Author: rbeaird

THE EYES OF THE HEART…


Ephesians 1:18 – “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened…”  NASB

I have always found this passage most intriguing.  When we seek to unravel the truth as found in God’s Word, we seek the context of the text and the context of the entire Bible.  Simply, we do not allow an isolated passage to define truth but examine it in the light of all the other declarations of the Bible on the matter.  If we follow the guide of 2 Peter 1:20-21 we determine that opinion or perception is not the allowable basis for an interpretation of biblical passages. 

An examination of Proverbs 4:23 is needed in this attempt to discover the ‘eyes of the heart’ and the revelation provided in seeking the enlightenment of the heart’s eyes.  We are told by the writer of this proverb, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  In repentance and the development of a Christian relationship with our LORD, we learn to view everything for a radically new perspective.  Our focus changes and as 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares ‘everything is new.’ 

It is needful for us to realize that perception is a matter of heart and is a matter of choice.  We choose to see and hear what we want to see and hear.  Isaiah 6:10 addresses that in a powerful way as it speaks of understanding with the heart leading to conversion and healing.  Jesus addressed this truth in John 12:40 speaking of hardened hearts and understanding with the heart leading to conversion and healing. 

I would suggest that if a person does not see or acknowledge God, it is largely due to the fact that they have decided to turn from His presence and deny Him.  (Romans 1:18-20).  It could be correctly argued that our desires determine what we see and hear and shapes our focus.  The Bible clearly reveals that we believe in order to see rather than seeing to believe.  It is with the heart that man believes unto righteousness!  Tragically, too often we do not see things as they are but as we would like them to be.  Proverbs 23:7 confirms that telling us, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Life is a matter of choices and what we choose determines the world in which we abide.  I am not speaking of the physical world but the perceptive world where our attitudes are formed, and our beliefs are shaped.  Man’s problem comes from the inside out not the outside in. The eyes follow the heart (Matthew 6:22-23).  It is out of the heart that evil thoughts originate, and God has promised to give us new hearts as declared in Ezekiel 36:26.

If we are to progress in our relationship with God and grow in His grace it is imperative that the ‘eyes of our hearts’ continually and consistently be enlightened.  We do this, in part, by setting Him before us and embrace the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He reveals to us how God sees things, not how we would like them to be. 

Jesus told us in Luke 11:4 to “seek and we will find.”  If we want His truth, we must look for that truth and open our hearts to understand it.  That passage implies that we will find what we are looking for and that speaks to perception and choices.  Someone said, “The optimist believes that this world is the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist is afraid the optimist is right.”  Both view the same data but have dramatically different visions about reality.

Living the Christian Life and having the ‘eyes of our hearts’ enlightened is, in a very real sense, a choice between investing all our energy into not falling, or focusing on the walk before us.  This is not a sprint so let’s look to God for our help and make the finish our focus rather than the demands of the immediate. 

We have a future and a hope.  We have the wonderful eternal promises of God.  Therefore, let’s ask His help in changing our focus from the past to His future.  Let’s determine not to return to the house of bondage, the prison of fear and keep the ‘eyes of our hearts’ on Jesus.  I take great comfort and encouragement in the words of our LORD in Matthew 13:16, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear.”

If you are weighed down with the cares of this world and see the world through the prism of an ‘unenlightened heart’ there is yet hope.  Ask God to open the eyes of your heart and allow you to clearly see the beauty embodied in His promises.  Our Lord has promised to not leave us orphans, comfortless, or abandoned.  I pray that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened, and we will see Who He is, who we are, and become what we see!

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

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MEMORY VERSE FOR WEARY CHRISTIANS…


Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”  NASB

When we give honest, open-hearted consideration to the teaching of the Bible, we quickly arrive at the conclusion that it is foolish and disrespectful to allow worry and fear to permeate our thought processes.  Worry, in a very real sense calls God a liar and I never want to accuse the Creator of all things of that.  Worry and Fear attribute more confidence in the Arm of Flesh than in the Power and Promises of God.  That is dangerous if not outright sinful.

Tragically, some live in a constant state of Fear and Worry.  That reality is tragic especially when we consider the amazing promises God has given all who believe.

Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

Psalms 91:5 – “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day…”

Psalms 112:7 – “He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” 

Hebrews 13:6 – “so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?”

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

Phil 4:19 – “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” 

Those passage should encourage our hearts and banish fear and worry.  Jesus promised that He would never leave or forsake us.  Therefore, what do we have to fear but fear itself?  What do we have to worry about?  If we will remember Who we are and Whose we are, fear is banished.  The Bible declares that perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18).

Our text verse is not a question but the revealing of a Fact – God is For Us!  The Psalmist declared in 34:15 that the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous and His ears open to our cries.  Therefore, armed with that knowledge we must ask, “Who can stand against us?”  We could also ask, “What difference does it make if they are?”  We are more than conquerors through the One that Created us and Loves us.

Our warfare against the forces of evil is not a natural battle but a spiritual one and we are battling a second-rate power, the devil.  He is a defeated foe!

THE FACT – God is for Us.

If God is for us, we can afford to have the entire world against us and still know that we are victorious.  God is for us in Doctrine (Teaching & Truth).  When our views align with God’s Word all of heaven is behind us.  God is for us in Salvation.  He gave His Son as the sacrifice for our sins.  God is for us in Protection.  Nothing can prevail against us and no weapon formed against us can prosper.  We are His!

THE INFLUENCE – It Gives us Confidence and Courage.

It produces in us an amazing spirit of independence.  Not independence from God or other believers but from the opinion of man.  It affords us the courage and confidence to follow the directions of God’s word residing in our hearts without fear or worry.  We receive freedom from the World’s System and realize that God is in control. 

It produces in us a Spirit of Patience.  We are confident that, in God’s time and in God’s way we will see the full victory.  If God is for us, we develop the courage and patience to never give up and when we refuse to give up harvest comes.

It produces in us Unshakable Confidence.  We know that we are triumphant in Jesus and even if the whole world turned against us, we are still a majority with Jesus on our side. 

This passage should become the motto of the believer and produce an army of overcomers!  Never allow man or any religious system to rob you of your confidence and promises in God.  Stand on the Eternal Word of God and remain confident that He that began a good work in you will keep you.  If God is for us, who can be against us?

No matter what you need today, know that you have the Promise of God to keep you and provide for you.  You are not and will never be forsaken.  So, lift up your eyes to Him and rejoice!

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

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TEMPEST TOSSED BUT NOT LOST – (Part Two)


Acts 27:31, 42-44 – Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved… 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”  NASB

Last time we discussed the Darkness of Hopelessness that was upon them and how it relates to life.  Today we want to move to another consideration of the situation and see how it applies to our daily living in Christ.

THE PARALLEL OF MEN BEFORE RECEIVING JESUS IS EVIDENT.

Their situation was dark and hopeless and there seemed to be no pathway for survival.  In the natural, man found that the Law could not save them, and humans could not fulfill the demands of the Law.  They were in dire need of a sure anchor and Jesus was and is the only hope of mankind.  The one whom the winds and waves obey is our only hope to navigate the troubled waters of life.  The best that mankind can offer in his own strength is insufficient and can never produce the peace or the redemption desired and needed.

IN THIS ACCOUNT – Some tried to escape but when the Word of God from the man of God came everything changed.

Sadly, some will never listen, hear, or heed the warnings of the Spirit of God and the Bible until they face a life or death crisis.  Some only develop hearing ears in the midst of the storm.  In this account, Paul warned that the safety of everyone depended on complete obedience to the Word of God.  That is clearly revealed in Acts 27:31 – “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”

That warning followed the promise of hope declared by the apostle in Acts 27:22 – “And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” 

We must never lose sight of the truth that Jesus is our Hope and He is our ship of salvation.  We must remain in him to be saved.  There is no hope outside.  He is our only hope and His promises are sure and certain!

I love what the apostle has to say in Acts 27:23-25 – “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying,’ Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”  Confidence in God is essential and comforting! 

Our Lord declared in Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”  Therefore, it is imperative that we continually go to the Book for the Words of our Lord as we navigate the troubled waters of life.  We have our Lifeboat, Jesus!

The enemy may come in roaring and raging trying to intimidate and frighten us, but we have a firm foundation in Jesus.  He saves.  He delivers.  We can rejoice in His victory over the devil and know that “in Him, we are more than conquerors.”  Never ever venture outside the Lifeboat, Jesus.  Outside the ship of salvation is sure destruction.  None will be lost abiding in Christ!

God bless you as you abide in Him and His words abide in you!  May you have a fantastic day walking in His peace and enjoying His protection!

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TEMPEST TOSSED BUT NOT LOST…


Acts 27:31, 42-44 – Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved… 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”  NASB

In this event, we find Paul en route to Rome along with other prisoners.  Paul had warned the Centurion in charge that to depart at the time they departed would end in tragedy.  It would have had it not been for the intervention of God.  The soldiers believed the ship captain more than the apostle and began the ill-fated voyage.  It is important to note that the apostle Paul was a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He knew God and knew God’s voice.  Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice…and they follow Me.” 

Paul, as was his custom prayed.  He sought God for direction not only in this situation but in every aspect of his life.  Those in charge failed to heed his warnings and they suddenly found themselves in a hopeless situation being tossed by the tempest threatening to destroy their ship.  This situation can be applied to our lives when we fail to heed the warnings of the Spirit and Word of God.

Several things are important to note:

THE DARKNESS OF HOPELESSNESS WAS UPON THEM.

They were caught in a no-win situation. The wind was too powerful for their ship and they had no power in themselves to overcome certain disaster.  The sailors understood that they would have to place themselves and the ship at the mercy of the winds and the sea.  They had to go with the flow of the current and follow the path of the wind.  It was too late to heed the apostle’s warning before they left port, they were in the sea and in the storm.  Therefore, riding it out was their only hope and that hope was quickly fading.

They followed their training and instincts.  They used cables to undergird the ship hoping to keep it in one piece.  That is a reminder of how much we need the Spirit of God to undergird our lives with His strength.  They had to strike the sails and become mercilessly driven by the ferocious winds.  They then began to lighten the ship and toss overboard anything not absolutely necessary.  A reminder that we need to set aside the little weights and sins that beset us.  They threw the tackling of the ship overboard but nothing they did averted the impending danger and disaster.

Their strength was weak.  Their ability lacking and they endured days without seeing the sun or the stars to guide them.  They were rapidly being overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. They realized that land was near and cast anchors from the bow and stern hoping to prevent the ship from being driven onto the rocks.  Oh, how we need a sure anchor to hold us in the midst of life’s storms.  Our anchor, which is Jesus, always holds!

When we find ourselves in a hopeless situation there is only one place to turn if we want to survive and that is God.  I want to address this a little further but will pause here and say, “If your situation appears hopeless know there is Hope.  That Hope is Jesus!  He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  Call upon Him now!”

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

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THE THREE R’s OF CHRISTIANITY – (Part Two)


Acts 16:27-31 – “But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  NASB

We discussed the first two R’s of Christianity in the last devotional.  The R of Repentance and the R of Resistance.  Those we called steps one and two and now we move to step three the third R of Christianity.

THE THIRD R – – RENEWAL.

There must be the continual and regular renewal of our hearts, minds, and souls in God.  That is emphasized in the words of Isaiah as he declares in Isaiah 40:31 – “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” 

There is the possibility of being conformed to the world or transformed to God as Paul details in Romans 12:2 saying, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Just as our automobiles require fuel, we must have a fresh touch of God upon our lives to live for Him.  We need His spiritual nourishment to give us the sustenance, strength, and ability to walk uprightly before Him.

We must Repent of our sins to receive His forgiveness.  We must Resist the devil for him to flee from us.  We must be Renewed daily to have the strength and ability to stand uprightly before God and manifest Him to the world.  Those three R’s are vital to our living a full and productive Christian life.

  • Repentance is Required for Forgiveness.
  • Resistance is Required for us to overcome the devil and temptation.
  • Renewal is Required for us to become the mature Christians that God desires.

The question I would ask in a meeting would be, “Have you taken the first step?”  Then I would ask, “Are you resisting?”  Then, I would remind everyone that it is God’s desire to renew us in the Spirit of our minds and transform our hearts.  He wants to make us like Jesus in the sense that we have Jesus living His life through us and manifesting Himself in us.  We are truly the only Bible that some will ever read.

Whatever we need He is. He is the Great I AM!  He is whatever we need.  If we need forgiveness, repentance is the first step to peace.  If we have received forgiveness, resistance is required and He provides strength for the struggle and endurance for the journey.  If we have received forgiveness and are resisting, He is there to renew us day by day and give us the grace and peace to continue the journey.

May the LORD bless and keep you, guard, and guide you, and give you peace!  God bless you!

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THE THREE R’s OF CHRISTIANITY…


Acts 16:27-31 – “But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  NASB

I am convinced that everyone with a basic knowledge of God’s Word knows the simple path to salvation.  It is through Jesus Christ by Grace in repentance and faith.  However, knowing the path without taking the appropriate action is inadequate.  We need to keep in mind that the first step is not the entire race, there is more!

I would like to address some very simple and fundamental principles.  It is my conviction that there are Three R’s of Christianity that everyone needs to keep in mind.  We need to progress beyond step one in order to become constant and consistent in our Christian walk.  If we are to be victorious, we must grow in His Grace, Love, Peace, and Power.

THE FIRST R – – REPENTANCE.

Repentance is required for us to gain access to God.  Acts 3:19 informs us that we must “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;” We need to heed the warning of Acts 17:30 – “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent,” 

Repentance opens the door for cleansing of the soul from sin.  The oft-quoted passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 is germane and offers an understanding of what we need to do.  2 Chronicles 7:14 – “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  The words of Isaiah are valuable.  We read in Isaiah 55:7 – “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” 

Repentance is the first step in Christianity.  It opens the Door to Salvation!  It ushers us into the presence of the Savior! 

THE SECOND R – – RESISTANCE.

That may sound strange in connection with repentance, but resistance is a vital element in our Christian walk.  Once we have received the Cleansing of the Blood and the Forgiveness of God for our sin and entered the New Birth we must Resist.  Resist what?  We must resist the devil and all his devices, schemes, and temptations.  We must exercise a certain amount of will-power.  God is not going to do it all for us.  We are required to Resist the devil for him to flee from us.

This will-power of which I speak is the enabling power of God through grace. We have power over all the power of the enemy.  We can resist the devil and he will flee.  We can walk in the righteousness of God and have our minds transformed and renewed. 

Paul gives a beautiful explanation of the value and benefit of the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:11. James offers valuable instruction telling us that in submission to God we find the strength to resist the devil and when we do the devil is forced to back off.  (James 4:7).  We need to learn to say NO!  The writer of Proverbs tells us that when sinners seek to entice us, we are to refuse.  (Proverbs 1:10).

It is important that we guard our life’s activities and follow the directive of Proverbs 4:4 and refuse to enter into the path of the wicked.  We are to resist temptation and resist yielding our bodies, our minds, or our abilities to the devil and commit our entire selves to God and His purposes. (Romans 6:13).

            We must learn to avoid error and that requires an investment of time and energy in studying the Word of God.  (2 Peter 3:17 and Hebrews 2:1).  Resisting is necessary if we are to be complete in our Christian walk. 

We will pause here and pick up the last R in the next devotional.  Until then, may the LORD of God keep guard, and guide you in your pursuit of His purposes. 

I pray that your day will be prosperous and filled with peace!  Blessings!

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THIRSTING FOR GOD – – Part Two


Psalms 42:1 – “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.”  NASB

We considered Condition Number One for having the fullness of God and His Spirit in the last devotional.  That requirement was Thirst!  If we do not thirst after His righteousness, we will not seek His righteousness or presence and therefore will remain in the condition we are in.

CONDITION NUMBER TWO – Come to Me.

That means the complete surrender of your life to do the whole will of God as you receive new light and understanding.  It is a total surrender of your life to Him!  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.  30 “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”  Then in 1 John 1:7 we discover, “…if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”   Never forget that He must have control or be given Lordship in our lives.  We must become yielded vessels available for Him to use as He chooses.

CONDITION NUMBER THREE – Drink.

That means the whole-hearted reception into one’s life the gifts, fruits, and operations of the Spirit of God.  I commend to you the words of Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:4-13 – “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”  NASB

That is powerful in itself but when we couple the words of Galatians 5:22-23, we discover a wonderful truth and see the incredible availability of that fullness.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”  If we question the desire of God to give us Himself fully then we must refer to Revelation 22:17 – “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” 

CONDITION NUMBER FOUR – Believe on Me as the Scripture Has Said.

That means to not only confess Him but obey Him.  Matthew 28:20 expresses that powerfully saying, “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  That is repeated in a measure in Mark 16:15-20 and expressed in John 14:15 where our LORD said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

In the Book of Acts on the on the Day of Pentecost the followers of Christ were together praying and awaiting the Promise of the coming of the Spirit.  We see this in Acts 1:4-8 and in Acts 5:32 we hear the words of the Peter, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Therefore, I contend that if we want more of God, we can have more of God. He is always willing!  If we want more of His Spirit and Anointing, we can have more. He is always willing!  The process is to become Thirsty, come to Jesus and Drink, then Believe and Obey!  My question is: “Are we thirsty?”

God bless you as you seek Him on this wonderful day!

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THIRSTING FOR GOD…


Psalms 42:1 – “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.”  NASB

I believe there is a cry throughout the land for more of God in our lives.  Unfortunately, too frequently it is nothing more than a longing that sounds spiritual but has no corresponding commitment or action to bring it into reality.  Having more of God, being closer to God is not something available to only the select of the elect.  It is available for every child of God.  God wants all of us to come to His river and drink of the water of life.  We can have as much of God as we desire, there are no limitations!

Isaiah 55:1 – “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” 

Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” 

God has a river flowing, a continual river that will never be exhausted.  It will never run dry and is plenteous in supply.  It is a river that completely satisfies the longing of the soul.  There is a truth that we need to grasp spiritual, in the natural a river at flood stage purifies that river.  It washes away the debris and blockages.

The great truth is that when it comes to spiritual things, “Our appetites determine our spiritual condition.”  We eat and drink what we want because we want it.  If we want something bad enough, we will struggle for it, sacrifice to achieve or acquire it, and go to all lengths to get it.  It is the same with spiritual things.  If we lack spiritually it is because we have not become hungry or thirsty enough.  God is not withholding His presence from us.  He makes Himself available and it is up to us to press in and enter His presence.

There are some conditions to receiving His Spirit and fullness in our lives.  We read in John 7:37-39 – “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'”  39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” 

CONDITION NUMBER ONE – We Must Thirst.

Thirst means the ardent, eager, famishing, keen, and all-consuming craving and passion of the soul for complete union with God and with the fullness of His Spirit. That is the message of Psalms 42:2 – “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?”  Then in Psalms 63:1, we discover the required passion of the soul – “O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  That is echoed in Psalms 143:6, Isaiah 41:17 and Isaiah 44:3. 

The simple reality is, “if we seek, we will find.  If we are thirsty, really thirsty, He will give us drink.”  That is the thirst and determination of Elisha in 2 Kings 2 with Elijah and the double portion anointing.  He followed Elijah to Gilgal, then to Bethel, to the Jordan and refused to be denied or deterred from his quest to receive.  Joel declared that this outpouring of God’s Spirit would be “upon all flesh.” 

That includes you and me if we will refuse to be denied.  I want to deal with this a little more and will do so in the next session. 

God bless you and may your day be filled with His presence.

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A LESSON IN LOSING – Part Two…


Acts 1:15-20 – “And at this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 “For he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry.” 18(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no man dwell in it’; and, ‘His office let another man take.’”  NASB

In the last devotional we discussed Judas’ right beginning and identified that he had what it takes to succeed.  Today I ask that you indulge me as we press a little deeper into this Lesson in Losing.

JUDAS ALLOWED SIN TO ENTER HIS LIFE…

Sin becomes a taskmaster when permitted to take root in the life.  Jesus addressed this in John 8:34 – “…whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.”  Paul emphasized this truth in Romans 6:16 – “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” 

Man is in one of two camps in this life.  He is either in the Camp or Family of God or in the Camp of the devil.  It is a matter of being lost or saved and there is no middle ground.  Even though Judas had enjoyed fellowship with Jesus he turned from that calling and began to allow the devil to guide his life. 

He gave place to the devil.  How many times have we either thought or heard, “a little won’t hurt”?  I am all for moderation but there is no moderation in sin.  Judas failed to deal with covetousness in his own heart.  He permitted sin to go unchecked and it gained control of his thoughts and his heart.  He became a faultfinder as he tried to hide the blackness of his own heart.  It could easily be argued that he experienced the pangs of jealousy and became envious.  Sin is deceitful and always tries to hide itself.  It attempts to elevate itself by lowering others.  Romans 6:23 reveals that sin has wages and its wages are death.  There is always a payday for sin.

JUDAS GOT HIS PAYDAY…

Whatever it was that drove him to his decision to become a traitor to our Lord brought about his destruction.  It may have been greed, covetousness, jealousy or something else but he became an instrument of the devil.  He may have been rebuked by Jesus or one of the other apostles and experienced a wounded pride.  I do not know what caused him to turn back but he did.

The material payment for his sin was 30 pieces of silver.  That payment brought him guilt that he could not hide.  It produced a regret and awareness that drove him to suicide.  Shame and guilt will do incredible harm in any life.  He traded his hope of heaven for 30 pieces of silver and what could be assumed as an eternity in hell.  He was forever stripped of what he could have had and been.  All because he gave place to the devil.  He allowed sin to enter and take root in his life.  Sin must be dealt with and no sin should be left unconfessed or unrepented of.

Judas got far more than he bargained for.  Satan is a liar and only tells partial truths.  Judas got caught in the devil’s trap and sold out for a small portion of money.  Tragically, some trade their souls for less.  It may be pleasure, power, position, prestige, or something else but nothing is worth our souls…  (Mark 8:37).

Today is the day of salvation. The promise of Jesus is that He is willing to forgive if we will come in repentance and believe!  I don’t know where you are spiritually.  You may be in a backslidden condition or never have received Christ as Savior.  If you will call upon Him, He has promised to both hear you and receive you. 

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

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A LESSON IN LOSING…


Acts 1:15-20 – “And at this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 “For he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry.” 18(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no man dwell in it’; and, ‘His office let another man take.’”  NASB

Almost immediately upon hearing the name Judas Iscariot or Benedict Arnold, the word traitor, comes to mind.  Judas is easily seen as a villain as we are reminded that he sold our LORD to the chief priest for 30 pieces of silver.  He is, but it would serve us well to remember how he began.

In our own American history, there was a general in 1776 who led a regiment into Canada.  It is reported that by the time they arrived they were barely alive and still they fought bravely at the Battle of Saratoga.  This general was placed in command of the fort at West Point.  The British forces in New York seemed to be in peril but suddenly their fortunes turned when this general sent a secret message offering to sell West Point for 20,000 pounds.

Imagine that! A man that had saved the America cause at Saratoga, now willing to sell out the country he had risked his life for.  Benedict Arnold died a traitor even though he began so well.  What was the root of is fall into disgrace?  It is reported that he was extremely dissatisfied with the American patriots.  He married a loyalist and her influence was immeasurable.  He was deeply in debt and had been reprimanded at a court-martial for misappropriation of government property.  He began well but allowed the little foxes to spoil his promising vine.

JUDAS HAD WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED…

He was a man greatly favored.  I say that without reservation because he was handpicked by Jesus as one of the twelve apostles.  He was given the responsibility of handling the team’s money.  He was apparently respected and trusted by the group.  It appears that he was intelligent and capable.  In fact, he was not even suspected by the others when Jesus announced that one would betray our Lord.

Judas had intimate fellowship and a close association with Jesus.  He had exercised, along with the others, power over the forces of darkness, healed the sick and cast out devils.  I can state that as a fact because of Matthew 10:1 – “And having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”  Judas had experienced the power of God in his life.  Before anyone insists that he was a tool of the devil from the beginning we must remember the words of Jesus in Mark 3:23 – “How can Satan cast out Satan?”

This will be a sticking point for some but Luke 10:20 indicates that his name was written in heaven.  Luke 10:17-20 – “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” 

Judas did not fall overnight and become the traitor he became.  It was little by little and the Bible calls him a thief.  Money was certainly a factor. Envy may have been as well.  Possibly, he thought Jesus was moving too slow in establishing his kingdom and Judas’ thirst for power and prominence prevailed. Whatever caused him to turn back from his devotion to Jesus resulted in his destruction.  His plight should be a warning to all that we need to ‘guard our hearts’ carefully and give no place to the devil.

I want to address this a little further and will address this more fully in the next devotional.

God bless you and may you have a fantastic day in Jesus!

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