Month: March 2016

THE POWER – Don’t Leave Home Without It…


Spiritual Blog - Power

Acts 1:4-8 – “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  NKJV

 

When I compare words used in various places in the Bible regardless to how they are translated into English I often find it interesting, beneficial and revealing.  In Luke 10:19 in the KJV the word “power” is twice seen but when you go to the Greek you find two different words being translated by the same English word.  Jesus said, “Behold I give you (exousia) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the (dunimas) of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”  Two words with two different meanings in the Greek.  In most other translations this word is translated “authority” and its broad meaning would include jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, and strength.  In the second case, the word translated “power” is dynamic with means power but it also means, ability, abundance, might, and strength.

Clearly our LORD is telling His disciples what it was He conveyed to them in Matthew 28:18.  He explained to them that He had been given AUTHORITY, all authority in Heaven and Earth.  He has AUTHORITY over all the POWER and AUTHORITY of the devil.  The god of this world has been vanquished, stripped of his authority and his power subordinated to the power of Jesus Christ.  Jesus, then tells his followers, “That AUTHORITY and POWER that I have I am giving it to you.”  That makes Acts 1:8 incredibly powerful not only for them but for us today.  He instructs them to “tarry” or “wait” in Jerusalem for something incredible to happen.  It would be an action of the Holy Spirit to EMPOWER them WHEN the Holy Spirit comes upon them and as a result, they will be able to fulfill the Great Commission.  They will operate in the AUTHORITY and POWER of the Lord Jesus Himself.  Heaven will be backing them in a mighty and dynamic manner.  Too often, we want to run before we have the full message or have developed the authority, ability, and power to fulfill the purpose.

In Acts 2:4 we find the fulfillment of this directive and promise of the Lord Jesus when the Holy Spirit made a dramatic entrance which resulted in thousands being converted and the disciples having recognized authority and power spiritually.  It was such an incredible sight that those observing thought they were drunk with wine but Peter corrected them indicating both the time of day and the prophecy of Joel as well as the Promise of Jesus.  After Peter’s anointed preaching under the AUTHORITY and POWER of the Holy Spirit, the people asked, “what shall we do?”  Peter gave them simple instructions in Acts 2:38 that repentance was required, then instructed them to be obedient in following the LORD in baptism and said, “…and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Then in Acts 2:39 he makes a most incredible statement that should bring encouragement to us in this generation.  A revelation that TODAY we have access to the same power and authority they had in the First Church.  He said, “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

If you do not have spiritual authority manifest in your life and are not operating in spiritual power I urge you to find your Jerusalem and tarry or wait for the Promise of the Father to saturate your life.  I recognize that the Holy Spirit is with you and even in you as a child of God but if He is not manifesting Himself in power and giving you the spiritual authority to combat the forces of hell – – ASK.   Remember Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find, and Knock and the door will be open to you.”  We are in a spiritual conflict and our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of Strongholds.  Spiritual Weapons are given by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

God bless you as you walk in His Authority and Power in your pursuit of your purposes in this generation.

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THE SPOTLIGHT…


Spiritual Blog - Spotlight

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”  NKJV

 

I love the message of John the Baptist and his strong affirmation that he was simply “a” or “the” voice of one crying in the wilderness.  He was a forerunner to announce the coming of the Christ.  He declared in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  That should be the heart of every child of God to LIFT UP CHRIST, not recognition, acclaim, accolades, position, prominence, or power.  We are MESSENGERS, not the MESSAGE.  He is the FOCUS, not we.  As Jesus declared, in John 12:32, “…if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”  He is the MESSAGE.  He is the FOCUS.  He is the one with the Words of Eternal Life.  He is the Door to Salvation.  He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.

We must never forget the commission given in Mark 16:15-18, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”   Nor dare we forget the words of the apostle Paul to the believers in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

I have always been disturbed when a man, any man, is elevated to the place of worship and especially so in those preaching the Gospel of Christ.  In my years of Christian service and ministry, I have encountered people so enamored with a particular preacher that they could hear nothing other than that minister’s message and method.  I appreciate Paul telling those following his ministry and the Christian walk in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate (follow) me, just as I also imitate (follow) Christ.”  We dare never allow any man, ministry or fellowship to descend to the state of the Church in Corinth which Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 3:4 where they were becoming sectarian and virtually idolizing men, methods and styles.  We are Christians, followers of Christ and should NEVER elevate any human or their message above Christ and the Word of God.  Men/Women are simply MESSENGERS they are not the MESSAGE.

The Spotlight that draws people to the Cross and brings salvation is the GOSPEL not oratorical ability and personalities.  I heard a man tell a senior minister once, I follow you because you saved me.  The minister responded, “If I saved you, we are both in trouble because I then become responsible for you and I am not God.”  He continued, “I can save no one, I am simply the messenger, not the message.”  He then taught the man and all who would hear that their loyalty and devotion was not to be him but God and there would come a time he would no longer be their pastor and if they made him their focus they would hinder the progress of the local fellowship and potentially become roadblocks to people receiving Jesus.  He quoted John the Baptist’s declaration and admonished the crowd, “Make God and the Gospel the Spotlight of all you do not a man, men, or earthly ministries.”  Gold cannot save you, personality cannot buy you entrance into heaven for ONLY JESUS can SAVE.

Therefore, please always guard and pray that the Spirit of God will help you to guard against allowing anything or anyone, even your own ego become the Spotlight.  It must be, “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”  [Matthew 6:33].

            God bless you as you go through this beautiful day in Christ!

 

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FORGETTING THE PAST…


Spiritual Blog - The Past

Philippians 3:12-16 – “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same  standard to which we have attained.”  NASU

 

Many times I’ve heard the saying, “The Past is the Past” as an encouragement to let “bygones be bygones” or “bury the hatchet”, reconcile and move on with life and relationships.  There is great need to refuse to allow the PAST to determine the PRESENT and thereby influence the FUTURE.  However, I do not believe this is an admonition to IGNORE the past rather refuse to allow it to hinder the present.

I think the word translated “forgetting” means “to lose out of mind; by implication, to neglect.”  When the Bible tells us that God has cast our sins, as Micah 7 declares, “…into the depths of the sea” or as we often describe it the SEA OF FORGETFULNESS or FORGETTING.  This does not mean that God no longer has any memory of our past but that He has consciously chosen to not allow that which is forgiven to be used in future considerations.  He has not developed divine amnesia but has made a conscious decision to not allow that which is under the blood (PAST) to be used against us in the future.

If we are to LEARN from our Past how can we do that in the modern understanding of forgetting?  I find that the definition of “forgetting the past” of many in our modern world could be translated “ignore the past”.  I believe the admonition is not the development of “divine amnesia” or to “ignore” but to move beyond, learning the vital lessons but to “press on” or “reach forward” to that which lies ahead.  It is not a matter of pretending that it never happened but to refuse to allow it to remain a part of our present.

Spiritual Blog - Amnesia

We know that we cannot enter God’s Temple with dirty garments or lives and, therefore, the PAST must be put under the Atoning Blood.  However, if we are striving to FORGET as in IGNORE or have NO CONSCIOUSNESS of the past how can, Revelation 2:5 be applied to today?  If we are to follow the directive of Isaiah 46:9 how can we accomplish “remembering former things” and having our faith and confidence in God soar if we adopt the modern idea of “forgetting the past.”

We have a history that is indelibly etched in the annals of time but we must come to the Cross, receive the Atonement and move past the past into the present and reach for our future in Him.  The slate is clean in the sense that WE ARE FORGIVEN.  I had a person call me once, after they had been involved in a fender bender and said, “Pray that this never happened.”  Obviously, that is impossible and so is trying to IGNORE our history.  We forget in that we give the past not place in our present.  We no longer play the video of the past but the lessons learned are invaluable in our present and our pursuit of our future.  Rather than seek to forget as in never having happened we should seek to have it under the Atonement, learn the lessons therein, and refuse to allow the past to control our present and future.

            May the LORD be with you as you go through this day.

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THE SPIRIT OF ABSALOM – [Conclusion]


Spiritual Blog - Discord

2 Samuel 15:4 – “Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”  NKJV

 

Let’s talk about MARKING certain groups of people and see if we can get beyond the objection that we are not to JUDGE.  The Bible does not say that we can never judge but that we are to judge righteous judgment and the measure or standard we use will be used toward us.  That is often overlooked in the demand that we never judge for we judge every day.

The first Group to MARK is those who cause DIVISIONS.  The second those who SET THE RIGHT EXAMPLE.  Both are important to note and be aware of.  MARK THEM BOTH but AVOID the ones who cause division and JOIN yourselves with those who set the right example.  If you can receive this, “the devil can never defeat the church from the outside.”  People can say all they want about us.  They can criticize us and fight us with character assignation and even put their hands on us in a very literal and legal sense but they will come to naught and God will lift us to a PLACE IN HIM that we have yet to taste and experience.  It is NEVER the outsider, the critic, the jealous preacher, the jealous church, people, or politicians that defeat us.  They CANNOT!

The ONLY THING that can destroy the church is You and Me.  We are the only ones who can destroy the local church and defeat its purpose in the Kingdom of God.  In order for the devil to defeat and/or destroy the church (local) is to get inside, in the middle and divide the church, the leadership, the membership, and attendees.  He must get us on opposite sides and at odds with each other.

LET ME BE CLEAR – – The devil does not make you a rebel or an outlaw.  He comes in with innuendo, suggestion, and criticism.  He deceives you into believing that your perceived ministry, gifts, talents, and abilities are superior to others.  He inspires and encourages you to focus on your perceived injuries and hurts.  He, as with Absalom, Eve and multitudes throughout human history, suggests that you should have more and be more and the leadership is hindering you.  Therefore, in your mind, the leadership must be ousted.  THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB, it is GOD’s JOB.

I’ve had people tell me that they were on God’s side and God was on their side and they had a mandate from God to oust the leadership.  I always challenge them to examine their actions and attitudes.  I identify how they are spreading DISCORD.  I ask if they acknowledge speaking against the leadership which God established.  I call to the fore their plans to oust the leaders.  I challenge their proclamation their love for God and the leaders when they are working diligently to overthrow the leadership rather than praying for God to raise up or take down those in authority.  That, I tell them is NOT BEING ON GOD’S SIDE.  I challenge them with scripture and show them that God opposes that attitude and action.  Sometimes I am successful in pulling back the veil and expose the Sowing of Discord and Error and sometimes I am told to find the door but I will not be silent and condone anything that blatantly violates God’s word and pattern.

Proverbs 16:18-19 – “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” 

If we allow the Spirit of Absalom to dominate in our lives we will, as Absalom be left hanging in the tree not ascending to the position or place God would have us rise.  It is not about us but about the Kingdom of God.  It is about the Great Commission and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is about life and death.

God bless you and if you recognize an Absalom spirit in yourself or others NOTE it, repent of it personally and divest yourself of it collectively.   May the Lord richly bless your walk, word, and warfare in Him.

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THE SPIRIT OF ABSALOM – [Part II]


Spiritual Blog - Divisions

2 Samuel 15:4 – “Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”  NKJV

 

Leadership is a much-desired position but few want the accountability and responsibility that goes with it.  Many want the recognition and the perks of being the top dog, front or lead man or woman but not the dirty details that accompany leadership.  The Church is not devoid of Enemies.  Every local congregation faces spiritual warfare in the fight for its existence and the pursuit of its purposes.  Satan would like nothing better than to destroy the local congregation and the only way he can accomplish that is from within.  Thus the ever present reason for UNITY of the Faith.  I want to challenge you with some scriptures I believe are critical and key regarding the Church, Leadership, and Order, something that is much needed.

Romans 16:17 – “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on [MARK] those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away [AVOID] from them.”

Did you hear that?  MARK THEM that cause divisions among you.  I am 100% convinced that the only way for the local church to function in the power of God and fulfill its true purposes in the earth and the local community is to learn to “dwell together in unity.”  I am not talking about making concessions and compromises to offer an appearance of unity but TRUE SPIRITUAL UNITY.  I am talking about having a COMMON VISION, becoming CHRIST-CENTERED, and laying aside PERSONAL AGENDAS and EGOS.  That is most difficult for human beings, especially those who are competitive and ambitious.

Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.”

Acts 4:32 – “And the congregation of those who believed were of ONE HEART and SOUL, and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them.”

Matthew 23:8 – “But, do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.”

Romans 12:16 – “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.  Do not be wise in your own estimation.”  [v.17 – never pay back evil for evil and v. 19 – never take your own revenge.]

Romans 15:5-6 – “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:10 – “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you all AGREE and there be NO DIVISIONS among you, but you be MADE complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

             Let that sink in and soak in for a bit before continuing on and pursuing a position of leadership!  The unquestioned call and absolute necessity are UNITY.  It not optional but essential.  It is the difference between health and spiritual sickness and life or spiritual death.  A house truly cannot stand divided against itself and it is absolutely critical that we all have the same VISION and JUDGMENT.

Ephesians 4:1-3 – “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT in the BOND OF PEACE.”

Philippians 1:27 – “Only, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come to see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in ONE SPIRIT with ONE MIND striving together for the faith of the gospel…”

Philippians 3:16 – “…however, let us keep living by the same standard to which we have attained.”

Back to MARKING THEM… The Bible gives us two types of people to MARK or NOTE.  Romans 16:17 tells us to MARK a certain group, and Philippians 3:17 tells us to MARK another group.  Philippians says, “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe [MARK] those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”  Romans says, MARK those who cause divisions.  Both are to be MARKED or NOTED.

Now that I have opened this can of worms I must address it more fully and will do so in the next devotional but for now, I pause to say God bless you as you go through this day in Him.

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THE SPIRIT OF ABSALOM


Spiritual Blog - Absalom

2 Samuel 15:4 – “Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”  NKJV

 

Almost sounds like a politician doesn’t it?   The more I study the more I love the Bible and how it deals with every aspect of life and opens the door to examination of character flaws and offers hope for a resolution.  The Bible is filled with accounts of incredible exploits of some of the most notable characters in human history.  It gives a clear record of a number of men who had tremendous potential and seemed destined for greatness only to fall through character failures.  As we begin to examine the account of “Absalom”, it becomes painfully apparent that this man represented a life of incredible promise.  In fact, we would say, the sky was the limit and yet, in the final analysis, it is the epitome of utter failure.

You must remember that Absalom was the heir to David’s throne.  He was known far and wide for his physical characteristics, good looks and charming ways that made him incredibly popular.  He had natural abilities beyond what most possess and everyone expected him to ascend to the throne when David died.  The greatest requirement for this to become reality was:

  • He must WAIT, patiently and loyally.
  • He must SUBMIT to proper and established authority.

It was a matter of “IF”…  If he could only have learned the steps to leadership.  If he could only suppress the urge, compulsion, and driving desire to be the head and defy authority.  He was a man unrestrained, self-centered, egotistical, and self-serving.  IF he could do those things HE WOULD BE KING and likely be great in the kingdom.

Matthew 23:12 – “And whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”  (Absalom failed to humble himself so he was humbled and because he was humbled but not humble he was not exalted.)

The Kingdom of God is not a Kingdom of POSITIONS it is the Kingdom of FUNCTION.  It is never and will never be about place, position, or personal recognition.  It is about SUBMISSION and FUNCTION and whenever a person begins to think of him or herself and their gifts and abilities to the point of elevating themselves to co-equals or higher than God there is trouble brewing and the storm will come.  Conflict always follows self-exaltation and while it is not visible in today’s church there is an order that God has established and a clear means of settling disputes.  There is NEVER a place for “Sowing Discord.”

Any person who desires to be in a position of AUTHORITY must first be in a place of SUBMISSION.  There are no shortcuts that produce lasting results or relationships.  There is no exception to this rule in the Kingdom of God or in any dimension of life.  “He who will not follow and submit to human authority will not submit to divine authority.”      It is IMPOSSIBLE to truly lead until you have first learned to follow.  To be successful in the Kingdom of God one must be in COMPLETE SUBMISSION to God, willing to be the lowest for Christ’s sake and the Kingdom.  It is in this state of submission that we find ourselves also in submission to God’s chosen human authority over us.

Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give account.  Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable to you.”

Leadership in a local assembly carries an incredible and daunting responsibility.  The accountability to God is unmistakable and should be a fearful thing.  One of the most difficult things for people in a democratic society to comprehend is that God establishes leaders and removes leaders Himself.  Daniel 2:21 – “And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to the wise men, and knowledge to the men of understanding.”  If we truly believed and trusted God, we would pray for the leadership not just about the leadership and God would raise them up or bring them down.  Prime examples can be seen early in the Bible in Numbers 16 with the rebellion of Korah and in Numbers 17 where Aaron’s rod budded validating the leadership of Moses and Aaron.  In any area of life, to lead you must be able to follow and if you want to be in authority you must first be under authority.  I know some cannot accept that but that is God’s Pattern and something Absalom, the presumptive next king could not fathom or follow.

I want to say more but will pause at this juncture today and pick up in the next devotional.  God bless you as you enjoy His day set before you for you to live abundantly. 

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HEBREWS 12 – Encouragements for Living and Spiritual Development… [Part 2]


Spiritual Blog - Witnesses

Hebrews 12:1-3 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”  NKJV

 

Having paused yesterday after two (2) thoughts we pick up there to look at the other thoughts which are able to encourage us and inspire us to fight the good fight of faith, run the race and finish the course.  We saw:

  1. The Great Cloud of Witnesses.
  2. Paul Reminded His Listeners of the Reason for Remembering Them. 

Now we come to additional thoughts for Living and Spiritual Development in Hebrews 12.  Consider with me…

  1. Paul Then Addresses, the “Endurance Factor” or “Longevity” of the race…

We must never forget that this is not a Sprint but a Marathon.  Life, personal problems, personal battles, personal demons all must be viewed other than something that is passing and is a part of the big picture.  Life is a marathon and every day presents new challenges so if we remember those who have gone before us and succeeded and allow all our flaws and failures to be exposed to the light “THEN” we put ourselves in a position to develop the endurance for the long haul.  However, that is not possible if we “fix” our eyes anywhere other than Jesus.

Paul addresses this in reminding us that Jesus is the author and finisher (one who perfects) our faith.  Consider what our Lord Jesus did.  He was willing to come to earth, live among mortal men as a man subject to all the temptations, tests, problems, issues, battles, and feelings that we have and did it without sin and did it with joy.  What was His joy?  It was that He could provide a door for us to enter into that life that is free.  Jesus ignored the pain, the shame of being branded a criminal, an outcast, a heretic, and willingly endured for us.

  1. Keep The Cloud of Witnesses in the Forefront of Our Minds…

It is as we realize that they too were mortal we are emboldened and encouraged to continue the fight and complete the journey.  For if we allow all our flaws, failures, and shortcomings to be exposed to the light and addressed; and fix our eyes and hope on and in Jesus remembering what He did for us WE WILL MAKE IT.   He concludes in verse three by saying:  “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that YOU WILL NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.”  He did it for you.

In my life I have found that remembering that the path that I am on is not “uncharted”, I am not the “first” to travel this road or experience this problem or face this flaw and multitudes that have gone before and they made it, therefore with God’s help – I CAN TOO!   The Bible tells us that it is the “little foxes” that spoil the vine. (Song of Solomon 2:15)  I’ve used the analogy or illustration before that if you drop a BB in a boat it won’t affect the boat but if you keep dropping BB’s into the boat eventually 1 BB will sink the boat.

In Galatians 2:20 we are told that the life that we “now live” in the flesh we live by the faith of Jesus.  We are not capable of living life either as a Christian or as an unbeliever in our own strength.  We have to have help.  For the believer we have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to come alongside and walk with us guiding us through the paths that we must walk.  We have the assurance of Jesus interceding for us before the throne of Heaven and we have other brothers and sisters in the faith to help us.  Truly spiritual people are not judgmental but have the goal of “restoration” in their minds, therefore, we can totally expose our flaws to them and they will speak truthfully into our lives and then work with us to find solutions and ways to overcome those issues.

I like to keep in mind the multitudes that have gone before me and know that they were mortal just like me but made it.  Therefore, if they did with God’s help then I can with His help…   God bless you as you go through this day!

 

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HEBREWS 12 – Encouragements for Living and Spiritual Development…


Spiritual Blog - Cloud

Hebrews 12:1-3 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”  NKJV

             I want to share some thoughts from the first three verses in Hebrews 12 that I believe are not only beneficial but vital to our Spiritual Walk and Warfare.  Consider them with me, please…

  1. The Great Cloud of Witnesses…

That to which Paul refers would have been understood by his hearers as in comparison to the Olympic games of his day.  Paul was obviously referring to those in the previous Chapter who had gone one before them and now occupants of the celestial city in the presence of God.

Upon receiving my draft notice and then enlisting to allow me to choose the Branch of Service in which I would serve elicited many discussions with veterans about BOOT CAMP.   One of my cousins told me something that helped me through that time and has helped me in many situations in life.  He said, “You can make it.  Think of it like this – There have been hundreds of thousands who have made it before you and if they made it you can too.”  I never forgot that.  I remembered it in “Boot Camp” in my other training for combat and in Vietnam.  The thought of that massive crowd of people who had preceded me stuck in my mind and kept me motivated.

Once I became a Christian I kept that mentality referring to this passage as a reminder of the hundreds of thousands or millions that have gone on before and “finished the course” and are now in the presence of the Lord.  They made it.  They are there and so it motivates me to believe and focus on the fact that I can too.

  1. Paul Reminds His Listeners That…

The presence in their minds of the great cloud of witnesses would enable them to run the race.  This is another reference to the Olympic athlete who stripped totally naked in order to compete.  The athlete would allow nothing to hinder them or slow them down.  Not public exposure, not any inhibitions they might have or concerns about being exposed.  In a life that applies in that if we keep things “hidden,” we are allowing encumbrances, weights, and baggage to keep us from being able to run the race and finish the course.

We need to be reminded of those who have successfully completed the course.  We need to be reminded that “nothing” is worth not finishing the course successfully.  That means that we have to come totally clean in our hearts, our honesty and acknowledge where we fall short and allow that flaw to be exposed to the light so it can be addressed.  Failure in that area will cause us to have entanglements that will prevent us from running successfully.

Let’s pause there and pick this up in the next post.  May you walk in the fullness of God’s rich and bountiful blessings as you journey through this beautiful day in Him.

 

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FALLING IS NOT FAILURE…


Spiritual Blog - Failure

Psalm 37:23-24 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.”  NKJV

 

Most of us have failed, stumbled, slipped, or erred in our Christian walk in some manner or other.  I do not say that as a justification or excuse for our humanity being exposed from time to time but as a factual reality from which we can learn and grow.  I view my life in keeping with the statement of the apostle Paul in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained it or already have been perfected, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” 

Although Jesus resisted being called GOOD declaring there is only one God, the Father I would suggest this passage does not seek to deify man but speaks to the life, labor, and walk of the “valiant” or the “warrior” and could be rightly applied to “anyone” who is seeking to follow the LORD.  The Psalmist says that the steps of that person are “ordered” or “directed” by the LORD.  When our lives are pleasing to God it not only brings joy to His heart but gives us reason to rejoice and enjoy the wonder of life here on Earth.

Then the Psalmist brings us to a thought we may not often consider, the possibility of erring in our walk, word, and life.  The possibility of stumbling to the point of falling.  He declares this, not as an absolute but a possibility if not probability, that we may or could stumble or fall.  The powerful and encouraging word is that IF THAT HAPPENS, there is HOPE for “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.”  That, to me, is incredibly comforting.  I won’t just somehow find my way up, but I will be held by the Master’s Strong Hand.

I love the connection to the next two verses and expand the power of the Promise to those who seek after and follow the LORD.  Consider them…

Psalm 37:25-26 – “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.  He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed.”  

            What a picture for all who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We can take comfort that God is fully aware of our path and pursuits in life and if we are willing and obedient, orders or directs our paths making our walk delightful.  Even if we stumble and err that is not fatal failure it is a momentary disruption in our progress because we are being held up by God’s hand.  Then, we can be assured that we will NEVER be forsaken and go without the provision we need in life and that will extend to our descendants.  Hallelujah!

May the LORD be with you, guarding and guiding you in all things and at all times enabling you to achieve your dreams mounting up with wings as eagles and soar above the circumstances of life!  Blessings abundant is my desire and prayer!

 

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TRUE VALUE – -Not the Hardware Store But…


Spiritual Blog - True Value

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  NKJV

 

I continue to be amazed even after all these years that there are those who stand in the pulpit and sit in the pews in churches who discount the veracity, validity and completeness of the Bible.  I confess, if I did not believe the Bible was the Inspired Word of God I would have difficulty believing it at all.  If I believed that it was inconsistent, erroneous, and mythical I would have difficulty believing the message of the Cross and would have serious doubts about heaven and hell.  But, I do believe the Bible is THE WORD OF GOD not simply CONTAINS SOME OF THE WORDS OF GOD.  I believe it to be the written revelation of His person, purpose, and plan for man. 

Therefore, I am completely comfortable accepting the declaration of the apostle Paul to His son in the faith Timothy in this text.  I ask you to consider with me the high points of Paul’s assertion and instruction.

  • ALL SCRIPTURE is given by INSPIRATION OF GOD…

If I do not believe that statement then the remainder of Paul’s instruction and counsel are null and void.  The Bible is not a good book of history, poetry, literature, or mythology it is GOD’S WORD written and preserved for mankind to be our guide in life.  That, to me, makes it invaluable and a source of reading and study that should be a significant part of our lives.  I believe that the Bible (Scripture) is God-breathed.

  • ALL SCRIPTURE is PROFITABLE for Doctrine.

Through the Bible, we have the basis for our beliefs and it is valuable for teaching us how to live, relate to one another as well as to God, and provides us insight into the character, nature, attributes, and purposes of God.  It is our source of inspiration and hope.

  • ALL SCRIPTURE is PROFITABLE for Reproof.

The word used here is found only here and indicates that this is focusing on conviction (of a sinner), punishment, and refutation of error.  Thus, we have the word reproof.  It is a strong word and the Bible is the basis for this action and must be taken in light of the consistent teaching of the Bible, especially the New Testament as a disciplinary guide.

  • ALL SCRIPTURE is PROFITABLE for Correction.

This is a compound word which means to straighten up again, rectification or reformation.  It indicates that Scripture is the basis for guidance in life and when one’s life drifts off course it is the Bible that is the road map to returning to the right path.  Therefore, if we ignore or discount the Bible we lose that valuable application.

  • ALL SCRIPTURE is PROFITABLE for Instruction.

This speaks of tutoring, education, training, and by implication disciplinary correction.  It is our source for learning those vital truths needed for life.  No wonder our founding fathers considered it vital to have the Bible taught in public school.

All this is with the ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE of bringing the individual to completeness in Christ and be prepared and equipped for every assignment set before them in life.  This is true not only for ministers but for every individual.  THE BIBLE IS ESSENTIAL, not OPTIONAL in our development and growth spiritually.  Therefore, the TRUE VALUE is incredible and I would encourage everyone to renew their interest in and examination of the gold mine of truth that is THE BIBLE.

            God bless you as you continue your journey through life in Christ!

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