RISE ABOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES

“And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.”—Genesis 7:17

Jesus said in Matthew 24:37, “that as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.”  Many Biblical scholars believe that the return of Jesus is very near, due in a large part to social changes and behaviors.   Genesis chapter six explains to us that the wickedness of humankind was so great that even the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts was always evil and great violence filled the earth.  People were going about their every day lives without any thought about God—without any regard to righteousness.  People were living as they pleased.  Whatever they wanted to do; they did.  This is called self-governance.  Doing whatever pleases self to do.  Whatever serves an individual’s self-interest is called self-governance. 

Noah and his family did not live like this.  Scripture tells us that Noah found grace in the sight of God and that He instructed him to build an ark that would preserve Noah and to conserve the life of the animals.  Reflect for a moment and draw strength and understanding from Noah’s actions after God told him to build the ark.

First, God called on Noah to do something that he had never done before.  Sometimes God calls upon us to do something that we have never done before.

Secondly, God gave Noah specific instructions on how to carry out God’s plans.  God gives us instructions when He calls upon us.  He doesn’t keep us in the dark – even if it seems like it is taking a long time.

Thirdly, God’s grace will always protect.  When it was time for Noah and his family to be secured in the ark, God shut the door so that they would come to no harm.

Lastly, the same rain that brought judgment to the earth brought deliverance to Noah.  It caused him to rise above the circumstances and to be delivered from the wickedness and evilness that surrounded him. 

Be encouraged today that God’s grace is at work in your life and in your circumstances and will cause you to rise to the top and be preserved.

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father thank You for Your grace at work in my life.  Today I repent for acting in self-governance in my life, and I ask You to forgive me.  Today I yield myself to You and to Your instructions.  Lord, thank You for preserving me and my family in any and all circumstances.  Lord, I trust You to help me today to confidently rely upon You grace in my life, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

PURPOSE TO BE ONE THAT INFLUENCES YOUR WORLD

“…but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”—Proverbs 31:30-31

 

Everyone has a mother.  Some mothers have been more of a godly influence in the lives of their children than others.  Regardless of the level of godly or ungodly influence of your mother, you can choose to be a better influence on the next generation.  

 

It seems like to me that a lot of Christian women and men around the world have forgotten that they are to be the one that influences others; not the one who is being influenced.  Women and men alike are created in God’s image.  We are not to debase the image of God by allowing the influence of the world to creep in and change our image to a reprobate. 

 

 In his letter to Titus, Paul admonished him to teach the qualities that would ensure sound Biblical doctrine.  These doctrines included for older men and women to be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in their faith, in love and in patience.  Women are to be teachers of good things and to wisely train the younger women to be sober-minded, temperate and disciplined and to love their husbands and their children.  Women are to be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, kindhearted.  Wives and husbands are to be mutually submissive to one-another so that the Word of God would be with out reproach.  

 

The psalmist David wrote in Psalm 68:11-12 “The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish (the news) are a great host. The kings of the enemies’ armies, they flee, they flee! She who tarries at home divides the spoil.”  Whether you are one of the ones that publish the good news, or stay at home you have a share in God’s reward system by staying faithful to the principles of His Word.  Let’s purpose in our hearts to remain faithful to the principles of God’s Word and to influence those in our world.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for helping me to be the person that You designed for me to be so that I would influence my world, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

OBEDIENCE DEMONSTRATES OUR WORSHIP OF CHRIST

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”—Deuteronomy 30:19

 

Obedience is fundamentally rooted in trust, and shows our worship and appreciation of Christ.  We identify with Christ, as our Lord, not just in words, but also in deeds that demonstrate our words through practice and action, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).

 

In Deuteronomy chapter 30, we can see a clear comparison of the blessings of obedience, and the curse of disobedience.  Our human sinful nature leads us to do our own thing, and the society that we live in thrives upon it.  However, God is calling us to love, trust and obey Him.  I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

 

When we practice obedience, it means we are not ashamed of the Gospel, as Paul proclaimed in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believers, for the Jew first and also for the Greek,” so that our devotion becomes contagious to those around us.

 

Obedience is not something we dread, or feel we have to do, nor is it bondage in a negative sense. It is the joy of knowing our Lord, trusting and staying with Him so that we can partake in His love and grow in Him further, deeper, and stronger. The result is that we become more mature and become willing to express His love with eagerness to others.

 

Prayer—Father I repent of the times I have not trusted You and have chosen to be disobedient to Your will for my life.  I ask you to forgive and cleanse me from all unrighteousness according to your Word.  Lord I ask You to help me fully trust You and be obedient to You.  I choose to worship You in every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

VALIDATION IS A VICTORY STATEMENT OF YOUR BELIEF IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST

 “Then He said, ‘Behold; I have come to do Your will, O God…”—Hebrews 10:9

 

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word valid as having legal force properly executed and binding under the law, and the word validation as making or declaring valid.  Also when the word validate is used, it means to make binding under the law, to give legal force to, and to declare legally valid. 

 

By studying the Scriptures, you will discover that every time Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness; Jesus would always respond with the Word of God.  Satan tempted Jesus by wanting Him to turn the stones into bread; however, Jesus responded, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  Next, Satan wanted Jesus to throw Himself off of the pinnacle of the temple; again, Jesus responded, “It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”  Then the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and told Jesus that if He would worship him that he would give it all to Jesus.  Jesus said to him, “Away with you Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:1-11).  

 

When Jesus spoke God’s words, He validated that He was the Son of God and the enemy had to obey Him.  By speaking God’s Word, you are actually declaring your legal position as a child of God, and the enemy must be obedient to the Word of God. 

 

Satan is a legalist and tries to twist God’s Word and cause people to doubt what God has said.  Satan preys on human emotions especially in times of stress.  He is relentlessly at work to destroy faith in God which ultimately will cause people to abandon faith in others, and then renounce faith in themselves. 

 

There is a way to combat the enemy of faith, and that is through the spoken word.  Follow Jesus’ example by submitting yourself to God, resisting Satan, and speaking the Word.  “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

 

The Bible has much to say about the words that we speak.  Jesus taught that, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).  Never give in to the religious pessimism of defeat, and to accept inadequacy, as being the will of God. 

 

The Holy Spirit spoke these words to me:  Validation is a victory statement of your belief in the finished work of Christ.  What a powerful statement this is.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth would speak.  Therefore when we speak the Word of God we are making a legally valid statement in the spiritual realm and the enemy has to obey when it is spoken in faith.

 

 Kimberly Daniels wrote in her book Delivered to Destiny, that while serving in the military during Operation Desert Storm, she had led a man, Corporal Day, to the Lord.  Soon after his conversion, he was made a driver for her.  He was very on fire for God, and asked Kimberly if she would pray for him not to be deployed.  She agreed, and explained to him that God honors childlike faith and if they would agree together with the right motives, He would answer their prayer.  One week later, a letter was published throughout the company with the list of personnel who would not be deployed.  Corporal Day’s name was on the list.  From that time on Corporal Day’s walk with the Lord began to slacken.  Kimberly stated, “It seemed that once he received what he wanted from God, he was content to lay back in apathy.”  He was warned to pray in the Spirit and to give God the glory in his life, but Corporal Day responded with indifference and had a complacent attitude.  Kimberly was ordered to her commander’s office, and as she approached the office, Corporal Day passed by, cursing God.  He looked in her face and said that he knew the Christian life was all a lie.  Although Kimberly learned that day she too had received orders to deploy, and that it seemed like the hordes of hell were coming against the promise that God had given to her many months before.  He had spoken to her heart that it was not His will for her to be deployed; she still had to stand on what she knew.  Kimberly wrote that she did not know what she knows now; but, what she knew was enough: she was not deployed. 

 

This is why it is so important to study and mediate upon the Word of God, and that we have a valid relationship with the Father.

 

Prayer—Father I repent of the times that I have been complacent in my attitude towards You and Your Word.  Today I purpose in my heart to give Your Word first place, and I thank You that speaking your Word validates my position in Christ Jesus, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen. 

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”—James 1:27

 

If you want to genuinely grow in spiritual maturity, it is not enough to simply be instructed by the Word of God.  You may love going to church or listening to Christian radio or television programs.  You might talk about everything you hear and assume that you are growing because your knowledge is increasing.  However, if you do not actually grow closer to God by allowing His Word to change you from the inside out, your head will merely continue to fill with information.  You might even sound like a godly person who is admired for the ability to quote chapter and verse.  But if you do not take the next step and allow God to touch others’ lives through you, you are missing the point.

Spiritual growth is the result of practicing the truth you receive from God.  He wants you to give away what He give to you—that is, by loving and serving others and sharing the truth of the gospel.  Our example is Jesus, who said that He did not come to be served, but to serve even the lowest outcast of society.  “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).  He could have exalted Himself and spent all His time preaching and teaching.  Instead, Jesus did only the Father’s will, which was to reveal His heart of love to a broken world.  The Lord sacrificially involved Himself in people’s lives, and He calls us to follow in His footsteps.

 

God’s plan is to reach the world though you.  If that were not the case, He would have taken you to heaven as soon as you were born again.  But you are here for a purpose—to live out Christ’s life alongside hurting people who desperately need to experience His love. 

 

Prayer—Father thank You for helping me today to reach someone who needs to experience Your love, in Jesus Name. Amen.s

PRAYER DIRECTED TO THE FATHER RECEIVES

 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”—John 16:23

 

There is a key to prayer that will unlock the doors and windows of heaven and grant your every need.  Without this key we can not get an answer to our prayers. This key is found in John chapter 16: “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.  Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (vs. 23-24). 

 

Jesus is our Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, and Lord.  He stands between us and the Father.  There is no where in Scripture that it is ever recorded that Jesus told His disciples to pray to Him.  They were always told to pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name.  Therefore if we want to be sure our prayers reach Heaven and the throne of God, we pray according to what is written in the Word of God.  Jesus said to ask the Father in His Name.  This is the key that will unlock heaven in our behalf.

 

Prayer should be addressed to the Father in Jesus’ Name.  This is the key to seeing our prayers answered.  You see Jesus’ Name is exalted above every name in heaven, in earth, and under the earth.    “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2: 9-11).  So whatever we ask in Jesus’ Name, our hearts are assured that the Father hears and answers.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that my heart is assured—has confidence because You have given to me the key that unlocks heaven’s answer when I pray in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.    

 

 

 

 

 

ACTIONS ARE A VITAL PART OF FAITH

“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.”—Mark 2:5

 

James wrote in his Epistle to the Jewish believers that, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).  Faith works; it is visible; it produces results.  Verbal faith is not enough; nor, is mental faith sufficient.  James stressed that true faith inspires action and is manifested in works of faith. 

 

You do not see the wind, but you can see the results of wind.  The results could be in the form of leaves on the tree rustling, a flag blowing or something else depending on how strong the wind is blowing.  Faith is likened to the wind.  You can not see faith, but you can see the result of faith by a person’s actions.  A good example of seeing the result of faith is demonstrated by some men who brought their friend to Jesus to be healed.

 

 While Jesus was staying in Capernaum, many people came to the house where He was staying to hear Him preach.  So many people came, that there was not anymore room in the house.  Some friends of a man who was paralyzed carried him to Jesus; however, upon arrival they discovered there was no room for them to get their friend to Jesus.  Not giving up, the friends cut a hole in the roof where Jesus was, and let the bed down on which their friend was laying to Jesus.  When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”  The religious leaders, who were sitting and listening to Jesus, began to think in their hearts that no one could forgive sins but God.  Immediately, Jesus perceived in His spirit what they were thinking, and responded to their thoughts by saying, “…that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins…take up your bed, and go to your house” (Mark 2:8-11).  The paralytic man immediately stood up, gathered up his bed, and left the house.  Everyone there was amazed and began to say, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12). 

 

These men did not give up when circumstances where contrary to what they had planned.  They didn’t say, “Oh, well I guess it wasn’t God’s will to heal our friend because the way wasn’t easy.”  No, even when the way was not easy they did not give up and went out of their way to get their friend to Jesus.  However, because they acted upon what they believed their friend experience a healing, and Jesus was able to use the occasion to teach about forgiveness.  Actions are a vital part of faith.  Corresponding actions must accompany faith (James 2:17).

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to forgive me for the times that I gave up to easily and did not pursue You with all of my heart.  Today, I determine in my heart to walk in genuine trust and reliance upon You and when I do I am assured that my actions will correspond with my faith, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

LET A HEART OF GRATITUDE BE A PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.”—Hebrews 13:15

 

There are times, in the busyness of life that we simply do not stop long enough to pause and thank our Creator for the countless blessings He has given to us.  Other “things” take the priority over our expressing gratitude to the One who made us.  But when we do, our spirits revive, our strength is renewed, and our hope is inspired.  Psalm 107:1-2 is an expression of thanksgiving.  Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” 

 

We express praise and thanksgiving to the Creator because He is good.  He bestows everything on us, and He deserves our gratitude.  

 God is good because….

He loves you.

He gave you breath.

He redeemed you.

He gives you the capacity to know Him.

He gives you the desire to trust Him.

He does not remember your transgressions.

He takes piety upon your needs.

He considers the poor.

He fulfills every promise.

He is trustworthy.

He is dependable.

He is always present.

He never leaves you.

He forgives us.

He receives us into eternity.

 

Your reasons for expresses your love of praise and thanksgiving to God can be never ending, and I pray that they will never be.  Let praise and thanksgiving become a regular part of your routine.  Allow your spirit to be revived, your strength renewed, and your hope inspired, as you offer up to Him, the fruit of your lips giving praise. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for bestowing Your life of goodness and blessing upon my life.  Today I recommitment my time to include thanksgiving and praise to You for what You have done, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

GOD HAS A RESCUE PLAN FOR YOU

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.  Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name, my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.”—Psalm 63: 3-5

 

Jericho was completely shut off from the children of Israel.  No one could go in or out of the city.  Rahab, the harlot, and her family were shut-up within this city.  The army of Israel was on the outside of the walls.  The same people whom Rahab had helped were now encamped against her city. 

 

Today you may be facing a similar situation as Rahab, and feel completely shut off from any help or solution to a problem.   Perhaps you have rescued some of God’s children, and you yourself, now need to be rescued.  I want to encourage you today that just as God had a plan for rescuing Rahab and her family; He has a plan to rescue you.  He is saying to you today: in the day of trouble I will come to you I will rescue you.  I will never leave you.  I will never forsake you.     

 

The very plan that God gave to Joshua to take the city of Jericho was the plan that rescued Rahab.   Because God honors His Word above His Name, He will honor His Word that He has given to you.  The plan that God gave to Joshua and the army of Israel was to march around the city once a day for six days not saying a word.  Seven priests were to carry seven rams’ horns before the ark; however the seventh day the army was to march around the city seven times and then the priest were to blow the ram’s horn.  When the people of Israel heard the sound of the trumpet they were to shout with a great shout.  The army of Israel and the priest obeyed the plan of the Lord.  On the seventh day they went around the city seven times, and when the people heard the blast of the ram’s horn a loud shout went up and the walls of the city fell down.  Rahab and her family were the only people in the city whose lives were spared that day because they put their faith in a delivering God (Joshua 6).

 

The word “shout” as used in this scripture means to shout for joy, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.   Praise according to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary means, “The act of glorifying or extolling God.”  Praise means speaking well of, extolling, or magnifying the virtues of someone.  Praise comes from a close relationship with God.  Praise must always be vocal.  It is not silent.  Thanksgiving occurs when we whisper a prayer of thanks to God.  But, praise occurs when we tell someone else about God’s goodness.

 

One of the words used for praise in the book of the Psalms is shabach.  In Psalm 63:3-4 David says, “Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee [shabach].  Thus will I bless thee while I live.”   David was saying that he would give a loud shout for joy unto the Lord.  There is a time when it is appropriate to give a loud shout of praise unto the Lord.  This is the kind of praise that STOPS the Devil and activates God’s rescue plan.

 

Put your faith in God’s delivering plan; begin to shout the praises of God, and see the Devil’s plan stopped and God’s plan advance.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that you have given me a weapon of praise to use to stop the Devil and advance Your plan, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS NONPRODUCTIVE

“Thus also faith by itself, it if does not have works, is dead.”—James 2:17

 

I read a cartoon in a magazine that depicted a house surrounded by flooding water and a man sitting on top of the roof.  He was praying for God to save him.  A man came by in a row boat; he told the man on the roof to jump in, but the man replied that He did not need to be rescued because God was going to rescue him.  The water kept rising until it was nearly up to the roof.  A helicopter came and lowered a basket for him to get into; however, again the man told the pilot that he did not need to be rescued because God would.  The next scene showed the man in heaven talking to God; he said, “I prayed for you to save me, why didn’t you?”  God replied, “I did; I sent a row boat and a helicopter.” 

 

Although the message in the cartoon was meant to evoke humor, it carries a powerful message, which is that faith requires action.  God has already done His part; we must do our part.  This is why we always tell people to do what they could not do before when we pray for their healing.  You will act on what you believe.  Faith with corresponding actions will always produce result.  If you are asking God for prosperity, then you must give. Someone who says that they believe God for prosperity, but do not give, is deceiving themselves.  A person who says, “I am healed,” but continues to act sick and dwell on their symptoms, will kill whatever faith they have.  Furthermore, a person who intercedes for someone and then still worries whether anything will ever happen is not acting in faith.  

 

True biblical faith must be acted upon it will always produce results.  I encourage you to act upon what you believe.  Do you believe that you are healed?  If so, then you must act like it. Do you believe that God answers prayers?  Then do not give any thought or energy to the contrary of what you have prayed.  Say what God has to say about the situation and you will be amazed at how things will begin to turn around for you.

 

Prayer—Father thank you that my faith is active and energized, and today with your help I will put actions to my faith, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

RELATIONSHIP AND ASSURANCES GO HAND-IN-HAND

 “…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”—Hebrews 13:5

 

People all over the world struggle with loneliness; however human beings were not designed to walk through this world alone.  God said that it was not good for man to be alone so He created him a helper, “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’” (Genesis 2:18).  Loneliness can cripple a person emotionally and spiritually.  We are made for relationship, which God gladly supplies.  

 

Have you ever noticed that throughout Jesus’ life that He would say things like, “I must be about my Father’s business,” and “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working?” (Luke 2:49, John 5:17).   He was the first person that ever called God His Father, and through this we see how His life demonstrated that intimate connection with the Heavenly Father.  The Heavenly Father desires our companionship just like He did in the Garden before the fall.  In the Garden, He called out to Adam and Eve seeking them, “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).  God has not changed; He is still seeking those who are separated from Him and feel alone, “For the son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  Only Christ can fill the void of loneliness in your life.  No man, no woman, no child, no object, or animal was ever created to take the place in our hearts that is reserved for God Himself.  He has said, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

 

Although our source of intimate connection is to the Father, He has provided for our need to have emotional support and companionship through people.  The church is designed to meet our need for person-to-person intimacy.  A spiritual body works much like a human body—parts are both independent and interdependent, each needing others in order to function well.  We require support from our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Paul admonished people to accept one another, “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God,” bear each other’s burdens, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill he law of Christ,” and avoid judging, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:13). 

 

You may be experiencing the enemy’s pressure of loneliness and isolation; however, the Lord stressed His constant presence because He knows our need for assurance, especially when we feel deserted or isolated (Matthew 28:20; Joshua 1:5).  Even when we feel that we are alone and that no one cares, nothing can compare to drawing near to God “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:8). 

 

God wants every believer to completely trust that He is near.  And in case we forget that the Lord is near, He gave the Bible this consistent theme: I love you and I am with you always.  People need one another—Look around you and allow the Holy Spirit to use you to bear another’s burden in some way.  When we help others, our problems do not look as big.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for reminding me that You are with me always.  I ask You to open my eyes to see someone that I can help with the resources that You have given to me, in Jesus’ Name.   Amen.

BE THE VESSEL THAT CHANGES YOUR WORLD

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.  Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”   –

2  Timonthy 2:20-21

 

In Luke 1: 26 - 37, is the account of the immaculate conception of Jesus.  There was and is only one Immaculate Conception; however as we read these scriptures, we can gain an understanding of the vessel that God chose to make His deposit in that would change the world. 

 

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’   But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’  Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’  And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.’  Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word.’  And the angel departed from her.”

The Vessel must be Spiritually Fit—In verse 28, we learn that Mary was spiritually fit, “And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’  Herbert Lockyer writes in his book, All the Women of the Bible that when the angel, Gabriel, declared to Mary that, “the Lord is with you,” he was saying that Mary was spiritually fit to receive that honor.  He went on to say that, “Augustine says that, ‘Mary first conceived Christ in her heart by faith, before she conceived in the womb,’ and the testimony of Elisabeth expresses and stamps the whole character of the Virgin, ‘Blessed is she that believeth,’ implying that she wore the crown of faith above all others.”

 

The Vessel is Selected by God—verse 30 tells us that God had selected the vessel who would carry His son, “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  You have been selected by God, not rejected.  Scripture tells us that humankind, meaning male and female were created in the likeness of God, “male and female, created He them.”  You are a result of precise, careful, expert planning.  You are a remarkable special individual.  You are the only one God has like you.  There is a distinct purpose for you life.    I love the line in the movie “The Help” where the maid is teaching the little girl about self-value.  She taught her to say out-loud to herself, “I is smart, I is beautiful, I is important.”  You are one of a kind custom made individual created for a purpose.

 

The Vessel Trust’s God—verse 34-37, “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’  And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.’”  Mary knew God and trusted Him. She had heard prophesies concerning the coming Messiah, and immediately went to see her cousin Elizabeth after the angel left.  The issue with most individual’s today is that they do not trust God.  When you have a deep intimate relationship with the Father God, trust is not an issue.  Redemption helps us to discover the true nature of trust.  The true nature of trust does no mean that we are taken in by other people or false spirits that are pretending to be something that they are not. 

 

The Vessel must Activate God’s plan—verse 38, “Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word.’  And the angel departed from her.”  Mary agreed with God’s plan.  She did not question what the details or her life would be like—pregnant with out marriage.  Or what impact that her decision would have on her relationship with Joseph, her finance, her parents and family members.  What the people of the village would say or think about her.  She did not question if her parents would still love her, or if she would have an easy labor, or where the money would come from to support this child.  She did not delay.  Delay is a tactic of the enemy to keep us unfulfilled and frustrated.  It can even kill us.  Mary did not confer with flesh and blood.  She recognized that she was an individual and that she had a choice.  She chose to go with God and His way.  Mary trusted God that He would not destroy her life.

 

Prayer—Father I give myself to You.  Thank You for my spiritual fitness and if there is any area that needs to be corrected I ask that the Holy Spirit shine His light on that area so that I can correct it.  Lord thank You for selecting me.  I trust You Lord and I choose to activate Your plan in my life by saying, “be it unto me according to your Word,” in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

 

UNITY THE FOCUS OF GOD’S DESIRE

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”—John 17:20-21

 

Sin is a divider.  That is what separated mankind from the Father God in the Garden of Eden, and it has been fracturing relationships ever since.  Adam and Eve had children after they were sent from the Garden of Eden.  The first child born was Cain and then his brother Abel.  In Genesis chapter 4, we find that Cain was a farmer and Abel was a sheep rancher.  At some point, Cain brought an offering to the Lord from what he had harvested, and Abel’s offering was the first-born from the flock of his sheep.  God “respected” Abel’s offering but Cain’s was not. God noticed Cain’s attitude and talked to him about it.  And then to help clarify to us what God meant, we find in Hebrews 11:4 that Abel’s offering was by faith and a more excellent sacrifice than Cain’s.   God is a God of faith.  Cain was offering something up to God without faith, and that is why he was corrected.  However, Cain would not receive the correction and ended up killing his brother, Cain (4:1-10).   This was the first recorded violence and the one responsible for Cain’s death was Abel, himself.  It was not the club held in his hands, but the attitude that Cain held in his heart against his brother.  God desired unity and oneness; however, Cain could only think of himself and how he felt.  He dealt with the entire situation according to his emotions.

 

Sin has been separating people and fracturing relationships since the Garden of Eden.  However, it is also the reason God considers reconciliation so very important.  He wants to re-establish an intimate relationship with fallen humanity, and for the church to shine their light for the world to see. 

 

The last time that Jesus prayed for His followers was before going to the cross, and He asked “that they may all be one” as the Father and His Son are one (vs. 21).  Despite the fact that we cannot attain perfect unity with God until we reach heaven, we do have the capacity to walk in humility and harmony with Him by living in obedience to His Holy within us.

 

God desires for us are unity, with one another within His church.  We will always have difference in what we prefer, and how we interpret certain Bible passages, but our common identity as Christians is based on the essential truths of the faith as revealed in God’s Word.  The unity Christ advocates is possible only when each member of His body walks in submission to the Spirit so that together they can achieve the purposes of God and reflect Christ’s character in their behavior. 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to forgive me for the times that I have not walked in faith and allowed sin to separate us.  I ask You to help me and strengthen me so that I may be One with You as Jesus was, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

YOUR PRAYERS SOWED IN FAITH WILL REAP ETERNAL REWARDS

“Knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”—Ephesians 6:8

 

There are many scriptures that encourage us to pray for others; however, I think one of the greatest is found in John 17 which records the great prayer that Jesus prayed for all those who would believe in Him through the words of His disciples.  Every time I read this prayer I am awed and amazed at what an impact that this has made on my personal life and all those who believe on the Name of Jesus.  Did you know that Jesus prayed this prayer just before He was crucified?  His prayer sowed in faith reaped eternal rewards, and so will ours. 

 

Scripture tells us that Job suffered many trials and afflictions; but, it was not until he prayed for his friends that he experienced a turn-around in his circumstances and his future was better than his past, “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends.  And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10). 

 

We are instructed to pray for all people, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1).  Even when we do not know how to pray for others, we can because of the help of the Holy Spirit, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts know what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26,27). 

 

Sowing prayers for others, especially during your own times of difficulties and trials, will reap a harvest of answers to your own needs. Give someone the seed of prayer today and watch what God will do for you!

 

Father—I pray for____________________today.  Father will you please move powerfully on ________behalf?  I ask that You meet their needs and that You will keep them safe and protected.  Lord, I ask that they would experience a fresh touch of Your presence in their life, a fresh revelation, and complete peace.  Lord, I ask that Your peace would be present in each decision that they make today and that Your wisdom and understanding would guide and keep them today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

DARKNESS CANNOT STAMP OUT LIGHT UNLESS IT IS ALLOWED

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”.—Matthew 5:16

 

When God created the heavens and the earth, the first recorded words that He spoke were, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3 emphasis added).  Light is what illuminates the darkness, makes something visible and to make something easier to understand.  Jesus said “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46 emphasis added).  Jesus, the light of the world, is not a temporal light that can be turned on and off.  He is not like a light switch. 

 

Science has discovered that light travels and that it is a continuum—it goes on and on and on…. He is the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end.   No darkness can destroy God’s plan for eternity. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:1-5 emphasis added).  

 

When Jesus comes into your life, it is His light that descends into you.  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).   If there is darkness in any area of your life, do not settle for it.  Do not allow sickness, fear, doubt, worry or anything else to cloud your light.   Darkness cannot stamp out light unless it is allowed.  Do not settle for a flickering of light in your life.  Let the light of Jesus to continually shine through you.

 

God uses people to guide others to their destination.  Philip, the evangelist, is an example of a person used by God to guide someone else, “And he [the eunuch] said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Read the full account in Acts 8:26-40).  Light does not put its finger in people’s faces condemning them.  Light always guides.   “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).  True light will always guide you to Jesus.  If you are following a light that is not pointing you to Jesus, you are, then, following the wrong light. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You sent Jesus to be the light of the world and that light now lives and shines through me.  Today I purpose to allow my light to shine in a greater way then it ever has before so that others may see You, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

HEALING THE SICK A SIGN OF A BELIEVER

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature... And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’”—Mark 16:15-18

Jesus went about healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).  Scripture tells us that healing the sick is a sign of a believer.  And yet most Christians have never prayed for a sick person.  A recent poll asked the question, “How many times have you sought someone out to lay hands on and prayed for their healing?”  Most answered they had never prayed for anyone to be healed and thought that it was the pastor’s responsibility to pray for a sick person.  I was shocked by the polls finding, but it made me ponder why Christians have lost their zeal to see people healed? 

Perhaps the simple answer is that believers are not being taught that they have a responsibility to lay hands on the sick.  In our zeal to preach the gospel to every creature have we forgotten that the gospel is the good news for the sick person, as much as the person who is lost and in need of salvation?  The book of James admonishes the believer, “Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him,” (5:14-15).   These and other scriptures clearly tell the believer that he or she is commissioned to go in Christ’s Name to heal the sick.  In fact, the Gift of Healings is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit that has been given to the believer (1 Corinthians 12).  All through the book of Acts we see the results of people being healed because someone dared to put into action what they heard and saw Jesus do.

Jesus told his disciples that if they would ask anything in His Name that He would do it. And He plainly tells us in John 14:12 “…He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”  I encourage you to take every opportunity to pray for the sick.  Together you and God can change someone’s life because you have courage to believe what He has spoken.   He will back up His Word with signs following.

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You that You have chosen to partner with me in healing the sick.  Help me to remember that it is not by my power that anyone is healed, but it is by Your power and might.  I ask You to lead me to the people that You would have me to pray for and I thank You that You will confirm Your Word with signs following, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

HOW YOU THINK RESULTS IN WHO YOU ARE

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…”—Proverbs 23:7

 

How you think about yourself will eventually become what you think.   It is a proven fact that you can not think one thing and become something else.  If you allow yourself to think negative worried, fearful thoughts, then you will become a negative, worried, fearful person. You cannot think defeat and expect victory.  You cannot think poverty, and expect wealth; neither can you think the worst and expect the best. 

Have you ever heard the expression, “misery loves company?”  This expression simply means that a person who is miserable or “down in the dumps” finds solace in other people who share their feelings.   Emotional hurting people may not realize it, but they will tend to bring those around them down infecting them with their “misery;” however, if someone is happy they tend to make people happier.   A psychological study was done years ago that found that people tend to mirror the emotional state of those closest to them.  The study went on to state when one of the persons in the study got away from the “miserable” person that they cheered up.  The study concluded by saying that people with “sunny dispositions” cheered up those around them. 

Our scripture reading let’s us know that we need to be extremely aware about what we allow our minds to think about, and what we choose to dwell upon.  A man of God, Job, found out that what he greatly feared and dreaded came upon him (Job 3:25).   Fear is a force just like faith is a force.  If we give into fear and start to dwell on it, it is not long, then, before we start to act on it.  Fear can actually bring things to pass just like faith can bring things to pass.

The Bible tells us what we should dwell on in Philippians 4:8. We are to "think on things that are pure and honest and of a good report."  Think on things that build you up not tear you down. Think on all the great things God has done for you.  In other words, you have got to dwell on the positive and not the negative.  Thinking positive means to: stop thinking about what you do not have and start thinking about what you do have.  Quit thinking about what's wrong with you and start thinking about what's right with you. Quit thinking about how big your problem is and start dwelling on the fact of how big your God is.

By learning to live a life of gratitude, your focus is on the positive and not the negative.  If you are continually thinking about the goodness of God, you are not going to have any time to worry, complain and get down and discouraged.  If you are always meditating on God's promises, then you are always going to be filled with a good report. The words that come out of your mouth are going to be faith-filled words and you will become what you think about yourself.

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You that have given me a choice to think good of myself.  Today I choose to think of things that are lovely, sound and of a good report.  I choose to think life and Your possibilities of favor and success in my life, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

YOU ARE THE OBJECT OF GOD’S FAVOR

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord life up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.”—Numbers 6:24-26

 

Through our scripture reading today, you can clearly understand that you are the object of God’s affection and His favor shines upon you.  If you were the only human being alive on the planet, God would have sent Jesus Christ to die for you.  This is how much that you are loved by the Father.  Today I believe that many who read this devotional will experience real deliverance simply because you will realize that you are loved and highly favored of God.  Even if you are going through a difficulty, you can have confidence that everything is going to be all right because God is on your side, and He will never let you down.

 

Because you have a relationship with the One who was raised from the dead, you have supernatural favor.  Romans 8:31, 32 remind us that God is for us, He is on our side and has freely and graciously given us all things.  Isaiah 54:17 tells us that we are so highly favored by God that no weapon formed against you shall prosper.  Beloved, Romans 8:38, 39 reminds us, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Beloved, favor is something granted out of good will.  It is a gift from God.  Favor cannot be earned or bought.   You cannot be good enough for God to finally say, “You’ve been so good, you’ve earned favor.”  Favor can also be defined as a gift bestowed as a token of regard, love or friendliness (or friendship) and preferential treatment.  In other words, it is what Jesus Christ did at Calvary that earned you and me the favor of God.

 

You are somebody special.  Don’t allow negative voices to negate the handiwork that God has created.  You are loved.  You are highly favored of God.  Begin to expect to win in every situation simply because you are highly favored of God.  You can have a bright outlook on life because you know that God’s going to work everything out no matter how impossible it may look.  God is on your side—you can not be defeated!

 

Prayer—Heavenly Father I thank You that You are working in my behalf today.  Today, I choose to look to You and see myself as winning in all circumstances.  Your favor working in my behalf has turned the tide in my favor, circumstances and business decisions that looked like they were not working in my favor suddenly turn.  Thank You Lord for sending Your angelic host to work in my behalf, in Jesus’ Name I pray.   Amen.

 

FOCUS ON THAT WHICH WILL SATISFY THE SOUL

 “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word; that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”—1 Peter 2:2-3

 

One day as Jesus and His disciples were walking from the city of Judea to Galilee they came to the city of Samaria.  Jesus was very tired, so He sat down to rest by a water-well while His disciples went into the city to buy some food. It is here, by what is known as Jacob’s well, that Jesus asked a Samaritan woman to give Him a drink of water. Because their two cultures did not speak to one-another, she was puzzled and asked Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me a Samaritian woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”  Jesus went on to tell the woman that if she knew who she was talking to that she would have asked Him to give her living water (John 4:3-10). 

 

Have you ever had a time when you experienced unbearable thirst?  You probably would have traded anything for a drink. There is nothing that taste’s better than that cold, refreshing glass of water.  Now compare this physical need to spiritual thirst.  Jesus referred to Himself as "living water" because He knew that we have a deep need for fulfillment.  It is only the living water that can truly satisfy.

 

When asked why people all over the world long to come to America, a high school class came to the conclusion:  “To fulfill the American dream of owning their own home, having a vehicle to drive, having a family and money in the bank.”  Isn't it interesting that no matter what country a person may live in that there is so much dissatisfaction?   In Christ, we have everything necessary to be complete, content, and fulfilled.  Yet our world deceptively tells us to seek after wealth, glory, and other empty dreams.  These seem to gratify for a short time, if at all.  Yet we often do not recognize our actual needs.

 

This same thing happened to Eve in the Garden of Eden.  She and her husband, Adam, had everything that that needed, and yet when the Enemy came, he caused her to focus on a perceived need.  See Genesis 1-3.  Our common enemy, Satan, continues to use the same deception today.  He causes people to focus on a perceived need and then tells us that his poor substitutes will satisfy the hunger inside us.

 

However, my friend, Jesus is the only thing that can satisfy our souls.  He called Himself "the bread of life" and "living water” (John 6:34-35; 7:38).  These are the sustenance’s our soul requires to survive and thrive.   His Word is alive, able to teach, convict, and redirect us toward a godly path, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any tow edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).   The spiritual milk of God’s truth provides the nourishment our souls need to be satisfied.

 

All of us have an emptiness within us—a longing for something more. The question then, becomes, what are you attempting to use to satisfy your soul?  Are you using other things to try to satisfy the longing in your soul?  I heard someone say that our hearts are like a jigsaw puzzle and no matter how hard you try to force a wrong piece, it will never fit correctly.  Today I urge you to turn to Jesus, and His living water will satisfy your soul.

Prayer—Father I repent for substituting other things in my life to satisfy the longings of my soul and I ask You to forgive me.  Lord I turn to You with my whole heart seeking You and You alone to satisfy my yearnings, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

IT’S THE YEAR TO BE IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP

“The glory which you have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”—John 17:22-23

 

Many times, we often let our past shape our future.  How we think about certain things is based on our past experiences and somehow we get a mind-set of future failure.  This past year you may not have ended up where you would like to be in your relationship with the Lord. Does it seem that you are having a long-distance relationship with Him?  Perhaps there were some things that were not completed some failures, and some mistakes; however, because Jesus has took our sins, failures, weaknesses, and problems out of our way we are able to say to the past: “You will no longer hold me back—You are not longer relevant.”  “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

 

Rev. Brenda Kunneman gave the following prophetic word, Monday, December 31, 2012:    “The Spirit says, know that the past is no longer relevant to your future. Your past mistakes, problems, and even the things that did not turn out like you hoped are now over.  So as you look at the year to come, say of the past, It is not relevant!” 

 

Because you made a decision to not allow the past to be relevant to your future, this year can be the best year of your relationship with the Lord.  Jesus said in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  Having a close intimate relationship with  the Lord allows Him to manifest Himself to you.

 

I have read somewhere that when Michael Angelo was in the height of his fame, a boy named Raphael, destined to be his worthy successor --was introduced to him as a promising-pupil.  At first the young man was employed in the simplest duties of the studio, cleaning brushes and mixing paints, but as he developed the qualities of exactness, punctuality, and sympathy, he became entrusted with increasing responsibility, until the master painter made him his friend and confidant.  So we come to Christ, first, as redeemed from the slavery of Satan, to be His servants, and He calls us His friends.

 

A friend will reveal himself and you will hear from his own lips items of confidential information. Thus it is with the Lord Jesus. He manifests Himself to those who love Him, and keep His word.

 

A friend will interest his friends in his undertakings.  It is a joy to Christ when those whom He loves are able to take a share in His world-wide redemptive schemes.  A friend will be interested in our failures and successes.  So to it is with our Lord. When He sees some peril menacing us, does He not make intercession?  If we fail, He meets us with the same tender affection, not alienated from us, but only intensely sorry, ready to point out the cause of our failure and to encourage us to try again.  If we stand our ground, He meets us as we come forth from the fight, glad for us, eager to refresh us in our weariness, careful to heal any wound that we may have received.

 

Such is the intimate relationship that we have with Jesus.  He is always the same, His love never wanes, His compassion they fail not, His mercy is new every morning.  

 

Prayer—Father I pray that Jesus Christ may become dearer to me. May I love Him as a personal Friend, and hide myself in the hourly consciousness of His presence.  May I have no taste or desire for things which He would disapprove and let His love constrain me not to live unto myself, but to His glory, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.