1 In 10 Will Praise Him!

While traveling to Jerusalem Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee where he came upon a group of lepers. Because Old Testament law required social separation for lepers, these men stood far off from the rest of the crowds that gathered around Jesus.

As He passed by, 10 of the lepers called out to Jesus, saying, “Master, have mercy on us!” They not only wanted healing, but to be released from the stigma of leprosy. There was no known cure for leprosy in Jesus’ time, so the affected victims lived together in colonies, separated from their families and the rest of society for fear that the disease would spread. As the disease progressively grew worse, fingers, toes and sometimes parts of their face or ears slowly rotted off with the pain and stench of leprosy. 

Jesus response to them was simple: “Go, show yourselves to the priest.” He didn’t pray over them, touch them or pronounce them healed, but because He was still living under the Old Testament Law, Jesus sent the lepers to the priests as prescribed in Leviticus 14. There they would present the proper offerings and complete the process required for being declared clean and free of leprosy.
Still full of pain and disfigurement, the 10 started toward the temple. A few steps into their journey one of them turned back to Jesus, shouting “I am healed!” So overjoyed was he at this healing and the prospect of rejoining society and his family, that he immediately fell on his face before Jesus in thankful praise!

The remaining 9 lepers continued on their journey toward the temple– they had gotten what they’d asked for, they were satisfied. But because this 1 leper turned back to praise and thank Jesus, he received more than healing – he received restoration in his body and the gift of salvation with all its benefits!
Jesus declared this man to be ‘whole’ because of his faith and the attitude of his heart. The word ‘whole’ is the Greek word ‘sozo': it’s the same word translated as ‘salvation’ throughout the entire New Testament. Sozo means to be healed, protected, delivered, restored, preserved and brought to safety! While the rest of the 9 lepers were healed, this man was restored and brought into relationship with the Living God! The implication here is that this man’s body was fully restored – the effects of the leprosy were wiped away and new fingers, toes or ears were given to him – whatever had been lost was replaced. 

What released the blessings of salvation for this man were faith, praise and thankfulness! He simply turned to Jesus with a heart of gratitude and adoration, not asking for more, but overjoyed by the gift he’d received, and adored the Savior! This is the man that was completely released from the stigma of leprosy; his past was wiped away and new life was given to him.
Have you adored the Savior and given Him the praise due Him? Whether you're in need or have plenty; when you're caught up in illness or debt; when you don't see a light at the end of the tunnel or when life is wonderful, do you give Him thanks? Regardless of how we feel, praise and thankfulness are due His name!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's” (PS 103:1-5).

How Noble Is Your Character?

The word "nobility" might take your mind to images of Kings and Queens in royal dress, however, the Apostle Paul defines nobility from a heavenly perspective.

Paul called the Bereans 'noble' because they daily read their Bibles to prove or disprove the words he'd spoken to them. A person with noble character uses diligence and honesty in searching the Scriptures, never taking someone else's words as Gospel. A noble person doesn't look for bits of scripture to prove his doctrine, but opens his heart and allows God to purify him and implant Truth. The noble person sees that it's God's Word that brings about His promises, not man's interpretation of God's Word.

The Bereans are an excellent example of this, showing that we are to love the brethren and respect their gifts, but delve into the Word for ourselves to either confirm or deny what we've heard. This will keep us from being pulled into false doctrine and feel-good ideas.

This is not a criticism of anyone's preaching or writing; inspiration from others is a wonderful blessing but we must never take it at face value. The Bereans searched Scriptures to see if the Apostle Paul's teachings were accurate, and Paul commended them for it. They were hungry for Truth, not something to tickle their ears and never something that just made them feel good or confirmed religious traditions. They wouldn't allow themselves to receive just any words as Gospel, but they guarded their hearts by staying in the Scriptures. Paul considered this to be a very good and noble practice - regardless if they were evaluating his words or those of someone else.

These are the noble sons and daughters of the King; those who seek His Truth for themselves. They cannot be deceived into following another because they have spent time getting to know the King, the Living Word, and He is imprinted on their hearts.

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).

When I'm My Problem.....

More and more I'm seeing, in my own life, that answers to prayer are right before me. I contain the answer and control the outcome, and if I'd only examine myself and my life more closely I'd get a revelation of why the problem exists. However, there are times when I could do something to help a circumstance and I just pray and pray and pray...waiting for God to fix everything in an instant.

Praying is a good thing - we're called to pray. But sometimes we have to physically do something to change our lives instead of passively expecting God to make it all better. Sometimes we're the reason it's not all better.

We might not be able to do the things we've always done if we want life to be different, and we shouldn't sit and wonder why our prayers aren't working if we're negating them by our own actions. Sometimes our prayers can be answered by making a few changes in our lives instead of praying harder. Prayer is immensely important, but it's not a substitute for self control, being honest with yourself, making wise decisions or taking responsibility. 
 
Thank God that His grace is unending and He is patient with us, but His grace also teaches us to say 'no' to ungodliness (Titus 2:11-12). There comes a time when we have to look in the mirror and see ourselves in our raw, human form....then accept the love and grace of God as empowerment to change!

Un-Contained Power

When God created the oceans He filled them with beauty and power – man has even harvested that power in the form of hydro-electricity. But God assigned a boundary to the oceans when He said “you may come this far...your powerful and majestic waves must stop here” (Job 38:10). We’ve seen the natural results when waters overstep their boundaries: the effects can be disastrous. God’s assigned border for waters is the shore, regardless of the fact that they have an immense power to reach outside of their God-given limitations.

Power, beauty, strength, ability and even money, when allowed to run rampant, can lead us outside of God’s boundaries for our lives and onto the shores of another person’s God-given turf. Having the mindset that God has given us these things and we are limitless can be damaging to both us and those whose assignments we have the ability to usurp. Even the oceans, when they so easily flow outside of their natural boundaries, come back to their own shores carrying debris and filth. A clean-up process follows in which a multitude of people and much equipment is needed to cleanse and restore them.
God has given us each power and purpose, but He has also set boundaries for the use of that power and the proper fulfillment of our purpose. Consider Paul, whom God assigned to minister to the Gentiles. Not only did Paul go specifically to the Gentiles, but he was careful to go in God’s timing, never pushing the door open, but waiting for God to lead him in (1 Cor. 16:9). Paul had the power and freedom to go wherever he chose, but he confined himself to his own assignment, telling the Corinthians “…we do not extend ourselves beyond proper limits, but will confine our activity to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you” (paraphrased 2 Cor. 10:13).

What if Jesus had gone outside of the boundaries of His assignment? What if He had used His power to rule over the Roman Empire, stepping into an earthly authority which would give Him the right to release the Israelites from Roman rule? While a temporary, earthly victory might have been gained, Heaven’s purposes and Roman authority would have been usurped and disastrous results would have followed.

The Bible is full of instructions about what to and not to do, indicating that we have the power to make a choice and follow through. But containing that power in a God-given manner is what brings God’s results: power given must be contained within God’s boundaries, or it is power abused.
Do you know your God-given power and the sphere of influence where you’re to use that power? God is no respecter of persons – if He showed Paul where and how to use His power, He will show each of us!

Once a loser......

When you're ready to write someone off, or you're feeling like you've been written off, remember Paul, King David and Moses. Between the three of them, they participated in murder, adultery and lying, yet each was given the immense grace of God to fulfill God's will and complete his God-given life assignment.

God was not waiting with a hammer to strike each of them, He was waiting for the right moment to snatch them out of the hands of the enemy and set them under His hand of grace! It takes one encounter with God to completely melt the hardness off of one's heart and immerse them in the empowering grace of God. 

So that person you see as a loser - God loves him and is eager to pour out His grace on him! And even though you've made some serious mistakes and your sins have affected the people around you, God's grace brings repentance and rejuvenation! 

One encounter - that's all it takes for the grace of God to turn the hardest hearts toward heaven and set them on the journey to fulfilling God's plans! "Once a loser" is not "always a loser"; once a loser is simply the story before the acceptance of God's grace, and it's later the testimony of the goodness of God.

God is looking for those who are "losers" and rebels in the eyes of others - eagerly desiring to pour out His grace and empowerment! No application needed - if it's you, just submit your heart! If it's someone else in your life, just fill out the application and submit it to heaven on their behalf: a name and a prayer are all that's needed.

‪#‎dontwritethemoff‬ ‪#‎grace‬ ‪#‎forgiveness‬ ‪#‎Godhasaplan‬ ‪#‎yourenotaloser‬

Contempt & Rejection from Loved Ones

Pressures from those we hold close can keep us in a box built of their expectations; they have a certain perception of us and we have learned to live up to it.

Jesus experienced this; He wasn't accepted as a prophet in His own home town, but He didn't let that stop Him from being who God created Him to be. In fact, his contemporaries chatted amongst themselves, saying "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary? Who does he think He is, trying to break out of the box we've created for Him, calling Himself the Savior and healing people" and they took offense and rejected Him (paraphrased from Matt 13:55). Note that this didn't stop Jesus from bringing the goodness of God to them in the form of wonder working, miraculous power, but it stopped them from receiving the goodness of God through Him.

Jesus offered them exactly what they needed, but perhaps they were expecting their 'breakthrough' to come from a different source. Perhaps they were the type of people who thought the fishing was always better on the other shore so they wouldn't cast their lines close by. God stretched out His hand to bring relief and freedom to them through 'one of their own' but they wanted it from a stranger whom they didn't know. It was easier to receive from someone they didn't have to see as an everyday human - someone they didn't get irritated with as a child, or someone they weren't jealous of while growing up.

It has been said that 'familiarity breeds contempt,' and this certainly seems to be the case with Jesus in Matthew 13, however, we also know that love covers a multitude of sins. We cannot choose how (or if) people will receive the love of God - but we can choose to be a carrier and take it where He directs us. We can choose to step out of the limitations and expectations that others put on us and live as the recreated and powerful person who God has called each of us to be. If we are rejected by those who have known us, so be it - they are rejecting the goodness and power of God. Let that be a sign to you that you have truly come in the power and character of God, for just as they rejected Him, they rejected you.

But don't let that stop you from bringing His goodness to 'your own hometown!' Don't let it be a platform for offense so that their expectations of you are fulfilled. They may say that "you haven't changed one bit," but don't get your back up and respond with a few choice words of condemnation - speak love and life to them and be patient! How you act in the rejection of your message may be the very thing that turns their hearts to God!

We are accepted in the beloved - brought into the loving arms of God and embraced with tender affection (Eph 1:6)! So don't prize the acceptance of others so much that it dictates who you are and suppresses the potential you've been given by God. Let your desire, (as well as your words and actions) be to bring others into that same embrace of God through your loving, patient example. But NEVER live up to the expectations of those around you when God is calling you to a higher plane of living in Him - that would be the same as rejecting God, the very thing which Jesus contemporaries did to Him!

Christians in Politics???

If it's darkness, it needs Light: it's probably that simple. It's the answer to the question "should Christians be involved in politics, or speak up about injustices in the world or have the voice of Light in this 'present darkness?'"

If your child were caught in the middle of that darkness would you want to shine a light into it and expose its evil? If the darkness directly affected you, would you want someone to shine into your situation and loose the bonds of wickedness?

This world is imprisoned in darkness, drowning in its own misery and filth and blinded by the dark god of this age. Unfortunately, darkness doesn't go away on its own...it grows...and the only remedy for darkness is light. Since we are the Light, we are the remedy for darkness! The job of a light is to shine: so find some darkness and shine into it! It might be political darkness or religious darkness or educational darkness, but whatever the form of darkness, the remedy is the same: the LIGHT of God's Truth, love and power.

"Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:4-5, HCSB)

50 Shades: Which Shade are You?

There’s much talk and buzz in the Christian world about the movie “50 Shades of Grey.”  To be sure, it’s a form of pornography pedaled to people in a pleasant package of emotions and wealth.  This movie (and book) has the potential to make life extremely tortuous in many ways for people who are drawn into its line of thinking, and it has blown away the weak borders that kept us from accepting full blown immorality and lewdness in the daylight of everyday life.

While we may look at other cultures and disdain their use and abuse of women, this movie promotes the same behaviors with a cloud of niceties over it.  The immorality of this movie includes the devaluing and twisting of a godly relationship between a man and woman, and the pornographic and violent use of people for our own (and the enemy’s) pleasure.  But because it’s presented with passion, wealth,and the mutual agreement of the two main characters, it’s a shade of gray lighter than the outright vicious and violent abuse we condemn in other societies.

This is how the enemy works (and he is a master at it): he presents a lighter, more palatable shade of gray, mixing the boundaries of good and bad before he darkens our world one more shade.  He’s been doing this for centuries (darkening the minds and lives of society’s members) and we have obliviously allowed ourselves to boil in this slow process. In fact, we have fed the entertainment industry with billions of dollars and elevated disturbed and twisted individuals to positions of authority and fame, all the while pointing our fingers at other cultures who live ‘below’ our moral standards. 

Consider our society’s progression of immorality in movies, books and other entertainment from 50 years ago until now: in 1950 two of the most popular movies in the USA were Rio Grande and Harvey (Imbd.com). These were innocent and fun forms of entertainment compared to 50 Shades.  In 2014, we are inundated with immoral and violent television series such as Hannibal as well as  ‘on demand’ porn available on the internet and pay for view television.  All of this is set before us in prime time for our entertainment, as though we are simply watching birds on a feeder outside of someone’s kitchen window.  If there’s a little excitement, a little romance or a life of luxury mixed in with the immorality and porn, we accept the various shades of gray with open arms. 

“50 Shades…” is appropriately named:  it’s the perfect picture of a paint sample in various shades and intensities of lewd and lascivious gray.  But it’s also a wake-up call for Christians, a time to realize just how far off base we have gone and how deeply we have become enmeshed in a society that presents varying degrees and shades of immorality for us to participate in.  As long as we’re not on the dark end of the shade spectrum we might consider ourselves to be upright, moral, and in good standing with God. But God’s plumb line is not the lesser shade of gray that society sees as upright, it’s His word and His heart! He has shed His blood that we might be washed and clothed in garments as white as snow.

I could go on and on about the terrible effects of this movie and the immoral condition of society, and we might likely agree on those points.  But the question I am asking myself, and prompting you to ask yourself, is ‘what shade am I?’  What shade have I become as I’ve been immersed in society and surrounded by its ‘soft’ forms of immorality, lewdness and violence?  Do I see that I’m betrothed to Jesus Christ, and is my heart and mind single on Him and the holy beauty of our relationship?  Or am I enticed by other‘lovers’ who take my mind and affections off of my Beloved, just as they did with the Israelites in the Old Testament? May God help us to reflect on these questions and come to a conclusion which draws us deeper into relationship with Him! 

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]!Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people) [Rev 19:7-8 AMP].

Stop Adding Fuel to the Fire!

Some things are worth perpetuating! We add fuel to a campfire to keep it going for warmth and pleasure, and continued fuel to the fire of the Word and Holy Spirit increases the temperature of our walk with God. But adding fuel to an ungodly fire is synonymous with participating in the work of the enemy.

When we give input into things that don't glorify God, or keep one foot in the door of an ungodly activity or situation, we are encouraging and participating in the work of the enemy. If there's something inside of us that dwells on these things and even occasionally puts a log on their unholy fire, we've become divided in our alliances, trying to serve both God and the enemy.

Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, served up unholy fire before God in Leviticus 1 and they were destroyed because of it. God had indicated the type of fire they were to offer as priests who were to be holy unto him. He had specifically ordained the fuel source for this fire and given them direction on how they were to offer it, but they chose to go the way of unholiness and suffered the consequences. I'm not saying that we are going to die physically for this type of activity, but there is a spiritual lesson in these verses. God has ordained the way we are to use our mouths and the blessings He's given us, and continually adding fuel to an ungodly fire will have its consequences - we will reap what is sown.

Put a stop to words and actions and participation in things that are not God inspired. Refuse to keep the fire of gossip and condemnation and judgment going - put the water of the word on it - extinguish the fire.

This may require a solid stand before people with whom you've previously allied. It may require that you look into their eyes and say "I love you, but I cannot participate in this any longer. I have repented before God for this activity and cannot go back into it." Then shut the door and throw away the key, never to return to that path again! Move forward and keep away from the 'bunny trails' that have been set as traps by the enemy. Refuse to take the bait if it's offered up to you: don't let it draw you away from God and weaken His power in your life.

We are not those who offer unholy fire, and add fuel to the fires of the enemy, we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that we may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called us of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9 paraphrased).

If I ignore it.......

Denying reality is not faith. Faith stands in the face of distressing realities and says "But God..."

Denial of reality may be a reflection of inner fear and it may keep you from moving forward under God's direction, especially if you are concerned that others will judge you or see your problem. Most things don't go away by ignoring or denying them, but acknowledging that you are facing something (without making that thing your focus) can be the starting point for your victorious testimony at a later time.

The way we walk through struggles is just as important as overcoming them...it's not just about getting a desired end result. We learn and grow when we go through things; not that God brings them on us, but He will use them to sharpen us and strengthen our walk with Him, imparting wisdom in the process.

So acknowledge the problem without giving it your physical, emotional and spiritual health, and let God work it out in, through, and for you as you submit and trust. Don't allow your mind and emotions to dwell on the problem when you should be dwelling on the Answer - this is where faith gets manipulated by the enemy and replaced with doubt. Acknowledging something and dwelling on it are two different things - one will open the door for God to work, the other will open the door to fear!

"I Have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you]" (John 16:33, AMP).

Whoredom in the House

The ‘whoredoms’ of ancient Israel are recorded in the book of Hosea, but they are spoken of in many other Old Testament books as well. In brief, their whoredoms consisted of entertaining themselves with things that were contrary to the heart of God and enmeshing themselves in activities that were corrupting and defiling to their minds. These activities took their attention and affections off of God and violated their covenant with Him as their husband, provider and protector. The word ‘whoredom’ is at times interchanged with the word ‘idolatry’ in the Old Testament, giving us an idea that something in the physical realm took the place of God in their hearts and minds.

Today we might think spiritual whoredom is done away with, after all, we serve God through His Spirit and we don’t have to follow a set of rules to stay in His good graces: we have been freed from religion. But in Old Testament times, God was looking for hearts that wanted Him above anything or anyone else, and being the same God today, He is looking for the same kind of heart in our times.

So are we as far removed from whoredom as we might think? Or are we entertained and have our affections drawn away from God by the world and its dainties? Is “The Bachelorette” the top most thing on my mind one day of the week, or do I think nothing of opening my mind and heart to an ungodly alliance by the company I keep?

While this is not about a checklist of ‘do’s and dont's' or 'good and bad activities,’ it may be a time to ask ourselves a question and answer it honestly: what do I allow in my life that takes my affection off of God? Am I a modern day spiritual whore who’s sitting in the pew every Sunday morning? How much do I want God above my culture when my culture clashes with the ideals of the Word? Am I willing to separate myself to God if it means I have to separate myself from fleshly enjoyments and long time alliances?

I have some whoredom in me – it’s a conclusion I have had to come to. This conclusion is based on knowing that some segments of my heart are not 100% focused on God – they are easily drawn away by some specific things of the world and desires of my flesh. The thought of choosing anything or anyone over God is nauseating to me, but I participate in these things without realizing that I’m doing so. I now understand why Paul said “the things I want to do I do not do, but the things I do not want to do, I do” (Rom 7:19). God knows I need His help to be freed from the whoredoms that keep me from Him, and this is why Paul completed his thoughts in Romans 7 with “thank God for Jesus Christ – His forgiveness and grace!”

We are at the point where we cannot settle for an ordinary type of relationship with God – we cannot look at what everyone else is doing and follow suit. We are designed to become one with Him, not 75% with Him and 25% with whatever our affections are drawn away to. If we want His affections on our lives, we must give the same in return. If we truly believe that we live and move and have our being in Him (Acts 17:28), then we will give Him 100% and live life at 100%!

Only you and God can call out the whoredoms in your life, rid yourself of them, and reassign your affections to Him. Only the two of you truly know where your heart is divided and what needs to ‘go’ in your life. The truth is, there is no condemnation in getting a revelation of those whoredoms, but it’s a starting point to a closer walk with the Lover of Your Soul!

Esther's Dilemma Is Your Dilemma!

Esther's purpose was set in place and established by God long before Queen Vashti was deposed from her royal position. When a Hebrew peasant girl becomes the Queen of an empire, you know God’s hand is in it – there was nothing she could have done to arrange her situation!

However, life surely wasn’t a joy ride for Esther at all times: she lived among the other women of the harem for an entire year while she waited for her 'turn' with the King. But a higher purpose brings an empowerment to accomplish that purpose - and Esther walked through her purpose nobly even though she was under pressure, out of her element and perhaps feeling alone much of the time.

But as it turns out, Esther was pleasing to the King - more so than any of the multitudes of women who were brought to him. And it ‘just so happened’ that the King made Esther his Queen at the same time the Israelites were being persecuted and in danger of being exterminated. This is evidence that Esther's physical make-up, her nationality and her personality were all instruments in the hands of God, used to fulfill His purpose in His time. What was orchestrated by God before this event took place (Esther's entire life) is just as miraculous as the event itself!

However, being a bit removed from the horrors that plagued her people, Esther was hesitant to risk her life (and use her divine influence) by pleading for them before the King. But the fact was, they were in danger of being annihilated! So Esther's uncle, Mordecai, reminded her that she was in the position of Queen by divine providence, and life wasn't about what she wanted or didn't want or even how she felt about going before the King: she'd been given that position by God and she was an instrument in His hands. Her purpose went far beyond using her position to add benefits to herself so she could enjoy the 'good life' at the expense of the subjects of the kingdom. True fullness of life comes in fulfilling God's purpose, and eternal benefits far outweigh temporary, earthly indulgences.

Moses was in a similar predicament, where he could have chosen the life of self indulgence and left God’s plan behind, but the Bible says “he chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward” (Heb 11:26 HCSB).

Maybe you’re in a position similar to Esther’s, where God has placed you there for ‘such a time as this.’ It’s a divine appointment and you have to make the decision to wholeheartedly submit to God regardless of the cost. As Mordecai said to Esther, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?” (Est 4:14). Esther’s immediate reply was one of full submission to God: “if I perish, I perish!” (Est 4:16,HCSB). Or perhaps you are like Moses, and the world of delicacies is trying to draw you from God’s assignment: but you must know that you wouldn’t be in the position of making that choice if it weren’t for the hand of God in your life!

Isn’t it time to wholeheartedly and unequivocally set aside earthly passions and purposes and fully submit our entire persons, earthly positions and material belongings to God? If we want to see the fullness of God and live in His power, we cannot have one foot in the Kingdom of God and one foot in a comfortable, earthly kingdom.

As Esther and Moses each made the decision that it was ‘all or nothing,’ God supplied for their needs and embraced them with His protection and love. He is the same God today as He was then, and He will orchestrate our lives and fulfill His purposes through us as we fully submit and focus on Him. But should we choose to be half-hearted towards God, He will bring about his purposes through someone else: as Mordecai said “deliverance will arise..from elsewhere” (Est. 4:16 HCSB)

Decide today whom you will wholeheartedly serve. Put your attention on His reward, and allow NOTHING to keep you from completely submitting to Him. It’s time!

Is it Faith or Flesh?

In Luke 17, the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith and Jesus replied by saying “all you need is faith the size of a mustard seed to uproot the deepest problems” (Luke 17:4 paraphrased). After this statement, Jesus immediately went into the following parable about a man and his servant:
 
“Which one of you, having a slave tending sheep or plowing, will say to him when he comes in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? Instead, will he not tell him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink'? Does he thank that slave because he did what was commanded? In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, 'We are good-for-nothing slaves [and unprofitable servants]; we've only done our duty." (Luke 17:7-10 HCSB)

At first glance, this switch from the subject of faith to that of servant-hood seems odd, but Jesus is expounding on the way that faith operates. In the same way the servant was directed by his master to work in the fields, faith is directed by us toward the work God’s given us to do. Faith is our means of carrying out the Master’s assigned work: it’s heaven’s path for accomplishing God’s will. However, we’re not to begin in faith, then become impatient and allow our faith to ‘sit down and eat’ while we get up and complete kingdom tasks in the flesh. The master is served by active faith-the master does not give faith a rest and do the service himself.

As an example, consider Gideon, whom God called to deliver Israel from the terror of the Midianites (Judges 6-7). Gideon started this task in faith, boldly following God’s step by step instructions, but at some point he gave his faith a rest, took over its duties in his flesh and put his trust in the army he’d gathered to fight the Midianites. But before he and his 32,000 followers reached the battlefield, God instructed Gideon to send home all but 300 of his men, saying “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag [by saying]: 'I did it myself” (Judges 7:2, HCSB). God then gave Gideon a battle plan (by way of a dream), and the straggly army of 300 men defeated the mighty and terrifying Midianites, giving God the glory!

Had Gideon continued in his flesh instead of trusting God, he would have short circuited the supernatural power and provision of God which came through the dream and the imaginative plan he was given to defeat the Midianites. Here is a lesson for us: don’t get up and start ‘doing’ in the flesh to make up for impatience or fear, and don’t try to make things happen in the way you think they should happen; this will only bring glory to man.

When we use that mustard sized seed of faith, God brings His power and provision (300 men) and He gets the glory. But when we set aside faith and try to do the works of God in the flesh (32,000 men), we are called “unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10), meaning we have made no impact which bears fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Faith in God opens the door to abilities and wisdom beyond the realm of the flesh; it puts us in heavenly realms where the spiritual tools and provision of God are available to fulfill His will. We are those who live by faith!

Get Back to Reality: the Unseen Spiritual Realm!

Get Back to Reality: the Unseen Spiritual Realm!

The enemy considered himself to be victorious: Jesus was humiliated, laid bare, beaten, and disgraced! Based on the physical evidence presented to the world, satan had done it: he’d removed Jesus’ physical presence from the earth, stamped out His influence, and re-established religious status-quo!

But the Bible shows us a different perspective of this event, a spiritual perspective which is very different than what the physical ‘evidence’ reveals. Col. 2:15 says that Jesus made a show of the enemy, spoiling the principalities and powers which war against us. The word ‘spoiled’ means "to remove one’s robes or unclothe them" (Strong’s #554 & 1562). While Jesus hung on the cross, physically stripped bare, He was stripping the power of the enemy and making a spiritual spectacle of him for all of eternity!

As the enemy worked through the physical and natural realm to discourage, scatter and defeat Jesus and His followers, God’s plans were being carried out in the spiritual realm. Things were not what they appeared at that time, and the natural realm wasn’t revealing the actual events that were taking place spiritually. But when Sunday came, the Truth of God was manifested in the natural realm as Jesus rose up from the grave. The time had come for both the spiritual and natural to line up and agree – and it came about through God’s perfect plan and timing. Victory physically manifested in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So don’t be discouraged if you are praying, standing and trusting God but have yet to see the result manifest in your life. Jesus first made a spectacle of death and destruction in the spiritual realm, then it manifested in the physical and seen world. And just as the enemy brought about the false appearance of an evil victory while Jesus hung on the cross, you may be seeing things that look like you’re defeated; but the way things look is not necessarily reality or the ‘final answer.’ The enemy’s plan will backfire on him and God’s plan will be revealed in your life as you seek God, follow His leading and wait for your Sunday to come!

“God disarmed the principalities and powers that were raging against us. He removed their robes of power and defeated them, making a bold, visible and public display and example of them. He triumphed through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, and they no longer have power over us “(Col 2:15 AMP Paraphrased). "So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Cor. 4:14 HCSB).

The Depth of True Fellowship

God’s Word shows us that ‘fellowship’ within the Body of Christ has intense meaning and a high level of importance. Fellowship (koinonia in Greek) is defined as intimate, spiritual connectedness with other believers, manifesting through us as one mind and purpose, and causing us to live unified as the Body of Christ (Vines NT Dictionary paraphrased). In fact, many Bible dictionaries use the word ‘intercourse’ to describe this fellowship (Thayers, Strong’s), leading us to the idea that we have a spiritual intimacy that goes far beyond natural connections.

The Apostle Paul ranked fellowship equally with baptism, prayer, communion and the doctrine of the Word (Acts 2:42-43); that gives us an idea of how critical it is to the Body. Without this spiritual interconnectedness, which leads to daily, active concern and love for other members of the Body, we are nothing more than a club or loosely connected group with some of the same goals and ideas.

However, when we have this this type of fellowship we become partakers of Christ through His Spirit and through one another. If Christ be in you and we have fellowship, then I partake of Him, in part, through what He has put in you. As a friend once said to me, we are as clay water-pots, pouring back and forth into one another, giving to others of His Spirit and power as He prompts us. This pouring out and receiving of the living water on a continual basis requires interconnectedness beyond human means, and it’s God’s way of supplying the Church Body with all that’s needed, just as blood vessels and capillaries interconnect and supply the human body.

Imagine Body life without deep fellowship, where you simply gather together weekly, speak some encouraging words, then return the next week without having had contact between gatherings. How can the hand get direction from the mind, and in turn put food to the mouth, if there is connectedness for only a couple of hours here and there? It’s not possible - a person would starve or become malnourished while waiting! An army which is not connected in purpose and continually united in its actions has made itself vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy, but one which is moving together in thought, word and deed has formed a wall which is difficult to penetrate. This is the same concept with the Body of Christ, but on a spiritual level.

We were created for fellowship with Christ (1 Cor. 1:9), and it's achieved (in part) by our fellowship with one another. This requires being vulnerable, while also being careful with the vulnerability of others: it’s a powerful, spiritual trust between members of the Body.

Our fellowship with one another is ultimately a picture of the marriage that the Bride of Christ has with our Lord: continual and long term love, grace, patience, consideration and self sacrificial care. This is the fellowship of the believer!

God's Servant or Man's Slave?

There can be a fine line between being a servant and becoming someone’s slave: in one instance you run the race set before every Christian, in the other you run yourself ragged.

As Christians, we serve God by serving others. It’s God’s way of allowing us to be used of Him through the gifts He’s put inside of us, and it’s also a means of extending His grace and love to others. But when that service becomes a burden which over-extends and exhausts us, takes us away from serving our spouses and families, causes our health to suffer or pulls us away from God, we may have crossed the line of servant-hood and gone into slavery.

If you’re in this type of situation, here are few things to consider:
-get extra help – a person in dire need often can’t be helped by only 1 person – you don’t have to do it all
-let the Lord show you what you CAN/SHOULD do, then stay within those limitations
-check your heart to see why you are compelled to help past the point of normal assistance (is there a pride issue, or a need for recognition, or hope of being promoted in some way?)
-are you catering to the whims of another person (and perhaps enabling them) or are you providing for a need?
-have you become overly enmeshed or entangled in the emotions of the person you’re helping – so much so that you’re thoughts are about him/her constantly?

Over-extending ourselves can also lead to bitterness; we see that in the case of Mary and Martha. If Martha had set her priorities and sought God about her responsibilities, she wouldn’t have taken out her frustrations on someone else (Luke 10). Jesus told Martha that she should be focusing on God first while she was exhausting herself in the busy-ness of ‘serving others.’

Besides extending the love of God to others, our purpose in helping is to show them how to serve Christ through serving one another. Remember Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt 8:14)? Once healed, she rose up and began to serve Jesus Christ. For those who will always need assistance, it takes a team of loving hands to care for them, and God has to give the game plan for their long-term care. But for those who are able to help themselves, we need only to get them going in the right direction and give them continued encouragement; otherwise we may do more damage to them in the long run.

For our own health, the sanctity of our homes and the witness we bear to our families, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate our servant-hood and make sure we’re first serving God, then others, as He leads.

Holy Resolve: Set Your Face Like Flint!

During his captivity in Babylon Daniel took a stand to stay away from the defiling food of the king’s table (Dan.1). The king considered this food to be a nutritious delicacy, and very few Babylonians were fed so ‘well’, but Daniel’s view of a delicacy was based on the law of God, not the world’s opinion. Daniel knew that this food was not only defiling to his body, but to his spirit as well, so he set his face like flint and made a holy resolve (a spiritual determination) to stay away from it.

But notice how Daniel carried out this holy resolve: he gently and respectfully spoke to those who served the food, and effectively threw out a fleece to the king: “Let us try this for 10 days and see how we look and act during that time” (Dan 1:13). Since Daniel’s resolve was born out of obedience to God and His word, God backed him up by moving the king’s heart to support his resolve.

After this trial period, the king called for Daniel and his friends and tested them. He found them to be filled with wisdom and revelation far above their counterparts, so much so that the king began to depend on them for insight and understanding. Interestingly, Daniel 1:20 states that they had 10 times more knowledge than the astrologers and magicians on whom the king had previously depended; this was right after their 10 day diet change. As we persistently follow God's plan for this holy resolve, He will provide the necessary gifts and tools to carry it out.

This time of year often stirs us to set resolutions toward change; it’s a time of renewal. When the New Year begins we see where we want to be in the coming months and formulate ideas on how to get to that place, whether it be physical, spiritual, mental, financial or otherwise. But setting a resolution can be different than getting a holy resolve: a holy resolve comes from the heart of God and it’s catapulted forward by His power, wisdom, revelation and insight. It begins in a person’s spirit and it's carried out in the physical realm by setting one’s face like flint and keeping one’s physical and spiritual eyes single on God and His way of carrying it out. If the resolve is from God, we will likely see a multitude of wondrous events in the process of carrying it out - old mindsets will break off, new doors will open, healing will come..........the possibilities are limitless!

Additionally, if the resolve is a holy resolve God will be lifted up during the process and men will be drawn to Him. As the gifts inside of Daniel became more evident to the king, he looked to Daniel for guidance and direction. The overriding theme of Daniel’s heart and life was verbalized when the king called on him to interpret his dream and Daniel responded by saying “It is the God of heaven which reveals these things; look to him for your answers” (Daniel 2:26-28 expounded).

Seek God and get His resolve for this New Year, then set your mind like flint towards His purposes. It won’t matter what others think, what the world says or does, or what road blocks lie in the way; if God be for us, who can stand against us as we carry out His purposes with wisdom, grace and love? (Rom.8:31)

“But Daniel determined in his heart [set his face like flint, made a holy resolve] that he would not defile himself by [eating of] the king's rich and dainty food [the world’s ways of life] … therefore he requested of the ...[king's servant]... that he might [be allowed] not to defile himself. [As a result]… God made Daniel to find favor, compassion, and loving-kindness with the chief of the [the king’s servants]” (Daniel 1:8-8 AMP, expounded).

When Trauma and Drama Overshadow Celebrations!

     Holiday's can bring financial and relationship stress, simply because of the expectations put on us to live up to family and societal traditions. Along with those difficulties, some people have suffered trauma during festive occasions and bear the pain of those wounds for years to come.

     We know that Jesus' disciples suffered trauma during festive seasons because the Apostle James (John's brother) was killed during the Passover week, a very holy and celebratory time for the Jewish people (Acts 12).  And all of the disciples physically saw their friend, mentor, teacher and Savior brutally killed during a Passover celebration.  One might say "but that was Jesus, and He was later raised from the dead.”  This is true, but they still retained the memory of watching him physically die a bloody and painful death – that’s a horrific site to watch no matter what the end result may be.

     It’s difficult to imagine the great grief they must have felt from these experiences, in addition to the constant pressure they were under from the Roman government and the priests who persecuted and pursued them.  But the disciples could not allow these traumas to overshadow their lives and their work for the Lord. They were bent on destroying the works of hell, not pondering them and becoming stifled by them.  Had they not understood that they were on assignment for God, and that He was with them continually, they may have stopped and crumbled, allowing grief and pressure to inundate their hearts and minds.

     Besides understanding our assignments for the Lord and using them as impetus to press forward, we have the continual saving and healing grace and power of God with us on a daily basis.  However, we must be willing to receive that grace and power by willingly letting go of the past instead of carrying the bitterness and pain of it into our future: we cannot punish an offender of the past by allowing the offense to dictate our future!  I unknowingly had this mindset at one time, and eventually had to ask myself “who is being punished?”

     For the Christian who desires to follow God wholeheartedly, there has to come a time of releasing the past and living fully in the present. Sometimes we must do that internally by taking a mental and Spiritual stand, and sometimes we must physically do something to keep the past from thriving in the present.  For example, when there’s a feeling of dread during a time that should be joyous, determine that you will receive the Lord’s emotional healing because He has come that you may have a full and fruitful life (John 10:10)! This is a promise – grasp hold of the promise of God and take it into yourself.  When other’s expectations are impossible to live up to and bring stress to a time that should be celebratory, it may be necessary to take a stand (in love) and set some healthy boundaries.  When history tries to repeat itself or bring its trauma (or drama) into the present, it’s time to use your authority in Christ and put up a road block – even if that means physically removing yourself from its path. 

     Isn’t it time to be set free from the trauma and drama of the past?  There is absolutely nothing that God cannot heal, and He is willing: with God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26)! There are better things to think on, better things to live for, and a better future than what the past is dictating to you today.  Are you ready to step into God's healing and the future He's planned for you?

      “He has sent Me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant [consolation and joy] … to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified”  [Isaiah 61:1-3 AMP].

Mary gave birth to Jesus; will you do the same?

Christmas has taken on various meanings through the generations since Christ's birth. But if we could narrow down the meaning of Christmas to a few main ideas, perhaps an important one is that Christmas was the physical starting point of Jesus' purposes on the earth. As Christians, we often talk about Jesus purpose in dying, but in living, what purpose did He fulfill?

While the Bible records many aspects of Jesus' reasons for coming to earth, over and over and over the it speaks of Him teaching others: at the temple, on mountainsides, standing in a boat. In fact, more than performing miracles, Jesus taught, and we have more record of Him teaching than doing any other activity, including praying. He taught his disciples, the people who gathered around Him, the pharisees, the woman at the well and many others.

And it makes perfect sense that Jesus would come to show the way TO God and the ways OF God through teaching. If we see Jesus as the Savior who walked the earth mainly to perform miracles, we miss a very important part of His character and God's purpose, which is to recreate the individual into the image of God so that we would understand Him, have relationship with Him, defeat the enemy in our lives, and draw others to His eternal salvation.

Without the ever increasing knowledge of God and His ways we are simply occasional receivers of blessings, not partakers of the life of Christ! It's much the same as the person who is given bread but never taught to grow wheat, make his own bread and give a portion to others. The teachings of Jesus have power to transform our lives and empower us: when we think like Christ, we live like Christ! So in considering how much teaching we need, perhaps the question we should ask is "how much do we want our lives transformed?" "Do we want to be empowered?" "Are we satisfied with the status quo?"

John describes Jesus as the Living Word, saying "they beheld His glory and touched Him and knew Him intimately" (paraphrased John 1:1-14). If you truly want to know about Christmas, read about Jesus as the holy, living, powerful, walking and talking word and teachings of God (John1). Christmas brought us access to God to the extent that we receive His teachings and they become part of us, changing us into His very image and character. Here is the continuing miracle of Christmas: Jesus is reborn in the earth as we become the Living Word to the world around us! Mary allowed God to give birth to Christ(mas) through her, will you do the same?

So with this I say "Merry, blessed, prosperous Christmas to those who love and serve the Living God, the Living Word and the Transformer of Lives! And a joyous New Year to those who are being transformed into Living Epistles, mirroring the image of Jesus Christ by continued revelation of Him through His teachings."

"And this is eternal life: to know You (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with through His teachings and Spirit), the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah) and reflect His glory and life in the earth.... " (John 17:3, AMP, paraphrased).

When Seasons Change....But I Don't

A video circulating around Facebook showed a driver trying to maneuver out of a tight parking place: over and over she backed up and hit the car behind her, then drove forward and hit the car in front of her. No matter how many times she tried this method she failed to free her vehicle from the tiny parking space.

Someone once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That may not be true in all circumstances, but for the most part it makes good sense. So if you're banging your head against the wall day after day and wondering why you're stuck in that same old predicament, perhaps it's time to make a move towards change instead of just thinking about it. Sometimes we have to stay in the same spot and change our attitudes, but other times we've stayed too long in the same spot while waiting for something around us to change.

Waiting too long to make this move can cause bitterness. The beginning of bitterness may manifest when things that didn't bother us before begin to agitate us, or when it seems that people we've never had a problem with become difficult to deal with. Just as we recognize that there is a time and season for everything under heaven (Ecc. 3), we must be attentive to the change of seasons in our lives and willingly flow with them. Wearing winter clothing once summer has arrived would be an unhealthy and very uncomfortable way to live: a change of dressing habits is a must in this circumstance!

If you are in this type of predicament, don't cut and run! Make your decision with the Lord's wisdom and sincerity of heart, address it in love, then walk away from it without burning bridges. There may also be a need for repentance if you have resisted God's promptings to change, but once you have done so you can look forward to fulfilling God's perfect will as you progress in your new season.

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted...a time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away..." (Ecc. 3:1,2,6).

Disclaimer: this is not advice to leave your marriage!

Have your bad experiences become memorials?

When God instructed the Israelites to build a memorial He was guiding them to set a marker. He had done something miraculous to move His people forward and prosper them in His plan and the marker (or memorial) signified a turning point or the beginning of a new season.

Consider the parting of the Jordan River, when God enabled the Israelites to walk through the river on dry ground then instructed them to set up a memorial of 12 stones. Once this was completed, marking their miraculous entrance into His plan and promises, they left behind their desert wanderings and began taking their promised inheritance (Joshua 4).

A memorial can be a physical and visual marker, or it can be a mental marker, but either way it’s spiritual! A marker will either serve as a remembrance of the goodness and faithfulness of God, or it will serve as a ball and chain to hold you to the past. When God called for a memorial to be erected in the Bible, it was because He had propelled His people forward through power, signs and wonders, and they were to remember this as they struggled to walk through the tough times ahead.

We often set up memorials in our minds: declarations of stubbornness and commitments to remember hurts, wrongs and pains above the goodness of God. We build these memorials when we’ve had difficult circumstances or been wronged or we’re set in a certain way of doing things. Instead of moving into God’s promised land we keep ourselves tied to those markers and continue to wander in the desert.

God’s markers are intended to propel us forward and enable us to fulfill His plans, but the enemy’s markers are intended to keep us sunk in his mire of disgust and fear, or even stubbornness. God’s markers focus on what He has done and can do, in spite of the difficult things that have happened in our lives. God’s markers are viewed through the eyes of faith, whereas the markers of the enemy are viewed through a spirit of hurt and offense, or even tradition and habit.

You may remember an event in your life and that memory has kept you captive and disabled God’s power. Perhaps that memory even has a religious idea attached to it: this is the way God operates because it’s how He did it last time. Maybe your memorial is the idea that God can only work in a certain way and in a specific ‘spiritual’ atmosphere. Or maybe you find yourself saying “I can’t move forward because….” or “God’s word isn’t working for me because….,” but the real ‘because’ is that you have placed a stone of remembrance in your mind and it’s taking precedence over the power and promises of God.

But today is the day to be set free and move forward; it’s a day to tear down the memorials of the enemy. Today is the day to repent of setting up that memorial, shift your focus to what God can do (and allow Him to do it in His way), and step into your new season. Today is the first day of the rest of your life: if you choose to annihilate the marker!

You will likely have to continually press forward and change your way of thinking, or get some help moving forward, but the first step is to remove the memorial and disallow it from keeping you tied down. God is willing and able to help you; His grace and mercies are fresh and new every morning, so don’t let them go to waste (Lam. 3:22-23).

“The enemy has been cut off and [his markers] have vanished in everlasting ruins. You have plucked up and overthrown their cities [the strongholds and memorials in our minds]; the very memory of them has perished and vanished” (Psalm 9:6 HCSB, adapted).

Is My Tithe An "Insurance Policy?"

Often times giving into the Kingdom of God is seen as some type of insurance policy – if I faithfully give then the walls of protection stay up and all is good for me and mine. While faithful giving is Biblical, we are missing pertinent elements of God's truth if we solely depend on it to open heaven’s blessings in our lives and keep us from all harm. Far and above giving is the act of loving, and this exemplifies the heart of God.

Consider Matthew 5 , which deals with the person who is ready to give his offering but is reminded that giving while at ‘odds’ with a brother or an adversary is worthless giving. You see, God is looking for faithfulness to Him through the way we handle our relationships and treat one another more so than what we give into the offering plate. Far greater is love than faith where offerings are concerned, and in fact, faith for giving and receiving is under-girded by love, which makes faith operational and effective (Gal. 5:6, 1 John 3:18).

An interesting note on Matt 5 (seen also in Luke 12) is that the first mention of settling differences is with one’s ‘brother’ and the second is with one’s ‘adversary.’ Those born out of the same spiritual womb and into the Kingdom of God are surely brothers, but God sees it as important to settle matters with those who are not brothers – the unsaved. And perhaps one reason for this is that the witness of God will be given to adversaries as we work to settle differences through the Spirit of God.

A second note on this scripture is that the brother has ‘aught’ against the person who is ready to give his offering; it doesn’t say that the person giving the offering has something against his brother. This indicates that we have a responsibility beyond forgiving others, and that responsibility is to reconcile and settle our differences as far as it depends upon us. That doesn’t mean the other person is going to be willing to reconcile and settle differences, but as a bearer of the love of God it is our responsibility to earnestly try. We may have to say “We’ve talked this through, and I know we can’t agree on it, but can we agree to release the tension between us and understand that we think differently on it?” Then leave it in God’s hands to change the mind of the person who is not aligned with Him – we don’t have to be the Holy Spirit to those with whom we disagree.

A third note on this scripture is that we are not to physically give our offering to God until we’ve taken care of the differences between us and others. To ‘offer’ is to tenderly extend one’s gift through the heart more so than the hand; it’s a spiritual event which signifies our thankfulness to God for His unending forgiveness, faithfulness and love. A little angst mixed in with a love offering, especially if one is depending on their faithful giving to keep them under God’s protection, is like mixing a drop of mud into a gallon of water. It might be a wee bit of mud, and it might be hard to spot in that gallon of water, but it has soiled the purity of the water. Keep the giving pure: the heart that seeks peaceful, loving, relationships is the heart that offers an unpolluted gift.

In the end (Matt 5), the heart which extended God’s love (reconciled to his adversary before giving an offering) was kept from getting dragged into court, losing his earthly belongings and being tossed into prison; it wasn’t simply the heart that had faith to give and expect a return.

The reason we give is because we love - both God and others. In no way does that negate the promises of God - but it sets a priority for our giving.

Does 'Forgive' Mean 'Forget?'

Forgiving others restores our mind, will and emotions back to God and His ways, and it helps us to use the situation which caused the offense to sharpen our understanding, discernment and wisdom. This means that we learn much from our experiences and are able to spot ‘signals’ or discern troubles more readily in the future. However, if we try to completely forget the situation as though it never happened, we may deal incorrectly with the person or persons who brought it about. Forgiving means we move forward by treating the person who sinned against us with love and grace, and we leave the acts of ‘justice’ to God – it’s not our responsibility to avenge a wrong done to us (Rom. 12:19)..

But if we haphazardly 'forget' along with forgiving, we may fail to set boundaries and perceive future concerns. It's OK to let trust be slowly built up again when a hurt has occurred - you don't have to jump in and assume the offender is A-OK and has changed his/her stripes because you have forgiven him. The fruit of a person’s life shows their trustworthiness and heart of repentance (Matt. 3:8). In forgiving someone who abused one of your children would you assume "all is good now because I have forgiven, so I can trust that person 100% and place my child back in his/her path?" In the same sense, would you put yourself back into a situation where you'll be hurt or abused just because you have forgiven? Seek God and let Him decide if and when you are to resume relationship, and what boundaries are to be in place.

Forgiving does not necessarily bring an equal reaction on the part of the one being forgiven – he or she may not be sorry and may not change his/her ways. Nor does forgiveness negate the fact that we are to behave responsibly toward one another – if we forget this we may give others undue access into our lives, which will hurt us again and enable them to continue their poor behaviors (Num 14:19-22). Jesus has provided forgiveness to the world – but the action of accepting that forgiveness (by means of repenting and living for God) has not taken place for a vast majority of people, therefore they cannot receive the blessings of being in relationship with God – both now and in eternity.

There are also times when we are not to continue a relationship unless we get a go-ahead from God (Matt 18:17). This does not give us an excuse for unforgiveness, but it gives that person some space to repent, grow, and seek God for himself while we pray and seek God's wisdom and timing. Some personalities are abusive - verbally, physically or mentally - and allowing those people access to our hearts and minds completely zaps our energy and takes our focus off of God, putting it on self-preservation. We cannot ‘fix’ others; it’s God’s work to do so as they submit to Him. We are to help and pray as He guides.

Forgiving and setting boundaries should never release us from loving and being kind – but we must combine that with Godly wisdom and discernment. Just as God extends His grace to all, we are to do the same (Matt 5:43-46) – but in the process we are to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves (Matt 10:16).

Tired of Ordinary?

Ordinary: commonplace according to culture’s standards; typical, habitual, normal, having no distinctive features.

The word ‘ordinary’ (and its concept) recently struck me as being distasteful. There are some routine and ordinary things in life that are completely necessary, and they are good for us – like regular meals! However, falling into a regular routine which expects nothing out of the ordinary, or lives life as the rest of culture lives, is likely falling into the trap of the enemy; if he can keep us mildly satisfied with our everyday routine, we will be mildly effective for God!

On the other hand, living ‘out of the ordinary’ may simply mean pursuing the talent God’s given you which you’ve put on the back burner year after year – that may be the very thing which places you in a position to bring a multitude of people into the kingdom! Living ‘out of the ordinary’ may mean you have to step out in faith and reach out to grab the Promised Land instead of merely existing in Egypt and thinking about how things ‘could have been.’ Or perhaps living ‘out of the ordinary’ means you are continuously absorbing the Word of Truth as preparation for the next assignment God gives you. But whatever your circumstance, ‘extraordinary’ living occurs when we determinately and continuously make God the center of our universe, and in turn His life overflows into our daily existence - bringing unusual and uncommon results!

We are a peculiar people – a people set aside for God’s love and purposes – meant to show His virtue and power to the world around us. Our lives are seeds which have been planted – but germination can only take place under the watering of the Word, direction of the Holy Spirit and willingness to give up earth’s ‘ordinary’ for heaven’s ‘extraordinary!’

Perhaps some of us are waiting for God to change something in our ordinary lives – but maybe God is waiting for us to reach out and grab that extraordinarily unique life He’s prepared for each us! Don’t be satisfied with ordinary – you were created to be unique!

“ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9 AMP).

Tell the Mountain Where to Go!

Have you ever been through a time when you are speaking to the mountain to move - and trusting God for it to happen - when suddenly the mountain starts speaking back to you and telling YOU to move?

The mountain might be society and its values, a work situation, a loved one who is rebellious or perhaps something you are personally trying to conquer through the Spirit of God. But nothing gets your spiritual vigor up more than having the mountain tell you what it's going to do!

In times like these determine that you will vigorously press forward, taking the Kingdom by force through God's power packed weapons of prayer, faith and unity!!!

"Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'be lifted up and thrown into the sea!' and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him" (Mark 11:23 AMP).