What We "See" And What We Don't "See"

"The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land."  (Psalm 10:16)

The Interlinear says, "from His Land the nations are perished and ever forever [is] King The Lord."  You don't have to be an "expert" to see that the Lord and King, Jesus the Christ, is in the "driving out" business.  Some of today's translations put the, "perished," in the future; my "default" text in the past.  No matter.  All that Jesus Christ states is, "the end from the beginning."  Jesus is, "Alpha and Omega."  If you and I do not think and live this way, we are doomed to defeat.

As always, I encourage you to pray the, "God-Breathed," Words with me.  This is a prayer which I wrote down while near Check Point Charlie in Berlin, Germany, in 1998:  Drive out those who are trying to usurp Your authority in this land."  When we came back to the US, I went on to pray, Drive out those who are trying to usurp Your authority in the United States of America, in Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, in Pittsburgh, later Johnstown, Cambria County.  These are all addresses where we have lived after we came back from Berlin.  I would highly suggest you pray the same for your geographic location.  Now some might say, "Well, has it happened?"  I don't know.  So much of what we pray we don't know the "answers."  But is that reason to quite praying the prayers we pray? 

You are probably living with "unanswered prayers."  Now I don't mean to justify this by tritely saying that "not all answers are yes."  We should be non-agenda-oriented enough in our walk in Jesus Christ to say as Paul did, "'You have put all things in subjection under His feet.'  For in subjecting all things to Him, He left nothing that is not subject to Him.  But now we do not yet see all things subject to Him."  It is fact that, "....now we do not yet see all things," as Jesus promised.  "But we do see Him Who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus...."  And because we, "see...Jesus," we keep pressing, "the battle at the gate."

I am taking to Washington, DC, with me next week the prayers which I have written out based upon the Scriptures.  They are some of the "great" prayers of the Bible.  They are prayers of which the prophet told the Jewish king, "make [your petition] deep and make it high."  How "deep" and how "high" are your petitions today?  Don't allow "unanswered prayers" to discourage you, to stop you from obeying the Word of God to that ancient king.  There is still a lot of "drive out" to do.

Father, in Jesus' Name, by Your grace and mercy, help me to continue to walk "deep and high" with/in You.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"Commandments" Is NOT A Bad Word

"The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments...."  (Acts 1:1-2b)

Many believe that, "commandments," ended with the Old Testament; they did not.  They continue in Jesus, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  Jesus does not give us options or an alternative life style.  Jesus only gives commands so that we may, "enter, thou, into the joy of thy Lord."  Maybe instead of, "The Lord led me," it should be, "The Lord commanded me."

The vast majority of us do not like being told what to do, especially if it goes against what we want to do.  First of all, if that attitude would have prevailed, I would not be a child of God today.  Our "flesh" desires so much of what is not Jesus' purpose for our lives.  Secondly, I must completely understand and live in the reality that the Blessed Trinity has nothing but good for me, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome."  Yet so many church goers believe they are.  They are, "not burdensome," to me; they are good to/for me.

We are Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, and disciples are those who had gone astray, rebelled against our Maker, were living life our own way.  Then Jesus found us and called us to Himself.  And what so few realize is that a part of that, "born again," experience is our freely taking on the "position" of  a learner, i.e., disciple, and learning-discipleship never stops.  Jesus calls man to, "Follow Me."  It is not, "You are special and I have a wonderful plan for your life which will erase all suffering, pain, sickness, and problems.  Everyone will love you and think you are marvelous."  No.  It is, "If they have hated me, they hate you also."  Yet to those who, as I read in Psalm 2 in the KJV this morning, "Kiss the Son," Jesus, worship Jesus, enjoy the, "Abide in Me and I in you," relationship in Jesus Christ, then whatever may happen to us, however life "turns out" for us, it is no matter.  We are of those who, "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," in Jesus.  I have a new name for us: Lovers of Jesus Christ's Commandments. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, if I ever think and act as though Your commands are, "burdensome," I know it is my own sin which comes to that conclusion.  Everything You say is precious in my sight.  Amen.

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What a time in world history, and a location, to be involved in "David's Tent."  Please pray for physical and spiritual health.  Thanks.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"....This Very Hour and Day and Month and Year"

"And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released...."  (Revelation 9:15, NIV)

As I read aloud the Book of Revelation on the conference call last evening, I realized again my old theory that you cannot exhaust, "the Words of God."  There is always something "new."  It is not always new in the sense that you never heard or read it.  It is new in a sort of (excuse the pun) revelation sense.

Our text speaks of, "this very hour and day and month and year."  It is similar to that haunting phrase uttered three times in chapter 18, "for in one hour."  The Holy Spirit is speaking here very, very specifically, "this very hour and day and month and year....For in one hour...."  It is coming, my friend, because Jesus is appearing again.  "....so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him."  And the phrase here, "bring salvation," of course, is not speaking of the "new birth."  It is, "but to bring deliverance to those who are waiting for Him."

Are you?  Are you, "waiting for Him/Jesus?"  There is a tremendous "psychology" in "waiting."  There is anticipation, only this anticipation is not base on some sort of hope-so promise.  It is promise of the "Divine Order."  Jesus' promises are as sure as Jesus Himself is sure.  So our, "waiting for," is a waiting for what is as sure as yesterday was sure.  Yesterday is a done fact in history and eternity.  There is no doubt about yesterday because it already occurred; we have recorded and eye witness testimony of its reality.  So too is, "Jesus will appear a second time...to bring deliverance," from this present world system.  The Cross of Jesus is the guarantee of this "deliverance," just as it is the guarantee of our forgiveness of sin

The close of the age, the Second Appearing of Jesus will occur in, "....the very hour and day and month and year," appointed by the Living Triune God.  "For in one hour," will be the epitaph of history.

Father, in Jesus' Name, by Your grace and mercy I am believing I will be ready.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Reading Through Revelation This Evening, 7PM EST

"Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations."  (Psalm 145:13, KJV)

This is Psalm-145-day-of-the-month.  One translation of our text says, "Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages."  From what I can gather in the Interlinear and lexicons, the Hebrew word for, "everlasting," means, "always," no beginning, no ending.  There was never a beginning to, "Thy Kingdom," nor an end to, "Thy Kingdom."  We could say, "Your Kingdom is a forever Kingdom, and Your dominion endures forever."  Or, "Your Kingdom is eternal, and Your dominion is eternal."  Or, "Your Kingdom...and Your rule/reign is eternal."  Hence, the Jewish "name" for the Blessed Trinity, "The Eternal One." !!!

Skip to the last book of the Bible and we read, "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.'"  This may sound a simple truth, but I can say a no more powerful truth/reality.  Any person who is in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ in him/her is eternal.  We "tapped" into, born into the Eternal One the moment we were born of the Holy Spirit, the moment we heard, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock," the very moment we responded to the invitation, "Yet to all who did receive Jesus, to those who believed in Jesus' name, He gave the right, the authority to become children of God."

I am really looking forward to our reading of the Book of Revelation on a conference call this evening (info for the call below).  "Thy Word is Truth."  I receive no greater comfort, enabling power, and encouragement than from Him Who is, as Revelation describes Him, "The Word of God," even our Lord Jesus Christ, and His "God-Breathed" Words.  "Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when Jesus is revealed, we shall be like Jesus, for we shall see Jesus as Jesus is."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the only guaranteed "anointed message," Your Words.  Amen.
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Conference Call Info: 
    TIME:         19:00hrs or 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
    Dial-in Number:    786-577-1020
    Access Code:           615527#
I will be recording our call, so I'm asking that you push *6 to mute your end of the call.
For those on our devotional list from other countries, I have codes for your country should you want to listen to the reading at any time.

Email me for any further clarification. 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Revelation: The New Testament "Book of Psalms"

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."  (Revelation 1:3, NIV)

If, "the time is near," then, what must it be now?!?

This quarter I have waited to read through the Book of Revelation at one sitting.  I have done this before, and cannot tell you what a blessing it was; I highly recommend it.  I remember the first time I did this was many decades ago.  My first reaction was, "This is a New Testament Book of Psalms."  The worship, praise, and glorifying of King Jesus is magnificent.  Please take note of the blessedness for the person, "who reads aloud the words...." 

Events in the earth have convinced me that what Paul told the Romans 2000 years ago is upon us, "....our salvation is nearer than when we first believed."  The word, "salvation," can also be translated, "deliverance."  Who would look at the earth today and say that we are not in need of the great, "deliverance," as never before.  Our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, has commanded us, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  Again, the word for, "redemption," here can also be translated, "deliverance"; therefore, we can read, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your deliverance draws near."  The cynics can speak of "escapism" all they want when we speak of the great, "deliverance," the Second Appearing, the "rapture" of the Church.  I prefer, "The Words of God," to their words anyway.  Let them mock; they just may be "left behind."

I probably would never have taken notice of the equal of the Psalms in the Book of Revelation if I would just have read it with the attitude, "O, I've read this so many times before; I know what to expect."  We really don't.  You know the "God-Breathed" Words, "The Word of God is alive and active...."  If you want to be, "alive and active," in these evil days, "read[] aloud the words of this prophecy, and...hear it and take to heart what is written in it...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am lifting up my head.  Amen.
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* I just had a thought.  Maybe I will get on a conference call tomorrow at 19:00hrs and read through the Book of Revelation on the phone.  I can send you the number to call if you would like to be a part of that.  I'll confirm it tomorrow.
* Please pray for the DC Mission next week, October 8-12

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2