Acts 1:4-8 – “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  NKJV

The last words or instructions of a leader are usually very important and this is most assuredly true of our Lord Jesus’ last words or instructions to His followers.  The question that had haunted the twelve still was paramount in the minds of those hearing Him on this occasion. They were still heavily locked into an earthly mentality believing that their Messiah (Jesus) had come for the explicit purpose of restoring the natural kingdom to Israel.  Jesus had communicated to them time and again that His kingdom was spiritual but they, as we, often hear what we want to hear not what is actually said.

On this particular occasion, when asked again the driving question of natural Israel Jesus was a little terse and said:  “It is not for you to know times or seasons the Father has put in His own authority.”  Simply, “It is none of your business or that is not what is most critical here so listen…”  Then He makes an incredibly powerful declaration.  He had instructed them to WAIT in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father which was the HOLY SPIRIT.  He then further informed them of one of the significant purposes and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the earth and their lives.  He said, “But you shall receive POWER when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” One of the results of the empowering of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is to EQUIP and ENABLE them to WITNESS. 

In the strength that comes with the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is an EMBOLDENING which gives us a sense of purpose, strength and fearlessness.  There is an ANOINTING that comes with that presence as well and when we speak we are not just speaking some learned rote of man but the GOOD NEWS of God and in the power of the Spirit of God the Word of God in our mouths demonstrates that it is ‘quick and powerful’ and can cut to the chase and bring conviction leading to repentance and life.  No wonder the apostle Paul wanted to know of the disciples at Ephesus, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  They responded that they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit and Paul instructed them so as to lead them to the EMPOWERING of the Spirit of God that they too might more fully and effectively carry out the Great Commission.

Jesus did not leave us comfortless but the Father has given the Comforter to walk with us, live in us, guide us and empower us as we fulfill our purposes in this generation we live.  When I hear someone say, “I can’t witness” as a justification or excuse for being silent regarding their faith I want to ask Paul’s question regarding the Holy Spirit for when He comes, Jesus advised in John 16:13-15 – “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

We have the secret to eternal life and we dare not fail to share it with WHOSOEVER.  May God be with you, equip you and empower you for His service as you go through this day!

Joshua 1:6-7 – “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”  NKJV

Anytime the LORD repeats Himself or makes greater emphasis I get concerned that there just might be something He is not telling me about the upcoming events or the instructions.  If I were Joshua in this situation I would have wanted to ask more probing questions but if I had been through what Joshua had I might have just accepted it without question.

God addresses the new leader of the nation of Israel telling him that his mentor Moses was dead.  The further instruction is that Joshua is to lead the nation across the Jordan and into the Land of Promise with the provision that every place their feet touched would belong to them.  There was additional comfort and promise that just as God had been with Moses He would be with Joshua.  THEN, the disturbing part comes and God says, “Be strong and of good courage.”  That by itself would be wonderfully encouraging but then in the next sentence God says, “Only be strong and VERY COURAGEOUS…”  Hold the fort God.  You are repeating yourself and emphasizing that I need to be both strong and courageous why?  What is it that you are not telling me?  What is there lurking in the future that will require both strength and courage and even require me to be VERY COURAGEOUS to be able to get through?  WHAT ARE YOU NOT TELLING ME?

I have found in my Christian walk that there are times God does not give full disclosure with His instructions.  I have learned that one of the reasons, in my case, was had He fully disclosed what was going to happen I would likely have sought ease and might have run or wanted to and become a hindrance in the process.  I have learned that it is best to TRUST Him completely and while some would argue that is BLIND FAITH I would contend that it is EXPERIENTIAL CONFIDENCE that He will work ALL THINGS together for my good and no matter what I face will NEVER leave me or forsake me.  I remember hearing about an elderly saint of God in a particular church defining faith to some younger believers in this manner:  She declared that if God told her to jump through the hole in the wall it was her responsibility to jump and God’s responsibility to make a hole in the wall.

Too often we want God to give us everything in detail BEFORE we do anything and for that reason we sometimes miss the moment and opportunity before us.  We need to know the ‘time of our visitation’ and realize that TODAY is the day of salvation.  We do not have a promise of another tomorrow as James 4:14 informs us that life is like a vapor here for a short time and then vanishes away.  We do not know what tomorrow holds but we do know who holds tomorrow.  Either God is trustworthy and capable of fulfilling His promises or He is not and if He is not we are in a world of hurt beyond our ability to rectify.  If He is, and I believe He is, then we can calmly and faithfully TRUST HIM.  We know we have an adversary that wants to ‘sift us as wheat’ and ‘devour us’.  We know that we will face situations in life in which there is incredible uncertainty and we only see the momentary and temporary requiring us to be strong, courageous and trusting.

I stand with Joshua as he challenged the nation of Israel, “Choose you this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”   May God be with you as you go through your day!

James 1:19-20 – “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”  NKJV

I find the Bible a most incredible book for frequently we will find in a very short sentence key instructions that are guaranteed to produce victory and help us avoid many of the pitfalls of life.  The tragedy is too frequently we fail to heed the instructions and this passage is a case in point.

I’ve been told all my Christians experience that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason:  He wanted us to listen twice as much as we spoke and most fail miserably in that.  In fact, most are not good listeners for as they listen they are contemplating their opportunity to put in their two cents worth and fail to fully hear what is being said and that often produces misunderstanding and difficulty.

Consider what James offers as a guidance for life:

• BE SWIFT TO HEAR…

The word most assuredly means prompt and ready to hear.  A Hebrew rabbinical adage is:  “Talk little and work much.”  We read in Ecclesiastes 5:6, “Do not let your mouth lead you to sin.”  If we gear ourselves to ‘hear the conclusion of the whole matter’ before rendering a decision or comment we will find that we are following the directive of Scripture in setting a guard at our lips.  HEARING is vital to communication for until we have HEARD what is being said we cannot properly respond.

• SLOW TO SPEAK… 

We are taught in Scripture that we are never to vow a vow to God and fail to keep that promise therefore we should weigh our words carefully before allowing them to be released into the atmosphere.  Once words are released they cannot be retrieved.  Growing up we were told, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me’.  That is absolutely false as we have all come to realize as we matured in life.  Words can do incredible damage and that is another reason that James describes the tongue as the most destructive member of the power and compares it to a bridle in a horse’s mouth or the rudder on a ship.

•  SLOW TO WRATH…

We are told to be angry but not sin and too often what we call ‘righteous indignation’ is nothing more than full blown rage and carnal anger.  We may attempt to justify it but we cannot and find that the Bible gives warning to avoid people that are quick tempered for they are dangerous and destructive.  They are given to vindictiveness and often seek vengeance rather than producing the fruit that Proverbs speaks of “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

If we are to be the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus we cannot allow the fleshly anger or wrath to take charge of our lives.  Rather we must seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and in so doing will find that our thoughts are brought into captivity to Christ and the Holy Spirit is able to place a guard at our lips and keep our hearts.  Becoming angry at sin and the destructiveness of it is not a bad thing but to succumb to carnal wrath and anger is.  Therefore the directive is for us to discipline ourselves and seek the help of our Helper in learning to LISTEN, maintain our peace and rejecting the wrath of flesh.  As we do we will find that we diffuse many situations in life without becoming doormats in the process.  There is strength in being in control of your emotions.

            God bless you as you go through this day!

John 12:27-33 – “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.  28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”  33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.”  NKJV

It has long been a thorny issue for me observing and hearing ministers and ministries lifting up something other than Christ and Him crucified to the world.  Jesus did not say, “If you lift up your ministry, your marketing, your functions or services people will be drawn”, although they may well be drawn to you and what you are doing.  The drawing will not be eternally redemptive but will link them to you, your ideology, philosophy or personality rather than bring them into the presence of the Savior and thereby bring them through the Door of Salvation.

The issue is not attracting a crowd but bringing them into the presence of the Savior!  The issue is not having a large church but bringing people to the place of redemption so that their sins are forgiven, lives changed and their names in the Book of Life.  Having a large crowd or church is not negative but it is about HIM not our egos or elevation to prominence or view of success.  The disciples were focused on the singularity of their purpose rather than the development and growing of their ministries or churches.  They wanted to introduce people to the ONE who had paid the price for their redemption and provided the ONLY access to the Father.  As John the Baptist declared in John 3:30 – “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John understood that he was simply a voice or messenger.  He was a sign post on the highway of life pointing to the entrance ramp of eternity.

Paul grasped this truth as he spoke in 2 Corinthians 4 saying, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” NKJV 

Jesus gave the disciples and all who would come afterward a commission in Matthew 28 as He instructed them regarding His authority and delegation to them the authority and power to perform the task set before them.  That task was to take the ‘Good News’ to the entire world and in so doing to LIFT HIM UP so that people could receive the redemption and be born again into the newness of life.  The writer of Proverbs warned in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction…” 

I have had the pleasure of hearing and working with some men and women who are incredible orators with magnetic personalities that naturally drew people to them.  I rejoice in their gift and talents UNLESS or UNTIL they become focused on ‘self’ more than ‘self-effacing’.  Through the years I have had people tell me, “We will follow you anywhere” and I always stopped them saying, “Do not follow me except as I follow Christ.”  NEVER make me the focus of your loyalty and if I ministered to a congregation and their focus became me I felt I had failed for if I have not solidly linked them to Christ they foundation is shifting sand and they will fail.  If, however, I have successfully helped them to become focused on Him and rooted in biblical principles they will be like the house built upon the rock and will weather the storms of life.

The question is and has always been, “What or Who are we lifting up?”  I urge you to examine your purpose, message, ministry, and focus.  Whatever you do make it about HIM not about you or anything else.  If it is all about HIM He will draw people to Himself and in so doing the church will progress, grow and become strong and a light shining into darkness.

            God bless you as you go through this day!

Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD.”  NKJV

Recently during a time of prayer contemplating some issues that I am facing, this verse came to mind.  As I mused on it that inner voice inside my heart and head said “CONTEXT.”  I thought about that and again that voice said, “CONTEXT.”  That caused me to pause and consider the passage as completely as I could and once again I heard “CONTEXT.”   It was at that point that I sensed there were three things I needed to consider:

• CONTEXT of the Passage.
• CONTEXT of Application.
• CONTEXT of Appropriation.

While it might take a book or two to attempt to fully cover the context of the passage it appears to be speaking with the view of Chapter 53 in mind where we were told of the coming Messiah and His ministry.  Therefore, if we view this passage in light of the Redeemed it has a relevance to any generation and that includes us in 2015.  It has an application to the nation of Israel but it is my contention (argument) that it applies to ‘the servants of the LORD’ of all times and peoples.  If it can thusly be viewed then it is a promise to you and me for today and one that we should carefully consider.

The application of the passage contextually must cover the words “No, Weapon, Tongue and Judgment”.  We must also consider to whom it is addressed – “Servants of the LORD.”  It is speaking to and of people who belong to God through the process of redemption and by inference walking in His righteousness.  It is considered by the Most High our Heritage and is a part of our Covenant Promise in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, it applies to whatever we face, whenever we face it and from whatever source the attack comes.  It is incredibly broad in its application.

The appropriation is a bit more difficult for one must ask is this addressing an attack against us regardless of our actions!  Simply, if we brought about the attack by our sin, wrong or bad judgment can we claim this promise and appropriate it into our circumstances?  If we are wrong can we expect to use God as a defense or shield against the enemy.  Remember the Bible says a ‘curse without a cause does not come.’ (Proverbs 26:2)  The indication it is to be appropriated by those who are both servants of the LORD and walking in righteousness or manifesting Him in our lives, actions, words and deeds.  It is there that we can readily and expectantly appropriate this promise and expect God to become our SWORD and SHIELD.  It is here that we can confess and profess that NO WEAPON formed against us can prosper and EVERY TONGUE that rises against us in judgment we can condemn.  God can and will destroy the plans of the wicked against His people as we stand in righteousness and truth.

I would never want to suggest that God is our genie or candy store for if we are corrupt in our actions, hearts, deeds or words expecting God to automatically come to our defense would be an insult to His Holiness.  This is a POWERFUL PROMISE but not a blanket defense against all things with no consideration for our hearts or lives and personal responsibility or accountability.  That being said, if one is walking in God’s Righteousness, seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness we can and should expect and stand on this Promise.  God is watching over His word to perform it and it will NEVER return to Him void.

May He be with you and bless you as you go through this day!

Ephesians 2:11-13 – “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands —  12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” NKJV

I am painfully aware that a portion of modern Christendom either does not place real value on the Blood of Jesus or considers it nonessential in the biblical plan of salvation.  Either way is tragic and we must remember that as Paul declared in Hebrews 9:22 – “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”  The ATONEMENT is not optional but essential for salvation. 

The apostle Paul and the rest of the New Testament writers clearly state that the Cross, whereupon Jesus paid the price for our sin, is a focal point in Christianity.  Jesus, the Door, the Way, the Truth and the Life willingly went to the Cross to satisfy divine justice for the SIN of mankind and purchase us back from the legal claims of the enemy of our souls.  He did not deserve to die for He had not sinned.  We deserve to die because we have sinned.  He became our substitute and His innocent blood paid the price for our redemption.

Some consider that reprehensible and I have been told so by some who profess to be Christians. They want to move from the blood to something less gruesome and offensive and thereby have offered a gospel that is foreign to the Word of God and the Plan as revealed therein.  The Penalty for Sin is death.  Jesus our mediator and redeemer stood in our place and paid the awful penalty for the sin of man.  The application of the blood to the door posts of our hearts enables God to see nothing but the blood of Jesus when He looks at us.  Our sins are covered, washed away and cast into God’s sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered again.  They are removed as far as the East is from the West and we are pardoned.  That is not something we could have ever accomplished in our human efforts for as Isaiah 64:6 declares, “…our righteousness are like filthy rags…” 

We read in Revelation 1:5-6 – “And from Jesus, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sin in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20-21 reveals, “Now may the God of peace brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”  He is the propitiation of our sins: and not us only but for the whole world.  (1 John 2:2)  Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 26:28 that the communion they were taking represented the blood of the New Testament (Covenant) and was shed for the remission of sin.   Without the blood there is no remission so know that you cannot omit the Blood and also be assured the Blood WILL NEVER lose its power.

May God be with you as you go through this day and keep you covered with the Blood of the Lamb!   Blessings!

1 John 4:7-11 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  NKJV

This passage is a much quoted passage.  I recall having a person say to me once, “You Christians quote scripture about love but do not demonstrate it much.”  That hit me squarely in the face and the Holy Spirit took me to the spiritual woodshed to apply the board of education more fully.  LOVE is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God as per the above passage.  Therefore, I must conclude that love is more than we typically understand for we all know some lost people who demonstrate what we call love.

Two things come to mind as I consider this and wish to share.  LOVE is from God. The imagery is that you are standing before a living spring and see it bursting out of the earth. John stands before God and says:  “Love is from God!”  It pours forth from who God is.  It comes from His nature.  Then, he backs up his first assertion saying, “For God IS Love.” 

That is incredibly important to note.  It does not say:  “God has love.”  It says:  “God IS Love.”  I may have money but I am not money. I may have water but I am not water.  I may have food but I am not food.  I may have health but I am not health.  Out from God comes LOVE!  Therefore, if you KNOW God, if you say you LOVE God we will know that because you LOVE!  It is impossible to KNOW God and not LOVE!  That is not up for discussion it is not debatable and there are no exceptions to the rule.  You do not have to try you will because of Who He Is!

If God IS Love and Love is FROM God and I say I KNOW God then I LOVE!  I did not say “know about” God I said “know” God.  The word is the biblical word for intimacy and carries the understanding of penetration. So, if we say we KNOW God it means we have PENETRATED God and He has PENETRATED us.  At that point of intimacy we LOVE for it is the most natural thing to do.  Therefore, we can readily declare that the mark of the Christian is LOVE!  Jesus said:  “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER!”

Most or many Christians are overly fascinated with finding the will of God for their lives.  Many seem to think it is some highly veiled hidden secret that God keeps from us rather than thinking it might be incredibly obvious and easily found.  Oh no!  It has to be mystical and maybe even weird right?  God would surely never tell us to do something that was obvious and what we wanted to do would He?   He would never tell you to minister to your neighbor next door rather He would send you to the bush of Africa.  Nothing wrong with that if that is what God desires but it might be more obvious and closer to home.

Before God springs His will on anyone He prepares the heart and a heart that is not attuned to LOVE cannot possibly fulfill the purpose and destiny God has for that life.  God wants us to become a demonstration and manifestation of HIM.  He wants us to convey Who He Is to the world around us.  So, Who Is God?  He is LOVE!  He is Almighty.  He is Power but first and foremost He is LOVE!  If He were not none of us would have access to Salvation and the Cross would never have been an option.

God is Love and Loves us!  That is a most incredible and amazing truth and one that should put a spring in your step, a song in your heart and a smile on your face.   Let’s look at this a little more but pause for now.  May the Lord be with you as you go through this day!