Category: Daily Word

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     I have been thinking about making the most of everyday.  Living our lives to the fullest in Christ.  Not allowing the enemy of our
soul to steal another precious moment.  Now, I am not saying that we are
not faced with tough days and troubles that cause us to cry many tears.  We all have had and will have our share of testings and trials, but we need to get the revelation of "counting it all joy".  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything." (James 1:2-4; NLT) I
have never ran into or known anyone who considered it wholly joyful
when they have trials!  So, either we haven't reached this level of
appreciation of trials or we don't completely understand this verse.  I
have searched this out, and no matter what version we read it pretty
much says what we perceive it to mean.  Here it is in the Amplified and
King James version; "Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough
work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing."  And next:  "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."  I
want that end result, don't you?  I desire to be fully developed,
mature, complete, no defects, and lacking nothing.  But in order to get
that we have to have an attitude of an expected good end while we are
walking through the trials.  Divers carries a meaning of various sorts.  Temptations here is the meaning of an experiment, attempt, trial, proving; a)
trial, proving. b) the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy; adversity, affliction, trouble.  Everyone of us have experienced various sorts of adversities,
afflictions, and troubles.  Whether it was physical, emotional,
financial, or relational, all come to try and test us spiritually.  Now
learning to be joyful in spite of the current circumstances as we
believe God for the good outcome that He has promised is the task that
we find trying and difficult.  But, don't be discouraged!  As with all
things Godly, we get to grow here by practice and progression.  To progress is a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage.  In this case a higher and further stage of joy.  It
is when we develop the ability to consider or think about the joy that
we will experience when we are fully and completely mature and lacking
nothing, and respond with that joy in advance, or while we are going
through any adversity, affliction, or trouble.  I, like you, get plenty
of opportunities to train and grow.
     Just remember this is the time to stay connected to the work that is
being done by praying in the Spirit.  For as we do, "the needed things"
are being brought together to aid and assist us and bringing us closer
to the desired results.  It is certainly not the time to let our emotions
rule us, no, a thousand times no.  This is when we pull out the big guns
and pray without ceasing in the Spirit.  Read and meditate on this: "We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." (Rom. 8:28) They
are fitting in a plan for good when we pray in the Spirit.  Let's read back up; "So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and
groanings too deep for utterance.  And He Who searches the hearts of men
knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is],
because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will." (Rom. 8:26-27) Oh yes, it is the elemental foundation of our faith.  We count it all joy by faith. "Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible
are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting," (2 Corin. 4:18) Let's believe again!
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     "I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another.  Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.  By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]." (John 13:34-35) 
As we meditate on this verse, especially as we approach some refining
days and moments concerning our love walk, let's talk about the word
commandment.  Commandment means an order, command, charge, precept, injunction; a directive by One in authority.  So
walking in love with one another is something that we must do, as
a born-again Christian, it is not a choice.  We will encounter
some days ahead that will challenge our love walk, so we must be
diligent and consistent since loving the Family of God is important as
it would be to any father.  If there are issues in our hearts towards our
brothers or sisters in the Family we must do whatever is needed to
come up to the level of God's love for us.  He said, "just as I have loved you so you too love".  Just as denotes according as; just as; even as; in proportion as; in the degree that.  We
are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ to the degree and in the
proportion that Christ loves us in.  Now that is no small feat, but we
are up to it, otherwise God would be unjust and unfair to require
something of us that He knows we could never do.  I keep mentioning love
because we are in the days where all around us we can see the Bible in
high definition.  "You should know this, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.  For people will love only themselves and their money.  They will be boastful and proud, scoffers at God, disobedient to their
parents and ungrateful.  They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving;
they will slander others and have no self control.  They will be cruel
and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be
puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God." (2 Timothy
3:1-4) I am sure that you have experienced
for yourself an abnormal amount of indifference to loving others in the
Body of Christ.  Oh, we all have those moments when a catastrophe hits
our community that people will rise up and put forth that burst of
compassion, but God wants His children to develop an enduring love and
compassion.  It is that 70×70 forgiveness that we must master. 

      Lighten
up family, it's not that hard.  Why?  Because we have the expert Lover
inside of us.  Holy Spirit is the greatest Teacher and all we have to do
is fill ourselves up with the Word of love, pay attention, and follow
His lead, He will show us how.  Let's look at it as the next great
adventure in our lives.  Do you have a list of things that you would like
to do before you go Home to be with the Father?  Well I do, and at the
top of my list is to be like Father God, to love like He does.  I really
think that He is out of this world, number One in loving people, don't
you?  So listen, as we come closer to the return of our Lord, many people of
God will lose their love walk because of sin and lawlessness.  Pay
attention, this is where we are heading, but our Lord will come for us
before we faint.  Look at these verses and highlight the love and the
loss of it;
"And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred… And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity. (Mtt. 24:10-12)  Remember
this, where sin abounds, grace much more abounds.  God's ability upon
your inability to love will be upon you and you will have enduring
love.  [He who endures to the end shall be saved; Mtt. 24:13].  When our Lord comes he will find a loving, faithful family, not just talking about it but
being about it!
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
    
     "I will lift up my eyes to the hill from
whence comes my help.  My help comes from the Lord Who made heaven and
earth.  He will not allow your foot to slip or to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber." (Ps.121:1-3)  I
was reminded that I must always look up, no matter what has happened,
or going to happen in this world, God is my Helper.  He aids us by given
to us the Holy Spirit, we are never left to our own devices, unless we
exclude our Helper.  With all that the people of God have experienced in
the past few years, we must learn that God is the One Who gives us
aide, help, relief, and assistance.  Praise God we always have help,
because we are never alone.  Father God is able to keep our feet from
slipping or being moved.  The idea of being shaken is like being set on a
pole and tottering or slipping off, or up and down.  God will cause
us to be fixed!  So, if you are moving and shaking, put your trust in
God, look to the hills and not to your own strength.  He does not
slumber, He is not asleep on the job of taking watch over your life.  He
ordered the steps and He is seeing to those steps being taken in the
proper timing and order.  Keepeth means to
watch over, guard,to protect, to save life, to preserve, to keep within
boundaries, to restrain, retain, and treasure up.  That covers everything that we need as we continue to walk in the Kingdom of God.  That sounds like He has given us everything we need that pertains to live and being godly.
     "The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is
your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield].  The sun
shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you
from all evil; He will keep your life.  The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more." (Ps. 121:5-8) According
to the Word of God He is keeping us from all evil.  That means He is
protecting, restraining, retaining, preserving, and keeping within
boundaries everything that we need in order to be victorious in every
area of our lives.  Anything that has been allowed in will not destroy or
kill us, though at times it may seem difficult to take our next breath. 
He as our Keeper is bound by His covenant to save our lives!  Listen to
the detail of our, "going out" [our
exits, our departing, our going forward, our proceeding to or toward something; our bringing forth and our deliverance].  Also our, "coming in", [our entering in, leading into or carrying in; our coming to pass, our attaining].  So if you do your part of this covenant and stay in Him and His Word, our Keeper will; "Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and
accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ
(the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the
ages).  Amen (so be it)." (Heb. 13:21) So
rise up and look to the hills, to the high place, to the Most High Who
is our preservation, and our protection, we will stand still
and see our Salvation!
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
    In our church service we spent half an hour singing in the
spirit over and over again, "Lord you are worthy".  It was a reminder for
us, that He is worthy!  Worthy is to stand alone; to be befitting of; having the greatest merit or value; the most excellent.  It
is His beauty, glory, and His nature that keeps us captured by His
gaze.  Who is as kind, longsuffering, compassionate, understanding, and
loving as our Lord?  There is no one as excellent or who is deserving of
our all or worship.  We need to be extravagant with our worship until our
worship ascends to Him as the sweet smell of perfume.  A lover and a
worshiper of God with our whole being and life as Mary who was
extravagant in her expression of love.  Matthew 26:7-13; There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his
head, as he sat at meat.  But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.  When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?  For she hath wrought a good work upon me.  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.  For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the
whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told
for a memorial of her."  Alabaster box was the best and expensive material with which to preserve the ointment.  The  precious ointments the very costly, great value and luxurious sweet smelling, fragrant oil.  John identifies this woman as Mary.  "Mary took a pound of
ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive,
and she poured it on Jesus" feet and wiped them with her hair.  And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said, Why
was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year’s wages for an
ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?  Now
he did not say this
because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief; and having
the bag (the money box; the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself
what was put into it [pilfering the collection].  But
Jesus said, Let her alone.  It was [intended] that she should keep it
for the time of My preparation for burial.  [She has kept it that she
might have it for the time of My embalming.]  You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.  What
Mary poured on Jesus in worship was worth a years wages, that would be
the equivalent of us taking here in the USA, between $40-100,000 and
giving to the Lord!  It was an average man's wages.  She held nothing
back, but gave her most valuable gift, as an offering of love.  I think
she was showing and saying you are worthy, you are deserving of and
befitting of this precious oil.  But take notice that it was actually
Judas, the betrayer,
the tare that was sow among the wheat, who was indignant towards her
costly, demonstrative act of worship.  Indignation means resentful, angered, wrath, expressing strong displeasure at something; offensive or insulted.  Religion is always offended and angered at extravagant worship.  You will always here the same response; "to what purpose is this waste?"  Today it may sound like, "it doesn't take all that!"  True worshipers are always extravagant, think about King David.

 

     "And David danced before the Lord with all his might, clad in a linen ephod [a priest’s upper garment].  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.  As the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter [David’s wife], looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart." (2 Sam. 6:14-16) David's wife despised him for his act of extravagant worship.  Extravagant is spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful; exceeding the bounds of reason, as actions demands, opinions, or passions; going beyond what is deserved or justifiable.  In
the days ahead there will be a revelation of how worthy our Lord is of
wasting our lives for Him, spending more than is necessary, we will be
worshipers that exceed the bounds of reason, demands, or even our
passions.  We will explode as extravagant worshipers like Mary and David
and religious people will despise us and be indignant towards true
worshipers.  It is not the first time that extravagant worshipers are
told that it doesn't take all that.  Jesus told them to leave Mary alone,
for she has done something that those all around Him, hadn't even
thought of.  Worship brings revelation and insight.  Be extravagant in
your worship, give your all, with all your might to Him who is worthy!
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     As I sit in my room preparing to write, outside the wind is
blowing so hard that it sounds like it will blow the window off the
frame.  Today the east coast is experiencing the effects of hurricane "Sandy".  I am amazed, at how when the storm was announced, people went
immediately into the mode of "believing".  Everyone prepared for the
storm days before it came.  They heard the word of the weather forecasters and set out to be "storm ready".  They looked not at what was seen, but were looking at the unseen. (2 Corin. 4:18)  I
was thinking, "man, if only we could believe God's Word as quickly as
we do the words of the weather forecasters.  They have a poor track
record of being correct, but God has an excellent track record; listen: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (Ps. 19:7) "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (Ps. 12:6) I
can't tell you how many times we looked for what they "thought" was,
only to be let down when it didn't.  Especially during the winter months
as we anticipate a good snow storm.  We, the believing people of God have
decreed peace to the storm, just as Jesus did when he walked out on the
water.  We have commanded this natural storm as well as "spiritual
storms" to be still.  "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was
a great calm." (Mark 4:39)  Rebuke is to
admonish or censure sharply; to express sharp, stern disapproval of; to
reprimand.  Speak means to express in words, to utter and pronounce, or
to speak and declare.  We are to pronounce to the storms in life to "be still".  Still means to remain at rest; to be motionless; to be free from sound or noise; to be free from turbulence or commotion; to be peaceful.  As
usual My people, we must do some speaking!  Well, even as I am writing
this down, hurricane Sandy has been downsized to a "post tropical
cyclone storm".  That is what can happen when we believe and speak to the
storms in our lives!  That's how we are going to get through anything
that is turbulent.  "You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of
God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways." (Job 22:28) Here is a Prophetic Word that we received in May concerning storms of life passing…
     You have asked Me for a breakthrough.  I
say to you a breakthrough is waiting for you as you break through.  Now
as you do, you will breakthrough into smooth sailing over the seas that
once caused you so much trouble in life, over into a new horizon.  Storms
tried to take you under, but you refused to go, you broke through, even
as the waves almost washed you overboard.  You broke through as you held
onto My hand.  Now you look back and see the devastating storms are
behind you.  You can see in the distance with the eye of the Spirit the
brand new horizon ahead of you.  You come out of the storms with your
hands lifted high, and I have given to you a new song and a new dance.  Victory is heard throughout your land, a bold word and a determined one.  I Am causing the old things to build a pulpit for your testimony of My
goodness and faithfulness to you.  The very things meant to destroy you I
Am using to accelerate
you into the next level of My glory.  Just keep your eyes on Me and
together we will soar and fly to places you have never dreamed before,
it will seem unreal.  It is about that time and about that season for
more of My glory to be demonstrated through you.

     You have been so faithful to
Me.  Now you will enter into a season of My delight and joy.  I have told
you before and I tell you again, the world has never seen or known, but
they will take notice and see that I love My own.
     Know and remember that right
before My Son entered into His glory, the enemy staged the greatest
delusion of defeat.  To most looking on at the cross, it seemed a place
of defeat, a time of rejection and being despised.  But, He was always My
accepted and beloved One, He stood the test and passed.  Because He
stood the test, He received a name above all other names.  He received
and entered into glory, and set an example for you and an opened door
for you to do the same.  The enemy has not changed his mode of operating.  He still does the same.  Right before you enter into the glory that I
have prepared for you, he stages the great deception, to try to get you
to believe a lie.  Be wise, look, and see!  I say to you this is just the
beginning of what I Am doing.  This is not his finest hour, it is ours!  So rise from the ashes and shake off all of the shackles of the past and
rejoice in the breakthrough!
     Decree with me; "Peace, be still!  I am breaking through, this is my finest hour!"
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     Ears to hear is indicative of the fact that I know that God
does speak, often it is ways that we have closed our spiritual ears to.  That is what God says to us over and over again in Revelation 2:7; 11; 17 and 29.  Revelation 3:6; 13; and 22, "he that has ears to hear let him hear."  "For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not." (KJV- Job 33:14) Here is the same verse in the New Living Bible; "For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it."  So,
God is speaking to all who have ears to hear or whoever is listening or
paying attention to Him.  When we go to God to talk to Him, we must
spend time to hear Him and then make up our minds that we will obey Him.  More than usual He will refer us back to His Word, whether He
speaks to us in any of the many ways, He will always confirm it by His
Word.  We know that, that really is elementary Christianity.  But God does
speak as often as we avail ourselves to hear Him, it may not come in
the package we desire it to come through, or it may not be what we were
expecting to hear, but still He speaks.  The verse says that we do not "perceiveth",
[we do not see, we do not behold, observe, or regard].  Regard means to
think highly of, to take into account, or to consider and esteem and
respect.  So in
other words we don't think highly of God's voice, nor do we take His
word into account, nor do we consider His word or voice when we ignore
and don't do what we have heard.
     How many times have we heard the same Word from God in several
different ways from several different sources, yet we still ask God to
speak to us?  If that was you or I speaking to someone over and over
again, we would think that person didn't value our wisdom.  More than
likely the next time that they would ask us, we would probably not be so
quick to respond with our little nuggets.  But listen to God's response
to that kind of situation; "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him." (James 1:5) He want to speak to us, He wants us to be changed by our fellowship with Him!  Once
He speaks to us His wisdom, and He does so over
and over again, we are expected to do it; hear and obey.  Our hearts
must be already made up to obey God's voice, however He chooses to
speak.  Whether through His Word, through the five-fold ministries,
through the still small voice of our spirit, through counsel of the
wise, and, or through the precious Holy Spirit who takes of the Father
and reveals it to us.  (Psalms 12:6; Ephes. 4:11-12; Pro. 20:27; Pro. 11:14; John 14:26) "For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.  Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.." (Psalms 95:7)  The choice is ours, if [granting or supposing that; on condition that; when or whenever] you will hear His voice and harden not your heart, He
is waiting to speak back that is a guarantee!  Listen; "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him." (Psa. 91:15) Again it is recorded to show us how much our Father wants to speak to us; "And it shall be that before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear." (Is. 65:24) Finally the icing on the cake; "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand." (Jer. 33:3) Keep your daily appointment with
God and listen He speaks in many ways to His own.
 
Love,
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     The verse that I am going to share with you is taken from
several Bible versions; they are the New Living Translation, the
Message, and the Amplified.  It is Hosea 6:3-6;
"Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him;
let us be zealous to know the Lord (to appreciate, give heed to and
cherish Him).  He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or
the coming of rains as of early spring.  O Israel and Judah, what should I
do with you, asks the Lord?  For your {wandering} love vanishes like
the morning mist and disappears like the dew in the sunlight.  That’s why I use prophets to shake you to attention, why my words cut you to the quick: To wake you up to my judgment blazing as light.  For I desire and delight in dutiful steadfast love and goodness (I'm after love that lasts, not more religion) not sacrifice and the knowledge of and acquaintance with God more than burnt offerings."  God
wants us to respond to His great love, by loving Him with the same
tenacity.  He gave us His love so that we can do it too. (Rom. 5:5) We should be sounding like this; "God, You're my God!  I can't get enough of you!  I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God traveling across dry and
weary deserts.  So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking
in your strength and glory.  In your generous love I am really living at
last!" (Ps. 63:1-3)  God desires and delights in us giving Him dutiful steadfast love.  Dutiful is conduct that is due [God], respect and obedience; obligatory tasks.  One of the most important ways we show our love is by obeying God; "If you love Me, keep My commandments (My Word, My way of doing things). [John 14:15] So we must show dutiful love, let's remind ourselves of steadfast love.  Steadfast, here are some of the synonyms for this word; abiding, ardent, changeless, dedicated, dependable, enduring, faithful, firm, fixed, inflexible, intense, reliable, rigid, unbending, and unmoving.  Sounds
like God should be able to count on us always loving Him, not wavering
in our love.  We can be dependable lovers if we obey some hints in the
Word of God to keep ourselves fired up in our love.  "Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!" (Pro. 8:34)  Listen
means to attend closely for the purpose of hearing, to pay attention,
to wait attentively for a sound.  Watch is to expect and to be attentive,
to be alertly on the lookout, to observe as to see what comes, is done
or happens.  Wait is to keep and guard, to stand the same until something
expected happens.  Wisdom spoken of in this
chapter equals God, so we must be prepared every day to listen, watch,
and wait on our God in love.  The Word assures us that with all that
seeking we will find Him, whom our soul loves.  Sometimes we become
impatient because He doesn't always say what we want to hear, or come
the way
we are expecting, but be alert He will come.  After all He invited us to
come, it would be impolite for Him not to speak or show up, and He is
never impolite!
     Here is another verse that shows the importance of putting God first; "I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me." (Pro. 8:17) So how about it?  Early
simply means this, to seek diligently and earnestly, it means near the beginning of a course, time, or period.  It means first in place, time,
or course of action.  Hey, no matter how we
slice it God desires to be first place in His lover's life, don't you?  Nobody really wants to feel like they are
second place.  Look it up and see how many times "early" is in
connection to seeking God.  He wants you fresh and first before any other
lovers can write on your heart!  Let's keep our love burning where we
can't get enough of Him. 
  
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,

     There is an account in the Word of God about a woman who did whatever was necessary to get a desired result.  That requires, "hope against hope".  God has left us many examples of people just like you and I, who had seemingly insurmountable situations in their lives, where nothing but "hope against hope" would bring them through.  Before I share the scriptures that reveal a certain amount of tenacity of hope to keep plowing when all around is telling you that it is all over,take what has happened and be resigned to it, I will share this well known verse; "As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations.  [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.  [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be." (Rom. 4:17-18) To continue to believe and expect "good" when it looks like that "good" that you are expecting is never going to happen is what faith is all about.  "So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corin. 4:18) The story is about the famine that was during David's beginning reign.  The Lord had allowed the famine because Saul had slain the Gibeonites, they were a nation that Israel had a made a peace treaty with, but Saul had broken it and had a lot of them killed.  During prayer it was revealed that the famine was because this treaty had been broken.  To rectify the situation the Gibeonites asked David to kill seven of Saul's sons.  "Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us and we will hang them up before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, [on the mountain] of the Lord.  And the king said, I will give them.  But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between David and Jonathan son of Saul.  But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of [Merab] daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.  He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hung them up on the hill before the Lord, and all seven perished together.  They were put to death in the first days of barley harvest." (2 Sam.21:6-9) Now listen to one mother's persistence to change the inevitable.  It was apparent that she was alone in the vision and her "calling".  She was led to do what no one else would.  Her champion defense seemed worthless, yet let's see whose attention she raised.  "Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them, and she did not allow either the birds of the air to come upon them by day or the beasts of the field by night.  It was told David what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.  And David went and took the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them up when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa.  He brought from there the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son, and they gathered the bones of those who were hung up.  And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son they buried in the country of Benjamin in Zelah in the tomb of Kish, [Saul’s] father, and they did all that the king commanded.  And after that, God heard and answered when His people prayed for the land." (2 SAM. 21:10-14) Rizpah's determined and persistent stand for being a watchman over her son's bodies got the recognition of king David, as well as God.  David was moved to act on her behalf, which also affected the end result for the nation of Israel.  Her "hope against hope" moved the heart of her king, as well as God's.  The famine ceased after her action of faith!  If God has spoken clearly to your heart and it doesn't seem like anyone else is championing the vision, keep on hoping against hope as Rizpah did.  She stood alone with the inner vision.  I am sure others thought she has lost her mind.  The boys are dead, what more can be done.  It is over!  Rizpah stood for the call on her heart to receive justice for them.  Take your stand of faith and after doing all stand therefore.  What you are doing is not for yourself alone, but will affect the nation of people that is in your sphere, your children, your grandchildren, your church, or your neighborhood.  Every person of faith looks unique to those who have no faith, or don't have the inner vision.  Listen to what is recorded about our Lord; "Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.  Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He for the joy [of obtaining the prize], that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."  So, let's be like Rizpah, who was imitating our Lord, let's not be moved by the temporary!  Stand uniquely.

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten young bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.  Now five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish.  The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t bring oil for them.But the wise ones took their lamps and also brought containers of oil.  “When the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy and went to sleep.  But at midnight there was a cry, "Look, the groom!  Come out to meet him."  "Then all those bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.  But the foolish bridesmaids said to the wise ones, "Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have gone out."   “But the wise bridesmaids replied, "No, because if we share with you, there won’t be enough for our lamps and yours.  We have a better idea.  You go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves."  But while they were gone to buy oil, the groom came.  Those who were ready went with him into the wedding.  Then the door was shut.  “Later the other bridesmaids came and said, "Lord, lord, open the door for us."  "But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don’t know you." ( Mtt. 25:1-12) This verse was mentioned in a prophecy that we received at our Church.  We will share the prophetic word soon, I have been meditating on the part where the Lord said, that they all went to sleep.  The ones that were wise and prepared went to sleep as well as the foolish ones.  Remember we talked about this on one occasion.  Wise means intelligent, thoughtful, prudent, and mindful of one's interests.  We can be wise and still become sleepy.  The word used here is slumber which means to nod into sleep; to be overcome or oppressed with sleep; to be negligent or careless of a thing, to linger or delay.  I believe this applies to most of us in one area or another concerning the things of God.  Quite often, we start off in the beginning on fire and if we're not careful we end up doing things without any zeal.  Don't get me wrong, we learn and adapt by repetition, but not merely mechanical repetitions.  We must have zeal which is enthusiastic diligence, fervor, and an eager desire in our repetitions.  Also the word sleep, means to take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions; to cease being awake.  But it also means to yield to sloth and sin to be indifferent; to be dormant, inactive, to be careless or unalert.  This is what happens to us when we are not daily waiting at the post of our God.  We can end up being indifferent, careless and slothful, not as alert to the Kingdom and to hearing and obeying the voice and Word of God as we were.  We must wake up, shake ourselves often, and stay prepared and get more than just enough from God, His Word, His presence, and from the fellowship you attend.  Don't think that because you once was a bright light that you will just always be.  Light needs oil to keep it burning, or some force to keep it shining.  Which means the person tending to the light must be attentive to it.  "Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." (Pro. 8:34)  "Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall." (1 Corin. 10:12) 
     So, we must keep awake and stay alert to righteousness and not become careless because of the cares of this life.  We do that by making sure we awaken ourselves to God's plan for our day.  Romans 13:11 {NIV}; "And do this, understanding the present time; the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."  We are in the last leg of the race, yeah!  It is time for our Lord, our groom to come.  So, listen to the prophetic Word in Solomon; "[He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases [Vividly she pictured it].  The voice of my beloved [shepherd]!  Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.  My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart.  Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice.  My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." (Song of Sol. 2:6-10)  Awake carries the thought of opening the eyes and function; it means to arouse from slumber, to become aware, to arouse to action.  Rise means to stand, to become powerful; to be valid, to accomplish, to perform and be proven.  It's time for those who are wise and thoughtful to be aware of the time that we are in and to function with the ability of God, and accomplish and perform our calling.  It pleases the Lord for us to awaken and arise so that we may be ready to come away with Him.  Stay alert!
 
Love,
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     When we become complacent or
lazy we fail to grow.  Someone said that a good acronym for G. O. D. is
Grow Or Die.  And we all know that we must be consistent on our journey
of faith or we will die spiritually, and be found hanging on the vine
instead of abiding.  Most of us have found ourselves in a spiritual rut
when we are not running toward the God-goal, regardless of all of the
things that are thrown at us.  David found himself in a spiritual slump
and it led to sin in his life.  He wasn't as sharp as he needed to be nor
as passionate as he once was for God, which caused him to follow the
course of his flesh and an unrenewed mind.  Psalm 51:1-9; "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.  Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have
crushed rejoice.  Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity."  David's
lapse in being passionate about God led him to commit adultery with
Bathsheba and murder her husband.  I like this whole account, because we
read where God said that David was a man after His own heart, who will
fulfill My will. (Acts 13:22)  It
surely wasn't the adultery and the murder that made David a man after
God's own heart.  We know that God knows all things, so it was no
surprise to see what was in David's heart.  We can see that David
remained humble at all times, which shows that David was easy to repent
and remained teachable.  He didn't harden his heart when Nathan the
prophet came and let him know that God knew his sin and that there
would be consequences for his choices.  His heart was always pliable to
god and His Word.  That is why he said, "You are right in your verdict and justified when You judge."  Most of us would be mad at God for passing any verdict on us even when
we know we have done wrong.  Remember what God said about the humble man;
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10)  " …That
is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but
gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to
receive it)." (James 4:6) David was humble enough to receive God's grace at all times.
     Once David repented, he was back chasing after God.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (Ps. 51:10-11)  Right means to be firm, stable, to be established; to be securely determined; to be steadfast and settled.  David
knew that he needed to be stable and determined in his pursuit of more
of God, he didn't want to go back to the place of sin.  We don't have to
drift so far off and away into the sin of adultery or murder, but when
we are no longer on fire for God as we were when we first accepted Him
as our Lord and Savior, or when we are not keeping His Word making it
first place in our lives, then we have committed sins too.  You know,
a little leaven leavens the whole lump, we must keep our relationship with God pure.  Let's read more; "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors thy
ways; and sinners shall be converted to thee." (Ps. 51:12-13)  Restore
is to return; to turn back; to come back; to refresh; to repair; to
give back something that was lost or stolen; to renew.  David asked for restoration of his love walk with God.  Joy
of salvation; joy is gladness; exultation rejoicing; pleasurable
feelings caused by well-being, success, or good fortune; to delight in
our salvation [which is our deliverance,
rescue, our safety, our welfare, our victory, our prosperity].  In order to restore the joy of our salvation we must do the works that we did at the first, before we got to a spiritual lull.  "But
I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left
(abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your
first love].  Remember then from what heights you have fallen.  Repent [change the inner man to meet God's will] and do the works you did
previously (when first you knew the Lord) or else I will visit you and
remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and
repent." (Rev. 2:4-5) So, let's remember and recall to our mind and keep growing in our joy of our salvation!  Let's do it again.
 
Love,

Pastor D.