1 Timothy 2:1-7 – “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle — I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying — a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  NKJV

Frequently I will have someone castigate me because I am involved in the world of politics and am a preacher.  I have been told that I cannot have a dissenting view or expression concerning those in leadership because God said we were to submit and pray for them.  He did both, in a measure, and to fully dissect that would take more time and space than we have for this devotional.  But, I want to take this passage and make a statement that I hope will help in understanding ‘life’ and how ‘life’ touches all dimensions of our world.

The apostle Paul instructed his son in the faith, Timothy and anyone who would hear to ‘make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for ALL MEN (women included).’  He did not stop there he included kings and all who are in authority, “that….”  There was an objective, ‘that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.’  This was an objective not a conditional promise that if we do this that will be our lot.  No it was an expression that we have a responsibility and duty to pray for those who have authority that they might walk after God’s will following His precepts and thereby a condition exist that we could live peaceably in godliness and reverence.  Hopefully you realize that this is sometimes not the outcome in life?

The ultimate objective in Paul’s message was SALVATION!  When those in authority reject or disregard God’s word and precepts there will be no peace or tranquility and we who live in those situations, seeking to live godly reverent lives will face severe persecution as the Bible warned and has been evidenced in human history.

If you take Paul’s instruction to the full you will find that just uttering a quite prayer for the leaders falls far short of the directive.  The instruction is ‘supplications’ [petitions], prayers [indicates our worship of God and even oratory in public], intercessions [interview and pleas] are to be offered.  We must also not omit the ‘giving of thanks’ for ALL MEN not just the leaders and realize that it is God’s desire not for us to become mere puppets to human despots but that we pray for their enlightenment and their salvation.

I have no desire to be political in this devotional only to say, LIFE is LIFE and involves EVERYTHING you face and that touches you and your family.  So if LIFE is important and valuable is it not worth engaging in ‘supplication, prayer and intercession’?  I pray for the leaders of my nation and my world that they SEE THE LIGHT of God’s Word and allow Him to become LORD of their lives.  My prayer is not one of concession but intercession battling hell for their souls and the lives they affect in their execution of their authority so that we might realize the objective of ‘peaceable lives in godliness and reverence’ that the Gospel could be preached freely to all in peace.

So as you consider your world, social, material, political, and spiritual ask God to guide you in your response to Paul’s declaration and direction.  May God be with you as you go through your day!

Galatians 6:14-15 – “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” NKJV

Not long ago I was in a meeting where ministers gathered and discussed the works they were leading.  I heard words like ‘the work I have built’, ‘my church’, and ‘my ministry’.  Almost every statement contained the word “I”, “My”, or “Me” and my heart was grieved.  Even as those leading the meeting began to introduce and recognize some of the prominent people, there was praise and recognition of what each one had built or the work they were doing.  What they meant, I am certain, was not to be disrespectful to the Holy Spirit but what I heard was ‘flesh’ and ‘boasting in the flesh’.  I fully understand the human element in the work of God on earth and that God uses people but for me it runs deeper.

When I was lead pastor in congregations I would sometimes be guilty of referring to the local congregation as ‘my church’ and frequently the Holy Spirit would bring conviction to my heart and I would in sincere repentance correct myself and say, ‘The Lord’s Church that I am charged with providing human leadership.’  I never want to ‘boast’ in the flesh because there is nothing in the flesh to boast about.  Were it not for Calvary I would be nothing and it is only through the Work of the Cross that I have life and that life more abundant.

I have an ego like everyone else and continually ask the Lord through the Holy Spirit to keep it in check.  Flattery can shipwreck virtually anyone and a man of God once stood before me and warned that I was falling prey to ‘flattery’ and at first I was angered by that suggestion but as I weighed it in my spirit I realized he was correct.  The church was doing well, people were giving me accolades and I was being recognized by others outside the church and was, without being aware becoming a little full of myself.  God engineered a series of events that brought me back to reality and reminded me of how dependent I was and am upon Him and instead of wringing my hands and lamenting I rejoiced as I recognized the work of the Holy Spirit.  Victory came as did my deliverance from ‘flattering tongues’.  Understand I’m not talking about giving people compliments I’m talking about flattery.  I’m talking about allowing the accolades of man shift your view of total dependence upon the Lord to your accomplishments.

The old song with the words ‘without Him I could do nothing’ is appropriate here.  Jesus said, “I (Jesus) will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  I’m just a laborer together with Him.  Any gift or ability I have is directly from Him and I am and will always be TOTALLY DEPENDENT on Him for all that I am, doing, or hope to be or do.

I hear people in today’s world talk about ME (self) and it bothers me so naturally when I hear people in the faith talk about ME (self) it bothers me even more because we know better.  Some believe that God gives the inherent ability and then just leaves it all to us and others believe that He micromanages everything in our lives.  Regardless of what you believe tell me what do you have that you did not receive as a result of His work in your life?

            May God be with you as you go through your day!  Blessings!

Joshua 6:20 – “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”  NKJV

I have heard this story related and people read it somewhat nonchalantly without even a raised eyebrow or question mark in their eyes but I don’t.   I have never read this story without a pause in my reading and thinking.  I do not pause in the fact that the Hebrews took the city.  I do not pause in the method of God for victory – SHOUTING and BLOWING the trumpets.  No!  I pause at the few words, ‘the wall fell down flat.’  

Stop and consider what happened here what happened.  The mound or ‘tell’ of Jericho was surrounded by a great earthen rampart, or embankment, with a stone retaining wall at its base.  That wall was 12-15’ tall and on top of that was a mud brick wall about 6’ thick and 20-26’ tall.  At the crest of the embankment was a similar mud brick wall shoes base as roughly 46’ above the ground level outside the retaining wall and loomed high above the Israelites as they marched day after day.  All that ‘fell down flat’ and the Israelites charged in without hindrance.

But there is more!  When I was in Israel a number of years ago we came to the city and the guide informed us that archaeological evidence had found what appeared to be a discrepancy between the Biblical timeline and where the artifacts were found from the ruins of the walls.  But, as I’ve studied it I have discovered that the Hebrew statement that the walls ‘fell down flat’ carries the suggestion that it ‘fell beneath itself’ which could mean that God pushed the walls into the ground.  I am not saying that is what happened but I do know that this is a major miracle to have the walls ‘flat’ when there would have or should have been an incredible amount of rubble which would have caused significant difficulty for the Israelites to simply rush in.

Archaeologists have also found a section of the wall standing with houses attached and that could well be where Rahab’s house was.  This would be another significant miracle.  What we have in the defeat of Jericho is one miracle after another and that is God’s method of operation.  He is not bound by the Laws of Nature or our frailty HE IS GOD! 

So, I do not know what you need in your life and labors but we are serving a God who can do anything and will do anything to provide you your needed miracle.  So as you go through your day go knowing that OUR GOD is a MIRACLE WORKING GOD.

            Blessings!

Proverbs 27:1 – “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”  NKJV

The gospel song “I don’t know about tomorrow but I know who holds my hand” has been on my heart and mind for days.  Most of us make plans for the future and sometimes we talk about what we are going to do in the days ahead.  We should take to heart this passage and the wise words of wisdom offered in James 4:13-17 where the apostle instructs us not to boast about the future as though it were dependent upon us.  Our lives are like a vapor and as Job declared we are of few days and our days are filled with difficulty.

So, although we cannot know what tomorrow holds we can know who holds tomorrow and that is the most important thing.  An important truth in this is doing daily what we know we should and doing it.  It is living life to the full in obedience to the directive of Scripture and the Spirit of God.  It is walking with a clear conscience.  It is savoring each moment of this fleeting thing called life.

I have had people say to me, “I wish I knew what tomorrow holds” and each time I have suggested that rather than focusing on ‘knowing the unknown’ it is more important to know the one who ‘controls the unknown’.  If I know God and trust Him then tomorrow will take care of itself and I do not have to spend one second fretting over it.  God’s promise is that He will NEVER leave us nor will He forsake us and when I read such passages as Psalm 91 I face all my tomorrows and today’s issues with complete confidence that I am sheltered safe in the arms of God and that provides perfect peace.

I wake up each day with the declaration, ‘this is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it” and then get out of bed and prepare to experience the day.  I do not endure life I live it.  I do not cope I enjoy life.  My shepherd leads me through all things and to all things and I have complete confidence in His ability to keep me and navigate the troubled waters of life.

So as you go into this new day go with a renewed confidence that God is there with you every step of the way and no matter what comes HE IS THERE!   If He is there you have no reason to be anything but thankful, joyous, and anticipatory of the unfolding of this day!

            May God be with you as you go through your day!

Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” NKJV

I will never forget when I first began to travel in itinerant ministry as an Evangelist I went to get some business cards printed and wanted to use this passage on my card.  The man who took my order looked at it and said, “Why would you want to put ‘a word filthy spoken’ on your card?”  I DIDN’T!   I realized quickly how easy it would be for someone to misread the verse and chose another instead.

However, the passage is a powerful message on speaking ‘right words’ at the ‘right time’ for the ‘right reason’ and being a man/woman of your word.  My parents and grandparents instilled in me that if you gave your word you gave yourself and it was to be honored.  Both my father and maternal grandfather were men of such integrity that if they gave their word and shook hands it was more binding than any legal contract.  It was their bond!  They considered someone who broke their word of the basest sort of person.  I recall once making a pledge for a small amount of money but being in college I had no means to accumulate the extra money short of a miracle from God.  I told my father about my pledge and he wrote me a check and told me that next time not to make a commitment I was not sure I could keep.  I tried to explain that I would get the money somehow but he would have none of it because I had given my word and the due date on the pledge was at hand.  In his mind if I did not meet the ‘faith promise’ I was breaking my word and that would tarnish both my name and reputation and he could not abide that.

I have found this passage relevant in situations where a ‘calming word’ at the right moment diffused a potentially volatile situation and brought peace.  I have seen it when a ‘wise word’ was offered that prevented a life from being shipwrecked by a terrible decision.  I have seen it when an ‘encouraging word’ was given and a heart was rescued out of despondency and depression.  A ‘right word’ at the ‘right time’ for the ‘right reason’ is truly like an apple of gold in a setting of silver.  It is not only beautiful but a treasure!

We each should carefully measure our words and allow the Holy Spirit to set a guard at our mouths so that when we speak we speak light into darkness and life into death.  So as you go through your day go with the knowledge and confidence that God will give you the right words to say at the right time no matter the situation.

            Blessings!

John 21:20-23 – “Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

NKJV

I have often read this passage and been reminded of how deeply our egos are involved in everything we do and how deeply the quest for ‘fairness’ and ‘equality’ runs in our human psyche.  Here I believe it is evidenced in Peter’s questions of the Lord regarding John.  Jesus had informed Peter about Peter’s life and death and as humans will do, Peter wanted to know ‘What about John?’  If this is my lot; what about him? 

Some have suggested that Jesus pampered John but rather I believe it had more to do with John’s spirit and attitude.  God had a work and ministry that required a certain mentality, attitude, and disposition and John embodied all the requirements.  He could be silent when silence was required and vocal when speaking up was required somewhat unlike Peter who was often rash with his mouth and impatient.  Yet, Peter appears to not just have an interest in finding out what John was going to face but wanting to be sure that John was not getting a better deal in his human view.

I have watched ministers, church people, and people in general fret over what someone else has either in material possessions or gifts of God.  The idea of ‘fairness’ by human definition is foreign to Scripture.  God never said that life would be ‘fair’ but He did promise to be ‘just’.  Life may hand you some terrible lemons and require you to endure horrific situations to survive but if you look at what others are or are not going through or have you will fall into DECEPTION and DESPAIR and lose heart.  Jesus said it clearly and we should carefully heed His words, “If I will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me.”  Peter twisted Jesus’ words and told the others that John would not die but that is not what Jesus said.  Jesus was turning the focus from ‘comparison’ and ‘human fairness’ to HIS WILL and PURPOSE.  What God chooses to use you for has nothing to do with His purpose for me.  I will rejoice in God’s using you and refuse to focus on my lack or allow any sense of being short-changed come into my thinking.

We have a world full of people who are DEMANDING their ‘fair share’ based on comparisons to others.  There is little consideration to what God’s purpose might be only a sense of entitlement and I want mine.  That is foreign to the biblical description of the Christian walk so STOP IT.  Stop worrying about what someone else has or does take stock of what God wants to do and is doing in your life.  Your life is the one you are responsible for and will give account for. 

            May God be with you as you go through your day!

Jeremiah 17:9-10 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it? 10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”  NKJV

Jeremiah known as the weeping prophet and with words like this from the LORD no wonder because this kind of prophetic word will get you blasted every time and brings much suffering and resentment.  People do not want to hear their real condition or face the truth about flaws in their armor.  Let me rephrase that and say that I do not mean it as a blanket statement and an indictment on all people but it is often true even in the church among those who profess Christ as their Savior.

SELF-DECEPTION is a tactic the devil has used from the beginning of his declension into evil.  He deceived one-third of the angelic hosts, he deceived Adam & Eve, and he has been deceiving people ever since.  He conditioned Adam & Eve to believe that they were deserving of something God was keeping from them and spurred them into making the decision to vote SELF as the center of their universe and fire God.  The apostle Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 11 that the devil disguised himself as an angel of light.  He also instructed us in Ephesians 6 to put on the full armor of God so that we could stand against the schemes of the devil.

It is when we begin to do ‘comparisons’ we easily fall into the trap of ‘self-deception’ and wrongly evaluate our condition and position and follow a deceptive heart.  Self-deception indicates that we do not even realize that we are deceived and therefore cannot know our own hearts.  However, God does!  He searches our hearts, minds, and evaluates our lives and truly there will be an accounting one day.

We should all pray with David in Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” NASU   David knew that he could not escape the presence of God and even if he made his bed in hell God was there or if he ascended to heaven God was there.  God knows when we get up, when we lay down and everything between. HE KNOWS!  HE SEES!

So acknowledging that I am a flawed vessel I cry out to the Lord for Him to ‘search me’ and ‘know me’ and if there is anything wicked or hurtful in me PURGE IT PLEASE and lead me in the way everlasting.  I want to be a vessel for honor not dishonor.  I want to be pleasing in His sight and when I reach the end of the journey to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of your Lord.”  It will not be because of what I have done but what He has done and I ask Him to guard my heart at all times.

            May the Lord be with you as you go through your day!

Isaiah 61:7 – “Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.”  NASU

Let’s move on to the next part of this consideration if we may.

THE DOUBLE TALENTS – – Rewards for Faithful Service.

There is a place for ‘faithfulness’ and ‘diligence’ in the service of God.  Yes the blessings come from God, but He wants us to USE what He has given us.  We are not ‘owner’s’ we are ‘stewards’ with ACCOUNTABILITY.  There is the danger of becoming ‘fearful’ or ‘prideful’ and ‘possessive’ in this.  As God blesses us through hard work we may tend to think we have ‘done it’, ‘earned it’ or ‘deserved it.’

Luke 12:48 – – “To whom much is given, much is required…”

Matthew 10:8 – – “Freely you have received, freely give…”

Luke 6:38 – – “Give and IT shall be given to you….”

Therefore, the more you give of what you have given to you the more He causes to be returned to you.  God has called each of us into a unique ministry, service, or purpose in the Kingdom. You have a destiny.  My destiny drives me. I know that in order to fulfill that purpose I MUST have the DOUBLE PORTION.  I want to ‘blaze trails’ so that others can also walk in victory and eat the fruit of the land.

I hope you catch this DOUBLE PORTION PROPHETIC ANOINTING.  It is astounding! In 1 Kings 19 Elijah had just had his encounter with Jezebel and her prophets.  He turned and ran to the desert and is having a deluxe pity party when he suggests that the best thing would be for God to kill him.  It is there that God issues the marching orders and shows him the awesomeness of his office, anointing, and mantle.  He then operates as THE LORD’S ANOINTED going forward.   In verses 15-21 we find that he anoints two kings over two kingdoms and brings forth Elisha to take his place.  That is not too shabby.

Consider the history of Elisha.  He was a successful farmer, overseeing twelve yoke of oxen and is handling the twelfth pair himself.  That is not a small operation. He was an overseer, a doer.  His name means – God is Salvation. Twelve symbolizes – Divine Government and Apostolic Fullness.  Oxen symbolizes – Treading out the Word of God.  Twelve Oxen – The fullness of apostolic ministry.  Elisha is a type of ministry to come!  So, if you can receive it, the Early Church had the Elijah anointing and today the church of the Last Days is to operate in the Elisha anointing or DOUBLE PORTION.

Follow the progression in the examples if you will. We are God’s firstborn (Hebrews 12:23).  Joint-heirs with Jesus to the Double Portion inheritance!  This is good for all times and seasons but the SIXTH DAY there was Double Manna.  I believe prophetically we are in that time today.  Consider the Double Rain of Joel 2 and we know that at the End of the Age there will be DOUBLE RAIN and DOUBLE HARVEST.  So, I contend that God has given us the Promise of a Double Inheritance, Double Manna, Double Rain, and Double Anointing.

We are the declared Church of Jesus Christ a glorious and triumphant church and God wants us to have whatever we need to become that in a manifest measure in today’s world.  So I urge you to seek God to grant you a DOUBLE PORTION that you can use for the purposes of His Kingdom.

May God be with you and enable you as you go through your day!  BLESSINGS!

Isaiah 61:7 – “Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.”  NASU

Let’s press onward into this discussion and discovery.

THE DOUBLE RAIN – – Spirit and Harvest.

God Sovereignly gives this, but if there is going to be a DOUBLE HARVEST we will have to bring it in. I truly believe that today is the beginning of the day of DOUBLE HARVEST in the Kingdom of God and that will require anointing, labor, finances, vision, and much much more!

The most difficult time for the farmer is HARVEST TIME.  He often would work from ‘daylight’ to ‘dark’ daily and sometimes seven days per week.  He would work diligently to gather the harvest before it was spoiled in the field and lost.  It involved all hands and the cook.  Everyone was involved with no exemptions.  I know that scenario growing up on a farm.

Many are involved in establishing new churches or works for God’s Kingdom and that is hard work. It means sacrifice, not having all the structure that an established work has.  It means ‘plowing hard ground’.  BUT, consider the rewards!   What a joy to see a local body developed knitted to the Body of Christ and the new souls born into the kingdom.    We talk about the ‘harvest’ but are we plowing the fields, planting the seed, caring for the field?  Double Harvest means Double Responsibility.

THE DOUBLE ANOINTING – – Elijah and Elisha.

This is an incredible story and one that has long fascinated me.  Imagine a DOUBLE PORTION of the Spirit and Anointing that was on Elijah!  This is not only exciting but incredibly dangerous if the ‘metal of the man’ or ‘woman’ has not been tempered and tested as was Elisha.  The key is having a SERVANT’S HEART.  God anoints us to SERVE!  Of course we do ‘warfare’, we pull down ‘strongholds’ we set the ‘captives free’ but the foundation is SERVANTHOOD!  That is the heart of Jesus!

Elisha had been a servant and now and now he has a servant in line to receive his mantle. But Gehazi was lacking integrity.  He turned the focus inward and forgot the faithfulness of God. He merchandized the anointing and God will never tolerate that or bless that!  I am convinced and have experienced the fact that God puts us to the test and allows us to be tempted so that we will not be destroyed by the DOUBLE PORTION.  It is imperative that we ‘guard our hearts’ because this anointing is not because of us but because of God and His Kingdom!

JOB’S DOUBLE PORTION – – A Right Attitude.

This is a powerfully beautiful story of God’s promises and faithfulness.  He does not forsake His children and if we suffer with Him we will reign with Him.  Again, one of the significant keys is A RIGHT ATTITUDE.  We must develop a ‘spirit of forgiveness’ and refuse to fall into ‘hopelessness’, ‘despair’, and a mentality of ‘escapism.’   Remember when Job prayed for his friends is when God turned his captivity and began the restoration.

Imagine that, in the midst of incredible adversity Job TRUSTED the faithfulness of God and developed a ‘spirit of patience’, ‘tenderness’, and ‘compassion’.  The comfort we receive we are responsible to pass on to others.  Job did not run from his problems he face reality.  He stayed true under pressure and trusted God.  He avoided charging God foolishly.  His ATTITUDE enabled him to receive DOUBLE RESTORATION without bitterness or pride.  Now he could minister rightly out of his DOUBLE PORTION!

Let’s put things on pause here and next time we will move to the Double Talents of the New Testament.  But until then may the LORD of Glory bless you richly guarding and guiding your steps.  BLESSINGS!