"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?!