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

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

"All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king." 1 Chronicles 12:38

The mighty men that followed David were of one mind and heart to make him King. Their recognition of David's anointing may have been the most significant quality of these Mighty Men. What was it in David that drew out this deep loyalty? I believe it was God's Holy Spirit which David received when Samuel anointed him king.[1 Samuel 16:13]. "Mashiach" literally means "anointed"; so David was a "mashiach". "Yeshua ha Mashiach" translated literally into English is, "Jesus the Anointed". David received the Holy Spirit from the moment of his anointing by Samuel as future king of Israel. As the anointed Son of David, and Son of God, Jesus is our eternal king. The anointing on David's life, and the unity of his mighty men and their devotion to make him king, inspired all of Israel. The entire nation was inspired to crown him their king. What a picture of spiritual unity for us as lovers of our King/Messiah! If we love our King the way they loved David, we will also be drawn into great unity of heart and mind, as they were. Brothers & Sisters, now, as the storms gather, as our enemies plot our destruction, we must realize and recognize our oneness in Jesus. Whatever disagreements we may nurture, they must pale in comparison to the love and loyalty we share toward our beloved King. Just as Israel loved and was utterly devoted to David, so, even more, can we be drawn together by the magnificent anointing of our Messiah, King of the Universe. UNIFY, AROUND OUR KING!

"Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David with an undivided heart." 1 Chronicles 12:33; "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-25

50,000 soldiers from the tribe of Zebulun served in David's army with UNDIVIDED (some translations: "not double-hearted") hearts. Can you imagine a skilled army with this level of loyalty and devotion? An undivided heart is one of the most powerful things on earth. Singleness of purpose will flow from the life of a person whose heart is undivided. Couples whose hearts are devoted to the Lord this way will preserve their marriages, no matter how difficult their issues and problems become. Intercessors whose hearts are filled with a single purpose will ultimately demolish terrible strongholds. Missionaries with vision and absolute loyalty, will be able to take entire nations for Christ. One woman will pour out ointment worth a year's salary on her savior's head. An undivided heart is one of the most powerful things on earth. Jesus inspires and empowers undivided hearts. If you really know him well, you will be very much like the men of Zebulun were in their loyalty toward David. Brothers & Sisters, check your heart. Is it inspired by the beauty, heroism, and love of the Messiah? If not, you just don't know him well enough. HAVE AN UNDIVIDED HEART!

"armed with bows, using both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows with the bow." 1 Chronicles 12:2; "who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." Hebrews 11:33-34

As we continue our study of the men who followed David, another characteristic was their ability to war. They learned how to battle with both the right hand and the left hand for hurling stones. If you have ever thrown a ball, you know that you can aim effectively with your dominant hand -- but try it with the opposite hand -- it's far more difficult to throw accurately. But the men that followed David learned to throw with both arms effectively! It must have taken months of training to develop such skill. We also learn to war, not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. And we too must train to use our spiritual weapons, and to use them accurately. The word of God is a sharp sword when used with skill and spiritual authority, and the right scripture for a situation can bring tremendous healing and deliverance; but we must know the word and walk in the spirit to be able to use it in warfare. Furthermore, every serious intercessor knows he must learn to concentrate his mind and will intently for battling in prayer. For his aim to be accurate and penetrating he must overcome the tendency to wander in his thoughts and lose focus on the issue at hand. To be effective warriors we need to train our minds and wills to concentrate so that our prayers become like lasers for breaking through in the spirit. Brothers & Sisters, in this day and age, Jesus is calling us to spiritual battle, and our training is critical for success and victory. We must know the word and use it skillfully, and we must learn to concentrate in prayer for the spiritual objectives to which we are called. The Lord will equip us as we ask and seek Him for it, and do our homework. Let's be inspired by David's mighty men, training diligently to take aim in our battle with the powers of darkness! FIGHTING TAKES TRAINING.

"Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war," 1 Chronicles 12:1; "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." 2 Timothy 2:4

When David was a fugitive from Saul, the men who followed him recognized his rightful place as King of Israel, and they developed a deep loyalty to him, this little band. These men were transformed from distress, debt, and discontentment [1 Sam. 22:1-2] into becoming mighty men of war. Having joined David, they quickly realized that they were joining a conflict. But new believers may not immediately realize that they have recently entered the greatest war of all-time -- the war between good and evil! Claiming the faith of Jesus, they are instantaneously thrust into a battle with an enemy who seeks to rob, kill and destroy them. [John 10:10] So, even with the powerful protection of a loving Father, they may find themselves dodging bullets, or even taking hits from the enemy, as they wake up to the unavoidable reality of spiritual warfare; and this vulnerable time can be discouraging, even to the point of wanting to give up the faith, especially if they weren't warned or prepared at all for the conflict... When we choose to follow Jesus we should realize we have been enlisted into a spiritual army, of which He is the General. And as we mature, taking more responsibility, we realize the danger and wastefulness of becoming entangled with the affairs of this life. This can take time, but little by little, with plenty of practice, we become equipped and experienced with the spiritual weapons that are necessary for real victory against the enemy of our souls! Brothers & Sisters, wake up to the warfare, stay in training, fight the good fight; the joy of spiritual victory is so worth every effort! YOUR COMMANDER HAS ENLISTED YOU!

"but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day." Deut. 5:14-15

When the children of Israel were enslaved under Pharaoh, they were forced to labor seven days a week, working relentlessly without a break. Can you imagine doing hard labor for years on end without a break? This was Israel’s reality in Egypt. In His great mercy, God sent Moses to free them from bondage. He gave them ten commandments, one of them being to take a Sabbath REST. In the above passage, God calls the children of Israel to remember that they were slaves and to remember His great redemption in connection to their Shabbat. In a similar way, we too were once slaves. We were enslaved to sin and unrighteousness, and all the entanglements and snares that come with it. But in His great mercy, God sent Jesus to set us free from all these things and commanded us to rest in His finished work. Brothers & Sisters, let us remember from where we came. For He has promised to all who labor and are heavy laden … REST. [ Matthew 11:28-30 ] So then, there remains a rest for the people of God! [ Hebrews 4:9 ]. Enjoy your resting in Him! Shalom! YOU ARE FREE TO REST!

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20

In the midst of a serious heat wave, wildfires are spreading across Europe causing thousands to evacuate. This reminded me of a story I once read. When a power plant in a tiny village in Alaska caught fire one evening, a local fire truck stood, unused, in perfect working condition as the plant burnt to the ground. Damage to the plant was great. And why did this state of the art firetruck go unused? So sad... simply nobody in the town knew how to operate it. This is what I realized. Amidst the everyday fires we face in our lives, God has given us precious, perfectly good working, state of the art promises. Unfortunately, it seems that either we are ignorant of them or fail to know how to operate them! D.L. Moody says that many of the promises God has given to His people, to us, "seem to be pretty pictures of an ideal peace and rest, but are not appropriated as practical helps in daily life. And not one of these promises is more neglected that the assurance of salvation. An open Bible places them within reach of all, and we may appropriate the blessing which such a knowledge brings.” Brothers & Sisters, are you burning to put God's promises to work in your life today?? I know I am! Let's get into God's Word, get to know the depth of His commitment to us, and put His wonderful promises to action! PUT OUT THE FIRE!