Peace Be….Go to the Other Side

This is no time to stop.  The command has been given to “GO!”

Text for Today – Mark 4:39 – And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.

In Genesis, God said, “Light be.”  And light was.  That light came forth by the power of Holy Ghost as the Word of the Lord broke froth on it.  in our Text for Today, the peace for which Jesus called came forth by the power of Holy Ghost as the Word of the Lord broke forth on the scene of the storm.

Jesus had commanded His disciples to go to the other side.  He had no intention of them getting part way there, and then being stopped by a storm, or for them to give up in the midst of a trial.  He fully intended them to carry out His command.  What has the Lord commanded in your life?  Have storms arisen to prevent you from fulfilling His commands?  I already know the answer, and it is a resounding “YES!”

Regardless of the storm that arises, if you’re on your way in obedience to fulfill the Lord’s directive, then you have the God-given authority, ability, and responsibility to speak to that storm, “Peace, be still,” to stop the destruction that storm as come to produce.  Go ahead; right now; rise up in the bow of your fishing vessel and dare to say, “Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God has commanded me to go to the other side (speak what the Lord has commanded you to do), so I command you (the storm; whatever that hindrance is), ‘Peace, be still.’”

Having done that, carry on with the orders of your Commander-in-Chief, Jesus, your risen Lord, and go to the other side.  Don’t hesitate.  DO IT NOW!  Don’t be slothful.  Be diligent!  Don’t be slack.  Press toward that mark!  Don’t be fearful.  Be full of faith!  You are more than a conqueror!

Manna for Today – Psalm 119:165; Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27

The Days of Noah

It’s the days of Noah, only greater, and with a much larger Ark.

Text for Today – Matthew 24:37 –  But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

According to the Scriptures, how was it in the days of Noah?  The people were feasting and partying, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.  Oh yes!  That’s today, too!  We are living in a party-all-the-time world, and we know marrying and giving in marriage has almost become a national past-time.  Just take a look at divorce rates.

There were giants in the earth in Noah’s day.  Oh yes!  That’s today, too!  No, we may not be speaking of giant humans, but the giants are among us.  Giant government, giant business, giant industry, giant education, giant party mindset, giant recreational activities, giant politics, and so much more.  And each of these giants expects every human to bow to their size, strength, and pressures.

The hearts of men were continually intent on doing evil.  Oh, yes!  That’s today, too!  All anyone needs to do is watch the new or read a newspaper.  Our world is filled to overflowing with the corruption of evil and evil forces today.

And the earth was filled with violence.  Oh, yes!  That’s today, too!  The proliferation of violence in the earth today would make the days of Noah look like a Sunday school picnic.  Not only has the population been greatly increased, but the weapons used for violence have increased in number and have been magnified in their destructive capabilities through what is currently called weapons of mass destruction.  And, yes, they do indeed exist.

But other things were true, too, and deserve more of our attention.  There was a Noah, a preacher of righteousness who refused to give up, regardless of the few numbers of salvations he encountered.  He was a family man, an ark builder, an obedient man of God, building and proclaiming a way out of the destruction to come.  And, oh yes!  That’s today, too!  We still have preachers of righteousness who refuse to back away from the call of God on their lives.

Be aware of the condition of the world about you, but do not be dismayed by it.  Rather, be even more aware as a believer that the world may see you, and in fact, need you as a Noah.  Don’t stop now!  Build that ark.  You see, there’s something else we need to mention.  God waited on Noah while he was faithfully building and preparing the ark.  God is still waiting on His faithful Noah’s today as they faithfully build and prepare the ark for those who will be saved.

Manna for Today – 1 Peter 3:20; Luke 17:26

Meet Tomorrow

Focus on planting every day.  Your harvest WILL come.  It’s the LAW.

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Text for Today – Exodus 19:10 – And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow

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In His Sermon On the Mount, Jesus said, “Take no thought for tomorrow.”  When He said it, He was speaking about the necessities of life, food, clothes, and shelter.  He was emphasizing that our work for today was sufficient enough to keep us occupied rather than worrying about the unknowns of tomorrow.  He was NOT saying we should not make plans for tomorrow, but that we should not worry, or be fretful, about tomorrow.  The simple fact of life is this.  If you deal with today properly and adequately, you will have done your day’s work. 

Paul the Apostle also writes us saying we should “be careful for nothing.”  The word careful” is from the Greek word which means to be anxious for, worried about, or fretful over.  Every person on the planet faces multiple choices daily of whether to be anxious, fretful, or worried.  Whether one succumbs is a personal choice one makes at each intersection where these deceiving imposters meet us.  And they are truly deceivers, doing their best to impress themselves upon us as legitimate concerns for various situations or people we will encounter.  Remember, the Lord has commanded that we do NOT fall prey to them.

One of the greatest causes of worry about tomorrow is being concerned about what tomorrow holds for you.  Not knowing what tomorrow holds can grip one’s heart and mind with fear.  However, for the believer, this ought not be so.  It is NOT what tomorrow holds for you that counts nearly as much as what you bring to tomorrow.  Think about it like this.  Tomorrow, you will need food (fruit) to eat.  Don’t worry about it, but do take action.  Plant something today.  By bringing to tomorrow the fact that you planted good seed in good ground today, you prepare tomorrow to be a day of harvest, NOT a day of worry.

Live today as your Lord commands.  Do all you do in His Name, and do it with all your might unto Him.  Honor your Lord by doing all you do to His glory, and in so doing, love Him totally; heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Once again I remind you that what tomorrow holds for you is not nearly as important as what you bring to tomorrow.  By planting well today, you bring profitable harvest to tomorrow.  If tomorrow holds hunger, but you bring fruit, you win.  If tomorrow holds sickness, but you bring the fruit of health, you win.  If tomorrow hold defeat, but you bring the fruit of victory, you win.  So, don’t worry about what tomorrow holds for you.  Be a WISE DOER OF THE WORD, and bring to tomorrow all you need for victory.  Now, go meet tomorrow!

Manna for Today – Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:4-9

Stagger Not

You glorify that of which you willingly speak.  Make sure Jesus fits into every category.

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Text for Today – Romans 4:20 – He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

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Here is an accounting of the father of our faith, Abraham.  We read that he was strong in faith by giving glory to God.  That is a simple enough statement to make, but the real question of this text is “How does one truly give glory to God?”  The answer, dear friend, is simpler than we would like to admit.  The answer is BY BELIEVING HIM.

You see, if you truly believe something someone says, you will respond by taking whatever action is appropriate based upon the truthfulness of that person’s statement.   If I tell you the house is on fire, and you believe me, you will take whatever action is appropriate to you.  If I tell you that a ferocious, hungry lion is lurking outside your house, and you believe me, you will take whatever action is appropriate to you.  You would expect anyone with reasonable intelligence and reasoning power to do the same.

Do you believe what God says?  If you believe Him, then you will daily take whatever action is appropriate to the truth He has spoken.  If He has commanded something, you will obey.  If He warns of something, you will take appropriate heed.  If He gives direction for your life so you can walk in the blessings He has in store for you, you will heed His direction.  In short, for you to give glory to God, then act on, hold fast to,  and never relinquish what He says.  You will speak and boldly declare whatever God has spoken and promised.

Your greatest obstacle to giving glory to God is WHAT YOU SEE.  The greatest feeder of doubt and unbelief is sight.  Abraham chose to NOT consider what his sight revealed to him; his own 100-year-old body, the deadness of Sarah’s womb, or her advanced age of ninety.  You must be the same way, being strong in faith, giving glory to God through believing what He says, and refusing to consider anything your sight reveals that is contrary to what the Lord has spoken.

Please not that I did NOT say to deny or ignore what you see, but rather to deny its right to influence what you believe, and therefore, how you respond to what you believe.  Some things I have learned to NOT consider are sickness, illness, or disease, especially its name; circumstances, regardless of the name.  You see, there is a Name that is above every name, and that Name is Jesus.  So, give glory to God by believing His Word, acting on His Word, and doing so in the Name of Jesus.

Manna for Today – Mark 11:22-24; John 14:12-14; Hebrews 11:1-6

Four Phases of Faith – Phase Four – Possession Through Faith

Faith works by love, and love never fails.  Therefore, there is no reason for faith to fail.

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Text for Today – Mark 11:24 – . . . and ye shall have them.

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Well, here it is; phase four of the operation of faith.  Once again today, and for that matter, daily for the rest of your life, it would benefit you to look closely at Mark 11:22-24, read it, memorize it (if you haven’t already done so), and then take the advice of my first-grade teacher, and learn it by heart.  She taught me the difference in simply memorizing something and learning it by heat.  Memorization will come first, simply by choice on your part.  And while learning it by heart is also a choice, that takes more time.  Learning it by heart is a result of meditation.  Make Mark 11:22-24 a part of your spirit-man, and it will be yours forever.  It will fulfill what Proverbs 6:20-23 says.  It will keep you, talk to you, and be a living part of your existence, arising in your memory when it is needed in various life situations.  It will serve you in good stead as long as you live and use it.

But once again, this is phase four of the operation of faith.  The law of Genesis enters here with a magnificent display.  In Genesis we learn that in God’s creation, He placed in any seed the life necessary to bring forth fruit after its own kind, and within that fruit would be the seed after its own kind.  That means the apple seed has the potential, when planted, to produce a tree that produces apples that have apple seeds in them just like the parent seed that will, in turn, produce more of the same in the same cycle.  If you have accomplished phase one of the operation of faith, that is, you have come to a place of possession of faith, you have the seed necessary to produce phase four, that being possession through faith.

Jesus taught that when a seed is planted (phase one – possession of faith), it brings forth the blade (phase two – profession of faith), then the ear (phase three – petition of faith), and finally, the full corn in the ear (phase four – possession through faith).  At that point, all one has to do is put in the sickle and reap the harvest.  If you possess faith, if you have professed your faith based soundly upon the Word of God, and if you have made the petition of faith to the Lord, you are in position to lay claim to possession through faith.  And here’s the bottom line.  If God said it, that settles it.  And God said that if you accomplish the first three phases of the operation of faith, phase four WILL come, “and ye shall have them.”

Manna for Today – Mark 11; Romans 4; Hebrews 11; 2 Corinthians 4:13; James 1; Ephesians 3:20;          1 John 5:14-15

Four Phases 0f Faith – Phase Three – Petition of Faith

If you must “hold fast” to your profession of faith, that means you NEVER let it go.

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Text for Today – Mark 11:24 – Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them..

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Today we come to Phase Three – Petition of Faith.  This is the point at which we bring our petition before the Lord.  We know we have faith as a possession, and we have likewise followed the Lord’s instructions in our profession of faith.  Possessing the God-kind of faith, we have professed that faith in dealing with the mountain.  Now we come to the act of petitioning the Lord with the prayer of faith.

Look closely at these wonderful words of our Lord!  “What things soever ye desire….”  Now that is an awesome promise!  Whatever you desire.  Wow!  I don’t know about you, but my imagination of what I would like to receive from the Lord is really massive.  I’m not talking about selfish things, but about things that will bless others, grow the kingdom of God, and honor my Lord.  Look at it once again.  I believe He means what He says, and if I understand anything correctly, He is saying we can believe Him for anything.

Now look further: your believing for what you ask must occur “when you pray.”  Another way of saying this would be “as you pray.”  Believing before you pray is good, and I believe necessary.  I likewise believe it is good and necessary to continue believing after you pray.  But the key here is to believe “when, or as, you pray.”  You see, without faith you can’t please the Father.  It is faith that moves the Father, not your need.  Think of this; if need moved God, would there be the need of so many hospitals, doctors, and government programs?   Always remember, when you come to God, MUST come in faith.  That means two things; (1) what you ask if based upon the Word of God, for faith comes by hearing the Word, and (2) your motive for asking must be right, as asking amiss gets you nothing.  Oh, and this likewise prevents double-mindedness which gets nothing from God.

Finally, the promise is sealed.  Jesus said, “ye shall have them.”  The words “will” and “shall” are the strongest emphatic words of statement that can be issued forth.  If you say you will, and you don’t, you’re a liar.  If you say you won’t, and you do, you’re a liar.  It’s that simple.  Jesus said, “you will have.”  He did not say you “might” or “could” have, but that you “will have.”  You can’t get any more solid than that as a promise form our God Who cannot lie.

Manna for Today – Mark 11; Romans 4; Hebrews 11; 2 Corinthians 4:13; James 1; Ephesians 3:20;            1 John 5:14-15

Four Phases of Faith – Phase Two – Profession of Faith

If you must “hold fast” to your profession of faith, that means you NEVER let it go.

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Text for Today – Mark 11:23 – For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into yonder sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

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This is part two of a four-part series on the operation of faith.  Phase one is the Possession of Faith.  Phase two is the Profession of Faith.  Look closely at our Text for Today.  Jesus continues His instruction on how faith works by saying clearly that the mountain, the problem we face, the obstacle that is in our way, the difficulty we must overcome is OURS to manage.  It is YOUR responsibility to speak to the mountain.

Now PLEASE don’t misunderstand what I am saying.  Keep in mind that we are talking about the operation of faith, and if faith is to please the Lord, we must understand our dependence upon His help and ability.  Regardless of what you accomplish through faith, even to the raising of the dead, NEVER allow yourself to think, even for a moment, that YOU did it alone.  It is only through Him that we accomplish anything, even taking your next breath.

Once again, however, I draw your attention to our Text for Today.  Jesus NEVER said we should look to Him to deal with the mountain.  That’s our job, using the faith He has given us in His Name, standing firm, unwavering, and holding fast to our profession of faith.  We see this pattern of operation in faith throughout the Scriptures.  It was Samson who killed 1,000 Philistines.  It was David who killed Goliath.  It was Daniel and the Hebrew children who face the decrees of their kings (the lions and the fiery furnace was not the mountain they faced.  The mountain they faced was fear of the kings’ decrees).

And yet, once again, I ask you to focus on our Text for Today.  Jesus stressed the importance of holding fast to a profession of faith.  You don’t have to believe again and again for the same thing.  How many times did you have to believe to be born again?  Once!  If it works there, facing the greatest mountain you will ever face, it will work in every other arena as well.  Faith comes by hearing, and it is therefore necessary for you to hold fast to your profession of faith without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful.  What you speak in faith, keep on speaking, and speak it with thanksgiving.  Therein is one of the greatest ways you have of keeping yourself strong in faith; thanksgiving; offering glory to God.

Manna for Today – Mark 11; Romans 4; Hebrews 11; 2 Corinthians 4:13; James 

Four Phase of Faith – Phase One – Possession of Faith

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.  We really need the God kind of faith.

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Text for Today – Mark 11:22 – And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

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Today’s Second Miler is one of four on the issue of Biblical faith and its principles of operation.  The issue of faith  as taught by our Lord is easily and clearly seen in four phases.  Phase One is that YOU MUST HAVE FAITH.

When Jesus made this statement, he was offering cookies and milk to guests sitting around His coffee table in His home.  He was giving a command to His disciples.  If you are a disciple of Christ, then this commandment is for you, too.  I personally define a commandment as an order from God about which there is no choice, and from which there is no turning.  Jesus said, “Have faith in God.”  A more literal rendering of His command us this; “Have the God kind of faith.”  We know, according to Romans, that the God kind of faith “calleth those things which be not as though they were.”

Please note that the Romans passage does NOT say that faith calls things that be as though they were not.  Faith is a creative force, not a destructive one.  Malachi 3:6 tells us God never changes.  Therefore, if He is a Creator in Genesis 1:1, He is still a Creator today.  We have been given that same spirit of faith that resides in the Father, and therefore, because we believe, we speak.

If you will operate the faith of God, you must first possess the faith of God.  So, how can one possess the faith of God?  The answer is really quite simple.  Make Jesus Lord in your life.  If you have  accepted Jesus as your Lord, you already have the faith of God in your heart.  Romans 12:3 says you have been given “the measure of faith.”  Furthermore, the faith you have been given is not sloppy, broken, or incomplete.  Jesus authored (created and initialed) your faith, and He also finished (completed to perfection) your faith.  Having been given a perfect tool with which to work, don’t you think it wise to learn to use that tool to the very best of your ability with His help?

But what if you have not made Jesus your Lord?  How can you do that?  Once again, the answer is really quite simple: confess Jesus as Lord, believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved.  That’s making Jesus your Lord.  If you haven’t done that already, do it now.  Go ahead. Confess Jesus as your Lord, believing in your heart God has raised Him from the dead, and thereby, be saved.

Manna for Today – Mark 11; Romans 4; Hebrews 11; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Romans 10:6-10

His Power

God’s Word IS God’s power.  Accept that truth and enjoy its benefits.

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Text for Today – Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth . . .

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The two words most commonly translated POWER in the New Testament are DUNAMIS (ability) and EXOUSIA (authority).   At the point of the new birth, we are given the power (authority) of a son of God.  when Holy Spirit is come, that is, when the believer is Spirit-filled, the believer receives power (ability) “after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you.”  Jesus said that power would come upon the Spirit-filled believer, and that it would enable us to be His witnesses in “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world.”  To put it in the simplest of terms, that is from your front door to the farthest point you can travel.  You are to be a witness.

So, allow me to ask you at this point; have you received Holy Ghost since you believed?  If you have, you have received dunamis power.  If you have not, then you are lacking in that arena.  The joyous fact is, however, that you don’t have to remain that way.  You can be filled with Holy Ghost right where you are; right now.  All you have to do is ask, believe that you receive, and you will receive Holy Ghost, just as promised by Jesus.  Take a moment and read Luke 11:13.  Every child of God has the privilege to be filled with Holy Ghost by asking and believing.  He (Holy Ghost) is a free gift, and HE is ready and waiting to come into your heart, fill you, and empower you with supernatural ability that only He can bring.

John the Baptist called Jesus the baptizer in Holy Ghost.  He wants you to be filled.  If you have not received the infilling of Holy Ghost in your life, why don’t you stop right now and ask the Lord to fill you with Holy Ghost?  He will fill you, and He will do so right now.  Just take a moment and pray this prayer.  “Father, You said that if, as Your child, I would ask, You would give me Holy Ghost.  As Your child, I accept Your promise, and ask You now to fill me with Holy Ghost.  I believe Your Word, accept Your promise, and believe that I receive Him now!  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for filling me with Holy Ghost.”

Now, having prayed that prayer, listen to the voice of Holy Ghost inside you, and as He speaks words to your heart you do not understand, by faith, open your mouth and speak those words.  Don’t be fearful.  You have a promise from the Father that if you ask for Holy Ghost, that’s al you will receive.  As you follow those promptings or leadings of Holy Ghost and say the words He gives you, you will be speaking in tongues as Holy Spirit gives utterance.  That is the initial physical you have received Holy Ghost.  Remember, your initial spiritual evidence is in your faith. 

If you’re already Spirit-filled, pray for those who read this who are not presently Spirit-filled.

Manna for Today – John 1:12; Acts 1:8; Hebrews 1:3; 1 John 1:17; Luke 11:9-13; Hebrews 11:1

Encountering His Presence – Part Two

A yielded anointing is a manifest target for the manifestation of God’s power through His Spirit.

Text for Today – Exodus 3:14 – And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Yesterday I wrote to you that to encounter the presence of God, we need to accept His reality, accept His Lordship, accept His love, and practice His presence.  To bring our discussion to a current conclusion, I offer you one more key element that must be present to experience a true encounter of His presence in power.  It is the anointing. 

There is a lesson to be learned concerning the anointing of God in the life of the believer.  Untold numbers of Christians live their entire lives after being born again, and rarely, or perhaps even never, enjoy the manifest presence of God in their lives.  They love God, they may be faithful to their church, they may tithe, and they may love their neighbors, but seeing a manifestation of the power of God in their life is rare, or possibly non-existent.  I am convinced that the majority of Christians who experience the manifest power of God in their lives, do so infrequently.  My friend, I cannot be persuaded that this is the will of God for His people.

In Luke, Jesus said there was a reason that Holy Spirit was on Him, and that reason was that He (Jesus) had, at some time in His past, been anointed by God.  Yes, Jesus was the Son of God, but in His earthly ministry, He served as a man, having emptied Himself of all divine privilege.  If you will study the Scriptures in the light of that statement, understanding the God doesn’t change, you will see that with man, any time there was a manifestation of the Spirit and power of God, the anointing was always present.  You will likewise see that there were also manifestations of power that was often manifest in a dangerous way, when someone NOT anointed touched what God HAD anointed.  For instance . . .

• Nadab and Abihu offering strange fire.  They touched that which was holy in a manner that God had not anointed.  It cost them their lives.
• Phineas and Hophni looking into the Ark of the Covenant.  They attempted to look upon that which God had anointed to be confined within the Ark.  It cost them their lives.
• Uzzah.  Here was a man who loved God, loved Israel, loved David, and loved the things of God.  But when David attempted to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, his mode of transportation was not the way God ordered.  When the oxen pulling the cart carrying the Ark stumbled, and it appeared the Ark would fall off, Uzzah touched it to protect it.  It cost him his life.

In each of these instances, touching that which was holy without the anointing to touch it cost people their lives.  By the same token, when one IS anointed, and yield that anointing to Holy Spirit, He WILL use it to manifest the very glory of God through that yielded vessel.  Be that vessel and encounter His presence.

Manna for Today – Psalm 139; Romans 10:6-17; Ephesians 3:14-19; Luke 4:16-21; 1 John 2:20-27