James 1:2-4 – “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. “

James, Jesus’s half-brother (in the natural), underwent an amazing transformation.   He moved from not believing, although growing up with Jesus, to being a pillar in the Church.   That alone is inspiring.

James experienced hardship both in his life and in what he saw in Jesus.  Yet, he says, “When trouble comes, rejoice and give thanks.”  James 1:2-4 should become a foundational part of every believer’s mindset.

We need to alter how we view difficulty.   Rather than complaining and expressing, “Woe is me,” view it as an opportunity for spiritual development and for God to be manifested.

Tested Faith stirs up the power of endurance in us.   As we grow stronger through endurance, not wavering or faltering, there is a supernatural release into us from the Spirit.   Perfection (maturity and stability) is released into every facet of our lives.

James 1:2 – “…Until there is Nothing missing and Nothing lacking.”    Remember, we do not invite, long for, or look for trouble; if it comes, we look beyond it to God, and in our surrender, we are transformed.

James 1:7 – “When you are half-hearted and wavering, it leaves you unstable.”  James 1:21b – “…The Word of Life has the power to deliver us continually.”

The transformed life also includes controlling our tongue.  Oops!  That little menace gets us in trouble.  It is a mirror of the heart and mind. 

James, chapter 3, goes into detail about the tongue’s power.  James 3:2 – “We all fail in many areas…”  (Can you relate?)  “…especially with our words.  Yet, If We are able to bridle the words, we say We Are Powerful Enough to Control Ourselves in every way, and that means our character is mature and fully developed.”

The tongue and our words are a measuring stick to evaluate our spiritual development—whether we are babies or adults!

James’s message is multifaceted.  It is about trust, faithfulness, and righteousness and directs us in our interpersonal relationships with others, especially those in the Family of God.

James 5:13-15 is loaded with insight that enables us to live in power.  In this, we find Daily Life Instructions: 

• Are you having difficulty then Pray.  
• Are you Happy then Vocalize Praise.
• Are you Sick, (this is multifaceted in the original.) 

The word is (kamno), which can and usually does mean more than physical sickness.   The idea is also being weary, worn out, or worn down by life’s struggles.   It includes being weakened by conflict.  The idea is that the prayer with the laying on of hands (impartation) and oil (release of the power of the Spirit) brings a Full Restoration of Health.

Jesus informed us that our words are expressions of the overflow of our hearts. The heart is a revelation of our spiritual condition, which shapes how we think and how we live. 

So, In Everything, place your total confidence in God.  You don’t have to understand it, but you do have to trust Him.  If you do, He will bring you through to victory.   As you become who God designed you to be, you find life is a joy, not a chore!    I have a friend who says, “Because of Grace, I laugh at life!”    He has joy no matter what and when troubles come, and he’s had plenty, He laughs at the devil. You, too, can be joy-filled with God’s Peace, Power, and Contentment.

Have a fantastic day, and rejoice, for Sunday is on the way!

Joshua 1:1-2 – “After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ² “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready!  Cross the Jordan River.  Lead these people into the land that I am ready to hand over to them.  ³ I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was drawn to the Book and Life of Joshua.  Joshua had been more than a disciple of Moses.   He had served as a servant, a son, and a trainee.   He was a constant companion of the man who had experiences and revelations beyond that of any human.

He was on the mountain with Moses for those 40 days, seeing and hearing what Moses saw and heard.   He was in the Tent of Meeting and even remained behind when Moses went out to the people.   He was in training for reigning.  He saw, heard, and felt the presence of God.

When Moses died, God had to do a transformational work in Joshua.  He had become overly dependent upon Moses.  Moses, the friend of God, always heard and knew what to do.  Joshua simply followed his lead.  What a place of comfort, right?   You are there; you see, hear, and feel everything, but it’s not your responsibility.  You are a second and get to enjoy the fruits of victory without the pain of leadership.

Now God says, “Joshua, Moses is dead.  You can no longer depend on him. You have to depend on Me.  So, be strong and courageous.  I will be with you.”

But we have to ask, “Didn’t Joshua have the training so that he would have crumbled under the weight of responsibility? He had spent time on the mountain and in the tent.”   God’s presence provides the power to fulfill our purpose.  Without that presence, we are like a fish out of water. 

1 Peter 1:4- “We are reborn into a perfect inheritance that can never be defiled, and never diminished…:

I Peter 1:9 – “For you are reaping the harvest of your faith – the full salvation promised you – your soul’s victory!” 

As Joshua learned, God’s presence transforms. Peter said in 1 Peter 1:22, “Now, because of your obedience to the truth, you Have purified your souls, and this Empowers you to be full of love for your fellow believers. “  

The presence of God produces power that transforms and overflows with the manifestation of God.   God is love!  The presence enables us to Be!   Being allows us to live pleasing to God.  It enables us to abandon the old life, thoughts, and deeds.  It empowers us to reject every form of evil, live without hypocrisy or contradiction, and not even have a twinge of jealousy, envy, or covetousness.  

We become Living Stones of the Living Stone.  We are being assembled into a house (sanctuary) for God.  As a fully formed house, with our eyes on the prize, we are enabled to divorce ourselves from that carnal nature that resides in us and seeks control.   We live in complete freedom.

1 Peter 4:1b-2 – “…for whoever has died in his body is done with sin.  2 So live the rest of your earthly life, NO LONGER CONCERNED with human desires but CONSUMED with what brings pleasure to God.” [Emphasis mine]

Joshua learned that truth as he followed Moses, and Moses followed God. Peter learned that truth as he followed Jesus.  Like Joshua, he enjoyed the presence without the responsibility.   Now, he is equipped and can manifest Jesus!

Your life experiences have brought you to the place you are.  Now, it is time to step into God’s purpose and BE and DO what He purposed for you. 

Victory is here and ahead.  Victory is seized, and it does not get dropped into our laps.  We have been trained by the Spirit in our experiences.   Take that training and start reigning. I

The chapters of your book of life are still being written.   The final paragraphs are up to you.  Be Strong and Courageous!  God’s plan is Victory, not just for you but for the Kingdom.

Rejoice in the reality that in Christ, you are free and secure!

Jeremiah 33:2-3 – “I, the Lord, do these things. I, the Lord, form the plan to bring them about. I am known as the Lord. I say to you, ³ ‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things that you still do not know about.’”

This morning, in the pre-dawn hours, I was awakened.  That is not unusual, but this was somewhat unique.  The clock was 3:33, and immediately, I heard the Spirit whisper into my heart, “This is the time.”  This is the time?  What does that mean?  I lay awake pondering and fell asleep with that thought on my mind.

I read in 1 John about love, hate, and God’s desire for mankind.  Then, the Holy Spirit drew me back to the 3:33 awakening.  This is the time!  Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me, and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:2 – “Thus says the LORD who made you, formed you, AND established you in His Name:”   The instruction to call followed that revelation.   

Notice the word “made?”   I would render that created and move on if it were not for what followed.  “Formed and Established.”  The word “formed” speaks of creation, whereas “made” speaks of development, and the word “established” speaks to the process of becoming.

Every step of our lives has brought us to where we are at this very moment! Before we view our condition and position negatively, remember that nothing is insignificant to or with God.

You are being “Made.”  You were “Formed,”  and through those, you are “Established.”  The word “Established” is positional and conditional.  It is the view of where we are and where we should be and determined to “Be” who you are to the fullest.

The word “Call” = Pray, petition, and inquire.  Are you in a Flux of questions?  Then Call.   He promises to answer.   It may not be in audible words, but in circumstances and events, He will answer!  He said He would!

Not only will He answer your petition, but He will also give you revelation.   The Revelation of what?   The Revelation of Great and Mighty things that we do not know.  That includes both the idea of being unaware of their existence and unaware of the answer or solution.

Great and Mighty speaks to something beyond the individual. It speaks to the nation and the world.   Jeremiah was a watchman, and God’s call was to intercession.

Before you say, “I’m not an intercessor,”  I must ask, “Do you love God?“ What impact would your having divine insight have on those in your sphere of influence and association?

Do you long for some, you know, and love to become part of God’s family or to be restored?  CALL, and out of what God shows, you do intercession warfare for them.  Do you weep over the lack of spiritual depth in the church?  CALL, and out of the revelation God gives you, do intercession.

Do you long to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, pull down strongholds, and have God’s blessings abundant in your life?  CALL, and out of the revelation God gives you, do warfare.

What are the “Great and Mighty Things?”  The word “great” underscores God’s vastness, His infinite nature that surpasses human understanding. It points to His majesty, wisdom, and unfathomable greatness beyond any human measure.   The term “mighty” emphasizes God’s power and strength.

Jesus said that one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit was revelation knowledge.  

Anything God impresses upon a heart as a revelation is a call to warfare—warfare for either the defeat of the satanic plan or the fulfillment of the divine plan.

If God shows you a need, it is your challenge to intercede.  You may never say anything to anyone about it, but in CALLING to God, you open the door for the Holy Spirit to work His work.  You provide a covering and a canopy to shield the person or situation, preventing the enemy from completing the planned destruction.  

Your prayers ARE HEARD!  God said if you would CALL, He would ANSWER!  With that in mind, “Call.”  What do you have to lose?  Everything and nothing.  If we do not CALL, we allow the enemy to operate.  If we CALL in intercessory warfare, we stop him in his tracks.  God said so.

The question for us is: “Will we call and prevail or ignore and fail?”  

Through Jesus, you are more than a conqueror, and your prayers based on His revelation are effective and achieve incredible results. It is your call to CALL or not CALL. God has invited you to participate in His Great and Mighty things.

Have a great day rejoicing in Who You are and Who He is!

Revelation 1:3 – “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, a repeated statement from Jesus to John in the Book of Revelation captured my heart. I’ll get to that, but Revelation 1:3b in the Passion Translation stopped me in my tracks: “…the appointed time is in your hands.”

The Greek adverb “eggus” is taken from a primary verb, “agcho,” which means “to squeeze in your hands” or “to hold the reins or throttle in your hands.”    That could easily indicate that the Revelation of the book of Revelation is ready to be unveiled when the ready is ready to receive it through a prepared heart.   The time for this Revelation is now!

That brings me to the phrase or statement that captured my heart.  John was told to write what he had seen, what is, and what is to come.  The phrase – “What the Spirit IS SAYING to all the churches.” 

Notice it: “Is saying, not has said or will say but the Now Word from God.”   The Bible, God’s declared Revelation, is a Living Word from the Living God who Is Speaking!   We tend to read the Bible as history rather than a Now Word to us from God.    The words “is saying or presently saying” are repeated to all seven churches.  That should cause us to realize that God is the Speaking God! 

He communicates.  Revelation 3:19 is powerful.   “ALL those I dearly love I Unmask and Train.”  God disciplines His children to bring us to maturity and restoration.  He gives daily guidance both in the written Word and by the Spirit of God.  That guidance is Always consistent with and harmonious with the Word of God.  

Some say, “I don’t hear God.”  Jesus said, “My sheep HEAR my voice and follow Me.”  So, if we say we don’t hear Him, we are saying that we are not His sheep or that He didn’t tell the truth.  He did, so that declaration is dangerous and opens the door for deception.

Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking.”  He’s trying to get our attention.   “If your heart is open to HEAR My voice AND you open the door within, I WILL come in to you and feast with you, AND you will feast with Me.”

So, set your heart to Hear His Voice.  He is presently speaking.  The Holy Spirit is constantly seeking to guide.   We all Hear Him through the whispers to our hearts, the nudges, the checks or sense of hesitation, or impressions to do or not do.  We Hear, but do we have open hearts?

It is in your hands, and as you cooperate with Him, He opens the eyes of your heart to Know.   As you know, you can Do and Be.   Be who He says you are, more than a conqueror through and with Jesus!

Don’t give in to fear or doubt, but embrace the word He is presently speaking to you.  Be led by the Spirit into God’s peace, power, presence, and provision.   The appointed time is NOW!

Have a victorious day in Jesus, and remember that we are more than conquerors through Jesus!

1 Samuel 3:19 – “And Samuel knew that the LORD was with him, and he did not ignore any of His words.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word, a statement in 1 Samuel 3 became a catalyst into the Book of Revelation.  The declaration of 1 Samuel 3:19 is powerful and revelatory!  It is the doorway or key to Victory in Life!

Remember the declaration of John at the beginning of Revelation?  Revelation 1:3 – “A joyous blessing rests upon the one who reads this message and upon those who hear and embrace the words of this prophecy…”

Like Samuel, we need to know that God is with us.  He has declared it because of the Blood of Jesus.   If we are born again, Christ is IN us, with us 24/7/365.

As I read through Revelation, I found phrases and symbolisms that can be confusing and perplexing. For that reason, some make it all symbolic, allegorical, or mythological. It is not! One such place is Revelation 4:5 – “…the seven spirits of God.” 

It is important to note that there is “One” Holy Spirit, but here we read seven, so is there a revelation that brings understanding?  Could the seven spirits indicate the seven-fold Spirit of God, or seven is completeness, thus the Fullness of the Holy Spirit?  You decide.

Revelation 4:6 – The eyes all around, is this Literal, or could it indicate their ability to see into all realms – past, present, and future?  You decide.

Revelation 5:6b – “He had seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent to the ends of the earth.”

Is this a freakish-looking Jesus, or is it indicating something more?  Could it be that horns are pictures of authority and power, and seven is the number of perfection, indicating that Perfect Authority and Power are manifest in Jesus?  You decide.

Revelation 5:10b – “and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign on earth.”   Notice this is in the present tense, indicating that the reign of believers on earth has already begun.  We are, not that we will be more than conquerors.

Revelation 7:1 – Four angels at the four corners of the earth.  Earth is not square or rectangular, so what does this mean?  Four represents universality. The winds speak of divine agents that bring blessing or judgment.  Trees could represent what is rooted deep within us.

Revelation 8:1 speaks of a half hour of silence in heaven.  Is this literal?  Eternity has no time clock, and silence frequently represents peace.   In this context, it would be perfect peace.

Revelation 8:3-5 we read about the bowls of incense, including our prayers bellowing up before God and coals of fire hurled to the earth.  Let me suggest something that would reveal the incredible power and importance of our faith prayers.

Our prayers, mixed with Jesus’s intercession, ascend like fiery coals from the altar of heaven and, through the Holy Spirit, release God’s power on the earth.

• Thunder indicates God’s power.  
• Lightning – the illumination of God’s truth. 
• Earthquakes – the shaking of everything that can be shaken to purge the dross from hearts and take down false religious systems.    

These are not just acts of judgment but also purification.   What I desire for each to see is that Jesus is LORD!   We reign with Him Now!  Our prayers release God’s power.  Therefore, Never give up nor waver. You are making a difference!  Hallelujah!  Victory is ours!

Have a great day resting in God’s Perfect Peace and Immeasurable Power!