Take a step

Stepping Out

2012-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

"The just shall live by faith" is repeated several times in the Scriptures. To live by faith means that we do not live primarily by what we see, or how we feel, but we live by what God says, and what He has promised. We need to live by this faith everyday, and in every circumstance. Heb. 11:6 tells us that without this faith we cannot please God. Living by faith is the only way to please God in our lives. Following are 3 stories from the Bible that illustrate our need for faith. The first one is the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites. With the Sea in front of them, and the Egyptian army behind them, the people were afraid. Moses says, "Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." Fear will never get us across the obstacles in our lives, it will always drive us backwards. The people were crying, but God said to them to stop crying, and to move forward. The great miracle of the water dividing happened when Moses lifted up his rod toward the Sea in faith. By faith they crossed over the Sea and saw the destruction of their enemies. Later in the time of Joshua, Israel needed another miracle in order to cross into the Promised Land. The people were to watch the ark and follow it, because they had not passed that way before. The priests were to stand in the Jordan, and as they did, the water stopped flowing, and they walked on dry ground across the Jordan River. This crossing represents our crossing into the promises of God and the fulness of God in our lives. We need a miracle every time we move forward into our promised land. We need to move in faith for each step forward, for we are moving into unknown territory. Then, in the New Testament, we read of Peter accepting Jesus' invitation to walk on the water. Peter made the decision to step out onto the water, and found the reality of the supernatural. We too will find the supernatural power of God when we step out in faith on the promises of God. When fear entered into Peter, he again had to fix his eyes on Jesus in order to walk in the supernatural. "But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out saying, 'Lord, save me!' " The circumstances are irrelevant to faith. Walking by faith takes us across the troubled sea. We can cross our Red Sea, we can enter into our Promised Land, and we can walk on the water of the supernatural, as we walk by faith, and not by sight.

Places of Growth

2012-01-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture in 2 Kings 2:1-15 is a great picture of growth in a Christian's life. It is the story of Elisha following Elijah so that he may receive a double portion of the Spirit. The two men start at Gilgal, which means a circle, or rolling. This speaks of the place we start in our walk with God, the place where our sins are rolled away, and we start our relationship with God. But from Gilgal, the Lord sends Elijah to Bethel. Bethel means the house of God. We too must be established in the house of God. Ps. 92:13 says, "Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." The church is the house of God where we must become established in order to grow. The picture of the physical body demonstrates our need to be established in the local church. A member of the body cannot function without the rest of the body. We cannot fulfil our destiny from God without being in relationship with our local church and fellow brothers and sisters. From Bethel Elijah is sent to Jericho. Jericho represents the place of battle in the Christian life. There will be battles that we must push through and overcome as we walk with God. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32, "Simon, Simon, satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." There will be times of battling to keep your heart right with God, battling temptation, battling distractions, battling discouragement, battling against principalities and powers. We will battle strife and carnality. We must battle so that we don't become like the Corinthians, who could no longer receive meat, but only milk, because they were not able to eat the meat of God's Word, 1 Cor. 3:1,2. Then Elijah was sent to the Jordan. The Jordan is the place of crossing over into the Promised Land. It is the place of faith, of abundance, of answered prayer, and abundant life. The Jordan is the place where Jesus was baptized, and the Holy Spirit came upon Him. It is the place of Spirit filled living and walking with God. This is the place we want to live. We must not be content staying at Gilgal, or in Bethel, or at Jericho. We must follow on to the Jordan, to the place of greater anointing and blessing. This requires growth in our faith, and in our walk with God. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." 2 Pet. 3:18

Moving With God

2012-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

The example of Elisha following after Elijah is one that spurs us on to follow after God. The Scripture passage is found in 2 Kings 2:1-15. Elijah is moving from one place to another, and each time he moves, he tells Elisha to stay. But each time, Elisha responds with, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." Then the sons of the prophets come to Elisha and say, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And Elisha responds with, "Yes I know, keep silent." There are 4 things that stick out to me in Elisha's life: Growth (moving on), persistence, passion, and mentorship. Elisha had decided to move with God. He was not going to stay where he was, nor as he was. We must also decide to move out with God, and not stay the same. God is moving, and the question is whether we will move with Him. God is speaking. Will we hear Him, or neglect His still small voice? Elisha moved with Elijah, because he wanted what Elijah had, in fact he wanted a double portion. We must move on, and be persistant about it. There will be discouragement along the way, and we will be told to stay where we are. But persistence will move us forward through the obstacles. Elisha moved because of great desire. He was concerned about nothing else except keeping his eyes on Elijah. Elijah told Elisha he could have a double portion, but only if he saw Elijah when he was taken. Elisha never took his eyes off Elijah. We must be like Elisha, never taking our eyes off Jesus, the beginner and finisher of our faith. The relationship Elisha had with Elijah made it possible for Elisha to receive a double portion. We also must be in relationship with others who can lead us, and teach us, and impart into our lives the things that will cause us to move on in our walk with God. Elisha received the double portion, and moved out in the anointing as he split the waters of the Jordan, and walked back on dry ground. As we move on with God, in persistence, and great desire, following our leaders, we to can move out in the anointing we have received for our lives.

Levels Of Obedience

2011-11-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

Obedience comes from hearing, watching, and putting into practice the things the instructor has given us to do. There are 3 levels of obedience. The highest level is when obedience comes out of love. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." The highest form of obedience is when we want to obey out of love. This passionate love will cause us to obey at the highest level possible. We will want to please our Master and go above and beyond what is asked to please the Master. This kind of love will make us a better spouse, parent, employee, etc. But not always are we motivated out of passionate love. The second level is obedience is obeying because it is the right thing to do. Not too often do we wake up to the alarm with a passionate love for our job. But we get up and go to work because it is the right thing to do, and the consequences of not doing it are too high. Jesus prayed before the cross, that if there was any other way... but nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Hebrews says that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Jesus told the story of a man who had 2 sons. He told them both to go work in the vineyard. The first said that he would not go, and after regretted this, and went and worked. The second son said that he would go, but did not. Then Jesus asked the question, "Which one did the will of his father?" The first one, though he was disobedient, became obedient, not because he really wanted to, but because it was the right thing to do. The lowest level of obedience is when we are forced to obey and have no other option. Forced obedience is not obedience from the heart. Our goal is obedience, both because of passionate love, and because it is the right thing to do. Better to obey than to sacrifice. Obedience is the test we must strive to pass.

Obedience Begins In Thoughts

2011-11-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

God wants our obedience to begin in our thoughts. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ is our goal, 2 Cor. 10:5. As a disciple of Christ, I have committed myself to following Christ and bringing my life into line with His will. First there must be a willingness and desire on my part to change my thinking and my heart to become like Christ. The word obedience is made up of two Greek words which are 'under' and 'to hear'. Obedience starts with being under the hearing of the instructor. I like to play guitar and learn how to play new things. I was watching some guitar lessons on the computer. I was watching the instructor, and listening to him, and then trying to put in practice what he was doing. I was becoming obedient as I listened, watched, and tried to do what the teacher did. This is a picture of obedience. As we listen to Christ, and watch Him in the Scriptures, and begin to put into practice the things we see and hear, we are becoming obedient to Him. Putting something into practice is very different than only hearing and watching. Watching someone else play the guitar, and understanding what they are doing, is very different than actually picking up the guitar and making your fingers obedient to what you have learned. It takes a lot of practice to do what you have seen others do. So it is with the Scriptures. We are not to be only hearers of the Word, but doers also. We are to look into the mirror of the Word, and make the adjustments necessary. We are to build our lives on the foundation of hearing and doing. If we only hear, and do not practice, we will have no strength at the time of testing.

Obedience = Hearing, Listening, and Practicing.

The Chief Cornerstone

2011-04-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

As I was reading Matt. 21, I came upon the parable that Jesus told about the landowner and the vinedressers. The landowner prepared a business for himself, he hired others to run it, and he went into a far country. He sent servants to go to the vineyard and collect the fruit. But the workers beat them, killed them, and stoned them. Again he sent more servants, and again they were beaten and killed. Then he decided to send his son, thinking that the workers would respect his son. But when the workers saw the son, they decided to kill the son, thinking that the inheritance would be theirs. Then Jesus, quoting these famous words from Ps. 118:22-24, said to the chief priests and elders, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." The parable is the story of God's love and mercy to His people, in sending over and over again His servants and prophets to Israel, that there would be fruit in Israel for God. But again and again, Israel refused the prophets, and misused and abused them, and sometimes killed them. And finally, God sent His own Son, that His people would respect and hear Him. But again, Israel refused to hear the word, even though it was delivered by His own Son. They took the Son out of the city, and there at Golgotha they crucified Him. This is the stone which the builders rejected. As a cornerstone that is not perfect is rejected, so they found fault with Jesus, and rejected Him. But that same Stone has now been made the Chief Cornerstone. It is from Him that all the building is built and framed. When He comes into our lives, it is from Him that all the rest of our lives is to be measured and directed. When the Chief Cornerstone is laid in our hearts, He lays out the plan for all the rest of our lives. This is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection all wrapped up in these two statements; "The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone"! This wonderful message is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

The Ways Of God

2011-04-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

God said of Israel that they were a people that always went astray in their hearts, and they did not know God's ways, Ps. 95. Though they saw the miracles, they did not follow God faithfully. Ps. 103:7 says, "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel." Moses knew the ways of God, and God desires that we would know His ways also. Many of the writers of the Bible cried out to God that they might know His ways. "Show me Your ways O Lord; Teach me Your paths." Ps. 25:4. We need to ask God to show us His ways, because our ways are not His ways. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. So here are 7 thoughts on the ways of God that all begin with the letter W:

1. Ways - Show me Your way, O Lord; Ps. 27:11. The way of man is not in himself; Jer. 10:23.
2. Word - God's Word is His way. 2 Sam. 22:31 "As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is proven..." "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Ps. 119:105. When we find God's Word, we find God's way.
3. Worship - "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool - His is holy." Ps. 99:5. Everything we learn about God should cause us to worship Him more. Knowledge can puff a person up in arrogance, but worship humbles us before God. It is worshippers that God is seeking - John 4:23,24.
4. Walk - Knowing God's ways changes the way we walk. "...I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." Ps. 101:2. "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." Isa. 30:21.
5. Work - God is at work in us to do His good pleasure. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:6. His work in us is to make us more like Christ. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Phil. 2:13
6. Wait - There is always a time of waiting between the sowing of the seed and the harvest, Gal. 6:7,8. Learning to wait on God is an essential part of the ways of God. "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps. 27:14
7. Wisdom - There is wisdom from God that leads us in the ways of God. There are 2 kinds of wisdom mentioned in Jam. 3:15-18. The wisdom of this world is earthly, sensual, and demonic. The wisdom that God gives is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, merciful, impartial, and genuine. Walking in God's wisdom is the way of God.

Likeness

2011-03-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

God created man in His own image, and in His own likeness. God created everything to reproduce after its own kind, in its own likeness. So when Adam and Eve had a son in Gen. 5:1-3, it is not surprising that the son had the image and likeness of Adam. Everything follows the seed sowing principle, which says that whatever is planted brings forth a harvest after its own kind. Paul expands this principle into our everyday lives in Gal. 6:7,8, where he says that whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He applies this to sowing to our flesh nature which reaps destruction, and sowing to the Spirit, reaping life everlasting. Every thought and every action becomes a seed sown. Rom. 12:2 tells us that we need to renew our minds so we may find out the will of God. Renewing the mind is replacing the old mindset with the new thoughts of God. Jesus said that we should "Take no anxious thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?', or 'What shall we drink?', or 'What shall we wear?' " We are not to take those thoughts, and we are not to say them. We are to renew our minds to the Scripture, and say those promises. This is the transformation of the mind to live by faith, and not by doubt. The words we say are so powerful they have the power of life and death in them, Pro. 18:21. We must let God change our hearts and minds by receiving His thoughts and attitudes. Consider the beatitudes, how they display the attitudes that Christ had, and how each beatitude is also a principle of sowing and reaping. Paul said that he was confident that the good thing that God started in us, God would continue to complete until the day of His coming. What is it that God is wanting to do in us? What will we look like when He has completed His work? His work in us is to bring is into the image of His Son. He wants us to become like Jesus in every way. He wants our lives to bear the likeness of His Son.

Personal Attacks

2011-03-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

There will be times in our growth that we receive personal attacks. These often come from unexpected sources. When an attack comes out of the blue, it is very important how we respond. David had an experience we can all learn from. He refers to it in Ps. 41:9, "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." David was talking about Ahithophel, his counselor who is mentioned in 2 Sam. 15:12. Ahithophel joined Absalom, David's son, in a revolt against David. Ahithophel was a close personal friend to David, and gave David counsel, so he knew David very well, and they had shared many meals together. David said, "O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." David did survive the treasonous act of Absalom, though it broke David's heart. As David and his men were on the move to stay away from Absalom, a man named Shimei came out to curse David in 2 Sam. 16:5-14. This man threw rocks at David, cursed continuously, and lied about David, accusing David of wrong motives. He said David was a bloodthirsty man, and that the Lord was bringing upon David all the blood of the house of Saul. He accused David of taking the reign away from Saul, and that the Lord was now giving the kingdom into the hand of Absalom because David was caught in his own evil. None of this was true! None of these things happened because David had wrong motives. This was the Lord's doing, but Shimei didn't see it that way. It is very hard to be accused of having wrong motives, and to be cursed by people that you thought would support you. But notice David's response in verse 12, "It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day." Wow, if we will respond with that kind of attitude, the Lord will repay us with good even though we've been cursed and accused. David kept his eyes on the Lord, his trust in the Lord, and his hope in the Lord, and was not detoured by the cursing of Shimei. Goodness and mercy did follow David all the days of his life. The blessing of the Lord came because of how he responded when cursed and falsely accused. Don't let accusations from others stop you or break you. Keep your eyes on Jesus, bless those who curse you, and you will walk as a true child of your Father in heaven.

The Secret Place

2011-02-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

"He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty," Ps. 91:1 There is a secret place in God where we are invited to dwell. Abiding in that secret place assures us of the provision of El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One. The secret place is that place where we build personal intimate relationship with the Lord. It is the personal conversation and time spent together that builds a relationship. Marriage relationship is built when husband and wife are alone together. That is the time where intimacy of thoughts and emotions are shared and where the strength of relationship is built. The strength of the relationship will be seen in public, but it was built in private. Jesus told us that when we pray, we should enter into our private room, and shut the door, and there pray in secret to our Father, and our Father who sees in secret will reward us openly. It is the secret place that David longed for in Ps. 27:4,5. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His taberacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock." The secret place is the place where Jesus promised that He and the Father would come and make their home, John 14:21-23. It is the place of fellowship where Jesus said He would enter in, when we open the door, and He comes in to dine with us, Rev. 3:20. It is the cleft in the rock, where Moses waited for God's presence to pass by. God was saying to Moses that he could have as much of God's glory as he wanted, and as much as he could stand. When we pray, "Show me Your glory", we are praying to be brought into the secret place. Show me your glory Lord. I want to be in the secret place with You.

Follow, Seek, Set

2011-02-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

When Jesus comes on the scene, His presence requires a response. When He met the fishermen, and He called them saying, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," it required a response from them. Would they follow Him or stay where they were? The same call is extended to you and I today. Will we follow Him? Once we have decided to follow, the next step is to seek Him. Paul says in Col. 3:1, "If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." The Christian life is one of seeking God. We are to seek Him diligently, Heb. 11:6. If you have lost your wallet, or your keys, you are on a diligent search to find the missing valuables. We are on a seeking mission to find all the valuable blessings of God provided for us through Christ. We must seek first this kingdom, before all the other things we need, Matt. 6:33. We are assured that when we seek, we will find, Matt. 7:7,8. Our seeking must be with all our heart, and then we will find God, Jer. 29:13. As we seek, Paul says in Col. 3:2, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." What we do with our mind is of great importance in our walk with God. We have specific instructions about what to do with our minds. Phil. 4:8 says that whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, these are the things to think and meditate on. We can choose our thoughts, and we can set our minds on what we choose. We must choose to fill our minds with these things in order to experience the peace of God in our lives. Isa. 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." When we trust the Lord, and we keep our minds set on Him and His Word, the result is that we will have peace, perfect peace, in our lives. I understand that this in Hebrew is a double "Shalom, Shalom." What a provision God has given us for walking in peace, for knowing Him in our walk. Follow, Seek, Set!

5 Smooth Stones

2011-01-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

1 Sam. 17:40 says, "Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine." Saul had given his own armor to David to wear to go against the giant, but David refused them, saying that he could not walk with them, for he had not tested them. David could not wear someone else's armor, and we cannot walk with someone else's revelation. When we go out against a giant, we must know in our own hearts what God has told us, and what He wants us to do. David had to go out against Goliath with what he knew for himself. He put Saul's armor aside, and he chose for himself 5 smooth stones. Learning to throw stones and use a slingshot is a personal thing you must experiment with yourself. I remember learning how to skip stones on the creek. I had to experiment with different kinds of stones to find out which were the stones that worked the best for me. David chose for himself 5 smooth stones. He knew what he was looking for. He knew what stones worked for him the best. He chose 5 stones. Why did he choose 5? Firstly, I believe this is a lesson in being over prepared. David was ready, not just for Goliath, but for any other giant that would dare to face David that day. It is good for us to be over prepared in our battles. Know more Scripture than you have time to share. Pray longer than you need to. Show more love than you have to. Be over prepared, and you'll never be unprepared! It is also worth noting that Goliath did have 4 brothers. The details about them are in 2 Sam. 21:15-22. The first two mentioned are named as Ishbi-Benob and Saph. The next two are referred to as the brother of Goliath and a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. These were Goliath's brothers, and David was prepared for them too should they present themselves in the battle. The Scripture admonishes us to always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is within us. Be ready. Let us take a lesson from David. Be over prepared!

A Lion And A Bear

2011-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

A pivitol point in the story of David and Goliath comes when David remembers how he experienced God's power in previous battles in his life. Even before David is able to go out against the giant, he first has to overcome the opposition he faces from his own people. First Eliab, the oldest brother of David, speaks demeaning belittling words to David, asking David with who he left those few sheep in the wilderness. But David rises up in faith and says, "Is there not a cause?" David does not let the negative words of an older brother sway him from the battle. Then the king, Saul, tries to discourage David by saying, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, seeing you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David had an answer for Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it." David refers to his previous experiences with God to show that he believed God would deliver him in this situation also. It is very important that we trust God in smaller experiences in life, for these become the foundation upon which we can stand, when we face a bigger giant. This was the turning point in the battle against Goliath. It was this confidence that David showed in his God in previous experiences that changed Saul's mind, to allow David to pursue the giant. If David had not had those previous faith encounters with God, he would not have been ready for this huge giant. Every day is an opportunity to trust God, and prove His power in our lives. And every one of these "smaller" miracles builds within us a confidence and faith that we will need when we face a Goliath like giant. Pro. 3:5,6 is our reminder to trust God everyday and in every stiuation, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Let us walk each day with faith in God for His power and provision, and position ourselves for our future battles.

Pulling Down Strongholds

2011-01-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

A stronghold in the Old Testament was a place of refuge or a hideout, like a cave or den in the mountains, where people could hide from their enemy. The New Testament uses the word in 2 Cor. 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." The strongholds we battle against are thoughts in our minds that have taken a strong hold on our minds, that keep us in bondage to lies, and wrong thinking. The battlefield for the Christian is in the mind, where Satan rages against the work of God in our lives. The enemy works through deceiving thoughts, lies, and half truths to gain entrance and control in the life of the believer in Jesus. We can choose our thoughts. We must take responsibility for our thoughts. Just as I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of where I live, so I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of my mind. I can choose my thoughts, and I must choose my thoughts carefully, or else my mind will become a garbage pit for any thought. The renewing of the mind is a process that takes constant persistence in enforcing the truth of God's Word into our minds. We are told by the apostle Paul to choose our thoughts carefully. Phil. 4:8 says, "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." This is bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is pulling down strongholds. This is casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is not enough to simply reject and rebuke wrong thoughts, we must replace the wrong thoughts with the thoughts of the Word of God. This is when we will begin to experience the truth of Jesus' words to us, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32

How To Defeat A Giant

2011-01-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

The story of David defeating Goliath is a story rich in revelation knowledge about our walk with God. The giant represents an enemy to our spiritual walk that stands as a domineering, controlling, merciless obstacle to spiritual growth. As long as the giant stood in defiance, Israel's progress was stopped. Israel could do nothing as long as the giant loomed over them. Goliath's challenge came to Israel for 40 days, every morning and every evening. He was a constant reminder in their face that they were under his control, and they could do nothing as long as he was there. The enemy of our walk is constantly standing against us, and trying to exert his control in our lives. We must defeat the giants that stand against us. But before David could even go against the giant, he had other things to deal with first. David's oldest brother, Eliab, came with words of ridicule and intimidation which were meant to belittle David. 1 Sam. 17:28 says, "Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, 'Why did you come down here? And with who have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle. ' " The oldest brother has influence over the younger siblings, and he is expected to encourage and support the younger ones in their battles. It can be very disheartening to have someone older in a place of influence speak words that hurt and discourage. But David did not fall under this negative influence. He rejected rejection! He could have quit at this moment, and said to himself, "I tried to help. I offered my service, but I was rejected, so I'm going back home." But David's heart rose up in faith and courage and said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" Eliab represents the nature of the flesh. Eliab responded with anger, and a cruel mean spirit toward David. The flesh is capable of every wicked thing in this life, and if we are going to rise up and defeat our giants, we are going to have to overcome the flesh. Paul admonished the church in Corinth to overcome their flesh when he said in 1 Cor. 3:3, "For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal, and behaving like mere men?" David overcame the rejection and criticism of Eliab before he came against Goliath. We too must rise up above the works of the flesh, to defeat the giants that stand against us.

The Natural Man

2011-01-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

The familiar story of David and Goliath has an amazing lesson for each of us. The story is found in 1 Sam. 17. David was sent out by his father to take some bread and cheese to his brothers, and to see how they were doing, and to bring back a report. As David arrived, the Philistine giant presented himself and made his challenge for anyone from Israel to come and fight him. The giant is about 9'9" tall, fully dressed in battle armor, and has been a warrior since his youth. He is a formidable enemy and all the men of Israel are dreadfully afraid of him. David relies on God, and has had past experiences with a lion and a bear that strengthen his faith. He is willing and ready to go against this giant. He sees no reason whatsoever that this giant should be able to curse the God of Israel and remain in power over Israel. David believes God, and says, "Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." Here is where we learn something about walking with God. Saul relies on his own understanding, and on earthly weapons, and tells David to put on his armor. So David puts on Saul's armor, but he says, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." Saul is a representation of the natural man, who does not have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:14 tells us that the natural man does not recieve the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." Saul thinks only with the natural mind, and David says, "I cannot walk with these." We cannot walk for God with only the natural mind. Our walk with God is a supernatueral walk that is by faith, and in the Spirit, and is not a life of the flesh. David relies on God, and He takes out his sling and chooses 5 stones. He overcomes the giant, not by the weapons of war of the natural man, but by faith in God. Our weapons are not physical, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 2 Cor. 10:4. Saul's wisdom was earthly, sensual, and demonic, James 3:15. We have been called to live by a higher wisdom, the wisdom that comes down from above, the mind of Christ, Let us llive today by the spiritual armor from God, and not by the natural man of self reliance.

Overcoming Giants

2011-01-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

The children of Israel were given a land to conquer. Moses instructed the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes to go into the land to spy it out and to bring back a report of what they saw. They came back with fruit from the land and gave their report. Though all 12 spies saw the same thing, they came back with 2 different conclusions. 10 of the spies said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." Joshua and Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are will able to overcome it." The people were swayed by the negative report and spent the night weeping, and wanted to select another leader and return to Egypt. Only Joshua and Caleb and those 20 years of age and younger were able to enter into the promised land. God has given us many promises. He has given us a "promised land" to enter into. The vastness of His love and presence and promises still awaits our possessing. Negativity is an enemy that needs to be discovered and defeated. Sometimes we have lived with negative thinking for so long that we don't even realize how negative our attitude is. We have accepted defeat too easily because something didn't work out right away. We haven't stayed in faith and believed that God has a thousand ways to answer a prayer. We need to remember that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. When we receive a word from God we will see how God can work in very simple ways. Usually His thoughts about a situation are thoughts that we had never considered, yet they will be so easy to accept. What does God require from us? Faith! He simply required faith from the children of Israel. They didn't have to know how to conquer the land, they simply needed to believe that God had given it to them, and therefore it was theirs to take. Whatever God has promised you, claim it by faith, and don't give up. God will be true to His Word. Don't let negative thinking stop you from moving forward into the land God has given you.

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

2011-01-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

In Pro. 23:7 we read this phrase, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." God wants to change the way that we think. Our lives become a progression of thoughts, to words, to actions, to habits, to character. Long before our character or habits were formed, there were thoughts which gave birth to this progression in our lives. That's why we were given the Scriptures, which are inspired of God, for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction, 2 Tim. 3:16. Why do we need so much teaching, rebuking, correction, and instruction? Because God wants to change the way we think. Out whole way of thinking needs to be retrained. The source of the problem is found in Gen. 2:16,17. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in that day they would surely die. They did die that day, spiritually, and their minds began to think negative things they had never known before. Fear and shame and guilt entered in. In the next chapter, Gen. 4, we read of the murder of Abel by Cain. In Gen. 6:5 the thoughts of men's hearts had become evil continually. So God gave us His Word to retrain our minds so we would think God's thoughts. Heb. 4:12 says this Word is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and it divides between the soul and the spirit, and it discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We need to open ourselves to the Word of God, and like David, pray that God would search our hearts, and see if there is any wicked way in us, Ps. 139:23,24. We all need to have our thoughts retrained, because Isa. 55:8,9 tells us that our thoughts are not God's thoughts, and our ways are not His ways. Pro. 4:20-22 tells us that we can have God's Word in our hearts, as we give attention to it, we listen to it, and we keep it before our eyes. This is the process of transformation that Paul talked about in Rom. 12:2. Our lives are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we may come to know what God's will is for our lives. Take a step toward transformation today by giving attention to God's Word.

Ruth, A Story of Redemption

2010-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Book of Ruth is a fascinating look into the time of the Judges. The story unfolds as Elimelech and Naomi travel from Bethlehem, across the Jordan River into Moab because of a famine. Their two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion, and in time they took wives for themselves from Moab, named Ruth and Orpah. As time passes, Elimelech died, as did both of the sons. So Naomi is left with her two daughter-in-laws, and decides that she will go back home to Bethlehem. She tells the two daughter-in-laws to go back to their homes in Moab. Orpah kisses Naomi, and goes back home. But Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, and said these famous words, "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die; And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." These were the vows that my wife Judy made to me at our wedding. They are words of loyalty, and determination, that would cause Ruth to stay with Naomi no matter what happened. So they made their way back to Judah, into the town of Bethlehem, where Ruth began to glean grain from the field of Boaz. Soon Boaz inquired who this woman was, and began to show her favor and kindness. In time, with Naomi's instruction, Ruth came and submitted herself to Boaz by laying down at the end of his bed during the night. When Boaz awoke, Ruth said to him, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative." This is a beautiful picture of salvation, as Ruth who is a type of the church, submits herself to Boaz, the one who has the ability to redeem her. Boaz is the kinsman-redeemer, a type a Christ who is both Son of Man and Son of God. Boaz is both a human relative, and a powerful redeemer. Christ is both fully human and fully divine. He is related to us and knows all our weaknesses, and is able to redeem us from our lost condition. Christ is our Kinsman-Redeemer. Ruth becomes the wife of Boaz, as Boaz buys back the land of Elimelech. They have a son called Obed, who is the father of Jesse, who is the father of King David. This beautiful story is a picture of Christ and the church, and the salvation, security, provision and favor that we find when we come to Christ, and ask Him to take us under His wing, as our Kinsman-Redeemer. We are like Ruth, unable to change our situation, unable to redeem ourselves, but we find mercy and favor when we submit ourselves at the feet of our Kinsmen-Redeemer.

The Family of Jesus

2010-12-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Bible is very detailed in the description of the family line of Jesus. Luke gives us a geneology of Christ that goes all the way back to Adam! Luke's geneology is understood to be the lineage of Mary. Matthew's geneology is understood to be the family line of Joseph, and it includes four women. Usually a Jewish geneology would only include the names of the fathers, but it seems that this geneology includes these four women for a specific purpose. The four women mentioned in Matthew are: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and she who had been the wife of Uriah, who we know to be Bathsheba. Each one of their stories are told to us in detail in the Old Testament. God has included these stories for a reason, so we may learn from them, and see the lives of those in Christ's lineage. The story of Tamar is an astounding series of events, that leads up to Tamar playing the role of a prostitute, for the expressed reason of having a child by her father-in-law Judah. She does have the child, in fact she has twins named Perez and Zerah, and the Messianic lineage is carried on through Perez. You can read about it in Gen. 38. Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho, however she had faith in Israel's God, and knew that Israel would soon come into Jericho, and God would give Israel victory. So she saved herself and her family by the sign of the scarlet cord hanging from her window. Ruth was not a Jew, but was from Moab, and became a part of Jesus family line by her loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi. Bathsheba was taken into adultery by David, and gave birth to Solomon, through whom the lineage of Christ continued. The stories of these women are stories of real life suffering, sin, desperation, determination, joy, and fulfillment. Each story relates to our lives in some way. The family line of Jesus was made up of real people, real sinners with issues that affect our lives everyday. Jesus is well acquainted with our human condition, and understands the trials and temptations of our lives. He is not ashamed to call us His brethren. We are His family, no matter what circumstances in life we have come through. These four women give us hope, that no matter what has happened in our lives, God is still working in us, and He chooses to work through history, to make it His history. We do not need to be discouraged. God is working His plan, and He has promised that He will never give up on us. Phil. 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Everybody Wants To See Him

2010-12-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

The coming of Christ caused people to want to see Him. Luke 2:15 says, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." Simeon and Anna were both drawn to see the baby Jesus, and desired to see Him. The wise men made a long journey in order to be able to see the newborn King. As Jesus grew, and entered into his ministry, the interest in seeing Him spread all around Him. Philip told Nathaniel about Him. Nathaniel was skeptical and said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Andrew brought Peter to see Jesus, which changed Peter's life forever. How can we see Jesus today? He is not with us in the flesh. We cannot see Him with our eyes, so how can we see Him now? Jesus gave us the answer to this question in John 12. Certain Greeks came to Philip and asked him saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip told Andrew, and then together they told Jesus. But Jesus did not invite the Greeks to come see him. This happened just about one week before the cross. Jesus said, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." Jesus is talking about Himself, saying that unless He dies and is buried, He will not rise again, and bring forth the harvest of salvation for which He was sent. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He speaks to all of us saying, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." In other words, Jesus' answer to the Greeks, and to us, is that we must give our lives to Jesus, and as we lose our lives in following Him, then we will be where He is. We will see Him in our lives, and we will be with Him, and He will be with us. We will see God's honor and favor upon us if we serve Him. We do see Jesus in our lives today as we follow Him. We do see Jesus, as Heb. 2:9 says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." We do see Jesus, and we can keep looking to Him, as Heb. 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." Look unto Jesus, serve Him, follow Him, and you will see Him alive in your life!

The Power of Worship

2010-12-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

The birth of Christ caused a torrent of worship to come up to God from almost everyone who heard about the Christ Child. In Luke 1:46,47 Mary praised the Lord and said, "My soul maginifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." Zacharias said, "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people." A multitude of the heavenly host appeared, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." The wise men fell down and worshipped the Christ Child, and opened their gifts for Him. Worship is the laying down of our lives before God, because of who God is. It is our reasonable service, as found in Rom. 12:1, "I urge you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." The NIV version says, "... -this is your spiritual act of worship." It is in worship that we welcome the presence of God into our lives. Ps. 22:3 says, "But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel." God sits upon the throne of our hearts when we worship Him. He inhabits the praises of His people. We see numerous examples in Scripture where God's presence is manifested when people worship Him. Here are 2 of my favorite passages. 2 Chron. 20 tells the story of the attack of the enemy on Israel. Under Jehoshaphat's leadership, they put the singers and praisers in the front of the army saying, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Israel won that battle without fighting, they only needed to praise the Lord. Another example of the power of praise is in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were beaten and held in stocks in the prison. At midnight they prayed and sang praises unto God. There came an earthquake that freed all the prisoners, and demonstrated the mighty power of God that is present when people praise and worship God. Whatever situation you are in today, I encourage you to now worship God, and enthrone Him on your heart. Watch and see what happens when you put God first by worshipping Him.

No Word From God Shall Be Without Power

2010-12-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

At Christmas time, we often refer to the passages in Luke that tell the Christmas story. The angel said to Mary in Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing will be impossible." The Amplified Version says, "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." God works through His Word. He gives us His Word, which is never without power, or impossible of fulfillment. To have God's Word is to have God's power. To have God's Word is to have faith, for faith is the product of hearing God's Word, Rom. 10:17. When the Word of God is spoken, it causes an explosion in the spirit realm. When the word is sown, the first thing that happens is that the devil comes to take away the word that was sown. Luke 8:11-15 is one place where Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seed. The devil knows the power of the word, and knows that if the word ever gets into the heart of the hearer his power over the individual is gone. So he moves quickly to cause doubt and fear to stop the word from doing its work in the heart of the believer. Following this attack, there will come temptation, and affliction, all designed to stop the word from putting down roots in the heart. Following this attack, there comes the distractions of worry, the love of riches, and the pleasures of this world, all designed to take away the effect of the word. The battle is over the word in our lives. It is the word that bears fruit in us. Protecting and nourishing that word must become the number one priority in the life of the believer. In a noble and good heart, the word can continue to grow, and bring forth a great harvest with patience. This is why the first command given to Joshua as he came into leadership was, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." One of the greatest leaders in history, Joshua, found his way to success by making the Word of God his meditation day and night. God uses His Word in our lives to bring about His will. We must do nothing less than give it first place in our hearts and minds.

Barak - The Hesitant Warrior

2010-12-13T13:44:00.000-08:00

Even though Barak was hesitant to obey God, he is listed in the heroes of faith in Heb. 11:32. Barak was called by the judge Deborah to go to war against Sisera. The word from God was to go with 10,000 troops to Mount Tabor, and there God would bring Sisera, and deliver him into Barak's hand. Barak believed this to be a word from God, but his response was less than enthusiastic. He said to Deborah in Jud. 4:8, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." Sometimes we can have a word from God, and know what God has told us to do, but we are still hesitant to step out and obey. To have great faith is to believe God's Word because God said it. The centurion of Matt. 8:8 said, "...but only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." This faith Jesus commended as being the greatest He had seen. So why are we hesitant to act on what God tells us? Barak wanted more than God's Word. He wanted Deborah to accompany him, or he was not going. So Deborah agreed to go, but told Barak that God would not give Sisera into his hand, but into the hand of a woman. Barak's faith was strong enough to go, but not strong enough to go alone. And even this faith, God rewarded with victory. Barak went into the battle, and God routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army. Sisera fled and came to the tent of Jael, whose husband Heber was at peace with Sisera's army. So she invited him into the tent, and gave him a blanket, and a cup of milk, and assured him she would watch the door for attackers. But when he was fast asleep, she came to him softly, with a hammer, and a tent peg. With one blow of the tent peg into Sisera's temple, he died, and the word that God gave to Deborah came to pass just as she had spoken it. Deborah and Barak sang a new song that day in Jud. 5:2, "When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord." When we rise up in faith, and lead by doing what God has told us to do, we bless the Lord. Rise up in faith, and don't hesitate to obey God.

Gideon - Getting Rid Of Fear

2010-12-13T13:11:00.000-08:00

2 Tim. 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." God does not want us to live by fear. He wants all fear to be gone from our lives. Fear is one of the greatest hindrances we face that tries to stop us from moving out into what God wants for our lives. Fear cripples our faith and causes us to hide from the enemy, and from God's call on our lives. One example in the Bible of a person who was filled with fear is Gideon. We find Gideon in the winepress threshing out wheat. He was in the winepress to hide from the Midianites and all the enemies that came into the land to take away their produce. The angel of the Lord said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor" Jud. 6:12. Gideon felt anything but a mighty man of valor. But God calls us as He sees us, and He sees us with all the potential He has given us. He sees us as mighty men and women of God who can do anything we are called to do. But Gideon is full of doubt and fear, and it takes many assurances from God before Gideon is ready to step out in faith. Gideon offers a sacrifice, which the angel consumed with fire. Then Gideon puts out a fleece, not once, but twice, to gain assurance that this was really God. Gideon's army is reduced to 300 men who had no fear, and who were ready for battle. Then God lets him overhear the dream of the enemy to once again assure Gideon that God was with him. And finally, with 300 men bearing torches, and empty pitchers, and trumpets, God gives the victory to Israel through Gideon's army. Gideon was transformed from a hiding fearful man, to a mighty leader of Israel, and is included in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32. What mighty works can be done through faith! Fear is an enemy that cripples faith! Each day, let us be transformed by the renewing of our mind, to overcome fear, and to walk in the faith of God. Feed your faith, and starve your doubts to death. Rise up and say, "Spirit of fear, be gone from my life. I have a spirit of power, and love, and a sound mind."

Moses' Miracle of Organization

2010-12-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

When we think about the greatest miracles in the Bible, one of the greatest has to be the dividing of the Red Sea, and the deliverance of the children of Israel, and destruction of the Egyptians. This massive miracle speaks of the greatness of God to do anything, and that nothing is too hard for Him. But I am also impressed with the miracle of Ex. 18 that enabled Moses and the children of Israel to be able to survive together in the desert. The chapter tells us how Jethro, Moses' father-in-law came to join Moses, and brought Moses' wife and 2 sons. It was the next day that Jethro observed Moses sitting all day, from morning till night, judging the children of Israel. I imagine Moses sitting there, and a very long lineup of people, waiting all day in the heat of the sun, for a chance to bring their need to Moses. Moses was very busy, and Jethro was not impressed. Jethro said, "What are you doing? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand before you from morning till night? The thing you are doing is not good. Both you and these people will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you. You are not able to perform it by yourself." So Jethro gave Moses a word of wisdom, and told him to appoint rulers over groups of people, over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens. These men would judge the people, and only the hard cases would be sent to Moses. This made it easier on Moses, and much better for the people, as they didn't have to wait in the sun all day. So Moses was able to endure, and the people were able to live in peace. The miracle of teamwork preserved the children of Israel from organizational disaster. God calls everyone of us into a team, to work together with other people on Kingdom business. We cannot do it without a team. We must build our teams, relate to our team members, and trust our team in areas of our weaknesses. We each have a part to play on the team. Find your team, find your place, and work with your team. It will bring great strength and peace, and you will be able to endure the many challenges and pressures that will come your way.

Unless The Lord Builds The House

2010-12-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Ps. 127:1,2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep." This Psalm tells us that unless the Lord is working through us, giving us the vision, the plan, and is personally involved in the project, our work will be in vain. This is not to say that we cannot do anything without God. The tower of Babel is a great example of people working together in unity to accomplish a great goal. And God Himself said in Gen. 11:6, "Indeed the people all are one, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them." God has created people so ingeniously that we are capable of doing tremendous things together. But this Psalm tells us that all our work will not produce any Kingdom or eternal benefits. If we rise up early, and stay up late, eating the bread of sorrows, worrying about our life, and trying to solve our problems, all our worry and anxiety will not bring about the solutions we need. We will only lose sleep, and find no satisfactory answers. But God gives His beloved sleep. So what do we do when we toss and turn, and can't shut our mind off from worrying and fretting about things. We need to go back to the first verse, which tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain. We need to commit everything to God, and trust Him with all our concerns. When we have turned everything over to God, and we trust Him, we will be able to finally lay down and get a peaceful sleep. Sleep is a gift from God, which we desperately need, for a clear mind, a good attitude, and a healthy body. So may God give you a trusting heart, and peace in your heart and mind, and good sleep, to refresh you for the challenges of tomorrow.

The Faith of Moses

2010-11-25T08:54:00.000-08:00

When we consider the life of Moses, we can see that God had a plan for him right from the beginning. The story unfolds as his parents hid him for 3 months, and then floated him down the river in a basket, there to be found by Pharoah's daughter, who decides to adopt him as her own son. The plan of God is revealed step by step from the beginning to the end of Moses' life. His first 40 years were spent in Pharoah's household, but at 40 years old, the true heart of Moses came out as he went to see his people and looked on their burdens. In 2 days Moses' life was changed forever, and he fled to Midian, where he lived for the next 40 years. When he arrived in Midian the 7 daughters of the priest of Midian came to draw water, but the shepherds came and drove them away. At that point Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. This simple gesture of standing up for these women and helping them, opened the door for the next 40 years of his life. Because he stood up for what was right, he stood out to the priest of Midian, who asked about him, and invited him to come eat at his house. Moses married Zipporah, a daughter of the priest, and Moses lived there 40 years. Because Moses stood up, he stood out, and stood in the place God had for him. It is always right to do the right thing, and doing the right thing does not go unnoticed. "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right" Pro. 20:11. So if a child is known by his deeds, how much more an adult is known by his deeds. When we faithfully stand up for the things God has put in our heart, we will stand out from among the rest, and this will open doors into the place God has for us to serve. "And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" Gal. 6:9. It was Moses' faith that determined his life's direction: what he refused, what he choose, what he valued, what he looked for, what he forsook, what he kept, and what he left behind. The faith of Moses serves as an encouragement and a pattern for us to follow in living by faith today.

The Test of Offence

2010-11-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

A leader will be tested to see if he/she can be offended. It seems that there are certain people that come into our lives that are there to test our character, and God is using them to test and grow our character. I think of the life of Joseph, and how he was tested. Ps. 105:17-19 says, "He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him." Joseph went through a tremendous test. He was faithfully serving his master, not having done anything wrong, yet he was falsely accused, and was put in the prison. It would be so difficult to be put in prison for something you have not done. What about Joseph's feelings toward this woman who accused him? Did he not have reason to be angry? What did he think about this woman? She was the reason he was in the prison. Wouldn't he feel a sense of hurt, and betrayal, and a desire for justice? How could he not feel ill toward this lady? Yet there seems to be no ill feelings in Joseph. His spirt was pure, and without bitterness. Joseph saw that this situation was a test from God that would reveal his character. The test revealed Joseph to be of excellent character, and at the timing of God, Joseph was released out of the prison into leadership of Egypt. "The king sent and released him. The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions. To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom." So the next time someone comes into your life that tests your character, realize that passing this test is crucial to your next promotion from God. The tests reveal our character, and show God how much He can trust us with more of His kingdom!
Ps. 119:165 "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble."

Wrestling With God

2010-09-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

"Then Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day," Gen. 32:24. Jacob was alone. God had brought him to this place to touch his life, and Jacob would never be the same again. God will bring us to a place in our lives where we are alone with Him, and He starts wrestling with our hearts. We can walk away and choose not to wrestle, but there is a great blessing awaiting those who will wrestle through to the blessing. Jacob had been a deceiver from the time he was born. At birth he had his tiny hand on the heel of his twin brother Esau. He would take advantage of Esau on two major occasions. He took Esau's birthright by trading it for a bowl of stew. Later, with the help of his mother, he stole Esau's blessing by pretending he was his brother, and having his father Isaac pronounce a blessing of prosperity and authority on him. But now Jacob is at a place in his life where he is broken, and is unwilling to go on without being changed. He will not let go of this Man until he receives a blessing. Jacob is facing Esau in the morning, not knowing whether Esau will kill him, or what will happen. "The Man asked him, What is your name? And (in shock of realization, whispering) he said, Jacob (supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler)!" Gen. 32:27 Amp. It dawned on Jacob that even his name revealed his need for change in his life. His name was changed that day from Jacob to Israel, "for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." His name was changed, and his walk was changed. From that day he limped on his hip. He had seen God face to face, and he would never be the same. The old man Jacob was gone. The old lying, stealing, deceiver was gone, and he walked with a new nature for the rest of his life. We also must wrestle with God, and with men, and we must prevail. We must win this spiritual wrestling match for our hearts, and defeat the deceitfulness of the old man, through the touch of God upon our lives, that changes our walk for the rest of our lives.

A Fruitful Life

2010-09-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Bible characters is Joseph. His life story is found in Gen. 37-50, but there are two Bible passages where a summary of his life is given. One of these places is Gen. 49:22-24, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob '(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)' ". Joseph was hated by his brothers, put into a pit to die, then sold as a slave. He had reasons to become a bitter person, but we never find Joseph complaining or feeling sorry for himself. He had a servant's heart, and served wherever he went. Even when falsely accused by Potipher's wife, he showed an attitude of servanthood, and was soon promoted in the prison. The other passage that speaks of Joseph is Ps. 105:17-22. This Scripture tells us how Joseph's feet were hurt with fetters, and he was laid in iron. But Joseph was faithful, until his word came to pass. The word that God gave him in dreams years before caused many trials in Joseph's life and tested him. But because Joseph stayed faithful, he was promoted from the prison to the palace in one day. He became a ruler over the people of Egypt, and was a lord in Pharoah's house. Joseph put James 1:2-4 into action in his life. He counted it joy when he encountered all kinds of trials in his life. The joy of the Lord was Joseph's strength, and he remained strong. He became fully developed in the character of God, and became a man who lacked nothing. He became a picture of Christ to us. He was hated by his brethren, he was put into a pit for his death, he was treated as a slave, he was falsely accused, but he was promoted to the right hand of the king, and finally he revealed himself to his brethren. This is a picture of Christ, being sold by His brethren, falsely accused, rejected and despised, but in the end He rose up triumphant over death, and now He reigns as King, and will one day soon reveal Himself to His brethren, Israel. "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him," Rev. 1:7. Jesus is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. As we follow the example of Joseph, we also may live a fruitful life, with our branches running over the walls of our lives to bring blessing to others.

Bearing Fruit Through Trials

2010-09-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

James tells us, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." It is essential that we have an attitude of joy when we are going through trials. This may seem too difficult, but consider the alternative, an attitude of complaining, and anger, and bitterness. These things lead us on a downward spiral that steals and kills and destroys everything God wants to do in our lives. Through trials, God wants us to develop patience, which is the ability to persevere and endure through hardships. God wants us to not only have patience, but to have fully developed patience. That is the kind of patience that can go through any trial, and still be found lacking nothing. This person will not be lacking any faith, hope, joy, or strength, though they have endured great hardship. Perhaps patience is the character quality that we need the most in our lives. We must have faith, but faith without patience will not be able to endure. Patience is necessary in the life of the farmer, James 5:7,8. The seed brings forth fruit with patience, Luke 8:15. The runner must run with patience in order to win the race, Heb. 12:1-3. Through faith and patience the heroes of faith inherited promises, Heb. 6:12. In fact, even the gifts that God places in our lives can only be sustained with patience. A very gifted person, without any patience, can do great damage. The character of patience is what holds up the gifts. The gifts can not operate very long without the character to hold them up. The gifts are things we can see and watch with our eyes. Character is what we can't see, which is below the surface, holding up the gifts. It is our response through trials, that will determine what kind of people we become. Let us serve God, not only when things are going good, but especially when things are difficult. That is where we will develop the character of Christ in our lives.

The Lord is our Healer - Ex.15:22-26

2010-08-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

The children of Israel had experienced the miracle of deliverance from Egypt by passing through the Red Sea on dry land. They began their journey into the wilderness, and in 3 days they were in a crisis. There was no water in the desert. Sometimes we will experience times of great need in our lives. This was a test for them, for God knew there was no water in the wilderness. The only water they found was so bitter they couldn't drink it. It only took 3 days for the Israelites to forget about the God of miracles, and they went in a downward spiral, from need, to disappointment, to complaining, to bitterness. Their experience with God had become bitter, and so they named the place Marah, which means bitter. A revelation was given to Moses that saved their lives. The Lord showed him a tree, which when he cast it into the water, the water was made sweet. There the Lord promised them, that if they would listen to God, and do what He told them to do, that He would keep them in health, and they would not experience the diseases that the Egyptians had, because "I am the Lord who heals you". Some of us need physical healing, but everyone of us needs a healing in our hearts, so that bitterness does not take hold of our lives. Heb. 12:14 says we are to look carefully lest anyone falls short of the grace of God, and a root of bitterness springs up, and by it many become defiled. The battle against bitterness must be won. Our bitterness is turned into sweetness when the power of the cross of Christ is brought into our hearts. His love and forgiveness is the power we need to forgive others, and to heal our hearts of hurts and bitterness.
In contrast to the Israelites experience at Marah, is the instruction we receive from James in chapter 1:2-4. James says that when we fall into great need and trials, that we should consider it as joy! With a positive faith that believes God is a God of miracles, we do not have to go in a downward spiral, but we can exercise our faith, and find joy in the midst of trials. We know that through the trial we will develop patience, and as we watch God work through this trial, our patience will be made complete and we will mature. Many times I have said to my wife during a time of trial, that when we get through this, we will be better people for it. With a positive faith that believes God for miracles, we will develop maturity in God, and we will not be lacking in the joy, and faith, and hope that God wants us to have.

Shaped By The Word

2010-08-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Pro. 22:6 says to train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. But that presupposes that the parent knows how to train the child. How does the parent become prepared to train the child? In Deut. 6:4-9 we have a passage that gives us a look at the Jewish home and the training of children as God desired it. First, the love for God was to be the all consuming desire of each person, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." But that was not all. For the next verse says, "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." It was necessary that the parents carried the words of God in their heart. Then they could teach them diligently to their children, and talk of them when they sat in their house, when they walked by the way, when they laid down, and when they rose up. These words were to shape the family in all aspects of their life. There was no part untouched by these words. They spoke of them constantly, and applied them to their lives in every facet of life. But that was not all. They were instructed to bind them as a sign on their hand, and between their eyes. Some people literally tied little boxes on their hands and on their foreheads that contained scrolls of Scripture, so that they would have a constant reminder of these words every time they looked at their hand, and everytime they used their eyes, they saw life through the Scriptures. But that was not all. They were to write these words on their doorposts of their houses, and again, on the gates outside their houses. They could not walk through a door without having a reminder from the Scriptures. Their lives were continually shaped by the Scriptures, talking of them, meditating on them, applying them, shaped by them throughout their lives. Will we allow our lives to be so shaped by the Word that we look at every situation in life through the Scriptures?

Cleansing

2010-05-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

One of the most valuable truths I learned as a young Christian was how to receive cleansing. 1 John 1:9 became an important verse to me that I went back to many times, as I felt the need for cleansing over and over. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We need to be cleansed, and washed from our sins. Jude 22,23 talks about "hating even the garment stained by the flesh". It is important that we hate sin, and desire to be cleansed from it. I heard a man speak who said that he had gone on a hunting trip for 9 days, and wasn't able to have a bath or shower for the entire time. He said that when he was able to have a shower, it was one of the greatest feelings he had ever had in his life. Jesus was teaching the disciples the need for cleansing when He washed the disciples feet. The washing of the disciples feet in John 13 was more than the need for clean feet. Jesus said, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." Jesus was showing the disciples the difference between coming to Christ initially to be saved, and learning to walk in cleansing as a follower of Christ. "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." The washing of our hands and feet symbolizes the need for daily cleansing from sin and defilement. The bronze laver of Moses' tabernacle illustrates for us the need for washing of our hands and feet - cleansing of our works and walk. The detailed system of sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament shows us how much we need cleansing. Hebrews chapters 8 - 10 is an explanation of why we need cleansing, and the difference between the Old Testament process and the New Testament solution. "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified," Heb. 10:14. Our perfect standing with God is accomplished by the one offering of the Son of God on the cross. Our standing with God is perfect through Christ. It is finished, and nothing can be added to make our standing any better. However, as we walk in this new salvation, we get defiled, and need to be cleansed. The cleansing agent is the blood of Jesus, as we see in 1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." God desires that we walk clean before Him, and He is at work in our lives to bring cleansing and purity into our lives. He desires, "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Removing spots and wrinkles requires some scrubbing, and some pressure, and some heat. By submitting to the Holy Spirit's work in us, the cleansing takes place, and we are delivered from the snares and stains of sin, as it tries to take hold in our lives. Let us walk in the cleansing that God has provided for our lives.

Eternal Life

2010-03-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Everything Jesus did was for this reason, to give us eternal life. "God so loved the world...should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16. Jesus knows the importance of eternal life. He came from the place of eternal life, and was going to eternal life. He was the Word, who was with God, and was God. He was the Word, spoken into the womb of Mary, to be manifested to us. Yet He laid aside His rightful glory, and dignity, to become a servant, to be made in the likeness of men. He did not hold onto His equality with God, but laid it aside, that He might humble Himself, unto death, even the death of the cross. He knew where He came from, and He knew where He was going. When He said, "In my Father's house are many mansions, He knew exactly what He was talking about. He was intimately aquainted with heaven. "I go to prepare a place for you..." The preparation that needed to be made was the shedding of His blood, that we also could be given a place in heaven. John tells us that if everything that Jesus did was to be written down, that even the world itself would not be able to hold the books that would be written. We are not told very much about heaven. Only a few verses in Rev. 21 and 22, and not much more. It will take eternity to see all that God has prepared for those that love Him. Everlasting life is what Jesus came to give us. Everlasting death is what Jesus came to deliver us from. Jesus lived in complete awareness of eternity, and the spiritual realm. Jesus knows heaven, and Jesus knows what hell is like. Jesus is the light of heaven, and He is the temple in heaven. He does not want anyone to go to hell, and miss eternal life with the Father. "Lord, open our eyes to live with an awareness of the spiritual world we live in, and of the eternity that we will enter into."

Habits

2010-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

Our thoughts are what we base our decisions on, and decisions form habits. Something we do regularily becomes a habit. The funny thing about habits, is how the bad ones are so much easier to form than the good ones. I have heard it said, that it takes 21 days to form a good habit, and 3 days to form a bad habit. So making something that is good a part of your everyday life requires a strong desire for that thing, and the discipline to put it into action everyday for at least 21 days. The great thing about a good habit is the cumulative effect. As I have been going to the gym, I find it hard to go every time. It would be so much easier to not go, and when I started, I wondered if my level of fitness would ever improve. But through time, little by little, I am seeing improvement. It is the cumulative effect that makes the difference. It cannot be done all at once or in a hurry. It takes a regular amount of time constantly. Saving money is the same principle. Saving a little regularily adds up over length of time. It is the same spiritually; being faithful in prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual exercise brings maturity, and strength, and knowledge of the ways of God. "Well done, good and faithful servant..." It is faithfulness over the long haul that brings the accumulated blessings of God.

Moving On

2010-01-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

The children of Israel were led by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Their existence depended on watching the cloud. Their lives were led and directed by the cloud. The cloud was the center of their camp, and the center of their lives. Nothing else was as important to them as the cloud. They moved when the cloud moved, and they stayed when the cloud rested, Ex. 40:36-38. Our lives also need to be centered on the cloud of God's presence. He promised He would lead us by His Spirit. Zech. 4:6 said it was "...not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord." We need to move when the Holy Spirit leads us, and we need to stay when the Holy Spirit says to rest. And so God will lead us into deeper places with Him. Ezek. 47 gives us a vision of a man who was led into a river, first to his ankles, then to his knees, then to his waist, and finally into the river where he could only swim. Jesus invites us to take a step closer to Him as He beckons us. He has treasures of glory, and treasures of wealth for us, but we must follow. He must be the center of our lives. We must keep our eyes on Him. Our heart must hear His still small voice, His gentle moving in our spirit. Our delight must be the meditation of His Word, that captures our attention, both day and night, Ps. 1:1-3. Today, are you moving with Him? What is He saying to your life today?

Cain and Abel

2010-01-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to me to read the results of sin entering into the world in Gen. 4. How quickly we see the devastating consequences of sin manifested. Here Cain and Abel both bring an offering to the Lord. Abel's is accepted, and Cain's is not. The message to Cain is, "Sin crouches at the door, and its desire to toward you, but you should master over it." In other words, there are things in your life that you need to deal with, and if you don't, they will deal with you. Cain compared himself with his brother, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got, until he decided that the way to deal with this was to get rid of his brother. He did not stop to consider that he should deal with the things in his own life. He was angry, unhappy, envious, dishonest, lying, deflecting the truth, and shirking his own responsibility. So he eliminated his brother, and thought he had got rid of the problem. But God asked him, "Where is your brother?", to which Cain responded, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?" First he lied, for he knew exactly where his brother was, and secondly, he tried to deflect the question by asking another question, as if to say, that is not my responsibility. My brother can do what he wants. Why ask me? But truth would prevail, because the Lord said, "Your brother's blood cries to me from the ground." Truth will prevail, though we decieve ourselves. This is a great story about living in truth, and dealing with the things in our lives privately with God, before those things begin to deal with us publicly. Even a half truth is the same as a whole lie, maybe worse, because a half truth gives the impression that we are telling the truth, when in fact, we are only covering our lie by telling part of the truth. This is a great leadership truth, that God desires truth in our hearts, and we need to ask for cleansing and renewing of our hearts. Psalm 51:6,10-12. Though going through cleansing is painful, the result is very very good!

Motivation

2010-01-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

Hi. This is my first blog. I have been thinking about motivation.
After we have made decisions to follow Jesus, to put God first in our lives, we get faced with many challenges. When we have committed ourselves to following the call of God on our lives, we enter into a new level of spiritual warfare unknown to us before. The excitement of our initial decision is challenged, and possibly dampened by problems we encounter. Pro. 13:12 says "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." When hopes and dreams have been deferred, we may lose motivation that we had when we started. So what do we do then? God wants to give new motivation to us. Even the great prophet Elijah suffered a serious blow to his motivation when his life was threatened by Jezebel. He started running, this time away from the call of God, and wished that he could die. Elijah lost all motivation to pursue God's call, and was discouraged and in despair. He had given up! But God continued to speak to him, and gave him new motivation to get up and get going again. God wants to renew us and give us new motivation to get going. Paul said that we are like an athelete in training in order that we may win a prize. Having a goal, a prize to strive for, gives motivation to achieve and succeed. Looking at the goal keeps us going when we don't feel like it. What is God's will for your life? Have you fulfilled it yet? What does God want you to do? By setting our eyes on the goal, we will recieve new motivation to press forward. Recieve new motivation today, and rise up to run the race before you. Let the excitement of knowing God thrill you once again, and let motivation rise within you.