Jesus Christ Is the Same, Yesterday, Today & Forever

 “He hath remembered his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac;”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭105‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Part of this psalm  was sung when the ark of glory was brought to Jerusalem.  “For though a thousand generations may pass away, He is still true to His word. He has kept every promise He made to Abraham and to Isaac.”  The twenty four elders in heaven sing, “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One Who is and Who was and Who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.”  God reigns in eternity and forever, the Great I AM, Who is forever and true to His promises.  “I Am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty."  God keeps His covenant, because grace and peace is multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  What an amazing God, the same yesterday, today and forever, keeping His covenant with us who believe in His great Blood sacrifice through the finished work of the Cross.  Amen!

The Image of Christ

 “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13‬:‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John was given revelation, “This will require wisdom to understand: Let the one with insight interpret the number of the wild beast, for it is humanity’s number —666.”  This is the son of Adam’s number or man’s number.  The beast is equated to the nature of humanity. The number 666 is the number of man; not an incarnation of the devil, but human nature; and man was created on the sixth day.  The wild beast rising out of the ground (which man was made from) is the sin of man that wars against our souls and prevents the image of Christ from emerging in fullness within believers.  The number 666 cannot be literal, for a literal number would need no wisdom to interpret.  Both the mark of the beast and the mark on the foreheads of God’s faithful followers, is a metaphor of the character of the beast revealed by thoughts (foreheads) and by actions (the hands).  As the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to pray that people find their identity in Christ and crucify their fleshly nature and carnal mindedness, allowing the image of Christ to come into its fullness.  Amen!

God of Glory is the God Who Is Light & Love

 “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty: Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭104‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s psalm, “Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord! O Lord, my God, Your greatness takes my breath away, overwhelming me by Your majesty, beauty, and splendor! You wrap Yourself with a shimmering, glistening light. You wear sunshine like a garment of glory. You stretch out the starry skies like a tapestry.”  This is our God, the One Who created the universe and all that is seen and unseen.  David knew Him personally and had intimate relationship with Him, worshipping Him from the depths of his heart.  Job, many centuries earlier had worshipped the same God with awe, “Then adorn Yourself with majesty and splendor, And array Yourself with glory and beauty.”  God is Light and He is the God of glory, in Him there is no darkness at all.  God is love, and in this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His Only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  Amen!

The Overcoming Power of the Blood of the Lamb

 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is what John saw, “So the great dragon was thrown down once and for all. He was the serpent, the ancient snake called the devil, and satan, who deceives the whole earth. He was cast down into the earth and his angels along with him. Then I heard a triumphant voice in heaven proclaiming: “Now salvation and power are set in place, and the Kingdom reign of our God and the ruling authority of His Anointed One are established. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accused them day and night before our God, has now been defeated—cast out once and for all! They conquered him completely through the Blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of His testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.”  So the lying slanderer, mankind’s adversary, whose sole mission was to lead the entire inhabited world astray - was cast down to the earth, together with all his cohorts.  This serpent, who was a murderer from the beginning, was stripped of his pseudo authority.  John heard the voice that endorsed the prophetic word spoken from the beginning and now culminated in the realisation of mankind’s salvation.  The Blood of the Lamb brought closure to every possible accusation against the human race.  What a triumph!  Hallelujah!

By Faith We Belong Forever to Our Loving God

 “The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: Neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s recognition of God’s mercy and grace, “Lord, You’re so kind and tenderhearted and so patient with people who fail You! Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness. You don’t look at us only to find our faults, just so that You can hold a grudge against us. You may discipline us for our many sins, but never as much as we really deserve. Nor do You get even with us for what we’ve done. Higher than the highest heavens— that’s how high Your tender mercy extends! Greater than the grandeur of heaven above is the greatness of Your loyal love, towering over all who fear You and bow down before You! Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset— that’s how far You’ve removed our guilt from us.”  The Hebrew word for compassion is the same as for “womb”.  The Lord carries His people like a mother carries a child in her womb.  That’s how God gave revelation to Moses on mount Sinai, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”  Through the Blood Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, God removed all mankind’s sins, iniquities and transgressions, when He punished Jesus for it.  By faith in the finished work of the Cross, we receive God’s mercy, grace and compassion and we are forever His. Amen!

Every Knee Shall Bow & Every Tongue Confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD

 “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬, ‭15‬ KJV

As John was revealed, “Their dead bodies will lie on the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and a loud voice broke forth in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our God and of His Anointed One! He will reign supreme for an eternity of eternities!””  This is the great city of Jerusalem, where our Lord was crucified, symbolically called Sodom and represents the spiritually dead and the corrupt religious systems of this world.  The kingdom of this world is the kingdom of finance, culture and government, both religious and secular.  The end of the kingdom of this world is that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father and thus the kingdom of this world shall become the Kingdom of our God and of His Anointed One!  

Hallelujah!

Freed in Christ from the Law of Sin & Death

 “This shall be written for the generation to come: And the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death;”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭102‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The psalmist wrote, “Write all this down for the coming generation, so re-created people will read it and praise the Lord! Tell them how Yah looked down from His high and holy place, gazing from His glory to survey the earth. He listened to all the groaning of His people longing to be free, and He set loose the sons of death to experience life.”  By writing this down, the psalmist foresaw those born anew, born again, new creatures in Christ.  Yah is the Name of the God of Power.  It took the God of Power to raise the Son of Man from the dead, with Resurrection Power.  Sin, death and hell were conquered and removed from the equation which the accuser of the brethren used to bring mankind under condemnation.  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death.  Hallelujah!

God’s Revelation is Like Honey

 “And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ KJV

As John was told, “I took the little scroll from the hand of the mighty angel and ate it. Indeed, it was sweet as honey to taste, but after I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter. Then they said to me, “You must go back and prophesy again to many peoples, and nations, and languages, and kings!””  Honey is a picture of revelation knowledge as David wrote “The rarest treasures of life are found in His truth. That’s why God’s Word is prized like others prize the finest gold. Sweeter also than honey are His living words— sweet words dripping from the honeycomb!”  The prophet Ezekiel was told the same, to eat the scroll and it would be sweet in the mouth but sour in the stomach.  Givers of good news have it sweet to speak but persecution comes from those who hear and find it unpalatable.  Here, God is giving encouragement to John that he would be freed from his exile on Patmos to yet prophesy to us today through his writings.  It is the fear of persecution that stops many believers from giving the Gospel but let us remember the joy of having Jesus with us always, in every trial and tribulation, and the promise of every spiritual blessing in heavenly places being ours.  Amen!

God’s Mercy & Judgment in Christ

 “I will sing of mercy and judgment: Unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely In a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭101‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s poetic praise, “Lord, I will sing about your faithful love for me. My song of praise will have your justice as its theme. I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity, especially in my own home. But I need your help! I’m wondering, Lord, when will you appear?”  David understood God’s holiness that mercy and judgment require God’s chosen people to walk in integrity.  This foreshadowed God’s new covenant through Christ’s Cross where mercy triumphed over judgment as Jesus, the Son of Man took the judgment for all mankind’s sin to make us sons and daughters of the Most High God.  What amazing love is this that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Let’s be those who believe in this awesome love, but for those who reject Christ’s sacrifice, judgment will overtake the mercy God showed in Christ.  Amen!

Deep Calls Unto Deep

 “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John saw, “Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that fell from heaven to earth, and he was handed the key to the shaft leading down to the pit of the deep.”  This bottomless pit or the well of the abyss is the same as how Genesis began when the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  Jesus is the One Who holds the keys of death and Hades, for He unlocked both and walked out triumphantly in resurrection power.  Many things are opened in Revelation - heaven, doors, books - with the purpose of releasing new understanding or revelation.  There is a deep place in the human heart, like a pit, that Jesus opens, so that we can see what has been there inside us.  What a privilege we have that through the Cross, the depth of our heart can be cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb and be filled with the love of God by the mighty Holy Spirit.  Let’s be filled with the fire and passion for our Lord Jesus Christ as He has for each of us who believe in His great sacrifice on our behalf.  Amen!

Rejoicing with Gratitude

 “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭100‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

By tradition David wrote this psalm and it was very likely used in Temple worship when a "thank offering" was made, which was a voluntary sacrifice of thanksgiving, as it says in Leviticus.   “You can pass through His open gates with the password of praise. Come right into His Presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to Him and affectionately bless His beautiful Name! For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And He is famous for His faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for He keeps His promises to every generation!”  The only way to know God in Christ and have intimacy with Him is what David said and what Paul said in the new covenant, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, Who also will do it.”  Let’s always be thankful and full of joy.  Amen!

Being Purified

 “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John saw the unimaginable sounds, “Then the angel filled the golden incense burner with coals of fire from the altar and hurled it onto the earth, releasing great peals of thunder, voices, lightning flashes, and an earthquake.”  As our prayers, mixed with th intercession of our High Priest, Jesus, ascend in the Spirit, the very coals of fire from the altar are cast into the earth, which releases mighty power.  The voices carry the Word of the Lord.  The thunder manifests God’s power.  As Job said, “who can understand the thunder of God’s power?”  The lightening strikes divine truth.  As the psalmist said, “His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles.”  A great earthquake shakes the kingdom of men to its foundations.  These are not acts of judgment, but purification.  Jesus Himself said, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already ablaze with fiery passion for God!”  Let all believers be ready for Jesus’s coming and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be purified day by day as His consecrated and set apart chosen people.  Amen!

Jesus - the Name Above Every Name

 “Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; For the LORD our God is holy.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭99‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The psalmist says, “God, the great forgiver, answered their prayers, yet He would punish them when they went astray. Keep exalting the Lord our God facedown before His glory-throne, for He is great and holy!”  Although there is no name for the writer of this psalm, some traditions say it is David.  David knew the power of forgiveness for he said elsewhere of the LORD God that He forgives all our iniquity, and heals all our diseases!  Through the Blood of God’s Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of His overflowing kindness.  Jesus Himself, brought us His  wonderful new agreement; of His sprinkled Blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.  That is why He is worthy to be exalted, worthy to be worshipped, night and day, at all times and in all places.  Jesus alone is the Name to be lifted up for His is the Name above all names.  Amen!

Loved, Sealed & Protected

 “saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭7‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is what John the beloved disciple was revealed as he saw the mighty angel, saying, “Do not damage the earth, the sea, or the trees until we have marked the loving servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”  This mighty angel has more power than the previous four angels who would damage the earth, sea and trees.  This is the angel carrying the seal of God that speaks of God’s grace and mercy, which will always triumph over judgment.  The seal marking the forehead of the loving servants of God, is the mind of Christ, the mark of the Christ.  The winds of judgment are being held back until the sons of God have the thoughts and mind of Christ.  To be sealed means to be protected from judgment.  The seal of lamb’s blood on the doors of the Israelites protected them from the death angel.  The new covenant seal is the Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ) that opens our hearts to the restoration of heaven.  We are the seven-sealed scroll that is broken open so that the all-conquering life of Christ will subdue all things.  We are living letters, written not with ink but by the Spirit of God writing truth upon our hearts.  In the volume of the book it is written about Christ.  Let our heart and mind be filled with Christ.  Amen!

Heartfelt Joyful Praise to God

 “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; With the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet Make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭98‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s poetic praise, “So go ahead, everyone, and shout out your praises with joy! Break out of the box and let loose with the most joyous sound of praise! Sing your melody of praise to the Lord and make music like never before! Blow those trumpets and shofars! Shout with joyous triumph before King Yahweh!”  David from a young age rejoiced in giving joyful praise to Yahweh from his heart! He wanted not only his voice but the harp and the trumpets and shofars to give loud praise to God.  Every believer’s gathering, whether in church or home or public place, needs worship from the heart, the louder the better!  It’s the religious spirit that makes believers distracted with not being heartfelt in singing joyfully.  When the Holy Spirit leads us in praise, it is heartfelt and joyful!  This is the first time when the Holy Spirit fell upon the gentiles and they began speaking in foreign languages (just as the Jewish disciples did on the Day of Pentecost), and their hearts overflowed in joyful praises to God. Peter's friends from Joppa-all of them Jewish, all circumcised-were stunned to see that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on outsiders.  Joyful praises from the heart come when the Holy Spirit is in charge!  Amen!

Being Hid in Christ

 “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John wrote the revelation he received, of the end of the age, “Then the kings of the earth and its great princes and generals, the rich and powerful, and everyone, whether they were slave or free, ran for cover and hid in the caves and among the mountain boulders.”  The heart of each person, the high ranking officers and heads of thousands, is being laid bare by the light and glory of Christ rising upon His people.  It was Adam who first wanted to hide from the face of God, but for the believer, we hide only in the Father’s love.  When we abide under the shadow of Shaddai, we are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds us and the stronghold to shelter us, the only God for us, and our great confidence. He will rescue us from every hidden trap of the enemy, and He will protect us from false accusation and any deadly curse. His massive arms are wrapped around us, protecting us. We can run under His covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping us from harm.  These promises are for those of us who died on the Cross with Christ and now our life is hidden with Christ in God.  Hallelujah!

The LORD Reigns

 “The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭97‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s psalm when his kingdom was established.  “Yahweh now reigns as King! Let everyone rejoice! His rule extends everywhere, even to distant lands, and the islands of the sea, let them all be glad. Clouds both dark and mysterious now surround Him. His throne of glory rests upon a foundation of righteousness and justice.”  Let our conviction be sure, that our God reigns over all as King.  The entire creation, seen and unseen is His where He is the King Who reigns.  Dark and mysterious clouds are what Moses and the children of Israel saw when they came to the foot of mountain Sinai, “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.”  The children of Israel couldn’t bear it so Moses went alone to the top of the mountain to receive the Law, “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.”  God’s plan was so glorious for through the finished work of the Cross God wrote the new covenant, “But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”  Righteousness and judgment are His Throne and Jesus was judged on humanity’s behalf taking our punishment, becoming sin for us that the righteousness of God would come to us who believe.  Hallelujah!

Consistent Revelation of Our Faithful God

 “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John, the beloved disciple’s revelation, “And I saw that the One seated on the Throne was holding in His right hand an unopened scroll with writing on the inside and on the outside, and it was sealed with seven seals.”  John saw the vision that Daniel had earlier, except that in Daniel’s vision the scroll was to be sealed and kept while in John’s vision, it had to be broken. “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”  Isaiah and Ezekiel in their time had the vision of the scroll/book.  Isaiah saw, “The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”  Ezekiel said, “Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.” Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets, in visions, dreams, and even face to face, telling them little by little about His plans.  God is consistent and faithful in His revelations, it is our responsibility to receive and obey, knowing the times that we’re living in.  Amen!

Testifying of God’s Goodness with A New Song

 “O Sing unto the LORD a new song: Sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; Shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: But the LORD made the heavens.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭96‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is attributed to king David when he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.   “Go ahead—sing your new song to the Lord! Let everyone in every language sing Him a new song. Don’t stop! Keep on singing! Make His Name famous! Tell everyone every day how wonderful He is. Give them the good news of our great Savior. Take the message of His glory and miracles to every nation. Tell them about all the amazing things He has done. For the Lord’s greatness is beyond description, and He deserves all the praise that comes to Him. He is our King-God, and it’s right to be in holy awe of Him.  Other gods are absolutely worthless. For the Lord God is Creator-God, Who spread the splendor of the skies!”   Every new thing God does requires a new song to make it known.  That’s why our testimonies that glorify God are so key in our walk with our Lord Jesus.  As Christ’s Body, let’s learn to sing a new song to glorify Jesus of all that He is doing in our life. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! It’s time to sing to God a brand-new song so that all His holy people will hear how wonderful He is!  Amen!

God Made Us Alive Together With Christ

 “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬

John the beloved disciple was in a prophetic trance as he was shown things in the spiritual realm.  “Encircling the great throne were twenty-four thrones with elders in glistening white garments seated upon them, each wearing a golden crown of victory.”  These twenty-four elders were the union of the Jews (the twelve tribes of Israel) and the Church (the twelve apostles of Jesus) - serving as God’s cabinet officers, the actual council of elders who are subordinate to God but ruling with authority and wisdom.  They are enthroned and have crowns which speaks of regal authority.  Made up from the overcomers from among the community of the redeemed, the twenty-four elders are robed in Christ’s righteousness (white garments), enthroned with Him and crowned with glory.  God has made us alive together with Christ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  Amen!

Our Creator God and the Power of the Cross

 “For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: The strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: And his hands formed the dry land.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David is said to be the author of this psalm.  “For the Lord is the greatest of all, King-God over all other gods! In one hand He holds the mysteries of the earth, and in the other He holds the highest mountain peaks. He’s the owner of every ocean, the engineer and sculptor of earth itself!”  This is our God, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen, and now He is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming!  Everything was created by Him, everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen, including all forces and powers, and all rulers and authorities. All things were created by God's Son, and everything was made for Him.  At the Cross Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the Cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph!  This is the Great God Whom David worshipped and we do today for Christ is worthy of all worship.  Amen!

The Key of David

 “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 ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John was revealed, “Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Philadelphia, for these are the solemn words of the Holy One, the True One, Who has David’s key, Who opens doors that none can shut and Who closes doors that none can open: I know all that you’ve done. Now I have set before you a wide-open door that none can shut. For I know that you possess only a little power, yet you’ve kept My Word and haven’t denied My Name.”  Philadelphia means brotherly love be and had a devastating earthquake in 17 AD, so hearing these words of encouragement from Christ would have greatly helped them, and given them security in the world shaking around them.  The key of David unlocks intimacy and prayer.  David was a man who lived in grace, centuries before the Gospel of grace was unveiled.  In that sense, the key of David allowed him to view the future and live in the grace it would reveal.  Isaiah had prophesied of the Messiah having the key of David.  “I will place upon His shoulders the key to the treasures of David’s palace. He will open doors that no one can shut, and He will shut doors that no one can open.”  The open door is likely an invitation to come into the fullness of God’s Kingdom of joy and power in the Holy Spirit.  It could also be a door of opportunity to give witness to others of God’s power and grace.  It takes little power to obey God’s Word and not deny His Name.  Imagine what having great power would look like!  Amen!

Trust God to Turn Evil for Good

 “They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn the innocent blood. But the LORD is my defence; And my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; Yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭94‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s psalm was sung by the Levites in the temple every Wednesday.  “For they gang up against the lovers of righteousness and condemn the innocent to death. But I know that all their evil plans will boomerang back onto them. Every plot they hatch will simply seal their own doom. For You, my God, You will destroy them, giving them what they deserve. For You are my true tower of strength, my safe place, my hideout, and my true shelter.”  Those who are made righteous by the Blood of the Lamb of God, will face enmity from evildoers.  But the righteous trust in the God Who loves us more than His Life, rather than trusting in the ways of this world.  For as Joseph said to his brothers who sold him to slavery, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”  That’s why, whenever the enemy brings evil, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  So we continue to trust God in all our problems, confident that He Who is our Rock of Refuge, will turn it for good.  Amen!

Getting Back to Our First Love for Jesus

 “and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬

John delivers the message Jesus has for the Church through His messenger, “I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of My Name, yet you have not become discouraged. But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for Me at the beginning. Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent.”  Believers here have endured suffering without complaining but they have abandoned the exclusive and foremost love for the Lord Jesus that has first place in their hearts above all else.  The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be known for: working for the Kingdom of God; persevering and yet not being tolerant of sin; examining the claims of ministries and enduring trials bravely.  Yet doing all this without a passionate love for Jesus Christ weakens our power and witness in the world.  This calls for repentance which is simply changing one’s mind.  Every believer needs to turn from his or her error and take “another mind” - the mind of Christ.  For  “who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct him?”  But we have the mind of Christ.  Hallelujah!

God’s Inner Sanctuary is in Those Who have Christ in Them

 “Thy testimonies are very sure: Holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭93‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This psalm composed by king David was sung every Friday by the Levites according to Jewish tradition. “Nothing could ever change Your royal decrees; they will last forever! Holiness is the beauty that fills Your house; You are the One Who abides forevermore!”  All believers who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, are now God’s house, made holy by the Blood of Jesus.  Together with God, we have become His inner sanctuary and that the Spirit of God makes His permanent home in us.  Now, if someone desecrates God’s inner sanctuary, God will desecrate him, for God’s inner sanctuary is holy, and that is exactly who we are.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son in charge of God’s house. And now we are part of His house if we continue courageously to hold firmly to our bold confidence and our victorious hope which Christ won for us through the Cross.  We are no ordinary beings. We are God’s house, His inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies is in us.  Amen!

Blessings for Reading & Hearing Revelation

 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John the beloved disciple received this from our God, “A joyous blessing rests upon the one who reads this message and upon those who hear and embrace the words of this prophecy, for the appointed time is in your hands. From John to the seven churches in western Turkey: May the kindness of God’s grace and peace overflow to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is coming, and from the seven Spirits Who are in front of His throne, and from Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn from among the dead and the ruling King, who rules over the kings of the earth! Now to the One Who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins by His own Blood.”  The book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises a rich blessing to those who read and obey what it states. The full understanding of this book is ready to be unveiled when the reader is ready to receive it.  The time for this revelation is now, not the past nor the future, because God dwells in all these three realms, the I Am, Who was and is and is to come.  As God is Three in One, so the Holy Spirit is Seven in One.  Jesus is the Faithful Witness Who speaks only the Father’s words; as our High Priest, He is the Firstborn from the dead and as the King, He is the Ruler of the kings of the earth, Who washed us in His Own Blood.  Hallelujah!

Good to Thank God for His Faithfulness

 “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, And to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, And thy faithfulness every night,”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭92‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Ancient Jewish tradition holds that Adam composed this psalm on the first Sabbath of creation.  It was sung every Sabbath by the Levites in the temple.  “It’s so enjoyable to come before You with uncontainable praises spilling from our hearts! How we love to sing our praises over and over to You, to the matchless God, high and exalted over all! At each and every sunrise we will be thanking You for Your kindness and Your love. As the sun sets and all through the night, we will keep proclaiming, “You are so faithful!””  When we identify with the love that God has shown us through the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so that we would know that we are His true children, God released the Spirit of Sonship into our hearts—moving us to cry out intimately, “My Father! My true Father!”  To all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ and who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God.  To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does.  In God’s eyes there are only two men, Adam and Christ.  Every human being is a copy of one or the other.  To be in Adam is to be lost and merely human, but to be in Christ is to be one with God who carries the life of Christ within.  The last Adam is Jesus Christ Who ended Adam’s race and began a new species of humans who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and carry the life of Christ within us.  It is good to give thanks to our God and LORD.  Hallelujah!

Building Up the Kingdom of God

 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jude, the brother of James, put his spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus above his biological one, calling himself a servant of Jesus Christ.  “But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit. Fasten your hearts to the love of God and receive the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives us eternal life. Keep being compassionate to those who still have doubts, and snatch others out of the fire to save them. Be merciful over and over to them, but always couple your mercy with the fear of God. Be extremely careful to keep yourselves free from the pollutions of the flesh.”  Jude calls us to continuously pray in the power of the Spirit. Let’s keep building up our inner life on the foundation of faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; fastening our life to the love of God; receiving more mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ; having compassion on the wavering; sharing the Gospel with those who are lost; hating any compromise that will stain our lives.  As we do this in the power of the Spirit, we are able to stand before Him to Whom all glory belongs.  Amen!

Under the Shadow of El Shaddai

 “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This famous psalm that we confess often, “You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you. Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you, nor will the powers of evil be launched against you.”  This is a reference not merely to pestilence and natural dangers but to the realm of darkness that would come against God’s servants.  These spirits are equated to “arrows that fly in daytime” or “a pestilence that walks” in the darkness.  God’s sheltered ones are kept from the harm that would come from natural sources or supernatural sources.    This sheltered place in the new covenant is the Cross of Calvary, the mercy seat where Christ’s Blood was offered as a sacrifice through the Eternal Spirit.  This is where every believer hides under the shadow of El Shaddai.  What a wonderful place to hide and be secure from all the attacks of the enemy.  Hallelujah!

Christ’s Prosperity for All

 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

‭‭3 John‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬

Gaius was a convert of John the beloved disciple of Jesus and a close brother to whom John writes, “Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering.”  Church tradition states that Gaius was one of the seventy whom Jesus, our Lord, sent out and was later ordained as the bishop of Pergamum.  John prays that Gaius be brought along to a smooth and prosperous journey and continually have success in every way;  and that Gaius’ physical health would match his spiritual health.  God is concerned with both  our physical health (He gave our bodies an immune system) and our souls (our emotional well-being) as well as our spiritual prosperity.  God has given us the new covenant whereby we are urged to partake of the Lord’s Table with care. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s Body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.  Let’s learn to walk in prosperity - spirit, soul and body.  Amen!

God’s Wrath Fell Upon Jesus on the Cross

 “For we are consumed by thine anger, And by thy wrath are we troubled. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭90‬:‭7‬, ‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is a psalm of Moses, the prophet of God, “Terrified by your anger, confined beneath the curse, we live our lives knowing your wrath. Lord, who fully knows the power of your passion and the intensity of your emotions?”  Moses interceded for the children of Israel who through disobedience had become prey to curses and God’s wrath.  Jesus has come and broken the curse and lifted the unbearable burden of our sins as the rage and wrath of God fell upon Him on the Cross.  Yet Jesus was the One Who carried our sicknesses and endured the torment of our sufferings. We viewed Him as One Who was being punished for something He Himself had done, as One Who was struck down by God and brought low. But it was because of our rebellious deeds that He was pierced and because of our sins that He was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in His wounding we found our healing.  Paul said it clearly, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Hallelujah!

Meditate on the Word - Be Not Deceived

 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

‭‭2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John, the beloved disciple, shows that love protects us, “Numerous deceivers have surfaced from among us and gone out into the world, people who will not acknowledge Jesus Christ coming as a Man. These deceivers are antichrists! Be on your guard so that you do not lose all that we have diligently worked for but receive a full reward.”  It is in the context of love that John mentions false teachers.  Love is the true safeguard against error.  The more that love flows through us as we honour God’s commands, the more we are protected from deception.  Our unity, produced by love, enables us to recognise and resist false teachers.  David, the psalmist, experienced this in the old covenant, that when we obey God’s commands, out of His love He is bound to protect us. “You bless those who obey You, LORD; Your love protects them like a shield.”  In the new covenant, in our day today, churches are become lukewarm or even cold, losing their first passion for what Christ has done.  The leaders of such churches are spouting false teaching.  Believers cannot see this because they don’t meditate on the Word of God through the eyes of what Christ did on the Cross for all of us.  So they are easily led into deception.  They ignore God, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”  Let’s meditate on the Word and be taught by the Holy Spirit so we can discern false teachers.  Amen!

Our God Jesus Christ, Faithful & True

 “Thou rulest the raging of the sea: When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭89‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Ethan the Ezrahite was a boy in king David’s court, and was well known for his wisdom. He wrote in this psalm, “You rule over oceans and the swelling seas. When their stormy waves rise, you speak, and they lie still.”  This is a prophecy of the Messiah Who would calm the stormy sea and even walk on the water.  As Jesus and the disciples were crossing the lake, suddenly a ferocious storm arose, with violent winds and waves that were crashing into the boat until it was nearly swamped. But Jesus was calmly sleeping in the stern, resting on a cushion. So they shook Him awake, saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!” Fully awake, He rebuked the storm and shouted to the sea, “Hush! Be still!” All at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm.  At another time, as night fell, the boat was in the middle of the lake and Jesus was alone on land. The wind was against the disciples and He could see that they were straining at the oars, trying to make headway. When it was almost morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the surface of the water, and He started to pass by them. When they all saw Him walking on the waves, they thought He was a ghost and screamed out in terror. But He said to them at once, “Don’t yield to fear. Have courage. It’s really Me - I Am!”  This is the living God Who created the heavens, the earth, the seas, and all that lives within them; Who stays true and remains faithful forever, worthy of all worship.  Amen!

Spiritual Maturity and Growing in Christ

 “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John sees this, “If anyone observes a fellow believer habitually sinning in a way that doesn’t lead to death, you should keep interceding in prayer that God will give that person life. Now, there is a sin that leads to death, and I’m not encouraging you to pray for those who commit it.”  If the sinning is persisted in, it leads to death - the unforgivable sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, or the sin that brings death in taking communion “unworthily”, or lying to the Holy Spirit.  John also speaks about the gross apostasy of those who turn away from the truth and depart from fellowship with believers and follow the teaching of antichrists.  That is why it is important to preach the Gospel and disciple people in their personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, based on the written Word of God and in the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “All authority of the universe has been given to Me.  Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I Am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”  Let’s believe and obey our Lord Jesus.  Amen!

Second Death - Eternal Separation from God

“Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭88‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The sons of Korah sang, “How can those who are cut off from Your care even know that You are there? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Pause in His presence!  Who can give thanks for Your love in the graveyard? Who preaches Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Does death’s darkness declare Your miracles? How can anyone who’s in the grave, where all is forgotten, remember how You keep Your promises?”  Those in the old covenant did not know that through the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah, new life will come in the new covenant. This good news is about God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, He was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because He was raised from death.  We praise Him for He conquered death.  Death is separation from God.  Through Christ’s resurrection, God has removed that separation and made us now in the family of God.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  But there is a second death.  Blessed and holy are those of us who have part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.  They will not praise God ever.  What joy that we have passed from death to life in Christ.  Amen!

God’s Love is the Greatest We Can Ever Know

 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John’s revelation, “This is love: He loved us long before we loved Him. It was His love, not ours. He proved it by sending His Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins.”  God’s love provides the answers for life’s greatest questions: Why was I created? To receive and experience God’s love.  Does God care about me?  God’s love is indiscriminate, He loves everyone and cares about every detail of our lives.  Am I really free to choose or reject God’s love?  Yes - love must be a choice, freely and without compulsion.  What is the way of salvation?  Love became a Man, Jesus Christ, Who died as our sacrificial offering and by believing in Him we receive the gift of salvation.  How can I really know that I’m saved?  When we respond with faith to God’s loving invitation and then demonstrate it by loving others, we have the assurance of our salvation.  How can I know that God loves me?  His love prompted Him to send His unique and beautiful Son to the earth to be our Saviour and Redeemer.  He offers to everyone the invitation to experience even deeper measures of His love; and He gives us His Holy Spirit as confirmation that He loves and cherishes us and gives us the power to love others.  Amen!

Mount Zion

 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; This man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: And the highest himself shall establish her.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭87‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The sons of Korah said in this psalm, “For the Lord says, “Here are the nations who will acknowledge Me as God: Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, and the Mediterranean people, even distant Ethiopia. They will all boast, ‘I was born in Zion!’  But over Zion it will be said, “The mighty Man was born there, and He will establish it.” For the God Most High will truly bless Jerusalem.”  This is in anticipation of the nations of the earth coming to know Christ as the Eternal King.  Rahab was the nickname given to Egypt by God for being proud and stubborn; Babylon which means “gate of God”; Philistia, which means “land of sojourners”; and Tyre, which means “a rock” - these nations will come to know Christ as Eternal King.  Coming to know Christ will enable them to be born in Zion and the Most High will make them secure.  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.  All those in Christ shall come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering.    On mount Zion stands the Lamb of God Who took away the sin of the world.  Amen!

The Greatness of God’s Grace

 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John, the beloved disciple gives a revelation of God’s love through Christ’s Cross, “Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. We know that the truth lives within us because we demonstrate love in action, which will reassure our hearts in His presence. Whenever our hearts make us feel guilty and remind us of our failures, we know that God is much greater and more merciful than our conscience, and He knows everything there is to know about us. My delightfully loved friends, when our hearts don’t condemn us, we have a bold freedom to speak face-to-face with God.”  Let’s not deceive ourselves by paying lip service to love while we can truly live the dynamic of love in our practical daily doing!  We belong to the Truth and that tranquilizes our hearts, so we are confident before Christ comes.  There is a higher courtroom for the human heart where grace is enthroned.  The very worst that is in us is known by God and He still showers mercy, love and acceptance upon us.  This is the greatness of God’s grace.  He sees beyond the sin of the moment and sees the holy affections of love in those who refuse to turn away from Him.  This gives us the bold utterance to manifest our innocence as we proclaim the glorious Gospel of Christ.  Amen!

Confident of God’s Provision

 “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭86‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David was so confident of God providing for him, “Lord, You are so good to me, so kind in every way and ready to forgive, for Your grace-fountain keeps overflowing, drenching all Your devoted lovers who pray to You. God, won’t You pay attention to this urgent cry? Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer.”  God is always ready to forgive when we ask for forgiveness and then the provision flows.  Jesus taught us to pray, “We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day. Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.” God’s provision is linked to Him forgiving us and us forgiving those who have offended us.  David in the old covenant confidently asked God to hear his supplications and God attended to him.  We have the new covenant because our Lord Jesus, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him that was able to save Him from death, was heard in that He feared.  That’s why we are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we let our requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Amen!

As We Love God, We Obey Him

 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John explains, “For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance —none of these things come from the Father but from the world. This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.”  These are the three temptations that the devil used with Adam and Eve to pull them away from the Father; and with Jesus, tempting Him in the wilderness.  The devil is an expert at using these cravings to dilute our love for the Father and cause us to turn our affections to the things of this life.  But the values of the Kingdom of God are setting our affections on things above, living in the fruit of the Spirit (self-control), and humility, which always waits for God’s timing for promotion.  The world system and the desire to be in a world system that leaves God out of the picture, is fast disappearing.  Planet earth is not disappearing, but the systems and structure of the world order are.  We, who are in Christ, and desire what God desires, we are living the life of Christ in us, and will abide forever.  Amen!

Mercy, Truth, Righteousness & Peace in the Person of Jesus Christ

 “Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; And righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭85‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

A psalm by the sons of Korah as they prophesied about the coming Messiah, “Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; And righteousness shall look down from heaven.”  At the Cross of Calvary, mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace have kissed.  Why would anyone take the sins of the world and remove it?  Only the One Who came down as the Son of Man and identified Himself completely with mankind, could take away the sins of the world and become the Perfect Sacrifice as the Lamb of God.  Jesus said, “I Am the Truth” and God’s mercy met in Christ!  While we were yet sinners, He died for us.  The One Who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him, thus making peace between God and mankind.  Righteousness and peace truly kissed each other.  By faith we receive His untold blessings.  Thank You, Jesus!

Christ is Faithful Forever

 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John the beloved disciple explains, “But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Confession of sin is the way to find restoration and unbroken fellowship with God.  It cleanses the conscience and removes every obstacle from communion with Christ.  Confession doesn’t gain God’s acceptance, for that was won for us forever by the sacrifice of Christ.  It is on the basis of being His dearly beloved children that we restore intimacy with God through our tenderhearted confession before Him.  God is always faithful to restore our first-love passion for Him.  There is no need to confess the same sins over and over, for that is ignoring the Blood of Jesus that cleanses us.  Unrighteousness here means the sins we’re not aware of.  Confession cleanses us from known sin and restores fellowship with God; but God’s faithfulness in seeing Christ as our Sin-Bearer, cleanses us from all unknown sin as well.  God continues a deeper work of cleansing from all aspects of sin’s defilement.  Let’s continuously be filled with gratitude to our God and our Lord. Amen!

Co-labouring with God Through the Ministry of Reconciliation

 “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; In whose heart are the ways of them.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭84‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The sons of Korah wrote this psalm, “What pleasure fills those who live every day in Your temple, enjoying You as they worship in Your Presence! Pause in His Presence.  How enriched are they who find their strength in the Lord; within their hearts are the highways of holiness!”  The power of God through worship was evident in the old covenant worship.  Now in the new covenant, through the finished work of the Cross, God in His munificent wisdom has made us who believe in Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  His Presence is in us.  His strength is in us.  His wisdom is in us.  His power is in us.  Everything that He is, is in us.  His purpose is for us to co-labour with Him.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  This is how we co-labour with Him for the restoration of all things.  Amen!

Found in Christ

 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter’s revelation echoing the prophecies of old, “But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home. So, my beloved friends, with all that you have to look forward to, may you be eager to be found living pure lives when you come into His Presence, without blemish and filled with peace.”  There is coming a day when all will live according to God’s perfect will for their lives and righteousness will be at home on earth and in every heart.  This will be the day when justice reigns on earth.  We expect from His promise a new sky and a new earth in which the virtuous people will dwell and it will be in God’s Presence before Him.  Isaiah had prophesied centuries ago, ““For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”  Instead of seeing the darkness around us, let’s trust in God’s promises which He fulfilled for all those who believe in the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that we are in Christ.  Amen!

The Cross of Christ Activated the New Covenant

 “Keep not thou silence, O God: Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: And they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, And consulted against thy hidden ones.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭83‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The last of Asaph’s psalms, “God, you have to do something! Don’t be silent and just sit idly by. Can’t you see what they’re doing? All your enemies are stirred up in an uproar! They despise you, Lord. In their defiant arrogance they rise up to host their secret council against your people. They conspire together to come and harm your cherished ones—your hidden ones.”  In the old covenant, the children of Israel cried out to God time and time again, and God answered their prayers.  In the new covenant God gave all authority for Jesus to come to earth as Man and through His sacrifice on the Cross cancelled the power of sin, death and hell over mankind.  Through the new covenant, He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.  The Church has now been given the authority that Adam lost and Christ restored back to mankind for He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Let’s walk in this authority given to the Church by Jesus our Lord Himself.  Amen!

God Rescues the Righteous

 “the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter’s warnings are for the coming ungodly generations, “If the Lord Yahweh rescued Lot, He knows how to continually rescue the godly from their trials and to reserve the ungodly for punishment on the day of judgment. And this especially applies to those who live their lives despising authorities and who abandon themselves to chasing the depraved lusts of their flesh. They are willfully arrogant and insolent, unafraid to insult the glorious ones.”  There is a doom that awaits the ungodly who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.  Even though it seems hard to imagine how anyone can be saved yet God knows how to rescue the righteous.  The wicked are living under the coming day of judgment, who despise the realms of power and do not tremble with fear when they blaspheme.  But the righteous look to Jesus Christ from Whom the power of overcoming every enemy of the Cross is available by faith.  The Son of God undid and destroyed every work of the devil through the Cross and gave us the victory.  Amen!

God Stands With the Poor & Defenceless

 “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, And accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: Rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭82‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalm of God being the ultimate Judge.  “All rise! For God now comes to judge as he convenes heaven’s courtroom. He judges every judge and rules in the midst of the gods, saying, “How long will you judges refuse to listen to the voice of true justice and continue to corrupt what is right by judging in favor of the wrong?  Defend the defenseless, the fatherless and the forgotten, the disenfranchised and the destitute. Your duty is to deliver the poor and the powerless; liberate them from the grasp of the wicked.”  There is only one life and after that the judgment.  For us who know that all judgment came upon Jesus Christ on the Cross, we believe what He said,  ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”  Therefore, our part as the Body of Christ the Church, is that through the Gospel we defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. This is how we bring God’s will on earth as it is in heaven, and increase the Kingdom of God.  Amen!

God’s Magnificent Promises are Ours by Faith

 “whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter tells that God has called us.  “As a result of this, He has given us magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which we have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.”  Through the glorious manifestation of His goodness He has given us His magnificent promises.  As we claim these tremendous promises as our very own, faith releases the power of the Word of God in us.  So we partake of His divine nature, which is one of the great mysteries of our faith.  It is amazing to know that God chooses to share His nature with us.  We are given birth by the Holy Spirit to be God’s true sons and daughters, and every father imparts his DNA and his “nature” to his children.  Christ lives in us and transforms us into His very own likeness.  In Christ we share with Him the divine nature.  We will all bear the image of the Man from heaven, Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah!

Jesus Rescued Mankind from the Bondage of Sin

 “I removed his shoulder from the burden: His hands were delivered from the pots. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee At the waters of Meribah. Selah.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭81‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭KJV‬

Asaph reminds Israel, ““I have removed your backbreaking burdens and have freed your hands from the hard labor and toil. You called out to me in your time of trouble, and I rescued you. I came down from the realm of the secret place of thunder, where mysteries hide. I came down to save you. I tested your hearts at the place where there was no water to drink, the place of your bitter argument with me.” Pause in his presence”. These burdens were what the Hebrew slaves carried for their Egyptian masters, which God removed when He rescued them. For the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” 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.  The Lord Jesus came down from glory to deliver us from our sins.  He wants us to believe in what He did on the Cross to make us righteous.  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, except the Name of Jesus.  Let’s not contend about this but freely believe in the Name above all names, JESUS.  Amen!

Looking to Jesus Alone

 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭KJV‬

Peter explains, “Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure.”  The accuser of the brethren presses a lawsuit against believers in Christ, that must be defended.  If we do not bring our worries and cares to God our Father and make our divine exchange on the Cross of Christ, the devil will use depression and discouragement to devour us.  Just as lions go after the feeble, the young and the stragglers, so the enemy of our soul will always seek out those who are isolated, alone or depressed, to devour them.  The secret is to keep looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Amen!

God’s Mighty Power Through Christ’s Cross

 “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, And come and save us.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭80‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s song, “God-Enthroned, be revealed in splendor as You ride upon the cherubim! How perfectly You lead us, a people set free. Loving Shepherd of Israel—listen to our hearts’ cry! Shine forth from Your throne of dazzling light. In the sight of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, stir up Your mighty power in full display before our eyes. Break through and reveal Yourself by coming to our rescue.”  Joseph is a picture of our God Who set His people free, once imprisoned in slavery in Egypt and now set free to rule and reign, in the promised land. Ephraim which means “doubly fruitful”, Benjamin which means “son of my right hand” and Manasseh which means “you made me forget”, are the three sons of Rachel.  They marched together behind the ark of glory and became representatives of all who follow the glory of God.  They will be doubly fruitful sons of God’s right hand and who have forgotten their past.  This is a picture of our Loving Shepherd, our Lord Jesus, Who through the Cross set us free from the bondage of sin to rule and reign in righteousness, our free gift, right here and now as the Church and in the hereafter in eternity.  Amen!

Be Strong in Faith

 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter here teaches, “For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking His words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to Him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.”  If anyone preaches, teaches and prophesies, speak as if it is God speaking through you, it is God’s Word.  The one who provides finances should do it with the strength of God, Who supplies all things.  Peter exhorts us, as the end draws near, to be given to prayer, and devoted to loving our fellow believers and using our spiritual gifts to serve one another.  Let’s be compassionate to the stranger and the foreigner.  Let’s give glory to God in all things.  We learn from Abraham, the father of faith, who lived in decadent times, that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.  Let’s give glory to God in Christ, always.  Amen!

Our Conscience Purged by Christ’s Blood

 “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: And deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭79‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV

Asaph’s psalm, “Our hero, come and rescue us! O God of the breakthrough, for the glory of Your Name, come and help us! Forgive and restore us; heal us and cover us in Your love.”  The prophets in the old covenant cried out to God because they knew of the better things that were coming.  That was the Gospel - our breakthrough in the new covenant.  There was great joy when the disciples realised that the Gospel was for all mankind, not just the Jews. After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled, about the breakthrough to the non-Jewish outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered—it was terrific news!  The prophets of old called on God to save them, and He did, in spite of the wayward ways of the children of Israel.  But now through the finished work of the Cross, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  The blood of bulls and goats as the Jews sacrificed, cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.  That is why Christ said as He came into the world, "O God, the blood of bulls and goats cannot satisfy You, so You have made ready this body of Mine for Me to lay as a sacrifice upon Your altar, once and for all mankind.” Hallelujah!

Persecuted for the Cause of Christ

 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter explains the response to persecution, “But even if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you will have the joyful experience of the blessing of God. And don’t be intimidated or terrified by those who would terrify you.”  When we suffer mistreatment or persecution for the cause of Christ, the eyes of God rest upon us.  We are confident that God’s heart responds to our prayers and we will experience the blessings of God in spite of our enemies, with nothing to fear.  The Lord tells us not to think like our enemies or retaliate, neither call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and let’s not live in dread of what frightens them. Let’s make the Lord of Hosts holy in our life. He is the One we should fear. He is the One Who makes us tremble.  Let’s worship Him and wait on Him.  Amen!

Never Ending Gratitude for Christ’s Limitless Grace

 “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, Nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭78‬:‭41‬-‭42‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s reminder, “Again and again they limited God, preventing Him from blessing them. Continually they turned back from Him and provoked the Holy One of Israel! They forgot His great love, how He took them by His hand, and with redemption’s kiss He delivered them from their enemies.”  This has been Israel’s history of the stubbornness of their heart to remember not the miracles that God did for them in the past and therefore limiting God.  This is the same with us in the new covenant, we forget God’s mercy in sending Jesus to the Cross to remove our sins and we turn around and ask, “Why did this happen to me?”  We tempt God, just like the children of Israel.  Let’s not blame God when we are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and He doesn't use evil to tempt others.  We remember that He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Our hearts are filled with never ending gratitude for His unlimited grace.  Amen!

Nourished by Pure Spiritual Milk

 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter explains the hunger in us to be nourished by the purity of the Word, “So abandon every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy, feelings of jealousy and slander. In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life —”. We must be completely free from evil and be at rest within.  Purity is an oasis rest for the people of God.  The opposite of that rest is the behaviour of hypocrites who have that hypercritical attitude of pulling things apart for judgmental analysis, all the time wearing a mask!  All manner of guile, hypocrisies , spiteful jealousies as well as any kind of backbiting is to be shunned.  We do away with the old performance based mindset!  There is zero nourishment in such conversation.  But the nourishment of the Word is like an antibiotic for hypocrisy and guile.  This milk contains an element that can eliminate hypocrisy.  This pure spiritual milk is the sustaining power of God’s Word coming from His very breast to nourish and strengthen our inner being.  Our craving for the milk of the Word is not only because of necessity but of delight.  This is our true nourishment in our growth into salvation.  Amen!

Miracles Happen through Faith in Christ

 “Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, And thy footsteps are not known.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭77‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalms reveal that when you complain and grumble to God nothing happens but when you release faith with your mouth and trust Him, He reaches out and makes the impossible happen.  “Your steps formed a highway through the seas with footprints on a pathway no one even knew was there.”  Although Moses led the children of Israel on dry ground in the parting of the Red Sea, it was Jesus Who walked on water and Peter at His Word, though later he doubted.  What faith in the Living Christ can do, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  When we trust Him, He makes a pathway for us no one knew was there.  Let’s make His Word, our foundation and know that what is impossible with mankind is possible with God.  However, doubt and double-mindedness will not achieve anything.  Without faith in God’s Word, it is impossible to please God.  When we ask God for a miracle, let’s not doubt because when we are born of God we overcome the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.  Amen!

The Spirit of Christ Empowers Us

 “searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As Peter explains, “as they probed into the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place. The Spirit of the Anointed One was in them and was pointing prophetically to the sufferings that Christ was destined to suffer and the glories that would be released afterward.”  The Spirit of Christ was in the prophets of the Old Testament, like Enoch, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and all prophets who prophesied.  They did so by the Holy Spirit living in them pointing prophetically and giving testimony to the sufferings of the Messiah and the subsequent glory.  In all their conversation there was a constant quest to determine Who the Messiah would be and when would this happen.  Today every believer has the Holy Spirit within him or her and everyone may prophesy.  Let’s believe that when the Spirit of Christ empowers our life, we are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if we are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, we are not of Him.  Amen!

Transformation in Christ

 “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: Let all that be round about him Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭76‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

A psalm of Asaph, “You have power to transform man’s futile anger into praise. The fury of Your enemies only causes Your fame to increase. So you’d better keep every promise you’ve ever made to the Awesome One, Yahweh! Let all people bring their extravagant gifts to Him alone.”  A tremendous example of this is how the Lord Jesus transformed Saul to Paul, changing the wrath of man into praise, on the road to Damascus!  Before the glory of God and in the light of His revelation, man’s futile anger is nothing.  This Pharisee Saul was in the process of persecuting and arresting Christians in painful ways when he himself was arrested and transformed.  God’s ways are beyond our understanding - obedience to God’s Word and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the only way for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.  Surely the time is coming when every knee shall bow before Christ and every tongue confess His Lordship, every nation, every people group, governments and authorities, will know Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.  God’s promise to us is, “I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”  If we have promised to follow Him, we better keep our vow to Him with all our heart.  Amen!

The Prayers of the Righteous

 “and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

James teaches about the prayer of faith, “And the prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise them up, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven. Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!”  Not only is the prayer for the physically sick believer but also for the spiritually weary and worn down believers who have been arguing with each other.  They are to be restored back to health with resurrection power.  Sickness and weakness is a result of sin, which is why we are told to examine ourselves when partaking of the Body & Blood at the communion table of our Lord and Master.  Repentance and forgiveness is so key to our physical and spiritual health.  The Church needs to awake to righteousness and know our responsibility of releasing the power of righteousness through our prayers.  The prayers of the righteous are what our Heavenly Father hears to release answers from above.  Amen!

Praise in the Midst of Tribulations

 “But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭75‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph was the chief musician in David’s court appointed to lead worship before the Ark of the Covenant.  “But I will proclaim the victory of the God of Jacob. My melodies of praise will make him known. My praises will break the powers of wickedness, while the righteous will be promoted and become powerful!”  In the midst of the prosperity of the wicked, the psalmist puts confident trust in God’s ultimate justice.  Many believers think that they will escape tribulations but the Lord Jesus Christ clearly said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  We know that Paul and Silas were severely beaten and were thrown into prison and the jailer was commanded to guard them securely. So the jailer placed them in the innermost cell of the prison and had their feet bound and chained. Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship.  The result was an earthquake and freedom for all the prisoners and salvation to the jailer.  The power of the Holy Spirit is released when we lift up the Name of Jesus in praise, in the midst of tribulations.  Amen!

Grace Reserved for the Humble Only

 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬ ‭KJV

James teaches us to live close to God.  “And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! But He continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, “God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.””  We are not to pray sickly prayers that don’t get answers.  God the Holy Spirit pursues us relentlessly but when we pursue friendship with the world, He takes it personally.  That is why we open our inner motives to Him, humbly, so that His grace is poured into us to correct us, and we choose to be obedient to Him.  So our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies is to surrender ourselves  to God to be His sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights His heart. For this becomes our genuine expression of worship.  Amen!

God’s Image & Likeness Restored in Mankind

 “Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭74‬:‭13‬-‭14‬, ‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalm describes what the enemy of our souls has done spiritually to mar the image of God in our inner place.  “It was You Who split the sea in two by Your glorious strength. You smashed the power of Tannin, the sea monster. You crushed the might of Leviathan, the great dragon, then You took the crumbs and fed them to the sharks. Don’t ignore these ignorant words, this continual mocking. Rise up, God; it’s time to defend Yourself from all this. Never forget what Your adversaries are saying. For their rage and uproar rise continually against You. It’s time to stand up to them!”  Leviathan means “twisted and coiled” and considered a sea monster.  At the Cross, where God sent His Son Jesus, He restored God’s image and likeness back to mankind.  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the Blood of His Cross.  Amen!

True Freedom is Knowing Our Identity in Christ

 “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

James warns about taming the tongue, “We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in His very image!  Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!” We can say beautiful things about God the Father but with the same mouth curse a fellow human made in God’s image and likeness.  We curse a person and pretend to be God.  The point is not what the person did to deserve the insult, but that people are mirror likeness bearers of God by design!  True worship is to touch someone’s life with the same devotion and care we would touch Jesus Himself, even if the other person seems a most unlikely candidate.  Blessing and curse cannot originate from the same source. Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, Who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. God was delighted to give us birth by the truth of His infallible Word so that we would fulfill His chosen destiny for us and become the favorite ones out of all His creation!  Discovering our True Source and our identity in Christ, brings true freedom.  Amen!

God’s Justice & Wisdom is the Cross of Christ

 “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭73‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is Asaph’s psalm about God’s justice, “I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant, acting like a brute beast before You, Lord. Yet, in spite of all this, I still belong to You; You hold me by my right hand. You lead me with Your secret wisdom. And following You brings me into Your brightness and glory!”  Without God, everyone is stupid, senseless, ignorant and beastly!  That would be so until we receive by faith the righteousness of God in Christ.  This is the finished work of the Cross whereby God made the new covenant through Jesus Christ.  The message of the Cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are being saved, it is the mighty power of God released within us. So where is the wise philosopher who understands? Where is the expert scholar who comprehends? And where is the skilled debater of our time who could win a debate with God? Hasn’t God demonstrated that the wisdom of this world system is utter foolishness? For in His wisdom, God designed that all the world’s wisdom would be insufficient to lead people to the discovery of Himself. He took great delight in baffling the wisdom of the world by using the simplicity of preaching the story of the Cross in order to save those who believe it.  This is God’s justice and His wisdom.  Amen!