"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."Jeremiah 33:3

In today's society fast food is making billions. It's slogans are "have it your way" and "have it hot and and have it now". How easy it is for us to fall into this "fast food mentality". It has almost become who we are. But in God's kingdom there's no fast food. We can't always have it our way and now. When we are caught up in this fast food mentality, we lose the true meaning of patience. True patience is the ability to wait on the Lord through trials without complaining and worrying; it is to be tested and persevere through trial. We need to be patiently waiting on the Lord to answer us in a new way! We cannot shortcut the things of God. If we want a deeper anointing of the Spirit in our lives, we need to avoid this fast food mentality. We cannot have a deeper walk with the Lord without spending time in his Word, without spending time in intimate prayer, without walking in repentance and humility, and practicing a life of holiness. Is this a tall order? Yes, but when we are focused on God and patiently waiting on Him to answer -- He will preparing a blessing beyond our imagination! Brothers & Sisters, let's not settle for a hamburger, fries and coke -- when the Lord has a delicious, heavenly feast prepared for us! DON'T SETTLE FOR A BURGER!

"For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days."Hosea 3:4-5

On the Hebrew calendar we're in the middle of the month of Elul. This particular month the shofar is sounded once a day as a call for the people to repent as we approach the Hebrew month of Tishri. Interestingly enough, Rosh HaShanah (Hebrew for "Head of the Year") also known as Yom Teruah [Hebrew for "Day of the (shofar) blast"] falls on the 1st day of Tishri which is the seventh month of the year -- yet it has been designated as the New Year. This season is also known as the season of "teshuva". In Hebrew, "teshuva" means "repentance", and yet it also means "return". So, ironically, the beginning of the year is connected to the end of the harvest year. The beginning is connected to the end. And the end is connected to the beginning. Thus, a cyclical pattern emerges: the gospel message was delivered by the Jewish people whose Messiah Jesus appeared at the beginning of this age. This message has gone to the nations for nearly 2000 years and is now returning to its source, Israel and the Jewish people, whose return to their homeland signals the completion of the cycle culminating in the spiritual resurrection of the nation. We are certainly witnessing the beginning of this fulfillment at the end of the age with Messianic believers multiplying and proclaiming faith in the true Messiah to their own Jewish people. Brothers & Sisters, in this season of repentance ("teshuva"), as we ourselves turn to the Lord, please remember to be praying for the Jewish people -- not only for their return to their homeland, the physical restoration -- but for their repentance and faith in the only Name given under heaven by which we must be saved -- the spiritual restoration which signals the coming of King Messiah Jesus. IT'S THE SEASON OF REPENTANCE!

"Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."Luke 6:12

Have you ever noticed that most of our phone conversations go something like this? You call, people are always making time to talk to us. In fact, usually they excuse themselves and go into a separate room so they can hear us loud and clear! And vice versa when they call us! But that got me thinking. If we make some time and excuse ourselves from a room to talk to someone important on the telephone, how much more should we do these things for the Lord of Glory?! William Wilberforce, Christian statesman of Great Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, once said, "I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of private devotions starves the soul. It grows lean and faint." We don't starve our bodies, do we? Then why do we starve our souls? We would never dream of not eating for a month or two, but how long has it been since we've gotten to a quiet room to nourish our souls with the Lord? Seems ironic, doesn't it? Our bodies are only temporary -- they will be buried six feet under some day, along with our belongings eventually. Our soul, though, is what we should be nourishing daily, what we should be guarding as our most prized possession because it will always be around! Brothers & Sisters, let's make sure our priorities are straight. Let's be sure to excuse ourselves from the hustle and bustle -- so we can hear from the Lord -- loud and clear! LISTEN, LOUD AND CLEAR!

"He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."Genesis 22:2

When Abraham is told by God to offer up his son, Issac, the word "love" is spoken for the first time in the Bible. The Hebrew word for love is "ahavah". This first mention of "ahavah", which is the very nature of God [1 John 4:8] occurs in direct connection with sacrifice, the sacrifice of a most precious and beloved son. Abraham could not have known at that time that his obedient offering would foreshadow and typify the love of our Heavenly Father who offered up Jesus, His only begotten Son 2000 years ago. Notice that in both cases love is directly connected to sacrifice -- and that the greatest love comes from God's sacrifice for our sin. The greatest love involves sacrifice; perfect love is costly. There are times when loving someone is hard -- almost impossible it seems. Yet we have this precedent, Abraham, the Father of faith, and we have Jesus the Messiah who consummated and perfected "ahavah" in the loving sacrifice of His own life. So while it's easy to love when it feels good, loving when it doesn't expresses the love of God and His faithful servants. The Holy Spirit, our companion and comforter empowers us to love even when it carries a heavy cost. Brothers & Sisters, love, even at the most difficult times -- realizing that sacrificial love is the very nature of God! LOVE AT ALL TIMES!

"But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."Luke 9:62

Don't worry for tomorrow because tomorrow holds its own worries. But it occurred to me recently, that just about as often as we worry for tomorrow, we fret about yesterday. How many times do we find ourselves saying, "I wish things could be the way they were, I wish I was younger, I wish I could fit into those jeans again, I wish I didn't make that terrible mistake ... you fill in the blank"? The Lord doesn't want us constantly looking back at what once was. Our enemy does -- he wants us to feel discouraged and helpless and ruminate over and over on what we can never change. Sure, if we need to repent or make something right, we ought to go ahead and do it. But God doesn't want us drowning in self-pity or regret about past mistakes, or hopelessly longing for what can never be again . He wants us to look ahead. He wants us to say, "Forget what was – the future is where my destiny lies and I will meet the Lord there in His purposes for me." That's faith. And it's well based in everything Jesus has done for us, promised us, and called us to. Brothers & Sisters, let's stop looking back in fear or bondage to the past – it's long gone already. Let's move ahead and press toward the new things that the Lord has for us in our lives. Our God is always making things new, and redeeming what was before. STOP LOOKING BACK --- LOOK AHEAD!

"Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"John 11:40

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee flames by jumping to the ground from the roof. His father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." But the boy was afraid -- he couldn't see his father -- all he could see was flame, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid. Still, his father kept yelling: "Jump son! I will catch you!" But the boy refused, crying, "Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's ok son -- I can see you -- and that's all that matters!" Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery trials of life and all we can see is the smoke and the flames. But faith is knowing who will catch us when take that leap. In Hebrew, the word 'truth' in this verse, is em-oo-nah, which is also translated faith. God delights in responding to our faith. He wants us to jump into His arms --- especially when we can't see Him. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. Brothers & Sisters, let's practice some faith today. Our Father's arms are biggest and strongest they come! TAKE THE LEAP!

"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"Luke 15:6

A friend sent me this very touching story and I had to share it with you. Some time ago there was a story in the San Francisco Chronicle about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth. Thankfully, a fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was in such bad condition that the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her, a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the enormous whale's tail could kill a rescuer. Still, the brave rescuers worked for hours cutting her free. One guy who was cutting the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time. Eventually, they were able to free her. As soon as she became free, the divers say she began to swim in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. Let's take a lesson from this beautiful story. So often we let the hurting in our churches and communities fall through the cracks, never to be seen again. But it is a brave soul who gathers up an army of rescuers to reach out to a suffering or hard to reach brother or sister and rescue him or her from the binding entanglements of this world. Just as the Lord has so mercifully reached out to us, we need to do the same. Whether it is a gift, an invitation to a meal or a smile and a word of encouragement, let's strive to reach out. Brothers & Sisters, we need to be the first to initiate this kind of rescue team for our brothers and sisters. Believe you me, it will be just as beautiful and rewarding too. JOINT THE RESCUE EFFORT!

"Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."James 3:5-6

Too often, we allow ourselves the liberty to say things for which we end up being sorry later. Ugggh. I hate it when that happens. And I don't believe the Lord is all that happy about it either. We really need to think before we speak! I heard one person once put it beautifully. Before we say something let's "THINK"! T- is it True? H- is it Helpful? I- is it Inspiring? N- is it Necessary? K- is it Kind? THINK! If what we're about to say does not pass those tests, let's be careful and THINK if we should say it! Brothers & Sisters, God has great things for us to be doing. We must allow Him to refine us and prepare us for His work! Let's strive to think before we speak. HERE'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:"Psalms 139:23

Talking to people about God has become a regular part of my lives. Between meeting people on the forums and in our chat rooms and the opportunities which open up in my daily lives, I find myself sharing with people from all walks of life - unbelievers, new believers, people who have come and gone from the faith and back again. It's so typical of the human nature to want all our questions answered before we decide to make any commitments, isn't it? We want proof that God is real and that the Bible is accurate. We want to know why sometimes those who call themselves Christians do awful things and how God could allow bad things happen to good people. Sadly, as soon as we think all our questions are all answered to satisfaction, undoubtedly more appear. It happens to the best of us. While there numerous answers and proofs to these questions, we have come to realize that some things just can't be answered with our minds - they have to be answered with our hearts. The deepest faith doesn't come by getting all our questions answered - it comes simply when we open our hearts to the Lord and invite Him to search it through and through. Don't get me wrong, it's good to ask questions and be knowledgeable of our faith, but the fact of the matter is that there are some questions to which we won't find answers until we can see the Lord face to face and ask Him ourselves. Brothers & Sisters, regardless of whether we're new believers, old believers or not yet believers at all, let's all of us open our hearts to God today and ask Him to do a work in us. May you be blessed this weekend as the Lord reveals new and wonderful treasures to your hearts. OPEN YOUR HEART!

"Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."James 4:6b

Each New Day. "When I saw my Pastor, he had completed a tour around the world. People asked him, Doesn't it do harm, you're getting so much honor?" The Pastor's answer was: "No. The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job." Another wise person once said, "I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. I do not mean by humility, doubt of his own power, or hesitation in speaking his opinion. But really great men have a ... feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them; that they could not do or be anything else than God made them." Brothers & Sisters, we too, should strive to live knowing that the greatness is through us and give God all the glory He deserves! Lord, help us! We want to empty ourselves of our desires and our agendas, and be available for all the works you want to do through us! And Lord, we want to live a life of honoring You for every work! Thank you for loving us and helping us along the way -- in the Name of Jesus, Amen! HOW ABOUT SOME HUMBLE PIE?

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."Romans 8:37-39

Some time ago, I wrote about pearl harvesting -- how, like the oyster, God takes us in, an irritating grain of sand, and over time covers us with His beautiful covering that we may become more precious and more valuable for His Kingdom. But here is another interesting thought. Once the pearl is ready, a great price must be paid to see its beauty -- the oyster must die. It must be torn open in order to find the treasure within. Hmmm. Our Messiah was bruised and He was afflicted. He was torn for us, that we could become the beautiful treasure God intended from the very beginning. Each one of us is a treasure in the Lord's sight. We are highly privileged to be covered and cleansed and bought with a price! It is a great honor -- even the greatest honor -- to be called sons and daughters of the King! Through His sacrificial work, we have become the head and not the tail! We have become more than conquerors! Brothers & Sisters, we owe it to the Lord to hold our heads high for Him and determine to do great things that His Kingdom can be furthered! Let's remember who we are and go forth with power! A PEARL OF WISDOM FOR YOU!

"But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, and on my coming I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away."Matthew 25:26-29

Reading this parable, we are struck by the serious consequences of failing to produce Kingdom fruit. But there's something I want to particularly point out. Many of the great heroes of the faith -- people like Moses and David, were not given great responsibilities immediately. Each of these men first served as a lowly shepherd, tending sheep. Having tested them first in this humble vocation, God then felt confident to elevate them to positions of greatness -- but it all started with a small step! God is testing his saints in the little things -- as we pass our early tests, the Lord will promote us to greater things. Don't despise the day of small things -- a single talent invested wisely can produce a bountiful harvest! And remember that it begins with faithful stewardship of whatever gift or talent that God has allocated to you. Brothers & Sisters, let's be wise stewards in these last days, using our divinely given abilities for His glory and purposes so that we can produce an abundant return on the Lord's investment in our lives. Let's heed the warning and the encouragement that Jesus gives us in this parable, multiplying, rather than hiding our talent. Amen! MULTIPLY YOUR TALENTS!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."Romans 8:28

Nearly 2000 years ago, the disciples witnessed a catastrophe -- the crucifixion of our Lord. But the Lord used this tragedy to redeem all mankind. This great catastrophe was turned to ultimate beauty. Each of us has experienced tragedy in our lives. Inevitably the question arises -- Why? Let's be encouraged by one of God's most beautiful masterpieces. The Lord can turn our great catastrophes into great beauty -- into great victory! Brothers & Sisters, let's turn to the Lord with our catastrophes. He can turn the most difficult tragedy into an incredible work of art! HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHE?

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."Matthew 24:12-13

The Bible speaks of a great falling away in the last days (2 Thessalonians 2) before the end of the age arrives, and it seems that we're seeing it on a grand scale all around us. Virtually everywhere we look we're watching the decline of morality and ethics -- in government, entertainment, and social culture. It seems hard to deny that we're living in the final days of abounding iniquity which Jesus foretold. This is not an easy time for true believers. The evil around us can be so discouraging and the darkness so oppressive that it really threatens our ability to walk in love. Yet the reality of the gospel is brighter and more relevant than ever in this world. And the inner light of Messiah burning in us will be all the more intense and warm in this gloomy landscape, if -- and only if, we fill our lamps with His holy oil and burn with His last days love. Anti-Christ culture is permeating our society. But we respond with the enduring culture of Messiah, a culture of supernatural love that will not die. Brothers & Sisters, take heart and don't be deceived or discouraged, or allow your love to grow cold. These signs of the end are simply proof that God is on His throne and His sovereign Word is being fulfilled exactly as He spoke it. Continue in His love. Radiate His light. Wherever you are, wherever you go, bring His love. Love will endure, even forever. SHOW SOME END TIME LOVE!

"And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown."Jonah 3:4

When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness -- in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed "unless", but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city -- seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message Nineveh repented, and because their repentance was genuine God spared the city for a season and many lives were saved. Jonah's prophecy of judgment was averted, and Nineveh's destiny was changed by their response to the deep conviction from a message of doom. That's how it is with God. He is so compassionate, so longing to forgive and restore people to Himself, that He seems to "change His mind" showing how His mercy triumphs over judgment. Brothers & Sisters, is there a "prophecy of doom" over your life? Are your sins piled so high that God's judgment seems irrevocable and imminent? Don't despair ... repent! With our compassionate God there is hope even when it seems all is lost. You may have wandered very far from Him -- but if Nineveh, a pagan city, hardened and ripe for judgment and "hopelessly" heading toward destruction, could be saved -- shouldn't you also have hope if you turn back to the Lord? Don't give up – with Jesus there is always hope! HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS!