March 10th, 2018

Proclaiming Who God Is

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands…”  Neh. 1:5

Nehemiah, whose name means “The Lord comforts,” was the cupbearer to the king of Persia.  In chapter 1, Nehemiah is informed by other Jewish survivors of the exile about the condition of his beloved Jerusalem.  The report given to Nehemiah states in 1:3 that “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace.  The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” 

For Nehemiah, what was broken in his life was Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah.  The city had been destroyed and laid in rubbles, causing Nehemiah to weep, mourn, fast and pray.  In 1:5 he begins to pray. Notice the way he opens the prayer: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands…”  Nehemiah begins by proclaiming who God is for him:

·         The Lord is God;
·         He is the God of heaven;
·         God is great and awesome; and
·         God keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands.

There is power in proclaiming who God is for us in a time of need!  As situations happen in our lives, God is ready to be known in a specific way; to reveal Himself and announce Himself and demonstrate Himself in that specific way. 

This gives us an idea of who God can be in our lives.  We can apply this in our lives by looking at what the Lord wants to rebuild in our lives and asking Him who He wants to be for us in this season of our lives.  Once we understand that, we can proclaim it!

March 9th, 2018

Forgiveness

“Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Lk. 23:42

It was midnight at midday.  The place was Calvary, scene of the greatest human ministry people have ever known.  It was a Friday and Jesus, having been arrested and charged with the label, King of the Jews, was demanded by the people to be crucified.  So He was brought to the hill, nailed to the cross, and as the hours passed by, Jesus ministered from that cross.  He ministered until the prophecies were fulfilled and He accomplished that which needed to be done.  He ministered in prayer from the cross, prayer even for His enemies.  Jesus spoke words of life from the cross – seven times He spoke – to fulfill and complete things.  One day I realized – He spoke those words for me.

Luke 23:42 indicates that Jesus spoke from the cross: “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Bloodied, beaten and nailed, Jesus’ first spoken words were words of forgiveness.  Forgive them:  the Roman soldiers; forgive them, the politicians; forgive them, the Jewish priests.  Father, said the Son, forgive them – they don’t know what it is that they do.  They all failed to understand the fullness of WHAT they were doing to Jesus.  It was after the beating, the whipping, the questioning, the accusing – it was AFTER all of that, when Jesus hung from that cross, that He asked His Father to forgive them.

I began to realize Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive her.  Forgive them.  They don’t know what they do.”  I began to see in my heart that in the moments, the hours of the cross, Jesus identified with me – with all of us.  There He was, afflicted, beaten, and accused.  I understood that Jesus had to ask His Father to forgive – forgive all of us – because Jesus hung there for us.  He was my substitute, not in the place of authority, but in the place of sacrifice.  I realized I’d sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  His first spoken words released me, cleansed me.  I was forgiven, as His blood flowed.  I accepted His forgiveness and was set free.

March 8th, 2018

Out of the Darkness

“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 its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!”  Isa. 49:8-9

The Bible addresses all matters of evil and darkness and shadows.  The prophet Isaiah speaks to coming out of darkness in this passage.    The Lord encourages the captives and those who are in darkness to come out and be free.

The enemy wants to keep us trapped in darkness.  He desires that we stumble in the shadows and be bound by fear, anxiety, and depression.  Jesus is the Light of the World and the last thing the enemy wants is for us to turn to Jesus, talk to Jesus, and confide in Jesus how we feel and what we are experiencing.  As Christians we are “little-lights” and so darkness does not want us confiding in Christians either.  When we share the truth about a painful experience, it is bringing the evil done in the shadows out into the light.  The light shines upon darkness and darkness cannot withstand it.  Something very powerful happens when we bring the things of the dark into the light – they are no longer hidden. 

As long as things remain in the shadows, we will have secrets.  Some have heard the words, “Don’t tell anyone.  Who will believe you?”  So secrets are kept.  When the truth invades secrets, things change.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – He comes into our shadows and meets us at the place of deep darkness.  He can break those chains of shadows and secrets right off us, as He has been given all power and authority.  Secrets weigh us down, the truth sets us free.  If something is keeping you captive, confide in Jesus and let Him help you escape the darkness and walk into His victorious light.

March 7th, 2018

Sorrow Turned into Joy

“Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.  A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.  Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.  And in that day you will ask Me nothing.  Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.  Until now you have asked nothing in My name, ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:20-24

There is a beautiful progression that occurs in chapters 15-17 of John’s Gospel.  John 15 begins with Jesus instructing the disciples about the significance of abiding (or remaining) in relationship with the true Vine.  From that abiding relationship will be fruit, pruning, and then even more fruit.  Jesus then tells the disciples to abide in His love, which is done by keeping His commandments.  Then in verse 11 we discover one of the results of abiding in Him and in His love is that Jesus will give us His joy and it will remain!  It is added to our joy, and our joy then becomes full.  This is a combination package of joy: the joy of Jesus and our joy.  In Gal. 5:22 we read that one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy.  This fruit is established in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.

John 16:20-24 describes the process of sorrow turning to joy.  Jesus has told the disciples about the coming Helper (John 15:26), the Holy Spirit, and now He is letting them know that His time is drawing near to leave them.  When He is crucified, the disciples will experience sorrow, even while the world rejoices.  However, the world will not have the final say!  Jesus tells His friends that He will see them again and “your joy no one will take from you.”  Beloved this is the “inexpressible joy” Peter writes about in 1Peter 1:8 – the joy of being united with Jesus.  “Though sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning,” according to Ps. 30:5.  This is powerful! 

Have you lost a loved one?  Have you suffered from deep sorrow and mourning over what you do not have?  Friend, Jesus has the last word on your situation and He has given you His joy to use as a weapon in the battle you are facing.  He is writing even now that joy is coming to you.  Jesus walks with you through your journey of sorrow and rejoices with you in your time of joy.

March 6th, 2018

See What God Says

"And I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart.  And watch to see what He will say to me.  And what I will answer when I am corrected."  Hab. 2:1

Here Habakkuk stands in the palisades and waits and watches and hears what his God has to say. Habakkuk was concerned about the circumstances that surrounded him. It broke his heart to see the   plundering and violence and destruction. There was an apparent reign of unrighteousness surrounding him. Habakkuk inquired of God , "Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble?    He knew he would find the ultimate answer in God Himself.   When his eyes gazed upon the destruction of the land that the invading armies manifested, Habakkuk  knew that he must diligently seek God.    On those palisades and ramparts Habakkuk positioned himself to "warrior pray" and to wait and watch and see what God would say and do. 

Today, look around. There is so much to pray for worldwide.   Is someone sick, is there a world issue that needs great prayer for our land, is there a provisional need, a calling to move forward and involve yourself in Ministry?  Did you have a vision or a dream and want to inquire of God about it?  Are you desiring to  further Kingdom Purposes, multiplying the Kingdom but you are afraid?   

Then raise yourself up.  Go and stand at attention in the ramparts.  Pray with all your being God's Word and wait and watch and see what He will say.

 

As you stand at attention and listen to the promptings and heeding of the Holy Spirit,  there is not a more precious and intimate moment.  It is a great time of loving Him, fellowshipping with Him and receiving the answer! 

March 5th, 2018

Prayer of Faith

"The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up."  James 5:15

Feeling like you are defeated today? Are you experiencing physical or emotional sickness? 

Good news.  We can pray fervently wherever we are. 

Just like this verse tells us, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, but he prayed fervently that it would not rain and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years.

So ordinary woman or man, pray in faith believing for the answer to any petition you want to bring before HIM. Any concern.  The Power of the Holy Spirit shall become present to glorify Jesus in HIS healing works. The Lord promises that the "effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much.".

What a promise.  Grasp this truth, for it is health to your flesh. 

March 4th, 2018

Following the Presence of God

“See the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.”  Joshua 3:11

The Ark of the Covenant was the place where God’s presence rested.  For all of Israel’s history, the ark carried great significance.  Where the Ark was, God was.  When God moved, the Israelites would pack up the tabernacle and move with Him.  In other words, they followed His presence.

In the book of Joshua, the Israelites are preparing to cross the Jordan River and enter the long-awaited Promised Land.  It is interesting that the Jordan symbolizes low places – how often we have to go through low places in order to scale the heights.  Joshua instructs the people to follow the ark, as it will go into the Jordan ahead of them.

Friends, Jesus did just that for us.  He went ahead of each of us to the lowest depth, in order that we might be able to cross through the Jordan and reach our Promised Land.  When Jesus went to the cross, it was just like the waters of the Jordan backing up from Adam to Zarethan (from A to Z).  We were then able to do something we would not have been able to do on our own.  What a great and gracious King!

We are called to follow His presence.  When we see God moving, get ready to move.  When He settles in for a season, settle in.  Even when He goes to places we don’t understand or haven’t traveled to before, by faith we are called to go.  Jesus is leading the way for us and will be with us as we go.