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)

Alignment

"Every scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
                                                                                                                           (2 Timothy 3:16-17)




Consistency in our faith walk is the single most important factor that will bring success.  Maintaining consistency requires both the fire of the Holy Spirit and the infallible truth of God's Word.  Christ is most glorified when our lives balance power and truth, word and deed, and faith and faithfulness.

When our hearts and minds come into alignment with one another, love and faith will unite in strength and result in both joy and glory (1 Peter 1:8-9).  Transformation of both heart and mind enables us to grow up in Christ and avoid both erring on the side of truth without love, as well as the inaccuracies of love without truth.  Alignment is quintessentially necessary for each of us to become all that God has created us to be.

Think for a moment about our physical bodies.  The health of both our hearts and minds are completely intertwined.  The link between them can either be positive or negative.  For example, people who are depressed are two to three more times likely to develop heart disease.

Communication between the mind and heart travels both ways.  The heart sends signals to the brain, just as the brain sends signals to the heart.  Each responds to the other.

The more stable the pattern of either the heart's input or the brain's neural signals, the higher the cognitive function will be.  This functioning includes: emotional processing, attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving.  Higher cognitive function reinforces positive feelings, emotional stability, and perceptual clarity.

The converse is also true.  During times of high emotional stress and negative emotions, the heart rate is often erratic and disordered.  This sharply limits our ability to: think clearly, remember, learn, reason, and make effective decisions.

Just as there are techniques to reduce stress and anxiety (meditation and breathing), so are there ways we can come into alignment spiritually.  As we allow the Holy Spirit to work through our lives, we can be assured that He will always work through the truth.  We are told: "When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).

The Holy Spirit guides us through the Living Word of God (who is Jesus) and the written Word of God (the Bible).  We have to both be connected to Jesus and know God's Word.  Consistency in both the Living Word and the written Word will bear fruit in our lives.

Our consistency will only be as sustainable as our source.  That means that the quality of our fruit is only as valuable as the vine to which it is attached.  Success is based on our root system.  We stay connected to Him and dependant upon Him.

Biblically, consistency is not an option.  It is not a suggestion.  In fact, it is the main ingredient of our faith.  And we are admonished that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).  The truth is that even if we have the faith to step out, it is worthless without the faithfulness to sustain it.

Specific areas of consistency include: Bible study, prayer, worship, time management, character, attitude, our calling, and walking in the love of God.  These will cause us to grow and have a closer relationship with God.  Really knowing and loving God will also motivate us to be more consistent.

J.I. Packer, a twentieth century author and theologian, sums it up this way: "What were we made for? To know God!  What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God.  What is the "eternal life" that jesus gives? Knowledge of God... What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else? Knowledge of God."

When we know who God truly is, we will love Him.  When we understand His heart for us and the sacrifice He made on our behalf, it is impossible not to love Him.  His love, mercy, goodness, and kindness overtake us and we are smitten!

Stagnation is an impossibility in our walk with God.  We either grow or we backslide.  Peter tells us to continually "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

God assists us in this growth.  Like the heart and mind connection, communication travels both ways.  Thomas Aquinas, an eleventh century philosopher and theologian, expressed it this way: "Bestow on me, O Lord my God, understanding to know You, diligence to seek You, and a faithfulness to finally embrace You, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

As we develop faithfulness and consistency, we become more like Christ.  As we become more Christ-like, God faithfully fulfills His promises. When we come into agreement with His will and His Word, He commands the blessing in our lives.  We align ourselves, both in spirit and in truth, and we are made new!


                "God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
                                                          (John 4:24)

Humility Comes Before Honor

                                             "Before honor comes humility."
                                                        Proverbs 15:33b




It has been said that humility is the highest form of grace a believer can possess.  That is because God, Himself, "gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5).  It is more important to our Heavenly Father to mold Christ-like character within us than anything we could ever accomplish or achieve without it.  Our character will establish the trajectory of our giftings and influence.

In the Bible, God emphasizes humility more than any other character trait, with the exception of love.  And yet, there is rarely a sermon given about it.  Ironically, it is probably the most important indicator of how far we will go in this Christian journey.

Humility is powerful.  In the fourteenth chapter of the gospel of Luke (vv. 8-11), Jesus explains to us that humility is the path to promotion.  He concludes by telling us that "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).

It is through humility and abiding in Christ that we will bear much fruit (John 12:24-25).  When we release ourselves fully to God, we are transformed and His life begins to flow through us.  As we focus on Him, the Holy Spirit manifests Himself to meet the needs of those around us.

The struggle comes to us when we vascillate between pride and humility.  The true struggle is one of focus.  If the focus is ourselves, either positively or negatively, it will quickly lead us to a place of pride. Thankfully, we do have the power to choose our focus.

An accurate, honest evaluation of ourselves comes when we use faith as the measuring stick of where we are.  Consider what the book of Romans tells us. It says, "Don't think you are better than you really are.  Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us" (Romans 12:3).

When we see ourselves as God sees us, and define ourselves as God defines us, it will provide the ultimate system of checks and balances.  This assessment will keep our egos in check and also enable us to grow in confidence in who we are created to be.  This is the confidence that will enable us to know God and make Him known.

In Jesus, we find the ultimate example of humility.  The book of Philippians tells us, "Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example of selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and unchanging existence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes- the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; but emptied Himself  [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].  After He was found in [terms of His]  outward appearance as a man [for a divinely appointed time] , He humbled Himself by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even on a cross.  For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11).

Jesus reveals to us a powerful correlation: to the degree in which we humble ourselves will be the degree to which God can exalt us.  This is the measure of how much God can trust us with power and influence.  It is a standard of our Christ-centeredness and faithfulness to God.

The indicators of humility are as follows:

                                   *ability to bow before God
                                   *teachable spirit
                                   *seeks and grants forgiveness
                                   *genuineness and authenticity
                                   *gratefulness
                                   *serves others
                                   *godly sorrow (over sins)
                                   *brings people together
                                   *broken self-will
                                   *deep relationship with God
                                   *vessel in which the Holy Spirit flows

Pride is the antithesis of humility.  Indicators of pride are:

                                   *talks more than listens
                                   *unwilling to be accountable
                                   *unwilling to receive correction
                                   *defensive
                                   *stubborn, rebellious
                                   *argumentative and contentious
                                   *legalistic
                                   *judgmental
                                   *prayerlessness
                                   *striving for a certain appearance
                                   *not willing to serve in menial tasks
                                   *vain

Scripture tells us that God resists the proud.  Dwight L. Moody, a nineteenth century evangelist said, "God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves."  God resists pride because it will bring shame and ultimately, pride will destroy us.

It is God's desire to redeem and restore us.  His Word promises blessings for those who are humble.  The blessings include: God will fight for us and defend us (Numbers 12:1-8), God will give us grace (Proverbs 3:34), God will give us the kingdom (Matthew 5:3), God will dwell with us (Isaiah 57:15), and the humble will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

As we are clothed in humility, we will grow: in our relationships, in wisdom, in truthfulness, in trustworthiness, in dependability, and in genuineness.  We are wrapped in our garment and it is displayed through our conduct and conversation.  This royal robe inevitably will attract dignity, respect, and esteem.  There is no honor higher than that which comes from the Lord!


"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time."
                                                                                                                               (1 Peter 5:6)

Bless The Beautiful Land!

"On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had
 searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands."
                                                                                                                             (Ezekiel 20:6)




The nation of Israel is often referred to in the Bible as "The Beautiful Land".  There is no other nation in the world that has the fingerprint of God imprinted on it in the way Israel does.  It is uniquely chosen as God's land and has carried this distinction from the beginning.  From the time it was given to Abram and his descendants, a promise from God was attached to the land and the people.  There is no person or nation that has the ability to remove those promise(s).  This is God's idea and it is His covenant.

As believers in Christ, we know that the ultimate promise was that God would bring our Messiah through the Jewish lineage.  Until that time occurred, the main focus of the Old Testament was on the land of Israel and His people.  When God gave the land to Abram, He promised: "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3).

While it is true that God has distinguished Israel and its people, it is also true that they have been tried and tested relentlessly.  Throughout history, they have experienced numerous desolations and distresses. The nation of Israel has survived ten wars, six of which should have destroyed them. There is no other explanation for the survival of Israel other than that the hand of God is on that land.
However, they have not been immune from an enormous amount of stress, strain, and squeezing. That pressure and intensity has never been more true than it is today.  Even now, Israel is surrounded by multitudes that would love nothing more than to annhilate them.

 The Arab Spring did not bring democracy, because the heart of Islam will always be the destruction of Israel.  It is the plan of the enemy to heat things up in the Middle East, because he knows the time is near for the full number of gentiles to come in.  The animosity and enmity toward "The Beautiful Land" is palpable.

The size of Israel is comparable to the size of New Jersey.  Israel has no major natural resources over which to wage war. Yet war rages all around because of man's enmity towards God.  Israel always has been and will continue to be part of God's redemptive plan for the whole world.

Israel is the divine barometer of the world and the weathervane that reveals what is coming to the earth.  Despite the fact that Israel has not yet become all that God created her to be, He has not forsaken her.

God called Israel to be a holy nation, set apart and different from the world. She was created to be the expression of God's will, Word, and  a light to the nations.  Despite Her shortcomings, she is a picture of God's faithfulness and a portrait of His plan of redemption and salvation for all mankind.  Israel is the most glorious testimony of God's unrelenting and unapologetic love.

Even though God has not forsaken Israel, the allies and friends of Israel have fled.  The prophet Zechariah foretells of a day that not one nation would stand with Israel.  God states: "And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples... And all the nations of the earth shall come and gather against it" (Zechariah 12:3).

Until recent years, you could not have convinced me that the United States would be anything but a strong ally to Israel.  Yet we are standing on the precipice of selling out our strongest ally to the Ayatollahs in Iran.  We are handing over our friends the way Judas handed Jesus over to the Pharisees.  Unfortunately, we are even more foolish than Judas,  because we didn't even get  the thirty pieces of silver.  Instead, we handed over our (borrowed) silver to Iran!

The leaders of our country are grossly deceived.  They think they have asked Iran for a fish
(i.e. no war), but unbeknownst to them they have been handed a serpent (See Matthew 7:10).
And make no mistake, we will be bitten!

God promises to fight against those nations that come against His people and that He will judge those nations that oppose Israel.  Again, the prophet Zechariah tells us: "Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (Zechariah 14:3).

Fighting God is utterly futile, yet those who love Israel are being ignored.  There are currently thirty-four democrats who have announced their support of the Iranian deal, which makes the agreement veto-override proof.

Our congress has not followed the Constitution and should require President Obama to submit the Iran Accord to the Senate as a foreign treaty.  If they followed this protocol, there is no way they would get the sixty-seven votes needed to pass it. Thus, it would not become law.  However, once again, lawlessness abounds.

The vote in Congress will most likely occur on September 17, 2015.  Without supernatural intervention, our nation will approve a deal that instantaneously makes us defenders of Iran should they go to war, even if it means war against the nation of Israel!

According to author and speaker, Joel Roseberg, the pressure is intensifying for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Security Cabinet.  They completely understand the threat of an "Apocalyptic Iran".  They additionally understand that Tehran is currently engaged in a "massive military shopping spree" in Russia.  By years end, Iran's leaders expect to take possession of the Russian S-300 missile system.  This is a one billion dollar state of the art anti-aircraft missile system.  Can the leaders of Israel wait or is a preemptive strike against Iran necessary for their survival?

The proponents of this deal in our nation are puffed-up and wrongly believe they have achieved a peace deal.  How can peace be achieved when God promises war?  How can peace be achieved when God promises judgment?

As believers in Christ and in the accuracy of God's Word, we must fast and pray as never before.  God tells us, "If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

We must call our legislators or attend the rally in Washington on September 9th.  There has never been a more important crossroads in the history of our nation. Moving forward on this track will bring a period of unbelievable turmoil and darkness.  The fallout of a wrong decision will result in catastrophe.

                          MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
               
                                MAY GOD BLESS THE BEAUTIFUL LAND!!!

Steadfast Loyalty

"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the 
 tablet of your heart."
                                                                                                                                       Proverbs 3:3




In our society, true loyalty is a virtue that seems to have all but been vanquished.  We are inundated with misguided loyalties and allegiances which, at their core, are rooted in little more than self-interests and self-preservation.  We have become a "me" generation that has little tolerance or grace for anyone who deviates from our preset notion of values and norms.

We are divided and are becoming increasingly intolerant.  We clamor for the respect and deference
we refuse to give to others.  We somehow believe we can debate or bully people into viewing things the way we do.  If this is ineffective then we rise up to violently protest, despite the consequences to others.  Characteristics of our nation include: faithlessness, lawlessness, godlessness, mercilessness, and aimlessness.

The more empty we become, the easier it is to bow before every false idol that appeases our selfish desires.  And all the while, we turn our backs and harden our hearts to the Only One who can restore, reconcile, and redeem our broken nation.  Surely, it is our God that genuinely deserves our steadfast loyalty in this present age.

Intentionality is required.  In a biblical sense, loyalty is a spiritual strength that is linked to faith.  Actually, it is faithfulness in action.  When we can combine faith with loyalty, the yield is fidelty.  And our God is a God who requires fidelity from His people.

If we are going to fulfill God's call on our lives to be a loyal people, we have to first understand the One to whom we owe our allegiance and faithfulness.  This comes from reading and understanding His Word, knowing that it is His Word that is infallible and unchanging.  It also comes from trusting who God is and what God says He will do.

When we first accepted Christ as our personal Savior, we had to do more than merely assent to His invitation.  We had to learn to personally trust Him.  A relationship without trust is no relationship at all.  It is trust that will always be a prerequisite to steadfast loyalty.

There is an anonymous author that says that "Trusting means drawing on the inexhaustible resources of God."  His Word promises us that He will supply our needs and that He knows before we do what those needs even are.  He is sovereign and in control (Philippians 2:9-11); He is worthy of our trust (Psalm 33:4); He can do more than all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20); and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  Daily, we ought to affirm, "In God I trust" (Psalm 56:11).

There is a story in the fifth chapter of 2 Kings that juxtaposes the loyalty of Namaan's servant girl and Elisha's servant named Gehazi.  Despite the fact that Namaan's servant girl was a Jewish slave stolen from her family and homeland, she was loyal to Namaan's family with her whole heart.  She was the one who instructed the leprous Namaan to go to her native land (where surely she longed to be) to find Elisha and be healed of his leprosy.

Namaan agreed.  After Elisha healed Namaan, he was profoundly grateful.  He wanted to repay Elisha by lavishing him with luxurious gifts, but Elisha refused the gifts.  Despite Elisha's refusal, Gehazi went behind his back and accepted the gifts from Namaan.  When Elisha learned of Gehazi's deception and betrayal, he pronounced leprosy upon Gehazi and his descendants forever.

The actions from the servant girls' loyalty resulted in miraculous healing and blessings.  The actions from Gehazi's disloyalty resulted in scandal, disease, and death.  Loyalty eminates from a position of spiritual strength, whereas disloyalty is viewed as a character flaw.

In addition to pledging our allegiance and faithfulness to God, our actions must then be faithful and true to Him and His purposes in the earth.  Each one of us are entrusted with resources and gifts to be used for the extension of God's kingdom.  Each one of us are uniquely equipped to benefit others.  When we rely on God to accomplish more through our lives than we could accomplish on our own, this is what brings God glory.

Daily God asks us, "What will you do with what you have been given?"  He promises to add power to lives of His children through their talents, skills, and gifts.  He also provides us with an abundance of creativity that is displayed in a myriad of forms.  This becomes the ongoing test in our lives... Will we steward them well?

It is through spiritual discipline that we will be able to effectively serve others.  These disciplines include: prayer (Matthew 6:9), meditation (Philippians 4:8), fasting (Luke 5:35), and study (Luke 2:46).  We stretch, strain, and press to fully apprehend everything that God calls for us to obtain.

When resistance rears its ugly head to our loyalty and steadfastness (and be assured that it will), we are called to push back.  We war over the powers of darkness with the authority of God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.  As Christ's ambassador's on earth (2 Corinthians 5:20), we allow God to make His appeal through us.

Steadfast loyalty will bring victory in our lives.  It will also bring victory to our loved ones.  It will in like manner bring victory in a society that is broken.  We are created to be fiercely and passionately loyal to our God.  We are created to be one in Him.  And we know that in Him we already have the victory.

Brother Andrew (born in 1928), who is a Christian missionary that smuggles bibles into hostile nations, says this: "God is never defeated.  Though He may be opposed, attacked, resisted, still the ultimate outcome can never be doubted."  From my perspective, I want to be on the winning side and in the end be found in Him.  This is the One and Only God that forever deserves our steadfast loyalty!


                                          "Victory belongs to the Lord."
                                                   Proverbs 21:31