March 30, 2011 The Poverty Paradox

I'm going to tell you what I saw today in the reading, and then you can go to the Word with it and hash it out with the Lord.  I'm not trying to establish your doctrine here, I'm just trying to challenge you to think about what you're reading, and to think about why you think what you think about it.

If you read the New King James, you may not notice this paradox.  This is what I read in my version: "But there will be no poor among you (for the LORD will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess),  if only you will obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment which I command you this day. For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you." Deuteronomy 15:4-6 RSV

In the next verse, we get the paradox:  "If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,  but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be."  Deuteronomy 15:7-8  RSV

It goes on to show the attitude we should have, and talks more about the release year, the seventh year.

More of the paradox follows:  "For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land." Deuteronomy 15:11 RSV

It seems to me that some of the translators, including the NKJV, had a difficult time is accepting this paradox, so they wrote but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,  except when there may be no poor among you; for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance 15: 3-4 NKJV.  This "except" just doesn't make a lot of sense.  To me the opposites do make sense, because we see this kind of paradox all the time in Scripture.

God is saying that there will be no poor among you and that there will always be poor among you, at the same time, in the same chapter even.  Why is this?

Considering there is an "if only" clause in that promise, I can totally see why we not only always have some poor people among us, in our nation and in the Church, we have an amazing number of poor people.  Could it possibly be that we ignore clear directions given us by the Lord?

I remember how the Lord, years ago, cut loose our finances when we began to obey His commandment not to charge interest on loans (within the family~ and we take that spiritually too).  I'm not sure if we've come up to the seven year release date on any debts yet, and we may not have had that revelation at the time.  But I see it now, and will live up to it if it comes up [Usually, I just give expecting nothing in return].  This may be Old Testament stuff, but didn't Jesus come to fulfill the Law and not abolish it?  There are principles that we may walk in and begin to experience the kind of blessing that was promised.  He shows us His desires, what He loves and what He hates, and He shows us how to fulfill love and righteousness.  If we would start to study the Word to find out how to do that, I think we'd find out how to get rid of poverty.

In the Old Testament, we see promises about being free from poverty, sickness, oppression, etc.  In the New Testament, we are given everything we need in order to walk in these promises.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  He demonstrated the same truth that was given in the Old Testament.  His principles go beyond the Old Testament, go deeper and higher, into the heart and into the unseen realm.  There is no reason why we should not walk in His promises, except that we don't know, we don't understand, or we don't believe.

As the Lord stated, everyone will not get a hold of His truth and promises, even though He desires that they do.  But that should not stop you from getting a hold of them.  If you believe God's Word and walk in it, and you demonstrate God's love to people the way Jesus did, not only will you see the effect of His promises in your life, you may also be able to help others get a hold of the promises for themselves who may not have otherwise.

Questions to Ponder:
How is debt affecting you?  How is it affecting this nation?
What was Jesus getting at when He taught us to pray: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12  NKJV
Is there any possibility that poverty is related to unforgiveness?  Why or why not?

October 14, 2010 I Choose The Temple Of Truth

Since we are created to be God's temple, individually and corporately, we have a responsibility to remain faithful to Him.  There is an unholy temple, and I don't want to be it.  In that temple, the self is set up as god, and lawlessness "rules." Unrighteousness is its condition.  According to our reading today, it is the work of Satan.  It is the result of not loving the truth, and those who live there are given over to a lying delusion, and eventually to destruction.

On the other hand, we have the choice to live in, and be, God's holy temple.  In this temple, Christ Jesus is King, and because of His grace, we serve the living God.  This temple is full of the praise of God, and His truth rules.  The condition of those who live here is blessing and strength, grace and glory! 

Even though the world seems to be, more and more, embracing the spirit of antichrist, rushing headlong into insanity, we who are in Christ Jesus may be always joyful and hopeful in Him.  As we patiently wait for His return, we have the awesome privilege to daily serve Him in whatever He has given us to do, whether small or great.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,  comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17 NKJV

October 5, 2010 The Best Mystery Is A Solved One

I love a mystery, don't you?  What I enjoy most about a mystery is finding out the solution.  If there's only mystery, and no revelation, the thrill is lost and the only thing left is frustration!  That's good news when it comes to the gospel!  It's a mystery revealed: "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints" "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1: 26, 27b

I'm going to let the Holy Spirit speak to you about that, because it's such a packed statement it really takes the whole New Testament to unfold it!  I felt, though, that I needed to be forthright in clearing up an apparent mystery as to why I have not kept up writing in Daily Manna.  Be assured, I haven't back-slidden, and I'm still reading my One Year Bible, as I hope you are.  I certainly hope my silence has not been a discouragement to you.

I have felt great pressure to "spew" while I've been reading the prophets-- everything I read is so vividly relevant to the present condition of our nation.  But the Holy Spirit had not released me to speak what's been on my heart.  Just because I have a daily blog does not mean I have permission to speak daily!  This is a human expectation (mine included) that can cause pressure.  Again I remind you, the designation "Daily Manna" refers to the daily reading of God's Word, not my daily words!! 

The Lord has made it clear to me that I am under no compulsion to write daily; rather He has strongly gotten it across to me that I am NOT to do so, at least not now.  I will, however, write when He tells me to.  This will keep me from blowing off steam that is supposed to build and give me momentum to accomplish the things He has given me to do.  It's a hard lesson to learn, for all of us, that just because we have something to say (referring here to something TRUE to say), doesn't mean we should always say it.  The goal is to be like Christ, and He only did and said what He saw His Father doing and saying at any given time.

Scriptures are clear about what is wrong and what needs to be done about it.  I hope you have been brave and have continued to sludge (if you felt that way) through the prophets' words of wrath and judgment, and that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the things you needed to see and discuss with Him in prayer.  I hope these passages have given you great impetus for intercession.  I hope you were comforted and inspired by the many words of hope and pictures of Christ in Isaiah, as was I.   

What I want to do today, dear brother or sister, is to encourage you and bless you.  I do not curse my country as some people do, but neither do I wish to bless evil as some others do all the time.  So what I will do is what I see my Father doing, and that is bless His people, His HOLY nation!  Who is His holy nation, if not those who fear Him?  Those whose hope of salvation is Christ the Lord.  In His name I bless you!  You ARE blessed because you belong to HIM!  In Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

It is time to SEE the mountain of the Lord, His kingdom growing in the earth.  It is time to run to the mountain!  God is lifting up His banner of love-- even as the trumpet of battle is blowing-- lifting up His covering which is Christ's blood.  Under this covering we are protected from God's wrath against evil.  Yes, there is wrath.  I feel it inside many times, and maybe you do too, against corruption, injustice and plain stupidity.  There is a separation of light from darkness as the Spirit hovers, brooding over the earth.  What He is forming in you is CHRIST!  Not the world's lying definition of that, but Christ Himself, the Word of Truth.  This is your hope of glory, the light shining out into the darkness.  There will definitely be a separation-- not of church and state, as many are calling for, but a separation of the wicked from the righteous.  The separation will be for judgment, because this world is judged.  We are under the blood, if we are His.  We are not appointed to wrath (this doesn't mean we don't get some discipline at times when we need it-- we are His children, the children of light.)   Let's just make sure we are in Him.  As the light rises in you, the darkness will flee from you as the dark of night flees from the rising of the dawn!

This is not a time for finger-pointing or blame, but time for serious consideration, and time for deep intercession.  God can and does choose nations, when they submit to Him; He can revive our nation, making it again a "nation under God", but the people of the nation need to be revived!  When I say revival, I mean taking hold of the kindgom of God.  Nationwide repentance is needed: Repentance for desiring a king other than God.  Repentance for trusting in government for provision and safety rather than trusting in the Lord.  Repentance for running after and serving other gods.   Repentance for the sacrifice of children to the evil spirits of old.  Repentance for allowing the freedom that Christ bought for us, that we have fought so desperately to retain, to be traded in for slavery.  There are many other things to be repented of, as the Word and Spirit will testify. 

The Church must from the heart repent for its lack of discernment and from hiding from her duties: "These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them." Proverbs 24: 23-25 

As citizens of an earthly nation, we must come before God to repent for the sins of our nation; as citizens of Heaven, we must call our earthly nation to come under the blood of Christ and be reconciled to God.  Then, as citizens of both Earth and of Heaven, when it's time, we must get out and vote as the Holy Spirit, Scripture and conscience direct. 

There is no more time for excuses or laziness.  Let the Sun rise in you and enlighten the darkness!

"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1: 19-20

Questions to ponder:

What parts of the Word have been a mystery to you?  Have you asked God to reveal them to you?  What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you lately?

What influences have you come under in your life that have stolen the freedom you have in Christ?  Are you a slave to anything right now, other than Christ?  Do you know how to get free?

How much do you value your freedom?  Are you willing to fight for it? 
What enemies do you see that want to destroy your freedom?  What part of the battle is physical, and what part is spiritual?

July 15, 2010 When Kings Go Out To Battle

What jumped out at me today was a phrase I'd noticed before, but never thought to wonder about: in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle.(1 Chronicles 20:1).  I wondered what the spiritual significance of this was, and I asked the Lord about it.  I was expecting to read about David's affair with Bathsheba, since the same phrase was used in that story.  I looked it up: it is 2 Samuel 11:1, but this was a different account of David.  In both accounts, it says that Joab went out against Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but that David stayed in Jerusalem in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle.  Whether both accounts are the same period of time, I do not know.  It is not in the boundaries of this devotional that I do external research.  I will leave this mystery for later, and you can go study it for yourself if you wish.

One thing is clear, there are seasons when we should be battling the enemy, and if we're not, then we'll surely end up devastated.  Going from historical ignorance here, but not spiritual ignorance, I'd say it is quite possible that this was one particular time period in David's life.  It seems, from the way he took and wore the defeated king's crown instead of dedicating the gold to the Lord-- as he had always done before-- that he was falling into pride.  When we're prosperous and feel powerful and undefeatable, luxury and a feeling of complacency certainly have a way of leading us away from humility and hard work and into pride and laziness.  "Let other people do it; this is my due."

In our reading, although there is great time-compression in this chronicle, it is revealing to see what happened over the census David decided to do.  Pride again seems to be the open door here for the sinful choice he made.  "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chroncles 21:1  The consequences for this were devastating, and God's judgment brought David to a place of humility again.  Pride and not fearing the Lord go hand in hand.  Pride is iniquity of the spirit, and it was Satan's downfall, remember-- he is particularly attuned to it and empowered by it.

In our individual lives, pride opens the door for the devil to steal, kill and destroy.  Resisting the devil requires submitting to God, and that requires humility.  (James 4:7) Humility is one of the best of our weapons of warfare.  In a nation's life, pride in the hearts of those in leadership (government) opens the door for satanic attack, and also God's judgment-- which falls on the people the government was supposed to bless and protect.  Rather than lash out in anger, it is wise for the people in a nation to humble themselves and pray for their leadership.  I've been convicted many times of not doing this seriously enough.  What I read in the Word today gives me strong incentive.

I still want more revelation about the time kings go out to battle.  It was in the spring.  To me that says it's the time when things that have already been planted and established are beginning to bud (spiritual or natural, and it's a different time for everyone).  That means that another harvest is on its way, and each harvest should be greater than the last (for a natural example-- a harvest from an apple orchard).  Satan wants to keep us and our life efforts from bearing any fruit;  if there's something established in our life that he hasn't been able to destoy, he's going to want to keep the harvest from happening:  "nip it in the bud."  Every spring, it's the same.  The bully wants to create a famine for us if he can.  If we're proud and lazy-- or simply don't have a clue --  we'll lose the fruit of our labors.  This was to be our provision, our offering to the Lord, and a blessing to the poor. 

You know spring is a reality, therefore you need to understand the season and go out to battle.  The person who has the initiative can take the high ground, or choose the most strategic battlefront.  Why wait for the devil to barge in and take what's yours (by the blessing of God and the work of your hands)?  You know he's just going to keep doing the same thing until he realizes it's futile.  So don't be proud, lazy or stupid!  Pick up your Sword and go out against him. 

July 7, 2010 Sticks, Stones and Word-Grenades

I remember learning a sort of proverb when I was a kid: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."  Children try to believe what their elders tell them-- it's in their basic make-up to do so.  But when their own sense of right and wrong contradicts what they've been told, it's very confusing.  The old adage wasn't true, of course; it was a terrible type of denial, that instead of protecting me, left me very vulnerable to the injury of other people's words.  Lying statements about a person, when undetected or undefused, go deep down into a person's psyche and erode like acid, or they can later go off like bombs, debilitating and even destroying them.

Today we came across the very short, and somewhat hidden statement about Jabez (if you don't at least skim the geneologies and other parts of the Bible you consider boring, you miss important nuggets, or even a best-selling book!).  Here was an innocent kid being told over and over, simply by hearing his name, that he was a pain! (and possibly other words of a mother who had a bad attitude): "Come here, YouCausePain, and do these dishes for me.  That's the least you can do to make up for the suffering you've caused!"  Ouch! 

As Christians, we tend to name our children truthful and empowering things, and for a good reason!  God didn't change people's names for kicks--  He knew what names can do to people.  Names, when well-chosen, can help a child reach his or her full potential in God.  Parents should continue in that vein, speaking the truth in love over their children, as well as nurturing them in other ways.  We're going to make mistakes, obviously, but if we discover we've said something hurtful or untrue,  it is "best practice" to immediately ask a child's forgiveness and replace the untruth with the word of God.  Children also need to be taught what to do when they are ridiculed and picked on, since everyone is at one time or another. Sensitive children, especially, can really be hurt by this and need reinforcement.  The earlier we learn to receive God's comfort and allow Him to build us up with truth, the better.

We're not told how Jabez managed to become "more honorable than his brothers"-- God may have sent someone along to help him.  Since we're told about his prayer, he must have early turned to God in his disappointment.   
I wish this happened more often, but I have listened to the stories of many adults whose personalities were twisted and whose minds were warped by the things they were called as a child (along with other problems of their environment).  We see, however, that if a person will call out to God in faith, He will take up their case, deliver them from evil, restore their personhood, and bless them in their life with His favor.  Jabez even asked for a greater platform in which to testify of God's goodness.  God was able to use for good what the enemy meant for evil.  This is true for anyone who will turn to the Lord rather than remain in bitterness. 

God was able to use the lying statements of the Jews about Paul to get him to an even higher platform.  This could not have happened if Paul had buckled under the barrage of accusations being flung at him for years.  It is extremely important that we learn to hear God's words over us, over our life and person.  We have to believe Him and not the rest of the world, abusive or flattering as it may be.  If there's ever a time of "tearing down" in our life, it probably has a lot to do with tearing down the ways we operate based on lies we've believed about ourselves.  We can only reach our full potential if we are standing on the truth.  God says of you:   
"Rejoice, you who put your trust in Me;
You will shout for joy, because I defend you;
You will be joyful in Me, because you love My name.
I the LORD, will bless You, because you are the righteous in Christ;
I will surround you with My favor as with a shield." from Psalm 5: 11-12 

June 1, 2010 How to Light Up the King's Face

"In the light of the king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain." Proverbs 16:15  The promises in this proverb are great, and they induce me to want to "light up the king's face."  So, how to do this??  I want God's life and favor.  I'm getting a picture of the glory cloud in the day of the latter rain!  I think I would like to walk in His glorious presence in this time.  Don't you?

Jesus' response to Thomas, after His resurrection, gives us a wonderful clue as to how to excel in pleasing Him: 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: 29  When we believe His Word, even when it comes through others, we please Him.  He can work through faith.  Jesus didn't condemn Thomas for needing to have proof, He just indicated that he wasn't going to be as blessed as those who believed without seeing. 

The Apostle John was one of the disciples who believed Jesus had risen without first seeing Him in the body.  Later on in his life, he was given heavenly visions that showed Christ in His kingly glory, as well as many things about the future.  This is a kind of blessing that I would like to receive!  When we only believe what we see with our eyes, we certainly limit our spiritual vision.

When we love Jesus enough to obey Him, this is when our faith can work  (Gal. 5:6).  We don't get proofs of His Word, most of the time, until after we have carried out His Word.  We just have to obey.  If our faith doesn't operate without signs or proofs, then our love is small and we will end up being  disobedient.  This, of course, is a way to NOT please the Lord, and then we don't have the flow of favor we are hoping for.

I realize that some of what I'm saying here could be taken as if God shows favoritism: but giving favor and practicing favoritism is not the same thing.  God doesn't have "favorite children."  He gives reward and disciplines us depending on what we need at any given time.  Really, His discipline is favor, it just doesn't feel like it at the time it's happening.  All His children have His favor (and this means His "born-again" children, not just His human creation).  He still blesses everyone with His overflowing goodness, even unbelievers-- "He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good." (Matthew 5:45)

Here's a verse that makes it clear that there is a way to "light up the king's face": "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6  There's reward!  Who doesn't like reward?

In order to diligently seek the Lord, we have to believe there is more than what we can see, and that God is desiring to give it.  "Seeking" is looking for something we haven't found yet.  If I were "seeking employment" or "seeking a soulmate," that means I believe there is a job out there that I could do, or a person with whom I could  happily spend my life.  I don't seek for things I don't believe exist.

The more I know God, the more I seek for Him, because He keeps telling me about things I haven't seen yet, things that are in Him.  When I believe His Word-- whether I read it in the Bible, I hear it in a sermon, or the Holy Spirit whispers it in my heart-- I begin to "ask, seek and knock" for the thing I heard about.  This is when I can receive.  This is when I am blessed with that favor that was waiting right there in heaven with Christ.

The disciples were wonderfully blessed by having the opportunity to walk around with Jesus, see His miracles, and hear God's Word straight from His mouth.  But we are even more blessed!  Why? Since we don't have evidence of constant "seeing" and "touching," we have a greater opportunity to believe by pure faith (which is itself the "evidence of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1).  Therefore, WE have the opportunity to "light up the king's face" with our faith in Him and His Word.  This opens the door to greater blessings and favor than you or I can even imagine.   

May 11, 2010 How God Deals With Rejection

There's not a lot you can do when people decide to reject God.  If He doesn't force them to accept Him, then how can we presume to do so?  In today's passages, we have two examples of people rejecting God, and how He responded to them.  Since we humans get rejected now and again, I'd say we could learn something from His example.

The people of Israel wanted a king so they could be like all the other nations (I think this indicates they were a little out-of-sync with God, as He wanted them to be different from all the other nations).  Samuel got instructions from the Lord as to what to do about this (he's one of my Bible heroes: he was so accurate in hearing, seeing and speaking God's word!), and the Lord led him to the king who was to be anointed.  Now, taking into consideration that the people got what they wanted, this is what Samuel said to them:  "But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.” 1 Samuel 10:19  This says to me right away that just because we may have gotten what we asked for doesn't mean that God was pleased with us! 

God wanted to be Israel's king Himself, and how could they have had a better one?  Even though their rejection of Him was "covert" (not direct), He identified their true condition as rejecting of Him, and He expressed His displeasure to them.  Nevertheless, I believe God's heart was to bless the people on whatever level they could accept, so He provided them a king to lead them and deliver them from their enemies.  God did not abandon them.  He even gave Saul the experience of being "possessed by God's Spirit" so that he had enough knowledge to call upon God to be empowered.  Apparently he did so, at least at first.

Now, what did Jesus do when He was rejected?  Again, people were often covert in their rejection of Him, yet He always knew what was in their hearts, and He gave them many chances to change their minds.  And again, most of the people were only looking to have their physical needs met and weren't looking at things from a heavenly (spiritual) perspective.  They wanted Jesus to give them more bread, even demanding that He prove Himself with a miracle of giving them heavenly manna.  He told them that He Himself was the "bread from heaven" that would give them eternal life, but the people got offended with Him and stopped following Him.  Jesus didn't do the rejecting, but He didn't let Himself be manipulated either.  He just told the truth and let the people make a choice.

Jesus didn't reject the people back-- He kept going to their towns preaching, teaching and healing until it was His time to lay down His life for them.  He didn't go around flailing them with "bitter diatribes", although I'm sure Jesus was grieved.  He also didn't fire Judas from being a disciple: but He did confront Him with His inward rejection.  I'm sure Judas had many chances to repent before he gave in to Satan and betrayed Jesus.  But Jesus was no dupe; He knew about it all the time.

You wonder how people can reject a God so great and glorious as He is.  How can people reject Jesus Christ who offers us forgiveness, salvation on all levels, and eternal life!?  Many reject Him outright, and many more reject Him covertly.  As a nation, it seems we have rejected God's rule over us and demanded a king.  How will that turn out, I wonder?  Most seem to reject the Lord Jesus for who He actually is and what He actually said, choosing rather to believe in a Jesus and a Christianity that they have made up themselves to suit their own preferences.   And yet, God still loves them and blesses them as much as they will allow.  This is our example of how to treat people who reject us.  Confront first, as you see God and Jesus did in both examples; do not reject back.  However, the intimacy and "top shelf" blessings are reserved for those who accept Him wholeheartedly.

How often do we do covertly reject God, and maybe don't even realize it?  I am going to ask Him if I'm doing that in any way.  I hope not, but if I am, I know He will be faithful to show me and offer me forgiveness and restoration.  Read the Psalm!  God responds to us when we repent and call out to Him.  Over and over.

May 6, 2010 The Seed of Blessing

I've always loved the story of Ruth and Boaz.  Besides being a great study of ancient Hebrew culture, it is a powerful vision of the redemptive power of love.  In Ruth's story, I see the law of increase at work, as words of blessing and acts of kindness are planted, growing into a harvest of favor and blessing.  Ruth's words of blessing and acts of kindness towards Naomi, her mother-in-law, brought a harvest of favor to her through Boaz.  Boaz's words of blessing and acts of kindness to his own workers, family, and Ruth, a foreigner, brought him a harvest of favor and blessing from God.  Together, these people who loved God, knew His goodness, and followed Him in word and deed, brought forth the Seed of blessing into the world.  Through them came the earthly lineage of Jesus.

Then we see Jesus, walking through Cana of Galilee.  He had already blessed them at the wedding, where He did his first miracle.  Again He blessed them with His words, "Go your way; your son lives."  Wherever He went, He sowed words of blessing and acts of kindness.  Whoever believed Him reaped God's favor.  Look how much increase had come down through Boaz and Ruth! 

We are part of this lineage of blessing-- through Christ we have been grafted in.  There has been no end to the increase of His Kingdom by His word and His power.  His word is planted in us, and by faith, we can also receive the blessing and give it.  As our character is established in Christ and our obedience is built by training and practice, we should see the same power of God's favor coming from the words of blessing and acts of kindness the Spirit prompts us to sow.  If we could only get a hold of how overly-abundant-beyond-all-we-can-think-or-ask God's favor is through Christ, there would be no lack of provision, no lack of the power of God.

March 15, 2010

The Scripture readings for the last couple of days have spoken loudly to me about how people's words can steer the course of events.   Yesterday, we read "By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked." Proverbs 11:11  Today, Proverbs says that sometimes we need to hold our tongue.

I could write a whole lot about this, but instead, I'd like to encourage you to check it out for yourself.  How many examples can you find of people speaking words that influenced the future?  Were they positive or negative?

I'll give you an example:  look at Balaam and Zechariah.   These two men were both supposed to speak words from God that would effect the nation of Israel.  God had to intervene in each of these men's lives to keep them from opposing His plan with their words.   Balaam was confronted by an angel and so was Zechariah.  It was both these men's potential words that were an issue.  When they accepted God's will and were willing to speak in agreement with it, they were each released to prophecy and bless.

Too many times, I find myself opposing the Lord by speaking negatively.  I have discovered that it is not a peaceful place to be!  It's this very lack of peace that opposes me and brings me around to seek for God's perspective on my life and circumstances, or His attitude towards people, and causes me to get my speaking in line with His.  

What kinds of things have you found opposing you lately?  Do you think it might have anything to do with what you've been saying?

January 12, 2010

OYB: Genesis 27:24, Matthew 9:2-8  Today I saw examples of the contrast between blindness and sight (speaking spiritually here). Isaac was physically blind, but he could have exercised discernment. Instead, he allowed himself to be deceived. Jesus as the Son of Man, on the other hand, was always perceptive-- nothing could fool Him or deceive Him-- He always knew the truth. He could see faith; he knew men's thoughts and motivations, and of course, he knew the Father's heart and could always see what the Father was doing. Because of this, He had authority. He had the authority to forgive sins and he had the power to issue a blessing. He is the example we are to follow.

January 11, 2010

I saw a difference between those whom the Lord prospers or makes wealthy, and those who try to make themselves that way by ungodly means. God blessed Isaac by giving him a hundred-fold return, and he became very wealthy. Genesis 26:12-13 The Philistines envied him and wanted him to go away. These same people had stopped up the wells his father had dug. They feared these men's power.

The Psalms portion describes the greedy wicked who oppress the poor and helpless in order to gain wealth for themselves. God is not ignoring this. "Indeed you note trouble and grief, that you may take it into your hands; the helpless commit themselves to you; you have been the helper of the orphan." Ps 10:14  God responds to people's cries for help. He also responds to intercession. Ps. 10:12,15

Many people who are poor and who feel helpless, whether they have been oppressed or not, often want to take down the rich who they see as the oppressor, rather than turning to the Lord. They cannot discern the difference between oppressors and people blessed of the Lord. I believe the Lord will make the distinction clearer and clearer in these times. Helping the poor will certainly be one of the marks of God's Kingdom blessing.

Although your enemies may try to project on you the motivations and methods that they themselves walk in, and may try to "stop up your wells" of creativity and the flow of Spirit life and power because of jealousy or competition, don't give in to the pressure! Humility is agreeing with the Lord, not quitting because people misunderstand.

You might be interested in contemplating how today's passage about Jesus ties into this!

January 9, 2010

What I'm getting is "obedience". And the key to that seems to be truly knowing the Lord. "those who know your name put their trust in you" Psalm 9:10. Abraham knew that God would provide, he really knew God, so he obeyed. Matthew 7: 21 only the one who does the will of the Father will enter the kingdom. Because Abraham obeyed, all the nations of the earth are blessed. Because Jesus obeyed, I am saved. What will come of my obedience? What would be lost if I do not obey?