June 7th, 2018

The Lord Has Spoken

“Hear, O heavens!  Listen, O earth!  For the Lord has spoken:” Isa. 1:2 

The Book of Isaiah opens with the Lord calling His two witnesses to testify in a trial pitting the Lord’s covenant against the rebelliousness of Israel.  God’s key witnesses in this trial are heaven and earth, for both were present to witness the covenant agreement God made with His people.  Deuteronomy 30:19-20 states the agreement: “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.  For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”  The covenant agreement contained blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.  God’s word was clear then and remains very clear today.  Deuteronomy 28:1-14 details the blessings for obedience, which we shall summarize below:

v  You will be blessed;

v  Your children will be blessed;

v  Your food supply will be blessed;

v  Your tools for storing and cooking food will be blessed;

v  Your travel will be blessed;

v  Your enemies will be defeated;

v  Everything you put your hand to will be blessed;

v  You will be a holy people;

v  You will have abundant prosperity;

v  You will lend to many nations but borrow from none;

v  You will be the head, not the tail;

v  You will be at the top, never at the bottom.

All these incredible blessings were promised if Israel: “fully obeyed the Lord your God and carefully followed all his commands.”  In verse 14 God speaks clearly: “Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you (today), to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” 

The Lord also depicted the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.  The list of maladies is extensive, and God begins by stating:  “However if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:”

The opposite of the list above is promised:  everything shall be cursed, not blessed.  To gain a complete understanding, read the entire list of curses for disobedience.  It is a humbling reminder of the conditional promises of God.

June 6th, 2018

The Purpose of Praise

“While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore. Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.”  Lk. 8:49-56

A ruler of the synagogue, enlightened by God, begs Jesus on behalf his daughter.  The name Jairus means, “whom God enlightens.”   On the way, He is delayed as He heals a woman.  In the interim, the twelve year old daughter dies. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”  We are to have faith; when others are telling us to stop or planting doubt in our mind, Jesus says, believe.

Jesus brings in his inner circle of Peter, James, and John –they walk in faith.   The take away from this is don’t bring doubters along with us.  They will drag us down.

Jesus says to the mourners: “She is just sleeping.”  The mourning turns to ridicule.  Do not be surprised if our own supporters begin to ridicule our faith.

Jesus takes the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”  This she did.  The faith that was displayed resulted in resurrection power.  Jesus is the Resurrection and The Life.  There were 3 resurrection miracles +1 = 4!  Those resurrections included the Widow’s Son at Nain; Jairus’ Daughter; Lazarus; and Jesus Himself.  This the resurrection power:  that what was dead came come to life; can rise up – like beauty from the ashes in our lives.  We proclaim praise for a purpose: one of the purposes is to have the Spirit of Resurrection say to that which is dead in us – “little girl, arise.” 

Some things have died in us because they had to, like our dreams, our goals, our plans.  Other things have died because people have come along and killed them.  God wants to resurrect His plan for our lives, and to rise up His dream in us.  He also wants to take that which was stomped on in us and breathe life into it – revive our hearts.  It is time for the 3^rd day –the stone to be removed, and for resurrection power to take hold of us.  Let faith arise, hope arise, let God’s resurrection power arise in us this day!

June 5th, 2018

Declarative Prayer

“Thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.  Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters – that you may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you will have peace.” Jer. 29:4-7

We can declare the will of God in prayer when we know His will.  The Lord’s will is often made clear through His written word in the Bible.  Other times His will is revealed to us through prayer, dreams, visions.  Whenever we are not certain it is the Lord who is revealing His will to us, we can pray for a confirmation so that it becomes clear and sure.   There is a time to ask God for things and there is a time to declare that which He has promised. 

In the time of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord was revealed to His prophets.  The people had to discern between true and false prophets.  Let’s look at a powerful passage of God’s will that was revealed by the Lord to Jeremiah.  There is so much contained in this text; let’s try and identify the key declarations of the Lord, as revealed to Jeremiah in the passage contained in chapter 29.

q  In the place of captivity, build houses, plant gardens, have children, and increase.

q  Seek the peace in the place of captivity, for in the city’s peace, the people will have peace.

q  After 70 years in captivity, the Lord will return for His people.

q  His thoughts toward His people are good, filled with a future and a hope.

q  He will return His people to the place they came from.

Can we imagine praying this for 25, 50, or 70 years?  Praying this passage would be declaring back to God what he declared to His people – and that is how declarative prayer works.  When the Lord reveals something to us, we declare it – announce it – herald it, as He instructs us to.

June 4th, 2018

Equipping the Saints

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…”  Eph. 4:12

This is a most significant scripture and to fully understand it, we need to return back to Eph. 4:8, which is from Psalm 68:18.  It reads, “Therefore He says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” 

Since Psalm 68 is a Messianic Psalm, it speaks of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ – which effectively took captivity captive and gave gifts to men.  This is an indication of the VICTORY secured by the Lord: He took the enemy hostage.  Christ’s work and victory provided gifts for us to experience His victory in our own lives and share it with others.

Let’s return to Eph. 4:12 and seek to understand this text in context.  Verse 11 addressed how Jesus gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, for a purpose.  The purpose is made clear in Eph 4:12:

• For the equipping of the saints;
• For the work of the ministry; and,
• For the edifying of the body of Christ.

The equipping of the saints can be viewed as the perfecting of all believers.  Therefore, Jesus places some among the body to equip, train, and perfect the entire body.  The saints are being equipped to do the work of the ministry, that each one has been called to do.  It is important that we know in our spirits the work of the ministry that we have been called by the Lord to do.  It is easy (sometimes!) to do a “good work” but is it a “God-work?”  “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” according to 1 Thess. 5:24.  Often times the Lord will use those He has placed to work through in the equipping and discipleship process.

The third aspect of this purpose is for the edifying of the body of Christ.  Paul is describing the process of edifying, or building up, the church.

June 3rd, 2018

God and Justice 

“They scattered My people among the nations and divided up My land.  They cast lots for My people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that they might drink.”  Joel 3:3

Our God has a position on justice and injustice, expressed throughout the Scriptures.  He is not silent, quiet, indifferent, or slack concerning His promises on this subject.  To begin our examination of Scripture on this topic, we go back to the source words found in the Greek and Hebrew.

The Greek word for “just” is dikaios.  Dikaios means: equitable; just; right.  According to Strong’s Concordance, it refers to one who acts alike to all and is impartial, as well as describing a person’s character and conduct as upright, virtuous, ethical. 

The Hebrew word for justice is “tsadaq” and is a legal term meaning: to be right; cleanse; to be put right; be innocent.  Justice and righteousness are synonymous.  If we look a little closer at the root word, we find tsadaq means one who walks in a straight path.  We can surmise from these definitions that justice involves the fair treatment of others and right choices and behavior in our own lives – to do what is right.  We are to follow Biblical standards for what is fair and just. 

In the Book of Exodus, God gives the law to His chosen people, Israel.  The next Book is Leviticus, which present the system of sacrifices to be presented to God.  It is this combination of the law and sacrifices that composed God’s justice system in the Old Testament – called “mishpat.”  The law consisted of three components - ceremonial, moral, and civil.  The ceremonial laws had to do with proper worship and it included the sacrifices, priestly system, issues relating to clean and unclean, and food restrictions.  The civil laws guided the affairs if Israel as a nation, including government and judicial systems.  The moral laws were found primarily in the Ten Commandments, and further expounded upon in the Torah with rules about the treatment of others, especially the poor, the stranger, the widow, the fatherless, the afflicted. 

This mishpat was fulfilled by and in Jesus Christ, the Messiah.  He came to usher in the law of the spirit, laws written on the hearts of believers to enable them to worship in spirit and in truth, to offer spiritual sacrifices, to submit to authority (God is the highest authority), and to love God, love our neighbor, and love ourselves.  As we shall clearly see from God’s word, loving God and loving others is a priority in the Kingdom.  Caring for the poor, the sick, the needy are vital for Kingdom life to flow into dark, hidden places.  We need faith and works and to demonstrate “pure religion.”  Where we find injustice, we are to stand for God’s justice.

June 2nd, 2018

Boldness in Healing

“Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.’  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched My clothes?’  But His disciples said to Him, ‘You see the multitudes thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”  Mark 5:25-34

Mark’s account of the woman with the issue of blood provides us with the most information.  Let’s focus first with the woman.  She is:

•        Nameless;
• Suffered a physical illness for 12 years;
• Suffered from many physicians;
• She was poor, as she had spent all her money in pursuit of a healing;
• Her illness was worsening;
• She was considered unclean and impure for those 12 years {according to Leviticus 19:25}; and,
• She was an outcast of society for 12 years, for anyone who touched her would become unclean and impure.

She has tried everything she could that was man-made, to no avail.  She was at the end of herself.  And then she heard about Jesus, followed Jesus, and touched Jesus.  She reached for the hem of His garment, the fringes, and she was healed!  This was the boldest of moves, as whomever she touched would be considered impure!  Yet she persisted, out of her faith.  It was not the tassels themselves that contained the power – it was Jesus. The Word who became flesh had the power to heal. 

This nameless, voiceless, seemingly powerless woman had faith and exercised it.  She knew the fringes were symbolic of authority, of royalty, righteousness and purity.  The woman was constantly reminded of her affliction, recalled the commandments of God, and looked to a source of her potential healing.  Perhaps she reasoned that if she touched that hem, the fringes, it would be the good deed that would connect her to God – although she might not have known God in the flesh stood before her!  She could have been thinking that by reaching out for the hem of the kingly garment, she was reaching out for the King Himself. 

She may have called to mind the Scripture from Malachi 4:2 – “But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings;…” and been reminded that the corners of the garment were considered as wings.  By touching the garment, the woman was demonstrating her faith that Jesus was the Sun of Righteousness who had healing in His wings!  She believed!  She expressed her belief!  She was healed!

June 1st, 2018

Spiritual Midwives

“But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.”  Ex. 1:17

Some three hundred and fifty years had passed since the end of the Book of Genesis – the Book of Beginnings.  The Israelites (through God’s divine command to Israel, formerly Jacob) were instructed in Gen. 46:3-4 to do the following: “…I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.  I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hands on your eyes.”  This was God’s promise to Israel, the man who would lead the way for the birth of Israel, the people. 

Once in Egypt, the Israelites did well.  The people assimilated into Egyptian culture.  They prospered in a land that was ruled by Pharaohs and worshiped false gods.  Nonetheless, during the 350-year period the Israelites were left to worship their God, work in various occupations, and be contented with their situation.  As we turn to the opening of Exodus, we read in Ex. 1:7 that “the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.”  And then everything is turned upside down, starting at verse 8: “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.  And he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”

This new king, Pharaoh, did not trust the Israelites.  He was fueled by fear.  He employed a four-fold strategy to defuse any potential threats.  Each attempt failed.  As we read through Exodus 1:1-21 we encounter the following situation:

o     An unnamed Pharaoh inflicts affliction upon God’s people;

• God’s people increase;
• The unnamed Pharaoh commands the midwives to kill the baby boys born to Hebrew women;
• The midwives fear God, not man;
• Their response cancels out death by bringing forth life;
• God is pleased with the midwives and blesses them with families.

This unnamed ruler inflicts and afflicts God’s people; when that fails, he resorts to murderous plots.  Yet his error is in his command, for it is given to the midwife.  It is to the midwife that we turn; for in understanding this text, we understand that the Spirit of God is moving to and fro, searching for His midwives.  Our Father is calling some of His daughters to be spiritual midwives.