06/02/14
THE SECRET OF PEACE

Scripture: Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious about nothing."

The Word of God gives us clear instructions about keeping our hearts and minds at peace. It tells us that if we would pray about everything that the peace of God would prevail in our lives (Vs. 6-7). The secret of peace is having faith in a faithful God, yet we find this difficult at times. It seems that we can exercise more faith in the natural things than in the Almighty God who created them. For example, we place more faith in the postal system than we do in our own prayers to God. We mail precious documents, checks, and sometimes even cash with great faith. We put these items in a paper envelope, which is not very secure and place a stamp on the outside that is worth only a few cents. We then put the envelope in the mail and totally commit our unguarded letter to the postal service. It may change hands hundreds of times as it travels thousands of miles across the nation or around the world. Yet, rarely do we consider that it may not arrive at its destination still intact. We have used the system so often that we assume that it will not fail.

God wants us to develop this same kind of faith in Him and to know that He hears us and that He will answer our prayers. We must come to the understanding that even though prayer is a mighty force, it is still as simple as mailing a letter. When the requirements are met and the prayer is released, we can expect it to reach its destination and bring results. It may take some time as God works on our behalf, but we are not to give up or to think that He never received our petition. God set up this system called prayer and He is well able to oversee it. We just need to believe that God hears us when we pray and that prayer brings results.

When we pray, we must exercise faith for our necessities and believe that we will be delivered from every adverse situation. We are to cast every care upon the Lord, once and for all, and expect Him to answer. A peace that passes all understanding will come to us when we make our request known unto God because when we share with Him, He becomes our partner. God truly does care for us and we are not to be anxious about anything. Worry is forbidden by our Loving Heavenly Father and it reaps no benefits, but a prayer spoken to Him in faith brings results and ushers in peace. +++

06/03/2014
TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE

Scripture: II Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

When Moses was in God's presence on the mountain, his face began to shine with the glory of God. Paul said that we should have this same experience in a spiritual sense. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we should be transformed by the Holy Spirit into the very image of Christ. It is a metamorphic process such as that of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly and it comes as we understand the character of Jesus through the Word of God. The clearer we see Him, the more we are able to discern our own spiritual deficiencies and understand the changes that we need to make. It's like looking into a mirror in the natural to correct the way we look. We don't want anyone to see us in the morning until we've made some drastic changes. Some of us really start out looking like caterpillars, but by the time we are finished, we look like colorful butterflies. This is a constant process that must be repeated daily.

Paul said the same thing about our spiritual man. He used the term "beholding" to show that our process of spiritual transformation is continual. Yet, we must understand that just seeing the image of Christ through the Word does not change us. Transformation only comes when we obey the Word of God and allow it to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). James 1:23-24 says, "If any man listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his own natural face in a mirror; for he thoughtfully observes himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like." When we get away from God and His Word, we forget the real picture of ourselves and how bad we appear spiritually because of our lack.

In the natural, we can't see ourselves until we look into the mirror. One day I walked along the beach with a friend. I looked okay when I left, but when we returned to the beach house, my other friends began to laugh. When I looked into the mirror I could see why. Before the walk, I had sprayed my hair heavily with hair spray to keep it in place, not realizing how the humidity would affect it. The wind had blown my hair and the damp air had caused it to stick out all over my head like horns. It was a terrible sight to behold. Even though my friends pointed and laughed, I needed a mirror to reveal to me the changes that I needed to make. And then I needed to make the changes.

God's Word is our spiritual mirror and a constant reminder of the characteristics and qualities of Christ. If we are earnest with God we will look into His Word and then act upon what we see. As we behold His glory, we will allow Him to make the necessary changes in our lives so that we may, by His Spirit, take on the image of Christ. +++

06/04/14
LET GOD BE GOD

Scripture: Psalms 78:41 "They turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."

God led His people out of Egypt with a mighty show of power and provided for all of their needs in a supernatural way. He also brought them deliverance through many signs and wonders in the face of their enemy. They saw God provide manna from Heaven and water from the rock and they walked on dry soil when He rolled back the Red Sea. These were just a few of the miracles they witnessed, yet, they still did not believe in God or trust in His salvation. Instead, they provoked God in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert. They even wanted to turn back to Egypt and the bondage that it stood for. God had a place of promise for them, but the walk of faith proved too difficult and kept them from receiving His blessings. Their eyes were always upon the opposition instead of their faithful God. This lack of faith and trust limited the Holy One of Israel.

God's ways do not always make sense. Many times they are not even reasonable or logical. Just when we think we have God figured out, He does something different. What kind of god would allow a young man, like Joseph, to be taken from his parents and family and be sold into slavery? Who would imagine that an intelligent god would call a small boy like David to fight a huge giant? And who would think it wise to put the helpless baby Moses in a basket and send him down the river? Yet, God had grand destinies planned for each of these lives and He used adverse situations to push these victims into glorious victories. 

God also takes us down the paths of faith. His place may not be the place that we've planned and when we hear His voice, our strength may seem too weak. We see the vision, but our faith can't reach that far. We feel God drawing us into a new place, but we can't seem to enter because we fear the unknown. So instead of shooting the arrows of our destiny at God's goal, we try to do our own thing. We shoot our arrow in the direction that we want to go, then try to paint His target around it. We desire to serve God, but we want it within our own safe boundaries. We sing the song, "Where ever He leads I'll go," but that is only if the journey is not too challenging. We feel safe if we can fit God into our own small box, but our reservations limit God because He will only act at the level of faith that we embrace. If we want God to enlarge our borders, we must embrace new dimensions and not limit the Holy One of Israel. And if we want to experience all that God has planned for us, we must allow Him to stretch us beyond what we know. We must allow God to be God all by Himself. +++

06/05/2014
DREAMS WORTH LAUGHING AT

Scripture: Genesis 18:14 "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?"

God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son in their old age and both of them laughed when they heard the news. If God were telling the truth, this meant that Abraham would be 100 years old and Sarah would be 90 when the child was born. This news seemed too good to be true. God responded to their laughter by saying, "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?" Their natural situation had become impossible for them to have children, but the scriptures declare that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 10:27). Abraham and Sarah were not dealing with medical science but with the almighty God who had created all life. If this miracle working God had made Adam from the dust of the earth and then created Eve from Adam's rib, surely He could perform a miracle for them. For nothing is too hard for God.

God also asked Jeremiah the same question that He asked Abraham, "Is there anything too hard for Me?" Jeremiah declared, "Behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17, 27). If we could just believe like Jeremiah that "nothing is too hard for God" and expect miracles from Him, we would see great and mighty things happen in our lives. However, we often look at the promises of God's Word and then look at our lack and our difficult situations and we feel that the promises are impossible for us to obtain.

Big dreams will not come to pass in the natural unless they are envisioned in the spirit. God desires to plant a dream and a vision in your heart that is so big, that like Abraham and Sarah's promise, it's worth laughing at. God wants you to attempt something so great that unless He intervenes, it is bound to fail. You must give God something to work with. Dream a big dream and hold on to it. Remember that nothing is too hard for God if you believe in Him, for God deals with impossibilities. +++

06/06/14
THOROUGHLY FURNISHED

Scripture: II Timothy 3:17 "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

God's plan for us is that we be perfect and thoroughly furnished spiritually so that our lives can function properly for Him. Perfect, in this sense, means complete and exactly fitted as a joint. We all know the results of what happens with the house plumbing when the joints are not fitted properly. It leaks and is unusable. The same is true when a joint in our physical body is not functioning properly. The whole body is disabled with pain. So it is also with our spirits. If we are not spiritually fitted properly we often become like a loose joint to those who come into contact with us.

To be thoroughly furnished means to be equipped to do the work that God has ordained us to do. How many of us really know how to witness salvation to the man on the street? Many times we leave it to the pastor on Sunday morning. It seems the best that we can do is to invite the lost man to church. We also fail to pray for the sick, minister to those in prisons, visit the elderly, or perform other good works. We are like a well built home that is missing necessary furniture or fixtures. We are Christian by name but our works are lacking. God wants us to be thoroughly furnished so that we are equipped to do every good work and meet the needs of those around us.

How can we become perfect, thoroughly furnished, and equipped in our spirits to do good works? We must be versed in the Word of God and have an intimate personal relationship with Him. Verse sixteen says, "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God". Every scripture was breathed out of the mouth of God, and we are to listen and take heed to every Word that He has said. According to II Timothy 3:16, the scriptures are profitable to us in four ways:

1) For Doctrine - They teach us and give us a solid foundation in
which to place our faith. We do not follow a "feel good religion,"
but we live by faith in the words of the Almighty God.
2) For Reproof - They cause us to know the difference between
that which is sinful and that which is holy, convicting us of our sins.
3) For Correction - They restore things to their proper use by
shedding light on false theories, practices, and error.
4) For Instruction in Righteousness - They train us to discipline
ourselves to walk in obedience to God's Word. They show
us how to live a holy life that is in conformity to God's will, thought,
purpose, and action.

It takes time, effort, and energy to decorate and furnish a home properly. It takes no less to do the same for our spiritual man. We will only become thoroughly furnished as we spend time and exert our energy towards the things of God. We must yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow the inspired Word of God to teach, reprove, correct, and instruct us. As we begin to change inwardly through this process, our lives will become well fitted outwardly and equipped for every good work. +++

06/09/14
THE PLACE OF REST

Scripture: Hebrews 4:3 "We which believed do enter into rest."

God promised the Israelites a good and prosperous land that flowed with milk and honey. The milk and honey were symbolic of nourishment and sweetness. However, God never said that this place of blessing would come easy or that there would be no battles. They were to go in by faith and possess the land that was given to them by God. Yet, they never entered the Promised Land. The result of their defeat was not because the battles were too great, but because their faith was too small. They mixed God's Word with murmuring, complaining, and unbelief instead of mixing it with faith and obedience.

Faith is not something that you must struggle with or work up in the natural. It comes by supernatural impartation by the Holy Spirit as God speaks to your spirit. Many times you may have to face your own limitations and be real with God. Like the man in Mark 9:24 who requested prayer and deliverance for his demon possessed son, you may have to say, "God, I believe, but please help my unbelief." When you approach God in truth, you will find that He is merciful and full of grace. He will always be faithful to meet you at your point of faith.

All of God's promises to us rest in our faith and obedience. He shows us the concept of faith in a natural seed. You have to let go completely when you plant a seed in the ground, leaving it there to rest for a long and dark season. You can't dig it up and analyze it every day to see if anything is happening. You have to cease from your own efforts, rest, and trust God to finish the work, for only a miracle can regenerate that seed and cause it to grow. Your only responsibility is to plant the seed in faith and wait expectantly for the harvest.

Likewise, your true faith, if planted in God, will cease from anxiety and it will birth a supernatural trust that will cause you to enter a place of rest in God. Then, as you rest and wait upon the Lord, the harvest will come. +++

06/10/14
ALWAYS READY

Scripture: Luke 12:35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit ... "

Jesus instructs us to be ready because we never know when the Lord will return or what other opportunities will avail themselves to us. It would be quite a shame to miss the significance of God's appointed hour because we were unprepared. As Jesus' followers, we must be dressed and ready for action. We must be clothed in His garments and bearing the full armor of God, which is the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit or the Word of God (Ephesians 6:14-17). Our lamps must also be full of oil and lit so that we are able to work in the darkness that surrounds the moment.

Satan tries to distract us because he knows that when we focus our attention on him, he can deceive us into foolishly wasting our time. There are so many options that he sets before us. If the devil can steal just one day a week from you for the next year, he will gain about 7-1/2 weeks of your life. That's why Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us not to be foolish but to diligently redeem or buy up the time by using it wisely and making use of every opportunity that comes along. However, this doesn't mean that you are not to rest because rest is ordained of God. He created the night so that you could refresh yourself with sleep and He also established the Sabbath for your rest. God, Himself, even rested from all of His labors.

Time is precious. It is freely given to us from God and cannot be purchased. Once a moment is spent, it cannot be relived. Between yesterday's disappointments and tomorrow's dreams is today's reality. We cannot afford to refuse to go forward because of yesterday's failures, procrastinate about the future, or just sit around in present idleness. We must be diligent and busy about our Father's business and work while it is day. Jesus said, "Do not say, there are yet four months until harvest. Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white and ready to harvest." Your destiny in God's kingdom is waiting to be fulfilled so make sure that when your moment comes you are ready. Be dressed for action, have sufficient oil in your lamp, and keep it lit. +++

06/11/14
WORTH THE COST

Scripture: Psalms 143:10 "Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou are my God."

It seems that living for God and seeking to do His will should be easy and bring great rewards. Instead, in the natural realm it very often brings enormous challenges and sometimes discouraging results. Consider a few of the saints in the scriptures who found this to be true.

Moses gave up his position and the luxuries of the palace so that he could lead God's people out of the Egyptian bondage. Yet after forty years of wandering around in the wilderness, Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land because of his rash actions in striking the rock rather than speaking to it as God commanded. Jeremiah, the prophet, spent more that sixty years preaching God's message, but he never had a convert. The prophet, Isaiah, was martyred for warning God's people. And Herod had John the Baptist's head cut off because he spoke the truth about Herod's sin. The Apostle Peter offered the gospel to the Gentiles, which should have been considered a good thing, but he was crucified upside down. Daniel was thrown into a den full of lions because he openly prayed to God. Mary the mother of Jesus surely suffered ridicule because she was unwed and pregnant. And Jesus, Himself, Who was gracious, kind, and without any fault, suffered at the hands of those for whom He sacrificed His life.

We have no guarantees in life that the good we do will be accepted by those whom we offer it to. We can only hope, and put our trust in God. God calls us to obedience and teaches us how to walk in His will, but His call has a price. Obedience is not cheap and it may cost us more than what we bargained for. We may share our soul with another only to reap a rebuke or give our heart away and receive it back bruised and crushed beyond recognition. We may share our means, only to be scuffed at when we have a need. Or like Moses, we may wander around in the wilderness in an effort to help someone while our own life's opportunities are passing us by. Never-the-less, we must obey God's will even though it means sacrifice. We must come to terms with the cost and rejoice in knowing that at the end of the matter our rewards come from God and that our immediate suffering can never be compared to the glories of His rewards. +++

06/12/14
WAITING FOR GOD TO MOVE

Scripture: Numbers 9:22 "Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried ... the children of Israel ... journeyed not."

God led the people of Israel through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. This cloud and fire assured them of God's presence and His protection from the Egyptians. Yet, they never knew how long the cloud was going to rest in one spot or when it was going to move again. They had to be ready to obey God's sign of guidance and move when He moved and stop and wait when He was not moving. This must have been a test to their faith and patience as it is easier to trust God when things seem to be moving and we can see something physical happening.

Today, we live in a very fast paced world. Everything is drive through, fast food, and microwave. Our time is limited and we don't have moments to waste. We become very anxious when we have to stand in long lines or wait on anything, and waiting on God is no exception. Can you imagine Israel's plight? They were on a journey that should have lasted eleven to fourteen days, but they limited God and He kept them waiting on Him. After forty years, their waiting must have become very frustrating to them.

This is a picture of our own life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good thoughts towards us, to give us a future and a hope. However, to reach God's divine purpose and fulfill His perfect plan, we can only move at His command. We must follow as He leads, one step at a time, regardless of whether that means to go forward for a season or to stay completely still until God moves again. In either case, it is often difficult. When God says, "Go," we fear moving into the unknown. And when He says, "Stay," we become anxious and our faith begins to falter because we cannot see anything happening. Today, we do not have a visible cloud to lead us, but we have the witness of the Holy Spirit of God. Faith takes action, but faith often has to wait. If we want to experience God's greatest plan for us, we must move as we sense His presence moving and wait patiently on Him when He tarries.+++

06/13/14
CREATE A BOND

Scripture: John 10:30 "I and My Father are one."

Jesus spoke of the relationship that He had with God the Father. He said that they were "one", meaning that they were in perfect unity with one another and undivided in their natures. You can know someone from afar or know about them through study, but to become "one" requires time and effort, and Jesus made this effort. He did not rest in the relationship that He had with the Father before He came from Heaven to accomplish His mission on Earth. While Jesus was here on Earth, the Word declares that He spent much time alone in communion with the Father. Regardless of how tired or busy He may have been, Jesus still arose a great while before the day began and went to a solitary place to pray. He also didn't worry about the demands of the next day or the negative results that He may experience if He lost His rest and sleep. He just continued in prayer throughout the night. Everything that Jesus did was preceded in prayer. Prayer was a priority for His life and the most important part of His daily agenda. Through communion with the Father, a bond was created and this bond was so strong and so definite that He and the Father were one.

In John 17:21, Jesus desired that we would find this same place of unity that He and the Father shared. He prayed, "Father, just as You are in Me, and I am in You, let them also be one in Us." Prayer is not meant to be just words and petitions for needs. Prayer is meant to be communion where we bond with the one that we are spending time with. This personal time allows us to learn about one another. In this time of communion, God shares Himself with us and we share ourselves with Him. He listens to our hearts and we listen to His heartbeat. God opens our eyes to see His plans and purposes for our lives and then gives us faith to grasp His vision in the spirit. We share our doubts and fears and He dispels them one by one until our hearts become one. We confess our sins and He cleanses us with His forgiveness and draws us back into unity with Him.

God is our Father. He wants us to be one with Him and He is waiting for us to devote ourselves to this cause. We are the ones who must pledge ourselves to find time to commune with Him, and then we must remain loyal to that commitment. There will be many distractions, and if we are not careful the first thing that will be deleted from our busy schedules will be our personal time with the Lord. Martha loved Jesus just as much as Mary did, but she was devoted to her duties. Mary, on the other hand, was devoted to sitting at the feet of Jesus and embracing His presence. Jesus said that Mary had chosen the good part as she sought to become one with Him. Like Mary, the most important thing you can do today is to take time to commune with your Heavenly Father in prayer. Your effort will create a bond, and the more you share with Him and the more He shares with you the greater your bond will be. +++

06/16/14
CALLED AND CHOSEN

Scripture: Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

There is quite a difference in being called and in being chosen. Those who are called are simply summoned to appear, but those who are chosen are actually selected above the many who were called. We see this progression in the sport's field. There is a general call to those who would like to be on the team but only a few of those will actually be chosen to join. After the individuals are chosen to be on the team, there will be yet another choosing. The players will be placed and played according to their individual skills.

Such is our life and our callings from God. It is certain that God has called many of us, but we have never made it to the next level. God wants to use us in a mighty way for His kingdom purposes, but He can't choose us because we are limiting Him by many factors in our life. Like the Israelites who came out of the bondage of Egypt, we may limit God with our unbelief. We may not have enough faith in God or feel that the finances will not be available to support the vision that He, Himself, has placed in our hearts. We may say as the Israelites said, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" We may fall into the same trap as they did and struggle with our own self-esteem because we see ourselves as grasshoppers when we view the goal that God has chosen for us to accomplish.

We may simply not be chosen because our attitude is so negative. God is working in our lives, but we are impatient and we murmur and complain about everything that we do not understand. We may also be left on the bench of life because we are unprepared. We did not take the initiative to study in order to show ourselves approved before God. We did not intercede in prayer in order to be able to meet the spiritual challenge. Also, we may have been lax in keeping our physical bodies in a healthy condition. If God did chose us, we couldn't respond because we would not have the stamina and strength to be able to endure the physical pressure.

We know that God has called us aside for his purposes, but if we want Him to choose us, we must concentrate on preparing ourselves for Him. We must develop our faith and believe that God will supply all of our financial needs for the task that is set before us. We must know that we are sufficient in Him and believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We must see ourselves as more than conquerors over the giants that challenge us so that we can make the same declaration that Caleb made when he was 80 years old. He said, "I am as strong now as I was forty years ago and I am well able to take this mountain." Like the Apostle Paul, we have to lay aside any and all weights that keep us from running the race that God has set before us.

Many are going to be called, but if we want to be one of the few who will be chosen, we need to be prepared. We must study the Word of God, intercede in prayer, wait upon God so that our spirits can be renewed, and also take care of our physical bodies. We must understand that even though we might be in the number that is called, we will not be chosen until we are ready in our body, soul, and spirit. +++

06/17/14
STEPPING-STONES

Scripture: Joshua 4:7 " ... and these stones shall be a memorial."

Throughout the scriptures stones have been mentioned with great significance. They were used to mark special times, events, and places. Jacob used a stone as a pillow for his head and then the next morning he used that same stone as an altar before God. He poured oil upon the stone and worshiped God because God had visited him in the night and promised him a covenant blessing. Aaron and Hur used a great stone to support Moses when he grew tired in battle. The stone helped him to endure until the enemy was conquered. David used a simple stone to win a victory against the giant, Goliath. Joshua sets stones as a memorial on the banks of the Jordan River when the congregation of Israel passed over it on dry ground. The stones were to be a sign to their future generations of God's miraculous deliverance. Samuel set a stone at a place called Ebenezer to signify that God had helped Israel defeat their enemy.

God called Moses to the mountain where He recorded the Ten Commandments on the two tablets of stone. And of course, the greatest stone that has been set in the portals of time is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Isaiah 28:16 declared that Jesus was "the foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, and a sure foundation", and the Apostle Peter said that Jesus was "a Living Stone."

Our lives are also filled with precious stones. We may not have recognized them as stepping-stones at the time. Yet as we look back on our journey through life, we can recall special places and significant seasons where God intervened in our lives and changed our thinking and direction. We may have experienced some slippery stones and lost our footing, but found that the lessons we learned were of great benefit to our future success. Some of the stones that we have walked across have been sharp and jagged and hard to bear. They may have left cuts and bruises, but we learned to use the experience to help us be more careful the next time around. We can all agree that some of our stepping-stones in life have not been smooth. We may have even had some spiritual judgmental stones that were thrown at us a time or two. Yet regardless of our experience, the stepping-stones have always moved us forward in the journey of life.

Jesus did not allow the stone that covered His tomb to keep Him in bondage. Instead, He allowed the power of the Holy Spirit to resurrect Him and to roll the stone away. We must allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives in the same manner if we want to be free. God is sovereign and He knows the path that is ahead for us. There will be hindrances for sure, but the Lord will always guide us and give us counsel if we turn to Him for direction. How we deal with the stones that stand in our pathway will determine our destiny. They can become stumbling stones or stepping-stones. Our challenges can grind us to pieces or they can polish us, like rock against rock. It will all depend upon what we are made of. So, let our hearts be solid in our faith and solid in our trust towards God and our stepping-stones a memorial of His faithfulness in our lives. +++

06/18/14
LAW OF FAITH

Scripture: Romans 3:27 " ... but by the law of faith."

Laws are a system of rules and the established authority and control that are imposed by such rules. Faith is that indefinable something that causes us to believe that God is God and allows us to trust in His words. The writer of Romans declared that there is a law of faith. That law is summed up in Hebrews 11:6 which says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Believing that "God is" and trusting His promises brings us into a spiritual rest and establishes God's authority in our spirits. This faith and trust then results in our personal obedience and action to His command.

I Timothy 3:9 speaks of the mystery of faith. Although we cannot understand nor explain how or why faith works, we know that God answers our prayers of faith and honors our trust in Him. This law of faith that God has established brings results just as any other universal law that He has set in motion. Just as we may not be able to understand or explain how the law of gravity works, we do not have to understand faith. Faith will work just the same without our understanding. If we were to try to deny or defy the law of gravity, we would find ourselves in a great deal of trouble, for what goes up will surely come down. The law of gravity has been established by the authority of God and His rules determine the results. The law of faith is as sure as the law of gravity. This mysterious law of faith declares, "Believe and you shall receive." 

The working of faith is a mystery, but the results are promised. To operate within the confines of this law, God has made His rules very simple. The rule is that we must believe that He is and believe that He will reward us when we diligently seek Him. God is pleased when we put our anxieties to rest and do these two things. None of our works or religious acts create this right standing with God. Our righteousness comes only through faith in the blood of Jesus (Romans 3:25). Regardless of our needs, God's law of faith is waiting for us to make demands upon it and set in motion the forces of God's almighty power. God's hand is not too short to reach us and His provisions are not too lacking to help us. God faithfully waits for us to call upon Him so that He can answer and show us great and mighty things. Speak faith filled words to God today and let Him know that you believe that He is God. Then diligently seek Him for the answers that you need and expect the rewards that He has promised. +++

06/19/14
A MERRY HEART

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart does good like a medicine."

Solomon teaches that a merry heart brings health to your body. Yet if you allow it, stress, hatred, rage, malice, grief, anxiety, and a host of many other negative emotions can ruin your health. Proverbs 12:25 says, "Heaviness in the heart of man makes his heart stoop." In other words, anxiety of any kind causes depression, which allows negative forces to work and cause havoc in your physical body. However, it is a medical fact that chemicals called endorphins are released in your body when you exercise or laugh. Zig Ziglar says, "Laughter is like internal jogging." When you begin to laugh and be merry, you are telling your physical body that the stressful circumstances you are facing are no big deal. Your laughter will regenerate your body and joy will bring you strength.

Isaiah 12:3 declares that you can "draw from the wells of salvation with joy." In order to draw water from a well in the natural, you must use a bucket. In the spiritual, you have access to the wells of salvation that contain all the benefits that God provides, but the scripture says you must use joy to draw from these wells. Joy is your spiritual bucket. Being angry never fixes an adverse and ugly situation, but rejoicing in God, seeking Him, and drawing from His wells of salvation will give insight and the solution to the problem. Grief and sorrow can never bring your loved ones back, but finding a place of joy in the presence of God's Holy Spirit will give you comfort and courage to move forward. Dealing with angry and spiteful people is never pleasant, but by drawing from God's well of salvation you can give a soft answer which will turn away their wrath (Proverbs 15:1). Reacting in positive ways and maintaining positive attitudes will dispel the negative forces in your life that can cause illness and even death. Jesus tells us plainly in the sixth chapter of Matthew not to be anxious about anything, but to seek first His kingdom, which is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17).

We go to great efforts to maintain our health and make changes in our habits if they are harmful to our natural body. Shouldn't we also make adjustments in our attitudes and take control of our emotions that could cause problems in our health? As we begin to cultivate a sense of righteousness with God, allowing His peace to reign in our life and the joy in the Holy Ghost to fill our souls, we will find our health being restored. Remember, laughter does good like a medicine and it has no ill side effects so endeavor to keep a merry heart. +++

06/20/14
A BENEFITS OF GOD

Scripture: Psalms 103:2 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

Man is a three part being. He lives in a body, which houses his soul and spirit. His body is his sense-consciousness, meaning the body uses the five senses and relates to the material world. The body's function is to see, hear, taste, feel, and smell. The soul of man is the self-consciousness of his being and is comprised of the mind, will, intellect, and emotions. The soul's function is to think, make choices, and express feelings. The soul links the body to the spirit. The spirit of man is the highest part by which we have God-consciousness and is the part of man that is able to comprehend God, commune with God, and worship Him. Andrew Murray said, "God dwells in the spirit; self dwells in the soul; and sense dwells in the body."

In this Psalm, David speaks to his soul or that part of his being that links his body with his spirit. He tells his mind, will, intellect, and emotions to remember God and all of His benefits. In so doing, he encourages himself in the spiritual realm. We find David doing this throughout the scriptures. When he found himself in discouraging places in the natural, he would speak to his soul until he was renewed in his spirit. In this particular psalm, David listed some of the benefits of God and told his soul to remember them and bless God for them. I encourage you to meditate on these benefits and SPEAK THEM ALOUD to your own soul. As you do, you will find that your spirit will be renewed and your faith will begin to rise as you hear your mouth speaking God's Word. (Psalms 103 - Paraphrased for clearer understanding.)

1) God forgives all my sins - vs. 3
2) God heals all my diseases - vs. 3
3) God redeems my life from destruction - vs. 4
4) God crowns me with loving kindness - vs. 4
5) God crowns me with tender mercies - vs. 4
6) God satisfies me with good things - vs. 5
7) God renews my youth as the eagle - vs. 5
8) God judges me righteously when I am oppressed
by the enemy - vs. 6
9) God will show His ways to me - vs. 7
10) God will show His acts to me - vs. 7
11) God is gracious to me - vs. 8
12) God is patient and slow to anger with me - vs. 8
13) God has plenty of mercy towards me - vs. 8
14) God reproves me temporarily - vs. 9
15) God's anger passes and He does not stay mad at me - vs. 9
16) God does not punish me according to what I deserve - vs.10
17) God removes my sins as far as the east is from the west - vs. 12
18) God pities me like a father because I fear Him - vs. 13
19) God remembers that I am only human - vs. 14
20) God has numbered my days on this earth and He causes me
to flourish as a flower - vs. 15
21) God has eternal mercy towards me because I fear Him - vs. 17
22) God shows righteousness to my children and grandchildren - vs. 17
23) God shows His righteousness to me because I obey His
commandments - vs. 18
24) God's throne is in the heaven and He is in control - vs. 19
25) God's kingdom rules over me on this earth - vs. 19
26) God's angels excel in strength and hearken to His Word to
minister to me - vs. 20-21 +++

06/23/14
PURE HEART

Scripture: Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." 

Purity means to be clean and free of defilement. It also means to be sincere, real, and without mixture. Jesus said that those who kept their heart in this condition would be blessed beyond measure. He even said that they would see God. That is a tremendous statement. Did He mean that they would physically see God? I am not sure. But I do know that when you keep your heart pure and disallow your thoughts to be defiled by negative influences, you will be able to spiritually see God at work all around you. You will see Him everywhere and in everything, whether you are experiencing good or bad situations.

God is not confined to the four walls of the church. When your heart is pure, you will see Him solving problems in the workplace, as He becomes your helper and advocate in the times of trouble. His presence will surround you when a loved one dies and you will see Him as the God of all Comfort. You will experience God in nature, as you view a sunrise, a sunset, or a beautiful night of stars, and you will acknowledge Him as the Creator of the Heavens and Earth. The love in your heart will cause you to see Him in your children and grandchildren and you will know Him as the Giver of Life. You will encounter Him in praise and worship and His holiness will be revealed to you. God will show Himself to you as you pray and study His Word. He will give you insight and revelation and you will see Him as the Word made flesh who dwells among us. These are not visible theophanies, where God makes a divine personal appearance to us, but they are real just the same.

God sees our heart and He is pleased with who we are. We don't have to struggle to be someone else or despise our own personalities. God created us just as He wanted us and we are to rest in the purity of that thought. We are who we are because God made us to be who we are. If He wanted us to be different than we are, He would have made us different. God only wants us to be sincere and keep our hearts pure before Him because we are responsible for what goes on within us. When we understand this concept, we will be blessed and will possess God's favor and win the heart of the King (Proverbs 22:11). When our hearts are pure, the Lord will open Himself up to us personally and allow us to see Him in all of His beauty and He will make Himself known to us in a divine way. +++

06/24/14
WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Scripture: Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

There is a difference between living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. Living in the Spirit means that we have received Jesus as our Savior and have made Him the Lord of our life. We have been born again by the Spirit of God and our bodies have become the temple of His Holy Spirit. We have a relationship with God and His presence now resides within us. This experience happens at a particular point in time. One moment we are living in darkness and the next moment we are translated into the Kingdom of Light. It is an immediate transition from spiritual death to eternal life. It is a mystery that a Holy God would choose to reside in a sinful man. Yet, God graciously grants us this invitation and we can only obtain it by faith.

Walking in the Spirit, however, is another matter. In essence, if we have the Spirit of the life of God within us, the Apostle Paul said that the evidence should also be manifested in our daily walk. We should walk in the Spirit. Our walk with the Lord is not just to be an idea in our head or a sentiment in our heart. Instead, it should be our continuous actions or our habitual lifestyle. It is the things that we say and do as we pass through life. Our entire walk should mirror the example of Jesus Christ. Yet, it is possible to have a new birth experience in our Spirit and at the same time walk in the ways of the flesh. This is because our self-interest will always be at odds with the spiritual because our carnal nature is at enmity against God (Romans 8:7). The Apostle Paul even struggled with this issue and said that he did the things that he didn't want to do and didn't do the things that he wanted to do.

We have hope in this battle of flesh against spirit and spirit against flesh. We do not have to cater to the appetites and impulses of the flesh. We have a choice in the matter and our daily walk can be pleasing to God. The Holy Spirit whom we received when we were born again can empower us to walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Our responsibility is to yield to the Holy Spirit and follow wherever He leads. He is our witness within us to assure us when we are doing right and will also convict us when we are going in the wrong direction. When we surrender our will to Him and allow Him to have full control, He will take us where we need to be. We will not only have life in the Spirit, but we will be walking in the Spirit. +++

06/25/14
COMMITMENT AND TRUST

Scripture: Psalms 37:5 "Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."

Commit means to give something over to another's care or to place something in official confinement or custody. True commitment to God means that you place your entire life and all of it situations in His hands and that you do not take them back, for they are in His official custody. You submit your way unto the Lord and you allow Him to deal with all of your circumstances, however He sees fit. You do not grab the reins in fear when it seems that you are getting close to the edge or try to give God instructions when it doesn't seem like things are going to work out. Instead, you let go and allow Him to do a complete work.

Very often, it becomes hard to totally commit our way unto the Lord. We make a mental decision to let God lead and guide us, but very soon we start giving Him directions and suggestions. Like riding in the car when someone else is driving, we are tempted to tell God each turn to make, for we feel a need to be in control. We are anxious to get on with life and move forward. Yet, God sees the big picture and He knows the pitfalls and dangers that lay ahead. In His mercy, He holds us back and keeps us from harm. We try to persuade Him to go to the left or to the right and we become frustrated because He doesn't respond. We should be thankful that God's infinite wisdom disallows Him to follow our directions or answer all of our prayers.

Pause and think about the burden that is upon your heart today. What thoughts plague your mind and cause unrest within your soul? Try to pinpoint the reason for the anxiety and fear that is within your spirit. Then, with all of your heart and soul, commit those things to the Lord. Remember that your understanding is limited by your knowledge and warped by the memories of your past. Come to realize that your knowledge and understanding is meager when compared to the wisdom of the omniscient God. Then begin to lean upon God and trust in His knowledge, integrity, and timing. As God tenderly shuts your life up in His hands, ask Him to keep it and not allow you to take it back. When you fully commit to God and allow Him to be in control of your life, He will take care of those things that concern you and bring things to pass according to His plan and purpose. +++

06/26/14
TESTED IN THE STORM

Scripture: Mark 6:48 "... and Jesus would have passed them by."

Jesus told His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake. It was such a simple instruction, but while they were in the middle of the lake a great storm arose. Jesus was still on the land and could see that the disciples were in serious trouble. They were rowing as hard as they could while they struggled against the wind and the waves. About three o'clock in the morning, Jesus walked toward them on the water and the scripture says that He would have passed them by but they took notice of Him. His intent was to test their faith.

In their distress, the disciples cried out for help, but at the same time, they were fearful and wondered if they were seeing a ghost. Jesus spoke three things to them, "Don't be afraid." "Take courage!" "I am here!" When He got into their boat the winds immediately stopped. The disciples were amazed at this miracle and His power. Yet just before they had started across the lake, they had witnessed an awesome miracle as Jesus fed the five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples had even participated in this great miracle by distributing the food amongst the people and then afterwards had gathered up the twelve baskets of leftovers. Yet, even after seeing Jesus multiply the food, they still did not recognize His supernatural power and were amazed that He could walk on the water.

There are several things to take note of in this story. First, just as Jesus saw the disciples in serious trouble, He sees your circumstances. He watches you in the midst of the storm as you row and struggle against the winds and waves of adversity. He knows that you are too far from the shore to get natural help and that your only way out is a supernatural miracle. Second, Jesus walks towards you and hopes that you will call out to Him. He wants to help you when you are sinking in a sea of financial problems. He desires to get into the boat with you when your health is failing and to be your comfort when you are suffering grief. The Lord wants to help you solve life's issues and restore your broken relationships. He wants to rescue you from all danger. He comes near to you and waits for you to call out to Him, but James 4:2 says, "You have not, because you ask not."

How many miracles have we missed because we failed to notice that Jesus was passing by? He walked on the water toward us but we were too busy rowing and struggling within ourselves to recognize that we just needed Jesus to get into the boat with us. His very presence in our situation would have calmed our storm. Yet, we didn't reach for His help even though He said that He would always be there for us. When we are tested in the storms of life, we need to remember Jesus' words "Don't be afraid." "Take courage!" "I am here!" Jesus passes our way all the time, let's be ready to call out to Him. +++

06/27/14
PLUMB LINES AND BUBBLES

Scripture: Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus answered them saying, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart ... and your neighbor as yourself ... on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

God has set two commands in motion for us so that we could find peace and happiness in this earth. With these two laws working together, our lives will be like a well-woven fabric that is not easily rent into pieces. These are simple commands, to love God with all of our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. They will work just as sure as the forces of nature that hold the universe together. The law of love working within us will hold our hearts intact and we will discover a better life because of our love and obedience to God and His Word.

These laws of love that God set forth are like two of the builder's tools, which are the straight measure of a plumb line and the bubble in the level. When these two devises are in correct alignment, the item being constructed is fitly joined and able to hold together. For when both the vertical and horizontal members are squared, they are in alignment with the forces that hold the entire universe together. These forces allow a house to be able to stand and a chair to bear weight. This is the mystery of the strength of right angles.

Likewise, our spiritual plumb line represents our vertical relationship with God and the bubble represents our horizontal relationships with others. We cannot be right with God and wrong with people any more that we can be wrong with God and right with people. The two must be squared off and in unity if we want our lives to be in right alignment and functioning properly. If our relationship to God is not straight or our relationship to others is not level, our lives will be out of balance and headed towards destruction. In time, our lives will fall apart just like an ill constructed house that does not adhere to the laws of nature.

Consider God's Words as you think about your relationship with God and others. The principles that Jesus taught indicate that we must be right with man to receive from God. He said, "Ask God to forgive your debts as your forgive your debtors." Forgiveness only comes as we forgive. We must also give to others if we want God's blessings of prosperity upon us. Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given to you ... with the measure that you give, it will be given back to you" (Luke 6:38). The prophet Isaiah tells us to deal our bread to the hungry, house the homeless, and clothe the naked, and then our light will break forth and our needs will be met (Isaiah 58). Keeping our relationship straight with those about us opens the windows of Heaven for God to minister to us. And likewise, there must be a receiving relationship from God before we can reach out and minister to others.

It is only by the anointing of the Holy Spirit that our works will bring forth fruit. Our own works accomplish nothing in themselves (Zechariah 4:6). God's Word in our mouth only becomes life when His Holy Spirit breathes upon it. And our hands can only minister healing to others as God flows through us. It is only when we receive something from God that we can freely give (Matthew 10:8). If you want to find these blessings, determine to work at keeping the plumb line straight between you and God and the bubble in your relationship with others balanced and level. As you do, you will find peace surrounding you and your heart will discover a new place of rejoicing. +++

06/30/14
TKEEPING SECRETS

Scripture: Matthew 6:6 "Your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly."

There are three secrets that the Lord instructs us to keep. We are to give in secret, pray to the Father in secret, and fast in secret. If we keep these three things secret between God and us, God has promised to reward us openly. Jesus said, "Don't do your alms to be seen by men, and also don't remind them of your good deeds." Has anyone ever given you something that was very special to you, but because they continually reminded you of their gift, you finally lost pleasure in it? You may have even wished they had never given you the gift at all. Jesus instructed us not to call attention to ourselves by sounding a trumpet before people about our gift. In fact, He said don't even let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. In other words, don't try to receive glory from men and don't glorify or remind your own self of your good deeds either.

Jesus also told us to "Pray simple prayers to God in secret." Our prayers are not to be long and repetitious. We must realize that God is not only God, but that He is also our Father and we have a relationship with Him, so we must talk to Him in that manner. Even in public prayer we must remember that we are speaking to God, not for man's benefit, but for God's benefit so that He will hear us. Why should we spend time praying if we are only speaking words so that men can hear us? If God is not listening, our words are wasted. Our prayers need to go up before God who is the source of our answers.

Finally, Jesus said, "Do not appear unto men to fast." We are not to go around with a sad countenance wanting others to feel sorry for us just because we are not eating, and we are not to try to gain glory because we are righteously fasting. That glory will only last for a brief moment. Why should we waste our nourishment and the enjoyment of food for such a worthless reward as men's recognition and glory?

God said if you do anything for your own glory and recognition, then He cannot and will not reward you. In other words, if you receive glory from men then that will be the only reward you will receive. However, "In as much as possible, if you keep your alms, prayers, and fasting a secret between God and you alone, then He will reward you openly." What the Lord sees you do in secret, He will reward with gifts and answers that are eternal and heavenly. God told Cornelius, "Your prayers and your alms go up before God as a memorial" (Acts 10:31). If you desire answers and rewards, then determine that your prayers, alms, and fasting will go up as a secret memorial before God and not be just empty words and worthless actions before men. +++