John 18:36-38 – “Jesus replied, “My Kingdom is not from this world.  If my Kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from here.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king.  For this reason, I was born, and for this reason, I came into the world—to testify to the Truth.  Everyone who belongs to the Truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate asked, “What is truth?”   When he had said this, he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him.”

Today, I was challenged by John 18-21 about Jesus, man, and religion. It began with Pilate’s question in John 18:38, “What Is Truth?”  Regardless of why Pilate asked it, it is the key question for us—not what is Truth as we perceive it, but what is Truth!

When Pilate tried repeatedly to release Jesus, the Jews said, “We have no King but Caesar.”  Religion’s God is tradition and their doctrinal tenets.    Pilate’s response to the challenge about the inscription above Jesus KING OF THE JEWS was, “What I Have Written, I Have Written.”  You and I are the authors of the Book of Our Lives on Earth, and What we write is written.   It cannot be edited but by the Blood of Jesus.

After the resurrection, Mary came to the empty tomb, and the question by the angels Jesus was, “Why Are You Weeping?”   They knew the answer; it was because of her pain in losing Him.   It was a failure to truly see that His death was not permanent.  It was rooted in temporal thinking.

Here is the Eternal Truth – He had to die so we could live.   Because of His death and resurrection, death is not death for the Believer. 

The Angels wanted to shift her focus from what she perceived to be her loss to the Truth, which reveals what she gained. 

• Life is to be lived with eternity in view.
• Life is to be lived with God’s purpose in view.
• Life is to be lived knowing that death is temporary.

We have a great cloud of witnesses who have preceded us, and they are not dead but alive in Him and with Him.  Those witnesses and Jesus provide the inspiration to Live Life to the Fullest.

• The fields are ready for harvest.  
• We have an assignment.  
• Only as we allow our focus to become Him, and the Kingdom can we answer the question “What is Truth?” and write our Book rightly.   

He is Alive!  Those who have preceded us are alive, and we need to live!    I want the Book of My Life to Glorify Him.   I want no part of my life to be withheld from Him.   Caesar is not my King; Jesus is!

I pray that we will see Him and what He has done and let Him live in us and through us.  Then, our weeping will be for the lost, not for ourselves.   Today is a day of Victory for the Believer!

Have a wonderful day as you write the Book of your life with Jesus!

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!