"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? O you of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, "What shall we eat?" or, "What shall we drink?" or, "What shall we wear?" For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:30-34

In Biblical Hebrew, the verb tenses are not like our "past", "present", and "future" – there are only two: "perfect" and "imperfect". The "imperfect" tense is that which is not yet, not done, or not completed. The "perfect" is that which is done, complete, and finished. The Bible speaks of things that are yet to come in the perfect tense as if they are already completed; (also called the "prophetic past"). God can have a finished work that hasn’t happened yet -- for example, our salvation! In Messiah, we are a finished work that hasn't happened yet. We are becoming what we are already, in Him. Jesus instructed us to pray, "on earth as it is in heaven." Since we (believers) are born from above -- from the finished, perfect work of God, we are already participating in His perfection, though we are still on earth doing His will. Brothers & Sisters, so, reflect on this truth of your already complete perfection in Jesus. You will look at your problems a little differently -- actually be less worried about them from this "Heavenly" point of view. You may still be working them out with fear and trembling, yet rest in this simple and amazing fact: in Jesus, they are already resolved! PERFECTION IS COMING!

"For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value for all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come." 1 Timothy 4:8

A significant response to the current pandemic has been medical professionals in various places offering valuable advice on the role of diet toward building and increasing our body's immunity to viruses and disease in general. This kind of advice can be truly salutary, even life-saving. Yet the aphorism, "You are what you eat", though often heard, isn't always taken as seriously as we might...And that may contribute to unpleasant health consequences. But how much more applicable and consequential does it apply to our spiritual health? My answer is "Garbage in … garbage out…!" If we fill our minds with things that pollute soul and body, spiritual junk food as it were, our spiritual immunity will be duly compromised for fighting off the constant incursions from the enemy of our souls. And while poor physical immunity will subject us to the ills of life on Earth, compromised spiritual immunity will have severe consequences both here, and also when we cross into eternity. Anyone can see that spiritual wickedness is increasing, and so spiritual immunity is more important every day. We all need now to watch and improve our diet, since it could even mean survival. Brothers & Sisters, a healthy spiritual diet isn't rocket science. It's actually a matter of "taste"....that is, "Taste and see that the LORD is good." Be with Him, first and foremost. Just spend quiet time in His presence, without feeling like its an obligation. "The Word of God is living and active..." The Holy Spirit will bring that Word to greater life in your soul and body. 1 Timothy 4:8 adds: "For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value for all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come." Let's not neglect a healthy spiritual lifestyle — in these days we need to be on top of our game. Avoid spiritual junk food! That quiet time to be at complete peace, in God's Word, in prayer, will feed your soul with the spiritual nutrition needed to fight the daily battles... with powerful immunity! YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

"Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment." Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: "We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." So David received them, and made them captains of the troop." 1 Chronicles 12:16-18 ; "And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits." Mark 6:7

As David grew in stature those who stood by him increased in number, devoting themselves to fight with him. Though it was a time of adversity for David, and a time of warfare, he found that there were many willing to join their lives to his; "...a brother is born for adversity"; and "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother". Again we note that David's anointing and his character made him a friend to many...and many became his loyal friends. When Jesus sent his disciples out, He never sent them alone -- He sent them two by two; and no doubt these pairs of disciples developed deep loyalty, unity and friendship as they proclaimed the kingdom and faced the powers of darkness together. Brothers & Sisters, how would you describe your friendships in the Body of Messiah? Do you feel isolated, fighting battles alone? Do you know others who are in that condition? With the battles now raging, it's more important than ever to be a friend, and to really know who your friends are. May the Lord grant each one of us loyal and faithful friendships as we fight the good fight. STAND ALONGSIDE YOUR BROTHER!

"By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 John 4:2-3

Civilization continues to erode as the world is being prepared for its greatest deception, the appearance of the false messiah -- the Antichrist. The word literally means "one against Christ" and also, one "in place of Christ." Jesus predicted and warned his disciples and all believers of this dangerous development in the last days. Toward the end of the first century, the gospel message came under the influence of Greek philosophy and culture, and was corrupted by Greek "Gnosticism" to the point of heresy. "Gnosis" - meaning "knowledge", in this case, special, particular, hidden, esoteric, "spiritually enlightened" knowledge, was the basis and goal of Gnosticism, both at that time, and today in its many contemporary expressions. These spiritual adepts claimed to be the "spiritually enlightened" ones, some of whom inserted themselves among the true believers to draw followers and to replace the true revelation of Jesus with a counterfeit. The apostles addressed this heresy in numerous letters. Paul exhorted Timothy to, "Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge (gnosis)." [1 Timothy 6:20] Most of these Gnostics believed Jesus, whom they called, "Christ", to be divine, but that he was only one of the "aeons" or "divine spiritual beings." They taught that Christ only seemed to be human, that he was never actually born to a Jewish household, growing up in Nazareth, and that He was never actually crucified nor bodily risen from the dead. This Gnostic "Christ" revealed himself only to reaffirm and exemplify the message of "spiritual enlightenment" for those who sought this "special revelation." And they believed that he was only one of numerous "prophets" appearing from time to time with this "universal" Gnostic message. The apostle John was well aware of this and was led by the Holy Spirit to teach and warn of it. And Gnosticism is alive and well today. One of its ubiquitous signs is the "all seeing eye", which is traceable to ancient Egypt as the "eye of Horus" and is associated with the same "special revelation" or "enlightenment" propounded by the Greek Gnostics. The same false rendering of Jesus also abounds today in various Gnostic teachings, so that the words of John the apostle are just as relevant as ever, perhaps even more so. According to Gnostic teachings, Jesus is no longer the savior of the world who died for sins and rose from the grave, but a spiritual adept who appeared to exemplify and teach the transcendent knowledge of "enlightenment." There is a dark being in the scriptures who is associated with "light" [2 Corinthians 11:14] and who is behind all false teachings of "enlightenment." His light is darkness. [Matthew 6:23]. So our brother John carefully warns us to, "Test the spirits ... to see whether they are from God." The test is simple but unequivocal. "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." "In the flesh!"; not a "spiritual, angelic, aeon/avatar, one of many bringing a false message and a false "light"... but a unique incarnation of the Creator God, who lived a human life, and died a human death, and was physically, bodily raised to eternal life. Brothers & Sisters, the true Gospel message is simple and beautiful, and accessible to all. It is not a deep esoteric knowledge, or mystical experience. We can rejoice in the beautiful and simple fact that in Him, namely " Jesus,... are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." [Colossians 2:3] TEST THE SPIRIT!

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." Psalms 37:3-5

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. What I've often noticed, however, is that we focus on receiving the desires of our heart. But if we look closely at this passage we have to realize that delighting ourselves in the Lord comes first, centering in Him, delighting in Him as the source and the fulfillment of our desires, and then, also, receiving from Him after your life is centered on Him. Trust in the Lord...Delight in the Lord...Commit your way to the Lord...the center of the passage is Him. Remember what Jesus said, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, THEN all of these things shall be added unto you!" Brothers & Sisters, the Lord is the source, the heart, and also ought to be the greatest object of our desire. There are lots of good things in this world but we have to be careful about what we want and why. When the Lord is our greatest, our first love, we are delighted in Him, every desire of our hearts will be perfectly fulfilled. That's the promise of this wonderful word. CENTER YOUR LIFE IN HIM!

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." John 15:16-17

Farmers and gardeners plant with great expectations. Abundant harvest is their vision as they sow the seeds for crops and vegetables, fruit or grains. But everyone who plants, even the most amateur gardener, soon discovers there are competitors for the soil's nutrients...called WEEDS. Weeds are ambitious, resilient, and relentless, and they will affect the harvest if not removed. Every farmer and gardener needs a strategy to deal with weeds. We also want to be fruitful as believers, and so we need to "weed" our own gardens. How would you identify the various "weeds" in your own plot of ground? What is sapping the nutrients which ought to be feeding your cash crop? In this present spiritual climate weeds have ample opportunity. The world is in such turmoil, the temptations so abundant, we need tremendous vigilance to pull up and clean out the useless thoughts, speculations, preoccupations, obsessions, and fears, which are multiplying like weeds! These will choke and starve the fruit of the Spirit. Cast out fear. Pull it up at the roots. Let love grow abundant and free. Excavate your doubts and wash them away with the water of the Word. Brothers & Sisters, seek the Lord hard now in brutally honest confession asking Him to reveal and pull up your weeds at the roots. Your crop is far too precious and valuable to squander or be stunted by worthless weeds. Your Father intended you for an abundant harvest, thirty, sixty, even one hundred fold. Don't let the weeds steal any of it! REMOVE THE WEEDS!

"When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit. Then he said to the men of Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. "And the leaders of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?" Judges 8:4-6 ; "And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" Judges 6:12

"Exhausted but still in pursuit..." Well, now we know why the angel of God addressed Gideon the way he did. With his small three hundred man army he had just decimated the army of Midian -- but the victory wasn’t complete, and so the Jewish general and his small, exhausted, hungry, band were determined to cross the Jordan and take care of 15,000 additional Midianite enemies and their leaders, Zebah and Zalmunna. Once chosen and appointed to his task, Gideon didn't settle for the slaughter of 120,000 Midianites. He might have reasoned that, having driven the remaining enemy force across the Jordan River, a natural barrier, Israel was now safe. After all, he and his men were exhausted and hungry. But this victory was insufficient, especially because the Midianite leaders were still alive. Instead, Gideon continued to press on, refusing to settle until the job was completely done. His refusal to allow serious physical discomfort to compromise his objective is apparently one of the things that qualified Gideon as a "mighty man" of God. No settling into a comfort zone for him. Brothers & Sisters, are you moving toward victory, but exhausted and hungry? Be careful now. Comfort could be your greatest enemy. And your so-called friends may not be standing there to give you a hand, but rather, watching skeptically from the sidelines to see whether or not you'll make it through your "heroic effort". Now is not the time for self-pity, fleshly resentment, or mediocrity. "The comfort zone is for those who are exempt from pain but denied progress; protected from failure but held in the grip of mediocrity." Keep your focus and spiritual passion for victory, and finish the job appointed to you -- because God has too much invested to settle for mediocrity! OUTNUMBERED, EXHAUSTED, BUT STILL IN PURSUIT!

"So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it Jehovah Shalom. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, "Take your father's young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down." Judges 6:24-26

When Gideon was called by God, a mighty man of valor, his first task was to tear down the idolatrous altars of Baal and Asherah at his father’s house. Though he was ready to obey this command, his obedience was mixed with fear, so he destroyed the idols at night [Judges 6:27]. When the men of the city realized it was Gideon who destroyed their idols, their allegiance to Baal and Asherah drove them to demand Gideon's life. But Gideon's father Joash came to his son's defense, rather than defending his own idolatry, saying to the men, “If Baal was destroyed by Gideon, then let Baal destroy him!” [Judges 6:31] Perhaps Gideon's father was convicted by his son's obedience. In any case his own love for Gideon and his courage to stand against the people of the town saved Gideon's life and must have encouraged him and given him faith to continue. God saw in Gideon a man of faith with the potential to overcome his fears. So the Lord called him and brought him into a challenging situation which drew Gideon's fear into the light and gave him an opportunity to face it and overcome it. He used Gideon's father's courage which seems to have passed to his son after the idols were destroyed. But Gideon still needed to grow in trust to fully accomplish what God had called him to do. Like Gideon, we are destroying the idols in our lives, and have the potential to even bring conviction to the lives of our parents, so that they too might be restored to worshiping the true God. Because of their love for us they may come to our defense and find themselves serving the Lord's purposes and even being restored to Him. Gideon's fear did not prevent him from obeying the Lord, and this is why he affected his father and was called a mighty man of valor. Brothers & Sisters, this story of courage and restoration can inspire us in several ways. First, we must not allow our fears to prevent our obedience. Second, our obedience is likely to inspire repentance and loyalty in those close to us. And third, the Lord sees past our fears and He calls us according to His deeper knowledge of who we are as overcomers in Him. TEAR DOWN THE IDOLS!

"Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" Judges 6:11-14

Biblical Hebrew uses a grammatical form called "s'michut". This form joins two words together to form a single word form. We have this in English: for example, a door and a knob are two nouns, which are used to form the word "doorknob", a compound noun. This form of joining nouns is found in Judges 6:12. The expression, "Angel of the Lord" is rendered, "angel-God"; (Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay); in modern English -- "angel-God". Then, suddenly, the narrative changes from "angel-God" to simply, "God". Here we see another appearance of God in human form in the Old Testament. The God-Man, Jesus in a "pre-incarnate" appearance. When Gideon was called to fight the Midianites, he felt inadequate, unequipped and the weakest among his brethren -- but the Lord called him "you mighty man of valor"! Isn't it always interesting how God calls the weak things of this world to confound the natural wisdom of the world [1 Cor 1:18-21]? And sometimes He sees right through their perception of themselves, and calls them "mighty" ! Gideon, in the midst of overwhelming circumstances, felt as many feel today: weak, abandoned by God, wondering, "Where are you LORD?" But when the Lord suddenly shows up to call us to be part of His solution, what will we say? What will we do? Because He knows who we are deep inside, and He knows how to empower the weak to perform His works for His glory. Brothers & Sisters, if you find yourself asking, "Where are you LORD?", you might want to prepare yourself to be the answer to the problem. Because He might just "show up" and give you an "impossible" commission, then equip you with the strategy for victory. Even you, alone, with the LORD, are an army that no enemy wants to face! THE LORD IS SENDING YOU!

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:11-15

Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd. He described his followers as sheep. Why? Wolves hunt in packs. Their aggression, power, and cunning, are no match for the sheep they hunt to devour. When wolves gather to form packs they are incredibly vicious and effective predators. Sheep graze in the fields, completely defenseless except for their shepherd whom they must trust completely for protection, not wandering far from the shepherd, but abiding close to Him. The "cancel culture" is now in full overdrive. Those who wish to destroy our witness are on the hunt, and we’re increasingly surrounded by hungry wolves who would overwhelm and silence us. Brothers & Sisters, don't be afraid. The Lord is our Shepherd and He is not a "hireling" but an utterly faithful caretaker for His sheep. We know because He has already laid down His life for us. Packs of wolves on the hunt will not frighten Him, but will be frightened by Him. His rod and His staff will comfort us as we abide close to our Good Shepherd. He will even prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies! TRUST THE GOOD SHEPHERD!

"And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued. And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant. But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants." 1 Chron. 20:4-8

When Saul was king of Israel, there were no giant slayers in their midst; so when Goliath stood against the armies of Israel, the Israelites trembled! There was, however, a young shepherd, whose intimate knowledge of His God inspired and empowered him to fight the evil giant, and defeat him. David's victory over Goliath paved the way for those after him to slay the giant's offspring, who were also giants. So when those giants arose to fight, they already had knowledge that they could be defeated. David's breakthrough had set a powerful precedent for all of Israel's "mighty men". Brothers & Sisters, all around us there are "Goliaths", evil giants...but none of them are "undefeatable". In fact, we have an entire Bible full of examples of saints who stood their ground and routed their enemies. Let’s follow their example, and set new precedents fighting the giants of our day. We too can leave a legacy of victory, inspiring our children and grandchildren to victory over the "sons of Goliath"!Judges 14:5-6 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. BREAK THROUGH, AND SET NEW PRECEDENTS!

"Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:4

If we want to do great things for the Lord, it is crucial that we become humble before Him! When we realize that we are but little servants of an illustrious Master -- it is then that God will use us in a mighty way. After all, it is not our agendas, our purposes, our plans that God wants to bless --- it's God's agenda -- God's plan -- God's purpose for our lives that He will bless to overflowing! Brothers & Sisters, let's humble ourselves, get "little" before the Lord today and get our minds set on His purpose instead of our own. HOW LITTLE ARE YOU?

"For I know that my Redeemer (Goel) lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;" Job 19:25

As we study in Ruth during this Shavuot season, the theme of redemption is prevalent. We read that Boaz became Naomi and Ruth's "kinsman-redeemer", or "goel" - from the Hebrew, "lig'ol", to redeem, receive or buyback. In the Torah, a provision had been made for the poor person who was forced to sell part of his property or even himself (into slavery). This man's nearest of kin could step in and "buy back" or "redeem" what his relative had been forced to sell. [Leviticus 25:25] A slave could be redeemed from his bondage by his "goel" who literally purchased his relative's freedom. In the story of Ruth, we read that Boaz became Naomi and Ruth's "goel", their kinsman "redeemer". First, Boaz was qualified as kin to Naomi's deceased husband Elimelech [Ruth 2:1]. Secondly, he needed to be able to redeem by paying the price of redemption. [Ruth 4:2-3]. And finally, he was willing to redeem the land which had belonged to Elimelech.[Ruth 4:4]. Naomi's losses had been devastating in Moab. Her husband and two sons had passed away and she had returned to her ancestral homeland a desolate woman, with no inheritance. Her only solace was Ruth, whose love and loyalty was legendary. But Ruth's character of devotion apparently inspired Boaz to love her, and even to ignore her Moabite ancestry; for when Boaz decided to redeem Elimelech's property, he also agreed to marry Ruth. Naomi's life, her inheritance, and her destiny were also redeemed in this sweeping transaction. She had returned to Israel in deep bitterness, yet through this beautiful and unexpected redemption, her friends exclaim "Blessed be the LORD, which has not left thee this day without a 'goel'. [Ruth 4:14] The marriage of Ruth and Boaz produced a son named Obed, and a grandson named Jesse, who was the father of King David; four generations of the lineage of Jesus the Messiah. And through his redemption of Ruth and Naomi, Boaz became a picture of Jesus our Kinsman-Redeemer, who redeemed us for Himself, out of desolation and slavery to sin, and made us His own beloved bride! Brothers & Sisters, isn't it amazing how a tiny slice of human history can be filled with such significance and typological meaning? Only God could invest a beautiful human love story with an eternal redemptive purpose. Can we do any less than to fall-or rather rise-hopelessly in love with such a Redeemer?! OUR GOEL LIVES!

"Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." 2 Chronicles 5:6,13,14

Three thousand years ago, when Solomon dedicated the Temple to God, the priests offered up thousands of sacrifices. After the sacrifices were offered up -- then the glory of God fell! The glory of God was so thick and heavy that the priests could no longer minister! Do you see the connection? First the offerings -- THEN the glory fell! But this reality is not found only in the Old Covenant; it's also in the New Covenant. After Messiah was sacrificed as the offering for the sins of the world at Calvary -- came the resurrection, the Son of God, risen and glorified! So clearly, there’s an integral relationship between sacrifice and glory! Brothers & Sisters, can we see this relationship still operating even today? I believe we can. When we offer our bodies as living sacrifices; our future, our plans, our possessions, and our lives, to the Lord--His glory begins to be revealed as His Spirit works in and through us. Called by Him to be more and more like Jesus, the people of God should be a people of sacrifice. Do you want to see the glory of God filling every aspect of your life? Then lay your life upon the altar in surrender to His perfect will--you will watch in amazement as He takes your offering and turns it to a beautiful testimony of His glory! DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD?

"And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." Luke 17:5-6

The African Impala (an African antelope) are amazing creatures that can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance greater than 30 feet. Yet Impalas can be kept in a zoo inside an enclosure with a simple 3-foot wall. Why? Impalas will not jump if they can't see where their feet will land. Do we have something in common with these antelopes? Able to take great leaps of faith, but refusing to do it unless we can see where we'll land? George Mueller said of faith, "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." In Biblical terms: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Brothers & Sisters, true faith cannot see how the landing will occur...it simply leaps under the conviction that it WILL occur. Remember, Biblical faith begins where our power ends! TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH!

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:7-10

Over the past month, I decided to purposely disconnect from all social media and I must say, despite the craziness in the world -- I found myself more at peace, by simply disconnecting. And speaking of being disconnected, one missionary tells of his experience about being assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering this problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. When a new missionary came to take over his station, he proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started. As he was talking, the young missionary picked up the hood only to find that the only trouble was a loose cable. He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and the engine roared to life. For two years, needless trouble had become routine -- but the power was there all along -- and the only thing that was needed was a better connection! So it is for us as believers, we can walk through this life stumbling and struggling ... having a loose connection with God -- or we can determine to be steadfastly connected to Him -- and His unlimited power. As James clearly says, "Draw near to me, and I will draw near to you," so we have the choice to be as close or as distant as we want to the King of Kings! God's decision to be intimate with us was already made when He displayed His love for us through the sacrifice of His Son! Now it's in our hands ... what kind of relationship do we want? Brothers & Sisters, so let's resolve to spend some time under the hood, double checking those connections, and making whatever adjustments necessary to get better connected to God -- and His omnipotent power. Amazingly, if you go through the self-inspection process -- you'll begin going through personal revival -- and true revival begins one person at a time -- perhaps it'll be you this coming weekend! CHECK THE CONNECTIONS!

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul." Proverbs 16:17 ; "and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15

Proverbs says the "highway of the upright is to depart from evil". It's a highway -- a way of life so to speak. And this proverb coincides with the central teaching of Jesus -- "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." What does it mean to repent? The Greek Word is "metanoia" which simply means to change your mind about sin or to depart from evil. Repentance is essentially a new attitude about the way I conduct my life. I don't expect perfection while remaining in this mortal body -- but a lifestyle of repentance means that I choose to live my life set apart unto the Lord, in communion with His Holy Spirit who lives in me, constantly turning away from and/or confessing my sins. Repentance does not involve rehearsing guilt, regret, or sins of the past, because true repentance and confession removes those from our conscience and the Lord declares them to be as far as the east is from the west! Brothers & Sisters, choose the highway of the upright and speed your way through life's journey to the Kingdom of Heaven which awaits you. The enemy would love to sidetrack or distract you with the enticement of sin -- but even if he succeeds temporarily, you can always repent -- and speedily, get back on the right road --the highway of the upright. CHOOSE GOD SPEED!

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:6

As parents, we’ve had to adjust the way we discipline our children from time to time as they grow and as the culture changes....with especially major differences from the time when I was growing up. For example, when I was young and got in trouble, I was sent to my room, in which was my bed and a bunch of books. There was no TV, radio, internet, or phone. It was a time-out given to re-evaluate my attitude and behavior. These days, when we need to discipline our children, we take away their phones, their tablets, and their computers, and give them a book to read. Such are the challenges of modern parenting. People are asking me what I think of the current pandemic, how I interpret it, especially from God's perspective. And I can’t help but see a parallel in which our Heavenly Father is disciplining His children whom He loves. It seems to me that our God (Dad) has sent us to our room to re-evaluate our attitude and behavior, and hopefully to read and meditate on His Book in a quiet time separated from the world and our normal frantic activities. One big difference, however, is that He did not (yet) take away our TVs, radios, tablets, or computers...(though that may be coming later). Brothers & Sisters, how is the Lord's discipline affecting you? Being “sent to your room” for a season has a good and important purpose if you'll accept it. Just as good parenting is intended to shape character and bring children to maturity, our Father's discipline is an opportunity that should not be missed, avoided or scorned. He's giving us time to re-evaluate our lives, draw near to Him, seek and pray to Him to better understand the serious times in which we're living, and prepare...for what we're called to do for the Kingdom in the coming days. God disciplines those He loves. His "schoolroom" has eternity in mind. Don't miss the opportunity to "go to your room", (shut the door, pray etc...) GO TO YOUR ROOM!

"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:" Isaiah 44:3

I love to study past revivals and in studying them, there are two recurring themes that stand out: First, that He has often used obscure and unknown individuals to lead revivals, and that even these men whom He used so powerfully never considered themselves to be "special", but often wanted to stay out of the limelight. And secondly, I haven't read a story about a revivalist who did not first go through a personal revival himself! Revivals were not sparked until these men went through a season of personal desperation and yearning for the fire of God – and only after this season were they used of the Lord to change their generation. How does this speak to us, obscure, unknown individuals? It shows us that a true and deep hunger for God can grow into a significant and powerful calling on our lives -- a specific mission which God Himself will empower! It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, old or young, educated or uneducated -- each of us has a potential destiny to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God! But in order to go on and do those awesome works in His name, we need to be in a state of revival! Brothers & Sisters, let us pursue after our own personal revival! We're alive for such a time as this -- to be spirit-filled vessels of revival to this lost and dying world! Press in, press on, and go forth in His Power...because there is so much work to be done! GO THROUGH A PERSONAL RIVAL!

"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

In Ancient Greece, mythology and history were hard to distinguish. Tales of gods and demigods abounded. The chief god of Mount Olympus was Zeus. It is told that Zeus became enamored with the princess Europa and decided to seduce and ravish her. Zeus shape-shifted, transforming himself into a tame white bull. Europa, the daughter of King Agenor of Sidon, was picking flowers, when she saw the bull, and then climbed on his back. Zeus carried her away. The Romans later recounted the tale which became known as the "seduction of Europa", (with the Roman "Jupiter" replacing Zeus). It seems telling that modern Europe has adopted this story and symbol as an identifying emblem: a "Woman riding a Beast", known as "Europa". The symbol is depicted on Euro coins; sculptures of Europa adorn important European buildings, and the dual figure is in plain sight throughout the European continent. Europe gave birth to the Enlightenment period, which emphasized reason and individualism. Also in Europe the Bible was first translated and printed in different languages. The small continent saw the birth of the Protestant Reformation which eventually gave rise to a new age of missionary activity unmatched since the time of the apostles. The two streams of Faith and Reason have since competed in Europe, yet all the while Europa seems to have perpetuated her pagan influence in this region, notwithstanding the centuries of Christianity on European soil. Can it be accidental that Europa, a powerful pagan symbol of lust and idolatry, epitomizes European culture and identity? Has Europe been seduced by Greece? And what about the church? The author of Ecclesiastes repines, "There is nothing new under the sun." The book of Exodus recounts God's deliverance of the children of Israel with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, yet, Israel too was somehow seduced into idol worship of a golden calf through Egyptian religious influence which they carried out with them. Do we think we are immune to seduction? Our enemy has studied us and has been practicing his art for thousands of years. An "angel of light" [2 Cor. 11:14], is how he disguises himself; a deceiving wolf dressed up in wool. The last days will witness a great apostasy, [2 Thes. 2:3-4] a turning away from Biblical faith. Brothers & Sisters, we need to know our God and His Word! We need to understand Satan's schemes [2 Corinthians 2:11], and discern and expose them [Ephesians 5:11]. The enemy is subtle and he knows how to mix lies into truth -- however our protection is truly knowing and loving Jesus, living in His Word, continuing in prayer, and being watchful. The days are evil and the Word even says if it were possible even the elect would be deceived! Don't be seduced; but stay close to the cross, for there is a strong delusion coming [2 Thessalonians 2:11], and many will believe what is false! BEWARE OF SEDUCTION!

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." Romans 13:12

While many around the world are apathetic and lack understanding about the times in which we live, we as believers should realize these are merely signs of the times and have a sense of urgency to be about the Lord's business. Dr. Albert Bartlett, an expert on compounding, gave this scenario. Let’s suppose you’re sitting in a watertight baseball stadium that seats over 50,000 people, and you’re handcuffed to the top bleacher. Let’s say a single drop of water is placed in the center of the stadium and is allowed to double at a rate of 1 time per minute. In other words, 1 drop doubled, equals two drops added to the stadium. The next minute, two drops doubled equals four drops, the next minute, four doubled equals eight, and so on. How many minutes do you suppose you'd have before you'd drown? A few months? A few days? Get this -- how about 49 minutes?! That’s right; it would take only 49 minutes to drown completely! What’s even more remarkable is that at 44 minutes, the amount of water in the stadium would only be at 7%! Seriously, do the math! You see, the real action takes place only in the last five minutes. It seems there is all the time in the world and then…perhaps this is one reason the scriptures say the Lord will come as a thief in the night! I do not want to be sitting there in the top bleacher, oblivious and helpless -- do you? Those of us who are aware of the times have a key to the handcuffs -- discernment, wisdom, and faith! We will begin preparing now for the times drawing nearer by the second! Brothers & Sisters, let's get a sense of urgency about the hour in which we live. Let’s pray earnestly, invest wisely, and be about His business while there’s still time! There’s SO much work to be done! RED ALERT!

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith." 1 John 5:4

One of the greatest prophets of the Bible, Elijah, experienced his share of victories -- but he also knew that sudden feeling of defeat. If you recall, Elijah was on Mount Carmel, the only prophet of the Lord standing against four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. (2 Kings 18) When it was all said and done, Elijah was absolutely victorious! But wouldn't you know that in the next chapter, we find Elijah under a juniper tree saying -- “Lord take my life!” (2 Kings 19:4) We’re so quick to forget the victories that the Lord has given us, aren’t we? There are countless examples of great men of God who struggled this way. If they can go from victory to defeat so easily, how much more are we susceptible to the same attacks of the enemy? We must remember that this is precisely what they are -- attacks of the enemy upon our lives -- attempting to draw our attention away from all that God has done. Brothers & Sisters, if you are finding yourself in the midst of a valley -- try focusing on the victories the Lord has already displayed in your life. And more importantly, focus on the power of victory you can walk with today! YOUR VICTORY IS NEAR MY SISTER/BROTHER!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 ; "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:9-11

Numerous modern critics of the Bible say the resurrection of Jesus is simply a myth based on pagan stories of "resurrected gods" from around the world, and that the authors of the New Testament borrowed from these myths and incorporated them into the Bible. But the similarity of two stories proves nothing about their origin or truth content. The Jews of Jesus's time were steeped in Old Testament monotheism which had a well developed tradition of resurrection believed and taught by the Pharisees. Polytheistic pagan ideas would have been abhorrent to men who understood and practiced the Judaism of the apostles and New Testament writers. But the strongest evidence for the historical truth of Jesus's bodily resurrection comes from the testimony and lives of its eyewitnesses. Eleven of the twelve apostles suffered violent deaths for simply refusing to renounce their conviction and stop preaching the message that Jesus was alive, that he was the Son of God and savior of the world. People don't generally give their lives for something which they know to be untrue. But they had seen him, and touched him, and eaten with him after his crucifixion; and they were filled with wonder. And because the apostles lived in the power of the resurrection their message went out to the whole world, not as a pagan myth, but as a deep revelation of life-changing truth and hope, for which they were willing to suffer and even give their lives. King Solomon wrote: "He (God) has placed eternity in the hearts of men..."; [Ecclesiastes 3:11] The resurrection stories of ancient pagan civilizations point to this deep desire in the hearts of men...to be resurrected and to live forever. Is it such a strange thing to hope that there is a life after death? We know that the resurrection of Jesus is true because it has been revealed to us by God Himself, and because of what it has accomplished in our own lives. Our faith is a conviction centered in this one, historical fact, and evidenced by the undeniable effect it has upon us. Resurrection of the dead is not a myth or a fable; and resurrection power from God's Holy Spirit is the very source of our new life. Live in the real power of the resurrection. It will transform everything you are and everything you do...especially knowing that you too, will soon obtain the resurrection from the dead, a glorified body just like the Lord's! Brothers & Sisters, we know that the resurrection of Jesus is true because it has been revealed to us by God Himself, and because of what it has accomplished in our own lives. Our faith is a conviction centered in this one, historical fact, and evidenced by the undeniable effect it has upon us. Resurrection of the dead is not a myth or a fable; and resurrection power from God's Holy Spirit is the very source of our new life. Live in the real power of the resurrection. It will transform everything you are and everything you do...especially knowing that you too, will soon obtain the resurrection from the dead, a glorified body just like the Lord's! WALK IN THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION!

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Ever heard of "shorting the dollar"? I have to admit, don't know a whole lot about financial investing, but I do know that there are people who invest in other currencies, hoping the dollar will continue to decrease in order to increase their own wealth. "Well, that's not very nice," you might be saying. But there may be a lesson to be learned from them. What these people are actually doing is looking at the bigger picture. They examine the way the dollar is functioning in the global economy and then make an educated investment. These guys recently made billions. Brothers & Sisters, we too, need to be looking at the big picture and become wise investors today -- but not just in earthly opportunities. Yes, we need to be wiser stewards of the finances God has entrusted to us. Perhaps God is calling us to be a Joseph, storing up goods to help others in future hardships. That is our heart's desire here in the Land. But most importantly, we need to step up as believers and realize how the investments we now make in prayer and sharing the Gospel transform into eternal investments -- with a guaranteed rate of return that will exceed our wildest imagination! Let's not settle for small-time investments -- let's get serious about investing in the Kingdom of God! There's so much work to be done! INVESTING 101!

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

If He was a man of the world, Jesus would have chosen the elite of His day to accomplish His mission -- however, He used simple fishermen. These men were considered uneducated, lacking "social status", wealth or worldly distinction of any kind -- yet these "simple" men were the ones the Lord selected to build the Kingdom of God. When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, God didn't send an army to deliver them, He sent a single man. But a single man of God was shown to be greater than the most powerful kingdom on Earth. Throughout the Bible, we read of the Lord choosing and using the weak things of the world to confound and shame the wise and powerful. God seems to love revealing His awesome power through humble vessels so that no flesh can glory in His presence. Brothers & Sisters, don't allow the enemy to convince you that God cannot use you because you are "flawed", weak, or seemingly inconsequential. No, instead, remember that He uses the base, despised, nonentities of this world, ordinary, often broken, people...to do extraordinary things. Our God is not looking at your wealth, your social status or your education -- He's looking at your heart! If your heart is willing and your life is available, then He is more than able to perform miraculous work through you for His Kingdom's sake. With so much work to be done, don't allow the enemy to stifle or steal the Lord's vision for your life –- He has a plan to use you to confound the wise of this world, and to bring to naught the things that are! CONFOUND THE WISE OF THE WORLD!

"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Genesis 5:24 ; "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27 ; "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy." Revelation 3:4

Sometimes, the more significant, powerful, or influential someone is, the less you know about him or her. There are some people of influence whose names most of us have never heard, and about whom we know almost nothing, yet they make decisions which affect millions of lives. Enoch is a Biblical character about whom we know hardly anything besides his age and genealogy; but we do know this -- that Enoch walked with God -- and then God took him. What an example! Is there anything greater that can be said about someone than, "He walked with God"? Enoch's life was eternally distinguished by this one characteristic: his personal relationship with the Lord. He somehow maintained a degree of divine fellowship that was so pleasing to God that He just transformed the man's earthly body and took him to glory without ever experiencing death, and this was long before the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh. But this ought to be the simple secret of the life of every believer: walk with Him, because the mystery that was hidden from mankind is now revealed to us through His Son – "Christ in you – the HOPE OF GLORY"; so that now, every truly born again soul can walk with the living God through His constantly indwelling presence. Do we realize the amazing opportunity we've been given? Brothers & Sisters, the simplicity of this truth cannot be overstated. The Lord Himself told Martha, "One thing is necessary"... intimacy with Him; a conscious choice to walk with God, to think about Him, to look at Him, to talk with Him, rest in Him, obey Him, care about him, serve Him, and love Him in a million ways. We are all guaranteed the resurrection that Enoch experienced because Jesus walked with God and totally pleased Him. And we have the choice to follow His example of intimacy...just as our brother Enoch did. SIMPLY WALK WITH HIM!