Prince of Peace

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



     Humanity is fascinated with royalty.  This fascination extends beyond all cultural boundaries.  We observe the pomp and circumstance of their weddings and admire their royal regalia.  Little girls try to emulate the grace and mannerisms of princesses and queens. Companies like Disney have amassed fortunes because of this very phenomena.

     The reason we are drawn to royalty is because we are designed to desire it.  Jesus is referred to as a Prince and the King above all kings.  When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we also are adopted into His royal lineage.  The apostle Peter describes God's children as " a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation [and] God's special possession." ( 1 Peter 2:9).

     Jesus is our Prince of Peace.  Whether we are aware of it or not, God has placed a longing in our souls to be connected to the One who brings true peace.  Many of us assume that having peace means to have a tranquil mind or a calm heart. And yet, the Hebrew word ' Shalom'  means so much more!
The definition of ' Shalom' is:  "completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfection, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord".

     God desires for us to have complete wholeness in every area of our lives.  Because Jesus completed the work on Calvary, it becomes our inheritance when we place our trust in Him.  He longs to bring 'Shalom' to our past, our present, and our future.

     This peace is not something we can achieve on our own.  God purposefully designed it to be attached to Himself.  C. S. Lewis says, " God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.  There is no such thing."

     So, if we are in Christ and He has given us the gift of peace, why does 'Shalom' still evade so many of us?  I believe it is because it is difficult to acknowledge the areas of our lives that we need to trust Him more.  It is quite possible to have strong faith in certain parts of our lives while we have minimal or no faith in others.

     First, we must have peace with our past.  Shame and rejection are often the biggest barriers to experiencing wholeness in this area.  Christians can unwittingly avoid dealing with the past and even attempt to find the scriptural basis to do so.  However, there will never be total freedom in Christ until we do so.  We must have the faith to believe that Jesus exchanged our shame and rejection for His glory and acceptance. We are the image bearers of Christ who manifest His glory on this earth.

     If we are humiliated by our own actions and sins before we accepted Christ, it is easy to become bogged down by the burden and the weight of it.  These consuming thoughts lack the faith to believe that God remembers our sin no more when we confess it to Him and turn from it.  Charles Spurgeon says, "Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace."

     Grief and trauma can also be components of our past.  God knows each one of our personalities, relationships, and experiences. He knows that our grief is a unique journey and He is never shocked by our responses. When we can trust God to carry our grief, He will tenderly remove the sadness and replace it with His perfect peace.  Ultimately, this peace becomes the joy and strength from which we begin to minister to others.  Thomas A. Kempis, a fifteenth century theologian, says, " First you keep the peace within yourself, then you can bring peace to others."

     To have peace in our present circumstances requires walking in faith.  With so much currently  going on in the world and in our individual lives, it can be easy to focus on the wrong things. What we meditate on will determine our level of peace.

     A. W. Pink expounds upon this precept.  He says, " So long as we are occupied with any other object than God Himself, there will be neither rest for the heart nor peace for the mind.  But when we receive all that enters our lives as from His hand, then, no matter what may be our circumstances or surroundings- whether in a hovel or prison or dungeon, or at a martyr's stake- we shall be enabled to say, ' The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places' ( Psalm 16:6).  But that is the language of faith, not of sight nor of sense."

     Whatever it is that we need, we can be assured that God will provide it. Provision is His responsibility and His Word promises that He will supply our fundamental needs. Paul even stated,
" My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
( Philippians 4:19).

     Because we have Jesus, we can also have peace as it relates to our future.  Even during turbulent times, God still guarantees us we can have His peace. The prophet, Isaiah, tells us, " 'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you." ( Isaiah 54:10).

     When we read the final chapter of the Bible, we know we can have hope.  Anne Graham Lotz
defines hope as follows: " Biblical hope is absolute confidence in something you haven't seen or received yet, but you're absolutely confident that whatever God has said is going to come to pass."  She also declares that " Jesus is your hope for the future.  One day Jesus Christ will come back, and He will set all of the wrong right.  Good will triumph over bad.  Love will triumph over hate.  Righteousness will triumph over evil.  He's going to make it all right, and you can have absolute confidence that that's going to take place.  That's your hope."

     God still reigns.  His supremacy will never be thwarted.  Today, our Prince of Peace extends His sceptor to our lives to bring complete peace to our past, present, and future.  All we have to do is enter into the rest  He provides.  Will you receive His gift?


" Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you. "  ( 2 Thessalonians 3:16).

    

Filled With Awe

" God dwells in His creation and is everywhere, indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them."
A.W. Tozer


One of the biggest dangers (to our faith) of living in this technological age is that we begin to lose our awe for God and the things of God. We are constantly being bombarded by the demand of our devices, while every marketing firm tries to impress us with their latest and greatest. Because of this incessant competition for our time and attention, we begin to become desensitized due to overstimulation. This can even have a physiological response of reduced sensitivity to levels of various hormones and neurotransmitters in our brain.

The more stimulation we experience, the more we begin to filter out the "non-essential" things.
The ultimate effect is apathy, which is the antithesis of awe. Apathy means that we begin to experience a "lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern". Therefore, it takes something pretty magnificent to pique our attention. Stilling our hearts and minds to truly be quiet before God can become quite a feat when we live our lives on the adrenaline rush our society is consistently doling out to us.

Over and over, God's Word tells us that knowledge and wisdom don't even begin in our lives until we are standing in awe of God. In this age of information overload, it is easy to become deceived into believing the garbage that is constantly being thrown at us rather than becoming grounded in Biblical truths. Proverbs tells us, " The fear [awe] of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." ( Proverbs 9:10).

When we are not in awe of God, it is easy to become enraptured by the world. John Piper says,
" If you don't see the greatness of God then all the things that money can buy become very exciting.
If you can't see the sun you will be impressed with a street light. If you've never felt thunder and lightening, you'll be impressed with fireworks. And if you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God, you'll fall in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures."

Another hindrance to standing in awe of God can be our circumstances, or the sometimes brutal battering ram of life. Let's face it- there are times in our lives that are awful, just as there are times that are truly awesome. The irony of this is that the root word for both 'awful' and 'awesome' is awe. The definition of awe is " wonder, amazement, astonishment, lost for words, open-mouthed". Whether our circumstances are good or bad, we cannot allow them to rob us of standing in awe of God. He has apportioned us the grace to always stand in awe, and He will always eventually turn them into joy. Psalm 30:11 echoes this sentiment by saying, " You did it [God] : you changed wild lament into a whirling dance"! Dancing shoes do not remain idle forever!

Please understand. I am not suggesting that we plaster a smile on our face and fake it until we make it. Not at all. Our suffering can and should lead us to a deeper communion with God. Honest doubts and disappointments can propel us to a new place of trust and joy. Authenticity is required.

Job penned this precept. Even when his world was rocked and his life was shattered, he allowed God to bring awe to him in the midst of his circumstances. He said, " He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading His clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness... And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?" ( Job 26: 7-10; 14).

There is so much for which to be in awe of God, both in who He is and in what He does. And yet, we often fall short because we don't really take the time to know Him or have the vantage from a God's eye view. Both of these require effort, faith, and pressing in, and yet will never totally be accomplished in entirety. John Wesley wrote, " Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God."

Therefore, we perish for a lack of knowledge and we are robbed from the joy and completeness that God has designed for us. Expectations and entitlement steal our affections and we miss out on the "fullness of life" that Christ died for us to have. John Milton wrote, " Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world."

Without awe for God, happiness eludes us. Albert Einstein said, " He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed." The Bible tells us that " splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place." ( 1 Chronicles 16:27). In other words, our strength and joy are found in our awe of God.

Everything that is good and right is found in God and all good gifts come from Him. He is Creator of all and above all that is created. The powers of God are infinite and His personality attributes are pure and holy. Some of His attributes include: aseity, faithfulness, goodness, graciousness, holiness, immanence, immutability, incomprehensibility, infinite, just, loving, merciful, mysterious, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, oneness, providencial, righteousness, sovereign, transcendent, triune, and veracious. In other words, He is glorious and majestic and filled with splendor! There is none who can compare with Him!

In addition to all these attributes, God is incomparably wise and knowing. In the doxology of Paul's letter to the Romans, he writes, " Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! ' Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?' For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen."

Even during turbulent times, we still can have peace knowing that God is sovereign and He has had a plan since before He even created us. No matter how much shaking occurs in the earth, we can look to our future with security. We are told that "since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Hebrews 12:28).

God has equipped every generation according to their needs. Even during the grieving process for Jesus' followers, God met them in their deepest need. After Jesus' death and resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples and followers. We are told that after that " everyone was filled with awe..." ( Acts 2: 43). They could visibly see God moving in their midst and they were astonished and filled with wonder. Their expectation, hope and faith were intertwined solely in God.

Our salvation alone is reason enough for us to stand in awe... And yet, God has given us so much more. His Word teaches and instructs us, as the Holy Spirit leads and guides us. We live during the time of the dispensation of grace and under the new and better covenant. We are abundantly blessed!

We receive additional blessings and benefits from God when we stand in awe of Him and keep His Word. In the Old Testament, God promises: His pleasure, care, attention, protection, help, blessings, love, mercy, riches, honor, satisfaction, health, and life. In the New Testament, the benefits are even greater. We are promised all the Old Testament benefits, plus: eternal life, the Holy Spirit, sonship, an identification with the Risen Christ, and hope for His return.

All else in this world is fleeting... When Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, he stated that all man does is vanity- birth and death, planting and harvest, killing and healing, building and tearing down, riches and poverty, getting and losing, love and hate, and war and peace. He concluded by stating, " Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear [ stand in awe of] God, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." ( Ecclesiastes 12:13). May God help us to all be filled with awe and may we demonstrate it through obedience to the full counsel of His Word!



" Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him."
( Psalm 33:8)

ARISE!!!

" The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe.  He is the 'firstfruits', 'the pioneer of life'.
He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man.  He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death.  Everything is different because He has done so."
                                                                                                                                 C.S. Lewis


     Each one of us has a lens through which we view the world.  Similar to the anatomic lens of the eye, our lens helps us to refract light and determine the focal point of what we see.  This is why two people can witness the exact same event and yet have vastly different variations of the narrative.  Our lens will affect every aspect of our lives, including its efficacy and power.

     Having a Biblical lens forms the foundation of our walk with Christ.  However, there are still extreme variants amongst people who have the Biblical lens in common. These variants occur whenever we deflect truths or allow ourselves to become distracted by ineffective matters that detract from the resurrection power Christ has provided for us all.

     During this Resurrection season, God has been stirring a passion within my heart that the Body of Christ would become the glorious, radiant, Church of splendor that He has created us to be ( Ephesians 5:27).  This work starts within each one of us, individually.  As the embers inside of us become a flame, then that will spread out into our families, churches, communities, and beyond. This is the time for us to "Arise, shine, for [our] light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon [us]."  ( Isaiah 60:1).

     When Jesus died and was resurrected, everything in this world changed.  As He offered Himself in totality for the Church, He displayed His love to us in a tangible and lavish way.  His deity was proven and He emerged with the Father's ultimate seal of approval. His finished work lacked nothing as He led the triumphant processional to the future resurrection of all believers.

     His resurrection was preceded by suffering and death, just as it was prophesied to be.  It occurred on the first day of the week and it was heralded by angelic hosts.  Despite such evidence, the disciples were still innitially reluctant to believe.  Ultimately, they were convinced as they began to assimilate the irrefutable proof.

     Jesus appeared to many after He was resurrected, which was, once again, foretold.  Some of the appearances came to: Mary Magdalene, the women at the tomb, Peter, Paul, James, the disciples in the Upper room, 500 believers, the two men on the road to Emmaeus, and more.  Again and again, He appeared in the same way, and yet, the responses to these appearances were vastly different.

     There were four major responses to the Resurrected Christ:  fear and alarm, doubt and disbelief,
joy and belief, and understanding and worship.  I would submit that the followers of Christ today are no different than these first century Christians.  These responses form a continuum of variants within our lens and our maturity in Christ, specifically in regards to the resurrection power of Christ.

     While grief and sorrow may have affected the disciples' response, so did their understanding and level of faith.  John Piper describes the totality of Christ's finished work as follows: " The Bible says
He was raised not just after the blood-shedding, but by it.  This means that what the death of Christ
accomplished was so full and so perfect that the resurrection was the reward and the vindication of Christ's achievement in death."

     Today, the Church is  the visible manifestation of Christ's accomplishment.  Those who are sanctified on earth will be glorified later.  Isaiah tells us, "You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." ( Isaiah 62:3).

     We walk in the unity and love of our Savior after He has produced a work of humility and reformation within us.  He removes the hindrances from our way of salvation and chisels the path before us to holiness.  This shapes the lens by which we see and becomes more real to us than even our physical surroundings.

     C.S. Lewis describes his experience with this phenomena: " I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

     When we focus on the power of Jesus' resurrection and understand that that same resurrection power is available to us, everything in our life changes.  As believers, the path behind us is strewn with the litter of the deliverance of guilt, pollution, and the dominion of sin.  The path we presently journey shapes our character and nature to the conformity of Christ, with full maturation in Christ as our goal. The path before us is illuminated by our resurrection and glorification.

     Holiness is the key, and God is the only one who works that in us as we cooperate with His Holy Spirit.  The apostle, Paul, prays for us, " May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." ( 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

     The parable of the leaven illustrates how this pervasive power works in us.  In a conducive environment, it only takes a small amount of leaven to effect much change.  Jesus explains,
" The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all the way through the dough." ( Matthew 13:33).

     In our hearts, this leaven works supernaturally by faith.  Silent and persistent transformation wields power and productivity.  The power of God's kingdom comes from the King plus the least among us, when the Holy Spirit is not grieved by sin in our lives.  As God leavens ( transforms) us,
we will leaven society.

     Our greatest joy then becomes seeing God's leaven produced in the lives of others.  No one can take away the power of good leaven.  God wants us to walk in this power; it is His extravagant gift to us.  The power with God and the power of God is the greatest power we could ever have. It is unlike the mirage or illusion of wordly power in that it will never dissipate. This is the power that changes the world!

     Right now, we are called to focus. Our understanding of Christianity must include the knowledge that the Resurrection power of Christ is exerted in our hearts. We must see the radiance and brilliance of our Risen King to succeed in what He's called us to do.  God calls to us and says, " Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with Me." ( Song of Solomon 2:13).  The prevailing question is, " Will your response to the Resurrected King be joyful and faith-filled and cause you to 'Arise'"?


" If God dwells in the heart, and be vitally united to it, He will show that He is God by the efficacy of His operation.  Christ is not in the heart of a saint as in a sepulchre, as a dead savior that does nothing; but as in his temple, one that is alive from the dead.  For in the heart where Christ savingly is, there He lives, and exerts Himself after the power of that endless life, that He received at His resurrection.  Thus every saint who is the subject of the benefit of Christ's sufferings, it is made to know and experience the power, of His resurrection."
                                                                                                                             Jonathan Edwards

   

AWAKE!!!

" Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.  Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy."   ( Habakkuk 3:2)



     Many authors and scholars have studied the future of America from a prophetic standpoint.  Many nations are repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, especially in regards to the years preceding the second coming of Christ.  Countries that are included in future events are: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Greece, numerous European countries, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, Algeria, Central Asia, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf emirates.  There is an inference to countries such as: China, North Korea, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Despite the fact that we are the leading super-power in the world, America is conspicuously absent from the biblical narrative.

     For more than two centuries, God has used the U.S. to train, equip, and send people to take the gospel throughout the world.  Yet, according to scripture, there will come a day when the U.S. is no longer the epicenter of Christendom ( Matthew 24:9).  While our country is not as hostile to Christians as China or radical Islamic countries, it is true that hostility is increasing.

     There is also an alarming increase of confusion and misinformation in our culture regarding Biblical truths.  Research in our nation reveals that:
                            * 80% of people believe in God
                            * 75% of people believe in miracles
                            * 71% of people believe Jesus is the Son of God
                            * 71% of people believe the Bible is the Word of God
                            * 73% of people believe in heaven
                            * 70% of people believe Jesus was resurrected from the dead

While these numbers appear to be pretty good, there is still much misinformation that abounds. Unfortunately, false beliefs include:
                           * 50% of people believe Satan does not exist
                           * 33% of people believe Jesus sinned
                           * 25% of people believe that the Bible is not accurate

     It is as impossible to "almost" be a Christian as it is to almost be pregnant. And yet, there are apparently many people in this nation who fall into this camp. Deception is the antithesis to authentic faith, and yet, deception seems to be growing stronger instead of becoming more weak. Biblical truths are what have made this nation strong, but our strength appears to be diminishing. This begs the question, " What is the current condition of the soul of America?"

     And, if the U.S. has been used mightily to spread the gospel throughout the earth, what is the condition of that influence? There is research to show that if you lined up all the people in the world, shoulder to shoulder, who do not know Jesus the line would reach approximately 750,000 miles long. This line would circle the earth approximately thirty times.  And, the worst part is, this line grows approximately 20 miles longer per day! Since lost people matter to God, it is imperative that they matter to the Church. Currently, the Church needs revival and the world needs evangelism.

     Martin Lloyd Jones defines revival as follows: " Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God,  a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and a hunger for His Word."  It should be the heart cry of every child of God for Him to send revival to us, both individually and as a nation.  The soul of America is sick and has caused this nation to collapse from within.

     We need divine intervention.  Politicians are not the answer. Economists, educators, and entertainers cannot turn this around.  There are no professionals or pollsters who are equipped to lead and guide us back to health.  Only God.  He is the Only One who can provide the extraordinary move of the Holy Spirit that will produce the extraordinary results we need.

     When the people of this nation become saturated with God, we will see change.  A.W. Tozer describes this invasion of heaven as "that which changes the moral climate of a community. Revival is nothing more or less than a new beginning of obedience to God."  This type of spiritual awakening cannot be organized- it can only be agonized for in prayer.

     America has had revivals in the past, and we desperately need  one today.  Psalm 85 is a prayer that addresses this: " Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us...Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us Your salvation." ( Psalm 85: 4; 6-7).

     Every generation is jeopardized by spiritual lethargy, yet God desires to send revival. We have had several awakenings that have shaped the moral foundation of this country, yet we need one more... Repentance, prayer, and obedience are the keys to such transformation.

     Complacency, comfort, and apathy are the enemies of revival.  Leonard Ravenhill describes,
" as long as we are content to live without revival we will." When we see little distinction between the Church and Christian schools with the standards and mores of this culture, our hearts should rhythmically pulsate the prayer of revival.

     Historically, the first Great Awakening occurred in America in 1740.  The Enlightenment writings had pervaded the colonies to such an extent that many churches struggled to keep their doors open.  Colleges taught humanism, so that whatever small number of believers there were, they practiced their faith secretly.  Preachers, such as Theodore Frelinghuysen, Jonathan Edwards, and George Whitefield began to preach the simplicity of the gospel.  This began transforming godless colonies into a God-fearing nation.

     Following the revolutionary war, Christianity began to decline again as people began to busy themselves in building a new nation. More and more people moved into unchrched areas west of the Appalachians.  By the 1790's, only 10% of Americans attended worship.  Voltaire said, " In thirty years time Christianity will be forgotten."

     Then came the second Great Awakening.  It started in Kentucky, where enormous crowds would gather in repentance and prayer.  Charles Finney and other evangelists helped transform a generation of young people in the church and into missions.

     The third Great Awakening occurred on Fulton street in New York City in 1857.  Spiritual lethargy had once again pervaded society until the prayer revival began.  Jeremiah Lanphier, a business man, began prayer meetings and thousands of people met daily to pray.  This revival swept from city to city and lasted a generation. It is estimated that between one and two million people received Christ as their Savior.

     There have been other revivals and movements such as: the Welsh revival (turn of the 20th Century), the Asuza street revival( turn of the 20th Century), and the Jesus movement ( 1960's- 1970's).  All of these outpourings of God have shaped our nation and our world.  We are long overdue for another awakening founded on Biblical truths and the presence of our holy God.

     In my opinion, America has two options today: revival or judgment. We are at a crossroads that will hopefully end at the Cross.  Since God is the author of life and liberty, it is imperative that the truth of His Word prevail in our land. Would you please join with me in daily prayer that our nation would once again awaken to a mighty move of God?


                                            "We long to see the churches full,
                                              That all the chosen race,
                                              May with one voice, and heart, and tongue,
                                              Sing His redeeming grace."
                                                                                          Charles Spurgeon

Apart From Me

" We can face whatever circumstances await us with courage if we just reflect on God's faithfulness and place our confidence in His great power and loving purpose for our lives. "
                                                                                                                         David Jeremiah


     Life can be extremely difficult at times. It can seem as if uncertainties and turmoil sweep through our lives like a tsunami. One minute life is calm and serene and the sun shines brightly, only to be interrupted by a threatening storm that seeks to usurp all that we know and understand. These are the moments in my life when my face hits the carpet in prayer to try to get the answers to life's many enigmas.

     As I was seeking answers this past weekend to a myriad of questions, my eyes consistently landed on three words contained in a particular verse of scripture. The three simple words were "apart from Me".  Determined to find all the verses that contain this phrase, I was astonished to only find three.

     The first verse I found was: " Apart from Me there is no God". ( Isaiah 44:6). This verse depicts the role and blessing of God, in the form of His Holy Spirit. Along with the previous verses, this scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit will refresh, cleanse, and make the earth fruitful. Just as He blesses our soul, so shall He bring forth all other blessings.  The plentiful outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit is available to multitudes in these latter days. In conjunction with the Divine prophecies come the Divine purposes of God and they are given power through His Holy Spirit. Who can compare with this Redeemer and King?

     The second verse says, " Apart from Me there is no Savior". ( Isaiah 43:11). Today, through Jesus, we have been given so many blessings. The most important gift God gives to us is salvation through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord. In addition to that, we have been given the power of His grace, the sweetness of His comfort, the loving care of His providence, and the truth of His promises. Who could find a Savior like this?

     The final verse I found was in The New Testament.  It states, " Apart from Me, you can do nothing". ( John 15:5). Since our lives are hidden in Christ ( the True Vine), our strength and sustenance are found in Him.  Because of the wisdom and care of our Heavenly Father, it is true that our lives must prosper and be fruitful. While it is not always easy to recognize the instrinsic value of our lives, it can be tempting to view them as less valuable as what God declares they are. This is when our vision needs to focus on the One who gives breath and value to His creation.

     Meditating on these verses helped to restore vision to my life.  My circumstances pale in comparison to my relationship with the One who redeems all things. When I allow impatience and discouragement to trump God's redemptive purposes, I lose sight of all that is truly important and worthy of my thoughts.

     When the opposition in our lives is raging, too often I begin to hone in on the specifics of what I see. Until I remember:  when I instead meditate on God's faithfulness and power and loving purpose in my life, vision and courage are restored.

     The thing is, not only are we called to walk by faith, there are times when we are called to have enduring faith. The word "endure" means "to sustain without yielding".  These are the times in our lives that are the most intense, the most frightening, and the task at hand appears to be daunting.  Martin Luther describes the purpose of these times as follows: "Where the battle rages, there the
loyalty of the soldier is proved."

     There are seasons that occur on this planet, and there are seasons that occur in our individual lives. Right now, in the western part of the U.S., there is a drought and record high temperatures. On the east coast, however, there have been record amounts of snowfall and flooding. At first glance, it would appear that there is no rhyme or reason to these occurrences, until we stop to remember that there truly is One who is sovereign over it all.

     The parable of the mustard seed addresses these issues.  When Jesus was asked, " What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to ?"  He answered, " It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden.  It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches." ( Luke 13:18-19).

     This would appear to be an odd analogy of the kingdom of God.  And yet, the interpretation is rich with insight and wisdom.  God is telling us not to be discouraged that there are not more believers on this planet right now, but to look forward to the day when His kingdom will be a large tree. ( The tiniest of seeds will ultimately grow into a tree that has a height of twelve to fifteen feet !).

     In this parable, Jesus wants His disciples to open their spiritual eyes to: the nature of His kingdom, His Lordship, and His return.  The principle is that when we  accept Christ into our hearts, He plants a mustard seed in it.  How well it grows depends upon our obedience and our willingness to pay the price of true surrender.

     What we allow God to do within us, will ultimately be poured out through us by His power.  It is God's desire to show the world what He can accomplish, even through one obedient child.  This is because He longs to touch the world with His power, and He chooses to include His children in this glorious event.

     We advance God's kingdom through faith.  Our goal should be to love others from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.  It is the enduring faith, coupled with God's multiplication  power and strategy,  that yields the largest harvest. ( Luke 19:11-27).

     The caveat is that we will never be able to produce autonomously. Jesus will forever be the sower of the good seed.  Only when we abide in Him can we bear the wait and can we bear the fruit.  Kenneth Wuest ( 1893- 1962), who  was one of the foremost Greek scholars of his time,  translates the word abide as " to maintain a living communion". This means that we continually: look for God, acknowledge Him, express our gratitude to Him, and expect that He is always faithful to commune with us.

      The kingdom of God is represented by the tree, and Jesus is represented as the True Root.  God is the husbandman who meticulously cares for the tree.  The children of God are the branches. As we abide in Him, He reveals to us that we are here to change the world. And, right now, change is exactly what is needed!
    
     The needs in this world are currently overwhelming.  And, God is passionate about each and every one of them. Just a few of the statistics are as follows:
                                  
                                       * Every 7 seconds, 2 people die from hunger
                                       * !.7 billion people do not have clean water to drink
                                       * 300 million children do not have even one pair of shoes
                                       * One-fourth of the worlds population does not have electricity
                                       * 680 million people have never heard about Jesus

     Though the battle rages, the gates of hell will not prevail. By ourselves we can accomplish nothing, but with Christ we can do ALL things! God longs to bless us so that we can be a blessing to the world and extend His kingdom.

     Like the mustard seed, God does not accomplish these purposes in us overnight.  Sometimes, we are even called to water our seed with our tears. However, as we continue to walk in obedience, following hard after Him, our seed will become a mature tree. This is when we are equipped to provide shade, refuge, and rest for those who are in need. This is when God uses us to change the world!


      We should keep  "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith".   ( Hebrews 12:2).

    



    

    

Where Are The Esthers?

"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to your royal positon for such a time as this?"                                                                              ( Esther 4:14)



     A significant prophetic warning took place in America this past week.  There are many who choose to minimize, trivialize, and mock this important clarion call.  However, this does not diminish the message that God intended to send.  The messenger was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his message was succinct and passionate. As he addressed the United States Congress, he informed them that he came as Mordecai and that Israel is once again being threatened by a sadistic Persian empire.

     Not coincidentally, Netanyahu's appeal came on the eve of  Purim. This date had been meticulously chosen with great intent.  This is because the Jewish holiday of Purim is an annual commemoration of the deliverance of the Jewish people from the ancient Persian empire where a plot had been formed to annhilate every single one of them.  Ancient Persia is today known as the nation of Iran.  Prime Minister Netanyahu came into our nation to plead with our people to help Israel combat a nuclear Iran. This is an example of history repeating itself.

     The original story of  Purim occurs in the book of Esther.  Purim comes from the word Pur, which literally means " to cast lots".  Haman, the anit-semitic royal prime minister to King Ahasuerus, literally cast lots to determine the day of the Jews' destruction. After all, it was not a question of "if" he would destroy, kill, and annhilate all Jews, it was merely a question of "when?".

     God used two people to foil Haman's diabolical plans- Mordecai and Esther.  It was Mordecai who first learned of Haman's sinister plot and he sounded the clarion call of warning to Esther
( Esther 4:1-9).  Immediately, Esther realized how grave this threat was and she responded by asking all the Jews in Susa to fast and pray for three days for her so that she could apprise the king of what was occurring.  She concludes by saying, " And if I perish, I perish."  (Esther 4:15-16).

     Esther knew the truth had to be told, despite personal potential risk.  God prepared the way for Mordecai and Esther and ultimately gave the Jews victory over their enemies.  This annual celebration of Purim ( on the 14th day of Adar) that occurs throughout the world is held to remember the miracle God gave when He rescued the Jews from certain death.

     The story of Esther occurred in the fourth century, B.C.E.  The Persian empire of that time extended over 127 lands and all the Jews were their subjects.  God sovereignly had chosen Esther ( a Jew) to be the Queen of Persia so that she would have the influence needed to save His chosen people, even though her nationality was kept secret from the king for awhile.

     God used Mordecai ( Esther's uncle) to identify the risk and to galvanize His people.  God used Esther to fast and pray and make the king aware of what was happening right under his nose.  Both responded to God and to the situation at hand, and were even willing to take risks to accomplish God's purposes. Therefore, God responded to them and to His peoples' cries for assistance.

     The prophet, Zechariah, tells us of a day that is coming when every nation will turn against Israel and they will be left without a single earthly ally.  Israel will feel as if they are all alone in the world, but then God will show Himself mighty on their behalf.  God's purpose in this is so that Israel will realize that, in truth, they are not alone, even if the whole world turns it's back...

     Threats to the existence of the Jews is not a new phenomena. Throughout history, their safety has repeatedly been threatened.  While the faces and dates may change, the plan of the enemy does not.  Today, the face of that threat comes via terrorists and from state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran.

     Multiple leaders in Iran have repeatedly stated publicly that they intend to destroy Israel as soon as they have the ability to do so.  And they are working frenetically to accomplish this goal.  It is estimated that today Iran currently has enough enriched uranium for six to seven nuclear weapons.  And, day by day, they continue to produce...

     Their sights extend beyond the borders of Israel.  Iran has stated that Israel is the "Little Satan" and the United States is the "Big Satan". It is estimated that Iran is now 70% finished with the construction of  intercontinental ballistic missiles.  These missiles are not needed to reach Israel-
they are intended for the West.

     The regime in Iran is fueled by hatred and the belief that they will hasten the return of their messiah through apocalyptic genocide.  They believe that it is their job to bring about the end of the world, and that they will be rewarded for doing so.  There is no amount of negotiation or bartering that will sway this ideology. It is a part of their D.N.A.

     This new Persian empire is continuing to expand.  Since the Arab Spring ( which caused a shift in the balance of power), Iran has continued to grow and take new territory.  It is now as big as it was in 5th century, B.C.E., and it continues its quest for more land and power.

     Sadly, a nuclear Iran is not Israel's only threat.  Iran is accelerating its arming of Hezbollah and Hamas with rockets and missiles, in an attempt to circle Israel from the North, South, and East.  ISIS has also gained a presence near the border of Israel on the Golan Heights, and has declared they will fly their flag over Jerusalem.  All the while, anti-semitism is rising internationally. And, last but definately not least, Israel has lost cooperation from the United States and can no longer depend on us to "have their back".

     If the United States facilitates a nuclear Iran which heighten the threats to Israel, our nation will be judged.  God has made it very clear that we will either be blessed or cursed depending on how we treat Israel ( Genesis 12:3). If we "cast our lots" against His people, we will be judged. The prophet, Joel, says that God "will put them on trial for what they did to [His] inheritance, [His] people Israel".
(Joel 3:2).

     There is apathy in the West and apathy in the Church.  We are the ones referred to as the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7). We have been given this position of royalty for "such a time as this".  The Church is the Esther that Netanyahu (Mordecai) came to address.  We also have been given the spiritual authority to make a difference. Our assignment is simple:  "petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people- for kings and those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in al godliness and holiness.  This is good and pleases God our Savior who wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is One God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people... [ We are to] tell the truth- be true and faithful teachers... Pray, and lift up holy hands..." ( 1 Timothy 2:1-8).

     Jesus will return one day to Jerusalem. In that day, all will see that "He is the Lord of lords and the King of  kings- and with Him will be His called, chosen, and faithful followers." ( Revelation 17:14).
In the interim, we can repent, fast, and pray. We can seek God's face and not "give Him rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." (Isaiah 62: 7).  Most importantly, we cannot remain silent...


" On that day, when all the nations are gathered against her [Israel] , I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations.  All who try to move it will injure themselves... Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God." ( Zechariah 12:3;5).

What Love Is Not!!!

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
                                                                                                           Martin Luther King, Jr.


     We live in a culture that is saturated with its' own ideas of what love really is.  Depending on individual more`s and agendas (that may or may not be antithetical to the Bible), we are continually being spoon-fed images and story lines that attempt to redefine and blur the boundaries that God has given to mankind for our safety and well-being. It is almost impossible today to either watch a movie, TV show, or even the news without bias or manipulation of some kind.

     To add to these complexities, we are also living in times where Jesus said that "the love of most will grow cold". (Matthew 24:12).  Jesus prefaced this comment by describing very turbulent days in this world, including: wars, lawlessness, turbulence and commotion. He said there was an inverse correlation in that as wickedness in the world increases, the love of most people would decrease.

     Yet, the Bible is very clear as to what love is and what love is not. Our society may be confused, but the Creator of the world certainly is not! We find the perfect example of this in a piece of art. If you look at a painting, there are both positive spaces and negative spaces.  The positive space makes up the subject(s) of an image. The negative space is the space around and between the subject(s) of an image.

     The negative space serves some very important purposes: it defines the boundaries in the positive space and it provides balance. In the hands of a skilled artist, it also adds levels of meaning and beauty.  This is what the apostle, Paul, accomplishes in the love chapter of the Bible ( 1 Corinthians 13).  All thirteen verses paint the exquisite beauty of walking in love, while it describes the importance of this fundamental arm of Christianity.

     Verses four through six outline the negative space of Chapter thirteen.  Eight times Paul tells us what NOT to do.  He tells us that love "does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

     Whenever we venture into this negative space of love, we are giving the enemy of our souls power in our lives.  This negative space defines Satan's territory and we would do well to stay out of it! We cannot have total victory in our lives if we are dwelling in the negative space.

     Why? Because the whole point of the Christian walk is love.  I John 4: 7-8 says, "Dear friends,
let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

     Much deception comes to us because we poorly assess how we are doing in this area.  Our culture has convinced us that love is tied to feelings.  It also teaches us that the measure of love is whether or not we have the capacity to feel love for others.  This is a terrible and inaccurate measure because by this definition both Hitler and ISIS are loving.

     We need objective boundaries that bring definition and measure.  Only these will bring a clear picture of the truth.  Paul describes the positive space of love as follows: "love is patient; love is kind; love always protects; love always trusts; love always hopes; and love always perserveres." 
( I Corinthians 13: 4,7). Paul continues with a promise that when we walk in the positive space of love we will never fail. That means NEVER!

     When we look at what love is, the painting displays a stunning silhouette of our Savior. Love is not a feeling. Love is not a thing. Love is a person and true love can only be found in Him. That is, Jesus, our Messiah. He is the One who can ignite our hearts on fire with His love in the midst of a cold and dark world. A.W. Tozer says, " We might be wise to follw the insight of the enraptured heart rather than the more cautious reasoning of the theological mind."

     If God were only to give us a list of boundaries yet give us no ability to follow them, it would only be mere religion.  Our problem lies not in the ability to see the love of Jesus. Rather, it is in recreating the picture of love that we do see in Him.

     Jesus desires to be our heavenly art teacher of love.  This is what separates Jesus from every other faith claim.  Because He is alive, He can and will implant His ability to love in us so that it will take residence within us and then pour out through us to others.

     No one has ever been a better example for us to follow.  When Jesus was tortured, He forgave.
When Jesus looked at the masses of people, He was moved with compassion.  When Jesus saw the needs of others, He supplied them.  When Jesus saw the sick and impaired, He healed them.  When Jesus saw the hatred and contempt of others for Himself, He blessed them.  In the midst of all these circumstances, it was Jesus' eyes of love that recognized mans' need for salvation, and then He gave the ultimate sacrifice.

     This is how love in action looks.  It is submission to Him, as well as maturity, that enables us to walk this out in our lives.  Paul says, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." ( I Cor. 13:11). Our chronological age has nothing to do with our spiritual maturity. We choose whether or not to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and to grow up!

     The Gospel is the antithesis of  religion.  It is Christ in us that accomplishes what we could never accomplish.  It is not about what we can do- it is about what He can do through us as we surrender more and more to Him and His Word.

     This is how Paul prayed for love for the church in Ephesus: "I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19).

     When Christ resides in us, it is as if we can paint like Vincent van Gogh.  This is because Jesus is painting a unique masterpiece in us and through us.  The essential ingredient that Jesus will use will be His love, because He is the architect and designer of love. Our mandate is to share what we have been given with the ones who need it the most!


"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."
                                                                                                                          ( I Corinthians 13:13)