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Friday, December 12, 2008

What Has Been "Revealed" To You?

"....There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon....It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ." (From Luke 2:25 & 26)

Alfred Jodl, representing the German High Command, signed an unconditional surrender at 02:41 on May 7, 1945, in a red brick school house in Rheims, France, just east of Paris.  Part of the document reads, "The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23:01 hours Central European time on 8 May."  Thus ended nearly 6 years of carnage in Europe.  Roosevelt and Churchill pursued what they called a "Germany First" policy.  It was their belief, as well as Allied Command, that if you knocked Germany out of the war, Italy and Japan would soon follow.  History proves them correct.  You may recall that I believe Germany is
still key to the global destiny.  It is a prophetic "sense" based on Biblical prophecy and the gift of prophecy.  In the final days, just before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, out of the German people group will come the final world government.

In our text, we see that Simeon had a prophetic word "working" in him also.  The Godhead, now revealed before him in the Baby Jesus, had revealed a very specific prophetic word to him.  At what age this revelation came to Simeon we are not told.  The wording can indicate that it was later in his life.  Regardless, when the time came for the fulfillment of the prophetic word, Simeon was not caught by surprise.  He had not given up.  He had two realities going for him, "his" word, and
The Word."  He had read or heard read from the "God-Breathed" Word of "The Coming One," Jesus, so his "personal" prophetic word had strong Biblical, "God-Breathed" revelation as its base.  This is absolutely necessary to the whole prophetic word move today.

What "word" do you have?  I encourage you to be like Simeon, always looking, observing, open to whatever Jesus reveals, but not obsessed with that "word."  Just keep an open eye to what is going on in your life, around you, and in the world.  All of these ingredients will enable you to live a balanced life of hope, anticipation, and joy, knowing that whatever the exact fulfillment of the "word," the Lord Jesus Christ will perform it in His timing.  Our timing brings frustration and depression.  Jesus' timing brings contentment and peace.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to live in prophetic anticipation.  Amen.  
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News, Commentary:               www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Devotional Archive:               www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com


"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Yes, There Is "His Goodness And...His Wonderful Works"

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"  (Psalm 107:8)
 
There are times in a person's life when he might respond to the psalmist, "What goodness?"  Have you ever noticed how the badness jumps out at you, and at times you have to search for the "goodness?"  But the "bad" is really relative, isn't it?  Most of us in America endure job termination, sickness, broken relationships, some even due to their commitment to Jesus Christ, loss of a life's savings, depression, while Black People and First Nations people in America have known murder and suffering which no white American has.  Even so, some of the most positive, "give thanks" messages have come from what was once called "Negro Spirituals," from people suffering the pain and humiliation of slavery.  And who could ever begin to describe the suffering of our First Nations people?  Then there are the followers of Jesus Christ in most of the world, suffering the pain of an unspeakable poverty, depravation, watching loved ones carted off to suffering, torture, and death.  While I cannot imagine their suffering, Jesus breathes His Word to them just as He does to me, "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"  The God-Breathing Word is universal. 
 
Pope Benedict said in a recent advent message, "For populations worn out by misery and hunger, for throngs of refugees, for those who suffer grave and systematic violations of their rights, the Church is as a sentinel on the mountain of faith and she announces to them: 'Behold your God!  The Lord your God comes in power.'  This prophetic announcement is realized in Jesus Christ.  He, with his preaching and then with his death and resurrection, fulfilled the ancient promises, revealing a deeper and more universal perspective." 
 
If you are in great pain today, "lift your vision higher."  Get out of the "badness" perspective and adopt a "universal perspective."  Then you will see His "goodness, and wonderful...works." 
 
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to keep that "universal perspective."  Amen. 
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News, Commentary:        www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Devotional Archive:        www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com
 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



Wednesday, December 10, 2008

"Seeker Friendly?" I Prefer The Friendly Seeker

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)

"
The Son of Man has come...."---- Glorious Christmas message.  And this message tells us the reason Jesus "has come."  Jesus "has come to seek and to save...."  Now there has been much emphasis that "Jesus saves," but little that Jesus seeks. 

Our text emphasizes that it is Jesus, not us, Who is the initiator in the seeking.  Most of humanity was/is not looking for Him.  They are only seeking help, a way out of the struggle.  The cry is not for His Person, but His solutions, just someone, something, anything which can make the pain go away.  But can't you remember the joy when you discovered that the answer, the solution to your life's quest was not an idea, a philosophy, not some complicated solution, but a Person, Jesus?  Jesus came to you and me, a part of confused, wondering humanity, as the Good Shepherd described in Luke 15, seeking lost, dumb sheep, straying aimlessly to their destruction?  Remember what joy when you realized that our Heavenly Father is the Father seeking and watching for the lost son who knew best, and in demanding and looking for that best found himself in a pigs' sty?  What joy when you realized that Father is our Seeking Father, seeking us, calling us from our misery and pain to Himself? 

This Christmas take great comfort in the promise, "
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart"----
because Jesus sought you and found you when He searched for you with all
His Heart!
 
               "Jesus sought me when a stranger,
               Wandering from the fold of God;
               He, to rescue me from danger,
               Interposed His precious blood;
               How His kindness
yet pursues me
               Mortal tongue can never tell,
               Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
               I cannot proclaim it well."    

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am so thankful that You have come "
to seek and to save" this wretched man.  Amen.  
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I am preaching in the CCE meeting, December 13 & 14
News, Commentary:               www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Devotional Archive:               www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com

"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



**************
Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Acculturation, Assimilation, Absorption

"Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it.  Test and prove yourselves [not Christ].  Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you...." (2 Corinthians 13:5--Amplified Bible)
 
So many in today's world "test" Christ and not themselves.  They have allowed acculturation to be "the faith," rather than "the faith of Jesus Christ."  Acculturation has always been the main battle for the Believer.  A synonym for acculturation is "assimilation," defined as "the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another."  This just does not, has never, and will never work for the person who seeks to live under the authority of Jesus Christ.  There is no absorption here, just dead to the one and alive to the other.  To keep ourselves from the three "A" evil, Believers are commanded to "examine your own selves."  Disobediently, so many leave this up to preachers et. al. who are acculturated themselves.  
 
Biblical examination leads to affirmation that I am "holding to [the] faith," or correction if I am not "holding to [the] faith," a correction which leads to repentance, which is the catalyst of change.  Of course I have met many people over the years who have engaged in the process in their "own understanding," and it led to self incrimination.  Crimination is never the result of Biblical examination.  Biblical examination will always lead to conformation to the image of Jesus Christ.  Of course, if a person does not want to be persecuted, or "hated by all" on account of Jesus Christ, then he will continue to attempt living the assimilation life.  But if he desires what the God-Breathing Word describes as the "holiness, without which no one will see the Lord," then he will pursue our text, and find that "having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life."
 
Father, in Jesus' Name, teach me Your "self examination."  Amen.    
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I am preaching this weekend in the CCE gathering
News, Commentary:        www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Devotional Archive:        www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com   
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



Monday, December 8, 2008

A Bolshevik Education

"....Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will be no means enter the kingdom of heaven."   Matthew 18:3)
 
Lenin was supposed to have said, "Give us the child for eight years, and it will be a Bolshevik forever."   I remember studying that most character traits are already developed by age three.  Some "experts" say age 5.  Regardless, when we come to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the God-Breathing Word have a lot of conversion to do.  How old were you when you were born of the Spirit? 
 
Most Christians spent at least twelve years in a "Bolshevik" educational system, and then have the nerve to ask the Lord why they have such a struggle in Kingdom thinking and behaving.  A few verses of the "God-Breathed" Word a day are not enough to win this battle.  They had better get on with Word saturation.  This conversion is our only salvation.
 
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to continually see the difference between "Bolshevik" and Kingdom training.  Amen. 
 
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2



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