Only in the Spirit

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24)

Everyone and everything on earth that pleases the Father does so according to the leading and power of the Spirit. That is why Jesus insisted His disciples wait before they went out to preach the Gospel — "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever . . ." (John 14:16) The "Helper" is God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Just as the Father and Son are God, so is the Spirit; and they are united in their determination to bring many sons and daughters to glory. Thank God in heaven for the ministry of the Holy Spirit here on earth!

 

The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is the only difference between the children of God and all other religious people. Jesus says, (He is) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:17) The power of the Holy Spirit is the substance of the victorious life, of spiritual vitality, health, holiness, and wholeness. We must never grieve the Spirit by suppressing, ignoring, or limiting Him in our lives and our fellowship. May we love in the Spirit, pray in the Spirit, sing in the Spirit, prophesy in the Spirit, and walk in the Holy Spirit given to us by God as a guarantee of our inheritance as children of the Most High! This is the purpose of every Christian; that we prove what it is to be Spirit-filled!

 

Let's Pray - Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through Him and His love I am being perfected and prepared for eternity moment-by-moment. He is the greatest Gift I will ever receive. In Jesus, Amen.

Rooted in Christ

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10)

 

The Cross of Christ is the only point of contact any man will ever have with a Holy God. The Cross is God's singular solution for the sin that would otherwise condemn us. The Cross is not man's idea, but God's. Heaven is real and hell is real, and we all will spend eternity in one place or the other, and that, according to the Cross. Therefore, we must come to Him on His terms, not ours; and we must never follow those who offer a doctrine cheapened with high-minded human philosophy or fruitless religiosity. All true theology and doctrine is rooted firmly in the Cross of Calvary, and it must be embraced by every believer with all gravity and understanding. Some mistakenly suppose there are many ways to God, and they deceive some with sayings like, "Jesus is the one way to God, but there are many ways to Jesus." That is a lie, and Jesus Himself says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him . . ." (John 6:44)

 

Be sure that Jesus Christ remains the center of all your doctrine and practice. Satan would have you substitute your causes, convictions, and your own sense of righteousness for the unadorned Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is a dangerous snare, and the enemy employs it all too successfully. Let it be said that our hope and faith are built on the Man, Jesus Christ -- no one or nothing else. 

 

Let's Pray - Father, I present myself to You on Your terms. Jesus is the only way, and there is no other. May I walk in the truth as it is given in Christ alone. Amen.

Members of His Body

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

The Lord loves His Church so deeply that He calls us His "body." We are the manifest presence of the Lord on earth, for He abides in and with us in Spirit. Therefore, He says we are the light of the world, just as He is that Light. He is returning for a perfect church, and we must be found walking in the perfection of the Spirit and the bond of peace. We must be perfect (complete, healthy, and holy), just as He is; and the church must stand as one, just as the Father, Son, and Spirit stand as one.

Membership in the church is not a matter of agreement to a certain set of rules and regulations, attendance at meetings, or participation in religious enterprises, no matter how noble. Membership in the body of Christ is the spiritual position given to every believer, whereby he or she receives the everlasting life God pours out on those He calls. We are now members of the heavenly family, not an earthly one; we no longer go to church, we are the church. As members of His body, we are the expression, the hands and feet of the Lord. Our witness is founded on the assurance that our God is a God of love, and He is still reaching out to the lost and broken. The Gospel is to be preached by every member of His body -- not some special set of believers, but every one of us. Our message is this -- God is ready, willing, and mighty to save! That is what it means to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family.

 

Let's Pray - Father, lead us into oneness with You and with one another, as You are one with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Help us to value every relationship with our spiritual family greatly. May we love one another as You love us. Amen.

 

Keep It Simple

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. (Colossians 2:4)

Beware of teachers and teachings that claim to be based on a deeper revelation than others have received. This brand of knowledge runs counter to the Gospel in substance and simplicity. It claims a unique and superior perspective and sets itself beyond the reach of "average" saints. This type of teaching is rooted in skepticism, unbelief, and pride. We are called to reject such nonsense, as it is an age-old trick of Satan, who understands the temptations of the flesh and man's tendency toward high-mindedness. God honors simple faith in Jesus Christ, for in Him alone is the counsel of God.

 

Beware of false prophets. These are men and women who seek to turn the prophetic ministry into enterprises and empires. Remember, prophecy is not given for us to know the future, but so we are prepared for the future because we know Jesus. Christ is the Spirit (essence) of prophecy, and He speaks so plainly that even a child can understand — and when we are like children, we will understand Him every time. May the Lord protect us from false teachers and false prophets, and may He give us greater discernment with an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the church.

Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:20)

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I will cling to the simplicity of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Help me to walk in the assurance that He is all I need. Amen.

Jesus on the Throne

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell . . . (Colossians 1:19)

Perhaps you have been searching for meaning, enlightenment, and fulfillment — and you cannot truly say you have found it. Could it be the Lord's message to you is simpler than you thought? Could it be you have set yourself and others, your goals, your wants, even your leisure in the central chamber of your heart? God has promised to give you more than you could ever ask or think, and He kept that promise in Jesus. When you received the Savior, you received everything you will ever need. So, go ahead, focus on Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Put Him in the center. God has put Him on the throne up in heaven. Put Him on the throne of your heart.

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I have placed You on the throne and in the center of my life. You will find me in Your house, in Your word, and in the closet of prayer as a lifestyle. That is my desire and my choice. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Whatever He Says

His mother (Mary) said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5)

Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) . . . (John 2:7-9)

The work God has given us to do is to believe and obey every word He says. This is where a servant's faith is most severely tested. It was not enough for these servants to fill the water pots with water, but then to serve it to the guests who are expecting wine! Do you believe God can turn your water into wine? Is your faith childlike enough to obey and trust Him for His miraculous provision? We are not true servants of Jesus Christ until we trust Him like that. Water is turned into wine only when we obey His commands – even the absurd ones! 

. . . but the servants who had drawn the water knew.

There are things about God that no one knows except those who serve. A servant is someone who sets his or her own concerns aside to receive and obey the Word of the Lord. A servant realizes God's ways are superior, and obedience is the key to every door in the Kingdom. Have you made up your mind to serve God? It will never happen until you stop serving yourself, stop worrying about yourself, stop promotion and defending yourself. Jesus can only rise up through the life you lay down. Remember, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, help me to grow in obedience, and to trust You with the results. My answer will be, "Yes, Lord. Have Your way with me." Amen.

 

Power for Service

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

 

The gift the disciples received by waiting is the same gift we receive when we wait -- that is, the power to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. We alone have that power, for we alone have His Spirit, and if we do not have His Spirit, we are not His witnesses. The indwelling Spirit is the only difference between us and all other religious people, for He is the only proof that we have an authentic relationship with the True and Living God. Any other claim to spiritual legitimacy is counterfeit, for only the Holy Spirit is God alive in us. And if He lives in us, we will be His witnesses, and He will show Himself strong through us.

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

 

God is not interested in excellent, efficient, philanthropic, or successful Christian service. All these things can be accomplished with the sheer force of our will and efforts. The test of every ministry is whether it is Spirit-given, Spirit-led, and whether the minister serves in the spirit of humility and sacrifice. That is why we must wait before we go. We must receive God's power from on high before we go down into the valley of darkness and death -- lest we be unprepared and overwhelmed by the needs and depravity of men, as well as our own. We who minister must die daily to every independent inclination if we are to be God's witnesses in the world. Only those who are fully dependent on Him can serve Him acceptably, and that is what Paul means by "your reasonable service." Is your service "reasonable" by God's standard?

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, may Your people be content to wait on You and receive Your power, so that we might be holy witnesses to Your greatness and holy messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

These Last Days

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son . . . (Hebrews 1:4)

Jesus occupies the center of every believer's heart, just as He does the Father's. His relationship to God is that of the Firstborn Son, and He enjoys a favored status that He is gracious enough to share with us. By His supreme sacrifice, He has welcomed us into the family of God, and He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. We deserve none of this, but Jesus paid the price on Calvary, and we only need to believe and confess that He is Lord in order to enter in and receive all the blessings of sonship. This is the word God has spoken to us by His Son, and no other word can be allowed to compete with the truth, that Christ is the only way to God.

 

When the writer of Hebrews speaks of "these last days . . .," he is not speaking in historical terms, but spiritual. Once Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to take His place at the right hand of God, He ushered in the "last days" as it pertains to God's redemptive calendar. In Christ, the plan of God is clear and complete, and there can be no question as to the finished work of Calvary and the position of the Church, now seated firmly in the heavens with Jesus. It is this writer's firm determination to warn us against turning back to any system or understanding that diminishes the superiority of Jesus, for nothing that preceded Him compares to His majesty, and there will certainly be no one after Him! Jesus is the Word of God; and truly, there is nothing else that needs to be said. God . . . has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. 

Let's Pray - Thank You, Father, for speaking to us and welcoming us into the Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life for us. He is all we need. Amen.

The Narrow Gate

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23)

It is hard for those with great possession, great talents or skills, great appeal, or great influence to walk through the narrow gate that only the "poor in spirit" can enter. The words of Jesus cut through every good intention, every ounce of human goodness, every effort at self-justification, and they point to the truth about each of us — He is everything we need. In order to receive Jesus, there must first be the realization that we can do nothing apart from Him — nothing spiritual, nothing of any eternal consequence, and nothing holy. We can only serve God acceptably on His terms and by the power of His Spirit. Then, we can focus on Jesus, pick up our cross, enter into the life He alone offers, and follow Him.

We suppose God is sympathetic to us and His love is unconditional, but that is an egregious error. God's love is very much conditional, and Jesus is God's condition. No one comes to the Father but by Jesus and the terms He lays down. "Go your way, sell whatever you have . . ." This is where our devotion lives or dies, because the Lord's terms are strict and unchanging. His Word is clear and binding — all or nothing. Remember, Jesus gave all, and so must we.

Let's Pray - Father, Jesus is the only way to heaven. May I turn away from every effort to please You and simply look to Jesus. He is the beginning and end of my faith. Amen.

Confess Your Trespasses

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

There is life-saving and life-changing power in confession. Confession unleashes the dynamic power of the truth, as we agree with God about our words and actions. When we confess, we bring light and freedom to bear on things that would otherwise remain in the dark. Our faults and sins wield power over us as long as we keep silent about them. That is why James encourages us to release those things and receive God's forgiveness and comfort in exchange. 

The sins we commit are our greatest problem, but the sins we hide. Millions are in pain and bondage today, and their entire outlook on life is affected by the fact that they carry sins they should have confessed long ago; and once we’ve hidden sins longer than we should, we become blind and numb to their corroding effects. This is why every Christians must be on guard against the devastating effects of unconfessed sin. Find a trustworthy Christian friend today and confess your faults. Be whole and healed, in Jesus' name.

Let's Pray - Father, I will confess my faults and failures today, that I might experience the blessings that come with being clean. Thank You for Your church and my brothers and sisters, to whom I will be accountable, and to whom I will confess. Amen.

Kingdom, Power, and Glory

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever . . . (Matthew 6:13)

Let us not be distressed over the difficult times in which we live. Jesus has prepared and encouraged us, and we do not panic or respond fearfully when things are hard. He has taught us to respond to trouble and tragedy with prayer and to pray without ceasing; that is spiritual wisdom and understanding. Therefore, we enjoy an unshakeable peace, because we have placed every care at His feet. That is our lifestyle; prayer, worship, and the confidence that God has the whole world in His hands. Remember, Jesus is not going to overcome the world — He already has.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, teach me to walk faithfully, even in very difficult times. I have the deepest confidence that You see all and know all, and You will make all things good in time. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Just Look Up

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Be instructed — Jesus quickly forgave and forgot when men offended Him. He found no need to be right or defend Himself when He was accused or attacked. He reconciled all things good in the light of His Father’s sovereign will. Therefore, Paul encourages us to do what Jesus modeled for us — forgetting, letting go, and pressing forward toward the vision of glory the Father places in our hearts. There is no time in our fleeting lives for lamenting and mourning missed opportunities, old relationships, mistakes, and misunderstandings. While we all experience hardships and disappointments, the Lord offers us a new day and season, if we will just look up!

 

What we see has everything to do with our focus and our perspective. If we wait on the Lord, we will mount up on eagles wings and see everything from a heavenly perspective. But if we get bogged down with earthly concerns and pursuits, we will frustrate every effort of the Spirit to take us higher and deeper. The danger most Christians face is not overt sin, but a divided soul, stuck, and never able to get free from the chains of earthly matters. May the Lord remind us daily that we have been set apart for Himself; and may we agree, and wholeheartedly commit to our heavenly citizenship.

 

Let's Pray - Father, I am ready and willing to move forward in my life. I refuse to be held back by anyone or anything in my past. The best for me is yet to come. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Every Good Gift

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:17-18)

Every good and perfect gift comes to believers from above. This is a recurring theme in the Book of James. He wants us to be able to differentiate between that which is of God and that which is not. In James' mind, nothing good rises up to God from us; but if it is good, it is of God and from God, and there are no exceptions.

 

Everything in the service of God must be born of Jesus within us, or it is not spiritual in essence but something less. James speaks of this as "the meekness of wisdom," which is quite different from the forceful and strident spirit of some Christians. He calls worldly wisdom earthly, sensual, and demonic. The tell-tale signs of this type of spirit are envy, selfishness, confusion, and every other evil thing. God has called us to something much better. He has called us to Himself in Jesus, and He has given us the Holy Spirit who will never relent until we are perfected in Him. The Lord is producing good fruit in us, and that fruit is evidence of the holy seed He has planted in our hearts — purity, gentleness, humility, mercy, productivity, and impartiality.

 

James teaches us this lesson so we might have the greatest of clarity, and we would know what is spiritual and what is not. There will be evidence and fruit from the wisdom in which we choose to walk. So, let us be sure our wisdom is from above and our fruit is good.

Let's Pray - Dear Father, we gladly receive everything You pour out upon us. We look to You daily, for all good things come down from heaven. We love You. Amen.

Present Your Bodies

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

We need not become experts in religion or ministry, but in exclusivity — that is, taking ourselves back from the world and from ourselves, that we might be able to offer our lives to God exclusively, which is the only reasonable thing for us to do. Therefore, we must first deny ourselves and lay down our rights before we have anything to offer the Lord at all. Truth is, some of us have so little to give, for our hearts and our time are divided and parceled out to a myriad of folks, causes, activities, affinities, and the like. And even so, we convince ourselves that we are living for God. Help us, Lord!

 

God has called us to consecrate our lives. A consecrated life is not an isolated or petted life; but a life set apart for the Lord's purpose only. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to teach us the focus and discipline that makes us useful and pleasing to the Father. He is bringing us into the full measure and stature of sonship, where we bear a remarkable likeness to Christ, not the world. Each day, we are to present God the lives Jesus came and died for — lives that are no longer ours, but His! The Lord doesn't want anything from us. He wants everything!

 

Let's Pray - Father God, I take my life back from myself and offer it to You once again. I am willing to lose my life and gain eternal life, and to serve You without reserve. That is what any reasonable saint will do. In Jesus, Amen.        

 

Shine the Light

So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34:30)

Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. (Numbers 12:7)

 

You know a man who has seen the Lord, because he is different than he was before, and he is distinct from other men. His face shines, as it were, and most men stand apart from him, because the light he radiates exposes their darkness. He is separated unto God, and the things of this world do not interest him any longer. Christians who have seen the Lord are like this, and they are uncommon. The Lord has drawn them into His confidence more so than most, and He is able to invest Himself in them more deeply. God shares His heart and thoughts with them, and like Moses, He can trust them to minister holy things to His children without selfishness or agenda. The light they've seen makes them humble, not haughty or proud. The Lord will never reveal Himself to a proud man or woman, for pride is of the devil, and there is no fellowship between God and Satan. May the Lord find that you and I are trustworthy stewards of revelation; and like Moses, may our faces shine brightly for all men to see Jesus clearly.

Let's Pray - Father, may I live and speak in a way that Your love shines brightly for everyone to see. May Jesus be magnified in me today. Amen.

Woe is Me

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)

No one can truly know himself until he knows God, for only God can show him who he really is. After all, the Lord created us, and only He possesses the intimate knowledge of every facet of our humanity — our essence, our origin, our present, and our destiny. Isaiah discovered this truth when saw the Lord, and he immediately confessed his low moral estate in the presence of a holy God — "I am a man of unclean lips." He saw God, then realized the helpless sinner he was. Open our eyes like You opened Isaiah's, Lord!

Isaiah saw the truth about God and himself, and now he was ready to see others in the light of that truth. The world around him became clear, and now he was able to judge all things as God judges them. That is the true meaning of "revelation" — seeing all things as God sees them. May every preacher of the Gospel see like Isaiah saw and wait on God before preaching a single word! 

"Woe is me, for I am undone!"

Let's Pray - Dear Father, I am nothing apart from You, and I find nothing good in me unless it has been imparted to me by Jesus. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. I will worship You in Spirit and in truth! Amen.

If We Confess

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

Our Lord is determined to set His children be free from the bondage of sin and death, and He has prescribed the Blood of Jesus as the only power able to accomplish His desire. The weight of sin on humanity was so awful and pervasive, that the Father had to send His Son to pay the price and lift the burden of judgment and damnation off the shoulders of every man, woman, and child who would simply believe. You see, there is nothing unholy or unclean in heaven, nor shall there ever be. So, the Lord made provision for us in His Son, imputing His righteousness and holiness to us in exchange for our sin and sadness. Now, we can stand before a Heavenly Father who sees us wrapped in the grace and glory of His Son. This is the thought of God as it pertains to men, and there is no other thought, no other way, no other Gospel. Thank God for the profound, yet simple path to Life -- Jesus Christ.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for every provision made for us by the shed blood and broken body of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we never turn away from the powerful simplicity of the truth in Christ. There is truly no other way. Amen.

 

Patience and Perfection

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4)

Before the Lord can use us to change things around us, He must first change us. God is doing a new thing in you, and “new” means something that has never been done before. The life of this new creature is not learned overnight. It is a beautiful and difficult work that only the Lord can accomplish, and He does that work according to His will, His Spirit, and His timing. So, be still and trust Him. Let Him have His way with you. He knows what He is doing.

The saint who "lacks nothing" is one who is filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom that prepares him for every situation and conversation. This preparation is a sovereign work of God that cannot and will not be done according to our efforts or desire; but the Lord employs times and seasons to accomplish His work, and His ends are never ours. We suppose God will move according to our prayers and desires, but that is not so. He will move according to His will, and by patience He will perfect our prayers and desires to agree with His. So, empty yourself today, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is what it means to be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  

 

Let's Pray - Father, have Your way in me. You are sovereign, and that means Your will is superior to mine. I humble myself in Your sight. Amen.

Discerning and Wise

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1) 

We live in a day where many Christians have taken it upon themselves to speak in the name of the Lord. Many follow these voices, and far too often end up damaged and shipwrecked due to their lack of discernment and discipline. Yet, the Bible warns us to be very careful and to judge these teachers by their fruit. If we are filled with the Word, we will recognize the presence or absence of the Word in their teaching. If we are full of good works, we will recognize and rightly discern theirs. Every Christian must endeavor to be well equipped to wisely discern what we see and hear. Thank God for His Holy Spirit!

 

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23)

 

It is a dangerous thing to read the warnings in Scripture and imagine they are spoken to others and not to us. Notice, the Lord says "many" who engage in ministry will be judged for deceiving themselves and their hearers. It is far too common a thing to witness men and women ministering in the flesh and offering strange fire before the Lord. God is not fooled or mocked, and the heart and works of every minister will be revealed on that Day for all to see. Those of us who preach the Gospel do well to heed these words and judge ourselves, so that we might not be judged.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, we are saved by grace through faith, and we must minister by grace through faith. May every minister who calls on Your name examine himself or herself today. Wash us clean and set us free from all ambition and agenda. In Jesus, Amen.

Change Me, Lord

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:10)

The first thing God must change in us is a judgmental attitude. Are we more interested in being right than glorifying God? Are our words harsh and judgmental, or are they kind and gracious? We can easily convince ourselves we are glorifying Him, when we are actually grieving Him by demanding our rights and defending our point of view. Truthfully, we only hear God clearly when we humble ourselves and stop insisting on winning the argument and having things our way. Forgive us, Lord, and teach us to show others the grace You have shown us.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, please forgive me for judging others and misrepresenting You. Give me Your heart for my fellow man and help me to see them as You see them. Amen.

A Hard Place

So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead . . . (Genesis 31:25)

Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. (Genesis 32:6-7)

 

Have you ever felt like Jacob, trapped between a rock and a hard place? And when you looked honestly at the situation, did you realize this was a bed of your own making? You can’t go back, because you’ve burned that bridge –- and you cannot go forward, because you burned that bridge, too. This is the time when God’s man or woman finally comes to realize the folly of meddling with the steps ordained for him or her, and that our agenda has brought so much more difficulty into our lives than there had to be. Yet, here you are, once again – between that rock and hard place. This is when we realize how much the Lord loves us, in spite of ourselves, how His calling on our lives is irrevocable, and His Word and His promises are true. Jacob would come to realize these things as the Lord delivered Him time and again, and he would eventually learn to trust, wait, and worship. Thanks be to God that His love, patience, and His mercy are greater than our folly. 

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, please do not leave Your servants to their own devices. Deliver us from our own foolishness, and we will turn back to You, never to turn away again. Amen.

 

Send Me Lord

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

The holy pattern for God’s ministers is seen here. We must not simply go but be sent – for we cannot reveal the true and living God to others until we ourselves have seen Him and been sent by Him. We must not send ourselves, for it is not our interest we are representing, but His. Isaiah understood this, and he responded with a sincere purpose to go and to glorify the God he’d just seen. May it be the same for every one of us who wish to be known as servants of God. May we wait until we have seen, heard, and been sent by the Lord before we go.

 

There are three witnesses regarding every man or woman called to the ministry - the Lord Himself, the minster himself (or herself), and the elders of the church. This is the pattern set forth in the New Testament, and it is the third requirement that is most likely to be neglected. Many are convinced that God has called them to go out, and they go out on the strength of that conviction. However, there must also be a "laying on of hands," as men and women of stature in the church agree and consent to the minister's call and commission. That is a more complete picture of God's thought for those who seek to go into vocational ministry today; and it is very important to heed and honor each step. Remember, it is much better to be sent than to just go!

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I am not only willing to go, but willing to wait until You send me. Give me the patience and wisdom necessary for Spirit-filled ministry. I desire to glorify You alone. Amen.

 

Do Not Grumble

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:9-11)

Certainly, we live in difficult times. But times have always been difficult, and they always will be, as long as we are pilgrims and strangers on earth. The Lord would have us to be examples and instruments of His grace and mercy in the midst of our circumstances, whatever they may be. That is what it means to be His witnesses. Can He trust you to represent Him well in the hard and dry season?

 

Endurance and perseverance are very precious attributes for the believer. They are so much more than the will to outlast our difficult seasons; they are a display of God's grace and mercy through those times. The saint who endures does so with a sweetness that defies the temptation to grouse and complain. Perseverance brings us through hardship with a joy we could not know otherwise, because we discover God is good and gracious, even when no one else is.

 

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

 

Let's Pray - Father, I thank you for the sweet grace of patience and endurance. Your compassion and mercy are gifts to Your children, and we praise You for them. In Christ Jesus alone, Amen.

 

Teachers Take Heed

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

But you, do not be called “Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. (Matthew 23:8)

 

The Holy Spirit is the only Teacher in the Church of Jesus Christ. The ONLY Teacher. We may teach (and well we should), but the Spirit is the only Person with the authority from above to teach and reveal the Father and the Son in our hearts. We do well to remember and receive this truth. This affords us the freedom to leave the results of our service to God, because we have been obedient to share the Word as He directs. We are not responsible to make men understand or love the Lord, nor are we responsible for their growth and maturity in spiritual things. We do not have any lordship whatever over another saint's faith; that is between them and the Lord. The more we decrease, the sooner we decrease, the more purposeful we are about decreasing, the better. Many teachers have stumbled over the stumbling block of self-importance, and that never ends well. Never. Take heed to yourselves, teachers.

 

Let's Pray - Father, may each of us who teach Your Word do so according to the leading of Your Spirit and according to Your truth. May we remember we will be judged on a stricter basis. We will approach our calling with fear and trembling. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Our Heavenly Supply

Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches.

Feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You,

and say, “Who is the Lord?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

and profane the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)

 

People have an insidious way of distorting the value of money, and we are tempted to depend on it more than we depend on God. There is a dangerous tendency to look to our resources before we look to heaven, and that brings all manner of unnecessary stress and hardships. Every lesson God teaches us has this in mind -- that we no longer depend on ourselves or anything other than Him, especially our money.

 

We must remember the church is a supernatural enterprise, and every resource she needs is found in Jesus Christ and nowhere else. As the Word tells us, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and all our springs are found in Christ. The church and the Christian life are heavenly things, and their supply must be heavenly also, lest they become something God never intended. May we be more and more careful to remember this and trust in our God, not our money.

Let's Pray - Father, You are all I need, and that will never change. I look to You first and last, for You are my inheritance, my portion, and my lot. I will be satisfied in You always. Amen.

Give Us Understanding

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

The Lord will never use a man operating in his own strength or sense of righteousness, and no man makes a difference in the world until he stops trying to make a difference. A man can expect to receive nothing from the Lord, until he realizes the only thing he has to offer God is emptiness. It is doubtful the Lord will fill any man who is not empty, or that he will help any man who is not helpless. The Lord does not come alongside us to make our dreams come true or give us victory or breakthrough. He is after something much more profound – emptiness and brokenness. He laid down the prerogatives of His deity, became broken bread and poured-out wine for us, and we must do the same for Him.

 

All our efforts to save our cities and communities, to "give back," and to do good to others are a waste of God’s time and energy. We can do all those things without Jesus -- and many do just that. As long as we are trying to be successful, to be known, to be good, or be seen, all our works amount to nothing in God's eyes, because the Kingdom of God comes without observation. Our Lord tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him to a place where only the meek and lowly can go. Remember, God cannot have His way in us until we are no longer determined to have our way. May the Lord give us understanding and ears to hear His Word anew.

 

Let's Pray - Forgive us, Lord, for going our own way and walking according to our own righteousness. We humbly ask for the knowledge of Your will, wisdom, and spiritual understanding today. In Jesus alone, Amen.

The Greater Principle

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

If people are going to see the beauty of the Lord, they are going to see it in us. Therefore, we must choose to be true to the One who redeemed us by shedding His own blood, and remember we do not belong to ourselves, but to Him exclusively. Christ has given us His Spirit to dwell in our hearts -- not as a guest, but as Master of the house; and that house must be well kept, if we want Him to abide.

The life given by Holy Spirit is the only distinction between the children of God and all other religious people. Only He can impart and reveal the things of God and Christ to us. He provides the power for victorious living, bringing spiritual vitality, health, holiness, and wholeness to every saint He fills. We must never grieve Him by continuing to sin, or by ignoring or limiting Him in our lives or our fellowship. May we love in the Spirit, pray in the Spirit, sing in the Spirit, and worship in the Spirit. Finally, may we walk in the Holy Spirit, who was given to us by God as a guarantee of the inheritance reserved for those He loves! Hallelujah and Amen. 

Let's Pray - Lord, give me eyes, ears, and a heart for the abiding presence and power of the Holy Spirit. May my heart and home be worthy of Your Spirit. Thank You, Amen.

The Temple of God

“O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Jesus won the ultimate victory over sin and Satan by His life, death, and resurrection; and we are the recipients of all the benefits of our Lord's triumph. Yet, sin remains the primary enemy of the heaven-bound saint, and we must not be foolish enough to ignore that fact. The very principle of sin (not just the act) is an affront to everything the Lord is, says, and does; therefore, that sin principle must be rooted out with a superior principle -- “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”   

Even before sin entered into the DNA of mankind, the Lord had a plan for our redemption, and that good plan was manifested in time and in Jesus Christ. Sin was exposed and defeated by His death on the cross; and by His resurrection from the dead, death itself lost its terrifying power. Therefore, we are able to emphatically ask, “O, death, where is your sting?” The fear of death has given way to resurrection power and the joy of everlasting life. Yes, death has lost its sting, and Christ has won the battle for our souls. Let's give all the glory and honor to Him! He deserves it.

Let's Pray - Precious Lord, Your power to cleanse and save me is greater than sin's power to condemn me. Thank You for the eternal life I entered into when I believed in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Not by Sight

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:30)

 

Yes, the Lord has cloaked Himself in invisibility, He has hidden Himself from the learned and the wise, and the most intelligent are overwhelmed by the thought of comprehending Him or His ways. He has chosen simplicity and humility over haughtiness and pride. He is meek and lowly, and we must come to Him as children or He will not receive us. Therefore, the world and its obsession with itself and its pleasures will never enjoy the fellowship available to those who simply hear and believe; those who embrace the profound and indispensable joy of faith.

 

No effort to discredit Christ (and there have been many a furious effort) has succeeded in dampening the fervor of the faithful, those of us who have not seen, yet believed. We are that people, a holy nation whom the Lord has drawn by His Spirit, and we stand out as bright and shining stars against a backdrop of unbelief and darkness. We have not seen Jesus face to face, but we know we will -- and we serve Him who we cannot see as though we do. Today we see as in a mirror in a poorly-lit room, but one day we will see Him face to face. This we know, because we have received the testimony of the faithful and of the Scriptures. By faith we stand, we believe, and one day we will see.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for the faith given to me by the Holy Spirit. I see You clearly with the eyes of faith, and I will follow You wherever You lead. In Jesus, Amen.

I Saw the Lord

“In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . .”  (Isaiah 6:1)

It is sometimes necessary that people be moved out of the way, so we might see the Lord more clearly. As long as there is any competing personality or interest, we can never see God as we should, and an unimpeded view of the Lord is something He desires for all His children. Thus, there is the necessity of removing every other point of focus, if we are to receive spiritual sight. No one sees God, until He sets all others aside, purifies our hearts, and reveals Himself.

 

We must be careful not to hinder the Lord's hand when He brings and removes people and circumstances in our lives. He is sovereign and knows all things, and His timing and insight are inscrutable. If we resist His hand, we are liable to be out-of-step with Him, and we close the windows of heaven and hinder the Holy Spirit. But, if we are obedient and in step with Him, He will show us things greater than we ever imagined. He will show us Jesus, and there is nothing greater than seeing Christ. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. (Luke 2:30)

Let's Pray - Lord, open the eyes of my heart, and remove everything that stands between us. I want to see Jesus. Amen.

Confess and Be Healed

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin, and that burden should never be borne by a child of God. Unconfessed sin keeps us from forgiving the sins of others, because we cannot forgive if we are not forgiven. Unconfessed sin will reproduce itself within us, and we will bring bitter and unhealthy fruit to bear as long as we bury that unconfessed sin in the soil of our hearts. Come to the Cross today and confess openly to your Lord who already knows and has already made provision. Go to a trusted believer who will pray with you and confess to him or her today, as the Word instructs. Now is the time, and there is not a moment to waste. Your healing awaits. 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, I confess that I fall short of Your glory, and I need the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus more and more. Thank you for washing me and calling me to be holy and blameless. Thank You for making me clean! Amen.

 

Do Not Marvel

"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:7)

Nicodemus had no reference for Jesus' words, because He worshiped God according to the dictates and traditions of men. When He encountered God Himself in Jesus, he did not know what to make of Him. Jesus' words were spirit and life, and they were spoken with authority unlike any words Nicodemus had ever heard. The thought of being born again had never occurred to him, and those words challenged everything he believed. Being a Jew, a man of means, a ruler, and a Pharisee meant little or nothing from this moment forward. The only thing that mattered is what He would do with these words, "You must be born again." The same is true of you and me.

 

Witness how rarely you hear these words today. The simplicity of the Gospel offends the sin nature man inherited, so some seek to appeal to them without it. They rely on expertise, studies, and "theologies," while asking and answering all the wrong questions. The Bible calls this a form of godliness that is devoid of the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5). Our vile sin nature desperately seeks to be coddled, to be heard, to be understood, and ultimately, accepted as it is. But Jesus never deviates, and His message today is the same one He shared with Nicodemus; "You must be born again."

 

Let's Pray - Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to lay down His life so that I might have life. I truly believe Your word, and I truly believe in Your Son. Amen.

 

The Anointed Teacher

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:20-21)

. . . for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)

Revelation is the only means whereby a teacher accurately conveys the things of God, and that teacher must wait for God to reveal Himself before he speaks. The true teacher of righteousness is careful to speak only what he hears from the Father, just as Jesus was. Herein is the point of separation between the teacher who walks in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and all others. The anointed one speaks what he hears from God, and he speaks in the Lord's authority and no other. Christ alone builds the Church. Christ alone understands the Church. The anointed teacher hears Christ alone, and he only shares what he hears from Jesus – nothing more and nothing less. 

 

Let's Pray - Precious Father, may we teach only by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He is the only authority on earth who can rightly divide Your Word. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit to teach Your children. Amen.