Spiritual

MOVING FROM STRESS TO PEACE…


Spiritual Blog - Stress

Psalm 46:1-3 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.”  NKJV

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  NKJV

Stress is or can be a SILENT KILLER both in the natural and in the spiritual.  I would contend that there are probably more people suffering today under the heavy burden of STRESS & PRESSURE than in any other generation.  More People are dealing with physical, emotional, and spiritual disorders in their lives because of the unbelievably fast paced pressure-packed way of living that is a common condition in our present world.  STRESS & PRESSURE are two of the common constant companions of many people in the church and in the world.  One of the funniest, but almost too realistic for comfort children’s books I have ever seen is, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day.”

This little boy named Alexander was having one of those days.  Nothing went right and he encountered back to back disappointments and tragedies beyond what any human should be expected to endure.  He moved from one predicament to another and as the old saying goes, “He cannot win for losing.”  When he woke up that morning he said, “I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and not it is in my hair.  When I got out of bed this morning I tripped on my skateboard and by accident dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell this was going to be a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!  After that horrible beginning, he endured a terrible day at school, a very bad visit to the dentist, and a no-good stop at the shoe store.  Alexander slumped in his chair at the dinner table and realized that his troubles were not over.  He hated Lima Beans and what was on his plate?  Lima Beans!  There was kissing on the T.V. and he hated kissing. His bath water was too hot and he got soap in his eyes.  He was playing with a marble and it went down the drain.  To add insult to injury his mother laid out his railroad train pajamas and he hated those pajamas.  When he went to bed his brother, Nick took back his pillow and his Micky Mouse Night Light burned out.  To make matters worse, he bit his tongue and his cat wanted to sleep with another brother, not him.  He lamented, “It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!”   HAVE YOU HAD ONE OF THOSE?

Days like that do not inspire us to venture into new realms.  They cause us to become hermits and hide from the rest of the world.  We have all had those days!  They create TENSION and cause us to become FRETFUL and FILLED WITH ANXIETY.  Humans are very strange creatures.  We tend to run when we lose our way.  Instead of pausing to regroup and regain our sense of direction we bounce off the walls going from place to place, HURRYING, WORRYING, and SCURRYING.  What we need to do, in times like that is STOP and allow the Holy Spirit to take complete control and bring order to our lives.  We need to discover that God is God!  He will be exalted!  He is with us!  He is our strong tower!  But victory does not always come overnight or instantly.  God often uses an infinite number of vehicles, tools, and pressures to help us grow.  There is no INSTANT GROWTH spiritually or naturally!

Stress is the result of taking more on ourselves than God intended us to take.  In a very real sense, we begin to assume the place of God and play God in the matter.  That is both a mistake and a sin.  I saw a survey and research report produced by Dr. Thomas H. Homes of Washington University in which he studied MEASURED STRESS in terms of “Life Changing Units.”  On his scale, the Death of a Spouse equaled 100 Units. Divorce produced 75 Units.  Pregnancy equaled 40 Unites and Remodeling a Home was 25 Units.  Christmas, according to Dr. Homes was 12 Units.  The conclusion was that from a strictly human viewpoint, no person, in his own strength could handle 300 or more Units in a Twelve-Month Period without suffering physically and emotionally for the next two years.

Each of us faces situation virtually every day in which we have STRESS & PRESSURE.  That is a fact of life and not something that we can avoid.  If we become crippled by STRESS, we cannot be all God wants us to be.  We will not be a witness for Jesus if we are crammed into the Pressure Cooker of Stress that we cannot enjoy even the simplest pleasures of life.  UNLESS we learn the Secrets of God regarding the cares of this life we will become virtually useless for the Kingdom of God.  If not useless we will become so hampered and restricted that we are highly ineffective.  We will not be able to TRUST GOD, Help Others, and Enjoy the Abundance of Life that Jesus came to bring.  Philippians 4:6 advise us, “Be anxious for nothing…”  The converse of that is “Be content and at peace in everything.”

Psalm 46 gives us a beautiful picture of God’s Promise and the Place He desires for us and we will delve into that in the next devotional but for now, we pause and I pray the peace of God upon each of you!  God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

 

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WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FACE DIFFICULTIES?


Spiritual Blog - God Today

James 5:13-18 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”  NKJV

 

At this time, my wife is facing a fight for life, and I stand with her in that battle both as a participant and observer.  I cannot endure her pain or take her calamity but I can stand with her linking my faith with hers and showering her with my love and compassion.  This is the fiercest battle we have faced and is one that ONLY GOD can bring resolution.  Therefore, we know what it is to need prayer and sense the deep desire to know the directive of God for dealing with the difficulties of life.  What do you do when you face the difficulties of life? 

James and Mark as well as numerous other passages in Scripture give us directive and offer us hope in times of hopelessness.  I ask that you walk through some simple thoughts with me and hopefully, it will strengthen my faith and yours and lead us through the door of victory in Jesus.  Consider the following with me:

  • What Is the Biblical Directive for Those SUFFERING or AFFLICTED?

Before I attempt to answer that as simplistically as I can please consider the word translated SUFFERING or AFFLICTED.  The Greek word is (kakopatheo) which means to be afflicted, endure afflictions or hardships, and suffer trouble.  That covers virtually the entire gamut of life including the social, financial, relational, spiritual, and physical.  It includes sickness but since sickness is specifically identified I suggest that the implication is everything else.  What is the person SUFFERING or enduring AFFLICTION to do?  James says, “Let him/her PRAY!”

          In Leviticus 13:45 the requirement for a person suffering from leprosy was to walk around crying aloud “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN.”  That identified their malady and served as a warning to others of the infectious dangers but was also a cry for help through prayer.  Those in the Old Testament era understood what many today fail to acknowledge, God is the Healer and Prayer garners results.  Prayer, to the Old and New Testament persons, was not simply a routine religious exercise but Purpose Driven with Expectation.  God Promised to Heal, Bless, Deliver, Guide, Guard, Protect, and Defend so they anticipated that if they Cried out to Him, He would respond.  Therefore, James says to the person enduring the hardship of SUFFERING or AFFLICTION – Pray, Pray, Pray, and Keep on Praying!

  • What is the Biblical Directive for Those Experiencing Joy and Have a MERRY HEART?

The Gospel is described as the “Good News” and the imagery is that of a young lamb skipping in glee.  It is exuberant joy and overflows to the outward.  James says, “If you have a MERRY HEART – Sing Psalms!”  We are instructed in Isaiah 61:3 to “Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”  We are told in Ephesians 5 to be Filled with the Spirit of God and to “Speak to yourselves in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.”  PRAISE is Powerful because in Praise we enter God’s Courts and praise is an activity that shifts our focus from Earth to Heaven, from Problem to Solution.  Praise heats up our hearts and brings us into the   Presence of God so we can “Ask what we will, knowing He hears us.”

  • What is the Biblical Directive for Those Who are SICK?

The Greek word translated SICK is (astheneo) which means to be feeble, diseased,  weak or sick.  They are instructed to CALL for the Elders who are to Lay on of Hands,  Anoint with Oil, and Pray the Prayer of Faith.  That is a directive with expectation and several things are important in this consideration which makes it separate from those    AFFLICTED or SUFFERING.

The Sick, especially those seriously sick are not always able to CALL or GO TO the Elders and also to PRAY effectively for themselves with faith and without doubting. THEY NEED HELP!  They are SICK.  They are battling emotions and physical conditions that may, at times, make it difficult for them to focus or direct their faith properly.  They are under the heavy assault of the enemy.  Therefore, those of us who are with them,  near them, and love them, can and should initiate the call.

The burden of Faith, in this passage, is not placed solely or squarely on the SICK but on the Elders.  I heard an Evangelist say once, “Everybody I pray for healing gets healed but some of them lose their healing by the time they get to the back door!”  THAT      MAKES ME FURIOUS!  That is one of the most narcissistic, self-serving, egotistical,     self-righteous, Pharisaical statements I have every heard and its root is HELL, not         HEAVEN. 

Mark 16:17-18 refutes that position in a most powerful manner.  It says, “AND these signs SHALL FOLLOW those who believe:  In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means harm them; THEY WILL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.”   It did not say, “They shall lay hands on the sick and some of them will recover or they might get better, get well, or fully recover.”  It said, “THEY SHALL RECOVER.” Who is believing?  Hopefully, the one being prayed for but the onus is on the one Praying and Laying on of Hands!   It is SIGN OF YOUR FELLOWSHIP and BELIEF.

Sadly, in the modern church, we have not taken the responsibility of Praying for the Sick to heart and allowed justification and excuse as to why the Sick do not recover when we pray.  Consider I John 5:14-14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”  The number of passages in Scripture about Healing are many.  Repeatedly, our Lord and the apostles made it clear that HEALING was considered a normal expectation by believers. Therefore, we should settle in our hearts that HEALING is the Children’s Bread and God desires to Heal spiritually, emotionally, and PHYSICALLY.  We do not have to be sick to be taken to heaven, we can and should go there well having finished our course and run our race not because the devil took us out early.

My plea is that each of us studies God’s Promises concerning Healing of all aspects and dimensions and then takes Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2, James 5, Mark 16, and 1 John 5 to heart and ask the Holy Spirit to increase our Expectation.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire.  Thank you for praying for my wife.  We are expecting God’s Miracle and know the Power of Effective Fervent Corporate and Multiplied Prayer!

 

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BECOMING ALL YOU ARE… (Continued)


Spiritual Blog - God is All

Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” KJV

I mentioned that for us to fully become what God has Promised and enter into the fullness of His Purposes for our lives there are THREE THINGS that must transpire.  We alluded to them last time and now I invite you to join me in considering them and hopefully, they will resonate in your hearts and minds and benefit you in your spiritual progress.

  • PERCEPTION – You Must Perceive Who You Are.

WHO AM I is a question often asked by people in search for understanding,          enlightenment, and reality.  Who are you in light of God’s Word?  Initially, according to Romans 3:23 we are sinners in need of a savior.  But going back to the beginning we are a product of the infinite wisdom and plan of Almighty God, created in His Image and       Likeness (Genesis 1:26).  According to John 1:12, we are Sons and Daughters of God through repentance.  Romans 8;17 informs us that we are HEIRS OF GOD and             Galatians 3:29 tells us that we are Heirs according to the Promise.  The Bible declares that when we come to Him for cleansing we are cleansed, forgiven, born again, and transformed.  We are told in Hebrews that we have a Better Covenant established on     Better Promises and then read in Deuteronomy 28 the blessings and the Bible tells us that the Blessings of Abraham are ours through Christ. Therefore, in light of God’s Word, “Who Are You?”  If you have come to Him for cleansing and are walking in the light you are God’s Child and nothing can move or destroy you so long as you walk in Him!

WHERE ARE, YOU is the next question that must be asked.  Where are you spiritually?  What is your condition?  Are you stuck in the milk stage of spiritual development or are you progressing to a meat relationship?  We are sometimes like the little boy who fell out of bed. His father asked why and he said, “I guess it’s because I stayed to close to the edge.”  We need to move on from the foundational beginning things and into the depths and riches of God and His Word and Love.

WHERE ARE, YOU GOING is also a valid question and consideration.  What is your destination spiritually, eternally, and in this life?  What is the purpose, assignment, and/or calling upon your life?  It is important that we PERCEIVE Who we are, not by what we see but what God says!

  • PREPARATION – You Must Prepare to Get Where You Are Going.

          PREPARATION always precedes blessing and if we are going to prepare for our spiritual journey, labor, work, walk, and warfare we must KNOW the Promises and Provisions of God’s Word.  The Bible is a tool, a weapon, a light, and a resource that is invaluable in our sojourn on this earth.  We must also KNOW our Inheritance and as we discover His Promises and their application to our lives we prepare MENTALLY by studying the Word and absorbing as much of it as possible.  We prepare PHYSICALLY remembering that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we need to be healthy and strong to accomplish many of the purposes of God.  We must prepare SPIRITUALLY through communion, commitment, consecration, and prayer.  It is by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the direction of the Word of God that we are to travel this journey.  If we are anchored in Truth, we will be Free to make the journey!

  • PROCEED – We must not only Perceive and Prepare We must PROCEED.

Action is part of the process.  If we KNOW but do not DO our knowing becomes nothing more than brain fodder that has no redemptive benefit.  Once we understand, believe, and receive the truth that WE CAN DO ALL THINGS IN CHRIST because HE CAN DO ALL THINGS we are ready to BECOME that which He has declared us to be.  We have POTENTIAL that is far beyond our ability to reason and probably beyond our personal perception of who we are or can be.  What made Moses, Elijah, Paul, John, David, Peter, Daniel unique?  They were USABLE.  They were FULLY SURRENDERED and they were TEACHABLE.  They were quick to repent and sought God with a whole heart.  WHY CAN’T WE BE THAT PERSON?  We can through the HOLY SPIRIT.

          Why can’t we be OVERCOMERS?  God says we are in Christ so why can’t we walk out in this present world what He has declared of us.  Why can’t MIRACLES be a normal part of our lives?  They are included in the Promises of God and if Jesus does not change but is the same yesterday, today, and forever then WHY NOT?

Therefore, I ask, WHO ARE YOU?  You are a Child of the King if you have received Jesus as your savior. WHERE ARE, YOU GOING?  To the Place of Promise and the fulfillment of God’s Plan and Purpose for your life in this generation. THEN, Allow God to help you get there.  Remember the Bible says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” 

It is time to make every day count for God and His Kingdom.  James said that life is a vapor, appearing for a short time then vanishing away.  Job said that man who is born of woman is of few days and full of troubles.  Jesus said that He came to give us ABUNDANT LIFE.  So, let’s stop wasting time and begin the process of BEING who and what God said we are and can be.  Become that Possibility God says is a Reality!

          Blessings abundantly are my prayer and desire!

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THE CHRISTIAN HOPE HINGES ON THIS FACT…


Spiritual Blog - He Lives

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 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 1st 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 making intercession for us as the Scripture has declared.  He has gone to prepare a place for us and coming back for us so that where He is we can be also FOREVER.  Why am I confident that HE IS RISEN?  I did not seem Him rise from the dead, for that was two-thousand years ago.  Some argue that the disciples who saw Him were they so filled with delusion they hallucinated and dreamed what they hoped was a reality?  How about the 500 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 the scenario or hypothesis of mass hallucination would take an incredible amount of faith in coincidence and the power of suggestion on such a mass scale.  It would be akin to believing that books like “Pilgrim’s Progress” was 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 and evidence that came out of that and subsequent eras.  BUT, an even larger reason that I BELIEVE is that I have RECEIVED.  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 it is amazing that I was sober for 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 in spite of 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.  BUT, 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 CELEBRATION OF HIS RESURRECTION!  

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BECOMING ALL YOU ARE…


Spiritual Blog - Reflection

Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” KJV

             In life, we are confronted with human mortality, and most people avoid discussing death like it was a plague.  It seems that, in the minds of some, if you don’t talk about it then it never becomes a reality.  WRONG!  In my years of life and Christian service, I have found that virtually everybody wants to live forever.  Even in the face or human mortality and the many other reminders, many still seem to believe they can procrastinate and have more than enough tomorrows to take care of the things they should be doing today.  Many are so consumed with their life, they demonstrate no genuine concern about getting things in right order because there is plenty of time to do all that later.  It is called Procrastination and it is dangerous if not deadly.

There are many Promises of God, revealed in His Word, that are seldom claimed or stood on.  I am convinced that too many, too often live beneath their privilege or place of promise in God.  When I talk about God’s Promises, from time to time, someone will tell me that I focus too much on them.  I confess I do spend a lot of time researching, reviewing, and meditating on the Promises of God for each Promise that becomes reality in our lives moves us one step nearer to being like Jesus and that means more spiritual power, more souls born into the kingdom, and more victory in our lives.  I consider that a worthwhile objective!

This Psalm is attributed to Moses and He was interceding to the Father to remove the curse that made it necessary for every Israelite over the age of twenty to die before they reached the Land of Promise, Canaan.  He states that most are dying by 70 and some reach 80.  If we could somehow take verse ten and make it a gauge to longevity it would produce an interesting possibility.  (NOTE: I do not believe that this passage is stating that we can only expect to live to the age of 70 or 80 and although this is a reference to Israel in the wilderness it has spiritual application for us today.).  If you took it literally and broke it down into 5-year segments, then 80 would produce 16 of those segments.  My question would then be, “How many do you have left to do that which you should do?”  Also, “How many have slipped away without you doing what you were called to do?” 

TIME is the greatest asset or enemy that we have.  Paul urges us to “redeem the time” due to the condition of the world and the assignment we have been given in life.  TIME is one thing that each of us must learn to use effectively if we are to accomplish our purpose and be effective in our walk and warfare spiritually.  Most of us are TIME WASTERS to some degree.  How much time do you waste?  If we are going to tap into the resources of God and find the ability and power, He has given us there are three things that must transpire.  Those three things include Attitude, Planning, and Action.  We may know WHAT to do but if we have a wrong attitude we will not plan nor prepare and in our unprepared state we will not proceed properly.

God always makes the man before He establishes the ministry.  The ministry will destroy the man or woman not prepared by God.  He deals with our hearts and teaches us not just His Word but His Ways.  He wants us to be one with Him not just have intellectual knowledge of His precepts.  He wants us to have a relationship with Him that is experiential as well as intellectual.  He wants to bring us to the Place of Promise and to do that He often leads us through the Wilderness where we are Transformed and develop Renewed minds so that we can, not only represent Him but manifest Him to the world.

I will offer the THREE THINGS that must transpire in Monday’s devotional but will pause for now.  Until then may the Lord be with you, bless you, keep you, guard you, and guide you in all things and at all times!

Blessings!

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THE REAL THING… [A Further Look].


Spiritual Blog - Promises

Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” NKJV

            Last time we focused on three realities in God’s Truth.  His Word is a settled reality.  The basis and reliability of God’s Word are His integrity and God’s Word is unfaltering and unfailing.  There is more and valuable to consider in the Pursuit of the Real Thing.

  • GOD’S WORD IS A LIBERATING FORCE.

When we allow God’s word to truly become “A lamp to our feet and a light to illuminate our pathway.” (Psalm 119:105).  When we hide, or inscribe and fill our hearts with His Word to the degree that it becomes a treasure to us and a guide for our daily lives IT BECOMES A LIBERATING FORCE.

Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  Pilate asked, “What is truth?”  In prayer, our Lord said, “Father, Your Word is truth.”  We know from the Bible that JESUS is the TRUTH.  Therefore, it is incumbent on us to follow the directive of Scripture and STUDY (2 Timothy 2:15). It is important that we remember that ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired and profitable. (2 Timothy 3:16).  We need to remember the words of Hebrews 4:12 that the Word of God is “quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  We must never forget that part of our Armor as seen in Ephesians 6:17 is THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

We cannot enjoy, participate in, or receive the Full Benefit of what we do not know or appropriate.  We need to discover WHAT the Word of God declares and promises and then pursue those promises.  God considered it important enough to RECORD IT and send the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us in the study of it and fully intends for it to be incorporated into our daily lives and enjoyed.  The directive is to STUDY.

Through God’s Word we have:

  • Redemption from Destruction. (v.92)
  • Revival, Refreshing, and Renewal. (v.93)
  • (v.98)
  • (v.99)
  • (v.100)
  • Spiritual Backbone and Ability to Resist Temptation and Evil (vv.101-104)
  • Steadfastness (v.102)
  • Guidance and a Clear Pathway to Travel. (v.109)
  • Faith and Complete Trust and Peace. (v.109; Isaiah 26:3; Romans 10:17) 

In the Word, we have Salvation, Healing, Blessing, Faith, and Information as to WHO God is, WHO we are in Him, and His nature and character.  It is in the Word of God that we discover His Promises, Future Happenings, and Daily Guidance.  In the Word of God, we find God’s way of living, development of right attitudes and weapons for spiritual warfare and service.  We need to become those of Psalm 1 those who Meditate in His word DAY and NIGHT!

In God’s Word and by application of that Word we find the answer to all of life’s questions and problems and the clear pathway to victory.  The Word of God is as sure and reliable as God Himself and He is UNWAVERING and CONSTANT. 

If we Believe in God and believe that He is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent and that the Bible is His Word we need to seek to find out what HE SAYS and IS SAYING.  It is important that we become DOERS of the Word not simply HEARERS.  The question today is, “What Do You Need?”  HE IS YOUR ANSWER.

          God, bless you richly as you embark on today’s leg of your life’s journey!

 

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THE REAL THING…


Spiritual Blog - The Bible

Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” NKJV

This world is full of fads, gimmicks, and imitations!  Everywhere we turn someone has either invented, discovered, developed, or suggesting a sure-fire, quick, easy, simple remedy and answer for whatever you face, need, or desire.  How many new miraculous, revolutionary Weight Loss products, pills, or plans have you heard about over the past few years?  They are so many and varied it is laughable.  We have everything from diets consisting of vitamins, grapefruit, banana, split-pea soup, garlic and onion, low calorie, low carb, etc.  Many promote their product as being “eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and whatever much you want with no exercise and LOSE WEIGHT.”  Seriously?  If I keep doing what made me overweight how am I suddenly going to lose weight, get rid of belly fat, and develop six-pack abs by sitting on the couch, taking a pill, and feeding my face?  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, at least not safely.

We have the same mentality in investments and finances.  There are plans that will make you Instantly Rich and you have to spend virtually no money or time to achieve it.  If you invest no time, money, or energy I question how you are going to achieve financial success.  I saw one of those ads that had as its conclusion:  Send $25 and find out how.  How what?  How to make the advertiser rich and to achieve their success you need to buy your own ad in enough publications to draw in the gullible and make money on their gullibility.  That is not success is it SCAM. 

Coke claims to be THE REAL THING, but Dr. Pepper implies that if you drink their product your life will be fuller and more exciting, and Pepsi claims to be the cure-all for an entire generation.  I want to offer a Fact, Truth, and Source that WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  It is not a Fad, a Scam, or Easy Fix but it will TOTALLY TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.

  • It will Transform you from Rags to Riches.
  • It will Transform you from Bondage to Freedom.
  • It will Transform you from Gloom and Despair to Joy Unspeakable.
  • It will Cause your Mind to Function Better.
  • It will Cause your Thoughts to be clearer.
  • It will Cause your Outlook to be sweeter.
  • It will Produce Peace that is beyond anything the world can comprehend.

           This Truth, when applied will usher you into a realm where you will have Victory over the devil, and you will look forward to spiritual encounters because of the Freedom and Power it affords.  Let me introduce you to THE REAL THING.  “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven.”  Once God declares His will and gives His word, that revelation becomes an established fact.  Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words shall not pass away.”  Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of our God shall stand forever.”

Let me give you several things to consider.

  • GOD’S WORD IS A SETTLE FACT.

It is unchanging from generation to generation.  People change, ideologies change, traditions change BUT GOD DOES NOT CHANGE!  James 1:17 tells us that in God there is no change and His word is unchanging.

  • THE BASIS AND REALITY OF GOD’S WORD IS GOD’S INTEGRITY.

(v.90) – “Your faithfulness endures to all generations…”  It goes on to declare that God created the earth and it stands according to God’s desire.  It is subject to God and He makes Promises that never fail.

  • GOD’S WORD IS UNFALTERING AND UNFAILING.

The devil has tried without success to destroy it for a very long time but this word will not die and will not fail.  It is Infallible, Indispensable, and Indestructible.  God’s Word can no more fail than God can cease to exist or cease to love.

I would like to address this more so I will pause here and ask that you consider WHO this word belongs to and the SOURCE from which it comes and let that give you comfort and confidence to STAND regardless of what you encounter. GOD DOES NOT FAIL and HIS WORD WORKS.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

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THE PROVISION OF GOD – Not Just Good, but the Best…


Spiritual Blog - Best

2 Corinthians 3:7-11 – “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.”  NKJV

 

I believe that the paragraph of our text hits the very heart of the entire chapter and message of Paul’s call for Grace, not Law.  It must be studied in connection with Exodus 34:29-35.  Paul never denied the glory of the Old Covenant Law, because in giving of the Law and maintaining the tabernacle and temple services there was clearly glory.  What Paul argued was that the Glory of the New Covenant of Grace was far superior, not that the Old had no glory.

He gave some definitive reasons for his argument that I believe offer us insight, help, hope, and comfort.  In 2 Corinthians 3:7-8, he reveals that the glory of the New Covenant means Spiritual Life, not Death.  Do you remember what happened when Moses came down from the Mountain, after his conversation with God?  His face was shining with the Glory of God.  It got the attention of the people very powerfully.  Paul was arguing from lesser to greater glory.  If there is glory in the Law that brought death, how much more is there in the New Testament’s Covenant of Grace that brings life.

The Law cannot justify the Lost Sinner. (Galatians 2:16).  The Law cannot give a Sinner Righteousness. (Galatians 2:21).  The Law cannot give the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 3:2).  The Law does not give an Inheritance. (Galatians 3:18).  The Law cannot give Life. (Galatians 3:21).  The Law cannot give Freedom. (Galatians 4:8-10). 

In 2 Corinthians 3:9-10, he reveals that the New Covenant Glory means righteousness, not condemnation.  The Law’s purpose was not salvation because salvation cannot come by works.  The Law produces CONDEMNATION and that is a MIRROR that reveals just how dirty, vile, corrupt and lost we really are.  It shows our filth but cannot cleanse us, that must come through Grace!  Man’s need is for RIGHTEOUSNESS and God gives His Righteousness through Faith in Jesus Christ!  Galatians 2:21, “For if righteousness [comes] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” 

If you try to be a Law Keeper you will find yourself feeling more and more guilty every day and with every failure to measure up.  On the other hand, if we trust Christ and receive His Grace and live by Faith we will experience freedom, acceptance, and joy.  2 Corinthians 3:10, tells us that the Law really “lost its glory” when compared to the surpassing glory of the Ministry of God’s Grace.  Then in 2 Corinthians 3:11 we find that the New Covenant is Permanent, not Temporary.  Notice the tense, “that which is passing away.”  Paul wrote at a time in history when the ages were overlapping.  The New Covenant of Grace had come in, but the Temple Services were still being carried on and the nation of Israel was yet under the Law.  The Judaizers wanted to mix the two covenants.  Paul asked an incredibly pertinent question, “Why to go back to that which is temporary and fading away?”  He argued that we are to “Live in the Glory of New Covenant which is getting greater and greater.”

God’s Grace is an INSIDE JOB!  It changes us from the inside and then that becomes visible on the outside, not vice versa.

God, bless you richly as you live Free in Jesus! 

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GOD’S PROVISION – Not Just the Good, but the Best…


Spiritual Blog - Law

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 – “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  NKJV

             Back to the contrast, Paul gave of the Gospel of Legalism and the Grace of God and the reality of Death vs. Life.  One of the many things I love about the apostle Paul was his quickness to give God Glory rather than seeking to call attention to himself.  Paul continually expressed his confidence and trust in God and declared adamantly that his (Paul’s) sufficiency was from God not anything within himself.  We must never forget that Paul was a brilliant highly educated man yet he refused to depend or rely on his own adequacy, he depended on the Lord in all things and at all times.

The Legalist told the people that anyone who kept the law would become spiritual and gain special acceptance and favor with God.  All Legalistic ministries have a way of inflating the egos of people and creating a false security in actions rather than pointing to Grace.  When you promote Grace, you must tell people that they are sinners who cannot save themselves.  That is not very ego building, is it?  Paul’s testimony is found in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”  I like that!  No one is sufficient in himself to minister to the hearts of people that sufficiency, ability, and power must come through the Holy Spirit and His anointing.

I find it interesting the names or ways Paul identifies the Old and New Testaments.  In (v.6), he calls the Old Testament THE LETTER and the New Testament is referred to as THE SPIRIT as he referenced the message of Grace.  I must insist that you not assume that Paul is attempting to contrast or offer two approaches to the Bible.  He is not contrasting LITERAL INTERPRETATION and SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION.  He is simply reminding us that the Old Testament Law could not give life and according to Galatians 3:21 it is the ministry of death.  The Gospel of Grace, on the other hand, gives life to those who believe, because of the Person of Jesus Christ and His Work on the Cross.

I also must insist that you not assume Paul to be saying that The Law was a mistake or that its ministry is not important.  It is our School Master to bring us to Grace.  Paul understood that the lost sinner must be slain by The Law and left hopelessly and helplessly lost and condemned before God’s Grace could save him!  Legalism brings death but Grace brings life!  Preachers and Teachers who major on rules (minors) and regulations keep their flocks under a dark cloud of guilt and that is not where God wants us.  That Cloud of Guilt kills joy, saps power, and renders our witness ineffective. Christians who are constantly measuring themselves against other Christians, comparing results and competing soon find that they are depending on the Flesh not the Power of the Spirit of God.  That is what the Bible speaks of as ‘having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.’

There has never been a standard that could transform people’s lives and that includes the Ten Commandments.  ONLY and I mean ONLY God’s Grace can do that.  Only the Grace of God ministered by the Holy Spirit can transform a lost sinner into a living epistle that glorifies Jesus Christ!  Paul’s doctrine of the New Covenant was not an invention of his own intellect.  He had studied and read passages like Jeremiah 31:27-34; and Ezekiel 11:14-21.  The Old Covenant Law, with its emphasis on external obedience, was preparation for the New Covenant message of Grace where the emphasis is on the INTERNAL and the transformation of the heart.

The Old Covenant is incredibly important but pales in the glory of the New Covenant which is a Better Covenant established on Better Promises and the promises of the Old were nothing short of amazing.  I want to talk about that contrast a bit more  but will pause here and pick up next time in contrasting the glories of the two covenants.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

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GOD HAS GIVEN US – Not Just Good, but the Best…


Spiritual Blog - God Best

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 – “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”  NKJV

 

It is indisputable, you cannot have a counterfeit without a genuine.  It seems that whenever we find a desirable genuine someone is attempting to develop and promote a counterfeit.  Even in the world of specialists such as art, some of the most skilled critics are deceived by fake masterpieces.  It happens in all areas of life and those who study counterfeit currency contend that the best way to identify the fake is to study the genuine.  That is also true spiritually.

This was true in the beginning of the Gospel’s presentation and is still true today.  There were and are those who spread and offer a counterfeit gospel.  That happened in the early church and the counterfeit was a mixture of Law and Grace.  It was spread by those called Judaizers.  Their major emphasis was that Salvation came through Jesus PLUS keeping the Law.  They also taught that the believer is perfected in his faith by obeying the Law of Moses.  You might be surprised to know that this was a growingly popular gospel in Paul’s day.  It was the Gospel of Legalism.  I am quite confident that the popularity of this gospel had to do with the propensity of human nature to earn or deserve rather than simply trust God’s Grace. It is easier to MEASURE religion than true righteousness.  How many do you know or have you met that said, “When I get my life straightened out I’ll go to church?” 

Paul considered these false teachers PEDDLERS of the Word of God.  (2 Corinthians 2:17 NIV).  He considered them to be RELIGIOUS RACKETEERS who preyed upon the ignorance of people and completely rejected their devious and deceptive methods.  (2 Corinthians 4:2).  He despised their tendency to boast about their converts.  (2 Corinthians 10:12-18).  He revealed that one of the reasons the church at Corinth was behind on their promised contribution to the special offering was that the Judaizers had robbed the church.  (2 Corinthians 11:7-12, 20; 12:14).  Paul considered them a blight upon the testimony of the Church and tools of hell.  He was not shy in identifying or calling them out.

The question that comes to my mind is, “How did Paul refute the doctrines and practices of those false teachers?”  He did it in the most powerful and meaningful way possible, demonstrating the Surpassing Glory of the Ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Here in the third chapter of Second Corinthians, he contrasts the ministry of the Old Covenant [LAW] with that of the New Covenant [GRACE].  He demonstrated the superiority of the New Covenant, a better covenant established upon better promises.

It would be virtually impossible for me to address these contrasts with great specificity and detail in one setting but I’d like to begin listing them and highlight some important points to help each of us progress in God and have ammunition for refuting false claims.

He Contrasted Tables of Stone with Tablets of Flesh (Human Hearts)…2 Corinthians 3:1-3.  The Judaizers were name droppers and prided themselves in having letters of recommendation from important and influential people in the Jerusalem Church.  They argued that Paul had no such credentials and therefore he should be rejected.  It is a sad state when a person has to resort to measuring their worth by what people say about them.  Paul needed no letters of recommendation, he had the demonstration and power of God evident in his life and ministry.  The analogy Paul uses is interesting for when God gave the Law, He wrote it upon Tablets of Stone. Israel could read it but it would not change their lives. The Law is external and for the transformation from darkness to light we need something internal.  The Legalist admonish us, DO THIS, or DO THAT but they cannot give the power to obey.  The Ministry of Grace, on the other hand, CHANGES THE HEART for it works on the inside.  The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and writes in on the heart.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). 

The experience of Grace means far more than some denominational letter of approval of it is Life Changing.  The true test of ministry and message is found in Changed Lives, not press releases or statistics.  The Law reveals sin but the Gospel bring us to the forgiveness of sin.  The Law exposes the heart but Grace heals the heart and cleanses sin.  The Law shows us our deficiency but Grace shows us His sufficiency.  It is truly the difference between Death and Life. 

I want to discuss that aspect and will do so in the next devotional but for now, I commend the Grace of God to you and declare that Salvation is JESUS, not Jesus And Anything.  It is by grace that we are saved, through faith, the gift of God and never by works.

Abundant Blessing for you is my desire and prayer!

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