Psalm 119:11 –” I have treasured Your word in my heart, so I might not sin against You.”  TLV

In the last devotional we considered that the Word of God was the Best Treasure.  Today, I want us to move further in our consideration of the Hidden Treasure.

• THE BEST PLACE – Hidden in the Heart…

From the heart, the issues of life spring forth.  Proverbs 4:23 declares, “Guard your heart diligently, for from it flow the springs of life.”  TLV.  The heart is the seat of life both physically and spiritually.  The heart is the controller of health both physically and spiritually.  They are not the same but the heart in the natural and the heart in the spiritual produce life.

The heart spiritually determines character.  Proverbs 23:7 declares that as we think within ourselves so are we.  The heart is the source of faith spiritually.  Romans 10:10 instructs that it is with the heart we believe.

Therefore, it is important that we inscribe or hide the Word of God in our hearts.  Doing so will bring forth a godly life.  It will build a godly character and increase faith.  It enables us to grow to maturity in Christ.

Consider with me that we have seen the Treasure and viewed the Place it is to be stored and now we move to the purpose of this treasure.

• THE BEST PURPOSE – That We Might Not Sin Against God…

The question Psalm 119:9 is germane to this discussion.  The question asked, “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to Your word.” In verses 59-60 we find the powerful truth, “When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hast and do not delay to keep Your commandments.”  ESV

Unblemished relationships are rooted in the Word of God and our obedience to it.  1 John 3:3 declares, “And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure.”  ESV.  Jesus is coming for a Church, a Body, a Bride that is without spot or blemish. (Ephesians 5:27).

We are called to live Holy in accordance with God’s Word and Will.  We are called to enjoy communion with Jesus through godly living.  We are strengthened in the LORD and enjoy the Power of His Might in our lives as we walk in obedience to the Word and Hide it in our Hearts!

We all have some treasure or treasures in our hearts.  The question is not do we have treasures, but where does that treasure, or those treasures fit into the scheme of things in our lives in Christ?  The Word of God was written to give direction for Victorious Living in the here and now. 

Maybe we need a refreshing in the Word of God.  May we need to pray for an increased appetite for the Word of God.  I have discovered that what we partake of we develop an appetite for that.

Remember that through the Word of God and empowered by the Spirit of God we move into Victory from Defeat, Health from Sickness especially spiritually, Peace from Turmoil and Confusion.  It is through the Word of God that we have access to the Power of God as the Holy Spirit anoints that Word in us.  If the Bible is our handbook or roadmap for life, we need to value it as our most prized treasure.

God bless you as you discover God’s Hidden Treasures in His Word and walk victoriously in this Life.  Have a Great Day!

Psalm 119:11 –” I have treasured Your word in my heart, so I might not sin against You.”  TLV

In this Psalm, we catch a glimpse of the heart of the human instrument writing these verses.  He sees a hidden treasure in a most precious place.  That brings to mind the importance of the Word of God.  It brings to the fore the importance of the Word being hidden in our hearts.

The apostle Paul reminds us that this is the gospel (a precious treasure).  If it is hidden at all it is hidden to the lost.  Why?  Because they are carnally minded, and comprehension of Spiritual Truths cannot come to the carnal mind – they are spiritual.

God places an extremely high value and priority on His Word.  It is truly a treasure available to all who will partake of it.  Matthew 4:4 tells us that we do not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from God.  In 2 Timothy 3:16, we discover that all Scripture is given by the Inspiration of God and has value.  Here in this Psalm, we see that this treasure is not just a treasure but is far more.

• THE BEST TREASURE – The Word of God.

Although it has not always existed in written form and been canonized into what we call the Bible it is eternally existent.  It is the Word of God!  It is not just any word, but “Thy Word O LORD!”  It is unlike any other word; it lives and makes alive!

The Bible is the Book of the Ages.  It has endured the test of time and the scrutiny of critics and nay-sayers.  It endures forever as Psalm 119:89 informs us.  Isaiah 40:8 reminds us that “the grass may wither, the flower may fade, but the Word of our GOD will stand forever.”  Matthew 24:25 declares that although heaven and earth may pass away the Word of God will never pass away.

It has been battered, bruised, banned, burned, scorned, and rejected yet it still stands today and is as strong and viable as it was in the beginning. 

The Bible is Food for the Soul.  (Deuteronomy 8:3).  The Word of God provides milk for babies and meat for the strong and mature.  It provides food for every soul regardless of where they are on the journey to maturity in Christ.  All one has to do is come to God’s table and dine.

The Bible is Divinely Inspired.  (2 Timothy 3:16).  It authenticates the divinity of Jesus and gives hope to the human heart.  It is also Light Giving.  We read in Psalm 19:8-9, “The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul.  The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy, making the simple wise.  ⁹ The precepts of Adonai are right, giving joy to the heart.  The mitzvot of Adonai are pure, giving light to the eyes.”  TLV 

In Psalms 119:105 we find that God’s Word is a lamp and a light to guide us.  There is guidance, instruction, help, encouragement, and every need of life addressed in that Word.  It is loaded with benefits found nowhere else.  In it, we learn of love, forgiveness, redemption, mercy, grace, revival, renewal, and restoration.  In the word of God, we discover life.

The Word of God is Mighty, and the word translated there means Powerful.  In Jeremiah 5:14 we discover it is a devouring flame.  In Jeremiah 23:29 we find it is a crushing hammer.  In Ezekiel 37:7 we learn it is a life-giving force.  In Romans 1:16 we are informed it has saving power.  In Ephesians 6:17 we learn it is a defensive weapon and in Hebrews 4:12 we realize it is a probing instrument revealing the heart.  The Word of God is Priceless.  It is a Treasure hidden in our hearts and designed to lead us to fullness in life.

I am going to pause there and pick this up in the next devotional.  Until then I pray the blessings of God upon you and that you will have a fantastic day walking in the Light of His Love!

Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, so that we may get a heart of wisdom.”  TLV

Everybody or almost everybody wants to live forever and to have more than enough tomorrows to take care of all the things we did not do or do not want to do today.  We want to live as though there is no need to be concerned because there is plenty of time to do all that we want to do tomorrow or later.  There are many promises of God found in the Word of God that are infrequently claimed by believers.

In verse ten we find the thought of our days is 70-80 years.  The Ten Commandments inform us that if we honor our parents the promise is to enjoy length of days on this earth.  Therefore, eighty years is not etched in stone, some live longer and some live less.  However, if we take eighty as our benchmark that would be sixteen five-year segments.  I pray that all of us live longer than eighty but let us use that for our discussion.

That would mean that we have sixteen five-year periods to do all that we want to do in life.  The question then is, how many have you used up, and how many are left in that equation?  For me, I would be in the last installment, and I believe that I will live longer than that, but I carefully consider what I want to do I need to do and no longer procrastinate. 

Time is either our greatest asset or enemy in life.  The apostle Paul instructs us to Redeem the Time because the days are evil.  Considering the condition of our world and the need to spread the Good News of the Gospel we must work while it is yet day for the night comes when we can no longer work. 

Time is a commodity that we need to learn to effectively use if we hope to be of value to the Kingdom, our families, and our world.  How much time do we waste?  In order to tap into the resources, ability, and power we have inherent in us, three things must transpire.

• WE MUST PERCEIVE…

Perceive what?  We must perceive Who we are and Whose we are.  In Genesis 1:26 we are informed that we are created in the Image of God.  In John 1:12 we are told that we are Sons and Daughters of God.  In Romans 8:17 we discover that we are Heirs of God and Joint Heirs with Jesus.  In Galatians 3:29 we realize that we are heirs according to the Promise.  In Deuteronomy 28 we discover that Abraham’s Blessings belong to the Children of God and in Hebrews 8:6 we are told that we have a Better Covenant established upon Better Promises. 

So, Who are you?  You are all that and more!  The question then would be where are you on the path of becoming and where are you going defined by your course in life?

• WE MUST PREPARE…

Preparation always precedes blessing and, in a journey, when there is no preparation there will be no reaching the desired destination.  You have to prepare for your journey.  It is vital that we know the Promises of God and the Provisions of God’s Word and Spirit.  In that, it is vital that we know our Inheritance.  The preparation is mental, physical, and spiritual.  Are you preparing for your journey in this life and the next life?

• WE MUST PROCEED…

Proceed on the planned path.  Action is required.  We must discover our potential by seeing the possibility that is in us through Trusting God.  Therefore, it is time that we begin to Go and Do what Jesus did.

I have people tell me, I cannot be a Moses, Elijah, Paul, John, Peter, Daniel, David, etc.?  I always ask Why Not?  Christ in us is the Hope of Glory and if He is living His life in and through us, and He is eternally the same, then Why Not?

I have some tell me, I cannot be an Overcomer the trials, tests, and temptations are too many and difficult.  I always ask Why Not?  God says you are more than a conqueror through Jesus, so Why Can’t You Be What He Says You Are?

I have some who insist that miracles are a thing of the past or they cannot have miracles in their life.  I always as Why Not?  You are a miracle and if Jesus is eternally the same and the Word of God is infallible, then Why Not and Why Not Now?

I ask that you stop and look at your life.  Where are you right now?  Where have you come from?  Where are you going?  So, are you allowing it to waste away with no significant accomplishment?  Who are you?  I suggest that you reread what I have listed as who God says you are.  Where are you going?  You are pursuing the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and in that, you have to answer where you want to go.  I suggest that you determine to let God help you get there.

Now is the time to turn it all around and turn your life over to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and determine that you will make every day you have left count for God.  You do not have to do great exploits; you only have to do what God sets before you. 

I conclude by asking, “Who are you?”  How much time do you have left?  Obviously, you cannot answer that definitively regarding time left, but now is the time to begin pursuing your dreams in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to make every moment count.  Redeem the time and make the most of every moment, it could be your last.

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day He has provided.  Rejoice!

Psalm 42:1 – “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”  ESV

Yesterday we looked at the first condition required to receive the fullness of the Spirit of God and have a deeper intimacy with God.  That was – We Must Be Thirsty.  Today I want us to move on to further consideration of the requirements or conditions.

• Condition Number Two – We Must Come to Jesus.

That means a total and complete surrender of our lives to Him and a commitment to do the will of God as He provides the light and understanding of what that will is.  It is Total Surrender to Jesus!

Matthew 11:28-30 – “²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

1 John 1:7 – “⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If we want to have our spiritual thirst quenched or satisfied, we must allow God to have full control of our lives, our wills, our emotions, and our bodies.  He must be LORD of all, and we must be yielded vessels.

• Condition Number Three – We Must Drink.

That means a whole-hearted reception into our lives the gifts, fruits, and operation of the Holy Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 12:4-13).  We read of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians.

Galatians 5:22-23 – “²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Revelation 22:17 – “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

Unless we are thirsty enough and willing to drink, we will remain thirsty and that fullness will be a theoretical idea, not a practical reality.  We can be full of God!

• Condition Number Four – We Must Believe Jesus and the Bible.

That means to believe and obey in totality the fullness and entirety of the Gospel.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 that we are to teach the new converts to become disciples of Him obeying His commandments.  In Mark 16:15-20 He taught that we are to go to the world and proclaim the Good News.  Those that believe and are baptized are saved but those who do not believe are lost.  He then gives a list of protections and manifestations we can expect.  He then promises to be with us, work with us, and confirm His words with signs and wonders.

John 14:15 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

In Acts 1 He commanded them that they should not depart Jerusalem until they received the Promise of the Father.  That Promise was the outpouring of the Holy Spirt and Power.  They would then be empowered to take the Good News to their homes and the world.  Then in Acts 5:32, the disciples testified that they were His witnesses.

If we want more of God, we can have more of God.  If we want the energy and power of the Holy Spirit, we can have that energy and power.  The solution is simple not necessarily easy.  We must become thirsty.  We must come to Jesus.  We must drink from the river.  We must Believe and Obey.

The question is, are you thirsty, and then how thirsty are you?  God is waiting to supply and satisfy. 

God bless you as you walk in your new fullness and intimacy with Him!

Psalm 42:1 – “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”  ESV

This is the daily cry of my heart.  A cry I am sensing all over this land.  It is a cry and a deep desire of many believers to have a deeper relationship with God and more of God.  There is a longing for a deeper intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit.  Unfortunately, sometimes it is a cry that has no commitment.  It is a superficial expression of a desire, but for those who have that deep longing, it can be a reality.

Having more of God and being closer to God is not something that only the select of the elect can attain.  It is available to every Child of God.  God wants everybody to come to the river and drink.  Everyone can have as much of God and His Spirit as they desire.  There are no limitations.  That River will Never Run Dry!

Isaiah 55:1 – “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the water, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat.  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!”

Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

There is a river flowing from the Throne and Heart of God and it is a never-ending river.  It will never run dry.  It is a river with a plenteous supply.  A river that completely satisfies the longing soul.  In the natural, a river at flood stage purifies that river.  It sweeps away the debris that has collected and is a sort of purification.  When the river of God is a flood in our hearts we are purified, and all the debris of worldliness is swept away!

The bottom line, spiritually is, “Our appetites determine our spiritual condition.”  We eat and drink what we want because we want it.  If we desire something bad enough, we will struggle to obtain it, sacrifice to achieve it, and go to great lengths to apprehend it.  It is exactly the same in the things of God.  If we want more of God, we will press in until we have more of God.  The hesitancy is not on God’s side of the equation but ours.  If we become hungry and thirsty, we will be satisfied.

There are some conditions or requirements to receiving the Spirit and Power of the LORD in our lives to the full.  Remember when Jesus stood at the feast and cried out the words of John 7:37-39?  He said, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” ³⁹ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

• Condition Number One – We Must Be Thirsty.

That means to have an ardent, eager, famishing, keen, and all-consuming craving, and passion of the soul for a complete union with God and with the fullness of His Holy Spirit.

Psalm 42:2 – “My soul thirst for God, for the Living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

Psalm 63:1 – “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You: my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs of you in a dry thirsty land where no water is.”

Psalm 143:6 – “I stretch forth my hands unto You; my soul thirsts after you, as in a thirsty land.”

Isaiah 41:17 – “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.  I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”

Isaiah 44:3 – “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon your seed and My blessings upon your offspring.”

The Bible makes it clear that if we will, seek we will find.  If we are thirsty, really thirsty, He will give us the refreshing water of life to drink.  Elisha had that thirst in 2 Kings 2.  He followed Elijah to Gilgal, then to Bethel, then to the Jordan.  He refused to be denied or to accept delay.  He pressed into a Double Portion Anointing.  The prophet Joel declared that God would pour out His Spirit upon “All Flesh.”  That means you and me if we will come to the water to drink.

I want to press into this more but will pause here until the next devotional.

Have a wonderful day in the refreshing of the LORD!

Matthew 28:1-8 – “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.” NKJV

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our Hope is vain, and our faith is based on a corpse and is a fraud.  The Pharisees attempted to spin the spin that the disciples had stolen His body to perpetuate what they deemed a myth.  They were blind leaders of the blind and could not see the signs, truths, or hear the Messianic Message that Jesus brought to them. 

Throughout the centuries since that event early in the first century the atheist, agnostics, skeptics, doubters, and revilers have sought to perpetuate the lie of the Sanhedrin that Jesus did not rise from the dead and that the resurrection is a fabrication.  If they are right, then our Hope is destroyed and there is no eternal future for us and death is final, making this life all that matters.  That is a recipe for the vilest exhibitions of lasciviousness and corruption one could imagine.  That would cast off all restraint and everyone would truly be a law unto themselves making society truly the survival of the fittest or most devious.

But Jesus did Rise from the Dead and is now Ascended to the Right Hand of the Throne of God!  He is there making intercession for us just as the Scriptures have declared!  He has gone to prepare a place for us and coming back for us so that where He is we can be Forever! 

Why am I confident that He is Risen?  I did not see Him rise from the dead, for that was two-thousand years ago.  The disciples who saw Him were so filled with delusion they hallucinated and dreamed what they hoped was reality?  How about the five hundred who saw Him before His ascension, was that Mass Hallucination?  How about the numerous others who saw Him, talked to Him, witnessed Him being alive, was that strong delusion and mind-control by His followers? 

Believing that would take an incredible amount of faith in coincidence and the power of suggestion on a mass scale.  It would be akin to believing that books like “Pilgrim’s Progress” were the result of a person standing in a railroad car full of printer’s type with a shovel and hurling shovel after shovel full of type over the side and each letter aligning itself into that manuscript. 

I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus because of the biblical report and other historic writings of that and subsequent eras.  But an even larger reason that I Believe is that I have received Him into my heart by the new birth. 

I shall never forget that faithful night in my sister’s home in Palestine, Texas on a Saturday night after midnight.  I had been fishing and, amazingly, I was sober.  My normal pattern would have been to become inebriated.  God chose that moment in time when I was completely sober to deal with my condition. 

There were some people from Westside Assembly of God where Henry Vincent was the pastor who had been witnessing to me. They prayed for me and loved me despite my rudeness and meanness.  When I came in that night, there was a note from my sister for me to read Proverbs 3:5-6.  One of the families had sent that message to me. 

I cannot explain why I even bothered, for that was not the norm for me, at that time.  I had no Bible, so I searched for a Bible in my sister’s house and found one.  I took it to the kitchen table and opened the Bible searching for Proverbs.  It was as I read the words of that passage that I realized I had been trusting myself and my understanding.  I had become convinced that I was a sinner and going to hell and nothing could be done about it. 

As I read those words a light came on inside my heart and head and I asked God to forgive me, and He did!  I was changed and even without telling others what had happened people knew there was a change.  I was Born Again!  So, do I believe in the Resurrection?  My Transformation allows me to declare emphatically YES, I BELIEVE!

HE IS RISEN!  Today we celebrate His Life and from the Cross, we realize that we too, can enter into His Life.  He paid the debt we could never pay, and His Resurrection signifies the deal is sealed.  IT IS FINISHED!  Nothing we can do will transform us but what He has done does.  It is not by works but by Grace that we are Saved.  He now calls, “Come unto Me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”  He calls, “Come unto me and I will in no way cast you out or refuse you.”  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is the Door to Salvation, and HE IS ALIVE!

God, bless you as you celebrate HIS LIFE and the LIFE, He has brought to each of us!   HAPPY RESURRECTION CELEBRATION!  HE IS RISEN!  HE IS ALIVE!  HALLELUJAH!

Psalm 34

Last time we considered the need to Focus on God’s Person.  Today I want us to move to the next consideration.

• We Must Focus On God’s Protection.

In verse seven we find, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.”   The word encamps is a word used to describe an abode or a siege.  The word delivers means to equip for a fight and strengthen. 

Remember the encounter with Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 16:14-18 where the prophet told his servant, “there are more with us than with them.”  The hills were filled with powerful angelic hosts to protect the prophet and his servant.  In 2 Chronicles 16:9, we discover, “…the eyes of the LORD run to and fro through the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are wholly His.”  The image is that God is waiting and looking for a chance to bless His followers.

Psalm 125:2 – “As the mountains are around Jerusalem, so ADONAI is all around His people both now and forever.”

The blood covering cannot be penetrated from the outside.  The devil cannot cross the bloodline and come in.  We have to go outside where he is.  That is a place we should never allow ourselves to go.  In 1 Peter 5:8 we are encouraged and warned, “Stay alert!  Watch out!  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, searching for someone to devour.”  He cannot devour us as long as we are in Christ. 

Remember the childhood game of “May I”?  The answer to the devil is NO, You May Not!

• We Must Focus on God’s Provision.

In verse fifteen we discover, “The eyes of Adonai are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry.”  Then in verse nineteen we are reminded, “Many are the distresses of the righteous, but ADONAI delivers him out of them all.” 

We must never forget that even the righteous suffer difficulties and God not only protects us but provides for us.  We find ourselves needing, purging to enter into His purity.  We find ourselves needing pruning which seems like chastening to keep us focused on Him.  We need to be refined and the dross of worldliness removed from us making us Holy as He is Holy. 

In Acts 14:22 we are warned that we will go through much tribulation as we enter into the Kingdom of God.  We must, like the captain of our salvation be made perfect and that is sometimes through suffering.  (Hebrews 2:10).  We must never forget that even though distresses come, “The LORD delivers out of them all.”

The words of James 1:2 need to be etched deeply in our hearts and minds, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.”  Why?  Read the rest of the passage and you discover that tested faith produces endurance, endurance’s perfect work is maturity and wholeness.  We are to rejoice in Victory and the Victor!

Therefore, it is needful that we remind ourselves that God is our source, not man.  We need to remember that God has committed Himself by His Word and Character to be our Protector.  We need to refresh in our minds that He has made Promises and Provisions for our spiritual maturity, our daily needs, and our every care. 

Jesus promised to never leave nor forsake us.  We belong to God.  We are the sheep of His pasture.  We are overcomers through Jesus and the Power of the Holy Spirit.  We have the authority and ability to resist the devil and as we walk in Christ and faith, the devil must obey. 

Remember that we have angels camping around us.  Jesus’ blood surrounds us.  God’s Spirit empowers us.  All of heaven supports us.  God’s resources are open and available to us.  So, who is going to stop you?  Certainly not a defeated fallen angel called the devil.  God is greater than any problem we have and truthfully the purpose of trials or the side benefit of trials is to make us strong. 

Hold the encouragement of verse four in your heart – “I sought ADONAI, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”  Whatever you need God has.  He is I AM, the God who is more than enough!

God bless you as you embark on a course of victory this day!

Psalms 27-28

Some live in fear of failure and destine themselves to fail.  Some live in fear of the devil and are overcome by him.  Some live in the fear of death, and never learn to live and embrace life.  Fear is one of the biggest obstacles the Child of God has to overcome to live the victorious abundant life Jesus came to bring. 

Fear is one of the most effective tools of the enemy of our souls in impeding the progress of the believer.  If the devil can cause a believer to become fearful and dominated by that trepidation, he is able to dominate that person negatively.  He robs them of their victory and often their joy and eventually may even steal their soul.

In Revelation 21:8 we read that the fearful lead the group to destruction and eternity in hell.  The fearful are timid and faithless.  They live in torment all their days because they are fearful of everything and anything.

The question I pose is – “Why is Fear so bad?”  One of the first things that come to mind is that fear is bad because it is an expression of doubt.  Doubt prevents us from trusting God and His Promises and causes the fearful to draw back.  Fear plants the seeds of doubt – Doubting God’s ability to fulfill His promise and purposes.  Fear leads to doubting the trustworthiness of God and His Word.  Fear produces the fruit of doubting the honesty of God.  Fear is destructive!

Fear leads to doubting the reality and completeness of the Victory of Jesus over the devil at the Cross and in the Resurrection.  Fear attributes more power to the devil than to God.  Fear has torment and the fearful person is paralyzed and becomes inactive because they are afraid.

The wonderful truth of God’s Word is that one of the promises of God is deliverance from fear.  In Romans 14:23b we read, “And whatever is not of faith is sin.”  Fear is the opposite of faith.  It is not the heritage of the Children of God.  Faith is our heritage.  We are to have No Fear!

There is no reason for the Child of God to live in fear. 

• We do not live in fear because the LORD is our shepherd.  (Psalm 23)
• We do not live in fear, because the LORD is our light and our salvation.  (Psalm 27:1)
• We do not live in fear, because the LORD is always with us and will never forsake us.  (Isaiah 41:10 & Hebrews 13:5)
• We do not live in fear, because we have been Redeemed by the Sinless Blood of Jesus. (Isaiah 43:1)
• We do not live in fear, because we know and believe that it is the Father’s Good Pleasure to give us the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
• We do not live in fear, because there is no fear in LOVE.  (I John 4:18)
• We do not live in fear, because God’s perfect LOVE casts our fear.  (1 John 4:18)
• We do not live in fear, because the one who Fears is not made perfect in LOVE.  (1 John 4:18)

We are born-again believers, children of God, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus.  We have nothing to fear because ‘Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.’  (1 John 4:4)

We are more than conquerors through Jesus as Romans 8:31-39 declares, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Banish Fear from your hearts with the Help and Power of the Holy Spirit.  You do not have to allow fear to have a place to take root and grow so look to the LORD and rejoice because you are FREE!

God bless you as you enjoy this day of Freedom in Jesus!

Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  NASB

2 Peter 1:3 – “…His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” NASB

God’s vision is never cheap nor is it easy.  Tragically, I have witnessed well-meaning believers and churches receive the Vision of God and try to accomplish it as cheaply as possible and with as little stress, pressure, or controversy as possible. 

If we are going to Wage Spiritual Warfare and Pull-Down Strongholds, We need Power, the Power of God.  Deuteronomy 8:18 informs us that God gives us the power to ‘create wealth’ and we are told that the ‘wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just.’  God has plenty, He owns it all, for as the Psalmist declares, “The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof…”

But there is a Battle Ground that we must overcome and that is the Human Mind or the subconscious fleshly mind.  When we hear Truth all the old arguments surface, challenging and questioning that which we have not seen before.  Too often we have attempted to operate in Human Understanding to achieve the purposes of God and we produce an Ishmael rather than an Isaac. 

Leaning, trusting, or depending upon my own understanding prevented me from receiving forgiveness for a time and finally, the truth revealed in Proverbs 3:5-6 broke the chains and allowed me to receive freely and fully, His Salvation.  In Salvation, we find entrance into the Kingdom.  In Healing, we are fitted for service.  In God’s Prosperity, we are enabled to fulfill the call and finance the vision. 

I challenge you to rehearse in your mind and heart the Abrahamic Covenant as revealed in Genesis 12:1-3. When we recognize the scriptural directive for appropriating the Promise of God for Salvation, Healing, and Prosperity we can move into what God has for us powerfully.  God has a Plan of Finance and while I never want to make wealth the focal point of my message, we must have money or a medium of exchange in this world. 

In Malachi 3, we are told to bring the ‘whole tithe’ into God’s storehouse and the Promise is He will Open heaven for us and bless us as is revealed in Malachi 3, 2 Corinthians 8; 9:6-16; Luke 6:38; Ecclesiastes 11:1-4, and Proverbs 19:17. Regardless of your view of the tithe or tithing giving to God will never go unrewarded by God!

The Law of Multiplication can be applied to every dimension of life.  If we follow God’s directives completely, we will find that the Work of God never lacks and as in the illustration of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness in Exodus 36, the giving was so much the people had to be restrained from giving.  Imagine that problem in the Local Church!  God finances what He ordains and if we will be obedient to Him He will open heaven’s windows for us and bless us, spiritually, physically, and financially.

Many fail, to be charitable because their minds tell them that if they give away their money, they will not have enough for themselves.  Remember the Law of Harvest and the Law of Multiplication.  We reap WHAT we sow, we reap LATER than we sow, and we reap MORE than we sow.  If the need is God-caused it will also be God-funded.  It becomes a matter of mindset and trust. 

If we cannot trust God with our finances, we will find that we are unable to trust Him in virtually any area of our lives.  The Battle Ground we must overcome and the Stronghold we must pull down is the Human Fleshly Carnal Mind and bring every thought captive to the obedience of our Lord Jesus.

God, bless you richly as you roll all your care upon Him and Trust Him today!

Psalms 23 – “A Psalm of David. Adonai is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. 4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff comfort me. 5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of Adonai forever.”  TLV

Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday where we saw that the Shepherd provides for His flock.  Now let’s move to another consideration of the ministry of God’s True Shepherd.

• The Shepherd Protects His Flock.

In verse four we discover that “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff comfort me.”  He protects against our enemies.  The shepherd in the natural protected the flock against, the wolf, bear, lion, thief, and more.  The shepherd banishes fear through His presence.  The sheep trust him completely with their lives.  Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that we are kept in Perfect Peace through Trust.

He protects the sheep with His life.  Jesus reminded his followers in Matthew 10:16 that He was sending them out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore, they needed the oversight of the Shepherd.  In Hebrews 13:5, He promised to never leave nor forsake us and in John 16:33 we are reminded that He has overcome the world!  He can be trusted.  He also protects through His Blood, and it is impossible to penetrate the Blood of Jesus from the outside.

• The Shepherd Leads His Flock.

He leads us beside the still waters.  He restores our weary souls and even our bodies. He leads in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  The waters He brings us to are not the turbulent troubled waters of life but the still quiet waters of refreshing.  Remember, He stood and declared, “If any man thirsts let Him come to Me and drink.”  He gives peace in times of trouble.  He rebukes the wind and waves of life. (Mark 4:29).

He leads us through uncharted waters with absolute peace and assurance.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is the Door!  He leads us never drives us.  You can lead sheep, but you cannot drive them as you do cattle.

• The Shepherd Loves His Flock.

He loves them individually and loves them collectively as a flock. He makes every possible and needed preparation for their care and safety.  He does all to ensure that we are able to live for God and walk in His righteousness.  He wants us to enjoy the rich blessings and make heaven our eternal home. 

The shepherd always leads, he never just follows.  The question for each of us is, “Do we know the Shepherd?”  If not and even if we, do He wants to reveal Himself even more intimately to us.  Jesus calls – Come!  The LORD is MY Shepherd.  Insert your name in that phrase.  The LORD is Roy Beaird’s Shepherd!

Have a fantastic day as you walk with the Shepherd of God’s Flock!