Month: May 2017

HIS PART – OUR PART…


Spiritual Blog - God and Us

Colossians 3:1-4 – “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”  NKJV

 

In this Christian walk, too often people are waiting for God to do it without giving consideration to our part of the equation.  Paul told the Philippians to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and do His good pleasure.”  Here in Colossians, the apostle uses the infinitely powerful two-letter word “IF” as a qualifier for his life instruction.  He says, “IF then you were raised with Christ…”  IF here is an identifier more than a question and although used rightly it could easily be SINCE.  His instruction is for those who have received Jesus as their savior, died to sin, and experienced the New Birth and been transformed as New Creations, those who have arisen from spiritual death to spiritual life.

As a Christian, the focal point of our life is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” as Jesus instructed.  Paul says, “seek those things which are above…”  Those things that are current realities where Christ is, as He sits at the right hand of the Father.  He reminds them of the Promise of our Lord to return for us and that “when Christ who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”  That is the ultimate objective, prize, and goal – ETERNITY WITH HIM!

Yet, the apostle does not stop there with a forward look and longing but gives some definite instructions as to OUR PART in the equation.  The things that God will not do for us but will help us achieve.  The things subsequent to salvation and our reception of His Saving Grace.  He gives an instruction and a basis for it.

  • You SET YOUR MIND on things above, not things of this earth.

Become heavenly minded.  Yes, we have all heard people say, “Don’t become so heavenly minded you are not earthly good.”  However, I would argue that if you truly focus on the things of heaven or the things of God rather than becoming no earthly good you will be of the optimum good.  Why?  Because of the transformation in your heart, mind, life, and actions.  Why are we to do this?  Because we are DEAD and our lives are hidden with Christ in God.  We have been REDEEMED and TRANSFORMED.  We are now strangers and pilgrims on this earth and just passing through.  Our citizenship has been transferred to His Kingdom and because of that, we need to think the thoughts of Heaven and hear the words of Heaven so we can function more perfectly on earth.

  • You PUT TO DEATH YOUR MEMBERS which are on earth.

What members?  Read what he says next and you will have no question as to what he is referring.  Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry.  Why?  These things corrupt and defile and divert our attention from Heaven’s Purpose to gratification of the flesh and its desires.  To avoid the wrath of God and come out from among them and be separate.  We to be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and present a witness that is other than that of the world.

  • You PUT OFF all these.

          All What?  Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Stop telling lies to one another.  Why or How can you do this?  Because you have been redeemed and by the Grace and Mercy of God have put off the old man.  You are a New Creation, the old is dead and you have been resurrected to newness of life spiritually.  You are not the same as the old you.  You have a renewed mind and in that, your knowledge is transformed and renewed making you LIKE HIM.  You are no longer sectarian but view all mankind as one and make no distinction based on race, color, or creed.

  • You PUT ON these.

          Put on what?  Tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with or being patient with one another, and forgiving one another.  That is a tall order and rather than waiting on God to do it for you remember HE HAS DONE IT in you and therefore it is up to you to walk out what He has done on the inside.  How is that possible?  By REMEMBERING.  Remembering what?  That you are forgiven!  How can you make this a reality in your life?  PUT ON LOVE, which is the bond of perfection.  LET THE PEACE OF GOD rule your heart.  Always be led by peace. We are one body, saved by the same grace and created by the same God.  LET THE WORD OF GOD DWELL IN YOU.  Not just dwell in your but dwell in you richly.  That means you give and are given wisdom, teaching, admonition and one of the most powerful ways for that to occur is through Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

Whatever you do and that means EVERYTHING whether in word or deed do it in the Name or as a representative of Jesus and do it with a thankful and grateful heart!

           God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

 

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THE BEAUTY OF THE BIBLE…


Spiritual Blog - Bible

Genesis 50:15-21 – “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17’Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”‘ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

 18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

 19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”  NKJV

 

I love the statement of Joseph in verse 19 and have used it to encourage myself on more than one occasion.  What men mean for evil, God will take and order it for good.  I believe that is the basis of what Paul said in Romans 8 that “all things work together for good, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Not that all things are good, and all things Joseph experienced were anything but good but the finished product was good and God demonstrated His willingness and ability to take the schemes of evil and produce something of beauty and fulfill the purposes of God.

In studying the life of Joseph and the history of Jacob (Israel) there are some things that make my heart leap for joy as I see, once again, how God deposits little hints and insights into his purpose and plan.  He does little things that seem coincidental but with God, there is nothing coincidental.  In the New Testament, I find that Jesus began His public ministry at the age of 30.  In Genesis, we find that Joseph was elevated to his position of power at the age of 30. Joseph began his ministry of purpose to preserve the Seed Line of Jesus at the same age that Jesus began His public ministry designed to Redeem mankind.  Joseph, in that sense, is a type of Jesus.  I find that more than a little interesting and it resonates with me and speaks to my heart that God is so detailed in His plans for us and wants us to be able to glean truth from His Word so He continually leaves breadcrumbs along the way to get our attention and encourage our hearts.

If you will examine the record you will find that 66 souls (people) came with Jacob to Egypt and if you look at the number of books in the Bible you find 66.  I do not believe that is coincidental but intentional and gives validity to the Christian Bible as the inspired Word of God, complete and entire.  Then if you add the 66 that came with Jacob to the 4 that were with Joseph you have 70 and that is the number of elders that Moses appointed and the number mentioned in Luke 10 that Jesus sent out.  What does 70 mean?  What is the significance of 70?  The number 7 represents perfection and the number 10 completeness and if you multiply that by 7 you find ULTIMATE PERFECTION and COMPLETION.  Jesus has finished the work and now empowers us and sends us out into His harvest.  Israel spent 70 years in Babylonian Captivity before returning to the land.  Jerusalem kept 70 Sabbaths while Judah was in Babylonian captivity and seventy sevens are 490 years as prophesied in Daniel.

God is faithful and keeps His word and covenants.  God has a plan and He leaves us little breadcrumbs throughout scripture to encourage us and open our eyes to His truths.  May the Lord inspire your heart to dig a little deeper into His word and mine the nuggets of truth He has placed as handfuls on purpose for us.

May the Lord bless your richly and enhance your work, walk, and warfare!

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TWO DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS…


Spiritual Blog - Appearance

1 Samuel 16:7 – “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  NKJV

             This is an incredibly powerful and important truth that too often the church has missed or ignored.  Through the years of ministry, I have often been amazed at how God will take someone who is not polished and does not have the credentials or physical appearance or speaking ability and use them mightily.  I have watched young men and women pursuing ministry and many of those I associated with would gravitate toward the one that LOOKED THE PART rather than WATCHING THE HEART.  That is a temptation and tendency I have been guilty of as well, so I am not faulting them only noting that this happens too often.

Based on the statements of Paul about his physical appearance and possibly his speaking voice I doubt that he would have been the one that many congregations today would have gravitated toward.  I don’t know what Paul’s physical appearance was nor how he sounded when he spoke but I do know what his heart was, based on the written word and result.  Samuel was looking, as do most of us, for the most desirable to the natural eye but God was looking beyond the external to the internal.  God ALWAYS looks at the heart or the inside of the cup, not the exterior.  God wants a heart that is broken, tender, and pliable in the hands of the Holy Spirit.

Many of the historic reports of a mighty Man of God, Jonathan Edwards illustrates what I’m saying.  Many of his contemporaries and those following described his preaching as monotone and that he would stare at a rope at the back wall of the church without any gestures, and virtually read his manuscript word for word. He had none of the fiery eloquence of George Whitfield according to many reports.  Whether this is the complete picture or not, I do not know, but I know from the historic report the result of his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and how it impacted people’s lives dramatically and brought many into the kingdom.  That would lead me to say it is ANOINTING not ELOQUENCE or APPEARANCE that is most impactful in preaching.  I have sat under preachers whose grammar was terrible but the Power of God was on them mightily.  They did the best they could with their limited education but as with the disciples, they may have been ignorant and unlearned but it was evident they had been with Jesus.  When they spoke, you could hear Jesus speaking as clearly as if He were standing there.  When they prayed, you could hear Jesus praying as surely as if He had been there in person.

In today’s world, even in the church, too often we required entertainment to whet our spiritual whistles.  We have a TV mentality and need short bursts with commercial breaks to accommodate our attention span.  We are looking for eloquence, polish and appearance to soothe our conscience and when we hear someone who is clearly not eloquent, polished, or cut from the cloth of a model we turn them off.  God is not looking at the external He is looking at the heart.  When God finds a heart that is tender before Him, contrite and broken, and pliable He will take that heart and burn His message into it so that “Christ in us” shines forth.  If you only see the external you will miss the best God has to offer.  If you think you have to step out of GQ Magazine to be used of God, you will miss what He is trying to do.  No, I am not saying you should be unkempt and not work on speaking properly and follow proper etiquette but eloquence and appearance are not anointing.  If you want to turn your Jerusalem upside down for God get in His presence and give Him your heart.  He will do the rest!  Be who God made you to be and you are comfortable being and ask Him daily and continually to “Create within you a clean heart, renew in you a right spirit, and never take His Holy Spirit from you.”  My daily prayer in addition that is, “Lord, let the mind be in me, which was also in Christ Jesus.”  I long to know Him more deeply all the time and want Him to guard my heart and my mind so that I think His thoughts and my heart remains tender and pliable.

May the Lord be with you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Jesus!

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READINESS OF DESIRE…


Spiritual Blog - Readiness

2 Corinthians 8:10-12 – “And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”  NKJV

 

Please forgive me for taking a thought that is not totally consistent with the context and moving beyond the activity of this verse to convey a message that I believe is valid for all areas of life.  The Corinthian church had promised an offering and had neglected to fulfill their promise.  Paul reminded them of their promise and urged them to honor their commitment.  In this, he made a statement that transcends this matter to all matters of life.  He spoke of a “readiness of desire” and reminded them that desiring is not enough there must be action to correspond otherwise it remains a wish not a reality.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been told by a fellow believer of some ‘desire’ or ‘dream’ they held in their hearts.  They would say, “I want to do this or that for the Lord.”  Over time I felt compelled to ask, “When are you going to do it?”  Often the response would be, “When the Lord provides or opens the door.”  I agree and disagree with that mindset.  Yes, we need the Lord to make provision and open the door but there are times when the matter has been placed in our hands through the desire.  If God put it in your heart to do it and you’ve been praying and waiting for an OPEN DOOR or MIRACULOUS PROVISION and they have not materialized you might want to consider another possibility.  No, I am not saying abandon the desire or dream but maybe, just maybe God wants you to step out on your dream and BEGIN DOING IT.  Maybe it is time, that you start walking toward that dream.  Maybe it is time, that you take steps to complete that desire and make it a reality.  Maybe it is time for you to PURSUE YOUR PURPOSE.

I applaud WAITING ON GOD for that is the right thing to do.  We need to WAIT until we know He has placed the dream or desire in our hearts and made our hearts ready with desire.  Every journey begins with a first step or first mile and the end is not completed from the beginning.  If you are waiting on God to do what He is waiting for you to begin you are going to wait in disappointment for a very long time.  Virtually every ministry that has accomplished great things for God began with a first step.  I know millionaires who have related their journey to that financial plateau and each of them began with taking a desire or dream and launching out.  Most of them began small and over time found that each new step resulted in incredible increase until they found they were engaged in an enterprise that was colossal.  But, none of it would have happened had they not first had the readiness of desire and then added to that equation ACTION. 

Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for everything and sometimes it is time to cease WAITING for God to do it and launch out expecting Him to fulfill His promise to NEVER leave or forsake us.  Maybe God has placed in your heart to feed the hungry but your vision is feeding thousands and you know that will require facilities, personnel, and money that you do not have at your disposal.  Let me suggest that since you have the readiness of desire but lack the wherewithal to fulfill the vision why not feed ONE hungry person or TWO or THREE?  As you reach out in whatever ministry is in your heart, taking small steps I believe you will find that God will take your readiness of desire when coupled with your actions and reward you with HIS PROVISION.  If He birthed the desire, He will provide for its fulfillment IF you step out and begin walking toward the dream, desire, or promise.

            God, bless you richly is my desire and prayer!

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HOPE – Biblical or Natural???


Spiritual Blog - Hope

1 Corinthians 13:13 – “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  NKJV

             The Bible deals with HOPE in many passages and many ways and it is powerful and encouraging.  However, there are contrasts of HOPE in the spiritual and natural realms.  We have all heard someone say, “Well, we can only hope,” or “All we can do now is hope.”  Those are statements of despair, not faith.  Those are resignations to what the natural would call inevitable.  It is aligning the mind and heart with the report or prognosis of failure and destruction.  I’ve had Christians tell me, after prayer, “I’m hoping,” or “I hope so.”  What I hear in those situations is the use of the word HOPE in a defeatist sense and it breaks my heart.  I know the experience.  I know what it is to feel hopeless and not see a way out of the situation.  I know what it is to face a diagnosis that is anything but positive and then have everything that transpires seem to validate the sentence of death or destruction.  I know what it is to be overcome with a sense of HOPELESSNESS.  So, please understand I am not speaking condemnation to anyone who is battling and struggling with Hope or the lack thereof.  I hope to offer a higher HOPE than that the world affords.

The Definition of Hope from man’s perspective is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.  A feeling of trust.  Merriam-Webster defines it as: to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.  To desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. To expect with confidence.  But, what does the Bible say about HOPE?  What is Bible Hope?  From the text passage, it is clear, that Hope has Faith but Hope is not Faith, nor is it Love.  It is a separate condition and that makes it important for us to understand and consider.  I believe that HOPE is a foundational part of FAITH and faith is a foundational part of HOPE.  They are inextricably linked and should be viable elements in the Christian’s thoughts and prayers.

Some consider HOPE nothing more than wishy-washy unsure optimism.  A prevalent mentality in today’s world is that HOPE is “to wish for, to expect, but without certainty of the fulfillment; to desire very much but with no real assurance of getting the desire.”  In the Bible HOPE means, “a strong and confident expectation.”  In that sense, we would almost say it is Faith for the Hebrews 11 definition of Faith is, “…the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  I suggest to you that HOPE is subject of FAITH and it is rooted in EXPECTATION.  It is rooted and grounded upon GOD’S WORD, GOD’S PROMISES, and GOD’S COVENANT.

Romans 8:24-25 tells us that it is in HOPE that we are saved…  It further states that Hope that is seen is not Hope because you do not Hope for what you have you hope for what is not now evident.  You Hope for that which you expectantly await.  You have a need, like healing, and you HOPE for a full recovery.  If you are well you are not Hoping for Healing but if you are sick Hope comes into play.  Therefore, HOPE is a product of need and upon entering into a condition of need and you allow EXPECTATION to arise in your heart HOPE COMES ALIVE. 

The apostle Paul made an incredible statement regarding Abraham in Romans 4.  Paul related the account of Abraham when God had given him the promise of a son, born of Sarah, his treasured wife. God said, “Abraham, I have made you the father of many nations…”  Sarah was barren and yet God said you are going to be the father of many nations.  God did not say, “I’m going to make you but I have made you…”  Paul then said, “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”  It is there in that condition that Paul says of Abraham that he, “contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations.”  The KJV renders it, “Who against hope believed in hope…”  I believe that we better understand this declaration and understanding of Abraham’s situation is that when the natural conditions suggested it was IMPOSSIBLE, he refused to allow human reason to define his condition and situation.  When God gave Abraham the promise, he rejected human reason as a definition or explanation or justification for not receiving but he clung to the Promise of God and considered it DONE.  He heard, “I have made,” not “I will make.”  He heard God’s declaration and HOPED even when everything in him said, THIS IS HOPELESS.  The end of that Hope was Isaac and the fulfillment of God’s Promise. The end of that was that God looked at Abraham’s Hope and saw Faith and Obedience and the Bible says it was imputed to him for righteousness.

As we stand today, many of us are facing situations and conditions that man says are HOPELESS but as Abraham, we need to align our words, our minds, our hearts, and our actions with God’s Promises and His Word.  We are to HOPE not as the world hopes but with EXPECTATION!

            God, bless you as you enjoy this day in Jesus!

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EVERY GENERATION NEEDS A MOVE OF GOD…


Spiritual Blog - Move of God

Joshua 24:31 – “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel.” NKJV

 

As I read this passage, the Holy Spirit quickened to my heart the words of my title, “Every Generation needs a move of God.”  When I first came into the Way, the Faith, and became a Christian I heard about what God had done.  Most of those telling me about what had happened in previous revivals or moves of God had not witnessed those things but had heard about them from others.  Some were still around that had been in the brush arbors, town reshaping revivals, and seen the mighty move of God with the signs, wonders, and miracles that accompanied those moves.  I longed to SEE IT personally. 

Historically, every move of God the church has experienced diminished when those who saw it personally passed on to the other side.  Tragically, in the Church, I have observed through historic study and personal observation that with each new move of God the old move tends to be antagonistic to the new.  WHY?  Often it is because those who were personally part of that move are no longer alive on earth and the adherents to that move are second-hand witnesses which allow the flesh to become involved.  The flesh will always seek to protect and preserve its territory.  A new move is a threat to “The Way We Do Things.”  I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, “We never did it that way before” or “That is not how we do it.”  We, humans tend to get into routines and depend on WHAT WAS (past experience) rather than seeking WHAT IS (present experience).

The tragedy of the text is a tragedy that has been witnessed in the Christian world from the beginning of the Church.  I weep when I read the words, “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel.”  The clear revelation is that the commitment and reliance on God waned once the leadership and congregation of Israel were no longer there to say, “I WITNESSED IT.”  It became theoretical and historical rather than an experienced reality.

We will never be saved because our parents or grandparents were saved.  Their experience will not transform our lives that must be personal and only through the Grace of God.  We can be encouraged by the experiences of others and they can serve as inspiration for us to press in, but they are not sufficient to carry us through the storms of life.  I preached on Moves of God in Church History once and was told, “I am not interested in what some previous generation had, I want a move of God today!”  That caused me to stop and think, “Are we sometimes satisfied with WHAT WAS rather than being determined to have WHAT IS?”  Are we trying to survive on the experience of others?  Are we allowing history to be our foundation rather than pressing in and receiving a NOW WORD and a NOW MOVE of God for our own lives?  I had a man tell me about how wonderful his marriage was and how incredible the power of love is when two people are united in God.  That was inspirational and encouraging but I had no desire to live vicariously through his experience, I wanted that Love and Relationship personally. The same is true in the things of God.  I don’t want to live vicariously through the reports of yesterday I want God today!

If each generation does not press into God and receive a move of God we will be like Israel and once those who experienced God die we will be left with history and history cannot replace experience.  If you have never experienced a move of God in your personal life, I encourage you to set yourself to seek God for the outpouring of His Spirit in your life and your situation.  If you have ever been in a move of God where His presence was so powerful that you could hardly stand and did not want to leave, you will never be satisfied with what someone else has experienced.  The fire of commitment and the confidence in God’s Promises must be experienced realities not theoretical and historical memories.

Never be satisfied with anything but God’s Presence!  God, bless you richly is my desire and prayer!

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CALCULATED WORTH…


Spiritual Blog - Value

Matthew 10:31 – “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”  NKJV

As I looked at this passage a thought came to my mind about our calculated worth to God.  If you only look at the comparison to a small bird, I’m not sure that would make anyone feel worth very much.  How many are many?  If two sparrows are sold for a small amount that would indicate their abundance and low esteemed value to man.  However, if we read the paragraph I believe we can see something in the heart of God as to the value of His creation to Him.

Jesus was teaching regarding giving our witness publicly to whomever and wherever we could.  He instructed those listening to not consider the public opposition of the vileness of the Pharisees who might seek to silence them with death.  He contrasted what man could do to us and what God could do to the disobedient.  Then, He inserts His comments on the sparrows and it almost seems out of place, but is it?  He says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”  Wow!  God is concerned about even the small birds that in that region were so plenteous they were virtual nuisances.  Other places identify that God cares for the grass of the field, the flowers that grow by the wayside, the cattle of the hills, and all creation.  He emphasizes that saying, “But the very hairs of your head or all numbered.”  That is nothing short of amazing!  God cares enough about us and is so detailed in His attention to us that He has numbered the hairs of our head and when one falls out He says, “There goes hair number 714.”  (I say that jokingly but the point is that He knows EVERY DETAIL of our lives.)

Then, our Lord says in our text verse, “Do not fear…”  The message is that God is so concerned and cares for His creation that He knows when the sparrow falls and has numbered the very hairs of our head.  THEREFORE, we should not fear because man can only kill our bodies but cannot touch our souls.  He emphasizes our value to God and the instruction to be at peace and never let any man determine our destiny or message by saying, “…you are more valuable than many sparrows.” 

If I calculated my worth based on the elements that make up my physical body, I would be depressed for if you combined all the elements in the human body it would be worth less than $2,000.  But if you were to harvest the various body parts it could be worth millions and I am quite concerned that this market will become a Last Days Market where people are systematically selected to harvest their organs for commerce.  Regardless of whether we calculate the worth of our bodies by the chemical components and elements or based on the Black-Market Value of our organs that could never compare to the Value that God has placed on us.  He looks at far more than the value of the ‘dust of the earth’ that we are and to which we will return.  He looks at our Eternal Souls and the fact that we are Eternal Spirits housed in a physical body.

What is our calculated worth to God?  The best way that I can identify our worth to God is the Cross.  God placed a valuation on each of us as being worth the death of His Son Jesus Christ.  He values us enough that, “He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16).  Jesus values us enough that He was willing to leave His former estate in Glory, come to earth born of a woman, live among us as man and for man, suffer the shame and reproach of the Cross and be killed so that we could be FORGIVEN and LIVE ETERNALLY!   That is our Calculated Worth to God and I challenge you to stop discounting your worth and to never again say, “I am a nobody.  I am worthless. I am of no value.”  That is an insult to God and when you read that you are worth more than many sparrows do not view that as God deeming you unimportant and of little value but that He considers you so valued that He has numbered the hairs of your head.  My fellow believer, you are worth the Blood of Jesus to God and that makes you priceless.

God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

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THE POWER OF BEING SATURATED IN THE WORD…


Spiritual Blog - Word

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 – “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.”  NKJV

 

When Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil He continually refuted the devil with IT IS WRITTEN.  Our Lord said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word, that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”  The Bible makes it clear that THE WORD is Jesus and that TRUTH is the Word of the Father.  We also know from Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  THE WORD OF GOD is not just important it is Life and Death.  We are told in Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”  Nothing is more vital to Life than God’s Word and Words.

As the people of God were about to enter the Promised Land, Canaan God gave them in instruction as to how they were to saturate themselves with the word of God.  He informed that it would be critical to their longevity in the land.  The prescription of God for the success, longevity, prosperity, and permanence of Israel in the land involved their saturating themselves with the Word of God.  Moses instructed them that every adult was to so invest themselves in the Word of God that they were literally saturated.  They were also to instill in the hearts and minds of their children with the Word of God.  This was not simply praying over the children and occasionally reading a passage but to teach the children in the home, when they got up in the morning and before they lay down at night, and when they walked by the way.  Simply, they were to consistently and continually inculcate that word in the hearts and minds of the children.  This is part of training up a child in the way he/she should go and he/she will not depart from it.  This is or should be a massive undertaking with a sense of incredible importance.

America was founded with an understanding of that principle and one of the Founders and Framers, Benjamin Rush took the lead in promoting and insisting on the Bible being included in public education.  Rush founded five universities and wrote numerous textbooks based on the importance of the Bible being taught to our children.  He and many if not most of our founders believe that God’s Word, Principles, and Precepts were vital for the longevity of the nation and the continuation of that ideal that was at the heart of the Republic they established for us.

He gave five reasons for preferring the Bible as a schoolbook over all over compositions.  He contended, and I agree, that Christianity is the only true and perfect religion; and that in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obey its precepts, they will be wise and happy.  He contended that a better knowledge of this religion is to be acquired by reading the Bible than in any other way.  Additionally, his basis was that the Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world.  Also, he contended that knowledge is most durable and religious instruction most useful when imparted in early life.  Finally, he believed that the Bible, when not read in schools is seldom read in any subsequent period of life.  He believed that the earlier we impart the knowledge of the Bible to our children the more likely they are to not stray from its precepts and thereby preserve the Republic from generation to generation.

We cannot KNOW God if we do not know His Word.  We cannot KNOW God if we do not commune with Him.  We cannot KNOW God if we abandon His precepts and principles taught in His word.  If we saturate ourselves in His word we will find that we have an answer for every man for the reason of the hope that is in us.  We also find that when the enemy comes in like a flood we have a shield (God’s Word) can block that attack.  We are able to face the deceiver, as Jesus did in the wilderness and having done all to stand to stand in the Word and declare IT IS WRITTEN!

I encourage you to invest and immerse yourself in the Word of God and become Saturated with that Word.  For it brings healing, hope, salvation, deliverance, and victory!  God, bless you richly is my prayer!

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THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD – Prayer!


Spiritual Blog - Prayer

Ephesians 6:10-20 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  NASU

 

As we come to the finale of our consideration of the Whole or Full Armor of God we find the direction in verse 18 that we are to STAND utilizing ALL PRAYER and PETITION being WATCHFUL with PERSEVERANCE.  That is a critical key to maintaining the Armor of God in our lives and utilizing the Weapons of Spiritual Warfare effectively.  I cannot imagine why Prayer is not always included in any discussion of the Armor of God for without Prayer the Armor is ineffective and not fully utilized.  It is through Prayer that we tap into the Strength and Power of God.  It is through Prayer that we open the door for the Anointing of the Holy Spirit.  It is through Prayer that we hear the voice of God and find guidance and direction for our lives.  In a very real sense, PRAYER activates the Armor of God.  We do not fight as one that beats the air but we have a purpose and that purpose is discovered in Prayer and enables us to go into battle fully clothed and prepared for battle.

No church or individual believer can move forward without prayer. As some have declared, “The Church moves forward on its knees.”  When we put on the Full Armor of God we can be assured that the devil is going to launch a full-scale attack.  He will hurl the fiery darts and flaming missiles of pride, envy, lust for the forbidden, the desire for recognition, itching ears, disappointment, discouragement, doubt, and division attempting to discredit and discourage.  That is why the apostle instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 for the believers to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

Prayer keeps the armor in good repair.  Prayer keeps our minds focused on the things of God. Prayer opens the door to the ministry of the Holy Spirit from whom we receive the Anointing to do whatever God has designed and desired for us.  Through Prayer, we discover our mission and purpose, receive marching orders, and whet our appetites for the things of God.  Through Prayer, we enter the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and as we petition heaven we see the hand of God move.

I know believers who teach and believe that you PRAY once and never pray again but that negates the idea of PERSEVERANCE.  What about the directive of Jesus to “Ask, Seek, and Knock” and those words in the Greek carry all three tenses, Past, Present, and Future.  Simply, the Lord was instructing us to Ask and keep on asking, Seek, and keep on seeking, and Knock and keep on knocking.  Remember the instruction of Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for IN DUE SEASON we shall reap, if we faint not.”  (Emphasis mine).  The instruction is to PERSEVERE and the promise is REAPING in Due Season IF and only IF we do not give up, give in and quit.

So, my beloved friend, I encourage you to make a personal study of the Armor of God and commit yourself to PRAYER and determine to PERSEVERE, having done all to stand you STAND and keep on Standing!

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire.

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THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD – Sword of the Spirit…


Spiritual Blog - Sword

Ephesians 6:10-20 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  NASU

 

As we come to the conclusion of the list of outward armor that we are to be clothed with and utilize we find the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.  We find in Hebrews 4:12 that, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  We read in 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, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  In John 17:17 Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”  In John 1:1-5 we discover, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” 

Therefore, we know that the SWORD OF THE SPIRT is the Word of God and that Jesus is the Word and that Word is Truth.  Jesus said in John 8:32 that we would know TRUTH and TRUTH would make us free.  We know that there is no access to the Father but through Jesus and no Word of Truth but God’s word.  When Jesus went through His time of testing in the wilderness He repeatedly utilized the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT against the devil saying IT IS WRITTEN.  With the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, we can pull down strongholds and bring thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  We can see mountains removed and cast into the sea. We can see demonic powers flee. We can utilize all the armor of God STANDING FIRM on the Promises and Precepts of God.  We can enforce the Victory of Calvary through the Word of God.  How did those martyrs of the Book of Revelation overcome?  By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony.  What was their Testimony?  The Word of God!

We need to Sharpen our Sword daily.  NO, we cannot add anything to God’s word nor should we take anything from it.  We cannot make it more powerful than it is or more complete, but we can STUDY to show ourselves approved as workmen not needing to be ashamed or put to shame by rightly dividing or interpreting and using the Word of Truth.  We do that through STUDY of the Word of God and in that endeavor coupled with prayer we sharpen our Sword daily and are ready for battle, clothed in the armor of God.  You can have all the protective armor you can find and never win the battle if all you do is hold a defensive position.  You need to take up the Weapon of Warfare and wield it against the enemy and when we resist the devil, the Bible clearly says HE WILL FLEE!

I want to move to the next portion of this command to Having Done All to Stand and address the often-omitted portion of the Full Armor of God, PRAYER, and PERSEVERANCE.  We will address that next time but until then, may the LORD richly bless you as you walk in His Word, Way, Will, and Warfare.

 

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