

A Moment With God – Year 1

Samuel R. Hall

Copyright 2014 By Samuel R. Hall

Smashwords Edition

**ISBN:** 9781310079467

**Title:** A Moment With God - Year 1

**Author:** Samuel Hall

**Publisher:** Smashwords, Inc.
All Scripture Quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NIV (New International Version)

**THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.**
TABLE OF CONTENTS

# Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

# January

Remaining In Him 2012-01-01

Confessing Quickly 2012-01-03

Fulfilling Your Destiny 2012-01-04

Trusting God In All My Ways 2012-01-12

When Darkness Covers The Earth, God's Light Will Shine 2012-01-13

Walking in God's Light 2012-01-14

Jesus Will Meet Our Need 2012-01-19

God is Before and Beside Us 2012-01-20

Abounding Love and Insight 2012-01-21

Has Your Love Grown Cold? 2012-01-23

Be the Ball 2012-01-24

How Do You Think About God? 2012-01-26

# February

Overcoming in Difficult Circumstances 2012-02-03

Setting Our Affections Above 2012-02-05

Freedom 2012-02-06

Entering God's Rest 2012-02-08

Entering God's Rest - II 2012-02-09

Choose the Path of Life 2012-02-11

Staying On The Path 2012-02-12

The Father, the Gift Giver! 2012-02-14

Difficulty, Suffering and Freedom 2012-02-16

Practice What We Hear 2012-02-17

God Breaks In 2012-02-21

The Greatest is Love 2012-02-23

Meditations on Psalm 19 2012-02-25

Psalm 33: God Sees Us All 2012-02-26

We Were Bought At A Price 2012-02-28

# March

The Importance of Small Things 2012-03-02

The Trouble With Troubles 2012-03-03

God's Generational Perspective 2012-03-04

Welcoming God 2012-03-06

No Sickness in the Kingdom of God 2012-03-07

Knowing the Father 2012-03-11

The Salt Covenant - part 1 2012-03-12

The Salt Covenant - 2 2012-03-13

You are the Salt of the Earth 2012-03-14

The Wonder of the Church 2012-03-15

Concerning Our Families 2012-03-16

Choosing our Battles 2012-03-18

Holiness and the Church 2012-03-20

Meditation on Forgiveness 2012-03-21

Losing Sight of What's Important 2012-03-22

An Unfaithful and Distracted Heart 2012-03-23

Courage and Cowardice 2012-03-26

Meditation on Eternal Life 2012-03-27

Jesus - God and Man 2012-03-28

For the Joy Set Before Him 2012-03-29

God's Love For Jesus Within Us! 2012-03-30

God's Treasure in Us! 2012-03-31

# April

Jesus' Sorrow in the Garden 2012-04-03

They Were All Scattered 2012-04-05

Two Thoughts on Jesus' Crucifixion 2012-04-06

The Day After Jesus Died 2012-04-07

Jesus is Risen, and the Disciples Fear and Doubt 2012-04-08

God Confirms His Words 2012-04-10

Thinking Outside the Box About Ministry and Church 2012-04-11

Breaking Old Paradigms 2012-04-13

Spiritual Sight and Repentance 2012-04-17

The Key Role of Miracles 2012-04-18

Heavenly Mindset and God Glasses 2012-04-19

Forgiveness and Healing 2012-04-25

Thoughts on John 21 2012-04-28

Persistence in Prayer 2012-04-30

# May

Having a Servant Attitude 2012-05-01

On Healing and Oil 2012-05-02

We Are All Needed in the Body of Christ 2012-05-07

More Concerning The Body Of Christ 2012-05-08

On the Church, the Body of Christ 2012-05-10

Do What He Says... 2012-05-19

Holding All Things In Common 2012-05-20

The Importance of Signs and Wonders and the Power of God 2012-05-21

Fear or Love? 2012-05-22

Dreams and Signs 2012-05-25

No One is an Impossible Case 2012-05-28

Learning From David and Goliath 2012-05-29

Healing the Whole Person 2012-05-31

# June

Give What We Have 2012-06-01

We Receive the Blessings of the Righteous 2012-06-03

On Suffering, Judgment and Punishment 2012-06-05

Discipline or Punishment? 2012-06-06

Let Life Flow Out of Us! 2012-06-07

Settling for Less Than Scraps 2012-06-08

Hearing God and Cell Phones 2012-06-09

Old and New Wineskins 2012-06-10

The Gift of Forgiveness 2012-06-12

When Jesus Wait's... 2012-06-13

Surrounded By Trouble - Peace! 2012-06-15

Pets, Servants and Sons and Daughters 2012-06-18

Transformed and Renewed 2012-06-20

When God Comes in Vengeance - He Fights FOR Me! 2012-06-22

Concerning Shepherds and Sheep 2012-06-25

God's Footprints 2012-06-26

Jesus Walks On By... 2012-06-27

God Qualifies Us 2012-06-28

The God of Hope 2012-06-29

# July

The Intercession of Christ 2012-07-01

Sanctified and Sent 2012-07-02

Experiencing the Presence of God 2012-07-03

Freedom 2012-07-04

It is Finished 2012-07-08

Under His Wings 2012-07-09

God Bears Our Burdens 2012-07-10

Hungry For His Presence 2012-07-12

Seek the Lord 2012-07-14

The Lord Is Our Shepherd 2012-07-15

God Gives Us All Things 2012-07-16

Who We Are... 2012-07-17

Acting on Our Beliefs 2012-07-18

Of Loaves and Fish... 2012-07-19

The Path to Eternal Life 2012-07-23

Of Jesus' Glory 2012-07-24

He is Coming For You... 2012-07-25

Of His Thigh and Robe... 2012-07-26

Authority & Power 2012-07-29

# August

The Bread That Satisfies 2012-08-01

My Words and Meditations 2012-08-02

Our Foolish Ways 2012-08-03

Meditations on the Woman and Jesus' Robe 2012-08-05

Our True Treasure 2012-08-08

A Bridge to Heaven 2012-08-09

Life in the Early Church 2012-08-12

The Way 2012-08-13

Focused on the Wrong Thing 2012-08-14

John 17:26 and Mountain Climbing 2012-08-16

Returning to the Lord 2012-08-23

Living in Right Relationship 2012-08-24

Love Abounding - Phil 1:9 2012-08-26

Help in Making Hard Decisions 2012-08-29

# September

Our True Treasure 2012-09-02

Hope for Today 2012-09-04

Our Stronghold in Times of Trouble 2012-09-05

How We Deal With Sinful People 2012-09-06

The God Who Acts on Our Behalf 2012-09-07

Being Light to the Lost - Eating With Sinners 2012-09-08

It's Late, You Feed Them... 2012-09-09

Never Underestimate God... 2012-09-12

A Right Attitude 2012-09-16

Humble Before God 2012-09-17

"In The Last Times..." 2012-09-21

Right Relationship With The Father 2012-09-23

Obedience And Unbelief 2012-09-24

Proper Perspective About the Enemy 2012-09-25

Compassion vs. Selfishness 2012-09-27

Saved Completely 2012-09-28

Between The Father and The Son 2012-09-29

# October

The World And All That Is In It... 2012-10-01

Fresh Revelation 2012-10-02

A New Heart and Spirit 2012-10-04

Secrets of the Kingdom and Bearing Much Fruit 2012-10-05

Mysteries Revealed 2012-10-06

Bringing Good News 2012-10-07

A Beautiful Day 2012-10-09

Giving Thanks Opens The Door 2012-10-10

Help In Any Situation 2012-10-11

No Situation is Hopeless 2012-10-12

Entering God's Rest (3) 2012-10-22

Immeasurably More 2012-10-23

Flames, Fire and Furnace 2012-10-24

Generous On Every Occasion 2012-10-25

Freedom, Love and Faith 2012-10-28

Spreading the Load 2012-10-30

A Wisdom Check 2012-10-31

# November

Seeking Treasure 2012-11-01

Of Shepherds and Fellow Sheep 2012-11-02

Prophetic Destiny 2012-11-04

Do Not Fret 2012-11-07

I Was Chosen 2012-11-08

Humble Leaders 2012-11-11

Stand With Our Brothers and Sisters 2012-11-13

Jesus' Glory In The Church 2012-11-15

God's Awesome Character 2012-11-16

Investing Ourselves 2012-11-17

Arise and Shine 2012-11-18

Hope, Riches, Power 2012-11-19

Obedience and Presumption 2012-11-20

The Awesomeness of God 2012-11-21

Reality of the Bible 2012-11-24

Heart Motivation 2012-11-25

Miracles and Repentance 2012-11-27

His Flawless Word 2012-11-28

Intimacy and Authority 2012-11-30

# December

God Cares 2012-12-02

The Season of Preparation 2012-12-03

One of the Greatest Gifts 2012-12-04

Parents and Children 2012-12-05

LUKE 1:16-17 The Messenger of Good News 2012-12-06

The Long Wait 2012-12-07

God Protects His Promises 2012-12-11

God's Humor 2012-12-13

Approval to Expand 2012-12-14

Light in Darkness 2012-12-17

Believing in His Promises 2012-12-18

Part of the Plan 2012-12-19

Semi-Random Thoughts on Christ's Birth 2012-12-20

The Real End Of The World 2012-12-21

The Humility of Christmas 2012-12-23

A Child is Born: Isaiah 9:6 2012-12-24

Looking to Others 2012-12-26

Staying on Track 2012-12-27

Pressing On 2012-12-28

In the Face of Opposition 2012-12-30

Trust in the Lord, Not in Man 2012-12-31

Author's Note:

I am so blessed that you have taken time to even dip your toe into this book. These come directly from my time before the Lord, excerpts from my prayer journal. I pray they are encouraging, possibly enlightening, and hopefully they draw you deeper into relationship with Him. This is the first full year of my Blog notes, and I went from typing my Blog entries in on computer to journaling on my Toshiba pad, and thus the formatting and such will be less than if I typed these on a computer. I am so grateful for electronics as they saved me tons of time, allowing me to cut and paste directly from my journal entries to the Blog, so these entries are directly from my journal.

I will take a moment to say that I am not a theologian, nor have I been formally trained in pastoral ministry. I am a husband and father, and I work in the telecommunications industry. I have worked in youth and men's ministry on and off through the years, but these journals do not come out of those times. I have been journaling and taking personal prayer, for the most part daily, since the early 1980s. I didn't always write as much nor have nearly as much time as I have now days. These journals reflect the daily interaction and conversations I have with the Lord. I have left the original dates of the entries, as sometimes the date is important to the body of the entry.

As I normally take my prayer time early in the morning (5:15am is the rule these days) my mind is often not fully functioning, so my writing suffers. Also, as this is a prayer journal, often times my expressions to the Lord do not flow out in perfect English, but rather in the heart felt language I normally speak. So I ask that you forgive my lapses of correct English and occasional fragment or run-on sentence. I decided to leave them in, for I know the Lord doesn't mind. He is after my heart not my writing.

Finally I ask your pardon for another slight of proper English. Throughout my journals I always try to capitalize You or He, or their variants when referring to the Lord. It is a form of respect I started many years ago when journaling by hand, and I find it a habit I choose not to break.

May God Bless you and reveal to you His intimate love for you and your significance to Him!

# Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

It is God's desire that we each have an intimate relationship with Him. John 17:21 I know it's amazing to think that God would want a relationship with you, but it is VERY true.

So the question is whether it is possible to have a real relationship with God? By real relationship, I mean talking, sharing, communicating - the same things that make up a normal human to human relationship. For a relationship to work there must be two-way communication, and time together. I like to think that if God wants us to do something, He will provide the way.

History is full of people who talk about prayer time, prayer, quiet time, and their conversations with God. It is here that we find examples of how to have a relationship with God! For all of these people, you will generally find four things in common:

  1. They know how to quiet themselves

  2. They talk to God in their own words

  3. They read the Bible (God's written Word)

  4. They know how to listen and discern God's voice speaking into their lives at that moment

So how does one start all this? Simply develop these same four things in your life. Start simple, dedicate a little chunk of time and try these steps. Establish a moment with God in your daily life.

  1. Learn how to quiet yourself - turn off the TV, Computer, Cell-Phone, etc. Try to stop the constant flow of thoughts for just a few moments. It takes a little practice - but is worth it!

  2. Some people feel awkward praying to God in their own words, having been taught to pray in church by reciting rote prayers. Others feel weird talking to God at all. I like to think the conversation internally - imaging the words I would say. God can hear our thoughts, so that is just fine with Him. Whatever you do, God is not worried about how you might sound, or the words you might say - He wants to know what is on your heart!

  3. Start reading the Bible even a few minutes every day. When I started reading the Bible, I was in 9th grade and would read maybe a paragraph a night, right before going to bed. I would recommend starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). One other technique I use is to just open the Bible and start reading. I am amazed at how often what I read is directly related to something I just prayed to God about!

  4. Finally, learning how to discern God's voice, as He is speaking to you, is probably the most difficult. The good news is that God REALLY wants you to learn, and will help you. When I first started, I found God's voice pretty easy to pick out - it was almost like He was shouting. I would read from the Bible and a sentence would almost jump off the page, or I would silently pray something, and within a short period of time I would hear someone repeat my thoughts with an answer. God is very capable of speaking, we just need to be aware that He is speaking. The more we practice the better we get. The Bible is full of God speaking to people, sometimes in dreams, sometimes visions, other times with an audible voice (I haven't had that experience yet), sometimes through other people, or through His written Word. One thing that is very constant \- God is always speaking!

A couple of encouragements:

  * Start simple and easy - maybe 5 Minutes a day

  * Don't give up, try to develop this into a habit

  * Don't think it has to be all spiritual, candles lit, darkened room, etc. I take my time with God in the morning, with a cup of coffee, sitting on the couch

  * The more time you take, the more you will want to spend - a relationship with God is live changing and life giving!

God does want a real relationship with you!

Blessings! Sam

# Remaining In Him

2012-01-01

This morning I was reading through  John 15. I spent some time meditating on verse 5, which reads, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The message is so simple and clear. It's in and through relationship with Christ alone that we are able to bear fruit that lasts.

Reading the verse again, I was aware of the fact that there are two requirements: 1) If a man remains in me; 2) and I (remain) in him.

The first one, I think, relates to our focus, thoughts and actions. Are we connected to Him? Are we thinking the way He thinks? Is our heart in line with His? Are we working to be living examples of His Word to those around us? Are we conscious of being His witness and representative? As Paul writes in  Col 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." We need to remain in this place of connectedness and thoughtfulness throughout the day.

The second requirement, I think, has more to do with our sin. Isaiah 59:2 states, "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." We know that God does not abandon us, but our relationship is clearly affected by our sin. Our sinful nature leads in ways that are contrary to God (Gal 5:17), the more we sin, the more we are affected.

If you are like me, you struggle with both of these from time to time, or even often. I am probably more inclined to fail the first requirement, as I quickly lose my focus on Christ as I start my work day. Clearly the more I am disconnected, the easier it is for me to fail the second requirement, as I become out of sight and out of mind from Christ. Apart from Him, I clearly can do no good thing.

Lord, You desire me to be connected to You and bear much fruit. I know that You will help me to achieve your purpose and plan for me. Help me to maintain my focus and thoughts of You throughout the day!

# Confessing Quickly

## 2012-01-03

This morning I was reading through the minor prophet Micah and  Mic 7:9-10a caught my attention. It reads, " Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. 10 Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame..."

I thought about how perfectly this expresses our reality as Christians, as follows:

  1. If we sin, we cause separation in our relationship with Christ. We bear the consequences of our sin.

  2. Until He pleads our case and establishes our right (righteousness). In other words until we come under His redemption and atonement - for when we confess our sins, His righteousness is applied to us. (1 John 1:9) We become clothed in Him - so in essence He pleads His own case for rightness on our behalf (See  Gal 3:19-29 for some more discussion on this). He becomes our atonement - and His righteousness is given to all who receive it in faith (Romans 3:19-31).

  3. Once we are forgiven, He brings us into the Light of His love and we see Him and what He has done on our behalf (2 Cor 4:6).

  4. Shame is cast away from the redeemed, for we have been forgiven and our sins are washed away. (Romans 10:11)

So, the quicker we confess our sins, the quicker we are cleansed and our unrighteousness is washed away, replaced by His righteousness, and the separation we have caused is removed. Let us hasten to confess our sins, for He is faithful and merciful. It says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Thank You Lord for all that You have accomplished on my behalf. Taking my place and covering me with Your own righteousness; casting my shame away from me and revealing to me the light of Your love.

# Fulfilling Your Destiny

## 2012-01-04

This morning while praying I was reading briefly through Isaiah 55, which is one of my favorite chapters. I was meditating on  Is 55:11 which reads,

"...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

As I thought about this the Lord reminded me that He had called me by name, spoken a word about me \-

Is 43:1b "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

and even written my life out!

Psalm 139:16 "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

In other words, God has a plan for my life. He spoke this plan into being, and He will see that I fulfill it. I don't have to listen to any thoughts that say I have missed my opportunity, or messed up so bad that God will not use me, or any of the other hundreds of lies that might get thrown my way!

Psalm 138:8 says, "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..."

If God says it, who can thwart Him? The truth is that our destiny is found in the Lord. He has a plan. He is not worried - He is God! He has spoken about our destiny and knows what it is. If we are looking to understand our destiny then the best place to go is to Him. He is the one who sees all and understands all! All I need to do is ask, and wait for the answer. He is faithful and loving. He desires our best. He wants us to be fulfilled.

Thank You Lord for Your truth  sums it up well:

3 "Trust in the LORD and do good;  
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  
4 Delight yourself in the LORD  
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;  
trust in him and he will do this:  
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,  
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;"

Amen! Help me Lord to walk in these truths.

# Trusting God In All My Ways

## 2012-01-12

This morning I am using a new electronic journal, so the formatting and look maybe different, but I don't have to re-type everything. Hopefully it won't be a distraction.

When I sat down to read this morning I turned to Proverbs and was reading in Chapter 3.

Prov 3:5-10

" Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. [a]7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruit's of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

As I was reading this I felt that the focus on trusting the Lord, letting Him lead, not trusting in ourselves, not trusting our perspective, waiting on Him and then honoring Him was so critical. It says to acknowledge Him in all our ways - which is definitely a challenge, as some of my ways I am not even aware of consciously. Lord, help me to be aware of any of my ways where I am not acknowledging You.

I am reminded of  Jer. 17:5-8

"5 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it's leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

\- and  Jer. 6:16  
"This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

Clearly the Lord is speaking of His desire to lead us, guide us and help us. If we can get ourselves past self-reliance we can move into the things He has planned for us, which includes His provision. I think one of my main issues is my impatience, never wanting to wait, but needing to have things figured out, when I want them figured out.

Lord please help me to wait on You and trust Your timing and plan. I can almost see dad teaching me to fish, trying to get me to wait while the fish nibbled on the bait "wait for it, wait for it! Ok, now!" There is definitely a correlation between our waiting and His provision, as He is trying to get us to move past ourselves. I know that waiting causes me to stop, consider what I am doing and control myself.

Lord help me to learn to wait and trust!

# When Darkness Covers The Earth, God's Light Will Shine

## 2012-01-13

This morning I started reading out Isaiah 60, and ended up reading about the last days, as described by Jesus in  Matthew 24. Rather than focusing on the last days, I was thinking about the Church's response to those times.

Rather than these End times being a dark message, as Christians we must understand that this will be the hour that the Church will shine forth. At the beginning of Isaiah 60, the time is described well (Isaiah 60:1-4).

1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm."

Darkness is symbolic of evil, so in this verse the Lord is speaking of dark and evil times for the earth, and even darker and more evil times for the people. I liken it to the growing anti-Christian movement, and clear move away from the things of God in our media and culture (clearly not exclusively) and how people are moving farther and farther from the light of Christ. The cloud of deception is becoming thicker, and with that the power of evil grows.

I believe we, as the Church, will shine forth brightly for several reasons. We will have the light of Christ in our lives and will live differently. God will bring His Glory to bear on the Church - in other words He will inhabit His people in ways that are evident to all. I would expect this would include signs and wonders, miracles, healings, etc. Those who have eyes to see will be drawn to the Church and it will be a glorious time, and God will be mightily present, and Glorified.

Yes Lord, we look for the day that the Church will once more be filled with Your Glory, and stand as a bright shining light to the whole world. We recognize that this means the world will be a darker place, and that the deception covering the people will be greater. We pray for the Grace to be those shining lights, in a fallen world. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, likened this to the time Israel was in Egypt and though the plagues were striking Egypt, in Goshen the Israelites were unaffected. Unlike those times, people will be able to come and become part of the Church, and come into the light. So not only will they be drawn to the light, they will be able to enter in! They will literally become sons and daughters - which is the language of inclusion.

Amen Lord!

# Walking in God's Light

## 2012-01-14

This morning I was reading from  Psalm 53:2 which states:

"God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God."

It's so important for us to understand our need for the Lord. We not only need to recognize this, but in this we should be driven to seek Him in our need. God is looking for those that are seeking Him and His ways. Our constant reflection should be a review of our pursuit of God and His understanding concerning our situation. So often, I am plugging along never bothering to gain God's understanding, nor ever even inquiring. In the next verse the Lord states the reality that we all operate in this way, and condemns this behavior as sin.

I am reminded of  Isaiah 50:11 which says:

"But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment."

Lord, help us to look to You for understanding, the light of understanding, rather than lighting our own lights. We would rather walk in Your light any day, than ours .

# Jesus Will Meet Our Need

## 2012-01-19

This morning I was reading in  Matt 9:18-25:

18 "While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live." 19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

23 When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up."

As I was praying this morning, the Lord reminded me of these two stories interwoven together. They are both stories of how Jesus met the needs of the people. The clear sense I had was that we need to know that Jesus cares enough for us to touch us regardless of how. In both cases, the people came to Jesus. The father came to Jesus asking for Him to touch his daughter, the women came for herself, but they both knew that in coming to Jesus, they might find an answer to their prayer.

I was encouraged as I read this that no matter the severity of the situation, or how long the situation has gone on, Jesus can, and will move, if only we will come to Him.

Lord, I take heart that You are willing to meet my needs. You would come to my house if I asked. You would not reject me, or scoff at my request. You would bless what little faith I had and move in my life. Others might laugh at my faith in You, but You will care for me and have mercy on me. Thank You Lord!

# God is Before and Beside Us

## 2012-01-20

This morning I was reading  Psalm 16, which is one of my favorite psalms. Specifically, I was concentrating on verse 8.

8 "I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

I was meditating on the imagery of God at my right hand. At first, I thought it a bit wrong, as that would indicate that I was in the seat of authority, with the Lord at my right hand. However, as I did some research, reading a few commentaries, I saw how this is actually an accurate representation of how we live our lives. In the domain of our lives, we have free will and do control our choices, and in this domain we sit on the chair of authority. God will never usurp our free will, but will willing guide us, direct us, give us council, and protect us, but He will not override our free will.

It's interesting that in this verse God is both before him, and at His right hand. In other words, it's like God is blazing the trail for us to walk in, then helping us walk in that path, guiding us and directing us. Lord help me to keep my gaze focused on You, and my ear constantly open to Your guidance and direction.

 photo

I see in my mind the image of when a child is first learning to walk, one of the parents in front of the child with arms open wide, encouraging the child to walk towards them. The other parent gentling supporting their child, helping them to balance and take a few steps, always right by the child's side in case they stumble or waver. It's not to control the child but to help the child grow, and gain freedom.

Or to put in Paul's words from his letter to the Philippians:

Phil 3:12-14

12 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Amen, help me Lord.

# Abounding Love and Insight

## 2012-01-21

This morning I was meditating on  Phil. 1:9-11:

9 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."

What a rich sentence and rich prayer. I want to break it down and look at this more fully.

Love abounding more and more in knowledge and depth of insight...

\- love coupled with wisdom and knowledge  
\- love that has a maturity and seasoning  
\- love that knows Christ well, understands His ways and heart  
\- love that understands those around you, having empathy and understanding

Which leads to the ability to discern what is best...

\- with this increased love, comes increased responsibility  
\- what to embrace, what to bless, what to release  
\- the ability to see true value and worth  
\- seeing the true worth in a person, their true heart  
\- I think of Jesus and Levi or Zaccheus

And helps me be pure and blameless...

\- love becomes the filter for my actions  
\- love for Christ and love for others rather than self  
\- love checks my motivations  
\- love helps me set my priorities  
\- coupled with wisdom, knowledge and discernment, I am able to rightly order my life and actions

And filled with the fruit of Jesus' righteousness which He gives me...

\- of right standing with God and right doing (Amplified Bible)  
\- the fruit of right standing is access and authority - right place at the right time  
\- not the result of my actions, but a gift  
\- my right actions are possible because of the gift, not the other way around  
\- fruit of this is seeing God work through me  
\- forgiveness of sins  
\- right relationship with the Father

Lord, what an awesome prayer. I ask Lord that You would bring this prayer to fullness in my life. I want to abound in love and knowledge and insight of You. I want to rightly see myself and others, understanding Your ways, and setting the priorities of my life correctly. I want to experience the fruit of Your righteousness more fully in my daily walk - being Your true representative.

# Has Your Love Grown Cold?

## 2012-01-23

This morning as I was praying I was thinking about how easy it is for our Love to grow cold for the Lord.

In  Matt 24:12 Jesus warns us, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,..."

I was thinking about this statement and how we can understand it in our own lives, and how to combat the growing wickedness. The Greek word that is used can also be translated lawlessness, referring to God's law. So it could be roughly translated - due to more and more people walking away from the things of God (His ways and laws) their love for God will grow cold.

In many ways that result should be expected. The fact that their love grows cold really is the effect of the walking away from the things of God. It's really the same situation in every relationship. If you are away from someone for an extended period of time, and stop thinking about them, your love for them will grow colder. I think real passion requires presence.

Maintaining a relationship takes a good deal of intentionality. Husbands and wives who slowly slide into mutual existence, just going through their days and weeks and months without intentionally interacting and connecting for the sake of their relationship, will slowly see their passion for one another wane.

We must learn to be intentional in our relationship with God, even more so as the lawless of our present culture and society increases. In the old testament, God had the Israelites build monuments or altars at the sites of His interaction with them, so that when walking past them they would be reminded of what He did. He told them to write His commands on the tablets of their hearts and to bind them on their fingers (Prov 7:3). The psalms of David are constantly reminding them of what God did, calling to remembrance His miracles, and interactions with them.

I think we need to do the same types of things to keep our love from growing cold. We must intentionally remind ourselves of what God has done, focusing on the many things He has spoken, how He has touched us, and doing this regularly. It's like having a picture album of God moments, so that if we ever doubt whether He loves us, we can go page through the album and be reminded of all the blessings He has poured into our lives. The importance of this will increase as our surroundings become more God-less.

I think the best way to maintain love for God is through daily interaction, or prayer, and daily reading His scripture. This will keep us anchored to Him. I journal during my prayer as often as I can, so that I can go back and look at the historical record of my interactions with God. This has served as a reminder of God's love on many occasions.

Lord, help us to maintain a constant level of communication with You that helps us maintain our passion for You. Remind us of Your love and faithfulness.

# Be the Ball

## 2012-01-24

I know that is an interesting title, and one that will hopefully be a bit clearer shortly. In prayer this morning I was reminded of a dream I had back in October. I wrote about in my blog at that time, but am including it here again.

I woke from an interesting dream which has Spiritual connotations. In my dream I was in a class with several people and our teacher had assigned us several simple tasks. The first task is the one that really stands out. He had several bowling pins set-up and spread-out over a large area. He gave us a tennis ball and asked us to try and get a strike (knock all the pins down with one throw or roll. All of us tried to throw or roll the tennis ball to knock down the pins but were clearly unsuccessful. Once we all failed, the teacher stepped forward and said, "Let me demonstrate how to do this task." He then proceeded to place the ball between his knees, holding it in place, and walked to each pin and knocked it over, simply completing the task. We were all dumb-struck at the simplicity of the solution. None of us had thought outside the normal rules of the game of bowling.

At that time I woke up and immediately thought of the verse from  Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." The Lord was clearly speaking about learning to think outside the box, looking at things through His eyes.

This morning as I was praying I felt like the Lord gave me additional insight. In this imagery, my effort is like the tennis ball, relatively ineffective in light of the task before it, but if I am wielded by Him, I can become very effective. If I maintain connection with Him and let Him direct me, I will see impossible things accomplished. The teacher is clearly the Holy Spirit, and I just need to let myself be used by Him.

Lord help me to allow myself to be used by You, help me to be the ball.

# How Do You Think About God?

## 2012-01-26

I think that A. W. Tozer said that the single most important thing is how we think about God. I just was reminded about this as I opened my bible to  Matt 16:13-16 which says:

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, [a] the Son of the living God."

Lord, it's so important that we remember that You are God, our Lord and our Savior. You are not just a good teacher, some wise man, someone who is only our friend. Rather, You are the only true God! You are creator of all things and so far beyond our comprehension, so unknowable in Your greatness, that we can scarcely comprehend even a small slice of Your character. Lord help me to think correctly about You.

In the verses following this scripture, it's clear that the ability to do this is also a gift, so I ask for that ability - revelation of who You truly are, and what You are about in my life and the lives of those around me.

# Overcoming in Difficult Circumstances

2012-02-03

This morning I was reading  Romans 8:37-39:

37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

As I read this famous verse, I am drawn to the first statement - being more than conquerors. One of the biblical commentators says it this way:

"they have more than overcome, they have exceedingly the better of it; for they not only patiently bear afflictions and persecutions, but they glory in them; their experience, faith, and joy, are often increased by them; they have sometime solicited, and even wearied their persecutors; they have got the victory with ease, over Satan and his hellish emissaries, by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony: but this is not owing to themselves, or through their own strength, but through him that loved us;" New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible

I like the thought of how they basically turned the tables on the circumstances and situations, turning what was meant to cause them pain, frustration, and separation into something that drew them closer to God and gave them greater confidence in Him. I was listening to a preacher recently who calls this "flipology" the ability to take something meant for bad, and turning it into a blessing and something that encourages us in our Christian walk.

Amen! Help me Lord to be more than a conqueror in all situations!

# Setting Our Affections Above

## 2012-02-05

This Morning I was reading from  Col 3:1-5:

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your [a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."

These verses are challenging in their other-worldness. Paul says to set our hearts and minds on things above - heaven. We have such a hard time grasping anything that is on earth but out of our area or sphere of experience, to set our hearts and minds on heaven is very difficult.

The reality that we can a fix our heart and minds to is Jesus! He dwells there in Heaven, and by setting our affections and heart upon Him, we are able to live as Paul encouraged us. Truly part of our life, the eternal component is now hidden in Heaven with Jesus. We are eternal beings, and that reality is still hidden in its fullness.

So, because this is true, we should now put to death, or die to those attractions of our earthly bodies, and earthly lives. Our lives are now much more than our appetites and wants, but are now eternally significant.

# Freedom

## 2012-02-06

This morning one of the themes of my prayer time was freedom. The following two verses came to mind as I was thinking about this theme.

2 Corinthians 3:17  
'Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Galatians 5:1  
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

As I was praying, I felt encouraged to review the place of freedom in my walk with God. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus are committed to our freedom. The question I need to put to myself, is whether or not I am experiencing this freedom. Am I free to worship, am I free to share, am I free to express my love for Christ, am I free to pursue the things that I am being called forward into? Am I feeling constrained, am I feeling chained down in some area of my life? Am I giving someone or something power over me in my life?

Jesus came to proclaim freedom over our lives. In  Luke 4:18-19 He said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

We need only to cry out to Him for He purchased our freedom with His life, He will certainly lead us to that place of freedom, freeing us from any chains, or prison that we find ourselves in. Let us trust in Jesus and take Him at His word. He was sent to release the oppressed.

 Freedom

# Entering God's Rest

## 2012-02-08

This morning I was reading through Psalm 95. The second part of that psalm that always gets me is  Ps 95:10-11:

"For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest."

This verse is discussed by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews in chapter  4:1-12. Here are verses 1 & 2 from the Amplified Bible:

1 THEREFORE, WHILE the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered [today], let us be afraid [ [a] to distrust it], lest any of you should [b] think he has come too late and has come short of [reaching] it.

2 For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with [c] the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; [d] neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe).

In other words, God had a plan, but the Israelites didn't enter into that plan due to their lack of faith (believing the God would deliver the land into their hands) even after He had already done significant miracles in their presence. I wonder how long it would have taken them to enter fully into God's rest (the land) if they had entered the land at this time, rather than reacting in fear to the inhabitants of the land.

Exodus 23:20-30 talks about God's original plan. Here are verses 27-30:

"I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. 28 I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. 29 But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land."

I could imagine the people of Israel being upset that it was going to take time, rather wanting to take possession of the whole land immediately. God had a better idea. He knew that they couldn't occupy the land and hold the land in their present condition. They were too small and would ultimately be overcome, and experience no rest at all. God's plan, while taking effort and time, would enable them to not only occupy but maintain their hold of that which God gave them.

I know I can learn much from this, as I always want God to move immediately. I want to see the complete fulfillment of His plan, not recognizing that I need to grow, mature and put forth effort to really possess the land that God is giving me.

Hebrews 4:11 says it well: "Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."

Amen!

# Entering God's Rest - II

## 2012-02-09

Yesterday I was reading and thinking about entering God's rest - in this case the Promised Land. This morning I was rereading and doing a bit more research. When God first described the inheritance of the promised land, it was in  Gen 15:7-8 and  Gen 17:7-8

Gen. 15:7-8. "He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." 8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"

Gen. 17:7-8 "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

In these verses - the Hebrew words that are used, refer to family lands, inheritance, and taking possession. Specifically the verse in chap 15, the word is yaras and it includes an element of taking or gaining by force or right... in the case of the Land of Canaan, it would be both. It would take many years, the Israelites were in Egypt 430 years, and before that Israel / Jacob had lived 130 years \- so we are talking about at minimum 600 years = 130+430+40 to experience the actual beginning fulfillment of this promise and entering into their inheritance.

Much of that time was spent on the growing of the people to be able to take possession of the land. When they went into Egypt, they were only 70 people. When they came out they were a nation of over a million (603,500 men over 20, plus 22,000 Levite males -  see Numbers 2-4) They needed to grow and expand, enabling them to not only possess, but keep the land. Clearly in the same way, God calls us to grow and mature into a place where we can truly possess all that He has planned for us.

Lord help me to trust in You, knowing that You know the right timing, and You judge rightly my level of maturity, as You see my heart as it is. I desire to walk in the fullness of all You have set aside as my inheritance, for surely it is delightful (Psalm 16:6)!

# Choose the Path of Life

## 2012-02-11

This morning I was reading from Psalm 16 again.

Psalm 16:9-11

"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Yes Lord, you have made known to me the path of life, I just need to learn to walk in it. I need to choose to walk in this path. When I choose this path, You will be present, and in that place of closeness I find joy. In that place of closeness you also distribute eternal pleasures... things that last and are of value in eternity. The joy and eternal pleasures are so much more valuable than any earthly possession.

This morning we were talking about how our western / American mindset and situation make it difficult for us to have an eternal mindset. We are so distracted by the here and now, and our situation is such that we are satisfied with what we have. It's not like we have terrible lives so that a hope of a life in Heaven helps us through the difficulty of our situation. Most of the time, I am not really in need, so I don't set my mind and heart on anything else.

I guess we are like the church in Laodicea.  Rev 3:17-18 describes them as follows:

17 "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

Lord help me to recognize my true state, and see the value of what I have, versus what You offer - joy in Your presence and eternal pleasures. You make known to all of us this path of life, through following Jesus. We just need to choose to walk in this path. As John wrote in his first letter:

1 John 5:11-12

11 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Amen!

# Staying On The Path

## 2012-02-12

This morning I was reading from Nehemiah 9 & 10. Nehemiah was a leader of the Israelites who helped lead the nation back to Jerusalem, from their place of captivity in Babylon. Chapter 9 contains a great prayer of confession of sin, which is really common to all of us, and recognition of God's incredible mercy and restraint in dealing with a people who constantly disobeyed. I especially think verses 33-35 are so telling:

Neh 9:33-35

"In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. 34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. 35 Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways."

Lord that is so true, everything we have that is good is from You. Yet so many of us, myself included, live as if You had nothing to do with it, and we blindly follow our own thoughts and ways. You are so good to us, and in the midst of our sin, You have acted faithfully. We thank You Lord for not treating us as our actions would require.

Nehemiah 10 is a solemn commitment that the people make to God to re-establish His laws, and to walk in them fully. The chapter finishes with the statement " "We will not neglect the house of our God." In  Nehemiah 13, he returns to Israel after a few years and finds that already people have stopped following the precepts and laws they had committed to following in Neh 10, and had already started neglecting the house of God. I find it so amazing, yet recognize the same tendency in my life, that they so quickly fell away from commitments they made to God and to each other, and instead wandered away from the path they had committed to stay on.

Lord, You know our weak human condition, and seeming inability to stay on course or stay focused for any period of time. I am so grateful that You have sent us the Holy Spirit as a counselor to live with us. We thank You, Holy Spirit that you provide power, encouragement, counsel, and direction. Lord help us to keep our hearts and our minds inclined towards You at all times. Help us to stay true to our commitments to You and each other!

# The Father, the Gift Giver!

## 2012-02-14

This morning I am looking at a couple of verses that talk about God the Father giving us gifts because of His love for us.

John 3:16-17

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Matt 7:7-11

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Luke 11:13

13 "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Lord I thank you that You have given us gifts beyond comprehension. You desired to show Your love to us for all time, so You sent Your only Son to make a way for us to be in relationship with You. You send us Your Holy Spirit to dwell with us, so that we might constantly know Your intimate love, Your care and encouragement.

Clearly, we don't fully comprehend the awesomeness of Your gift, but we are grateful. We know that every good gift comes from You, and every good deed is just a shadow of how good You are really. If we gathered every good thing together in one place, the sum total of all that goodness wouldn't even come close to your actual goodness.

Thank you for your love!

# Difficulty, Suffering and Freedom

## 2012-02-16

This morning as I was praying I was thinking about God's incredible grace and mercy. I was reminded of how Jesus came to those who were hurting, experiencing many types of difficulty and how He set them free. Here are several verses that came to mind.

Matt 9:12-13  
12 "On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

If we are feeling weak, sinful, downtrodden, etc. Jesus came for us!

Matt 9:35-36  
35 "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

He sees our condition and has compassion on us, in the midst of our struggles.

 Romans 5:1-5  
1 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

As we turn to God in the mist of our sufferings, He transforms us! Instead of weakness and suffering, we can instead experience hope and His love.

Romans 8:1-2  
1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

Jesus came to set us free!

2 Corinthians 6:2  
"For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

Today is the Day! We don't have to wait! We can turn to Him and experience His compassion, grace, mercy, hope and love today! Today can be the day of our salvation!

# Practice What We Hear

## 2012-02-17

This morning I was thinking about how I, so often, don't follow God's Word in my daily walk. I was reading in Ezekiel and was captured by the following verses.

Ezek. 33:30-32  
"As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice."

I know that I have been guilty of this exact thing. Lord, please forgive me for my lack of reaction to hearing Your words! Lord help me to hear and put Your words into practice.

Your words are meant to guide, direct and nourish me. If I only listen, but never put Your words into practice, I will miss out on all that You desire to do in my life. Help me to recognize the idiocy of this - that I would think that I know better than the one who sees all, knows all, and loves me more than I can ever imagine. I know that You have the words of life, to whom else can I go? (John 6:68)

# God Breaks In

## 2012-02-21

This morning I was reading the following section from Acts.

(NIV)Acts 16:22-34  
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. [23] After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. [24] When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. [26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. [27] The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" [29] The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. [30] He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31] They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved---you and your household."

[32] Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. [33] At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. [34] The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God---he and his whole household.

As I read this, I am amazed at how God chose to work in and through Paul and Silas. Here they are attacked, beaten severely and locked in prison, wounded and bleeding. Yet, in the midst of that severe suffering, Paul and Silas are praying and worshiping God. Their attitude and focus in this situation is amazing, for it's because of their following God's direction that they find themselves in jail. If I were in that situation, I would probably be yelling at God, telling Him how I didn't sign up for this type of treatment.

It's important to note that God didn't put them into this situation, but rather they were being attacked because they had cast a demon out of a woman. This was an attack from the enemy.

In spite of the situation, it's in the place of prayer and worship that God intervenes and sets them completely free from their chains and prison doors. Rather than being concerned about their freedom, they are concerned more for the life of the jailer. In the midst of their suffering, they are concerned for the one who is keeping them captive. As a result of this, the jailer and his whole household are saved.

What an awesome example of how God can intervene in the darkest situation, set us free and then turn the situation into a time of salvation and redemption! No matter how deep and dark a place we find ourselves, God can reach in and completely turn the situation around. His call is to keep our eyes focused on Him, continue to be thankful, and believe Him for complete restoration and glorious salvations.

# The Greatest is Love

## 2012-02-23

(NIV)1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13  
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

[13] And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Part of my morning meditation today and yesterday has been on Love. I think the last line of verse 13 is so important, "But the greatest of these is Love." I am reminded of Jesus statement in John 15:

(NIV)John 15:12-13, 17  
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends...17] This is my command: Love each other."

And in John 13:

(NIV)John 13:34-35  
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

The Lord clearly communicates the importance of love, not emotional love but sacrificial love, being of utmost importance. Our love is meant to be the primary sign of our following Him. It's meant to bind us together, and fuel our every effort. We are called to love our spouses, love our children, love our parents, love those around us, both in the church and outside the church. We are called to grow in love, even to the point of loving our enemies. This love is meant to be real, pouring out of heart and actions, not just warm and good feelings, but sacrificially laying down our lives - our wants, plans, time, needs, and attention - and turning our focus on those we are meant to love.

As I read these verses I am reminded of the opportunity for growth I have in this area. My tendency is to focus on my own needs and wants, grasping tightly to my life, rather than laying it down. Lord, I pray that You will help me to live out Your words, putting into practice what I hear.

# Meditations on Psalm 19

## 2012-02-25

This Morning I was reading from Psalm 19, and these are a couple of thoughts I had as I spent time with God.

(NIV)Psalm 19:12-14  
"But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. [13] Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. [14] May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

As I was reading Psalm 19, the verses listed above stood out to me. Verses 12 & 13 talk about our sinfulness as I understand it. There is in me, hidden faults and sin that I am not yet aware of, things that will be revealed as I draw closer to the Lord and His divine light penetrates deeper into my being. There is also willful sin, that which I am aware of as sin, yet choose to do.

Lord, I ask that You would continue to help me become more and more like You. Help me to gain freedom, through Your forgiveness and grace, from all my willful sins and patterns of behavior, as well as those areas yet unknown to me where I am sinning. I want to be like You in all my ways. I thank You that You have paid the price for all my sin, both seen and unseen, known and unknown. You extend forgiveness to us all, for all our sins.

Verse 14 is also so important, that I not only pay attention to my words, but also to what I dwell on in my heart. You pay attention to these both Lord, so should I. Lord help me to put into my heart things that are pleasing to You. I want my thoughts and the things I dwell on to be the things that draw me closer to You. That all might be for Your glory - my words, my thoughts, my actions, my imaginations and my dreams.

I also like the second part of  verse 8: "The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." As I think about this, it seems like the commands of the Lord are the illumination that allows us to see and make sense of our surroundings. In the dark, we mistake things, don't perceive things correctly, and generally fumble around. His commands area not only meant to guide us, but to enlighten us as well, help us to understand where we are and where we are going.

# Psalm 33: God Sees Us All

## 2012-02-26

This morning I was reading out of Psalm 33 and really like the following verses:

(NIV)Psalm 33:13-15, 18-22  
From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

[18] But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, [19] to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. [20] We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. [21] In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. [22] May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Yes Lord, you do see all of us, and everything we do. You consider us, our thoughts, our ways and the motives of our hearts. Your eyes are on those who fear You, who revere Your name, who listen to Your word, who are desiring to please You.

Lord we do hope in You. We put our trust in Your Name. You are the all-powerful, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent Father, from whom all good things come. You are the God that saves, that redeems, that heals, that provides, that forgives, that acts on our behalf. You truly are our hope, in this age and eternity.

# We Were Bought At A Price

## 2012-02-28

This morning while praying I felt led to read from 1 Cor 6-7. There are several things that are in these chapters, but the one that stood out to me was 1 Cor 7:23:

(NIV)1 Corinthians 7:23  
"You were bought at a price;..."

As I started meditating on this verse and the surrounding scripture, I got the sense that the Lord had something to say to those that have fallen, those that have back-slidden, those that struggle to hold onto their faith.

The message is quite simple really. He paid the price for You! You are His!

The enemy would try to convince you that the Father won't take you back because of whatever you have done, or because you rejected or denied Him. The reality is that God paid the price for all your sins, every one of them, those you committed before knowing Him, and those you committed after knowing him. This salvation that God has purchased is not a one shot opportunity, but rather meant to be eternal.

I was reminded of the parable of the sower and the seed ( Matt 13:3-23 ). We so often read this as a onetime event, but the truth of the matter is a farmer sows seed every year, not one time. He also works the soil in between plantings, picking out rocks, killing weeds, etc. The next season he plants seeds he expects that more ground will be fertile and produce a good crop, because he has worked the soil, especially the areas that were previously unproductive. In the same way, God offers us the opportunity to hear the word, respond to it and become fruitful, over and over.

I am reminded of the parable of the prodigal son ( Luke 15:11-32). Jesus told this story to illustrate the Father's heart towards those that have been in His house, but fallen away, or chosen to live their life outside HI house, pursuing whatever they set their hearts on. The lost son, had some idea of his Fathers heart, but had been listening to the lies of the enemy and was convinced that if he went back, he would never be able to walk in his previous relationship with his father, but at best be a servant. This story was told to expressly show that this is NOT how the Father loves us. He will always welcome his child back, will always restore them to relationship as a son or daughter. He will always be anxiously waiting for their return.

Going back to original verse - we were bought with a price, and we are His. I saw in my mind's eye, a garage sale, where the enemy was trying to sell some of the people that had received salvation for next to nothing, convincing them that their worth was either insignificant, or that they were completely unwanted. I saw the Lord walk out, and reclaim each of them, saying very clearly, "This one is mine!"

He paid for each of us, while we were still sinners. We are His. We are always welcomed. It does not matter what we have done, how many times we might have rejected Him or hurt Him. He has already paid the price. He will never relinquish His relationship with us.

# The Importance of Small Things

2012-03-02

This morning I was reading in Zechariah.

Zech 4:10  
"Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel."

I was thinking earlier about how it's the small decisions I make throughout the day that generally determine my focus and level of obedience. In the big areas, I generally stay on the path, but it's in the small areas that I either don't pay attention to the consequences, or feel like I can disobey without any affect.

In this scripture Zerubbabel is commissioned to rebuild the temple, and the plumb-line is the tool they used to make sure the walls, especially the foundations, were straight. I know that in laying bricks for a brick wall, if one brick is slightly out of line, it can cause the whole wall to get out of balance, and become unstable, as that out-of-line brick is used to guide the placement of all the bricks around it, and the above it.

In the same way, small areas of my life that are out of line with God, can cause other areas to get out of line as well. In fact as I honestly look at times of disobedience, I can usually trace it back to one small little thing where I chose to do something slightly out of line with what I know is God's will for me. This then seems to cause a weakness in my will, and in related areas I make more choices that are out of line, so that disobedience, builds upon disobedience. Soon I find myself choosing disobedience in larger areas as well, due to my weakness of will.

Clearly, it is important to pay attention to the small things, for by them the course of my day, and life is often set. Lord, help me to hold true to Your Word and Will always, not just in the big areas, but in small things as well.

# The Trouble With Troubles

## 2012-03-03

I was reading from the psalms this morning, and I have a question for You Lord.

(NIV)Psalm 121:7  
The Lord will keep you from all harm---he will watch over your life;

In this psalm, You clearly say you will keep us from all harm, those that look to You. Yet, in the case of people we know, who have been living a life focused on You, depending on You, they are afflicted with a terrible cancer which clearly has harmed them. I ask for Your help in understanding this verse in light of our experience.

The NASB translates this verse:

The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.

OK, so after some research, the key word to understanding this verse is the last word of the sentence. The NIV translates this life, so in my thinking this means a person's life, the outward experiences, etc. The Hebrew word 'nephesh', is more correctly translated soul as shown in the NASB. This word means the inner person, see below:

soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion  
a. that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man  
b. living being  
c. living being (with life in the blood)  
d. the man himself, self, person or individual  
e. seat of the appetites  
f. seat of emotions and passions

So another way of reading this verse would be something like this:

The Lord will guard your soul, and keep it safe, as you encounter hardships and trouble.

I can understand this Lord, Thank You for Your instruction. Scripture clearly teaches us that we will encounter hardship and struggles (  Psalm 9:9,  John 16:33,  Rom 8:35,  1Peter 4:12, etc.), so a verse like this could seem contradictory.

In fact, as I have looked at many of the verses where trouble is mentioned, it's often within the context of that situation that God provides shelter, rescue, or miracles. He is a God who saves. He is the Redeemer, one who goes into the enemies camp and frees the captives and sets them free. It's in trouble, that we encounter these characteristics of the Lord. As Jesus says in John 16:33:

(NIV)John 16:33  
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So going back to the beginning of Psalm 121, we are encouraged to lift our eyes up to Him. For in Him, our souls are safe and helped.

(NIV)Psalm 121:1-2  
I lift up my eyes to the mountains---where does my help come from? [2] My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

# God's Generational Perspective

## 2012-03-04

This morning I was reading out of Isaiah 61:

(NIV)Isaiah 61:3-7  
..."and provide for those who grieve in Zion---to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. [4] They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. [5] Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. [6] And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. [7] Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours."

There is a replacement, a restoration that's tapping into the heart of the Lord, promised here. Verse 8 starts out:

(NIV)Isaiah 61:8  
"For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them."

This restoration and replacement is because of the Lord's heart for justice. When His people suffer, and experience sorrow, He plans to bring them the opposite, because of His heart of Justice. In the case of Israel, this took place over generations. As I typed that, I realized that we really don't have a generational context, that God has, and acts within. Beginning in Genesis there is a constant theme of God applying a blessing or covenant with the individual and His generations to come.

(NIV)Genesis 9:11-12  
"I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. " [12] And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:"

(NIV)Genesis 17:7  
"I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you."

(NIV)Psalm 33:11  
"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."

(NIV)Psalm 100:5  
"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

(NIV)Ephesians 3:21  
"...to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Lord, clearly you have a different perspective than we do. I know I can barely see past the next week. Help us to begin to understand and see as you see. Lord, help us to lay claim to Your promises as You mean them, as multi-generational. Help us to see that our actions can have generational significance. When we step into Your promise and blessing, it's something that affects the generations after us!

Note: no relation to me - but 6 generations of a single family!

# Welcoming God

## 2012-03-06

Last night I was reading from Luke 9-10.

(NIV)Luke 9:52-53  
"And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; [53] but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem."

I was thinking about the last sentence - how people did not welcome Jesus. He was heading to Jerusalem, and as such the Samaritans did not welcome Him, for there was a disagreement about where they should worship, and the Samaritans were generally looked down upon by the Jews. Clearly, as Jesus was actually planning to stay there, He was breaking from normal Jewish tradition of not associating with Samaritans as is described in  John 4. In addition to the financial blessing this would have brought, one would think, they would have experienced the blessing of God's literal presence, in Jesus. I am reminded of the effects that the presence of God had on Obed-Edom's house when David left the Ark there -

(NIV)2 Samuel 6:10-12  
He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. [11] The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household. [12] Now King David was told, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.

In the same way, when Jesus visited a city, they experienced the blessings of God, see  Matt 8 \- where Jesus comes into town, heals the Centurion's servant, healed Peter's mother-in-law, then healed everyone that was brought to Him. There was the natural blessing that came from crowds of people following Jesus, they needed food and places to stay, most likely bought at local rates, and there was the blessing of health and wholeness that was poured out through Jesus ministry, the kingdom of darkness was vanquished as Jesus cast out the demons. All of this would have greatly uplifted the town or city.

Yet we see this Samaritan village rejecting His presence, most likely because of their religious affiliation. It makes me wonder how often we miss God's presence because of some denominational differences, affiliations or even religious preferences? It makes me sick to think that someone would reject the very presence of God \- but I know I have likely fallen into the same spirit, not trusting that God was really moving due to a groups history, or affiliation.

Continuing on in Luke 10, Jesus gives a stern warning concerning towns and villages that do not welcome his followers, in the following verses:

(NIV)Luke 10:10-12, 16  
"But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, [11] 'Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.' [12] I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."

[16] "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Lord, help me to always welcome You! I am reminded of what Jesus' response was to the Samaritan village, He just went somewhere else (Luke 9:56).

I am also thinking this relates to how we welcome His word in our lives. There are many times that He visit's us with a word of encouragement, a calling, an invitation that challenges us, and it's always really an invitation to increase our intimacy with Him. How often do we reject Him in rejecting His word, or even His emissaries (preachers or teachers) because we don't like what we hear, or are challenged to get out of our comfort zone?

Lord, I don't want you to go anywhere else. I want to welcome You in my life, my home. Lord, that You might find a welcome sign in my heart and home, that you might take up residence here!

# No Sickness in the Kingdom of God

## 2012-03-07

I was reading from Luke 9 before going to sleep.

(NIV)Luke 9:1-9  
"When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. [3] He told them: "Take nothing for the journey---no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. [4] Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. [5] If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." [6] So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

[7] Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, [8] others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. [9] But Herod said, "I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?" And he tried to see him."

I was thinking about how simple this impartation was - Jesus called them together and gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases. He asked them to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and heal the sick.

This isn't meant to be rocket science, but the proclamation of the Kingdom has those two key components - power and authority. They are meant to demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom in overcoming the power of the enemy and the effects his work, and sickness. All of these are not part of God's Kingdom, that is why the proclamation of His Kingdom involves defeating them and driving them away.

So in summary:

1. Proclaiming His Kingdom requires Power and Authority which comes from Him.  
2. Proclaiming His Kingdom is meant to establish His Kingdom, as the enemy is defeated through this proclamation and demonstration.  
3. Demons, unclean spirit's, and sickness are all not a part of His Kingdom, thus when His Kingdom established they must go.

Lord, we believe this is true. Help us to grasp this truth completely and experience this truth in our lives.

# Knowing the Father

## 2012-03-11

This morning I was reading from the Gospel of John and was thinking about how important it is to know God. I was reminded of Jesus' statement to Philip in the 14th chapter.

(NIV)John 14:8-14  
"Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." [9] Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Recently my meditation has been on the person-hood of the Godhead. I have been trying to get to know them as individuals. So often I only relate to God from a distance, or as a petition hearing entity, but the truth is that they are distinct persons. God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are each knowable. I have been focusing on the Holy Spirit, as in my own walk, I have been least aware of Him. Books like "Good Morning Holy Spirit" by Benny Hinn and the "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit" by R.A. Torrey have been very helpful to me.

In this particular verse, Jesus shows us the way to understand and see the Father - He (Jesus) reveals Him to us, through His (Jesus) words and actions. If we read the Bible and endeavor to see the person behind Jesus actions, we will come face to face with the Father.

Amen - help me Lord, for I want to discover the great treasure. As it says in  Matt. 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

# The Salt Covenant - part 1

## 2012-03-12

In prayer I was led to  Lev 2:13 speaking about a covenant salt, which I had never really noticed before. I decided to do a bit of research and see what the significance of this covenant was to the Jews, and what meaning it should have for me. It was mentioned three times in scripture:

(NIV)Leviticus 2:13  
Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

(NIV)Numbers 18:18-19  
Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering and the right thigh are yours. [19] Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring."

(NIV)2 Chronicles 13:5  
Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?

I was looking up the covenant of salt online and it talks about this being the most extraordinary of all the covenants. This was an eternal, enduring, pure and preserving covenant. This is the root of the verse where Jesus speaks about being the salt of the earth, for there was a requirement that all sacrifices be salted when offered to God, for it makes them an acceptable sacrifice. The salt was also added to the incense, as a pleasing offering.

(NIV)Exodus 30:34-35  
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take fragrant spices---gum resin, onycha and galbanum---and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, [35] and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.

God clearly has established significance in the Covenant of Salt. Tomorrow I will dive deeper - for this has meaning for us all.

# The Salt Covenant - 2

## 2012-03-13

Continuing my study of the Salt Covenant, as mentioned in  Lev. 2:13:

Salt was the food preservative par excellence in biblical times. According to priestly law, all sacrifices were to be salted as well: "You shall season your every offering of meal with salt; you shall not omit from your meal offering the salt of your covenant with God; with all your offerings you must offer salt." (Lev. 2:13) It is easy to understand this law in the context of meat sacrifices, as salt functioned to remove whatever blood remained after slaughter. What is surprising and unexpected is the requirement to use salt in grain offerings as well:

Scholar Jacob Milgrom notes that salt stands in contrast to leaven and other fermentatives, whose use is forbidden on the altar. He thus perceives salt as a symbol of permanence, as opposed to leaven which produces change. Therefore, a "salt covenant" suggests an unbreakable covenant.()

Entering into a Covenant of Salt means binding oneself to another in utmost loyalty and truthfulness, even suffering death, rather than breaking the covenant. For this very reason a Covenant of Salt was never done lightly or haphazardly – it deserves serious respect. To the ancient Hebrews, salt represented purification, and was also symbolic of enduring friendship, honesty, and loyalty (2Kin.2:19 -21;  2Chr.13:5). Today some Eastern people still use the phrase: "There is salt between us." Having no salt, meant disloyalty and barrenness. ()

So what God was indicating in the "Covenant of Salt" that this is an everlasting covenant, unbreakable, and one that brings preservation, and purity. In other words, this Salt Covenant is looking forward to the Sacrifice that REALLY provided preservation (Salvation), purity (Righteousness) and unbreakable (Eternal) - that of Jesus on the Cross. In making sure that all offerings were salted, God is providing a pattern, calling us to remember constantly His covenant of Love with us, the New Covenant.

Tomorrow - our role of "salt of the earth" and how that should impact our lives.

# You are the Salt of the Earth

## 2012-03-14

Continuing my meditation and study of Salt, I am led to  Matt 5:13:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."

Burton Coffman commentary adds this about the salt losing its flavor:

The surface waters of the Dead Sea, on evaporation, have a chemical salts content of about 31 percent sodium chloride, 13 percent calcium chloride, and 48 percent magnesium chloride, together with other impurities. The calcium and magnesium chlorides are hygroscopic (take water out of the air) and will thus literally dissolve the sodium chloride. A bitter tasting composition results. It was the custom to store vast amounts of this salt in houses that had earthen floors. In time, the salt next to the ground spoiled because of the dampness (the water drawn in by the calcium and magnesium literally dissolves the sodium - the good tasting salt). Since it would be harmful to fertile land because of its salt content, no man would allow it to be thrown on his field. The only place left was the street, where it was trodden under foot of man. Thus the Bible was proved scientifically accurate, even in its many small details - for this was just a lone example.

So, taking this characteristic of the salt in Israel into account, Jesus is saying that if our faith is dissolved or negatively impacted by things that are not pure truth (adding to it, religion, heretical teaching, etc.). We will lose our flavor and become useless. The truth (flavor) is slowly dissolved out of us by those things around us that are not of Him, that we allow in our life. I can see how this creates a lifeless church that is so given over to religion, that there is no truth left. I see the corruption of the world creeping into the church so that over time the truth is lost all together.

(NIV)2 Corinthians 2:14-16  
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. [15] For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. [16] To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

This aroma is looking back at the incense before the Lord, which was required to be salted and pure (Exodus 30:35). In our call from Jesus to be the salt of the earth, we are in essence this aroma, this incense. Our presence is supposed to help sanctify and purify those around us, and lead them to God and His eternal covenant of life - made possible through Jesus sacrifice.

Amen - help us Lord. Who is equal to such a task? Lord without your guidance and empowerment, none of us is capable.

# The Wonder of the Church

## 2012-03-15

Yesterday I was thinking about how God chooses to make Himself known through us, through the Church. How, as creator of all, all powerful, all knowing, King over all, He chooses to make Himself known through a bunch of sinners.

First, we see in Christ the unthinkable, that God would come to earth and become man!

(NIV)Philippians 2:6-8  
"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross!"

Even more amazing, I think is the fact that Jesus then left the Church, His Bride, entrusted into the hands of men. I see great humility in God, even allowing His name to be associated with us, allowing us to be His representatives, especially with our propensity to screw things up. As Paul writes in Ephesians:

(NIV)Ephesians 3:8-12  
"Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, [9] and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. [10] His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. [12] In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

Lord, what an amazing and unthinkable plan, eternally purposed and accomplished through Jesus, to entrust Your manifold wisdom to man, to the Church, that through us this wisdom might be made known, might be proclaimed, might be shown to all rulers and authorities, even in the heavenly realms.

Lord, we pray that we might truly represent You to the world! We trust Your plan, but we know we are woefully incapable of doing this on our own!

# Concerning Our Families

## 2012-03-16

Yesterday while praying, I felt led to these verses where caring for family members is addressed very specifically:

(NIV)1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8  
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. [4] But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.  
[8] Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Lord this is so clear. Part of our walk of faith includes taking care of our family members, relatives, and parents. I am reminded of Isaiah 58 - where You talk about part of true fasting (verse 7):

(NIV)Isaiah 58:6-8  
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? [7] Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter---when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? [8] Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard."

Amen!

# Choosing our Battles

## 2012-03-18

This morning I was reading from 2 Chronicles, about King Josiah:

(NIV)2 Chronicles 34:29-31, 33  
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. [30] He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites---all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. [31] The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord---to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. [33] Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

(NIV)2 Chronicles 35:20-24  
"After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you."

22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

23 Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." 24 So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him."

This is such an interesting story and example to us. Here is a King, one who finally is following God's law, who is leading the people to follow God, and He gets himself killed, by fighting a battle that he wasn't supposed to be fighting. I am sure there was a rationalization that He was following God, but it doesn't say that He sought God's will, but that He saw the enemy marching toward Him and marched out to meet Him. This would be the sin of presumption. He presumed that this was God's plan, and his duty. We need to be very careful to only engage in the battles we are called by the Lord to fight, else we might end up like Josiah, and the people that follow us, the same.

# Holiness and the Church

## 2012-03-20

This morning I was reading from  Ezekiel 8, where the Lord takes Ezekiel and shows him the abominations that are occurring in the temple and within the house of Israel, detestable practices, worship of other Gods, blatant turning of their backs to God to worship other gods. I was thinking about how God clearly watches over His church with the same vigilance, and sees all the detestable things that are being done in His name, or under his supposed authority. He sees the spiritual abuse, the deception, the lies, the sin, the chasing after money, the mixing of other religions or streams of thought, all are detestable to Him. Lord we pray that You will have mercy and not treat us as our sins deserve. We pray that for the sake of Your name that You would purify Your Church, and make her a shining example to all the world, of Your glory and power.

(NIV)Leviticus 20:22-23, 26  
"Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. [23] You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. [26] You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."

In the same way, we in the church, must not allow the ways of the people around us to infiltrate the church. There is supposed to be a holiness to the church, a setting apart and separation. Israel constantly allowed the practices of the nations around them into their lives, and were constantly subjecting themselves to the judgment of God, who had clearly warned them against this very thing. They combined the practices and thinking of the nations around them, and followed the practices openly.

The early church experienced this very same trouble. Shortly after the Church was birthed, there were those who tried to insert Greek thought into the truths that Christ had revealed. These were the first heresies, and the Church had to protect the truth. We are called, in the same way to know the truth, and to hold onto the truth, not giving ourselves to the ways and thinking of the world around us.

As Paul says in  2 Timothy 3:1-5:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying it's power. Have nothing to do with them."

# Meditation on Forgiveness

## 2012-03-21

This morning I was reading out of Jeremiah, and the following verses caught my attention, and started me thinking about forgiveness.

(NIV)Jeremiah 14:20-22  
We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you. [21] For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it. [22] Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.

After reading that, I was reminded of Psalm 32.

(NIV)Psalm 32:1-11  
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. [2] Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. [3] When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4] For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. [5] Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." And you forgave the guilt of my sin. [6] Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. [7] You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. [8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. [9] Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. [10] Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. [11] Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

I was just thinking about the first verse of Psalm 32, how we are so blessed to have our sins forgiven. I was thinking that otherwise our sin would be piled up like our national debt, a list of sins that just keeps getting larger and larger, to the point that it's almost unfathomable, certainly with no hope of ever clearing the debt or record. I am so grateful Lord, that You freely offer us forgiveness of sins. Thank You Lord for dying to set me free from my sin. We really have no real sense of the value of Your sacrifice, but even so, we are grateful. Lord, our hope is in You, for you are the only one who brings forgiveness, and life. Lord, surround me with Your unfailing love.

# Losing Sight of What's Important

## 2012-03-22

Last night I was reading from Mark 6 and was praying that we would see Jesus glorified like he was in verses 54-56:

(NIV)Mark 6:54-56  
As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. [55] They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. [56] And wherever he went---into villages, towns or countryside---they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Continuing my reading of Mark, I saw these verses:

(NIV)Mark 7:5-9, 13  
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?" [6] He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. [7] They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.' [8] You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions." [9] And he continued, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! [13] Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

Especially verse 8: "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." What a terrible indictment from the Son of God. His recognition that their worship of Him and the Father had lost all connections to their hearts and was being supplanted by religion and selfishness and man-made rules. Here He was in their midst, and they were more worried about the washing of hands and ritual observances, rather than God's Word and His purpose. The people were getting lost as their hearts grew cold.

Thinking more about these verses, Jesus and His disciples are having a huge impact in the area of Galilee, and this was attracting the attention of many people. The Pharisees He is talking to were from Jerusalem, having obviously come down to observe His ministry. Having no real power from God, all they can do is look for ways to discredit this ministry that is having such a great effect. They have critical hearts that judge, not the results, but rather the methods and adherence to 'their ways'!

Lord, I can see some of this in my own critical nature, often times not believing someone is of you if they act or look differently than I think someone who is following You should be. Lord, please forgive me for judgment, and forgive me for holding back in any way, when You call me out of my comfort zone. Lord, help me to value Your presence more than look and feel, or religious observances.

# An Unfaithful and Distracted Heart

## 2012-03-23

This morning I turned to  Ezekiel 16 and was thinking about this story about Jerusalem.

(NIV)Ezekiel 16:10-19  
"I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. [11] I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, [12] and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. [13] So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. [14] And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.

[15] " 'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. [16] You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty. [17] You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. [18] And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. [19] Also the food I provided for you---the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat---you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord."

I was reading this section of Ezekiel this morning, which is an allegory about the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem, and as I was thinking about this I realized that in many ways this is how I live. Obviously not in blatant promiscuity, but with the same attitude as Jerusalem. The theme, as I read this story, is that everything that the Lord gave her (Jerusalem) she used for her own enjoyment and pleasure, turning away from God in the process. God's purpose was that through lavishing her with love, she would return that love and affection, and be in relationship with Him.

Instead she took those things that He had given her, and basically ran towards everyone and everything else, literally giving her love away, to the point of worshipping those other things. The very things that were meant to draw her to Him, became the objects of her affection. Rather than thankfulness and gratitude, she used what she had been given for her own gratification.

I think of the incredible blessings that I have received and wonder how I have responded to God's gracious outpouring of blessings. Have I been grateful and thankful for all that I have been given, returning thanks to God, my true provider? Have I even been thankful for the clothes, food, shelter, countless blessings and provisions I have received? Am I aware of and remembering where I came from, the state of my soul prior to receiving salvation and forgiveness for my sins? Do I pursue my provider in relationship, or do I use these gifts for my own gratification and pleasure? Have I spent more time and effort pursuing other things, than God?

If I were to look at my thoughts and actions throughout the day, how often am I of the attitude of Jerusalem (in this allegory) and how often am I of the attitude of a grateful and thankful, redeemed and rescued, loved and provided for child of God?

Lord, I must confess that so often, I am the former and not the latter. So often I do not return thanks to You for all You have provided. I do not acknowledge You as my provider, and redeemer, as I should. I do use those things that You have blessed me with for my own gratification, rather than for Your purposes. I am so easily distracted from and easily forgetting the incredible things that You have done for me.

Lord, I ask that You would forgive me for my unfaithful and distracted heart. I ask You to forgive me for giving my affections and attention to anything other than You. You are calling out to me daily, showing me Your love in countless ways! I choose to return Your affection and attention, turning my heart fully towards You, Lord.

# Courage and Cowardice

## 2012-03-26

Yesterday at Church, the preacher used a quote from C.S. Lewis that I really liked. The quote follows -

"We have made men proud of most vices, but not of cowardice. Whenever we have almost succeeded in doing so, God permit's a war or an earthquake or some other calamity, and at once courage becomes so obviously lovely and important even in human eyes that all our work is undone, and there is still at least one vice of which they feel genuine shame." ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (which is book talking about temptation from a demons point of view – it's a very good read)

This morning I happened to be reading from Ephesians 6:

(NIV)Ephesians 6:10-20  
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [18] And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. [19] Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Interesting thoughts this morning, the quote from CS Lewis talking about the vice of cowardice, and the verse from Ephesians, talking about being strong and courageous. I find it interesting that in our world today, taking a stand for Christ is becoming more and more looked down upon. The present encouragement is to be inclusive of all things, even that which is clearly not of God, in an effort to not be seen as divisive.

The reality is that the truth, when proclaimed, does cause separation from the things of this world. The truth should bring conviction of sin. We must not be afraid of proclaiming the truth through our lives. We need to be able to stand our ground, unashamedly acknowledging our Savior and faith in Him. It's important to remember that we are not fighting against other people \- our call is to love all people - but against spiritual forces.

Lord, I pray that You will strengthen us, and help us to stand our ground in the face of the constant onslaught of the world, telling us that our faith is wrong, and that by holding to the truth we are bigoted, self-righteous, judgmental, and generally trying to force our beliefs on others. Lord, we pray that by Your strength and love working through us, that the Church might be known for its love and power.

Lord, I pray, like Paul, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I may fearlessly make known the glorious mystery of the Gospel. The truth is that You loved us so much, that You came and took our punishment upon Yourself, Jesus, so that we could enter into eternal life with You, the Father and the Holy Spirit. That is indeed a glorious mystery.

# Meditation on Eternal Life

## 2012-03-27

Since it will be Holy Week next week, I am thinking of reading the passion and preceding chapters the next several days. Lord, I want to better appreciate Your sacrifice, and Your last words, and increase my love and passion for you!

This morning I am starting John's Gospel, chapter 17:

(NIV)John 17:1-3  
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:  
"Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. [2] For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

In the 3rd verse, Jesus equates eternal life with knowing Him and the Father! (NIV)John 17:3  
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Jesus can give this eternal life to those whom He chooses.

I am so grateful that You invite us and call us to know You more, Lord. My desire is that I would come to know You more and more in these coming days and years. I want to know You, know Your Word, and know Your heart. I want to walk in this knowledge, wrapped in the understanding and sensitivity to the present situation, of what You are doing and desire to do. Lord, You have issued the invitation, and I am taking You up on it. Your promise is to give eternal life to this You choose, and I am asking that You choose me.

# Jesus - God and Man

## 2012-03-28

(NIV)John 17:5 "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

This morning, this sentence has grabbed my attention. Jesus, clearly aware of who He is and from where He came, is praying that the Father would restore Him to His rightful place. He had possessed this place before the world, before time, and was going back in His humanity.

Adam Clarke writes, "Let the glory of my eternal divinity surround and penetrate my humanity, in its resurrection, ascension, and in the place which it is to occupy at thy right hand, far above all creatures."

I like that phrase - that His eternal divinity might surround and penetrate His humanity. In a very real sense, this is our prayer too, concerning the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit might surround and penetrate our humanity, living in our hearts and bringing into us that eternal divinity. Clearly a thought that is really beyond comprehension. Lord I pray that You might help me to understand this glorious truth - that You made the way for us to be joined to You. As Jesus said in John 17:21 -

(NIV)John 17:21  
"... May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Also, as I think about this reality, I am reminded that Jesus is truly God. So often we struggle with fully comprehending this reality - which is understandable since it's an unknowable mystery. He wasn't just a man, a wise teacher, a prophet, etc. He is God! He was God before the world began, and is God now, in time and outside of time. He was so perfect in taking on humanity, that we can totally relate to Him as a man, but we must never forget that He is God. In the midst of our familiarity, we must remember that He is God, and He loved us so much that He came down to earth and became man. God became man - that is more impossible than taking the entire world and every person on it and stuffing them on the head of a pin. He didn't just take on a human form, like we see in some of the fantasy Greek mythologies. He really became man fully, so much so, that He could and did die! Mind blowing stuff....

# For the Joy Set Before Him

## 2012-03-29

Continuing my meditation leading up to Easter, I was thinking much about the following verses:

(NIV)John 17:4, 13  
"I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. [13] "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them."

Specifically verse 13, where Jesus says that He has completed the work the Father gave him to do. He clearly hadn't gone through His Passion and death, or His resurrection, but was saying the work was completed in the Father's eyes. One of the commentaries I read said that this is how the Father relates to us all, not as we are, but we are in our future perfected state. I guess, seeing the beginning and the end is helpful perspective, which is a complete understatement.

Also, these verses clearly indicates Jesus is looking forward to all that He will endure, and speaks about the full measure of joy that He has while looking toward His brutal Passion and death. Hebrews 12 says the following:

(NIV)Hebrews 12:2  
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So Jesus, as He looks forward, sees the Joy of the completed sacrifice, the salvation and redemption of those who are His. He sees the results, understands the sacrifice and is filled with joy by it all. In fact, He wanted His disciples to be filled with the same joy that He had, being filled to the full measure of His joy. Another one of those unfathomable statements.

He was, by His obedience into death, going to provide the way for all people to be restored to relationship with the Father. He was going to pay the price for all sins. He was going to shatter the power of the enemy. He was going to break the bonds of death. He said that all the angels in heaven rejoice over a single sinner who repents, what must the celebration been like in heaven when the veil was torn in two?

So, as we contemplate the Passion and death of Jesus, let us remember His joy, and His prayer that we might be filled to the full measure of His joy.

# God's Love For Jesus Within Us!

## 2012-03-30

Continuing my reading of John 17, the following verse caught my attention:

(NIV)John 17:26  
I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Another one of those mind blowing statements and prayers that Jesus prays. He prays that two things might be in us, the Love the Father has for Him, and secondly, that. He might be in us too.

First the Love the Father has for Him, is beyond any measure. If You were to take the Love God has for every person, and all creation and bundle it together it wouldn't compare to the Love the Father has for the Son. I believe that we could even say this is the most powerful thing in all eternity - the Love of the Father and Son, and Jesus is praying that it will be within us. Wow!

Also, I've heard it said the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, is the Physical manifestation of the love that the Father and Son have for each other. So, in a very real way, Jesus' prayer is answered by the Holy Spirit coming to us and residing in us, when we are saved. That is a direct answer to this prayer.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Jesus, so clearly His (Holy Spirit) coming to us fulfills the second prayer as well. For what other Spirit would Jesus have within Himself, except the Holy Spirit? We are all triune beings, body, mind and spirit, and so was Jesus. So, He literally sends us part of Himself, to be with us. Amazing!

All of this is only made possible through the sacrifice the Jesus made for us all. For it's in His death and resurrection, that we are made righteous, and our sins are forgiven. It's through His sacrifice that the veil that separates God from man is torn in two. It is for restoration of intimacy with God that Jesus gave himself freely.

Lord, we clearly will never fully understand the glorious reality of this all. Help us to more fully live in this reality, the reality that Your love and Spirit is within us, and as such, we have within us the most powerful force in all eternity. Help us to discover this, and embrace this truth.

# God's Treasure in Us!

## 2012-03-31

In continuing my meditation, looking towards Easter, I am reading from Luke 22:

(NIV)Luke 22:19-20  
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

The new covenant that Jesus is referring to is linked to Jer. 31:31

(NIV)Jeremiah 31:31-33  
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, " declares the Lord. [33] "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

I am filled with hope when I read this passage from Jeremiah. When combined with the verses I read yesterday and the day before about the Fathers Love being in us, Jesus Himself being in us, His joy being in us, the Holy Spirit being in us (Jn 17:13, 26; Jn 20:22 ) and now His law being in us, I am greatly encouraged that God is putting everything we need into us!

What an incredible treasure we have in God! The fact is that by Your death Jesus, You made this great treasure possible. You had planned and made known since the time of Jeremiah that You were going to establish a new covenant. Who would have guessed at that time, that it would be through Your own blood that You would open the way for You to come and take up residence in our hearts, and pour into us these great treasures. How can we not celebrate Your sacrifice and power?

# Jesus' Sorrow in the Garden

2012-04-03

Continuing my study of Jesus last day(s) continues with His time in the garden:

(NIV)Mark 14:33-34  
He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. [34] "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

Jesus statement that His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death is really revealing of the level of His understanding of what He was about to undergo. To this point, He had not experienced anything that would cause Him to be sorrowful, so this surely had to do with His impending suffering and death. This could also be the start of the loading onto Him of the sins of the world, for he clearly bore them all - Isaiah 53:12.

I also think this was related to His embracing the physical suffering He would have to endure. He knew what was coming, Isaiah prophesied about it, and I am sure the Father told Him as well. He was fully man, having emptied himself, and now was embracing suffering as a man. He couldn't just make the pain go away, or heal himself, for it was the Father's and His will that He suffer and die, as the sacrifice. This is chosen, and embraced, but not without realization of what price He would pay, and it was overwhelming.

(NIV)Luke 22:42  
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

I am sure that the spiritual pain He had was far worse than the physical. He who was one with the Father, is now separated from the Father because of the sin (our sin) that He took upon himself. That constant loving communication, severed because of our sin. Additionally, I imagine that like any parent, who's child is suffering, would willing take that suffering upon themselves, Jesus not only feels this way, but does this for all men and women! What an incredible self-sacrifice.

(NIV)Luke 22:44  
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

We know that there is a medical condition called Hematidrosis where under extreme duress a person can literally sweat blood. Jesus is brought to that point in the garden, before He suffered any of the physical torture He was about to endure. As painful and terrible as the scourging and Crucifixion were, this pain of His soul was worse.

Lord, we can only slightly understand what You were enduring for our sake. We are so grateful for Your sacrifice on our behalf, for we know that it is through this sacrifice that you paid the price for our sin, and redeemed us!

# They Were All Scattered

## 2012-04-05

I am reading the different accounts of the last supper today. As I was reading both Matthew and Mark's accounts, I was reminded of the fact that all the disciples fell away from Jesus at this most critical time. As Jesus says in Mark 14:

(NIV)Mark 14:27  
"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

I am not exactly encouraged by this verse, but I see the reality of the fact that they had followed Jesus, some for three years, and seen all the miracles that He performed and been witnesses to His kingdom, and yet they all deserted Him. They were more worried about themselves than they were about Jesus, when it really came down to it. I see myself here...so often I willingly desert Jesus because something comes against me, or draws me away.

Another thing that is interesting is that after Jesus announces that one of the 12 would betray Him, in Matthew, Mark and Luke, it says the apostles started to question among themselves, and even ask Jesus, which of them would do this. Rather than strong denial, they question. I think this might be indicative of the fact that many, in their own hearts, still wondered if they were doing the right thing, if Jesus truly was the Messiah. He certainly wasn't doing all the things they thought He would - like claim the throne, etc. Their hearts apparently weren't fully given to Him.

I also think of the time in the garden when Jesus asked them to keep watch and pray, yet they all succumbed to their tiredness, their flesh overcoming their desire to obey Jesus. How often am I unwilling to overcome my own flesh (tiredness, hunger, laziness, etc. to obey Him?

Lord, clearly our wills, or hearts and our flesh are not strong enough to follow You on our own. We need help Lord.

I am reminded of when Jesus breathed on the disciples after He rose from the dead. It seems to me that they needed to be encouraged and strengthened at that point.

(NIV)John 20:21-23  
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." [22] And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Lord, it's clear to me that I need more strength, I ask that You would breathe on me. Holy Spirit I invite you into my being, that You might indwell me like never before. I ask You to fill me with power, and all the fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) That I might fully follow You and set my heart fully on You!

# Two Thoughts on Jesus' Crucifixion

## 2012-04-06

Today, being Good Friday, I want to try and focus on Jesus' crucifixion today. Lord, we are so not worthy of Your sacrifice, but yet so grateful that You became the eternal sacrifice for us.

This morning I read all four gospel accounts of the crucifixion. I had a couple of thoughts while doing so. First, that Jesus experienced deeply the rejection that was upon him. If we were to think of any rejection we have ever experienced, a rejection from a job application, being dumped by a girlfriend or boyfriend, failing at something, this was so much worse. I know the emotional pain of rejection, but this was rejection into torture and death. I know what it feels like to have your heart torn out by someone you thought you loved, imagine that pain times a billion, then throw on the physical torture and beating. That is only part of what Jesus suffered. As I said before, we can't even comprehend the spiritual suffering of being rejected and separated from the Father.

The other reflection was that many of the people that followed Him sill stood by him, most notably His mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, John and some few others. I could almost imagine that they were waiting and hoping right up to the very end, that Jesus would suddenly just come down off the cross and prove to all that He was who He said He was. I can imagine their impassioned pleas and prayers, and then their dejection and utter despair when He died. It was a brutal experience, anyway you think about it.

Lord we are not worthy, and yet by Your death, You paid the price for us all! We will thank You for all eternity!

# The Day After Jesus Died

## 2012-04-07

This morning I read through the Gospels, looking at the response and time following Jesus burial. It interesting to me that they were in a hurry to get him buried, because the next day was the Sabbath. It says in Mark and Luke that the women who were going to bring the spices and anoint Jesus' body waited until the first day of the week, after the Sabbath was completed, to visit the tomb. So that means all the disciples were at least celebrating the Sabbath, and did no work, transporting the spices would have been considered work. They were recognizing the religious duties and rules, while their Lord and King was laying in the tomb, unattended.

They had just finished celebrating the Passover where they were sitting together remembering how God had saved Israel from Egypt, how He had moved in power through the plagues to free Israel from their enslavement. They were just finished celebrating how through the blood of the Lamb, God passed over their people and instead brought judgment to the Egyptians. They apparently completely missed the significance of what they just witnessed concerning Jesus, how He was the sacrificial Lamb, whose blood would save them from God's judgment.

Now they were celebrating the day of rest in memory of when God had finished His creative work and rested. Jesus said on the cross, "it is finished!" And now it truly was finished. They apparently missed the significance of what God had just accomplished through Jesus sacrifice.

In  Luke 24:13-32 it records how Jesus appeared to two of them on their way to Emmaus, and had to explain everything to them, beginning with Moses. They, in turn went back and explained it all to the rest. I think it was only at this point that they started to put it all together, and really start to understand what had really just happened.

I think about how often, I miss the significance of what God is doing, or has just done, all around me, and through Jesus. So often I am so focused on my own disappointment and situations, that I might be right in the middle of the greatest thing God has ever done for me, and I totally am missing it, because my eyes are internally focused. It's only afterwards that God, in His mercy, helps me to see what He was doing. I think He would prefer that I see it and recognize His work in the midst, rather than afterwards. Lord, I pray that You will help me to get beyond my own circumstances and perspective and see what You are really doing.

Additionally, how often do we celebrate Jesus death and resurrection by going to church and going through the religious ritual and totally miss the point of what God accomplished. Lord, help us to understand and recognize what You did, and what we are really celebrating. Help us to move beyond the religious ritual and experience the truth of Your resurrection! We don't want to miss what is really the most significant event in history, since creation.

# Jesus is Risen, and the Disciples Fear and Doubt

## 2012-04-08

This morning I am reading the resurrection accounts and a few things have struck me:

(NIV)Matthew 28:1, 8-10  
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  
[8] So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [9] Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. [10] Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

It was the women who were unafraid to go and see Jesus tomb. It was the women who were going to anoint his body (Mark and Luke). It was the women who first saw Jesus after He rose from the dead. It was the women who were faithful to their relationship with Him. I think that we can draw some truth from these accounts of the women - namely that Jesus will respond to love and faithfulness in our relationship with Him. He will be seen. He will be encountered.

The other verse that caught my eye was: (NIV)Matthew 28:17  
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

This verse takes place in Galilee, after the resurrection, after they have heard He has Risen, and after He showed himself to them. Yet even after all this some still persisted in their doubt. After Pentecost there was no more doubt, but in this state of grieving and weakness they still doubted. I am glad that at this point Jesus didn't dump the ones that doubted and feared, but trusted that they would ultimately be the men and women that He knew they were.

I guess that we could say that Jesus was totally confident in the people He chose, and totally confident in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He was unafraid that the great commission was being placed into the hands of a weak, fearful, doubting group of people. This is an encouraging word to me, as I know my heart and it's doubts and fears. If Jesus is confident in those that doubted and feared after they were eyewitnesses to His resurrection, then He is confident in His choice of me, despite my limitations and struggles with faithlessness.

It's not me, it's Him living in me, that He is confident in! That is what He purchased, that is what He paid for! He knows His sacrifice was successful, and He knows my heart, and He is confident. Praise God!

# God Confirm's His Words

## 2012-04-10

This morning I turned to 1 Thessalonians, and verse 4-5 caught my eye.

(NIV)1 Thessalonians 1:4-5  
"For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake."

(NIV)Mark 16:20  
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."

(NIV)Acts 14:3  
"So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders."

I have been thinking about the reality of the Holy Spirit in me and in the Church. The Holy Spirit working in and through me provides the ability to confirm that He is real and His words are true. Words apart from these proofs and confirmations are just words. I believe that the Lord intended to enable the Church to walk in power, so that we could prove that God is real.

This is part of God's loving plan. He doesn't want us to bet our eternal destiny on just words. He doesn't want us to remain under the power of principalities and spiritual entities that exist and oppress and attack us. He doesn't want us to be helpless before sickness and disease.

In Heaven there is no sickness, death, sadness or work of the enemy. Jesus' Kingdom on earth, is meant to prove the existence of His heavenly realm, and the way that He has chosen to demonstrate this is by working through the people of the Church, and demonstrating these realities, here and now.

Lord, so many of us have never experienced this reality - we humbly ask that You will move in power and confirm Your words through the Church. We want to see You glorified and recognized, and the truth of Your words proven to all the world.

# Thinking Outside the Box About Ministry and Church

## 2012-04-11

Several interesting questions - not really any answers, but trying to think outside the box.

(NIV)2 Thessalonians 3:7-9  
"For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, [8] nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. [9] We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate."

I was just thinking about that final statement that Paul makes "... in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate." I was thinking about how the normal church experience is based on a model that has been passed down, one of the professional minister. I certainly won't deny that model for its biblical basis, or effectiveness, but Paul clearly operated on a different model, one of being bi-vocational. He clearly worked so that he could minister effectively, and I think be a better model to those that were in the same boat. He worked, but his life and focus was ministry. Because he did this, he was able to move where ever, and support himself for long periods of time. I believe that this also is an example to the church, of their own ability to be effective ministers. This model calls people into a place of responsibility, and ministry. As I have said before, in this model, you don't ever really retire, you just retire into full-time ministry.

I also started thinking about the whole model of how we do church. It's generally so formal, and liturgical. What would it be like to have a church that was more informal, one where things were more spontaneous, where we valued relationships above religion, where praise and worship flowed out of the joy of being together, sometimes just breaking out spontaneously as good music played? What if there was a place where healings and miracles and testimonies were experienced and celebrated regularly?

One wonders how many people go to church for the social interaction before and after the service? What would happen if a church 'service' was actually mostly that - social interaction? One wonders how many people go to church, just to feel God do something? What if the main draw of the service was the presence of God and He just did stuff, and we celebrated it as He did it? This really gets under my skin, because I like plans and schedules and order and logical flow, and control. What if that's not what the Lord wants?

Thinking outside the box here, thinking outside the box of what we have learned as the model for church. What if the pastoring was done by everyone? What if the majority of the church walked in a ministry mind set and understood they were active ministers? What if the message that was delivered was short, powerful, and left the people wanting more, and that more was available online..? What if there wasn't a focus on presentation and performance, but rather participation?

What if the culture of the church was modeled after the ministry of Jesus, valuing what He valued, ministering like He ministered? Again, not saying the present model is bad, but opening the door for some new, or really old thinking on the subject. Jesus' ministry times don't seem to be so much planned events, but rather the result of crowds gathering, or entering into new territory or towns. Ministry seemed to be accomplished at a personal level, in the midst of the crowds. Surely hundreds and thousands were drawn to Jesus, and He healed them all, and the model we see represented was that of one-on-one ministration - but we also have the example of people being healed from afar, or without Jesus explicit knowledge, or conscious thought. Also, it's clear that Jesus had heart for the poor, downtrodden, sick, sinner, and needy, really everyone that is usually less than desirable.

Jesus delegated authority and responsibility to his disciples and apostles, people were ministered to by them, as well as by Jesus. Much of Jesus in depth teaching happened in the private 'small group' meeting following the public gathering. Here Jesus passed on the understanding and knowledge to the disciples. It was in this private setting that He firmly established in His disciples the teaching of the Kingdom, which he demonstrated in the public settings. Clearly he also taught the masses, but he used the private sessions to make sure the disciples understood what He was really saying.

All this is really more questions than answers, and it has me thinking, just looking at things and wondering how it could be different.

Lord, we look to You for wisdom and understanding and direction! We want to see You glorified in all the world.

# Breaking Old Paradigms

## 2012-04-13

As I was thinking and praying, I was reminded of Acts 10, where Peter has the vision of the sheet being lowered, and is told to eat things that are forbidden. He is being directed by God to do something that he had never done, nor fit into his understanding of his call.

(NIV)Acts 10:13-16  
"Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." [14] "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." [15] The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." [16] This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven."

Then Peter had to accept that which the Lord did in their midst. Again, this was outside his previous experience or the way he thought it should happen.

(NIV)Acts 10:44-47  
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. [45] The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. [46] For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, [47] "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."

In this chapter, the Lord clearly broke Peter out of his old paradigm and understanding. He showed him both through word and action that He had other plans and purposes that Peter had never seen or experienced before. Limiting oneself to anything other than what God limit's you would be wrong.

We also can't limit others because we haven't had a particular experience. God is creative and constantly at work, breaking through our paradigms and expanding our understanding. If we try to control our experience by limiting all things to what we have previously experienced, we will never grow. As a friend of mine said last night, "part of the reason people don't want to follow the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to work in their lives, is that they are afraid they will be lead someplace they don't want to go."

Lord, help us to grow and expand, and see things the way You see them! Help us to not be afraid of those things that are outside our present experience.

# Spiritual Sight and Repentance

## 2012-04-17

I was reading last night from Bill Johnson's book, "When Heaven Invades Earth". One of the key things he was talking about was the need to really change the way we think, to put on an eternal or heavenly, or spiritual realm mindset. This is the real emphasis of repentance - changing the way we think.

He said that unbelief is really believing in the seen more than the unseen, and that was helpful to me. He said that faith is really the possession of spiritual sight. Jesus saw what the Father was doing, and so should we be able to see what He is doing. Faith is not meant to be some sort of special gifting that is only available to a few, but rather, is available to every believer, immediately, it's just that our western thought is so much rooted in this temporal existence. We need to realize the need and practice seeing the spiritual, for it's the spiritual that will last, and the spiritual which is thus the greater reality.

(NIV)2 Corinthians 4:16-18  
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

(NIV)1 John 2:15-17  
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. [16] For everything in the world---the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life---comes not from the Father but from the world. [17] The world and it's desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

(NIV)Colossians 3:1-4  
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Lord, help me to adjust the way I think daily, to repent. I want to be aware of the unseen!

# The Key Role of Miracles

## 2012-04-18

I was continuing to read in Matt 11:2-6 and was reminded of what things Jesus said proved He was the Messiah, His miracles.

(NIV)Matthew 11:2-6  
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples [3] to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" [4] Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me."

And again in John 14:11 Jesus points to the miracles as the sign of His representing the Father.

(NIV)John 14:11  
"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves."

Lord, continuing this thought of the place of miracles and healing in the church, if these signs don't accompany the church, how will people know that we are truly from God, and following God? Lord, help us to step into this mindset, to change our minds about what church ministry should look like. It's like we have decided to be satisfied with a church where all we hear is inspiring talk, and have good feelings, rather than pressing in and believing for the miracles and healing. We have decided to be satisfied with less.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to not be satisfied with good talk and good feelings, but to rather press on, press in, and persevere until this is my experience.

# Heavenly Mindset and God Glasses

## 2012-04-19

I was reading a book by Bill Johnson last night and one of the things that he was talking about is praying in the things of heaven, the realities of heaven, into our present situation and circumstances, based out the Lord's prayer, specifically Matthew 6 verse 10.

(NIV)Matthew 6:9-13  
"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us today our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. '

He talks about praying for Jesus dominion and will to be done here, as they are in heaven. A simple measure he uses is if it exists in heaven, it should exist here - if it doesn't exist in heaven it shouldn't exist here. Taking it a bit further, if it's valued in heaven, it should be valued here, if it isn't valued in heaven it shouldn't be valued here.

This is why we need that heavenly mindset (Col 3:2), the eternal perspective. This mindset and perspective allow us to identify things that are out of alignment with Jesus' Kingdom reality and call them into alignment, through the authority He has given us. It's like an internal heads up display that should point out to us things that aren't right from God's perspective - kind of like the display that the terminator had when looking around, or the new Google glasses that provide enhanced viewing experience, or as they call it augmented reality.

The goal is that we become so changed in our mindset and perspective, that as we look around us, we will be able to see the things that don't align with heaven and the Kingdom of God, and either change our minds and hearts, if the issue is internal, or we work and pray to see the change that is required to bring these things into alignment.

Amen, help us Lord to see things as You see them, to put on God glasses.

# Forgiveness and Healing

## 2012-04-25

This morning I was reading from Matt 9 and thinking about the issue of forgiveness, as it's seen in these verses.

(NIV)Matthew 9:1-8 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. [2] Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." [3] At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" [4] Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? [5] Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? [6] But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." [7] Then the man got up and went home. [8] When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

Earlier Jesus was speaking about forgiveness during the sermon on the mount, and specifically addressed it in the Lord's prayer. We are called to forgive those that have sinned against us, and the Father will forgive our sins.

(NIV)Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

In the story about the paralyzed man, Jesus, spurred on by the friends' faith, forgives the paralyzed man's sins. Jesus had laid the ground work of understanding forgiveness earlier, and now is clearly demonstrating this reality. His authority on earth, is a representation of the Father's authority. It's clear that Jesus understood where this conversation was going to go with the Pharisees standing around, speaking forgiveness was going to elicit cries of blasphemy, yet He gladly went there to show He was from the Father.

It's also interesting how in this story Jesus links forgiveness and healing, the latter proving the authority to do the former. There is a parallel verse in Psalms 103:3 (see below) and Jesus demonstrates it's fulfillment here, but clearly is not limited by the order of forgiveness and then healing, nor is he setting a precedent, as in many healings there is no mention of forgiveness, just the healing. James 5:15 talks about healing first, then forgiveness. Whatever the case it's a glorious day for the young man!

(NIV)Psalm 103:1-5 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. [2] Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefit's--- [3] who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, [4] who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, [5] who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Lord, thank You that You extend both healing and forgiveness, and have the authority to do both here on earth.

# Thoughts on John 21

## 2012-04-28

This morning I am reading from John 21 and saw a few things of interest, besides the usual good stuff.

(NIV)John 21:15-22  
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." [16] Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." [17] The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. [18] Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." [19] Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

[20] Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") [21] When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" [22] Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

Verse 20 caught my eye, because I hadn't realized that Jesus was having the reinstatement conversation with Peter, while walking with him. I just thought about how personal the Lord was, in dealing individually with Peter's denial, calling him to the place of relationship once again, knowing that Peter was longing to have this conversation, but unable to either gather the courage, or do so in front of the others. Jesus graciously takes him aside and God for a walk on the beach with him and basically erases the denials with recommitment. His last statement to Peter is 'follow me'.

I also thought it as interesting how when Peter asked about John, he didn't say his name, but rather 'him'. One wonders if there was some personal stuff between them, since Peter denied the Lord, and John persisted in staying with him? It is certainly possible. But more importantly, the Lord makes it clear to Peter that this is not his concern. Peter's concern is to follow Jesus, period.

This makes me think of the many times I have been more concerned about so and so, rather than my own following after Jesus. Lord forgive me for my own inability to follow you, and being concerned about other things.

Finally, just seeing the call of Jesus to Peter, to feed 'HIS' sheep. Let us never forget that the church, and every member in it is Jesus'. Not ours, not some organization's but the Lord's.

# Persistence in Prayer

## 2012-04-30

Last night I was talking with a friend whose brother had recently been on a trip to Columbia, South America and was talking about the miracles and healings they saw, blind eyes opened, deaf ears healed, paralyzed guy walking. He said it was crazy - that people wouldn't leave until they had their healing, and that as a result they needed to learn perseverance in prayer. I think that is so true of our Churches here in the US, we have lost the ability to really persevere in prayer for someone. I think we don't know how to sacrifice our time and selves in the place of prayer, for the most part. I know that I have a hard time praying longer than 10-15 minutes for someone.

I am reminded again of Samuel's mother Hannah, how she persevered in prayer for years before the Lord answered her prayer (1 Sam 1:1-20). I am also reminded of the disciples inability to heal the boy with the demon. They were unable cast out the demon, and had apparently stopped trying when Jesus came down from the Transfiguration. Jesus tells them why they couldn't cast it out:

(NASB)Matthew 17:20-21  
And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ''Move from here to there,'' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. [21] "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Jesus equates their inability to littleness or lack of faith, and also adds the statement that this type only comes out except by prayer and fasting - both speak of a place of perseverance and self-sacrifice.

In John G. Lake's healing rooms in Spokane, WA in the 1930s, they would sometimes pray for people, 10-20 days for multiple hours each day, before they saw them healed. Lord, help us to learn to put others before our schedules.

I am also thinking that this scriptural example also shows the faith of the father, who brought his son for prayer. It was clear that the message that was going out was that everyone who came to Jesus got healed. And it is also clear that many times, after the sending out of the 12, that the apostles were also ministers to those that needed healing. In this case, the man brought the son and after the apostles had tried to heal his son and failed, he was undeterred, he waited for Jesus.

I think about our attitude here in the States, how if we go forward and get prayer and nothing happens, how quickly do we walk away? I also think about my attitude towards anyone who would continue to ask for prayer, going from person to person, or coming up every time there is an invitation for prayer ministry. I have tended to be annoyed by their persistence, rather than encouraged by their faith. Lord, please forgive me for this clearly wrong attitude.

# Having a Servant Attitude

2012-05-01

As I continue my thought from yesterday, concerning persistence in prayer, I am encouraged that this needs to be part of the culture of the church. It won't be established without teaching and encouragement, for it is clearly counter-cultural to our present Western culture. Lord, help me, and help us to learn about this place of persevering prayer. Help me to learn about putting people before my schedule or personal comfort. That is a scary prayer to pray for me Lord, as I know this is an area where I need to grow, and an area that requires self-sacrifice. Lord help us to learn to put others first, to serve others in this way. I am reminded of Jesus statements in Luke 17:

(NIV)Luke 17:5-10  
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" [6] He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. [7] "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? [8] Won't he rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? [9] Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? [10] So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "

In the same way, we need to have the mindset of servants, willing to put our own needs, and desires behind those of who we serve. I know I never really liked this particular example that Jesus used, because I thought it a bit unfair, but it's clear that I don't really have a servant mindset. This seems like such a radical thought, but it certainly isn't in many cultures. This clearly relates to creating a culture of honor, where we honor and care for those that we meet and are in relationship with. What a very different culture than the present "me culture". Lord, help me, help us!

# On Healing and Oil

## 2012-05-02

Last night I was reading from Mark 6, and the description of the apostles anointing the sick with oil caught my eye. I hadn't seen that detail before, and started wondering where that came from scripturally, besides Jesus' demonstration of it.

(NIV)Mark 6:12-13  
They went out and preached that people should repent. [13] They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Apparently, after some research, this passage and James 5:14 are the only two that talk about oil and healing. It was an interesting read - looking at the commentaries and how many of them tried to make some sort of theological point, or compared this to medicine, or talked about how this was for the 12 apostles only, and since healing no longer happens we are left with the anointing with oil, etc.

As I read this, it appears to me that the apostles were clearly doing something that Jesus taught them to do. They were going out into the kingdom of darkness proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and as a demonstration of this reality, healing people of their sicknesses. They were anointing the sick people - anointing in the old testament was a way of consecrating (Ex 29:7}, or dedicating someone or something for a sacred purpose. Olive oil was used, and olive oil was what they used for light in the temple (Ex 25:6). Could this be as simple as the apostles calling these people to their divine (sacred) purpose in the Kingdom, to be a light to all that the Kingdom of God was real and in their midst? I am not a theologist, but that seems as likely to me as any of the other commentaries I read.

Regardless, we don't need to make this a point of theology, or religion. In plenty of instances, Jesus clearly didn't use oil, in some He used mud, or even spit, neither of which have any religious or sacred significance. Jesus healed. He called us to heal. We will be guided through the Holy Spirit on how to approach each situation, just as Jesus so clearly demonstrated. Lord, help me to not get caught up in the pharisaical splitting of a religious hair when confronted by something like this. Rather help me to embrace Your heart and attitude towards those who are sick and sinners, that You came for them (Matt 9:12-13)!

# We Are All Needed in the Body of Christ

## 2012-05-07

Yesterday I was thinking quite a bit about the Body of Christ, the Church, and how we so often don't view it correctly. I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:

(NIV)1 Corinthians 12:12-20  
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. [15] Now if the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [16] And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? [18] But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [19] If they were all one part, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

Don't disqualify yourself because you are not like others in the Body. Each of us has a purpose and role, but all parts are necessary. We need the different ideas, the different perspectives, the different cultures, everything, because God's plan is that we are all one.

# More Concerning The Body Of Christ

## 2012-05-08

Concerning the Body:  
(NIV)Romans 12:3-16  
[3] "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

[9] Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

We all belong in the Body, we are all needed in the body. we must work to break out of our natural tendency to only associate with like people, but be willing to associate with all. For in Christ's wisdom, we all have a role and purpose, and it's necessary for all to be connected, and in relationship.

# On the Church, the Body of Christ

## 2012-05-10

More concerning the Body of Christ, the Church.

(NIV)Colossians 2:2-3  
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, [3] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

As I was reading this verse I started thinking about the importance of the Body of Christ. As Paul says, Christ is the mystery of God in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. So if we are supposed to be the Body of Christ present now upon the earth, there is some of that wisdom and knowledge that is hidden in us, as His Body.

(NIV)Ephesians 3:10-12  
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. [12] In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

The idea that Jesus was forming a church is first introduce by Jesus in Matt 16:18

(NIV)Matthew 16:18-19  
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Here Jesus clearly identifies that it is His Church. The Greek word used here is defined below:

Ekklesia - pronounced ek-klay-see'-ah

Definition  
1. a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly  
a. an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating  
b. the assembly of the Israelites  
c. any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously  
d. in a Christian sense  
1. an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting  
2. a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake  
3. those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body  
4. the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth  
5. the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven

The phrase 'Body of Christ' is introduced in Romans 12:5

(NIV)Romans 12:4-5  
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

And more thoroughly in 1 Cor 12:

(NIV)1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27  
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all it's many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

There is a complete parallel expression between Romans 12:5 and 1 For 12:27. In the Greek they read almost identically, except in Corinthians Paul clearly spells out that it's in reality Christ's body, that we each individually belong to. The Greek word used there is defined below:

Soma - pronounced so'-mah

Definition  
1. the body both of men or animals  
a. a dead body or corpse  
b. the living body  
1. of animals  
2. the bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies)  
3. is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body  
a. so in the NT of the church  
4. that which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself

Finally in Colossians, Paul equates the two:

(NIV)Colossians 1:24  
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

So the term Body of Christ, really means His Body, just like my body, but it is made up of many parts (us), and as such we represent Him to the world. We can't be a Christian outside the church, any more than I can have part of my body separated from the rest of my body, yet still living. In the natural, this piece could exist for a short period of time, but in time the part that is separated would die.

Lord, help us to more fully understand our part in the Body of Christ, the Church.

# Do What He Says...

## 2012-05-19

The other morning I was reading from James:

(NIV)James 1:22-25  
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. [23] Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [24] and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it---not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it---they will be blessed in what they do.

This is what Graham Cooke titles - intentionality. Being aware, being intentional, being focused, all day long, every day. Hearing what the Lord is saying and doing it. Lord, I ask that You would help me to remember what I have heard, and not just remembering, but doing.

# Holding All Things In Common

## 2012-05-20

This morning I have been reading out of Acts:

(NIV)Acts 2:42-47  
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

(NIV)Acts 4:32-35  
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. [33] With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all [34] that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales [35] and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

When I think about these verses, parts of them scare me, as they confront my individualist mindset, and my sense of ownership and possessiveness. These verses seem to fly in the face of our American dream, working hard and enjoying all the benefits of the financial increase it brings. Our attitude is that we worked hard and have a right to that which we earned. We give much charitably, but generally from our excess, and here we see people selling their possessions, not just giving from their excess, and giving the money to the church to be distributed as there is need. This was different, in that there was a complete change of mind about ownership, in that they now considered everything they owned to be part of the common pool.

To be fair, it's possible that these people had very different ideas about living in a community. Some cultures have a sense of belonging, and communal ownership in a small village, or tribal environment that would resemble this model that the early church was living. It's also interesting that in the rest of the book of Acts, and in other books describing the first and second century church, that no more mention of this type of radical living was mentioned.

Regardless, it's apparent that the early church really understood the body mentality (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12). They are no longer just individuals, but rather part of something larger, a body, with purpose. Their understanding of putting others before themselves, of not just saying the words, but loving in action, is clear. I see them living out a few verses.

(NIV)1 John 3:16-18  
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

(NIV)Matthew 25:44-45  
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' [45] "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

(NIV)James 2:14-18  
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. [18] But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

It's clear from the rest of scripture that we must not just pass off this style of living in the first few chapters of Acts, as early zealousness, but rather examine our lives and see if we are living our lives in ways that our love for one another is clear and demonstrated through actions, not just words and nice thoughts.

# The Importance of Signs and Wonders and the Power of God

## 2012-05-21

This morning I started reading from Acts 19:

(NIV)Acts 19:10-12  
This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. [11] God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirit's left them.

(NIV)Acts 19:13-18  
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirit's tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." [14] Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [15] One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" [16] Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. [17] When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. [18] Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.

As I read this, I am reminded of how important it is to have an open heart to signs and wonders as well as the preached Word. It's the signs and wonders that prove authority and the reality of God's Kingdom, not good sounding arguments. If the arguments were enough, Paul would never had needed to have miracles and signs and wonders follow him, for he was one of the greatest scriptural exegists. What caused the Gospel to spread was signs and wonders, the clear demonstration of the power of God.

I am reminded of several verses where it was evident that the signs and wonders accompanied the preaching of the Word, and confirmed that what the apostles were saying was true.

(NIV)Mark 16:20  
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

(NIV)Acts 14:3  
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

(NIV)2 Corinthians 12:12  
I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

(NIV)1 Corinthians 2:1-5  
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. [2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power!

# Fear or Love?

## 2012-05-22

The other morning I was reading this verse in Acts 2:

(NIV)Acts 2:42-47  
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

As I was reflecting on this, thinking about how the early church was selling property and possessions, I found myself looking around my house, making lists of things I would be willing to sell, and things I wouldn't. I found a bit of fear rising up in my heart, that God might ask me sell something that I considered dear, and I thought this probably wasn't an uncommon response to this verse.

I think that often what we are concerned about is that the Lord will ask us to give away too much, or give away the one thing that is so dear to us. This fear represents an area where we don't trust the Lord, and don't understand His love for us. To think that the Lord would ever hurt us or want less than the very best for us is really a bit heretical. We are saying that we don't think God is who He says He is, and rather than loving us, He will punish us by taking that which is dearest. We are saying we are afraid, but fear and love don't co-exist.

(NIV)1 John 4:18  
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Lord, help us to truly experience Your love, and trust You completely. You do love us and care for us and provide for us more than we can ever imagine.

# Dreams and Signs

## 2012-05-25

This morning I started reading from Matt 1, and was struck by the many times that Joseph was directed by the Lord in dreams.

(NIV)Matthew 1:20-21  
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21] She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

(NIV)Matthew 2:13-14  
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." [14] So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

(NIV)Matthew 2:19-22  
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt [20] and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." [21] So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. [22] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,

I was also thinking about the fact that the Magi from the East knew about Jesus birth, as they had observed the signs that pointed to it. Clearly they must have had some other reason to believe the star indicated the birth of Jesus, some prophetic message. Regardless they were aware of the signs, and came to Jerusalem inquiring. What really caught my eye was the fact that the Jewish chief priests and teachers knew exactly where Jesus was supposed to be born, but apparently had totally missed the signs that the men from the East had seen - see the following verses:

(NIV)Matthew 2:1-6  
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem [2] and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."  
[3] When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. [5] "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: [6] " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.' "

So, I guess my question this morning is whether or not I am listening to the Lord, and applying what I already know? I am sure that in the hectic, fast paced world, I can easily miss, or not pay attention to the guidance from the Lord. I believe that God speaks to me in dreams - based on a solid scriptural record - and does use signs and His word to direct and guide our lives. The real question is whether or not I am listening, and looking?

Personally I do write down the dreams that I remember, that seem to have some Godly themes, and I study and read scripture plenty. I guess that is moving in the right direction, but I also know I have much to learn about listening to the Lord in my daily life, hearing Him speak to my heart, responding to His guidance and direction. Lord, I pray that You will help me learn to be a more effective listener, and to be more aware of Your Guidance and direction.

# No One is an Impossible Case

## 2012-05-28

I was reading from Acts 9:13-16 (NIV)

[13] "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. [14] And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." [15] But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

As I was reading this, I thought about how absolutely crazy this was. Saul was one of the chief enemies of the church, the one who was possibly the most aggressive in persecuting the church in its earliest years, and Jesus converts him and turns him into one of the greatest evangelists and church planters to ever live. What an amazing story of Jesus absolute sovereignty, and power to touch and heal even the hardest heart.

I am reminded of something Graham Cooke said, that we should never let our politics or opinions of someone affect our perspective of what God is about. He said, "what if one of the sworn enemies of the USA was God's planned person to reach all of the Muslim world?" When I heard him say that, I thought "yeah right....!" But in essence that is what the Lord did with Saul. He took one of the greatest enemies of the church and made him one of its strongest advocates. All I can say is we have an awesome God!

So, let us be guided by the Lord, not the news media, not our political mind set, not by anything of man. Let us pursue God's plan, and make ourselves available to be the one that reaches out to the former enemy of the church, and welcomes them into the Body of Christ. God will be victorious, that we know, and He will win many hearts that will surprise us in that process. Clearly nothing is impossible with God, and no one is an impossible case.

# Learning From David and Goliath

## 2012-05-29

This morning I am reading 1 Sam 17 - the story of David and Goliath. A few verses stood out to me:

(NIV)1 Samuel 17:11, 16, 24  
[11] On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

[16] For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

[24] Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

I was just thinking about how a spirit of fear and cowardice had come over the whole camp. They were all infected with this spirit, from the King to the least of them. It's amazing to me that they did the same routine for 40 days, twice a day and the Philistines never attacked. It appears the Philistines still had a healthy fear of God, and were trying to figure out a way to take Him out of the equation. So Goliath came forward and challenged them to individual combat, calling them out as the fearful men they really were, trying to get them to overstep the will of the Lord.

Just previously, in 1 Sam 14, God had routed the Philistines when Israel came before them without any swords, except for Saul and Jonathon. Jonathan had gone up against the Philistines by himself and killed 20. However, it wasn't until God sent panic amongst the Philistines, that Israel actually attacked. It seems that they were generally weaponless, and unused to fighting. I think it was probably this lack of experience and faith in themselves, that caused them to quake when Goliath came out. They weren't putting their faith in their God, but rather in their own very limited abilities. What they forgot was that God was much greater than this giant they were facing.

On the other hand, the Israelites were smart enough not to go out and fight Goliath in their own strength, on his terms, as he was challenging them to do. The Israelites only hope was in their God, but none of them had faith enough to step forward, and all of them were letting the enemy set the rules for confrontation. They didn't step forward to do battle this way, but they didn't know what to do either, so they just quaked in fear for 40 days.

We need to know that God is the one who sets the rules for confrontation with the enemy, not the other way around. God is not limited by the tactics the enemy chooses, nor is He limited by the abilities of His men, or boys in this case. God is sovereign over all, all the time. He is the King. He has defeated the enemy. He will be victorious always. He dictates the place of battle and the tactics to use. We only need to seek Him and wait on Him and He will show us the way forward.

# Healing the Whole Person

## 2012-05-31

Last night I was reading from Luke 17 and was reminded of the teaching from Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, talking about the healing of the whole person, and how that is different than just healing of a disease, and he used the story of the 10 lepers from Luke 17 to illustrate the point. He described the different words that were used in verse 14 and again in 17 and the word used in verse 19.

Here is the story:

(NIV)Luke 17:11-19  
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. [12] As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance [13] and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" [14] When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. [15] One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. [16] He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him---and he was a Samaritan. [17] Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? [18] Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" [19] Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

In verse 14 and 17 the word that is translated "cleansed" is the Greek word katharizo. The definition follows:

I. to make clean, cleanse  
a. from physical stains and dirt  
1. utensils, food  
2. a leper, to cleanse by curing  
3. to remove by cleansing  
b. in a moral sense  
1. to free from defilement of sin and from faults  
2. to purify from wickedness  
3. to free from guilt of sin, to purify  
4. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying  
5. to consecrate, dedicate  
II. to pronounce clean in a levitical sense

So in other words a being physically healed of the disease. Clearly this is miraculous, and a wonderful sign of God. This would have made a huge difference in the lepers' lives.

The Greek word that is used in verse 19 is the word Sozo. This word is defined as follows:

1. to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction  
a. one (from injury or peril)  
1. to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health  
2. to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue  
b. to save in the technical biblical sense  
1. negatively 1b  
c. to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment 1b  
d. to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

This word means much more than physical healing, but also speaks of receiving salvation, being saved from our sins, and the judgment that would be due us. It is a word that describes the salvation of the whole person, not just a touch of healing in their physical body.

So in this case, the leper who returned and worshiped Jesus, who recognized that God had touched him, and in faith came back and met Jesus, he was saved, healed, delivered and redeemed. The other 9, had a physical healing, but we do not hear of their salvation.

This really makes me aware of how important my thanks and worship are in my life of faith. They appear to be that which draw me into a deeper encounter with the Lord, and enable me to receive His touch in every area of my life.

# Give What We Have

2012-06-01

On my drive home from the airport last evening I had an interesting exchange with the Lord. I was thinking about some of the things I had read in Bill Johnson's book, and thinking about how we should have access to the same miracle working power that Jesus demonstrated, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I felt like the Lord said to imagine what it would be like having the world's richest father, and he assigned the role to you to spend or give away all his wealth. My first thought was that I would be driving a nice expensive car. Then I thought, no that would be selfish, and pointless. What would be better would be if I was just able to walk up to people and take care of whatever financial need they had, regardless of how big. As I started thinking about that, the Lord jumped back in and said, "that's what I want you to walk in, in the area of healing and miracles." He immediately brought to mind several scriptures:

(NIV)Acts 3:1-8  
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.  
[6] Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

(NIV)James 4:3  
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

(NIV)John 14:12-14  
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

(NIV)Luke 11:9-13  
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I felt like the Lord said that His desire was for us to walk in the assurance of His heart motives, and know that He will work through us to touch those around us. He wants us to be as confident in that, as if we really were the children of the richest man in the world, for we really are. His resources are beyond our comprehension, and He really is sovereign over all things. As Graham Cooke has said, anything we can imagine is not anywhere near as big as God thinks and dreams for us.

Lord, help us to walk in this reality!

# We Receive the Blessings of the Righteous

## 2012-06-03

I was just reading through Proverbs 10, and came across verse 6, which started me thinking:

(NIV)Proverbs 10:6-7  
Blessings crown the head of the righteous.... [7] The name of the righteous is used in blessings....

As I was reading this, I thought about the fact that in Jesus, I am righteous, for His righteousness has been applied to me - see Romans 3:21-26, and Romans 5:18-19. I was thinking about all the different promises that made to the righteous I the old testament. I have always read them, and thought I didn't quite qualify as righteous. However, in light of the truth that we are considered righteous, because Jesus righteousness is applied to us.

(NIV)Romans 3:21-24  
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

(NIV)Romans 5:18-19  
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. [19] For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

So in other words, because of Jesus' righteousness which is applied to us, we get to participate in and claim all the promises we read. I know the list is long, but just let the promises wash over you, and claim them as true for your life. Here are some of the promises:

(NIV)Psalm 1:6  
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

(NIV)Psalm 5:12  
Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

(NIV)Psalm 14:5  
.... for God is present in the company of the righteous.

(NIV)Psalm 34:15, 17, 19  
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;  
[17] The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  
[19] The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

(NIV)Psalm 37:25, 29-30  
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.  
[29] The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.  
[30] The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.

(NIV)Psalm 55:22  
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

(NIV)Psalm 64:10  
The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!

(NIV)Psalm 85:13  
Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

(NIV)Psalm 92:12-15  
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; [13] planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. [14] They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, [15] proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. "

(NIV)Psalm 97:11  
Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

(NIV)Psalm 118:15-17, 20  
Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The Lord's right hand has done mighty things! [16] The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the Lord's right hand has done mighty things!" [17] I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.  
[20] This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.

(NIV)Psalm 140:13  
Surely the righteous will praise your name, and the upright will live in your presence.

(NIV)Psalm 146:8  
the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

(NIV)Proverbs 3:33  
The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.

(NIV)Proverbs 10:3  
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry...

(NIV)Proverbs 10:28  
The prospect of the righteous is joy...

(NIV)Proverbs 13:21  
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.

(NIV)Proverbs 20:7  
The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.

# On Suffering, Judgment and Punishment

## 2012-06-05

This morning I was reading some scripture that mentioned judgment. It got me thinking about several things, including this verse from 1 Peter:

(NIV)1 Peter 4:16-17  
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. [17] For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

I really like the comments of David Guzik on this verse, especially point two - see below:

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God: In the context of suffering, Peter tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. God uses suffering as a judgment (in a positive, purifying sense) for Christians (the house of God) now.

i. Now is our time of fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12); the ungodly will have their fire later. The fire we endure now purifies us; the fire the ungodly will endure will punish them.

ii. We must always remember that there is never any punishment from God for us in our sufferings, only purification. For the Christian, the issue of punishment was settled once and for all at the cross, where Jesus endured all the punishment the Christian could ever face from God.

iii. The same fire that consumes straw will purify gold. The fire is the same, but it's purpose in application is different, and it's effect is different upon the straw and the gold. Even so, Christians do suffer some of the same things the ungodly do, yet the purpose of God is different, and the effect is different.

I think many times, we are apt to think in our difficulties that God is punishing us, but that is never true, as David says in point two. Jesus bore the punishment for us all, so that we would never need to be punished by God. God's motivation towards us is always Love.

# Discipline or Punishment?

## 2012-06-06

Over the last few weeks I have been reading about discipline, punishment, and our thinking about these things. Discipline has many definitions to many people, and is often used when they really mean punishment for doing something wrong, which in this context would be sin. I think this is illustrated well in the following verses:

(NIV)Hebrews 12:6  
"...because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son."

In this verse the author of Hebrews is quoting from Proverbs. The word chasten, could be rendered punishment, flogging, or other form of punishment. This is not the sense that the word is used in for the following verses and so should not be understood as the definition for the author's further discussion on the topic. The next several verses talk about discipline, but always using the same Greek word.

(NIV)Hebrews 12:7-11  
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? [8] If you are not disciplined---and everyone undergoes discipline---then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. [9] Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirit's and live! [10] They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. [11] No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The Greek word translated discipline is as follows:

Paideia - pahee-di'-ah   
Parts of Speech TDNT Noun Feminine

Definition  
1. the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body  
2. whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing passions. a. instruction which aims at increasing virtue   
b. chastisement, chastening, (of the evils with which God visit's men for their amendment)

Whereas the common English translation of discipline is as follows:

noun  
1 : punishment  
2 obsolete : instruction  
3 : a field of study  
4 : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character  
5 a : control gained by enforcing obedience or order   
b : orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior   
c : self-control

So the original Greek talks primarily about training and education, correcting mistakes, and instruction - teacher to pupil if you may. When I read these verses from a strictly English definition, the first thing I think is punishment.

I don't think this - seeing discipline as punishment - is the right perspective at all. I can't imagine as a father, ever disciplining my children with any other motivation than love, and desire for their best. Looking closely at the verse above, God's motivation is clear - it's about our relationship to Him as His children, it's for our good, and ultimately bears good fruit in our lives. It doesn't mean it's not sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, but always with a motivation of producing in us our best.

It is not punishment for doing something wrong or sin!

Lord, help us to rightly understand Your purpose and plan, and specifically Your heart towards us. Help us to understand how You choose to discipline us, teaching us and helping us to grow into the people that You desire.

# Let Life Flow Out of Us!

## 2012-06-07

Last night I was listening to a teaching by Heidi Baker, talking about being fountains of living water. She spoke out of John 4 & 7 as follows:

(NIV)John 4:10-14  
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." [11] "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? [12] Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?" [13] Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

(NIV)John 7:37-39  
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

This morning I woke up thinking about being a fountain of living water, and that to do so I need to open my mouth more, so that I can speak life to those around me. I recognize that I don't affirm people enough, I don't say the things I think enough, and I don't anticipate having the Word of Lord for people enough. Lord, help me to start with my family and build this into a lifestyle and gift that I operate in consistently.

Lord, help me to be a river of living water to those around me. Help us all to be fountains of life!

# Settling for Less Than Scraps

## 2012-06-08

The danger of a religion is that we become satisfied with relationships with each other, our programs and good sounding music, and lose our sense of need for relationship with God. We must cultivate this higher call, this constant understanding of our need for Him. I could almost see a meeting of the church, standing around talking to each other, doing church, never even aware of the fact that the Lord's presence wasn't there, and being satisfied with the meeting.

Lord, how can we meet in Your living room, and not miss Your presence? We have become a church that is empty of the Your life. We must have Your presence restored to us, or we will become satisfied with the lesser things. We will settle for dog food, or less when you have a banquet prepared for us. I am reminded of the interaction You had with the Caananite woman:

(NIV)Matthew 15:21-28  
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. [22] A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." [23] Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." [24] He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." [25] The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. [26] He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." [27] "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." [28] Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment.

In Mark it's slightly different:

(NIV)Mark 7:27-30  
"First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." [28] "Lord," she replied, "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." [29] Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." [30] She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Lord, I think that we have learned to settle for less than scraps, but we could eat all that we wanted, for You have prepared a banquet for us. Help us to be hungry for You, and never rest until we are satisfied!

# Hearing God and Cell Phones

## 2012-06-09

First, before sharing the analogy, let me say that I am a telecommunications engineer working in the cellular and wireless network segments of that market, so although hopefully understandable, this analogy draws from that field.

This morning, at breakfast with three good friends, we were talking for some reason about how cell phones work, and being the one with Telecom experience at the table, I was sharing some of the complexities of how things work. One of the things I mentioned was the fact that phones from Sprint use something called long-codes so that they have a unique address for communications with the network. This address is one of 4,398,046,511,104 (that's 4 Trillion) possible combinations and is used for the phones communications to the network, and communications from the network to the phone. So, this basic technology that we use every day is capable of identifying the unique identity of each phone, and be able to communicate with that phone directly, even while communicating to hundreds and thousands of other devices at the same time.

So, do you get the picture?

One network able to talk to 4 trillion devices concurrently, and the devices can talk back, each in a unique and secure manner.

We have no problem believing this can work, in fact most of us are totally unaware this is happening. We just assume that when we turn on our cell phone it will work.

I think of communication with God and being able to hear His voice in these same ways. God is capable of speaking to us each in a unique way, all at the same time, and in a such a way that we can hear His voice speaking to us, and He hears us.

I have heard some people say they don't hear God. I have heard some people say they don't hear God the same way I do. I know there are many people who don't even know God is speaking.

The reality is that God desires to speak to us all. He is speaking, and we just need to learn how to hear Him. He is constantly speaking to us all - whether we perceive this or not, just like cell phone signals are there whether we know they are or not.

We don't need to try and hear Him the way He speaks to someone else, because He speaks to us in the way He meant and created us to hear Him. Some people see pictures, some people hear words, others hear a still, small voice, others hear God in dreams, some hear Him by reading the Bible, and some people hear Him in all those ways.

God longs for us to hear His voice, calling to us, telling us of His love for us, speaking words of life and blessing to us. Whether you believe that's true or not doesn't mean it's not happening. Billions of people have heard His voice, and responded, and heard even more from Him.

(NIV)John 10:27-28  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Learning to hear God is one of the most important things we can do in our lives. Let us learn to hear Him, and recognize how He chooses to speak to us, and help others learn how to hear Him too.

# Old and New Wineskins

## 2012-06-10

This morning I am reading from Matthew:

(NIV)Matthew 9:14-17  
Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" [15] Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. [16] "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. [17] Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

As I was reading this I was reminded of the word I received several years ago about the new wine and wineskins. At the time, I was looking at it with a particular perspective, which I think is still accurate. This morning I was focusing on the last verse, specifically the last statement - and both are preserved! This is a clear statement about the value of both, the old and the new, but the recognition about the fact that sometimes new ideas don't fit in old ways, but that doesn't mean the old is worthless, nor the new. Both are valuable, but the new needs new wineskins to mature, and be preserved.

When I look at the present outflow of the young adults from the church in this light, I see a waste of good people that are not fitting in the old wine skins, the old ways of doing things. We must develop new wine skins to help preserve them, help them mature and grow into all they are meant to be. Lord, we pray for this new wine-skin, so that we would be able to preserve this new wine.

Just thinking about the reality of the wineskin, literally being the skin of an animal, that was eaten by the makers of the old wine. It might just be the skin of one of the "sacred cows". In other words, related to something from the previous generation, but now just empty and waiting to be filled. By the way, the wineskins of Jesus time were not these nice little wineskins we buy today, but literally the skin of a sheep, the whole sheep! That is much wine!

Lord send us understanding of these "new wineskins" so that this new wine can be preserved!

# The Gift of Forgiveness

## 2012-06-12

I am reading in Luke 7 this morning:

(NIV)Luke 7:37-38, 44-50  
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. [38] As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

[44] Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven---as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." [48] Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." [49] The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" [50] Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

The last line - speaking of how her Faith has saved - Greek word: sozo - her. Her faith is demonstrated by her actions, her love for Him, her humility before Him. Although not mentioned here, in John 11:2, written many years later, He identifies this women as Mary. We know that she spends the rest of Jesus' life, serving and following Him. Her expression of love and devotion, here explained as a result of her forgiveness for her sins, should give us pause to consider.

I know that sometimes I forget what my sins would have wrought in my life and beyond. I sometimes forget the great gift I have been given in forgiveness of my sins. Clearly Mary never forgot, and she continued to serve Jesus unrelentingly. Lord, I ask You to forgive me for my ungratefulness and lack of love for You.

# When Jesus Wait's...

## 2012-06-13

This morning I am reading from John 11:

(NIV)John 11:1-7, 40  
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) [3] So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."  
[4] When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." [5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, [7] and then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

As I was reading through these verses this morning, I was struck be verses 5 & 6. Read together they are a powerful statement about God's love for us. It says Jesus loved All three of them, Lazarus, Martha and Mary and He waited to go to them.

So often we associate delayed answers to prayers as a some indication of the degree that God loves us. But here it clearly states that Jesus loved them. In fact later in verses 33, 35 & 38 we are told that Jesus was deeply moved by their sorrow, and that He even wept. There is no judgment of them associated with His delay. We need to understand that delayed answers does not mean that God doesn't hear, or that God doesn't care, or that God doesn't have a plan. Also, Jesus was being obedient to the Father in waiting...for He knew the Father would be glorified, and that this was the Father's will.

It's hard to know all the reasons for the delay, but it might be because He loved them so much that He wanted them to experience His greatest glory. He had previously raised others to life, Jairus's daughter, the widow's son in Nain, but those were all very recent deaths. Here Lazarus was dead 4 days, and decomposition would have already been at work, for they did not practice embalming as we do. The person was often buried the same day they died, to help avoid the stench that would surely come. So, in raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrated God's power to not only speak life back into a dead body, but restoration of those things that have experienced death and decay. In other cards, nothing is too far gone for the Lord to move.

How often do we think things are too far gone and give up our hope in God, or think because He didn't answer immediately that He doesn't care? The Lord loves us deeply, and feels real concern and knows our pain, for He lived as we do.

Lord, help us to hold onto You, in faith, trusting that You do love us, and do have a plan for us!

# Surrounded By Trouble - Peace!

## 2012-06-15

As I was reading Psalm 27, I was encouraged by the David's prayer for intimacy with God, while he is surrounded by enemies and troubles.

(NIV)Psalm 27:1-14  
The Lord is my light and my salvation---whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life---of whom shall I be afraid? [2] When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. [3] Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. [4] One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. [5] For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. [6] Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. [7] Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. [8] My heart says of you, "Seek his face! " Your face, Lord, I will seek. [9] Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. [10] Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. [11] Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. [12] Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. [13] I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

He speaks of being surrounded by an army, and not fearing, though a war breaks out against him, standing in confidence, and in all this turning to the Lord, desiring a place of face to face intimacy and worship. He learned that in the place of intimacy there was protection and peace. I think from that place, he was able to gain God's perspective (raising his head above his enemies). It's amazing that his response is singing and making music to the Lord, as if an army wasn't surrounding him, and he wasn't in the day of trouble. I am reminded of Paul's statement about peace that is beyond understanding:

(NIV)Philippians 4:7  
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lord, we pray for this type of peace in our lives. We are so often overwhelmed, surrounded, harassed and fearful, but in You is a place of peace and intimacy. We long for that Lord.

# Pets, Servants and Sons and Daughters

## 2012-06-18

This morning I am meditating on sonship and I had a couple of thoughts and verses. As I was sitting here praying one of our cats came and sat down next to me, and was purring away, apparently glad to be by me. I was thinking about how much interaction we have as pet and owner, how the pets are completely dependent on me to provide for their food, shelter, etc. And how even though they don't fully understand me, there is a communication of affection. I realized that many people don't even have that type of relationship with the Lord.

Then I started thinking about some of the verses describe the relationship that God want to have with us. We are so much more than just created beings, like animals with little or no interaction with God. We are called to be more than just servants or slaves. In Matthew 6, Jesus is describing how much more valuable we are than animals. In Romans 8, Paul talks about how we are adopted into a place of sonship or daughtership. In Matt 7, Jesus talks about how we as sons and daughters can expect the Father to answer prayers. In John 15, Jesus calls us friends, elevating us from any type of servant role. So, if we look at the summary - the Father considers us His sons and daughters, and He wants to give us good things. Jesus, as The Son, calls us His friends and we are invited into the intimate relationships He has with the Father. What an awesome reality! He wants us to know that we are Sons and Daughters, and that we can live in the reality of that relationship!

(NIV)Matthew 6:25-27  
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? [26] Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? [27] Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

(NIV)Romans 8:14-17  
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

(NIV)Matthew 7:7-11  
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

(NIV)John 15:14-17  
You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit---fruit that will last---and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. [17] This is my command: Love each other.

# Transformed and Renewed

## 2012-06-20

This morning I have been reading and thinking about a renewed mind.

(NIV)Romans 12:1-2  
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Lord, I know that I need to learn to think rightly. I need my mind to be renewed, and in that to be transformed. We are not supposed to think or act like the rest of the world, but rather to think and act with a heavenly perspective. So much of the time I have the question of what is God's will, and here Paul writes that in the renewal of our mind, we will be able to understand and know what His will is. As we know what His will is and are renewed in our mind, our behavior is also supposed to change - which Paul writes about in his letter to the Colossians.

(NIV)Colossians 3:9-14  
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. [12] Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Lord, help me to walk in this new reality, not just through diligent effort on my behalf, but because I have been truly transformed and renewed!

# When God Comes in Vengeance - He Fights FOR Me!

## 2012-06-22

This morning I have been reading a few verses that have to do with God coming and fighting for me, coming in vengeance.

(NIV)Psalm 35:1-3 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. [2] Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid. [3] Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, "I am your salvation. "

(NIV)Isaiah 35:1-10 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [2] it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. [3] Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. [7] The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. [8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. [9] No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, [10] and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

So often when I think of God coming in vengeance, I think it's to punish me for something wrong I did (which by the way is not true at all - see my earlier post on punishment and discipline). Anyway, as I was reading these verses I realized that He is not coming to fight against me, rather He is coming to fight for me! I am not His enemy, I am the object of His affection!

When He comes, He is brings defeat to the enemy, and salvation and healing to those He is fighting for...

Amen - Come Lord!

# Concerning Shepherds and Sheep

## 2012-06-25

Yesterday while talking about the Church, I had an important thought, that in the shepherd and sheep analogy, the value is not in the shepherd, but rather in the sheep.

In many churches, they have it the other way around, they think the shepherd is the important and valuable one, so much so that there is almost a pastor worship in some churches.

Lord, help us to restore right order to the Body of Christ, giving honor to all, but especially seeing and believing in the value of the people. The shepherd, serves and encourages and feeds, but it's ultimately about the sheep. We, as sheep, don't need to take our identity from who our shepherd is, because we have our own value and identify in who we are.

I am reminded of a passage from Ezekiel, concerning shepherds and sheep:

(NIV)Ezekiel 34:1-6   
The word of the Lord came to me: [2] "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? [3] You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. [4] You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. [5] So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. [6] My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

Thankfully, Jesus desires to be our shepherd and calls us His sheep. He knows our value and was willing to die for us. In that action - we can find our true value. The Son of God laid down His life for us.

(NIV)John 10:11-15   
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep.

# God's Footprints

## 2012-06-26

I was just reading Psalm 77 and verse 19 really caught my eye this morning.

(NIV)Psalm 77:19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.

I really like this statement. It is talking about how God led the people through the Red Sea, and how He was present to them in that moment. He was present, they followed closely behind Him, but were unable to discern His footsteps. His presence was so real that they were looking for His footprints.

What an awesome picture of God's intervention and presence in the middle of difficult circumstances. He is there! He is leading the way! You can almost see His footprints - but you can certainly discern His path, for it opens before Him. So if we find ourselves in a difficult place, God will be present and will provide a way out.

Lord, thank You for Your love and faithfulness.

# Jesus Walks On By...

## 2012-06-27

Last night while preparing for bed, I was reading through Acts 3:

(NIV)Acts 3:1-10  
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.  
[6] Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

As I was reading this, I realized that Jesus had probably walked right by this beggar, since he went to the temple in Jerusalem several times. The man seemed to be known to most people (verse 9&10), and as such must have been a permanent fixture outside the temple. I think that Jesus had opportunity to heal him, but didn't while present on earth, so it makes me wonder why?

I am reminded of a few other verses:

John 5 where Jesus walks into the area surrounding the pool of Bethesda, and only healed the one man, but there probably tens if not hundreds of other sick people nearby.

Mark 10:46-52 where Jesus walked by blind Bartimaeus. He healed him, because Bartimaeus cried out and wouldn't stop calling, once he heard that it was Jesus, but Jesus still walked right by him initially.

In all these instances, Jesus must have been being obedient to the Father - see John 5:19 - and the Father's purpose at that time, not healing these other people, or the lame man outside the temple. We know that sickness is not from God, being the fruit of sin and rebellion (thanks Adam and Eve) and as such something that Jesus came to address. In every case, Jesus healed everyone that was brought to Him or came to Him to be healed, but He clearly didn't heal everybody that was sick in the geographical region. I can imagine Him walking by these sick people and longing to heal them, because of His love and compassion for them, but being obedient to the Father who has a plan that He is following.

For those of us that have been praying for healing or miracles, we should take heart, for the Father's will is clearly that we should be healed, the timing is one of the things that we need to trust to Him. The lame man outside the temple could have been healed by Jesus personally, instead he was healed by the apostles, and it was one of the cornerstone healing for the young church, demonstrating that Jesus was the son of God, and had authority to heal. The seeming delay in his healing brought greater glory to Jesus.

I think of it this way, Jesus' healing ministry was meant to be a catalyst to the healing ministry of the church. Jesus could only physically touch so many people in his brief ministry period. The remaining sick were for the church to heal! I can almost see one of the first healing outreaches of the young church being the area around the pool of Bethesda, completing the work that Jesus began by healing everyone that was gathered there.

In no way should we interpret a delay in our healing as proof that God doesn't want to heal us, or doesn't plan to heal us. Part of the mystery of the Father is that He is God and His purposes and thoughts are so much higher than ours that we can't grasp them fully. We can understand His nature, but His perfect timing is probably beyond our grasp, but that doesn't change His will to heal us. So let us keep trusting in His Love and Compassion and continue to call out to Him, like Bartimeaus, and expect that He will heal us.

# God Qualifies Us

## 2012-06-28

As I was just thinking about the fact that I am unqualified of being called to be a witness to Him, the Lord reminded me that many of his apostles were fisherman, and other common men. Paul was a tentmaker, others as well. I felt encouraged that I am not to disqualify myself because of my position, but that in this place, I am dependent on Him for any real effectiveness.

I am reminded of Is 49:

(NIV)Isaiah 49:4, 6, 8-9  
But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God." [6] he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."   
[8] This is what the Lord says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign it's desolate inheritances, [9] to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.

And also...

(NIV)1 Corinthians 1:20-21, 25-31  
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.   
[25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. [26] Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. [28] God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things---and the things that are not---to nullify the things that are, [29] so that no one may boast before him. [30] It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God---that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. [31] Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."

Lord, it really is only about You. It is because of You that I am here. Your call in my life caused me to come into relationship with You. Everything good comes from You and everything good points back to You, for You are the source of all good things. If you say I am qualified to be Your follower and witness to others, who am I to argue? All I am that's good, comes from You.

# The God of Hope

## 2012-06-29

(NIV)Romans 15:13  
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

As I was praying this morning, I felt that we need hope. Our God is the God of Hope! We need Him. We need to have hope overflowing out of us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that others, who have no hope, can partake in that which overflows from us. As we encounter the God of Hope, our hearts will be filled with peace and joy! Amen Lord Jesus! We all need a hope infusion, and You are the God of Hope so we turn towards You, asking that You pour hope into us!

# The Intercession of Christ

2012-07-01

This morning I was reading from Hebrews 7 and these verses caused me to stop and think.

(NIV)Hebrews 7:24-25  
"...but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. [25] Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Here the word save is the Greek word - sozo - meaning to save the individual in every sense, and it's combined with a word - panteles, which means perfectly, to completion, not just forever, which has a time reference, but perfectly which has more of a quality expression.

The Greek word for intercession is as follows:  
Entugchano en-toong-khan'-o

Definition  
1. to light upon a person or a thing, fall in with, hit upon, a person or a thing  
2. to go to or meet a person, esp. for the purpose of conversation, consultation, or supplication  
3. to pray, entreat  
4. make intercession for any one

This is from two Greek words - en and tugchano

en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest. It's definition is: 1. in, by, with etc.

Tugchano toong-khan'-o

Definition  
1. to hit the mark  
a. of one discharging a javelin or arrow  
2. to reach, attain, obtain, get, become master of  
3. to happen, chance, fall out  
a. to specify, to take a case, as for example  
4. to meet one  
5. of he who meets one or presents himself unsought, any chance, ordinary, common person  
6. to chance to be

So looking at the definition and breaking it down a bit. Jesus intercession is:

1. Personal - to light upon a person to fall in with... so if He is interceding for us, although He is interceding for us at God's throne of grace, He is with us, and upon us... understanding our life. It's said you don't really know a person until you walk a mile in their shoes. He is our constant companion... and knows us intimately

2. Accurate and concise - to hit the mark with an arrow - in other words directly on target, no generalisms here, and no wasted grows. If the first time you shoot you hit the bulls-eye, you don't need to keep shooting.

3. Relational - He goes to the Father, specifically on our behalf - and meets us specifically for conversation. He knows us, and wants us to know Him, not just in a head knowledge way, but personally.

4. Related to our salvation, healing and redemption - because He is interceding for us, He is able to sozo us perfectly, forever.

Lord, thank You for Your constant intercession, and interaction! You are not some distant God, but one who walks with us, speaks to us, listens to us, and goes the Father for us! You are awesome!

# Sanctified and Sent

## 2012-07-02

This morning I have been reading and meditating on John 17:

(NIV)John 17:15-21  
[15] My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. [17] Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. [19] For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  
[20] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

I was looking at verse 17, and Jesus prayer for our sanctification. The Greek word is Hagiazo:  
1. To render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow  
2. to separate from profane things and dedicate to God  
a. consecrate things to God  
b. dedicate people to God  
3. to purify  
a. to cleanse externally  
b. to purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin  
c. to purify internally by renewing of the soul

Reading this word in the context of the previous verses, it appears to be the second definition that Jesus is using, one of separation from the world and dedication to God. He does specify that this separation is not a withdrawing, but rather a protection while in the midst of the world. The separation He speaks of is a belonging to something else, a citizenship in His Kingdom. So in simple language, we become members of His Kingdom, in the midst of the world, protected by the Father, and living our lives in dedication to Him, sent out into the world to be examples, and guides.

# Experiencing the Presence of God

## 2012-07-03

Last night I was reading from Psalm 89 the following verses:

(NIV)Psalm 89:1-2, 8, 13-18  
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. [2] I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven it'self.

[8] Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

[13] Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. [14] Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. [15] Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. [16] They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness. [17] For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. [18] Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

I especially like verse - (NIV)Psalm 89:15  
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

I have been praying that I might experience more of Your presence, Lord, and the thought of walking in the light of Your presence is awesome. Lord, my desire is to be so overwhelmed by Your presence that everything else seems empty and trivial. I want be so filled by Your presence that it overflows to those around me.

As I was thinking and praying, I was reminded of a teaching I heard from Bill Johnson on the Presence of God. Here is a link to the following short notes about Hosting the Presence of God, By Bill Johnson: http://www.bjm.org/content/10/hosting-the-presence.html

Our greatest privilege in life is to learn to be a person that God will rest upon. He is in all of us by covenant, and will never leave. But He is not upon all of us. The challenge we face is to learning to be people who host the presence of the Lord as our greatest calling in life. While He is in me for my sake, He is upon me for yours. When the Lord rests upon a person, there is actually an atmospheric change that takes place wherever that person goes.

As our own faith increases—in conjunction with our realm of authority and responsibility—we are allowed to carry a greater weight of presence into an environment. The "reach" of His presence is transformational in nature, changing the climate that people live under. It is what happened on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God fell on 120 people. It completely changed the appetite of a city that only days earlier rose up to crucify Jesus. After the Spirit of God began to manifest and rest upon this group of 120, thousands spontaneously dropped all they were doing to come and gather around them at nine o'clock in the morning. When the prevailing atmosphere is the presence of God Himself, hunger is created in the hearts of people. It is normal to hunger for God.

As we become faithful to host the presence of the Lord, we find a tension between two realities—that He has been given to us without measure but that we set the limits of that measure. Though all of the measurements are set up on our end of the equation, we can experience the measure of presence we are willing to jealously guard. Whatever you will jealously guard, that is the measure you will have on a consistent basis. All measurements in the Kingdom exist for us to pursue increase. The whole Kingdom is based on this principle: the faithful use of what you have been given is what qualifies you for more.

This is the process we will experience in the coming days, for the glory of the Lord will cover the whole earth!!

# Freedom

## 2012-07-04

In honor of Independence day, I am reminded of this verse:

(NIV)Galatians 5:1  
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Lord, thank You for our freedom! Help us to recognize, appreciate and hold tight to the gift of freedom we have in this country!

# It is Finished

## 2012-07-08

I was listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson yesterday about the New Covenant and the fulfillment of requirements of the Law by Jesus.

His foundational verses were Matt 5:17-18 and Luke 16:16-17 and John 19:30:

(NIV)Matthew 5:17-18  
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

(NIV)Luke 16:16-17  
"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. [17] It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

(NIV)John 19:30  
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The word used for finished is as follows:

Teleo tel-eh'-o

Definition  
1. to bring to a close, to finish, to end  
a. passed, finished  
2. to perform, execute, complete, fulfill, (so that the thing done corresponds to what has been said, the order, command etc.)  
a. with special reference to the subject matter, to carry out the contents of a command  
b. with reference also to the form, to do just as commanded, and generally involving the notion of time, to perform the last act which completes a process, to accomplish, fulfill  
3. to pay  
a. of tribute

"It is finished or paid" John 19:30

The basic premise is that when Jesus died He fulfilled all the requirement of the Law, and enabled us to step beyond into the new covenant. Jesus said, "it is finished." And in that statement, He was talking about the perfect will of the Father and all He was commanded to do, not just speaking about His life on earth. Paul talks about this in Gal 3:23-25.

(NIV)Galatians 3:23-25  
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [24] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. [25] Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

So since the law was the guardian, and since faith in Jesus has come and been revealed to the world, we are no longer under the law. So many people operate with an old testament, old covenant mentality and mindset. They do not fully comprehend the new covenant, nor what Jesus has accomplished. Paul continues on in Gal 5: 1.4-6

(NIV)Galatians 5:1, 4-6  
[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."  
[4] "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

When we think that God punishes us, when we think that our actions can influence God's perspective of us, when we think we are holier than our brothers or sisters because of our righteous lifestyle, when we are judgmental, when we require adherence to our rules for religious life, when we are more concerned about other's wrong choices or ideas, when we think the enemy has power or authority, when we think sickness and disease are the will of God, then we are living under an old testament, old covenant mindset.

Lord, help us hold tightly to You, and Your grace. Help us to live fully in faith being expressed through love. Help us to free ourselves from religious mindsets and spirit's that require adherence to rules and regulations, negating Your sacrifice and the grace of God.

(NIV)Romans 3:23-26, 28  
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--- [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  
[28] For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

# Under His Wings

## 2012-07-09

This morning I was reading from Psalm 57:

(NASB)Psalm 57:1-3  
Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. [2] I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. [3] He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me -Selah- God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

My old NIV translates verse 2 as, "To God, who fulfills His purpose for me." Regardless of that particulars of the translation, these are wonderful verses, as God does want to be our refuge, our place of protection, our Father that we run to. In that place, we experience His sovereignty and power to act on our behalf. It's in this place, that our God proves His existence and the fact that He is intimately involved in our lives, even to have a planned purpose for us to fulfill.

There are some who think we are mere chess pieces, most of us pawns, and that God is some far removed God, who is cold and unconcerned about our situation, just having His way with us all. There are some who think that God basically started up the world and now does not intervene. There are some who don't believe in God at all. These verses address all these misconceptions.

God is a loving and intimate God, one who cares for and protects those that cry out to Him. He is aware of those that attack us, and He does intervene! He gathers us under His wings, a sweet picture of being in His protective embrace, guarded from the enemy. The wings here could be a picture of a mother hen with her chicks gathered under her wings, or it could be referencing the mercy seat, the place of atonement where the songs of the cherubim covered over the top of the Ark of the Covenant, intervening on behalf of those who come to God. The Mercy Seat is a picture of the ministry of Jesus, and what He accomplished through His death. I prefer the later explanation - as in Christ we are saved from all the plans of the enemy, and rescued perfectly from certain death.

In addition, He has plans for us, but does not just let us try to figure them out, but rather guides and directs and even accomplishes things on our behalf. He truly is a Father who cares for us individually, and intimately.

# God Bears Our Burdens

## 2012-07-10

This morning I was reading from Psalm 68:

(NIV)Psalm 68:19-20  
[19] Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. [20] Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

As I read verse 19 I was reminded of the following verses from Matthew:

(NIV)Matthew 11:28-30  
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

God does desire to bear our burdens, but to do so we must unload them upon Him. We must then take, instead, the yoke He gives us, one that is easy and light. I see a divine transfer - us unloading our burdens to Him, and He giving us back something that we can carry which is light and easy.

Let us entrust our burdens to God and experience the real relief He provides. His help is real, and His desire to help us is constant.

# Hungry For His Presence

## 2012-07-12

This morning as I sit down to pray I am reminded of Andrew Murray's book "Jesus Himself", and stories from Randy Clark, Bill Johnson and Heidi Baker of being filled with Your Presence in such a way that they have never stopped or slowed down, and have an incredibly different ministry after You fill them. I am reminded of the boy in the wheel chair yesterday, the girl with the withered arm at Hy-vee, my nephew Joe and I want to be able to be Your expression of love to the people. Lord, help me in my unbelief and powerlessness. I desire to be Your servant, wholly. I want to know the fullness of Your presence inside me, knowing that I am so full of You that I overflow.

I am reminded of Pentecost.

(NIV)Acts 2:2-4  
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Lord, I had never experienced Your I filling like this, but I know Your desire is to fill us and use us. I am open and desirous, I am waiting and hungry.

(NIV)Matthew 5:6  
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Lord, You promise to fill those that are hungry for You, I am hungry, but help me to become more hungry.

(NIV)Exodus 33:3, 12-18  
Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."

[12] Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' [13] If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." [14] The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." [15] Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. [16] How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" [17] And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." [18] Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

Your presence is everything! Your Presence is the only thing that really differentiates the church from the world, otherwise we would just be a nice group of people getting together to do nice things. We want to be world changers! Lord, I want to be a world changer, and I know that what's in me can't even change me! I must have more of You.

# Seek the Lord

## 2012-07-14

Yesterday morning I was reading several verses and the theme of seeking the Lord was quite prevalent. I started reading in John, and that spurred me on to pursue Him, to seek Him more.

NIV)John 14:15-21  
"If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

Lord, that You that You have provided a way for Your presence to be with us and in us. Lord, I know I don't need to feel this for it to be reality, but I also look at my life and realize that I am living with just a shadow of what You promised. Lord help me! Lord fill me! Lord be in me, so much so that Your presence is evident to all, not for my glory, but for Yours.

(NIV)Psalm 53:2  
God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Lord, my desire is to find You in all the fullness of Your promises, to seek You with all my heart.

(NIV)Isaiah 55:6-7  
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

(NIV)Hosea 10:12  
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.

Yes Lord, we do seek You!

# The Lord Is Our Shepherd

## 2012-07-15

I was reading Psalm 95 yesterday:

(NIV)Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7  
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. [2] Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. [3] For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.  
[6] Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; [7] for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

I love the whole shepherd and sheep image. We are Your sheep Lord, we are under Your care, and we say it is good, pleasant and beautiful. I am reminded of Psalm 23:

(NIV)Psalm 23:1-3  
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, [3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.

Yes Lord under Your care we lack nothing we need. Your provision, peace and rest are ours, You bring refreshment to our souls. Holy Spirit You are the refreshment of our souls, You are the fountain of living water in our souls, bringing refreshment renewal and life. You also guide us and lead us on the path we should take, You are our guide!

(NIV)John 6:63  
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you---they are full of the Spirit and life.

(NIV)John 14:26-27  
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. [27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

(NIV)John 16:12-15  
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

(NIV)John 4:14  
...but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Lord, I desire all the fullness of all of what You promised. I know that this is Your will for me, for nothing that I think about You and desire about You ever was birthed in me, but rather in Your heart for me. Lord, lead me and guide me, fill me and use me. I give You everything, all that I am, into Your control and service. My desire is that I might know You and glorify Your Name to all.

"Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. [2] Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. [3] For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. [6] Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; " Psalm 95:1-3,6

# God Gives Us All Things

## 2012-07-16

(NIV)Romans 8:31-32  
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

I was struck by verse 32, and the simple logic of that statement. Clearly if God gave up His Son for us, why would He ever withhold anything from us? Burton Coffman writes this about verse 32:

"The confidence of the apostle in this verse is founded upon the principle of logic called a fortiori, being a progression from the great to the lesser. The great gift is that of God's only Son; and surely the love that provided such an unspeakable gift could not fail to provide whatever else might be required to accomplish his purpose of redeeming people, the particular things apparently in view here being whatever earthly encouragement and provision might be necessary to the achievement of the Christian's ultimate salvation to the uttermost."

So, God the Father is for us, Jesus died for us, is with us and is constantly interceding for us, the Holy Spirit is within us, leading us, guiding us, teaching us, giving us His life and power, and even praying through us. On top of all that, God graciously gives us all things that we need. What an awesome promise and reality!

Lord, how can we not love You and serve You in our love. Lord, help us to see this reality more clearly and live in this reality more fully. I get this feeling that the vast majority of us only ever experience the tiniest slice of the life that You would have us experience, if we could ever just fully embrace all that You have for us. Lord, help me to grab onto Your promise, and fully plumb the depths of all that You have for me. I don't want to live my life having experienced only a slice of what You would love for me to experience, I want the whole pie! :-)

# Who We Are...

## 2012-07-17

I am reading from Romans 8 and it's such a full chapter that it's almost impossible to focus on any one thought, since there is so much richness there. I felt led to meditate on the following verses:

(NIV)Romans 8:15-17  
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

(NIV)Romans 8:23, 28-30  
[23] Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruit's of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  
[28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. [30] And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

So we are co-heirs with Christ, children of our Father, witnessed by the Holy Spirit within us. We are also predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus, so much so that it would be clear that He is the first born son, of many brothers and sisters. What an incredible promise! Lord, we want to experience the fullness of this Promise of sonship, being co-heirs with You!

Lord, help me to recognize and live by the reality of who You say I am! So often I don't believe this truth and instead live with a beggar mindset, thinking I have to work and claw my way to anything worthwhile, when in reality You see me as a co-heir with Jesus, a second born son, but equal heir.

# Acting on Our Beliefs

## 2012-07-18

This morning I was reading out of James:

NIV)James 2:18, 22-24  
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

[22] You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. [23] And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. [24] You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

I think that it's clear that it is applicable to our actions in the way we live. Do we act as Christians, does our faith in God change the way we behave? Our faith and beliefs should be shown or accompanied by our actions. James finishes that section with a very sobering thought:

(NIV)James 2:26  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

In other words, if applied to the thinking above about our lives and actions being affected by our faith, the opposite is true as well. If our lives and actions don't reflect our faith, than our so-called faith is really dead and has no life within it.

This certainly gives me pause to think about my life and beliefs. Does my life and actions line up with my faith? Do I act differently because of my faith, or do I act just like others who have no faith? Could someone, through observation of my life, day to day, identify what I believed, what I have faith for?

Lord, help me to live a life of faith and faith directed action!

# Of Loaves and Fish...

## 2012-07-19

I was reading from John 6 this morning and had the following meditation:

(NIV)John 6:10-13  
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). [11] Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. [12] When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." [13] So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

A couple of quick thoughts about these verses:

1. Jesus did this miracle as a man, filled with the Holy Spirit, we could too.  
2. Jesus recognized the importance of proofs of the miraculous, having them collect the scraps to show how much was created, and even left over  
3. The scraps of the Lord's provision is so much more than (12 baskets worth) the work of man could produce  
4. The Lord provides abundantly, not just enough, there were 12 baskets of scraps  
5. Taking the 12 baskets of scraps and running with it, maybe that was His provision for the 12 apostles, showing how He would provide for them miraculously, and how ministering in His name, they would always be provided for...

Thank You Lord, for this example of Your ability to provide, taking even the smallest offering and meeting the needs of Your followers. Lord, help us to grab hold of this example in faith, not as a prosperity gospel mentality, but rather understanding that in Your Kingdom, there are not logical limitations.

# The Path to Eternal Life

## 2012-07-23

This morning I have been meditating on two verses from John 17. In these verses Jesus lays out a very simple path to Eternal Life. He is speaking to the Father in these verses, in prayer:

(NIV)John 17:2-3  
"For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

That is an amazing statement, that eternal life is knowing the Father and Jesus. The Greek word for eternal is Aionios :

Definition  
1. without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be  
2. without beginning  
3. without end, never to cease, everlasting

And the word used for know is Ginosko

Definition  
1. to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel  
a. to become known  
2. to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of  
a. to understand  
b. to know  
3. Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman  
4. to become acquainted with, to know

Clearly this is talking about an intimate relationship, and that is the key to eternal life. To know and be known, to be intimately acquainted with the Father and Jesus leads us to eternal life. This is not just head knowledge but an exchange of in depth knowledge, being able to tell how the other feels, what they are thinking, what they are feeling, understanding their motives and actions.

I think Jesus was speaking about this in Matthew, when he was asked about the greatest commandment.

(NIV)Matthew 22:37-40  
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

This is not the language of book knowledge, but rather of love and intimacy and relationship, and I think that these two verses in John must be understood that way as well. In fact the three preceding chapters in John start with Jesus talking about love, His relationship with the apostles and the new relationship they will have with Holy Spirit. It's all about love in the context of intimate relationships.

# Of Jesus' Glory

## 2012-07-24

Continuing on in John 17 this morning:

(NIV)John 17:22-23  
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Yesterday I was looking at the call to know the Father and Jesus, today that less me to this verse on unity in the Body of Christ. According to this verse, complete and true unity will come through Jesus' glory, and that glory is given to propel us towards unity. This glory driven unity will be that which allows the world to rightly discern the Father's love.

Lord, we pray for Your glory, for the unity this will bring, and for that witness to the world.

The word for Glory in the Greek is Doxa which has several meanings:

Definition  
1. opinion, judgment, view  
2. opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone  
a. in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honor, and glory  
3. splendor, brightness  
a. of the moon, sun, stars  
b. magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace  
c. majesty  
1. a thing belonging to God  
a. the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity  
2. a thing belonging to Christ  
a. the kingly majesty of the Messiah  
b. the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty  
3. of the angels  
a. as apparent in their exterior brightness  
4. a most glorious condition, most exalted state  
a. of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth  
b. the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Saviour's return from heaven

Clearly this glory is significant and is heavenly in nature, for it speaks of the perfectness of Christ, the radiance of angels, the resurrected condition, or our heavenly condition after Jesus return. That is amazing! The Church (we) have been given this glory, to help us step into unity. This was spoken 2000 years ago, but it is a promise that we will see fulfilled and should see fulfilled presently as well as in completeness, and I pray it will be fulfilled in my lifetime.

I definitely agree with Bill Johnson who says he feels the next revival will be one of God's glory - from this verse it's apparent it must be true, for we don't see His glory manifest in the church like this yet.

# He is Coming For You...

## 2012-07-25

Last night I was reading from John 5 about the man at that pool. This is one of my favorite stories, because of these two verses:

(NIV)John 5:5-6  
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

They are some of my favorite verses, because here is a man without hope, and Jesus sees him in his condition, and even asks about him, before the man is ever aware, apparently, for Jesus first recorded words to the man, were to ask him if wanted to get well. I think that Jesus was most likely asking someone else about the man. This speaks volumes to me about the length that Jesus will go to so that we might meet him and be healed.

I know I have written before about the fact that of all the sick people gathered around the pool this man is the one Jesus came to heal. It was Jesus initiative to find him and heal him. Jesus came just for him. The man had no hope, no idea who Jesus was, or what he could do, he just laid there. It was Jesus who sought him out, sought information about him, and then went to him.

This should bring hope to those of us who have long term affliction, or just find ourselves in a hopeless situation. God is concerned about our condition! Not only that, but even when we can't bring ourselves to seek Him out, in our hopelessness, sickness and weakness, He will come to us. This is a God who cares about us individually! Hallelujah!

# Of His Thigh and Robe...

## 2012-07-26

Now for something completely different...

Last night I was thinking about Revelation 19, when Jesus comes again, riding on a white horse, with writing on his robe and his thigh. Here are the verses:

(NIV)Revelation 19:11-16  
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. [12] His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. [13] He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:   
king of kings and lord of lords.

As I was thinking about this all, I realized that the breast and the thigh were part of the sacrifice that were given to the priests, see the following verses:

(NIV)Leviticus 7:31-34  
The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons. [32] You are to give the right thigh of your fellowship offerings to the priest as a contribution. [33] The son of Aaron who offers the blood and the fat of the fellowship offering shall have the right thigh as his share. [34] From the fellowship offerings of the Israelites, I have taken the breast that is waved and the thigh that is presented and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual share from the Israelites.' "

The is no doubt that this correlation is purposeful. I know I don't grasp anywhere near the actual realities, but here are a couple of thoughts I had:

1. Jesus was both the perfect and everlasting fulfillment of the sacrifice for atonement, and the everlasting fulfillment of the fellowship offering as well.  
2. The fellowship offering is meant to be shared between God and the priests, and we are all priests 1 Peter 2:9 -"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."  
3. So it appears that the title that is written on Jesus' robe and on His thigh is His title which He intends to share with His bride, the church, the chosen people, holy nation, royal priesthood - us!

If this is correct, it means in a very real way we will be invited into and have fellowship in the sovereign rule of the Lord. Wow, that will mess with your mind...

Lord, my desire is to understand You more and more, to understand Your purpose for me, to walk in the fullness of all that You have for me! Lord, help me to dive deep, to understand the depth, height, width and breadth of Your love for me!

# Authority & Power

## 2012-07-29

I was recently reading from Matthew 10:

(NIV)Matthew 10:1, 7-8  
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirit's and to heal every disease and sickness. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

I was thinking about last statement 'freely you have received' and realized it was related to the proclamation that Jesus made in verse 1. It was authority that He was calling the apostles to give away. That is so different then the worldly model, where we associated authority and power and are loath to give away either.

In the Kingdom, the authority paradigm is completely different, and Jesus makes it clear that it's in giving it away, that more is given. He demonstrated this paradigm in the feeding of the five thousand - where we would normally hold onto the food we have in the midst of a crowd, if we give it to the Lord, He will provide for all.

Holding on to authority, trying to control others, thinking that power and authority are something to hoard and control, is completely wrong in the Kingdom. Authority is supposed to lead to healing, miracles, and the defeat of the kingdom of the enemy. We must learn this lesson, we must freely give away all the authority we receive, allowing the Lord to refill us of all that we give away.

# The Bread That Satisfies

2012-08-01

(NIV)John 6:35  
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

As I was reading this, I was thinking about how so many of us hunger and thirst for things that are not of God. Jesus is clearing speaking about the condition of our souls, not our stomachs. All of us have a longing in our souls, and many of us don't know how to fill it, and many of us aren't even aware of this deep need and emptiness. In this condition, we fill ourselves with lesser things, but they don't really satisfy, they don't really still our hunger or thirst. It's like drinking salty water or eating empty calories, it only increases our hunger and thirst. Whether it's music, movies, TV, social media, food or some other thing, anything that is not the Lord will only satisfy us for a short time and leave us wanting more, needing more. Even those of us who know God, can end up filling our life's with other things, rather than the one thing that truly satisfies - Jesus.

Lord, help us to recognize both our need and Your ability to fill that need. You truly are the Bread of Life!

# My Words and Meditations

## 2012-08-02

(NIV)Psalm 19:12-14  
"But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. [13] Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. [14] May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

I was reading through Psalm 19 this morning and was meditating on verse 14. However, verse 14 really needs to be understood in the light of the prayer David had prayed in verses 12 and 13. I really like his prayer in verse 12, recognizing that there are things in him that he isn't even aware of that might be sinful, might be faults in the Lord's eyes. I think this is true of all of us. The more we pursue God, the closer we get to Him, the more we see ourselves and recognize our faults. This is not bad, but rather something we should be grateful for, as we are becoming like him. In my reading of the saints of old, this is a very common theme. Here are some of the holiest, most Christ-like people on the earth, and they still see that compared to God, they are sinful people. I don't think of this as a negative introspective perspective, rather as a sober recognition of our need for God. We will never, on this side of heaven, achieve the perfection of Jesus, but we should never stop pursuing Him and allowing ourselves to be changed into His likeness.

In verse 13, David is praying against the sin of pride. The Hebrew word here translated willful, is actually better translated arrogant, proud, insolent, or presumptuous, all of which speak of a prideful heart attitude. His prayer to be kept from these types of sin, and specifically that they might not rule over him or have control of him is so important. He is basically praying that he would not become self-reliant and convinced of his own abilities to deliver himself. He recognizes his own proclivity toward pride, and sees how this could wreck his life and lead him into serious sin (I am thinking Bathsheba here) and is asking for God's help. Again, a very revealing prayer, and so true. I know I certainly tend to believe in my own abilities, and can forget to turn to God for direction and guidance.

Finally, David is laying his thoughts and words before the Lord. That is one scary step - to ask the Lord to view our thoughts and words, to see if they are pleasing to Him. Of course this prayer follows the other two verses, which is not as scary, as David has been praying in humility and transparency. Still a very good prayer to keep before ourselves throughout the day - are my words and thoughts pleasing to God?

Finally, the recognition of his need for a Rock, and Redeemer. God is both - one who is always present and never changing, and one who will intervene on our behalf and rescue us. In Jesus, we have both! He lives forever, seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf!

(NIV)Romans 8:34  
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died---more than that, who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Amen!

# Our Foolish Ways

## 2012-08-03

Continuing my thoughts from yesterday, this verse seems to fit well:

(NIV)Proverbs 28:26  
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

It's interesting the Hebrew word translated here as fools, can also be translated as arrogant ones. There is so much truth here, that in our thinking we have the answers, that we know enough about what's happening all around us, that we somehow can grasp all that and make right decisions is foolish and at the same time supremely arrogant.

I like this translation - (NASB)Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.

The previous translation says 'themselves' here it's translated as 'his own heart' which appears closer to the meaning of the Hebrew. The Hebrew word is Leb which translates as follows:

1. inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding  
a. inner part, midst  
1. midst (of things)  
2. heart (of man)  
3. soul, heart (of man)  
4. mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory  
5. inclination, resolution, determination (of will)  
6. conscience  
7. heart (of moral character)  
8. as seat of appetites  
9. as seat of emotions and passions

In other words pretty much all of who we are internally, our thoughts, emotions, conscience, etc.

The second sentence of this verse, points us to the right answer - seeking wisdom externally, from one who can save, redeem and deliver us. We must turn to someone who is greater, with clearer vision, with more understanding, with purer judgment, for our own perspective and understanding is limited. It is in recognizing our need for a different perspective, that opens us up and allows wisdom to be shown, and deliverance to be realized. The Greek word used here is Sozo - meaning saved, body mind and spirit, and healed (quick translation)!

Lord, help me to recognize my need for You, seeing my own inability to fully grasp all and win my own deliverance. I confess my own limitations and lack, and choose to walk in Your wisdom, in Your presence, in relationship with You!

# Meditations on the Woman and Jesus' Robe

## 2012-08-05

This morning I am meditating on the women who was healed by touching Jesus' robe.

(NIV)Mark 5:25-34  
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. [26] She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. [27] When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, [28] because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." [29] Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. [30] At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" [31] "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' " [32] But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. [33] Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. [34] He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

I am conscious of several things:

1. This story is included in Matthew, Mark and Luke so it was quite a significant miracle in Jesus ministry.  
2. This is an excellent example of the gift of faith - she knew in her heart that she would be healed by a simple act  
3. This shows the Father's heart for those that are sick - the thought about touching Jesus cloak had to come from Him  
4. This event shows that Jesus was only operating as a man, for He was not aware of the women's need before she touched his robe, He didn't know who she was after she touched Him, and He didn't know her condition. If He was operating as God, He would have known all three things.  
5. There is a real felt power when the Holy Spirit moves through you (sometimes). This is not just in their minds, but there was an actual transfer of power which Jesus felt, and so did the woman.  
6. This event led to a whole new type of ministry interaction, the touching of fabric, and imbuing it with power to heal - (NIV)Acts 19:11-12  
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirit's left them.  
7. Jesus demonstrated many different techniques when healing people, and those techniques were examples and were later developed more so by the Holy Spirit working through the Apostles. He healed people without ever touching them ( Centurion's servant, Caananite woman's daughter) as well as through touching His robe, or touching them with His hands. He was operating in the Holy Spirit and aware of how the Holy Spirit was able to operate, not being limited by such a simple thing as physical touch.  
8. Following this miracle in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus sends out the Apostles and gives them authority and power to heal every disease. In other words, He imparted to them the Holy Spirit that might be able to do the same works as He demonstrated. We have received this very same Holy Spirit. See (NIV)Acts 10:44-47: While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. [45] The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. [46] For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, [47] "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." Here Peter made no distinction between what He had received at Pentecost, and what these Gentiles had received.

Lord, help us hear Your words to us and being encouraged and full of the Holy Spirit, guide us to do these same things!

# Our True Treasure

## 2012-08-08

Yesterday I was reading in Matthew the parable about the talents and had an interesting insight.

(NIV)Matthew 25:14-30  
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. [15] To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. [16] The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. [17] So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. [18] But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. [19] "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. [20] The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.' [21] "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' [22] "The man with two bags of gold also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.' [23] "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' [24] "Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. [25] So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' [26] "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? [27] Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. [28] " 'So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. [29] For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. [30] And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

I was reading this verse while thinking about my relationship with God and sharing that relationship with others. I realized that this verse can be applied to our sharing our faith, and relationship with the Lord. In fact the word that has been translated Wealth in verse 14, actually means to be under one with power, in other words in relationship with the King. His wealth is relationship with Him! Other translations call the man going away a King, and this is clear reference to God, as Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God.

So if I were to put this parable in my words, God is giving us his Wealth, through our relationships with Him. It is our call to go out and multiply that gift by sharing with others about who God is and His love for them. If we keep this treasure hidden this not received well by the King.

Lord, help us to share with all our treasure - our relationship with You.

# A Bridge to Heaven

## 2012-08-09

This morning I was reading out of Psalm 57:

(NIV)Psalm 57:7-11  
My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. [8] Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. [9] I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. [10] For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. [11] Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Two things I like about those few verses from Psalm 57: First the idea of a steadfast heart. It seems that keeping my heart steady and holding fast to my love for God is a difficult thing. There are so many competing things in all our lives, it's difficult to remain single focused, and constant. But what a great prayer to pray, that my heart might be steadfast in my affection for God.

Secondly, the picture of God's love and faithfulness extending to the heavens and skies. Earlier in the Psalm (verse 3) it says that God sends His Love and Faithfulness to earth, when He saves us. So we have a picture of Love and faithfulness coming down from heaven, and reaching from the earth back up to the heavens. In my mind I see a connection, almost a bridge of the Love and Faithfulness of God from heaven to earth and all of us.

Clearly this bridge is Jesus, the Love and faithfulness of God incarnate. He, because of His love for us, came down from Heaven (verse 3), saved us from our enemy, and established forever a relationship with the Father. This is not some mythical bridge that exists, like in the movie Thor, but a very real and eternal connection, established through Jesus' sacrifice. Lord, help me to experience the reality of this relationship, this connection with You more and more every day.

# Life in the Early Church

## 2012-08-12

(NIV)Acts 2:38-39, 42-47  
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off---for all whom the Lord our God will call."

[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

As I am reading these few verses a few things occur to me:

1. Repentance, Baptism and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit were understood to be all related and the natural occurrence of turning to Jesus. We have separated them, in large part, and even minimalized the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the church today. This was the power of the church, that changed them from frightened people in the upper room to burning healing evangelists.

2. The communal gatherings, breaking of the bread, listening to the teachings of Jesus and prayer that the church immediately adopted was actually the pattern of the apostles life with Jesus, now encompassing all the believers. This wasn't just a quick response to a major influx, but rather the life style they had been living for the last few years.

3. There had to have been small group dynamics, and the small groups had to have been relatively natural, as they gathered in each other's homes, had fellowship - which means intimate relationships - and they knew about one another's needs and helped each other out. Such a different mindset then what we generally see today, here in our western culture, where we all live individual lives.

4. Miraculous signs and wonders were a part of the life of the church. This wasn't some sort of initial get the ball rolling anointing, but rather a continued sign of the new Kingdom, Jesus Lordship, and the real demonstration of both.

5. They met together every day, there was such a desire for the Lord's life, they were willing to lay other things down and make room for a change in their life style. Chapter 3 shows that they probably met in the late afternoon as Peter and John were arriving in the temple courts around 3pm, and that was where they gathered together.

# The Way

## 2012-08-13

Last night I was reading out of Acts and came across the fact that the early church named themselves the Way. (NIV)Acts 9:2 .."and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem."

It was named such in several verses, and I thought it was significant that this was really the first name the church had, and that it was well known. The word in Greek is Hodos hod-os'

Definition 1. properly a. a way 1. a travelled way, road b. a travellers way, journey, travelling 2. metaph. a. a course of conduct b. a way (i.e. manner) of thinking, feeling, deciding

Translated Words KJV (102) - highway, 3; journey, 6; misc, 2; way, 83; way side, 8;

NAS (100) - highways, 2; journey, 7; path, 1; paths, 1; road, 24; roads, 1; streets, 1; way, 54; ways, 9;

It was clear that this name was widely recognized, as even the Governor of the province Felix was well acquainted with the name (Acts 24:22). David Guzik writes this:

e. If he found any who were of the Way: Here, Christianity is referred to as the Way. This seems to be the earliest "name" for the Christian movement, and a fitting one -used five times in Acts.

i. The name the Way means that Christianity is more than a belief or a set of opinions or doctrines. Following Jesus is a way of living as well as believing.

Guzik's a last statement is so important to grasp. Our following the Lord, must not just be about our beliefs, but about our actions as well. We cannot be Christians in name and 'belief' without it affecting our action. To think any different is to be deceived.

In the letter of James, he speaks of our faith and actions as being tightly bound. In fact, his premise is that if we don't have the actions to back up our statement of faith, then that faith really doesn't exist - see (NIV)James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by it'self, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Lord, help us to live out our beliefs!

# Focused on the Wrong Thing

## 2012-08-14

I was reading John 5 this morning and continuing to reflect the following verses:

(NIV)John 5:5-12  
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"  
[7] "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." [8] Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." [9] At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, [10] and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." [11] But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.' " [12] So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?"

I was thinking this morning about the Jewish leaders who totally missed the fact that this man was healed and were more concerned with the fact that he was carrying his mat on the Sabbath. Even after he told them he had been healed, their only concern was that he was breaking the law, and someone had told him to break it.

Talk about missing the forest for the trees! Here in their midst a man had been healed, who was an invalid for 38 years. This was probably the first time he could carry his mat in all those years, and the Jewish leaders are more concerned about this specific religious observance then the fact that he was healed. The religious spirit was so strong in them that they were blinded to the miracle that happened right in front of them. I find myself thinking, how could they possibly miss something so significant!

I also find myself wondering how many times have I missed the move of God, because it didn't happen the way I thought it should? Maybe it didn't happen at my church, or maybe it happened at a place that I didn't agree with theologically, or maybe I missed it because I was too busy or too tired. Maybe I missed what the Lord was doing in my life or the lives of those around me because I was too focused on some little issue that was mostly irrelevant.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to recognize Your movement around me so that I might see You at work. Help me to step beyond the rules, the ways that I think it should work, so that I might see You moving in our midst.

# John 17:26 and Mountain Climbing

## 2012-08-16

This morning I am reading out of John 17:

(NIV)John 17:25-26  
"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. [26] I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

What an incredible statement, that Jesus has made the Father known to us, so that His love for Jesus might be in us. I once heard someone say the Holy Spirit is the physical embodiment of the Love of the Father and Son for each other, and this verse reminds me of that. We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we come into relationship with Jesus and through Him, the Father, so this makes sense in some ways.

It is far beyond my puny human mind to comprehend the fullness of these two verses, but nonetheless they are greatly encouraging. Jesus himself is in us. The Father's love for Jesus is in us. So when the Father looks at me, He sees Jesus and His love for His son. Wow!

Source: http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/sherpatrainingpict11052005.htm

As I was meditating on this verse, I found myself thinking about mountain climbers, scaling a steep and perilous snow covered mountain. I was thinking about the fact that they are roped together and how dangerous this can be. If the person on the end slips and starts sliding down the slope, they can endanger the others that are roped together, the worst case being that they are all pulled off balance and fall together.

I could see in my mind's eye, the struggle to stop the slide, and if by chance they stop, the terrible decisions that might need to be made, especially if the person at the end is dangling from the rope, endangering the rest. I imagined if it was me and my three brothers, knowing the love we have for each other, how terrible it would be to decide what to do. I found myself thinking that if I was the one dangling off the edge, endangering my brothers, I would cut the rope myself, but if I was the third in line and it was one of my other brothers dangling over the edge, I could never cut them loose.

As I found myself thinking about all this, I came back to my present mind, and wondered why I would be led to think these thoughts, for they are clearly not my normal early morning thoughts. Then I realized that I am tied in with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. My relationship with them, is as real as my relationship with my brothers, through blood, Jesus' blood. The main difference is that I will never endanger them in my slips and falls, and they will never cut my rope. They are completely faithful, all powerful, full of patience, and full of Love - in fact they are Love.

When I slip and fall the Father looks down, sees His Son and His Love in me, grabs the rope and gives a mighty pull, and saves me! Now that is an image I can hold onto in my daily walk and the struggles I encounter. Thank You Lord for Your awesome love and faithfulness.

# Returning to the Lord

## 2012-08-23

This morning I was reading out of the Letter of James and reminded of the mercy available to us all.

(NIV)James 4:4-10  
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? [6] But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."

[7] Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

(NIV)Isaiah 55:6-7  
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."

As I was just thinking about the stain of the world, I thought it's probably more like mold, a tiny spore of which comes and settles on one piece of bread, and in the right atmosphere starts to reproduce, generally starting on the outside and working its way inside, until it ruins the whole piece. In the same way, a small bit of compromise, or desire for something outside of God's will can result in death in our spirit's. James says it this way: (NIV)James 1:14-15..."but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Lord, help me to look at my life and clear away anything that is not of You. I desire to come near to You. I thank You for Your forgiveness and mercy and invitation to return to You.

# Living in Right Relationship

## 2012-08-24

This morning I have been reading out of Romans 8, and meditating on my relationship with the Father.

(NIV)Romans 8:9-16  
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. [10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. [12] Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation---but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. [14] For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Lord, I am claiming the promise and reality of verse 11, that You Holy Spirit are living in me, and that You will bring life to this mortal body. Lord, I desire to live in the fullness of this. I want to be led by You Holy Spirit, I want to receive Life from You. I want to live in a constant state of awareness of my spirit giving witness to my sonship.

Prior to reading these verses I was thinking about my desire to be an ordinary guy, who does extraordinary things for the Lord. Clearly there is nothing special about me, I am just a husband and a dad, not great at either, a brother, an employee, a neighbor, and a friend and like most men. Yet, I have been chosen by the Lord to be in relationship with Him, and it's in this single fact that I have any real significance outside my small little sphere of relationships.

I am a son of the Most High, by His choosing, adopted into full sonship. That is an amazing thought! How can I live a normal life by earthly standards if this is the case?

My own perspective of my life is so out of whack with this reality. I normally come to the Lord, with a wondering, hoping, but not confident attitude. I hope that He might take notice of me, and possibly look with favor on me, and maybe just this once answer my prayer.

That is completely wrong if the previously stated relationship is true. I have been chosen by God, and loved so much that He has adopted me, and given me full rights in His family. Lord, I desire to be led by You into the fullness of this truth, in my life.

Lord, that we all might grasp this reality and live within Your means - not ours. Lord, wash me clean of my old mind-set and cement in my consciousness this new identity, that I might live like I truly am Your adopted child.

# Love Abounding - Phil 1:9

## 2012-08-26

This morning I am reading out of Philippians.

(NIV)Philippians 1:9-11  
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God.

It's interesting that abounding love, overflowing love, an abundance of love, is connected with knowledge and depth of insight in our faith. The Greek word for knowledge is Epignosis - meaning precise and correct knowledge of things ethical and divine. Clearly here Paul is talking about divine things - namely a knowledge of God and His ways. Depth of insight is more correctly defined as discernment and perception.

So if we take this and simplify - Paul's prayer is that our love for God drives us to understand Him more and discern His ways so much that this overflows out of us. This enables us to understand what is best, choose that, and as a result live pure and blameless. Of course, much of the purity and blamelessness is the result of the atonement and being hidden in Christ, not something we attain through our own works. But this diving into God, through love will help us uncover this reality, and live as if it's true, which it certainly is. As we pursue God, through love, our lives will be filled with the fruit of Christ's righteousness, which ultimately is our salvation and redemption, and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

I think also that Paul was talking about their love for one another as well, as in the next chapter Paul is encouraging unity through love and humility. Learning to lay down lives, care for one another, and pursue a life in Christ. That as we pursue God, a natural outflow from this is a love for one another, for we cannot become followers of Christ and not become like Him.

Amen Lord, let our love abound in knowledge and discernment so that we see the fruits of righteousness filling our lives.

# Help in Making Hard Decisions

## 2012-08-29

Last night I was reading from James 3:

NIV)James 3:17-18  
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I've never really thought about the above verse as a discernment tool, but it really is. It gives the characteristics of that which comes from the Father. So if we are asking ourselves is something (an idea or decision) is from God, we can look at this list and start working down it, starting with purity.

Purity: Are there ulterior motives? Are there components of this which Jesus would never do? Is there any clarity?

Peace-loving: Does this cause division or strife? Are you being vengeful in any way? Will someone be hurt in this situation?

Considerate: Are you looking at the impact to other people? Are you laying down your life for others?

Submissive: Are you under the Lord's authority in general in your life? Are you open to suggestions for betterment from others?

Full of Mercy and Good Fruit: What will the result bring? Will our love for the Lord be evident?

Impartial: Are you taking sides? Do you have a clear heart and mind about either option or choice?

Sincere: Are you being honest with God? Are you being honest with yourself? Do you desire to become more like the Lord?

# Our True Treasure

2012-09-02

This morning when I woke up and even last night I was again thinking about the treasure that is our relationship with the Lord, and with each other.

Recently, I was reading a book by Graham Cooke and he said, "God inhabit' s our relationships", which was really helpful. I always knew that based on several scriptures like (NIV)Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." but this just presented it in such a concise way. God does inhabit our relationships, in other words He is present when we are in relationship with each other, as fellow believers, for we are gathered in His name! There should be an awareness in our lives, and in our churches, of the importance of our relationships with each other.

In several places Jesus talks about what the Kingdom of God is like, and one of the Statements He makes is that the Kingdom of God is like a treasure - (NIV)Matthew 13:44. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." In Luke 17:21 Jesus says, "... nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Jesus says in (NIV)John 17:22-23 "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." And again in (NIV)John 14:1 "... the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." Paul writes in (NIV)2 Corinthians 4:7 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." His reference to jars of clay means our physical bodies, and the all-surpassing power is from the Holy Spirit within him.

So in summary, we have in our relationships with each in the church, the Lord present. We have within us the Holy Spirit and Jesus Himself, extending to us Eternal Life and all-surpassing power and a deeply intimate relationship - a treasure beyond compare. It is this treasure, these relationships that we should invest in and share with those around us.

# Hope for Today

## 2012-09-04

NIV)Romans 15:13  
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As I was praying this morning, I was drawn to this passage, speaking of the hope. I very much like the title for God in that first line - the God of Hope. So often we look for hope in other places, from other sources, but God is the God of Hope. All hope that is real comes from Him. He is our Provider, our Protector, our King and Lord, our Father, our Master and our Friend. Each of those titles bring with them care and concern for us.

As we learn to put our trust in Him, as our true source of hope, He will fill us with joy and peace. There is a transaction that is made there - we give Him our anxiety, our difficult situations, and worries and He gives us joy and peace. Ultimately His desire is that our hope literally overflows us, and spills all over others.

I am reminded of one of my favorite verses from the Gospel of Matthew.

(NIV)Matthew 11:28-30  
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

If you need hope today, turn to the God of Hope and let Him trade your worries and problems for joy and peace, hope overflowing and rest!

# Our Stronghold in Times of Trouble

## 2012-09-05

NIV)Psalm 37:34, 37, 39-40  
Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. [37] Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. [39] The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. [40] The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

I love Psalm 37, especially verse 39 - "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble." The Hebrew word translated here as stronghold, and in other translations - strength is Ma`owz - pronunciation: maw-oze'

Definition 1. place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold  
a. place of safety, fastness, harbour, stronghold  
b. refuge (of God) (fig.)  
c. human protection (fig.)

A stronghold or place of fastness ultimately refers to a place you can't be driven out of by the enemy. It allows you to stand your ground and offers protection during times of warfare. This verse says that God is this for us. When trouble comes we are supposed to retreat into Him and allow Him to provide us shelter, and protection.

Graham Cooke speaks of a place of rest in the Lord that just tires the enemy out. I can imagine running to the Lord, allowing Him to enfold me in His arms, and then watching as the attacks of the enemy just bounce off of Him. In Him, the enemy can't reach me and the enemies blows can't affect Him, so in time the enemy just tires out and goes away. This is what this verse is speaking about... God saving us and protecting us from trouble, whatever form it might come in.

To be clear, this is not trouble that I caused, or that I went out and got into. Rather this is a time of trouble, a particular occurrence, or instance, externally initiated.

Finally, this is a place that allows us to hold our ground. I am reminded of the verse in Ephesians 6:13:  
"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

It's God's armor, it's His protection, that allows us to stand where we are. No more two steps forward and one back, but rather the grace and strength to stand. Amen, help me Lord to run to You, rather than running around like a headless chicken.

# How We Deal With Sinful People

## 2012-09-06

I was just reading the story of the woman at the well - John 4. I was thinking about the Lord confronted her sin, by asking her to call her husband, but we don't have a record of Him chastising her. It was if it was enough for her to know that He knew... He did this after having engaged her for quite some time, drawing her deeper into conversation. He, after revealing that He knew about her lifestyle, then engages her in conversation that points her to who He is, and that revelation is what changed her life. He doesn't reject her after seeing and confirming she is a sinner, but rather extends to her salvation.

I think there is a lesson to be learned in this exchange, namely that we don't need to confront people with their sins right out of the chute, that building and establishing relationship is critical to their being able to move past their awareness of their sin, into a true revelation of who God is, and the salvation He offers them. How quick we often are to see someone's sin and be all ready to confront them, when the Lord shows us a better way.

Additionally, the woman becomes a raging evangelist, and gets most of her town saved by calling them out to meet Jesus. One wonders if the Body of Christ is missing some key people because we couldn't look past the sin they were presently steeped in? We really need the eyes of the Lord, to see past sin and see the hearts of those we come in contact with throughout our days.

Amen Lord, help me to see as You see.

# The God Who Acts on Our Behalf

## 2012-09-07

This morning I have been hanging out in the book of Isaiah and reading for a couple of different chapters. The theme has been around God's uniqueness.

(NIV)Isaiah 44:6-8  
"This is what the Lord says---Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. [7] Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come---yes, let them foretell what will come. [8] Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."

(NIV)Isaiah 64:3-4  
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. [4] Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Yes, Lord, this no other God like You. You do act on our behalf, if we but wait and rest and trust You will move. What a glorious experience, to have You intervene for us. Lord, we know that in the same way that You moved to provide for Your people, and the way that You protected them is still available to us today. You are not a God who is far off, rather You are right here. Holy Spirit You dwell within me, and guide me and give me life. Help me to wait and trust in You, here on the Rock, that is Your word.

# Being Light to the Lost - Eating With Sinners

## 2012-09-08

The last few days I have been reading the following parallel passages - Matt 9:1-12 and Mark 2:1-17, having to do with Jesus' visit back to his home in Capernaum. This morning my attention went to the story of the calling of Matthew (Levi). In all three Synoptic Gospels the flow is exactly the same for this happening, here is how it's recounted in Mark:

(NIV)Mark 2:14-17  
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. [15] While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" [17] On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

What caught my eye was what happened immediately following Jesus invitation to Levi to follow Him, namely that Jesus was invited to a banquet at Levi's house and Levi invited all his unsaved friends, and Jesus was absolutely OK with this. In every account it was exactly the same - Jesus invited Levi to follow Him, and the invitation to dinner at Levi's immediately followed.

I was thinking that if we, in the church, needed any reason to focus our outreaches on the lost, this passage gives a great example of why we should. The lost, when they get saved become an instant doorway to a whole group of equally lost people. The other day I was meditating on the woman at the well, and many in her town got saved after she did - which is awesome.

One interesting thought about this passage, Jesus went to Levi's house, not the other way around. I wonder if the church's focus on bringing people into the church - getting them in the building - is backwards? What if the church went to where the newly saved person lives or hangs out, and brought Jesus there too? We have that mindset about foreign lands, why not have that mindset here at home. Call it micro-missions, whatever. The chances of ministering to the lost is much higher out where they live, than it is in our church buildings. Programs are great, but are only going to reach a small percentage of the population. Lord give us the courage to break out of our western religious mindsets and see that the world needs the loving, merciful, accepting, life giving, Body of Christ in their midst, not in our church buildings.

# It's Late, You Feed Them...

## 2012-09-09

I was just reading from Mark 6, and the story of the feeding of the 5000 caught my eye.

(NIV)Mark 6:6-7, 12-13, 30-44  
....Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. [7] Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirit's.

[12] They went out and preached that people should repent. [13] They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

[30] The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. [31] Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." [32] So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. [33] But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. [34] When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. [35] By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. [36] Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." [37] But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take more than half a year's wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" [38] "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five---and two fish." [39] Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. [40] So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. [41] Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. [42] They all ate and were satisfied, [43] and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. [44] The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

A few things stood out to me:

1. This miracle follows closely on the heels of the twelve being sent out to preach the good news, and this ministry was definitely successful for many people were coming after them.

2. Jesus ' heart was stirred when he saw the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. This phrase always grabs my attention, as it is supposed to convey something about the state of the people. Shepherds guide sheep to good food and water, keep them moving so they don't eat everything in one location, and provide protection from animals and circumstances that are dangerous, and also keep the herd together. These people were clearly lacking that type of input in their lives.

3. Before Jesus gives them physical food, He serves up a meal of spiritual food, by teaching them many things. Our spirits can be just as hungry as our bodies.

4. The disciples knew that it was late and asked Jesus to send the people away, but His response was, "You give them something to eat!" Something about this phrase - it's late has grabbed my heart. I guess it's that we are presently in the same situation, it's getting late and there are crowds of people who are hungry.

5. The Lord, wasn't dismayed by the crowd, He knew that the Father wanted to feed the people, so He took what little the disciples had and fed them all. I think this is critical for the church to understand, in this late time. Even though they didn't have enough to feed themselves, they gave what they had into Jesus' hands and it was multiplied enough to feed a vast crowd. This was completely illogical, yet in the Kingdom it is right. We need to not be limited by our logic, but rather look to the Father and Son and see what they desire to do. Our part is to give that little that we have, and trust that the Lord really is the Good Shepherd and will provide for His flock.

# Never Underestimate God...

## 2012-09-12

Last night I was reading from Acts 17, about Paul's visit to Thessalonica:  
(NIV)Acts 17:1-10  
When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. [2] As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, [3] explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. [4] Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

[5] But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. [6] But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, [7] and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." [8] When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. [9] Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. [10] As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

This morning I was reading Paul's letter to that Church: (NIV)1 Thessalonians 2:1-2  
You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. [2] We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

I think this is amazing how just in that short period of time a church was birthed. I also find it interesting that after reading the story in Acts, I found myself thinking that the visit to Thessaloniaca had been a failure, but that He must have visited again with more success. But after reading this section from Paul's letter to them that appears to not be the case. So Paul visited for a little over three weeks, and a church was birthed. It is amazing what the Lord can accomplish through us, in even this short of a time. Also, I think it's important to realize that God considers things differently than we do, where we might have seen this visit as a failure, God saw it as a great success, and was able to do much in the city. Don't underestimate the ability of God to work in any situation.

# A Right Attitude

## 2012-09-16

(NIV)1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. [8] Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. [9] Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. [11] If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This is such a beautiful verse for setting our attitudes and focus. Really for all of us, our time here is limited, and we should live our lives with an understanding that we have been placed here in this time, at this location with purpose ( Acts 17:26 ) and as such we should seek God for that purpose. We should love each other deeply, being thankful for those whom the Lord has surrounded us. We should look not to ourselves but towards others as well, using the gifts we have for the benefit of all. In other words, laying down our selfish perspectives, and recognizing that part of our purpose is tied to those around us in our lives. Ultimately our goal should be that God is glorified in and through our lives. Amen.

# Humble Before God

## 2012-09-17

This morning I was reading from James:

(NIV)James 4:6-10  
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

I also really like James 3:13: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." Our deeds should be done in humility, not with a selfish focus, but rather looking to our friends, family and those around us. We need to draw near to God, and humble ourselves before Him.

The Greek word translated humble is: Tapeinoo pronounced:tap-i-no'-o

Definition 1. to make low, bring low a. to level, reduce to a plain b. metaph. to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances 1. to assign a lower rank or place to 2. to abase 3. to be ranked below others who are honoured or rewarded 4. to humble or abase myself by humble living c. to lower, depress 1. of one's soul bring down one's pride 2. to have a modest opinion of one's self 3. to behave in an unassuming manner 4. devoid of all haughtiness

I was thinking that in reality this means that we walk in the first commandment, making God first in our lives, and the only one that we worship. For many of us, we have competing allegiances and desires. We place other things at the same or higher level than God in our lives, and in a certain way we are placing our will and thought above His. Here we are clearly encouraged to look at our lives and put ourselves in the proper place, recognizing God's sovereignty over our lives.

# "In The Last Times..."

## 2012-09-21

(NIV)Jude 1:17-25  
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. [18] They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." [19] These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. [20] But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. [22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear---hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. [24] To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--- [25] to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

What a good word for these times. Keeping ourselves in God's love, being filled with the Holy Spirit, extending mercy to those around us, living lives pursuing unity in the Body of Christ and personal holiness, and in all things depending on the Lord, who is able to keep you safe. One could just mine these verses for several hours, extracting the richness and letting the truth settle in our hearts. His Kingdom is about love, mercy, joy, and unity. Division, judgmentalism, fear, and selfishness are not of the Lord. Let us trust ourselves to Him who is able to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

# Right Relationship With The Father

## 2012-09-23

This morning I am reading from Galatians 4:

(NIV)Galatians 4:4-7  
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. [6] Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba , Father." [7] So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

I was thinking in the same way, this is how the Lord wants us to live, free within our relationship with Him. If we look at the parable of the wayward son, the Lord, is really after relationship with us - Luke 15:11-32. However, He wants us to be in right relationship with Him, and with a right heart attitude. The first son wanted to take advantage of all the Father gave him for personal pleasure and gain. Interesting that the Father let him do that, in the same way that Father will let us make our own choices, even if they are bad. The second son, although he stayed and didn't abuse his relationship with the Father, clearly didn't know his Father's heart. He thought it was through his service and obedience that he would gain access to Father's extravagant love, clearly he had a works mentality. Again, the Father allowed him to operate in this mode, as it is part of free will.

What is clear from the Father's answers to both sons, when He talks to them, is his unconditional love, and desire for relationship. There is freedom in right relationship, but the Father knows the better way and is just longing to be able to embrace us, and show us.

One wonders how much of the time is the Father just wanting to embrace us, love us and lavish blessings upon us, and we are either focused only on selfish pursuit, or slaving away in some sort of work mentality? Lord, help us to understand that we really have been adopted by You, and You are our Father.

# Obedience And Unbelief

## 2012-09-24

I have been reading Smith Wigglesworth and one of the other things that Smith was talking about was how our obedience to the Lord is an expression of both our relationship with Jesus and faith in Him. This morning I am reading from 1 John 2: 3-6

(NIV)1 John 2:3-6  
[3] We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. [4] Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. [5] But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: [6] Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

These verses clearly indicate the connection between our relationship to the Lord and obedience to His Word. I am also reminded of another verse from John's Gospel:

(NIV)John 15:9-14  
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. [12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command.

There is clearly a tie between our following the Lord's commands and maintaining our relationship with Him. This is not some sort of works mentality, but rather an issue of belief. If we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then we would do everything He tells us to do! Our particular fear of man, or uncomfortable feelings would not be enough to dissuade us from obeying.

Lord help me to walk in accordance with Your will.

# Proper Perspective About the Enemy

## 2012-09-25

As I was praying and reading through Mark 4, (The parable of the sower and the seed) the Lord reminded me of a thought I had the other night, about how we could consider someone sold-out for the Lord, God's example of a suicide bomber, they are someone who is willing to die to themselves, but rather than kill others, they bring life to many others!

I was thinking about the fact that the enemy has no original thoughts, just copies what God creates and tries to distort and twist it. So basically anything that's bad out there, has a good opposite that God created first, and it is far more powerful than anything the enemy can bring together. When the enemy threatens and tries coercion, the Lord blesses and brings freedom and love. Where the enemy seems to be making headway, the Lord has plans for glory that will completely wipe away the gains of the enemy.

The captivity in Egypt is a great example, they went down as a small tribe that was starving during a severe famine, they multiplied even under extreme mistreatment, and when they came out they carried the wealth of Egypt with them, and saw the annihilation of Pharoh's army. That was certainly not what the enemy expected, he thought he had them trapped and was ready to destroy them all.

In the same way, when the enemy manages to kill a Christian, the enemy thinks he has won a great victory, but their martyred blood, is honored by God with revival and multiplication of the church.

The enemy tries to claim the hydra-head as a symbol, cut off one and two replace it, but in God's economy, cut down one and 60-100 replace them. God doesn't mind unfair fights, as we see in the story of Gideon in Judges 7-8. Gideon is instructed to take on 120,000 with 300 men. We must learn to see with the Lords eyes, and have His perspective, as this would be impossible through purely human effort. The enemy had been harassing and stealing from the Israelites, and now gathered together to attack them, gathering three armies together to try and destroy Israel, but God wasn't the least bit worried about the fate of His people.

Our goal should be to learn to look to the Lord, rather than at the circumstances, for the Lord is seated on the Throne, and has ALL Authority and ALL Power. He will not be defeated, nor will His purposes fail. So even though the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, trying to destroy, disrupt and strike fear in our hearts, let us take courage that God is the same today as He was in the day of Gideon. God is capable to rescue us, bring a mighty defeat on the enemy and release great blessing into our lives. Amen Lord!

# Compassion vs. Selfishness

## 2012-09-27

This morning I have been meditating on my own selfishness - not a pretty picture. The Lord led me to these verses in Matthew.

(NIV)Matthew 14:13-18  
When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. [14] When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. [15] As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." [16] Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." [17] "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. [18] "Bring them here to me," he said.

These verses follow the death of John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. His response to this news was to want to be by himself, but the crowds followed Him. When He saw the crowd, rather than being perturbed, as I would be, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. We know from the following verses that this was a huge crowd, more than five thousand, so when it says He healed their sick that is a huge understatement. This was potentially hours of ministry, if not all day.

By the evening, His disciples were getting tired and hungry and wanted to send the crowds away, but Jesus didn't want to. In fact, He invited them to come to Him. He is such a great example of complete unselfishness. His concern was for the people. His heart was moved by their need for healing and their hunger.

Lord, help me to get beyond my own perspective of my needs and wants and see the people as You do! Help me to have compassion that overrides my own selfish view and actions.

# Saved Completely

## 2012-09-28

This morning I felt led to read from the letter to the Hebrews.

(NIV)Hebrews 7:24-26  
...but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. [25] Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. [26] Such a high priest truly meets our need---one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

(NIV)Hebrews 8:1-2  
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, [2] and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

In reading these few verses, I am reminded of the true reality, that Jesus really is sitting on the Throne in Heaven, interceding for me, interceding for us all. He truly is able to save us completely.

The Greek word for completely in this verse is Panteles, pronounced: pan-tel-ace'  
Definition 1. all complete, perfect 2. completely, perfectly, utterly.

The Greek word for save is Sozo, pronounced: sode'-zo  
Definition  
1. to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction a. one (from injury or peril) 1. to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health  
2. to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue b. to save in the technical biblical sense.

So in summary, Jesus is able to save us completely, perfectly, utterly, and this means not just our souls, but our bodies from sickness and disease and affliction as well. Amen Lord!

# Between The Father and The Son

## 2012-09-29

I was reading from PS 109 & 110.

(NIV)Psalm 109:30-31  
With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. [31] For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

(NIV)Psalm 110:1  
The Lord says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

I remember Bob Sorge was talking about these verses, and how he was reading one day and the Lord put these two verses together, and when you do, it puts you right in between the Father and the Son, for in PS 109:31 it says that He stands at the right hand of the needy, and Psalm 110, The Father says to the Son, sit at my right hand, so between them is the needy person. Lord, I believe that the intimacy you invite us into, is this close. You desire us to dwell in your very presence, less than an arms breadth away. I am reminded of PS 91:

(NIV)Psalm 91:4  
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

What a wonderful word for those days we are feeling distant from God, and also for those days we are feeling His loving presence nearby. We are precious to Him, and He will protect us, and continually invite us into that place of intimacy. Amen Lord!

# The World And All That Is In It...

2012-10-01

(NIV)Psalm 50:10-15  
...for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. [11] I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. [12] If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. [13] Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? [14] "Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, [15] and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

I just love the last half of verse 12 - ..."for the world is mine, and all that is in it!" There is such assurance in that statement. Everything in this world is His. As co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), His adopted children who cry "Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15), we have access to this great treasure. This is not for our enjoyment and use only, but to bring Him glory.

In Genesis, God's original plan for man and woman is outlined in the first chapter: (NIV)Genesis 1:27-28  
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [28] God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. "

There is in this statement, an authority and rule over everything on the earth given to man. When man fell, he transferred that authority and rule over to the enemy. When Jesus came and died on the cross and was resurrected, authority over everything was restored to Him (Eph 1:20-22) Now through Him, we are being restored to the role God originally gave man. This is only accomplished through Jesus and the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, as Paul clearly writes in Romans. The restoration to right order is part of the culmination of God's purpose for the earth.

(NIV)Romans 8:19-21  
For the creation wait's in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. [20] For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

I know I don't grasp the reality of this all, but it certainly grabs my attention and imagination. What would this earth be like if it was freed from its bondage to decay, and brought into freedom and glory? The first thing that enters my mind is the garden of Eden. Wow!

Lord, let us walk in Thanksgiving and in proper relationship with You, experiencing the fullness of all You desire to give us, for Your glory! We pray that rather than using and abusing creation for our own purposes, we step into our proper role as Your sons and daughters, through Christ. Help us to start in the place of thanksgiving, and deeper relationship with You.

# Fresh Revelation

## 2012-10-02

This morning I was reading out of Proverbs:

(NIV)Proverbs 29:18  
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction.

We must have continued revelation in our lives, for without the active word of God in our lives, we do lose our sense of its applicability. It becomes like an old book, of old rules that don't apply to us.

We must continually feed on the Word, daily seeking the Lord's revelation. Paul writes in His letter to Timothy: (NIV)1 Timothy 4:13 "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." On the other side of this command to Timothy would be the role of most of us people, namely to be listening to the Word, reading it daily, listening to teachers and preachers, pursuing God's revelation for our lives.

Amen Lord! May we never tire of pursuing Your fresh revelation.

# A New Heart and Spirit

## 2012-10-04

This morning I have been meditating on my inability to follow the ways of the Lord. I am so often unable or unwilling to do those things that I know I should be doing. As I was thinking about this and praying, the Lord reminded me of a couple of passages.

(NIV)Jeremiah 31:31, 33  
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [33] "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Lord, thank You for this promise. I pray that You will write Your law on my heart, and put it in my mind.

(NIV)Ezekiel 36:24-30  
" 'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. [25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. [28] Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. [29] I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. [30] I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.

Yes, Lord, I ask for this new heart and a new spirit in me! That I might follow You completely. That You would put Your Spirit in me and move on me to help me walk out Your perfect will for me! I want to glorify Your name with my life!

# Secrets of the Kingdom and Bearing Much Fruit

## 2012-10-05

I was reading from Mark 4 this morning, which starts with the parable of the sower and the seed. These two verses caught my eye.

(NIV)Mark 4:10-11  
"When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. [11] He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables..."

Interesting that Jesus compares speaking in parables to receiving the secret of the Kingdom. The KJV says it this way, which is apparently closer to the original Greek.

(KJV)Mark 4:11  
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

The Greek word translated secret or mystery is the word Musterion from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth)

Transliterated Word : Musterion pronounced: moos-tay'-ree-on

Definition  
1. hidden thing, secret, mystery a. generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals b. a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding c. a hidden purpose or counsel 1. secret will 1c d. of men 1c e. of God: the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly  
2. in rabbinic writings, it denotes the mystic or hidden sense a. of an OT saying b. of an image or form seen in a vision c. of a dream

So Jesus is saying to the Apostles and others, that the secret or mystery of the Kingdom, which they have received is related to the revelation and understanding they receive through their relationship with Him, and their listening to Him speak. As clear as it is to us now, we don't fully grasp the way this story would have caused the people to wonder about the meaning. The apostles and others around Jesus don't understand either, but because they have a relationship with Him, they are able ask Him and receive understanding. Taking it one step further, it seems to me that the clear secret of the Kingdom is relationship with Jesus.

Finally the parable is explained by Jesus, and the key points are that in the Kingdom we are to listen and hear, accept the word and change (repent - change the way we think), and bear fruit because of it. In other words, hear and obey.

Hearing means that we need to be open to His Word, which He is clearly making available all around. He says the seed is sown to every type of soil. He is not going to make His Word only available to the 'good' soil, but to everyone.

Obedience is clearly one of the fruits of a right relationship with Him. He is the Lord, and our obedience to His Word is one of the ways we show we are relating to Him as our Lord. Because of His love for us, our obedience allows us to fulfill the destiny for which we were created. This fulfillment, and understanding our purpose are keys benefit's to our own internal well-being. Obedience also has the benefit of bearing fruit, or in this case grain or food, for others as well as ourselves. As Jesus said - 30, 60, even 100 times what was sown.

As I was reading this, I wondered how many kernels of wheat are on a standard wheat stalk - the answer is 50. So Jesus example is talking about real abundance, producing in cases twice what would be normal. It's interesting to note that the earlier a winter wheat seed germinates, the more likely it is to produce more heads of grain. Winter wheat can produce up to 5 heads of 22 kernels. In this case, it's because the one seed, produces one plant, which then spawns additional plants, called tillers, each which can grow a head of wheat. In some cases one kernel of wheat can produce 700 kernels of wheat during the next harvest, so there levels of fruitfulness beyond what Jesus described. One should note that these are likely related to the advances in the science of genetics. Regardless, it is good to get a perspective of the plans of the Lord for our lives of obedience, that we would bear fruit abundantly. Also, this fruitfulness is just considering one season of planting, and if multiplied by several seasons this could result in crazy amounts of fruitfulness - two seasons of one kernel producing 700 kernels would equal 490,000 kernels. 3 seasons would equal 343,000,000 kernels.

Lord, help us to be fruitful in our lives.

# Mysteries Revealed

## 2012-10-06

(NIV)1 Corinthians 2:6-10  
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. [7] No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. [8] None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [9] However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"---the things God has prepared for those who love him--- [10] these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

I really like this verse from Paul. In keeping with yesterday's theme of the secrets or mystery of the Kingdom, Paul is explaining how one of them was the salvation of the world, Jews and Gentiles. Up until Peter's experience with the Centurion's household, and his earlier vision, no one had figured out that salvation also included the gentiles. Scripture is quite clear in the old testament, about the fact that there will be an expansion of God's blessing over the whole world, but I think that the Jewish people didn't understand that meant they would be grafted in and equal members in the Kingdom with them.

Apparently the enemy and those in power really didn't understand the whole deal either. The translated phrase 'rulers of this age' could be better translated rulers, authorities and princes in power during this period of time within the universe. This does not just mean civil authorities, but can also encompasses the spiritual realm as well. So expanding that, the local Jewish authorities didn't understand it, the regional Roman authorities didn't understand it, and the spirit's in authority over the region didn't understand it either, if any had fully grasped the full truth of what God was really doing they would have done anything they could to stop it's fulfillment. That appears to be what Paul is saying, not so much that they didn't recognize that Jesus was the Lord of Glory, but that if this amazing plan of God was realized it would bring about the destruction, or defeat of that which kept them in power. Pastor Bill Johnson says that if satan would have figured out what God was going to accomplish through the crucifixion, he would have killed anyone that was trying to crucify Jesus.

Finally, I like the way the verse 9 ends - the things God has prepared for those who love Him. This phrase has a promise of continual revelation and new things being revealed from the heart of God, because of His love for us. God is the creator, and continues to create, even now, and apparently He is finished with His surprises. Amen, Lord, bring it on!

# Bringing Good News

## 2012-10-07

This morning I am reading out Isaiah:

(NIV)Isaiah 52:5-12  
"And now what do I have here?" declares the Lord. "For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock, " declares the Lord. "And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed. [6] Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I." [7] How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" [8] Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. [9] Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. [10] The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. [11] Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the Lord's house. [12] But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

verse 7, is a great verse, talking about the one who brings good news, who proclaim peace, good tidings and salvation. Those four things have got to be the most welcomed messages. Where there hasn't been anything good for so long, suddenly good news. Where the has been conflict and was, the message of peace, where there has been only bad tidings, the message of a change in the tide. Finally for those who are trapped, who are captured, who have no hope for rescue, suddenly the news that they will be saved. This is indeed a great message of hope, that God will move, the He will intervene, and He will comfort His people (us)!

If you are in need of good news, look to God! He is the source of all good things, including news.

# A Beautiful Day

## 2012-10-09

It's going to be a glorious day in KC. I am reminded of Psalm 96:

(NIV)Psalm 96:11-12  
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. [12] Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

As I look around at the trees and earth during autumn, it always seems that there is joy all around with the beautiful color, and the golden grain, etc. It is a good day to give thanks to the Lord, letting our joy join in with creation. Lord, Your creation is simply astounding!

# Giving Thanks Opens The Door

## 2012-10-10

This morning I was feeling a bit disconnected from the Lord. I felt led to read on thanksgiving.

(NIV)1 Corinthians 10:16-17  
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

I had heard this phrase before, but it hadn't really struck me as it does this morning. The early church called the cup of wine, symbolizing Jesus' blood, the cup of thanksgiving. The NASB translates it the cup of blessing, which appears closer to the Greek. The Greek word is Eulogia, pronounced: yoo-log-ee'-ah

Definition  
1. praise, laudation, panegyric: of Christ or God  
2. fine discourse, polished language  
3. an invocation of blessing, benediction  
4. consecration  
5. a (concrete) blessing, benefit

So in reality, it's both outgoing and incoming. Outgoing praise, thanks and celebration for what has been accomplished. It is also blessing and continual benefit from God to those who participate. What an awesome deal, as we praise God and give thanks for what He has done, we in turn receive continued blessing.

I am reminded of Psalm 100:

(NIV)Psalm 100:1-5  
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. [2] Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. [3] Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Specifically, verse four states that we enter into His gates and courts through thanksgiving and praise, in other words we enter into His presence, where we experience His love, goodness and faithfulness. In His presence we are blessed and touched and changed. So, in a very real sense, this is the same experience we have when we share the bread and wine, we are thanking Him for the incredible blessing we have received; we are in His presence, literally; we receive continued blessing from Him.

Lord, we desire to be in Your presence, and we claim the promise of Psalm 100:4 that we can open the door with thanksgiving and enter into Your presence with praise.

# Help In Any Situation

## 2012-10-11

I am reading in Romans:

(NIV)Romans 8:11  
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

I am so grateful for this promise Lord, and I claim this truth for me. I know Your Spirit lives within me, so I ask that you would pour Your life into my mortal body, bringing healing and health, peace and fruitfulness.

When one grasps the reality of this verse, that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us, then we must know that change is possible in every circumstance, no matter how difficult or troubling. He has the power to raise one from the dead, He certainly has the power to deal with any situation less serious than death.

I find this verse full of hope and life. Sometimes I can't see past the situation and despair because of my limited perspective, but God is able to deliver from death, so He is able to deliver me from anything else as well.

Thank You Lord for Your Word and the hope it inspires.

# No Situation is Hopeless

## 2012-10-12

(NIV)Exodus 14:1-4, 15-16, 19, 21-22  
Then the Lord said to Moses, [2] "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. [3] Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' [4] And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So the Israelites did this.

[15] Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. [16] Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

[19] Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

[21] Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, [22] and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

This morning I was praying and was reminded of this situation that the Israelites found themselves in after leaving Egypt. The Lord had them camp against the sea, so that the Egyptians would think they were trapped, and decide to attack. From the Israelites perspective they were trapped in a hopeless situation, but God had other plans, it was a perfect trap for the prideful Egyptians.

I thought about how many of us find ourselves in seemingly impossible circumstances, feeling trapped with no means of escape. I felt like the Lord wanted to remind us of the fact that with Him there is always a way to be rescued. He will intervene, and He will rescue us if we put our hope in Him and follow His directions. He is faithful to save His people!

I felt like we needed to know there is no hopeless situation that God can't step into and rescue us out of! Amen Lord!

# Entering God's Rest (3)

## 2012-10-22

I am reading from Hebrews:

(NIV)Hebrews 3:7-14  
So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, [8] do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, [9] where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. [10] That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' [11] So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " [12] See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. [13] But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. [14] We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

(NIV)Hebrews 4:7-11  
God again set a certain day, calling it "Today." This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." [8] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. [9] There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; [10] for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. [11] Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

I was reading the book Supernatural Anointing by Julia Loren and she had an interview with Heidi Baker, talking about how she has learned to lean back into the Father, and rest in His embrace when ministering. She used to work, work, work, but found that in the Father she could literally rest. She could lean back and go low and slow and just do what she sees the Father doing. The Father does the work, and in that place of intimacy she is able lean back and let Him.

I find the passages from Hebrews interesting in that they talk about entering God's rest, and specifically Heb 4:10, "... for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works,..." This verse speaks of resting from our works, because we have entered into God's rest. I was rereading some of my entries in my journal about this passage and God's rest, and in large part He was speaking about stepping into their inheritance, see the fulfillment of God's promise and plan in their lives.

The word that grabbed my attention was 'today', and I believe this is the key point of the author of the letter to the Hebrews, is that this is a present word. Today can be today, literally. It is the day for believing that which the Lord has said; it is the day to remember what the Lord has done; it is the day to step into our inheritance; it is the day to enter into God's rest and possess that which He desires us to possess. The work required on our part is faith! Faith in Him comes from knowing Him, understanding Him, believing His words and embracing our relationship with Him. Faith isn't something we work up, but it too comes from rest. Resting in Him. Once we step into that place, our work is over. We don't have to strive, or work like a servant, but rather rest as a son or daughter in our Father's embrace.

# Immeasurably More

## 2012-10-23

(NIV)Ephesians 3:20-21  
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What an incredible statement, God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine... I can ask for very much and imagine very much, and yet not come close to God's abilities. God chooses to display Hs abilities through us - "according to His power that is at work within us". Our invitation is to allow the Lord's power to work through us to expand our understanding of His abilities, and plans, increasing our capacity to ask and imagine, so that He can continue to be glorified through the Church!

Lord You desire so much more for us than we can imagine, and yet most of us settle for less than mediocrity. Help us to break out of our limited expectations and unbelief and start believing You for immeasurably more than we can ask or even imagine. We want to see You glorified in the church!

Lord, expand our understanding! Help us to see how wide, deep, long and high Your love for us truly is!

# Flames, Fire and Furnace

## 2012-10-24

I was reading Obadiah last night, and saw these verses:

(NIV)Obadiah 1:17-18  
But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and Jacob will possess his inheritance. [18] Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame; Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him. There will be no survivors from Esau." The Lord has spoken.

There Are multiple commentaries on these verses, most think they have to do with the ability of God's people to destroy their enemies. I think it's interesting that He is saying that the people, the tribes will become fire and flame. I like the fire and flame references, as I am reminded of the Holy Spirit, and how when He burns in one's life, they are consumed with Passion for God, and the things of His heart. It also reminds me of another verse:

(NIV)Isaiah 31:9  
Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic, " declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

There is definitely a component of the Fire of the Lord that is related to His warfare. The verse from Isaiah is the end of a verse where the Lord is rebuking Israel for choosing to turn to Egypt rather the Lord, when they were threatened by Assyria. He is speaking about the Assyrians, when He makes the statement about fire and furnace.

The words can be translated light or lamp and cook stove, or fire and furnace, or God's illumination and wrath. If I look at the first combination, it seems to be where God lives, or at least inhabit' s. The second combination reminds me of purification, which definitely happens if you are in His presence. The third combination seems like it's tied to the nature of God, and His characteristics, of wisdom and protector. It is a good reminder to me of the nature of God, who is so much greater than we can comprehend. When He comes we can experience all of these, His presence, His provision, His righteousness and purity, His wisdom and His protection. We might experience them all at the same time, or in seasons.

Lastly, when God chooses a place to dwell, He is jealous over it, and protects it - just like He did with Zion and Jerusalem. The Church is His body, and we are individually His dwelling places. Amen Lord, inhabit us!

# Generous On Every Occasion

## 2012-10-25

(NIV)2 Corinthians 9:6, 10-11  
[6] Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  
[10] Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. [11] You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

I like these verses as they remind me who actually is the provider. So often I can somehow take some ownership of my provision, when in reality it all comes from Him. The promise of increased righteousness, increased seed, and enrichment in every way is awesome.

As I was reading this I was thinking of the ways in which I am not generous in every occasion. I think I am most ungenerous with my time and attention. So often my reaction when seeing someone in need, or something that will require my time, is that I will walk on by because whatever I am focused on presently seems to me to be more important, but usually I am just being selfish. I don't want to take out of "my time", and waste it.

Lord, I think about Your life and You always made time for each person that came to you. The disciples tried to keep people away so You would not be bothered, but You always stopped and met them - Matt 19:13-14 (little children) and Mark 10:46-52 (Bartimeaus). Lord, help me to take time for Your people, so that I might be generous on every occasion.

# Freedom, Love and Faith

## 2012-10-28

(NIV)Galatians 5:1, 4-6, 13-14  
[1] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  
[4] You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.  
[13] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

What an awesome section of scripture talking about freedom and love and faith. The three are so closely interwoven. Because of His love for us, Jesus set us free from the requirements of the law. It is by grace through our faith that we appropriate that freedom, and it ultimately bears fruit in our lives as love for others and ourselves. I could sit and think about this for years and not plumb the depth of it all.

There is also a balance to maintain, as a focus on one component without the others leads to wrong thinking and action. Some people focus on freedom and end up only concerned about themselves. Some focus on love of themselves rather than others, again ending in selfishness. Some focus on faith so much that they lose any understanding of the value of relationships. It is critical that we maintain a right attitude of gratitude and love towards the Lord, for what He has accomplished. We must maintain love for ourselves and others. We must walk in faith - depending on the Lord to guide us and help us to understand the real meaning of freedom.

# Spreading the Load

## 2012-10-30

(NIV)Numbers 11:16-17  
The Lord said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. [17] I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

This section, where the Lord spreads Moses anointing, is important as it speaks of impartation and the desire of the Lord to raise up help. I think it's helpful to know that even in Moses case the Lord always surrounded him with people to help him, I.e. Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, and seventy elders. We need to see in our lives that the Lord doesn't call us to walk out our lives and calls by ourselves, but rather puts people in our lives to help. This is a good model for life and ministry.

God wants to bring people alongside us to spread the load. Let us lay down our independence and welcome the help.

# A Wisdom Check

## 2012-10-31

This morning I was reading in James. I really like the verses listed below because they help explain what wisdom for God should feel like and look like.

(NIV)James 3:17-18  
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I think this a good list of things to compare ourselves against as we seek the Lord's wisdom. Checking our hearts to see if they line up with these characteristics, a wisdom check! :-)

# Seeking Treasure

2012-11-01

As I sat down to pray I was thinking of the importance of prayer, of a time alone with the Lord. I was reminded of the following verses from Matthew:

(NIV)Matthew 13:44-46  
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Here is described the great treasure that is the Kingdom of Heaven, which for each of us is entered through a relationship with the Lord. It described here as the greatest treasure, something more valuable than the sum of everything the man owned. The question of or us is the how we treat our relationship with the Lord, our membership in the Kingdom? Am I valuing my time with Him, correctly? Am I even taking time just dedicated to the Lord?

It's interesting that in both examples the Kingdom is described as something to be found. It is there, we just need to be looking for it. We need to be seeking God. I am reminded of Isaiah 55:6: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near." He is always near, He is always waiting. He is the treasure!

# Of Shepherds and Fellow Sheep

## 2012-11-02

This morning I opened my bible to Ezk 34, a whole chapter on shepherds. The following verse definitely hit's home:

(NIV)Ezekiel 34:2-6  
"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? [3] You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. [4] You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. [5] So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. [6] My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

I think the most critical verse is verse 5: "So they were scattered because there was no shepherd..." although there were 'shepherds' in the Lord's eyes there weren't ANY! What a terrible indictment. I think that the main job description for a pastor is right here. Strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strays, search for the lost, lead them with gentleness and mercy, lead them to safety and good food, protect them from the wild animals and give them a place to rest and settle.

Interestingly there is also a word for the sheep in verses 17-23.

(NIV)Ezekiel 34:17-22  
" 'As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. [18] Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? [19] Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?  
[20] " 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. [21] Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, [22] I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.

How many of the sheep are not aware of others, only after what they can get, and not worried about others. The church is not meant to be a survival of the fittest environment, but rather a place where all are welcomed and all are cared for and nurtured equally. Obviously sick and wounded might require more attention and interaction initially, but all must be nurtured and fed and given a place to rest.

I think we need to learn to have a body mentality, rather than an individualistic mentality, especially here in the US. We are so often concerned primarily with ourselves, we may not even notice how our actions are affecting others (see verse 18-19 above). Let us open our eyes and look around and help each other. Let us speak words of life and give life giving water to drink - (NIV)John 4:14 ..."but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Amen Lord, help us to become healthy and strong, and concerned for all those around us.

# Prophetic Destiny

## 2012-11-04

This morning I opened up my bible to Ezra 8, which I haven't read in a very long time, but quite appropriate. It is the return to Jerusalem to re-establish the temple and worship. This is about the preparation and provision of the Lord.

(NIV)Ezra 8:21-23, 28-32, 36  
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. [22] I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him. " [23] So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

[28] I said to them, "You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. [29] Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel." [30] Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem. [31] On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandit's along the way. [32] So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.

[36] They also delivered the king's orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.

I think this is an awesome scripture, because this is actually the fulfillment of a prophecy that Isaiah gave years earlier. The beginning of the Book of Ezra names Cyrus as the King who begins the process of the restoration of the temple and Jerusalem.

(NIV)Ezra 1:1, 7-8  
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:  
[7] Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. [8] Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

The original prophecy is given in Isaiah 45. At the very least this was 150 years before it actually happened!!! Yet God named the king by name and said exactly what he was going to do. If you ever wonder if God really has a plan for Your life, here is a great example of His fore-knowledge and purposes being announced ahead of time.

(NIV)Isaiah 45:1, 3-5, 13  
"This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

[3] I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. [4] For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. [5] I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,

[13] I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty."

So putting this in our context, this would be the equivalent of someone in 1862 naming the next the President of the United States in 2012, and speaking about how he would impact the church in his day! God doesn't always announce His plans in such a public way, but He could. What is true about God in 700BC, is true about Him today. In Psalm 139 God speaks about knowing us from our mother's womb, knowing all our days before we were ever born. What's true about King Cyrus is true about you and me.

In Summary, God does have a plan for us, He has spoken about our prophetic destiny, He does know our name, and He will see His purposes fulfilled.

# Do Not Fret

## 2012-11-07

I am reading Ps 37 this morning and it brings me peace.

(NIV)Psalm 37:1-13  
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; [2] for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. [3] Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. [4] Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: [6] He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. [7] Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. [8] Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret---it leads only to evil. [9] For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. [10] A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. [11] But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. [12] The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; [13] but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.

Two words - 'Eternal Perspective' are helpful this morning. Whatever our thoughts or feelings about the election, the reality is that God is still God. In His perspective, this is all part of the plan that leads to the unveiling of the Church as His Bride, and His glorious return. Many people have lived in difficult times, with unrighteous rulers, and God continues to bless them and provide them in the midst of those situations.

For us Christians, our job is to love, to be representatives of the Kingdom, and to let the light that is in us shine out in this ever darkening world. As Peter said: "Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor." 1 Peter 2:17

# I Was Chosen

## 2012-11-08

Reading 1 Peter today, what a great start to a letter!

(NIV)1 Peter 1:1-2  
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, [2] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

I could almost hear him saying it to me. It is so good to remember that God chose me, that it's through the work of the Holy Spirit that I have faith and am able to obey Jesus, and that it's through His sacrifice that I am saved. I gladly accept the grace and peace in abundance! In fact I will gladly sign up for a double portion!

Thank You Lord for choosing me and setting me on the path of life! I guess it was another type of election, one I will be forever thankful to have received.

# Humble Leaders

## 2012-11-11

This morning I was thinking about the leadership model in the church and how important it is to have healthy, balanced leaders. I was directed to Daniel and was reading from the first couple of chapters:

(NIV)Daniel 2:27-30  
Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, [28] but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: [29] "As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. [30] As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

I was captivated by Daniel's humble reply to the King. Rather than use the gift of God to position himself before others, or flaunt his abilities, he saw that this was God revealing himself through Daniel. So often those in church leadership get this wrong. They think that God's gifts to them is meant to lift them up above others, and so allow themselves and even encourage others to put them on a pedestal.

God's gifts are meant to Glorify God, and point to Him. People will recognize the benefits of the gifts, but should never use these gifts primarily for personal gain or recognition. It is so important that leaders never lose sight that they are servants and representatives of God, and that is a humble perspective. How quickly pride sneaks in and causes one to think of themselves in the wrong perspective. Lord, please help us all to keep ourselves in proper perspective. I am reminded on Paul's letter to the Philippians:

(NIV)Philippians 2:3-6  
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

Amen Lord!

# Stand With Our Brothers and Sisters

## 2012-11-13

Yesterday I was reading Obadiah, and was struck by the passages against Edom / Esau for standing by and letting Jacob (their brothers) be attacked and doing nothing.

(NIV)Obadiah 1:10-15  
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. [11] On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. [12] You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. [13] You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. [14] You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble. [15] "The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.

Standing by and watching, gloating over their fall, are just as bad as actively participating -in the Lord's eyes. In His eyes this is all violence. One of the things we need to learn to do is defend our fellow brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. Choosing to stand by them - in support and care, rather than in judgement. Lord, help us to rightly discern the Body of Christ, and rightly treat those who are our brothers and sisters, bringing them aid in their day of trouble.

More importantly, not asking or thinking about how they got into the trouble, etc. For clearly Jacob's (Israel) trouble came from disobedience and not following the Lord. How often do we immediately assume that people who are going through difficulty, deserve it, and then stand by and watch them go through it? Should not our response be to come alongside them to help them.

Paul writes: (NIV)1 Corinthians 12:25-27  
'...so that there should be no division in the body, but that it's parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

John writes: (NIV)1 John 3:16-18  
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Lord, help us to love the body and encourage and strengthen the body. As Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians: (NIV)1 Corinthians 13:4-8  
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

I think specifically verse 6-8 are applicable here: " Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Amen Lord!

As I was reading through this I felt the Lord say this is important for those of us who live in KC, and are confronted with the recent news about IHOP (International House of Prayer). Let us stand with our brothers and sisters, regardless of our thoughts about that ministry or Mike Bickle. We must love them and support them and believe the best about them! For our love for each other must be true. "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

# Jesus' Glory In The Church

## 2012-11-15

This morning I felt like reading John 17:

(NIV)John 17:20-24  
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. [24] "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

The word that stood out to me this morning was 'glory'.

In verse 22 Jesus says that He has given them the glory that we might be one as He is one with the Father. That is an interesting prayer. He is saying that we, the Church, were given His Glory which will bring about unity. I don't know if we have any grasp of that idea. We have been given, and are thus bearers of His Glory. The word translated Glory in the Greek is Doxa which is pronounced dox'-ah.

It's Definition is:  
1. opinion, judgment, view  
2. opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone a. in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honour, and glory  
3. splendour, brightness a. of the moon, sun, stars b. magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace c. majesty 1. a thing belonging to God a. the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity 2. a thing belonging to Christ a. the kingly majesty of the Messiah b. the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty 3. of the angels a. as apparent in their exterior brightness  
4. a most glorious condition, most exalted state a. of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth b. the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Savior's return from heaven

I don't see the Church in this light much at all. I believe we will see a change in the Church, a restoration of His Glory. Pastor Bill Johnson believes the Glory will be one of the outstanding characteristics of the next major move of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

Jesus prays in verse 24 that He wants us to see His Glory, and to be with Him where He is...

He is seats in the Throne at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, yet He is present in our gatherings too. It's in that place of His presence that He wants us to experience His Glory. I say Yes and Amen Lord! We want to experience Your Glory. We want to know that the Church is far more than a meeting of good people, but that it's is meant to bear Your Glory - Your magnificence, majesty, brightness and splendor. That this may result in our perfect unity with each other, and be a light to the world.

# God's Awesome Character

## 2012-11-16

I was reading from Exodus 34 this morning and this is where God makes the covenant with Moses:

(NIV)Exodus 34:5-7, 10  
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. [6] And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, [7] maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation."  
[10] Then the Lord said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.

I love these verses because they so clearly state how God wants to reveal Himself to us. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love for us, forgiving our wickedness, sin and rebellion. What an awesome character list.

I was thinking about how we, as Christians, are so often portrayed as angry, judgmental, stupid and bigoted. I am sure that the Lord would want His Bride, the Church, seen in the same light, with the same characteristics. Lord help us to truly represent You so that when people meet us, they meet You shining through us, displaying Your character.

I also like the part where God promises to do wonders never before seen, demonstrating how awesome is the work that He will do for them! What a great promise! Lord I long for days of seeing You do astounding things, so that we, and those around us, might understand how truly awesome You are in Your compassion, mercy, love, faithfulness and forgiveness!

# Investing Ourselves

## 2012-11-17

This morning I have been meditating on Matt 25:

(NIV)Matthew 25:34-40  
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, [36] I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' [37] "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? [39] When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' [40] "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

So the question for us, is what are we doing? Where are our hearts aligned? This needs to be individual, not a body or organizational level. Personal lifestyles of love. Taking some of the things I have been reading about lately - starting little, being faithful in the little, seeing what God has put in your heart and stepping out into that in small ways. I know both Tina and I have a heart for the orphans, lost and unloved children, one could say the fatherless. This more than anything causes our hearts to be stirred. When we see a special on TV, or an article about a situation, we feel a special anointing of compassion. I believe the Lord leads us with our hearts.

As I look at the parable of the talents - Matt 25:14-30 - there is a starting with a small entrustment, and the expectation that we will invest with that which we have been entrusted. When reflecting on the heart stirring, I believe that is part of the entrustment I have been given, a piece of the Lord's compassion for the fatherless. This is one of the areas I am called to invest into.

Lord help us to realize that we have been given much, not just to prosper us, but to invest into others, through love and service and relationship.

# Arise and Shine

## 2012-11-18

This morning I opened my Bible to one of my favorite verses in Isaiah:

(NIV)Isaiah 60:1-5  
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. [3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. [4] "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. [5] Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

I really believe this is the call to the Church in these increasingly dark days. We are supposed to rise up and shine! The Lord is our light, we are called to show Him to the world! His glory will rise upon us, and will appear over us! Oh Lord, help us to rise up, to shine Your light in the this dark world. Let us love like no other! May Your mercy and compassion, love, faithfulness and forgiveness flow out of us to the world. Fill our hearts with joy!

You are what we need and want. The nations long for You and when they see Your glory shining out, they will be drawn to it like moths to the flame. Lord we cry out for this generation, for Your people!

As I was praying this I was reminded of Isaiah 35:

(NIV)Isaiah 35:1-10  
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [2] it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. [3] Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. [7] The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. [8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. [9] No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, [10] and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Yes Lord, we pray this over the church, over ourselves. Strengthen our feeble hands, encourage our fearful hearts, bring healing and restoration. Let Your river of life flow out and quench the dry grounds, the desert, the hearts that are dying of thirst.

# Hope, Riches, Power

## 2012-11-19

This morning I am reading from Ephesians:

(NIV)Ephesians 1:17-23  
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. [18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, [19] and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength [20] he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, [21] far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. [22] And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

I think this sentence is so important: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Three key things we should be praying for each other and ourselves - hope, inheritance and power.

These are related to the eyes of our hearts being opened. I think this relates to real connection in our relationship with Him. It's in this place of real relationship that we discover who He thinks we are, how He thinks about us, and His will for us - this is our hope. We do have purpose and significance. He does want relationship with us, regardless of our state of mind and heart. He has called us because He wants relationship with us.

The riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, is the church. Imagine that - we are His inheritance! There are great riches in the Body of Christ, in the people around us, and He wants us to discover the riches. His prayer is basically that our hearts might be enlightened to see the riches in those around us. That should be our heart attitude when we meet together, discovering and enjoying the riches hidden in our brothers and sisters.

Finally, His incomparably great power. Incomparable means nothing else is like this power. I know I have seen things and had experiences that nothing else can compare too. His desire is that we all have these types of experiences, and understanding. Nothing and no one is like our God. He wants the world to experience this reality. We need to believe that if this is His desire, then He will deliver experiences that are in line with this desire. He wants us convinced that nothing compares to Him, or too His power!

One could argue that these are Paul's prayers, but we know He wrote these words under the unction of the Holy Spirit, and was expressing the Holy Spirit's heart, and that the inclusion of these in the Holy Epistles means they are for us all, not just the Ephesians.

Lord we pray that we would have enlightened eyes in our hearts to know the hope to which you have called us, the riches of the Body of Christ and the incomparable power available to us! Amen Lord.

# Obedience and Presumption

## 2012-11-20

This morning I felt led to read from 2 Kings:

(NIV)2 Kings 23:1-3, 25  
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. [2] He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets---all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. [3] The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord---to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.  
[25] Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did---with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

I am always inspired by the heart for the law that Josiah had as King. He followed everything that the law said, and carried it out completely. He was ruthless against the sin of the nation, and literally ground the images and poles to dust, and cleansed the land. He is an awesome example of purity, obedience and passion.

I am also amazed that he died the way he did, presuming the Lord's protection, stepping out of the will of God to attack the King of Egypt, when he had no real quarrel with him - see below:

(NIV)2 Chronicles 35:20-24  
After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. [21] But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you." [22] Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo. [23] Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." [24] So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

I think it's so important that we only fight the battles that the Lord directs us to fight. We don't need to go off searching for things to battle in our pursuit of God and His ways. I think so often in our lives we presume to know what the Lord is doing, based on some theme or some unrefined word we hear, or what someone else has heard, and we set off with zeal and passion and end up in a battle or situation the Lord is not in.

I have a good friend who said he had learned to stop and listen and make sure he knew what the Lord was saying, because in his early walk he had just started running as soon as He heard the Lord say something. The problem was the Lord would be warning him about the cliff in that direction, but because he was already running he never heard that part, and off the cliff he would go.

It is my experience that the Lord will give each of us clear direction, and usually is only working on a couple of issues at a time. We shouldn't be taking on other things, just because someone else is battling in another area and we think it's a good idea, or that by doing so we will show God how much we love Him. God is very capable of managing our uniqueness and dealing with each of us independently of each other, and doesn't need us messing ourselves up.

We also can have a tendency to judge others in areas we have been dealt with, thinking that God clearly wants them to get their act together in the same area too. Again this is presuming God's will. Most of the time, in my experience, God will deal directly with the brother or sister about their own life, and He rarely needs my help. That doesn't mean I don't encourage others, or speak the word of the Lord, or even give words of encouragement, but I can't presume to know God's will for someone else because of how He has dealt with me.

Also, the Lord clearly gives us areas of influence ad authority, and presuming His favor or authority in other areas can also get you in trouble. I think in the story of Josiah, his zeal outran his authority and commission. He wanted to capture Egypt for God by defeating the king and armies, but God had given him a clear focus of cleaning up his own kingdom and maintaining the kingdom in a state of pure worship, not expanding the kingdom. God appreciates our zeal for Him, but we must be careful to listen to His warnings. If Josiah would have turned back, he would have lived. As it was his loss to the King of Egypt brought Judah under a terrible tax burden and resulted in his son being carried off to Egypt in chains, where he died.

# The Awesomeness of God

## 2012-11-21

Reading a few Psalms this morning - PS 92 & 93.

(NIV)Psalm 92:1-5  
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, [2] proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, [3] to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. [4] For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. [5] How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!

(NIV)Psalm 93:1-5  
The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. [2] Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. [3] The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. [4] Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea---the Lord on high is mighty. [5] Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days.

It's a great day to meditate on the awesomeness of the Lord, His Love, His Faithfulness, His Holiness, His majesty, His reign for all eternity.

It is amazing to me that the Lord loved me and called me when I was yet a sinner and paid the price for all my sins. He knows my inner man, He knows my thoughts, He knows my failings, yet He is always faithful and loving.

He is so unlike us, His thoughts are so far above ours, His love and faithfulness incomparable. He reigns eternally in heaven, surrounded by angels and creatures who constantly praise His majesty. We see glimpses of His majesty in the beauty around us! How much more majestic is the creator than all creation?

His eternal reign is beyond comprehension, for He is beyond time, before and after time, present everywhere, aware of everything. He is more powerful than the combined sum of all the universe.

Yet, He knows me and loves me in small and intimate ways. He answers my prayer as soon as it leaves my mouth. He speaks into my thoughts His words of wisdom and love. He has taken up residence in my heart. He delights in showing me His love. He delights in me!

I am sitting here awed by the incomprehensible nature of God, yet He is constantly revealing Himself to me, desiring to be known by me, and loved by me, and willing to interact with me! You are truly amazing Lord! Words cannot ascribe to You Glory enough! I am so thankful for the chance to know You, to love You, to serve You and to be called your friend!

# Reality of the Bible

## 2012-11-24

This morning I was reading from Genesis 23, the story of the burial of Sarah. What I found interesting was the mention of the town, where Abraham purchased a burial cave. The town was Kiriath Arba, and that town still exists today. According to a site with a Bible timeline, Sarah died around 2030BC.

http://bibletimeline.info/

According to the website describing Kiriath Arba (Hebron) the caves where Sarah was buried, along with Abraham and Isaac was revered as their burial place since 1000BC.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/hebron-tombs-of-the-patriarchs

In 1BC, Herod the Great built a wall around their tombs, and that wall still stands today. I guess I hadn't really ever done any research on this area, and it amazed me that it was so well preserved, and also so accurate to the Bible. It gave me another anchor for the literal reality of the scriptures. Thank You Lord for over 4000 years of history and roots of my faith.

# Heart Motivation

## 2012-11-25

This morning I am reading from Romans 6:

(NIV)Romans 6:16-18  
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey---whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. [18] You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I like the phrase - "obey from your heart" as that so clearly describes the true motivation for changing one's life to follow Christ, it's a heart motivation. It's not a decision for following rules, or some guidelines or even some teaching. It is a relationship of love, that affects our hearts, that changes what we want to do. The pathway is laid out for us in scripture, but if we are not motivated in our heart than we can just as easily change our minds and do something different.

A heart motivation provides lasting change, because with that comes a willingness and longing that rises up in our being. As an example, the difference between being in love with someone and being an acquaintance is significant in our desire to spend time with them, even in our thoughts and actions toward them. Being in love causes us to rearrange our priorities, change our plans, and think about our lives in a new way.

In the same way our response to Christ should be motivated by love. To be in love we need to meet the person, not the idea, not the teaching, not the doctrine. A relationship with Christ should be the core of our faith, and that which motivates us in our lives. A relationship with Christ has the same components as any other relationship - communication, interaction, knowledge of one another, and genuine affection. Ultimately the end result is oneness of mind and heart.

My daily time with Him increases my knowledge of Him and deepens my relationship with Him. It's in these times that I understand Him more, feel His affection for me, and express my affection for Him. It's in this place of relationship building that I become like Him, just as two people who are in love for years and years become more like each other. It's in this place of knowing and being known that my heart connects with His heart, and I want to please Him, and be a part of what He is about and doing.

# Miracles and Repentance

## 2012-11-27

I was reading was in Matthew, concerning the miracles Jesus did and their purpose:

(NIV)Matthew 11:20-24  
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. [21] "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [22] But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. [23] And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. [24] But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

As I read these verses, the first sentence caught my eye, for it describes the main purpose of the miracles, that people would repent, or more literally 'change the way they think'. Here was Jesus ministering powerfully in their midst and they weren't changing the way they thought about God. In John 10:25, identifies miracles as revealing who He is:

(NIV)John 10:25  
Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works (miracles) I do in my Father's name testify about me,..."

In spite of these great miracles and countless people being healed, delivered and set free, the overall response was one of apparent unbelief, and unwillingness to recognize who He was. They were more willing to hold onto their old ways of thinking than change and recognize that God was truly in their midst.

As I write this, I wonder how often I have had similar responses to God's moving in my life? Do I recognize His presence, His interactions, His moving on my behalf and change the way I think, the way I act and the way I live? I think that the people were probably glad for the miracles, but just wanted to go on living life the way they had all along. How often am I the same way? Good questions for me to ponder, as I know God is after change in our lives, changing us into His likeness, to be His representatives. Lord help me to be willing to change.

# His Flawless Word

## 2012-11-28

Just opened my Bible to (NIV)Proverbs 30:5-6  
"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. [6] Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."

What a good reminder to me of the Lord's perfection, and complete holiness. His words are flawless. I am reminded of (NIV)Isaiah 55:10-11, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

His words are full of purpose and life and perfect. It's important to know that our understanding of His Word is at best only imperfect, in time. Paul writes in (NIV)1 Corinthians 13:12. "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.". If we don't understand something that God says, it's not Him who hasn't communicated clearly, but rather a limitation on our understanding.

The second part is also important, we must not, in our limited understanding, try to change or add to His words. My tendency is to try to make His words fit what I want to hear, so that requires either trimming or adding to them. As I have learned to walk in maturity, which Paul was talking about in the preceding verses in 1 Corinthians, I have learned to trust in God's word, and not worry about the gaps in my understanding, knowing I am not probably going to grasp the perfection and full meaning of His words any time soon. However, I know God, His goodness, His faithfulness, His loving kindness, His mercy, and His infinite love, so I can trust myself to Him, making Him my refuge.

# Intimacy and Authority

## 2012-11-30

I was just thinking that our level of intimacy with the Lord is directly related to our level of authority in the Body of Christ. It's in the place of being known, and knowing You Lord that we find out who we really are, and become more and more like you.

As an example Moses talked face to face with God. (NIV)Exodus 33:11. "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend."

David was called a man after God's heart. (NIV)Acts 13:22 "God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."

The Apostles spent many hours with the Lord, and knew His heart and purposes. (NIV)John 15:15. "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Lord, it is clear that there is a direct relationship between the time we spend with You and what You entrust to us to do. It's also so clear that it's not head knowledge that is sufficient, but knowledge of You the person, knowledge of Your heart. Help us Lord to know You more.

# God Cares

2012-12-02

I am reading from Isaiah 40 this morning.

(NIV)Isaiah 40:27-31  
Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? [28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

As I was reading through this, I was thinking of how many people think that God doesn't care about their situation, or feel that because of what they have been through that He doesn't love them. The truth is that God does love you and does care and is always there. He is the only one we can depend on always. His view is eternal, He sees everything and hears everything. This doesn't mean that we won't have difficult times, or won't ever stumble, but rather that when we do, He will be there to give us strength and hope.

It is in turning to God, acknowledging Him, and seeking Him that He is found, and in finding Him that we experience His mercy and love. I am reminded of some verses in (NIV)Isaiah 55:6-8: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. [8] "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord."

Lord, I thank You that You are not like us, not limited like we are, not unforgiving, not unmerciful, not unaware. So often we want to think of You like You are human, but then You would be limited and undependable. It is so reassuring to me to know that You are God Eternal, all powerful and all knowing, and that You care for me.

# The Season of Preparation

## 2012-12-03

Last night I read from Isaiah 40 again. (NIV)Isaiah 40:1-5  
"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. [2] Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. [3] A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. [5] And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

As I read this, I am reminded of the season we are in, waiting for Christmas, which should directly relate to our waiting for His second coming. We celebrate His first coming, and wait in joyful anticipation for His second coming. The ministry of John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy literally. The work of preparation for the coming of the Lord was initiated by his ministry in the wilderness. He called the people to repentance, and remembrance, and preparation.

I love the season of Advent which some churches celebrate as a season of watchfulness and waiting and preparation before Christmas. It is right and good for us to remember what we are celebrating and what we are looking towards. Our culture has made this season all about gifts and family, and shopping and parties, but the real reason for the season is to call us to remembrance and repentance, preparing the way for the Lord's second coming.

David Guzik wrote the following commentary on these verses: ii. The idea of preparing the way of the LORD is a word picture, because the real preparation must take place in our hearts. Building a road is very much like the preparation God must do in our hearts. They are both expensive, they both must deal with many different problems and environments, and they both take an expert engineer.

Lord, I know that so often my thoughts don't go anywhere near these thoughts during this season. I am often more concerned about what gift I need to purchase than I am with what changes I might need to make in my heart. Lord, I pray that You will help me embrace this season of preparation and help me to call to remembrance the real reason for this season. Help me to prepare myself for Your coming!

# One of the Greatest Gifts

## 2012-12-04

In the season of gift giving I am reminded of (NIV)Matthew 7:7-11:  
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

And the parallel passage in (NIV)Luke 11:9-13:  
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Also referring to the Holy Spirit Jesus said the following: (NIV)John 16:7, 12-15: "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. [12] "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

I think these last verses, and specifically John 16:7, are astounding. Here we have the Messiah, the long awaited one, the Son of God incarnate, telling us that it's better for us if He goes away (to Heaven) that the Holy Spirit might be given to us! I think the giving of the Holy Spirit is one of the great accomplishments of Jesus coming to earth. He dies on the cross to fulfill the law, His blood atones for our sins, He opens the door to Heaven that we might enter in, and the Holy Spirit is poured out on all men - see Acts 2:17!

So, in this season of gift giving, let us ask the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit, one of the greatest gifts of all time!!!

# Parents and Children

## 2012-12-05

This morning I was reading from Luke's Gospel the story of John the Baptist, and my attention was drawn to the following verses:

Luke 1:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

As I was reading through these verses, I was intrigued by the fact that this turning of parent's hearts to their children was part of the preparation for the coming of Jesus. I know this is a restating of the last verses of the Old Testament - Malachi 4:6, but I think there may be more to this than just linking what was happening at that moment with what God had promised.

My experience with God is that His words are perfect, and often times have more than one meaning and application. I believe that in addition to being the first prophetic words heard in about 400 years in Israel, these spoken by an Angel, they are also significant in exactly what they say. There is something that changes the spiritual environment that prepares the way for the Lord to come, when parent's hearts are turned toward their children.

As I think about my own heart during the Christmas season, I am always more aware of my children's needs, wants and state of mind. My heart is warmed towards them, more than normal, as they open the gifts that I have given them.

As I put that in the context of this verse, I think that the Lord's desire for all of us is that we would turn our hearts toward our children (as parents) and towards our parents (as their children) and that this would not just be a seasonal change, but something that has lasting affects in our lives. Additionally, as we see our relationships changed for the positive, we are preparing the way for the Lord to come again!

# The Messenger of Good News

## 2012-12-06

This morning I was continuing my reading of Luke. I am so encouraged by this verse: Luke 1:19 NIV. The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

God loves us enough to send messengers from His every presence to bring us good news. The good news that is proclaimed originates from the goodness of God. All good things come from Him! His love for us, His mercy, His perfect will, His words of life are all good. His invitation to intimacy, relationship, and interaction are all so good.

I love Gabriel's statement about who he is - "I stand I the presence of God". That closeness is all we need to know about to recognize the authority in his words. As I was saying previously, intimacy is closely related to authority. Here is a mess anger who stands in the Father's presence, being dispatched with a special message of hope and life.

I love the fact the God knew exactly where and when to send the angel to meet with Zechariah. In the same way he knows where we will be and when, and knows what we need to hear. That is the thing about His word being perfect, not only is completely true, it's always spoken at the perfect time, to accomplish exactly what it was supposed to accomplish.

I guess I am just encouraged because I know that good news is coming to those that need it. Lord, I pray that You will send messengers with Good News to all of us that need our hope and life renewed.

# The Long Wait

## 2012-12-07

Continuing my read of Luke's Gospel - I was struck by the personal story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. So often I read stories and am so familiar with them, I just pass over really significant things, and don't let them fully impact me. In this case it was the fact that they were both, according to Luke, very old. Even in those days they knew when a person was past being able to bear children, and understood the normal rhythm of life. If the author, in this case Luke says they were barren and says they were very old, it must have been clearly so (see verse 7 below).

I was thinking about the personal ramifications of this barrenness. There was a belief that children were a blessing from God, and unfortunately a couple without children was considered disgraced - or unblessed by society. Yet in the midst of that social stigma, these two were faithful and honoring of God, and unwilling to become offended at God, which is such an important perspective to choose. I am also struck by how often we look at people in difficult situations and somehow think it is their fault, or they are to blame somehow. That was a weight they felt, and more specifically felt by Elizabeth as her child-bearing years passed her by. She speaks about being free of that disgrace - in the Greek 'a bad name' in verse 25, so it clearly was something she felt.

One almost gets the feeling that they had probably, by this point, stopped praying for a child, as the time was past. Yet those prayers that were long ago prayed were still remembered by God. They didn't know their long wait was over, and that God had a miraculous plan for them.

That was my encouragement this morning, that God's plan and blessing is worth waiting for and believing in, regardless of how long of a wait there is on our part. He is capable of reaching into the most impossible of situations and bringing life and blessing. In the perfect time, God will act and it will be glorious. I heard someone say that the longer we wait for the fulfillment of a promise, the more glorious will be the fulfillment. So that is my encouragement today - to not give up on God, no matter what, it will be worth the wait!

Here are the verses from Luke:

Luke 1:5-20, 23-25 NIV  
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. [6] Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commands and decrees blamelessly. [7] But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

[8] Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, [9] he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. [10] And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. [11] Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. [12] When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. [13] But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. [14] He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, [15] for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. [16] He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. [17] And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous---to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." [18] Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." [19] The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. [20] And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."

[23] When his time of service was completed, he returned home. [24] After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. [25] "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

# God Protects His Promises

## 2012-12-11

This morning as I was thinking about the birth of Jesus, the Lord pointed me to an unusual theme, His ability to protect His promise. I was reminded of the several times God sent Angels to provide directions and reveal the plans of the enemy to try and kill Jesus when He was yet a child. It is very clear that God is capable of stepping into our lives to guide and direct us.

I think sometimes we believe that God and the enemy are equal powers, or that God is generally either disinterested or disconnected from our lives. All of these are lies and as such we need to recognize them and cast them away from our thinking. The Bible is a great record of God's ability and willingness to step into our lives and reveal His love and faithfulness to us. I can think of numerous times in the old testament, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and on and on, when God touched their lives, gave them direction, protected them, and blessed them. The whole message of the New Testament is that God cared so much for us that He came to earth, took on Himself our punishment and established a new kingdom in the midst of this fallen World. That is exactly what we are celebrating at Christmas.

My meditation today is on God's ability to protect His promise, and at the same time not interfere with the fulfillment of His plan. I am amazed that He came to earth, took on the form of man fully, and became absolutely the most vulnerable form possible, that of a new born baby. Jesus purposely chose to become fully man, and in doing that put himself at the mercy of those around Him. When He was in danger, He could have taken back that which he gave up freely, His Godhood, but then he wouldn't have been able to fulfill the requirements of the law as a man. So God the Father chose to entrust His son, in this most vulnerable, state to people like you and me, Mary and Joseph, and guide them to safety with angelic visitors.

Here are a few verses that speak of those interactions:

Matthew 2:7-8, 12-14, 19-20 NIV  
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. [8] He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." [12] And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

[13] When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." [14] So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

[19] After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt [20] and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

I know that I tend to think that this would happen with Jesus because He was God's Son, and of course God would protect Him. What I felt the Lord say today, is that He does the same thing for all of us. We are all His children. He loves each of us uniquely and individually. The story of His protection over Jesus is meant to reveal to us the Father's heart for us all! He watches over us, and He watches over His promises, and He is capable of delivering both. Whether it's through Angelic visitors, family members who watch over us and protect us, or the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God is fully capable protecting His promise, of which we are part. God is not disconnected or ambivalent about our lives and situations, but sees our lives clearly and understands our needs. He is willing and able to break in and move in our behalf, but He also gives us the ability to choose our destiny. What a great love and faith in our nature, allowing us to choose Him.

So in summary, if God has spoken a promise to You, He is good for it. He hasn't forgotten; He hasn't become bored with You; He hasn't decided He likes some else better; He hasn't taken back the promise because of something bad you have done, or something that's happened to You. He loves You and will stand by You.

Amen Lord!

# God's Humor

## 2012-12-13

This morning I was reading through Luke again and I was struck by the humor in one of the stories about the birth of Jesus, that of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Here are the critical verses:

Luke 1:20, 23-24, 64 NIV  
"And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."

[23] When his time of service was completed, he returned home. [24] After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

[64] Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

So as I was reading this, I realized how funny this situation was, and actually started laughing, hopefully you find the humor in this as well. Setting the stage for this comedy - Here we have a man and his wife, well past the age of being able to have children, and God takes away the husbands ability to talk, right after He tells him that his wife and he are going to have a baby. I think there is a whole bunch of stuff that happened between the end of verse 23 and the beginning of verse 24.

What struck me as funny was imagining Zechariah coming home and trying to explain to Elizabeth this whole situation, without being able to speak. Granted that Zechariah could write, but only so much can be communicated that way, and here he is trying to convince her that they needed to try and get pregnant, and that he saw an angel, and why he lost his voice, etc. I find that quite humorous, and can imagine myself trying to convince my sweetheart of something this significant without the ability to talk, and failing miserably.

Add to this his inability to talk for close to 10 months and it becomes quite a bit funnier. I am wondering how does he explain to his friends and family when Elizabeth becomes visibly pregnant. I can imagine all the one sided conversations that happen in his house prior to the birth. Anyway, I could go on imagining situations and circumstances that would be funny or awkward or both.

I just think looking at the humanity of this situation, and seeing the humor in it is proof that God enjoys a good laugh!

# Approval to Expand

## 2012-12-14

This morning I felt I should read from Joshua 17, and was surprised to see that this contains the story of Tirzah and her sisters, which is a great story of how the Lord extended the blessing and inheritance to the daughters as well as the sons. It also talks about the encouragement that Joshua gives to the two tribes of Joseph - Manesseh and Ephraim. They were complaining because they needed more room, since the Lord had blessed them and made them multiply. They wanted Joshua to appoint for them some other inheritance that they didn't have to work for. Although this isn't stated exactly that way in scripture, reading between the lines of verses 14-16 you can see that is their desire.

Joshua, on the other hand, feels that they can extend the borders of their inheritance by some hard work, and that will bring an increase to their inheritance. He encourages them in their abilities and in their efforts to expand their territory - verses 17-18.

This is what I felt the Lord's encouragement was today. That if you are feeling constrained by your situation, due to increase, the Lord is approving and encouraging expansion. However, it won't just be handed over with no effort, but rather through perseverance and new strategies. God desires our increase and is the God of abundant provision and blessings, and He means for us to expand our territories, and will provide the means to expand. This will require effort on your behalf, but it will be worth it.

Here are the verses from Joshua 17:14-18 NIV:  
"The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly." [15] "If you are so numerous," Joshua answered, "and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites. " [16] The people of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and it's settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel." [17] But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph---to Ephraim and Manasseh---"You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment [18] but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and it's farthest limit's will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out."

# Light in Darkness

## 2012-12-17

In response to the happenings in CT last Friday I think the following verses are helpful:

Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV  
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. [3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

Matthew 5:16 NIV  
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Philippians 2:14-16 NIV  
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life."

We, in the Body of Christ, need to rise up in these circumstances and be a light to the nations. Our light is Christ, and as we let Him shine through us, people will recognize there is hope and peace in Him. Our ministry should be that of love and mercy! Let us love these stricken families, let us love our own children and let us turn to Him, who is our peace. We are truly living in a time of increasing darkness and we were destined for such a time as this. Let our light shine!

# Believing in His Promises

## 2012-12-18

This morning I am reading from Luke again.

Luke 1:41-45 NIV  
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. [42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"

My attention was drawn to the last line of her statement - "Blessed is she who has believed the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!" I guess I am still thinking about the promises of God, and meditating on their significance.

A few thoughts:

1. They are God's promises - owned by Him. He made them, and His word is perfect and He is true and faithful. We can believe them because of His nature and character.

2. Our work is one of belief. Continuing to believe in His promises, even while in the waiting period is good for us. We enter into a place of humility, and anticipation, and longing for God, all of which are things He looks for in His people. I am reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV: "...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

3. Elizabeth's statement was as much about her as it was about Mary. Both believed in the promises of God, and both were blessed. In the same way, God's word and promises can be applied to many people and many situations for it is perfect.

Let us believe in the Lord's promises to us! Let us turn to Him and pursue Him in prayer and humility, anticipating His time of visitation in our lives and the fulfillment of His promise. Let us believe in the revealed character of our Lord, made visible in Jesus.

# Part of the Plan

## 2012-12-19

Continuing in my reading of Luke's account of the birth of Jesus, from Luke 1:67-75 NIV  
"His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: [68] "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. [69] He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David [70] (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), [71] salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--- [72] to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, [73] the oath he swore to our father Abraham: [74] to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear [75] in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."

There is a sense of fulfillment in Zechariah's words that is important for us to grasp and understand, in our need everything now society. God's purposes are generational, and are played out over hundreds of years. We are so quick to try to fully understand things in our present context, but God is operating at a completely different level. God's promise to Abraham was given approximately 2000 years before Zechariah uttered these words, according to some bible time lines. Regardless of the actual number of years, this gives us some context for understanding the perspective God has versus our limited time perspective. I can rarely remember clearly more than a few days in the past and see not at all into the future. I want to understand how my situation fits into the grand scheme of things, but in reality, don't really have a clue.

For example, I recently have been looking at my genealogy, and have traced my ancestry back to the 1700's. As I look back at all the marriages and children born, and each successive generation that leads to my own birth, I get a better sense of the ordering of God's purposes, for each link in this genealogy and each relationship is critical to my existence. I have their DNA in me. Seeing 300 years into my past is amazing, and helps me to see the greater scale of things, and God's ordering of all.

We really need to learn to be at peace with God's workings in our life, trusting that He does know what He is doing, and does have a master plan, of which we are part and participants. Most of the time we won't understand it all, but once in a while, like Zechariah, we will be able to see how we fit into a part of God's plan. Lord, give me patience and help me to trust You.

# Semi-Random Thoughts on Christ's Birth

## 2012-12-20

Continuing my reading of Luke:

Luke 2:7-14 NIV  
"...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. [8] And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. [9] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. [12] This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." [13] Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, [14] "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

As I was reading these verses, I had a few new thoughts:

1. The very first of created things to see Jesus, besides His parents , were the animals in the manger. I find that an interesting thought, as God does nothing by accident. Is there a purposeful parallel between His birth and the creation account, where the animals were created before man?

2. The lowly state of Jesus birth, a clear sign of the completely different revelation of God than what was expected, makes me wonder why God chose this time to reveal that component of His nature?

3. The first people to hear about his birth are shepherds, who weren't even looking for Him, or probably even that religious. I find it reassuring that God chooses to reveal His plans and purposes and glory to those who are not looking for Him.

4. Most people missed the real significance of the first Christmas, and that is understandable. We, on the other hand, have in large part lost the real significance of this celebration, due to our own distractedness, or spiritual blindness.

I pray that we all might experience the visitation of the Lord in unexpected ways! I pray that we might be reminded of the real significance of what we are celebrating - that God chose to come to earth, to reveal himself more fully, and to save us all by taking our place, and paying the price we could not pay.

# The Real End Of The World

## 2012-12-21

I had not intended to write about the end of the world, but this morning I felt led to read out of Joel 3:14-18 NIV:

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. [15] The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. [16] The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. [17] "Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. [18] "In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias."

I find this an interesting verse to read on this day, when so many people are thinking about the end of the world. In one way, they are all correct, there will be an end to the world, according to scripture, these verses in Joel are just one example from the old testament, and the words of Jesus, in Matt 24-25 as an example. It will come, it will be terrible, and our only refuge in that time will be in God.

This supposed end-of-the-world is for the most part laughed off by people and largely an excuse for an end-of-the-world party. The real end of the world will not be something to be taken lightly, nor will it be pre-scheduled event that you can plan a party for in advance. It will be an event where it becomes very clear that there is indeed a true God, whole protection is real, and whose provision is our only hope, as described in the verses above.

I think it's wise to think about the end of the world and what is beyond. Our faith tells us there is an eternal life which we are invited into, whose invitation is extended through relationship with Jesus. This eternal life exists after the end of the world. Our place in eternity is dependent on our lives here, and as such worthy of thought and action. As it says in 1 John 5:11-13 NIV:

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. [13] I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

Let us consider our final destination today, not because today is the end-of-the-world, but because we are one day closer to the real end.

# The Humility of Christmas

## 2012-12-23

I was just thinking about amazing it is that You decided to come to earth Lord, that You humbled Yourself to become man. It is so far outside our expectations of a true God. We have stories from Greek and Norse mythology of gods coming to earth in disguise. We have stories in scripture of the sons of god coming to earth and having children with human women - Gen 6, and I think those stories all seem plausible or reasonable, because at no point did they ever give up their divine powers or abilities, they just cloaked them for a time so they could appear like us humans.

In coming to earth and becoming fully human, is where the real miracle of Jesus birth comes from. In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he describes this emptying of divinity:

Philippians 2:6-8 NIV  
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross!

And John describes the miracle well in the opening verses of his Gospel:

John 1:1-5, 9-14 NIV  
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  
[9] The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. [11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--- [13] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. [14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

As I sit and meditate on this reality I am just overwhelmed by the complete humility it took to empty Yourself of all Your divinity, truly becoming a man, in the flesh, who was capable of dying, being wounded, and every other human condition. The idea that God became a human infant, fully dependent on his mother and father continues to be astounding.

Lord, help us to think of the reality of what Christmas is about this year. Help us to take time from out parties and gatherings and family events to think about the miracle and wonder of You becoming man, and becoming man, being humbler still and being a newborn baby.

# A Child is Born: Isaiah 9:6

## 2012-12-24

This morning as I came downstairs to pray I was humming Handel's Messiah, the wording comes from Isaiah 9:

Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 NIV  
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. [3] You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

The day of the Lord's visitation, the day of His birth was a day of incredible blessing. Jesus revealed to us the Holy Spirit the wonderful counselor, showed us the Father, gave proof of God's love, justice and righteousness, in Himself made peace between the Father and all people, and demonstrated the power of God! The people of Israel were looking for King to rule them, but He was so much more. They were looking for a great human king, and kingdom to be established. He brought forth a heavenly kingdom on earth. The signs of Kingdom were cleansing, healing, miracles, deliverance and raising of the dead. His Kingdom is still present and still active in our day, as Isaiah correctly prophesied - "He will reign ... over His Kingdom...from that time on and forever!"

Finally it is the 'zeal' of the Lord almighty that will accomplish this. The Hebrew word here translated zeal, has a bit more depth. The word is Qin'ah:

Definition  
1. ardour, zeal, jealousy  
a. ardour, jealousy, jealous disposition (of husband)  
1. sexual passion  
b. ardour of zeal (of religious zeal)  
1. of men for God  
2. of men for the house of God  
3. of God for his people

If you look at the three main words ardor, zeal and jealousy, they speak of a burning passion, a fervent pursuit, and protectiveness all based out of love and desire for another. This is how the Lord views us...passionately loving us, pursuing us, protecting us and guarding us, desiring that we love Him alone.

That burning love and passion for us is what caused Jesus to come to earth, born as a baby boy, and become as we are so that forever a way might be open to the Father, and we might enjoy sweet fellowship with Him. Lord, help us to recognize Your burning love for us today!

# Looking to Others

## 2012-12-26

This morning I felt like I should be reading about John the Baptist. Luke 3:3, 7-9, 16 NIV  
He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

[7] John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? [8] Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. [9] The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

[16] John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

As I read through these verses I am reminded that there had been a drought of hearing the active word of God for 300+ years, since the last prophet was sent. That is probably close to 10 generations of people. The message of repentance was familiar, for it was spoken in the major prophets, as well as the minor prophets with some regularity. However it hadn't been spoken of in hundreds of years by anyone with the authority of God active in their lives, like John.

It's interesting that the fruit of their repentance that John focused on was looking beyond themselves to those around them. He was speaking against the pure individualism, and the greed that was present. The call was to not just change their mind, but to change their actions.

Luke 3:10-14 NIV  
"What should we do then?" the crowd asked. [11] John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." [12] Even tax collectors came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" [13] "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. [14] Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely---be content with your pay."

I think this is a fitting word for my life, and I see in many ways the same type of environment all around me. Let us embrace the message of John and seek forgiveness for our sins of selfishness and greed and turn to those in need.

# Staying on Track

## 2012-12-27

This morning I was reflecting on my inability to stay on course for a long period of time. At some point I start making decisions, or choices that slowly lead me away from the path I want to be on, and for a while I don't even notice. When I opened my bible this morning, I felt led to read from Deuteronomy 17:13-20 NIV:

[14] When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," [15] be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. [16] The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." [17] He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.  
[18] When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. [19] It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees [20] and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Verses 18-20 really seem to be helpful in maintaining a consistent walk, as they were intended to guide and ground the king in the reality of who they are, and their purposes, and dangers to their focus. I think this would be very helpful to me, to write down the directives of the Lord for me in this season and read them every day, and meditate on my following them. Lord, I pray that You will help me, for I know You desire me to walk in Your ways.

# Pressing On

## 2012-12-28

Hosea 6:3, 6 NIV  
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " [6] For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

As I opened my Bible this morning, was directed to Hosea 6. This verse about pressing on to acknowledge God really caught my attention. As I was writing yesterday, my tendency is to quickly become distracted or to wander off the path. I like the fact that this is an encouragement from one person to another. I see in my minds-eye the guys racing on the beach in the movie Chariots of Fire, encouraging one another to run faster.

The promise is clear, it's in pressing in and pressing on, that we will see Him. He will come, He will appear. He will bring refreshment and life.

The second verse is translated a bit differently in the NASB version, replacing the word mercy with loyalty. This is closer to the original Hebrew. It also makes more sense, following the first verse. God desires our loyalty and faithfulness and acknowledgement more than sacrifices or burnt offerings. This speaks to me of constant regular communication, rather that the once or twice a year grand show. I know for me the choice to remain loyal to the Lord, following His word, living by His example, is a daily, hourly and even almost every minute decision. Pressing on speaks of persevering in pursuit, kind of like Tommy Lee Jones in the movie The Fugitive, just dogged pursuit that never gives up.

Let us press on to know Him and love Him, and He will come!

# In the Face of Opposition

## 2012-12-30

This morning I opened my Bible to 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 NIV  
"But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, [9] because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me."

I was just thinking about the optimism of Paul, and his willingness to continue on in the face of opposition. Here in one sentence he talks about a great door for effective work being opened, and in the same breath the fact that there are many who oppose him there. He was not discouraged by the opposition, rather it appears he was just acknowledging the fact, but had his eyes focused on the opportunity.

I think at times, I would experience the opposition and be dissuaded from my efforts, because I don't want to cause conflict. The reality that Paul understood was the fact that the Gospel will cause conflict, for it is the establishment of a new Kingdom, and the old kingdom will not just give away what it possesses. The defeat of an existing kingdom is always accomplished through conflict. As representatives of the Kingdom, we need to understand that conflict and opposition will occur and we should not be afraid of this. Rather it is a sign that we are advancing the Kingdom. We must recognize the fact and accept it and let the opportunity drive us forward.

I think in the coming years, as our nation becomes covered with darkness, it will be even more important for us to understand this concept. Lord, help us to put our trust in You, and continue to work to advance Your Kingdom.

# Trust in the Lord, Not in Man

## 2012-12-31

I opened my Bible to Jeremiah 17 today which has a few of my favorite verses. I think it's appropriate today, both as a reflection, and in light of the fiscal cliff discussions. The Lord is our only real source for confidence and provision, and looking anywhere else, is dangerous to our faith.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NIV  
This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. [6] That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. [7] "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. [8] They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it's leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

So, let us remember to put our trust in the Lord, so that we can see His provision and blessing. As we trust in Him we will become a source of light and life to those around us, for we will be drawing life from the true source of life. Difficult times sometimes provide the greatest opportunities, especially for spiritual growth and openness to the Gospel. Let us look to Him and let Him guide us to His life, and experience His blessing daily in 2013!

