............ A Word In Due Season
DEC 2019

12/2/19
YOU ARE A VOICE

Scripture:  John 1:23  "John said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord."

There are two groups of people:
        Those who have something to say.
        And those who feel they just have to say something.

John the Baptist was one of those who had something to say.  His message was one of great importance.  He did not talk of himself but instead used his voice to prepare and make the way straight for Jesus to come.  When John was asked, "Who are you, and what do you say about yourself?" John answered and made it very plain that he was not the Christ but just a voice preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.
 
John was doing in the spiritual what the custom of the land called for in the natural.  It was the custom in the East to send a group of men before a king or prince to physically clear the way for his coming.  They took away the stones, cleared out the thorns and bushes, and leveled the ground as much as possible.  They would build bridges and find the places in the streams or rivers that were more passable.  They did whatever was necessary to make it easier for the king's travel.  John was doing the same spiritually.  He was reaching out to the hearts of men to prepare them to receive the Messiah.  

As you consider the calling of God on your life, you may feel insignificant compared to others.  You may think that you cannot do much in this battle for the Lord because you may not have the education or abilities that you think you need.  But like John the Baptist, you have a voice that God can use to prepare the way for Him to come into someone else's life.  Your voice may be their only bridge to eternity.  Your assignment is to simply clear the way by speaking God's Word in love to those whom you come into contact with.  Your words are to minister to their needs and be the witness they need to hear.  When you speak for the Lord, you have something important to say because His Word through your voice becomes light and life.
 
You are a voice.  God can use your simple witness and testimony to remove the stones and thorns or build a bridge in the lives of others.  If you allow Him, the Lord will use you to prepare the way for the Holy Spirit to save, bless, and encourage those about you. +++
12/3/19

WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE

Scripture:  Romans 6:17 (Living Bible)  "Thank God that though you once chose to be slaves of sin, now you have obeyed with all your heart the teaching to which God has committed you."

There is a story of a mischievous young boy who was misbehaving.  Several times his mother corrected him and told him to sit down, but he continued to misbehave.  Finally in desperation, she put her hand on his head and forced him to sit down and be still.  With his mother's strength in control, he had no choice but to obey.  After a few minutes of struggling, he told his mother, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside."  Rebellion and disobedience were still ruling within his heart.

Many times we are much like this little boy.  For one reason or another, we force ourselves to obey God's Word, but our hearts are not truly involved in our obedience.  We refrain from sin itself only because we do not want to suffer the consequences while we continue to hold the evil thoughts in our minds and entertain lust in our hearts.  We say we forgive those who have transgressed against us and we do not retaliate against our aggressors in the natural, but we harbor unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts.  We give our tithes and offerings, but do it with a grudging spirit.  We do not allow ourselves to commit immoral sins, but we give in to a spirit of lust.  We look okay on the outside but we choose to be slaves to the corruption that is within and allow our hearts to be in bondage.  Just like the little boy, we are sitting down on the outside, but sin and rebellion are standing tall on the inside. 

Paul said that we need to obey the teachings that God has committed to us with our whole hearts.  We must acknowledge the omniscience of God and allow Him to search our hearts and change us in any area so that we are both yielded to Him on the inside as well as the outside.  I Chronicles 28:9 says, "Acknowledge God, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts."  Our obedience should not be just an act to fulfill the law.  We must willingly die to sin and habitually live and behave like new creations because of the grace and life of Jesus that abides within us. +++
12/04/19
THAT WHICH COST ME NOTHING

Scripture:  II Samuel 24:24  "Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God which cost me nothing."

The scriptures describe King David as a man after God's own heart.  But even though David worshipped and loved God, there were still times that he failed God.  Yet, he was always quick to repent of his transgressions.  David had grieved the Lord and brought judgment upon Israel by taking a census and numbering the people, and this act caused a great plague to come upon them.  David cried out to the Lord and took full responsibility for his actions.  He confessed to God that he was the one that had sinned, and he asked God to spare the people.  He told God, "What have these people done?  Let your hand be against me and my father's house."

When God heard his cry, He instructed David to build an altar in the land that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite.  Ornan was very willing to let David come and set up an altar on his land.  In fact, Oman offered to give the land, the oxen, the instruments, and the wheat that were needed for the sacrifice.  Ornan was as anxious as anyone to stop the plague, but David refused his offer because David knew the heart of God and knew that God required something of him personally.  He told Ornan, "Give me the land for the full price."  David did not want any discounts, for there was no place in his heart to offer God something that cost him nothing.

Many times in our life we are asked to make a sacrifice.  It seems that whatever we have the least of at the time is what God wants.  For instance, it is at the time when our finances are lowest that He challenges us to give a little extra.  When our energies are spent, He calls us to go minister to someone in need.  When we are at the end of our patience, He allows another challenge which may be the one that is capable of breaking us down.  And when we are facing a full day ahead and need our rest, He wakes us in the middle of the night to intercede in prayer for His people.  He says if someone hits you on the cheek, turn the other cheek, and if they take away your coat, give them your cloak, also.  God always calls on us to give something that has personal value to us.

King David refused to give an offering to God that cost him nothing because he loved Him.  And Jesus, another king, gave a gift that cost Him everything.  Philippians 2:7-8 says, "He (Jesus) took on the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."  Think about these two sacrifices and their examples to us.  God wants a special sacrifice from us.  Paul tells us to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).  It may cost us something to present ourselves to God and to walk in obedience to Him, but He deserves no less than our best.  Like David's sacrifice, God deserves from us that which cost us something. +++
12/5/19
GOD KNOWS YOUR NAME

Scripture:  Psalms 147:4 (Amplified)  "He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names."

I must confess to you that one of my biggest weaknesses is not being able to remember people's names.  When I meet a person for the first time I give them my undivided attention and think surely I will be able to remember their name.  I concentrate and make a conscious effort and even try to enhance my memory by writing their names on a list.  But regardless of how diligently I try, when I meet them again their name often escapes me. 

Our Father God, who is eternal and has no beginning or end, does not have this problem.  Even though He has to manage the whole world, nothing escapes Him.  He is omniscient and His knowledge is not only vast, it is also very specific and personal.  The psalmist declared that the Lord's memory is so inexhaustible and boundless that He can remember the names of all of the stars. God knows exactly how many He has created and calls each one of them by their own individual and personal name.  Even though there are billions of stars in the sky, the Lord does not need a list and His mind never goes blank when He tries to recall their names.

As far as we are concerned, God knows everything about us.  He not only knows our name but He also knows the exact number of hairs that we have on our heads (Matthew 10:30).  He knew us before we were ever formed in our mother's womb and He also knows what our eternity will be.  We do not have to worry about our future because God has already been there and seen the end before our beginning.  Neither do we have to worry about the present, for if God keeps track of the number of hairs on our head, He is surely watching every other detail of our life.  He knows every triumph and also every discouraging thing that is happening in our lives and He is there to celebrate with us as well as to comfort us.

Whatever your challenges are today, be encouraged because God knew this day was coming and He has been working on the solution to your problem before it ever started.  The Lord has made a covenant with you and just as He knows the names of the stars, He knows your name and He will never forget it.  You can trust Him to take care of you. +++
12/6/19
THE VEIL OF UNFORGIVENESS

Scripture:  Matthew 6:14-15  (NIV)  "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

There is no misunderstanding about what Jesus was saying in this scripture, for His words are about as plain as they can get.  God's rule is very simple, "Forgive if you want to be forgiven."  Considering these words, is it any wonder that sometimes we find it hard to receive forgiveness from God for ourselves?  For in the hidden recesses of our hearts, we are harboring unforgiveness.  Unforgiveness may have been in our hearts for such a long period of time that we had forgotten that it was there and possibly do not exactly remember what the issue was about.  Nevertheless, our sins will not be forgiven if we, ourselves, have not forgiven others.

Maybe you can relate to my experience.  In the natural, there have been times that I have packed away an item and then forgotten that I had it.  Later, I was shocked when I discovered that item.  I have even forgotten about places that I visited or an event that I attended until I looked at old photos.  Yet the memory is still there, it's just dormant until something stirs it.  When the item is uncovered or the photo is revealed, the memory becomes very fresh in my mind and I say, "Oh, I remember now."  Even in arguments, we tend to bring up past events and things that we thought were long forgotten.  Unforgiveness in our hearts is like a hidden item or a photo.  We think it is not there until something nudges us and we feel the old familiar pain.  There was a season that required much forgiveness on my part.  With God's help, I was able to forgive the one who transgressed against me.  Yet, the enemy still tries to use painful memories to resurrect the past in an effort to overthrow the spirit of forgiveness that is within my heart.  This is a common battle for all of us.

We need to understand that forgiveness is a gift that we give to ourselves.  We are the ones who benefit when we forgive, for It is the only way that we can approach God.  When we go to the altar with unforgiveness in our hearts, we offer an empty sacrifice to the Lord and our prayers are hindered.  It is as though a veil is over our hearts and God will not look beneath that veil.  When He sees unforgiveness, He turns His head in sadness.  Jesus said, "Reconcile yourself with your brother and then bring your sacrifice to the Lord."  You, yourself, must remove the veil of unforgiveness.  If you want God to listen to you, then you must listen to Him and obey His Words.  He simply says, "Forgive."  You may think that it is impossible, but Jesus would not tell you to do something that was impossible for you to do.  Forgiveness is a decision, an act of your will.  So, remove the veil of unforgiveness from your heart and you will find that you have removed the veil between you and God's heart. +++
12/9/19
HIS WORD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE

Scripture:  John 6:63  "The Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

One of the first things that we do each day is to nourish our physical bodies.  Throughout the rest of the day, we continue to eat and drink to retain our strength and satisfy our hunger and thirst.  This is a process that must be maintained on a daily basis if we are going to continue to live in our natural bodies.  The same principle applies in the spiritual realm.  As spirit beings, we need spiritual food, but we often neglect this very vital area because we fail to partake of the Word of God on a regular basis.  We rely on the Sunday worship service for all of our spiritual food.  As a minister once said, "We give our natural man three hot meals a day, and give our spirit man one cold snack a week."  We then wonder why we have no spiritual life or power, for we find ourselves just merely existing spiritually instead of being quickened by God's Word.

We see the importance of being quickened by God's Word when we reflect on the way Jesus responded to Satan's temptation in the wilderness.  Jesus did not try to prove who He was or stand on His own power, but instead He allowed the Holy Spirit to quicken the written Word of God that was inside of Him.  He met every challenge with the words, "It is written."  These were Spirit filled words because they had come from the mouth of God and the devil could not argue with them.  Jesus had nourished Himself daily on God's Word.  Even from an early age He was in the temple studying the scriptures and asking questions.  As He took in spiritual food it produced life in His spirit and that life was there for Him when He needed it.

We eat natural food for today's strength that causes us to grow and also sustains us for tomorrow.  So it is with the spiritual food.  We receive it for today's strength, but it will also be there for us when the enemy tries to attack, tempt, or deceive.  Yet, like any natural diet, our spiritual diet must also be balanced.  God did not give us a boring diet but gave us a variety of types of writings to choose from such as history, prophecy, wisdom, songs and poetry, and the gospels.  These scriptures will cover every need that we will ever face.

Matthew 4:4 says, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God."  However, the Word of God must be taken in and digested into our spirit like natural food before it will bring life.  II Timothy 2:15 tells us that we must study the Word of God for ourselves so that we will not be ashamed because we are able to rightly divide the Word of truth.  When we study God's Word, it gives the Spirit opportunity to speak truths into our lives and cause those Words to come alive within us.  And that life of His Word will give us the strength that we need to be able to face every challenge of the enemy. +++
12/10/19

HEALING FOR THE HURTING 

Scripture:  Acts 3:8  "Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God." 

A lame man sat at the gate of the temple every day and begged from the people who were going in.  Acts 4:22 declares that he had been lame for over forty years.  He had probably lost hope of ever being normal.  One day when Peter and John passed by the gate, the lame man asked them for alms.  He may have experienced some disappointment when Peter said, "I don't have any silver and gold."  But then Peter followed with, "But such as I have, I will give to you.  In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk."  Peter imparted something far greater than a few coins, for he spoke a miracle of healing into the lame man's life.

When God touched the lame man, he left his past behind.  He jumped to his feet, entered the temple, and began to praise God.  His miracle gave him a new lease on life and he was no longer the same.  No longer would he have to rely on others to transport him.  No longer would he have to depend upon his family for needed support, and no longer would he be forced to beg.  In a moment's time, with just a few words spoken in the mighty Name of Jesus, the lame man was set free physically and emotionally.  Even though there were those who questioned and condemned him, there was no shame in his praise and rejoicing.  For the first time in his life, he could walk and that was all that mattered to him.

Just as God delivered this man from his crippling disease, He longs to deliver those who are broken in spirit and crippled within.  He sees the wounds of your heart and He knows the secrets that you keep hidden deep within your spirit.  God does not want to deal out a few coins or do a quick fix for your need.  He wants to totally deliver you and restore the years and everything else that the devil has taken from you.  If you will allow Him, God will deal gently with your hurts and heal every wound of your heart, but like the lame man, you must be willing to let go of the past.  When the lame man was set free, he did not complain about the previous forty years that were wasted.  Neither did he dwell on the pain that he had suffered or the shame that he endured as a beggar.  He simply rejoiced in his newfound liberty and faced the future with a hope that he never had before.

Each day that you wake up, God gives you a new lease on life and an opportunity for hope that you never had before.  With every breath, He gives you another chance for life and success, happiness and joy, mercy and grace.  God anointed Jesus to heal the broken hearted and to set the captive free.  This includes you.  So arise and leave the past behind so that you can be healed. +++
12/11/19
PREDETERMINE NOT TO SIN

Scripture:  Genesis 39:9  "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, and as he served Potiphar, he gained great favor.  His master, Potiphar, noticed that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord caused everything that Joseph did to prosper.  So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his entire house and everything that he had.  Potiphar held nothing back from Joseph except his own wife.  Joseph was a handsome young man and Potiphar's wife began to entice him to sleep with her, but Joseph blatantly refused.  There was no discussion about the matter, for his heart was predetermined not to sin against God.

How often do we slip into a place of sin because we have not made a predetermined decision not to take that path?  It is amazing that when you draw a line of demarcation in your spirit concerning certain matters, the devil does not even tempt you in those areas.  He knows that you have set certain boundaries and limits and that you are clearly separated from engaging in those activities.  He knows that you have decided that you are not going to steal, kill, commit adultery, lie, cheat, or give into addictions so he does not place these temptations in front of you.  Instead he tries to find another area where you may be weak and vulnerable.

We always have canned drinks in the refrigerator, but seldom have bottled drinks.  My oldest son left a bottle of Coke in the refrigerator so that he could drink it later.  I pointed it out to my younger son and told him that it belonged to his older brother and instructed him not to drink it.  Upon hearing these instructions, he promptly declared, "Well don't blame me if I accidentally drink it."  I was amused because I wondered how could he drink it accidentally when he was plainly told that it belonged to someone else and was asked not to drink it.  By the way, he is no child.  He is over thirty years old.

Yet, this is how it is when we allow ourselves to sin.  Even though we are mature in the Lord, we think that because the temptation is there, it is not our fault if we give in.  Adam and Eve may have felt like saying, "Well don't blame us if we accidentally eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."  Yet the availability to sin does not dispel our personal responsibility for our own actions.  In times of temptation, we need to remember Joseph and understand that the only way to win the battle of temptation is to make a predetermined decision in our heart not to sin.  We must realize that we are not just doing something wrong but that we are acting against God.  Then we must bring ourselves to our senses by asking the question that Joseph asked, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" +++
12/12/19
FORGIVE - COMFORT - LOVE

Scripture:  (Living Bible)  II Corinthians 2:7-8  "Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him ... Please show him that you love him very much."

These scriptures concern a man in the church who had transgressed God's laws in a grievous way.  He had caused the Apostle Paul and the church a lot of pain and they had punished him in an effort to correct him.  Paul now says that the guilty man had been punished enough and that it was time for restoration to begin.  Paul tells the church to offer forgiveness, comfort, and love to the one who had sinned.  He says, "Otherwise he may become so bitter and discouraged that he will not able to recover."

It is often difficult to reinstate someone in our affections after they have hurt us and caused us pain, especially those who are in the household of faith.  We feel that they should have known better in the first place.  But if God is willing to forgive and restore them, shouldn't we?  Yet, there are too many times when we hold on to our personal grudges and feel that it is our duty to pour on the guilt and shame.  We want to make sure that the punishment exceeds the wrong deed, and we cannot seem to bring ourselves to a place of forgiveness, much less be able to offer them comfort and love.

Paul says that unforgiveness is a trick of the devil and tells us not to be ignorant of his devises (verse 11).  Satan knows that if you refuse to forgive, you give him an advantage in your own life.  You not only hold the guilty person in bondage, disallowing him to recover, but you also put yourself into bondage.  Mark 11:26 says, "If you don't forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings."  When you fail to forgive others you forfeit your own forgiveness from God.  And Matthew 5:23-24 says that if you and your brother have grievances, God will not receive your offering until you go to your brother and find reconciliation.  It is only then that you can return and offer your gift to God because He demands forgiveness and love.

Sin and inappropriate behavior require confrontation and discipline, but repentance deserves restoration.  When repentance occurs, do not continue to pour on guilt - instead pour on love.  Galatians 6:1-2 (Amplified) says, "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual - who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit - should set him right and restore and reinstate him ... less you be tempted also.  We are to bear one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ."  We are to forgive as the Lord forgave, comfort as He comforted, and love as He loved. +++
12/13/19
SONGS OF DELIVERANCE

Scripture:  II Chronicles 20:22  "When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments" against the enemy.

The enemies of Israel came to do battle against Jehoshaphat and the people of God.  As Jehoshaphat prayed and sought God, God told him not to fear or worry about the battle because the battle belonged to the Lord.  God then gave Jehoshaphat unique instructions on how to fight the battle and told him to appoint singers to go out before the army and praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice.  When they obeyed and began their praise, God began to do battle.  He caused their praise to confuse the enemy and the enemy began to fight against themselves, ultimately destroying one another.  The Amplified Bible says, "The Lord set ambushments ... and the enemy was self slaughtered."

Praise and worship are unique weapons.  Paul and Silas were delivered from the jail when they sang praises to God at the midnight hour (Acts 16:25-26).  And when David played music, evil spirits departed from King Saul.  Power is also manifested when we minister to God and worship before Him with music.  In Psalms 32:7 David told the Lord:

        "Thou art my hiding place;
         Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
         Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance."

Just as God surrounded David, He will also surround you with songs of deliverance.  In the midst of your adversity, if you listen intently, you will hear God's still small voice suggesting a song to your spirit.  That song will hide you in times of trouble and will keep you in perfect peace.  It will birth a boldness within you and instill a sense of victory within your spirit.  Psalms 149:6 says, "Let the high praises of God be in your mouth and a two-edged sword in your hand."  The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  The next verses in this psalm declare that praise and the two-edged sword will cause honor to come to the saints because they will execute vengeance and judgment, bring punishment, and bind kings.  The battle belongs to the Lord.  When you use His unique weapons, which are His Word and songs of praise, He surrounds you with deliverance.  The Lord fights your battles, sets ambushments against your enemies, and causes you to be more than a conqueror. +++
12/16/19
TRUE WORSHIP

Scripture:  John 4:23  "True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth."

Worship was originally spelled "worthship" and means to acknowledge the worth of the one being worshipped.  Worshipping God has to do with who God the Father is and not just acknowledging and praising Him for what He has done or is doing for us.  Knowledge is the mother of devotion.  Those who are empty of the Word of God cannot worship God in truth because true worship can only come as the revelation of the character of God has been birthed within your spirit.  In other words, you cannot love and worship someone you do not know.  Faith is also required in true worship, for you must believe that God's presence is there to receive your worship.

We praise God for His awesome works but worship far surpasses the material and physical realm and reaches far into the spirit.  Worship recognizes the character of God and understands that God is spirit and because He is spirit, He can only be truly worshiped with the spirit.  The rocks are able to cry out in praise to God (Luke 19:40) and the sun, moon, and stars of light are commanded to praise God (Psalms 148:3).  Even the morning stars sing together (Job 38:7).  Yet, none of these awesome creations of God can worship Him in spirit because God has not breathed His spirit of life into them.  Worship is an experience that takes place in the heart.  Worship happens when the whole being is yielded to God and the love that is within our heart bows down in reverence to the holiness of God.  It is an inward expression of our recognition of God's glory and grace.

John 4:23 continues to tell us that God is seeking for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth.  He is actively watching and waiting.  The Lord is looking for a bride who loves Him and knows how to pleasure Him with true worship.  He does not want lip service.  He wants a heart that is full of worship.  The Lord looks beyond the loud shouts of praise to find the quiet spirit of love that is on its knees before Him in beautiful and reverential worship.  If you dedicate yourself to be one of those who will worship God in spirit and in truth, you will find Him and He will find you. +++
12/17/19
BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING

Scripture:  Isaiah 10:27  " ... the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

A yoke was a harness that hung about the neck and shoulders of animals in order to join them together so that they could work in unity.  In Isaiah's time, it was also worn by men to help them carry their heavy loads.  In either case, a yoke was a symbol of bondage.  Many of God's people today are in yokes of bondage.  The yoke may not be seen with the naked eye but the heavy burdens are there just the same.  There are bondages of grief, sorrow, unforgiveness, financial situations, addictions, health problems, and disappointments of every kind.  People are continually searching for solutions to rid themselves of these burdens.  Yet, the prophet declared that only the anointing of the Lord would destroy these yokes and bring freedom into the lives of the believers.

The anointing is not given by God so that man can experience a good feeling, but comes so that we might be a strong witness (Acts 1:8).  The anointing is given for a purpose, is full of great power, and has action.  Jesus declared that the anointing upon Him caused Him to be able to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prisons to those who were bound.  The anointing also brought comfort and appointed beauty for ashes, exchanged joy for mourning, and brought praise to those plagued by a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).  All the miracles and the many healings that Jesus performed were accomplished because of the anointing of God that was upon His life (Acts 10:38).

The meaning of "anoint" is to rub with oil or impart through the idea of contact.  We all know that when we are touched with oil, it spreads to everything we touch.  So it is with the anointing of God.  When we are touched with His anointing, it spreads to all those whom we touch.  God anointed Jesus because Jesus communed and fellowshiped with Him.  And because of Jesus' contact with the Heavenly Father, He had confidence that God would work through Him.  When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He boldly declared, "Father, I thank You that You heard Me.  And I know that You hear Me always" (John 11:41-42).

Like Jesus, we have a mandate from God to minister to a hurting world, but we can only give to them what we have received.  We have to be touched with the oil of the Holy Spirit to be able to spread the oil.  That touch will only come to us when we are in close contact with our Heavenly Father like Jesus was.  As we commune and wait upon God, He will pour out His Spirit upon us and fill us with His power.  This is His anointing and it will destroy the yoke that is upon us and also empower us to undo the burdens in the lives of others. +++
12/18/19
DON'T LOSE HEART
Scripture:  Psalms 34:19  "Many are the afflictions of the righteous ..."
 
Have you ever been in a season where you felt that you were fulfilling this portion of scripture that David wrote?  You were trying to live right but you were experiencing many afflictions.  Like the scene with Job, while you were learning about one dilemma in your life, another was occurring.  You discovered that your righteous living did not exempt you from troubles and it seemed that for the moment, you were facing more conflict and struggle than you were going to be able to bear.
Where is the comfort in your situation?  David finished this verse by declaring that the Lord would deliver the righteous out of all their afflictions.  This is a grand promise that gives hope and will keep you from losing heart in the midst of the raging battle that surrounds you.  According to the Apostle Paul, the afflictions you face right now are only for a season and are working for you an eternal glory beyond all measure (II Cor. 4:17-18).  Somehow God is going to redeem your situation and use it for His glory.  Romans 8:18 says that the things you are suffering at the present can't even be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in you.

David wrote this psalm concerning afflictions and deliverance out of a hurting heart and a broken spirit.  He had fled from King Saul in an effort to save his own life, but met another conflict when King Achish recognized him.  David had to pretend to be insane before King Achish in order to save his own life (I Sam. 21:13).  David was in the midst of many afflictions, yet he trusted in the Lord, and the Lord delivered him from all of his troubles.

You may also be in the midst of many afflictions yourself, but rejoice.  God is still in control of your life and you can be assured that Jesus will never leave you while you are in the midst of your brokenness and trouble.  His presence was with Joseph in the prison, Daniel in the lion's den, and the three Hebrew children in the fire.  He did not fail them in their desperate hour, and He will not fail you.  When you are facing many afflictions and things look their worse, do not lose heart, for God's deliverance will always come through. +
12/19/19
NO ROOM

Scripture:  Luke 2:7  "There was no room for them in the inn."

Joseph and Mary did not just happen to be in Bethlehem at the time that Jesus was born.  Instead, it was planned and ordained by God, as He fulfilled the prophecy that was spoken in Micah 5:2, which declared that the Messiah would come from the City of David, Bethlehem of Judea.  To make sure that Mary and Joseph were in the right place at the right time to fulfill this prophecy, God caused Caesar Augustus to make a decree that required all of the people to go to their own country to be taxed.

God does not do things randomly.  He has purpose for all things and it seems to be very fitting for Joseph and Mary to be found in Bethlehem when it was the time for Jesus to be born because the name Bethlehem means "house of bread."  God was making provision for all mankind, for Jesus is the Bread of God (John 6:33).  He is also called the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Living Bread (John 6:51).  Yet when Joseph and Mary arrived at this special place that God had ordained, there was no room for them.  Jesus was the King of Kings but instead of being birthed in His own castle, He was born in a borrowed stable where animals were kept.  Instead of having a royal bed, His mother gave birth to the Son of God on the ground amongst the animal's straw.  Instead of having royal subjects to assist her, Mary and Joseph, alone, took care of the Anointed Christ.  Instead of being given royal robes, the Messiah was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  And instead of being laid in a beautiful crib, the Savior of the world was laid in a manger where the animals were fed.

It is no wonder that as all mankind neglected the birth of His Son, that God, Himself, showed up to honor Jesus and to celebrate this wonderful event.  God created a great star to light up the sky and then He instructed the angels to sing as the glory of God shone all around them.  They pronounced, "Peace on Earth and good will towards men" and sang, "Good tidings of great joy."  God brought the shepherds of the field to worship the Christ Child and moved upon the kings and wise men of the East to bring gifts that were fit for this King of kings and Lord of lords.

As we think about this story, we must examine our own lives.  Jesus stands at the door of our heart every day and knocks.  Will we tell the Lord of Lords that there is no room today because our schedule is full or will we invite Him to come in so that we can commune with Him?  Will we give Him the lesser place in our lives or will we treat Him as King and allow Him to be the ruler of our heart?  Will we allow other idols to dominate our lives or will we worship and bow before His throne?  Will we be reluctant to share our means with Him or will we give the best gifts that we have to offer?  These are all personal questions that each of us must answer.  The Lord is seeking for an open heart.  Do not allow the moment to pass.  Do not allow your heart to be so full of the world that you have no room for Him.  Instead, give Jesus the best chamber of your heart. +++
12/20/19
THE LIGHT OF LIFE

Scripture:  John 8:12  "I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

People are attracted to light whether it be the natural light of the sun, moon, and stars or the man made lights of a city at night.  At Christmas we enjoy the special lights of the season that celebrate the birth of Jesus and on Independence Day we watch in awe as we experience the lights of the fireworks.  On cold nights we relax by the flickering lights of the fireplace and on special occasions we light candles to enhance the atmosphere.  And of course, our daily lives depend upon light.  We must have light whether we need the sun’s light in the fields to grow crops or electrical lights to be able to function in the workplace.  Light creates life, and without light, there is no life.

From the beginning, the presence of Jesus brought light, for when the angels announced His birth, the heavens were filled with light and the glory of God.  The wise men were also guided by a radiant light that led them to the Savior.  When Jesus came, He came as the Light to a spiritually darkened world, and His Light brought life to men as He revealed God to their souls.  People marveled at this light which came from God as He healed the sick and cast out evil spirits.  They were amazed when He raised the dead and performed signs and wonders.  John 12:36 says that Jesus instructed the people to "believe in the light so that they could become children of light."  Yet, many who saw the miracles did not believe on Him.  They preferred to stay in darkness.  What a sad report; many saw, but did not choose to believe.

The most important thing that you will ever do with your life is to believe in Jesus.  It is only then that light will come into your soul.  When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and receive Him into your heart, Colossians 1:12-13 says He delivers you out of the kingdom of darkness and brings you into His kingdom, making you partakers of His light.  As you come out of darkness and partake of His light, you then also become responsible to be a light to the world.  You are to bear witness of the Light, that all men might believe (John 1:8).  Bearing witness of the Light means that you walk in fellowship with Him (I John 1:7).  You walk in light and truth, leaving the deeds of darkness behind.  Jesus said, "I am the Light and if you stay close to me and follow me, you will be able to walk in My light." +++
12/23/19
NO NEED FOR FEAR

Scripture:  Luke 2:9-10 (NIV)  "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'"

The shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their flock of sheep and minding their own business when the angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to them.  As the glory of the Lord shone around them in the darkness of the night, the shepherds were terrified.  But the angel immediately told them not to fear and began to tell them the good news of the Savior's birth.  Many times, in the scriptures, we have accounts where people experienced fear when God sent a message to them through an angel.  When the angel, Gabriel, approached the Virgin Mary, he said, "Do not fear."  The angel also told Joseph, the man whom Mary was going to wed, not to fear.  The same words were spoken to Zacharias, who was to be the father of John the Baptist.

As we look at these lives, we wonder why these glorious events evoked so much fear.  And yet, we must admit that when God gets involved in our own lives we too have fear because we have created boundaries by our senses.  We are afraid that God will put us into the unknown and unfamiliar.  We fear that we will not be in control of our own lives or that He may tell us to do something that we do not want to do, maybe even call us as a missionary to a foreign land.  Yet, the only way to exercise faith and trust is by going through the unfamiliar and the unknown.  When God calls, He does not show us a complete blueprint of the future or guarantee our security.  His voice just moves us into the unknown.  It is darkness to our natural senses, but a glorious light to our spirit because God always gives peace to the one to whom He speaks.  Others may question our decisions, but God says, "The way that you will know this is from Me is that I will give you perfect peace.  There is no need for you to fear."

God speaks to individuals, not to groups.  Even if He is directing or leading a group, each heart will hear His voice personally.  Each shepherd witnessed the glory of the Lord and heard the angel speak.  God spoke peace to each one individually.  Have you ever had to instruct your own child to do something new or foreign?  The first words out of your mouth were probably, "Don't be afraid."  Your words and the security of your intimate relationship that you had developed with your child created peace in their heart.  We must have the same emotional bond with Jesus and know that God is a God of His Word.  We must trust them and surrender our lives to their bidding.  When they speak, it will be good news, so there will be no need to fear.+++
12/24/19
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 you be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life. +++
12/26/19
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 6:31-33).  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. +++
12/27/19
FOLLOWING GOD'S PLAN

Scripture:  Proverbs 16:9  "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."

We cannot envision the destiny that God has planned for us or compare our plans for the future with the Lord's plan for our life because His plans are much higher than ours.  His plan is as far away as the heavens are from the earth.  We know the Word tells us that He wants to give us a future and a hope, but that future is often hidden from our eyes.  Yet, this ignorance concerning our destiny does not mean that we do not have one.  God is continually working behind the scenes in our life and He will reveal His plan to us at the appropriate time if we stay in unity with Him.  His strategy to fulfill His plan is very simple.  Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).  To fulfill God's plan, all we need to do is to hear His voice and then follow where He leads.  We do not have to know the plan from A to Z.  All we need to do is just take one step at a time, and each step of obedience will give light to the next.

The shepherd knows so much more than the sheep.  He may be forced to lead his flock from the open green pastures and cool waters to a safer place because he knows that a storm is coming or impending danger is near.  Even though the sheep are being led away from the water and provision, they never question their shepherd; they just follow with a trusting heart.  They hear his voice and they follow.
Like the shepherd, many times God leaves us with no choices.  He just orchestrates our life as He did Joseph's.  God's sovereign hand was leading Joseph from the pit to the prison, and then from the prison to the palace.  At the time, it probably did not seem like a very good plan to Joseph because the end was very obscure.  All he could do in the midst of his adversity was hold on to his dream.  Joseph had his own thoughts about how his dream would come to pass but his plan, which included his family bowing before him, was all about self-ego.  God, however, had a greater plan and sovereignly directed Joseph's steps in order to bring deliverance to a multitude of people.

Do you sense a divine dissatisfaction in your spirit concerning your destiny and God's plan for your life?  Possibly, you are not satisfied with where you are now and know that there is a greater call on your life.  You must surrender the plans you are making in your own mind, and yield to God.  Everything may seem obscure right now and nothing may make sense.  But if you will take one day at a time, listen to God's voice, and follow Him, He will cause you to be in the right place at the right time and bring you into contact with the right people.  The Lord will direct your steps and make each step sure. +++
12/30/19
DAYSPRING

Scripture:  Luke 1:78  "Through the tender mercy of our God; ... the Dayspring from high has visited us."

The term "dayspring" means "the springing up of light."  It is the dawning of the morning as the sun rises to give light to a darkened earth.  This glorious light at dawn brings with it a freshness of new life and all of nature rejoices.  The birds sing and the roosters crow, welcoming the sun and the birth of a new day.  The dawning of the sun's light causes hope for all of the earth as it brings forth the promise of growth.  We seldom give thanks to our Father God for the wonders of this phenomenon or the breathtaking beauty of the sunrise.  Instead, we most often take it for granted and assume that it will be provided for us, each and every day.  Yet, it only takes a few days of dreary weather to cause us to once again appreciate the sun at dawn.  Can you imagine life without the sun?

Luke said that Jesus is our Dayspring from on high.  When Jesus visited us, He brought us life and translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light.  John 1:4 says, "In Him was Life and that Life was the Light to men."  He was sent to this earth like the rising of the sun because of the great love and the mercy of our Father God.  Jesus is the dawn that shines eternal light into the darkest places of our lives and causes all evil to flee.  The night cannot overtake the day once the sun has risen, for physical darkness cannot absorb physical light.  In fact, the greater the darkness, the greater the light seems to shine.  Light a candle in a dark room and then watch the darkness put it out.  It simply cannot because the darkness cannot conquer the light.  It is an impossible challenge.

Likewise, spiritual darkness can never overtake the light of Jesus in our lives.  The kingdom of darkness and evil cannot overcome, put out, or absorb His eternal light and life once the Dayspring has come to live within us.  Verse seventy-nine tells us that Jesus will "shine and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace."  We were sitting in Satan's kingdom of darkness waiting to die an eternal death until Jesus rose like the dawning of the day.

Jesus’ birth was a glorious sunrise.  He became our Dayspring as He began to shine His light into our path and guide us into peace and eternal life.  Jesus said, "I am the light of the world:  he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12)."  Jesus is the "true light that lights every man" (John 1:9).  We are forever blessed because Jesus, the Dayspring from on high, has visited us. +++
12/31/19
INCREASE AND BLESSINGS 

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 1:11 (NIV)  "May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised!" 

Moses spoke these words over the children of Israel as he encouraged them to go in and possess the land that God had promised to them.  God had such good plans for them and wanted to give them a thousand times more than what they had.  It was God's intent to give them a land that flowed with milk and honey.  This Promised Land was theirs for the taking, but they refused to believe His Words, and because they limited God through their unbelief, they never entered into His promise.  Except for Joshua and Caleb and the younger generation, they all died in the wilderness of defeat. 

God still wants His children blessed beyond measure.  This does not necessarily mean that we will have everything that we want or that we will all be rich and famous, for prosperity and fame does not guarantee blessings.  Blessings go beyond the material and capture the true riches of life, which is happiness, joy, and peace.  Robert Louis Stevenson said: 

    "The best things are nearest;
    Breath in your nostrils,
    Light in your eyes,
    Flowers at your feet,
    Duties at your hand,
    The path of God just before you." 

As you journey through this next year, I pray God's blessings upon you in a new and fresh way.  I pray that you will recognize that blessings come from God's hands and that you will realize that life's greatest blessings are the simple things of life.  True blessings and prosperity have nothing to do with the stuff that you can gather around yourself or the fame that you acquire.  Instead, true blessings are life itself and the relationships that you are able to establish with God and others.  May the Lord increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised!  May you truly have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! +++


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