Month: March 2019

THE DEVIL IS FULL OF PRUNES…


Spiritual Blog - Prunes

Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  NASU 

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  NASU

Okay, now that you have possibly smiled at my title and wondered about it in connection with the text let me begin.  I stand in amazement at some people’s logic and reason.  Without examining the fact, without first-hand knowledge, with only the advice of the father of lies and deception they decide:

  • It’s too Hard to Live for God.

They believe that there is too much temptation.  They believe that will be required to give up too much.  They believe that if they become Christians all the fun will be sucked out of their lives.  What they really mean is they don’t want to quit sinning and don’t want to stop being self-centered and their own god.

  • They Cannot Do Great Things for God.

They believe that doing anything for God requires too much faith, they are not good enough, not educated enough, too poor, or too something.

Based on the lies of the devil they present their arguments as to why they cannot do what God ways they can.  They came to a place in life where they could either believe the Truth (God’s Word) or the Lie (devil’s word) and they took the easy road of rejection.  No, it is not truly easy but is the path of self.  They have believed what the devil said, and I say to that, “The devil is full of prunes!”

I have encountered too many people, especially the young who have decided that serving God is too difficult or constraining so why try?  The enemy has convinced many that, so few really care about the plight of others so why bother at all?  But, I say, “The devil is full of prunes!”

Let me offer a caution.  Never make a decision until all the facts are in.  Get the evidence before rendering a decision.  Hear the conclusion of the whole matter as we are instructed in Ecclesiastes 12:13.

2 Kings 6:16 encourages us to “…fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”  I John 4:4 instructs, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”  Then in Matthew 19:26 we read, “…with God all things are possible.”  So, I ask, “What are you going to believe?”  Are you going to believe God whose track record is impeccable or the devil?  Can you say with me, “The devil is full of prunes!”

Let me make this declaration and I hope it resonates with you.  You can live for God and you can do something for God!  You are more than a conqueror.  You are more than a match for the devil.  You are an overcomer!  You can serve God today!  Paul declared in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!”  Hallelujah!  2 Timothy 1:12 encourages us, “…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.” 

God forgives ALL Sins!  God is able to Keep us till the end!  God is willing to do everything short of forcing us to serve Him to enable us to serve Him.  We can serve Him if we choose to do so and we can make that decision with the confidence that He has promised to send the Holy Spirit to help us!  I always draw strength from the biblical account of Daniel in captivity.  He chose to serve God regardless of the dangers to his own life.  God shut the mouths of hungry lions to protect him.  That same God will protect you and me!  He is our provider, our defense, our protector, our God, our Savior, and our Soon Coming King!

Get it in your heart that the devil is full of prunes!  He is a liar and the father of lies!  If he says you can’t then you can take it to the bank, you can!   I would encourage you to reread the account of Gideon in Judges 7 and couple that with the words of Leviticus 26:7-8, “And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before your sword.  And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put 10,000 to flight: and your enemies shall far before you by the sword.”  Then in Deuteronomy 32:30 we find the reference of one chasing a thousand and two putting 10,000 to flight.  Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word is established.

The only question for us today is, “Who are we going to believe?”  You may think it foolish, but I suggest that you orally declare to the devil, “You are full of prunes!”  Let God be true and every man and every devil a liar.   You can because God said you could.  He has not and will not leave you as an orphan and deserted.

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

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KINGDOM SEEKERS – Conclusion…


Spiritual Blog - Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  NASU

Let’s begin today discussing the second question that I raised in the first devotional on this subject.

WHAT IS THE PRIORITY OF THIS SEEKING?

It is to be FIRST or Above All Else!  According to Matthew 10:37 it is to be before all human relations including family.  God is to be the Number One in all things and at all times!  If God is First everything else falls into its proper place.  It is to be before the pursuits of life according to 2 Timothy 2:4.

Anything and I mean anything that holds our affections, allegiance, interest, involvement, and investment holds our hearts as revealed in Matthew 6:21, “…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Let me offer this thought for you to muse on.  If you control your life, God does not.  If anything is sought, to the expense of God and His Kingdom and Righteousness it is being sought first.  It is imperative that we remember that there can be Only One Number One!   I am saying, “Oh Me” as I type, and I encourage everyone to join me in being completely honest and transparent with God.  He already knows but it is important that we acknowledge the truth to Him and in that acknowledgment, He can come in and help us move out of that bondage into His victory!   I believe that it is not only important but imperative that we make God our Earliest and Primary Object of attention.  We give Him Preference over Everything!

I understand that life’s obligations and duties may occasionally make it difficult to invest time in prayer at the outset of your day, but if that is the norm then I must ask, “What is Number One?”  Are we willing to make everything take a backseat to God?  Are we willing to even endure hardships, ridicule, make sacrifices, and even suffer loss, in the natural to make Him Number One?

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF SEEKING GOD FIRST?

It is here that I hope to eliminate all arguments and excuses against this pursuit of God.  Notice what Jesus says: “And all these things will be added to you.”  Do you see it?  You lose nothing by making Him Number One in all things and at all times!  What are “All These Things?”  Read the preceding verses and you realize that He is speaking of both heavenly treasures as well as natural treasures.  He is talking about new-found freedom that is incredible.  He is speaking about deliverance from fear, worry, carnal lusts and draws our attention to the Promises of His Provision in Life of All that we need!

  • Incorruptible
  • Indescribable Peace.
  • Supernatural Provision.
  • Eternal Inheritance.

That which is the most important will be that which is most sought after.  It reveals what is Number One!  So, I ask each of us to be totally honest with ourselves and with God.  Are we seeking First the Kingdom and Righteousness of God?  Would we, will we renounce anything for Him?  Is our heart’s cry right now, “Guilty, I’m Guilty of failure to do this, Lord so I ask that you forgive me for my negligence and any unwittingly manufactured excused for my omission?” 

As I conclude the chorus – “Mercy rewrote my life” is ringing in my heart.  So, I come before the Lord in repentance and in receive His mercy.  I declare that my heart’s greatest desire is Him, His Kingdom, and His Righteousness.  I want to see the fulfillment of the prayer Jesus instructed His followers to pray in Matthew 6.  “Lord, I want to see your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven and I want it to be a present reality in my life.”

If your heart is crying out to Him in repentance for any negligence know that He both hears and forgives and if you ask He will transform you and you can go forth renewed and manifest as well as represent Him to a fallen world.

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him!

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KINGDOM SEEKERS – Part Two…


Spiritual Blog - Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  NASU

Last time we introduced the question that was the first in the three things I suggested this text unveils.

WHAT ARE WE TO SEEK?

First, we are to Seek the Kingdom of God.  That almost goes without saying, but it is important that we address it.  The immediate question is “What is the Kingdom of God?”  I will not get into a lengthy discourse or discussion that question but suffice it to say, “It is the sphere or realm of God’s Rule.”  I believe that encapsulated in that declaration we find the reality of God’s Kingdom in His Presence, His Rule, His Reign, and His Sovereignty.  Let me offer a few passages to illustrate what I am saying.

Psalm 22:28 – “For the kingdom is the LORD’S and He rules over the nations.” 

Psalm 145:13 – “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” 

Dan 4:25b – “…the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.” 

Luke 1:52 – “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.” 

The area and right of God’s Rule are universal.  He has the Right and Authority to rule everything and everyone.  But, although He has the right to Rule the whole earth, the earth is the scene of a cosmic and universal rebellion against Him.

Luke 4:5-8 – “And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 “Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'” 

1 John 5:19 – “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 

Revelation 11:15-18 – “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 “And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” 

Second, the Kingdom of God is the Sphere in which, at any given time, His Rule is Acknowledged.  Please understand that God has not and will not relinquish His Sovereignty in the face of man’s cosmic rebellion today any more than he did in the Garden of Eden or in the Wilderness Temptation of Jesus.  Yet, He has declared His purpose and desire to Establish His Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Daniel 2:44 – “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” 

Daniel 7:14 – “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”  

1 Corinthians 15:24-25 – “then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”  

Third, the Kingdom of God is that Realm in which Christ’s Lordship is not only accepted but earnestly sought and manifested.  W.E. Vines said, “Now, the King and His Rule being refused, those who enter into the Kingdom of God are brought into conflict with all who disown its allegiance, as well as with the desire for ease and the dislike of suffering and unpopularity, natural to all.  On the other hand, subjects of the Kingdom are the subjects of the care of God (Matthew 6:33) and of the rejected King (Hebrews 13:5).

LET ME GIVE TWO QUICK STATEMENTS:

  • Entrance into the Kingdom of God is by the New Birth – Salvation.  
  • Residence in the Kingdom is through total submission to the King.

Let me offer a word of caution, warning, and encouragement before concluding this devotional.  We are to seek “The Righteousness of God” with our all.  Incorporated in the Righteousness of God we discover the sum-total of the requirements of His Goodness.  His Righteousness is to be incorporated in our lives daily and His Righteousness in us enhances the Kingdom of God in this present world.  We are more than His Representatives we are to be His Manifestations.

There is a checkpoint in the Bible that will be revealing if we apply the questions of Jesus to the Rich Young Ruler to our own lives.  What would you do if the Lord were to ask you to do what He asked that man?  Be Honest.  The issue is both Trust and Total Submission.

It is my hope and desire to encourage you and me to “Seek first and above everything, Him, His Kingdom, and His Righteousness.”   I will pause here and pick this up again tomorrow with the question, “What is the Priority of Seeking First His Kingdom and Righteousness?”

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

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KINGDOM SEEKERS…


Spiritual Blog - Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  NASU

I hesitate to use a single verse in this devotional because the preceding and subsequent verses are incredibly germane and vital for the full understanding and impact.  However, I am focused on three words, “But seek first…”  Not just seek anything but something specific and that is God, His kingdom and His righteousness.  He must become the prime pursuit of our lives and must be sought before and above everything or anything else.

There have been countless messages, sermons, and exhortations regarding the need and value of Commitment and Dedication to God.  The warning cry of men of God for generations has been to beware of putting anything before or above God.  There has been urgent pleas week after week from pulpits around this world seeking to inspire and encourage people everywhere to see that which is the most important in life.

There is something or someone to be placed above everything in life and that is God!  There is something or someone upon which or whom or Eternal Existence depends and that is God!  The message of Jesus in this declaration is not just valuable for the believer it is vital.  It is not simply a suggestion, but a declaration of not only what God desires but that which will produce the most incredible victory we could ever experience this side of heaven.

The declaration in the “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and…”  The “and” is a vital word in this truth.  It reveals the benefits of following the directive.  It reveals the natural benefits, the material benefits, but it also reveals the eternal and spiritual benefits.  There is nothing in life that is more important than the Presence of God and In His Presence, we find Hope, Peace, Joy, Forgiveness, and the incredible Provision of His Promises.

Sadly, many stop at the “seek first the kingdom…”  Rather than seeking His kingdom often they are investing themselves, their time, energy, money, talents, and abilities into developing a kingdom of their own.  It is a kingdom of recognition, fame, fortune, influence, power, and things.  In that kingdom, God is often forced to the sidelines or out of the picture entirely.  The world and even the church are filled with Kingdom Seekers, but not His Kingdom and His Righteousness.

I must be cautious lest I appear too negative.  I do not believe that everyone in the Church or even most of the people in the Church are in that position and condition, but too many times we relegate God to the Emergency Button Position.  We seek Him as we would break the glass in case of an emergency.  We talk to Him in times of trial rather than making Him the most important and first sought after of our day.

When I meditate and muse on this passage I see several things clearly suggested:

  • Something is to be Sought.
  • The Priority of that which is to be Sought.
  • The Benefit of Obedience. 

So, over the next couple of devotionals, I want to focus on those three things and I hope you will join me and then take it far beyond what I suggest as you meditate, muse, consider, and ponder this passage again and again.  I am going to pause here and declare that in the next devotionals we are going to consider the question, “WHAT ARE WE TO SEEK?”

It is my prayer and desire that LORD richly will bless you and create a hunger and thirst in your heart as you prepare your hearts to “Seek First, Him, His Kingdom, and His Righteousness.”   

May your day be rich and filled with His presence and His blessings!

 

 

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WHAT CAN ONE MAN DO???


Spiritual Blog - One

Romans 5:12-19 – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned — 13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”  NKJV

 

We have all heard stories and seen statistics of how one person or one vote changed the entire course of nations and history.  I call to mind the quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, for the want of a shoe the horse was lost, for the want of a horse the rider was lost, for the want of a rider the battle was lost, for the want of a battle the kingdom was lost, and all for the want of a horse-shoe nail.”   That is a powerful reminder of how important one person, one event, one vote or one action can be and often is.

Here Paul reminds us of the power of one in two different situations.  Sin entered the race through the disobedience of Adam, one man.  Salvation came to mankind through the obedience of Jesus, one man.  I wonder how often we read this and although we rightly focus on the work of Christ we fail to allow the importance and power of one.  It only takes one rotten apple to spoil the entire barrel and sometimes only takes one act of kindness to totally reverse years of animosity, hatred, bitterness, and conflict.  One word spoken at the right moment can completely change the course of events.  One word spoken at the wrong time can escalate things to full-blown warfare.

I have heard people lament, “I am only one person” offering that a justification for not launching into the daunting task before them.  As the old saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” we should never allow ourselves to stop believing in the Power of One.  I do not recall when I first saw it but I remember a Mercedes Benz television commercial in which the automobile collided with a concrete wall in a safety test.  Someone asked the company spokesman why Mercedes Benz did not enforce their patent on the energy-absorbing car design which was eventually copied by most manufacturers.  He stated simply, “Because some things in life are too important not to share.”   That is powerful!

You are one and I am one and we are one with Christ and are being formed into One (The Body of Christ) and although still one we are many and powerful.  In all matters of life, we must never lose sight of the importance of ONE!  You are having an impact on your world whether you realize it or not.  If you omit one act of kindness or Christian charity it impacts others and if you commit one act of kindness or Christian charity it impacts others.  Therefore, never diminish the importance of one word, one deed, one prayer, one testimony, one vote or one life.

God bless you as you make the devil know you are ONE whose life is hidden with God in Christ and as ONE in Jesus you are a majority and powerful.   

God bless!

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HE DID NOT SAY MAYBE…


Spiritual Blog - Faithful

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  NKJV

Let me say at the very outset of this devotional I believe that repentance is required for salvation.  I also understand the word repent to mean to go in the opposite direction doing a 180 degree turn in our lives.  Unlike what I heard a preacher say once in talking about repentance, “You have to do a 360-degree turn.”  I had had three observations as I heard that statement.  First, I was totally convinced he simply misspoke.  Second, if you do a 360-degree turn you come back to where you were and there is no change. Third, the number of people that shouted Amen amazed me.

I occasionally hear preaching that seems to suggest that salvation is Jesus and…  On occasions in discussing salvation with believers, they seem to add something to the work of Christ on the Cross and present a pathway to salvation that requires more than grace through repentance and faith.  When Jesus was on the Cross He declared, “IT IS FINISHED or COMPLETE.”  I must ask how complete is complete?  It is not Jesus AND anything it is Grace!  By grace, we are saved through faith.  It is a free gift of God in response to our repentance and believing.  John’s word in John 3:16 proclaims loudly that WHOSOEVER can be and is saved through faith.

Repentance is not simply acknowledging that we have been exposed or confession alone.  It is a change of heart and a response to sin through recognition that we have missed God’s mark.  If one is more concerned with the punishment than the sin an attitude of true repentance is unlikely.  Man’s depraved nature is usually susceptible to the wiles of the devil and if we confessed due to fear of punishment or as a result of exposure we are open to the lie that maybe next time we won’t get caught.  Our hearts were not broken by sin and our view of sin was not God’s view but man’s view.  In that scenario, it is questionable if repentance was anything more than an admission of failure but not a change of mind toward the behavior or condition.

Without straining at gnats and swallowing camels I stand firm on the belief that if we confess (repent) of our sins God forgives.  I am totally secure in my confidence that if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved.  I am anchored in my hope that if we repent we will turn from our sin and they will be blotted out.  I believe that if we draw near to God He will draw near to us.  I believe that when God’s conviction of sin smites our heart and we come face to face with the realization sin is an affront to God and separates us from His fellowship we can, should and hopefully will repent and receive.

Jesus is the way, truth, and life and has opened the door to eternal life.  The simple prescription is repent which involves confession and belief.  He has extended His Grace to whosoever will and it is not maybe He will forgive but HE WILL FORGIVE!  If the strings of your heart are being tugged by the Holy Spirit about anything please do not resist His nudging.  All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and Jesus promised that if we come to Him he will not cast us away.

God bless you as you go through this beautiful day!

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THE IMPOTENT GOD OF MODERN RELIGION…


Spiritual Blog - Man

1 Corinthians 4:20 – “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.”  NASU

We are told in the Hebrews 13:8 that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  If that is true then I must ask, “If not now, when?”  If we cannot have what they had in the Old and New Testament times, why not?  If we cannot be the Church described in the Gospels and the Book of Acts today, why not?  If we cannot expect the miraculous today, why not?  When did God become impotent?  When did God become dependent on the arm of flesh and the technology and medicine of modern times?  When did God cease to be the God of the Bible and the Keeper of His Covenants?  I am not trying to make anyone mad, but I am very serious in my pursuit of the answer to the question, “If not now, when?” and “If not now, why not?

There are countless passages from the Bible that declare the Greatness, Glory, Majesty, and Power of God.  There are also multiple passages that describe His goodness and desire to bless and care for His children.  With all the biblical evidence that He is The Living God and Eternal, how did we arrive at the place of modern religion where God suddenly became impotent?  In 2 Samuel 22:33 we read, “For who is God except the Lord?  Who but our God is a solid rock?  God is my strong fortress, and He makes my way perfect.”  In 2 Chronicles 20:6, Jehoshaphat raised his voice in supplication to God and said, “…O LORD God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven?  You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.”  How did God become impotent?

When I read 1 Corinthians 4:20, I stand in awe and feel a sense of remorse that I do not see what the Bible describes as the norm for God and the believers.  It says, “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s Power.”  We read in the Old Testament of the many miraculous acts of God and hear God’s own declaration that He is our healer, deliverer, protector, provider, and guide.  He is THE LIVING GOD!  He created this world and the entire universe with the Word of His Power.  He created man from the dust of the earth and breathed the Life of God into him, making him a living soul.  He delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage with incredible miracles, signs, and wonders.  He sustained them in the wilderness, opened the red sea and the Jordan river.  From Genesis to Revelation He is the God of Miracles!

In the New Testament, we find Jesus living a sinless life as man and for man.  We find Him going to the Cross to offer Himself a Sacrifice for Whosoever would come and receive His Grace.  He rose from the dead, has now ascended to the Right Hand of the Throne of God making intercession for us and His promises and provisions are more than a little amazing.  Paul was captivated by the Mightiness and Eternality of God.  He comprehended God’s desire for us to participate in the enforcement of the Victory Jesus won at Calvary and wrote in Ephesians 1:17-18, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…”  

If he had stopped there that would be amazing but he continued saying, “…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the His right hand in the heavenly places, far above principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”  (vv.18-21)

Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18 that ALL AUTHORITY had been given to Him.  All authority in both heaven and earth.  Then He commissioned and commanded His followers which cannot be relegated to those disciples only but to all who believe in all ages, to Go into the nations of the world and make disciples teaching them to observe ALL that He commanded.  He promised to never leave or forsake them.   In Mark 16 we have the repeat of that directive with an addendum that believers would have accompanying signs.  Among other things they had power over the devil and demons and could heal the sick by the laying on of their hands and faith.

The Bible declares that Jesus came for the express purpose of “Destroying the Works of the Devil.”  Has that fully transpired?  Is the devil still doing his dirty devious deeds?  Is there still a need for the miraculous power, presence, and person of God in this world?  I hope you said, Yes!

 In Ephesians 4 we are informed that God has given gifts to the Church for the purpose of equipping believers to do the “work of ministry”.  He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers for spiritual service and ministry.  He gave them to build up the Body of Christ UNTIL we all attain the ‘unity of the faith’ and of the ‘knowledge of the Son of God’ and until we become ‘mature to the measure and stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.’

The Bible speaks of the part being done away as including knowledge when that which is perfect has come.  I must ask if that is speaking of the Bible canonized why do we still have the imperfect, the devil still roaring about, knowledge still increasing, and unity not achieved in the Body of Christ?

Why did Jesus instruct us to pray in Matthew 6:9-13 to pray for the Kingdom of God to come to the Earth and the will of God to be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven if that was not possible.  Why did He tell us in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?”  Why did He say that because He was going to the Father His followers, including us, would both do the works He did and greater works?

In 1 John 4:17 we are informed that “as Jesus is, so are we in this world.”  How is He?  Is He still God?  Is He still longsuffering?  Is He still the Mighty God, the Living God?  Is He still the same yesterday, today, and forever?  When did He become impotent and bound by the doctrines of man relegated to operating within the parameters and confines of modern science, medicine, technology, or economics?  We sometimes pray for God’s guidance but not His manifestation of Power in the miraculous, why?  We sometimes expect God to help us financially but not in healing and deliverance, why?

The God I met in the Bible and at that kitchen table in Palestine, Texas 50 years ago is not Impotent but the same yesterday, today, and forever and He does not change nor, does he fail to keep His word.  My God is not Impotent!  That is not to say that I have attained the place of faith or spiritual maturity that I see the Power of God as I believe is possible as frequently as I believe He desires, but as Paul said, “I am pressing toward the mark.” 

God bless you as you step into the presence of God and experience the Mightiness of God!   Have a fantastic day!

 

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GOD’S PERPETUAL PROVISIONS PROMISE… (Part Two)


Spiritual Blog - Provisoin

Matthew 6:19-34

I won’t repost the entire passage as it was given in full in yesterday’s devotional.  Please reread it as we continue our journey in this consideration and pursuit of God’s revelatory truth.  We have been discussing Evidence that God occupies the Top Place in our lives and Evidence that He does not.  In that, I mentioned the order and emphasis that our Lord placed on this truth in His discourse.  Let’s begin that consideration.

It is God first and everything else follows.  He has instructed us to reject or refuse some things and receive, embrace, and pursue others.  He has given some specific actions to be taken and explains the Principles and Precepts of His teaching as well as the dangers and then explored the Victory that has been given and is to be won!

In (vv.19-20) He gives us the Order of Priorities in Life.  The focus is not your wealth or possessions (remember the Rich Ruler in the Parable of Luke 12).  He was at ease in his possessions and made plans to expand his wealth and God said, “You fool!  This very night your soul is required of you, and how who will own what you have prepared?”  The message is clear – God must be First!

In (v.21) Jesus explains the commandment.  What is most important to us will be the most sought after by us.  What is most important to us will hold our attention, love, loyalty and draw from our energy and resources.

In (vv.22-23) He gives the results of our priorities and actions.  Then in (v.24), we find the choice that each person must make.  It is God or the world.  When I hear people claim to be self-made people I chuckle because we have nothing that God did not give us if you dig to the bottom of everything.  He gave us the ability, and, in that ability, we gain what we have.  Without His gift to us, we would have nothing and could do nothing.

In (v.25) He says a most interesting thing that brings it all into focus powerfully. He said, “For this reason…”  For this reason, do the following is a clear message and liberating truth.  It is the Total Commitment of the Total Man.  That condition and position, free us from Fear, Worry, Carnal Lusts, and for God’s Purposes and Assignment.

In (v.30) we are instructed to consider God’s amazing provision and supply.  In (v.32) we are exhorted to resist worldliness and in (v.33) He gives us the solution or pathway to the Place of Perpetual Provision in Him.  We are to Seek First God’s Kingdom and Righteousness and when we do He will Provide EVERYTHING!  Jesus said in Luke 12:32 that it is our Father’s pleasure to give us the Kingdom!  What more could we ask? We have Grace and Peace as well as Provision, Promise, His Person, and Power.  Hallelujah!

God wants us to seek that which He wants to give.  He places desires in our hearts, providing we seek His face, invest ourselves in prayer and His word and then delights in fulfilling those desires in our lives.  God wants to supply and equip us for service and life.  He wants us to walk in Power, enjoy His Presence, and Manifest Him to the World.

What is the challenge?  Make God Number One in Our Lives.  When He is, there will be tangible evidence that He occupies that position as well as tangible evidence if He does not.  God wants us to have His Best!  Never, be guilty of making God an also-ran in your life.  Never make God your balm to soothe a guilty conscience.  Never make God your supermarket, genie, or candy store to provide for your whims.  Never relegate God to the status of being your Santa Claus.  Never relegate Him to being one in our list of gods.  Make Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords in our lives.  Honor and recognize Him as Lord of All, the Messiah.

To some, it would almost appear that God has died, but I’m here to tell you that He is very much Alive!   God bless you as you enjoy this day, and may the Living God become very much alive and evidenced in your life and labors!

Have a Great Day!

 

 

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GOD’S PERPETUAL PROVISIONS PROMISE…


Spiritual Blog - Provision

Matthew 6:19-34 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

22 ” The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  

24 ” No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.  

25 ” For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  26 ” Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” NASU

 

I would not have to make any remarks in this devotional for those verses say it all eloquently.  However, I believe that the Bible is a Book of Precepts, Principles, and Promises.  In this passage, spoken in the heart of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, Jesus gives His answer to Life.  He opens the door and reveals a beautiful truth regarding His Love and Concern for each of us who follow Him.  He exposes the sham and fallacy of seeking anything above Him or other than Him.

The Principle and Message are vividly clear and not to be misunderstood.  The Principle taught throughout the Bible is “God Must Be Lord of All or He Is Not Lord at All.”  That truth glows brightly in this text.

We find in Deuteronomy 5:7 – “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”  Then in Matthew 22:37 – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.”  In Luke 10:27 the words of Jesus ring loudly, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”  That is revealing and powerful for the honest and open heart.

THE CLEAR PRECEPT – – God Must Occupy the Top Place in Our Lives.

His character, nature, justice, love, mercy, grace, and righteousness will allow nothing less.  There can never be co-habitation between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world or the devil.  There is clear evidence when God is occupying the Top Place in our lives and that is found in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  Obedience, we are told, is better than sacrifice.  We are admonished to Love God will our Entire Being, Heart, Mind, Soul, Spirit, and Strength.  If we love Him, we do everything within our power to walk in obedience.

In 1 John 2:15 we are instructed to “Do not love the world nor the things that are in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  That is incredibly definitive, and some would call it black and white with no gray.  Evidence that God does not occupy the Top Spot in our lives is revealed in “not loving God with our all.”  It is revealed in “loving the world” its offerings, pleasures, and treasures.  When we allow the world to increase in our hearts God decreases and John the Baptist said beautifully, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

 I want to address the order and emphasis of our Lord in this passage but will pause here and pick this up in another devotional.   Until then, may the rich and bountiful blessings of the LORD be yours.

I pray that this day will be rich and rewarding!

 

 

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BECOMING PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT… (Part Three)


Spiritual Blog - Different

Matthew 5:38-48 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’  39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.  41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.  42 ” Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.  

43 ” You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’  44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  NASU

 

In answering the question, “What is different or distinctive in Christians?” we have turned to the Early Church to examine their distinctiveness.  The first area or characteristic in them was their Devotion to or Specialization in Brotherliness.  They Loved!

Another characteristic found in them was that they not only wanted to follow Jesus they wanted to reproduce and manifest Him.  Their mission, desire, and objective were to inform everyone about Jesus and Salvation.  They wanted to introduce everyone to Jesus and help them experience this Grace.  They wanted to include everyone so that people would become the Body of Christ not divided or sectarian.

That objective was incredibly costly.  Not so much in terms of money but in what it cost them personally.  There is a wide gate and an easy way that leads to death, but the path Jesus wants for us is narrow and defined.  It is living differently.  It involves a level of self-denial and cross-bearing.  There is no cheap or easy way to live this life.  But the rewards are incredible.

The Goal of Reproducing Christ in this world is a top priority of the Father.  The early church was motivated to follow God fully and completely regardless of what they faced or encountered.  I know many believers, even some preachers, who have the idea that Christians are to be pampered and should enjoy trouble-free lives.  I’ve been told, in the time of trouble, that if I was in the will of God there would be no trouble.

If the early church is an example and pattern for today that theory is blown out of the water.  They were Stoned (not high on drugs but pelted with rocks).  Some were sawn asunder (ropes and horses pulling them apart).  They were tempted and tried, slain by the sword, and beheaded.  Persecution was their cup, trials, and troubles a regular part of their lives.

The difference – They were not stopped by this but continued to proclaim the Gospel in the Name and in Honor of the Lord Jesus!  They never prayed for escape but for the opportunity to take the Gospel to whomever, wherever, and whenever.  If you will recall their prayer in Acts 4:29, “Lord, behold their threatenings…”  Who was threatening them?   The same people who crucified Jesus!  They faced real danger, but their prayer was, “Grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence…”  AMAZING!  They wanted to manifest and reproduce Jesus in the lives of others and were not interested in ease but Revival.

That is the way of Christ.  It is never self-preservation but the perpetuation of the Message of Hope in the Gospel.  They experienced difficulty, but they had something others did not have – Joy & Peace!  They were so joyous that the town folks accused them of tipping the bottle and being drunk.  They were full of wine but not that which comes out of a bottle it was the New Wine of the Holy Spirit.  They were intoxicated with God and never got sober!  This New Wine flowed out of their innermost being and became a river of Life spilling out to whoever would hear and obey.

The apostle Paul had a very hard life as a believer.  He went to the whipping post so often his body must have been one massive scar.  His own testimony declared that he suffered the loss of all things, yet He lived richly.  Nothing could rob him or them of their joy and radiance.  A radiance and joy that is available today.  Jesus is truly the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Christian in fellowship with Jesus possesses all that makes life worthwhile in both time and eternity.  If you are not a Christian, receive Him today.  If you do not have what I’ve been describing and want it, seek His face.  He cares for you and invites you to COME.  I pray daily, “Lord your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth and in my life as it is in heaven.”

God bless you as you walk in His fullness and enjoy this wonderful day!

 

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