Life

I AM PRAYING BUT NOTHING IS HAPPENING…


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Habakkuk 1:1-4 – “The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.  

2 How long, O LORD, will I call for help, and You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!”  Yet You do not save. 3 Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.”  NASU

 

I can hear the pain in the words of the prophet of old.  He is praying, preaching, and warning but nothing is happening.  God seems to be a million miles from him and his world around him crumbling.  I can hear the depressions, frustration, and anxiety in his words and confess, I have felt that way before.  I felt like Elijah after his confrontation and victory over Jezebel and the prophets of Baal.  He sat under the juniper tree wallowing in his plight and complained to God, “I did what you said, and now it’s just me… Nobody cares, so let me die… Woe is me!”  God spoke to him, “Get up and quit wallowing in your self-pity.  I am still God and will act in My time and My way.  Your job is to do what I say.  You are not responsible for the outcome or attitude of others.”   God quickened my heart and I repented before Him and, in His time and His way, the victory came or is coming!

I love the response of God to the prophet that begins in (v 5) and God says, “Open your eyes and look around.”  When we do that.  When we really open our eyes spiritually we are ASTONISHED and AWED by God’s ways and works.  I love the statement in the latter portion of that verse, “Because I am doing something in your days – You would not believe if you were told.”  We must shake ourselves and come out of the doldrums and the tunnel vision of our on immediate reality and see what God is doing.  We should remember that He (God) sees the end from the beginning and we can only see the beginning from the end.  He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent.  He is infinite but we are finite.  He is unlimited but we are limited.  He is God the Creator of Everything and we are the created.  It is like the little lady talking about faith saying, “If God tells me to jump through a hole in the wall it is my business or responsibility to jump and His to make the hole in the wall.”  The key is GOD TELLING US, not us just deciding to jump.

Yes, our world is troubled and terrible things are happening all around us.  The genocide of abortion, the despotism that is bringing chaos to the world and misery to millions is a reality.  The darkness of sin seems to be growing stronger and stronger and evil men are waxing worse all the time.  Yet, God is still God and greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  With God, all things are possible and we are in God.  There is a shaking happening and perilous times are upon us but at the same time, there is a harvest and an awakening in the Spirit realm that is mighty and awesome.  We simply need to allow the Holy Spirit to OPEN OUR EYES and enable us to see beyond the natural into the supernatural.

When you have been praying and nothing seems to be happening, remember the words of the angel to Daniel, “We heard you on the first day…”  Hold the words of 1 John 5:14-15 near your heart, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 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.”  NASU

Do not lose heart and do not give up!  Weeping may last for the night but joy and victory are coming!   God, bless you richly is my prayer!

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THE OTHER SIDE OF GOD…


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Nahum 1:1-3 – “The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.  

2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.  3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” NASU

 

Most of us would rather talk about “God is Love” rather than “God is a Consuming Fire.”  We like the Mercies of God, not the Judgments, and rightly so.  No one wants to be judged or punished.  We want mercy and forgiveness and that is the ultimate heart of God as revealed in both Old and New Testaments.  I have often said, “God is more willing to give pardon than we are to receive it.”  In that I mean, He is always looking for a way to restore and sometimes we are too full of pride to truly repent and submit ourselves to Him in humility, repentance, and faith.

This is an incredibly interesting prophecy for it deals with a city that repented when Jonah preached to them of impending destruction.  Now, this city has drifted back to its former state and God’s patience has worn thin.  If we only had this Book of the Bible to understand who God is we would not see Him as He really is but only as a vengeful being with the power to crush mankind like a bug.  When I read, “A jealous and avenging God is the LORD…”  I tremble.  When I continue reading and hear, “The LORD is avenging and wrathful…”  I am terrified.  When I read, “The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.”  I want to find a hiding place, but quickly realize there is none.  Who are the enemies of the LORD immediately become my question and quest to discover so I can avoid being among that number?  He becomes that image many have of God that He is “carrying a big stick and just waiting for us to step out of line so He can beat us over the head.”  That image of God prevents the person holding that image and concept from every developing a loving and learning relationship with the LORD.  Under this concept, we dare not become too visible and certainly would never want to get too near out of paralytic fear.  When we read, “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” we become hopeless.  What if we are the ones deemed guilty and guilty we are for “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”?  What do we do?  Where do we turn?  Where is our Hope?

Thankfully this is not the only reference concerning God in the Bible.  We do need to understand His Power and that at a word He can cause the sea to become dry, the clouds obey His command, the soil and cities of the Earth are under His power.  Nothing escapes His eye and there is no place to hide from His presence.  So, if we align ourselves with the devil directly or indirectly, intentionally, or unintentionally and allow our devices to become a scheme against God LOOK OUT!  We sometimes fret over the lack of obvious judgment for the wicked and those who openly oppose God and His people but take heart God promises or warns that whatever anyone schemes against Him will come to nothing.

Nineveh was informed by Nahum the prophet that though they were strong and full of themselves they would be cut down to nothing.  They had been known for generations as a might people but soon would find their name no longer mentioned in awe and they would be cut off.  Then, the prophet slips in a word concerning the Coming Messiah in (v 15), “Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace!”  That was a word of comfort to the Jewish people and to all of those in generations to come who BELIEVE.  The wicked will not prevail but God will and in Him we will ascend to the mountain of God and worship in His Holy Hill.  We should fear the LORD with reverential fear and know that there is another side to Him beyond Judgment.  He is also the God of Mercy!  He longs for us to COME TO HIM.

            God, bless you as you rest in His presence and peace.

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WHO IS JESUS???


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Hebrews 1:1-4 – “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”  NASU

 

In John 1:1-5 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”  That was the apostle John’s description and definition of Jesus and here in Hebrews the writer echoes the same thing with a direct application to you and me in who we are, our hope, and our manner of life.

The Bible reveals from Genesis to Revelation that God is a speaking God!  He talks, He speaks, He uses words to convey His message, ministry, and purpose.  The writer of Hebrews addressed the truth that God had used the prophets of ages past to speak to man and reveal His plan and purposes.  He then reminds everyone that, in that present time the Last Days, God was speaking again through Jesus.  But, who was Jesus?  To many of that day, He was merely a carpenter’s son, a Jew, and some even recognized Him as a prophet but not all recognized Him as the Son of God and Messiah.  Yet, if His message is to resonate and have transforming power in our lives we must recognize and receive Him as Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, and Savior of the World.

The Book of  Hebrews declares that this Jesus was appointed by the Father as ‘heir of all things’ and ‘creator of the world.’  He is described as the Light or the Radiance of God’s Glory and the exact representation of the Father in His nature.  He is the giver and sustainer of life and ‘upholds all things by the Word of His Power’.  Notice it did not say the Power of His Words but the Word of His Power!  He is more than Words!  He came for the purpose to seek and save mankind, to provide Himself as a sinless sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and redeem mankind from the ownership of the devil.  Once He completed that task of purification He sat down at the right hand of the Father and was Lord of All.

Romans 14:11 quotes Isaiah 45 and declares of Jesus, “…every knee shall bow… and every tongue shall praise God.”  Philippians 2:10 refers to that same prophetic utterance and says of Jesus that He has a name exalted above all names and that one day at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW and EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that He is Lord!  Isaiah 9:6 identifies Him as the coming one upon whom the government of God will rest and His name will declare God’s Glory.  He is Emmanuel.  Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  Who is Jesus?  He is the sinless Son of God who came and gave His life a ransom for you and me.  He is Messiah! 

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”  He invites us to COME, CALL UPON HIM, and ENTER INTO THE NEW BIRTH through repentance, confession of sin, by grace through faith and become New Creations transformed from darkness into His marvelous light.  We are invited to depart from a life of sin and enter into a life of righteousness and enjoy the peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away.  We are invited to ABUNDANT LIFE and in that ETERNAL LIFE in and through Jesus.

Who is Jesus?  He is the Savior waiting for you to call.  Who is Jesus?  He is the healer waiting to restore you to health.  Who is Jesus?  He is your provider wanting to open heaven’s windows for you and pour out blessings beyond your ability to contain.  Who is Jesus?  He is the one who loves you enough to die for your sins.  Who is Jesus?  He is Savior.  Your savior and my savior.  He is the Light of the World.  He is JESUS!

God, bless you as you embark on today’s leg of life’s journey in Jesus!

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DON’T DO RIGHT IN A WRONG WAY…


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Philemon 8-16 – “Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you — since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus —  10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”  NASU

 

No matter what Paul thought of slavery he recognized it as a legal reality in his day and always sought to do Right with a right heart and spirit.  The matter was Onesimus the slave of Philemon, a believer was the subject of discussion.  Paul had encountered this slave while in prison and Onesimus had ministered to Paul giving him immeasurable comfort and blessing.  Now Paul addresses the matter with Philemon and asks him to “do the right thing”.  Paul does not instruct him to free this slave but to DO WHAT IS RIGHT and that expresses a confidence in God to move on the heart of this fellow believer in a positive manner.

Notice, Paul says, “…though I have enough confidence in Christ to ORDER YOU to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you…”  He did not come to Philemon with his gospel guns blazing as we are too often do but based his appeal on LOVE.  The love of Philemon for Paul, the love of people, and more importantly Love for God is brought into focus.  Paul did the right thing the right way and in that appeal opened the door for the Spirit of God to move on Philemon’s heart and everyone could rejoice.  Had he demanded Philemon release Onesimus, Philemon might have done so because of his respect and love for Paul but there would have been a door open for a root of bitterness to spring up and resentment could have taken root.  Paul took the path of LOVE and RESPECT and appealed based on Love and Right.

He identified the service Onesimus had provided.  He identified the conversion of Onesimus to the faith.  He addressed the fact that the slave was a runaway and in that condition and attitude was of no value to Philemon but as a result of his spiritual experience, he was now more valuable than ever.  Paul acknowledged the legal rights of Philemon in this matter and although he wanted Onesimus to stay with him he informed Philemon that “without his consent”, which recognized the legal rights, he would do nothing.  Then he appealed for Philemon to now regard Onesimus not as a slave but a brother in Christ.

Paul could have said, “Slavery is wrong and encouraged Onesimus to continue his desire to escape.”  He could have but instead, appealed to Philemon and Onesimus to Do the Right thing the Right Way.  This is not about slavery and its rightness or wrongness, it is about LOVE, RESPECT, and HONORING others.  It is about Loving God to the point that in all things and at all times we seek to DO THE RIGHT THING in the RIGHT WAY!    In life, we encounter many things that give us the opportunity to DO THE RIGHT THING in the RIGHT WAY.  May the LORD help us to manifest Him in all things and at all times.  There is much more that could and should be said on this matter but hopefully, this will challenge your hearts to consider those things you do and consider why you do them.  Right is right, but right done in a wrong way or with a wrong attitude can be as destructive as wrong.  God help us to do right and be right in our attitudes as well as our actions!

God, bless you richly is my desire and prayer!

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GODLY LIVING…


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Titus 3:5-11 – “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.”  NASU

 

Interesting translation of the word in v 10 “hairetikos”.  The KJV translates it heretic and the NASB uses factious.  On the surface, they do not seem the same but when you examine the word in the Greek the word is “itself and schismatic” coming from the word that means ‘to make a choice’ or ‘prefer’.  In that light, I can see both renderings for this individual is one who has made the choice to make self, more important than truth and promotes schisms in the Body of Christ.  Titus was instructed to ‘reject’ which would be to ‘shun’ or ‘avoid.’  That identifies a root problem in the Church that is too often avoided rather than confronted.  That was one of the purposes of Paul leaving Titus behind.  He was to ‘set in order’ the church and establish godly leadership which included church discipline, a foreign element in the modern church world.  We are too busy trying to keep everybody happy to address issues that separate, divide, and diminish the testimony of the church and hinders the spiritual progress of the members.

We are SAVED not based on ‘what we have done’ even righteous acts but by GRACE through God’s incredible MERCY.  We have experienced the washing of regeneration and renewal by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  It is by GRACE that we become heirs of God and granted the Hope of Eternal Life.  In our pursuit of God, there are times when we must ‘separate’ from people and things in order to pursue God and His righteousness and to maintain a testimony before the world.

The devil likes nothing better than the church or churches to engage in unanswerable questions, hair-splitting, straining at gnats, and debates that do not produce life or win souls.  Thus, we come to the issue of church discipline and marking individuals who continually engage in division.  Notice, he said that this person was to be warned twice before this drastic action took place and that is in perfect harmony with the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 18:14-20 as He gives the directive on dealing with divisions.  You go to the one who sins or offends and, with a heart of love with the objective or restoration in mind, discuss the matter with him/her.  If that is rejected, you take one or two more with you.  Those are not to be people on your side but on God’s side who meet the qualifications Paul lists early in his instructions for leadership.  If that is rejected, you then (third time) take it to the church and if that admonition or plea is rejected and not repentance results you “reject” or “shun” that individual.  Your purpose is NEVER to prove a point but with a heart of redemption.

We need godly people speaking into our lives to reveal our blind spots or in those times we drift from the pathway God has designed and become factious or heretical and cause division and disruption.  We are THE BODY OF CHRIST and the Body needs all its members to function in a manner that builds up the entire body in love.

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

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…[Conclusion]


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

One of the Great Intercessors of the Bible was Abraham.  He stood between God and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah interceding.  He sought for their healing and restoration going from the presence of 50 righteous to 10 and God agreed.  That should powerfully reveal the heart of God to Heal, Restore, and Forgive.  Why did Abraham stop at 10? Why not ask for 5?  I don’t know but I would suggest that we should NEVER STOP interceding and should not stop until God says NO!  Do not quit. Stand in the Gap. Persevere.  Fight to Win.

In Luke 11 the first four verses deal with what is known as the Lord’s Prayer but the remaining verses are in the context of prayer.  That’s the message as seen in (vv.9-13) – Ask and keep on asking.  Do not enter the War just trying, press in with determination and refuse to quit.  You are in this to win not to simply make things a little better.  Don’t knock on the door three times and give up, BEAT THE DOOR DOWN!

The devil knows if you come to the battle without understanding, you are more easily defeated.  In that situation, he will use whatever tactic he can to discourage you or delay the answer to cause you to give up.  When you put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD you are putting on the Name of Jesus.  Make no provisions for the flesh.  When you do that, the devil knows you mean business and he takes note.  If you walk around with the armor on like a football player wearing pads but without being willing to get into the trenches the devil knows.  If you are only in this for what you can get out of it, he knows and does not fear you.  Be ready always and be prepared to stand to the last breath and fight to the finish! 

God is looking for someone who will stand in the Gap [Ezekiel 22:30].  God is looking for intercessors to stand against the devices and schemes of the devil.  We may stand against graft and greed in the prophets of materialism, the unholy priests fulfilling their own lusts, and unprincipled rulers in the land.  We may have to stand against lawlessness in the people but if we will STAND IN THE GAP determined to fight to the finish God will move.

If we rightly discern the times we will KNOW the hour, CAST OFF the works of darkness, PUT ON the Armor of Light, WALK in righteousness, and become ONE with Jesus.  This is our time to WIN!  This is serious and the warfare is real.  Hell, is raging and the devil wants to destroy you, your church, your family, your community, and your nation.  It is time for us to PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD and engage in Spiritual Warfare following our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He will tell us WHEN to go and WHEN to stop!  Our assignment is not the enemy our job is to OBEY GOD!  Resist the devil until he flees!

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

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…(Part Three)


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

There is a warning that must be sounded.  You dare not go out, in this hour, without the FULL ARMOR OF GOD.  The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  Spiritual Warfare is enacted and engaged in and through PRAYER!  We do not fight with swords, shields, missiles or spears we fight with Spiritual Weapons of God’s design.

Some today have made leagues with the forces of hell without even being aware of it.  Why?  Because they did not and have not really prayed about the alliances or compromises.  PRAYER must precede everything, jobs, moves, houses, lands, cars, purchases, relationships, etc.  This is Spiritual Warfare and the objective of the devil is Deception.  He will destroy those in his control to discredit or hinder you, even it is just a little.  You are a threat to him and he will spare nothing to hinder or harm you.

In 1 Samuel 15:3 they were instructed to utterly destroy the Amalekites (a type of the flesh) and spare them none of them.  In Deuteronomy 7:2 they were instructed to completely destroy the enemy and make no covenant with him.  In v.6 they were instructed to consume all the people and have no pity.  In 2 Samuel 3:3 we find David marrying a foreign king’s daughter in violation of the directive of God.  Guess what came out of that union?  ABSALOM.  This is the son that rose up and drove David from Jerusalem and brought about tremendous heartache and havoc in the land.  In 2 Samuel 11:3 we discover that Bathsheba and her husband were Canaanites.  When David got involved with her in adultery it brought about incredible disaster to David’s family from that time forward.  In 1 Kings 11:1 we find Solomon turning away from God because of his intermarrying into heathen nations.  God said DON’T DO IT and HE DID IT.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27 that he disciplined his body strictly and made it a slave to God to ensure that he would not become a castaway.  Spiritual Warfare!  The flesh cannot be trusted or allowed to govern our lives.  We must PUT ON CHRIST and the ARMOR OF LIGHT so that having done all to stand we can stand and always be ready!

Another truth is when we fight we must FIGHT TO WIN!  One of the reasons that America is in much of the difficulty she is in is because God’s people have become PASSIVE.  We have allowed the enemy to walk over this land without saying a word.  We have sat silent and when the Church is silent evil prevails.  It takes endurance to fight Spiritual Warfare.  In 2 Kings 13:15-19 we discover another truth.  The truth that we must understand is that we must persevere and fight to the finish.  We cannot be satisfied with partial victory!  In this account, the prophet instructed the king to strike the ground.  The literal language is to BEAT THE GROUND or aggressive striking not just strike but PULVERIZE!  The arrow shot out the window came with the promise of deliverance.  However, the directions of the prophet were either not understood or ignored because the king only struck the ground 3 times.  He was passive and failed to follow through.  The prophet was angry because God was heartbroken and angry and said, “I told you to beat the ground, but you have been passive and therefore you will not have total victory.”  Syria stands today as a nation and a thorn in Israel’s side.

We must be aggressive in our pursuit of victory and we must endure to the end accepting nothing less than COMPLETE VICTORY!  God is not looking for improvement but cure.  He does not want to just make it better it wants to make it perfect.  We resist the devil UNTIL he flees.  We must remember our covenant is with God not the devil and God is making no deals with the devil.  In 1 Kings 13, we realize that when God puts us into the battle He does not want us to stop UNTIL the enemy is fleeing and destroyed.  We do not stop until God says ENOUGH.

I  do not want to spend too much time on this but it is so important I must address it a bit more so we will pause and pick up here next time.   May the Lord richly bless you, empower, and equip you for your journey. 

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…(Part Two)


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

God has no real interest in simply improving us, He wants us cured or transformed!  Improvement is nice but we have experienced too many wars in the natural where there was no real pursuit of winning and the result is a world in chaos.  I believe that we have missed a vital truth that if something is worth going to war over it is worth WINNING! 

Spiritually, God wants WINNERS!  He wants warriors who will fight to the finish, not people who seek a league or a covenant with the enemy.  He wants those who will stand in the face of the flood and say, “ONLY UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” is acceptable.  Cure is required and nothing but the total package of God’s Promise will be accepted.  NO COMPROMISE!

In Scripture, we have examples of people who missed this principle and the ramifications of that failure.  In Joshua 9 we find a people who had heard of the terror of the people of God as they entered Canaan.  As Israel journeyed through and drove out all the inhabitants, fear gripped the hearts of the enemies.  The Gibeonites heard of their exploits and devised a scheme to secure a treaty or a covenant.  They dressed in ragged worn clothes to appear as though they had traveled from a distant land.  Their shoes were worn, clothes were tattered, bread was stale, and used old wine skins.  They planned deception which is a perpetual tactic of the devil. 

Israel was deceived and took at face value the story told them without inquiring of the Lord.  That is a first principle in spiritual warfare, NEVER totally accept anything without first inquiring of the Lord – NEVER!  They came to Joshua and Israel and requested a treaty and he looked on the surface and thereby violated God’s Decree.  God said, “Drive out ALL the inhabitants of the land.”  When Israel discovered the deception the Gibeonites pleaded, “We will be your servants, just let us live in our land.” 

There is a painful truth to be gleaned.  You cannot pacify the devil and you dare not trust him to keep his world.  You cannot agree to let some devils stay and expect lasting peace.  You MUST DRIVE THEM ALL OUT!  You must dispossess to possess!  The real reason the deception worked was that Joshua and the elders did not inquire of the Lord.  They did not PRAY.  We are prime targets for deception if we fail to pray.  If we simply look at the external and pursue what seems reasonable striving for external peace WE WILL BE DECEIVED.  Peace will not be the result.  Satan’s goal is deception because that is the sum total of his power.  He has no other power over us except through deception and is a master at it.  The key to avoiding deception is PRAYER!

Today this is as vital if not more vital than in any hour.  In the last days, the Bible warns, there will be seducers waxing worse and worse not getting better or becoming more amicable and willing to co-exist.  In Matthew 24 we are warned against DECEPTION.  There will be false apostles, false teachers, and false Christs.  Beware, many will be deceived.  Romans 13 instructs that we need to KNOW THE TIMES and we need to PUT ON the Armor of Light.  We must be ready for spiritual warfare always.  The enemy will not wait for a time convenient for us to launch his attacks.  He is a coward and ambushes from the rear taking out the stragglers.  He is astute in Gorilla warfare, and the use of snipers.  Another reason to always be clothed with the FULL ARMOR OF GOD so that we are ready at all times for spiritual warfare!

I desire to address this just a bit more so we will pause now and pick this up in the next devotional.   May the rich blessings of the Lord always be upon you in all things and at all times!

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

As I read this passage I discover there is the instruction to “put on something” in two places.  In (v.12) we are instructed to put on the ARMOR OF LIGHT and in (v.14) we are told to put on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.  That suggests that if we are properly armed we are armed with Christ.  He is truth and He is light.  We are to have His mind and if we have Him as our righteousness, peace, provision, power, and potential we are well able to face the enemies lurking in the darkness.  Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the “whole armor of God”.  I suggest it is important to repeatedly remind ourselves of what that armor consists.

Our loins are to be girded with truth – Jesus.  When we have on the breastplate of righteousness we have on Jesus.  That means we are not relegated to performance.  We put on the helmet of salvation – Jesus is our Salvation.  We take up the sword of the Spirit – (God’s Rhema Word as well as His Logos).  We take up the shield of faith remembering that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  We put on our gospel shoes our combat boots and thereby prevent the little stones from damaging our walk, work, or warfare.  We are ready for warfare!

            Ephesians 6:18 instructs us exactly how we are to go to war.  We utilize the weapon of prayer and engage in supplication in all seasons in the Spirit.  WARFARE is not that which as to do with ‘flesh and blood.’  God gives a picture of physical warfare so that we are able to understand how to fight in spiritual warfare.  We must never lose sight of the truth that the key and catalyst of spiritual warfare is PRAYER!  The FULL ARMOR OF GOD cannot be utilized effectively without PRAYER and that prayer is in ALL SEASONS.

Let me give you a little insight, which you already know, “the devil does not come around just in certain seasons or when it is convenient.”  Therefore, it is imperative that we are READY ALWAYS!  The ability of the Christian to overcome is not because you are a super-saint but because you have a warrior spirit.  There is no other way to overcome!  We must never forget that we do not and should not fight the devil’s way or on his turf.  There are some key truths we need to understand and implement in Spiritual Warfare.

  • We must KNOW we have heard from God and are on the side of Truth and Righteousness.
  • We must OPERATE in the Spirit of Love.
  • We MUST enter the battle prepared for and determined to win TOTAL VICTORY.

            We dare not engage in Spiritual Warfare in the manner some of the more recent wars America has fought.  In World War II the enemy made entreaties toward us seeking to negotiate a peace.  When an enemy knows, they are losing they often suggest a cease-fire, a plan they would have no interest in if they believed they were holding a winning hand.  The enemy seeks a treaty (covenant) and if the negotiations are successful fighting ceases.  However, in WW II we demanded UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER, unlike what we have recently done.  In spiritual warfare, it would behoove us to remember that we cannot make a pact, a league, or sign a non-aggression pact with the devil.  He is a liar and would never honor that treaty.  He wants to “steal, kill, and destroy.”  Therefore, if we are going to engage in War our mentality must be that we know we have heard God and are on the side of right and truth.  It must be that we never cease to operate in a spirit of love and we enter the battle determined that nothing short of TOTAL VICTORY is acceptable.

I want to address this further but for now, will pause and pick up next time!  God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

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RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FAITHFULNESS – Learned…


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2 Timothy 1:3-7 – “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  NASU

 

There are several sermons or devotionals in these few verses so I will lump them together and hopefully encourage you in your daily walk and pursuit of your ministry and assignment in life.  Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son and someone he had learned to rely on for encouragement, loyalty, faithfulness, and prayer support to name a few.  In Paul’s address to Timothy, he reveals his heart and the upbringing of Timothy and how important godly examples are in life.

Paul expresses his overflowing heart of thanksgiving declaring that he serves God with a CLEAR CONSCIENCE.  I could spend enough time here to write chapters on the matter of conscience and how powerful this declaration is especially when coupled with a demonstrated life of faithfulness and godliness.  Paul not only addressed his own heart but reminded Timothy of the importance and power of PRAYER telling him, “I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night.”  It was not a “God bless Timothy” passing mention but testifies of intercession out of love and longing to be reunited with him.  He reminds Timothy of how powerful Timothy’s own tears and love touched the great apostle.  Then, Paul calls to remembrance the heritage of faith that Timothy had in his mother and grandmother.  He was raised in a godly home and that is a powerful testimony to the directive of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Your influence and impact on your children are far greater than you might imagine or believe.  You are sowing seeds in them that will produce a harvest so ensure you are sowing to godliness.

Then the apostle reminds Timothy of the gift or gifts of God in him and the power of being ordained of God to function in a particular area of ministry and life.  Then, Paul calls to attention the gravity of this ministry and the reality that not everyone will willingly accept the Gospel message.  He says, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  The KJV says, “sound mind” or “committed/fixed mind” which can be understood in Isaiah 26:3, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.”  We become like a nail driven in a sure place because of our commitment to and devotion to the Lord.  Our minds are stayed on Him and we bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

We are more than conquerors in Christ and as we are nurtured and developed by godly parents and godly mentors we find that we gain strength for the struggle and power to overcome.  Righteousness begets righteousness and faithfulness begets faithfulness.  We can learn both as the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  So, allow your heart to be nurtured and become a nurturing example to those under your care.

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

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