Welcome to my blog. It is my sincere prayer that these entries will encourage you and enable you to see how valuable you are to Jesus who is the ultimate Jewel. As children of the One True King we have been given riches that supersede our wildest imaginations! Every truth revealed to us through God's Word is more precious than the most fine and rare of gemstones. Blessings to each of you...
Much love,
Julie

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Wisdom for the New Year...

                                          "Wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness."
                                                              Ecclesiastes 2:13




As we approach this upcoming year, it occurs to me that Christ followers need wisdom like we've never needed it before. Ensconced within a myriad of complexities, it becomes increasingly more clear that knowledge alone will never suffice. The book of Proverbs tells us that "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore,  [to] get wisdom" (Proverbs 4:7).

While many live in the pursuit of knowledge, this is vastly different than the pursuit of Godly wisdom. Knowledge will enable us to dissect a matter, but it is wisdom that brings things together through the application of God's truths to everyday situations.  Wisdom, therefore, becomes the heart of a matter and it will either radiate light or darkness. It is only the "wisdom from above" (James 3:17) that can bring true solutions to the chaotic world in which we live.

The problem we have is that the majority of people are seeking "worldly wisdom" instead of wisdom from God. Like petulant two-year olds, most of the inhabitants of this planet prefer to do things on their own. Unfortunately, we are living in extraordinary times that do not afford us such luxuries. The outcomes of "worldly wisdom" and Godly wisdom will vastly differ- one will produce worldly results and the other will produce true spiritual fruit that lasts.

The book of James clearly outlines for us the fruit that comes from Godly wisdom. It says, "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, [and] without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). Then, James adds a qualifier. He says, "And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace"(James 3:18).

Therefore, if we opt for Godly wisdom, He will bless us with God-given fruit that brings life. This is the fruit that also has seeds within it, which continue to produce more fruit. As we sow righteousness and peace, we will also reap a harvest of righteousness and peace.

If, on the other hand, we sow "worldly wisdom" we will reap: trouble, envy, strife and confusion. This is what occurred when the descendants of Noah decided to build the Tower of Babel. The people blatantly rebelled against God's command to scatter across the earth. Instead, they thought it would be preferable to settle in Nimrod's city of Babylon (Genesis 11:8-12).

They also wanted to build a tower that touched the sky so they could make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). They conspired together and built what is known as a "ziggurat". Throughout the centuries, archaeologists have discovered several of these structures. Upon discovery, it has been learned that these structures were typically built as a shrine to a false god or goddess. The word Babel literally means "the gate of the gods".

We get to choose whether to do things our way or to be led by the Holy Spirit. However, it is only the leading of the Holy Spirit that will last. Solomon succinctly summarized this notion when he stated, "There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless, the Lord's counsel- that will stand"(Proverbs 19:21).

God is wise and all true wisdom can only come from Him. He is also good and all true goodness first comes from Him. His plans for us are good and when we follow His leading He will be glorified in our lives. We can trust Him to only do what is best for us and in us, even when we live during difficult times.

History has proven that when persecution of Christians increased that Christianity flourishes. this is because it is in the midst of darkness that the light shines the brightest. Daniel said that, "those who are wise (shall shine like the brightness of the firmament), and those who turn many to righteousness (to uprightness and right standing with God)[shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever"(Daniel 12:3).

The word wise in the previous verse means to "teach, impart insight, encourage and strengthen others". This is what God is calling us to do in this New Year and new season. It may cost us more now as a Christian than it ever has before, but it is a crisis that will reveal to us who and what we really are. It is through difficulties that God shines brighter and brighter.

Knowing that this is also an election year compels us to pray for all the candidates and ultimately the final nominee. In this, we recognize that our new president will either be an instrument of mercy or an instrument of judgment for our country. Either way, we are commanded to pray for our leaders.

There is another verse in the book of Daniel that is a promise for believers who live in the midst of dark days. It says that, "the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do great exploits [for God]" (Daniel 11:32). This means that God will be with us and He will show Himself strong in our lives.

It is possible to serve God like Daniel did. We can also possess the dignity, courage, and conviction in the midst of a culture that does not honor God or the "wisdom from above". I believe we will see God show up in ways that we have never seen before because God is  faithful to those who love and seek Him.

This is the time to genuinely esteem that which money cannot buy and death cannot steal from us. This is what will bring victory to our lives. The apostle John confirms this in the book of Revelation. He says, "And they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die"(Revelation 12:11).

These are both exciting and perilous times, but God is doing amazing things in the midst of them. It is my prayer that we will be wise and that we will know our God. Just as He is faithful to us, I pray we would be faithful to Him. He promises that He will be glorified in the earth and that He will do mighty things. More than ever, may we walk in Godly wisdom during this New Year!

                                              HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!!
                                                                     2016

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

The Christmas Song...

"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others- the armies of heaven- praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'"
                                                                                                                                   Luke 2:13-14




It was one angel that appeared to the shepherds, followed by a chorus of angels singing praise to God on the day that Jesus was born.  In my imagination, I can hear this beautiful anthem of praise rising up from the earth, as well as descending from the angelic choir in heaven.  In this stunning moment of time, Jesus' song echoed throughout heaven and earth, and reverberated rhythmically as it pierced through the darkness.

As the glad announcement was given, the song rang out and the glory of God returned to the earth.  This had not happened for centuries, but this was no ordinary day.  This was the day that the Prince of heaven came to earth to bring salvation to mankind.

It was curious that God would choose the shepherds to be the first witnesses of His glory.  Yet, immediately God's grace toward men was demonstrated in a tangible way. The shepherds were known as the outcasts in Israel. This is because their work made them ceremonially unclean, which kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time.

However, the message of the Gospel is that God comes to the poor and lowly.  The book of 1 Corinthians emphasizes this point when it says, "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.  Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.  And He chose things that are powerless to shame those wo are powerful.  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important" (1 Corinthians 1:26-28).

The symbolism of appearing to the shepherd first is astounding.  Jesus came to be both the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Lamb of God (John 1:29), perhaps the shepherds were the most appropriate people to be first to hear the Good News.  Additionally, these were hard-working men, humble in heart, who were extremely practical in their thinking. Also, it was possible that God would even draw from their flocks to be sacrifices for the temple services. Whatever God's reasoning happened to be, the shepherds were the first to hear the Christmas song.

This begs the question as to whether this song and seeing the throng of angels brought peace or fear to their hearts? Throughout the Christmas story, the words "Fear not!" are used (Luke 1:13,30,74 and Matthew 1:20).  The Good News that was being proclaimed was a message of peace to a world who had known much war.  Even though, at this exact moment, Israel was not at war, that still did not bring the assurance that these men had peace.

All men long for true peace in their hearts, but I wonder how many actually have it? Did these shepherds? Did the wise men? Did Mary and Joseph? Do you?

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom.  This word means much more than an absence of battles or conflict. It means "peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility".  It represents a peace that is complete and brings with it a feeling of contentment and overall well-being.

Shalom can be experienced even in the midst of adversity.  This is because it has more to do with who we are than what circumstances we are experiencing. It is the person of Jesus that brings shalom in our lives because He is the Prince of Peace.

Throughout Scripture, songs erupt from a heart of praise or worship or to commemorate a joyful occurrence. When God created the world, the angels sang. The book of Job describes it as follows, "all the angels shouted for joy" (Job 38:7).

Once again, the angels sing at the birth of Jesus because of the new creation He would bring to mankind. The lowly manger became a Holy of Holies because Jesus was the One who occupied it. The glory that had departed from the earth because of sin was returning in the form of a newborn babe. 

The shepherds received by faith what the angels had told them.  This is how Luke tells their story,
"When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, 'Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them" (Luke 2:15-20).

The shepherds response to what they had heard was immediate obedience. They left their flocks to go and search for Jesus. Once they had found Him, they responded by sharing the Good News with others.

This is when the Christmas song rose in their hearts and they began glorifying and praising Jesus. He is the only One who gives us peace and puts a song in our hearts. Nothing or no one else can provide the melodious chords or the words to sing our own personalized, meaningful, and intimate Christmas song!

                                                    MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

"The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually)."
                                                                                                                       Numbers 6:24-26    

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

His Star...

"I see Him but not here and now.  I perceive Him, but far in the distant future.  A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel."

                                                                                                                                   Numbers 24:17


The first Christmas was filled with a myriad of miracles.  The blessed event began with God's plan for the redemption of humanity and culminated in the birth of a baby that was both one hundred percent man and one hundred percent God.  Prophecies were fulfilled and supernatural occurrences abounded in an effort to reveal to the world the Messiah that ushered in the presence of God into the midst of His people.

There were mysteries that perplexed even the wisest of men as they followed the star that shone in the East.  They travelled to the Jewish capital (Jerusalem) where they were intercepted by a wicked king named Herod.  They told king Herod that they saw a new star, meaning that nothing like it had ever been seen before.  It was Herod that then pointed them to Bethlehem where the star reappeared and led them to Mary and Joseph.

Speculation still surrounds the star of Bethlehem today, or, as Matthew calls it, "His Star" (Matthew 2:2).  The theories range from naturalistic explanations such as : a nova, a supernova, a comet, and a planetary convergence to supernatural events, such as the shekinah glory of God.  While the answer is still unclear, it is noteworthy that in Matthew's account of this story, the text implies that the star was only for the wise men to see and follow.

It is curious to me as to how the Maji interpreted the meaning of this star.  These men were most likely from Persia (and possibly other nations) and were known as astrologers, which was an accepted branch of science in their cultures.  Most likely, their religion was Zoroastrianism, which is still practiced in Iran today.

The biblical exposure they would have had would have come from the writings of Daniel, where he wrote, "Seventy weeks [or 490 years] are decreed upon your people and your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness (permanent moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies.  Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until [the coming of] the Anointed One, a Prince, shall be seven weeks [49 years] and sixty-two weeks [434 years]; it shall be built again with square and moat, but in troublous times" (Daniel 9:24-25).

Yet, these Maji were still able to correctly interpret these writings of Daniel and perhaps the prophecy written in the book Numbers that says, "I perceive Him but not here and now.  I perceive Him, but far in the distant future.  A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel" (Numbers 24:17).  They perceived the coming Messiah, but their revelation partial and progressive.

Another example of partial revelation can be found in the life of the apostle, Paul.  As he journeyed on the road to Damascus, he encountered a bright Light and that Light was the Lord (Acts 22:6-11).  While the people with Paul could all see the Light, it was only he that could understand the Voice within the Light.

When we speak of the shekinah glory of God, it denotes the visible, tangible presence of God.  It is a real, physical manifestation of God being near.  It is the actual dwelling place of God that transforms everything and everyone around it.

The Maji knew that Jesus' star revealed the Messiah, even before they were able to see Him with their eyes.  It is most likely that these wise men were kings in their own right, based on the following three Old Testament prophecies:

Isaiah 60:3 "And nations shall come to Your Light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising."

Psalm 72:10 "The kings of Tarshish and of the coasts shall bring offerings; the kings of Sheba and 

                      Seba shall bring gifts."

Psalm 68:29 "[Out of respect] for Your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring gifts to You."

Therefore, we have kings of the earth worshipping the ultimate King of heaven and earth.  Jesus extended the invitation to them, just as He does to you and I.  Jesus also provided the star to lead and guide them, just as He leads and guides you and I.  When you consider the question as to why the God of the universe singled out these men and extended His grace and salvation to them (as He does to you and I), perhaps his is the greatest mystery of all.

Yet, Jesus' mission on this earth was very intentional.  God sent Jesus to earth "because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were dead by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and mad partakers of Christ's salvation.) And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).  He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).

God is constantly wooing men to Himself.  As we see the world reject Him more and more, we can know with certainty that this breaks the heart of our Lord and Creator.  He literally sacrificed everything for us to have an eternal relationship with Him and day to day He is with His people. The more the world disengages from Him, the more He will make Himself known through our lives.

This is the time to chase after God with abandon.  It is the time to be led and guided into the dreams God has placed within us and to pursue the godly passions we have been given.  It is time to fulfill the destinies that require divine intervention.  It is time for each one of us to throw off every encumbrance, take risks, and follow His star.

His star still shines brightly in the world for those who will come to it.  Just as He extended Himself to the Maji, He also extends Himself to us.  He wants a personal, committed, and intimate relationship with each one of us.  Just as His star led to a progressive revealing of who Jesus is, so our lives should continually grow in the knowledge and revelation of our Lord and Savior.  It was the purpose of His life and the purpose of His star.

"O, Star of wonder, star of night, star of royal beauty bright; Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light."

                                                                             Excerpt from We Three Kings of Orient Are



Tuesday, December 8, 2015

An Unholy Triad



                                   "It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth."
                                              Thomas Fuller, English Theologian



The family structure is designed by God to be a powerful entity.  If the members of the family are in line with biblical principles and understand and fulfill their God-given roles, it will be a force used for tremendous good in the earth.  If, on the other hand, the members reject God and pursue selfish interests, a family can also be used to bring untold destruction and calamity to the world.  Especially if it is a family who has been given a position of authority and the role of governance.

Such was the family of Herod the Great.  This family was brilliant and gifted in a myriad of ways, and yet all these talents were used to perpetuate evil and wreak unprecedented havoc in the lives of many.  The three family members that are the most notorious are: Herod the Great, Herodias, and Herod Antipas.  It was this evil trio that would continually serve as a battering ram in the life of Jesus and do everything within their power to end His ministry and His life.

Herod the Great was known as a genius and a schemer.  He took advantage of the Roman political unrest to claw his way to the top of the political ladder.  It was during a civil war that he gained favor of Octavian, who later became known as the Roman Emperor named Augustus Caesar.

Herod was a descendant of the Edomites, whose ancestors converted to Judaism.  He was born around 74 B.C. to an Idumean man named Antipater and a woman named Cyprus.  His mother was the daughter of an Arab sheik.

Herod the Great became a Jewish king who governed over Judaea.  Once he became king, he launched an ambitious building program in Jerusalem and in the port city of Caesarea.  He built theaters, ampitheaters, a port, temples, markets, housing, palaces, a wall around Jerusalem and aqueducts. He was a genius in commerce and trading and greatly strengthened Israel's position in the Arab world.

However, he was a tyrant.  He kept order in Israel by using the secret police and using an iron fist.  He kept order in his palace by murdering family members who did not appease his whims.  He killed his father-in-law, two of his sons, and several of his ten wives.  He was a ruthless, brutal murderer who was also known for killing many rabbis.

His ambition was all-consuming.  He was a jealous egomaniac who lived to build monuments to himself.  Over two thousand years later, there are still existing structures in Israel that Herod the Great built.  The most revered of these existing structures is the temple wall mount that still stands from the magnificently restored Jerusalem temple that Herod constructed during his reign.

Jesus was conceived during the rule of Herod and was a young child when he died.  The three wise men met Herod as they journeyed on their way to worship the newborn babe.  It was then that Herod tried to trick the wise men into revealing Jesus' location in Bethlehem when they returned home.  God warned the wise men in a dream to avoid the wicked king, so they chose an alternative route home.

When Herod learned that he was outwitted by the Magi, he was livid.  This is how Matthew describes the event: "Then Herod, when he realized he had been misled by the wise men, was furiously enraged, and he sent and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that territory who were two years old and under, reckoning according to the date which he had investigated diligently and had learned exactly from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 'A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they were no more" (Matthew 2:16-18).

After a thirty-seven yea reign, this would prove to be one of Herod's last significant acts.  This was his coup d'état, so to speak.  Not too long after Herod murdered all these innocent baby boys, he, himself, died in a gruesome and horrific manner.

However, his evil kingdom lived on.  It was divided among his three sons (that had not been slain by their father).  Herod Antipas was one of those three heirs.


Herod Antipas was definitely a villain like his father.  To make matters worse, he also had a villainous wife named Herodias.  Their vows were made on the shakiest of grounds because Antipas had decided to steal his own brother's wife.  Yet, bigamy was just the beginning for this diabolic duo.

The apostle Mark describes Herodias as  conniving and the instigator that plotted the beheading of John the Baptist. She actually convinced her daughter Salome to sleep with her husband (Herod Antipas) to make it happen (Mark 6:22-25).  Not only did she want John the Baptist's head, but she also wanted it served up on a platter.  Possibly this vendetta was because John the Baptist had confronted her regarding her sexual sin.

Later, during Jesus' ministry, some Pharisees came to warn Jesus that Herod Antipas was trying to kill Him.  This is how Jesus responded, "Go and tell that fox [sly and crafty, skulking and cowardly], 'Behold, I drive out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish (complete) my course'" (Luke 13:32).

Herod Antipas, along with his soldiers, treated Jesus "with contempt and scoffed at and ridiculed Him; then, dressing Him up in bright and gorgeous apparel, he sent Him back to Pilate" (Luke 23:11).  Ultimately, Herod Antipas would forever be known as the one who stood in judgment of Jesus and was instrumental in His crucifixion.

Before Jesus was ever born, God knew how diabolical this family would be and how Satan would use each one of them for his purposes.  And yet, God was sovereign over every bit of it.  Every prophecy would be fulfilled because God said, "I am watching over My Word to perform it" (Jeremiah 1:12).

No matter how devious, untrustworthy, and bloodthirsty Jesus' opponents were, they would never fully have the upper hand.  They would only have as much rope as God would give them- not a centimeter more.  While this was the darkness that preceded the ultimate Dawn, goodness triumphed over evil.  No demonic attempt could ever diminish the glory and power of God that would occur in the Resurrection.

The legacy of Herod the Great and his descendants will forever be one of atrocity and infamy, especially their unholy triad.  However, for us as believers who cling to the Holy Trinity as our Light and Salvation, we can find hope in knowing that our family legacies will be blessed.  Even if we currently have family members who are not in line with biblical principles and are not fulfilling their God-given roles, take heart, because the Son is faithful to rise in their lives.


                "Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good."
                                                                                                                       Romans 12:21

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Light of the World



"Nations will come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising."
                                                                                                           Isaiah 60:3




As we enter this Advent season, it seems that the contrasts around us grow more and more stark.  The good in the world appears to be more assertive and bold, while the evil continues to intensify in word and deed.  This scenario is eerily reminiscent of the day and time that surrounded the first coming of Jesus, our King.

As the world we live in grows darker, the issues that surround us grow increasingly complex.  The problems are not simple, and neither are their solutions.  Even as leaders of nations collaborate together, there are still problems and complexities beyond their grasp to solve.  It is by God's design that this is our current  world's reality.

In the Old Testament, in the book of Malachi, the last prophecies of God are uttered, followed by a four hundred year silence.  These years were devoid of any messages from God until Zachariah (father of John the Baptist) broke the silence by prophesying the birth of Jesus into a similarly dark world.  He said, "Because of and through the heart of tender mercy and loving-kindness of our God, a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit us to shine upon 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" (Luke 1:78-79).

When times were incredibly daunting and dark, God chose to send the Light of the world to bring illumination.  Later, in Jesus' ministry, He reiterated this point.  He said, "I am the Light of the world.  He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life" (John 8:12).

In the Bible, Light is a description for God and His glory and darkness is a metaphor for spiritual blindness.  We are taught that it is even possible to have seen the Light and still live our lives as blind men.  The book of Romans tells us that even though "they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor or glorify Him as God or give Him thanks.  But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened" (Romans 1:21).

Whether or not we walk in darkness depends upon what we love.  If we love the Light, we will see ourselves as we truly are- sinners in need of a Savior.  While the truth may at times be difficult to swallow, it is worth the reward of knowing Jesus.  His love more than compensates for every hard truth we know of ourselves.

Unfortunately, if we are more attached to the world or our own selfish ways, we will either miss the Light or see it and turn from it.  The apostle, John, tells us, "The Light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

With darkened minds and darkened hearts, we will quickly be deceived.  This is when evil gets interpreted as good and good is interpreted as evil.  We are told that even "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" ( 2 Corinthians 11:14).  Mostly, we find this exhibited by those people that either knowingly or unknowingly follow Satan.  It is Satan's servants that "also masquerade as ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:15).

We see examples of this all around us.  The most recent example occurred in the Colorado shooting that happened at Planned Parenthood.  The deceived and deranged shooter is said to have stated that he was responding to the fact that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal body parts.  Once the full truth about him is considered, it is likely that he is simply deranged and psychotic and abortion had little or nothing to do with his reprehensible actions.  In truth, and in the very same vile spirit as the one that drives abortion, this shooter stole innocent lives and inflicted brutality and carnage on innocent victims.  

With all the blindness around us, it is no wonder that our world has been thrown into chaos and confusion.  This is daily compounded by the fact that the goodness and glory of God is profaned publicly, while evil deeds are esteemed and praised.  The good news is that spiritual blindness can never subdue the glory of God in Christ because darkness will never overcome the Light (John 1:5).

As followers of Christ, God delivers us "out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).  It is God's love and Light and hope that sets us free.  When this love and hope penetrates our hearts, all darkness is chased away.

When Jesus walked this earth, He shared the exact same Light of God.  On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus radiates the refulgent glory of God from within.  We are told that "His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as Light" (Matthew 17:2).

With Christ in us, we, too, carry His Light.  Jesus tells us that we "are the light of the world" and that we are to let our "light so shine before men that they may see [our] moral excellence and [our] praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify [our] Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14,16).

It is Jesus' Light that illumines our paths.  When we obey His commands and live by His principles, we cannot walk in darkness.  The book of Ephesians tells us that "the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life" (Ephesians 5:9).  We are then admonished to "try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him]" (Ephesians 5:10).

If we pursue the Light of Christ and pursue lives that are pleasing to Him, we will shine brighter and brighter in this perverse generation.  This is what will bring salvation to those who do not know Jesus and will illuminate paths that are darkened.  It is in this way that the Light of the world shines brightly in us and through us to a world that desperately needs to know Him.

If God chose the timing of a dark world for His first Advent, it makes sense that that could occur again for His second Advent.  Our role right now is similar to that of John the Baptist- we are to point others to the Living Christ.  Jesus is the only solution for our world today and the only true Light of the world!


"The Lord is my Light and my Salvation- whom shall I fear or dread?  The Lord is the Refuge and stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?"
                                                                                (Psalm 27:1)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

I Give Thee Thanks



                            When I ponder the magnificence of who You are,
                             It gives me pause and stirs within a deep reflection.
                            Your goodness exceeds the depth of my comprehension,
                            And surpasses all knowledge regarding Your perfection.


                            Beautiful both in who You are and in what You do,
                            Exalted above all things Your hands have created;
                            Enthroned and elevated o'er the heavens and the earth,
                            Encircled by a myriad of angels - captivated.


                            When I ponder the things on the Cross You accomplished,
                            Motivated solely by Your all-consuming love;
                            You removed sin, guilt, God's wrath, and alienation,
                            While You extended grace, becoming my Beloved.


                            You also freed me from curses and captivity,
                            Defeating every foe and abominable power.
                            You died in my place, lifted me up, gave me favor,
                            So that in Your Name wicked oppressors would cower.


                            When I ponder how important You are to me,
                            And all You have sacrificed that I might live with You,
                            There are no amount of words, or songs, or praise
                            That could adequately convey my gratitude.


                            Your presence in my life and fellowshipping with You,
                            Is more meaningful than anything this world has to offer,
                            Worshipping You in reverence and awe brings a light to my soul
                            And a faith that could literally walk on the water.


                            When I ponder the incalculable number of blessings
                            You have graciously and generously poured out to me,
                            I am eternally grateful and beholden to You,
                            Filled with appreciation that wells up immeasurably.


                           You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing,
                           And continue to bless my life in numberless ways;
                           From the very moment I awaken each morning,
                           Til the second I close my eyes at night- offering praise.


                            When I ponder all of this and remember how great Thou art,
                             I realize that there is none other to be found in Your ranks.
                             You are the One who is worthy and holy and honorable;
                             Deserving of adoration- Oh God, I give Thee thanks!



                 "Greater love has no one than this, than He lay down His life for His friends."
                                                                 John 15:13

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Oaks of Righteousness


"They may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
                                                                                                                                       (Isaiah 61:3)



The timing in which this scripture was penned was during Israel's "Year of Jubilee".  This message was given through the prophet, Isaiah, to a broken and hurting people that were left waiting and longing for God's promises to be fulfilled.  God's merciful heart was revealed and His intent was certain- His children would rebuild, repair, and restore the devastation in their land with God's assistance, as well as the abundance of His provision.

Later, Jesus applied this same passage to Himself in the fourth chapter of Luke.  His meaning was also clear- for those of us who are in Christ, we, too, are living in a spiritual "Year of Jubilee".  This means that Jesus has set us free from bondage, our spiritual debt has been paid-in-full, and we are living in the "acceptable year of the Lord".  We are sons and daughters of the King, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and clothed in garments of righteousness.

God was very intentional when He declared to them that they would be called "oaks of righteousness".  The unfortunate part of this was that they did not feel very strong or distinguished.  It was even possible that they questioned if they were even in right standing with God because of the ravages of war they had experienced.  In spite of this, God delivered His merciful message to a people that desperately needed to hear it. He assured them that help was on the way!

In the book of Genesis, we find another story that references oak trees.  This is the story of Abraham and Sarah, who are found nestled among the "oaks of Mamre".  For many years they had waited and longed for the fulfillment of God's promise that they would bear a child.  The more time that lapsed, the harder it was to hold onto God's promise.  At this critical point in their faith journey, at the "oaks of Mamre", God appeared and told them His promise was about to be fulfilled.

Later, in Abraham's story, when God asked him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, God provides he ram as a substitute.  The Hebrew word ayil can be translated both as "oaks" and as "ram".  In Abraham's story, the ram is evidence of God's provision and mercy.

The word ayil refers to both strength and power.  It can also mean a "pillar", which refers to a strong leader.  The interesting aspect of this meaning is that it is God who brings the strength and power.  In the example of the oak tree, it is something that occurs over a very long period of time.

The more adverse the conditions surrounding an oak tree, the stronger it gets.  It can range in size from the height of a shrub to towering above a hundred feet tall.  Regardless of its' height, it has a root structure that mirrors that which we see.  In other words, if the oak tree is fifty feet tall, its' roots will extend fifty feet into the soil.  This is because it has to go deep to find the water and nutrients it needs to survive.

It typically takes at least twenty years for an oak tree to bear fruit (in the form of an acorn).  In the Torah, God established laws to protect fruit trees and to help them grow.  No one was allowed to eat of them for the first five years and the Israelites were never allowed to cut them down, even in times of war (Deuteronomy 20:19-20).  God, Himself, protects these trees as if they were defenseless people.

Symbolizing life, trees are one of God's magnificent creations that parallel humanity.  They are tall and majestic and strong and their branches reach upward toward heaven.  They have character and provide shelter for many animals and birds.  They are rooted and grounded and cared for by the Master Gardner.

Part of our calling is for us to be "oaks of righteousness".  There will be seasons when God is establishing our root system (which no one else can see).  In these times, we remember how God hid Elijah and Moses and John the Baptist during their times of preparation. This is the tie to really learn who our source of nourishment and sustenance is and how to abide in Him.

There will also be seasons when we are bearing fruit that is not yet ready to be consumed.  It is in this season that we old fast to the promises and exhortations of our God.  As tender fledglings, we focus on Jesus and allow Him to develop our character.  We endure the winds of affliction in order to become more and more transformed into the image of Christ.

When we finally become mature and bear the fruit we were created to bear, we remember that it is solely for His glory and the extension of His Kingdom.  We are the planting of the Lord and the display of His splendor.  Oaks of righteousness are the living representation of the testimony of God's mercy and provision and exist to point others to do the same.

Oaks of righteousness become places of refuge for those who need to be comforted.  They give out what they have first received from Christ.  The Spirit of the Lord rests upon those who give life and truth and love to help others grow into their inheritance in God.  These are those that God calls His "Oaks of Righteousness".


"It is God's work, it is a tree that God has planted.  It could not grow like that if anybody else had planted it.  This man is a man of God's making, his joy is a joy of God's giving."
                                                                                      Charles H. Spurgeon       



Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Reveal



"And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for Him unto salvation."
                                                                                     (Hebrews 9:27-28)



We are currently living in between two epic events: the first and second Advent of Christ.  While many believers in the Old Testament did not understand that the coming of Christ would occur in two separate events, we are blessed to know that we have one Messiah who fulfills two separate roles.  The purpose of the first Advent was to become the sacrifice for all sins: past, present, and future and to destroy the works of Satan.  The purpose of the second Advent is to award salvation to those who eagerly await it.

The first Advent of Christ is now an historical fact.  When Jesus lived on this earth for thirty-three years, He fulfilled many of the prophecies found in Scripture, but not all of them.  Born as a helpless infant, He entered our world in meekness and humility.  Jesus was rejected by His own (the Jewish people) and He completed His mission as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53).  He became the Savior of sinners and yet the government remained in the hands of men.

At the Cross, Jesus defeated sin, which became our doctrine of atonement.  This is the very heartbeat of Christianity and it literally means "reconciliation [to God]".  Through the atonement that Jesus provided for us, we are: regenerated, redeemed, reconciled, justified, forgiven, and adopted by God.

Additionally, we are told that the first coming of Christ defeated the works of Satan.  The apostle, John, writes, "[But] he who commits sin [who practices evil doing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done]" (1 John 3:8).

The second Advent of Christ will be completely different from the first- the Lamb becomes the Lion of Judah.  Our focus shifts from the Cross of Calvary to the Crown of Christ.  Jesus will appear the second time, completely apart from sin, in power and authority.  He will appear in the clouds, with the armies of heaven, to rule and reign forever.

All of the prophecies concerning Christ that have not previously been fulfilled will be fulfilled at His Second Coming.  Our Conquering King will come with the government in His hands and on is shoulder.  This time, He will be received by the Jewish people who will claim Him as their own Messiah.  Instead of coming as the Savior of sinners, Jesus will come as the Judge of sinners.  Jude tells us that Jesus will "execute judgment upon all and will convict all the impious (unholy ones) of all their ungodly deeds" (Jude, v.15).

The second Advent of Christ is referred to as the Glorious Appearing (Titus 2:13).  And, glorious it will be! Jesus will take an upside down world and He will turn it right side up.  It is at this time that everything will be redeemed.  Isaiah tells us that, "[The Lord God says], 'And the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing to Zion; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away'" (Isaiah 51:11).

It is at this time that Satan will be dethroned.  Since the Cross, he has been under the authority of Christ but God allowed him to still be the "god of this age".  He has yet to be chained and thrown into the lake of fire, but his time for that is soon to come!

At Jesus' Second Coming, all curses will be reversed.  In addition to that, all nations will be freed from the bondage of sin and corruption.  When Jesus rules, all of creation will be transformed.

When this world is reborn, Jesus will be the King and we will be a kingdom of priests that reign with Him.  We will have rulership to carry out His commands.  Peace will have its' perfect order throughout the world.  The condition that Christ gives to us is that we endure and not deny Him (2 Timothy 2:12).

In an increasingly hostile environment, this will require intentionality and the power of the Holy Spirit.  As the hostility increases so will the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit because He will never leave us in a position where we are not equipped to do His will and walk in victory.  As we transition into epic times, we have before us the most exciting moments of history ever to be experienced!

We are not to focus on the evil that is advancing, but, rather on what God is doing in the midst of it.  Remember, we all have a date with deity in our future.  Those who have been redeemed by the Lamb will rule and reign with the Lion of Judah.  When this happens, we will no longer have an advocate or defender for us because the evidence is all in.  Heaven does not exist for "good" people or religious people.  Heaven only exists for forgiven people that have a relationship with the One who "died for [all] our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3).

The first Advent of Jesus occurred in an obscure, remote setting.  But, His Second Advent will be Jesus' big Reveal!  He will come with the clouds and "every eye will see Him" (Revelation 1:7). Some will be thrilled and others will lament and mourn at the sight of Him.  The time to be excited is now!  Are you awaiting the ultimate Reveal?


"Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there.  Its' rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war.  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns.  A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself.  He wore a robe dipped in blood, and is title  was the Word of God.  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses.  From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations.  He will rule them with an iron rod.  He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.  On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords."
                                    (Revelation 10:11-16)


   

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

In The Garden

"And when He came to the place, He said to them, 'Pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation.'  And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.'  And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit" (Luke 22:40-43).



The two most important decisions pertaining to all mankind occurred in a garden: the garden of Eden and the garden of Gethsemane.  Both of these gardens illustrate the importance of one decision made.  The decision to sin (made in the garden of Eden) was ill-advised, while the decision to bear that sin (made in the garden of Gethsemane) would forever bring redemption to a broken world.

The consequences of both these decisions continue to manifest in the world around us.  The garden of Eden was the place where: Adam sinned, Adam hid, and the sword of God was drawn.  It was God's mercy that refused to let Adam and Eve live in an unending place of sin and separation from God.

In the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus submitted His will to His Father, we see how love conquers over the depth of man's depravity.  It is here that: Jesus conquers, Jesus boldly presents His body as a sacrifice, and the sword of God is sheathed.  Once again, it is God's love and mercy that bring he eternal provision of a life spent with God.

While it is true that our feet may never tread in the place where the garden of Eden existed or traverse through the olive trees in the garden of Gethsemane, it is also quite likely that our spiritual journeys will include a stop at both of these gardens. Symbolically, our garden of Eden comes when we are presented with the truth of the Gospel and the person of Christ.  We make a decision whether we will choose to follow Jesus, commune with Him, and obey Him.  This is the first step of our journey

Once we have accepted Christ and have walked with Him for awhile, we will quite likely encounter our individual garden of Gethsemane.  The characteristics of this garden will include: feeling overwhelmed, feeling like your life makes no sense, feeling like your problems are too great to bear, and feeling like you cannot go on another day.

While it was God's cup of wrath from which Jesus recoiled, each one of us have places in our hearts and lives that we believe are too big for us to handle.  And, without Christ, they probably are.  This is where a clash of wills can begin.  However, God sees the greater good.  He sees the positive consequences that will occur when we submit to His will and not our own.

When Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane, eight of his disciples stood at a distance while three disciples (Peter, James, and John) stayed to pray with him.  Even the three closest to Jesus couldn't stay awake to help Him pray... Jesus' anguish began to overwhelm Him, proving that God truly became incarnate. John Calvin writes, "Those who imagine that the Son of God was exempt from human passions do not truly and sincerely acknowledge Him to be a man."  Despite Jesus' profound grief and undisputed humanity, He still did not sin (1 Peter 2:22).

Jesus did not question God's wisdom when He asked for God's cup of wrath to be removed from Him.  Instead, He submitted to God's will while honestly admitting the dread He felt for what was going to happen.  John Calvin also addresses the fact that Jesus trembles in Gethsemane "because He has before His eyes the dreadful tribunal of God, and the Judge himself armed with inconceivable vengeance; and because our sins, the load of which is laid upon Him, presses Him down with their enormous weight."

Today, our gardens of Gethsemane may look very different than Jesus' did.  nd yet, when we face the deep sorrows of: dying loved ones, illnesses, broken marriages, children on dark paths, lost jobs, etc., we are still faced with an anguish that is consuming.  In addition to our own Gethsemanes, we may also be invited in to pray in another persons garden of Gethsemane.

More than likely, this garden is a lonely one.  However, we are never alone.  Hebrews tells us, "This High Priest of ours [Jesus] understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it" (Hebrews 4:15-16). 

The ultimate triumph that occurred at Calvary was first accomplished among the twisted olive trees in Gethsemane.  The word Gethsemane literally means "olive press".  Just as the olives are completely pressed to make oil, so was Jesus "crushed for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus' submission accomplished great things!  When we surrender to God, we relinquish all our rights to Him. At times we will be pressed and even feel crushed.  As we continue to lay down our will, our dreams, our rights, and our goals, we begin to see that Jesus is a wise and beneficent Lord who desperately longs to bless us!


       "The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender."
                            William Booth, founder of Salvation Army

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Power Of Persistence



"After many days, the Word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, 'Go, show yourself to
 Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.'  So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab.  Now the famine
 was severe in Samaria...  Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the
 earth and put his face between his knees and said to his servant, 'Go up now, look toward the sea.'
 And he went up and looked and said, 'There is nothing.'  Elijah said, 'Go again seven times.'  And at
 the seventh time the servant said, 'A cloud as small as a man's hand is arising out of the sea...'
 In a little while, the heavens were black with wind-swept clouds, and there was a great rain."
                                                                                                                       (1 Kings 18:1-2; 42-45)




The drought and famine had lasted three long years when God brought the promise of rain to Elijah.  This was the moment when Elijah would have to choose what he would do with this promise from the Lord.  Would he focus on the dire circumstances that surrounded him or would he continue to "pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1)?

Time continued to pass and still there was no rain.  Yet, Elijah persisted in his faith and expectant prayers that God would fulfill His promises.  After the seventh time of praying and looking for the rain, a small cloud finally appeared in the sky.  And after that, the deluge of rain ensued.

Elijah believed that God would do what He said He would do.  In addition to that belief, there were three things that Elijah understood about his role in God's plan:  that God's power was within him, that God's power would be released through his prayers, and that God would add His holy fire to Elijah's prayers in order to accomplish His purposes.

So he persisted.  And persisted.  And persisted.  He built himself "up in his most holy faith" (Jude 1:20), and he waited for God's timing.

Elijah understood that God was "able to do abundantly more than all [he] could ask or think according to the power that was at work within [him]" (Ephesians 3:20).

In this scripture, the Greek word for the word according is kata.  Kata means "to measure out".  This means that we are responsible for measuring out God's unlimited power and resources into the circumstances He has given into our hands.

We do this through our prayers.  As God's children, we have access to all the power and authority we will ever need to live victorious lives in Christ.  The book of Ephesians tells us that God "has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing (given by the Holy Spirit) in the heavenly realm!" (Ephesians 1:3). 

We receive our power from heaven and then release it on this earth.  When we truly understand who God is and who we are in Him, we will rise up and release that same power and authority into our circumstances.  Then, in faith and with expectancy, we stand strong until we see God move on our behalf. 

The book of Revelation tells us that God adds holy fire to our prayers.  In the fifth chapter, we are told that incense is added to the golden bowls in heaven, which are filled with the prayers of believers.  Then we are told that an "angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints,
went up before God and out of the angel's hand.  Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightening and an earthquake" (Revelation 8:3-5).

If ever there were a time when the world needed God's fire, it is today.  We need God's fire to burn brightly within us.  Just as God is a consuming fire, we, too, can burn brightly for His glory.  Even while we wait.  Even when life is hard.

There are many believers today who are being tried and tested in their faith.  There is a special promise that God gives through the prophet, Zechariah, for such testing. God says, "I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.  They will call on My Name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is my God'" (Zechariah 13:9).

Persistence brings God's blessing to our lives.  The parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) describes the difficulties believers will face in the last days.  Despite injustices, this parable teaches that prayer is a matter of faith and that as we wait on God's deliverance it will be our persistent prayers that sustain us.  Power is released from heaven when we persist!


"We can do nothing without prayer.  All things can be done by importunate prayer.  It surmounts or removes all obstacles, overcomes every resisting force and gains its ends in the face of invincible hindrances."
                                                                                                                                         E.M. Bounds

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Power of Proclamation



"Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.'  And Gideon said to him, 'Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?   And where are all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, "Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?"  But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of the Midian.'  And the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of the Midian; do I not send you?'"
                                                                                                                       (Judges 6:11-14)




When the angel appeared to Gideon, his faith was not strong because of the distresses that Israel was experiencing.  His knees were wobbly and he could not reconcile the assurances God was speaking to him.  Circumstances and past experiences clouded the vision of this man of God.

Gideon's wavering response did not deter the angel.  God proclaimed to Gideon that: He was with him, Gideon was a mighty man of valor, and that Gideon would deliver the Israelites from the hands of their enemy (the Midianites).  This proclamation began to set the wheels in motion...

As believers, God has given us tremendous power to proclaim His Word.  We carry both the privilege and the responsibility of doing so.  The book of Proverbs tells us that "life and death are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).   As we proclaim God's Word, we are releasing God's creative and transforming power into the situations we are facing.

There are two related words in the New Testament that are used:  one is "to confess" and the other is "to proclaim".  Confession is stating words that line up with the Word of God, which then brings the full backing and authority of Jesus.  This is because God is always ready to back up His Word when we pray in accordance with God's will.

Proclamation is a confession made aggressive.  It means: "to announce, to declare, to decree, to pronounce, and to herald."  This is an area of spiritual development that changes the heart of man and releases a change in the spiritual realm.

This is a form of spiritual warfare.  Proclamation is the most effective way to release God's power into a situation.  When we echo prophetic promises and blessings we should stand with the expectation of supernatural intervention.  Unwavering faith, combined with proclamation from God's Word and the Holy Spirit will bring powerful results (in God's timing, of course).

Please note that this is not advocating a recent "name it and claim it" theology.  It is simply seeking God's guidance and wisdom relating to us and coming into agreement with what God shows us and then heralding those truths.  It is commanding light into dark places by the power and authority of God's Word.

Let's look at the example we find in David's life.  When Goliath began to taunt David, he said "'Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?'  And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.  The Philistine said to David, 'Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field'" (1 Samuel 17:43-44).

David stood firm against Goliath's taunts and he made a proclamation over the curse that had been spoken.  David said, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head.  And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear.  For the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hand" (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

David's proclamation set the stage for the victory that was to follow.  Like David, we are also to take hold of God's Word and exercise the authority He has given to us.  As we memorize and meditate and declare Scripture over our circumstances, it will build our faith, shatter our negative thinking, and prepare a path for victory.

Here are some practical declarations we can use:

Health and Strength

Psalm 29:11
"The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace."

Proverbs 4:20-23
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."

Protection and Guidance

Psalm 121:7-8
"The Lord will keep me from all harm, He will watch over my life; the Lord will watch over my coming and going both now and forevermore."

Nahum 1:7
"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him."

God's Assistance

2 Chronicles 20:6
"O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God wo is in heaven?  You rule over the kingdoms of the nations.  Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand you."

Family

Joshua 24:15
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Wisdom

Job 12:13
"With God are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding."

Testing and Trials

Jeremiah 17:7-8
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends its roots out by the stream, and does not fear when the heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Spiritual Conflict

Psalm 35:1-3
"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!  Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!  Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers!  Say to my soul, 'I am your salvation!'"

Peace

Isaiah 26:3
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."



"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it  (Isaiah 55:10-11). 
    

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Purpose and Power in Prayer



"Effective prayer is prayer that attains what it seeks.  It is prayer that moves God, effecting its end."
                                                                   Charles Finney




During the nineteenth century, Charles Finney's ministry surged across the American terrain like an unrestrained tsunami.  He is widely acknowledged today as one of America's foremost evangelists and its greatest revivalist.  It was Finney that marched this country out of the eighteenth century and facilitated the conversion of more than a half a million people without the assistance of technology or mass communication.

Finney's revivals sparked the Second Great Awakening and are largely responsible for the country being called a Christian nation.  He rallied the country around the Bible and the power of prayer.  His style of evangelism has influenced many, including Dwight L. Moody and Billy Graham.

When asked about the secrets of success regarding his ministry, Charles Finney attributed his effectiveness to prayer.  He was very deliberate in how he prayed, what he prayed, and co-laboring with the Holy Spirit in his prayer.  These ingredients are what gave him both the strategy and the power to see a mighty move of God.

Faith was an essential ingredient in Finney's prayer life, as was the Word of God.  When the Scriptures tell us that "whoever believes in Me [Jesus] will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the Father.  Whatever you ask in My Name, this will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My Name, I will do it" (John 14:12-14), Finney took God at His Word.

He believed there are two major mistakes we make when we pray: we pray too small and we pray too generally.  Specific answers require praying with specificity.  Mighty moves of God require big faith and knowing how big God is.  We do not have to fight for our victory; we are already fighting from a position of victory.

Too often in our lives we pray from a defensive position instead of an offensive one.  During these days in which we live we need to be aggressive in our prayers- for our families, our communities, and our nation.  We are definitely in a war and that requires committed warriors who are submitted and obedient to the will of God.

The caveat to being a warrior is that we also must be immersed in God's love.  Belligerence is not God's way.  Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Charles Finney describes such an encounter  He said, "The Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul.  I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me.  Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love; for I could not express it any other way.  It seemed like the very breath of God..."

Truly experiencing God's love transforms our prayers from being a needs based endeavor into becoming relationally based communication with God.  As we acknowledge that God's power and authority is far above our own, we know that we can fully trust and depend on Him to meet our needs.  When our hearts become aligned to the very heartbeat of Christ, we understand that all things important are related to His kingdom, His power, and His glory.  In other words, it becomes all about Him.

America desperately needs a prayer revival.  This revival will first start in the lives of individual believers.  Leonard Ravenhill, author of Why Revival Tarries, expounds on this precept.  He says, "God can move mountains but prayer moves God."

One of the prayers that Charles Finney prayed daily was that God would lead him to the person who was the nearest to death so that he could lead them to the Cross.  Daily, God honored this prayer.  Almost daily, Finney saw new converts added to God's kingdom.

We have been given authority to pray big prayers.  Our responsibility is to rule this earth through prayer.  Oswald Chambers said, "Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work."

God has an agenda for every aspect of our lives and for every person in our lives.  He calls us to lay hold of His promises and to persist until we see the answers materialize or until we see Jesus face to face.  The rest is up to Him.

We all should have several things and people for which we are standing in the gap.  Our strength comes from our joy which comes from our prayer.  This is what strengthens our inner man with might and gives us both purpose and power in our prayer!


Dear Heavenly Father,
Help us to put on holiness, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience...  forgiving one another and binding us in love which brings perfect harmony.  Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and help us to be thankful.  Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing us in all wisdom.  Help our actions (word and deed) to be in Christ Jesus as we give thanks to the Father through Him ( Colossians 3:12-17).

Put Your Spirit upon us and Your Words within us and our offspring from this time forth and forevermore (Isaiah 59:21).

Help us to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness (Matthew 6:33) and to go forth making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Help us to observe all that You have commanded us to do and to teach others to do the same.  Thank you that You are with us always. (Matthew 28:19-20).

We give You all the praise, glory, and honor in Jesus' Name (1 Peter 1:7).  Amen.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Transforming Faith



"Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends."
                                                                                                                     George Muller




Each one of us carries within us a God-sized dream.  It may relate to our family, or business, or ministry.  Whatever it is, if it is from God, it extends beyond our natural ability and will require a deepening of our faith.  In fact, our God-sized dream will often involve a fight of faith that transforms us in the process.

When God places a dream in our hearts, there is almost always a time of testing and trials.  This occurs so that we know with certainty that it is God's dream and not our own.  Additionally, our character must match the dream God has given us.  Most of the time we don't easily recognize the weaknesses in ourselves that need to be strengthened. But God does, and He is faithful to complete the work He begins in us.

Shortly after God gave Joseph a dream about his life, he was dropped in a pit, sold as a slave, taken to Egypt, and bought by Potiphar.  And that was when his troubles really began!  Over time, however, Joseph was sustained by God's power and he remained faithful under fire.

He perservered despite being trapped, imprisoned, and forgotten.  He learned that God's power was greater than anything that could be done to him.  Objectivity and faithfulness emerged in the midst of pressure and hard times.  He recognized that God is not restricted by our circumstances and that God can even cause us to flourish even as bad things are happening to us.

When God is the owner of our dream, our destiny can never be thwarted by another person.  He is the author and the center around which all things move.  He will allow us to be broken at times, however, so that we will wholly become available to Him.  He will bring our dream to fruition as we surrender to Him, wait for His timing, and quit fighting the trajectory He has established for our lives.

Humility and meekness will allow us to receive God's grace and even to enjoy the difficult times and places of our journey.  We will discover our voice, and calling, and begin to visualize the path laid out before us. During the times when we feel "stuck", we realize that we are not yet ready for our dream to be actualized.

There are phases in our faith that we experience as we walk out our dream.  The five phases are: Encumbrance, Enduring, Expectant, Entrenched, and Enthusiastic.  All of these phases are fluid and have gently and lovingly been filtered through God's fingers so they may produce the harvest in our lives that God is seeking.

Phase one is some type of encumbrance.  It may be a problem we are encountering or possibly an obstacle to what we perceive God is calling us to do.  It is under the weight of this pressure that we either run from what God is calling us to do or we resolve to go deeper in our walk and seek God more completely.

Phase two is enduring faith.  This is where we begin to practice patience along with our faith.  The book of Hebrews tells us that the purpose in this is so that we will be "imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises" (Hebrews 6:12).

Phase three is expectant faith.  This is when we begin to take God at His Word with no visible evidence.  We stand on God's Word and expect that He is faithful and He is able to complete all that He has spoken concerning us.

Phase four is a faith that is entrenched.  This means that somehow God will confirm His Word and promise to us.  It may come through the Scriptures, a sermon, or a prophetic word or prayer.  Whenever we seek answers and guidance, God promises us that He will provide them.

Phase five is enthusiastic faith.  This is when we see God's promises fulfilled and we begin to walk out the dream that God has given to us.  We are jubilant and cannot wait to share with others what God has done!

There are so many benefits to living a life of faith that is all-encompassing.  John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, describes it this way: "True Christian faith fulfills man's desires to perceive the eternal.  It gives him a more extensive knowledge of all things invisible.  Living faith introduces him to what the eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, nor the heart conceived in the clearest light, with the fullest certainty and evidence.  Knowing these benefits, who could not wish for such a faith?  With faith comes not only this awareness, but also the fulfillment of the promise of holiness and happiness."

Everything about this kind of faith focuses on Jesus.  We begin to grow in Christ and inevitably become closer to Him.  The result is maturity that is displayed in a Christ-centered life.

This is the faith that transforms us.  It is faith that has the depth to allow the Cross to accomplish its perfect work within us.  The outflow will be the fulfillment of our God-sized dream that will be a blessing to others! So... Dream Big!!!


   "Faith is to believe what we do not see.  The reward of this faith is to see what we believe."
                                         Augustine (354-430), bishop of Hippo

Monday, September 28, 2015

The Father Of Lights



"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.  And the nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.  Lift up your eyes all around, and see;  they all gather together, they come to you;  your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.  Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult..."
                                                                                                                                        (Isaiah 60:1-5)




Each of us are uniquely chosen to live in these epic times.  God is weaving His story throughout our lives and throughout the world.  At times, it can be easy to focus on the darkness around us instead of really pressing in and seeing what God is doing in our midst.  And what He is doing is marvelous!

History has proven that the more challenging the times for the followers of Christ were, the more opportunities God provided for them.  He would show up in unimaginable ways and He would be glorified.  He would open spiritual eyes and lives would be forever changed.  He accomplished that which was impossible to reveal to us that, in Him, all things are possible.

We now live in challenging times such as these.  God promises us, though, that the darker the world gets, the brighter He will shine.  We are told that God clothes Himself "with light as a garment" (Psalm 104:2).  We are also told that "God is Light" (1 John 1:5) and that He is "the Father of Lights" (James 1:17).

For some mysterious reason, we are the vessels from which God chooses to reveal Himself.  We are the children of "lights" that God has fathered.  It is the brightness of His presence that shines from within us and that is also what brings Him glory.

In order for God to be glorified through us, our lives nedd to extend beyond the boundaries of a natural explanation.  Francis Chan, an author and pastor, states: "Ask God to have His Spirit work so mightily in you that it would make for an amazing biography.  A biography that speaks of a life so supernatural that no one would even consider giving you the glory.  A biography that displays the power of the Spirit and lifts up the name of Jesus to the glory of  God the Father."

This extends beyond natural talent. It extends beyond any ability we have in the natural to accomplish things in our own strength.  These are not the things God is looking for in His children.  God is looking for purity and holiness; He is looking for a people on earth who look like Jesus.

God has "called us to a holy calling" (2 Timothy 1:9).  Believers are called to "be holy and blameless before Him" (Ephesians 1:4).  These are the people that God blesses.  Robert Murray M'Cheyne, a nineteenth century minister in Church of Scotland, said: "It is not great talent that God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus."

Holiness is not about following a set of rules; it is about following Jesus.  The closer we become to Him, the more we see the truth of who He is and who we are.  This requires openness, honesty, and a willingness to push forward in order to bring Him glory.

Francis Frangipane, an author and pastor, describes it this way: "When true holiness exists in a Christian's life, it produces a luminosity, a glow around that individual.  Infants and little children, because their spirits are yet pure and undefiled and because they are so close to the actual presence of God, emanate this light as well.  Their ligfht is visible because their hearts are transparent and truthful.  For us, the way to the bright lamp of holiness is this same way of transparency and truth.  It is the way to the pure gold of the kingdom of God."

Transparency and truth allow us to see when our words, actions, and attitudes are in alignment with God's Word and when we miss the mark.  Daily (or hourly), we are quick to repent, knowing that God is always faithful to forgive our sins.

After David had sinned (with Bathsheba), he repented and later wrote a Psalm of trust where he said: "For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever]; and abundant in lovingkindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You" (Psalm 86:5).

God redeems our sins and He redeems our hardships.  He restores us, makes us whole, and blesses us.  He fills us with His Spirit and shines His light through our lives.  We are clothed in holiness, power, and love and shine brightly in a world that continues to grow darker by the day.  Ultimately, the Father of Lights illumines the whole earth with His glory!!!


Jesus urged His followers, "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
                                                                                                                               (Matthew 5:16)