1 Corinthians 4:7 – “For what makes a distinction between you and someone else? And what do you have that grace has not given you? And if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as though there is something special about you?”

Good morning.   I am praying that God’s best will be yours and that wisdom, discernment, and revelation will manifest.  Look beneath the surface.  The surface is superficial.

Many things filled my heart as I prayed, read, and pondered.   Most were directed to me, and I must address them privately.    However, there are a couple of things that are worthy of consideration.

All the ability we have is not the product of our own efforts.   They are gifts from God.  (1 Corinthians 4:7) Like athletes, we have to hone and sharpen them in, but they did originate in us.  They belong to God.  God will not bless self-proclaimed success or ability, only humility and submission.

Second, not what we know but who we know and belong to manifests the Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 4:20 – “For the Kingdom of God IS NOT in the word, but in power.”

If there is no manifested power of God accompanying the declaration, it is rain on a tin roof.   It is fluff.   God confirms His Word with signs following.   That’s what the scripture declares, and I will stand with the scripture.

The church and the world need less oratory and more manifested power of God.  The Acts Church did not turn the world upside down with their eloquence but with the power of God.

The call of God for today and beyond is Power in the Spirit.   Every time I talk to God about power, He talks to me about purity.  My failures cannot be accepted or justified.   I am in repentance, and my heart cries for mercy, restoration, and power.   I know my call, my commission, and my purpose.  My cry is, Lord, create in me a clean heart, a right spirit, and make me an ambassador of heaven in this world. 

All things are yours in Jesus. Never settle for second best; seek God’s best. He has given it to you; receive it.

Have a great day, and make the choice to rejoice, receive the fullness of the Spirit, and expect God to be God in your daily life and manifest His love, mercy, grace, and power!  

Ruth 1:16-18 – “And Ruth said to her, Far be it from me to return from following after you, and to leave you; for where you go, I will go; and where you dwell, I will dwell; your people shall be my people, and your God my God:¹⁷ Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried; may the LORD do so to me, and more also, if even death can separate me from you.¹⁸ When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, then she ceased from urging her to go back.”

As I read, prayed, pondered, and considered the Word, the thought of persistent obedience and prevailing love filled my consciousness.

In Judges, the story of Samson is filled with inspiration and warning. Samson was chosen for greatness from birth. He looked like everyone else, but there was a flow of supernatural strength inside. If he had been a Mr. Atlas, nobody would have wondered where his strength came from. He drank water from the rock at Lehi after killing 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey. Water is life, and the rock is Christ, so symbolically, he drank living water from Christ.

He lived as near the border between sin and righteousness as he could. With each tryst with Delilah, he moved nearer his downfall. Never dabble in the waters of sin!

Ruth exhibited persistent love and obedience in following Naomi.

Paul addressed the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 1:3b, focusing on their unselfish love for each other. He said that it was visibly increasing and overflowing. In v.4, he spoke of their unflinching endurance. Those speak of persistent love and obedience—all marks of Christianity—all visible, tangible testimonies to the world of God’s grace at work.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:13, he makes a beautiful statement that is usually not quoted in context. “Brothers and sisters, don’t ever grow weary in doing what is right.”

In the previous verse, he addressed laziness and idleness and gave a clear directive. Some wouldn’t work. He said they were not busy but busybodies! In v.11, his instruction was, “Don’t help them be lazy; no work, no food!”

He used verse 13 in that context. It is a double truth. Serving and having a charitable heart are always the objectives. Administering discipline, true redemptive discipline is also vital.

We reap what is sown.  

• If we sow gracious, persistent obedience and love, we will reap that.  
• If we sow proper discipline, we will reap order.
• If we neglect discipline, we will experience disorder and disarray.

The objective is always restoration!  Doing what is right is not always easy, but it is always right.  It has reward!

Today, my cry is, Lord, help me; help us to live lives of persistent, obedient love! Love draws love like a magnet. Hate draws hate like a flame attracts moths. The harvest is based on sowing. Lord, help us sow the harvest we need!

May the grace, peace, power, and love of God flow to you and through you today!

Philippians 1:9 – “I continue to pray for your love to grow and increase beyond measure, BRINGING you into the rich revelation of spiritual insight IN ALL THINGS.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, almost immediately, a liberating but challenging truth enveloped me. The Power, Purpose, Potential, and Produce (Fruit) of LOVE!

As Paul addressed the Philippian church, he described an interesting and revelatory prayer in Philippians 1:9.  That prayer is amazing and presents a troubling dimension to our daily lives. It is inspiring, challenging, and troubling all at the same time.

He continued in vv. 10-11 – “This (love) WILL enable you to choose the most excellent way of all – becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ. 11 AND you will be FILLED COMPLETELY with the fruits of righteousness THAT ARE FOUND IN JESUS, the Anointed One – bringing great praise and glory to God!”  [Emphasis Mine]

Wow!  What a promise, hope, aspiration, and goal. The Fruit of Love brings Rich Revelation and Spiritual Insight in All Things!    Love is a portal to God’s throne and heart.  Love is a portal to God’s wisdom.  Love is possibly the greatest weapon and armor we can have.

Do we love? Not superficially, but beyond measure? Are we Filled (overflowing) with the fruits of righteousness that are visible in Jesus?

In Philippians 2:1, Paul’s prayer is a little different. Before he prayed that they would be filled with this kind and depth of love here, he says

“You ARE FILLED to overflowing with His comforting love. You HAVE EXPERIENCED a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and HAVE FELT His tender affection and mercy!”  [Emphasis Mine]

LOVE is clearly our greatest need, second only to faith in Jesus!    How do we get and keep this Love? First, by full surrender to Jesus. Then, Philippians 4:6-9 details the pathway to tapping into and maintaining the overflow.

Be saturated in prayer. Pray with grateful hearts. Tell Jesus everything; hold nothing back. If the Holy Spirit is our friend and we have that level of relationship, he will guide our prayers.

Out of that pattern of life, the portal to peace opens, and the peace that transcends human understanding floods into our hearts. It is unshakeable. It sets up an impenetrable guard at our hearts and minds.

Then, decide to think with a fixed determination on “all that authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. AND fasten your thoughts on EVERY GLORIOUS WORK OF GOD, praising Him ALWAYS!”  [Emphasis Mine]

Love, genuine self-sacrificing godly overflowing love, is our greatest provision and protection. Yet, too often, we resort to human definitions and demonstrations and suffer lack, disappointment, and short-change ourselves. God has a higher place than where most live for us.

I say, as Paul in Philippians 3:12 – “I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I am pursuing, BUT I run with passion into His abundance SO THAT I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me His own.”

God desires for us to experience and live continuously in His love and peace. There is incredible power and revelation there. That is my goal and the target of my prayer for you.

Have a fantastic day, and keep looking up. Your miracle is on the way!

Ephesians 1:7-8 – “Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of his grace.  ⁸ This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.”

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses instructed the people to “Be strong and courageous.”   This directive is interesting and consistently indicates that it will be needed.

In Joshua 1:6, 7, and 9, God tells Joshua to “Be strong and courageous.” In v. 7, He adds, “Very courageous.” Three times in that short conversation, God said something that had to cause Joshua to wonder, “What am I about to encounter?”  Knowing God and fully trusting Him brings courage, peace, and confidence. It is a place too few fully grow into.

In Ephesians, the revelation letter of the New Testament regarding the fullness of Grace and its impact on our lives. Here, Paul enables us to understand that place God was inviting Joshua into.

In Ephesians 1, Paul prayed that God would “release” grace over them and “impart” total well-being into their lives.  He then informed them of their position, which was to become their condition. Ephesians 1:3, where he said that in God’s view, they had already been given Every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenly realm.  If that is true, and God can not lie, then why don’t we believe and live it?

In Ephesians 1:7, we have the Total Cancelation of our sins. In v. 8, through Grace, God is releasing All Forms of wisdom and practical understanding to us. Are we expecting, seeing, and demonstrating it?

Paul prayed an amazing prayer in Ephesians 1:18-19. He prayed that the light of God would illuminate the eyes of our imagination “until” we experience the Full Revelation of the Hope of His calling. He prayed that we would experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power. The question I must ask “Is that a picture of where we are now in our daily walk?“

Ephesians 2:6 – “…for we are NOW co-seated as one with Christ.”  v.10 – “…we are joined to Jesus.”  Then we have the authority and power of Jesus IN US!

Ephesians 3:16-17 he prayed that God would unveil inside us the revelation of the Unlimited Riches of His Glory and Favor “until” supernatural strength floods our innermost being with His divine might and explosive power. Again, is that where we are living now?

In Ephesians 3:17, his prayer is that through the exercise of faith, the life of Jesus would be released Deep Inside Them. 

In Ephesians 3:20, we are overwhelmed with the revelation of God’s desire for us. God can and will do all this in us and do more than we can even hope.

We have the Promise and Commission, Provision, Protection, Power, Armor, Hope, and insight into God’s view of our position. It is time for us to believe, receive, and allow the Holy Spirit to remove the limited thinking pervasive in us and transform us into who He has made us!

We can be those who struggle or those who prevail. We can continue to make lap after lap around the mountain of doubt and difficulty, or we can press into the place of promise with God’s power. Can you see yourself as the believer Paul describes? If not, ask God to purge the limitations of your imagination and take the veil from your heart so you can. It is Who You Are. Why not be Who You Are?

Have a fantastic day, and allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to be who God says you are!