"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" John 4:35

Here’s an interesting fact about American church history that you may not know. Years ago, when the first New England churches were designed, they were built with clear windows rather than the stained glass ones we see so often today -- and the graveyard was usually built in the churchyard, which would normally be seen from the pulpit. Why? It was so that the pastor could see the graveyard while he preached and be reminded of the urgency of his message! It was so he could be reminded that everyone who sat in the pews before him as he spoke, would eventually fill a place in that cemetery outside the window and ultimately have to stand before God to be judged. Can you imagine? Back then, the first and foremost priority of the church was to bring men and women into a right relationship with the Lord. What’s happened to us that we’ve started building churches with windows you can’t see through!? Brothers & Sisters, there is a harvest outside! Let’s uncloud our windows and give ourselves to the work that needs to be done! Let’s make a commitment to share the good news with someone today! LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW!

"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:11-12

Jesus began His earthly ministry by being baptized in the Jordan river. The word Jordan in Hebrew is "Yarden" and its root is "yarad". It literally means to descend, which would make sense being that the Jordan descends from over 8,000 feet from Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea which sits more than 1,000 feet below sea level. If we truly want to walk in the fullness of the Lord, we have to follow the example that Jesus set before us. Jesus descended from Heaven, He descended from glory, was baptized in the Jordan and fulfilled the calling that the Father bestowed upon Him by being our perfect sacrifice on Calvary. Jesus totally and completely surrendered Himself to do His Father's will. We too, must descend and surrender all that we are and all we have been given. We must truly give our lives, not for our own glory, but for His. Until we do that, we'll never be able to see all the blessings and opportunities the Lord has prepared for us since the foundation of the world. Brothers & Sisters, let's learn a lesson from the Yarden today. When we descend, we'll be lifted up! We'll see the blessings freely flow from a Heavenly source which will never run dry! DESCEND!

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." 1 Cor 9:24-27

Writing to the Corinthian Church, Paul illustrates his exhortation using the metaphors of running a race and fighting a boxing match. Victory is achieved by bringing your body into submission to the will of God. Their idolatrous culture promoted in the Corinthians an intense passion to win. In Greek mythology, Nike was the goddess of victory. She fought on the side of the Olympian gods, triumphing over the mighty Titans and thus became a powerful symbol of victory. Her divine her powers were not limited to warfare. She was also solicited by Greek athletes who sought victory in competitive sports. A major manufacturer of athletic shoes took note of this and named their company after the goddess. The Romans gave Nike the Latin name "Victoria" from which we get our English word - "victory". The apostle Paul, with characteristic cultural awareness, addresses the Corinthians in a language they well understand. He is seeking to harness their passion for victory and transform it for spiritual purposes seeking to motivate them with eternal rewards which the Lord has promised to those who serve Him well. Brothers & Sisters, in Jesus we have real Divine power which the world could not have dreamed of. It is a power to win where it really counts...with and for our wonderful Lord! We too, need to discipline our bodies, bringing them under submission, and run the race of faith without looking back - we can be victorious. We will obtain an eternal crown, which will never fade! FIGHT TO WIN!

"And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat." Exodus 16:15

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt I'm sure several million people were wondering, "How am I going to be fed? How am I going to survive in this wilderness?" Imagine the logistical nightmare. An incalculable quantity of food and water were needed to survive in the desert. Where would it come from? Yet, in this seemingly impossible situation, God provided! He provided Manna from heaven. When the people first saw the Manna on the ground, they wondered in amazement saying to each other, "What is this?", which is exactly what "Manna" means in Hebrew -- "What is it?" They were receiving the food of angels, [Psalm 78:24-25] which sustained them the entire time in the desert. But we know what happened as time passed...the people got used to this miraculous provision, began to take it for granted, and even be bored with it, and, of course...the wonder of God's supernatural provision evaporated. Israel lost sight of the miracle that God was doing in their lives each and every day. Brothers & Sisters, each and every day is a miracle from God. Each day of our lives we walk through a world filled with the wonders and glory of the Lord. But we, too, can become dull and lose the wonder of all that He has done and provided for us, even our very salvation. We need to awaken to the daily miracles of life, and to the never ending opportunities the Lord is opening, to pour His love into us, and through us. As we do, may we always be saying to ourselves, "Wow -- what amazing love is this that's been given to me!" DON'T LOOSE THE WONDER!

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

So often in ministry, the Lord deals with my own spirit, saying – "You need to step back and get refocused!" And we all know how hard it is at times when we get so busy with the normal everyday stresses of life tugging at our limited time. As we read the story of Mary and Martha, and how Mary chose the better part, while Martha was doing the housework. Now let's not deny the real importance of housework and practical matters; let's face it, with nobody doing that stuff, what would get done? Life would be a mess! But according to Jesus, something was wrong, and Martha had her priorities out of line. And He made it very clear, Mary had chosen the better part! Mary preferred and chose relationship and intimacy with the Lord over the physical preparations and housework associated with His visit. And Jesus blessed and protected her choice. And so the Lord has had to remind me, over and again of the importance of intimacy with Him...before getting down to the work! It's a constant temptation to slip into an emphasis on DOING the work at hand; and even in our own personal prayer time, to be mainly focused on those "urgent ministry needs"...and completely forgetting the most important thing, the "better part"- intimacy, personal communication, just BEING with Him. Brothers & Sisters, let's resolve to choose intimacy with Jesus this weekend! Let's choose the better part! Let's resolve to spend time with the Lord and develop that intimate relationship He so wants with us. That way we will constantly experience how deep and awesome His love for us is. And it will make the work we're called to do -- so much easier! CHOOSE THE BETTER PART!

"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've been impressed by the Lord to address the anxieties many are feeling about the future-- how to be strong in the face of the intense opposition we’ll be facing as believers. David Ben-Gurion once said, “Courage is a special kind of knowledge, the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared. From this knowledge comes an inner strength that inspires us to push on in the face of great difficulty. What can seem impossible is often possible with courage.” While Ben Gurion's words carry a certain worldly wisdom to inspire courage, we also can have courage which comes from a special kind of knowledge...the knowledge that we have a God who loves and supports and protects us and carries us through, even the most trying times and circumstances. So let’s not become fearful in these days – but instead become bold as a lion, to accomplish the good works He prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Brothers & Sisters, let's walk with courage in these days in the knowledge that our God is with us, and with Him, we will accomplish great things that seem impossible because we know that He turns impossibilities into realities! FIND COURAGE IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION!

"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!

"He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm [z’roah in Hebrew] brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in, like a flood The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:16-19

The Hebrew expression in this verse from Isaiah is rich with meaning. The root "nus" (from the expression "raise up a standard") is related to or sounds like numerous words which mean "sign", "miracle", "to drive away", "to flee", "cause to disappear", "a waving flag". This abundance of meanings in Isaiah's poetic style reveals the multiple dimensions of God's revelation; in this case, the way he deals with evil. The assertion in this word is that the Spirit of God will be powerfully activated when evil comes. Whether the enemy comes in like a flood, and then the LORD raises a standard against him...or, the enemy comes in, and like a flood, the LORD works miraculously and drives him away, the clear meaning and promise is that the presence of evil will not go unnoticed. God will respond powerfully, in His own way, and in His own time. We've often spoken of the increase of wickedness in these last days; virtually every day some new scandal appears. Evil is on the rise; its power being consolidated in many areas of social, political, and personal life. Our identification with the one true God who raises His standard in response to this wickedness, calls us to be His "standard bearers" in the midst of the flood of evil around us. This is not easy, but is a high calling for faith-filled and disciplined saints. Brothers & Sisters, our challenge now, more than ever before, is, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. We cannot bear Jesus' standard if we yield to become like the world around us. Only by abiding, praying, staying close to Him, can we represent our Lord. Let's continue to encourage one another...daily. BE A STANDARD BEARER!

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalms 51:17

The word contrite in Hebrew is 'dakah' which means one that is crushed to pieces. Paul wrote of being a 'living sacrifice' holy and acceptable to God. Being a living sacrifice means we often can walk off the altar. To be a continual living sacrifice we need to renew our minds day to day! Let your mind be renewed -- off the things which are worldly and onto those things which are Godly. When our minds are focused on those things above, on His holiness, His righteousness, His grace, and His mercy -- we realize that we can always be closer to Him! We understand what Isaiah meant when he said, "our righteousness is nothing but filthy rags before the Lord." When God provided for Himself the perfect sacrifice, His Son, 2000 years ago -- His heart bursted! His heart was cut through -- cut for you! God desires you to be a living sacrifice and a necessary ingredient is a heart that has been cut through by God's sharp knife. When you allow your heart to be continually cut through by God's Spirit, then your life will be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable before Him! Brothers & Sisters, it's wonderful what God can do with a broken heart, especially when we give Him all the pieces! BE BROKEN!

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

One of the sacrifices mentioned in the Tenach (Old Testament) is mentioned as a Peace sacrifice or sometimes translated as the Thanksgiving sacrifice. It is known as the ‘shalem’ sacrifice. The root behind this word is the word ‘shalom’ whereby we get the word, peace. This sacrifice foreshadows the perfect peace and restoration that a believer has with God through a perfect sacrifice of peace, the Lord Jesus, who offered himself 2000 years ago. The root of "shalem" is the word "shalom", which means peace, completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing, and rest. Since we are complete in Him and have peace with God, we need not entertain spirits of discontent, desperation, unhappiness, self-ambition, regret, etc … but can rest in His ‘peace sacrifice’. Over the past year, the world has plunged into chaos with multiple major wars erupting globally and the onset of economic uncertainty. Inflation has reached historic highs worldwide. Headlines are dominated by news of ongoing conflicts and threats of further unrest. Given these turbulent times, finding peace seems nearly impossible. Nevertheless, the Lord who is called Jesus, who dwells within us, is our PEACE... He is our Prince of Peace! Brothers & Sisters, it's truly a matter of focus. And though it may take some internal discipline these days, the reality of our identity, our completeness in Jesus, is a totally valid and real foundation for resting in His peace, a peace, in the midst of real threats and serious turmoil, that passes all understanding! RSET IN HIS SACRIFICE!

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

Is that a trend or something? I don't know what it is but I've heard that phrase said quite a bit. We were even walking down the streets of Harare to pick up a few things and my wife showed me a T-shirt with "I have issues" written across the front! I guess the world is coming to the sad reality that we really do have some issues. It's always good to realize this kind of thing --- but realizing is only half the battle. It looks like the world has gone and just left it at that. What they're really saying is "We have issues and we're just going to let you know that up front -- we'll even be wearing a T-shirt to remind you so that you won't be expecting much from us!" Well guess what? We, as believers, don't need to fall for that baloney! Yes, we all acquire issues in this sinful, painful world we live in -- but it is possible to be free from those issues in Messiah! It's not only possible -- it's crucial! We need to be wearing a T-shirt that says "We had issues, but the Lord delivered us and now we're free -- and hey -- you too can be free!" Brothers & Sisters, we are the ones who need to be leading the way to Freedom, wouldn't you agree? Let's take a moment to celebrate our freedom in the Lord! Take all those issues, write them down on a scrap piece of paper and burn them to ashes! If we'll be serious about getting free, God will be serious about setting us free! ISSUE, ANYONE?!

"And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure." Isaiah 33:6

Have you ever felt uneasy, unsettled or unstable? Or maybe a better question is -- who hasn’t? How do we overcome these feelings? This is what George Muller wrote in His diary on May 9, 1841: "Now, I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God, and to meditation on it, that thus my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed...by breakfast time, with rare exceptions, I am in a peaceful if not happy state of heart." The word faith in Hebrew is "emunah" (em-oo-nah). But interestingly, the word stability in the verse above is the Hebrew word, 'emunah"! Faith and stability are linked one to another. How do we become more stable and settled despite the circumstances surrounding our lives? By gaining faith! "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Brothers & Sisters, when we search for wisdom and knowledge in His word, we become more stable in our walk -- and in our lives! Let’s aim to spend more time in the Word and gain more stability in our lives. FIND THE SECRET OF STABILITY!

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." Psalms 62:5

It never ceases to amaze me, the way the devil uses our offenses and our "offendedness" to divide and conquer marriages, relationships, churches -- even entire nations! Many of us are not careful enough about the things we say and more importantly, we get offended way too easily. As we were discussing this topic recently, a good friend gave this analogy and we loved it: If you are holding a baby and his little arm swats you in the face, would you take offense to that? Of course not! We know the little guy didn't intend to hurt us. We respond with "awwww" or laughter or something to that effect. But if it is a friend, a family member or a brother or sister in the church who offends us with a little swat of his words or actions, we are undone. We expect more from them! What hypocrisy! We become angry and we want to defend ourselves, fight back or leave forever. Jesus said NO! He said that even if someone despite-fully uses us, that means on purpose, that we are to respond in love! We as human beings are troubled and sinful. We are not perfect and we should never expect others to be, no matter what their positions are in the church. God is perfect and He is the one from whom our expectations should come -- no man. Brothers & Sisters, so let's be quick to forgive, and slow to anger! Turn over all of those offenses to the Lord and allow Him to restore His perfect shalom over us! ARE YOU OFFENDED?

"One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple." Psalm 27:4

The Hebrew word for "face" is "panim", (the Hebrew letters, peh-nun-yud-mem), literally "faces", a plural word. Normally, when we think about God, we focus only upon one of His "faces” at a time. God is "love" – or He is "holy"-- or He is "just"--- or He's a God of "wrath". Yet, of course, ALL these "faces" are His at once; and so the word "panim" accurately reflects the truth of God's multifaceted being. As we get to know Him better we begin to appreciate the complexity of His nature and the fact that our focus on one "face" is a very limited view, since there's so much more going on in His amazing "Personality". Now the same four Hebrew letters which form the word "face", (peh-nun-yud-mem), also form the Hebrew word for "inside" or "interior". * This would seem to contradict the first meaning, "face", since "face" is the external part of a person or thing, not the inside. Yet here, as with many Hebrew words and concepts lies a deep truth, a paradox which expresses two sides of reality. The "face" is intimately connected with the "interior", and may accurately reveal the true "interior" of someone. There's even a science (or perhaps you might call it an art) of reading peoples' true attitudes and character by looking carefully at their facial expressions. So while we don't "judge a book by it's cover", we may begin to know a person better by carefully looking at his/her face...because it is true that the face often says something real about the inside of a person. Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light." Inside and out, we're connected. And this is something God wants us to do with Him; to meditate, or gaze upon His "panim", His "faces", and so to receive from His interior depths. Someday, we will see Him "face to face", and begin to know Him in ways which are unimaginable. Yet it is possible, by His Spirit within us, to begin now. Brothers & Sisters, God desires us to look deeper into who He is, even as we only look or meditate on one of His "faces". King David expressed his own unique desire in these words: "One thing I have asked from God, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of God all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the God and to meditate in His temple." God's faces and His "interior" are one continuous eternal wonder. Let us spend time simply beholding Him! * In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of the "Interior" is the first "face" you meet when interacting with the State on visa issues which determine your internal status in the Land. In Hebrew it's called the "Misrad HaPanim" (Office of the INTERIOR), literally, "Office of the Faces"! FACES REFLECT; REFLECT ON FACES, AND BEHOLD HIS BEAUTY!

"The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Proverbs 28:1

There's an old adage, "Have the heart of a lion!" Hearing it, we think, "courage". This recalls a quote I once heard; "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened". I doubt there's a single hero story in which the fearless leader fails to inspire the righteous determination of his army or people. The voice of the captain resounds through the ranks evoking the fierce cry of every warrior ready to face death or worse, for the cause. Courage truly is contagious. Of course, so is fear. And no matter how great or small our sphere, we are all, each and every one of us, people of influence. If, individually, I stand and face every fear with the boldness of a lion, I cannot fail to embolden others to stand courageously with me. But true courage will depend on righteousness, and those who are righteous live by faith; and faith comes by hearing, and hearing, through the word of Christ, that is, Divine revelation. So, real lion-like courage will come direct, by faith, from the Lion of Judah, Jesus our Lord. Brothers & Sisters, live by faith, be righteous in Messiah, and you may be the lion that leads, inspiring a pack that follows! Courage is infectious... spread it far and wide! HAVE THE HEART OF A LION!

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

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

"And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him." Acts 12:6-10

I love this story! Peter was sitting between two guards and suddenly an angel of the Lord comes to him and frees him -- and he thinks it's a vision! He's not sure if he truly believes it. Then, after his escape, Peter goes to where believers are interceding for him and knocks on the door -- they didn't open the door immediately! The young lady, Rhoda who reported that Peter was at the door was accused of being "mad!" Can you imagine? Even those praying for his freedom, are surprised that he's actually FREE! There are two points I want to stress in this story. First, Peter is freed supernaturally with angelic assistance -- and he believes it was a vision! He had to step into the reality that he was actually FREE! Secondly, there were believers who talked about FREEDOM, but when true freedom came -- they were shocked as though they truly didn't believe in their prayers! There are many believers who know they SHOULD be free in Jesus. They have a head knowledge of freedom –- but somehow they haven't grasped the reality of the freedom that is promised! They walk with the vision without living the reality! Brothers & Sisters, my challenge to you today is to walk in the reality of the freedom you have in Him! Take the promises of God and say, "If the Son has made me free, then I'm free indeed!" And claim that for your life today! Don't be stuck in a vision of freedom – live in the reality of freedom! Claim it and live it today! BE FREED FROM A VISION OF FREEDOM?!

"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 PURSUIT!

"Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets." Luke 9:16-17

The disciples worried -- we only have five small loaves and two fishes! Whatever will we do?? Five loaves and two fishes could never feed the multitudes in the natural realm! But we have a God who is in the multiplication business! He works on an entirely different mathematical equation than we are accustomed to -- He takes the little we offer and turns it into more than we could fathom! How often do we feel as if we have little to offer? The Lord is interested in everything we have to give, even if it seems minuscule to our eyes! Brothers & Sisters, let's not be afraid to offer up our gifts, talents, abilities, accomplishments and material things that we may find insignificant. They are not! When we give up even the littlest of things to the Lord, He brings forth an abundance! TAKE PART IN DIVINE MULTIPLICATION!

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:31

We're looking at the promise given 2000 years ago: that normal people will lead extraordinary lives; that disciples, who were terrified on the night of Jesus' death, were transformed into bold saints of God; and that fishermen, tax collectors, and housewives – normal everyday people – became empowered, and turned the Roman Empire inside out and upside down! In Acts 2, we read about the initial outpouring of the Spirit during the Pentecost sermon. Just a few chapters later the same saints who had been once filled to overflowing, sought to be refilled again [Acts 4]. It was not a one-time experience, but rather a constant refilling of the Spirit which they needed to change their world. They repeatedly sought to be empowered to accomplish whatever task God assigned to them. They just kept going back, to the well that never runs dry, and so they kept getting filled – and refilled -- and refilled again! Brothers & Sisters, don't ever become spiritually "satisfied"! Seek to be filled -- once filled -- seek to be refilled! And refilled again! How do we live in a constant state of revival? By always seeking MORE! In doing so, God will empower everyday folk like us to turn our world inside out and upside down! BE EMPOERED...AGAIN?

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

As we continue our study in Ruth, 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 buy back. 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 were 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!

"But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 1:16-17

As we continue our study in Ruth, I want to suggest a prophetic mystery hidden in this book. We have seen that names have significant meanings, and as discussed earlier, Elimelech, whose name means "My God is King", left Bethlehem with Naomi his wife and their two sons. The birth of these two boys must have brought joy and happiness, yet, having perished in Moab actually caused their very names to lose their original meanings. The firstborn, Mahlon, which meant "ornament", over the years came to mean "sickly". Their second son, Chilion, derived his name from the Hebrew root for "joy", but his name came to mean, "pining" and "whining". Naomi, whose name means "pleasant", changed her name to Mara, which means "bitterness", saying, "the Lord has dealt very bitterly with me." Now Ruth, whose name means "friend", remained persistent, despite Naomi's exhorting her to separate and return to Moab. Instead, true to her name and character, Ruth invokes one of the strongest, most beautiful expressions of faith and faithfulness in all of scripture: "For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me." Thus Ruth forsakes her native land and joins herself irrevocably to the nation, people and God of Israel...a truly faithful friend, even to the point of death. I would like to draw out from the story of Ruth, a possible contemporary meaning and application for us to ponder. I would suggest that Naomi and her two sons can be viewed as a type or picture of the people of Israel, and that Elimilech's decision to leave the Land of Promise with them became a picture of Israel in the diaspora. This present exile of the Jewish people since 70 AD culminating in the holocaust, has often rendered them both "sickly" and "pining" for home, and Naomi's experience outside the land of Israel brought death and desolation upon her. The modern nation of Israel, birthed after centuries from the ashes of the Holocaust, and a long painful exile, has been suddenly restored to her ancient homeland, yet, in much bitterness, just as Naomi had returned to her homeland from Moab. Yet Ruth's love and faithfulness must have been a profound comfort to her mother-in-law. So, Ruth can be seen as a picture or type of Gentile (Christian) believers, whose faithful love, friendship and comfort bring deep solace to the people of Israel, who are still experiencing the bitterness of the exile and even now, the misunderstanding and opposition of the nations of the world. Many Israelis already know that their truest and most faithful friends in the world today are Bible believing Christians whose love for them is unconditional, and beautifully reflects the devotion of Ruth to Naomi. Finally, it seems significant that Ruth's loving and faithful character became inspiration for drawing out the redemptive grace of Boaz toward Elimelech's widow, Naomi, so that her family line and inheritance were restored and preserved. As their Kinsman Redeemer, Boaz was deeply moved by the humility and faithfulness of Ruth to her mother-in-law, and as such, she can be seen as a type of intercessor between Boaz and Naomi. For if Boaz is pictured as a type of Jesus our "Kinsman-Redeemer", then Ruth, lying down "at his feet" can be a picture of believers' humble prayers and intercession for the Jewish people entreating the Lamb of God for the mercy which restores us all to the inheritance which belongs to Him. Brothers & Sisters, if in fact, Ruth can be seen as a "type" for Gentile believers, and Naomi, a picture of Israel, restored to her land, but still in bitterness, then Ruth can be an inspiration and a pattern for Christians who love Israel and who recognize her irrevocable calling as a nation. If the faithfulness of Ruth through love and intercession helped to restore Naomi to her true Kinsman-Redeemer, can it also be that the faithfulness and intercession of Gentile believers will be a powerful influence for the restoration of the Jewish people to their "Kinsman-Redeemer, the Messiah Jesus Himself? Our friendship with Israel in word and in deed, and our prayers, in the midst of global opposition [Zechariah 14:2] will be a powerful testimony for Jesus, and will help to remove the veil from Jewish eyes concerning His true identity. As we support the restoration of their Land (a Biblical promise), we also help to open the way for the far greater blessing of eternal life. Doing so, we also will be blessed according to these timeless words; "I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curse thee!" YOUR GOD SHALL BE MY GOD!

"That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45

The Lord is quoted in this scripture in Matthew and it contains an important principle which I think we sometimes tend to overlook. Many believe and even teach that if someone acquires much material prosperity, then God has surely given them favor, and that if someone is undergoing extreme trial, it must be because they have sinned or that they lack faith. But the Lord says that the sun rises and the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. A life of good circumstances does not necessarily mean that God is with us. And likewise, a life of trial and suffering does not mean that God is not with us! If we base our lives on our circumstances, we are no different than people without God. What makes us different from the world is that we have something far greater than our circumstances! We can live victoriously both in want and in plenty because we have a relationship with the living God! Brothers & Sisters, there is nothing wrong with rejoicing through the good times but we need to rejoice through the bad as well! If you're going through some hard times, choose to rejoice in the Lord today! We have a greater treasure and a more amazing victory when our lives are centered upon Him at all times! DO YOU WANT A GREATER TREASURE?

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them." Proverbs 11:3

Please forgive me for the length of this particular devotion, but it was sent in from some friends in Nigeria -- please take the time to read this powerful message. An aging king woke up one day to the realization that should he drop dead, there would be no male in the royal family to take his place. He was the last male in the royal family in a culture where only a male could succeed to the throne - and he was aging. He decided that if he could not give birth to a male, he would adopt a son who then could take his place but he insisted that such an adopted son must be extraordinary in every sense of the word. So he launched a competition in his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their background. Ten boys made it to the very top. There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence and physical attributes and capabilities. The king said to them, 'I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne.' Then he said, 'This kingdom depends solely on agriculture. So the king must know how to cultivate plants. So here is a seed of corn for each of you.Take it home and plant and nurture it for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, we shall see who has done the best job of cultivating the seed. That person will be my heir-apparent.' The boys took their seeds and hurried home. They each got a flower pot and planted the seed as soon as they got home. There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited with bated breath to see who was destined to be their next king. In one home, the boy and his parents were almost heartbroken when after days of intense care, the seed failed to sprout. He did not know what had gone wrong with his. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right quantity and type of fertilizer, he had been very dutiful in watering it at the right intervals, he had even prayed over it day and night and yet his seed had turned out to be unproductive. Some of his friends advised him to go and buy a seed from the market and plant that. 'After all,' they said, 'how can anyone tell one seed of corn from another?' But his parents who had always taught him the value of integrity reminded him that if the king wanted them to plant any corn, he would have asked them to go for their own seed. 'If you take anything different from what the king gave you that would be dishonesty.' 'Maybe we are not destined for the throne. If so, let it be, but don't be found to have deceived the king,' they told him. The d-day came and the boys returned to the palace each of them proudly exhibiting a very fine corn seedling. It was obvious that the other nine boys had had great success with their seeds. The king began making his way down the line of eager boys and asked each of them, 'Is this what came out of the seed I gave you?' And each boy responded, 'Yes, your majesty.' And the king would nod and move down the line. The king finally got to the last boy in the line-up. The boy was shaking with fear. He knew that the king was going to have him thrown into prison for wasting his seed. 'What did you do with the seed I gave you?' the king asked. 'I planted it and cared for it diligently, your majesty, but alas it failed to sprout.' the boy said tearfully as the crowd booed him. But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he said, 'My people behold your next king.' The people were confused. 'Why that one?' many asked. 'How can he be the right choice?' The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, 'I gave these boys boiled seeds. This test was not for cultivating corn. It was the test of character; a test of integrity. It was the ultimate test.' If a king must have one quality, it must be that he should be above dishonesty. Only this boy passed the test. A boiled seed cannot sprout.' Never!! Brothers & Sisters, we live in a society that has become obsessed with success and many show success at any cost. We say the end justifies the means. It is the tragedy of life. You see, failure often is an invitation to God to show that he is all powerful and does not need help to make us great or to bless us. YES, INTEGRITY MATTERS!

"And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 Kings 6:15-17

So often in our walks with the Lord, we become focused on what we can see, what we can hear and what we can sense in the physical realm. Like the young man in Elisha's day, we focus on the enemy’s attacks around and about us. At times we can get so focused on our physical circumstances that we forget that the Lord has already provided for us the victory! That servant was frightened by the size of the enemy's army heading their way -- but Elisha was focused on the Lord. He knew that God had a much bigger army prepared…and that is what won him the victory. Brothers & Sisters, do not fear, nor be discouraged! Let's allow our spiritual eyes to be opened today so that we may see that God has prepared a plan of victory from the beginning of time! Our victory is near -- so walk in that victory as from today! WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT!

"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. Be afflicted, and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:7-10

Why is it that some believers seem to go much deeper in their walk with God than others? I believe it has to do with a desire to pursue God and not to stop until they feel His very presence in their lives. These believers decide not to settle for anything less than a growing, vibrant relationship with God, and God honors that desire for those who seek it. Much of our walk is determined by how we desire Him. In James, the Lord promises that if you draw near to Him -- He will draw near to you. Our enemy, Satan, uses everything in his power to prevent that vibrant relationship from forming – but press through – press on – because God wants this relationship very much. Brothers & Sisters, as we start new week, let's set aside time to pray for a breakthrough! I want more! God's heart and mind are infinitely deep and there's nothing more precious than knowing Him better and better. So I'm pushing through every obstacle to really show Him how much he means to me. Let's do it together. LET'S GO DEEPER!

Goodness of God, What A Beautiful Name, 10,000 Reasons (yrics) - CeCe Wi...

"For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:2-6

This pivotal passage of scripture, Isaiah 52 and continuing into Isaiah 53, profiles a suffering servant whom the nation of Israel would not recognize. The spiritual leaders of Jesus' day were blinded to the messianic passages which pointed to the messiah's role as a humble servant and bearer of sins. Expecting a conquering king who would vanquish the Romans and set up a restored Davidic kingdom, they completely missed and ultimately rejected the lowly servant that God sent, an unpretentious carpenter's Son from a not-so-respectable town who was virtually unknown until He was about thirty. Jesus of Nazareth did perfectly fulfill God's messianic qualifications even though He arrived in Jerusalem riding on a donkey and not a majestic horse. [Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:7] One wonders what might have happened if he had been recognized and received, since He did come proclaiming that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Since it was absolutely necessary that the Son of God would die for sins to restore the spiritual plight of the entire world which was separated from God, before He could restore the Kingdom to Israel, Jesus came preaching repentance and righteousness. He drew large crowds, demonstrating His uniqueness among all of Israel's prophets by performing many amazing miracles and signs by the power of the Spirit, and delivering unprecedented, authoritative teaching which surpassed everything that had ever been heard before. Yet while His ministry was growing, so was His opposition, and His awareness that He was destined for suffering and death. This suffering also surpassed anything we can begin to imagine as the iniquity of the entire world was laid upon Him and He bore it willingly. Jesus exemplified and revealed the profound connection between serving and suffering by becoming a suffering servant to all mankind. Later testifying that there was no greater love than that a man lay down his life for his friend, He made it clear that love, the deepest love, involves sacrifice. We say that we want to be like Him. If so, we will be learning and practicing a lifestyle of sacrifice, not caring who sees or knows what we are going through for His sake, because we really just want to make Him happy, because we love Him and are infinitely grateful and full of admiration for Him. It's true for most of us that we naturally seek the spotlight, and are hungry for attention. But if we're truly honest we must admit that the praise of men is a hopelessly futile addiction that we need deliverance from. God's praise is the best praise, and His pleasure in us, the only really lasting kind. Brothers & Sisters, Jesus pleased His Father by suffering for us. We can afford a little discomfort to make Him happy. Don't you think? LEARN SACRIFICIAL LOVE!

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

While John warned against deception in the last days, and we should be mindful and discerning the times in which we live, keenly aware of the rise of the spirit of Antichrist -- he also gave us encouragement: "...you have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." The children of Israel failed their tests in the wilderness because they consistently forgot who their God was -- and is! Since He actually dwells within us now, let's not repeat their mistake! Brothers & Sisters, so, being an over-comer in these last days is not only knowing who your enemy is – BUT NEVER forgetting who YOUR GOD IS! Spend your weekend resting in the peace and confidence that greater is He that is in you, and that no evil of any kind can gainsay the victory that He has already won. GREATER IS THAT IS IN YOU!

"The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." Exodus 14:14-15

The Lord spoke to Moses, who led the children of Israel out of Egypt to be desperately cornered with the Red sea before them and Pharaoh's chariots advancing upon them from behind. Overwhelmed with terror they cry out to Moses, "It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Having just miraculously escaped from the miserable life of slavery, and only beginning their new life of freedom, the children of Israel were faced with the most dire threat to their existence. This test of their faith, to trust God for their very survival, followed only a few days after the young nation's astounding deliverance. Could it really be that God had brought them out just to have them recaptured and returned to the slave camps or be slaughtered by Pharaoh's army and be food for vultures? We, who have been delivered from a life of slavery from sin, may also quickly be faced with massive and overwhelming trials, and we may cry out desperately to God, "Is this what you delivered me for !!??" How is it that the enemy, having lost his hold on us, will often make furious attempts to reclaim or even destroy us? Yet he is relentless, especially when he has just suffered a crushing defeat. Now the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." No, you were not delivered to be ensnared, recaptured or slaughtered by the evil one. His final threat will only prove to be his undoing. Brothers & Sisters, go forward, press on! Your trial, your obstacle, the threat against you, is proof of your deliverance, and may just turn into devastating defeat for the one who is set against you. What Israel faced at the Red Sea, what appeared to be their death sentence, suddenly and irrevocably became God's instrument to crush their enemies. "Tell the people of Israel to go forward!' Just do it. The Lord will provide your victory! JUST GO FORWARD!

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14-15

Over the past few weeks, we've begun a series of devotions based on the Exodus wanderings of the Children of Israel, and their tragic mistakes which we can learn from and avoid. One powerful influence common to their failures was fear. Fear is a terrible motivator and a true slave-master. And it's a source of incalculable sin. Yet, the Lord has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, of power, and a sound mind! [2 Timothy 1:7] The first test came when the Israelites feared death at the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians [Exodus 14:9-14] The Lord heard their cry, opened the Red Sea and made a way of escape. Nevertheless, time and again the children of Israel became fearful of death, and this is why they failed miserably in the wilderness. But this bondage to the fear of death can be broken. Jesus has said that He holds the keys of hell and death. [Rev. 1:18] Because He Himself was resurrected from the dead, in Him we are no longer in bondage to this fear. If the Egyptian Pharaoh is a type of the antichrist spoken of in John's Revelation, then we may also find there the examples of those who are overcomers, as were Joshua and Caleb in the time of the Exodus. And there they are: "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." [Rev. 12:11] The martyrs throughout all of history testify to this faith in the Resurrection. Brothers & Sisters, the fear of death must not have its hold upon us. Identifying with Jesus in His death will enable us to live a fear-free life, for there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. [1 John 4:18] Life enters a realm of freedom with this realization: "If you're willing to die for Jesus, then it becomes easy to live for Him!" So instead of wandering fearfully in the wilderness, make it your place of victory over the fear of death. FREE YOURSELF FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH!

"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour." 1 John 2:18

For the past two weeks we have examined lessons from the OT account of Israel's Exodus from Egypt in hope of avoiding the errors and attitudes of the children of Israel. This week we will draw connections between the Exodus and the prophecies in the book of Revelation. One of the central figures in the Exodus, was the Egyptian ruler, Pharoah. The Hebrew spelling for "Pharoah" ("peh"-"resh"-"ayin"-"hey") literally describes who the man was. The outside letters ("peh" – "hey") spell the Hebrew word "Peh" which means "mouth" in English. The inner two letters ("resh"-"ayin") form the word "Rah", the name of the ancient Egyptian sun god. So, "Pharoah" in Hebrew, identified him as, "the mouth (or voice) of Rah". But the word "rah" has another meaning in Hebrew, that is, "evil", "wicked", or "bad". Adding this meaning describes someone who speaks with "godlike" authority, yet is evil. We can see here a strong similarity to the "beast" of Revelation 13, as this "beast" was given a mouth to speak blasphemy against God; [Revelation 13:5]. The apostle John warned that antichrists are already here among us, and while we may be aware of the various manifestations of the antichrist spirit in our culture, and elsewhere, we also are expecting a final revelation of a "Man of Sin" known as "The Antichrist". His way is being prepared that the whole world may receive and worship him. Brothers & Sisters, "The whole world", but not true believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Jesus the Christ). Yet, not to be deceived as the Lord warned us, [Matthew 24:24] will require spiritual discernment. We must test the spirits, as the Apostle John instructed us: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God..." [1 John 4:1]. Our spirits and our minds must be informed by the Word of God, according to simple and true gospel of Jesus' death for sin, and resurrection from the dead. DISCERN THE SPIRITS!

"nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer." 1 Corinthians 10:10

Numbers 14:36-38 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land. Numbers 16:3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" Numbers 16:30-32 But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord." Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. Paul exhorts the church at Corinth about grumbling and complaining. He reminds the believers of the judgments that befell the 10 spies who brought a bad report of the land – and were struck down by a plague, and terrible fate of Korah and those aligned with him that came against Moses and Aaron and were swallowed up by the ground under them. How easy is it to fall into grumbling and complaining? It reminds me of an old muppets skit with two old men, Waldorf and Statler. Waldorf: That was wonderful! Statler: Bravo! Waldorf: I loved it! Statler: Ah, it was great! Waldorf: Well, it was pretty good. Statler: Well, it wasn't bad... Waldorf: Uh, there were parts of it that weren't very good though. Statler: It could have been a lot better. Waldorf: I didn't really like it. Statler: It was pretty terrible. Waldorf: It was bad. Statler: It was awful! Waldorf: It was terrible! Statler: Take 'em away! Waldorf: Bah, boo! Statler: Boo! It didn't take long for these two to turn something that was good into something they could complain about. It's especially easy for us to fall into this type of behavior – especially during this political season! Brothers & Sisters, however, our calling is to exhort, uplift and bring encouragement to the world! So let's not descend into murmuring or complaining – it did not go well for any who did. DON'T MURMUR!

"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." 1 Corinthians 10:11; "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." Numbers 14:24; "So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him." Numbers 27:18

For the past two weeks we've been building life lessons derived from the Exodus wanderings and from Paul's exhortations to the church in Corinth. Notice carefully that Paul says, "these were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come"... ...that is, written for us today! – admonitions from Paul to learn lessons from the history of the children of Israel. Much of what we can learn is how NOT to behave, and what NOT to do. Yet there are also the lessons from the few who were over-comers, Joshua and Caleb particularly. From them, we may grasp what a life of faith, courage, and victory looks like. While people often say that history repeats itself – it doesn't mean that people must repeat history. We do have the option of learning from it, and from those who were the over-comers. In the days of the Exodus, only two adult men actually entered the Promised land, out of the thousands that originally left Egypt – only Joshua and Caleb. What was different about them? They followed God fully – and were of a different spirit. Brothers & Sisters, take these lessons from Israel's history to heart. By learning from their mistakes, and being encouraged by the faithful few, you may avoid repeating (sad) history – and rather, learning from it, enter your own inheritance in the "Promised Land". LEARN A LESSON FROM HISTORY!

"We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents," 1 Corinthians 10:9; "And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread." So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died." Numbers 21:5-6

Here we have a stark word. Here we see the Lord testing Israel: "He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you." [Deuteronomy 8:16]. Yet Paul says that they put Him to the test. A great irony occurs when God is testing us, and we despise His discipline, thereby testing Him. The children of Israel once again complained about their physical needs -- despising His provision -- and calling manna "worthless bread!" This behavior crossed a line and stands as a serious warning. God's tests are not without purpose. "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." [Deuteronomy 8:3] Where have we heard that before? What greater life-changing lesson? Israel was the one nation which received the greatest revelation of God's election, His love, and His miraculous power. This election, however, came with commensurate responsibility. God had revealed Himself in massive, and mighty acts, but it was not for entertainment or just to write a great story. It was to shape a nation into people of great character, patience, endurance, and faithfulness. These characteristics belong to God Himself and they are not optional for His people. He will have a people who exemplifies them. For this reason, the discipline of God is necessarily severe when He is put to the test -- whereby He sent serpents to strike the children of Israel for their sin. And many of them died. Yet even this terrible object lesson brought greater revelation to Israel, and to all of us as well, as the Lord instructed Moses to erect a serpent on a pole -- so that whoever looked upon it was healed from the serpent's bite! This we now know was a pre-figuration of the cross of Messiah (Jesus). Brothers & Sisters, so, how much complaining will our Lord endure? In the beginning, when we are starting out with Him, and because He is patient, probably a lot. Yet, as we grow and He continues to show us His love and faithful care, His expectations of us will increase and His tests will be more stringent. We should cultivate an attitude of patient endurance when He is testing us, lest we find ourselves turning around in bitterness and testing Him. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." [Hebrews 12:11] DON'T TEST YOUR LIMITS!

"Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." 1 Corinthians 10:7; "And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." Exodus 32:4-6

The Apostle Paul continues his warning to the Corinthians against idolatry by referring to Israel's celebration/worship of the golden calf. Aaron's proclamation, "These are your gods (plural) O Israel" could be one of the earliest declarations mixing the worship of the true and living God, God, with idols. This is called "syncretism". Dictionary.com defines it: " the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion." The Israelites were not abandoning the God who delivered them from Egypt, not at all! They were simply adding one to Him; a representation that they could see, touch, adore, and celebrate over. Wasn't the Apis Bull worshiped back in Egypt? So let's put God and this calf together! Thus the One True God became part of a "pantheon". This mixing of gods opened the door to a rampant and fleshly orgy. And where was this Moses, anyway? It seems that they had become so focused on Moses, and dependent upon him, they lost sight of his Source. Of course, Moses had led them out of slavery and through the Red Sea. Yet, somehow, they did fail to realize that it wasn't Moses' power that accomplished their deliverance, at all, but the power of his God. With Moses gone, seemingly indefinitely, the people demanded a replacement from his brother Aaron. Aaron did not have the conviction or character of Moses and did not take up his mantle of authority, but according to the Midrash, “Aaron, fearing they would take away his life if he opposed them,” built them an altar. A leader may be wonderful in character, greatly gifted, and full of good fruit; so much so, that we may begin to depend on him in a way which is dangerous and fail to recognize the source of his authority and blessing. In his absence, we may even discover our dependence can lead to a form of "syncretism" or idolatry. Israel's experience illustrates how dangerous this can be. They lost their connection with God and entered the awful arena of false worship. When a believer falters because a leader is absent or even has fallen, then he has misplaced his trust and is in danger of idolatry. Then too, if a leader succumbs to the pressure of a desperate flock, as Aaron did, he will participate in and even lead them in their idolatry. Brothers & Sisters, the enemy is subtle, and he understands our need for leadership maybe better than we do. One of the tests of a faithful believer will involve his/her respect for godly leaders without becoming overly dependent upon them. Our primary Source and focus of worship will be the Lord, so let's be sure our faith is fixed on the One who will never disappoint us. Leaders come and go, as all men, God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He will never leave nor forsake us. KEPP YOUR EYES FIXED!

"Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did." 1 Corinthians 10:6; "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at." vs 34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving." Numbers 11:5-6; 34

The Apostle Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:6 against desiring evil as they did, would seem to point to the obvious sins – lying, stealing, adultery, fornication, etc. – and following their deliverance from slavery, many of the children of Israel were certainly guilty of some of these. But this passage in Numbers describes a type of sin we don't normally consider: it was simply their desire for the foods they ate in Egypt. The daily supernatural provision of angel food (manna) for every meal had become tiresome and even loathsome to the Israelites. The memory of their tasty diet under slavery actually brought about a wave of weeping among the people as each man stood at the door of his tent representing his family which was "fed up" with God's Manna. Naturally speaking, it's not hard to sympathize with people who long to enjoy such healthy and tasty foods as fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. Yet this complaint angered God very much. Some may wonder at His anger, and judge it to be harsh and unreasonable. Shouldn't people be allowed to expect variety and taste in their diet? Yet the sin of discontent and complaining about God's provision and lusting after the food of their slavery ultimately brought severe judgment. Yes, the quail came in great abundance, [Numbers11:31-34], but with it, a severe plague which killed all who were convicted of greed, which the New Testament calls "idolatry" [Colossians 3:5]. The place where they were buried "Kibroth-hattaavah" translates to "the graves of greediness" or "the graves of lust". Can we be content with simplicity, and the repetitive sure provision of our Lord? Or will we complain in our lust for the pleasures of this world? The children of Israel were consumed by their lusts. Tasty food in and of itself is not evil. But greed and dissatisfaction are a great offense to the Lord, and a form of idolatry. Brothers & Sisters, Paul spoke elsewhere, "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me". [Philippians 4:12-13 NASB] This weekend, may we abide in a state of contentment, abundantly satisfied with the Lord Himself and His perfect provision, humble as it might be. LEARN CONTENTMENT!

"But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." 1 Corinthians 10:5' ; "but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord-- because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." Numbers 14:21-24

In this NT passage Paul distinguishes the multitudes of Israelites who never entered the Promised Land, in that they never apprehended the destiny which God intended for them, but, instead, perished in the wilderness. The only adults that entered the Promised Land were Joshua and Caleb. What distinguished Joshua and Caleb? A "different spirit". It is astounding to realize that so many failed to apprehend this spirit, and Paul makes it clear that this example has the most serious implications for New Testament believers. The spirit of whole-hearted commitment, apparently rare as the finest rubies, receives the inheritance, the rich rewards of the "Promised Land". What this "Promised Land" may be for those who are as faithful in the present age, we may wonder. But be assured it will flow with "Milk and Honey" just as the Land of Israel did in those ancient days, (and is again experiencing today!) Following God "with all that we had" will qualify us for the greatest eternal rewards. The great test for Joshua and Caleb involved the godly courage to face massive giants in battle. They had learned and believed in the miraculous power of God to deliver, protect, and provide for His chosen. And Caleb, because of his great faith, was able to maintain his youthfulness even at the age of 85. (Joshua 14:10-12) Brothers & Sisters, so, while these are days of tremendous testing, we have the finest examples to follow: Joshua and Caleb, whose spirit was different, whose hearts were whole, and whose faith was built on the witness of God's repeated demonstration of His miraculous power. They knew they could afford to trust God with all they had, and we can too. The Promised Land is waiting for those who will. FOLLOW THE LORD WITH ALL YOU HAVE!

"and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4; "Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?" And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" And the Lord said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Exodus 17:-2-7; "The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates." Psalm 11:4-5

The children of Israel are facing yet another test, this one, even more severe than hunger -- dehydration -- which, unabated, quickly leads to a miserable death. Yet, now, every day they are also seeing the miracles of God, who is feeding them regularly with manna, and surrounding them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Once again, they fail the test, even in the midst of their daily witness of miracles. So even though the test is more severe, the evidence for trust is that much greater. Are some of us also asking this question, "Is the Lord among us or not?" "Is He seeing what's happening to me, or are His eyes shut to it?" ("His eyelids test the sons of men..") I'm often faced with this question -- "Where is God?" Most often the good and true answer is, "He is testing you!" And I think of the testing the children of Israel faced in their wilderness wanderings. Over and over again, the Lord provided for their needs. This time Moses strikes the rock -- and out pours living water! Don't allow your heart to become hardened in these days no matter how severe the test. As you endure His testing He will touch your heart once again so that His spring of living water may flow through you to this dying and desperate world. Jesus, the Rock of our salvation was struck for the sins of the world, and He promised those who trust Him that living water would flow from our inmost being. And God's eyes are never really shut. So the question, "Is the Lord among us or not?" will repeat Israel's sad mistake at Meribah. Brothers & Sisters, just realize and accept that you're being tested. You will please Him with your faith and His living water will flow from you. TURN ROCK INTO LIVING WATER!

"And did all eat the same spiritual meat;" 1 Corinthians 10:3; "and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not." Exodus 16:3-4

Is there something about miracles that makes them forgettable? Or is the problem with us? After journeying for a season the children of Israel were faced with hunger -- another test. This time, naturally faced with starvation, they murmured against the Lord, AGAIN! You'd think they might begin to put it together that God truly wanted them to trust Him. Apparently not yet. The dire circumstances attacked their mass cerebral cortex (memory) and once again they went into attack mode, bitterly complaining in unbelief. The Ten Plagues, the pillar of fire, the Red Sea walk, the Egyptian chariot soup, none of these connected to the present hunger pangs. Nature trumped super-nature, and sadly, God Himself. But "God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness", what did He do? He poured "angel's food" down upon them (Psalms 78:25); once again providing supernaturally! Jesus the Messiah, representing our Heavenly Father, exhorted us similarly: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" Jesus said, to seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness -- and He promised that all of these things will be added unto you! Brothers & Sisters, lack of food can and very well may be a test for us in the coming days, and it is one of humanity's greatest fears. Hunger may test us during this uncertain season. Will we meet it with faith? I am certain, myself, that the Lord's word concerning provision is and will remain sure: that if I will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will not fail to feed me. WILL YOU PASS THE HUNGER TEST?

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" 1 Corinthians 10:1-2; "Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Exodus 14:12-14

The Apostle Paul's discourse in 1 Corinthians 10 recalls the great miracles God performed for the children of Israel during the time of the Exodus. Delivered from Egypt and Pharaoh's slavery, they were dismayed to discover his maniacal rage pursuing them anew, driving them into a deadly corner and imminent destruction. Humanly speaking, their terror and panic was understandable. With their eyes they could only see the wrath of Egypt succeeding at last to utterly destroy them. In that state of mind, how might they have remembered the consecutive miracles God had wrought against Egypt which had brought them to this very place? Panic has a way of spreading through a crowd, and as it did, the children of Israel bitterly complained to Moses against the Lord. Yet in that desperate moment, with His people full of terror and miserable unbelief, the Lord spoke through His servant Moses declaring His faithfulness and mighty power to save. Stand still! – and see the salvation of God! Nothing to do but stand and be delivered by the mighty Hand...... But then, miraculously separated by fire from their enemies, the children of Israel also needed to walk, to walk by faith on a seabed with walls of water towering on both sides, trusting that the Red Sea would not come rushing down upon them! Truly they were in His hands – beholding once again, the miracles of the Lord! Brothers & Sisters, we are standing now on the cusp of eternity, and we too, like the Israelites, are facing our test. The world seems to be teetering on the edge of disaster; so much evil surrounding us, as we wonder how and when can we be delivered from this rising tide of demonic threats? Can we learn from Israel's moment of panic? Or will we succumb to the rampant fear all around us? Will we have the presence of mind, the discipline, and the faith to remember the miracles God has performed in the past? These words must speak to us: "Do not fear – stand still – and see the salvation of our God, for the Lord shall fight for us – and we shall be at peace!" Those words in our minds and hearts will inspire us to walk through this dangerous world with faith, marveling at His power to protect and bring us to safety. JUST TRUST & WALK!

"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted (me-u-neh). But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5 ; "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." Hebrews 2:9; "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 ; "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:16-18

When I studied Isaiah 53 earnestly, I was taken back by the Hebrew word for "afflicted" (me-u-neh). In modern Hebrew, this word means "tortured". When I was young, and first learned what torture actually involved, my soul was shocked that this could happen to people; in fact that it was happening to people. That a person could be kept alive for the purpose of intentionally causing him intense agonizing pain was an astounding enigma for my young soul. It really frightened me; and I think that fear of torture is probably the greatest fear that humans can experience. We read about people who have been tortured, with a kind of horrified awe. And quietly we wonder inside, "How can this be?" And, "Could this ever happen to me?" Crucifixion was a form of torture which the ancient Romans used frequently. And while I had a concept of the suffering that our Messiah endured for us, for some reason, the understanding that He was tortured for our iniquities brought my awareness to a new level. I did not begin to appreciate or fathom the suffering Jesus went through. His identification with our suffering and our sin was total, and His experience of this torture so fully absorbed Him that He experienced what must have felt like infinite isolation and pain. Somehow, this is a deep comfort; to know that the Son of God understands by experience, torture, and suffering unthinkable. But then, I suddenly realized that I also could not begin to comprehend the glory that awaited Him after His suffering. And that His suffering purchased for me a portion in that glory as well. It was the other side of the story, and somehow, these two extremes complement one another; suffering, and glory. The apostle Paul states his revelation about our sufferings with almost light-hearted conviction; that they are not even “worthy” to be compared with the glory that awaits us. This, to me, could be the most amazing promise in all of scripture. Brothers & Sisters, suffering is everywhere, a constant part of this life; it may be you, or someone you love, or people you don't even know but are agonizing over and praying for. This world casts suffering in every direction at every level of intensity. But all of it, every flaming ounce of it has been successfully absorbed into the body of Jesus the Messiah. He was tortured for us – suffered death for us – so that our sufferings are trifles in the light of eternity. It's been said this way: from heaven the most miserable earthly life will look like one bad night in a cheap hotel. Thank the Lord. HE UNDERSTANDS OUR SUFFERINGS MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

"Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD abode on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day He call to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud as he went up into the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights." Exodus 24:15-18

Patience is one of those things… so hard to learn it… so hard to practice it faithfully in our daily walk. It’s one of of those things I truly wish we didn’t have to learn -- but God requires it of us! As I was reading through this passage again in Exodus, it dawned on me that Moses sat on the mountain for six entire days before the Lord spoke to him. He had to patiently wait for the Lord for six days! So often we think we can just do as we please with our lives and then come running to God for a few minutes of prayer and get an answer right away but I don’t believe it is always that simple. Even Moses needed to be prepared for six full days in order to be able experience the awesome presence of the Lord! If Moses had to wait six days – then it should not surprise us if we need to wait 60 days, 60 months or even 60 years for the Lord to prepare us to receive His blessing! Brothers & Sisters, be encouraged! The Lord is preparing us for great things. Spend more time seeking Him and worshipping Him. Keep waiting at His feet. He will meet us! There's so much work to be done. JUST WAIT!

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15

I've heard so many believers ask, "How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?" As if the Holy Spirit is some kind of power or force that we can control or wield. What we should really be asking is, "How can the Holy Spirit have more of me?" We cannot control this power from on high. If we could, then we could be led to pride and strut around as if we're some kind of "Super Christian". But if we recognize that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person -- and that this Person is actually willing to live in us, we'd greatly be humbled! We must be very honored that the Spirit of God would inhabit these corrupt vessels of ours and more importantly that He would even consider using us! Brothers & Sisters, it's only when we empty ourselves that we truly become filled! Let's empty ourselves of our selfish ambitions and desires today and allow ourselves to become broken before the Lord. We need to be truly filled with God's Power if we're going to impact the world for Him! ARE YOU ON EMPTY?

"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 Christian 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!

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

When I was in school, it seemed they ran a “fire drill” at least once a year. A long, loud, kind of scary bell would sound and we knew it was either a real fire, or, more likely, just another drill. We were formed into lines, ushered down the halls, and out the doors we went. Of course, the point was practice....so we would be prepared for a real fire. Drills are preparations for real threats. They are "trials". They test and prepare our readiness, give us opportunity to try on the emotions and actions we would experience in a genuine crisis. We need them and should even "count it pure joy" because they're necessary for our growth and maturity [James 1]. And trials are graduated; that is they get harder, kind of like math tests, they seem even to build on one another. Abraham's life was like that; just consider the different trials he endured leading to the sacrifice of Isaac. Life in the world has always been full of real dangers, threats, crises, and disasters, though some of us have been spared from much of them. Yet now, it seems, we've got a tough drill to face; one which can really test our mettle. Uncertainty, limitation, perplexity, discomfort, maybe illness and genuine lack, altogether pack the power to raise our emotional temperature and really threaten our trust. Some people are unfazed but plenty of others are moved toward the edges of their capacity to cope. It's time to discover our resources; first of all, to remember our Father's providence in every past drill that He sent us. Even when there was a real fire, He somehow got you out the door. You learned something on the other side of the threat; you were changed. He was there. This word, "All things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to His purpose”, is deeply apprehended by people whom the Lord has taken through serious troubles. "Suffering produces perseverance, (and) perseverance, character..." Brothers & Sisters, we were born for this, and we were born again for this. Our life here is simply a preparation for eternity. Trials are preparation for eternity because they perfect our faith and form the character of Christ in us. Don't be surprised when they escalate; the goal is for us to graduate. Anxiety and panic are not for us, but for the faithless. We just need to tell each other that God will pull us through, and will shortly take us Home. We know the drill. We can pass through... PASS THROUGH THE DRILL!

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20

When we think of a good citizen, we probably think of a law-abiding, productive contributor to society who takes pride in his country. I'm sure all of us would like to be thought of as good citizens of the countries in which we live. Some have dual citizenship, both Zimbabwean and their country of origin -- I guess that means they have to work extra hard at being loyal! We, as believers in Jesus, have to remember that we also have dual citizenship. We must become good citizens of both Heaven and Earth. How do we do this? We love God with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourselves. We become productive contributors in our local assemblies and/or in our local communities, and we continually give our best to the Lord, living our lives for Him and for His Kingdom. Brothers & Sisters, so often we forget that we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13), but let's remember that while we make our pilgrimage in the flesh here, we are ambassadors of the King of Kings, and citizens of His Heavenly Kingdom! BE A GOOD CITIZEN!

"And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 4:8;5:2

There are many who are not aware of the very deep significance of Bethlehem,Jesus' birthplace. Everyone knows that Bethlehem was a place where shepherds grazed their sheep, and where the Messiah was to be born, but do not realize that it was a town designated as the birthing place for lambs which were used for the Passover sacrifice. The Scriptures give significant details about this little town lying slightly south of Jerusalem. In Micah 4:8 we read about the "watchtower of the flock", or in Hebrew, "Migdal Edar." According to the "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah", by Alfred Edersheim, a Jewish believer in the late 1800's, Migdal Edar was the location where the Messiah was to be revealed. This watchtower stood as a place of protection for the city from approaching enemies, but it was also utilized by shepherds to watch over the specific flocks from which sacrificial Passover lambs were taken. The shepherds who were tending these particular flocks were no ordinary shepherds. They were specifically trained by the Rabbis for a holy task. They had to insure that, as much as possible, every lamb was free of any blemish or injury, in order to be used for the Passover sacrifice. Since they were instructed by the Rabbis, they almost certainly knew of those passages in the Targums (Aramaic translations) and the Mishna associating the birth of the Messiah with "Migdal Edar". For example, Migdal Edar is translated in one of the Targums as "The Anointed One of the Flock of Israel." It is also written in the Mishna that "He spread his tent beyond Migdal Edar, the place where King Messiah will reveal Himself at the end of days." Brothers & Sisters, those shepherds had strong hints of Messiah's advent in the very town where they lived so that when the angelic host appeared announcing his arrival, they responded immediately and went to worship Him. We too have increasing signs of His soon Second Coming. Are we also prepared to respond? Our readiness to act in faith and worship will show how well we understand the signs of our own times. With so much work to be done, let us stay awake and be inspired by the expectation of his soon arrival – for, just like those shepherds of Bethlehem, we truly were born for such a time as this! EXPECT HIS COMING!

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

As soon as we were translated into the Kingdom of Light, we entered a spiritual war -- and we must realize the warfare we face on a day-to-day basis. Constantly contending in our minds, we battle over thoughts and emotions which flow through them. The enemy often attacks by bringing up issues from our past. Failures, regrets, wounds, and traumas all have the potential to drag us down into doubt, darkness and despair. Our tremendous challenge is not to respond to these memories with old destructive thought patterns. Our victory lies in responding to these thoughts and feelings with the mind of Messiah as new creations in Him. While we don't necessarily ignore thoughts and feelings from the past, it is vital that we don't allow them to control our souls and emotions, but that we take them captive through prayers and declarations inspired by our spiritual mind. For example, is the enemy speaking rejection to me causing me to feel unwanted and unloved? I will respond that I am ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED and that the Lord has shown His love to me in many ways by His spirit and through His Body. A powerful illustration from the Old Testament is the Lord's forbidding the levitical priests from entering His Presence if they had touched any dead thing. This is a lesson for us - leave the old, dead mindset behind, the ways that you used to respond to things in the past - instead, enter the Holy of Holies and commune with your Lord! The battle over past issues is won when the Mind of Messiah in us takes authority over their meaning, purpose and definition in our lives With Jesus on the throne of our hearts and minds, everything in our past is brought under His authority and works together for our good! Brothers & Sisters, make it a point to take every thought captive ... and in doing so, you'll be living out what it truly means to walk in VICTORY! YOU'RE AT WAR!

"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." 1 Kings 6:7

Isn't it remarkable that every stone was beautifully constructed at a place far away from the Temple sight -- and then put together perfectly on location? And these weren't small stones either -- these were great BIG stones, made far away and then and placed in perfect precision. (1 Kings 5:17) The Holy Spirit is erecting a magnificent temple today! And each stone -- that is, each of us -- has been carefully cut from this world's dark quarry, perfectly chiseled and smoothed to fit into a specific special spot within a growing structure -- upon which our Messiah is the chief cornerstone! Brothers & Sisters, you are a chosen and precious stone! Let's allow the Spirit of God to chisel us today! God desires to smooth out our rough edges so that we will be built into a glorious Temple unto the Lord. CAUTION -- UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

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

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

"And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you power to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:18-19

This is a powerful passage which believers must claim! The Greek for the word "heaven", "oo-ran-os", implies not only heaven, but also eternity. The enemy was removed from the eternal places, and his power is only temporary in this world. Our power does not come from this temporary world, but from eternity, from the eternal throne of God. If our focus is on eternal things, and we claim our authority from heaven, we can exercise power over the enemy. His attacks are temporary and refer to our short life on earth, because his place in God's eternal realm was abolished and he was cast down. Drawing on the authority and eternal power of God, through Jesus we can really tread on serpents and scorpions, overcoming the enemy's power. Whatever Satan sends our way is temporary and must submit to the authority we walk in when filled with the Holy Spirit. Brothers & Sisters, Satan's removal from heaven is good news for us. He has lost his place in the eternal realm. This makes the trials and tribulations of our life on earth much less significant. They are "light and momentary" compared with the eternal glory which awaits us...a fleeting moment, for the enemy, has been cast out of eternity and his destiny is the lake of fire! WALK WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE!

"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 8:15

An official of a mission board, who knew it takes more than just desire to make a missionary, was appointed to examine a candidate for the mission field. He told the young man to be at his house at six o'clock in the morning. The young man complied and arrived a six o'clock sharp. The examiner kept him sitting alone in the room until ten. Then he finally came in and said abruptly, " Young man, can you write your name? A little taken aback by the simplicity of his question, the man paused. Before he could get a word out, the examiner blurted, "What, you don't know what it is?" The mission board official put him through a series of questions of that nature and then went to report to the mission board. "Okay," he said, "he will do." I tried his patience for hours and hours and he did not break down; Then I insulted him and he did not lose his temper. This candidate answered with patience, fortitude, and gentleness. His faith was vindicated by the very quality of his character. He will make a good missionary." Whether we realize it or not -- we all are in the mission field. Our patience is bound to be tested in ways we've never imagined and we'll most likely find it unfair and unkind at times. But standing strong in the Lord in the face of offensive treatment and enduring seasons of long-suffering is a testimony in and of itself -- and that will win souls! Brothers & Sisters, are you weary from the walk? Get your second wind! Count it all joy! You have endured much and you will see victory! Not only here on earth but when we meet the Lord! STAND STRONG!

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17

I could tell you about countless difficult and drawn-out circumstances over which I have tried to stand firmly in faith until they finally came to pass. Sometimes I made it and sometimes I was weak and began to doubt. But God mercifully came through for me on most of these things, despite my lack of strength to stay faith-ful. There are some things in our lives that take a lot of prayer and a lot of faith to overcome. But why is it so hard sometimes to stand in faith for those things? D.L. Moody spent many hours praying for faith. He once said, "If all the time I have spent praying for faith was put together, it would be months. I thought that someday faith was going to come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not come. Then one day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." I now opened my Bible and began to read God's Word and faith has been growing ever since." Much of what we believers describe as 'faith' has nothing to do with Biblical faith. Our faith must not be based on emotion, or want, and not on the latest exciting conference or revival. But it must be centered on God's Word, on Jesus, His death and resurrection, His salvation. The Living Word is the eternal, everlasting love of God that has been poured out upon our lives. Brothers & Sisters, let's read, hear, apply and live the Word today, and we will grow strong in faith! WHERE'S FAITH WHEN YOU NEED IT?!

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. [Selah in Hebrew means “pause and ponder this!”] Psalms 89:3-4; "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David [in the Hebrew New Testament it’s written - Yeshua HaMashiach ben David], the son of Abraham." Matthew 1:1

New Testament genealogies of Jesus the Christ all identify Him as the son of king David. It was universally understood from the Tenach (OT) that the messiah would be descended from David and that he would restore the Davidic monarchy to its ultimate and most universal expression, even that this king would reign and sit on the throne forever. Why was Jesus' identification with David so significant? One reason is that David is the only man in the Bible about whom the Lord said, this is “a man after My own heart”. Yet we know well David's imperfections ... adultery and murder -- so why would God say this about him? I believe it was David's lifelong love for and abandoned worship of the Lord, and also his contrite heart (Ps. 51) and the depth of his sorrow and repentance which showed this relationship to be the most important and precious in his life. God isn’t expecting perfection from us -- His Son has provided that. Jesus alone is the Man whose heart and actions are flawless. But David exemplified a man whose love and respect for his God were constant, if imperfect, a man after God's own heart. And this is the heart that God is seeking today, contrite, worshipful, and filled with respect and love for our God. Brothers & Sisters, David provides a wonderful example for us who are as imperfect as he was. We may fall and fail miserably – but its how we get up that makes the difference. Our constant desire to preserve this most precious of all relationships will show that we too have a heart after God. I know I want to hear Him say, "Yes, you are truly someone after my own heart!" HAVE A HEART AFTER GOD!

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." 1 Peter 5:8-10

The Jewish leaders of His time rejected Jesus when He first came. He didn't meet their expectations. They were expecting a Messiah who would bring relief from the Romans, restore the Kingdom of David, and usher in an era of tranquility throughout the world. It is probable that their intense jealousy of Jesus blinded them to the numerous passages in the Tenach (OT) which describe Messiah as a suffering servant, since they were certainly aware of those passages. The Scriptures present two pictures of Messiah, leaving bible interpreters with a dilemma to explain. Zechariah 9:9 portrays him riding a donkey into Jerusalem, lowly and humble; Daniel 7:13 refers to the Messiah as coming on the clouds of heaven. Some of the rabbis concluded there must be two Messiahs – Mashiach ben Yosef – the Suffering Servant, and Mashiach ben David – the conquering king, bringing judgment to the wicked, restoring the Temple and the Kingdom to Israel. The truth is, one Messiah, two advents. When Jesus failed to fulfill the Jewish expectation of restoring the Kingdom of David, he was dismissed as Messiah. Their own lack of humility, their jealousy and self-centered pride caused them to miss what should have been obvious from the scriptures, that Messiah had to come first to identify with us, and then through suffering and death, break the power of sin, before he could restore the Davidic Kingdom. Is it possible for our expectations to be likewise colored or even contaminated by sin? We ought not to avoid the question. If our hearts are set in a self-centered expectation of victory that fails to apprehend the suffering to which WE too are called, we can make the same mistake the rabbis made, and end up rejecting the true Messiah. While it's true that our ultimate victory is assured, we can never forget that the journey to that victory is a narrow path fraught with all the dangers of real warfare, with deadly enemies. Brothers & Sisters, check your expectations...what are they based upon? Are there selfish or carnal motives in your expectations of God? If Jesus said following him would be a narrow path with a cross on your back, then don't presume your victories until they have passed through the purifying fires of suffering. This is simply true fellowship with Him, and leads to the greatest glorious joys and triumphs. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?