Matthew 11:12 – “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.”

Good morning, everyone!   I woke up this morning with hate in my heart!   I confess I hate the devil and his works!   Reading, praying, and meditating on God’s Word challenged me on multiple fronts and levels.  The accounts of Isaac and Jacob challenged and encouraged me.   The overriding theme was obedience and persistence.    Out of that condition and position, they received God’s overflowing blessing!

In Matthew, Jesus spoke about John the Baptist and the kingdom of God.   Matthew 11:12 is a challenging passage.  He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.”   There are many possible interpretations of this.

• Could it be that the misguided religiosity of the Pharisees was the violence or abuse of God’s true kingdom? 
• Could it be that the true kingdom of God is entered only by the persistent, forceful, unrelenting pursuit of it?
• Could it be that total commitment to Him and an unwillingness to be denied opens spiritual doors like nothing else?

It could be any or all of those and more.  In verse 17, Jesus said, “But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  One translation suggests that a proper rendering is “wisdom is shown to be right or verified by what it produces.”

Lest we think that we produce the kingdom by our own efforts, we need to hear Jesus in verses 28-30 (reading from v. 25 for context).   He said, “Come to Me…”   That is surrender and recognition of His Lordship, and it is complete trust.  “Come to Me, all who are worn out and burdened, and in Me, you will discover rest and peace!”

He continued, “Take My yoke (instructions and prescribed pathway) upon yourself, and I will give rest (vacation).  Learn of Me (become one with Me) and discover My true character, nature, and power.  In Me, you rest and discover you no longer have to struggle to be.  You become!”

The dual reality that I sensed the Lord speaking to me became clear.  Jesus was saying, “When you persistently press into Me, and once there, rest in that union with Me, just relax and rest!”    There is no relaxation in pressing in through our own efforts.   We find rest when we cease trying to perform.    It is then that we become!   Out of that new relationship, you live His life and manifest Him!

What a place to attain!   In Him, like Isaac, who obeyed and was in the place of promise during a famine, he harvested a hundredfold return.  God’s provisions are without equal.   Let us press in and let Jesus be Jesus in and through us.

I pray your day will be wonderful and your way prosperous in Jesus!

Genesis 12:1-3 – “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

 As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God, my thoughts turned to God’s call and blessing, as well as the man Abraham.  Abraham is known as the father of faith, through whom all the people on earth are introduced to God’s blessings!

Have you ever stopped to consider Abraham (Abram)?   God uses flawed vessels for His purposes.   In Genesis 12, God said, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.”   Verse 4 says, “So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do.”

Tap the brakes!    Just as the Lord told him to do?   He took Lot, his nephew, a member of his father’s household, with him.   Did Lot just tag along uninvited?  Possibly, or did Abram consider him as a son and his responsibility?  Does that even matter?  God said, “Go and leave all else and others behind!”   Then, the famine came, and Abram went to Egypt.  He told Sarai, “Tell them you are my sister so that it will go well with me.”   Remember God’s promise!   Now Abram shifts into self-preservation mode and tells a lie.  That sounds flawed to me.

In Genesis 15, God makes an incredible promise and establishes a blood covenant with Abram.  Abram suggested that since God had withheld biological children from him, a house-born servant would be the heir.   God said NO!   The covenant was cut, and God instructed Abram (Genesis 17), saying, ” live before Me in holiness and blamelessness.“

God promised a son, and old Abe didn’t refuse when Sarai offered Hagar.  That sounds flawed to me.   God came and changed their names to Abraham and Sarah with the promise of Isaac, the heir.

Genesis 15:6 is revelatory in the transformation of Abraham.  “Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD credited it as righteousness to him.” But even after all this, Abraham told Abimelech, the king of Gerar, “She is my sister.”   Self-preservation raises its head again.

Abraham, the father of faith and a powerful intercessor, was a flawed man.  Yet, God used him mightily, and through his obedience, the Seed (Jesus) came and brought us redemption.

My purpose in this is not to focus on Abraham’s flaws but to encourage you that human perfection is not what God needs or wants from us; it is trust and obedience!  Abram believed God, and despite his missteps, he never lost sight of God’s faithfulness!

God’s call and promise are not because of our perfection, performance, or specialness.   If God could use a flawed vessel like Abram (Abraham), we have hope!   You have a call, a commission, and a destiny to fulfill.  Don’t look at your inadequacies.   Look at His adequacy!   Christ in us is the key.   Believing Him is the pathway to the promise!   If we are in Christ, born again, He is our perfection!  He makes us adequate.   We are more than conquerors!

We are all flawed vessels, but as God used Abram (Abraham), He can use us!   He is looking for yielded vessels, not polished vessels.

Genesis 3:8-10 – “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, several things gripped my heart and invited me to examine them more fully.

In Genesis 3:8-19, we find the encounter with God after Adam and Eve’s rebellion.   Yes, I said rebellion and elevated their disobedience to more than a simple sanitized act of sin. It transformed the race and relationship with God.  It was a cosmic rebellion.   If we viewed sin that way, disobeying would become more difficult.

God asked Adam three questions.  God already knew the answer, but in His infinite grace, He was forcing Adam to face and acknowledge his rebellion.  The questions are foundations for redemption.

• Where are you?

Adam was hiding.  When sin enters our hearts, we tend to hide rather than ashamedly go to God in repentance.  We attempt to cover our shame with works and masks (fig leaves).

• Who told you?

Adam’s excuse was, “I’m naked, so in my shame, I hid.” We should ask ourselves, “Whose voice are we listening to?” Satan, self, or God (through the Holy Spirit and the Word).  It defines and determines our destiny.

• Did you eat from the tree I commanded you not to eat?

God is bringing it home and opening the door for repentance and restoration.

Sadly, Adam did what we tend to do, or we tend to do what Adam did.  He shifted the blame.  He blamed Eve (another person or circumstances), and then he blamed God.  “The woman You gave me!” Imagine blaming God!

Wait, isn’t that what people do all the time?   We offer excuses, saying, “If only…because…or something!”   It is my gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education, etc.  I’m just the victim!   I’ve often wondered what God would have done had Adam simply said, “Lord, I’m guilty, I disobeyed, forgive me.”   Grace, as revealed in the New Covenant, reveals God’s heart to forgive and restore!  Denying sin and shifting the blame takes us deeper into darkness.

Eve did precisely the same as Adam.  “Don’t blame me; it was the snake!” You can even hear the inference, “Hey, God, the snake You created tricked me.  So, I’m not to blame You and the slithering snake are!”

God’s desire is restoration!  Our unconfessed sin blocks God’s forgiveness and enslaves us to the desires of the flesh.  Depravity of the heart produces pride and arrogance.   One translation of Genesis 4:1 reveals Eve’s self-justification and confidence in what the sneaky snake told her, “You shall be as God.”   When Cain was born, she said, “I have created a man just as God did!”

When man lost his innocence and became disobedient, he became compelled to find redemption in himself.  That imprisoned him to the desires of the flesh and stole from him God’s fullness.

Jesus came to restore us and give us the Kingdom.  He came to free us from the flesh and the devil.  He came to enable us to live in freedom.  If we are struggling with thoughts or actions, we can be free.   All we need is in Jesus.   

All He is available.   But we access that freedom ONLY in repentance.  We stand before God and say, “I’m guilty!”   In repentance, we become enabled to be and do what God desires.  Sin is not just a mistake or misstep.  It is rebellion!  Repentance is not saying, “I’m sorry,” it is doing a 180-degree turn.  It is allowing God to purge from us all elements of rebellion and restore us.  There is power in a transformed life that brings us God’s blessings and draws others to Jesus.

God has given us Freedom, so let’s be free by being honest with him and ourselves in everything!

May your day be filled with consciousness of the Presence of God!

2 Kings 6:15-17 – “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city.  And the servant said, “Alas, my master!  What shall we do?” ¹⁶ He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” ¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 

A powerful reminder filled my consciousness as I read, prayed, and considered the Word of God today.  I was reminded of the importance of being alert, keeping the heart filled with God, and the reality that we are not alone.

In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus gave the disciples stages of warning regarding the Last Days.  I believe we are in those days, and 2025 is the beginning of the last jubilee before the millennial kingdom.

The danger is that we either become complacent, fail to keep the fire burning in our hearts, let down our guards, or become entrapped and unprepared.   Another danger is that we become fearful because of increased evil and chaos.  We lose hope, thinking we are doomed.

The deterrent for that is to continually focus on God and be alert.   One thing we need to keep us focused, encouraged, and ready is found in 2 Kings 6 and 2 Chronicles 32.  What is that?  Elisha’s prayer for his servant to have spiritual eyes to see and Hezekiah’s declaration to the people.   Both referred to the same truth, “There are more with us than those coming against us.” Jesus’ words are an additional reminder, “I could ask the Father, and He would send more than 12 legions of angels to me.”

In these Last Days, we need to stir up the flame of the Spirit in us, focusing on God, His goodness, His Promises, His person, and power!  Then, we need to remind ourselves that we are never alone and that there are more with us than with them (no matter who them is).  We are Victorious in Jesus!  Tough times are coming, but we have cause to rejoice – God is with us and in us!

I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart, “What can stop you?” Before I could answer, I knew it was me!   Nothing can stop us but us!  Christ is in us, so if we stay focused and alert and never lose sight of the truth, that there are MORE WITH US than with the enemy, we are undefeatable!

Keep your eyes open and keep looking up, for truly, there are more with us than with them!   Have a fantastic day in Jesus!

2 Chronicles 20:5-6 – “And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, ⁶ and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. “

Today, a new day is dawning, and it is a day created by God to disclose His plan and bring us deeper into His Kingdom.   Some treasures and revelations are on the surface unveiled by time, but others have to be mined.   God’s immense love leads us into discovery, empowering us to live in His fullness.

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God, I was drawn to an old favorite account in 2 Chronicles 20.   That was expanded in Luke’s gospel and will challenge me to dig deeper.

The account of Jehoshaphat, when the Moabites, Ammonites, and others united to invade Judah, is filled with revelatory inspiration. Jehoshaphat was afraid, and to his credit, he did not try to hide or deny it.  He called the people together for a public prayer meeting.  His prayer is filled with golden nuggets of revelation and provides a followable example for us in difficulty.

In front of everyone, Jehoshaphat began with a question for God: “Are you not God in heaven?”  His prayer was a reminder to God of his faith and trust in God.   It was a reminder to himself and the people who God is.  It shifted the focus from imminent destruction to the Living God.   It provided a foundation upon which faith can rest.

He then asked, “Are you not our God?”   That was vital. This public question was an expression of honor and covenant with God—You are Our God!  We belong to You!

He detailed the problem and confessed: “We are powerless in ourselves against this invader, and we don’t know what to do—BUT what we know to do is focus on You!”   That’s our flaw too often—the wrong focus!

The prophet, Jahaziel, was moved by the prayer, and the Spirit of God gave God’s response – “Cool your jets; God has not failed you yet. Banish fear, and don’t try to figure this out. The battle is not yours… (But I’m the one being attacked). The battle is God’s!  You won’t fight this one.“    His instructions that many struggle with – Take your position, stand, and watch God be God!

Jehoshaphat, through a revelation and total submission, said, “Believe in Adonai, you God, and you will be confirmed; Trust in His prophets, and you will succeed.”   Trust and obey!   Through praise and singing, they saw God move.  Their simple but difficult obedience opened the door for the supernatural, and victory came.

In Luke 19:44, we see the power of revelation and the importance of being aware of God’s presence and guidance. Jesus told them that failure to recognize God’s hand in any situation (which leads to trying to do it in the flesh) results in devastation.   Visitation or devastation results from wrong focus and failure to follow God’s revelatory instructions!

Let’s be like Jehoshaphat and look to God, embracing our fears and inability in the natural and focus on God!   He is our battle fighter!  He is our deliverer!

Never give up, and keep looking up – God is God!