"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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."Isaiah 9:6

Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom, in Hebrew). You may have already known that the word "shalom" means peace. But actually, it has several meanings in Hebrew. Shalom means peace, completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing, and rest -- and not only that. Shalom is the common word for hello and goodbye. So, when you greet someone or bid them a farewell "shalom", what you are actually doing is speaking all those blessings upon them -- and really, speaking over them the ultimate peace, Jesus, Himself! Brothers & Sisters, 'tis the season to speak shalom over one another -- in doing so, we'll truly be His ambassador of peace in this world so filled with chaos! SHALOM!

"Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."Psalms 56:2-4

Some experts believe that acute stress can provoke changes in the heart that may lead to death. In one study, fifteen cases were identified in which people died after a physical assault, even though the injuries alone were not enough to kill them. Eleven of the fifteen showed a type of heart-cell death, similar to a reaction in experimental animals that feel helpless to anticipate or avoid danger. We live in a day that godlessness is on the rise -- a day in which the world (and even some of the church) is motivated by money, power and the desire for worldly pleasures -- a day in which the fruit of this behavior is apparent even to the worst of us. It's a scary time. Even amidst these frightful times, though, isn't it wonderful to know that we don't have to pretend we're not afraid? God knew we would be afraid from time to time. But He encourages us to redirect our attention to put our trust again in Him. He, who is all-powerful and watches over us intently. What a gracious and compassionate Father we have! Brothers & Sisters, let's ask the Lord to help us keep our focus on trusting Him for all things. When we are focused on this, there's no stopping us from doing the great things He has called us to do! MY FRIENDS IN CHRIST, TRUST HIM EXPLICITLY!

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."2 Corinthians 4:16

There is a process going on in us believers. Since the day the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us He has been at work with perfect wisdom and supernatural power to renew and transform our character, to some extent, our personality, and even our physical body. Our outward man, this mortal body with its natural weakness and sinful ways was doomed to death and is "wasting away" even now. Yet a new life dwells within this clay jar, and that life is constantly at work having a profound effect on the body which contains it. The Holy Spirit is working renewal, the manifestation of God in and with us. Real estate developers do something similar. They buy a piece of property that is terribly run down, seemingly useless, without much value to the naked eye...and reform it completely, from the inside out. With great skill and vision, they know what to keep, what to get rid of, what part of the property needs renovation, refurbishing, or complete rebuilding. So it is with God and us. He knows everything that comprises our life from the moment of conception; our gifts, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, wounds, and all the characteristics of our personalities. And He wants to completely renovate us according to the vision He has for our lives, which is much greater than we can imagine. He has purchased the "property" of our lives, with His blood, and His Holy Spirit is powerfully and skillfully at work developing the Lord's "real estate"! Brothers & Sisters, your life is in good hands. Your Developer knows exactly what He's doing with you. You might be a little tired or discouraged, run-down, or even wrecked in some places, but soon, you will sense, once again that He is building, renovating, and renewing you in the best possible way...for eternity. DON'T FAINT, YOU'RE BEING RENEWED!

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."James 5:11

Some time ago, an old mule fell into an abandoned well which was no longer in use. The farmer who owned him tried and tried to pull the mule up out of the well -- however, after many attempts, he realized he was not going to be able to rescue his mule. So the farmer decided to solve two problems simultaneously--- by burying the mule in the well. Tragic as it was, he would bury the mule alive, and in the process, prevent future accidents of this kind by filling up the well hole. Taking a shovel, the man began to toss shovel fulls of dirt on the animal to bury him. However, following every toss of soil, the stubborn mule simply shook the dirt clean off his back. This caused the floor beneath him to steadily rise. The relentless farmer continued to shovel, while the stubborn mule persisted in shaking off the annoying dirt. This mutual perseverance eventually raised the mule up to ground level, where he could happily walk out of his impossible predicament...free at last. We all have, somehow or other, fallen into a hole a time or two. Some of us give up after a few attempts to escape, resigning to a state of imprisonment in our predicament -- but this is not God's intent for our lives. His will is for us to persevere -- become stubborn like a mule -- fight, kick, and continually toss the dirt off our backs -- until we get out of the hole! Brothers & Sisters, life for many of us can be a series of trials or just one or two seemingly endless ones. But perseverance is an essential quality of true disciples -- and as we press in, press through, and press on, deliverance will finally come, often in the most unexpected way. The floor will rise each and every time we shake off the dirt. So take a lesson from a stubborn mule and a relentless farmer. Be tenacious! Don't let the trials of this life get the better of you -- because success is in your spiritual DNA, a sure inheritance from your Savior Jesus! TUBBORN AS A MULE!

"Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a shofar into every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, "Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do: When I blow the shofar, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the shofars on every side of the whole camp, and say, 'The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!' " So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the shofars and broke the pitchers that were in their hands."Judges 7:16-19

When God called Gideon to lead Israel against their enemies, He wanted to show that a small army empowered by God was more effective than the largest armies. But notice how they fought – without weapons that an army would normally use. They fought with shofars and lamps! They fought with weapons that the world would consider ineffective, yet triumphed mightily over their enemies. They shouted as loud as they could, sounded the shofar, and broke the vessels that held the fire so that their lamps burst through with brightness. This breaking of the lamps of clay holds a powerful metaphor for us. If we too are "earthen vessels" holding the fire of God – the Spirit of God within us, then a "breaking" of the outer man is necessary for His inner light to burst through. Victory can come out of brokenness. Our old life of self, often called the "old man", when truly crucified and broken, will give way to the release of the Lord's Spirit of God in our lives. The death of our Lord has broken the power of our self-life since we were crucified with Him. Walking in that awareness brings light and victory. Brothers & Sisters, let the love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit breakthrough in your life. Your old life of Self has been and is being broken, as Jesus's victorious light shines through your earthen vessel. LET THE LIGHT BREAK THROUGH!

"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."Psalms 107:2-6

In his book, Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan has written one of the most beautiful allegories about the journey we all travel as believers. The book describes the hero, Christian, and his journey from the City of Destruction to his heavenly destination, the Celestial City. Now there's one part of Pilgrim's Progress that I want to focus on today -- walking through the Swamp of Despondency! At one point during their travels, Christian and his companion suddenly find themselves there....in the Swamp of Despondency. Still bearing his burden, Christian, begins to sink in the mire. His traveling companion manages to get out, but he returns to the City of Destruction without giving aid to Christian. Christian is left all alone and sinking even deeper in the mire, until Help, the allegorical figure for the Holy Spirit, pulls him free from the swamp. Christian then asks Help why this dangerous plot of land has not been mended so that poor travelers might go safely to the Celestial City. Help replies, "This miry slough is such a place that cannot be mended." How true it is in real life! As hard as we try to avoid them, whether young in the Lord, or spiritually mature...swamps of despondency seem inevitable, and we must struggle through them! Charles Spurgeon once wrote to his students in the book, "Lectures to my Students", "Fits of depression come over most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy. There may be here and there men of iron...but surely the rust frets even these." Brothers & Sisters, there are times in our lives when we will struggle through the swamps of despondency -- but praise God that He has provided us a helper for those times of need! We need to press through, seeking and trusting the power of the Holy Spirit to pull us out of those nasty swamps, and set our feet back upon the Rock of our salvation. Let's also look around to see our brethren who may be struggling in the swamps of despondency, so that, rather than abandoning them, we might give them a hand on their journey to the celestial city! PRESS THROUGH THE SWAMPS!

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."Revelation 12:11

As parents trying to raise kids in this world, we're constantly reminded by the Lord of Proverbs 22:6, 'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' The Hebrew word 'train', in this passage is, 'Chanak' which can be translated, 'train up' or 'dedicate.' It's the root word from which we get the word, Chanukah. The festival of Christmas is not only a time of rejoicing, but also a time of 'dedication.' Let's be reminded of the cost that the Maccabees were willing to pay to make their stand against Antiochus -- who was led of the same anti-christ spirit that swirls around us today. They were willing to lay it all down and dedicate themselves to serving God. Brothers Sisters, as the spirit of anti-christ is released in this age, we also need to make a stand in the Spirit and consecrate ourselves for the battle before us. So this holiday season, let’s not only rejoice in the victory we have, but continue to walk in it, wholeheartedly dedicated to serving God – no matter the cost! RE-DEDICATE YOURSELF!

"A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished."Proverbs 22:3

Lately I've been receiving more and more calls and emails asking me what we think might happen in the near future and how they should prepare. I love what John Calvin had to say about the matter. "When the light of divine providence has once shone upon a godly man, he is then relieved and set free not only from the extreme anxiety and fear that were pressing him before, but from every care ... Ignorance of providence is the ultimate misery; the highest blessedness lies in knowing it ... It gives incredible freedom from worry about the future." Brothers & Sisters, it's great to be wise and prepare for the days ahead -- saving, storing, wisely investing. But I think there is a much more important preparation we often forget -- it is to make certain that the Lord FIRST in our life and make sure we are trusting in Him alone. So that when these trials and tribulations come upon us, we'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we rest securely in His hands! HE'S GOT YOU & ME, BROTHER, IN HIS HANDS!

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."1 John 2:15

Have you ever noticed that when people are in love, they tend to forget everything else? Everything becomes secondary -- cars, houses, money -- nothing matters -- it is all secondary to love. Then, when they fall out of love, as in a divorce, all of a sudden those things mean everything! They argue about all the little meaningless things they ever owned together. Each wants it all for himself. The same is true with the Lord. Before we know Him, all we really have are possessions. But when we come to know God -- truly know Him -- those things mean very little -- we're in love! We're willing to give up everything. Those people who are most in love with God and filled with His love are the least possessive and the least materialistic. Brothers & Sisters, if we have been wrapped up in our possessions, we've lost sight of our greatest treasure! All that stuff means nothing. Let go of it. Return to your first love. Lighten your heart and fall in love again with the love of God! ARE YOU IN LOVE?

"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord."Leviticus 23:10-12 ; "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."1 Corinthians 15:20-23

This season of the Resurrection also occurs during a significant Old Testament feast day, the feast of “Firstfruits” (Hebrew, “bikoreem”). When Jesus rose from the dead he was the firstfruit of the resurrection. On that day the keys of Hell and Death were obtained by our Lord. The apostle Paul connected the resurrection with the feast of Firstfruits in his letter to the congregation at Corinith. "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." Remember in the Garden of Gethsemane that all the disciples had fled in terror because of their connection with Jesus. Yet not much later they experienced an astounding transformation which empowered them to preach the gospel fearlessly and face all kinds of suffering and martyrdom. What inspired this transformation? The resurrection... the living, breathing Lord who appeared to them in a glorious resurrected body. No longer were they concerned about this life, having experienced the reality that death's power had been absolutely overcome and there was nothing remaining in this world to threaten or shake their complete confidence in eternal life. The letter of James identifies believers in Jesus as "a kind of firstfruits of all He created"; [James 1:18]. Through our faith In the Lord's resurrection, we have received His Holy Spirit and gained His resurrection life and power. It is a power over the fear of death, an overcoming power which enables us to endure and triumph over every kind of threat, problem, affliction, every trial or test involving suffering, pain, even the greatest anguish this life can bring. It's the same power that filled the Lord's disciples and transformed them from terrified men into fearless witnesses. We are no longer bound by the circumstances of our lives – but, as "firstfruits" who share in the resurrection life of our Lord, are empowered to endure, be transformed by, and ultimately overcome everything we face. Paul exults in this wondrous triumph, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And then he offers this exhortation, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Brothers & Sisters, we are the “bikoreem”, the "firstfruits" of the resurrection and we are no longer bound by the troubles and problems of this world. We can "count them all joy" as "steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" we know that our labor is not in vain! WE ARE 'BIKOREEM' OF CREATION!

"Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."Hebrews 10:19-23

The New Testament records that when Jesus died; there was a great earthquake and the veil of the Temple was torn in two. The size of this gigantic veil is not recorded in the NT...but we read from other sources that it was roughly 60 feet long and 30 feet wide with multiple woven layers the thickness of a man's hand! It was hung on a crossbeam stone – a lintel – which was over 30 feet long and weighed more than 30 tons! It was not an easy cloth to tear... Jerome, a fourth-century Church Father, writes concerning the tearing of the veil, that not only was the veil torn, but the great earthquake had also caused the lintel of the Temple to be broken in two. In fact, it seems that the breaking of the lintel was what caused the veil to be torn in half from top to bottom, since the veil hung down from the lintel. In the culture of the Jewish people, a father will commonly mourn the loss of his son by rending or tearing his garment... Can we suggest that the rending of the Temple's veil likewise, dramatically expressed our Heavenly Father's agony over the death of Jesus, His only begotten Son? The way was prepared through the death of the Son of God for us to have access to the Holy of Holies, that place on earth which was prepared for the abiding Presence of God's Spirit, and, in earlier Temple times, actually contained His Glory. In the death of the Messiah, every barrier and obstacle, even a 30 ton stone that needed to be broken – was removed, to make a way for us to have an intimate relationship with the Father! Brothers & Sisters, the sound of ripping cloth, the rending of a massive veil, echoes throughout history to this very day. The agony of that sound of mourning opened for us "a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh" [Hebrews 10:20]...so that now, at any time, we can approach our Heavenly Father with boldness and confidence in His love and acceptance. As we embrace the sacrifice of Yeshua, come with a clean heart in His righteousness, we may fully expect His constant intervention and blessing in our everyday lives--- because the way has been permanently opened to us! THE VEIL TORN!

"You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts."James 4:3 ; "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"John 5:6

Jesus asked this man "Do you want to be made well?" Of course, he did! Wouldn't you? Why did Jesus ask a question like this when its answer was so clearly obvious? It seems the Lord wanted to hear him verbalize his need. In the biography of George Mueller, a strong man of God who established orphanages throughout England in the 1800's and raised the kids up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, this amazing Saint relied upon God for every single need that he faced without making any financial appeals. He laid before the Lord every aspect of these orphanages. He prayed for the locations, the buildings, the furniture to fill them, the workers to run them, and everything else he could think of. When the first orphanage was ready, Mueller realized one major thing was lacking -- orphans!! He forgot to ask the Lord to provide the orphans! Sometimes the obvious things just smack us in the face, don't they? On several occasions, I've found myself in this very position! Silly me -- I forgot to ask! Brothers & Sisters, the Lord is asking us today, "Do you want to be made well?" Whether it be physical healing, spiritual, emotional or financial healing, no thing is too great or too small for our Lord! Perhaps we've just forgotten to ask Him! DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WELL?

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."Galatians 2:20

When we study a translation of a Scripture passage we often miss out on the nuances hidden in the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). Often, it’s not that a word is mistranslated, but that rendering the meaning in one English word is difficult if not impossible. One such word is the word "flesh". The often-used Greek word for "flesh", "sarx", forms the etymological root for our English word, "sarcophagus". Sarcophagi are ornately adorned stone coffins where the mortal flesh of humans (usually significant in some way during their lifetime) becomes entombed. They can be quite ornate and beautifully crafted. Thus, the Greek word for "flesh", ironically, carries in its meaning a hint of the mortal nature of the stuff we are made of, and the vessel to which it is destined. Normally, the simple word "flesh" doesn't necessarily connote "mortality"...unless you spend some time thinking about it... Our flesh can also be made beautiful, and many spend quite a bit of time and resources beautifying it. Yet our "sarx", or mortal human body is also a kind of "sarcophagus" since it's destined to decay, a temporary vessel no more eternal than a coffin. The apostle Paul affirms that he is "crucified with Christ"; that his mortal flesh with its irrevocably sinful tendency and bondage to decay, has been identified with the Messiah in His death on the cross. Throughout his epistles, Paul frequently warns believers not to live a life "after the flesh", that is according to its predilections and desires. Living that way could be described as being trapped within a “coffin”. Yet Paul says in another place that "we carry this treasure in jars of clay"...[2 Cor. 4:7] i.e. that the "sarcophagi" in which we walk around are vessels of resurrection life-- the very life of Messiah which was regenerated by His Spirit in us. The great mystery and challenge of a believer's life is that we have the constant choice whether to be a walking self-serving "sarcophagus", or a living breathing jar of clay filled with God's Holy Spirit and bearing all the fruit of love, joy, peace, etc. Brothers & Sister, your "sarx" can be a self-serving coffin, or a life-giving vessel. If you are born from above, the sinful nature of your body has been crucified with Christ, and your constant life choice will be the extent to which you recognize that reality, and are filled with the resurrection life which the new birth affords. You were not given a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. Don't be an ornate living tomb; be a life-giving, spirit-filled jar of clay! PUT TO DEATH YOUR FLESH!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"Romans 8:31-32

When Moses sent out the 12 spies to report on the condition of the land of “milk and honey”, ten of the spies brought back a bad report. They focused on the giants, and the great obstacles in their way. They walked with eyes set on the physical realm and said within themselves, “We are but grasshoppers in the sight of these giants!” [Numbers 13:28-33] However, Joshua and Caleb came back with a different perspective. They didn’t ignore the giants or the obstacles or pretend they didn’t exist, but rather focused on their God who had performed miracles upon miracles, from the series of ten plagues to the parting of the Red Sea, to the miracle of “daily bread” – manna from heaven! Giants, however large or dangerous they might be, would not prevent Israel from taking the land – at least not in the faith filled opinion of Joshua or Caleb. If the God who had disarmed Pharaoh was for them, it was His enemies who should be trembling. So it is with us! If there are “giants” everywhere – “fortified” strongholds – the enemy would love for us to focus on how insignificant and powerless we appear to be, but don't we also have God's miracles to look back on? Salvation from our sins, to begin with...But how many times has the Lord answered your prayers since then? We need more than ever to remember His grace and intervention in our lives. Those memories will inspire the faith to face the current giants and their apparent threats. Brothers & Sisters, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” It's not an idle word or an empty epithet. Our God really is a giant slayer. We only need to remember what He has done before to maintain faith in what He can and will do now. FACE YOUR GIANTS WITH NEW EYES!

"For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."Romans 5:17-19

Are you righteous? If you are truly a believer in the Lord, then you received His >gift of righteousness! Righteousness is a gift we receive when we come to saving faith. Righteousness is not something we earn, but rather it's a gift to be received from our Messiah! According to this passage, you have received the gift of righteousness through Him. Not because we have kept the "law" or lived a holy life. It can't be bought with money, or earned through self-effort, or by doing "religious" works. It's a gift! And in His free gift of righteousness, we have right standing with God! When you walk in His righteousness, then you can approach His throne boldly – expecting the Lord to answer! The devil would love to bring up your sins and keep you bound thinking you can't come to the Lord, however the Scripture is clear, "if weconfess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!" [1 John 1:9] Brothers & Sisters, don't let the enemy bind you in sin – but claim fresh and anew today His gift of righteousness, approach His throne with boldness, and expect the Lord to answer – because you are walking in His gift of righteousness! WALK IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!