1 Kings 18:21 – “How long will you halt between two opinions?”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was both challenged and encouraged.  As I read the familiar account of Elijah and the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, some things stood out.

He challenged the people about indecision and living uncommitted lives.  His question in 1 Kings 18:21 is a question for today: “How long will you halt between two opinions?”   The word halt is “segnipim,” which means thoughts or considerations.   It is to walk unevenly.   It is to vacillate between two.   In their case, it was between God and Baal.   It is to live, trying to hold on to both worlds.  He says, “Choose one.”

The challenge to the prophets and the people was in the miraculous.  After the prophets of Baal failed, Elijah began the process of preparation.   Therein is a lesson for us.   First, He repaired the altar of the LORD.   That’s the key – the altar of the LORD.   Return to prayer, commitment, and sacrifice.  Until the altar of commitment is restored, the miracle will not be manifested.

Then, he took 12 stones representing the twelve tribes.   In our case, the stones represent our hearts as living stones.   Then, he dug a trench for the water, representing preparation to receive the saturation of the Holy Spirit.

Without the altar (prayer and commitment) and hearts ready to receive the overflow of the Holy Spirit, there is no fire for the miracle.  The miracle brings in the harvest of souls.   The fire consumes and empowers us to prevail.   We need to repair the altar, but until we stop halting between God and the world, our efforts will be in vain.

If we want God’s peace, power, provision, and presence, we need to follow Elijah’s pattern.  Commitment, repair the altar, and receive the overflow of the Holy Spirit.  We have the commission, the promise, and the provision, but it all begins with a decision to choose God 100%.   All in to win.

No more Segnipim, be firm in your decision for God!

1 Kings 3:5-9 – “One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream.  God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” ⁶ Solomon replied, “You demonstrated great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served you faithfully, properly, and sincerely.  You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne.  ⁷ Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced.  ⁸ Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong.  Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something from 1 Kings captured my thoughts.  Solomon had a night vision, and God asked, “What do you want Me to give you?”   How many would have asked selfishly?   How many would have asked in faux piousness, trying to impress God?  Solomon asked for two specific things in 1 Kings 3:9: an understanding heart and discernment.  God gave that and more.

1 Kings 4:29 – “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart.” That got my attention.  What is largeness of heart?

On translation, this verse, “largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.”   This phrase is often interpreted to mean that Solomon had a great capacity for understanding and courage.

In the Bible, “largeness of heart” is the ability to rise above petty irritations.   That means that “largeness of heart” enables the person to rise above petty irritations and embrace God with gratitude.  “Largeness of heart” is the ability to contain more than yourself inside yourself and to have room for something more.   It is the ability to understand the hearts of others.   “Largeness of heart” is the ability to understand the heart of others, even if you are not like them.

God gave him the ability to look beyond the surface, the superficial, and see the heart.   He gave him supernatural discernment.   That is a spiritual quality desperately needed today.  Jesus warned in Luke 21:8, “Be careful that you may not be deceived.”

In today’s confused and corrupt world, where deception is pervasive, we need largeness of heart.  If we lack discernment, we will focus on the wrong things and misjudge people.   We will fail to see God’s purposes.  Preference will prevail over principle.  God has commissioned us to take the message of the Cross to the world and set the captive free.  Without largeness of heart, we will alienate rather than liberate.

God help us to see as You see and love as You love.  Give us wisdom and discernment.   We have a world to win, and we will win it if we allow God to give us wisdom and discernment, love and compassion, and largeness of heart. 

Remember, you are bigger than your problems because Christ is in you!  So, rejoice!

Have a wonderful day and treasure what God has granted you!

Colossians 1:27 – “God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. “

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, I was challenged.  The thought of revival, renewal, and restoration challenged me.   We are instructed to “seek” the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  In the mind of most believers, that is an event – an outpouring or a manifestation.   But think about the directive.   Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.   The Kingdom is a “Him.”

Consider Luke 17, as Jesus spoke of the Last Days and the coming of the kingdom.  He said something interesting in verses 20-21.  “The kingdom does not come by observation.” Therefore, it is not an event or an outpouring.    Next, He said, “The kingdom of God is within you.”   The kingdom is within us.  That is a powerful thought, revelation, or principle!

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was with them but would be “in” them.

Colossians 1:27 – “Christ IN us…”

1 John 4 – “Greater is He Who is IN you…”

Romans 14:17 – “The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit…”

Matthew 6:10 – “Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven…”

The kingdom is a person – JESUS!   Paul reminds us in Galatians that Christian life is Christ living through us.   John the Baptist said, If we want to impact this world for God and live victoriously, then we must be filled with and live out of the kingdom of God within us.   We must totally surrender ourselves to Him so that He and we are indistinguishable.  Then, nothing is impossible!

We have a mission and a commission that can only be fulfilled if the kingdom is “in” us and manifested “through” us.    Jesus said in Luke 18:17 – “Truly I say to you, He who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child WILL NEVER enter into it.”  That is simplistic and complete trust!

Jesus said, “IF you Abide IN Me AND My Words Abide IN you…”   My prayer is Jesus, fill us with YOU!

Have a Great Day “in” Him and Him “in” you!

2 Samuel 2:1 – “David inquired of the LORD…”

America is a divided nation, and every election cycle, we face potential chaos and crisis.   The evil one has evil plans of chaos and destruction, but God is our hedge, covering, our strong tower, and defense.

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was moved to consider two things more deeply.   In 2 Samuel 2:1, we are reminded of a pattern David followed.  “David inquired of the LORD…”   Before he did anything, he sought God.  That should be our pattern in Everything!  There should be no decision (not even one) made without seeking God’s guidance.

Often, more hangs in the balance resulting from our decisions than most ever perceive.   In elections and life, we should ask, “Have we been praying God’s will or our preference?”   That was an impression from the Holy Spirit for me this morning.   I have been evaluating it in my heart.   If my preference is not motivated by God’s purposes, then my preference is selfish.

We are divided so deeply in America that even believers have become enemies. Luke 6:27-31 is a truth we often cite, but rarely as a guiding principle and more often as a theoretical concept and religious language, rather than something we actually practice.

• We are to Love our enemies?  
• We are to do good to those who hate and want to harm us? 
• We are to Bless those who curse and slander us?
• We are to Pray for them?

We tend to pray about them but not for them.  We pray, like the Pharisees in the temple, “Thank God, I’m not a sinner like them.”   That is not praying for them.  That is not seeking their best good.  That is not loving them as ourselves.

In our modern American elections, there is deep anger after the votes are counted.   I have begun praying for a hedge of protection around America, the Church, my family, and more.   How do we overcome the pervasive evil and hatred?   Only by Love!   Love is not passively being trampled upon.  It is actively demonstrating the heart of God.

If we seek God’s guidance in Everything and then obey His directives and Word, we can see the light in the darkness.   We can maintain hope in hopelessness.  We can exhibit demonstrable faith in the face of despair.

Today, people are judging each other, but is it righteous judgment?   All sides view the other side as evil, which renders reconciliation a human impossibility.  As believers, we must rise above that.   We must pray for God to open the eyes of all to the facts, but, more importantly, to God’s purpose.   Then, regardless of the outcome, let the love of God prevail.  He is our shelter in storms.  He is our God!

I have a preference based on both my personal needs and the precepts of Scripture.  I pray for grace to love and pray for those who hate God and me.   I pray for God’s justice for the defenseless.   I pray for the harvest of souls.  I hope this statement is not misunderstood or misconstrued; I am praying, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.  Not my will, but Thine be done.”

In our elections and in my life, which is what I am seeking.  I am seeking what I believe is right based on what I believe the Word of God teaches and the record reveals.   However, I do not want to, nor will I succumb to hatred for those who disagree.

God help us!  Have a great day and keep looking up.

Mark 15:10 – “For Pilate knew that the High Priests had delivered Him (Jesus) because of ENVY.”

As I was reading, praying, and pondering the Word of God today, several things impacted my heart.  One is the blindness of people due to personal bias.  Some call it single-issue voting, but abortion requires dehumanizing the life in the womb.

In Luke 1:15, Gabriel declared of John the Baptist that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit IN THE WOMB.   If that is not life, what is it?  In verse 41, we read that when Mary arrived at the home of Elizabeth, the Babe leaped in Elizabeth’s womb.

It did not say ‘fetus’ but ‘baby,’ indicating life.   In verse 44, Elizabeth said that the baby in her womb leaped with great joy.   Blobs of tissue don’t have great joy, but people do.  People use willful blindness as a salve for their conscience.

Another thing was the incredible power of ENVY.   In 1 Samuel 18:9, we read that King Saul began to ENVY David.   We envy what we do not have and cannot do.   Each of us is unique, with unique gifts and callings.  We are a family in Christ, and envy is a fruit of covetousness.

In Mark 15:10, “For Pilate knew that the high priests had delivered Him (Jesus) because of ENVY.”   They loved the spotlight, the preeminence, and power.   Jesus siphoned that from them, and they hated him for it.

Today, people hate for the same reasons.   Envy, jealousy, covetousness, and selfishness are clogs in the pipeline of life.   If we pursue the two great commandments, we will be protected from the destruction of Envy.   We are to love God with our ALL and love our neighbor as ourselves.   Envy cannot love others because it is too focused on self.

If we truly love God with our ALL and our neighbor as ourselves, we do not focus on our lack (opening the door to covetousness and envy) but on God’s goodness.  We can rejoice that God blessed others, confident that His love has no partiality.

Remember the promise, “But my God shall supply ALL of your needs according to His riches in Glory.”   I may not have what others have materially, but I have Jesus, and I am kept!  His presence is my abundance!   He will sustain me!   What another has or is doing is cause to rejoice, not envy.  I am content that God will give me or allow me to do what I can be a good steward of.   He knows what is best for the kingdom.  He is my reward!

Rejoice in His Goodness, not your seeming lack.  This is the Day the Lord has made, and we have reason to rejoice!