Acts 7:39-40 – “Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him!”

As I prayed, I pondered, and as I read Acts 7, several things quickened to my heart.   Stephen’s detailing of Israel’s history is powerful and a virtual goldmine of revelatory and life-altering truths.

• Joseph’s total healing of hurt and abandonment resonates powerfully.  

His healing was directly connected to his understanding of Covenant and the vision God had birthed in him.  God’s promises, coupled with God’s vision birthed in us, enable us to withstand Anything!

• Moses is another example of God’s incredible love and mercy, as well as His power.

Moses was highly educated, trained, and capable, but he presumed upon God’s timing and attempted to do it his way.   He failed, but after he was humbled, God used him to deliver Israel, the original purpose fulfilled 40 years later.

The people of Israel received God’s deliverance with joy Until they faced difficulties, and then they returned to Egypt In Their Hearts.  (Acts 7:39)

They returned to a state of selfishness and idolatry.   (Acts 7:43) They took the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of Rompha with them.

In the midst of God’s presence, they clung to the idols of their hearts.    The question for us today is, What Idols of the Heart do we worship?

Are we Totally devoted to and Totally dependent upon God?   If we are looking for Anything to be our provision other than Him, it is an idol of the heart.   God “is” Our Provision.   God “is” our help.  God “is” our hope.  He Never Fails and is Incapable of telling a lie.

His Word Never Fails.  Can we, like Joseph, walk in adversity and rejection and be Whole?   Can we, like Moses, empty ourselves to the point that we live Totally dependent upon God?  Can we, like Stephen, become so focused on God and the Kingdom that even if we are murdered for our faith, see Jesus, and forgive?

What our hearts are full of determines how we view life, others, God, and live.   Matthew 6:33 – Jesus first, second, third, and totally is my desire.  In that state, we can Become Who God says we Are.

Victory is ours today if we will remove the Idols of our Hearts!

James 5:16 – “…the effectual (effective) FERVENT prayer of a righteous person can accomplish much.”

As I prayed, pondered, read, and meditated upon the Word, the LORD, and Life, something in Acts 12 captured my thoughts, challenged my heart, and inspired me.

Capture this scene in your mind: Peter was in prison, awaiting execution.  His peace allowed him to sleep in the middle of his personal storm.  That is powerful.  The church was praying fervently for him.   The angel hit him in the side to wake him up and lead him out of prison.  Peter thought he was dreaming until he was on the street.   This was a powerful visitation but without Expectation.

He went to John Mark’s house, and Rhoda heard and recognized his voice (Revelation), but in her jubilation of her Revelation, she did not open the door.  (How many people today see or hear something but fail to open the door?)  She told the others her Revelation, and they said, “You are out of your mind!”  (Typical religious response).

But Peter kept knocking (Revelation does not go away).  Finally, they opened the door and were amazed.   Think about that!   They had been praying Fervently but without Expectation.

How often do we pray Fervently and Earnestly but without genuine Expectation?   How often are the promises of God theoretical to us but devoid of real Expectation that they will become present realities?

James 5:16 – “…the effectual (effective) FERVENT prayer of a righteous person can accomplish much.”

Effectual or Effective Prayer – is based on Faith and filled with Expectation.  When Revelation comes, open the door.  When a need is prayed about, be fervent and have Expectation.  God does not fail and will honor our confidence in His honesty.

The question is, “What do you need?”    First, ask Him His purpose.  Then, pray with fervency and with Expectation.    Don’t just report the Revelation.  Open the door to its fulfillment.   If we pray effectively and fervently (with seriousness and urgency) coupled with Expectation, God will move!

Have a wonderful day in Jesus, and pray with expectancy!  

Ecclesiastes 8:7 – “Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.”

As I read Ecclesiastes, a book many find confusing, I saw more revelations of guidance than I can convey or connect in this post.

In Ecclesiastes 1:8, we are given a revelation and a warning.  “…the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing.”  In verse 13, Solomon sets his mind to explore wisdom concerning life and the works of God and man.

The revelation I am referring to is that God created us with a thirst to Know!   The warning is our propensity never to be satisfied and learn contentment and trust.

In Chapter 4, we have the golden nugget of unity and the right associations.   The three-fold cord, when two are united, reveals that when believers unite, we have God’s help as the third cord.  Beware of the converse; if two ungodly unite, they will have the power of darkness as their third cord.

In Ecclesiastes 7:18, we hear a profound word.  “It is good to grasp one thing, and also not let go of the other; FOR the one who fears God comes forth with both.”  This could be applied to natural things, but the context and setting indicate it is wisdom and righteousness that he is focused on.

Not unconnected is the rendering of one translation of Ecclesiastes 8:7. It is fascinating, “If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen.”  We need God’s wisdom and guidance in Everything!

Life once lived cannot be unlived.   Ecclesiastes 11:3-4 makes a powerful statement that can be applied to life.   Wherever the tree falls, that’s where it remains.  The way we live is how we will end up Forever!

Therefore, we dare not let external circumstances determine our life.  Ecclesiastes 11:6 tells us to keep doing what is good all the time because we don’t know which effort will produce the best result.

I believe that every believer should memorize Ecclesiastes 9:10-12.  Consider some pertinent things it contains:

• Always give 100%.
• It’s not the most talented or gifted who consistently achieves God’s purpose, but the faithful and persistent who persevere and receive the prize.
• We don’t know about tomorrow, but we know the One who does.  God places in our hearts a guide called peace to lead us. 

Ecclesiastes 10:2 reminds us that a wise heart is directed to the right, but a foolish heart is directed to the left.

Today, each of us will make multiple decisions.   We do not have all the information, but we do have God.  If we align our hearts to seek Him, He will open or reveal the right doors and knit us to the right people to reach His desired destination.   The bottom line is to learn to give God your heart and then follow the peace produced there.

• Remember that Nothing is impossible with God! 
• Fear God.
• Keep His Word.
• Everything (good) comes from God.
• Be at Peace with God, yourself, and others; He will guide your steps.

That is a fraction of what God downloaded into my heart.  I hope it resonates and speaks in some small measure.

Have a great day baking in His presence and enjoying the provisions of His Love, Mercy, Grace, Peace, and Power!

Matthew 6:31 – “Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, what are we going to have to eat? Or, what are we going to have to drink? or, what are we going to have to wear?”  Amplified

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, Matthew 6 was my starting point. The incredible Love of God for us is seen in what we call the Lord’s Prayer.

The subsequent warning must be embraced.   Forgiveness is the Key that unlocks, and failure to genuinely forgive locks the door to God’s blessings.  It has eternal consequences and Must Be from the heart.  Forever put in the past – FOREVER!

One Translation renders Matthew 6:31, “forsake your worries!” 

Matthew 6:33-34 –“ But above all, pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”

God cares so deeply that He takes notice of Everything!  Jesus made that powerfully clear in Matthew 10.  He cautioned me about fear.  In Matthew 10:29, He revealed that two sparrows could be bought for one copper coin.  That is cheap, but not even one little bird falls from the nest without the Father noticing it.  If that is true, and it is, then we have greater value to God than a flock of sparrows.  Therefore, how much sense does it make to fear or worry?   Remember, God has taken care of it!

The Key that liberates is found in Matthew 10:39 – if we try to be the captains of our ship and masters of our fate, we fail.  But if we die to self and give it All to God, we live.   “Those who cling to their lives will give up true life.  But those who let go of their lives for My sake and surrender it ALL to Me will discover TRUE LIFE!”

When we see what God has provided and promises, how could anything but Total Surrender make any sense?  If we give Him our Entire Life, He will give us His.  In Him is Life Abundant!  What is better – our way or His?  It is time to Give It All to Jesus!  He is our Victory IF we give Him control.

Have a fantastic day in Jesus and ‘Forsake Your Worries!”  Give them all to Jesus!

Matthew 11:12 – ”From the moment John stepped on the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered, I read Matthew from the Passion Translation, and some things leaped out and exploded in my spirit.  I realize some do not like this translation, and it may have flaws, but I like this particular rendering.

In Matthew 11, Jesus spoke of John the Baptizer and said something we read, but I wonder how it resonates.  He said that the kingdom was being manifested, and those with passionate hearts were tapping into and embracing it.  We need to do that!

The infamous and familiar “Take My Yoke” passage is powerful in this translation.    Matthew 11:28-30.  “Simply join your life to Mine and learn my Ways.”

Remember the Binding the Strongman passage? 

Matthew 12:27-29.  Jesus addresses the charge that He is casting out demons by Satan.  He says, 12:29 – “Who would dare enter the house of a mighty man and steal his property?  First, he must be overpowered and tied up by one stronger than he.  THEN, his entire house can be plundered.”

Jesus binds the strong man; He is the stronger man!   We operate in His power.   Remember the parable of the weeds in the wheat?   Do we grasp the real picture?   The wheat sown is those born again (Church, Body of Christ). 

The weeds are the lost pretenders and deceived.   Where are they planted?   In the church by the devil to harm and destroy.   No wonder we are told to mark those who cause division and to know those who labor among us.

Jesus said the fruit of the tree identifies the tree.  He said the overflow of the heart (words from the heart) reveals the character.   Words from the heart are important.  They reveal the hidden character of the heart.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by God’s Word (Rhema)—the personalized, direct Word from God that produces faith.  When Jesus walked on the water and bade Peter to join him, Peter started well, but when he shifted his focus (revealed his heart or what he was hearing), he began to sink and cried out for help. 

Jesus said in Matthew 14:31 – “What little faith you have!  (You had my Rhema), Why would you let doubt win?”  Wow!

What we hear and see, we believe.   What we believe determines our faith and fate.   Don’t let doubt win.   Focus on Jesus, not the storms.  He has the Word of life and faith.   We have been made more than conquerors, but we must stay focused.

I declare that today is Victory Day!  Have a great day in Jesus!