1 Timothy 4:16 – “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Today, I am drawn to something from a question in my heart that arose from reading the report of the ten naysayers in the Book of Numbers.   God had already told Moses to watch and see if His Word was true.  The advanced recon scouts all agreed—the Land is All God said it was. BUT… Their buts got in the way of faith.

• They Saw the goodness of the land, but they failed to see God.  
• They Saw the problem.
• They Saw the giants were the children of giants, the descendants of giants.  

That’s All They Could See.  Joshua and Caleb saw the land, the plenty, and embraced the promise.   The promise was greater than the problem.

The question in my heart is: “What Are You Seeing?”   Like most, I have times when I see the problem so clearly that I forget the demonstrated faithfulness of God.   Their words were We Can’t!    They were right; they couldn’t, not in their own power.  

The victory was not dependent upon them to do it.   Their responsibility was to Trust and Obey.  God never asks us to “do” His job, but He “always” expects us to be available in obedience.  

• Our focus determines our faith.  
• Our focus shapes our confidence.  
• Our focus is the doorway to transformation.  
• What we focus on shapes in us who we become.

I love the rendering of 1 Timothy 1:13-16, “Mercy Kissed Me!  I was ignorant, but God flooded me with such incredible grace it was like a river overflowing its banks and filled me to overflowing with faith and love for Jesus.  I was captured by Grace! “   I love that.  Many need to be kissed, captured, and overflowed by Grace.  It is transforming.   Too often, we live lives that do not reflect transformation.

What do we See?  What we see is affected by the development of the Gifts and Grace in us.  Too many minimize their gifts and call.   Why?  They see themselves in their inadequacy rather than God in His sufficiency.   God says, “My Grace is made perfect in weakness.”

Let the gift and call drive you to fulfill God’s purpose.   1 Timothy 4:16b – “…for living what you preach or claim to believe will release salvation inside you and to all those who listen and observe.”

What do you see?  It is manifested in what you say and do.  It is reflected in your attitude, thoughts, and desires.  What do you see?   I cry that the words of the song become my testimony and yours – I See Jesus!

When we See Him, we see the Victory and become the Victory!

2 Timothy 3:14-17 – “You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about.  You know who taught you ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered what I was reading and hearing, my heart rejoiced and wept.   I wept for the world and the too-frequent impotence, fear, and doubt living in God’s people.   I rejoiced in God.   I rejoiced in the possibilities He has provided.  I rejoiced in His continual unveiling of Himself.  I rejoiced in truth!  I rejoiced in the fruit that obedience (explicit obedience) brings.  I rejoiced in life!

Paul warned Timothy about the conditions of the last days.   But he gave him something that reveals our anchor to keep us in ALL storms.  2 Timothy 3:15-17 is vital.  Paul reminded Timothy of the value and power of truth leading to everlasting life.  Remember that Jesus said, ‘You shall KNOW (intimacy with) the Truth, and that Truth will make you Free!”   That truth penetrates and permeates your entire being.  It is a place attainable but not always attained or maintained.

2 Timothy 3:16- “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

The result – verse 17 – “Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.” 

We must be careful not to make the Bible an idol but remember that in the Word is The Word!   It is who is God!   His very nature and essence oozes forth from the pages.  That’s why every time we read it, something new is seen.  It is living and powerful because God put Himself in every line.

As we see, we embrace and obey God’s directive.  We make life about us, but it never has been.  Many difficulties come because we seek ourselves more than Him.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 – “You can trust these words:  if we were joined to Him in His death, then we are joined to Him in His life!  If we are joined to Him in His sufferings, then we will reign together with Him in His triumph.  But if we disregard Him, Then He will disregard us.  But even if we are faithless, He will still be full of faith, for He Never wavers in His faithfulness to us!”  Wow!

We have the Name, the Blood, the Spirit, and the Living Word; therefore, “How Can We Fail?” 

Live each day knowing that you can’t lose with the stuff Jesus has provided, that’s the stuff I choose to use!  

Hebrews 3:1-2 – “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ² who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God’s house.”

I pray that today will overflow with God’s supernatural help and blessings for each of you.  I pray that new doors of opportunity will open, attitudes will change positively, and problems will be solved, turning mountains into molehills.   Victory is today’s destiny.  Believe it, embrace it, and step into it.

My heart exploded as I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word today!  It would be impossible to adequately convey what was deposited in my heart in a short devotional.   It would require hours of dialogue, which is not presently available.   I will attempt to follow the Holy Spirit and highlight what I heard, saw, and sensed.  

Today, as I began reading Hebrews 3, a repeat of a previous message gripped my heart. The writer (whom I believe to be Paul) repeats something from the previous chapter: “…you are NOW made holy, AND each of you is (not will be) invited to the feast of your heavenly calling.”  [Emphasis mine].

I would love to expound on and delve into that, but the following sentence needs attention: “So fasten your thoughts fully onto Jesus, whom we embrace (become one with and surrender to).”

He advised that Moses was a model of faithfulness, but Jesus deserved more glory than Moses.  He says, “…the one who builds the house deserves to be honored more than the house he builds.  Every house is built by someone…”  That someone is God.   Later, he wrote, “AND NOW we are part of His house IF WE CONTINUE courageously to hold firmly to our bold confidence AND our victorious hope.”  [Emphasis mine]

Consistency in commitment is reflected in faithfulness and obedience.   He warns of unbelief and evil Hiding in the heart.  Hiding is not visible and often undetected.

Hebrews 3:14 –“For we are mingled with the Messiah…”  The (NET) renders it “partnered with.”   The Aramaic likens it to leaven and total blending.   The key is in the two-letter word “if.”   If what he says is reality and if we continue unshaken in that confident assurance from the beginning until the end, Then…

Then, we have the disturbing reality that the people who had seen what God did in Egypt and the wilderness rebelled and turned back in their hearts.  Verse 19 makes an alarming statement—“they wrapped their hearts in unbelief.”   In Hebrews 4:6, we see that they didn’t enter into the realm of faith’s rest because they had unbelieving hearts.

When we become completely His, we cease trying to “do” or “perform” and start “being.”   Hebrews 4:12 – “For we have the Living Word of God, which is full of energy (God’s Power), like a two-mouthed sword…”    That is captivating.   The Aramaic interpretation is that when God speaks, we, in agreement, also speak His Word, which becomes a two-mouthed sword. 

The Promises of God are absolute.   Hebrews 6:18 –“So it is impossible for God to lie for we know that His Promises will Never change!  And now we have run Into His Heart and Arms to hide ourselves in His faithfulness.”   It is here in this position and condition that we have comfort, strength, wisdom, authority, and power to seize what has already been established ahead of time.   That is an Unshakable Hope!

So, in Christ, as we continue with surrendered hearts in faith-filled obedience, we are unconquerable!  In Hebrews 7:25, we see that Jesus is able to save fully from now on throughout eternity.

That is a small deposit of what I saw today.   In God’s eyes and plan, who we truly are is who Jesus is.    We are Mingled or Partnered with Him “if” we give Him our whole being.  Then, we are enabled to manifest Him Fully on earth.  The question is, “Why Not Now?  Why Not Us?”

My cry is, “Thank you, Jesus, for deliverance from blindness.  Thank you for the revelation of Who You are and Who we are in You.  Thank you for the courage to dare to BE…”

Today is a day of unequaled victory. Seize it.

Hebrews 10:23 – “And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.”

I will make a statement that some may have difficulty with, but hopefully, you will allow me to expound on what I mean: “Faith is an almost useless word for many Christians.”  For many, it seems that it is relegated to the mystical and is virtually an unattainable prize that only the super saints experience.

Believers readily believe in Salvation, but even then, many are unconvinced that God truly forgives All sins.  Some find it almost impossible to embrace the idea that Grace is unearned and not connected to acts but the heart.

Hebrews 8:6 – “…He (Jesus) is the catalyst of a better Covenant which contains far more wonderful promises!” In the New Covenant, God embeds His laws in our thoughts and fastens them to our hearts.  (Hebrews 8:10).  In (Hebrews 8:12), we read that God’s promise is to Never remember our sin.   Few truly embrace that, thereby negating faith.

If, as Hebrews 10:14 declares, by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we are made Perfectly Holy and Complete for all time.   Why is it so difficult to see ourselves that way?

I believe that one of the reasons is we trust what we see, feel, and think more than what God has said.   God said it, but we don’t see it. Therefore, we don’t believe it.   For us to become, we must embrace His Word!   It is not what we see but what He says that makes things real.

One translation of Hebrews 10:23 is incredible, “So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lived within us, knowing that God ALWAYS keeps His promises!”

Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for.  (Long for not just kind of want).  It is all the evidence required to prove what is unseen.”  [My added thought included in parentheses]

Hebrews 11:3 – Faith empowers us to see.

Hebrews 11:4 – Faith moves people.

Hebrews 11:5 – Faith translates people.

Hebrews 11:7 – Faith opens hearts.

Hebrews 11:8 – Faith motivates to obedience.

Hebrews 11:11 – Faith embraces God’s miracle power.

Hebrews 11:11b – “…for the authority of her faith (Sarah) rested in the One who made the promise, AND she TAPPED INTO HIS FAITHFULNESS.”  [Emphasis mine].   Tapped into it.  Wow!

Hebrews 11:16 speaks of the motivating power of faith.   “But they couldn’t turn back, for their hearts were Fixed on what was far greater, that is, the Heavenly Realm.”

I am blown away by verse 26b.  It says of Moses that he saw true wealth because…“his eyes looked with wonder, not on the immediate (that’s where most look), but on the ultimate – faith’s great reward!”

Hebrews 11:33 describes the operation and power of faith.   “Through faith’s power, they conquered kingdoms and established true justice.   Their faith Fastened onto their promises and pulled them into reality!”  

Think about fastening onto God’s word and pulling the promises (the unseen, the hoped-for) into being in the present.  That is amazing!

Hebrews 11:40 reveals our invitation into God’s world, “But now God has invited us to Live in something better than what they had – Faith’s Fullness! God’s Promises are absolute.   If we are to live in faith, we must reject our doubts and what we think is reality and totally place our confidence in Him and His Promises.  

Faith is not Sight in the Natural.   It is vision, seeing into the eternal.   Faith is confidence that God’s integrity is impeccable.  Faith is the learned ability to see beyond what we think is reality into what God says and drag that reality into the present, persistently clinging to the promise.   It is being willing to die and being deemed a fool for holding onto God’s promise.

Faith is confidence, trust, expectancy, and obedience. It is refusing to let natural sight dictate our lives and steal our hope.

Today, God is talking to me about Trust.    Our eternity is dependent upon our trust.   If I can’t believe He has made me Holy, what can I trust Him for?  If I can believe that, then what is it that I can’t trust Him for?   That makes Faith a functional part of my life.

Today is your day of victory.  Rejoice and be who He says you are!