Romans 8:10-12 –“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh….” NASB
We are the Living Dead, and I am not talking about Zombies as Hollywood seems to be obsessed with these days. When I say the Living Dead, I am talking about people who have “died to sin” and “risen to life” in Jesus Christ through the Power of the Blood. It is a beautiful place to be – LIVING DEAD!
Paul informed the Roman believers that IF the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, that same Spirit will give us LIFE in our mortal bodies. We are then DEAD but ALIVE, and that is because we are not controlled by the “flesh” but the “spirit.”
As a result, we are no longer obligated to live according to the flesh. That leads me to my next question – “Why do we?” Additionally, “Why do we allow the FLESH to have so much power in our daily lives? Why do we allow the FLESH to be such a dominant force in our lives? WHY?” There can only be one of a few possibilities.
We are uninformed as to our position and condition in Christ.
We are willing participants with the FLESH.
We are so underdeveloped spiritually that the devil easily sways and overcomes us.
None of those are conditions that are required or to which we are obligated. When Jesus came, lived a sinless life, died sacrificially on the Cross, rose on the third day, and is now ascended to the Right Hand of the Father – the devil was defeated. That is not a maybe or someday; somehow, when we all get to heaven, he will be – HE IS DEFEATED NOW!
Jesus said that All power and Authority in heaven were given to Him, and He gave that to us. Therefore, we have authority and power over the devil, meaning that the flesh is to be subject to the Spirit of God, not vice versa. We are not obligated to succumb to the temptations or whims of the flesh. We are more than conquerors through Jesus; we can do all things through Christ! That is our Covenant, Heritage, and Promise from the Lord Himself, so why not employ it and enjoy it?
Therefore, as you go through this day, go in the strength of the Power of the Spirit of God, and walk in Victory!
Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” NASB
Most, if not all, of us know or have known of people who relished the spotlight and attention. They did philanthropic deeds, put their best foot forward, and put on the dog (so to speak) when they knew they were being observed, but when no one was looking, they were quite different.
I observed a professional athlete once who, when the cameras were on him, was all smiles and courteous, even signed an autograph or two. But the moment the camera crew went to another location, he was rude, arrogant, and dismissive of anyone trying to get near him. Another athlete in the same event continued talking to the spectators and fans for a full hour, signing autographs, and learning about the people. One was all show but no substance; the other was genuine on or off camera. I gained respect for one and lost all respect for the other. I will not tell you who they were; it is not important what they did is.
In Christianity, the Lord Jesus advised that if we practice our righteousness or faux Christianityto be seen and lauded by men, we will be genuinely disappointed on that final day when we stand before God. The words ‘well done, my good and faithful servant’ will not be heard. Jesus said there would be no reward from the Father; the praise of men is all we will get in this life or the next. You are what you are when no one is around. It would be far better to be real, honest, and who you really are all the time. That way, you never have to be afraid that someone will see or hear you out of character or costume.
That is a philosophy I adopted long ago for my life. I am what I am at all times! What you see is what you get. I do not change when in the pulpit, sitting in the pew, at a party, prayer meeting, or in the woods hunting. I am the same all the time. That has not always been the case, and I would put on a mask when I went to church because I was the preacher and could not have problems, be down, disappointed, or ever battle depression. I was trying to be a spiritual Superman!
That became so tiring that the Holy Spirit arrested me one day and said, “Stop being a Phoney!” Of course, I protested and gave my well-rehearsed argument about why I had to be like I was, only to hear the Spirit of God say, “PHONEY! PHONEY! PHONEY!” It took me a few encounters like that to fess up and repent. From that day to this, I am what I am. You either like me or you do not.
One thing you will always find is that I am the same consistently. I try to never wear a mask, hide behind some religious cliché, or perform. It is too tiring and hard to remember how you are supposed to be at different times and occasions. I just let the Holy Spirit reveal flaws and all that I am. I have been happier that way and, frankly, more effective than ever in my labors for the Kingdom.
I am not, and you are not a ‘Show Pony.’ We are real humans who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and have flaws and shortcomings. We face problems like everyone else. You fail at times, and you make mistakes. Be real! Be who you are at the level you are spiritually. You are a work in progress and never forget it. Ultimately, people will appreciate your honesty, and while some super religious people may be turned off by how you live in the real world, they did the same to Jesus, so do not worry about it.
Romans 8:16-17 – “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” NASB
You got it! AMEN! I’ll give it an Amen! When the Holy Spirit witnesses to your human spirit that you are a Child of God, rejoice! That means as a child of God, you are an heir; beyond that, you are a fellow heir with Christ.
We will not only suffer with Him but also be glorified with Him. Fellow believers, there is a better day coming! A day of triumph is coming for those who are faithful until the end. A day of glory is coming for those who endure to the end. There is an eternal day coming for those who are washed in the blood of Jesus and have their sins forgiven. What more do you need to give you the courage to stand firm and true than the witness of the Holy Spirit that you are indeed a child of God?
Early in my ministry, I attended a meeting in Tyler, Texas, led by the Church of God in Christ organization. There were probably a couple of thousand people in attendance, and the speaker was a pastor from Houston. The elders were sitting at a table in the front on the floor level directly in front of the pulpit, and the Evangelist was charged with receiving the offering.
After well over an hour of testifying, preaching, singing, and motivating the congregation to give, they did almost to a person by coming down the aisles and standing in front of the elders putting their offerings down. The elders recorded it in their books. He turned to the choir that was seated on the floor level at that time, and as they began to come forward, he stopped them saying, “Unh Unh honey, some of you women are too dressed up to be puttin’ them quarters on the table.”
Then he turned to the preachers on the platform and yelled, “Can I get a witness?” The place erupted with clapping and shouting. I left the meeting at almost 11 PM that night, and they had just finished taking the offering. I do not know when the service was over, but I had a ball but had to go to work the following day, so I could not say.
I was preaching and working a secular job while attending college, so my time was precious, but I would not trade that night for anything. I learned something about enthusiasm for worship and willingness to be open and direct with regard to what people were doing. It was refreshing then and is now when I see and experience it.
The only real witness we need concerning our spiritual condition is not the testimony or accolades of men. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit. If our hearts condemn us, we need to take stock, but if the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God, stop fretting, doubting, worrying, and rejoice! Your name is in the Book of Life, which is the most important thing.
As you go through your day, go in the witness, comfort, and encouragement of the Holy Spirit. God bless you richly, is my prayer!
Galatians 4:1-7 – “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also, we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ” Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” NASB
Paul’s way of explaining our relationship with God is powerful. He brings to mind that a child, although a member of the family and ultimately owner of all the family fortunes and worth, is little different from a slave because the child is under the authority of their parents or those whom the parents have placed over them. They are not allowed to operate as an “owner” until the father deems, they are ready. Owner of all but the authority of a slave is the condition described.
Then he declares to us that we are sons (a non-gender term as used here), and because of that truth, God has sent the Spirit of God into our hearts crying, Abba! Father! As a result, we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters; if we are sons and daughters, we are Heirs of GOD!
My friends, how often do we live beneath our privilege as children of the Most High God? How frequently do we live as slaves rather than sons and daughters?
It is time that we assess who and whose we are.
It is time to reread the Bible and determine what this New Covenant established upon Better Promises is all about and what it affords.
It is time that we reevaluate our relationship with the Lord and have the authority and power to overcome the enemy of our souls and the grace to live the Abundant Life that Jesus promised.
Remember that in Jesus, we are no longer slaves but children of God and heirs according to His Promise! It is time to move from a slave mentality to a son-and-daughter mentality. Let us move from timidity to boldness in our relationship, heritage, and covenant. Let us begin to live as Heirs and bring real hope to this hopeless world outside of Christ.
God bless and keep you as you go through your day!
Isaiah 57:19-21 – “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.” 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.” NKJV
Jesus said in John 14:27-28 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” NASB Paul later wrote in Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” NASB
The Lord, through Isaiah, declared that He creates the fruit of the lips and grants peace to the one who is near and the one who is far off. God promises to bring healing to those, and I believe that means physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and economically. Then He says something that should catch our attention if the first part did not.
God identified that there is something that the wicked cannot have or possess– PEACE! The wicked will toss and turn on their bed at night, troubled by shadows of things they fear, whether real or imagined. The wicked will always be looking over his shoulder because of the vileness of his heart and the corruption that proceeds from it. He will never trust anyone because he cannot be trusted. He is like a troubled sea that dredges filth and pollution and has no Peace.
If the absence of peace marks your life, you might want to examine your relationship with our Lord. I am not saying you are wicked. Rather I am suggesting that if you allow the Holy Spirit to develop your relationship with Jesus, Peace will become a natural product of your life.
It is the continual absence of Peace that is a definite sign of a problem. On the other hand, if you are engaged in wickedness, you cannot expect to experience true peace or continual peace. It is not something that God will allow you to have.
I know the Peace of God that goes far beyond what the human mind can comprehend or imagine. I know what it is to be completely calm, collected, and restful amid a situation that would cause any heart to be downright hysterical. I know what the infusion of God’s Peace can bring to any situation and nature in the most challenging times. That place of peace is a place that I desire as my permanent residence.
Matthew 4:8-11 – “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, ” All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'” 11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” NASB
It would be impossible in a short devotional to fully exegete this subject, but I want to say a few things to give you comfort and hope in your daily walk, work, and spiritual warfare. This is a fascinating passage in that the devil insinuates to our LORD that he, the devil, has authority over the kingdoms of this world.
Jesus did not dispute that; therefore, I conclude it was the truth. The Bible refers to the devil as being the “god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4, Jesus called him the “ruler of this world” in John 12:31, and Paul addressed him as “the prince of the power of the air” in Ephesians 2:2.
Therefore, when Jesus walked the earth, the devil had “legal authority” in the world and with man. How did that happen? It happened in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve in their rebellion and the Fall of Man.
In Genesis 1:26-28 we find God gave Adam “dominion” over the earth and everything that lived in and on it. Adam and Eve were to “subdue” and “have dominion” over the earth. Man was to “live forever” and “fill” or “replenish” the earth. In the Garden, God walked and talked with him, and man was in a perfect state of peace and purity, living in harmony with and in total obedience to God. In that state, they were not only made in the image of God; but they also represented and manifested Him in all that He was.
There was a problem coming that God knew about. Adam and Eve would be tested to determine man’s future on Earth. Lucifer, described by Ezekiel and Isaiah as a cherub angel created by God, began to be filled with Pride and a thirst for power and position. He wanted to be “like the most high” and in his heart began to desire to be “possessor of heaven and earth.”
He did not just want to be “like” God; he wanted to “be” God. His Pride and Rebellion resulted in one-third of the angels following him in that rebellion, and God evicted him from heaven. At that point, Lucifer or Satan became God’s chief enemy. He had polluted heaven with sin and rebellion requiring purging, and now he was roaming the earth seeking to do the same and bring God’s creation into a state of rebellion. The devil knew that to control the Earth, he would, of necessity, have to control the human race.
In Genesis 3,we read the record of Eve’s deception and her role in the deception and seduction of Adam in this rebellion against God. The devil presented them with a lie, or better, THE LIE, and used their reason against them. His suggestion that God was keeping something good from them and that they deserved more prominence, position, control, and power produced an infection that resulted in Rebellion.
The command of God to NOT EAT the fruit could have been a command NOT to CROSS a stream or anything. The object is not the fruit but the act; it was Rebellion and Disobedience. Adam and Eve were co-regents of the Earth, and in their act of rebellion, they legally relinquished their crown to the devil and separated themselves from God’s care, keeping, and covering. This gave the devil legal ownership or rulership on the Earth.
Jesus came as the last Adam and legally took back the rulership from the devil through his sinless life and sacrificial death. Jesus has stripped the devil of his legal authority, and since we are IN CHRIST, we are not subject to the lordship of the “god of this world.”
Therefore, the devil has No Legal Authority in our lives. When we allow him to operate, we allow criminals to take our possessions openly and without confrontation. We have been given weapons of warfare that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
We are more than conquerors through Jesus. Do not accept the idea that the devil has any authority on this earth except those who are not “blood-bought.” The Blood of Jesus is our badge of authority over the power and authority of the devil. You are IN Christ; in that condition and position, you have authority over all the devil’s power. The Bible says that if we “resist the devil,” he will flee because he has no choice.
You Have Legal Authority through Christ, and your authority frees you from the devil’s power! So, as you enjoy this day, refuse to be intimidated by the devil and embrace your condition and position as a Child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We serve the Living God; in Him, we live, move, and have our being!
I pray the LORD will enable you to walk in peace on this day!
Daniel 3:15-18 – “Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!” Amplified.
Let me begin by asking, “Have you experienced a situation in your life where the answer did not come or did not come in the way you desired or expected?” Let me phrase that a little differently and say that I am convinced each of us has prayed for someone that did not get healed; mothers have prayed for their sons in times of war who did not come, and children or loved one’s lives have been snuffed out in a tragic accident even though we prayed for God’s protection and deliverance. I realize that is slightly different from what these three young men faced, but the question is still valid – “What If God Doesn’t?”
I fully believe that God can! His ability to perform the miraculous is not in question for me. I don’t even question His willingness and refer to numerous passages in the New Testament when someone said, “If you are willing?” Each time Jesus said, “I am willing.” One even said, “If you can,” and Jesus said, “IF I CAN?” Of course, He can, but What If?
I’ve ministered to people in tragedy, disappointment, and loss who waited until the event to decide how they would respond. Some wait until matters are critical to pray, seek God’s face and help, and then find themselves incredibly perplexed and troubled if things do not go as they desire. You do not wait until the shooting starts to prepare for war. You do not wait until the well runs dry to prepare for water. You do not wait until the pantry is empty to begin searching for food. You must plan, prepare, and decide before the crisis to survive the crisis.
These young men had determined in their hearts that they would serve God and not participate in worshipping anyone or anything other than Him. Before the Giant Statue and Edict came into existence, they and Daniel had determined in their hearts to serve God Regardless! No wonder the Bible says that Daniel had an “excellent spirit” in him. No wonder these young men find their way into the scriptural record. They had decided, settled the issue, and were confident God was trustworthy.
The King’s edict was, “Bow or burn.” Their answer to the King is powerful and continually encourages me in times of ease or difficulty. The place they had arrived and the position and condition of their hearts are where I strive to be and long to stand. They said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you to this point.” Fascinating! “Hey, king, there is nothing to discuss the decision is already made.”
Hear what they said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire….” There is no vacillation in their hearts or minds – GOD CAN! They continued, “…and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.” HALLELUJAH! Hear their commitment, confidence, and faith in this. God can; that is not a question or concern.
God will! That is amazing because it expresses their confidence that one way or another, God will rescue us from you, Mr. King. Notice the following statement, “But even if He Does Not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!” In East Texas vernacular, “Bring it on, king! Bring it on! We ain’t gonna bow down!”
The key is commitment and confidence! The key is to trust so completely that even if death in the natural is the result, there will be no other gods before the Living God of Heaven. Even if God does not do what we ask or expect, we won’t bend even if we burn because We Trust God!
In our Christian Walk, it is critical to reach a place where we are so confident in God and completely committed to Him that we have no other thought than serving Him. That’s where the disciples were when imprisoned by the Sanhedrin, and Peter said, “Whom shall we obey, God or man?”
If we reach the place where the issue of bowing or burning is decided, we can face all the What ifs of life with complete peace. We live knowing that God Can and are confident that He Will, but IF HE DOESN’T, that changes nothing because, in the end, He still rescues us, and the reward is eternal. What shall a man give in exchange for his soul, and what is the benefit of gaining the whole world and losing our souls?
If you decide in advance that you will not bow even if you burn, your confidence will cause hell to tremble, and your peace will guide you safely through all the troubled waters of life.
I pray that God will richly bless you and enable you to abide under the shelter of His arms. Have a Great Day!
Ephesians 6:14-20 – “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” NKJV
The morning began a bit later than usual, and things look vastly different when that happens. The quietness and solitude are not so quiet, and many of God’s creatures are scurrying about. Yet, I still enjoyed my coffee, bible reading, and conversation with the Lord. He told me to “Get Dressed…”
I was praying for this country, her state, and what we can and should do to right the ship. He let me ramble for a while and heard my rants, fears, concerns, and complaints, and then finally, when I took a breath, I heard in my spirit, “Get dressed to go out to Battle. Get dressed to take a stand and not be moved. Get ready for the battle after the battle. Be prepared not just for the battle but for the war.” That stopped me in my tracks and caused me to think for a while, and after about an hour, I went inside to the computer.
We are to stand “wrapped” in truth, God’s truth. The truth that shall make us free! The truth that leads us to life! The truth is impeachable and impeccable! The Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Righteous! Wrapped in that truth is step one! Then, we are to have on the breastplate of righteousness. Our hearts must be covered with righteousness, not ours but His. Our righteousness is but filthy rags, but His righteousness is whiter than the driven snow. It is pure without human imperfections. Seek first the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!
That is when things happen, not before! Take the shield of faith. We must exhibit faith, trust, and confidence, settled assurance in Him, His word, His will, and His way. We are to walk in Total Confidence in Him and His promises without wavering. We must not be double-minded but steadfast in our confidence. We are to take the helmet of salvation.
It is most interesting that Salvation would be a helmet (head covering) because we must get our minds and thoughts right. We are to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. We are to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We must immerse ourselves in God’s word and become so saturated with that word that if you cut us, we would bleed the word. So, we are always ready to give an answer to every man for the reason of the hope that is within us.
Finally, we are to Pray, which is the vital portion of this attire. We are to pray Always! Praying with ALL prayer and supplication in the spirit – watching with perseverance for all the saints, and then we can stand and stand boldly! It is then we can become unmovable, steadfast. Dressed up and ready to go to war and ready to go home if the need be but unmovable! Prepared for Battle!
We must fight the good fight of faith to see revival come to this world. We must continue to pray for our leaders and our land. We must continue to be clothed with God’s prescribed attire for battle and use the weapons of our warfare, which are mighty through God, to pull down strongholds. The battle is before us, and the Lord is with us; the only questions are – – Will we endure to the end? Will we, having done all to stand, stand? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
May the rich and bountiful blessing of the LORD be upon you as you go through your day. May the Lord of Hosts grant you peace and wisdom to do all that you have been commissioned to do on this beautiful day, He has made!
Proverbs 4:25-27 – “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.” NKJV
It is another beautiful morning with a refreshing breeze. It is going to be a scorcher, but right now, it is pleasant. The sun has not yet risen over the horizon, and the creatures have not begun to stir, so I sit in solitude, thinking of the things of God. I sit drinking my morning cup of coffee, reading my bible by the light of the book lamp and converse with the Lord. The thought that arose in my heart was, “Ponder the path of your feet….”
When we consider parental instructions, we almost always think in the natural realm, but we need to elevate our thinking to that of our Heavenly Father’s advice and counsel to us, His children. These three verses are filled with incredibly valuable counsel and should be heeded daily.
FOCUS – – The writer directs our thoughts to the need to focus on the journey and not become sidetracked by peripheral issues. We are to keep our eyes on the Cross, the empty tomb, and turn heavenward looking for the soon appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ the Righteous. We must “seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Our focus must be maintained lest our journey takes unnecessary detours and delays in reaching our destination.
PONDER – An Interesting word that, among other things, means to “roll flat,” “revolve,” or “weigh mentally.” It is a word that could be used to describe the road-building techniques of the Romans. They would grind to a powder and pulverize the rocks to make them into sand-like material that could be placed where they wanted the road or ramp and then roll them flat to compact them together and smooth. We need to ponder our path or make a smooth road out of life through the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
ESTABLISHED – We must ensure that our life course is fixed, settled, determined, and prepared. We do this through our relationship with Him, through our deep, settled commitment to Him and His purposes. We cover every plan, desire, and purpose with prayer, seeking His face for our every move, and walk in the quiet confidence of His guidance. We fix our eyes on Jesus, stay on the course, and run the race to its conclusion.
REMOVE – – We turn back from the past and press toward the prize of God’s High Calling in Christ Jesus. We remove our foot from evil by our complete surrender to Him. We resign as the captain of our fate and the master of our soul, allowing Him to be the Lord of All in our lives. We shun the very appearance of evil and cling to Him, the author and finisher of our faith.
We cannot walk this walk, run this race, and finish the course in victory without Him leading the way and being the Lord of all. The road is too rough, the race too long, and the path too uncertain to do it in our own strength. We must have Him to pilot our ship through the troubled waters of life. Jesus, you are my Captain and Lord of All to me! Guide my life! Guard my heart! Give me the grace to walk before you in all things!
May the Lord bless you as you go through your day in Him. Have a spectacular day on this wonderful day that the Lord has created for us!
Lamentations 3:22-24 –“The lovingkindnesses of Yahweh indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I wait for Him.”
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 –“The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”21 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”
As I read these two passages, my heart leaped for joy, and excitement welled up inside as I contemplated God’s goodness. I was immediately reminded of God’s incredible love and mercy! They NEVER end! The love, mercy, goodness, compassion, and provisions of God are new every morning. He is faithful, and He is our portion!
In Lamentations 3:49, the prophet expressed his remorse over the failure of Israel and said, “My eyes pour down unceasingly without stopping.” Then he set a time on the condition, “UNTIL Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees.” The idea is that if He sees it, He will act on our behalf.
There are many things to be gleaned from 1 Corinthians, but the indispensable catalyst to right thinking and victory, which produces right living, is found in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23. “For ALL THINGS belongs to you.” (v.21). What can I say but Wow? He repeated that revelation at the end of v.22 and, in v.23, declared, “And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” That puts it all in perspective and is incredibly comforting.
Most of us worry over stuff! We fret over many things. We view our troubles, trials, difficulties, needs, lack, powerlessness, and inadequacy through the lens of our own ability. But, if we read what the apostle says and what the prophet declared, we realize that Everything Belongs to Us! Hallelujah!
I contend that the problem is that we do not believe it experientially, only theoretically. It is in our heads, not our hearts. The truth of that revelation has not become who we are. We see it out there somewhere and hope that it will be ours someday. We do not see ourselves as adequate or worthy of this promise. We are not spiritual enough and allow the devil to steal our hope and faith, relegating that truth to what super saints can expect and enjoy. We see it as maybe something in the sweet by and by but not for the here and now.
Hear me, please: If this revelation is true that ALL Things belong to us because we belong to Christ and He belongs to God, why do we struggle with this promise? The problem is that we need our minds reprogrammed to think God’s thoughts. One of the most effective ways to do that is to guard our lips. We must protect our ears and our eyes (what we listen to and watch). We must be careful how and what we allow to enter our consciousness.
Additionally, we need to change how we talk! We must train ourselves to say what God says, not what we see or hear from the devil or anyone. We need to agree with God and say what God says through the Word and the Spirit of God. The truth is that whatever we agree with, we give power to.
Abraham believed God and acted in hope! He hoped for what he believed. His was a hopeless situation. It was impossible in the natural, BUT GOD Said, and he chose to believe what God said.
Therefore, today would be a marvelous time to refuse to let negative and defeatist attitudes, words, or thoughts live in us. We must determine in our hearts that if God said it, no matter how things appear, we will agree with God, even to death. In that mindset, NOTHING will shake us from our confidence in God, His Promises, and His word! This is a new day of victory, so rejoice!
Have a fantastic day in Jesus! This is His day, and you are His, so it is your day!
Roy's Covenant Corner 