John 19:30 – “When he had sipped the sour wine, he said, “It is finished, my bride!” Then he bowed his head and surrendered his spirit to God.”

As I read, prayed, and considered the Word, I was reminded of a condition among people, even people of God, that hinders the Kingdom.   It is Short-term memory!  It is good to have a flawed short-term memory in some things, but not so much when it comes to God.

Israel repeatedly saw God’s mighty hand in Egypt and the wilderness.  Those miracles should have kept them in constant awe and faith, but they quickly forgot and made the moment their focus.    They saw and experienced God’s power and faithfulness but let selfishness control their thoughts, words, actions, and hearts.

Even the twelve demonstrated a flawed short-term memory. Jesus fed the 5,000.  It was a mighty miracle, and just days later, I had an analogous situation and still thought naturally.   Then, almost immediately, they demonstrated a flawed short-term memory because they only brought one loaf of bread.   Jesus reminded them of the 5,000 and 4,000.  Little is much when God is in it.  In God, supply is endless.  In God, ALL has been provided.

Jesus said IT IS FINISHED, not almost finished.   Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.  The question is, “Did He?”  If All is Finished, then He did!   We are not tasked with defeating the devil or destroying his works but enforcing the Victory of the Cross, taking the thief to court, and reclaiming what he has stolen.

If we believe Jesus saves us, why don’t we as readily believe His other promises and victories for us?   He has authorized and empowered us through the Word and by the Holy Spirit to enter the Kingdom, receive the Promises, and bring the Kingdom to Earth.  Why don’t we?  When will we?  If not now, when? 

• We need to reject the short-term memory that stems from what you have done for me lately and embrace His demonstrated faithfulness.

• We Need to let what He has done propel us into a new dimension of faith and trust.  It is not what we see or feel that is important but what He says.  His Word Cannot and Will Not Fail.

I encourage you to meditate upon God’s Person, Promises, Provisions, and Power.  Train yourself to only allow His Word to occupy your mind.  Refuse to walk by sight but rather by faith. What God says is the only true reality.

Today is your day of victory.

Ezekiel 22:30 – “And I searched for a man among them would build up the wall and stand in the breach before Me for the land, so that I would not bring it to ruin; but I found no one.”

Today, I pray for and expect the revelation of God’s grace, peace, power, purpose, and provision for each of us.   I expect divine encounters to be revealed today, including angels unaware and people who can further your work and walk.

The prophet Ezekiel was given a word of judgment and warning for the nation.  God sought even one person to be the Wall Builder and Gap Filler to preserve the nation.  Wow! God had proposed and planned judgment but sought for someone (just one person) who loved and cared enough to intercede for deliverance.  He was searching for something:

• One Person to build up the wall (become a spiritual covering). 
• One person to become a human wall between God’s wrath and the people. 
• One person who loved enough to do what could cost them their life. 

If God found One Person who would do that, judgment would be averted.   But He did not find even one!   Not even one loved enough and was willing to become selfless enough.   Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith in the Earth?”  Will there be anyone who loves enough to act as a wall and stand in the gap to be a human shield?   Will there be any selfless people?

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Love chapter, it is clear that this is not only about human and romantic relationships.   It is reflective of the heart of God.   This kind of Love is totally selfless, and love gives of itself completely.

Many people attempt to make 1 Corinthians 15:10 the justification for spiritual inadequacy, “BUT by the grace of God I am what I am…”   That was not an excuse but a revelation of the current condition, not the finished product.   Paul said, “Although I’m not perfect, I continually seek to be.”  He was continually being transformed into the image of Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians 16:14, he summarizes it as follows: “Let ALL that you do be done in love.” The question that the Spirit of God asks is, “How much do you love?”  Love is an action word, not simply an emotion.   Love does something, not just says something!

Impending judgment is hovering over our world.  It is impossible to miss that reality.  The question is: “How much do we love?”  Can we go about our business, live unaffected lives, see the eternal destruction, and not act?

I am crushed personally because of my negligence in this.   My selfishness is condemning me.  My infrequent intercession, while multitudes are standing at the gate of destruction, is overwhelming.

My prayer is: “Lord, forgive me for not being that one who builds the wall and fills the gap.  Help me to become consumed with compassion and commitment to be the volunteer You desire and need.  Help me to have the heart You have, that None be Lost!  Amen!”

If this resonates, receive it. Each of us has a sphere of influence and authority, and we need to let Love flow unconditionally!

Have a fantastic day in Jesus!

Matthew 3:8-9 – “You must prove your repentance by a changed life.  9 And don’t presume you can get away with merely saying to yourselves, but we are Abraham’s descendants!”

God rewards or deposits in us according to our ways.   Ways are routes, roads, or paths, but they also signify motive and intent.  God responds to what causes us to be and think what we do.  The fruits (plural) of our doings (practiced lifestyle) bring God’s response. 

There is no ambivalence or ambiguity with God. It is either the curse or blessing that we receive.   In Matthew 3:8-9, this is brought into focus.

A truly repentant heart includes and reflects a changed life, outlook, and motivation.  It is not just words.   I believe that it is evidenced transformation.  It is a transformation that is noticeable in our daily activities.

The tug at my heart is to have “evidenced repentance.”   God does not desire, nor will He accept verbal assent; He requires total surrender that transforms.   A transformed heart exhibits the heart of Jesus.  Its ways reflect Love and Forgiveness without restrictions.

LOVE – – God’s love is unconditional and transformational.

Jeremiah 21:8 – “…I have set before you the way of life and the way of death.”   The path we choose is reflected in our lives in a measurable way.

The cry of my heart is, “LORD, help me to totally surrender my life to You.  Help me to be a living example of a transformed life walking out the demonstrated love of God.   I want to be a visible manifestation of You on this earth- not my will, but Yours.  Help me give up my pain for Your Joy so I can infect others with Your love and grace.  I want to die, to me so I can truly live.  Amen!”

We each need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He searches our hearts, motives, perceptions, preferences, and purposes.   If we totally surrender, He will manifest Himself in us fully, and we will become who we are and do what He did.   You are powerful, limited only by your hesitation.  

This is your day; receive it and let it be manifested in you!

Exodus 3:5 – “Do not come near here. Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

My prayer for each one today is that God will grant each one access to His inerrant guidance through the Holy Spirit. I pray that He will lead each one onto the right paths and bring the right encounters into each life, enabling everyone to soar like an eagle.

As I prayed, read, and meditated upon the Word today, my heart was filled with awe.   In Exodus 3, Moses saw the Bush that was on fire but not consumed. It was an obvious anomaly, so he went to check it out. From the bush, God spoke and said, “Do not come near here. Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” That caught my attention.

Mankind has the propensity to make shrines out of experiences.  Some would have made that bush an idol temple and worshipped it there.

The LORD posed this question to my heart: “What made that spot holy?”  It was not the bush nor the location but the presence of God that made it holy. Think about that for a moment.  The presence of God makes the location holy.   Therefore, if God is IN you, wherever you are is holy ground.

The awe of God should be felt and realized, whoever you are! The Holy God is IN you. Where we are, He is, and where He is, that place is holy ground.   That is causing me to rethink every action I take. We are visible representations of God.   The question is, what image or impression of God do we give others?   That is both wonderful and frightening.  Our responsibility before God is embodied in that reality.

In the Book of Acts, the apostle Paul’s presence elicited a reaction from those he encountered. His presence and words were filled with Jesus. The LORD tugged at my heart, “Are yours?” Ouch, LORD!

In Athens, Paul encountered philosophies that are still prevalent today.  Epicureanism was a radical materialistic philosophy. The belief and focus were self, pleasure, and materialistic gain.  Stoicism was a passive determinism of emotional indifference that elevated self-control to god status. They believed that they could make themselves perfect by their willpower and minds.

They even had an idol dedicated to the “Unknown God, ” which Aramaic translates as “The Hidden God.”

Today, some reject God because they don’t see Him. But, if He is IN us and where He is, that place is that Holy Ground.  The reality is that they do see Him.  The question becomes, What Do They See?

Acts 19:11 – “God kept releasing a flow of extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul.”  Why Not Through Us?

What made Paul unique? It was the overflowing presence of the Holy Spirit, which is available to us. Jesus said that the works He did and greater we would do only by the overflowing presence of the Holy Spirit.

• God is IN you. You take Him wherever you go.
• The Holy Spirit is IN you. You take Him wherever you go.
• Miracles are IN you. You take them wherever you go.

The problem is we have allowed the devil, the world, and sometimes the church to convince us we are not special enough. It’s not you. It’s Christ IN you. It’s time to be who God says we are! We need to see it, believe it, and be it.  We are God’s expression in this present world; let’s be the expression that draws to Him!  

Have a fantastic day, and remember that the Promises of God are never unattainable but are as sure as God Himself.   Rejoice, and seize the day!

Proverbs 18:21 – “Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences.”

The butterfly effect is the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. It is an interesting principle that can be applied to life.  Small changes can have and often have a significant effect later.   The Law of Sowing and Reaping is one example.   One tiny seed produces a harvest multiplied.   Luke 6:38 – “Give and IT shall be given multiplied…”

A caustic word can cause a wound that festers, shredding a relationship.   One kind word can bring healing that becomes a covenant bond. Our words are like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings.   Life and death are on the power of the tongue.   By our words, we are justified or condemned.  Words have meaning and power.   Jesus said that His words were Spirit and Life.

What are the butterflies in our lives?  

• Small changes.  
• One more moment of worship. 
• One more word of prayer.  
• One more act of kindness.  One more act of forgiveness.  

All are seeds that produce a multiplied harvest: good butterflies or bad, our choice.   Cultivate the harvest you desire through the butterfly effect in your daily walk!

We are constantly being transformed into His image; as we transform, we gain access to His fullness.  As we gain access to His fullness, we are better equipped to live and love others, serving them where they are and lifting them out of the pit where they find themselves!

Let’s embrace the butterflies in our lives and adapt to the changes that make us more like Christ!

Have a fantastic day in Jesus!