June 14th, 2018

21 Day Prayer

“…if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy, meditate on these things.”  Phil. 4:8

Virtue can be defined as moral excellence.  In the first chapter of 2 Peter, verse 4, the apostle is writing about the “very great and precious promises” given to us by the Lord.  Verse 5 lays out a foundational ladder for the believer to grow in fruitfulness of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The ladder is described as:faith; virtue; knowledge; self-control; perseverance; godliness; brotherly kindness; and love.  We note the second building block is virtue, or this quality of moral excellence, which we are to add to our faith.  We are ascending a ladder to grow closer in our relationship with the Lord, and to acquire, develop and refine Christlikeness. 

How do we have thoughts of virtue?  What is a virtuous thought and what does it have to do with our walk?  Our Lord will lead us through the power of the Holy Spirit in our thought patterns, so that they shift from anything destructive to constructive.  Thoughts of virtue are building images in our minds of things that have an intrinsic value and worth.  It is interesting to note that the word “virtue” also has a connotation of healing power.  In Luke 6:19(NKJV) it reads: “And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all.”   Thoughts of virtue are thoughts of obedience to God, thoughts of trusting God, loving Him and honoring Him. They include thoughts of worshiping and esteeming God.  From these thoughts our character is shaped and our conduct is based.  Make it real in your life.

June 13th, 2018

How Long will You Falter

“And Elijah came to all the people and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions?”  1 Kings 18:21

In 1 Kings 18, three years have gone by and Elijah returns to Ahab with the Lord’s promise to send rain.  In verse 19, Elijah requests that the prophets of Baal and Asherah (numbering 850) meet him on Mount Carmel, the place where pagan worship occurred.  It is noteworthy that Ahab called all of Israel to also come.  Elijah then uttered words that speak to us today, “How long will you falter between two opinions?”  In other words, choose sides!  He proceeded to challenge the prophets of Baal to see whose God was greater, by virtue of creating fire to consume a sacrifice.  Note that Elijah let the prophets of Baal choose first and be first in offering their sacrifice.  After hours of nothing happening, Elijah built an altar with 12 stones, made a trench, put water over the burnt offering three times and then prayed.  Instantly the sacrifice was consumed by fire.  Elijah then told Ahab to go eat and drink for the sound of rain was in the air.  Elijah then prayed seven times and the rain came. 

Ahab shared with Jezebel everything that had taken place with Elijah and she sent a message to Elijah that caused him to run for his life and want to die!  Chapter 19 indicates that Elijah hid, was fed by angels and then journeyed for 40 days and nights to Horeb, also know as Sinai.  This is the same place where God met Moses and spoke with him.  Now God met with Elijah and instructed him to return to the Wilderness of Damascus and anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha as future leaders.  The Lord also told Elijah that he wasn’t alone in this battle – that God had reserved 7000 in Israel who did not worship Baal. 

We are called to choose and remain steadfast with our choice.

June 12th, 2018

Christ Crucified

“But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Cor. 1:23-25

The world will declare things about us that are contrary to God’s word.  The Bible tells us that is foolishness, as 1 Corinthians 3:19 indicates: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.”  Without spiritual weapons, we would fail in the battle against the thoughts of the flesh.  Carnal weapons will lose every time in battling carnal thinking.  The two will end up on the same side!  We require the armor given to us by God and activated by the Holy Spirit to win the war of false thinking and worldly labels. 

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that the “message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  This is a powerful truth for us to get into our spirits.  We may be mocked or ridiculed for our faith – yet it is the very power of God at work through the cross that saves us!

The world may call you trapped.  Christ crucified calls you set free.  The world may label you homeless.  Christ crucified is preparing for you a mansion with many rooms.  The world may consider you disabled.  Christ crucified claims you are healed by His stripes.  The world may insist you are incomplete and insufficient.  Christ crucified declares you are complete in Him and His grace is sufficient for you.  Amen! 

June 11th, 2018

The Sign of Jonah

“So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.”  Jonah 3:3

Jonah was the only Old Testament prophet to speak directly to Gentiles.  He was from Galilee and gave encouragement to Jeroboam II about military conquests against the Assyrians, as we read in 2 Kings 14:25.  The book of Jonah focuses on his message to Assyria, specifically Nineveh, to repent.  Jonah is directed by the Lord to go to Nineveh and ask the people to repent and thus be shown mercy by God.  Jonah is shocked that God would want to spare the Assyrians!  They had already shown military power against Israel.  So Jonah went in the other direction, boarded a ship, faced a storm at sea, was thrown overboard, entered the belly of a whale for 3 days and nights, and was finally released.  Then he went to Nineveh and obeyed the Lord.  The people at Nineveh did repent, even the king.  This caused Jonah to be angry, yet God was gracious in explaining to Jonah the reasons for His desire to save the city of 120,000. 

One of the principles that emerged from this book is that of Gentile faith.  Luke 11:29-32 (as well as Matthew 12:38-42) state that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees of the day for demanding a sign.  He told them the only sign they would receive was the sign of Jonah.  The Pharisees refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah.

How often have we disagreed and rebelled against God’s gracious plan, only find ourselves as if in the belly of a fish for three days?

June 10th, 2018

Jesus, Out Intercessor

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Heb. 7:25

Right now, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and is interceding for us!  He is interceding for the lost!  We read in Hebrews 8:1: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens…”  He is our Mediator, the “one man in heaven” who is our representative to God! 

We might say our prayers are spoken in the following way:

Ø  We pray to God;

Ø  We pray in the Name of Jesus; and,

Ø  We pray through the Holy Spirit working in us.

Jesus interceded eloquently and powerfully in John, Chapter 17.  He prayed for Himself, then for His disciples, and next for all believers, who compose the church.  In essence, Jesus prayed for the following:

Ø  That God would be glorified;

Ø  That the disciples would be sanctified;

Ø  That the church would be unified. 

We can pray accordingly:

“Father, be glorified this day.  May Your Name be hallowed, as You are holy, just and true.  We pray O God that You would sanctify us by Your truth, for Your word is truth.  May Your truth set us apart this day.  Father, we pray for all those who believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, that we all may be one.  Thank You God, for sending Your Son, Jesus, to declare Your Name.  Thank You for the love with which You love Your Son is in us.  We exalt You, Everlasting Father, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

June 9th, 2018

The Power of the Blood

“The Lord said, ‘What have you done?  Listen!  Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”  Gen. 4:10

The passage in Gen 4:1-10 illustrates the power and significance of the blood.  We find in the first five verses that Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel.  Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.  The sons brought an offering to the Lord: Cain’s offering was from the ground and Abel’s was the firstborn of his flock.  The Lord respected Abel and his offering, but not Cain’s.  Cain became angry and his countenance fell.

There is so much in these verses – for now we can summarize:

• Cain’s offering was from the ground he tilled – an offering of self-righteousness that was rejected by the Lord;
• Abel’s offering was from the sheep he tended – and offering of the first and finest of the flock and a blood sacrifice that was accepted by the Lord;
• Cain became angry and his demeanor changed – sin enters into the picture!

Verses 6-10 continue as the Lord asks Cain a question that He knows the answer to.  The Lord warns Cain about sin just waiting for him.  This doesn’t sit well with Cain, and at some point Cain kills his brother, shedding his blood.  Again, the Lord asks Cain a question He knows the answer to.    And then in verse 10 we read, “What have you done?  The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” 

Anger had grown into resentment and then into violence and murder.  The blood of Abel had a voice that the Lord could hear – it spoke!  God cursed Cain, leaving him as a vagabond and fugitive, according to verse 12. 

 Lev. 17:11 it states, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is blood that makes atonement for your souls.”   These Old Testament examples point to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, whereby His blood made the atonement for our sins, and we could receive the gift of life everlasting, if we believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives.    If there are broken relationships – plead the blood.  If peace is needed, apply the blood.  If closeness to God is desired, plead the blood.  When we apply the blood of Jesus Christ, we are applying life-giving power to situations we face.

June 8th, 2018

The Family of God

“Dear woman, here is your son…here is your mother.”  John 19:26-27

The gospel of John 19:26-27 gives us the third saying of Jesus.  He speaks words of affection and hope to a woman and a man – Mary, his mother, and John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.  He addressed the woman who had remained, and the man who had returned, after abandoning Jesus.  Jesus spoke these words to them: “Woman, here is your son” and to John He spoke, “Here is your mother.”

As Jesus was departing, He was arranging the relationship of those who would remain.  His words of love and affection showed His concern for them, and yes, for us.  Christ took care of our spiritual family as He suffered on that cross.  He was establishing the church – the body of Christ, before He died.  He pointed the woman and the man to each other, so they would be united and connected through Christ, to one another.  It was the church, us here today, drawn by the power of God to care for one another, honor one another, prefer one another. As Jesus was demonstrating love by laying down His life for His friends – for us – He honored and preferred us.

Our spiritual family was placed in God’s divine order.  It was a beautiful portrait of devotion from the sinless Son of God.  The provisions of the will and testament were being secured before Jesus breathed His last breath.  He was setting the church in order.  He was instructing the mother and the apostle – the unrelated – that they would be connected.  This was done for us, so that we might, as strangers, be united and connected in Christ – that we might care for each other in a healthy, obedient way – bearing one another’s burdens while each of us carries our own load. He wanted us to know that we are never alone because of Him.  We are part of God’s family and we are related, we are forever connected, because of Jesus. 

Jesus spoke words of forgiveness.  He spoke words of redemption.  Now, He spoke these words of connection, of family.  All this was done from the cross.  Jesus continued to minister life while He neared death.   Behold the family of God.