Month: March 2020

JUST TELL THEM WHO I AM! – – Part Three…


Exodus 3:13-14 – “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” NASB

We have looked at this directive that I received from the Lord in prayer and I feel woefully inadequate to fulfill the charge but am giving it a go.  If I can open one eye to one truth, the exercise is worth all the effort and any frustration I experience.

Thus far we have looked at Who GOD is and declared that He IS, He SEES, He HEARS, He KNOWS, He DELIVERS, He SEES, He HEARS, He KNOWS, He Comes to Deliver, He Sends Forth, He is with those whom He sends,  He desires Worship, and He IS what we need when we need it.  Those are declarations regarding the character and person of God that hopefully will inspire everyone to dig deeper than my superficial address of those traits, qualities, and characteristics. 

As we continue it is beneficial for us to consider other things about God to help us fully or grasp who He is in a greater measure.  I doubt that any of us could offer enough instruction or information for the human mind and spirit to fully grasp Who He Is.

He INSTRUCTS – – In verse 15 we find God giving detailed directions to Moses as to what He was to do and say to the children of Israel when he got back to Egypt.  If you study, you find that each of God’s Covenants and Promises carries with them instructions.  Likewise, every Covenant and Promise has a Provision.  God instructs and provides.  That’s Who He Is!

He Is Incredibly ORDERLY – – In verse 16, God gave Moses the order or process by which he was to operate and proceed.  I notice the order of God in many things and in the account where Jesus fed the multitude at the end of the day order was there. Before his instructions to feed them, they were permitted to sit or stand wherever they pleased, now, He has them arranged in groups and fed them with 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish.  There is Order in the Kingdom of God and He will never allow us to operate outside His Order.  His order unleashes and releases His power. 

I ask that you recall the account in 2 Kings 3 when Elisha was giving God’s directive to Israel as they were being attacked by powerful forces.  In verse 16 he instructed them to ‘make the valley full of ditches.’  That might sound a little trite, but they obeyed the Word from God and when the arose the next morning the ditches were full of sparkling water.  However, when the Moabites looked, they saw ‘blood’ and rushed to their destruction.  Preparation always precedes blessing!  Always!

He Is The GOD Who PROSPERS – – In verse 21 we find the amazing promise, “And I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.”  Jesus said in Luke 12:32 that it was His Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.  In Matthew 6:33 we are promised provision if we will place God before everything in our lives.  In Proverbs 13:22 we are informed that God has laid up the wealth of the wicked for the just.  Then in 3 John 1:2, the prayer of John was that the believers would “prosper and be in health, even as their soul prospered.”  It is God’s desire to Bless us and make us Prosper.

He Uses WHAT WE HAVE – – That is amplified in Exodus 4:2 when Moses was protesting that he was unqualified and God reminded him that He would use what Moses had, not what he did not have.  Initially what we have may be small, but God will make it grow and expand as we walk in obedience and trust Him.

He Is The GOD OF MIRACLES – – That should go without saying but in Exodus 4:6-9 God makes this clear.  God is a Miracle Worker and a Covenant Keeper.  We can trust Him.  One of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is the ‘Gift of Working of Miracles.’

When we know Him as did Moses, we can do incredible things for God.  However, Moses, like too many of us, kept making excuses and human justifications as to why he could not do what God said he could.  That is why Moses had to be empty of self and that is the heart of the message of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  Even with Saul, the word from God was, “When you were little in your own eyes.” 

David was not looking for the job of being King, he was a shepherd.  Joshua was the loyal servant of Moses the man of God and God elevated him to rulership.  When we lose our self-sufficiency, we are able to move into His sufficiency.  When we empty out self that makes room for us to be filled with Him.

The choice is self and our natural abilities or God and His supernatural abilities.  The choice is our manipulation and plans or God’s provision, call, development and sending forth.  He IS! He SEES! He HEARS! He KNOWS! He DELIVERS! He SENDS! He is WITH US! He INSTRUCTS! He has an ORDER! He is WHAT we need WHEN we need it!  He PROSPERS! He is a MIRACLE WORKER! He Uses WHAT WE HAVE!

God makes and keeps His Covenant and He has Promised that we can Pull Down Strongholds!  Now is the time to embrace Who He Is, and Believe He is, He can, and He will!

Have a great day!

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JUST TELL THEM WHO I AM! – – Part Two…


Exodus 3:13-14 – “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” NASB

Last time in our quest to “Tell Them Who I Am!” we considered three things about Who God is.  He IS!  He SEES!  He HEARS!  Today, we want to consider more of the characteristics and character of this God who is Our God and is the Living God.

HE KNOWS – – In verse 7 we read “…for I am aware of their sufferings.”  Our plight and problems have not gone unnoticed by Him.  In Matthew 6:8 we find that He knows the need before we even ask.  In Psalms 139:4 we discover that even before we say a word, He knows.  In Psalms 139:1 the Psalmists declares, “O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me.”  He knows when we sit down or stand up.  He KNOWS!  We can trust Him because He knows.  We must never lose sight of the reality that He moves in His timing, not ours.  He moves on His schedule, not ours.  He views the situation according to His estimation, not ours.

HE COMES TO DELIVER – – In verse 8 we have His Covenant Promise.  When we know Him, we know that He never goes back on His Word and never fails to keep His Promises.  He is the God Who Delivers.  Remember Israel in Egypt, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, the Three Hebrew Children in the Furnace, etc.  He delivers!  He has a plan and is never caught off guard or surprised.  He never has to revert to Plan B His Plan A is His only Plan.

HE SENDS FORTH – – In verse 10 we discover His plan and purpose as He tells Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you can bring My people out of bondage.”  This is the same people who wanted to take his life 40 years earlier.  This is going back to where his life might be worth less than a plug nickel. 

Consider the progression of Moses in his growth and transformation.  Before in Egypt, he had the call, but God had not sent him.  He was living as a dead Egyptian having been taught and trained for 40 years in the ways of Egypt.  Now, 40 years later God is sending Him to deliver 2-3 million people.  This is a conflict of a dead Egyptian and a deliverer.  In Acts 13:2, the Holy Spirit said, “separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”  There is the Call and then there is the sending forth.  Jesus sent His disciples.  There is the call, then the development, then the sending forth and Moses was now being sent forth.  This God is the God Who Sends!  When He sends, He equips and empowers!

He Is With Those He SENDS – – In verse 12 we realize this truth when God said to Moses, “Certainly I will be with you…”  We are never forsaken or abandoned.  No matter how daunting the task, He is With Us!

He Desires WORSHIP and is Worthy of that Worship – – In verse 12, “…and this shall be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” 

He is WHAT We Need When We NEED IT – – In verse 14, God said, “I AM WHO I AM.” That is the Past, the Present, and the Future tense.  He is All we need.  He is always present.  He Is whatever we need.  No matter what the need is, physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, HE IS…

I want to address a few more of the characteristics of God but will pause at this point and ask that you allow those to become a part of your consciousness.  Mediate on Who He Is.

Have a fantastic day!

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JUST TELL THEM WHO I AM!


Exodus 3:13-14 – “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” NASB

Some time back, I heard in my spirit the Lord saying, “Just Tell Them Who I Am!”  I heard it over and over again, day after day for weeks and when something like that will not lessen in its tug at my heart, I know it is something that I need to pay careful attention to.  As I prayed and meditated on God, the things of God, and the Purposes of God I realized that this was the cry of the Father that His children would come to a greater awareness of “Who He Is” and “Know Him.”

As I prayed, I sensed in my spirit the Lord saying, “When My people know me, fear will be gone.  They will be able to wait on Me, trusting My provision, love, and timing.  They will be able to take dominion, establish My Covenant, set the captives free, and walk victoriously in this life!  So, Tell Them Who I Am!”  That was an incredibly humbling experience and the pressure of that directive was staggering.  How could I do that in the way I felt God wanted and deserved?  I knew the deficiency in my own ability and my sense of weakness and incapability soared.  I understood how Moses must have felt as he stood at the burning bush. 

God’s motivation is always out of a heart of love.  His motivation and purpose are always demonstrated in His Covenant.  His Love ‘Hesed’ (Hebrew) and ‘Agape’ (Greek) is His heart and binds Him to His Covenant opening the door for us to become one with Him.  It is through God’s Love and His Covenant that He totally commits Himself to us. In Chapter 3 of the Book of Exodus, we discover several important realities about God and in His dealings with Moses that help us to “know” Him and relate to Him.

I want to begin considering some of those realities and will allow the Bible to do its own commentary.  I pray this will be an inspiration and beneficial for you and inspire you to Know Him beyond anything you have ever experienced and move deeper into Him and His Purposes.

HE IS – – In verse 6 we realize that He is not ‘a’ god but THE GOD of all creation. In Abraham, we see His Covenant, in Isaac we see His Provision and in Jacob we see the Transformation that occurs.  He is!  He is whatever the need is!  He is eternal, past, present, and future.  I AM is Who He is!

HE SEES – – In verse 7 we discover that He sees ALL.  “for I have surely seen…”  The Bible tells us that the eyes of God run to and fro through the whole earth looking for opportunities to show Himself strong on behalf of His people. (2 Chronicles 16:9).  In Psalms 34:15 – “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous.”  Psalms 33:18 – “The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him.”  Job 36:7 – “He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous.”  Psalm 139:12 – Darkness and light do not prevent Him from seeing.  Nothing escapes His notice.  He is the Seeing God!

HE HEARS – – In verse 7 we discover that He hears, “and have given heed to their cry…I am aware of their suffering.”  He is not an inanimate and unconcerned being, He hears, He sees, and He knows.  David said in Psalms 34:4 – “I sought the Lord and He heard me.”  In 34:15 – “His eyes are open to their cry.”  Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call unto Me and I will answer.”  John 14:3-14 – In that word of comfort from our Lord He reminds us that He Hears our prayers.  In 1 John 5:14-15 – “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”  That is powerful! 

God IS and never changes. God SEES and misses nothing.  God HEARS and is aware of everything.  I have just begun to scratch the surface of Who He is but will pause here and pick up more realities and declarations of Who He is in the next devotional.  God bless you as you make it your objective to discover Him more fully and Know Him completely. 

Have a Great Day!

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AGAPE LOVE – – Part Three…


1 Corinthians 8:1b – “…Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”  NIV

Romans 12:5 – “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”  NASB

Let’s continue our consideration of God’s Agape Love and its importance in today’s church.  Not only are we to realize that we cannot function alone, we need the rest of the Body of Christ to function fully, efficiently, and be complete, but we must realize more.

Second, No Member of Christ’s Body should feel he or she is more important or less than any other member of Christ’s Body.  No Christian has exclusive rights to God’s Grace.  We are all equal at the Foot of the Cross.  In Romans 12:3 we read, “For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”  In Romans 12:5 we are informed, “So in Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”  That is Powerful!  In Ephesians 4:12, the apostle reminds us, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”  We are Family!

Thirdly, Christians should work hard at creating unity in the Body of Christ.  Unity and the display of God’s, Agape Love should be a prime objective of every believer.  Paul teaches that not one of us can function effectively by ourselves, we need each other.  He also informs us powerfully that none of us are more or less important than any other believer, even those with the more obvious and visible gifts and talents.  We are to be clothed in humility and remember that even those who have the greatest responsibility is to be the greatest servant.  We are reminded that all of us is to strive for unity and peace.

I suggest that the emphasis is not on the Gifts but preserving the Bond of Peace and creating Unity in the Body.  In that, we build each up in Love and create an atmosphere for the Gifts to function freely and powerfully.  When we realize that each other member of the Body is important to us and vital to the success of His Kingdom we treat each other differently and the world takes note.  Our spiritual welfare is directly connected to the condition and function of the other members of the Body of Christ.  When we stop biting and devouring each other we are able to give attention to the building up of the Body in Love and thereby advancing the Kingdom on this Earth.

Agape Love is our ultimate weapon against the devil.  It is more powerful than all the atomic energy in this world.  It is the power that expelled the devil from heaven and is the force that sends him into the shadows and back to the pit from whence he came. 

There is no difficulty that Agape Love cannot and will not overcome!  There is no disease that Agape Love cannot and will not heal!  There is no door that Agape Love cannot and will not open!  There are not gulfs and divisions that Agape Love cannot and will not bridge!  There are no walls that Agape Love cannot and will not tear down!  There is no sin that Agape Love cannot will not redeem!

Therefore, if you begin to consider the other members of the Body of Christ as members of your own body, you will find it most difficult to be apathetic and indifferent about them.  You will find it incredibly difficult to harm them and you will want and seek their best.  Love defeats the devil-like nothing else can!  It is my prayer, hope, and plea that we become reservoirs of God’s Agape Love and dispenser of it. 

God bless you as you walk in Love and enjoy His Presence today!

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AGAPE LOVE – (Part Two) …


1 Corinthians 8:1b – “…Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”  NIV

Romans 12:5 – “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”  NASB

In considering the power and the need of Agape Love in the Body of Christ I ask that you consider this idea.  I believe that when there is sufficient flow of God’s, Agape Love in the body all divisiveness shrinks and diminishes in a significant measure.  It drives the devil back into the shadows and into the darkness.  Love brings light and the devil cannot stand the Light. Increasing Agape Love will cover all differences concerning non-essentials and bring oneness to the Church that Jesus prayed for.  Therefore, I contend that the greatest need of the Church is Agape Love!

I have long pleaded with Christians to remember “We Are Family.”  Family, in the natural, is far more important than opinions.  We are ‘members’ of one another.  That is a very interesting concept that seems to be lost on many within the Body of Christ today.  I wonder how many people would intentionally harm a part of their own body.  How many would cut off a toe because it didn’t look right, or function perfectly?  Yet, we do that very thing in the Body of Christ.  I find that incredibly disturbing.

The New Testament teaches that we are “Members of one another.”  Every New Testament writer recognized that truth.  But, the apostle Paul, drove it home the most powerfully in his analogy of the human body in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26.  There is no possible way that even the most carnal and immature believer could miss what Paul was saying.  He wrapped it up in an incredibly powerful package and declared in 1 Corinthians 12:27 – “Now you are the Body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it.”  You cannot misinterpret or fail to see the message.

There are three major passages in Paul’s writings that illustrate and describe the ‘Functioning Body of Christ.’  Those are 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4.  I suggest that you read and reread them until they explode in your heart and mind.  In my humble opinion, most Christians have either missed or misunderstood Paul’s emphasis in these passages.  Most of the time we are instructed by Church leaders to search to discover our spiritual gifts to function in the Body of Christ.  We have been told this because in these passages Paul makes repeated reference and gives great emphasis to specific spiritual gifts.

That demands, a closer look at what the apostle was saying.  I believe there are some truths revealed that have crystal clarity.  It is vital that we not miss them and gain an understanding of the Truths being conveyed. 

First, He is telling us that no Individual Christian can function effectively by themselves.  We are individuals but we are also part of the Body.  Let me ask, “Have you ever gotten a speck of dust in your eye?”  I cannot imagine anyone saying, “No, I never have?”  What do you instinctively do when that happens?  You rub your eye, right?  What am I saying?  It took more than the eye to resolve the problem, right?  We know that and recognize that in the natural body, but fail to grasp it in the Church, the Body of Christ.  We seem to think that we are islands and can function alone without the rest of the Body.  WE CANNOT!

I want to deal with this more but for the sake of space and time will pause here and pray that the LORD opens our eyes to see His truth and embrace the Body as extensions of ourselves. 

Blessings on your journey today in Jesus!

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AGAPE LOVE…


1 Corinthians 8:1b – “…Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”  NIV

Romans 12:5 – “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”  NASB

It is incredibly clear in studying the Scriptures that “Disunity” is one of the most disruptive things that the New Testament Church faces.  It is also, clear that “Unity” is high on the list of the most needed and most powerful force the Church can have.  “Unity” can only be realized through the work of the Holy Spirit in the manifestation of “Agape Love.”

I believe it would be impossible to casually read the New Testament without realizing that God has a unique plan for every believer.  God desires that every believer become a functioning member of the church.  I believe that is revealed by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.  He tells us in Ephesians 4:15-16 that as Christians we are to “Speak the truth in love.”  As we do, we will “in all things grow up into Him who is the head, that is Christ.  From Him, the whole body is joined and held together by every supporting ligament, and grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Repeatedly, the writers of the New Testament exhorted believers to engage in specific activities that would enable the Body of Christ to function effectively and grow spiritually.  Frequently they used a unique word to describe this mutual and reciprocal process, it was “Allelon” or one another.  It is used 58 times in the New Testament and Paul used in 40 times.

Some of these concepts are repeated from letter to letter, but when all the “one another” exhortations are studied carefully and grouped together according to specific meaning, they can be reproduced in twelve significant actions that Christians are to take toward “one another.”

The greatest of these is LOVE.  This Agape Love is the ‘more excellent way’ of 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 13:13. The exhortation to “Love one another” appears more frequently than all the rest.  Of the 48 references to what we are to do for “one another”, as believers, 11 times we are told to “Love one another.”  Then, if we add the commands of our LORD to “Love one another” the list grows to 16 times.  That reveals the importance and significance of us Loving one another.

It goes without saying that “Love” is the most important issue for the believer in the New Testament.  To love fellow believers is a basic injunction of the New Testament and is evidence of a Spirit-filled Life and Salvation.  In Colossians 3:14 we read, “And over all these virtues put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”  Then in 1 Peter 4:8, we discover, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

When we consider the directives of our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples it comes as no surprise that the New Testament would place such an emphasis on Love.  In John 14:34-35, He declared, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must Love on Another.  All men will know that you are My disciples if you Love on Another.”  How’s that for emphasis?

The truth is that all the actions that we are enjoined to take toward “one another” are wrapped up in the singular directive of “Love in Action.”  The apostle Paul sensed that truth as he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Philippians 1:9-11 saying, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight, so that you are able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Chris, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

We could solve most of the problems of the church and the world if we received and demonstrated God’s, Agape Love!  I believe that would produce one of the greatest revivals and awakenings the Church has ever seen.  We will address this again in the next devotional but until then may the rich and bountiful blessings of our Lord be upon you.

Have a great day!

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I AM FILLED WITH HATE TODAY…


I need to clarify the statement in my title, “I am filled with hate today!” lest it is grossly misunderstood.  I HATE THE DEVIL!  I hate what he is doing to lives!  I hate the effects of sin and rebellion in the human heart.  I have preached for over 50 years that the devil is in a constant war with believers and God.  I have a new level of animus towards Lucifer and his work.  The words of Jesus impact me more this morning than they ever have, and His purpose has become my great desire in a new way.  Jesus said, in 1 John 3:8 – “…The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  I want to destroy the works of the devil!

Jesus said, in John 14:12 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.”  The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:17 that “as He (Jesus) is, so war we in this world.”  In Luke 10:19 Jesus said, that He has given us (believers) authority over all the power of the devil.  And, the apostle Paul encouraged us in Romans 16:20, that the God of Peace would bruise the devil under our feet, SHORTLY!  Let it be now LORD, let it be now!

I could go on and on with passages about our authority over the devil and what God wants from us regarding the works of the devil, but that would not fully communicate my ANGER and HATE toward the enemy of our souls.  I want to do damage to the devil and his kingdom.  I want to destroy the works of the devil! 

It is personal with me and growing more intense as I watch my wife suffer from her battle with cancer.  Her pain and difficulty on many fronts tears at my heart like nothing I have ever encountered.  I have faced death, suffered excruciating physical pain, endured loss, and been abandoned, but none of that compares to watching her struggle.  Every time, I see her in pain I get ANGRY, angry at the devil.  The personal nature of this new angst may have some selfishness in it, I don’t know, but I do know that I HATE THE DEVIL!

In recent times of prayer, I have questioned God as to what I could do, should do, and needed to do.  I have considered pulling back from many of the things that I do in fighting for Freedom politically, socially, morally, and religiously.  As I pray, I keep sensing in my heart of hearts that I must not pull back but intensify my fight for Faith, Family, and Freedom.  I also sense that it is imperative that I rekindle the commitment to ‘fasting and prayer’ and fighting the good fight of faith not only for my wife but for everyone impacted by sin and the works of the devil. 

I believe and have believed for a long time that in the Last Days there would be a dual stream flowing in the spirit realm.  There would be an incredible outpouring of God’s Spirit, Love, Power, Mercy, Grace, and Purpose.  That is exciting and I see glimpses of it from time to time in the places I go and the people I talk to.  I am convinced that more is coming and coming in ways most would not expect, and many will possibly reject because it is not through the traditional venues but somewhat outside the normal religious box.  At the same time, I believe that there will be an incredible and diabolical increase in evil, violence, sin, and corruption. 

The apostle Paul warned Timothy and us in 2 Timothy 3:13-17 that in the Last Days people, circumstances, and conditions would grow very dark.  When I read the headlines of the various news sources, surf the internet, and listen to political pundits, and international religious voices I cannot escape the sense of the intense presence and power of evil in the world.  

The Bible tells us that Jesus defeated the devil at the Cross and in the Resurrection. What we must never overlook is that although the devil is defeated that does not mean annihilated.  The devil may or may not believe he can ultimately win but he does want to take as many into destruction as he can.  The Bible reveals in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 that the Coming of the Lord will be preceded with a falling away.  There will be those who believe the lie of hell and abandon their faith and confidence in God and His word.  I HATE THE DEVIL and what he is doing to people!

As I prayed recently, the thought came into my heart that my desire to do harm to the devil and destroy his works was four-fold.  I want to win as many to Christ as possible and diminish the number that the devil controls.  I want to see healing become a norm rather than a rarity and destroy the works of the devil on that front.  I want to lead as many as possible to True Freedom.  That freedom must be on every level of life and if Jesus sets us free, we are FREE INDEED!  Finally, I want to manifest the Love of God even to those who hate me and hate God.  I can only achieve those goals through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and by reaching a place in my life where I “Abide in Him and His word abides in Me.”  Simply, I want to become One with Him beyond any level I have attained thus far in my life. 

Those who knew me in the time of my transition in the late 80’s will understand when I do and speak outside the norm.  During that time, many thought I had lost my mind and was going through a mental or severe emotional crisis.  They didn’t know whether to follow me or reject me.  The same will likely be true this time.  I HATE THE DEVIL, and want to destroy his works.  I LOVE GOD and want His Kingdom to Come and His Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  I want it done in me!

My prayer: “Lord, make me a vessel that is pleasing to you.  Fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit, Your Grace, Your Peace, and equip me to do the work of Your Kingdom.  I ask that you enable me to pull down strongholds and see the captive set free.  Enable me to walk in total liberty and peace and manifest the Love of Jesus in all that I do and all that I am.  I pray for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven and do it in me.  Help me to become more and more a man after Your own heart.  I surrender my all to You.  In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Your prayers for me and my wife are coveted and appreciated!  God bless you!

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GOD IS ALIVE – – (Part Two) …


1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 – “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”  NASB

As we continue our consideration of prayer and the reality that the one, we are praying to is The Living God I ask that we never lose sight of the reality that He is actively involved in our daily lives. 

God, the Living God is involved in our lives down to the most minute of details.  That is why Jesus could and would say in His Sermon on the Mount, “Look at the lilies of the field and the birds of the air…”  Insignificant creatures and things but worthy of God’s focus and attention. 

The God we see through His creation, that God, cares about the smallest details of our lives and our world.  That is foreign to the thinking of some, but that is God!  I contend that anything that causes even the smallest ripple of concern in the pond of our lives is enough for the Infinite Person, GOD to be concerned and take note of.  That is our God!   That is the one we talk to in prayer.

God is infinitely concerned about the care of His people and His creation.  We see that reality all through the Bible.  He sent ‘manna’ from heaven to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness.  We see God’s incredible provision in the life of Elijah.  This God, our God is Alive and is Alive in the areas that we think about and care about daily.  He cares about those things that trouble us.  He cares about those things we need to live.  He is there, always there and He is ALIVE!

I suggest that God is so concerned about everything that affects us that He initiated our Salvation.  That’s what Paul is saying, “He who has begun a good work in you…”  He began that work before time began.  He began that work before the creation of the earth and the universe.  God took the initiative and provide the pathway to Salvation.  That is Concern.  God made provision for us to be ‘Sozoed’ (put back together and made whole).  Now, in the Finished Work of Jesus, we have the total provision of God.  This is who we talk to in prayer.

I fear that, too frequently, we are attempting to talk God into doing what we feel He might be reluctant or not want to do.  We are trying to change His mind and sway Him to our desires rather than His purposes.  Too much prayer is virtually a ‘con-job’ and exercise in ‘attempted manipulation.’  That is not Prayer and is not Possible with God!

The Heart of Prayer begins in the revelation of The Living-ness of God.  As one preacher said, “The Is-ness of God.”  He is!  It begins in knowing that He is the Living God who is the Creator of all things.  He has all power, is all-knowing, and ever-present.  He is the glue that holds everything together.  He is!

He is Life!  He has made His covenant and has sworn by Himself that He will fulfill His Promises.  He is totally capable and willing to do what He Promised.  HE IS!  Think through your own personal history, recall the times and events where God demonstrated Himself strong on your behalf in a marvelous manner.  Let those thoughts return to the forefront of your mind.  He is the Living God and He has invited us to Pray!

If God did not mean it, He would not have invited us into the Throne Room via prayer.  He would not have said, “Ask, and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.”  If He did not mean it, He would not have Promised to Answer when we call.  Stop thinking of God as “out there” but realize that He is “in our hearts.”  Stop thinking of God in an ethereal manner and start realizing that He is the Living God who Hears and Speaks.  Talk to Him!  He is Listening.  Listen for His response, He is speaking!

God bless you as you embark on a new life of communication and communion with God, THE LIVING GOD!             

Have a Great Day!

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GOD IS ALIVE…


1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 – “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”  NASB

In studying and practicing prayer there are some vital principles and realities that must come to the front of the line.  One of the most significant is the reality that “God Is Alive!”  He is “The Living God!”  He is other than all the so-called Gods in the minds of man.  The declaration of the apostle Paul in Thessalonians holds the Key to real and effective prayer.  It reveals the undeniable and incredible truth that God Is Alive!  I contend that without that reality, prayer becomes senseless and futile. He must “be”, in our experience and understanding the Living and One True God or we are wasting our time.

I see a serious problem existing in the Christian community and it is revealed in many discussions regarding prayer.  It seems that frequently Christians speak and think of prayer in an ethereal fashion.  It is theoretical in too many minds.

People want to debate God, but God cannot be debated, He Is!  When it comes to prayer it is futile to discuss and debate the activity and practice.  You can talk about electricity, but when it comes to prayer, we are talking about touching it, not discussing it.  You do not debate electricity when you are touching it. 

In talking about prayer, we are talking about the “Aliveness of God.” He is the Living God!  What I suggest is that prayer is the activity of walking with God, experiencing God, and talking to God, expecting Him to talk back, hear, and respond.  That surpasses theory and moves into practice and practicality.

The Bible repeatedly presents God as THE LIVING GOD!  Therefore, we can no more debate God, than two fish could sit on the table and look at the aquarium and discuss water.  No, the fish don’t discuss water, they Live in It and Live by It.  That’s us in and with God!  In Him, we live, and move, and have being.  He is our life.  It is an exercise in futility to sit outside of God and debate him in our ivory towers and Utopian philosophical worlds.  We are “in” Him and He is “in” us.  That’s the heart of Christianity.

God is at work in our world and our lives.  He is the Living God and Lives in us.  We experience Him and do so preeminently in Prayer!  Prayer cannot simply be discussed it must be experienced.  In Prayer, we talk to God and He talks to us. That is Prayer!  God is the infinite, infallible, ultimate person and “in” Him, “by” Him all creation exists.  It is not Nature it is His Creation.

I am often amused at our attempt to describe God in human terms.  Nature is a human world.  What we live in is not nature it is God’s creation.  All that is comes forth from the hand of God.  All that is, is born out of the womb of God’s creativity.  If we read the Psalms, we discover they continually celebrate all that God is and all that He has done.  Everything depends on God.  The entire Book of Psalms is a celebration of God’s work.

I find it amazing that the Bible would declare that the frost and snow are the going forth of the Holy Spirit.  That brings us close to something that is happening.  If you look out of your window on a cold winter morning and see the snow, you can or should say, “The Holy Spirit has been at work.”

Everywhere we look, in this world, we see the fingerprints of God.  The scientist studies the footprints of God although they may not realize that is what they are doing.  The scientist can talk to us about the Laws of Nature, but what they are really talking about are the footprints of God.  That’s why I know the sun will rise and set each day because it is all in the hands of God.  He is the Living God! 

What does this have to do with Prayer?  It has everything to do with it, for as we realize that, in prayer, we are talking to the Creator, the Living God, the giver, and the Sustainer of Life, prayer takes on a totally different perspective.  

We need to dig a little deeper into this subject and hopefully offer some beneficial revelations in the next devotional.  Until then, may the LORD bless and keep you and make your way prosperous and joyous!  

Have a Great Day!

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DON’T BE TAKEN CAPTIVE – Part Two…


2 Timothy 2:26 – “and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” NASB

We begin today’s discussion with the question we ended the last devotional with, “How can the devil take anyone captive, especially a Christian against his will?”  We noted that in 2 Timothy 2:26 it is made clear that is a possibility but how?

If you look closely you will see the connection between strife, disharmony and the devil’s ability to take people captive.  If you will take note, you will also see that the absence of strife is connected to the ability to remain free from the devil’s bondage.  Sadly, too often, people in Church excuse their disharmony and strive with others insisting that there was no real harm done only disagreement.  However, we find here that the devil gains a foothold and is enabled to come in and operate at his will and against ours.  He affects us and those we are in disharmony with and thereby the church and the world.  It is no wonder that we are instructed to STOP THE STRIFE!

This is powerfully amplified in James 3:14-16 – “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” 

In this passage we discover that if we have bitter envying and strife, we have confusion and every evil work.  A reality that cannot be overlooked is that ‘strife’ opens the door to ‘confusion’ and every evil work.  Strife allows the devil to come in where he has no authority and operate freely.  It is essentially his welcome mat.  It gives him an opportunity and he is always opportunistic.  Therefore, the key is to STOP STIFE and STOP THE DEVIL!

In James Chapters 3-5 we have detailed instructions and revelations on how to keep strife at a minimum or eradicate it completely.  Two pertinent facts leap off the page for me:  It is always a matter of the heart and it is always a matter of our will.

James 3 deals with the Tongue.  The description of the tongue being an ignition switch for fires of all kinds is apropos and germane.  The tongue can either bless or curse, bring peace or discord.  The choice of how we use it is up to us.  We can through the work of the Holy Spirit TAME THE TONGUE!  James 4 informs us how and why Strife comes and issues the exhortation to ‘submit’ to God and ‘resist’ the devil.  He adds, that we are not to speak evil one to another.

What is Strife?  I ask that you take a brief journey through Proverbs for a clear understanding of what it is, how it comes, and how to prevent it.

Proverbs 15:18 – “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention.”

Proverbs 16:28 – “A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends.” 

Proverbs 17:1 – “Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife.” 

Proverbs 20:3 – “Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.” 

Proverbs 22:10 – “Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.” 

Proverbs 26:17, 20-21 – “Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him… 20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. 21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

Proverbs 28:25 – “An arrogant man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.”

Proverbs 29:22 – “An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.” 

Proverbs 30:33 – “For the churning of milk produces butter, and pressing the nose brings forth blood; so, the churning of anger produces strife.”

If you will read Philippians 2:1-5 you will discover a powerful way to keep strife at bay. My point is that we have the choice of whether we allow strife to enter and abide.  Therefore, we have the choice of whether we become captives of the devil. 

Let me conclude in this manner, if the presence of strife, envying and self-seeking produce confusion and every evil work then the converse is also true.  If we eliminate those things from our midst and lives, we bring harmony, love, peace, and a God-centered environment and the devil loses his base of operation.  No wonder Paul contended in Romans 13:13-14 that we are to make no provisions for the flesh.

We need to make a conscious decision to resist strife, envy, and disharmony.  If it comes, we must immediately repent and stop it on the spot.  We are God’s instruments and we have His commission, His love, and His Spirit.  We can Stop the Devil, so Let’s Do It!

God bless you as you enjoy this day!

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