Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | October 16, 2013

SPOTLESS and CLEAN (part 1)


“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. … Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him. … Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. … God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. … He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” (Isaiah 64:6; Daniel 9:13,14; 1 John 3:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24)

This past week my husband and I had been driving an hour or so and I noted that there seemed to be a lot more police cars stopping travelers. I also noted that some of the police vehicles had no official markings other than their flashing lights. When I was young we called these unmarked cars “ghost cars.” I commented, “It doesn’t seem right that the police can use ghost cars; it gives them an unfair advantage.” Immediately these three thoughts came to me: (I) if you are doing right you shouldn’t fear the law, (2) what if you are BLIND to the fact that you are doing anything wrong, (3) if it’s there but I/we can’t see it, it must be a ghost. I shared my thoughts with my husband and he brought up a word I’d never heard before; “GHOSTING”.

When I got home I looked up the full meaning of the word and want to share what I found with you. I feel in my spirit you may need to have knowledge of it for some future date. Ghosting (uncountable) is (1) the practice of hiding prisoners from inspection from (possibly hostile) outside inspectors, (2) the effect that interference caused by a multi-path reception problem has on a television screen, (3) ghost imaging (look this up on Google…very interesting), and (4) a form of identity theft in which someone STEALS THE IDENTITY (even their role within society) of a specific dead person who is not widely known to be deceased (Wikipedia’s Wiktionary).

Several passages of Scripture address the inability of many to see or hear because their hearts are hardened due to the sin of UNBELIEF. In the spiritual realm this would be like someone who is dead and I believe that it is UNBELIEF that steals our IDENTITY IN CHRIST!

“Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would NOT BELIEVE in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet (53: 1): ‘Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ For this reason they could not believe, because as Isaiah says elsewhere (6: 9, 10): ‘He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.’ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him. Yet at the same time many;even among the leaders, believed in Him. However, because of the Pharisees, they would NOT CONFESS THEIR FAITH FOR FEAR they would be put out of the synagogue… “for they loved the praise of men more than the praise from God” (John 12:37-42; Proverbs 28:14; John 4:48; 6:35,36).

Many of us can quote John 3:16 but do we BELIEVE what Jesus spoke to Nicodemus? “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life… Whoever BELIEVES in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (17, 18). Today and in the coming days, each of us need to put Jesus Christ FIRST in our life! He should be FIRST on our daily calendar of things to do. We need to be in God’s Word and in His Presence in stillness and in prayer; continually rather than sporadically!

It is always a blessing when the LORD confirms what He is reveals to us; it increases our personal faith and it also affirms that what we are hearing is what others in His body are also hearing or seeing (Galatians 3: 28; Ephesians 4: 4). This week I’d like to share what two friends wrote to me as their words offer us a challenge and also reveal God’s heart in this hour.

Monday, August 3rd E. E. writes:
“I received an invitation to preach in a certain church and as I was praying for this mission I got a vision about the people of this church in which I saw all the people of this church in prison. Some were in very dirty clothes and some a little bit clean and a very few of them had clean clothes. When I prayed, God told me to make deliverance on their lives. I request you pray for this mission so God may use me to do His work.”

Friday, August 7th K. K. writes:
“During worship on Wednesday night, I was blessed to see this picture that God was painting for me. I saw a simple window. It was a double window, like a sliding glass door opening onto a deck. The window was totally blacked out on the left side. It looked as if it had been spray-painted black. There was total darkness, depression, and despair on that side of the window. The right side was sparkling clear and I could see the words ‘joy, peace, happiness, revival, restoration, and healing, etc.’ in bold 3-D letters just bouncing all over the place on the other side of that window. I so longed to open the window and enjoy all those good things (the blessings of the Lord) on that side of the window! I began to do everything I could to scrape off the black paint from the left side. I used a razor blade and I scraped until I was totally exhausted and it would go away in spots but then the black paint would come back over and over again. Nothing I could do would clean that side of the window and make it like the other side. I gave up on cleaning up the junk on the left side and began struggling to open the window which was made to open from the right side. I tugged and tugged and couldn’t get it open. I found a big brick and tried to break the window to get out of the darkness and into the light and into God’s blessings but the window was like rubber and wouldn’t break. Then all of a sudden I believe God spoke just so clear to me, ‘K, just unlock the window and open it; your freedom is right on the other side of that window.’ I was making it so complicated and hard, trying to do it on my own, to be good enough, to be deserving of God’s blessings and His grace; when all I really had to do was open my heart and trust Him and His love for me! I can’t clean up my own life and fix all the mistakes and wrongs; JESUS is my only way to freedom, I just need to open the window!”

Ephesians 5: 13-16 says, “But everything exposed by light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. That is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful how you live; not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” No one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return. He tells us in Mark 13: 32-37 to “Be on guard! Be alert! Keep watch! If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping.”

The LORD would say unto you:
“Blessed are those who cleanse themselves by taking heed to My Word, who learn My principles and meditate upon Me, who keep their eyes open to the wondrous things I am doing, who choose the way of truth and wholeheartedly obey it, who walk in liberty and are not ashamed to speak My Truth. Blessed are those who sing songs of praise and rise in the night to watch and give thanks; for their hearts shall be healthy, their minds sound, their power great, and their habitation safe.”

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | October 11, 2013

REFUGE WHEN A LEVEE IS BREACHED


“And Jehoash said to the priests, ‘All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passes the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the LORD, let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.’ But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had NOT repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, ‘Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? Now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.’ …But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD” (2 Kings 12: 1-7, 14).

None of us are immune to the battering of storms and all of us are at various places in our journey through this life. Not one of us can judge what another is going through or how they should go through it because none of us are ever going to be exactly in another person’s place or situation. However, if for just a moment we take our focus OFF the storm and focus on Him, our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer; He will take our hand and lift us up and above the overwhelming flood (Nahum 1: 7, 8).

As a believer, I am comforted by words in the passage found in 1 Peter 2: 1-10; “As you come to Him, the living Stone — rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious to Him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.’ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.’… ” Hallelujah!

A levee (wall) prevents river water from flooding the adjoining countryside; however, it will also confine the flow of the river, resulting in higher and faster water flow. Levees are also built as field boundaries and as military defenses. A levee is only as strong as its weakest point, the height and standards of construction have to be consistent along its length and it requires a strong governing authority to guide the work. They are usually built on a cleared and level surface; broad at the base with tapering to a level top.

A dry-stone wall is one specific type of levee and as I read about it, it reminded me that as a believer I am sort of like one of the stones used in this wall constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. This type of levee is usually very stable because of the unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing façade of carefully-selected interlocking stones. There are several methods of constructing dry stone walls, depending on the quantity and type of stones available. A double wall is constructed by placing two rows of stones along the boundary to be walled. The rows are composed of large flattish stones. Smaller stones may be used as chocks in areas where the natural stone shape is more rounded. The walls are built up to the desired height layer by layer (line upon line smile ), and at intervals, large tie-stones are placed which span both faces of the wall. These have the effect of bonding what would otherwise be two thin walls leaning against each other. The FINAL layer on the top of the wall consists of large stones called cap stones, coping stones, or copes. As with tie stones, the cap stones span the entire width of the wall and prevent it from breaking apart. (see Ephesians 2: 19-22). Different regions have made minor modifications to the general method of construction—but, whichever method is used to build the dry stone wall, considerable skill is required. Selection of the correct stone for every position in the wall makes an enormous difference to the lifetime of the finished work; and a skilled Waller will take His time making the selection.

However, on the river side (Psalm 1: 3), erosion from strong waves or currents presents a great threat to the integrity of the levee. The effects of erosion can be countered by planting willows, weighted matting, etc. over and into areas of weakness. These man-made levees can fail in a number of ways and the most frequent form of levee failure is a breach. A breach is when part of the levee actually breaks away, leaving a large opening for water (or the enemy) to flood the land protected by the levee. If for a moment you could visualize yourself as a stone in a wall; is there something in your personal life that is eroding your relationship with God? Each of us must seriously consider if we are attempting to pile up a whole lot of spiritual jargon, rituals, and works to plug up the fact that there is a crack starting to weaken our position in the wall.

Today many of you are “walking the walk”. You have repented and turned away from sin; having great faith and trust in the Lord. You may also feel that you have a great relationship with God. BUT THEN one day a breach occurs in your life. One thing about a breach is that it can occur suddenly or it may also be due to a gradual failure that is caused either by surface erosion or by subsurface failure of the levee. Over the years, I have seen some of the following storms that have caused some breaches in my life and in the lives of many others: the doctor tells you that you have cancer; you find out your son is doing drugs; your 14 year old daughter tells you she is pregnant; your house burns to the ground; there is a tornado that blows everything you own away; a recession hits and you lose your job; your husband/wife tells you they are leaving; you log on to a porno site and start chatting with the wrong people, etc. You feel that you cannot cope; discouragement sets in and then depression; you just can’t go on.

An example of the enemy’s methods to erode the stones in the walls of God’s house is found in Nehemiah. “But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.…

And Judah said, ‘The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so we are not able to build the wall.’ And our adversaries said, ‘They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and cause the work to cease” (4: 7-11).

When we are driven by fear, we often search everywhere for comfort, advice, and relief, hoping to find an easy way out of our troubles. Many of us look to the things of the world to block out the pounding of the waves around us rather than looking to the One who can calm the storm (Matthew 14: 22-32; Mark 4: 35-41). God is merciful and He will place various people (other rocks) around us to support and encourage us when we are weakened by the storm’s assault. But, I remind you that God is our Refuge (Psalm 9: 9; 46: 1-3; 91: 2) and Jesus is the solid capstone, or cornerstone (Matthew 21: 42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2: 7; Revelation 5: 10) and this wall we are part of is NOT made by the hands of man (Acts 7: 48-50). Hallelujah!

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | October 3, 2013

COMMISSIONING KINGDOM DISCIPLES


“For YOU ARE ALL SONS OF GOD through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized INTO Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s SEED, and HEIRS according to the promise.” (Galatians 3: 26-29)

The same day you accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, you were inducted into His kingdom service. Whether you are a new recruit or an officer, you will be called to give witness to WHO it is you are fighting for and WHAT it is that you believe in. God personally decides where your weaknesses are and be assured, He will arrange circumstances that provide opportunity for further training and strengthening in those areas. He also places you where you will be effective right NOW. You are in ACTIVE DUTY from the first day of induction. There will be no time when you can say, “I’m finished and I’m out of here” … until the end of the battle (1 Corinthians 13: 11, 12). Where you live, your job, family, friends; all are part of your personal mission/training field for this moment in time. God has given you weapons of war (gifts, talents, resources, etc.) to take the land you’re in right now for His kingdom and for His glory (Matthew 25: 14-29)!

I want to share a few thoughts regarding the commissioning of Jesus’ disciples for the mission He has planned.

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you'” (John 20: 21).

We are SENT by Jesus Christ. We are not sent because of the “needs of the people”, but by the COMMAND of Jesus! The Source of our inspiration in service (Psalm 37: 4) is behind us, not ahead of us. We often tend to sweep everything together in front of us and try to make it CONFORM to OUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS. The goal is to be true to Him, to His plan. I believe one of the great deceptions today is the “seduction of the secondary”. It keeps us from daily communion with Jesus. We become so overwhelmed with things and needs we see as important, we forget the need for close communication with God’s Spirit who is giving moment-to-moment orders and strategies (Proverbs 12: 15; 22: 17; John 14: 15-17).

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28: 18-20).

Jesus did NOT say, “Go and save souls”. He said, “Go…make disciples…” and you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. The greatest tool of ministry that God gives to you is “YOU”. WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE, or NOT SEE IN YOU? In John 13: 15 Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (1 Peter 2: 21-24; 1 John 2: 6). Often the saving of souls becomes a passion that is NOT God directed; but is from a personal desire to make converts to our own point of view (Acts 15: 4-11). SALVATION is a supernatural work of God’s. We do NOT do the saving, He does. To become ABLE disciples, we have to KNOW Him intimately in order to become LIKE Him in character (John 14; 7-11).

I have often heard that in a marriage, the couple seems to become even physically alike as the years go by. They KNOW what the other is going to say before they say it and what the other is thinking without asking, and so on. It is understandable because they spend time together and go through many life-events together. Over the years they JUST KNOW all there is to know about their mate. A good disciple will seek that same kind of intimacy with Jesus and over time he/she will become Christ-like in all areas of their life (1 Corinthians 13: 9-12).

“…because they went forth for His name’s sake…” (3 John 5-8).

The key for each of us as missionaries is to be ATTACHED to NOTHING and to no one; EXCEPT our LORD! Jesus was in touch with the everyday things in life but, He maintained an INNER DETACHMENT from the things around Him. He continually looked to God, His Father for every need (John 6: 35-40). When we focus on and maintain our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus, through the presence of His Spirit within; our hearts become filled with His great love. It is HIS LOVE that effectively works in us as we obediently make contact with all those He places around us, RIGHT WHERE WE ARE! (1 Thessalonians 2: 13; 1 John 4: 17-19)

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal knowledge of him. For we are to God, the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life” (2 Corinthians 2: 14-16).

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 28, 2013

HE MOVES YOUR MOUNTAIN


“…Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it WILL MOVE; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17: 14-21).

The disciples were unable to drive out this demon and they asked Jesus why. The disciples had been given the authority to do healing, but they had not yet learned how to appropriate the power of God. His disciples were a reflection of the unbelieving and perverse generation they lived among. In this passage Jesus wasn’t criticizing His disciples, but as with us today, He encourages us to greater faith and “faith comes by hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10: 17). We must also remember that it is God Who moves mountains, BUT OUR FAITH MUST BE PRESENT as well. The mustard seed is a very tiny seed; yet Jesus points out that even small or undeveloped faith is sufficient.

I traveled to the “Big Island” of Hawaii three years ago. The greatest part of the island is composed of thick layers of black, volcanic rock. When we were driving I thought it was unlikely that any vegetation would be ever grow in such an environment that had an obvious lack of soil, extremes in heat, and little water. We had stopped to take some pictures and there under a crevice of one of these great slabs of volcanic rock there was a tiny fern growing. I was so excited. As we traveled on, I noticed many little tufts of fern and various grasses struggling to keep living. It reminded me of the concept of “SEED FAITH”. God has a way for getting your needs met and for solving your problems. The way He does it is rooted in your FAITH BECOMING A SEED.

When we plant a seed, God changes the nature of that seed so that it becomes a plant. The power of life surges in that tender, young plant to such an extent that even a mountain of earth or rock CANNOT STOP IT FROM PUSHING UPWARD! Hallelujah! Jesus says our faith in God is like a seed. When we put our faith into action, that is, when we RELEASE IT TO GOD, it takes on a totally new nature. It takes on the nature of a miracle in the making! When we are faced with a situation where we see no way out; we need to humbly seek to know where God is in that situation (John 5: 17). Jesus listened to the voice of the Father and He watched Him. You need to KNOW God’s will (written for us in His Word) and then base your prayers upon it. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift or fruit of Holy Spirit to manifest. When He witnesses His desire to do something, you can then ask Him to perform the miracle you know He wants to bring about. It is also important to exercise the spoken word. God has GIVEN US AUTHORITY over diseases, demons, sicknesses, storms, and finances (Genesis 1: 28; Matthew 10: 1; Mark 16: 16-20; Luke 10: 19). Often, we keep asking God to act, when in fact, He calls us to employ His authority with divinely empowered speech. We are to declare God’s Word (His authority) over our situation, in Jesus’ name (John 14: 9-14; 1 John 5: 13, 14)!

What is the mountain in your life? Loneliness, loss of a job, disease, wounded relationships, trouble in your home? Something else? Brother and sister BE ENCOURAGED! Jesus shows us the way to see that mountain removed; He is our Provider (Genesis 22: 8-19) vs. 14 “And Abraham called the name of the place, ‘The-LORD-Will-Provide.’ His mercy is NEW every morning and He is FAITHFUL to all His promises (Lamentations 3: 22-24; 2 Corinthians 1: 20-22)! Praise the LORD!

First, God says that you have a measure of faith (Romans 12: 3). It is resident within you.

Second, God says that this faith comes alive by “hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10: 17).

Third, God says that you can apply your faith to see your daily needs met. How? You DO something as an act of your faith. You sow the ‘mustard seed smallness of your faith’ INTO an ACT OF LOVE (Matthew 17: 20). LOOK TO JESUS and His promise… “Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he WILL have whatever he says” (Mark 11: 23).

“Fear not those places of trials and suffering; let not your faith be hindered in these desert places for I say unto you, ‘Prepare to see Me change these barren places into places that radiate My glory!’ I say unto you, ‘Every valley in your life will be raised up and every mountain you think is immovable will be made low, yes, even removed under the glory of My Presence.’ Your life will be as polished steel and My glory and healing power will be released through you to those cowering in the darkness of oppression.”

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 20, 2013

FAITH IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY:


COMPLETE TRUST IN GOD

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (Jude 3; Philippians 1: 27, 28; Ephesians 4: 1-3; 1 Timothy 6: 12; Ephesians 6: 11, 12; Proverbs 24: 10; 2 Corinthians 12: 9, 10).

Faith means: belief, confidence, trust, security, assurance, certainty, conviction, persuasion. ‘The faith’ consists of the gospel proclaimed by Christ and the apostles. It is the fixed and unalterable truth, given by Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3: 14, 15) and embodied in the New Testament. However, ‘the faith’ is more than objective truth; it is a way of life to be lived in love and purity (Colossians 1: 9-14). In order to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, we must be strengthened by His power. It is a kingdom that comes in power to baptize all believers in the Holy Spirit, that they may proclaim the gospel to all nations (Mark 16: 15-18) with signs and miracles (Matthew 10: 1; 28: 18-20; John 10: 25; Acts 10: 38). It is an ongoing experience of receiving from God his own life; nothing else can enable us to overcome sin, Satan, and the world (Philippians 4: 13). Those of us who are faithful to Christ have a solemn obligation to contend for the faith (1 Timothy 6: 11-16).

Contend (Gk epagonizomai) describes the battle that the faithful believer must fight in defense of the faith. The word ‘fight’ is from the Greek word meaning “agonize.” Our Christian life is a fight, an intense struggle that requires persevering loyalty to Christ and it requires a personal defense of the gospel in whatever occupation or place that He has you situated in today (yes, even you mothers staying at home). Contending for the faith also means that we must take a direct stand against those within the visible church who deny the Bible’s authority or distort the ancient faith as presented by Christ and the apostles. It is important that the gospel message is NOT weakened by compromise of its authority, distorting its truth, or explaining away its power and promises. But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in Him it has always been ‘YES.’ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him, the “Amen” (see Revelation 3: 14) is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is GOD who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, and set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1: 18-22). “Amen” is a proclamation that expresses confidence in God’s love and faithfulness and the certainty of His promises. It is the VOICE OF FAITH, reaffirming and identifying with the truth of Christ’s unshakeable gospel!

Mustard Seed Faith: It is important that each of us honestly assess our “faith level.” There are several in people in the New Testament who are examples of faith and their faith is at various levels. I will leave it to you to check each of them out in Judges 6, Mark 8: 22-25, Matthew 14: 28-31, and Matthew 8: 5-13. Whether these people had little or great faith is relatively unimportant. If you exercise your faith (whatever amount) it is enough to please God and He will do what needs to be done and more! Jesus says, “…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. NOTHING will be IMPOSSIBLE for you” (Matthew 17: 20).

True faith is effective faith that produces results. It will move mountains. True faith is not a belief in “faith” as a force or power, but it is “faith in God” (Mark 11: 22-25). It is a work of God within each of our hearts as Christians (Philippians 2: 13) as it involves a divinely imparted awareness to our hearts that our prayers are answered. It is created within us by Holy Spirit; we CANNOT PRODUCE IT IN OUR OWN MINDS (Romans 12: 2, 3). Since true faith is a gift imparted to us by Christ, it is MOST IMPORTANT to draw near to Christ and His Word and to deepen our COMMITMENT (CONTEND) to, and confidence in Him (Philippians 3: 15-21). We are dependent on Him for EVERYTHING; “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-8; Hebrews 4: 14-16). We MUST SEEK HIM FIRST; He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12: 1-3). His close PRESENCE and our OBEDIENCE to His Word are the source and secret of true faith. Faith is under God’s control and it is given on the basis of His love, wisdom, grace, and for His kingdom purpose. It is given to accomplish His will and to express His love for us; not to be used for our own selfish agenda (James 4: 1-8).

The reality of all I have written is that it is not always easy for us to be faithful to Him. UNBELIEF negates His ability to do much in our lives; it actually neutralizes His ability to work within our lives (Matthew 9: 27-30; Mark 5: 25-36). A good example of this is recorded in Matthew 13: 53-58. I am contending for faith in Christ’s Word and in Mark 9 He outlines our need for personal recognition of our unbelief and need for Him. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into the fire or water to kill him. But, IF you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If You can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF” (vs. 21-24)! I give Him praise that He understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4: 14-16). We MUST CONFESS our lack of faith and pray that He would give us the faith that is needed to move our personal mountains. Hallelujah!

Dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Study God’s Word and make a determined effort to know the truth and teachings within the Scriptures; pray in the Spirit for He will inspire, guide, energize, sustain, and help you do battle in your praying; be faithful in your obedience to God’s Word; and finally and most importantly, stay IN LOVE WITH HIM; stay close to Him and bask in His presence for as long as you possibly can each day. For then you WILL SEE GREAT FAITH ARISE IN YOUR HEART and your strength to stand WILL BE

The LORD would say unto you…
“My beloved, it is My desire to contend with those who contend with you. I will fight against those who fight against you. Activate your faith. I am your Shield and your Buckler and I will always be with you to come against those who pursue you. Trust Me. Your enemies will be as chaff before the wind of My Spirit. Believe Me. I call on you to hold onto what faith you have, be bold and call upon Me when you feel it is faltering, for it is your faith that activates the promises I have given to you. Do not fear man, but stand firm for what you know is true. Great will be your witness and great will be the harvest. Little is much when I am in it.”

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 13, 2013

Christ: Our Barrier To The World

“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” (1Corinthians 1: 30).

“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1: 13, 14).

This word “redemption” is the key word and it has a great deal to do with the world. The Israelites were “redeemed” out of Egypt, which is for us a figure of this world under satanic rule. “So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders” (Deuteronomy 26: 8). What does this mean for us today? It means everything! If God has placed us IN CHRIST, then because Christ is altogether out of the world, we too are altogether out of the world. HE is now our sphere; and because we are IN HIM, we are by definition out of the world (Colossians 1: 13, 14). If God has placed us in Christ and Christ is “made unto us redemption” – then that means that within us God has set Christ Himself as the BARRIER to resist the world. Hallelujah!

I am certain that all of us have made attempts to resist the world and failed miserably. The reason we failed was that the effort was impossible from the beginning and trying to be unworldly is not only impossible, it;s unnecessary. It is because of the indwelling of Christ that the world cannot reach me. This knowledge is of utmost importance to every believer for this VERY DAY and for the ones to come. Each of us need to KNOW who we are IN HIM before we allow the tyranny of unrealistic expectations bring discouragement. I do not need to try to resist or escape this world’s system of things. If I look within “myself” for something with which to overcome the world, I will INSTANTLY find everything within me crying out FOR that world; and if I struggle to detach myself from it, I simply will become more and more involved ( see Romans 7: 14- 25). But, let that day come when I RECOGNIZE THAT WITHIN ME CHRIST IS MY REDEMPTION and that IN HIM I AM ALTOGETHER OUT OF THIS WORLD; that will see the end of my struggling. I will be able to confidently tell HIM that I can do nothing about this “world business,” but I thank Him with all my heart that He is my Redeemer. It is my prayer that each of us will come to FULLY COMPREHEND and LIVE in this truth (Ephesians 1: 18-23; 3: 16-21; 4: 9-16)!

It is also important that each of us “count the cost” of discipleship. When the world meets IN US a natural human (humanistic philosophy) honesty and decency, it appreciates this and is ready to pay us due respect. But as soon as it meets that in us which is NOT OF OURSELVES, namely the Person of Christ, its hostility is at once aroused. For let the world evolve as it will, it can never produce one Christian. A so-called “Christian civilization” like ours here in America gains the recognition and respect of the world. The world can tolerate that; it can even assimilate and utilize that. But, Christian life – the LIFE OF CHRIST in the believer – that the world hates; and wherever the world meets it, it will oppose it to the death (John 15: 18-25).

Light Shines Above Darkness Christians have a vital place in the world; we are here to let His LIGHT shine in the darkness all around us, bringing glory to God, our heavenly Father. In His prayer to Father on behalf of each of us (John 17) Jesus says, “I do not pray that You take them from the world, but that You keep them safe from the evil one.” I believe many who profess to KNOW Jesus want to know Him only at a comfortable distance (see Exodus 20: 18-21). There are some who want a ministry, but they want it founded on their own terms. When we try to do something that God has not called us to, it eventually becomes a heavy burden. Often, the resulting “spiritual dryness, depression, or discouragement” becomes equated with “resisting the devil” (James 4: 7) when the truth is that we are trying to deal with the results of our own choices. The incurably religious people will often try to overcome the world by simply conforming to it.

We were created distinct from the world and we are to accept with JOY the fact that God has placed us in it! The LIFE of Christ within us is the only safeguard we need; for where there is TRUE LIFE, there should be no fear of the world (John 10: 10; 16: 33). The enemy can ONLY BE OVERCOME by the Blood of the LAMB (Revelation 12: 10). You resist him by HIDING IN CHRIST. Jesus simply wants to LIVE HIS LIFE WITHIN US. It is Christ Himself who is speaking, witnessing, fathering, befriending, writing and singing through us! True FAITH is NOT about you trying; it IS about you DYING (John 3: 30). “… For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1: 19-21).

One of my favorite authors is Watchman Nee and over the past few weeks I have been rereading some of his work. Many of the thoughts I expressed today stem from what he addressed in various books. He was indeed a true “son of God” and his life expressed what he entitled one of his books, “A Man of Suffering.” He lived in China and was imprisoned in 1952 for his unfailing love and commitment to Jesus Christ. He died in prison after fourteen years of relentless torture. YET, he never failed to give God praise and thanksgiving for where he was each day. Many prisoners and guards came to know JESUS through his witness of Christ’s unfailing love through all our trials. IN CHRIST, Watchman stood outside the world! Could you?

Charles Wesley… “Father, In Whom We Live”

“Father, in whom we live; in whom we are, and move; the glory, power, and praise receive; for Thy creating love.

Incarnate Deity (JESUS); let all the ransomed race; render in thanks their lives to Thee; for Thy redeeming grace.

Spirit of Holiness; let all Thy saints adore Thy sacred energy; and bless Thine heart renewing power.

ETERNAL, TRIUNE LORD; let all the hosts above; let all the sons of men, record and dwell in Thy love.”

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 10, 2013

What Is Next Papa?


Thomas said, ‘Master, we have no idea where You’re going. How do You expect us to know the road?’ Jesus said, ‘I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him. You’ve even seen Him!’ Philip said, “Master, show us the Father, then we’ll be content.’ ‘You’ve been with Me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see Me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on My own. The Father who resides IN ME CRAFTS EACH WORD INTO A DIVINE ACT. BELIEVE ME: I am in My Father and My Father is in Me. IF YOU CAN’T BELIEVE THAT, BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE—THESE WORKS. The person who TRUSTS Me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, Because I, on My way to the Father, am giving you the SAME WORK to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From NOW ON, whatever you request along the lines of WHO I AM and WHAT I AM DOING, I’ll do it. That’s HOW the Father WILL BE SEEN in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.’ ‘…In just a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you’re going to see Me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that MOMENT you WILL KNOW ABSOLUTELY that I’m in the Father, and you’re in Me, and I’m in you. The person who knows My commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves Me. And the person who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and make Myself plain to him’ …’Because a LOVELESS world’, said Jesus, ‘is a SIGHTLESS world. If anyone loves Me, he will CAREFULLY KEEP MY WORD and My Father will love him—We’ll move right into the neighborhood! NOT LOVING ME means not keeping My Words…’ (John 14: 5-23).

The past several weeks I have felt in my spirit like God describes in Deuteronomy 28: 15, “The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron.” I have earnestly been seeking God with the question, “Why am I unable to see results to the many prayers I have offered on behalf of others? Your Word (above) says that we will do greater things than Jesus did. I have listened attentively to many sermons and read many books about how we get what we pray for …sooner, or perhaps it was later. Yet, I personally have seen few manifestations of DIVINE deliverance (demons being driven from the addicted), healing (of the many with various cancers), the lame miraculously walking, the deaf suddenly hearing, or sight being restored in those I have and am praying for. I see many people who say they are saved and set free doing the same thing they did before salvation. So, I ask You, LORD, ‘Where is the manifestation of what You said we would do in Your name? Why can’t we heal the sick and set the captives free with a SIMPLE little prayer like You used, ‘Be healed’ and they were? If it is due to my unbelief, I ask that You increase my ability to believe. Please show me LORD.”

Holy Spirit took me to Romans, chapters 8-10. All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it is not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for FULL deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are ENLARGED in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us, but the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy! I have been pregnant in the natural and I definitely did enlarge and I was not thrilled about it then and I KNOW I would not be any more thrilled now. I can honestly say that in the last few weeks my joyful expectancy was wearing VERY thin! I truly believe that this is the “phase of the birthing process” that many “overcomers” are presently going through.

God’s Word continues to say that the moment we get tired in the waiting, Holy Spirit is right alongside helping us along. He is our “Birthing Coach.” He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that EVERY DETAIL in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the life of His Son. JESUS stands FIRST in the line of humanity He restored and we are to see the original and intended shape of our lives in Him.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, and with Holy Spirit as our Coach, how can we lose? Well, we can if we think we can do it on our own. Perhaps you are here, thinking there is absolutely NO NEED for all the fuss involved in the process of “delivery”; only a “sissy” would need a Coach. You have become obsessed with your own moral muscle and are so absorbed in this “God Project” that you haven’t noticed the sharpness of the last contraction. Anyone completely absorbed in “self” ignores God and we often forget about the need for “delivery preparation.” We have limited our vision to seeing only the “product of our own labor” rather than listening to the One who is willing to teach us how to breathe and Who to focus on in that one final push to bring forth the FRUIT of the womb.

God has answered my question. I have spent too little time with the Coach. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the ALIVE-AND-PRESENT GOD WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD moves into my life, He’ll DO the same thing in me that He did in Jesus, bringing me alive unto Himself? My identity as a “Christian” is God-determined by promise (see Romans 9: 1-15), a sure thing determined by His decision, flowing steadily from His initiative. As I grow in my relationship with Him, His very LIFE FORCE will be manifested in and through me. This resurrection LIFE I have received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously EXPECTANT, greeting God each moment with a childlike, “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches my spirit and confirms who I really am. I KNOW WHO HE IS, and I KNOW WHO I AM: Father and daughter. And I KNOW I am going to get what’s coming to me – an unbelievable inheritance! LOVE is the catalyst that will bring manifest changes in those I pray for. Out of LOVE for Him and trust in Him I will do as He leads and directs me to do.

The word of faith then welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is to be the core of our preaching. Say the key word to God – “JESUS IS MY MASTER” – embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what He did in raising Jesus from the dead. THAT’S IT. You and I are NOT “DOING” ANYTHING; we’re simply calling out to God, trusting Him to do it for us.

“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see. By the act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought that made the difference. That’s what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.” (Hebrews 11: 1-4).

It did mine.

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 4, 2013

DISCIPLESHIP CALLS FOR OBEDIENCE

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"God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. In this is love, NOT that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (substitution) for our sins" ( 2 Timothy 1:9; Psalms 139:16; John 3:16; 1John 4:10).

True discipleship can tolerate nothing which might come between Jesus and a follower’s obedience. When the rich young ruler was challenged by Jesus to accept a life of voluntary poverty, the man knew he was faced with the simple alternative of obedience or disobedience (CHOICE) (Matthew 19: 16-22). When Levi was called from the receipt of taxes (Mark 2: 14) and Peter from his nets (Matthew 4: 18-21), there was no doubt that Jesus meant business. Both of them were to LEAVE EVERYTHING and FOLLOW. Only one thing was required in each case—to rely on Christ’s word, and cling to it as offering greater security than all the securities in the world.

The disciple’s first step takes him out of the old way of life and places him immediately into a new way where FAITH is possible. We must concentrate on Jesus’ call to come to Him, not on the work we do in response to His call. We are called by His grace and our first act of obedience is also an act of faith we take by BELIEVING Jesus Christ’s words and it ultimately leads us into a closer relationship with Him.

In Genesis 22: 2, 3 God’s command to Abraham was, "Take NOW your son…" not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later—it must be done NOW and the sacrifice must be worked through our WILL before we actually perform it. In verse 3 we see that Abraham instantly obeyed; he didn’t check with friends, family, past experience, or any special insight; he neither delayed, nor protested, but instantly and steadily obeyed.

The Lord never insists on our obedience. He stresses very clearly in His Word (BIBLE) what we OUGHT to do, but He never forces us to do it (CHOICE).

Whenever He spoke of discipleship, He always said "If," meaning, "You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so" (Luke 9: 23). He is not talking about our eternal life but about our being of value to Him in THIS life, HERE and NOW! If our relationship with Him is that of love, we will do what He asks without hesitation. If we hesitate, it is because we love someone (or something) we have placed in competition with Him; usually our-SELF!

God sees how each of us turns out in the end. We are all just works in process; daily being renewed and transformed into the perfect reflection and nature of Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 18: 1-5; Romans 12:1-5; 2 Corinthians 3:18). An example is Peter; we are much like him. He eagerly jumped at the chance to 'follow Jesus' when he was called (Matthew 4: 18, 19) and he became one of Jesus' key disciples. Peter had a radical zeal and determination to follow Jesus. When Jesus called, Peter instantly obeyed and was even able to walk on the water for a few minutes (Matthew 14: 28-31). On the other hand, Peter also shows each of us our own FLESH/SELF nature in his weaknesses (John 18: 10, 11). We think we have Jesus as our FOCUS in life yet, when it comes right down to the crunch (our life for His) we CHOOSE our 'self'. (Matthew 26: 69-75).

The cost of discipleship is not to be confused with human excellence or ability. For example, in himself, Peter was unable to walk on the water or, to stand firm in his faith at a time of crisis. Obedience to Jesus' call is from His initiative, His grace, His power, and never from our own. It calls us to be TOTALLY DEPENDENT on the ONE who calls—totally and completely devoted to JESUS CHRIST.

Where do you stand?

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | September 3, 2013

GRACE and DISCIPLESHIP

“As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him” (Mark 2:14). Please go to Luke 9: 57-62 and read it as well.

So, what does it mean to follow Jesus? First, I want to state that I believe Christianity without the living Christ as Lord of your life is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Jesus Christ. Further to this, I believe that there are NO ‘half-way’ places in following Jesus; either you CHOOSE to follow, or you don’t.

In day to day natural life our ambitions are our own, but in the Christian life we can have no goals of our own. We often talk about our decisions for Christ, our determination to be good Christians, and our decisions for this and that, but in the New Testament the only aspect that is brought out is the compelling PURPOSE of GOD. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” (John 15:16). We are not taken into conscious agreement with God’s purpose—we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all (Ephesians 2:8-10). The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that is only perceived and understood by our true inner-nature; our spirit (John 16:12-15).

In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus says to those who have been called, “…No man, having put his hand unto the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Within these verses we see three examples of potential disciples that many of us were once like, or perhaps are one of them today.

The first disciple followed Jesus without waiting to be called (Hebrews 4:4-14). Jesus warned the disciple of the costs and with His warning revealed that no man CHOOSES such a life for himself. A man cannot call himself. There is a big gulf between a voluntary offer to follow and genuine discipleship. I frequently see this when counseling people in bondage to addictions. They ‘get clean’ and are on a high because they are going to ‘change their life’. They eagerly seek Jesus without first counting the cost. Soon, old friends check in and before you know it they are looking back into their ‘old lifestyle’ and many times end up back in it.

The second disciple wanted to bury his father first. He had become bound by the deception of the law (tradition, religion) and the law itself placed a barricade between Jesus and the man He called (Matthew 15:1-20). NOTHING, however sacred, can be permitted to come between Jesus and you. I believe I see this in the majority of churches today. We have man’s rules (their self-made doctrine) about when, why, how we PRACTICE worshipping our Lord. Soon, we look around and if another church is doing it ‘differently’; we judge and say they are wrong. Does this not remind you of the Pharisees in Jesus day? I call it religious pride, or the ‘religious spirit’.

Finally, the third disciple thought that following Jesus meant he must make an offer; like he did when planning his career. He wants to follow, but feels he must insist on his own terms; certain conditions must be fulfilled first (Luke 18:18-23). The “do this and then I’ll do that” mentality actually reduces discipleship to the level of a self-planned program we arrange to suit ourselves. WE WANT OUR OWN WAY. It’s the part of us that has not SUBMITTED to the reign of Jesus. It’s the part of us that remains in spiritual darkness and the degree we are in darkness means we experience that much less of Holy Spirit’s presence.

In reality, true discipleship can tolerate nothing that may come between Jesus and a follower’s OBEDIENCE (Matthew 10: 34-42; Luke 9:62).

Have you given Jesus Christ FIRST place in ALL areas of your life? (John 12:23-26)
“I am the Lord your God, A jealous God… “(Exodus 20: 1-6).

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | August 31, 2013

THOU, O LORD

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2: 14-16)

Thou, O LORD
Many are they increased that troubled me
Many are they that rise up against me
Many there be which say of my soul
There is no help for him in God

~ chorus ~
BUT THOU, O LORD are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, oh Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head

I cried unto the Lord with my voice
And He heard me out of His holy hill
I laid me down and slept and awaked
For the Lord sustained, for He sustained me

I am deeply impressed that many of you who are reading this are feeling that God has deserted you, or that you are unworthy of His love. You feel that people, situations, and LIFE are against you. You feel you are losing it. You fear you will not be able to go on another minute. In desperation, you have cried out to God and there is no response or sign that He has heard you. You feel defeated, rejected, and all alone. I am here today to tell you, God has heard you. Even before the words left your mouth, He was already working on your behalf (Jeremiah 29: 11-13; Romans 8: 26, 27).

Psalm 107 is a Psalm that was written to celebrate the Jews return from their exile in Babylon. The Psalm specifically speaks of four different types of people in distress: wanderers (vs. 4-9), prisoners (vs. 10-16), the sick (vs. 17-20), and the storm-tossed (vs. 23-30). Lost, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted typify anyone who has not found the satisfaction that comes from knowing God. However, I feel that this Psalm is also about those who are discouraged and downhearted IN THEIR personal WALK with Christ. I encourage you to remember that God is mindful of all He has and is creating and He reaches across all boundaries of time and space to touch each of our lives with His love. He protects His own; He IS the Shield (defensive armor) about us and He IS the Lifter of our head (Psalm 3: 30).

Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty and their lives ebbed away. I see many who are “in church” but who are dry and thirsty. I recently heard a report that United States is a country that is starving for the truth of the Gospel. It is one of several countries who have easy access to God’s Word, but for some reason many have quit seeking the revelation of truth that only He can give. We have built our faith on man and man’s opinions and doctrines, to the neglect of studying God’s Word and actively seeking relationship with Him who can save the soul (Matthew 10: 28, 29; 1 Corinthians 3: 10-15). He is the Giver of Life (John 10: 7-10) and without Him our life ebbs away; there is no hope. Our faith in God and in His goodness is the safety rope that pulls us out of whatever pit in which we find ourselves. The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. This is NOT your rest. Here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come (Revelation 7: 17; 1 Thessalonians 4: 17, 18; Micah 2: 10; Hebrews 13: 14; 11: 8-10).

Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. What are you a prisoner to? What keeps you from experiencing the peace and joy that has been so freely given (John 8: 32; Romans 8: 16; 2 Corinthians 3: 17; Galatians 5: 1)? Darkness represents different things to different people. For some it is seen as a cover to hide their sin; for some it is fear (rejection, abandonment, isolation, separation, etc.), for some it’s a sense of failure, and for others it represents the unknown. I think that my greatest darkness was the sense of failure; that I wasn’t good enough, that I was unworthy of His love because of past sin. Many of us SAY that God has forgiven us, but we still live with our failures clouding our lives and casting shadows over our days. We really do not believe He’s forgiven us.

Since I turned my life over to Jesus as my LORD, I have come to realize that none of us are immune to failure; in fact, all of us face potential failure each day of our journey with Christ. 1 Corinthians 10: 12 speaks clearly to this, “So, if you THINK you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Remember Peter? He was so self-confident that his FAITH in Christ would not fail (Luke 21: 31-34), but his pride was brought low in Luke 22: 56- 62. BUT God is merciful and He has a plan to use our failures for our good and His glory. He already KNEW Peter would be tested but Jesus was more concerned that Peter’s faith would not fail (Luke 22: 31, 32). I am grateful that Jesus said; “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” … “I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness” (John 12: 35, 36, 46).

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6: 7, 8). Jesus says to us, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” … “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never go thirsty” (John 6: 32-35).

Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, His wonderful deeds in the deep. For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits end. Over the past years I have faced and gone through storms. I am certain there is not one of you who haven’t. It is true that all of us are able to pray for others and we often are able to give wonderful words of encouragement, right out of Scripture. BUT THEN, something comes up in our own life and we quickly get to our own “wits end”! Have you been there? I also see our daily spiritual walk reflected in this passage. We go along and God reveals His presence in a great and awesome way; we are jubilant in our ‘high mountain top experience’ and then we run into someone or something that sends us careening to the base of that mountain. We get up confused, wondering what has happened. Why has God deserted us, why is He punishing us? He isn’t; He’s teaching us to lean upon His grace. He is showing us that without Him we can do nothing (John 15: 5). Those who have never truly suffered may not appreciate God as much as those who have endured and matured under hardships. Those who have seen God work in times of distress have a deeper insight into His loving-kindness (James 1: 2-5). If you have experienced great trials, you have a greater potential for great praise! Hallelujah!

Therefore, do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4: 15-18)!

I rejoice and give God praise! “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped. MY heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in a song” (Psalm 28: 7; see Psalm 84: 11; 91: 4; 119: 114).

The LORD would say unto you…
“I call out to you to come out from among the world and be separate. Beloved, as a sojourner and pilgrim, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. You do not see yourself as I see you; be assured that when you see My Son, you will be like Him. You must purify yourself as He is pure. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you for I am the LORD your God, your Savior. Though you may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil; for I am with you; I am your rod and your staff upon which you may lean; I will comfort you and carry you as you have need. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Nothing will ever separate you from Me, My child. I am everywhere, all the time, and I have power and authority over all created things. What I have planned for you will come to pass; for nothing shall take you from My hand.”

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