Pearls of Wisdom

God’s Word is full of Him, Who is Wisdom. Jesus is spoken of as the Wisdom of God. In the Bible the book of Proverbs is a definite book of wisdom, which is to be studied. This page is dedicated to bringing the wisdom of God’s Word to you so that you may find daily wisdom for your own life.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We will be taking two weeks off during this season of the year for a time of rest and seeking the Lord for the new year of 2008. We will return on January 7. Until then, may The Blessing of the Lord continue to be reality in your life every day you are on this earth. 2008 is the year of many new things. We have had open doors in 2007. Now we will enjoy what is beyond those open doors. Step on into the Presence of God and His Kingdom. There is an unending supply of His abundance as you worship at His feet and soak in His Presence.



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!





KEEP JESUS IN YOUR FOCUS THIS SEASON!

News of Jesus' Birth

We finish our reading of the Christmas story today in the gospel of Luke and the gospel of Matthew.

Luke 2:8-20
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:21-40
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:
(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And there was one Ana, a prophetess, the daughter of Phaneul, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem,
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee, to their own city Nazareth,
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Now, let’s read about the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
And they said unto him, In Bethlemen of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet.
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye had found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

We don’t have room for any discussion today, but ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the depths of revelation in these scriptures. You will find beautiful and rare gems of God’s realm.

The Birth of Jesus

Today we continue our reading of the Christmas story. We will look at the book of Matthew 1:18-25 before we continue with the gospel of Luke.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

We read in Matthew what we discussed yesterday. Joseph took Mary as his wife. He was going to put her away privately, but the angel of the Lord told Joseph the truth of Mary’s conception and Joseph believed. He took Mary as his wife and had no intimate relations with her as her husband until after Jesus was born.

And we must read these words regarding Jesus’ birth in the book of John 1:1-5 and 14.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

As we look at each gospel of the Bible we see a different emphasis on Jesus in the beginning chapters. The gospel of Mark does not go into detail of Jesus’ birth. The gospel of Luke gives great detail of Jesus’ birth but not of the wise men coming. The gospel of Matthew gives a different emphasis of Jesus with the emphasis on lineage and on Joseph’s handling of the whole situation and then on the coming of the wise men.

Now let’s look at the gospel of Luke again in 2:1-7.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the lineage of David)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child,
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

There has been much discussion by people about there being no room at the inn and about Jesus being so poor that he was born in a stable. Sermons have been preached about the poverty of Mary and Joseph and Jesus being born in a lowly setting to emphasize his poor life. There was never anything poor about Jesus. He was born in a manger because all the rooms were taken. There was a crowd of people in the city that evening. Everyone had to come to pay their taxes. And I am sure that Mary and Joseph were late in arriving because of her condition. More than likely, they had to go slower than other people.

Jesus was a king born in a manger, among the very animals that he had created. I believe the animals recognized their master, even though he was wrapped in the flesh of a human baby. The whole earth knew that their master had come to the earth. The ones who didn’t recognize it were the people. There were a few who did because they had been waiting for Messiah. They knew in their spirit that He was the One.

He’s coming again. Will we recognize Him? Will we be prepared in our spirits to receive Him? Will there be room in our hearts for Him? Are you ready? He’s coming again.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The Word Made Flesh

There are just a few more days until Christmas. Let’s read the Word of God together about Jesus.

Luke 1:26-38
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary had great faith. God found in her a woman who had supreme trust in Him. The angel appeared to Mary; even though she did not understand, she trusted the word of the Lord given through the angel. She answered the angel with an attitude of serving and humility. Her response was: Be it unto me according to thy word.

Without understanding of what it would mean for her to become impregnated with the Holy Ghost, she accepted what God spoke. Jesus Who was called The Word became flesh in Mary’s womb. I don’t think Mary fully realized what would happen to her as people shunned her and called her a wicked woman. She would risk Joseph spurning her as his espoused wife. She would risk shame of being called a sinful woman. And, yes, she could be stoned to death for her shame. The people thought she was lying and I am sure that many of them never did believe what she told them about her baby boy Jesus. And think of the shame that Jesus had to bear in the community. But He did it for you and me. And Mary, unaware of her role in bringing the Son of God to earth, was the carrier of the word made flesh. Now, we are carriers of His Word and it is made flesh in our lives as we embrace the Word of God in our lives.

And we must remember that with God nothing shall be impossible. As Matthew 19:26 states: With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. This is stated again in Mark 10:27: With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.

In Genesis 18:14 we read: Is anything too hard for the Lord?....

And in Matthew 8:8 we see how all things are possible with God on our behalf. …speak the Word only and my servant shall be healed. I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

God’s Word makes all things possible in our lives, if we believe Him, and act on His Word. This Bible we hold in our hands is a copy of God’s instructions for victorious living in this earth. This Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It is the light that shines in the darkness. Jesus is the Word and He is the light of the world who told us that we are the light of the world. We are the light of the world because He is in us. The Light of the world is in us to shine in the dark places. Jesus has come and set us free. The Father has translated us out of the dominion, the authority of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

We are a blessed people. God is our Father. Jesus is our brother. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher. And they all dwell in us in the persons of the Godhead. We are complete in Jesus. God lives in us. The “all things are possible God” lives in us to take care of all impossible situations.

What is your impossible situation? Call on the God of the possible to come and overshadow the impossible with His “possible.”

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Time---Spend It Wisely

Christmas is one week from today and I find myself being caught up in the stress of things that still need to be done. We have had some unforeseen interruptions in my schedule, which I always plan very meticulously. Many of them have been God interruptions, times of helping others. And that is what living for the Lord Jesus Christ means to me----helping others. And here is where faith comes into the picture. You see, we must exercise our faith for what we perceive as the little things as well as the big things. I must exercise my faith for time. God cares about each of us. He cares about what we are doing. He cares about our earthly pursuits, as well as our spiritual pursuits. What He wants us to do is depend on Him to work it out. We are to lean entirely on Him at all times. His delight is to see us trusting in Him as our Lord totally. It gives Him great joy to take care of us. We are His children.

What is Christmas all about? Sometimes it is about those seemingly endless interruptions which are not necessary. But then there is special time set aside for a phone call to someone who has just lost their loved one before the Christmas season, time set aside to sit and visit with a friend who is lonely, time set aside to watch a television special with your spouse, time spent with your children, time spent with your parents. It is all about time, isn’t it. We here on this earth are time conscious. Time determines our day. Time----we go to work and come home. Time----we eat our meals. Time----we go to bed and get up. Time----it was created for man here on this earth.

When we all get to heaven (as the song says), we will be free from time because we will be living in an eternity mode. So, why don’t we as God’s children, who are already living the Kingdom of God way, start thinking in the eternity mode instead of the earthly time mode. Our time is in God’s hands and the Word of God says that we are to make the very most of that time, buying up every opportunity.

On that day when we all stand before the Lord, He’s not going to ask us how many dishes we washed or how many letters we typed or how many patients we saw in a day or how many hours we spent on the road back and forth to our job or in how many houses did we install their plumbing and electrical work. No! What He is going to look at is this: How many people did we speak kind words to? Did we stop and help that little boy who fell off his bike? Did we give money to that widow at Christmas to get not only gifts for her children but food for the table? Did we honor our parents? Did we spend time becoming intimate with the Lord? Did we teach our children to reverence the Lord? Did we take those precious moments to minister to a friend?

What are we doing with our time? I believe that is the question each of us needs to ask ourselves this Christmas season. Perhaps we need to make some adjustments for the new year. Time is just as precious a commodity as money.

I got an email from a friend today, and that email talks about enjoying the little things. It was so heart warming. It talked about bite-sized pieces of peace, love, enjoyment of the moment of time. How interesting that I should get it right as I am doing this Pearls for the day.

Today as you read this Pearls, ask the Lord to show you what you can do to make someone’s life more enjoyable. Husbands, how about taking some flowers to your wife this evening? Tell her how much you appreciate what she does for your family. Wives, make a special effort this evening to make the home a haven of rest for your husband and a place where your children and their friends like to come. Tell your husband how much you appreciate what he does for you and the family. Children, tell your parents how much you appreciate what they do for you, the time and effort and money they spend on you to make your world a better place. Parents, instead of gripping at your children about what they haven’t done, tell them how much you appreciate what they have done. Enjoy them while they are home. If they have already grown and are no longer at home, make a phone call to tell them you are glad they are your children. Tell your family you love them. It is remarkable what a difference you can make in someone’s life by expressing love to them in either a tangible way or vocally.

And most of all, take the time to tell the Lord how much you appreciate all He has already done for you and what He continues to do for you. Tell Him how much you love Him. Tell Him how grateful you are for salvation, for His great sacrifice for you.

Yes, time is precious. How are you spending it? How do you want to spend it? Once it is spent, it is gone. Don’t put off until tomorrow what the Lord is prompting you to do today. I endeavor to listen to Him when He tells me to call someone or to tell them I love them. Lately, as my dad gets older, I am taking the time to tell him how much I appreciate the kind of person he is. He is not perfect. None of us are. But the important thing is this: Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see people the way He sees them, to take the time with them that He would take if He were physically here on this earth.

Time----spend it wisely. It is a gift of God.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Thoughts - Strongholds

In every one of our lives, there are thoughts from the past that attempt to come back to torment us. They can be thoughts of rejection, of abandonment, of lack, of sickness, of offense and hurt, of poverty, of loneliness. The list goes on and on. What we must remember is that we have been redeemed from all of the past. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law that The Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed, delivered from our past.

Let’s deal with thoughts today and how they determine our present life and our future as well. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5we read that although we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or fleshly (physical weapons of flesh and blood) but our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down and the destruction of strongholds. We cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Let’s look at the verses in detail. Verse 3 tells us that even though we live in this flesh and blood world in a flesh and blood body, we do not war after our flesh. In other words, we do not tackle life’s situations with our own efforts and reliance on the things of this world. We are to go to God and allow Him to help us to overcome whatever has come into our life to block our pathway.

The weapons we use are not weapons of this physical earth. They are the mighty weapons of God, which He has provided for us as His children. What are these weapons? They are the name of Jesus, the Word of God, the blood of Jesus and the Spirit of God. When we use the name of Jesus, the spirit world sees Jesus speaking and commanding them. He has given us the authority, the power of attorney to use His name in His place. When we speak in His name, He is doing the commanding through us. God has given us His Word to be a light unto our path, to guide us in everything we do. His Word is our manual of instructions on living the Godly life in the earth. The blood of Jesus was shed that we might have eternal life abundantly. When we plead the blood of Jesus over our situations in life, we are calling on the life of God to protect us and to provide for us. The life is in the blood. And we have the Holy Spirit as our teacher, guide, comforter, counselor, advocate, standby, intercessor. What more do you want!

These weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. A stronghold is a house constructed of thoughts and it develops a pattern of thinking. Our lives are composed of patterns that are developed over a period of time from the same thoughts. That is the reason our thoughts must be based on the Word of God. His thoughts produce healthy patterns of thinking. In Psalm 28:8 we read that the Lord is our stronghold or strength of salvation to us as His anointed ones. What a powerful scripture. Trade the strongholds of the enemy who has held you back for the stronghold of God. His anointing on us turns us into mighty men and women of God, exercising His authority and dominion on this earth. His anointing causes us to do mighty exploits for Him.

As we read further in our foundation scripture in 2 Corinthians, we learn of our responsibility in this warfare, this battle. We must cast down vain imaginations, those thoughts that tell us we are going to fail, going to die, going to be second rate. We must cast down everything that tries to exalt itself higher than God. Fear is not higher than love. Doubt and unbelief is not higher than faith. Lack is not higher than prosperity. Sickness and disease is not higher than healing and health. Sin is not higher than righteousness. There is no thought that you can think that is fleshly that has the right even to attempt to be higher than God. Nothing can set itself up against the knowledge of God. And we are to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing.

Our thoughts are to become God’s thoughts. How do we do that? We find out what His thoughts are. Look at Philippians 4:8. These are God’s thoughts---thoughts which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of a good report. These are the thoughts we are to think. If our thought does not pass this inspection, then we cast it down as a vain imagination and bring it into captivity to the obedience of the Anointed One and His anointing. When we turn that thought over to Him, He purifies it into His thought and it becomes a productive thing rather than a destructive thing.

We must allow the Lord Jesus Christ full access to our every thought, to correct, to purify, to encourage, to lift up so that we can come into agreement with Him. When we are aligned with Him, we are in His will and able to do what He has called us to do. He calls us, anoints us and equips us. It is our responsibility to stay aligned with Him in purpose, thought, and action. Alignment is agreement and agreement is unity and unity is the seedbed of doing the impossible. When we are in agreement with God and with one another, the world will see Christ in action, the Anointed One and His anointing bringing The Blessing of God into operation on this earth. And Christ in action is Love in action. When love is operating, people will be set free from the bondages that have held them captive all their lives. And then the scripture in 2 Timothy 2:26 (Amplified Bible) will become reality in people’s lives: And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God’s] will.

Friday, December 14, 2007

The Answer To "May I Help You" Is God's Grace

May I help you? We hear those words frequently this time of the year when we are shopping. There are stores who still have clerks who do that. Yes, there are. Not everything has become modernized to the point of pushing out the human factor.

I find it interesting that in God’s Word He tells us to come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find GRACE TO HELP in the time of need. God always has the answer for us when we call out to Him in time of need. His answer is to be found in His Word every time. Sometimes, though, people are too frenetic to stop and listen for the answer. In time of need, stop, get still and listen. God will speak to you and give you your answer. Rather than standing and wringing our hands, we must come BOLDLY before His throne. And His throne is called a throne of grace.

What is grace? The Lord has given people definitions of His grace, but I think the greatest definition I ever heard is that it is God’s love, which is His ability, extended to us with no conditions whatsoever attached. At God’s throne is the fullness of His very being. God is love. It is a throne of love. God is light. It is a throne of light. In God is life. It is a throne of life. At the throne of God is the authority of God. A throne is where the king sits. God sits on His throne and He tells us that we can come boldly before His throne of grace. Not only can we come boldly before His throne of grace but also we are seated with Christ in heavenly places where the throne of God is.

At the throne of God we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. There are times when we need mercy. We don’t necessarily deserve it sometimes, but we still need it. And what is so awesome is that God supplies mercy for us. And His grace is boundless, limitless, without boundaries, readily supplied and freely given.

As we give, we see in 2 Corinthians 9:7,8 that our giving releases the abounding grace of God. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. God’s grace abounds toward a cheerful giver. Why is that? God is a giver and when He makes connection with a giver, there is an explosion of power in that union. When we have God’s nature, we want to give because it is then part of our nature.

Look at Romans 5:17. We who receive the abundance of God’s grace and His free gift of righteousness shall reign as kings in this life through Jesus Christ. We see from this verse that we are to receive God’s abundant grace. When we do, we reign as kings in this life. How does a king reign? A king reigns in majesty, splendor, honor. He has what he needs to operate his kingdom. Everything in that kingdom is available for him to use. Even so, everything in God’s kingdom is available for His children to use.

What is the key to receiving? What must we do to receive? Do we wait until the need is so great that we are going down for the third time? Why do we as God’s children see need instead of seed and harvest? People envision what they are taught. When you are taught the truth of Who your God truly is, there is not a need in the world that He has not already made provision for. We are not coming before His throne of grace with our head bowed down and our hands hanging at our side, dragging our feet in dejection. No, we are coming boldly before His throne to be given from His vast supply that which He has already provided for us. He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. He has made the provision before we ever had to ask. He looks at you and says: May I help you?

This picture at the throne is not of a little beggar desperately crying out: Somebody help me. No, the true picture is of a child of the King coming into daddy’s throne room, walking up to His throne and expecting Father to take care of you. Father, I am coming to you for mercy. There is an infirmity here, a temptation to weakness of my flesh, for which I need mercy. Because of the limitation imposed by my flesh, I cannot produce results in my own ability. I need your help. And Father says: Yes, receive My mercy and avail yourself of My grace which is given to you as well-timed help. Receive freely.

Grace is not cheap. It costs Jesus everything. We are not to abuse God’s grace. He paid the ultimate price of His life on the cross for you and me to be able to avail ourselves of the grace of God. Without His grace, we cannot accomplish what is necessary on this earth. Our assignments are dependent upon His grace operating in us and through us. Jesus, our High Priest, is at that throne of grace. He understands our weaknesses and inability to produce results on our own. He took on a flesh and blood body and experienced that which we experience. He is there at the throne of grace to help us, but there is a key.

The key in this whole process of getting help from God is found in verse 14 of Hebrews 4, just 2 verses before the verse on coming boldly to the throne of grace----LET US HOLD FAST OUR CONFESSION (OF FAITH).

Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Greatest Gift

Yesterday I received the most special gift any human being has ever given me. My father is 89 years old and has never on his own, without any urging, given anyone a gift. He is a man of the old school who didn’t participate in that sort of thing. He always has been a wonderful father without any emotion in his devotion. He worked hard all his life and provided for his family and was a good husband to my mom and a good father to my brother and me. I go to see him about once a week, and we spend the day together. He is healthy and strong and walks a mile in the morning and a mile in the evening. He is a remarkable person.

Well, when I walked into his house yesterday, he smiled and told me that santa had had a difficult time finding the farm but he did and had left a gift for someone who was very good and who was always doing things for others. My dad said that santa had to dig deep in his bag and he found something for me. This is a beautiful story so bear with me. It has a purpose. I collect thimbles. About 4 weeks ago, I brought daddy to my house to see the Christmas decorations and my tree with all of the ornaments (I also collect Christmas ornaments.). He asked me if I still collected thimbles and if I had any of the presidents. I told him that I still did collect thimbles and I had none of the presidents. I didn’t think anything about his questions. Yesterday, my dad presented me with a gift of a thimble case with thimbles for every President, including the current President, in it.

Now you can see why this gift is so special to me. It represents thoughtfulness and unselfishness for someone. My father crossed a threshold yesterday in giving.

This Christmas, do you need to cross a threshold in giving? Do you think about what others are going to give you and what you are going to give someone else? Actually neither thought is the most important thought for Christmas. Our thoughts should be on the greatest gift that we have ever been given----Jesus Christ. And we should be pondering what we can give Him this year? He only wants one thing----He wants you and me. He wants all of us, nothing held back from Him. When we hold back from Him, He cannot bring us the fullness of Himself, which He totally desires to do. If we are full of ourselves, we cannot be full of Him.

There is a story circulating on the internet that I think is wonderful. There was a Christmas program at school and some of the parents who would not be able to make the program because of work schedules were invited to see the dress rehearsal. The children were elementary school age. Part of the program involved children holding up a letter of the alphabet that would spell out the name of the program----CHRISTMAS LOVE. One little girl who was responsible for the M had it upside down and everyone was snickering and giggling and pointing fingers at her until they realized what had been spelled for everyone to see. The remarkable thing about all of this was that the program was at a public school and public schools have to be so careful now to do the politically correct thing or they can have all kinds of repercussions where Christian is concerned. It looks like the Lord has the last word. The letters spelled CHRISTWASLOVE.

Christmas is about celebrating God’s love for us, which He expressed when he sent His only Son Jesus the Word to the earth as a baby, to take on a flesh and blood body. In Ephesians 2 we read that God is so rich in mercy. In order to satisfy His great and wonderful and intense love for us, He sent Jesus. He sent Jesus, knowing that His Son would die in our place, take our place in sin and bear the fullness of the consequences of sin for us. The Father also knew that His Son would rise from the dead and make the way for us to rise from the death that sin had placed us in. The Father did this so that He might clearly demonstrate to mankind throughout all eternity the vastness of His great love for us. Jesus is our love gift.

Let’s make our love and devotion for Him our love gift to Him this year and forever. As you sit reading this Pearls today, take time, stop, lift up your hands and give thanksgiving to Him. And offer your total life to Him unconditionally, with no strings attached. Give Him the totality of your love. Give your all to Him. He is so deserving of our love. He loves totally, unconditionally, without reservation. He has chosen to see us as perfected in Him and not as imperfect vessels. Part of that love gift to Him is to see others the way He sees them. Put on your Love glasses this Christmas and choose to see others the way God does. Look past their rudeness and pushiness and ignorance and see a person who needs to come in contact with Love Himself, Who dwells in you.

Purpose from this day on that wherever you go, whether to the grocery store or shopping in the mall or that mandatory Christmas party at work where they will not be lifting up Jesus, purpose that you will be the gift of Love to people. They need Him. They need Love Himself. You have what they need. You don’t have to say a word. Just represent Him. Be loving and kind and merciful and patient and good to them, even when they don’t seem to reciprocate. Love is not about reciprocity. It is about giving. Give of yourself this Christmas. That is the greatest gift you can give because when you give of yourself as a Christian, you are giving them Jesus. You and He are one. Focus on that reality. You are One with Him, so wherever you go and whatever you say, make a decision to pour forth Love Himself. Everyone needs Him, the greatest gift ever given.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

God Is Light

We will spend another day on God is Light. He has something He wants to say to all of us and He is not finished.

When God spoke, Light, Be, He was speaking Himself into this earth. He was making a statement about Himself. He was saying that He wants to be the center of our lives, the center of our families, the center of our careers, the center of everything we do.

Because God is Light, everything in this universe responds to light. Plants need sunshine and light to grow. People need sunshine and light to be healthy. We all respond to light. We are told by those in the medical world that light is essential to well-being. There are people who get oppressed in the winter because they are not exposed to enough natural light.

Those who don’t love Jesus love the darkness. And those of us who do love Him love the light. I have a thing about light. I cannot tolerate a dark room or a dark house. I must open the window blinds and let in the sunshine. I have to have a well-lighted room in the night hours. Light is important because God is Light. Light is what started this whole universe. God Who is Love is also Light. God, Love, expressed Himself in a visible form as light. Our human eye can see some forms of light but there are elements of light that our natural eye cannot see. Our spiritual eyes can see that light, which is the light of God, but our human eyes cannot see.

In Ephesians 1:18-21, part of Paul’s prayer here is that the eyes of our understanding, the eyes of our heart would be flooded with light, would be enlightened. And there was a reason that he prayed this prayer. When our eyes are open to see the Lord, when we see things as they are in the spiritual realm, we will know. What will we know? We will know and understand the hope to which He has called us. We will know and understand the riches of the glory of His inheritance in us as His saints. We will know and understand the exceeding greatness of His power in us and for us who believe. It is a power that is immeasurable, unlimited and beyond anything we are able to comprehend in this natural world. In fact, it is this power of God that was demonstrated when He raised Christ Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. This is a seating far above all principalities and powers and above all might and dominion. This seating is also far above every name that is named, not only in this world but also in the world which is to come.

This word “know” is an interesting word in the scriptures. It is a word that means to have a close relationship with. To know is to be intimate with. To know is not a passing acquaintance or relationship. To know is to have a depth of understanding about.

When our spirits are open to God, we know who we are in Him. We know who He is in us. We know His glory. We know His presence. We know what our inheritance is. We know His power. We don’t just know about these things. We know!!!!!! We don’t just hear about these things. We know about them personally for ourselves.

When it’s a sunny day, the sunshine is there for anyone who wants to receive the benefits of its shining light. The same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ, of God the Father, of the Holy Spirit. They are shining brightly. They are the Light we are to stand in to receive the benefits of their presence. We can only receive the benefits if we are in the light. How glorious. We’re talking about The Glory here, folks. God’s Glory is available for us who will allow Him to invade our space. He wants to come and sit on us, immerse us in His Presence, envelop us with His very being. He wants to become one with us intimately and totally.

Everyone talks about the Glory. He’s here. Don’t talk about it. Receive it. The Glory is here. God’s presence is once again on this earth. The Light has come. The Apostle John made some interesting statements about light and darkness in his first chapter. In verses 4 and 5 he said this: In Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. In the Amplified Bible it states that the darkness has never overpowered the light, put it out, absorbed it or appropriated it and is unreceptive to it. Darkness and light cannot mix. The moment light is introduced, darkness no longer is there. Light a match in a dark room and there is no longer a dark room. It may be dim, but it is light. Light a candle and there is more light. Turn on a light switch and light bathes the room. Are you getting the picture? How much light are you allowing in the room of your life? Is it a little match, a candle, or a bright electric light? The more light, the more life of God there is operating in your life.

And John says in verse 14 that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (as Jesus) and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus came with the fullness of the Father’s Love extended to all of us as the Life of God, which was demonstrated as the Light of God from the moment of His birth to the infilling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. And today we have His Word as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105) to become flesh in our lives. His Word is His Light in which there is His Life which is expressed because He is Love. Light, Life and Love---all are God.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The Light of the World

When Jesus came to this earth, He told us that He was the light of the world and then also told us that we were the light of the world. Let’s talk about “God is Light” today.

In 1 John 1:5 we read that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. There is absolutely no darkness whatsoever in God. He is pure Light, and His pure Light is the pure Love that spoke this world into existence and created man in His own image. The first thing that is recorded in the book of Genesis that God did was to declare Himself into this earth which was without form and void. In verse 3 of Genesis 1, God spoke: Light be. And Light was. We know that He was not talking about the sun and the moon and stars because they were created later. He was talking about Himself being released into this earth to bring Light to a dark place. He was talking about releasing a portion of Himself, of His Glory into this earth to bring about a wonderful place for His man to live, whom He was about to create. But, of course, we all know that Adam messed up and temporarily extinguished the light. Notice I said, temporarily, because God already had a plan in place.

God’s plan involved getting Himself back into the earth, bringing light back into the darkness. When Jesus was born, there was an explosion of Light Himself permeating the envelope of this earth. In Luke 1:9,10 when the angel of the Lord came upon the shepherds, the glory of the Lord shone round about them. That was God Himself, the Light of His glory once again coming to dwell on this earth. Only this time it would be permanent. This Light would be permanently dwelling in the earth for mankind.

When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be presented after His birth, an old man named Simeon came by the Spirit into the temple and took Jesus in his arms and called him a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel (Luke 2:32). Simeon was declaring what we see in the Old Testament in Isaiah 9:2: The people that walked in darkness (misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness) have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 42:6,7 talks about the light to the nations. Listen to these verses in the Amplified Bible: I the Lord have called You [the Messiah] for a righteous purpose and in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and will keep You; I will give You for a covenant to the people [Israel], for a light to the nations [Gentiles]. To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison. Look at Isaiah 49:6: And he said, It is a light thing that thou shoudest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Acts 13:47 in the New Testament tells us the same thing: For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

And look at John 1:4: In him was life and the life was the light of men. Psalm 36:9 says the same thing: For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Compare these two scriptures with John 8:12: I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And how about Psalm 43:3. Listen to it. O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

In scripture after scripture we see that Jesus was to come as the light of the world for mankind once again to walk in the light of God and not in darkness of their sin.

I love Psalm 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Not only is Jesus the Light but the Word is a light for our life, guiding our every step. Of course, we all know that Jesus is called the Word. Jesus the Word is the light that guides our pathway of life.

Not only is Jesus, the Word, the light of the world but also He told us in Matthew 5:14,16 that we are the light of the world. We are to let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. We are to arise and shine for our light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us. Isaiah 60:1 in the Amplified Bible is even more powerful than in the King James Version. Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you---rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! In Isaiah 58:8 we read: Then shall your light break forth like the morning and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

We have our instructions as God’s children in Ephesians 5:8 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5 in the Amplified Bible. For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead lives of those native-born to the Light]. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.

And we close with Revelation 21:23. What a glorious day that will be. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

There is so much we could say here about he light of God and us being the light as well. I trust that you take these scriptures and do your own study. We are living in the times when the light of Jesus Christ needs to shine brighter and brighter, as never before. Our pathway is to grow brighter and brighter. Proverbs 4:18 Amplified Bible, But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].

Friday, December 07, 2007

I Overcome By The Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony

We are overcomers in this world. Revelation 12:11 tells us that we overcome him (the accuser of the brethren, who is satan) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Whatever comes our way, whatever trial, test or temptation is forged against us, whatever situation looms in front of us, whatever circumstance attempts to overwhelm us, we are to overcome by the blood of Jesus and our word testifying to the power of His blood.

What is your testimony today in the courtroom of Heaven? Are you testifying to the goodness of God? Are you testifying to your good health and the healing power of God? Are you testifying to the wonderful financial provision God is making for you, to His wonderful prosperity that is yours? Are you testifying to the days of heaven on earth that you are living with your spouse? Are you testifying to the fact that your children are disciples taught of the Lord and obedient to His will? OR are you testifying to how you hurt and how sick you are? Are you testifying about the lack you are suffering in your life? Are you testifying that your spouse is impossible? Are you testifying that your children are rebellious and contrary? WHAT ARE YOU TESTIFYING? Whatever we testify is what we will live by?

There is an accuser in this courtroom. He is the prosecuting attorney, declaring that you are guilty of sin, guilty of misconduct, guilty of fear, guilty of unbelief, guilty, guilty, guilty. And we are to plead NOT GUILTY by the blood of the Lamb. Satan accuses us. We plead the blood. And the blood of Jesus Christ becomes our key witness in the trial. The blood speaks and declares: LIFE! LIFE! LIFE! LIFE! HEALTH AND HEALING! PROSPERITY! MARRAIGES MADE IN HEAVEN! CHILDREN WALKING IN THE PATHS OF THE LORD!

In the face of contradictory circumstances, we are to stand up and speak the Word of Truth. When we speak God’s Word of Truth, that Word overcomes everything else.

What does the Word of God have to say about overcoming? Let’s look at it. First of all, let’s make sure we know what overcoming means? The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary says that overcome means to conquer, to subdue, to vanquish, to surmount, to get the better of, to gain the superiority, to be victorious. I love this definition. When I overcome the devil, that means I am victorious; I gain the superiority; I get the better of him; I conquer him and subdue him because of the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. That excites me. I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ Who loves me (Romans 8:37). In the Amplified Bible it says that I am more than a conqueror and gain a surpassing victory through Jesus Christ Who loves me.

I John 5 says it all. In verse 1 we read that whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Then we read in verses 4 and 5 that whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Isn’t this an awesome passage of scripture? You are born of God. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. When you believe that He is the Son of God, you overcome the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is your faith, your belief in Him, your trust and confidence in Him. There it is. Are you born of God? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Then you are a world overcomer. You overcome the world, the flesh and the devil by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

In verse 18 of 1 John 5 in the Amplified Bible we read that the One Who was begotten of God (Jesus Christ) carefully watches over us and protects us. His divine presence within us preserves us against the evil and the wicked one (satan) does not lay hold of or get a grip on us or touch us.

We are to give thanks to God for His overcoming power working in us at all times. Because of what Jesus did for us, we have the power and nature of God available to us as His children. God has given us His mighty, overcoming power in this world right now.

Whatever satan throws our way, God has already provided His Word and His blood and His name to overcome adversity. As children of God, in addition to the blood of Jesus, you and I have been given The Word of God, which is God’s power unleashed on this earth on our behalf when we speak His Word in Faith. God’s Word must be the Word of our testimony in all situations. His Word is our daily bread, the manna that we gather every day for our sustenance and protection.

And what about the name of Jesus? We are told that His name is above all other names. Whatever has come against us always has a name. The name given that adversity has to bow to the name of Jesus. We have been given His name as the power of attorney to act in His place. What would Jesus do? He is a victorious overcomer. He has overcome satan and the world. He has given us the ability to overcome our fleshly tendencies. Even before He went to the cross, in John 16:33 Jesus told His disciples (and actually us) that He had overcome the world, deprived it of its power to harm us and conquered it for us. What a promise. Because of that promise, I can say: Thanks be to God, Who gives me the victory through Jesus Christ (2Cor. 15:57).

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The Blessing, Part 2

Yesterday we talked about Abraham, The Blessing and covenant. This Blessing that God declared over Abraham and sealed with covenant passed to Abraham’s descendants. Isaac walked in The Blessing. We see in Genesis 26:3 and 12 that the Lord blessed him. Isaac’s son Jacob walked in The Blessing of God. In Genesis 28:13 and 14 the Lord said to Jacob that in him and in his seed all families of the earth would be blessed. And we all know of The Blessing that Joseph walked in. In everything that happened in his life, Joseph was blessed by God, whether he was sold into slavery or thrown in jail because of false accusations. The Blessing of the Lord always protected him. Joseph was used to do great and mighty works for the Lord and was also instrumental in saving his family from starvation during famine. Through Joseph, God preserved the line of Israel, His covenant people.

When Jesus came, He brought the fullness of The Blessing (which was confirmed by God when He made covenant with Abraham) to all the world. In Galatians we are told that Jesus became a curse for us that The Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Jesus was called the second Adam because He bought back for us what the first Adam had relinquished to satan. Jesus Christ redeemed us, bought us back, reconciled us, restored us to the fullness of The Blessing of the Lord which was pronounced, declared on mankind. What a tremendous privilege we all have as the born again children of God’s household. All that Adam forfeited is now ours, all of it; everything that God spoke over Adam is ours once again.

What we must realize, accept and walk in is this: We have been restored to our Heavenly Father with all of the rights and privileges of His household. In order to learn of those rights, we must study the Word and listen to anointed men and women of God teach and preach the gospel with accuracy. The Word of God is full of information regarding the household in which we live as God’s children. Every day, we must spend time with the Lord and His Word. He will open to us the understanding of how to live victoriously in this life right now, not having to wait until we all get to heaven. Yes, it will be a glorious day when we all get to Heaven, but there are glorious days right here, right now on this earth, if we will hear and do what the Holy Spirit reveals to us in the Word of God.

For the rest of today’s Pearls of Wisdom, let’s look at covenant and communion in relation to The Blessing.

The covenant of Almighty God is the re-instatement of The Blessing declared by God to Adam. Covenant is about the establishment of The Blessing, which was God’s covenant promise to Abraham. Go back to the last several teachings to establish what The Blessing included. God confirmed His promise with His oath in the covenant of blood to Abram (Hebrews 6:17,18). To Abram the two unchangeable, (immutable in the King James Version of the Bible) things were the Word of God and covenant blood. To us the two unchangeable things are the bread and the wine—The Body and The Blood of Jesus. Communion is our reminder of the unchangeableness of God’s Blessing to us and for us forever. It’s signed in the blood of His Son Jesus Christ in covenant forever.

Communion is a statement of the authority of The Blessing, the unchangeableness of The Blessing forever operating in our lives. It is a declaration of the covenant of Almighty God with Adam, with Abraham, with you and me through Jesus Christ, the One Who took our place, suffering the punishment for Adam's disobedience. Because of Jesus' obedience, the fullness of The Blessing is released forever for anyone who will come to Him.

When I take communion, I am making a statement of declaration through the Body and Blood of Jesus, represented by the bread and wine, that The Blessing of God is established and operating in my life. The Blessing of God is not just a temporary fix for us while we are here on this earth. It is the very life of God presented to us while we are here on this earth and throughout all eternity.

The Blessing is here to stay. This is the reason communion is a celebration. Jesus got The Blessing back permanently by absorbing, becoming the curse for me, so that all that is left is The Blessing. Communion celebrates that reality personally for me. It sets a marker, makes a statement about what my life is now. It’s a statement for all to see. It is putting a stake in the ground and saying: The Blessing is mine now. I have received it and this is my earthly representation of the finality of it in my life.

Communion is a symbol of our restored communion with God, restored to His Presence----The Blessing restored to us----God’s vision completed. Every time you take communion, remember what Jesus has done for you. He told us to partake in remembrance of Him. This is what that statement means. Remember that Jesus took the curse of sin and all of its consequences (sickness and disease, poverty, death) so that The Blessing of Abraham, which was originally Adam’s, could come on us. FRUITFUL BE! MULTIPLY! FILL THE EARTH! HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH, THE BIRDS AND EVERYTHING THAT MOVES UPON THE EARTH!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

The Blessing, Part 1

As we continue our teaching on The Blessing, let’s take it from the top, from the beginning.

In Genesis 1:26-28 we read of the creation of Adam, the creation of man. God formed man in His own image, His very likeness, just like papa. As God’s children, we are just like our Father. When we are born again, we have His very nature planted inside us, His DNA. In verse 28 we know that the very first words that Adam heard were to be the foundation of mankind’s walk through all eternity. God spoke exactly what He wanted man to hear, exactly what would form his life forever.

Fruitful, be; multiply, fill up the earth, subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the seas, the fowl of the air, every living thing that moves upon the earth. This was God’s declaration, pronunciation of The Blessing over us. This was God’s Blessing over his children. These words were to form our life and destiny. It is what I call the Garden of Eden mentality. And I dare say that the majority of Christians today have anything but the Garden of Eden mentality. I hear more of the “woe is me” mentality.

The Garden of Eden mentality is this: God has placed me here on this earth to duplicate His Blessing, His life, His love, His light everywhere I go. I am to impact the world around me with the fullness of the power of God, which is in His Blessing declaration. I am to be fruitful, producing the fruit of the spirit all around me. I am to be multiplying the fullness of God within my sphere of influence. I am to be filling up the earth with the nature and power of God. I am to be one who has dominion, not one who is dominated. If this is not a description of you as God’s child, you can change that by making a decision that you will be like your daddy God, you will do what His command is to you, initiated in the Garden of Eden before your brother and sister Adam and Eve sinned and gave control over to satan.

As I said yesterday, satan thought that he had finally found a way to get God’s glory, but was he in for a surprise when the very blessing that God had given Adam turned to the curse the minute that satan took ownership of it. And ever since that moment in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve gave their dominion over earth to satan, he has been furiously trying to exterminate the man that God loves. He has not only done it by physical death but also by spiritual death, by attempting in every way to shut down the union between God and man. He knows the power of that union, and his one constant theme is to stop that union. The union between God and man is a union of great power on this earth and satan knows that.

The minute that Adam bowed his knee to satan, God’s plan, formulated since the foundation of the earth, went into operation. There was a way to get The Blessing back but it had to be done legally. God no longer was in charge of the earth, so He had to find a man that would pave the way for God’s Son Jesus to come in a flesh and blood body.

After the flood on the earth, God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, Fruitful, be, multiply and fill up the earth. At the same time that we are talking about The Blessing, we must talk about covenant. God made a covenant with man that He would be His God. That covenant is always sealed with blood. The blood of the animals was shed in the Garden when God provided animal coats for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. There is a whole sermon there in that. They were no longer under the covering of the Lord. He provided a temporary covering for them. God once again spoke that covenant with Noah and his family. But Noah was not the man who would make the way for God to send His Son. Ah, but there was another man named Abram who got up from his home country and followed the Lord.

In Genesis 12:1-3 the Lord spoke The Blessing to Abram. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless them that bless you and I will curse them who curse you. God was telling Abram that The Blessing was upon him. God was enduing Abram with His power; He was empowering Abram to be successful, to walk under the covering of God and prosper in every area of His life. The key was in Abram’s obedience, and God found a man that would be obedient to Him in every way, even to the point of offering his own son to God. This man Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham, when covenant was cut with him later, trusted God to the point that he was willing to lay down the life of his only son who had been miraculously conceived in Sarah’s womb by the spirit of Almighty God. He had so much confidence in God that He believed that God would raise that child up. Do you see the preamble to God’s giving His only son to be raised up later? God had to find a man, and He found that man in Abram. And the way was paved for Jesus to come to this earth.

In Genesis 15 the Lord gave Abram very specific instructions regarding making covenant with Him. I find verse 17 especially significant in this chapter. When the sun went down, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between those pieces of animal laid out on the ground. We all believe that was God the Father and Jesus walking in that blood of animals. They made covenant with one another on behalf of Abram, a covenant that could, therefore, not be broken. We see more discussion of this covenant ceremony in Hebrews 6:13-20. In verse 17 we read that God confirmed His promise to Abram by an oath. That oath was sealed on that day in Genesis 15 in the blood of covenant. And because Abram understood the significance of blood covenant, from that point on, everything he had was God’s and everything God has was his. That was the promise of covenant. That is why he could offer up Isaac, his only son, to God. That son belonged to God because of covenant. And, that my friend, paved the way for God to offer up His only Son, because his covenant partner had been willing to do the same. What a God! What a plan! If satan had only known the plan, he would not have had the Son of Glory crucified.

Monday, December 03, 2007

The Fire of God, Part 2

Yesterday we began our study of The Blessing of God by talking about His Glory, His Presence, His fire, His anointing, the Holy Spirit----all which are words for God’s nature, His being. Today let’s finish our discussion of the fire of God.

God the Father is total power. This power is an outflow of His whole nature which is Love. God’s divine love is the greatest power in the universe. God is Love. God is described in one word----Love. Our human eyes see this power as lightning, brightness beyond the capacity of the human eye to behold, splendor, thunder, shaking. When Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, the people were afraid because of what they were seeing and experiencing. They said they did not want to go near the mountain. I have never had an experience with God where His Presence overwhelmed me, but I have heard the testimonies of people who have encountered Him. They are prostrate on their face before him and sense the intensity of His power. That power is in you and me today. In most of God’s people it lies there dormant all their life and never is used to change the world. And those of us who have allowed Him to move through us have accessed a minute portion of His Love, His power. I believe in the days that are ahead of us as the Body of Christ, we are going to see more demonstrations of the fullness of His power. He wants to show up and show out. God has been waiting for this hour.

The Holy Spirit is shown as fire in Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16 and Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4 when he baptized men with His power, the power of God. That power, the Presence of God, is defined as fire. We see a vivid picture of the fire of God Almighty in Ezekiel 8:2. He is described as the likeness of the appearance of fire---from the appearance of His loins downward He is like fire and from His loins upward He had the appearance of brightness.

In Hebrews 1:14 we are told that the angels of God are sent forth as ministering spirits for those who shall be heirs of salvation. In Psalm 104:4 we read that God makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. I am sure that there is a fire connected with the angels of God, because they are created by Him, Who is fire.

Finally, the Word of God is compared to fire in Jeremiah 23:29. Let’s read this verse from the Amplified Bible. Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]? says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock [of most stubborn resistance]?

God’s Word comes into our lives and exposes that which needs to be cleaned up and delivers us, sets us free. God’s Word gives us the directions to live a life of abundance and carefreeness. The Word of God is our guide for life, a life that is worth living. His Word will show us areas of our soul (mind, will, emotions) that are not lining up parallel with Him. His Word will go in and correct, clarify and justify us.

In 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, a familiar scripture for most of us, we read this in the Amplified Bible: Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God’s Word is from Him Who is described as fire, so, of course, His Word would be described as fire. Fire consumes that which is consumable. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:35 that the heavens (some translations say sky) and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will not pass away. I don’t know about you, but as for me and my household, we are going to stay on the solid rock of the Word of God, which is not consumable. The Word is God. He became flesh and dwelt among us and gave us of Himself. We have the Word on which to stand forever. Nothing can overcome the Word of God. Do you hear me? Let me repeat that. Nothing can overcome the Word of God. I don’t care how many naysayers surround you and how much the circumstances of life scream that it won’t work or how many situations seem to say the opposite, God’s Word will stand the test of the consuming fiery trials.

One thing firemen learn about a forest fire is that they may have to set another fire to encounter that fire and stop it. I forget what that is called but it reminds me of the fire of the Word of God being released to stop the fiery trials that satan sets up to attempt to destroy us. But I want to remind him of something that he needs to be reminded of. The very fire of God that protects us is not for him. The only fire he will encounter is the lake of fire forever. He has tried to duplicate God in every way but he will experience the very ultimate opposite of the pure fire of God; he will be cast into the lake of destructive fire eternally.

I will leave you with this thought until tomorrow. When satan saw God give The Blessing to Adam in the Garden of Eden, he thought he had finally found a way to tap into God’s glory. All he had to do was to get Adam to surrender it to him and He would have what God had given Adam. Only there was one thing he forgot to take into account in this transaction. When he got The Blessing, the minute it came into his possession, it was turned into the curse and he was furious. He was so furious that he set out to completely annihilate God’s man. We have been given the glory of God and he can’t get it because it is twisted, perverted into the curse for him. He hates that. Remember that all that God has given you is yours to enjoy. You have the very DNA, the very nature of God residing in you as God’s child when you get born again. He has given you His glory; it is called The Blessing.

The Fire of God

Before we continue our discussion on The Blessing, let’s talk about the fire of God, His Glory, His Presence, The Holy Spirit, the anointing. All these words indicate God’s Presence, the fullness of His Presence, which most people do not experience in their lives. I heard a minister say recently that the degree of the fullness of His Presence operating in our lives is parallel to our reverence, respect and awe of God Himself. I believe that is true. Even though God is our papa, our daddy, He is to be revered and honored. He is God. He is the Head of the household. Jesus is the Head of the Body of Christ.

This present Pearls was triggered by a vision I had yesterday that is so vivid in my spirit this morning. I was saying: THANK YOU, LORD! I was thanking Him for so many things and I saw how our thanksgiving triggers the Presence of God. I saw every letter of that phrase, THANK YOU, LORD! exploding with fire all around each letter. The fire was mighty and you could tell that power was the mark of that fire. Power was being released in great torrents from the letters of the phrase. I see now that THANK YOU, LORD! is one of the most powerful phrases on earth when it is spoken with a heart of gratitude toward God.

Fire is the symbol of God. It is the mark of His Presence. Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament we see evidence of the fire of God falling on the sacrifices in the Old Testament and coming in the Person of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and taking up residence in the bodies of human beings.

In the Word of God, God the Father, our Savior, the Holy Spirit, the Word and angels as ministers of God are compared to fire. Let’s look at some scripture regarding these comparisons.

In Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29 we are told that the Lord our God is a consuming fire. Those verses do not mean that He destroys us as His children. Anything not of God will be burned up, consumed in the fire of His Presence. All of us want that. I want every bit of fleshly, carnal desires to be burned up, to be consumed out of my life. I do not want any sin to stand between me and my Father. Anything not of faith is sin. Every day I am asking Him to teach me, train me, purify me of doubt and unbelief and fear. Fear is the opposite of faith and is the essence of satan. I do not want anything that would trigger satan in my life. Fear is to satan as faith is to God. Fear gives satan authority in our lives. Faith gives God authority in our lives.

Psalm 18:12-14 speaks about the lightnings, the brightness, the thunderings of God. What we must realize is that these are glorious outbursts of the Presence of God, the Love of God, which is the indicator of His mighty power. And the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us to teach us about His Love power, His glory, His Presence. The Holy Spirit trains us, equips us, prepares us to be containers and dispensers of the fullness of God, the love of God. We are blessed to be temples of The Blessing of God, His very being, His very nature. Are you aware that you are the temple of the Holy Ghost? God has entrusted Himself to live in your body. That should cause each of us to take a new look at the way we think, speak and act at all times.

In Malachi 3:2, Revelation 1:14, and 2 Thessalonians1:9-12 we are told that Jesus Christ will be revealed from Heaven with the angels of His power. He comes in flaming fire at the second coming. His eyes are as a flame of fire. I want you to look at these verses in 2 Thessalonians 1. In verse 9 we see what true punishment is for those who know not God and obey not His gospel: It is eternal banishment from the Presence of God, from the Glory of His power. How heartbreaking to think that someone would be forever separated from the Presence of God, from His compassion, the awesomeness of His beauty and all-encompassing love. What a tragedy! Doesn’t this make you want to be capably equipped to bring the Truth to everyone you meet and see them come into the family of God the Father.

In verse 10 we see Jesus coming, glorified in His saints, His consecrated people, and admired in them who believe. Remember that Jesus told us in John 17:22 that the glory the Father gave Him, He gave to us. We have been given the glory of God. What we must do is receive it. Most people are afraid even to consider such a possibility----the Presence of God, the fullness of His power resident in us. But it is true. Jesus has given us the glory which the Father gave to Him. It is the same glory that God, Jesus the Word and the Holy Spirit gave to Adam on the day He was created, the day God breathed the breath of life into Him. That breath of life was the glory of God which God Himself imparted to Adam, poured into Him. God gave a portion of Himself to Adam, enough for Adam to create and operate the whole universe. That same glory is what is resident in you today as a born again child of God.

In verse 11 we read this: Taking all into consideration that you have heard in verses 9 and 10, pray that God would count you worthy of your calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that He would complete or fulfill your every work of faith. I thought it rather interesting that I was to pray this, which would seem like God would do anyway for me. But then I realized that even though all is available to me, God has bound Himself to my decisions. I find that totally mind boggling, considering what a risk that is. That is the way He set it up. He has bound Himself to our decisions.

And finally in verse 12 we read that we are to pray that the name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us and that we be glorified in Him, according to the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.