"If I Ruled The World"-- But You Don't

"On the second day present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish."  (Numbers 29:17)

The wars, the stonings, the blood sacrifices, all seem so primitive, even barbaric to "modern man."  Indeed, you may know people who say they could never believe in such a God, especially revealed in the Old Testament, vengeful, ordering the slaughter of whole cities. The scene is really quite simple: They believe they have the "moral high ground," yes, even above God.  They are the compassionate ones, the loving ones, the superior beings.  But they know not, or rather, refuse to accept, "The Word of God," that, "he who believes not is condemned already."  They are quite literally, "The Walking Dead."

What they will not accept is that the Creator, Sustainer of the Universe has His purposes.  All the blood shed by sacrifices which had to be, "without blemish," foreshadowed, "The Coming One," Jesus the Christ, "the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world."  1 Peter says that we are, "redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."  Mankind has a choice:  Believe the song, "If I Ruled The World," or believe, "The Word of God."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You for Jesus, my Passover, "Lamb without blemish and without spot."  Amen.

"Mutually Encouraged"

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."  (Romans 1:11, 12--NIV))

Note the humility of Paul here.  He was saying, in effect, that, "make you strong," and encouragement is a two-way street.  He revealed his heart, that just as he desired to strengthen and encourage the the Roman Church, he knew and desired that those Followers of Jesus in Rome would make him strong and encourage him.  Also, just notice the next time you read in the Gospels how our Lord Jesus revealed this same attitude with His disciples. 

I would be leery of any leader who gives the impression that blessings, strength impartation, etc., is a one way street, always in an instruction mode, never in a receiving mode.  I shared quite a while ago the words of a saint who was in her 80s at the time.  "I listen to everything every child of God says."  Don't close your mind to any saint.  Don't just take your encouragement from "The Elijah List" and "Generals."  That person who rarely speaks, who has no "position" in your local church, never wrote a book, never gets asked to speak anywhere just may have a key which could open manifold strength and encouragement to you.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray this attitude be preeminent in Your Church.  Amen.   

"The Grace of God [Is] Teaching Us..."

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that...we should live...righteously...."  (Titus 2)

Notice that the, "the grace of God...teach[es] us...," something.

Many believe that the grace of God is just God's mercy, goodness, etc., or the classic, and too often clicheish, "unmerited favor."  True enough, but as with so much which is to many just something they heard and something which seems to be a dominant shibboleth in the religious community, they do not stay open for the Holy Spirit's continual teaching.

The grace of  God is not some nebulous concept, just hanging out there to be talked about. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, "....teach[es] us..," necessary principles to walk victoriously in Jesus Christ.  And if you read on in the chapter, you discover some of what, "....the grace of God...teach[es] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special People, zealous for good works."

"The grace of God," is not just about what we receive.  "The grace of God," is most fully manifested in how we respond to His Grace.   If you and I appreciate and are thankful for the grace of God, then we will obey what His grace is, "....teaching us...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You constantly for breaking through any "completed" theology.  Amen.

"Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned."  (Acts 27:20, NASB)

"....Gradually abandoned..," is not something we want to come into our lives.  

The storm raged on for two weeks.  Try to imagine the terror, horror the men must have felt.  The context tells us that the storm was so violent that eventually they threw everything over board, the cargo, much of what goes into making a ship seaworthy.  And because of what seemed to be a hopeless situation, "....all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned."

My friend, life has thrown at many of us storms which we thought were the end of us.  But here we are, still pressing on, still loving, surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ.  Let us covenant together that we will not succumb to such a hopeless state.  Just as the angel appeared to Paul and told him that Jesus had a purpose for him that was greater than any storm life could throw at him, so too, it is for you and me.  You and I must believe this so that we also can fulfill our destiny in Jesus Christ, here, and the, "life to come."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your keeping power.   Amen.

We Must Be Very, Very Careful

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these My Brethren, you did to Me.'"  (Matthew 25:40)

And, in Matthew 12:49, 5o, we read, "And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.'"  

Our text seems to be a "simple" statement, often just read past, perhaps some light-hearted humanist comments.  The fact remains, however, that whatever I do to any person in whom Jesus Christ lives, I do to Jesus Himself.  May we be very, very careful how we treat one another.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray I always live this.  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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

The Following Is A Prophecy I Gave Over 16 Years Ago

04:00, Thursday, January 22, 2004 

To the United States of America and the Church in the land:

Why are you crying out to me?  Why are you praying as though The Enemy has destroyed your land?  It was not The Enemy who destroyed your land.  It was I.  In 1962, you told your children that praying to me was no longer important.  In 1963, you told your children that my words were no longer important.  That same year you thought it was some man who took your president.  It was not.  It was you.  In 1968, you thought it was men who took two of your leaders.  It was not.  It was you.  In 1973, your ways of rejecting me manifested in your courts legalizing the murder of my children.  It is not the abortion doctors who are killing your babies.  It is you.  My words are life to those who find them.  You have not found them; you have not cherished them; therefore, you have no life.  

I have said in my word, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness....Therefore I gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts...."  You rejected my truth for a lie.  It was not an enemy or unbeliever who gave you over.  It was I who gave you over.  The fact that you did not want me in your schools and in your government only reflected the fact that you did not want me any longer in your churches.  And all of this was a mere reflection that you no longer wanted me in your families and in you.  You thought you had a better way; so, you rejected my way.  Even today, I am a marginal reference in your meetings.  I have become simply a means to your end.  It is not an enemy who has done this to your land.  It is I who have become your enemy.  You rejected me.  I have rejected you.  Just look around.  What a price you have paid for rejecting me!

I am issuing a last call to repentance.  Away with popularizing my words.  Away with using the Good News of my Son, Jesus, as a means for your profit, as a means to build organizations and call them churches.  Away with referring to me and not depending on me.  Seek me that you may live.  Seek me that your nation may once again be the nation I raised it up to be.  This year will be a year of intense spiritual conflict.  You will see it in your election campaigns.  You will see it in the earth.  I have overcome the world and the only way you will overcome the world is in me.