dailywordofdestiny

Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | January 4, 2015

WONDERFUL PEACE

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it: for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:11; Psalm 34:11-14).

PEACE: “a voluntary refusal or indisposition to speak; to be calm”

Peace is more than the absence of conflict; it suggests completeness, health, justice, prosperity, and protection. The world cannot provide this peace because peacemaking is not always popular. Some prefer to fight for what they believe in and the glory of battle is in the hope that you or your group will win, but in this scenario someone has to be a loser. The glory of peacemaking is that it may actually produce only winners and PEACEMAKING IS GOD’S WAY (Psalm 34:14; 120:7; Proverbs 20:3; 1Timothy 6:1). Those who have Christ as Lord in their lives see persecution, wars, natural disasters upon us and around us yet, at the same time, we can experience the JOY OF KNOWING that the Messiah’s return is near. We look forward to His reign of justice and perfect peace (Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:3; Luke 21:28)! When we received God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ; it brought peace into our hearts and minds through FAITH (1Corinthians 1:3; Philippians 4:7) for Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

The peace God gives is different than the world’s peace (John 14:27); it cannot be found through positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from KNOWING GOD IS IN CONTROL and that our true citizenship and eternal destiny is set, oh hallelujah!

I love the LORD with all my heart and yet there are many times that my feelings of peace fly away in the face of certain day-to-day situations. How do I maintain my peace in the midst of storms about me? God’s Word has the answers for any and all of our questions and in Colossians 3:15,16 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful,Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” If I am anxious about something and it causes emotional upheaval or unrest, I KNOW it is because I have taken my eyes off Christ. I have allowed my mind to think on something that the enemy is using in an effort to destroy me. God’s word tells us that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, we are to think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, PUT IT INTO PRACTICE (obedience). And the God of peace WILL be with you” (Philippians 4: 8,9).

I CHOOSE what I think about and what I allow my mind to dwell on. I CHOOSE how I REACT to my thought life. I CHOOSE whether or not I meditate on God’s word and put it into daily practice!

Christians are called to live in peace. We should work together by making a conscious decision to see the others’ needs as more important than our own (1 Corinthians 13) and by seeing differences of opinion as opportunities to become more Christ-like in attitudes, words, and actions (Mark 12: 29-31). Peacemakers build good relationships because peace is a byproduct of commitment!

Peacemakers anticipate problems and deal with them before they occur. When conflict does arise, the peacemaker will bring it into the open and deal with it before it grows into something unmanageable. Making peace is often harder than waging war (think about your own life and relationship issues), but it results NOT in death but in life, hope, and happiness (1 Peter 3: 8-12). When Christ rules our thoughts and emotions we cannot be shaken by anything our enemies may do!

“You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 11: 17-20). This is such an awesome truth. It is Holy Spirit who produces the GOOD FRUIT in our lives. The fruit of the Spirit are the character traits of Christ; they will be brought forth in our lives as the by-products of Christ’s control in our lives. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father WILL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME. This is My command: ‘Love each other’ ” (John 15:16,17). James 3:13-18 addresses genuine wisdom, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you WILL FIND DISORDER and every evil practice. But, the wisdom that comes from heaven is FIRST OF ALL PURE; THEN PEACE-LOVING, CONSIDERATE, SUBMISSIVE, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUIT, IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5: 9).

As I close, this song to comes to mind and I pray that the words will bring blessing and comfort to you this very hour:
“Wonderful Peace” Words by W. D. Cornwell. Music by W. G. Cooper – recorded in 1933.

1) Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight // Rolls a melody sweeter than Psalm // In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls // O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

2) What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace // Buried deep in the heart of my soul // So secure that no power can mine it away // While the years of eternity roll.

3) I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace // Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control // For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day // And His glory is flooding my soul.

4) And me thinks that I rise to that city of peace // Where the Author of Peace I shall see // That one strain of the song that the ransomed will sing // In that heavenly kingdom shall be.

5) Ah! Soul, are you here without comfort and rest // Marching down the rough pathway of time // Make JESUS your friend, ere the shadows grow dark // And accept this sweet peace so sublime.

CHORUS Peace, peace! Wonderful peace // Coming down from the Father above. // Sweep over my spirit forever I pray // In fathomless billows of love.

The LORD would say unto you:
“My child, I feel your weariness. Let My peace flow over you like a river. When My body grew weary, just like yours will, I withdrew from the crowds to commune with My Father. So must you. Let neither care nor worry, or lack of love block the channel between us. Even when you are hurt most by the one you love; leave it to Me to deal with their heart, temptations, and with your own suspicions. Rest your mind; a tired mind will wander and be distracted from Me. I will comfort and sustain you in the midst of threats. Doubt not. Worry not. Simply trust and obey. Walk in My peace, make it your choice.”

TRUST IN THE ONE WHO CAN

Many of you are going through very difficult times right now; some are stressed due to financial burden, job loss, emotional issues, illness, family crises, environmental destruction, or just waiting on God to move on your behalf; all around you are what seem to be “impossibilities!” I want to tell you about three men who were in the middle of impossible situations and I encourage you to follow up and read about them in greater depth.

Joseph is a man I feel faced great tests throughout most of his young adult life. From about 18 through to 30 years of age he spent the greater part of his time under house arrest or in prison. Yet, he never lost his faith in God and through it all God prepared him for his day of greatness (Genesis 38-48). My heart is moved when I read how Joseph treated his brothers who had wanted to kill him (45: 5, 7, 8) “…Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. o now it was not you that sent me hither, BUT GOD: and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout the land of Egypt.”

Daniel is another man that God used greatly, but Daniel was also one who faced great “impossibilities” during his life as, basically, a prisoner of war. Daniel never once gave up his personal love relationship with his heavenly Father. God was with Daniel and He shone through Daniel when Daniel was going through great testing and trials. King Nebuchadnezzar and Darius had their personal lives greatly impacted by Daniel’s God (Daniel 3: 25 – 4: 37; 6: 1-28). In Daniel 10: 11, 19 the Lord paid a personal visit to Daniel to tell him what was to happen in the distant future. He said to Daniel in both these verses, “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved… .” God feels the very same about you, dear one.

The third example is Paul. Paul wrote the book of Ephesians while in a Roman prison. He wrote this incredible encouraging word while he was in the middle of his own “impossibility!” He encouraged us by saying in essence, “Now is the time, despite life’s difficulty, to consider the ABILITY, the GREATNESS, the GRANDEUR of my God!” Right in the midst of personal hardship he tells us about the “NOWNESS” of worshipping God. Friend, NOW IS THE TIME for YOU to experience the abundance and the fullness that God has come to give you in the face of your impossibility!

John 10: 10 tells us that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy … what? The promise of what Jesus tells us He has come to give, “I have come that they (YOU) might have LIFE, and that they (YOU) may have it more ABUNDANTLY!” Do you ever feel that you’re waiting on your circumstances to change before you will feel like you can experience God’s abundance? Do you think, IF I can just get out of this situation and into the next one, I just know God’s abundance will be waiting there for me?

The “abundant life” is NOT when no impossible situations occur and you’re experiencing peace, joy, and happiness. While that is always a nice place to be; true abundance is really seen when you’re sitting in a prison circumstance; when you are facing eye to eye, an impossible situation and right in the heart of your impossible, you experience the fullness of God. It is when you can sing and worship God (see Paul & Silas in Acts 16: 22-34) right smack-dab in the middle of the worst time imaginable! You may be thinking that what I am telling you right now is totally impossible but, I assure you, GOD IS ABLE TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE for you; trust Him.

The LORD would say unto you this day…

“I am taking care of you. Trust Me at all times. Trust Me in all your circumstances. Trust Me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words: “I trust You, Jesus.” By doing so, you release matters into My control and you fall back into the security of My everlasting arms. Before you arise in the morning, I have already arranged the events of your day. Every day provides many opportunities for you to learn My ways and grow closer to Me. Signs of My Presence brighten even the dullest day when you have eyes that really see. Search for Me as for hidden treasure. I will be found by you.”

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | December 24, 2014
THE HUNTERS

All history is RAPIDLY moving forward toward the time when there WILL BE universal recognition of the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1: 15-23; Philippians 2: 5-11; Hebrews 1). While we wait on that day, we can look almost anywhere; within ourselves, homes, communities, churches, governments, and nations and see a growing sense of unrest and outright chaos. The demonic spirit of “self love” is running amok all around us and it continually touches our lives and the choices we are making. In the issues surrounding my personal life and within the communities in which I both live and work, I see an increasing number of families and churches that are “splitting” because brothers and sisters within that family, or church ban together and see their “way” as the only way. ANY DIVISION WITHIN THE BODY WEAKENS IT (Luke 11: 17) and God’s Word speaks to those causing strife and division (Romans 16: 17, 18; 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13; 11: 18; 3: 3; 11: 18-22; Jude 16-19)!

I see pastors and leaders, and yes, even us saints, falling into Satan’s traps of pride, lust, discouragement, envy, control, legalism, etc. and when all these shepherds fall, the sheep under their care will scatter (Matthew 9: 35, 36). God’s Word warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about LIKE A ROARING LION, seeking whom he may devour” (1Peter 5: 8) and Christ addressed this same issue before His crucifixion (Matthew 9: 35, 36). Church, BEWARE! Do not let the enemy have his way; he delights in seeing destruction and death in your personal life of faith, and within the “body of Christ”!

I am reminded of an old saying, “There is safety in numbers” and it is confirmed in Scripture from the beginning (Genesis 7: 15, 16; Matthew 18: 20; Luke 10: 1-12). If sheep do not stay together within the safety of the flock (Mark 14: 27-31; John 16: 32), the peripheral ones become an easy target and fair game for the lion who is always roaming the earth to and fro, seeking to deceive, steal, and kill. (Matthew 12: 25-30; 1 Peter 5: 2-8)! I have heard various people I know say that they can stay at home and read their Bible and pray and in essence have “church” without being bothered with actually physically going to one where they’re not learning anything anyway. They will often add, “Where two or more are gathered, God is in our midst” and besides that, the T.V. evangelist, ‘So & So’ is far better!” Am I speaking to anyone out there?

I guess each of us has our “own opinion” based on our own perspective, so I can’t answer any other way than from my own situation. I was raised in church and I loved church; I loved the music, the familiar faces about me, and I felt the love that was a “given” between the members of that church. And then, I grew up and left the church in search of something far better. I never found it. I found destruction and chaos. When I rededicated my life to Christ nearly twenty years ago, one of the promises I made to Christ was that I’d always try to be in church each week and I have been. There have been a few times that I have missed, but let me say, “the missed times created an empty feeling within me and I believe it was because I had missed God’s corporate blessing!”

I KNOW THAT I KNOW if I had missed corporate fellowship early on in my return to the cross, I would NOT BE HERE this day! The lion that roams would have reclaimed this soul (Luke 9: 14; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31; Ephesians 2: 6, 7, 19-22; 5: 29-32)! Without any finger pointing, I pray this addresses the importance of interdependence and fellowship among the members of the “body of Christ” for Scripture says, “Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, TWO CAN WITHSTAND him. And a threefold cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12). Leviticus 26 is especially good; “You WILL CHASE YOUR ENEMIES and they SHALL FALL BY THE SWORD before you. FIVE of you shall chase a HUNDRED, and a HUNDRED of you shall put TEN THOUSAND to flight…” (Vs. 7, 8)! Oh hallelujah! Look what we could do as a UNITED body!

The lioness are the HUNTERS (seen as warriors by many of the ancient cultures) for their pride and they capture their prey with precise and complex TEAMWORK. Each lioness develops the SPECIFIC SKILLS for her own role during the hunt; then together they act as a COORDINATED GROUP to successfully stalk and bring down the prey. The heart of the lioness is quite small so they must get quite close to their prey before starting the attack. Therefore, they take advantage of factors that reduce visibility; such as night time attacks. Typically, several lionesses encircle the prey from different points; they then target the closest prey (peripheral loner). The attack is short and powerful and the prey is usually killed by strangulation. The prey may also be killed by the lion enclosing the animal’s MOUTH and nostrils in its jaws; both methods causing suffocation! Smaller pray may simply be killed by a swipe of the lion’s paw. DOES this not give a great representation of the power we have in CHRIST as a UNITED body?

Hallelujah! I believe the enemy always COUNTERFEITS what God creates; we need to be vigilant and become the stalkers of the enemy; NOT the other way around.

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | December 16, 2014
I AM SO GLAD JESUS LOVED ME!

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in Him (who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, relies on Him) may not perish, but have eternal life and (actually) live forever! And because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace that you have been saved” (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4).

Judah’s life reminds me of God’s great love for sinners such as “all of us (saved by grace).” In Genesis 38 we read the story of his rebellion toward the laws of God in his marriage to Shua, a Canaanite woman. Their first son Er turned out to be so wicked that the LORD put him to death. He left behind his young widow, Tamar and Judah then asked his second son, Onan, to marry her (as per social requirement). Onan’s actions in the relationship with Tamar resulted in an early death for him as well (vs. 8-10). Judah’s third son was quite a bit younger than Tamar but he told Tamar (more or less) that when Shelah grew up he would marry her. Years passed by; Judah’s wife died and Tamar was getting older and she was lonely and there had been no sign that Shelah coming into her life anytime soon. Tamar heard that Judah was going to a sheep-shearing close to where she lived and she decided she would like some revenge.

Judah & Tamar (1667) by Arent de Gelder 1645 – 1727 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you” (vs. 15, 16). This escapade resulted in Tamar’s becoming pregnant with twins. When news came out that Tamar was to have a child, Judah hit the roof! “Bring her out and have her burned to death” (vs. 24)! As she was being dragged away, she identified her sexual partner by holding up Judah’s seal and its cord along with his staff. Judah was humiliated before all but was willing to admit, “She is more righteous than I” (vs. 26).

When we decide to rely on our own devices, any of us can do exactly what Judah did, or even worse. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3: 10). “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature” (Romans 7: 18). We can all be a little “self-righteous” at times, even having the audacity to judge others for exactly what we ourselves are doing! We tend to overlook the New Testament’s message of God’s amazing grace to change a “sinner such as me.” Many of us often forget that God specializes in changing the Judah’s of this world. We choose to see the glass half empty instead of half full. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor the drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” And that is what some of you were. BUT you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1Corinthians 6: 9-11).

Satan, on the other hand, wants to hide the fact that God’s mercy is for everyone who has “messed up” (Isaiah 55: 9; James 2: 13). The devil swarms in on people with accusations and negativity (Revelation 12: 10): “You have messed up! If people find out you will be ruined! Think of how this will look? You’ll never get away with this; you’re just no good, etc.” The attacks are often too great for the person to bear; they give up hope of change and their faith in the BLOOD is slowly drained from them. BUT PRAISE THE LORD, God can take them and touch them and heal them and put them in the line that leads them to Christ! What Satan means for evil, God IS ABLE to change and work out for good (Genesis 50: 20; John 10: 10)! Hallelujah!

God sees the end from the beginning and He WILL bring about GOOD THINGS from our lives (Isaiah 46: 10). In Judah’s life story we see how incredible our God truly is. He took a failure like Judah (yes, me too) and wove him into the ancestry of His own Son, Jesus Christ. The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:3 continues through Judah and then goes NOT to his legitimate son, Shelah, but to Perez, Tamar’s boy, the child of incest. How awesome is our God; how precious Christ’s blood; for we who believe have all become “heirs of promise” too! Amen!

It is important for each of us to KNOW that God knows EVERY THING about us and concerning us. “For He created my inmost being; He knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise Him for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; His works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from Him when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, His eyes saw my unformed body. A ll the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to be. The word of the LORD came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations'” (Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5).

He knows my heart. “…and when a prayer or plea is made by any of Your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands towards this temple—then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since You know his heart (for You alone know the hearts of all men)…” (1 Kings 8: 38, 39). “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15).

He knows my thoughts. “The LORD knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile. Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name. But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He KNEW all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for He KNEW what was in a man” (Psalm 94:11; John 2:24, 25).

He sees my tears. “You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle—are they not in Your book? Before Isaiah left the middle of the court, the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you…’ They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing’.” (Psalm 56:8; 2 Kings 20: 5; Psalm 126:5).

He hears me call (pray). “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (Isaiah 65: 24; 1 John 5: 14).

What glorious promises that should encourage you in your daily walk; should bring shouts of praise to your lips, and increase your faith to believe that God’s Word is true and no good thing does He withhold for those who love Him! All His promises are “Yes! and “Amen” to the glory of our heavenly Father in and through Jesus, the Christ… Savior of the world! God bless you!

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | December 11, 2014
IN THE PRESENCE OF JEHOVAH

Last week three specific things happened in my life: the first was a “prophetic word” sent to me by a missionary in South Africa, the second was a note from a pastor/leader with a “directional word” for me from God, and the third was during a visit with a dear friend who has been told that no more can be done for her regarding the cancer that is destroying her right lung. Within each, the glory and peace of God’s presence was highlighted for me. I was reading my Bible (Ezekiel 1) one morning this week and in verses 26-28 and the words, rainbow, glory, and fire stood out to me.

According to Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, the rainbow is a sign of the glorious presence of God. It is the continual reminder of God’s faithfulness and that His mercy and grace will finally triumph. I have always enjoyed seeing a rainbow in the sky; the sight fills me with wonder, thankfulness, and a great sense of peace.

Rainbow: Gk. epo (2036) means to speak or say (by word or writing)–answer, bid, bring word, say (on), speak, tell. The primary verb (3006) lego: to “lay” forth, (fig.) relate (in words, usually of systemic or set discourse) etc.

I have been writing this webpage for a couple years now and I know that the Spirit of the LIVING GOD has directed me in all that I have written, with today being no exception. So, consider the possibility that God is using me (as like a rainbow) this very moment to reveal His presence in your life! Certainly, God manifested His glory to Noah (rainbow), Moses (I believe in the pillar of cloud and fire), Ezekiel (fire, rainbow), disciples (white light), and John (New Jerusalem) (Genesis 9: 12-16; Exodus 13: 17-22; 33: 12-19; Ezekiel 1: 22-28; Matthew 17: 1-8; Revelation 21: 9-11, 23-27).

My friend, Judy has always had so much joy and she does not hesitate in finding out how your personal relationship with God is going. She has “extreme faith” and sees this illness as a way for her to draw even closer to God and the one thing she desires most of all is to see and touch His glory. When I was with her and two other women a couple weeks ago, God manifested His presence in a “tangible” way and it was a different experience for each woman there. Judy felt the heat of His “fire” and cried out for even greater purification and revelation of His glory. Jeanie praised God for the angels He had sent to us as she felt her hair being touched along with a deep sense of peace. Pearlie was reassured of His love for her as the others prayed into her ministry and she rejoiced as she felt pain leaving her joints and new strength filling her. I just could not stop the tears as I felt so much love for my sisters and I felt Holy Spirit pour over me in waves.

When I spoke with Judy a couple nights ago, she was so filled with joy about the peace God continues to provide her. She said, “You know, I just give Him thanks for everything I can think of every day. He has put me in this place of rest, like the ‘secret place’ where I am able to just talk to Him all day and all night long. I will continue to ask Him each day to show me His glory and I do believe I am feeling it and will see it soon! I feel wonderful. I am looking pretty good too, with new, natural curling hair (which she had us pray for after she lost hers due to chemo treatments) and I am eating and sleeping well. I have everything I need!” Her positive, life-filled words often bring their own conviction on each of us, her friends. She asked me a question that I have often thought about in the past, but am now revisiting: “Judy, how do you see God?”

As it happened, I had been reading Ezekiel and all the above passages in relation to the “words” that my brothers had sent. I had this answer for her: “I believe God is Whoever you need Him to be at any given time and in any situation; I believe God is like “pure energy”. He is not constrained by time, distance, or space and He can take any form He needs to make Himself more real to you personally. It is why, I believe, that everyone will experience something different when they seek a personal touch from Him. It is why Moses, Ezekiel, the disciples, the blind, lame, addicted, hurting, lonely, isolated, and dying will see Him with different eyes, and will have all their needs fulfilled at “just the right time and in just the right way” and it will be “exactly what they will understand.” To be honest, I believe Ezekiel’s vision was the most accurate description of God; however, I am certain that each of you will have your own thoughts.

God is all-powerful (Omnipotent) Lord who has created all things and sustains them by the Word of His power (Genesis 1: 1-3; Hebrews 1: 3). He is the ruler of nature and history. In today’s world, this should bring you great peace for before Him, “…the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as small dust on the balance” (Isaiah 40: 15). Yet, He has so fashioned us that He graciously appeals to every person to return to Him.

God has unlimited ability to be everywhere at all times (Omnipresent) and He reveals Himself in the Bible as the Lord who is everywhere. God was present as Lord in all creation (Psalm 139: 7-12) and there is no escaping Him. He is present in our thoughts, was present in the womb and is in all the days of our future. God sees “in secret and rewards in secret” and He looks not just on our outward actions, but even more closely at the attitudes of our heart (Matthew 6: 1-18). He is the Sustainer of all things He has created and because He is everywhere, He is our great Comforter, Friend, and Redeemer!

God is perfect Wisdom; He knows all things (Omniscient). He knows each of your thoughts, all your ways, and even the words we have NOT yet spoken (Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-16). He has no need to consult with you or me for knowledge or understanding (Isaiah 40: 13, 14). He is all-knowing Lord who prophesies the events of the future, including the death of His Son (Isaiah 53) and the return of Christ at the end of this age when death will be finally overcome (Romans 8: 18-39; 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57). ONLY the all-knowing and all-powerful God can begin a process of change in each of us; for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3: 17).

What a glorious thing it is to KNOW that GOD HAS EVERYTHING IN CONTROL; what incredible PEACE He brings to all who believe! Hallelujah!

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | December 4, 2014
SURRENDER TO STILLNESS

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth”

(Psalm 46: 10)

I love Psalm 46 and every verse is filled with meaning for me. I see verse 10 as not so much about ‘meditation. as it is about ‘meditation of God’s kingdom in the heart of faith.’ Notice that the words, ‘be still’ are a command and come from the verb ‘rapha’ (meaning to be weak, to let go, to release), which might better translate as, “cause yourselves to let go” or “let yourselves become weak.” The noun form, repha’im, was sometimes used as a synonym for ‘the place of the dead.’

A question I put to you is to what end are we to ‘be still,’ ‘let go,’ ‘surrender,’ and even to ‘die to ourselves? In Hebrew grammar, in the two imperatives, “be still!” and “now!” emphasis is on the second imperative. In other words, we surrender in order to KNOW THAT GOD is in control as Ribbono Shel Olam — Master of the Universe! We ‘let go’ in order to objectively KNOW the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order that we will experience the glory of God’s all-sufficiency (Exodus 14: 14)!

When we surrender to the sure truth that the Lord God of Israel is in complete control of this world, we will experience His peace and be delivered from our temporal fears. Indeed, even though the present world be shaken (v2), with the nations raging and the kingdoms of men tottering (v6), we will NOT fear, since we KNOW that God is our present Help in times of trouble (v1)!   Praise the Lord!

The city of God will one day be established upon the earth (Vv4-5), and the schemes of the ‘princes of this world’ will all become desolate (vv 8-9), but the coming kingdom of the Lord Most High (El Elyon) will be exalted among the nations, and Jesus Christ (Yeshua) will forever be exalted among His original covenant people Israel. Hallelujah!

Meanwhile, ‘set your minds on things that are above, not on things on the earth; for you are dead, and your life IS HIDDEN with Jesus (the Messiah) in God.   When Jesus, Who is our life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3: 2-4)!

Time is indeed very short, friends, and the world is tottering in fear. Soon and very soon we are going to see our King! So let us ‘be still’ — in order to KNOW that “the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge” (v 11)!   Amen.

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | December 1, 2014
BRUISED REEDS, SMOLDERING WICKS

ISAIAH 42: 3,4

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench: This is another reference to the gentle character of Jesus. A reed is a fairly fragile plant, yet if a reed is bruised, the Servant will handle it so gently that He will not break it. And if flax, used for tinder to start a fire, does not flame but only smokes, He will not quench it into extinguishing. Instead, the Servant will gently blow on the smoking flax, fanning it into flame again! I have pondered these two verses and thought about Jesus and how we, as believers in Him, can see what He went through in our own lives. Some of the conclusions I came to are as follows and I pray they will stir up the flame in your own heart.

i. Often we feel that God deals roughly with our weaknesses and failures. Just the opposite is true. He deals with them gently, tenderly, helping them along until the bruised reed is strong and the smoking flax is in full flame.

ii. I think about the reed as a type of the many lives that have been crushed, or hurt by unkindness, a life that is somehow bent and bruised and shattered, without strength or beauty. There is nothing attractive about a reed, and there is certainly nothing very pleasant about the circumstances in which it lives! Usually it grows in a smelly, unsavory swamp.

iii. We call ourselves Christians, but if you are like me, sometimes you are desperately ashamed of how dimly your light burns. There is far more smoke than fire: so little prayer, so little real testimony, so much depression and discouragement. But the Lord says He will not extinguish the smoking flax.

iv. He is not dismissive of others; however useless or beyond repair (bruised reed), however ‘past it’ and near extinction (smouldering wick) they may seem. The negative statements imply their positive equivalents: he can mend the broken reed, fan into flame the smouldering wick. The former has been internally damaged, the latter lacks the external nourishment of oil. The Servant is competent both to cure and to supply.

Jesus sees the value in a bruised reed, even when no one else can. He can make beautiful music come from a bruised reed, as He puts His strength in it! Though a smoking flax – used for a wick on an oil lamp – is good for nothing, Jesus knows it is valuable for what it can be when it is refreshed with oil. Many of us are like the bruised reed, and we need to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16). Others are like the smoking flax, and can only burn brightly for the LORD again when we are drenched in oil, with a constant supply coming, as we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wants us to have His heart towards the lowly, broken, and hurting. It’s easy to pass them by just as quickly as the priest and the Levite passed the man on the road to Jericho. The superficial Christian worker ignores that kind of situation. He wants a sphere to serve where it will be worthy of his talent, if you please.   A task where his abilities will be recognized and used, something that is big enough to justify all the training he has undergone.   In the eyes of the Lord, the test of the real servant is, does he bend with the humility of Jesus Christ over a bruised reed and smoking flax? He will not fail nor be discouraged: The Servant is gentle, but not weak.   He will bring forth justice for truth. There aren’t two ways about it; it will happen, and failure or discouragement will not stop the Servant!

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus never gets discouraged? When we think of the job that He has to do, the obstacles He must overcome, and the tools He needs to work with, it is amazing that He never becomes discouraged. It is because He has all power and authority!

Fail is the same word as smoking in smoking flax He will not quench. Discouraged is the same word as bruised in a bruised reed He will not break. So here is the Servant of the Lord . . . there are no bruises about Him; He is no mere smoking flax. He is well able to do the task of redemption because He is free from all the weaknesses and failures of His people. He has no flaws or blemishes – He is perfection and majestic strength. Till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law: the work of the Servant will extend to the whole earth, and all the peoples – even those in the distant coastlands – shall serve Him. Praise the Lord!

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | November 28, 2014
WHY ME?

I was able to spend a week with my sister, who had lost her husband in a tragic accident last August. She is still filled with so much anger and such a deep sense of loss and as I was praying for her, God opened His thoughts to me about her situation and the many who are like her… I title this: “WHY ME?” and then must ask, “WHY NOT ME?”

For all of us ‘believers’ we will surely ask, ‘Okay, God, why did You make this happen in my life?’ I don’t necessarily see these as words of anger, but of anguish in the soul. I don’t really see them as a turning away from God, as much as I see it as a turning toward God. The words the person is thinking, or what they speak are really saying, “Please explain this to me, Lord. Why is this happening to me? It doesn’t fit with anything I understand about You.” She/ or you are simply trying to make sense of the situation you face.

I believe Psalm 22 is a wonderful place to begin recognizing where each of us are in the times of darkness. For even Jesus went through a darkness so great I cannot even begin to comprehend it. “My God, My God, WHY have You abandoned Me? Why are You so far when I groan for help?” The Psalm goes on, ‘Every day I call to You, My God, but You do not answer. Every night You hear My voice, but I have no relief. Yet, You are holy.’

I see this same calling out to God in my sister’s life and, from time to time, my own personal life. In fact, all of us have been or will be in this place! Although the Psalms provide enlightenment that others have been where you now are, they don’t provide any solution. However, they do point out that there is a positive ending and it is one of adoration. For each one who calls and asks of the Lord, tends to end up in victory as they are able to take focus off the problem and look upon God and His divine promises.

During these times of intense grief, despair, and discouragement, God will often remain silent. He may never explain, never give a reason, and never justify anything to you. Even if He did, would that satisfy you? I do not think so. Basically we just want to get back to how we felt or were prior to our loss. Truly we are really wanting God to comfort us, wanting His assurance of His care for us, and wanting to know that God is there with you.

Often, we are forced by His silence to look within. To a time of self-examination and gradually, God gives us understanding of why we are in ‘that place’ and who we are in Him. Truly, each step we take through our time of darkness takes us one step closer to Light.

To all who may feel they are in this place; I encourage you to daily look to Jesus and to never lose HOPE in Him. He will not leave you and He holds you in His hand. Bless the Lord oh my soul….

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | November 19, 2014
A GOD WORD FOR YOU!

“The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God (“God-breathed” in another translation) and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

The Word is a perfect message; it supplies us with perfect knowledge of the Father’s will (Ephesians 1:17). The Bible is our eternal standard (measuring stick) for testing everything else that claims to be true. “… Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…” (2 Corinthians 10: 5). It is very important to ALWAYS go to your Bible and check out what the religious leaders are speaking across the pulpit and on television. Their words MUST line up with the Word of God. Do NOT believe all you hear (Matthew 24: 11, 24); check it out for yourself! Each person committed to Jesus as their Savior, is accountable and responsible to Christ’s view on God, the world, sin and the devil. Each of us must recognize the responsibility we have in “being transformed by the renewing of (his) mind” (Romans 12:2). Much of this occurs as we study and read God’s Word.

When we accept Jesus as Lord, the gift of His Spirit is given to us and He confirms in our spirit the reality of the LIVING Christ (John 16: 7-14). Holy Spirit opens the Word and makes it a living thing to us. As we study the Bible, God reveals Himself to us; He speaks to our spirit (heart) through His Word. The Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates to the core of our moral and spiritual life and discerns what is within us, both good and evil (Hebrews 4: 12, 13). Psalm 119: 105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

It is amazing how many people are attending Church regularly every Sunday, who KNOW they have been BORN AGAIN, but who have had no “FELLOWSHIP” with the Father for years. They are living in SPIRITUAL DARKNESS as far as the Word is concerned. The JOY they once knew in their spiritual life is gone. John 1: 1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.” This very verse addresses the primary reason our first love for Jesus fades. John 15:7 illustrates this truth, “IF you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it SHALL be done unto you.” He caused you to abide in Christ; we cause the Word to abide in us. It is daily LIVING and DOING what the Word says. We MUST rely on the integrity of the Word. We must KNOW/BELIEVE that no word from God can be broken. We must recognize that Jesus Christ IS the Word and that His Word is backed up by God our Father.

The Holy Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead and He is now DWELLING in those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ. As you read and study God’s Word, Holy Spirit UNVEILS in our spirit, the mysteries found within His beautiful Word. He unveils the REALITY of our relationship with Jesus, Who He is, what His nature is, and what His will is for each of us. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the WORD of TRUTH” (2 Timothy 2:15). To have victory in our daily walk it is VITAL that we have on the HELMET of salvation and that we hold onto the SWORD of the Spirit, which is the WORD of GOD (Ephesians 6: 10-20).

I love the Word of God! Holy Spirit gives me direction and speaks to me through God’s Word. I am directed each day by His Word and He speaks into and confirms many of my daily circumstances according to His Word. I am CONVINCED that you MUST read and meditate on His Word DAILY in order to have VICTORY in your life and over any circumstance in your life! One of my favorite Scriptures is in Isaiah, “As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My WORD that goes out from My mouth: It WILL NOT return to Me empty, but WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT I DESIRE and ACHIEVE the PURPOSE FOR WHICH I SENT IT” (55: 10, 11).

Get into the WORD of GOD and study it, meditate on it… do it faithfully and you will see the revelation of Who Jesus is and who YOU are in Him! You will walk in VICTORY through EVERY circumstance that you will face! God bless you on this precious journey into TRUTH!

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Posted by: dailywordofdestiny | November 14, 2014
PRAISE MANIFESTS IN JOY!

PRAISE

Psalm 33

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him on a ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice,
For we trust in His holy name.
May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
Even as we put our hope in You (vs 1, 21)

Peace and joy fill my heart when I read the words of this Psalm! What victory there is in knowing all God’s words are right and true; that they can be trusted. God does not lie, forget, change His words, or leave His promises unfulfilled (see also Genesis 2; Psalm 119: 105; Isaiah 55: 11,12; Jeremiah 23: 29; Matthew 24: 35; John 17: 17; 2 Corinthians 1: 21-22; Colossians 3: 15-17; Hebrews 4: 12, 13; 6: 13-20).

God is consistent and faithful in His love; His intentions never change; He wavers NOT from what He has stated and that makes me feel very secure in His care! There have been many instances in my lifetime that my “trust in God” has been put to the test. However, even with all my personal efforts at trying to work things out, He has proven faithful in accomplishing exactly what I need in each and every situation (James 1: 17).

God has promised many blessings to His people (deliverance from fear, protection, goodness, provision, answers to prayer, etc.) but many of these blessings require our active participation. The conditions for enjoying the blessings are listening to God’s voice and then doing what He says! Throughout all dispensations, these have been unchanging requirements for living in a covenant relationship with God (see Exodus 19: 5). In John 10: 27, Jesus also described those whom He acknowledged as “His sheep” —that is, His disciples: “My sheep hear My voice … and they follow Me.”

Hearing the voice of the Lord implies an intimate relationship with Him in which He can speak to each one of us personally. His communication is Spirit-to-spirit; His Spirit to our spirit. His voice penetrates to the innermost depths of our being and He may speak to us in this way through His Word, or He may impart a word of direct revelation. Blessings result from hearing God’s voice and doing what He says; however, curses result from NOT hearing God’s voice and NOT doing what He directs (rebellion… see Deuteronomy 28: 3-68).

Psalm 34 provides us with an extensive list of things we can put into place in our lives in order to appropriate the “good things / blessings” from above. God’s invitation to you: “Try this; I know you’ll like it.” The Bible often connects fear of the Lord (love and reverence for Him) with keeping His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12: 13). Obedience is the first step to discovering how good and kind He is. As we experience His goodness, our trust in Him increases.

We may say that “we belong to the LORD”, but then we must also think about whether we revere Him? Do we demonstrate our respect and honor by a humble attitude and genuine worship? King David adds that a person who fears the Lord doesn’t lie, turns from evil, does good, and promotes peace (Psalm 34: 8-14). Therefore, a person who seeks peace cannot be argumentative and contentious and it is important that we see that peaceful relationships really are a product of our own efforts at peacemaking each day. Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church; it includes obeying God in the way we speak and in the way we treat others.

I also want to point out verse 9 to you; ‘those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.’ Maybe you feel you are lacking many good things. It is important that we remember that God KNOWS what each of us need and it is a fact that our deepest “needs” are most often spiritual. Many will face unbearable hardship and poverty, yet still have enough spiritual nourishment to continue to live for God. David is praising God for His goodness; that all who call upon God in their times of need will be heard, sometimes in unexpected ways. Perhaps God desires that we learn that we NEED HIM more than we need to achieve our immediate desires, or escape from the pain of grief, loss, failure in day to day life? I admit that I NEED Him in my life; that I NEED His help every moment of every day; and that I am so GRATEFUL for His faithfulness and for His many blessings in my own life!

God has faithfully brought me to the place of peace in various life transitions; but I put all my trust in Him. I know God has used ‘time’ to change me to be more Christ-like in all I do and say and for that I am thankful.

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.

God bless and keep each of you! Keep your focus on Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, and in ALL things, give God all the glory and praise!

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