October 31, 2017

I Will Give the Land

“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”  Josh. 1:3

The Lord appointed Joshua to take command and lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land of Canaan.  Joshua 1:1-11 depicts the charge given to Joshua, including: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses…  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life…I will never leave you nor forsake you….Be strong and very courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land which I swore to their forefathers to give them…Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua received the charge and command from the Lord and gathered the people together.  Clearly he knew from the Lord’s instruction the battle would not be easy.  Yet God had promised the victory.  Joshua went forth in faith and told the people in 3:5, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”  Chapters 3 and 4 describe the powerful scene whereby the people of Israel fall in behind the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant.  As soon as the priests touched the water of the Jordan, the river stood up in a heap.  The Israelites could cross the river safely, while the priests stood in the middle of the Jordan on dry land, carrying the Ark of the Covenant.  It was only after each person had crossed the Jordan that the priests then made their way to the other side of the riverbank.  When they did, the waters began to flow again.  This is the awesomeness of God: for the Ark contained the presence of God: He went ahead of His people; stood in their midst; and came in behind them.  We have battles in our lives – they are the Lord’s to fight.  

October 30, 2017

May the Message Spread

“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.”  2 Thess. 3:1

This prayer began ten years ago as a group of us embarked on a mission into women’s correctional facilities in the United States.  I have kept numbers from the trips, the correspondence lessons, the baptisms, and Christmas morning cell to cell visits.  As is often the case with the Lord, we have found ourselves in situations that made no natural sense, yet believed strongly that the Lord wanted us there.  As a result, we have sat with one woman and been in front of hundreds.  Each life is precious, valuable, and important to God.

I can testify that in the ten year span of time the message of the Lord has spread rapidly.  We pray it has been handled in a way that brings the message and its ultimate author – the Holy Spirit – honor.  Doors to have opened to us in places we would have never foreseen.  We do know that this year we have seen more people reached with the word of God that the sum of our previous years’ work.  It is in a word, miraculous.

Behind the data and statistics are human lives.  As the Lord’s message continues to spread rapidly, it reaches out as the living and active word of God to touch lives.  Once a life has been touched, transformation of that life can begin.  As a life is transformed, a family can be affected and reconnected. 

The scattered seed of the Lord has produced a bountiful harvest.

October 29, 2017

The End of a Matter

 “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”  Eccl. 7:8

She had served twenty years in prison.  Next week she would be going home.  As we sat together and she reflected on her incarceration, many memories good and bad were shared.  She had entered the correctional system young and angry and rebellious.  She had been put in solitary several times early on in her sentence.  She refused to let anyone get the better of her. 

Over time things began to change.  She began to change.  She started attending the church service, because a couple of her friends went.  She had no interest at all in God until one day she heard this verse in a power-packed sermon that God used to reach her.  The end is better than the beginning…patience is better than pride.  That message was her personal invitation to accept Christ and she did. 

Over the remainder of her sentence, things were not perfect and she had ups and downs.  Yet she noticed how differently she could handle the highs and lows of prison life.  The attitude at the beginning had changed and now her attitude, a week away from being released, was one of quietness and trust.  She had learned to humble herself at the hand of God.  She had received His forgiveness and so had forgiven herself.  So in prison she was set free.  She had learned patience over those twenty years – patience with the system, with family, with everything.  She had learned to sit in God’s waiting room known as prison and focus on the end of the matter, which was more important and far better than the beginning.  She would walk out a free woman with new opportunities in her life.  She had been free inside prison for years, now she would be free outside the prison walls.

October 28, 2017

The Law was our Tutor

“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”  Gal. 3:23-25

Here is another way to consider the purpose of the law.  The law is for lawbreakers.  If a person commits a crime, she breaks the law and there is a consequence for breaking that law.  It serves as a way to guard, or protect people – many times by pointing out a crime that leads to conviction and sentencing.  We tend to think only about the laws that we might be subject to break. 

The reality of Scripture is that we all have broken the law; we all were convicted and sentenced to death.  We all were trying to have our execution stayed at the last minute.  Miraculously, it happened – in the person of Jesus Christ, who took every law we broke (every sin) upon Himself!  When we accept Him and give our lives over to Him, we are set free from the law of sin and death.  We will need to remember though, that such liberty is not cause for us to continue in sin.  As soon as we do, the law re-appears and we are once again convicted – this time by the Holy Spirit and not a court of law.

October 27, 2017

Be Holy

“And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”  Lev. 20:26

In the quiet stillness

He whispers, He whispers,

“Walk in my fullness,

Walk in my truth, For I say,”

Holy is My name

Holy is My land

Holy is My claim

Holy is My plan.

Come to Me

Worship Me

Walk with Me

Work with Me

Rest in Me

Honor Me

Talk to Me

Speak of Me

For I say,

Holy is My name

Holy is My land

Holy is My claim

Holy is My plan.

Truly I am God

Truly I am King

Truly I do reign

Truly I will bring

Everlasting life.

October 26, 2017

Found in the Desert Land

“In a desert land He found him, in a barren and howling waste.  He shielded him and cared for him; He guarded him as the apple of His eye.’  Dt. 32:10

I had been driving for hours.  The GPS had me traveling the route right through the Mojave Desert in California on a weekday and there were not many other cars around.  Certainly there were not many places to stop.  The trip had already taken me on the route from the southern part of the state out to Las Vegas and now I was headed back, eventually arriving in San Diego.  Most of the driving was through the desert.

God found Israel in the desert, quite literally.  The people on the move were in a barren and howling waste.  They had escaped from Egypt only to enter the wilderness and wander around for way too long.  It became easy for Israel to focus on the desert, much like it was easy for me to focus on the desert as I was driving.  (And I was not driving a car, not walking!)  There wasn’t much life around them and I noted that on my drive.

In the desert God shielded Israel and cared for His people.  This verse tells us God guarded them as the apple of His eye.  As I prayed for the Lord’s protection for me and the vehicle, I too was being shielded, guarded and cared for. 

I reached my destination – yes, out even further into the barren wasteland where a correctional facility had been built.  No need for fences here, I thought.  Where would people escape to?  Yet the place was fenced all around.  Inside I met with about a hundred or so women, sitting in their own desert land, their own barrenness and brokenness.  The desert shifted from literal and physical to emotional and spiritual.  God met us there.  He shielded the women, caring for each one lovingly and gently.  Their tears didn’t push Him away, it drew Him closer.  The Lord guarded them, not as offenders, but as the apple of His eye.

October 25, 2017

Out of Egypt

“And so it was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.”  Mt. 2:15

Jesus fulfilled what was prophesied in Hosea 11:1 – “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.”  We know that Israel was brought out of Egypt as part of the great Exodus.  Egypt symbolized slavery, bondage, and a place of darkness.  The prophet Hosea brings the word of the Lord that describes Israel as a person.  All of these passages point us to Jesus.  Jesus was called out of Egypt after his family went there in hiding.  We see that Jesus is Israel’s ultimate representative – He is the child, He is loved by His Father, and He was called out of Egypt to go to Israel.

I see it on their faces in the prisons, the jails, and the detention centers.  I detect it in the waiting rooms as families sit for hours, waiting for their loved one to be released.  I see it in the long lines on the weekend visitation days.  I often see the signs of being in Egypt.  Just these past two weeks I have been reading about it and hearing about it on the national news – events unfolding that sound like the earmarks of Egypt.  There are people in bondage, enslaved to many things, including sin.  Those sitting in darkness, the Bible states.  There are people sitting in darkness.

I believe Jesus did fulfill this prophecy and that He was and is Israel’s representative.  I believe He is my representative as well.  He represented me by being called out of Egypt.  If I identify myself with Jesus, then I identify with my own calling out of Egypt.  Because of the work The King, My King, did on the cross, I am called out of darkness, slavery, sin.  I am called to light, peace, freedom, and hope. 

For all who call Jesus Lord and Savior, it remains a great prophetic word.

October 24, 2017

Appointed From Eternity

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works, before His deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning of the world.”  Pvb. 8:22-23

Wisdom is personified in chapter 8 of Proverbs and we read of her in this passage.  Wisdom was the first of God’s works, created before His other works of art.  Wisdom was appointed from eternity.  She was, and remains, the way to a character-filled, wholly satisfying life, on a deep level.

If wisdom is like a tree, then it has many branches.  Among them are:

Prudence

Truth

Justice

Instruction

Knowledge

Discretion

Counsel

Understanding

Power

Righteousness

Pvbs. 3:19 states the Lord founded the earth by wisdom and that He established the heavens by understanding.  Friend, creation was not a random or haphazard event.  It was thought out, intentional, brilliantly designed and intended for our benefit.  Let us seek wisdom and get understanding, so that we may lead our lives according to the way God intended for us.

October 23, 2017

Grace, Love and Fellowship

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”  2 Cor. 13:14

It is the last sentence of 2 Corinthians.   Paul has laid out in the letter a masterful presentation to the church in Corinth and certainly in the final chapter he holds nothing back in warning the early church.  He has just told the church to examine itself to see if it is in the faith – the real faith, actual truth, and the genuine gospel.  Paul has written repeatedly in the letter about “false apostles,” those bringing a false gospel message to the church. 

Embrace weakness, Paul declares.  Have the treasure of Christ in you as the earthen vessel you are, because earthen vessels can be broken; the treasure cannot be broken.  Paul goes so far as to say he was weak, weak for the gain of the church.  He was weak so the surpassing power of Christ could be seen. 

He then ends the letter with grace, love, and fellowship.  It is his prayer for this young church – that they would receive the grace of King Jesus.  Weakness needs grace.  Jesus took on weakness and He put on grace.  Both were visible from the cross.  Paul prayed the church would experience the transforming love of God; that the church would reach the “perfection” Paul describes earlier in chapter 13 (meaning maturity) as a direct result of being touched by God’s love.  Weakness needs love.  The prayer ends with the petition for the church to understand and walk in relationship together as the body of Christ, led by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  Weakness needs guidance and direction from the Holy Spirit to be pointed to the right path.

Here we read of the Trinity in operation: the Father; the Son; and the Holy Spirit.  Each one is special and unique.  All three are necessary and they work together as One.  Let this be our prayer for the church today.

October 22, 2017

Seed to the Sower

“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, so is My word that 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.”  Isa. 55:10-11

God’s word will not return void – it will accomplish its intended purpose!  The word of God acts like rain and snow, watering what has been planted to produce seed and bread.  Recently at church I had the need to start writing during worship.  I looked at it the next day.  This is what was written:

‘The seed that I have scattered has not withered away.  That which long ago was scattered was sown with My intent and My delight.  You see it not now but the harvest is coming.  That which was scattered is being gathered.  I have scattered My seed, My people and My word for the season of harvest is coming.  Though it tarries, wait for it.  Wait for it.  For it shall surely come and it shall accomplish that which I intended.’

I know this message was for me.  If you are reading it and it jumps out to grab hold of your heart, then perhaps it confirms something for you as well, that the Lord has been sharing with you.

October 21, 2017

Wrapped in a Manger

“…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn.”  Lk. 2:7

So much of the gospel message appears to be upside-down from what we would think.  The same is true of the gospel’s messenger, Jesus.  His arrival, life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection leave us with lots of questions.  We have the benefit of the Bible to serve as a backdrop against which we gain a better understanding. 

This passage in Luke exemplifies this kind of inside-out, paradox-filled gospel.  Mary gives birth to Jesus, wraps Him up with some cloths and places Him in a manger, as there was no place for the family inside the inn.  Later, in Lk. 2:12, we read that this was in fact a sign to the shepherds – they would find the Messiah when they found a baby wrapped up in cloths and in a manger.

It is significant that a manger was a feeding trough.  It was used to feed the animals in a stable and was typically made of stone, straw, clay and mud.  It is nothing like the mangers we see in Christmas decorations.  That is the paradox: the One who was to occupy the throne of David was first placed in a feeding trough for animals.  It was a royalty in humility (or humiliation) type of Kingdom inauguration.  We are thankful it didn’t stop the shepherds from finding the baby and praising God for the arrival of the Messiah.  What He was placed in upon His arrival apparently didn’t matter. 

The paradox of Jesus did not stop with His birthplace.  It continued through His life and death and yes, His resurrection.  Great and grand themes like weakness and strength were forged from the feeding trough.  Jesus was crucified in weakness; the enemy thought he had won.  People didn’t know what to make of the death of Jesus.  Out of all that weakness came tremendous strength, including the strength of His resurrection.  May we recognize the paradox and praise God for what He has done for us.

October 20,2017

Sacrifice of Thanks and Praise

“If someone’s offering is a well-being offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the Lord an animal without defect.  He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.  Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides.”  Lev. 3:1-3

The important points from this passage include:

1. The person bringing the offering was considered a “worshipper;”
2. The worshipper brought an offering, which in Hebrew is “korban;”
3. The animal brought as an offering had to be without defect;
4. The worshipper placed his hand on the animal, indicating ownership;
5. The worshipper slaughtered the animal at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, informing us that worshippers were actively involved; and
6. The priests sprinkled the blood on the altar.

Can we see how all of this points to Jesus?  He is our well-bring offering, the sacrifice that brought us peace and wholeness and fullness.  He is the offering that established reconciliation between the worshipper and God.  He is without spot or blemish, fully man and fully God at the same time.  He was crucified and His blood was shed on our behalf.  He made peace with God on behalf of men.  Romans 3:23-25 also reinforces the atoning work Jesus accomplished through the shedding of His blood. Finally, we can see the fellowship aspect of the sacrifice in that both the worshipper and priest could eat of the offering.  This has an important reference to communion and fellowship.  All results in thanksgiving and joy.

Hebrews 9:11-14 shows the “better high priest,” “better sacrifice,” and “better blood,” if you will, of Jesus Christ.  As our high priest, Christ went through the better tabernacle; the heavenly tabernacle that was foreshadowed in the Tabernacle of Moses.  Jesus entered by His own blood, as both the sacrifice and the one bringing the sacrifice.  He entered once, doing so on the cross, and shed His blood, the blood better than that of sacrificed animals.  The blood of animals provided for temporary atonement and according to Heb. 9:13 that blood provided for an outward cleaning.  The blood of Jesus however, provides for permanent atonement (it only had to be done once) and His blood cleanses the conscience of the followers.

October 19, 2017

God’s Great Mercy

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”  Titus 3:4

As he looked out from his home to the busy scene next door, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.  After such a long period of quiet, almost too quiet, suddenly things were happening quickly.  Servants were moving back and forth, as if making preparations.  The father had left his home and made his way down the dirt path.  Looking off into the distance, he could catch a glimmer of a young man.  He looked frail and he was walking very slowly.

The neighbor could hear voices shouting out, ‘There he is!’  He peered to try and see what was happening.  He noticed the father’s oldest son working in the fields, completely ignoring what was taking place.  He then turned his attention back to the father.  His walk turned into a slow jog, then faster, as he made his way down the drive.  Who was he running to?

By now the neighbor couldn’t help himself and so went outside to watch.  As he looked on, he thought to himself, ‘Could it be?  Could it be the son has returned home?’  He had heard the story – everyone in town knew about the son who got his inheritance early and spent it.  The rumor was he had nothing left.  Such disgrace he had brought upon his family and especially his father.  No, it couldn’t be him.

The neighbor took a few steps and looked again, just in time to see the two figures meet in a loving embrace.  The servants were running now too.  Everyone except the oldest son was joining in.  A shadow of his former self, sure enough it was the younger son.  The father had welcomed him home with open arms.  The kindness and love of God had appeared and the younger son was saved, not because of what he had done, but because of God’s great mercy.

October 18, 2017

Return to the Lord

“Take words with you and return to the Lord.”  Hosea 14:2

The picture of repentance was remarkable.  The woman had been silent for a day and a half.  Finally, she slowly began to speak and share her story.  Her words were ones those around her had never heard before and they were stunned.  It was shocking what had happened, shocking what she openly confessed she had done, and shocking that she believed she truly had no other choice.

As the woman opened her heart, she was returning to the Lord; the God she had turned from in anger and confusion.  The words came forth – she was sorry, she was wrong, she had taken life.  She could either continue to sit under the weight of guilt and shame or confess it and bring it into the light.  She chose the latter and let Jesus enter into her brokenness.

We all sat speechless as she poured out her heart.  One by one, women who had judged her a day earlier were now going up to stand by her side and let her know she was not alone.  They were with her and Jesus was with her.  The woman cried, sobbed, and shook.  After she was finished, she looked at me and said, “I am ready to give them over to Jesus now.”  She did and He did and it was one of the most amazing scenes I have witnessed.

October 17, 2017

Spoken from Belief

“It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.”  2 Cor. 4:13

We stood around the woman and took turns praying for her in response to her request for prayer.  It had been quite some time since she had worked and was in need of employment.  It seemed to her as if nothing was breaking loose on the job front.  So after our weekly Bible Study had ended, she asked if we would pray.

It hasn’t happened often that as I am praying I have s strong and distinct sense that the Holy Spirit is prompting to me pray in a declarative way.  That day as the body had gathered in unity to pray, I sensed the Holy Spirit exhorting me to declare – not to ask – but to declare what was on God’s heart.  It was such a strong force that I felt compelled to obey.  This was the prayer:  ‘Lord I thank You that by the time our friend gets home today she will have not one job offer, but two awaiting her.” 

Thankfully in the moment I believed, therefore I declared.  I must confess immediately after the prayer of declaration I questioned what had just come out of my mouth.  All of us who walk with Jesus have had these moments – was that really from the Lord?

Late that afternoon my phone at home rang and it was our friend calling.  She was nearly breathless and filled with excitement.  She had to call to tell me what had happened.  She drove home after leaving Bible Study.  When she walked into her house, the answering machine light was flashing.  There were two messages.  Each message was from an employer, offering her a position.  She was amazed and we praised God together.

Friends, God is big.  When you sense His Spirit prompting you, step out in faith.  Sometimes it is the declaration that leads to activation!

October 16, 2017

The Lord is my Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul.  He leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS Name's sake.  Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: YOU anoint my head with oil my cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"  Ps. 23

Whenever I read this Psalm I think about my childhood life growing up on the farm.  This verse was such comfort and so seemed to relate so fully to my life I was living on earth.  I even had a baby lamb named Nora that would follow me everywhere I went.  She would go for walks with me and I felt like when I directed her if she would go off the path, that my rod and staff comforted her.  The pasture was lush and green and the horses and cows and sheep would be grazing all day long with fat bellies and lie down in the green pastures.  

I would spend much of my time helping out on the farm.  We had acres and acres of land. We had fresh eggs from the chickens.    Much wildlife surrounded us as well.  I would love spending much of my time up on the hill looking down at the meadow.  I would take my horse and ride through the meadow deep into the woods and pick watercress out of the fresh springs near the water and put it on my tuna sandwich. .He led me beside the still waters and restored my soul.   The baby foxes would be playing sometimes in the meadow.  The ducks and swans would be swimming on the lake past the meadow.  My friend and I would spend hours in the running brooks catching snakes, frogs, turtles, pollywogs, and fish.  We had hours of fun.  There didn't seem like a care in the world. 

I would go to that place often.  I would always stop at the top of the meadow and look down and across as the wind would blow across the wheat grass.  There were apple trees that we could just eat fresh apples. Our gardens would be full of fresh veggies that we would go out and eat right from the plant.  We would take pea pods and dip them in buttermilk dressing; rhubarb and dip it in sugar; green beans that were delicious.  For hours my sisters and brothers and I would play hide n seek at dusk in the corn fields. I would think of this scripture and how my cup runs over.

Grandma and Grandpa and my Uncle and Aunt and cousins lived next door.  Down the street further was another Uncle.  The street was named after our last name as my Grandfather built many of the houses on the street. My sister and I would spend hours lying on the grass and looking up at the clouds to see what they were shaped like.  We would think we saw dogs, elephants, houses, faces, etc. in the clouds.  It seemed like a heaven to me.

I would go up on the old hill where the big tire swing was on the old oak tree and sing songs to God for hours I would just make up song after song thanking HIM.  I would sing to HIM and thank HIM and Praise HIM for the beauty I was staring at, and for my Mother and Father and 6 siblings.  I loved that life. I knew the Lord was my shepherd and I shall not want".   

That will always be my favorite place to live and most definitely one of my favorite Bible verses.    Now the meadow is all houses and the fields are roadways to the houses.  I sometimes shed tears at the difference but am happy that I got to spend my childhood in such a beautiful place.  Oh Lord thank you for my cup runneth over and surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Through my life have been many valleys as well, but then I remember this scripture for yea, even when the time comes to walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.  Notice the Lord says in His word the shadow of death.  It is just a shadow.  Fear not for He is with you. 

October 15, 2017

Everything We Need

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”  2 Peter 1:3

We recently packed for a weeklong trip that included a variety of activities.  There was much to pull out, sort through and organize, let alone try and pack.  We had two cars filled with what we anticipated we might need.  We had clothes from formal to casual.  There was food we had packed for feeding our houseguests.  Summer at the beach can bring a breeze at night, and so we packed sweaters just in case.  It was a beautiful week in many ways and I can safely report that we did not over pack.

Thankfully we had space – spiritual space – for the Lord Jesus Christ and His divine power, as Peter refers to it in this passage.  We had prayed long and hard and regularly invited Jesus into this week.  This verse gives such reassurance to us – that the Lord’s divine power – His dunamis – gives us and those we are praying for – everything needed for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him.  Such knowledge is not “head knowledge” it is “heart knowledge.”

The verse continues on to state that it was the Lord who called us.  Long before we began calling out to Him in our prayers, He had called us and called out to us.  He did so by His own glory and goodness.  What a divine calling indeed!

The weeklong trip brought so many answers to prayer that I cannot count them all.  We witnessed miracles, we saw God’s hand at work in situations, and we caught a glimpse of His glory and tasted His goodness.

October 14, 2017

The Lord Goes with You

“For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you the victory.”  Dt. 20:4

We know that Israel is on God’s heart at the moment and we are called to pray for Israel.  It remains God’s chosen land and chosen people.  As we stand in the gap for Israel, God will remind us that He is a Warrior.  God has fought for Israel and He is fighting still for them. 

God we thank You that as we have our own battles in life You go with us and You fight for us, just as fight for Israel.  You battle and contend for us, because You love us.  You are our safety net and our rescue.  When the battle is won it is because You, O God, have gone with us and secured the victory for us!  In our darkest hour, You are our help and protection.

Today we pray for all those in need – we lift up Israel and we lift up all who need You Lord Jesus, to be a Savior and a King.  Go with us, fight for us, and establish your victory in the heavens and on the earth, God – all for Your glory.

October 13, 2017

Keep Yourself in God’s Love

“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”  Jude 21

Love and mercy are powerful forces for good in our lives and the lives of others.  This instruction given to followers of Jesus is simply profound:  keep yourselves in God’s love while waiting for His mercy.  The question becomes, how do we keep ourselves in His love?

Part of the answer can be found in a pattern we find repeating itself in Scripture.  For our purposes, we will summarize it this way:

1)      Focus

2)      Find

3)      Fix

First, we are to be intentional and purposeful in choosing to focus on our Lord.  We make time for Him and we deliberately focus on Him, rather than on our worries and woes.  This is easy to write and can be a challenge to live out.  We are called to this lifestyle of focusing on God, much like David did. 

Second, as we focus on Jesus, we will find Him.  It is a remarkable, exciting, and fascinating process of discovery – as we so often “find” Him where we least expect.  I may focus on Him in the morning and find Him in the afternoon in the post office.  It is a great and marvelous prayer to pray: let me find You today, Lord.  So often David found the Lord in unusual places – but he found Him.  That is the key.

Third, we fix ourselves upon the One whom we have found.    We are committed to stay, remain, or fix our gaze, our heart, and our thoughts upon our Lord.  In the fixing we develop a lifestyle of continually discovering and re-discovering Jesus.  Jesus leads us to the Father and the Father is love.  When we find Jesus, we find love.

October 12, 2017

Let Justice Roll

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream!”  Amos 5:24

We currently live in a world where injustice can be seen very commonly.  We witness things that are not right and we long for the days when things will become right.  For followers of Jesus, we take such matters to the heavenly courtroom, where we plead our case in intercession before our Father who is also known as Jehovah Shaphat – God as Judge.

The prophet Amos writes that the day is coming and indeed it shall come.  When it does, justice will flow.  Righteousness will be like living waters.  Things will be finally straightened out and made right in the eyes of God.  What are to do while we wait?  Well, we are to practice, if you will, for the days of the new heaven and new earth.  We are to bring heaven to earth while we wait.  How does that happen?

Every time we forgive, we have brought heaven to earth.  Each time we show love, the Kingdom of heaven has come on earth, just as it is in heaven.  When we bless those who persecute us, when we love our enemies, it is God’s form of justice now, rolling like a river.  We can clothe the naked, feed the hungry, be kind and tender-hearted; and in so doing, display the righteousness of Christ. 

What is the Lord calling you to do, so that your light shines forth before others?

October 11, 2017

The Chief Cornerstone

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”  Eph. 2:19-20

Paul employs the analogy of a building as he informs the people of Ephesus, the Gentiles who have accepted Jesus and been born again, who they have become in Christ.  He begins by telling them they are now part of the family of God; no longer outsiders, but “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”  Paul then connects that household to a building, beginning in verse 20: “…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Paul is saying – believers are now part of this heavenly household; a household built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.  He continues that the whole building is being fitly framed together to become a holy temple.  He then tells the Ephesians that they are also being built together for a dwelling place of God.  Let’s break down these three references to building:

• Built Upon:  literally meaning to build upon what exists; figuratively meaning to build up or edify;
• Building: meaning both the process of building and the product of building;
• Being Built Together: meaning to construct, compose and build together.

We can consider these statements as Jesus – the Master Builder (Carpenter) who did build, is building, and will build until all is built together according to His design and plan.  This family consists of both Jews and Gentiles as part of the family of God – the one new man.  The process of building is fitting us all together – edifying us and building us up so we know and take our rightful place in the house.  Building also means refining us and trimming us to the right size and shape so that we fit properly in the house.  This is done for our benefit, and for the benefit of the family in the house.  We are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.  As such, we are ready to receive in love the person on either side of us, as part of the family, part of the building, part of the temple. 

The believers at Ephesus, just like us, are part of that household that is built upon a foundation of the apostles and prophets.  We might think of that foundation as one of the “sent ones and spoken ones.”  The apostles were the sent ones of Christ – His ambassadors sent out into the world with the message (and power) of the gospel.  The prophets were the messengers who brought the spoken word and with it, laid a foundation.  These were the prophets of old.  Who is the cornerstone of this foundation?  Who connects the apostles and prophets?  Who is the most important piece of the foundation?  It is Jesus Christ Himself – the chief cornerstone.

October 10, 2017

Adonai

“O Lord, listen!  O Lord, forgive!  O Lord, hear and act!”  Dan. 9:19

How I long to linger

In the love of the Lord

His tenderness supporting me

His strength uplifting me

How I long to linger in the love of the Lord.

The sweet whisper of the wind

As He gently talks with me.

The riches of His Grace

Delivered by the Cross on Calvary.

How I long to linger

In the love of the Lord

His love unchaining me

His mercy freeing me

Oh how I long to linger

In the Love of My Lord.

Remaining in His Presence

The softness of His touch.

Help me to love You more Lord

Cause I can never love you enough.

Father let me linger

Lord let me remain

A moment and a lifetime

In Your love, let me stay.

My Adonai

My Adonai

How I long to linger

In this love of My Lord.