The King's Heart

"Then Mordecai sent back word to Esther: 'Just because you live in the king's palace, don't think that out of all the Jewish people you alone will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, someone else will help and save the Jewish people, but you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, you may have been chosen queen for just such a time as this.'

Then Esther sent this answer to Mordecai: 'Go and get all the Jewish people in Susa together. For m,y sake, fast; do not eat or drink for three days, night and day. I and my servant girls will also fast. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law, and if I die, I die.'

The king asked Esther again, 'What are you asking for? I will give it to you. What is it you want? I will give you as much as half my kingdom.'

Then Queen Esther answered, 'My king, if you are pleased with me, and if it pleases you, let me live. This is what I ask. And let my people live, too. This is what I want.'"
                                                                                                              (Esther 4:13-16; 7:2-3)




The story of Esther is a dramatic and passionate one that occurred in the fifth century B.C. This drama, however, was a spiritual one that included: the evil Haman, the courageous Mordecai, the powerful King Xerxes, and a determined young girl who happened to be the queen. The outcome of Queen Esther's perseverance was that millions of Jews from 127 countries were saved. This happened all because Esther understood how to move the heart of the king.

There are so many aspects of Esther's story that parallels our lives today. Even though we don't live in Persia or don a royal regalia, we still have a direct access to our King, who also happens to be our Father. Not just any king, mind you, but our communion is with the King of Kings.

This relationship gives us special privileges that suppressed the privileges of those who are not His children. We have the distinct honor of inviting our King to occupy and reign over every facet of our lives. When we are confident in our position, we do not shrink back. Instead, we "come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

God grants the desires of our hearts when they are for our good and in alignment with His will for our lives. John explains it this way, "And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.  And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have  [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him" (1 John 5:14-15).

God also responds to prayers that are sincere and heartfelt. Sincerity moves Him. James tells us that the "earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power" (James 5:16).

While we know that God has given us the victory, we also see through the story of Esther that there will also be a battle. Haman is the diabolical antagonist that opposes Esther and all the Jews. If you were to peruse all the pages of Scripture, you would not be able to find one good thing that is written about him.

Haman had a position of authority as he was the king's right-hand man. He possessed an insatiable ego that craved the worship of every living thing.  He also had an inexhaustible hatred for God's chosen people and he purposely devised a date for their genocide.

The person of Haman depicts the image of Satan. Both long to be worshipped and existed to persecute the promised people of God. Satan hates the presence of Jesus in the world and will do all he can to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).  Especially now "He is filled with anger because he knows his time is short" (Revelation 12:12).

The laws in Esther's days prohibited her from entering into the inner courtyard of the king without being invited to do so.  But, Mordecai encouraged her to take the risk and do the right thing. This was her response, "Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner courtyard of the king's palace, facing the king's hall" (Esther 5:1).

The king was pleased when he looked up and saw Esther. His heart was touched when he saw his beloved. He responded and, "held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand, so Esther went forward and touched the end of it" (Esther 5:2).

When the king's heart was moved, what followed was the collapse of Satan's house of cards. All the diabolical planning and scheming came to nought. Not only that, but then Esther's enemy was destroyed!

Her story reminds us just how important our lives really are. Even though we are ordinary people, we have an extraordinary God. He has pulled us from obscurity and given us a position of royalty. He has clothed us in royal robes and given us the privilege of making our requests known to Him.

God is faithful and He is good. The story of our lives extend far beyond all that we can see or know. God always has a good purpose and a good plan and He is forever "working things together for our good" (Romans 8:28). Run after God and pursue Him with all your heart. This is what moves the King's heart!


                                               "He's after your heart."
                                                          Hosea 6:6
                                                                                                                

Look Again!

"And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain'. So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees. And he 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'.

And Elijah said, 'Go up, say to Ahab, "Hitch your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you".

In a little while, the heavens were black with wind-swept clouds, and there was a great rain."

                                                                                                                            (1 Kings 18:41-45)

Three years prior to this event, Elijah announced that his word would stop the rain and it would only be his word that would start it again (1 Kings 17:1). In this, he was not declaring that he was all-powerful; instead, he was declaring the power of God exhibited through prayers. His posture in prayer reflected great humility, and it was obvious that his relationship with God was very intimate. His primary concerns were for the people of Israel and that God would be glorified in the midst of their circumstances.

This particular day for Elijah had been long and intense. God had spoken to him and told him that He was going to send rain. Before He did, however, came a divine confrontation. The purpose of this confrontation was to expose idols, as well as to show the people of Israel the places of their spiritual compromise.

Elijah's prayers were going to be delayed this time. Despite the fact that he had seen God answer prayers instantaneously before, this time would prove to be different. So, he sent his servant seven times to the Mediterranean Sea to report any changes in the weather. The first report was negative, as were the five that followed. Literally, the servant saw nothing. That is, until he looked again.

Because Elijah was a prophet, the words he spoke were very important. The servant's reaction, however, was of equal importance. Elijah's servant took his responsibility very seriously. When he was told to look for rain, he immediately responded by going to look (1 Kings 18:43).

Both of them had to be engaged in what God was doing in order to see their miracle. This is because miracles come as a result of our obedience to God's Word. And, typically, this does not occur without some sort of testing or divine confrontation in our lives.

Most of us assume that our hearts are pure and that our thoughts are in alignment with God's Word. The prophet, Jeremiah, paints us a completely different picture. He says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]? I, the Lord, search the mind and try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:9-10).

God searches our minds and He tries our hearts so that He knows exactly how to reward us. God gives to us according to our actions. For us to truly know ourselves requires much effort. We have to read the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us.

The prophet, Hosea, instructs us as well. He says, "Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you" (Hosea 10:12).

The uncultivated ground refers to the places in our hearts that are idle and have become hardened, or even full of weeds. The plow of conviction must break up these places so that the seed of God's Word can be planted. Only then can God send His gentle and merciful ran down upon the soil of our hearts.

Action is always required with faith. How we respond to God's Word and His ways will determine our results. When Naaman needed to be healed, Elisha gave him a simple and humbling act to obey (2 Kings 5:10). There were probably a million excuses Naaman could have named not to obey. Had he chosen not to obey, however, he never would have received his healing.

Faith that doesn't lead to obedience is not faith at all. A divine confrontation requires adjustments on our part. For example, we cannot live with bitterness or hatred in our hearts and expect to receive a miracle. The same is true with unforgiveness. If we are genuinely engaged in what God is doing and applying His Word to our lives, our hearts will undoubtedly change.

Revelation will be sustained by our reaction. While it is important what we believe, it is even more important what we do. James tells us that, "Faith apart from [its] works of obedience is dead" (James 2:26).

According to Smith Wigglesworth, "Faith is an act". He says that not only are we saved by faith, but we are also kept by faith. It is a substance, a deposit of God, that is an almighty flame that moves us to act so that we see miracles occur as a result. Faith takes us to the place where God reigns.

It is God's desire to move in our lives in a mighty way. It is our responsibility to believe and to obey all His precepts (not just the ones we choose). When we do, we can't just stop when we see nothing, we need to follow the example of Elijah's servant and go and look again!

"For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

                                                                                                                               (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Bold As A Lion

                              "The [uncompromisingly] righteous are as bold as a lion."
                                                              Proverbs 28:1




Lions are commonly depicted as "king of the jungle" or "king of beasts" throughout cultures around the world. They often depict royalty, power, kingship, and bravery. In Africa, it is one of the greatest compliments you can ever receive to be compared to a lion. In fact, many of their most powerful rulers incorporated the word "lion" into their nicknames.

Both beauty and strength are the attributes of a lion. Grace and power are intertwined and embodied within this exquisite animal that God created. Never do lions doubt what or who they were created to be; neither do they concern themselves with what the other animals think of them.

When God created us, He created us to be as bold as a lion. He created us to know with certainty who He is and who we are in relation to Him. It is our relationship with Him that allows us to walk in boldness and confidence, knowing that our lives are created to be a part of His master plan.

Boldness is behavior born out of belief. When we really understand that God's Word dominates all else and that He has given us authority and dominion in the earth, it will change everything. Our doubts will be conquered and we will see a God within us that is infinitely bolder than we are.

Hiding God's Word in our heart and building our most holy faith is our number one priority if we want to effect change in our world.  If we are really going to make a difference, we must possess total confidence of who God is and what His Word counsels us to do in each circumstance. This requires courage and confidence to rely on God's power and to speak His Word with conviction and compassion.

We possess the hope for which this world is searching. And if we have it, we are definitely called to share it. We are told that, "since we have such a hope, we are very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12). We need God to strengthen our hearts and minds so that we can boldly share His truths. When God's boldness pours through us that "He crowns the humble with victory " (Psalm 149:4).

Godly boldness is all about God. It is not a personality trait that only some were given- it is an attribute of the Holy Spirit. Granted, our styles and techniques will undoubtedly differ but the end result will not. We will bear a harvest in our lives when God leads and we care more about serving God than pleasing people.

If, however, we misconstrue boldness for rudeness, we have missed the mark. In our own strength, boldness will appear demanding and controlling. It will insist upon its own way, implementing a steamroller approach. It is always our job to lift others up, not to crush their spirits or flatten them.

When things are difficult in our lives and trouble comes knocking, we often begin our prayer strategy by praying for deliverance. However, often God is wanting us to pray for boldness to walk through our difficulties in faithfulness. This is how Christ's power is displayed through our lives so that others can see Him more clearly. This is how we are old in our brokenness!

When God showed Ezekiel the vision of the valley of dry bones, all Ezekiel could see was death, destruction, and decay (Ezekiel, 37). God told Ezekiel to  prophesy to those dead bones and say, "Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Behold, I will cause breath and spirit to enter you, and you shall live; And I will lay sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin, and I will put breath and spirit in you, and you [dry bones] shall live; and you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord [the Sovereign Ruler, who calls forth loyalty and obedient service]'" (Ezekiel 37:5-6).

Ezekiel spoke what God said as though he were the voice of God. Similarly, we have been given the Bible to show us what God says about our circumstances so that we can prophesy too. We need to call the Spirit of God down into our circumstances by declaring His Word. This is how we are bold in our speech!

Our declarations of faith have to be bolder than we are. David was one of the least likely candidates to take down Goliath, but he overflowed in confidence of who God is and what God would do through him. He said, "Your servant killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the Living God!" (1 Samuel 17:36). This is how we are bold in our faith!

The apostle, Peter, was bold in his prayers. When the disciples saw that one of their women, named Tabitha, had died, they sent two men to get Peter to pray. When Peter got there, the widows were crying and grieving her death. Peter sent them out of the room and "knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body, he said, 'Tabitha, get up!' And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she raised herself and sat upright" (Acts 9:40). This is how we are bold in our prayers!

Peter was also bold in his witnessing. After he and John had been arrested and put in jail for their boldness in witnessing, they prayed to God for more boldness. Despite additional threats, they prayed, "And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to your bondservants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly, while You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy child and Servant, Jesus" (Acts 4:29-30). Peter understood that it is the boldness of the Holy Spirit that does signs and wonders. This is how we are bold in our witnessing!

It is time for the Church to walk in the full power and authority that have been given to us by Jesus. There are soo many people who need to see God and experience His love and mercy in a personal way. Allowing God to be bold through us is the only way the world will catch a glimpse of the majesty and power of our Savior. Like so many who have journeyed the walk of faith with Jesus before us, we can be a people who are bold and strong and do not waver in the face of adversity!


"Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works in you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart- so you will be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."
                                                                                                                              Andrew Murray

The Power Of Testimony

"And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony; and they loved not their lives so much as to shrink from death."
                                                                                                                                 Revelation 12:11




In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we find eyewitnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. Not all of the details match one another exactly because each one of these men had a different vantage and a different perspective of the life and ministry of Christ. Likewise, because God has created each one of us to be unique, we, also, have a very distinct perspective of our walk with God. This is very important because of the nuances of our stories and the audience of peoples that our testimonies will influence and touch.

Genuine testimonies are extremely powerful. We are told that "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for life or for death]" (Proverbs 18:21). When we use our testimonies to speak truth and life, there will be a harvest in our lives that reflects this. God will add His power to them to bring about transformation and the extension of His kingdom.

Our testimony also helps us to overcome the attacks of the enemy. His attacks are nothing new, as they started right after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:15). Even now, Satan has access to heaven where he goes night and day to accuse God's people (Job 1-2).

His strategy is to persecute God's people and to destroy them, if possible (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, our lives as believers will always involve a degree of conflict. The apostle, Paul, tells us, "Be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil" (Ephesians 6:10-11).

The name devil means "accuser" and Satan means "adversary". Even though he stands before the throne of God and fights us through accusations (Zechariah 3), Jesus is our "heavenly Advocate" (1 John 2:1-2) who represents us and makes our defense. Because of His death and resurrection, we ca overcome Satan "by the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:11). We can rest in knowing that our salvation is secure, not because of our works, but because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary.

The same serpent who accuses God's people in heaven also deceives the nations of the earth (Revelation 12:9). One of his biggest strategies is to lie about the church. He convinces the world that Christians are dangerous, deluded, and destructive. It is because of this deception that the leaders of nations come together against Christ and His people.

It is our union with Jesus that gives us peace in the midst of hostility and victory over every scheme of the enemy. Jesus' blood gives us perfect standing before God and the confidence to boldly share our testimony. Satan's power must fail when God's people trust in the power of the blood and in God's Word.

Our testimony provides an unique perspective of what Jesus has done in our lives. Because "our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:10), we can rejoice in knowing that these forces have already been defeated. This is what enables us to share about God's power, sovereignty, and faithfulness in the midst of the storms in our lives.

The storms we encounter have great purpose. Despite the howling winds and the tempest that rages around us, Jesus is the "I" of the storm, if we allow Him to be. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, "we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Hebrews 6:18-19).

Not only can the storms rage around us, but they can also rage within our hearts. This usually emanates from fear of the potential outcome. When the disciples experienced the storm out on the sea of Galilee, they began to plead with Jesus to help them, which, of course, He did (Luke 8:24)!

After Jesus calmed the storm, He directed to them a simple question. He asked, "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25). This question always requires a simple assessment of where our trust lies?

Faith is the cord that ties us to our union with Jesus. It is what provides the assurance of Jesus' love, goodness, and power. Our faith is what gives us the confidence that He still speaks to our storms and command them to be still. No matter how ugly or messy they may be, God will use our testimonies for good. It is also what reassures us that His promises will carry us through into an eternity spent with Him.

Jesus is our refuge. He is firm and unchanging and will safely carry us through every storm. Truly, this is where we see His power. This is where we come to know Him more intimately. This is where He heals and comforts our aching hearts. This is the place where testimonies are made, and where He also infuses them with His power. God's pan is to reach a dying world through a living, breathing example of His grace- you.

Our testimony should be a natural expression of who we are and our daily walk with Jesus. God wants other people to see how Jesus lives through us. He wants other people to see faithfulness and sincerity as He displays Himself through our lives. He also wants them to see that His grace and power are sufficient in our weaknesses.

Satan will do everything in his power to destroy our testimonies. He will bring temptations, false accusations, sickness, discouragement, opportunities to compromise, etc. Knowing his intentions should never make us afraid, but they should keep us alert. God promises us that, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

God is well able to keep us and preserve our testimonies. When we walk in humility, knowing that we need His grace every second, it will thwart Satan's plans. We flee temptation and never allow sin to grow deep roots in our hearts. We walk in forgiveness and pray continually. These are the parameters that allow us to live in freedom and see the fruit that comes from the power of our testimony!


"The most obscene symbol in human history is the Cross; yet in its ugliness it remains the most eloquent testimony to human dignity."
                                                            R.C. Sproul

Liberty In Our Land

"He who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience)."
                                                                                                                                  James 1:25




In the Old Testament, when the nation of Israel sinned and rebelled against God, they often ended up either in captivity or were exiled from their land. During the Babylonian captivity, God used Babylon as His instrument of judgment for Israel's idolatry, sin, and rebellion. King Nebuchadnezzar lead his armies against Judah until most of Jerusalem was destroyed, including the Jewish temple.

Ironically, it is always the people and the nations that declare themselves to be "free" from God and His ways that end up in servitude or captivity. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of captivity is "the state of being kept in a place (such as a prison or a cage) and not being able to leave or be free: the state or condition of being captive". Freedom becomes obsolete, as does the ability to make free choices. Interestingly, captivity provides the illusion that there is independence when, in actuality, there are tight boundaries.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, The United States grows more in captivity everyday. According to a study done by Columbia University, there are currently 40 million Americans that meet the criteria for addiction to nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. In addition to this number, there are another 80 million who are deemed "risky substance users" which threaten public health and safety.

It would be bad enough if the statistics for bondage ended here. However, they do not. There are another 40 million people who visit internet pornography sites on a regular basis. Approximately one out of every five internet searches on mobile devices are for pornography. Studies have shown that as addiction to pornography increases, so does desensitization and acting out sexually, which also causes public health and safety issues in our nation.

Still, there is more. There are also addictions to: gambling (8 million people), shopping (18 million people), work (47 million people), food (17 million people), sex (12 million people), and video games (28 million people). Anytime people cannot control their actions or make rational decisions there is a bondage, especially in the face of negative consequences. When there is a bondage there is likely a deception that accompanies it that denies its very existence.

These are just the documented addictions of our society. But, what about social media? Cell phones? T.V.? Entertainment? Comfort? Selfishness? The truth is, anytime we are compelled to do something we don't want to do or we do not do something that we want to do, there is a form of bondage (Romans 7:15).

Jesus died not only for us to be set free from bondages, but also for us to be free to do what He has called us to do. The apostle, Paul, said this, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12). We let go of the hindrances and sin that holds us back so that we can take hold of all that Jesus died for us to have.

This requires that our spirit be stronger than our flesh or our soul. Only this will stop the downward spiral of bondage and captivity that we see in our nation today. Henry Ward Beecher said, "The real democratic American idea is, not that every man shall be on a level with every other man, but that every man shall have liberty to be what God made him, without hindrance."

Even within the churches in America, there are still two overreaching problems that hold us back. The first problem is that we are not connected enough to God and the second problem is that we are too connected to the world. If this were not true we would not have statistics within the church that emulate the statistics within our society.

We must be determined to get more God into our lives and less of the world. If we are committed to doing this we can boldly declare what Paul did, "For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:19).

God wants to refresh and restore our nation, just as He did for the nation of Israel. As was prophesied, after 70 years of exile, the Jews returned to Israel and began building the temple. People returned to God and a revival broke out in the land. The Israelites rejoiced because they had been delivered from the hands of their enemies!

This Thursday, on our National Day of Prayer, would you join me in recommitting your life, your family, and our nation back to God? Would you be willing to fast and pray and declare freedom for the captives? If, in unity, we would pour our hearts out to our loving Heavenly Father and believe Him for a mighty move, I believe we would see the same results the Israelites saw. We would, once again, see God's faithfulness to His people, His judgment of sin, and the absolute certainty of His promises. Perhaps, we could once again hear the bell ringing of Liberty in our Land


   "God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard it and defend it."
                                                           Daniel Webster

An Army Is Rising

"Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, in the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side."
                                                                                       James Russell Lowell, "The Present Crisis"




Each day it becomes more apparent that the answers for the woes of our nation will not be found within the arena of politics. As much as I believe in the  power of prayer and in the responsibility as believers to pray for our leaders, I still find myself at times at a loss for words at some of the machinations we are witnessing in this presidential cycle. It would appear that there are no boundaries of decency or principle that are collectively held in high esteem, let alone guarded or considered sacrosanct.

While I recognize that we are living in turbulent times, it is even more unsettling to observe so much compromise and justification for behavior that ought not be excused. Additionally, we are becoming more fractured and splintered everyday and there is little or no tolerance for people with varying opinions. In my lifetime I cannot remember a time where there was this much tension or where the campaigns were as bizarre as we have witnessed during this year.

The problem in our nation is spiritual blindness. Many do not see just how far we have strayed from God's Word and from His will  for our country. As a result, we are already paying a high price as violence and perversion increase while morality and decency are rapidly diving in a downward direction. Patiently, God continues to give us chance after chance to return to Him with our whole hearts but the majority prefer to find alternative solutions.

The prophet, Jeremiah, found himself living in similar circumstances. When Jeremiah was born, the most wicked king who had ever reigned in Judah sat upon the throne. His name was King Manasseh. The Bible tells us that King Manasseh was an idolater who "seduced [the people of Judah] to do more evil than the nations did that God destroyed" (2 Kings 21:9).

After Manasseh died, his evil son Amon continued in the evil practices of his father. Not only was there idolatry, but there was a blatant disregard for God's law and the practice of child sacrifice. Perversion of all that was true and right permeated this nation to the point where it appeared that there was no hope for this country that once had followed God.

In 639 B.C., some of Amon's servants rose up against him and assassinated him. Amon's son, Josiah, at the age of eight years old, became king. because he was so young and he had godly counselors like Hilkiah,  Josiah began to seek the Lord. Ultimately, he brought reformation to the land, but  transformation did not occur because the people still refused to repent. Therefore, God sent word that judgment was gong to come to their nation.

It is impossible for a nation to continually defy God's laws and His ways and without eventually paying a steep price for it. Because God is so patient with us it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that God will not judge our sin. However, this is a perilous fallacy. The German writer, Friedrich von Logau describes it this way, "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceedingly small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all."

After Josiah died, there were three kings who followed that led Judah back into immorality and idolatry. However, God was on the throne and He had a solution for Judah, just as He does for the United States. God called Jeremiah to stand against his culture and speak God's truths to them. To assist Jeremiah to bear up against his adversaries, God gave him three promises of what He would do: two visions and the words, "And they shall fight against you, but they shall not [finally] prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:19).

The first vision God gave Jeremiah was of a branch of an almond tree (Jeremiah 1:11-12). The Hebrew word for almond tree is saqed. The most similar word to that in the Hebrew language is soqed, which means "to watch" or to "be awake". God was assuring Jeremiah that as he spoke God's words that God would always be awake to watch over His Word and to fulfill it.

The second vision God gave to Jeremiah was of a boiling pot that was tipped from the north to the south. This meant that God was going to use the nation of Babylon to be an instrument of wrath and judgment to Judah. But even in the midst of that, God gave Jeremiah a promise. He said, "For I, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land- against the successive kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land [giving you divine strength which no hostile power can overcome]" (Jeremiah 1:18).

Jeremiah had a very tough decision to make but he said "yes" to God and answered God's call on his life. In doing so, Jeremiah had to forsake the opinions of man because his calling opposed the will of the people. Jeremiah was probably the most unpopular prophet in all of Jewish history and his days on this earth were definitely difficult. If you measured his ministry by human standards, you would probably conclude that he was an utter failure. In God's eyes, however, Jeremiah was a huge success. His name even means, "God will exalt".

Today, in our nation, I believe God is calling forth people who will wholeheartedly make the same tough decision to stand for righteousness and truth. The book of Proverbs tells us that "Righteousness and justice are the foundation [of God's throne]; mercy and loving-kindness and truth goo before [God's face]" (Proverbs 89:14). Individually we will make our choice, but corporately, with God, we will stand.

God is calling forth His army. The battle is real and so is the war, but God is the Commander-In-Chief that we can count on! The prophet, Joel, tells us that "the Lord thunders His voice before His army, for His host is very great, and [they are] strong and powerful who execute [God's] Word" (Joel 2:11).

This is the time that we truly need to seek God's face and adhere to His Word. We need Jesus in our heart with nothing that separates us from His protection. We are clothed in the armor of God with the sword of the Spirit in our hands. Then, we are silent and listen for our instructions, for our General has the strategies for victory and the individual assignments to accomplish His plan. Appointed for such a time as this, God's army is rising up all around the earth equipped and ready to speak and perform His Word!


"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."
                                                                                                    Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Keep The Fire Burning

"Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil."
                                                                                                                        (Isaiah 33:14:14-15)




Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). We are called to dwell within that fire with hearts that are ablaze through the receiving and giving of a holy love in Christ. Moses was the first example of one who was called to abide within the divine nature of God found at the top of Mount Sinai. We are told that "the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on top of the mountain" (Exodus 24:17).

It is love that compels us to burn with fire for God. It is not within our human nature for this to occur but the Holy Spirit within us continually calls us to the flame of Christ. Communing with a holy God requires that certain aspects of our thinking and our lives need to be burned up by God's divine fire. This fire is a perfect blend of both God's love and His righteousness.

We become like God when we walk in the balance of love and righteousness. When the love of God burns passionately in our hearts we will bear the fruit of holiness. Conduct will follow character and character will follow love.

One disclaimer: when we walk in true devotion and carry the fire of Christ our faith will certainly be tested. God allows this testing to bring out the best in us, but Satan tempts us in order to bring out the worst in us. At times, our lives can feel like we are the rope in the middle of an intense game of tug of war.

The key to victory is the side of the rope on which we focus. If we focus on the difficulties, challenges, and set-backs, it is easy for our fire to be quenched. But, if we focus on what God is doing and on the victories, as well as the sweetness of our relationship with Jesus, our fire will burn brighter and brighter.

Focusing on the good is what Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy instruct us to do. They write, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22).

If you notice, the above verses emphasize consistency in our walk. They use the words "always" and "without ceasing" and "everything". Consistency in our walk means we learn to forsake: grumbling, useless regrets, and complacency. We develop meaningful righteous routines because we confidently understand who we are in Christ.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word consistent means "possessing firmness or coherence; marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity: free from variation or contradiction; showing steady conformity to character, profession, belief, or custom; tending to be arbitrarily close to the true value of the parameter estimated". If we do not develop consistency in our walk with Christ, we will never witness the miraculous that He desires to pour out upon us. And, the absence of seeing God move in our behalf predisposes us to discouragement, because in our hearts, we've always known we were destined for more.

Stoking the fire in our lives requires commitment and effort. An analogy is as follows: In the year of 1741, Benjamin Franklin developed the first wood-burning stove, called the Franklin stove. It was a metal-lined fireplace which had a hollow baffle in the rear to transfer more heat into the air. This provided warmth throughout the whole house with less smoke than an ordinary fireplace.

Subsequently, other wood-burning stoves were produced to improve the efficacy, but there are commonalities to all of them from which we can glean valuable insight. The most important aspect is that they all require continual attention and effort. Wood has to be chopped and stacked and loaded into the furnace. Someone has to be available at all times to supervise, maintain, and fill them several times a day and even during the night. Safety precautions are taken continuously, such as utilizing carbon monoxide detectors.

The same is true for the fire that God places within us. Constant effort is required. We fan the flames of passion through: worship, prayer, fellowship, and studying God's Word. We have been gifted with a rare and precious commodity that requires that we value it and guard it above all other things in our lives.

This is especially true when we find ourselves right smack dab in the middle of trials, tensions, and turmoil. This is the time we have to step up our game and intentionally seek out godly counsel and reinforcement. This comes in the form of godly servants who worship God both in Spirit and in truth.

There is so much in the world and through the enemy of our souls that want to snuff out the flame inside of us. It can come boldly knocking on the door or insidiously weaving its wicked head through unsuspecting means (or people). Either way, it must be obliterated and not tolerated for even one second!

God is good and He is faithful. He is never more pleased than with a passionate people engaged in a true Kingdom mindset. Regarding the angels, who are also created beings, God said, "He makes His angels winds, and His servants a flame of fire" (Hebrews 1:7). Regarding man, God sent tongues of fire that appeared to them and settled upon each one of them (Acts 2:3). God has given us everything we need to be on fire for Him; it is diligence and consistency that will keep the fire burning in our lives!


"In the midst of the living creatures there was what looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright and out of the fire went forth lightening."
                                                          Ezekiel 1:13

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