The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

Revelation 5:5,6,10
v. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
v. 6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth unto all the earth.
v. 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Jesus, the Lamb Who was slain as the sacrifice on the cross of Calvary for you and me has become our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Now He is the Mighty One Who has come to dwell in us by the power of His Spirit. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Remember that the word Judah represents praise. As you and I praise the Lord and exalt Him and honor Him, He stands in our midst as the Mighty Conquering One Who has won, overcome, conquered satan, who is portrayed as a roaring lion.

I have been told that an older lion roars the loudest because their teeth are not as good as they used to be. Whether that is true or not, I do not know. All I know is that Jesus has rendered satan powerless and given you and me the authority to tread on all of the demons of hell. We are the ones with the power delegated to us now. We are the ones who are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus Who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are the ones who are called kings by The King. We are the ones who are called lords by The Lord. Hallelujah! Rejoice in who you are in Him.

The Word Brings Understanding

In Psalm 119:105 and 130 we read that the Word of God is a lamp or candle unto our feet and a light unto our path. The entrance of His Word gives light or understanding. It gives us discernment and comprehension of the ways of the Lord. That Word of God is God Himself speaking to us and giving us understanding.

In Proverbs 6:23 we read that God’s Word is a lamp and that His Word is light or understanding and a way of life for His children.

When you lack wisdom and understanding of a situation in your life, go to the Word of God and get understanding. He has the answer to all our questions and the comfort in all our situations we encounter in life.

Everyone is looking for answers. Those answers can be found in the Word of God. His Word is given to us to direct us and guide us into the ways of Truth. It is God’s way of speaking to us and giving us His way of doing things and His way of thinking. Through His Word, His ways and thoughts can become our ways and thoughts.

Today, as you read your Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding for your day and to give you words of understanding for others you encounter along the way.

Blessed

Psalm 1:1-3, KJV and Amplified Bible
Blessed is the man that walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly. He does not follow their advice, their plans and purposes. He does not stand in the way in submission where sinners walk. He does not sit down to relax and rest where the scornful and mockers gather.

BUT, this blessed man’s delight and desire is in the Word of God. On His Word, His precepts, His instructions, His teachings he meditates day and night. He ponders and studies God’s Word consistently and habitually.

THEN, this blessed man shall be like a tree that is planted so firmly and tended so carefully by the rivers of water. He is ready to bring forth fruit in its season. Like the leaves on this tree, the blessed man shall not wither and get weary and tired or fade out of the picture. Everything he does is blessed and prospers, comes to maturity.

Do you want to be blessed and prosper and be mature? Immerse yourself in God and His Word. It is He Who will prosper you. It is His Word which will train you and guide you into maturity.

Be blessed!

Work

Ecclesiastes 3:13, Amplified Bible
And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor ---- it is the gift of God.

Colossian 3:23, 24, Amplified Bible
Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.
Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).

Everything that we do in this life while we are here on this earth is to be done as unto the Lord. It is not to be done for boasting or recognition or acceptance. We do what we do with excellence for the Lord and not for men. It is not to please men but to please God. Oh, yes, when we please God, our work will please men because it will be done without gripping or complaining and with the excellence that only God can give us.

We are to have singleness of motive to do our work as a service unto the Lord. It is not to be done with eye service only when man is watching us but consistently excellent all the time, rendering our service to God and not to man. Whatever good we do, God will reward us (Ephesians 6:5-8).

We are to enjoy the fruit of our labor. That reward is a gift of God. He is the One Who rewards us. Those rewards of God will translate into human reward and promotion by man.

Serving God in our workplace has not only earthly reward but eternal benefits.

The Truth Is Light

The Truth of God is His Light sent forth to dispel the darkness of satan’s lies.

Psalm 119:105,130
Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
The entrance of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding, discernment and comprehension to the simple. Here we see that God’s Word is a light. It gives understanding to all.

Yesterday we learned that Jesus is the Word and that He is the Truth. Today we see His Word gives light.

He also said that He is the Light of the world and that he who follows Jesus shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). In John 1:9 John refers to Jesus as the true Light which lights every man that comes into the world. Isaiah prophesied in 42:5-7 of Jesus coming as the Light for not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. He said that He would come as a Light to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners from the prison, and bring those who sit in darkness out of their prison.

In Isaiah 9:2 and Matthew 4:16 we read that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwell in the land of darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined. Luke tells us in 1:78,79 that because of God’s great mercy and loving-kindness a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit us to shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace.

1 John 1:5: …God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

Follow me carefully; we are going somewhere with this. So, we have definitely established from God’s Word that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. Yesterday we established that God’s Word is Truth, that Jesus is called the Word, and that Jesus is the Truth.

Now, let’s take it a step further. Are you ready for this? Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 that you are the light of the world and that you are to let that light shine for all to see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 we read that we are the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. In Ephesians 5:8 we are instructed to walk as children of light. Once we were darkness but now we are light in the Lord.

How do we let the Light of God shine? What does that mean? I submit to you that it is a simple instruction and way of life. As we give voice to God’s Word, His Word which is Truth, goes forth as a Light from the children of Light (God Himself, Jesus the Word, the Truth and the Way) to dispel the darkness of anything contrary to THE TRUTH. Where there is light, there cannot be darkness. It is not possible. Light a candle and the room is no longer dark. Send forth the Word of God Who is Light and Truth and the place where it is sent is no longer dark. This is fact. Wow!

Send the Light of God’s Word of Truth into the darkness of sickness and disease, poverty, lack, want, discouragement, disappointment, doubt, unbelief, failure, defeat, etc. and let God’s Word of Light do His work of bringing the light of health, prosperity, well-being, wholeness, faith, success, encouragement, etc. into your life.

What Is Truth?

When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Pilate asked him a number of questions. An interesting interchange occurred between Pilate and Jesus. Pilate asked him if he was a king. Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. I was born a king, but My Kingdom is not of this world. I was born into this world to bear witness of the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears my voice. Pilate’s response to this discourse was: What is truth? (John 18:33-40).

I saw two things in this passage of scripture this morning that I had never seen before.

(1) Those who are of the Truth (Jesus, is the Word. His Word is Truth.) hear His voice, the voice of His Word.

(2) Pilate actually did not ask Jesus the question, “What is Truth?” because he wanted to know the truth. No, he stated it as a vocalized afterthought in response to Jesus saying that He came into the world to bear witness of the truth. Then Pilate must have shrugged his shoulders and said: Ah, what is truth? In other words, he was saying that no one really knows what truth is. He responded this way because he had no understanding of who Jesus was. He only saw Jesus as a man, one in whom he could find no fault. He dismissed the conversation in his mind and went back out to Jesus’ accusers and told them that he found no fault in Jesus and basically asked if they wanted him to release Jesus. Of course, we all know their response----release Barabbas.

In John 1:14, John 14:6, and John 17:17 we read these words:
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.
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.

What is Truth? We have our answer from the scriptures. Jesus is the Truth. The Word is the Truth. He is the Word. He is the Word and the Truth. All Truth comes from God. He is the Source of all that is true. He has given us His Word, which is His Truth unveiled from Genesis to Revelation. As we are lovers of Jesus and His Word, we know (have an intimate relationship with, have revelation of) the Truth. And that intimate relationship with the Word of Truth shall make us free (John 8:32).

Christ-Centered

I have a question to ask you today, something to ponder.

Is your life Christ-centered or is it self-centered?

Before you quickly answer that question, think a while.

Do you think about your problems and challenges? Do you wake up in the morning thinking about that sickness that is lingering in your body? Do you think only about what you are going to do that day? Do you fret about what is happening in your life? Do you worry about what you are going to do in your old age? Do you have concerns about what you are going to use for money to buy what you need? Do you anxiously wonder how much longer you will have your job? If your answers to these questions are yes, then you are self-centered rather than Christ-centered.

Now don’t throw a shoe at your computer and say that I don’t know what it is like to be in your shoes. No, I don’t know what it is like to walk in your shoes. But Jesus does. When we are focused on Him and what He is doing for us, we tend to lose sight of our life’s challenges. Some of the most grateful people I know are those who have the most challenges. They are so joyful and full of hope. Then, on the other hand, some of the most cantankerous people I know are ones who have a few challenges and drive everybody “up the wall” telling you about their many hardships.

Do people walk away from you wishing they had not asked you how you are? Do people leave your presence remembering Who Jesus is and what He has done for them or do they leave your presence overwhelmed with you and your opinions?

This question is something to ponder, isn’t it! Believe me, I have been taking inventory and asking the Holy Spirit to show me where I have allowed self to take over in the place of Christ. He has definitely shown me some things. My prayer is that I decrease and that Jesus Christ increase in me.

Why do you think the Lord is asking us that question about being Christ-centered? I believe it is the times that we are living in. We must be so focused on Jesus that nothing else matters, whether it is good, bad, or otherwise. When we keep our minds stayed on Him, He is able to sustain us and keep us from giving up and giving in to our circumstances. When times get tough and things are rough, there is only one source of peace; that is Jesus! He will carry us through, even when we don’t understand why things are happening to us the way they are. He will carry us when nothing makes sense about our lives. He will carry us when we want to scream and give up and say that nobody cares. He cares and He will carry us. Remember that when nothing makes any sense, Jesus Christ is your Rock of Salvation. Keep steady in Him.

It is so strong in my spirit that we must learn right now how to trust the Lord, regardless of how we feel or what we are seeing. Trust is the biggest factor for every Christian right now. Trust Him, lean on Him, rely on Him. He is the One and only unchangeable factor in your life. Everything else changes, but He and His Word never change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can depend on Him.

I am talking to somebody today. Stop blaming God for your challenges. Stop accusing Him of not coming through for you. Just stop! Turn around! Praise Him and honor Him and respect Him and trust Him! You may not understand anything, but I can tell you that He is for you and not against you. Trust Him with your life! There is no one else better than He is. Make that decision right now that you CHOOSE to trust Him, whether you feel like it or not.

Stop thinking about YOUR problems (self-centered) and start focusing on HIS ANSWERS (Christ-centered).

Precious Freedom

The greatest freedom we have is the freedom that Jesus Christ has given us as sons and daughters of God. He paid the ultimate price for that freedom ---- His blood. Likewise, as we celebrate July 4th, Independence Day, in the United States of America, we must remember that our freedom came with a price, the blood of many men and women who fought in wars both past and present.

As a person who loves peace, I hate war. It destroys. But war is a consequence of man’s sin-driven desires for power and prestige. Today we see this drive for power in governments all over the world, in businesses everywhere, in families and yes, even in the church.

The greatest power in the universe is God Who is Love. If mankind could only see, have the veil removed from their eyes, they would see that anything that they strive for will ultimately be removed and replaced with another greater and bigger earthly “thing.” What a waste our striving is! When we lean on Him and allow His Love power to take over, He brings each of us to a place of peace and victory and prosperity, the very things that we are aiming for in our personal lives when we are attempting to do it in our own human ability.

Jesus declared in John 8:31 and 32 that if we continue in God’s Word, then we are His disciples and we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. That is true freedom, the freedom of God that comes from knowing the truth of His Word in our lives. He also said that he whom the Son sets free is free indeed. We are forever free in Jesus, regardless of where we are or what our circumstances are. Remember that you are free in Jesus Christ. Declare that freedom and value it as more precious than all that earth can offer you!

Today, let us take inventory of our freedom both in Jesus Christ and in this country.

Say So

Psalm 107:1,2
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary.

We as the children of God have been delivered from the hand, the power, the strength of the enemy, the one opposed to us, who has enmity at heart where we are concerned. Satan is our enemy who has nothing but opposition for us and enmity toward us. We as those who have been delivered from his power are to say so.

We are redeemed. We are set free. We are purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ from the bondage of slavery to satan and his demonic influences and forces. We are delivered. This is a perfect verse for us as we go into the celebration of July 4th in the United States of America. We are free from tyranny and bondage. Jesus Christ is our Deliverer. He is our Lord and Savior. He has saved us from being subject to a slave master who is satan.

Give thanks to the Lord for your deliverance. Speak out His goodness and mercy and loving-kindness which endure forever. Rejoice today as you celebrate your freedom. Use your mouth and SAY SO!