to do so that there will be a performance of those things which you have spoken to me?" +++

12/25/14
ONE SOLITARY LIFE

Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Thou shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

"He was born in an obscure village.
He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
He then became an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book.
He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college.
He had no credentials but Himself.
While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion
turned against Him and His friends ran away.
He went through a trial that was a mockery.
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only
piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today
He is the central figure of the human race.
All the armies that have ever marched,
All the navies that have ever sailed,
All the parliaments that have ever sat,
And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected
the life of man on this earth as much as that ..."
ONE SOLITARY LIFE ... Copied - From Unknown Author

May your Christmas be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life. +++

12/26/14
BETHLEHEM, THE HOUSE OF BREAD

Scripture: Matthew 2:1 "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea."

The birth of the Savior in the city of Bethlehem was no accident. It was prophesied in scripture centuries before Jesus was born that the Messiah would come from the seed of David and out of the city of Bethlehem where King David was from (John 7:42). And Matthew 2:6 declared that even though Bethlehem was the least of the cities of Judah that a Governor would come from her who would rule God's people, Israel. Before God even sent His own Son to the Earth to redeem mankind from their sin, He planned for His Son, Jesus, to be born in this city called Bethlehem. 

God always has a plan and never does anything randomly. He has purpose for all things and fulfills His own words. To make sure that Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem at this perfect time in history, He caused a census to be taken that required people to go back to their cities of birth and lineage. It was probably very difficult for Joseph and Mary to make this journey considering their financial means and the condition of Mary's body being great with child. Yet regardless of the impending challenges, their journey had great purpose and the events that happened when they reached their destination in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecies of long ago.

Bethlehem seemed to be just another city but the name Bethlehem had great significance, for it means the "House of Bread." In this place, God was sharing Himself and giving us His bread from Heaven, for Jesus is the Bread of God (John 6:33). God was making the provision for all mankind to partake of the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and to experience the Living Bread (John 6:51). Without this Bread from God we have no substance. We have no hope or provision for eternal life. So it seems to be very fitting for Joseph and Mary to be found in Bethlehem, the House of Bread, when the true and the Living Bread from God was to be born.

Every plan that God has and everything that He does is awesome in perfection. His wisdom is beyond compare. He went before Joseph and Mary and prepared a place in the inn with a manger where Jesus could be laid in His swaddling clothes. God also staged the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem who would come and worship the new born King and He brought the wise men from afar with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Joseph and Mary's provision. God set a future before Joseph and Mary and fulfilled His words. All they had to do was to walk into their destiny. Now He sets His Living Bread before us, whom Jesus declared Himself to be that Bread from Heaven (John 6:31). He alone can satisfy our hunger as we partake of His Words of life. Let us pray each day as Jesus taught us to pray that God would give us our daily bread, not just the physical bread that will satisfy our hunger, but also the Bread that comes down from Heaven that will feed our soul. +++

12/29/14
JESUS IS THE WORD

Scripture: John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

"Word" in this scripture refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Messiah, and the Savior of the world. This scripture could have read, "In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God." Verse fourteen tells us that the Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt among us so that we could behold the glory of the only begotten of the Father. Everything about Jesus is glorious, for in Him is life and His life is the light of men. Darkness cannot overcome His light and death cannot swallow up His life that He gives to us.

We always think about an eternal future where time will never end and we all desire and trust that we will spend our eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Much is said about this beautiful place. There is talk about mansions, streets of gold, gates of pearl, and being able to worship God for all eternity. Yet nothing much is said about the eternal past, for we have no information about the beginning of God or where He came from or the beginning of time. We do know that the Apostle John said that the Word, Jesus, was there in the very beginning. He was with God when God formed the world and He also had a part in our creation, for God said, "Let us make man in Our own image." They worked together, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to make each one of us into a special individual design.

The written Word and the Word (Jesus), who became flesh, are both eternal living organisms and both speak to our hearts in different ways. The Light of His Word reveals the Life that is in Christ Jesus and the Life of Jesus imparts His Light into our spirits. When we hear or read the written Word, Jesus imparts revelation into our spirit and the written Word confirms the words that we receive when Jesus speaks to our heart by the Spirit. They never contradict each other and we are never left undone about what God is speaking to our hearts. In the past, Moses gave the law, which were commandments that were written in stone. Today the Word of Light and Life is written, not on tablets of stone, but upon our hearts. God's Word becomes a part of us and is the grace and truth that we are to live by. Think about this awesome revelation that the Apostle John shared. Jesus was with God and He is God. Now, when we receive Jesus into our hearts, this same Light and Life dwells within us. +++ 

12/30/14
THE PROMISE OF A SONG

Scripture: Hosea 2:15 "And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth."

God made a wonderful promise to the people of Israel. Even though Israel had failed God, He gave comforting words saying that He would restore them. He would take the trouble they were going through and would turn that trouble into a door of hope. Salvation would come and they would sing again just as they did in their youth. Like the people of Israel, sometimes the song in our heart gets immersed in our sadness and mourning. Other times it gets covered up by the heaviness of our many problems. When our burdens get too heavy, we tend to stop singing and worshipping because it takes a certain energy to sing and give praise. We may try to make an earnest effort to offer the sacrifice of praise, but it really seems forced. We become like the captive Jews the psalmist spoke of in Psalms 137:2, who were in exile and couldn't sing.

I was in a season of grief and despair when God revealed this scripture to my heart and made it a promise for my future. I had lost the song in my heart because of the heartache, confusion, and abuse that was happening in my life. Things looked bleak and a spirit of hopelessness surrounded me. This dark season only lasted for a couple of years but it seemed like an eternity to my soul. I thought I would never be delivered, much less sing again, but God was faithful to do both. 

You may feel that you are in spiritual exile and the adverse circumstances that you are in may cause you to think that you will never sing again, but I am a witness to let you know that God is faithful. God knows exactly where you are. You can't escape His knowledge or exhaust His love and mercy. God sees the reasons that the song has left your heart and He understands. He will reach down and lift you up out of the pit of doom and despair. He will speak grace to the mountains that you are facing and will create a straight and even path in the wilderness. He will work on your behalf by calling things that be not as though they were. And your song will come again as God begins to reveal Himself to you in a new and fresh way.

God will use your valley to show you the grandeur of the mountain. He will take the storm that rages about you and show you His enormous peace. In your lack, God will show you His bountiful provision. He will replace your confusion with clear direction and in your weakness He will allow you to experience His awesome strength. As God begins to share this fresh revelation of Himself to you, a new song of praise will be birthed in your heart. Just like Israel, your valley of bitterness will turn into a door of hope and new life will come as God resurrects and restores you. Your spirit will become lighter and your notes will be clearer as God causes you to sing as you did in the days of your youth. +++ 

12/31/14
NEW BOTTLES

Scripture: Mark 2:22 "New wine must be put into new bottles."

Jesus taught His disciples a very simple but profound truth about the dangers of mingling the old with the new. He said, "Don't sew a new piece of garment onto an old piece and don't put new wine into old bottles." His message defined God's principles concerning the separation between the things of the Spirit and those of the flesh. It spoke of the difference between responding in faith and just being obedient to the law. The new teachings of grace and truth, which came by Jesus Christ, could not be contained in the old laws, which were given by Moses (John 1:17). Neither could the Holy Spirit, which is represented by the new wine, be received into old and unclean vessels. God's Spirit must only be received into new bottles, for Jesus made His point very clear, "The old will always destroy the new."

In all of life's experiences, we face this process whether spiritual or natural. The old must go in order to receive the new. We would never consider the option of installing new carpet over the old or wearing old clothing under our new apparel. Nor can we imagine storing drinks and food in old and unclean containers. Yet, we tend to follow this pattern with our spiritual surroundings and relationships. We refuse to let go of the past and stubbornly store negative memories in our hearts because it's just too hard to let go. We then try to cover these past hurts with our new dreams and fresh visions. We won't get rid of the bitterness that plagues us and keeps us from experiencing love again, but instead we try to pile our new hopes onto the old emotional scars and end up sabotaging our new relationships. Even though we realize these thoughts hold us back and deter our growth, we will not let go because we can't face being hurt again. Distrust and skepticism have corrupted our vessels so we mask positive attitudes to compensate for our lack as we face our world.

All the while, God is working desperately to do a new thing. He has such good hopes and plans for you, but He is limited because your heart is filled with the clutter of the past. He looks at your heart and has second thoughts about putting His new wine into an old bottle. He says, "Don't consider the former things or the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18). Your dreams may have failed and your closest relationships may have disappointed you, but you must make yourself vulnerable to hurts if you want to experience love and the joy of life again. You must put yourself in emotional harm's way and allow yourself to love and trust again even though it's not easy. You must clean the rooms of your heart and pay particular interest to the closets where your hurts are hidden.

As you allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light on all that is dark, He will help you pull out those things that hold you back so that you can deal with them and resolve the issues. You can then go on with life and experience the good plans that God has for you. As you forget the past and press towards the future, God will pour out His blessings upon you and it will be as refreshing as new wine in a new bottle. +++