Archive for October, 2016

The Wicked Shall Perish

Saturday, October 22nd, 2016

What must take place for the wicked to perish?  In these times sin and lawlessness are found everywhere yet we know FATHER will respond and bring forth HIS Righteous judgments throughout the land.  HIS Righteousness demands that those who are lawless be exposed in their perverseness and blindness.  HE does this by raising up a standard by which all are measured.

When Jesus walked the earth, His presence provided the stark contrast to those in charge.  In Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist spoke by THE SPIRIT:

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”

I am sure the Pharisees and Sadducees were feeling pretty good about themselves the day before Jesus arrived on the scene.  However once Jesus’ ministry began, theirs started to decline and John prophesied of the judgments which would result from this Standard being raised up.

Men represent trees in Scripture and the deciding factor to their judgment is fruit.  Fire is meant to purge us of the impurities of our past, effectively wiping away our past.  FATHER has the ability and willingness to wipe away all of our past and fully purify our hearts.  Consider the impact of this Truth.  Our past can be totally changed for FATHER is not subject to time and can remove all of our sins, HE can and will blot them out.  Our minds may have difficulty in grasping this reality but consider this major Truth.  All of our past wickedness, lawlessness, spot, wrinkle, and sin are totally erased.  With that in mind, in the Revelation of Jesus Christ chapter 21:

3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

FATHER will remove the “former things” in our lives and the result is that we become fully righteous in HIS Eyes.  What a blessing!  HE can and will purify our hearts of all the dross from our past and thus we can stand on the Word found in Matthew chapter 5: 

8  Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.

Why would FATHER blot out the sins of our past?  This is what Love does.  We must consider those who are chief among the sinners can and will be restored at some point thus we must be careful not to judge according to our own understanding.  Saul was an enemy of the believers on one day whereas the next day he was called by Jesus and began preparation to minister the Gospel.  His past did not prevent FATHER from using him, neither will ours.  This is true of those who are represented by the Pharisees and Sadducees as well.

As we fully embrace the reality of FATHER transforming us into pure, righteous vessels, we can then embrace the revelation of being able to produce nothing but good fruit in our walk.  We can expect Psalm 112 to apply to us:

1 Praise the LORD!

​​​Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,

​​Who delights greatly in His commandments.

​2 ​​His descendants will be mighty on earth;

​​The generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 ​​Wealth and riches will be in his house,

​​And his righteousness endures forever.

4 ​​Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;

​​He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 ​​A good man deals graciously and lends;

​​He will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 ​​Surely he will never be shaken;

​​The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.

7 ​​He will not be afraid of evil tidings;

​​His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

8 ​​His heart is established;

​​He will not be afraid,

​​Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.

​9 ​​He has dispersed abroad,

​​He has given to the poor;

​​His righteousness endures forever;

​​His horn will be exalted with honor.

10 ​​The wicked will see it and be grieved;

​​He will gnash his teeth and melt away;

​​The desire of the wicked shall perish.

The Word of Christ

Friday, October 21st, 2016

By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 3:

16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The phrase “Word of Christ” appears only once in Scripture yet it is of critical importance in maturing toward perfection.  In order for the “Word of Christ” to dwell in us, it must first enter in and that is done by our decision to accept HIS Word and live by it.  To dwell means to take up residence and remain there.  The Living Word must enter in and remain in our hearts in order to be rich in all of FATHER’S Wisdom.  We should not expect to become mature if we don’t allow FATHER’S Word to become central to our being.

We all want to be rich in Wisdom and Paul discloses the mystery which will allow us to access this Wisdom: Let the Word of Christ continually dwell in our hearts.  This will allow us to effectively teach, instruct, and reveal solutions to the issues and challenges we face.  The word admonish means to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner.  How can we appropriately warn others if we don’t have the Living Word in us?  A warning should also have the alternative to the current path the person is on.  If we tell a person to stop something, we should encourage the person to go in a different direction as Wisdom directs.

A Spiritual Song has an eternal nature about it.  We are “wired” to remember songs over time.  Having played in a band in my youth, I can still pick up a guitar and play many of the songs we learned.  When words are wrapped in music, they stand the test of time.  The Song of Moses (Exodus 15) was given to recall the deliverance and victory by FATHER over the Egyptians.

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Song of Moses is sung in chapter 15:

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

​​​“Great and marvelous are Your works,

​​Lord God Almighty!

​​Just and true are Your ways,

​​O King of the saints!

4 ​​Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

​​For You alone are holy.

​​For all nations shall come and worship before You,

​​For Your judgments have been manifested.”

Let the Word of Christ dwell in our hearts and let us sing the song of victory as chaos is overcome by FATHER’S judgments.  We are quickly approaching a point in time of a major change on earth.  Let us sing unto FATHER with a grateful heart.  Let every heartbeat be a testimony to HIS Love expressed in us.  Let every heartbeat move us toward the intimacy only found IN HIM.  Let no heartbeat be wasted by walking in the flesh any longer but instead let us sing Spiritual songs unto HIM expressing our praise and gratitude in all areas of our lives.  Let the fullness of the Word of Christ be found dwelling within us producing good fruit for those around us to eat.

Duties Of The Mature

Thursday, October 20th, 2016

By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in Titus chapter 2:

1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine (teaching).

2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

As we mature both in age and understanding, we have a responsibility to those who are younger and inexperienced.  In reality, they need role models.  We are given qualities by which we can assess our own walk by.  Honor, worthiness, and respect speak of being dignified.  The mature man will be reverent toward FATHER and honor HIM by teaching and admonishing the younger and immature to respect THE CREATOR of Heaven and earth.  The elder will live in moderation in all areas displaying sensible actions.  Love, faith, and patience are all attributes of the mature man or woman and those qualities are the basis of sound teaching directed to the immature.

In essence, the mature are called to be an example to the immature.  Depending on how immature the person is will determine the amount of patience required.  Consider how patient FATHER has been with you and me as HE observes our growth and the delays caused by poor choices arising from our own immaturity.  We must not judge the immature but must persevere and allow FATHER to institute the necessary correction to those in error.

The WORD of GOD is the basis of sound teaching and I believe this is one of the myriad of reasons why FATHER has me write daily to my brothers and sisters in Christ.  If I were the only one reading these words I would still write them for they benefit me as much as others who join me in hearing what FATHER has to say on a daily basis.  We cannot read the Scriptures once and believe we have fully received all the Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge found within.  The beauty of the Gospel is that as needs arise, we see additional revelation within the same verses read in the past.  As the light of day passes through the sky and shines on precious stones, we see different and unique presentations and colors of those gems.  It is the same with HIS Word.

By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in 1 Timothy chapter 1:

8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

Sound doctrine or teaching is the foundation of living a fulfilling life and it provides peace in the midst of chaos and turmoil.  With it as our standard, we don’t wonder if we are doing the right thing and are not moved by the doctrines of man which change as quickly as the wind direction.  The younger need to see that standard of Truth being walked out by the mature men and women.  We have a duty to represent FATHER in the best light possible.  We are to be HIS ambassadors to the world.  Generally speaking, an ambassador is a respected official acting as a representative of a nation which in this case is the Kingdom of Our Heavenly Father.  Let us embrace and fulfill this duty.

Ascending Out Of Immaturity

Wednesday, October 19th, 2016

Each day is filled with choices and those choices determine whether we are ascending into Spiritual maturity or descending into walking after the flesh.  Virtually no one remains static.  In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul writes by THE SPIRIT:

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

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?

4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

The brethren were sowing seeds of envy, strife, and division by associating themselves as followers of men rather than being led by THE SPIRIT.  THE SPIRIT always leads us to a higher state and we must ask ourselves if we are indeed moving upward and onward or has life become “stale” and uneventful.  We must not stake our future on what a man or small group of men are teaching but we must seek to hear FATHER’S Voice individually and respond to HIS Voice.  As we do HE will draw us higher into full maturity.

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Paul took no credit for the revelation he taught for he acknowledged that FATHER was the Source of all revelation.  I take no credit either for FATHER instructs me daily what to write.  I simply plant or water just as Paul and Apollos did as laborers.  FATHER rewards me for my labors through various and sundry means and for that I am thankful.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

There is only one foundation which will withstand the test of time- Jesus Christ.  Who but the manifested Son of Our Heavenly Father is able to take that core position by which all life revolves around.  The world continues to deny Christ at their own peril.  When you consider the state of the world on all fronts it is no coincidence that there will soon be an abrupt shift causing the world’s house of cards to come tumbling down.  The seeds of self-deception have been sown and the evil fruit thereof has come to full maturity.  Immature believers want to change the world without themselves maturing any further.  As for me, my focus is to change the internal knowing that the internal results in changes to the external.  I am FATHER’S field, I am HIS building so the focus must be on becoming HIS dwelling place, not some physical building.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Our works will ultimately be judged and revealed by the light of Day.  The fire will burn away the wood, hay, and stubble which will reveal what benefit our works were to others.  Are we ready for that revealing?  Are we promoting and reflecting Christ among those we come in contact with?  May the fire now burn out of us anything which has no value to the Kingdom!  Let us no longer be deceived by the external focus at the expense of the internal.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

I cannot emphasize enough that we are the dwelling place of The Holy Spirit.  Men go to and fro to get some “anointing” from men when the real action is approximately 18 inches from our head… in our heart.  Do I need to travel 800 miles to hear FATHER when HE desires to speak to me wherever I am?  If HE tells me to travel half way around the world, I will.  However, HE is willing and able to speak to me no matter where I am at if only I am willing to listen.  My responsibility is to prepare my temple for HIM to take up residence and fill it with HIS Glory.  HE isn’t reluctant to come but HE will not glorify an immature vessel.  We must rise up out of immaturity and present ourselves as Holy, acceptable living sacrifices unto HIM.

Wiping Away The Past

Tuesday, October 18th, 2016

It is recorded in Hebrews chapter 8 what FATHER spoke:

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

What allows FATHER to wipe away our past?  It is because HE is not subject to time’s restrictions as our physical bodies are for HE operates outside of time.  Though our minds have difficulty in understanding this reality, Jesus gave us an excellent example of this in His first miracle.  The Beloved Disciple John wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 2:

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.

6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.

9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

The “third day” often represents the Tabernacles Age of which we are now entering.  Wine is also representative of the harvest for Tabernacles.  Furthermore, the total amount of water to be turned into wine was 153 gallons, the number representing the “Sons of GOD”.  The first miracle of the Gospel of Love represents bringing forth the Sons of GOD.  That in itself provides us much to ponder.

Jesus specifically references time when He tells Mary “My hour has not yet come” yet He performs the miracle anyway and eliminates the time issue.  Mary instructs the servants to pay close attention to the Words of Jesus and they produce six waterpots filled to the brim with water (The Word- Eph 5:26).  Jesus then turns the water into wine.  Wine is fermented grape juice and it requires two weeks or more for the process to complete yet Jesus produced excellent wine in an instant.  In essence the  past was erased just like when FATHER said “their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

We must let the past go as well.  If FATHER can wipe the past away then we should be willing and able to as well.  As we fully embrace this Truth we will be set free.  Paul understood this as he wrote by THE SPIRIT in 2 Corinthians chapter 5:

16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

We must quit belittling and condemning  ourselves with our past and remove the past and its weaknesses from our consciousness.  FATHER is able to wipe away our sins of the past and make us new so let us receive this revelation where time is superseded.  Let us embrace the reality that our past can and will be wiped away.

Be Not Hypocritical

Monday, October 17th, 2016

In Matthew chapter 22, by THE SPIRIT it is written:

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.

16 And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?”

A hypocrite is a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs.  This person lives in deception and is unreliable as well.  Can you imagine a group of men plotting together against the Beloved Son of Our Heavenly Father?  They thrived on their status among the people and were willing to do whatever was necessary to retain that status.  They were the epitome of selfishness and Jesus exposed that reality to all who were around.

Many people promote a personal agenda by use of deception and lies for they desire to do evil.  This was the case of the Pharisees.  Jesus rose up as a Standard of Truth before mankind and that Standard revealed the lies and deception of those in authority.  We are to become that same Standard in the places where we are sent for this is what Love does.  Love does not necessarily win popularity contests among those who live a life of deception.  Indeed they will attack and malign our walk in order to rationalize their own actions to the point of being malicious.  FATHER will reveal their hearts and instruct us how to handle each situation accordingly.

19 Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

21 They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

22 And hearing this,they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.

When we walk according to FATHER’S directives, we are able to navigate through the situations where men attempt to malign, entrap, and deceive us.  Often their goal is to harm us in some way in order to remove the light exposing their darkness.  We must hear FATHER clearly and respond according to HIS Word in those situations just as Jesus did.  We must draw from FATHER’S Wisdom and understanding rather than our own.  As we do, the Wisdom from above reveals and defeats the man’s evil plots.

You can be sure that men will test our resolve to walk according to FATHER’S perfect plan, Will, and purpose just as Jesus was challenged and tempted in all manner.  Strife and envy will be interwoven into their plans so that “self” can remain on the throne in their personal lives.

The Sadducees were a religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews, who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites, and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation, as the divine authority.  By definition they did not seek to hear FATHER’S Voice in any matter.  I guess they thought once FATHER gave the Law, HE was done speaking and became silent in all matters.

23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned (tested) Him.

And the challenges continued…

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.

35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him.

Here were three different attempts to cause Jesus to stumble but in each case FATHER directed His steps and He overcame the hypocrites.  We must not be intimidated by those who may be intellectually superior and possibly outdebate us in the natural.  Instead, we simply need to walk according to THE SPIRIT and trust FATHER to give us the appropriate Word for such an encounter.  HE will show us the intent of those who wish to do us harm and will direct our steps accordingly.  There is a world full of people who have agendas apart from the Kingdom and we will encounter them as we progress into perfection.  We must prepare daily by hearing FATHER’S Voice and walking in Love.

Only One Standard

Sunday, October 16th, 2016

By THE SPIRIT in Luke chapter 6 Jesus spoke:

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

There is only one righteous standard over all the earth by which everything else is measured and that standard is Jesus Christ and His Character.  As we mature in Christ we take on that same standard and are raised up in like manner for all the world to be compared against.

Business, construction, and navigation all rely on standards in order to be most effective and it is no different in the Spiritual realm.  The worldly orientation of judgment is often described as “people judge themselves by their intent but everyone else by their actions”.  By walking in that frame of mind people are simply deceiving themselves.  Jesus speaks of the reality of sowing and reaping in the above passage.  Whatever you sow or give, it will be returned to you in like manner.

Some may claim this Law of sowing and reaping to be selective in some aspect but I say to you that FATHER will repay in the most effective manner.  A person may accuse and speak ill of another and then be plagued with chronic sickness.  FATHER will repay according to the unique priorities of the individual.

If Love is what you sow, the GOD of Love will open up HIS storehouse on your behalf.  You may face daily challenges because you are simply walking out life in this day and time but FATHER will open doors for you that would otherwise be shut.  I have seen this occur many times over my life.  I had one client who emphatically stated for years he would never spend money in a particular area and indeed wrote the check this year.  Never say ”never”.  As I have said in the past, you are just one phone call away from a blessing.  FATHER will make sure that you receive what you sow.

In this political season it would be easy to judge and condemn.  Instead, we must let FATHER do the judging by HIS Righteous standard and know that each nation will receive its appropriate leader based on the hearts of the people.  FATHER will protect HIS children no matter what occurs in the political arena.  We must understand that FATHER’S judgment is required to turn people from their wicked ways and we may soon observe that reality.

In Exodus chapter 23 FATHER spoke:

1 “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

2 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”

We are not called to be politically correct for we must follow in the footsteps of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is our standard, not man.  These days nearly every form of perversion has become protected by man’s laws yet FATHER will have the last Word, of that you can be assured.  FATHER is not moved by man’s moral depravity and HE will remove the veil of protection over a nation who follows the path toward death and destruction.  If the depravity is severe, the righteous judgment will be in like manner. Consider Sodom and Gomorrah.

Those who have exploited mankind for their personal gain in this current system will be judged accordingly.  James wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 5:

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

Their wealth will end up with no value for it is temporary by its nature.  The everlasting riches are only found in Heaven and FATHER will repay appropriately.  Let us live by the Standard of Unconditional Love and reap our harvest multiplied by FATHER.  There is only one true standard by which all are judged and as we come to that realization in our lives, we will be drawn to that standard and thus live by it.

Seeing Through Spiritual Eyes

Saturday, October 15th, 2016

By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians chapter 5:

16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

As we mature in Christ our perspective changes thus changing our priorities.  Rather than seeing how we can extract from others, we look for ways to be a blessing to mankind.  We become willing to sacrifice to the point where the old priorities become nonexistent and pointless.  We begin seeing others from Christ’s perspective, some with joy and others with sorrow.

As our Spiritual eyes mature our perspective in all matters becomes clearer and FATHER guides us through life embracing what HE embraces and distancing ourselves from all else unless HE chooses us to minister in such areas.  The physical becomes less important than the Spiritual.  In 1 Samuel chapter 16 by THE SPIRIT it was written:

7  But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart.”

Looking into the heart will bring forth joy or sadness depending on the state of the individual.  FATHER selected David not by his outward appearance but by what was in his heart.  Men continually focus on outward appearance as the deciding factor in their willingness to align themselves with that individual rather than finding out what motivates the individual and his or her willingness to serve the purpose at hand.  With Love being the ultimate motivation, one who is guided by Love will be the most reliable.  Those will self-interest at heart will only be reliable until their self-interest supersedes the task at hand.  They are motivated but with conditions.

By THE SPIRIT Paul spoke in Acts chapter 28:

25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying,

​​‘​Go to this people and say:

​​“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;

​​And seeing you will see, and not perceive;

27 ​​For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

​​Their ears are hard of hearing,

​​And their eyes they have closed,

​​Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

​​Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

​​So that I should heal them.” ’

We are warned about becoming hard of hearing and blind to understanding.  Additionally we are warned of our hearts growing “dull”.  There are those who were once vibrant in their commitment to FATHER but over the years have grown lukewarm in their willingness to serve HIM.  They began living a life of compromise and little by little they made decisions to redirect their priorities to the things of the world.  They allowed their eyes to focus on things that are of little or no importance to the Kingdom of Our Heavenly Father.  Dullness occurs over time just as hot water becomes lukewarm.  Slowly we see the trend and then there develops a resistance to FATHER’S Word.  The cares of the world have crept in.

As we see these situations occur, we must take heed lest we fall into the same trap.  We must reprioritize if necessary.  We must look at the man in the mirror and make a critical assessment so that we sidestep any snare set before us.  We are given Spiritual eyes in order to see the pitfalls of the world’s path and steer clear.  We are given Spiritual eyes to bring forth correction as appropriate, encouragement when there is a willingness to receive, and the discernment to identify the root of the problem.  Let us keep our Spiritual eyes open at all times.

Willing To Suffer

Friday, October 14th, 2016

Are we willing to suffer for Christ?  That is a question the flesh does not want to hear for the flesh will always move toward the path of least resistance.  In order to grow, we must be willing to suffer in the area of our emphasis.  When my daughter made a decision to run a half marathon (13.1 miles) she knew her body would suffer in preparation for success.  She was not known for her athleticism in school but she wanted to prove to herself she could do it.  It took her months to prepare for the day of the race.  There were days of sore muscles, fatigue, and emotional challenges during her time of maturing for the race.  There were times of discouragement and her loved ones would help her overcome the emotions and pain.  She ran the race and crossed the finish line.  Not bad for a mother of three who overcame all obstacles to fulfill her desire.

By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in Romans chapter 8:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

If you expect to be one of the “elect”, plan to suffer for Christ for it will not be a casual walk in the park.  If you are a frequent reader of these blogs, I would suggest that you are being drawn by FATHER to fulfill a higher calling.  As I look back at what FATHER reveals on a day by day basis, I see a theme of preparations for those who are called to a higher state of maturity.  Walking in Love on a consistent basis is not for the weak and faint of heart.  To fulfill a higher calling we must make the decision to suffer on HIS behalf.  Paul was willing, I am willing, and I trust you are too.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 2 Timothy 1:

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

The world will ridicule us in our belief in Christ.  So what!  The world ridicules anyone who does not conform to their control, manipulation, and enslavement.  Our elder Brother Jesus Christ suffered the ultimate on our behalf thus we must not shy away when the world ridicules us in like fashion.  Our Heavenly Father will lead, guide, and protect us according to HIS plan for our lives.  Our suffering is temporary compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us!

We need to focus on the prize, not the preparation.  Our suffering often centers around the the old man in us and what it takes to die to the flesh.  Rooting out those lusts of the former man can be a challenge.  About the time we think we have overcome the flesh, FATHER applies a little more pressure to uncover the deep-seated issue within and reveals it to us, not in condemnation but for correction.

The early believers produced much fruit for the Kingdom.  In Acts chapter 5 it is written by THE SPIRIT:

40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

How many of us are rejoicing as we suffer?  It is easy to rejoice when things are going well but when the pressure is on are we embracing the challenge before us?  Those times are when our level of maturity is revealed.  Consider Paul who would write two-thirds of the New Testament.  In Acts chapter 9 Jesus appeared to Ananias:

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

We all want to be a chosen vessel but are we willing to also take on the suffering associated with being chosen?  We must overcome the flesh to fulfill the calling given to us by FATHER.  Love is the motivation which overcomes the emotions when the pressure is applied.  As we are strengthened in our Love walk, we will be willing to suffer for Christ and our fruit will abound for the Kingdom.

All For One

Thursday, October 13th, 2016

When one member of the body is in pain, the whole body suffers to some degree.  How many of us have had a sleepless night because muscle, ligament, or tendon was strained and caused pain with every movement?  Each and every movement brought on pain which kept you from getting that cherished sleep.  The minutes ticked away and you were wondering if you would ever get relief enough to fall asleep.  That one body part was hardly ever noticed  before because it performed its duties without notice.  Not this night!  With every breath taken the dull pain would keep you awake.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Corinthians chapter 12:

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,

24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,

25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

The stronger must compensate and help the weaker.  Jesus in Whom all power and authority were given represents the One Who is the strongest member of the Body for He is the Head.  We must come to the realization that we need each and every one of us are members of His Body.  When one of us is suffering, the whole body suffers.  We must keep this Truth before us at all times and not become calloused toward others.  Our motivation must be to focus on strengthening those who are weak so the entire body comes into full maturity.  What good is an excellent eye without the ear being able to hear?  What good is a hand if the foot is unable to transport the hand to maximize its usefulness?

In Colossians chapter 3, Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT:

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Love must be our motivation for ministering to the rest of the body.  We must cease judging the weaker members and instead focus on their restoration and help them become stronger in their areas of weakness.  Rather than isolating the member of the Body in need, we must rally around that member and provide support for healing and know that it may take time and resource for it be fully restored.  Let the rallying cry of the Body of Christ be “All for One and One for All!”