"And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth."Revelation 5:8-10

From the beginning of Genesis (Genesis 4:4) to the end of the Bible (Revelation 22:3), there is a common theme -- the Lamb! In Revelation 6 we read about the Lamb who sits in the midst of the throne -- worshiped by all of heaven because the Lamb was worthy to take the book and open the seals therein. The most harmless of creatures -- the object of sacrifice, becomes the authority of heaven. Isn't it interesting that the focal point of heaven is a Lamb? The world seeks power, fame and glory... The world's mentality is "survival of the fittest"... This is the way "nature works". And yet, how would a lamb fare in this competitive environment? It appears to be the weakest of all the animals, and yet, is the symbol of power and authority in the Kingdom of God! An amazing paradox. Authority in the Kingdom of God is marked and even defined by gentleness and sacrifice, in total opposition to the world's definition. When Jesus died as the lamb of God -- He revealed the greatness of sacrifice. Likewise, Revelation 12:11 declares of the martyrs, "They conquered by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their lives even unto death." Several of Jesus's paradoxical statements illustrate His Kingdom priorities. "He that loses His life for my sake -- shall find it". [Matthew 10:39]. "He that seeks to be greatest in the Kingdom shall become a servant to all". [Matthew 23:11]. Victory through death? Gain through total loss? Great stature through abject servanthood? Such are the beautiful ways of our Lord. Brothers & Sisters, meditate on the Lamb, and you will discover the greatness in humility, the authority in harmlessness, the responsibility in servanthood, the victory in surrender, and the majesty in submission to the great God of creation. In His world, servants become kings; surrender becomes victory; death turns to resurrected life. Take hold of the paradox of the Lamb -- take hold of the Kingdom of Heaven! TAKE HOLD OF THE MYSTERY OF THE LAMB!

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified."Isaiah 61:1-3

When Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and was handed the scroll of Isaiah to read [Luke 4:18], He opened it to the passage we know of as Isaiah 61, a powerful Messianic proclamation filled with hope and promise and fresh with the joyful good news of His arrival. After reading the passage He immediately declared that it was fulfilled in the hearing of those present. The first response was amazement and wonder that the carpenter's son was so gracious a communicator. But this did not last, as Jesus immediately challenged his audience with a prophetic expectation...that they would reject Him, which they immediately did...nevertheless... The Hebrew word for gospel – basar – not only mean "to preach the good news" – but its root also suggests cheerfulness and freshness or refreshing. The gospel is full of joy! The joy of knowing our sin debt has been paid in full, and that through the resurrection we acquire an unfathomably wonderful eternal life; and the joy of experiencing every moment of our lives, the reality of "Immanuel", God with us. Life has its struggles, with disappointment, irritation, persecution, temptations to anger, bitterness, and even despair. Yet, this message and its impact upon us carries the renewing power and deep cheer of Jesus's presence. The announcement of the "basar" is fully intended to be refreshed and renewed daily, never to become a dull or half remembered inspiration. By its very nature it brings deliverance, healing, vision, righteousness, and praise, a profoundly fresh, revivifying and transformative message carrying the indefatigable joy of the Holy Spirit. Brothers & Sisters, the gospel of Messiah is not a message that "gets old"; at least it ought never to be. If we simply reconsider it, we discover an eternally fresh message to be received and reignited in our hearts each day. As we contemplate the entirety of what Jesus did for us, it will never "get old", but remain ever fresh and invigorating. For He truly did come to bind up the brokenhearted, release those who are captive, free those who are bound, and comfort those who mourn...AND to make us Trees of righteousness in this world, living, breathing, refreshing messages of His joy, that He may be glorified! HOLD ON TO THE FRESHNESS OF THE GOSPEL!

"The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."Proverbs 18:15

I'm not sure where I read it, but the idea has always been ingrained in my mind -- if you want to be a good teacher, be a good student. When Jesus lived on the earth, his disciples were called "talmudim". The Hebrew literally means "students". "Talmudim" comes from the verb, "Lilmod", "to learn". In essence, talmudim are learners. We who know Jesus as Lord consider Him our Rabbi or Teacher, and ourselves, His talmudim. As such we continue to learn and grow in His wisdom, love, and character. This learning process involves regular tests from our Lord as He leads us from one level of faith to the next. I recall years ago when I was in school, never being a huge fan of tests -- in fact, rather disliking them quite a bit. I'd often find myself attempting to cram mountains knowledge into my poor brain the night before an important exam. Then, after completing the test I would quickly forget most of what I had crammed and scarcely absorbed. Doubtless had I been required to retake the test a week later, I'd almost certainly have failed it. But in the testing of faith, we cannot cram knowledge or understanding and still hope to pass. If we try this shoddy and superficial approach to learning we will simply find ourselves retaking the test, over and over again. If we are truly His talmudim, we will study, pray and delve deeply into the challenging material at hand, to learn and absorb the lesson well, so that we are educated, transformed, and well equipped to move forward in the Lord. Jesus wants us to learn today's lesson – because He has a new lesson for us tomorrow! Brothers & Sisters, what lesson is today's important lesson? Be diligent to understand and apprehend it, and even to begin applying it. So doing you'll be thoroughly equipped and prepared for the one your Rabbi will send next...maybe even, tomorrow! LEARN WELL!

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."Acts 14:22

I don't know about you, but it seems that the tests we're going through are getting harder and harder. Do you remember when you took tests in high school? At the time they may have seemed hard. But imagine if you had to take an elementary school test when you were in high school. You'd probably think – oh this is so simple. So if it seems that the testing of your faith is more intense – it simply means that you're graduating to new levels of faith! Our faith is being tested, and as we pass each "faith" test, we're finding different means of being tested. I suppose in a few years, we'll look back and think to ourselves – wow that was a hard test, but now it doesn't look so difficult! Brothers & Sisters, if you're going through a tough time right now, be encouraged because it simply means that God is graduating you to new levels of faith! The harder the tests, the greater the difficulty – the greater the reward, an increased blessing awaits you! Stay focused, stay alert and remember that God is trying to stretch your faith so that you can accomplish even more for His Kingdom! DOES IT SEEM THAT TESTS ARE GETTING HARDER?

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed [in Hebrew it is the word Meshiach], saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."Psalms 2:1-3 ; "Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."Acts 4:25-28

When Peter and John had gone up to the Temple for prayer [Acts 3], they saw a man who was lame from birth, and were moved to heal him in the name of Jesus. Immediately the religious leaders laid hands on them [Acts 4:3] and kept them imprisoned for a day. The following day, with boldness, they declared this miracle was done in the name of Jesus. I love what the "religious" leaders said next --- "they perceived that they were unlearned men and they marveled at their boldness!" Why were they bold? They had been with Jesus, and the leaders took note of that! It is no surprise that the world rages against the Messiah. Psalm 2 declares it clearly. Every year there are tens of thousands of believers suffering and dying for their faith, in large part because the kings and the rulers of the earth RAGE against the Lord and His Anointed. As followers of the King, we should expect this and be prepared for it when it comes. Brothers & Sisters, but, the examples of Peter and John, and every other true martyr are there to inspire and encourage us that if and when the time of persecution comes for us, we too can be bold as a lion. And this boldness is no merely human bravery, but an unction from the Holy Spirit Himself. So, though the kings of the earth will rage, our simple faith and Holy Spirit boldness will testify that we too have been with Jesus! REACT WITH BOLDNESS!

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."Isaiah 61:10

In Israel, couples are married beneath a "huppah", which is a beautiful canopy under which the ceremony takes place. The word "huppah" means "covering" but also, a "chamber" or "marriage room". So the canopy is a reminder that the marriage chamber is the most important room in the house for a husband and wife because it's the most intimate room. The huppah emphasizes marital intimacy and reminds us that even if we have the most luxurious mansion in the world, neglecting the place of intimacy spells deep trouble for our marriage. In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he says this: "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church." In another place, he says; "For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." In some profound and mystical way, our relationship to Jesus is powerfully portrayed by the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. This means that we have been created and redeemed for intimacy with our Lord. He deeply desires us to be close with Him just as a husband desires his wife. Without a place of intimacy, our relationship will become dull, stagnant and eventually turn cold and lifeless. Our spirituality will also become ritualistic, performance-oriented and deeply discontented. This is not the Lord's will, desire, or intention for us. Brothers & Sisters, renew the place of intimacy, your spiritual "huppah", with your Heavenly Husband; it's the place where the fire of love burns – He's waiting for you! DON'T NEGLECT YOUR HUPPAH!

"Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."Isaiah 62:11

I came across this quote in our search for devotional material and thought we'd share it with you. The author is not known but he or she is surely wise. "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer..... but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior." Yes, God sent us a Savior -- that we might know His forgiveness. But not only that we might know it. God sent us a Savior so that we, who have been given the privilege of this knowledge, might go and share the good news of His forgiveness with all the world! Brothers & Sisters, let's cherish His forgiveness today. Let's revel in it and let all who don't know that they can have the same! GO TELL IT ON A MOUNTAIN!

"There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not leave you, nor forsake you."Joshua 1:5

Moses was used mightily by the Lord, yet we all know he had his inadequacies and limitations too. Still he was the vessel through which God chose to work through as He carried out the plagues over Egypt, divided the Red Sea and miraculously led and fed the children of Israel for forty years. That's pretty big stuff. Can you imagine having to be Moses' successor after all that? That's exactly what Joshua had to do. I can't even begin to imagine what Joshua was thinking at the time -- How can I possibly live up to Moses? But the Lord comforts and reassures Joshua and says, "as I was with Moses, so I will be with you!" Those words for Joshua are also for us today. You know why? All the men and women who have done great things for the Lord were just ordinary men and women --- with a great God. The same God who walked with Moses, Elijah, Daniel and all the great men and women of God -- is with us today! Not only is He with us, He is FOR us too! Brothers & Sisters, let's walk in confidence! God is with us! He will never leave us nor forsake us! In His presence and with His power, let's expect to do great things for the Kingdom today! God loves to show off his supernatural power through us ordinary people! There's so much work to be done! EMMANUEL (GOD WITH US)!

"Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"1 Samuel 17:26-29

David's faith and courage in volunteering to fight Goliath were an embarrassment to his big brother Eliab, an officer in King Saul's army. I imagine his thinking went something like this; “If my little brother wins everybody will ask, 'How come you didn't go out and fight him?'” The Bible records that Eliab “burned with anger at David and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is...'” These are devastating words from an older brother. Before David could defeat Goliath he first had to overcome the attitudes, accusations, and words, of those close around him. The defeat of Goliath had massive implications for Israel and for the Lord. Satan had staked a great deal on Goliath's terrifying power. So wherever the enemy had an opportunity in the sinful attitudes of David's friends and family he maximized them, realizing that David truly had the anointing of God to turn the tide of battle. And God allowed David to be tested by his own closest kin. If there is a true Goliath in your life and you are appointed to slay him be assured you will face similar tests from those close by. When you make decisions to step out and follow God it will put pressure on others to do the same. Their shame and lack of faith will move them to attack, belittle and criticize you. It will come from among those closest to you, especially if your calling sets you apart! Brothers & Sisters, be careful around those who say, “I knew you when...” in an attempt to label, libel, or limit you – much like David's brother Eliab tried to hinder him. David was empowered by the Lord to slay Goliath – if you have that same Spirit and calling then humbly step aside and say, "What have I done now? Isn't there a real job to be done?" Then go ahead, and do it. WHO ARE YOU NOW?

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."Matthew 10:16

Nature provides us with an illustration that closely parallels the insidious tactics employed by our adversary. According to scientists, Arctic polar bears feed almost entirely on seals. To enjoy such a meal, they sometimes resort to a cunning bit of trickery. If the hole through which the seal gets his food is near the edge of the ice, the polar bear will take a deep breath and swim under water to its exact location. Remaining below the surface, he will then make a tiny scratching sound, imitating a fish. When the charmed seal hears this, he dives in for a quick supper, only to find himself suddenly entrapped in the huge, hungry embrace of his predator. God has sent us forth as sheep among the wolves. There are so many theories disguising themselves as Godly. We're hungry for that meal -- but we must be wise enough to make sure it's not a trap! Keep reading and studying the Word of God! Pray and ask Him to reveal His truth. Brothers & Sisters, the enemy loves to tempt us with a 'treat' so he can devour us! Don't take anyone's word but God's! BEWARE!

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."2 Corinthians 2:14

This scripture makes an astounding promise -- God ALWAYS leads us to triumph or victory! But can we ALWAYS count on this amazing word to be true? I often receive emails from believers who are waiting or hoping for a victory of some kind in their lives. Many seem to be wondering, "Where is this 'always victory' in my life?" Now think about it ... wouldn't it be impossible to gain victory over a thing if we already experienced victory each and every moment? It may sound obvious, but the fact is that in order to gain any victory, you must find yourself in a situation that is questionable, stressful, and may even appear hopeless for a time. The promise is not that we will walk in a constant state of "victoriousness" ... but rather that in every situation God will lead us in triumph. We can't even say we will always know what that will look like, but victory is the Lord's irrevocable promise. Brothers & Sisters, victory is a promise of God, but never forget that it requires a battle ... sometimes a very long one. True faith will stand on this promise in the face of every trial, challenge, or opposition ... remembering that the greatest purpose of every victory is for manifesting the fragrance of our knowledge of Him ... in every place! VICTORY AWAITS !

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."Isaiah 40:3

Many believers have a special place, a quiet place where they go to spend time with the Lord. This is a very important thing. But how many believers have actually 'prepared a way' for the Lord? As sacred as that special quiet place is to us, it is limited. It has definite boundaries. But a way never ends--it goes on and on. The key to a life of blessing is not preparing God places to fill, but preparing a way for Him. The Hebrew word for way is 'derech'. Derech means a path, or a way of life. Brothers & Sisters, if we want to be blessed, we need to prepare a derech in our lives. We need to develop Godly ways, Godly habits, Godly consistency, and practices. We need to turn all our holy places into holy ways that carry on throughout our daily lives. The blessings of God need to flow through us to others around us-- let's give Him a derech through which to do so. PREPARE THE WAY!

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"John 1:12

The word for builder in Hebrew is “bo-neh”. It is also translated repairer. When our Messiah came 2000 years ago, He came to repair lives -- to do a complete restoration of all that is broken in this world. Interestingly, the Hebrew words for son, “ben” and daughter, “baht” both also come from the word bo-neh! So -- if you were wondering what God’s calling on your life is, here you have it! We, as sons and daughters, are called to repair and build up our families, the body of Messiah and the world around us. Brothers & Sisters, let's begin looking for opportunities to bless those around us! Let's seek to be the ones to repair broken hearts, lives and relationships. In this way, we will truly become sons and daughters of God! START BUILDING!

"Remember Lot's wife."Luke 17:32

When Jesus was describing the societal atmosphere of His return, he said these peculiar words … “Remember Lot’s Wife.” It was a warning … and especially to the generation of believers just before His return. In Genesis 19, we read of God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and specifically of how Lot’s wife turned to look at the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt. [Genesis 19:26] She turned around … and the warning to us is … don’t look back! While traveling in Zimbabwe, remembering this country as a bread basket of frica, “Make Zimbabwe Great Again.” This reminds many Zimbabweans of the dramatic decline of the nation since their youth, inspired them to vote in hope of witnessing a restoration of former glory. For some, this was a nostalgic longing; for others, a passion for something that seemed almost irretrievably lost. Zimbabwe's greatness, however one recalls or defines it, does seem to be irrevocably fading, and our view is that looking back and longing for its recovery...is looking in the wrong direction. While some are calling this nation modern "Babylon", or even "Sodom", what we see is a nation of paradox, full of tremendous blessings and sadly also, real wickedness. But however you view her, we believe it is unwise and even dangerous to look back to Zimbabwe's past in hope of that kind of restoration. Since the "Days of Noah" are again upon us, we're not expecting or focused on political solutions, but looking toward the Kingdom that is soon coming! When I looked at Zimbabwe, I began to realize that the real issues Zimbabwe faces could not be remedied by politics. Political realities simply reflect the internal moral and cultural climate of a nation and its people. In their drive for power, most politicians are simply responding to or manipulating the current passions of the populace. Laws can be changed, but they will reflect the mores of the people which are shaped by media, music, art, and culture in general. Those influences reveal a nation's true soul. While some leaders are morally superior to others, and may seem to offer hope, the real problems which plague society are internal and reflect the deeply rooted sin in human nature. The Gospel of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) is the only path and hope for any degree of national restoration. Anyone who has studied revivals can see this. So nostalgically looking at the past with a view toward political transformation might not turn you into a pillar of salt, but may seriously deflect us from the real hope and task of transformation: the Gospel which points to the coming Kingdom and the coming King. Any reclamation of greatness, individual or national, will depend utterly on the transforming power of Messiah and the profound inner work of His Holy Spirit. Brothers & Sisters, let’s not look back as Lot's wife did, toward whatever the "good life" was in Sodom, or zimbabwe; [Luke 9:62]. Any "greatness" that's worth regaining will come from looking UP, not back! Our calling is to make disciples, anticipating the coming Kingdom where politics will not be "as usual" but everlasting righteousness in the presence of our King Jesus. DON'T LOOK BACK!

"So also as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the day Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from the heaven and destroyed them all. Even so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."Luke 17:28-30

Jesus gave us some signs and indications of what society would look like just before His return. One sign was the sign of Lot. In Genesis we read that Lot decided to reside in Sodom, where society had became so detestable before God that He destroyed that city and the cities of the plain with fire and brimstone. While Lot was ‘vexed daily’ [2 Peter 2:7-8] because of the evil that surrounded him, there is another aspect of this passage that I’d like to expound upon. When God revealed to Abraham his intention to destroy the cities [Genesis 18:22-33], Abraham interceded with the Lord such that if merely ten righteous souls were found there, God would relent from his terrible judgment. Just ten souls … and the cities would have been spared. Did Lot allow his community to silence him? This is the question I’d like to explore. While the Scriptures do not allude to it, I can only wonder that if Lot had preached the righteousness which burned in him, he might have preempted the wrath which Sodom's sins were piling up. Is one of the signs of this age that we who walk in the righteousness of Jesus will be silenced by a society growing in evil and iniquity day by day? Apparently, it doesn’t take much these days to be "silenced", at least not in the vast world of social networking. Nevertheless, I will not allow society to silence me. We are called to be a light on a hill … not to hide our light under a bushel. It is not a time to be silent, but rather to be ever more resolved to share the good news of the gospel, even as never before, in the spirit of grace and truth! Brothers & Sisters, don’t be discouraged with the rapid decay of society around you, but realize this is merely a sign of the times. May the Lord continue to speak through you to reach this world around us … for we are not called to be silent! DON'T BE SILENT!