"If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: ...(13) But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, (14) Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell ... (16) Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die."Jeremiah 42:10-18

Perhaps this Scripture just hit me harder when I read it, living here in Zimbabwe under the circumstances but I believe there is a word for all of us here. God has called each of us to something specific and He wants to plant us in a way that our roots can grow deep in Him and in that particular calling. He wants us to become solely dependent on His nourishment there, that we might grow to be strong, solid leaders with the capacity to serve and guide those around us who are in need where He's called us. The Lord warns us about being double-minded. We're double-minded when we become too busy to seek God's will for lives and the empowerment to fulfill it. We're double-minded when we allow our fear and anxiety to get in the way of us getting to and staying in that place to which He's called us. Brothers & Sisters, let's not run from the Lord. He has so many blessings for those who seek Him and follow after Him whole-heartedly. Let's give our all to Him today and strive to be single-minded in His calling upon our lives! DON'T RUN!

"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!

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Funeral -- which is never an easy thing. In the midst of the mourning, the realization dawned (once again) that this life is utterly fleeting ... a vapor in the wind ... and these frail human bodies in which we dwell, are mortal dust. We are living in the land of the dead and dying, and only those of us who truly know and are known by the Messiah, upon our death, will enter the land of the truly living! Mourning is the only honest and human response to the death of loved ones, and it quickens the profound realization just how precious life is. Death, and the funerals which attend it, also inspire the opportunity for serious introspection and for taking account of how we are living our lives in this world. Values, priorities, and building upon the foundation of Christ, ought to occupy our minds when we encounter the stark reality that someone else has just gone to his or her reward. When I think of funerals, I'm reminded of D.L. Moody and his attempt to write his first funeral message as a young pastor. He searched and searched the Gospels, and came to the realization that every funeral service Jesus attended... He resurrected the dead body. Jesus was the ultimate funeral party crasher! Praise God... He said, "I am the resurrection and the life ..." [John 11:25] Brothers & Sisters, death is the ultimate wake-up call to remind us of the great message we carry.... Messiah has come, He raises the dead, and we will give explicit account for our deeds, either when we pass to the next world or when He returns. If He dwells within us, and we allow His resurrection life to inspire our words and guide our actions, everyone we encounter will have the opportunity to know and experience that He truly is "the Resurrection and the Life"! OH DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING?

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."Hebrews 11:6

One of the greatest stories of the Bible is David and Goliath. It's such a good story, in fact, that the world has come to make common use of it! A prime example of this is when the underdog faces an invincible champion in just about any sport on national television, commentators always seem to make mention of David and Goliath. Imagine the scene at the time of David. The children of Israel were small compared to the Philistines (incidentally, they are still small today -- there are very few tall people in Israel!). And here they are faced with this enormously frightening giant, Goliath, champion of the Philistines. All the Israelites shook in their sandals, saying Goliath's too big for us to hit! All but one -- young little David. Instead of fearing Goliath's enormity, David saw his size to be an advantage! He said, on the contrary -- Goliath is too big to miss! That day, David became a hero for the Israelites and his name would be remembered well --even to this day. It all depends on our point of view -- the way we see our circumstances. We can either walk in doubt, asking "Can God do this thing?" or walk in faith, proclaiming "God surely will!" brothers & Sisters, we all have some scary Goliaths to face in our lives. You may be facing one right now. Have faith, my friend! In our greatest distresses God wants to show Himself powerful! Let's walk in faith for His victory! HAVE ABUNDANT FAITH!

"Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed."Joshua 23:14

As Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land it seemed that God had given them an impossible assignment -- to conquer a foreign and hostile land with fortified cities and armies greater than their own. They had to go forth only on the basis of God's promise. They had to walk by faith and not by sight! How did Joshua lead them to walk by faith? He reminded them that God has never failed them. And he encouraged them to them focus on the promises of God! Brothers & Sisters, you too can rely on God's faithfulness today! Are you in the midst of a crisis? Are high mountains facing you today? If so, we want to remind you of all the miraculous ways God has worked in your life in the past! Though we often forget our promises to Him, He will never forget His promises to us! Let's spend the day recounting God's victories and determine to exercise faith for the trials we face today! RECOUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

"lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."2 Corinthians 2:11

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev used to tell of a time when there was a wave of petty theft in the Soviet Union. To curtail this, the authorities put guards up around the factories. At a timber works in Leningrad, one guard knew the workers in the factory very well. The first evening, out came Pyotr Petrovich with a wheelbarrow containing a great bulky sack with a suspicious-looking object inside. "All right, Petrovich," said the guard, "What have you got there?" "Oh, just sawdust and shavings," Petrovich replied. "Come on," the guard said, "I wasn’t born yesterday. Tip it out." The worker tipped and nothing came out but sawdust and shavings. So he was allowed to put it all back again and go home. When the same thing happened every night of the week the guard became frustrated. Finally, his curiosity overcame his frustration. "Petrovich," he said, "I know you. Tell me what you’re smuggling out of here, and I’ll let you go." "Wheelbarrows, my friend," said Petrovich, "wheelbarrows." Brothers & Sisters, is your attention being diverted? Think about it. Are you (allowing yourself to be) preoccupied with something that seems innocent, while the real, significant, substantial matter is slipping by every day, unnoticed? The strategies of Satan to divert our eyes onto “sawdust” and miss "wheelbarrows" are many. What is the "sawdust" in your life, in mine? For some of us, it might even be a fascinated preoccupation with Last Days events, which diverts us from the mandate to make disciples...for others, it might be neglecting our children for the sake of "ministry". If we take the time to look, each of us really knows how we miss the "wheelbarrows" for the "sawdust". But just like that savvy guard, we ought to wise up quickly and identify the problem. Right? WATCH THE WHEELBARROWS!

"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, and heirs according to the promise."Galatians 3:29

This amazing passage defines all true believers in Messiah as "Abraham's seed and heirs according to God's promise". Abraham was known as the first Hebrew -- literally, "one who crosses over!" Before he crossed over into the promised land, we know from the scriptures that Abraham lived in a deeply idolatrous society and that even his own father was an idol worshiper. (Joshua 24:2) But one remarkable day, a call came to Abraham....a call from the Most High God -- and he became one who "crossed over" from idolatrous polytheism into a personal knowledge of the one true Creator God. So leaving his past behind, he entered a new life of spiritual truth and holiness and a new land of promise; a profound transformation, and for us, a beautiful picture of our own "crossing over" into the new life of Jesus the Messiah. Now looking at Abraham's story, do we see that his life was free of obstacles and troubles once he reached his destination in Caanan? No way! Here are a few major events: he felt forced to go into Egypt to escape a famine, where his wife, Sarah, was held captive in Pharoah's harem for an undisclosed amount of time; after being liberated, Sarah continued barren until old age; then, Abraham was required by his own deep loyalty, to rescue his worldly nephew Lot and his family, risking his own life and the lives of his men; again he was tested when following Sarah's advice, Abraham conceived a son with Hagar, whom he deeply loved but was required to send into the desert with his Egyptian wife/mother. And of course, he probably faced the greatest test of faith when God asked Abraham to sacrifice the son of promise, Isaac, Sarah's only son, for whom they both had waited all their lives! Isn't it interesting that we know nothing of Abraham's life trials before he crossed over into Caanan? Only after he crossed over do we read of the successive testings of this great man of faith -- and in fact, because of those tests Abraham is considered the "father" of faith. (Romans 4:16) Brothers & Sisters, we are called to bear our crosses daily, and also to respond with faith to whatever may come our way. And, praise God that when we do, we also will be known as those who "crossed over" and overcame every obstacle and trial of faith...having held firm to every great promise of God! WE HAVE CROSSED OVER, NOW LET'S HOLD ON!

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not."Luke 12:39-40

When studying the Jewish roots of many of Jesus' parables, and I came across an interesting saying from a Jewish Rabbi that I believe has something to teach us. Rabbi Eliezer said, "Repent one day before your death." His disciples asked him, "Does then one know what day he will die?" "Then all the more reason to repent today", he replied, "lest he die tomorrow, and thus his whole life is spent in repentance." When I first became a believer, I thought by simply dealing with my outward sins that I could live a state of sinlessness. But it wasn't long before the Lord began revealing and dealing with my inward sins and attitudes. Now, and the longer I walk with Him, I understand more and more the meaning of daily repentance! If we truly want to be free and walk in His liberty, we cannot avoid this crucial requirement for freedom. Because we cannot receive His forgiveness without it, repentance must be a way of life for us [1 John 1:9]. Brothers & Sisters, staying close to the Lord is His heart's desire for us...but one of the main conditions for it is walking in regular repentance. When we walk in humility and truthfulness about our sin -- we are walking in the light, and the blood of Jesus keeps cleansing us from sin. In that condition we are so much more able to love the Lord and those around us -- with Him, touching one life at a time. So, let's lay down our pride and turn to Him every day....with genuine repentance ... and then we'll be walking in daily revival! REPENTANCE IS A LIFESTYLE; BE READY!

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."Psalms 103:12

D .L . Moody said "Those who say they will forgive but can't forget, bury the hatchet, but they leave the handle out for immediate use." I don't argue much, but I've had my moments, just like anyone else. And when the bickering begins, the remembering begins. Have you ever noticed that when we get upset about something, we begin hashing up all these things that have happened in the past? Things we thought were long forgiven and forgotten suddenly flood our minds and stir up feelings of anger and bitterness. Before we know it, our enemy has us ensnared in a web of frustration and un-forgiveness! The same is true when we experience failure in our day to day lives. The devil knows how to bring up all the memories of past failures which make it exceedingly difficult for us to forgive ourselves and get free! Satan would love nothing more than to keep us bound up in un-forgiveness. to bring up those bad memories and torment us with them. He knows how successfully these things keep us from moving forward for the Lord! But we need to recognize his tactics and loose ourselves! When we repent and confess the Lord truly forgives us. Our sins are cast as far as the East is from the West. He removes them from His record loving us with a love undeserved. We need to do the same for ourselves, our loved ones and even our worst enemies. Brothers & Sisters, the Lord wants us to get free so that we can help others get free. We can't help anyone else when we're all bound up ourselves! Let's cast our painful memories onto the cross of Christ and ask Him to help us truly forgive and forget. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MEMORY?

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."Jeremiah 17:7-8

In this passage, the Lord compares us to trees planted by the water - trees which will always stay green even through the heat and drought - trees which will never cease to yield fruit. We as believers who trust in the Lord and whose hope is in Him should be yielding fruit unceasingly! That's right - even through the droughts we face in our lives, we should never cease to bear fruit! Here, the Lord is showing us who we really are! We are trees, nourished by the Living Water of truth and hope and by the Son, who has redeemed us from all of our sin and given us new life! Brothers & Sisters, let's take a close look at ourselves. Are we bearing fruit in our personal lives, in our families, in our communities? We need to be!! Let's walk in our calling and we will see fruit! FANCY FRUIT?

"Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver."2 Corinthians 9:7

A wise man once said, "There's nothing more powerful than the heart of a volunteer". Webster describes a volunteer this way -- one who renders a service or receives a conveyance or transfer of property without giving valuable consideration. It's so easy to get into the mindset that serving God is a chore, it's our job, our duty -- we give valuable consideration to our giving. The fact of the matter is that God loves a cheerful giver. He loves a volunteer. When I think of that verse, the first thing that comes to my mind is monetary giving, but God wants us to cheerfully volunteer every good thing He has so mercifully allowed us to have –- things we often take for granted -- our time, our energy, our abilities, our talents, our homes, our cars, our families –- all that we have – all that He has cheerfully given to us! Brothers & Sisters, let's make a point to volunteer some of these things to the Lord this week. Let’s bless the Lord and those around us! IT'S TIME TO VOLUNTEER!

"And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open."Isaiah 22:22 ; "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."Isaiah 9:6-7 ; "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."Revelation 3:7-9

The book of Isaiah, often called the Old Testament Gospel, reveals that a child was to be born and his name called "The Mighty God, and the Everlasting Father". We know that this Child was Jesus of Nazareth, that He is the unique Son of God, the express image of the invisible God. The throne of David was to be given to Him and He now holds its "key", a symbol of the right and authority of His reign, which will be consummated when He returns to this world and restores the Kingdom to Israel [Acts 1:6-7]. The glorified Jesus, speaking to the church at Philadelphia, mentions this "key of David", reminding them of His authority, and expressing His approval of their deeds, patience and faithfulness to His word, and His love for them. The Lord's approval comes with a mandate. Knowing that they have but a little strength, notwithstanding, He sets before them an open door that no man can shut. They are to move out, through this "door", having been approved, and now equipped to represent Him. "Philadelphia" means "brotherly love". Can it be coincidence that this church is encouraged with a reminder that the beloved psalmist/King David's key and authority are now held by Jesus, who sends them on a mission of love? Brothers & Sisters, those of us whose patience has been tested, will also receive His approval, His protection, and His mandate, just as the church of Philadelphia did. Since God is love, and love is patient, our preparation of patience will equip us with His power to fulfill His mandate, and to go through His "open door". So doing, we will hasten the coming of His glorious Kingdom. Even so, come Lord Jesus! HE OPENS THE DOORS NO MAN CAN SHUT!

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."2 Timothy 2:20-22

A grindstone is a revolving disk made of stone which is used for grinding, polishing or sharpening. It can commonly be seen grinding down wheat or sharpening and polishing metal for various purposes. At first glance, this information may not seem all that interesting to you. However, a wise man once compared life to a grindstone. He said -- whether life grinds us down or polishes us up depends on what we’re made of! So… here’s a question. What are we made of? Is life grinding us down to pieces? Or is it polishing us up to make us better equipped to do the work of the Lord? I can tell you this -- we are not called to crumble apart like chaff under the grindstone! We are called be tools in our Master’s hand -- sharpened and polished beautifully for His use!! Brothers & Sisters, let’s commit ourselves to the Lord once again this weekend. Let’s not whine about our difficulties, but allow God to use them to sharpen us for His glory! Have a delightful day, and keep looking up -- for our redemption draws near! KEEP YOUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE!

"If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."John 8:36

I know a Christian woman who has struggled with her past for years. She rarely thinks or speaks of anything else. And as a result, her life has just spiraled downward, despite all my attempts to minister to her. It breaks my hearts to see. Have you ever tried looking in your rear-view mirror while you drive your car forward? Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But this is what we're actually doing when we constantly think about our past as we try to move forward in the Lord! It's a surefire way to crash. Brothers & Sisters, we need to learn from the past, not live in it. Be released today of the "woulda, coulda, and shoulda's" of your past. We cannot move forward unless we stop looking backward and focus on the great things God has for us ahead! DON'T CRASH!

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:13-14

There are two kinds of birds that roam the desert: vultures and hummingbirds. The vulture thrives on a diet of rotting meat. He flies overhead searching for traces of leftover carcasses from slow-footed critters eaten by wild animals who've already had their fill. Hummingbirds, on the other hand, will sweep through the desert, passing over all those repulsive, dead animals and seek colorful patches of beautiful wild desert flowers. They will suckle the delicious juices of those sweet desert blossoms and be satisfied. While vultures look to the dead for their survival, the hummingbird seeks the living! Likewise, some of us unconsciously look to our past with its regrets, failures, and sins to keep us alive. We think that somehow by looking back to those dead things, we might find some motivation to keep surviving here and now. But let's take a lesson from the hummingbird. Brothers & Sisters, let's sweep past that which is dead and focus on the sweet new life -- the exciting future that God holds for us as we continue seeking Him and moving forward in our relationship with Him! LIFE AWAITS US!