2 Corinthians 5:11 – “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, my heart overflowed.   It seems that lately, in every session with the Lord and His Word, the matter of CHOICE comes up.  God is challenging people to make a choice.   It is “All In” or “Not In.”   We may deceive ourselves about where we stand, but as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:11, “What we are is known to God.”

In 1 Kings 18, we have the face-off between Elijah and 850 pagan prophets on Mt. Carmel.   The challenge to them was, “Put up or shut up.” The challenge to the people was, “Make a choice. All in or All out.” God has no in-between.

When Elisha was waiting for Elijah to be taken to heaven, he made the persistent choice to persist.   Elijah tested him three times, and Elisha refused to be deterred each time.   When God took Elijah in the whirlwind, and his mantle fell to the ground, it did not fall on Elisha; it fell on the ground.   To have the mantle, Elisha had to make a choice and take action.  The anointing is not automatic. He had to go and take up the mantle.  God gives us opportunities, but we have to choose to pursue them.   It is never forced; it is allowed.

Something interesting is in the account in 2 Kings 4, where the stew was poisoned with wild gourds. “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” This is about more than a meal in the natural.

When false doctrine gets mixed into the teaching of the church, what do we do? Often, we throw everything out and kill the cook. What did Elisha do? He put in flour (truth) and served the stew.  Not only did he preserve the stew, but it was multiplied to feed everyone with leftovers.

The Gospel is an endless supply.  God’s truth overcomes and de-poisons error.  We do not have to throw everything away and kill the one who errs.  God is greater than that, and God desires restoration wherever and whenever possible.

We need the veil removed so we can become transformed.  What we focus on, we become.   If our focus is on error, we will fall into error.   If our focus is truth, truth will transform us. We are New Creations, not modifications. God wants to transform us and is waiting for us to make the choice to receive the exchanged life!  If we keep believing the lie, we become the lie.

Choice!  Make the Choice!

Isaiah 66:8 – “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?  Can a land be born in one day?  Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, I was challenged in my spirit on several fronts.   We say we want God’s outpouring. We say there is going to be a move in the Last Days. We say there will be revival, renewal, restoration, and reformation. BUT, for the most part, we proclaim it will be, but we don’t do what’s required to bring it into the present.

What do I mean by that?  That is a strong indictment.  Is it justified?  What is the missing element or factor?   I believe it is Travail.  The deep longing that is so intense it consumes, for God’s kingdom to be established, lost souls to be won, purity of heart to prevail, and the powers of darkness to be destroyed. That is Travail.   Isaiah 66:8 – “For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth children.”

In 1 Kings 8, in the dedication of the temple Solomon built, we see something interesting. In verse 8, we read that when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud (shekinah) filled the temple…  It was so powerful that the priests could not stand to minister because the shekinah glory filled the temple.  Could we relate the Holy Place to us going into the presence of God in prayer (Travail)?

In Acts 1-2, we see the 120 in the upper room (place of prayer).   It became their place of Travail and Holy Place to enter God’s presence.  When they prayed (travailed), something happened: PENTECOST!   They travailed, and God moved!

What did Jesus identify as the Greatest Commandments?  Love God with our entire being and our neighbor as ourselves.  How is love, consuming our entire being, manifested?   How is Covenant Love demonstrated?  It will die, if necessary, to reach, provide for, and protect the object of Covenant. How much do we love God? How deeply do we love our neighbor? The presence or absence of Travail answers that question.

If having a move of God does not move us into Travail, it is a nice thought, not a consuming desire.   If the thought of eternity is only theoretical, we will not be moved with the needed compassion that drives us to Travail.

Remember the words to Ezekiel?  God made him a watchman charged with sounding the alarm. If he did not, the souls of the lost would be on him. I believe being a watchman is more than proclaiming; it is reclaiming in Travail.

Jesus died so we could live. In the Finished work of the Cross, we have the power and authority to bind hell and pluck souls from the devil’s clutches. Let Gethsemane be our example.   Our eternity was so valuable to Jesus; He travailed UNTIL He overcame and stripped hell of its power.

How deeply do we want a move of God?  How deeply do we want family, friends, and people saved? That will be expressed in our Travail.

The missing ingredient in the Last Days move is Travail.

1 Kings 3:5 – “In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was reminded of a truth we sometimes seem to overlook.    The principles Jesus taught were rooted in actions, words, deeds, and directives found in the Old Testament.

One example is Solomon’s request to God.  In 1 Kings 3:5, God came to him in a dream and asked, “Ask what I should give you.” What would you have focused on? Do not get religious in faux piety!

Solomon’s request focused on service, not self.  Many of our prayers are focused on “I want or I need. It is ME.”   God said, “Son, since you did not focus on yourself, I will give you what you asked for and what you didn’t.” Does that sound familiar? How about Matthew 6:33?

In 1 Kings 6:12-13, we confront the Covenant principle of “If” – “Then.”  If you will walk or live according to my directives, I will give you. Have you encountered that in the New Testament? “If you abide in My Words, and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and I will do it.” (John 15:7).

In 1 Corinthians 10:21-22, we see a vivid picture of someone who professes Christ but lives with one foot in the world and one in the church. They claim knowledge and faith but try to drink of the cup of the LORD and the cup of the flesh.  Their lives reveal the hidden corruption of the heart.

If our focus is on Jesus and others, we will seek to please Him and seek the best good of others before ourselves.  In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we have the key. Every word, every act, every thought should have one purpose: glorifying God! Do they?

1 Corinthians 8:6 makes life clear.  We exist for God.  We exist through Christ.  We can fool ourselves, but we cannot fool the Holy Spirit.  The saying, though not found in Scripture, “God helps those who help themselves,” has validity.  If we desire and take steps to live, do, and be right, God helps!  He is waiting for us to make the choice.  Only all-in is IN.  There is no sort of with God.

When we take one step toward God, He responds like the Prodigal Father and runs toward us. The decision is ours. The provision is His.

2 Samuel 13:20-23 – “Then Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. ²¹ Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry. ²² But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.  ²³ Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, I was awakened to several things.  One was being overly tolerant of sin in Christians or those who profess Christ.

In 2 Samuel 13, we have the horrible story of Amnon raping his sister Tamar. In verses 21-23, three sins are revealed, each affecting not only the sinner but others as well.  Amnon’s act is obvious.  Then we see a second sin with an even broader impact. “When King David heard about all these things, he was very angry.”

That is good, but he did nothing.  He was the father and the civil authority.  Had he dealt with Amnon, Absalom could have been restored, the nation spared from being torn apart, and lives spared.  Then, Absalom’s hate. All affected many others.

Paul addressed the issue of excessive tolerance in the body in 1 Corinthians 5 and 6.  In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addressed the issue of sexual immorality and in verse 2 said, “And you are puffed up!”

Over what?  Their claim of tolerance!  He goes on to admonish them, and in verses 6-7, he said, “Your boasting is not good.”  He continued his discourse and reminded them that their tolerance among those claiming to be followers of Christ was destructive and an insult to Christ and His sacrifice.

However, we must be cautious about becoming God’s fruit inspectors and going after everything and everyone we deem unacceptable.  1 Corinthians 4, reflecting on Chapter 3, Paul said, “Therefore do not judge anything before the time…”  Simply, let God be the judge of motives. You deal with actions!

If we turn a blind eye to sin in the church, especially sexual sin, we not only insult God, but we also damage the testimony of Christ and become stumbling blocks for the lost.

I am not suggesting that we go on a witch hunt and become, in our minds, God’s sin busters!  NO!  We deal with sin according to the Word of God with the goal of restoration in mind.

We have a world to reach, and if we allow blatant sin to thrive unchecked in the church, we destroy the church’s testimony and message.   If sexual sin is tolerated, what can be judged?   Then the church loses credibility and becomes an “anything goes” place with no consequences for actions.

1 Corinthians 6:9 – “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” In the context of the preceding verses, this focuses on sin in the church.

We want God’s power, and He wants purity. Power without purity of heart results in tyranny.

Lord, help us to be pure and surrender our entire being to You.

1 Samuel 30:6;18-20 – “Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. ¹⁸ So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil, or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. ²⁰ So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was reminded of God’s goodness and the need for a pure heart to enjoy Him and hope in Him. In that, I’m always reminded to guard against self-deception.

In 1 Samuel 30:6, David and his band of misfits came home to discover that the Amalekites had raided and taken everything! Keep in mind that Amalek is a type of the flesh. His men got angry at David and wanted to stone him. Leadership has rewards, but also consequences, even when it is not your fault and beyond your control. Here we read, “But David strengthened himself in Adonai his God.” (Some render it encouraged. Either way, the question is, “How?”

If we review David’s life, we quickly realize it was by rehearsing his past victories, reminding himself of the Covenant, and praising God. He set the LORD before him. (Psalm 16:8).

The result is seen in the next few verses. He inquired of God. He acted on God’s directive. Then in verses 18-19 we find that David recovered EVERYTHING!

Romans 15:4 tells us that what was written aforetime was for our instruction. Therefore, God provided this account to give us a pattern for complete victory and full restoration.  David’s pattern would be a good pattern for us!  We have a world to win, an assignment to complete, a call to carry out. How do we achieve it? Romans 13:12-14 gives us the pathway to victory.

• Realize the hour and urgency.
• Take action in two directions:
• Put off the works of darkness.
• Put on the armor of light.

What does that look like? The answer is in verses 13-14.

• Stop yielding to the flesh.
• End carousing and drunkenness.
• Stop sexual impropriety.
• Stop envy and strife.
• Then, pursue Jesus.
• Stop making provisions for the flesh and focus on Jesus!

Let the Love of God fill our hearts and minds.  Romans 13:7-10 says that if Love fills our hearts, hate will not fill our hands.   We are each personally accountable for our actions.  All will stand before God.  No excuses will survive.  If we are overflowing in Love for God and others, “just as” Jesus loves, we will put off the flesh and put on the pure!  Victory is ours; let us take it! Make the choice and rejoice!

LORD, help us to receive the Total Recovery of Your Provision and Promise!