"Beyond Faithful..."

"The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:" (Psalms 68:22) Not that it really matters, but why do you think God does not offer salvation to the fallen angels? It has been said, based upon Matthew 25:41, that hell was created for the devil and his angels; so then, why does God not offer them salvation if they were to turn back? God prepared hell for the fallen angels, but gave his Son for fallen mankind. I know that it might be hard to imagine, but if you could just be a fly on the walls of heaven, what do you think you would witness there? God has such a deep love for us, we can't even imagine all that he has in store for us. When I was reading this verse this morning, I got a sense of God's mercy having no end, not just because the Bible says so (Lamentations 3:22), but because it is so! If you know "The True God", then you know it is so, and there is nothing that can convince you otherwise. I can't say this enough, but our salvation is not based upon our performance, but it is based upon God's! It is what he has done for us that saves us, not anything that we can do for him. He makes us bare fruit! And as Jesus said, "You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you." The message that Jesus is speaking about is the Gospel, the message of hope! What is hope for us? If it were possible, imagine you are bound by chains, loaded down with concrete blocks, and laying at the base of the ocean floor; now save yourself, if you can. But you can't; even if you could get free, your still not going to make it to the surface, not without something help you breath, or protect your vital organs. Wow, I just had a vision of that "ax head" Elisha made to float (2 Kings 6:1-7); the ax head was me, and Jesus was the one who was reaching out to "take it up"... "Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" (Matthew 13:40-46) NLT

"Turn or Burn"

"But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one that goeth on still in his trespasses." (Psalms 68:21) If you were wondering where this title came from, it was already written in the space below this verse in my Bible. Not sure when I wrote it, but it was sometime after around 1996; or maybe even a little earlier. Regardless of when it was written, it has behind it the sense of urgency that needs to be considered not just at the time that it was written, but every time that it is looked upon. This thing we call being a Christian is not a religion; it is not based upon religiosity's or religiousness, keeping any sort of prescribed activities, or even the do's and don'ts of the law; it is based upon a personal relationship with our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ, and if you do not have that, then you are out of sorts! David gave a really good illustration of what "out of sorts" might look like in Psalms 32:3, saying, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long." Or in Psalms 38:3, as he cries, "There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin." The biggest mistake that we can make is that of not surrendering; to think that somehow we can do something on our own, or get ourselves right and then turn back to God. Maybe it's from one of the old adages, "You got yourself into this, now get yourself out!" Which I think is something that my mother said, but I think it had more to do about human relationships, not my relationship with God. As much as we might think that we can, we cannot wipe away our own sins and trespasses! Too many churches have been handing out the wrong information, teaching people, now that Jesus has made you new, now it's up to you to keep yourself in good standing with God. It is always God's work in us! How many times do we need to learn that lesson? Only God can change our heart! Only the blood of Jesus can take away our sins! Do not be fooled again, it is all about surrender...
"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." (John 15:1-4) NLT

"Beyond The Grave"

"He that is our God is the God of our salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." (Psalms 68:20) Yesterday was a pretty emotional morning; I had not cried like that for quite some time, and it felt so good! I tried several times to try and explain what it was that I was trying to say, but nobody really got the point of the message; maybe it was just for me, but that's alright. You know, Jeremiah really did not have much success trying to be God's messenger, because nobody would listen; but like most of the prophets of his people, his work was really for another generation, and far beyond. Now about that "third day", we all know what happened after the second day that Jesus was in the tomb; the first day was good because He took away our sins, the second day was not so good, but on the third day He conquered death! People really need to understand that the grave is not our final resting place. Notice that this verse above does not say, 'issues of death', but it says, "issues from death", as in after death. To be more to the point, we have a chance to participate in the outcome of what happens after our death while we are alive, but after death, there are no more choices! I have written in my Bible below this verse, John 11:25, which is where Jesus answers Martha concerning her brother rising again, by saying, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" Something else I felt to Lord speaking into my heart about those first three days, is that it is pretty much like that message about the tombstone: the first day we came into the world, the third day we departed, but the second day is that dash between the two dates, which belongs to us, so we had better make it count... "For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice - the voice of the Son of God. And those that listen will live." (John 5:21-25) NLT

"Just a Little Bit"

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. (Psalms 68:19) If we could only see what God can see, what a difference that would make in how we live our daily lives; but we can't, and it is just as well, because we could not handle having our minds blown! What we have been given is pretty much as much as we can handle; these are temporal times that we live in, way too small of a time period to handle so much data. The word "daily" is the word that strikes me a little odd; it is one of these words that has two references after it; but get this, they are the same references, H3117, which is the word 'yowm', "from an unused root meaning to be hot." Yesterday I heard something interesting from Dr. Chuck, something I had never heard or seen before, and it had to do with the "third day", not just the third day of creation, although what he said about that was very interesting, but the third day in general. To see the significance of the third day of creation, we first must see the missing factor in the second, which is that it was "good"; God did not say that the second day of creation was good! But God did say that the third day of creation was good, not just once, but twice He said it was good. What was so different about the third and second day? Well? Let me tell you what I think, for what it's worth. On the second day God established Heaven. What? were expecting something significant? God's love for us is so amazing! He knows just how much we can handle, and He knows our breaking point! But more than anything else, He wants to have fellowship with us... "He has filled me with bitterness and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. He has made me chew on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!" The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin fresh each morning. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"" (Lamentations 3:15-24)NLT 

"Immanuel" -2

"Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them." (Psalms 68:18) Now I know that we can not prove that it is so; besides the testimony of the Bible, all that we have is the testimony of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of each and everyone of us. But don't you think that the simple fact that there is so much opposition to the name of Jesus is proof enough? Any time that I get a chance to share about this, it gives me so much pleasure, because there is so much opposition against the name of Jesus Christ; there is just something about that name! Why do you think that is? We know who is behind it, and we know why; it is called jealousy, but of whom? Many think that he rebelled when he first learned of God's plan to make man; I think that there is something to that, because he really seems to have it out for us. I watched "Cinderella" last night, for the third time, and the evil stepmother reminded me of just how jealous the devil is of us, and just how hard he will try to stop us from becoming the Bride of Christ. We don't realize this enough in our daily walk, but we should always be on guard against his endless ways of causing us to take our eyes off Jesus. It's not enough to cause us to stumble; no, he wants us to not get up; he wants us to "lay naked in a field, kicking about in our own blood." I am reminded of a song by DA, it's called "Safety Net", and my favorite part in the song, is where it says, "Shoot like a bullet till kingdom come." I have always picture God having one of those black powder muskets, with His powder being the Holy Spirit, as He places us in His musket and fires us off; after we propel out across the land, by the power of His Spirit, we come to rest somewhere in a field, and He finds us, picks us up, and loads us in again. Don't you ever forget that your His child! He is not going to leave you laying there, because you matter to Him; no matter what the enemy might say, your a son of the KING...  "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father; who is over all and in all, and living through all. However; he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people." Notice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself." (Ephesians 4:1-10) NLT  

"Immanuel"

"Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them." (Psalms 68:18) There has got to be something we can do about the serious lack of respect for Jesus among the legal minds in this world; it's almost as if there is some sort of spell that is placed on them during their schooling and they come out agnostic. Schools were originally geared towards religious instruction, as well as teaching math and science. But what they have come to now is nothing more than indoctrination into rebellion against God. Not just any god, but Thee God! They will gladly allow the worship of false gods, like those of eastern religions and any other god not associated with the Holy Bible; but if you name the Lord Jesus Christ, you are marked as someone that hates, and someone who is intolerant of others. I know that there has got to be Christian Lawyers out there somewhere, I have got to believe there are at least a handful; but if you think our public schools are bad, what they must do in order to get a law degree is even worse. This verse has a red star next to it in my Bible, which means that it is about Jesus and His coming to this earth. Most people will admit that Jesus came here; it's a historical fact that He did, so there is really no way that they can get around it. But getting them to admit that He was anything more than just a man, that is something all together different. If you really want to know the mystery behind the reason for the deception, there is a small clue in the word "captivity"; a word that speaks of the state of mankind, and of his fallen condition. Something that our education system has discovered (maybe they are not the ones behind it totally), is that getting people to rebel against God is easy, because it's already in their genes. We were all born in sin, separated from God because we are the descendants of Adam, the original sinner; therefore, we all have inherited his sinful nature (Romans 5:12). So, the captivity spoken of is the fallen state of mankind, being held captive by the curse which we were born into. Getting us to go deeper into our fallen state is easy to teach, because it is something that blends well with our fallen nature and that we find it easy to agree with. It is really messed up, but our children are being messed with on so many different levels, and it is only the power of God that can break the spell... "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:10-14) NLT  

"'Forever Strong"

"The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." (Psalms 68:17) I have got to wonder what it is that makes some of us give up. Do we buy in on the lie? or do we look to much on our own understanding? I for one don't believe that we easily will buy in on the lie, but it's not hard to do if you are living for yourself. That's the key! I truly believe that living for yourself is the thing that ruins every ministry, breaks up families, and destroys strong Christians from finishing well. If you think about it, all three of those temptations that Jesus was tempted with were about power; in one way or another, each one was either to demonstrate power, prove power, or gain power. Typically that is what happens when we start living for ourselves, we begin by living within our own power; or at least we think that we are in our own minds. In each of the responses that Jesus gave, He answered with proof that God is the power: We should not tempt Him, we should live by His word, and we should only worship Him! One thing that we must remember, is that this life is temporary. It is all just for a moment, every little thing about it is here today and gone tomorrow. Your looks, your health, your wealth; it's all for today, but none of it is guaranteed for tomorrow! You would think that knowing that would make us live more humble, but James is right, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." (James 4:5) Always wanting more is the general idea. But, if you really want to put something to good use, then let your desire be towards God! You want more power, then ask God for more of His Spirit; but first we must die to ourselves! James also said, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your own lusts." (James 4:3) It all comes down to knowing who it is that always has the power, because it is surely not any of us! We are weak, but He is strong! The sooner we can press that reality into our minds, the sooner we can begin to see some victories over sin, and the sooner we can start living for God. And just so you know, the "twenty thousand" given as a number is not twenty thousand; just saying... "Watch, for the day of the LORD is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city. Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He has fought in times past. On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. You will flee through the valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all His holy ones with Him." (Zechariah 14:1-5) NLT

"Forever Faithful"

"Why leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever." (Psalms 68:16) First and foremost, let me say that yesterday was about reaching higher; just so you get the meaning, and so I don't have to do another day on that verse. You see, God has done everything for us to so that we can be His workmanship; yet, we take all that He has done to make us precious in His sight and we mix and mingle it with the world, making ourselves defiled instead of glamorous. We can not bring God down to our level, into our manner of living; we must allow Him to transform us into something that is above all this world represents. This verse is one of simplicity in the character of God to allow us to enter in. The main point of what is being said, is that of those who are envious of being closer to God. It's like, "Why are you so envious? God is right here, and He is always waiting for you to reach out to Him." As with that closing Scripture from Ezekiel at the end of yesterday's post (the first part of which was after the post from the 10th, "God of Blessings" -2), as soon as we think that we have arrived, we begin to go back. Yes, God has pulled us up out of our own pool of blood, and He has dressed us in His perfection, but He is not done with us yet. We must never get to the place where we think we have arrived, because it's not found in this place! But here's the great news about the character of God's mercy and grace: He is forever faithful to lift us up to Himself; to pick us up, to clean us up, and set us on the path again... "You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But He gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor." (James 4:4-10) NLT 

"Far Above!"

"The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; a high hill as the hill of Bashan." (Psalms 68:15) Typically when you think of hills, hills are usually not mountains that are too hard to climb; they are usually rolling, and they make for good planting, like for vineyards or trees. Such was the hill of Bashan, which was given the name because it was so fruitful. Bashan actually means fruitful, and it was given to the half tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan. I don't know what you have heard about the children of Israel that settled on the east side of Jordan, but the real losers were their children; that generation that missed out on witnessing all of the victories that God gave Israel in the promised land. Besides that, there was something special about this region, something very suitable for livestock to graze upon, which was why the half tribe of Manasseh wanted to "settle" there; settle being the word used to describe the character of those that would take this rather than that; someone that might "settle" for what they see and know currently, instead of stepping out of their comfort zone and experiencing the power of God. You see, the "hill of God" is approachable; God wants to meet us right where we are, but He does not want us to settle where He meets us! This hills on the east side of the Jordan were not where God was worshiped, and they were envious of the place that He was worshiped on the other side. It's the same in our own lives as we walk in the Lord; God expects us to move! He gives us new life so that we can move away from the old life; He gives us new life so that we can begin to experience life in Him. We cannot settle for anything, because there is nothing here that even comes close to where God dwells! Think about what is being said in the context of what has been said already. There is no way we can experience the real power of God in our lives by settling for anything in this life. We can experience God's blessings, which are always enjoyable and free; but to have something powerful enough to hand over to our children, we need move out of our comfortable life and into the arms of God, the Living God...
"Your fame soon spread throughout the world because of your beauty. I dressed you in my splendor and perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign LORD. But you thought your frame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking. You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines and idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them. This is adultery against me! You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to dress your idols. Then you used my special oil and my incense to worship them. Imagine it! You set before them as a sacrifice the choice flour, olive oil, and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign LORD. Then you took your sons and daughters - the children you had borne of me - and sacrificed them to your gods. Was your prostitution not enough? Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them to idols? In all your years of adultery and detestable sin, you have not once remembered the days long ago when you lay naked in a field, kicking about in your own blood." (Ezekiel 16:14-22) NLT

"Above All Else"

"When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon." (Psalms 68:14) As I was listening to several different messages yesterday on the radio, I was reminded how the contrast between what God can do and what anyone else can do really does not compare, it isn't even close! There is nothing that compares to Almighty God! Pastor Jon painted an illustration of the scene in heaven when Satan is revealed, mentioned in Isaiah 14:12-17, as he talked about the phrase in verse 16 that says, "They that saw thee shall narrowly look upon thee", and how it means that their view of him will be that of little stature, almost as if it just does not seem possible that he could be all that, especially in light of all that God is in all His glory. When we get there we will see, God is Almighty! But you see, there is something going on here that is not going on there, mainly that this place is temporal. Listening to Dr. Chuck yesterday, it was almost mystical, but he made some really good points about the difference between the "time domain" and that which is where God dwells; to compare the two is like trying to compare the power of that created with the Creator that created it, there is no comparison between the two! As I was pondering these two different messages, I realize just how similar they were, as they both stressed the same basic principle that nothing compares with the power and the glory of God, absolutely nothing! Given this little bit of information, where does this put the power of our sin compared to the power of the blood of Christ? I mean really! God created us, we created sin; if God is that much more powerful than what He created, how much more powerful is He over what we have created? Yea, that's what I thought... "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!" (Isaiah 1:18-20) NLT  

"The God of Blessings" -2

"Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." (Psalms 68:13) There is something else about this verse; the NLT has it like this: "Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures - doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold." It is a pretty good interpretation, but there is another level I feel God speaking here, besides that of profession, but one of sacrifice and expectation to glorify God. Most people come to church to get blessed in one way or another; they come prepared for being ministered to, or to hear a message that will inspire them for at least the next three or four days; at least those are the ones who come with expectations. Some come because they feel obligated, and they don't want to look as though they don't care; these are the ones that make sure they are noticed, usually by making sure to greet as many people as possible. And some people come empty, feeling sick and tired of life, they just need something to make them feel something, anything, just as long as it takes away this empty feeling. When you look up this word "pots", yes it speaks of folds or stalls, but there is another hidden meaning that takes it to a whole new level; a level of blessing God! The Hebrew - Chaldee Lexicon has this take on the the meaning of the word 'shaphath', "where places in the court of the temple are signified, in which sacrificial victims were bound." This takes on a whole new meaning and expression of purpose, one of anticipation to bless God, not to be blessed by God, but to bless Him as in to give Him a sacrifice of praise. It's like when you offer God a sacrifice, you don't give Him a blemished offering, because then it is an empty offering; you give God your best because that is what He deserves. When we come to church, it should be for worship and fellowship with the body of Christ. All those other reasons are okay, but they are not what we come there for primarily; those might be secondary reasons, but the primary reason that we come is to offer God His due. To sing songs of praise, to give Him the attention He deserves to speak into your heart, and to come together as a body of believers, each bringing their own special sacrificial offering to praise and give thanksgiving to the God of blessings...
"But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, 'Live!' And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your body hair grew, but you were still naked. And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declare my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine goatskin leather. I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces, a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. And so you were adorned with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods - choice flour, honey, and olive oil - and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were!" (Ezekiel 16:6-13) NLT

"The God of Blessings"

"Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." (Psalms 68:13) As I thought about this verse, I could not help but think of the dove illustrated in the beginning of some of the Dove Award movies, all shinny and radiant as it seems to represent the Spirit of God. When it comes to God's blessings upon our lives, the main blessing that I believe we have been given is opportunity to shine for God. I watched a movie last night which had a graveside scene where the Pastor said, "When you look around this cemetery at all these tombstones, you see they all have two things in common, there are two dates, a date of birth, and a date of death. We all get two dates that represent our time here on this earth, but what really matters is the dash in between." This verse speaks about something very special, and yet very much looked down upon, in not only modern day culture, but even throughout the ages. David understood this probably more than anyone, having grown up as one that watched over sheep, he knew how undignified that kind of life was looked upon; but he also knew how very special that job was for him getting in touch with God. If you have not seen the movie "War Room" yet, then you should. You go away thinking that it's a movie about the importance of prayer, and it is; but more importantly, it's a movie about making a difference in the lives of others. We can be great prayer warriors for God, with walls lined with answered prayers, and special a room where battles are won; but if we help to create an army of prayer warriors, then we really have made a difference! And the most important thing of all, is that it does not matter where you are, or what your stature in life may be; all that really matters is that little dash between the date you were born and the date that you die...
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers of the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger. just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:1-7) NLT (Repeat!)

"Digging In"

"Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil." (Psalms 68:12) I almost did another "Publish It" for the last verse, but I thought I would save it for down the road. Between the lines in my Bible I have written, The enemy flees at the promises of God! It's true, the enemy does flee at the promises of God; he is no match for God, and he knows it; we just need to let him know that we know it also! We really need to get serious about what is happening here, and it's going to mean that we start getting on our knees before God. That's really not going to change the direction that this world is going, but it sure will change the direction of the war. We are not at war with our neighbors or our families; we are not even at war with the gay pride people or the pro-choice defenders; we are at war with the god of this fallen world, the one who wants to take as many people as he can into hell with him. The way I see it, the devil has already lost the real war, which was the victory that Jesus completed when He died for our sins and rose from the dead; but he still thinks that he is entitled to this earth and all those that live upon it. Although he might be powerful, he lacks the power to take on God, which includes Christ Jesus and all those that are in Christ! So the question becomes one of who will flee from who? Do we flee from the devil, or does he flee from us? I believe that we need to flee from sin; if we are tempted, and we find it hard to resist whatever we are tempted in, then we need to get away from what ever it is that is causing us to sin or be tempted. But when it comes to the devil and his craftiness, we need to stand and fight. Don't let the enemy take anything from you; not your home, not your family, not your church, and surely not your joy! Besides, all of those things belong to the Lord, even our joy! Our joy is not from us, it is from the Lord! So the devil can't have it, because it is not ours to give away; our joy belongs to the Redeemer of our souls, the Bright and Morning Star that outshines all others. You do know that the devil is also referred to as "the bright morning star", but his is a temporary light; unlike the Light which was, is and always will be, he was created. I hope that helps to put things in perspective, because when it comes to our warfare, we need to understand which side has the upper hand... "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) NLT

"Publish It" -2

"The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it." (Psalms 68:11) Maybe I got a little misdirected yesterday; then again, we really need to start standing our ground when it comes to these changes in the law. If you actually read the Scriptures which talk about being obedient to those in authority, they mostly speak about those in authority being the enforcer of the laws; yet when a law goes against the word of God, there needs to be a stand taken for God's word. Here is another good example of what I am talking about. If you are filling out an income statement for either tax settlement payments or for Medicare enrollment, there is no line to list your Tithes and Offerings to your church in the expense portion of the income statement; primarily because they do not consider giving to your church a legitimate expense to be considered for a deduction from your income; in other words, it is not lawful to pay your tithes if you owe money to the government, or if you are applying for government subsidies. Since when did it become an option to disobey God's command for giving? I know that some people will try and say that giving is an Old Testament command, and that now we are under a New Covenant, as if the basic principles of God's law have changed. But nothing could be further from the truth! The warning and promise of Malachi 3:9-11 still stand, God has not changed His mind regarding giving a tenth of your first fruits; meaning "the whole tithe", not ten percent of you net, or what might be left as scraps after paying all of your bills. No, God requires it from us who depend upon Him to supply all of our needs. When I fill out income statements like those mentioned above, I write in a line for my Tithes, and I do not take no for an answer! If I don't qualify, so be it! God will supply all of my needs! But let me tell you something about God's promise, He is serious when He says, "Test Me and see"...
"I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return when we have never gone away?' "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated Me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' You have cheated Me of your tithes and offerings due Me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating Me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put Me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies." (Malachi 3:6-12) NLT

"Publish It"

"The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it." (Psalms 68:11) I think we have a certain privilege to let it be known how great our God is; especially when we have some sort of trial or situation that might give people some other impression. This Clerk that has been put in jail without bond is a pretty good example; she is right to stand her ground, because technically the law has not been established. The court does not write the laws of our land, they are meant to determine law, not write laws; but obviously, our current court system thinks otherwise. Some say she should have resigned or stepped down from being the County Clerk, but she was elected by the people in her county; and her county did not write a new law and vote on it; as a matter of fact, neither did the Nation. Marriage is defined by God's word as a holy union between a man and a woman; last I checked, this nation was meant to be a Nation ruled and governed by the word of God. But now that I realized it, I have not checked the standing of God's word in our nation lately. Like, do they still use the Bible in court? Do they still have people raise their right hand while placing their left hand on the Bible? And if not, to whom are they swearing to tell the truth; to the court, that's who! It almost seems as though the courts have taken over for God. They have pushed God out, and they are no longer interpreting law that has been written, but are now using "Existence Precedes Essence" to determine law, thereby creating new laws which are not based upon the original laws or their intent, but have been determined by what man has determined those laws to mean. In other words, the court no longer represents God's law which established this nation, but man's laws which have evolved through their own experiences and interpretations of the law. Basically, the courts have come to represent "Humanism" at it's highest level; God no longer matters in their interpretation of the law, only man's ideas of what they should be or do matter... "Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?" he demanded. "Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!" But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him." (Acts 5:28-32) NLT

"The God of Hope"

"Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: Thou, O God, hast prepared of Thy goodness for the poor." (Psalms 68:10) What exactly is hope, and how do you know that you have it? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Paul (or whomever), said this after speaking of those "who draw back" verses those "that believe to the saving of the soul." The point being made, that the hope we have is beyond anything this life has to offer, and that we should not expect to receive any reward in this life for doing God's will. Peter takes it one step further, saying, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." (1 Peter 4:12) He speaks of this right after he speaks about doing God's will. Therefore, it seems to make sense to me, that the will of God and hope are very similar in their relationship together; in other words, if you are not in the will of God, then you really can't pretend that you have hope, and if you are pretending to have hope, then you are not in the will of God; or something like that. It makes more sense if you think about what "therein" represents, because our inheritance into the kingdom of God is not based upon our will but God's, and our hope comes from what God has promised, not by anything that we can do for Him, but what He has done for us. It is God's will for us to be saved; left to our own choices, we all would have remained in darkness; therefore, we know that we have hope, because God has called us out of the darkness; we did not pull ourselves up out of the darkness, God has pulled us up out of the darkness! It's like that rat who was pulled up out of that tank. He knows that he was saved once, so he endures from giving up because he knows it can happen again. If God has pulled you up out of the darkness, then He will also see you through to the end; this is our hope...
"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like those people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call from God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) NLT

"The God of Promise" -2

"Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was weary." (Psalms 68:9) When you think about how important God's word is for our strength, we can come to the realization that the strength we have is not based upon anything that we possess, but it is based upon the strength of God and the security of His promises towards us, His inheritance. This is why it is so vital that we do not discount anything that is written in the Bible. As soon as we start taking away from what He has written to us, we open up our hearts to doubt anything that is promised. We cannot pick and choose what we are willing to believe from His word! To do so, will only end up causing us to be confused about His promises towards us. Are you feeling weary? Then you need to cast out doubt and stand upon the promise of your inheritance into the kingdom of God; plain and simple! Don't let anyone try to convince you that you cannot trust everything written in His word; because if you doubt some of it, then you will fail to put your trust in any of it. You can not have total faith in God without total truth, and His word is truth, through and through; from Genesis 1:1 all the way to Revelation 22:21, there is nothing that can be taken out or added to it! Do you believe that? Can you stand upon that? It needs to be real enough to be counted upon as a fact! Which is really something that is lacking in many of our churches today, the fact that His word is Holy and Truth; the fact that it is His words expressed to us, so that we might know Him and our need for Him. We must realize how much we need Him! Once we realize how much we need Him, we can begin to see all that He has done for us, all that He is doing for us, and all that He is going to do for us; no matter what your current situation or circumstance might appear to be, your in good hands... "For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain - a land that the LORD your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year!" (Deuteronomy 11:10-12) NLT

"The God of Promise"

"Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was weary." (Psalms 68:9) Do not think for a moment that it is easy, because it hurts; and last I checked, hurting is painful, and it is usually something that we wish would just stop or go away. To be perfectly honest about it, my heart hurts almost every single day. Can a person feel joy and hurt at the same time? Certainly! Just because there is a little pain, does not mean that hope has vanished; and where do you think that joy comes from? it comes from hope! I would not have joy without the hope of a better tomorrow, but it is that hope in what is yet to come that gives me a reason to rejoice in my suffering today; and no amount of pain can take that hope away! Therefore, joy overshadows the hurt; so yes, we can feel joy and hurt at the same time. The real question that you need to ask yourself, is which one are you going to give all your attention to, the joy or the hurt? I know that's a stupid question; or at least it should be; because truth be told, most people focus upon the hurt, casting joy to the side. When the Scripture says, "Count it all joy", what it really is saying, is that we need to look beyond what ever it is that is causing the pain and the hurt, and focus upon the promise of what is yet to come; thereby we let hope come alive in us, and not just be something that we think about now and then. When I look at this verse, I see "The God of Promise", who not only makes the promise, but sends "a plentiful rain" to assure that there will be a good harvest ahead. What that means, for those that need a little help, is that our God is watching out for us. If you need a little more help understanding what I mean, then you should look at the word "plentiful", and then think about what God has already done for us! The harvest is yet to come... "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of His power and love." (Isaiah 55:10-13) NLT

"The Living God!"

"O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: the earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel." (Psalms 68:7-8) I doubt you have seen all the miracles that the children of Israel witnessed in the wilderness, because nobody has; they witnessed God moving in their midst for forty years, and in that forty years, God did a whole lot of miracles. But, do you think that stopped them from complaining? Did all those miracles make them trust in God? Not so much! When Jesus was here, the Jews continually asked Him to show them a sign; yet Jesus was the sign they asked for, they just could not see it. I heard someone say on the radio yesterday, "If they could not believe without a sign, then they would not believe with one." Can we be satisfied with God's presence? or do we need Him to put on a show for us also? I love to see God do miracles, and I even ask Him to perform them; and every day I ask Him to perform at least one, which is for Him to heal my wife. But I do not need to see any miracles in order to believe that He is God Almighty; I can see His power and might in the way that He moves in my life, in the way that He speaks into my heart, and in the way that He unfolds His beauty and love through His Word; His Word that is not only straight from His heart into mine, but it is alive, always fresh, and dealing with new areas of my life; areas I never even knew I needed work in, God continually shows me how much I need Him in my life. I guess what I am trying to say, is that it really isn't about seeing what God can do around you that counts, it's what He does in you, that is the lasting sign... "That is why the Holy Spirit says, "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, 'Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.' So in my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest.'" Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the Living God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled."" (Hebrews 3:7-15) NLT

"Stand Up For Jesus"

"God setteth the solitary in the families: He bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." (Psalms 68:6) You have no doubt heard it said, "If you don't stand for something then you will fall for anything", well it makes more sense when you are being pressed. Let's just say that there are lines being drawn in the sand; and I know for a fact, that standing up for what you believe is all good and well, as long as it's not standing up for Jesus. You can say that you believe in God, and for the most part you will be alright; but as soon as you start to use the name of Jesus, people start getting offended; even the cross is enough to cause people to feel offended. It has gotten pretty ridiculous in some cases, where some people even claim that the sight of the cross makes them feel sick or gives them nausea. The point I feel God is making within this verse, is one based upon the power found in Christ alone. First we must realize that if Christ is the center of your family, then your family is one in Christ; that goes for the church as well as for the family that lives in a home together. If the enemy can't defeat your family one way, then he will try another; but if the cross of Christ is at the center of your relationships, then everyone has common ground to meet. Secondly we are set free in Christ, and in Christ alone! No other way than Jesus can man find freedom from the chains of sin, and from the bondage of being born a sinner. And, oh my goodness; did you know, no matter where you are at, or how bound up you are, if Christ has set you free, no chains can hold you captive, and no walls can make you feel bound: If Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed! And then we have those that are rebellious against taking a stand for Christ. These are those that thirst, not because they do not have water available, but because they do not choose to drink it. They know where to find it, but they would rather stay where they are at, "in a dry land." It is more than a matter of being in the dry land, it is more about settling in that dry land, and being stubborn; too stubborn to take a stand, because you have forgotten what the Living Water taste like, or how much He can quench your thirst... "Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious." (Isaiah 55:1-5) NLT