Faith means: belief, confidence, trust, security, assurance, certainty, conviction, persuasion.

‘The faith’ consists of the Gospel proclaimed by Christ and the apostles. It is the fixed and unalterable truth, given by Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3: 14,15) and embodied in the New Testament. However, ‘the faith’ is more than objective truth; it is a way of life to be lived in love and purity (Colossians 1: 9-14). In order to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, we must be strengthened by His power. It is a kingdom that comes in power to baptize all believers in the Holy Spirit, that they may proclaim the Gospel to all nations (Mark 16: 15-18) with signs and miracles (Matthew 10: 1; 28: 18-20; John 10: 25; Acts 10: 38). It is an ongoing experience of receiving from God his own life; nothing else can enable us to overcome sin, Satan, and the world (Philippians 4: 13). Those of us who are faithful to Christ have a solemn obligation to contend for the faith (1 Timothy 6: 11-16).

Contend (Gk epagonizomai) describes the battle that the faithful believer must fight in defense of the faith. The word ‘fight’ is from the Greek word meaning “agonize.” Our Christian life is a fight, an intense struggle that requires persevering loyalty to Christ and it requires a personal defense of the Gospel in whatever occupation or place that He has you situated today. Contending for the faith also means that we must take a direct stand against those within the visible church who deny the Bible’s authority or distort the ancient faith as presented by Christ and the apostles. It is important that the Gospel’s message is NOT weakened by compromise of its authority, distorting its truth, or explaining away its power and promises. 

But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in Him it has always been ‘YES.’ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him, the “Amen” (see Revelation 3: 14) is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is GOD who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, and set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1: 18-22). “Amen” is a proclamation that expresses confidence in God’s love and faithfulness and the certainty of His promises. It is the VOICE OF FAITH, reaffirming and identifying with the truth of Christ’s unshakeable Word!

It is important that each of us honestly assess our “faith level.”
There are several in people in the New Testament who are examples of faith and their faith is at various levels. I will leave it to you to check each of them out in Judges 6, Mark 8: 22-25, Matthew 14: 28-31, and Matthew 8: 5-13. Whether these people had little or great faith is relatively unimportant. If you exercise your faith (whatever amount) it is enough to please God and He will do what needs to be done and more! Jesus says, “…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. NOTHING will be IMPOSSIBLE for you” (Matthew 17: 20).
True faith is effective faith that produces results. It will move mountains. True faith is not a belief in “faith” as a force or power, but it is “faith in God” (Mark 11: 22-25). It is a work of God within each of our hearts as Christians (Philippians 2: 13) as it involves a divinely imparted awareness to our hearts that our prayers are answered. It is created within us by Holy Spirit; we CANNOT PRODUCE IT IN OUR OWN MINDS (Romans 12: 2, 3). Since true faith is a gift imparted to us by Christ, it is most important to draw near to Christ and His Word and to deepen our COMMITMENT to and confidence in Him (Philippians 3: 15-21). We are dependent on Him for EVERYTHING; “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-8; Hebrews 4: 14-16). We MUST SEEK HIM FIRST; He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12: 1-3). His close PRESENCE and our OBEDIENCE to His Word are the source and secret of true faith.
Faith is under God’s control and it is given on the basis of His love, wisdom, grace, and for His kingdom purpose. It is given to accomplish His will and to express His love for us; not to be used for our own selfish agenda (James 4: 1-8).

The reality of all I have written is that it is not always easy for us to be faithful to Him. UNBELIEF negates His ability to do much in our lives; it actually neutralizes His ability to work within our lives (Matthew 9: 27-30; Mark 5: 25-36). A good example of this is recorded in Matthew 13: 53-58. Mark 9 outlines our need for personal recognition of our unbelief and need for Him. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into the fire or water to kill him. But, IF you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If You can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF” (vs. 21-24)!

I give God praise that He understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4: 14-16). We MUST CONFESS our lack of faith and pray that He would give us the faith that is needed to move our personal mountains!

Dear friends, I encourage you to build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Study God’s Word and make a determined effort to know the truth and teachings within the Scriptures. Pray in the Spirit for He will inspire, guide, energize, sustain, and help you do battle in your praying. Be faithful in your obedience to God’s Word! Finally and most importantly, stay IN LOVE WITH HIM; stay close to Him and bask in His presence for as long as you possibly can each day. For then you WILL SEE GREAT FAITH ARISE IN YOUR HEART and you will be strengthened to STAND FIRM IN ADVERSITY! Hallelujah!

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come!’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ (Matthew 14: 15-31).

 
On the drive back from Canada last year, my thoughts moved ahead to the question, “What am I going to do when I get back?” You see how quickly my (our) thoughts can run ahead and focus on “what can I do” schemes to line up with my/our desires? As it happened, I truly believed that God had given me a gift to counsel and I figured it should be now rather than later. I spoke to my husband about it (he hesitated briefly), then to a couple people about office space, and then stayed awake most of one night planning how things would go. The next day, I wrote to a prayer partner and asked if he would pray into this with me; as I thought perhaps God might want in on it. Twenty minutes later, his website sent me the message below (by Bob Gass). I wrote to my friend and asked if this was his response; he replied that perhaps it was God’s response to me. What do you think?
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When God Gives You A Vision by Bob Gass
“… I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” Acts 26:19

Paul had a ‘heavenly vision’. But there are those who ‘speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord’ (Jeremiah 23:16 NKJV). So you must be sure you are operating according to God’s plan, not your own nor somebody elses. The story of the Tower of Babel teaches us two things. First, that when people make up their mind to do something, they often succeed; and second, that succeeding doesn’t mean that you’re in the will of God. The word Babel (confusion) means others can think you’re right, yet you’re wrong. You ask, ‘But isn’t it all right to make plans and set goals?’ Yes, but your plans and goals should come out of a vision that God has given you.
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When Paul said, ‘I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision’, he meant that there’s only one acceptable response to God’s plan – obedience! Partial obedience, selective obedience, or delayed obedience are still all disobedience. William Carey, who is considered the father of modern missions, gave up comfort and fortune to go to India and introduce the gospel. One of his more memorable quotes is: ‘Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!’ But you can only say that with confidence when you know what God has called you to do. What He ordains, He sustains! When you set your own goals you lack a heartfelt confidence that God is doing the work, so you wear yourself out thinking it’s all up to you. However, when you know God has given you a vision for your life, you trust Him, even when you can’t see any way to bring it to pass.

When God gives you a vision:

1) It will interrupt you. Sometimes God will speak in a voice you can’t tune out. Other times, like Jonah, God will let you go to the bottom to get your attention. Either way, things won’t go right until you say yes to Him.

2) It will illuminate you. You may not like what God says. Ananias didn’t like going to pray for Saul of Tarsus, a man with the power to put Christians to death. But God said, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel… I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake’ (Acts 9:15-16 NKJV).   Notice the word ‘suffer.’ The Devil isn’t going to send you a congratulatory telegram because you have decided to do God’s will, so be prepared for attack!

3) It will inspire you. You will accomplish things you never dreamed possible. Look at Gideon. When God found him, he was hiding in a winepress (Judges 6:11 NKJV); not exactly a promising start. When the angel called him ‘a mighty man of valor’ (v 12 NKJV), he replied, ‘I am the least in my father’s house’ (v 15 NKJV). When the angel said, ‘The Lord is with you,’ he replied, ‘If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?’ (vv 12-13 NKJV). When he finally took the job, he wondered, ‘How can so few of us defeat so many of them?’ Yet at that very moment his enemies were having nightmares about him (Judges 7:13-15). The secret of victory lies in knowing   ‘It is God working in me’  (Philippians 2: 13).

This morning I was reading the passages in Matthew and one thing that stood out to me was that Jesus very seldom ministered in the church/temple. He revealed His love and compassion to the people as He went into the villages and cities each day. You often read that it was while He was walking that people came up to Him, or called to Him and He always had time to stop and help meet their needs of the moment. His very LIFE was His ministry. I also noted that the disciples were the ones who seemed eager to send people away at the times they were possibly tired themselves. Yet JESUS ALWAYS HAS MORE to give; to His disciples and to the people. Did you note in the passage that after 5000+ people had been miraculously fed, the disciples had to be MADE TO GET INTO THEIR BOAT? I wonder if for a brief moment they now wanted to revel in the glory of very grateful people. Did they for a moment forget where the glory was to go? I am not sure, but do remember that the disciples were as we are; only mortal beings, subject to “self-indulgence.”

The final thing I want to look at is the fact that we all tend to get caught up in the “storms” of our life (physical, emotional, financial, spiritual, etc.) and we forget that Jesus was already INTERCEDING FOR US BEFORE OUR STORM. He hears our calls to Him and He walks right there beside us as we go through the rolling waves (that He very well may have caused). He told Peter to come out of the boat; to stretch his faith and trust that God was with him. Peter did and for a brief moment he was able to walk on the water with Jesus! Wow!!! I knew as I was reading that God was speaking to me through His Word and He said, ‘Come out of the boat, it is I.’ I know that I am to “get out of my comfortable boat and walk with Jesus on the waves of the water” trusting Him to take me through the doors He has opened for me to go through. I am not to create my own destiny, but I am to fully lean on Him and allow Him to be the One in charge of my future! So for now, I will set counseling on the back burner…at least until God decides it’s time to set it on to boil.

I do not claim to be a poet, but God gave me these words as I came to the end of my devotional time. I pray the words will touch you, right where you are; that they will encourage you to reach out with your life and touch those in need beside you.
                                   “Focus”

Have you looked at the person beside you, really looked?
Have you looked at them through My eyes, loving and kind.
For to Me they are unique, they are special and well loved;
I created them and I use them, as I created you.

Have you looked at the person beside you, really looked?
Have you seen glimpses of their true beauty through eyes of love?
Turn; take a look right now, FOCUS with your eye,
See that person as I see them; their beauty not denied.

Take a look at that person beside you, really look!
Focus on that special one that I hold near to My heart.
When you focus on that person and pray for them;
You are actually focusing on and loving Me.

FOCUS is the word for this day.
The Master is getting ready to return for His own.
Have you looked at the person beside you through My eyes, My love?
Is he or is she ready to come home?

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The LORD would say unto you…
“Come unto Me! Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Launch out in reckless belief; strength and beauty of character come as you yield to Me. Commit your way to Me, trust in Me and as strong belief and unaffected loveliness is established between us, there shall rush forth from you rivers of living water. Many shall come and drink and they will be satisfied and there will always be more than enough for you; for them. Come unto Me, for I AM the LIVING WATER!”

My husband and I were talking about the sudden death of a man who had no previous history of any major illness and I remarked, “None of us know the day or the hour that our life here will be over; all we have is this very moment” (see Luke 12: 40; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18). Throughout my years in healthcare, I have known many people who were suddenly faced with the loss of a loved one. I believe that the worst part of any death is if the deceased had not experienced the “blessed hope” of salvation and the guarantee of eternal life in and through Jesus, the Christ.

There are millions in the world today who have not accepted the truth that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14: 6, 7) (also John 3: 16, 17; 5: 24- 27; 6: 40; 10: 28, 29; Romans 6: 23; Titus 3: 4-7; 1 John 5: 11, 12). I wonder how many are not prepared to face their final judgment? I wonder about those who are alive and if they have accepted Jesus as Lord and can look with hope to their eternal life after death. It should motivate each of us to take a look at where we are in our personal relationship with God.

Some people hope that they will receive eternal life, but our certainty is based on God’s promise that He has given us eternal life through Jesus, His Son. Whoever believes in God’s Son has eternal life (John 6: 40). Eternal life is not based on feelings, but on facts. You can KNOW you have eternal life if you believe God’s truth! You don’t need to wait for eternal life because it begins the moment you believe. You don’t need to work for it because it is already yours. You don’t need to worry about it because you have been given eternal life by God Himself and it is guaranteed!

 
Holy Spirit is God’s seal that we belong to Him and His deposit guaranteeing that He WILL DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED. The presence of God’s Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us (Ephesians 1: 11-14). Holy Spirit’s power works in us to transform us NOW (2 Corinthians 4: 16-18; Titus 3: 3-7) and it is a taste of the total change we will experience in eternity.

 

Praise God for what we have now and for what we are able to look forward to (2 Corinthians 5: 1-5; Hebrews 11: 24-26; 2 Peter 3: 11-14)! The HOPE we have is not some vague feeling that the future will be positive, but it is the COMPLETE ASSURANCE within us of CERTAIN VICTORY THROUGH GOD! May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15: 13).   There is a brighter day ahead…can you see it, do you believe it?

 

The Lord’s words for us this day…

“Waiting, trusting, and hoping are intricately connected, like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is the response from My children that I desire most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with your eyes on Me, is evidence that you do trust Me. If you mouth the words, “I trust You” while anxiously trying to make things go your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed, connecting you to your inheritance in heaven. However, the benefits of hope fall fully on you in the present. Wait expectantly, in hopeful trust”

Within Ephesians we are given “seven” distinctive marks of the true Church of Christ Jesus as she will be in the day that the Lord comes for her. “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of the water of the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant (glorious) church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5: 25-27).

First, Jesus redeemed the Church by His blood (Ephesians 1: 7; 1 John 1: 7; Romans 5: 9; Hebrews 13: 12; 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20).  We can take all these passages of Scripture and unite them into a powerful testimony.  SPEAK His Word against any accusation the enemy throws at you!  Satan has no place in me, no power over me, through the blood of Jesus!   Thank You, God, for the precious blood of Jesus!  Thank You for the redemptive blood of Christ! T hank You for the justifying, sanctifying, precious blood of the Lamb of God!   Blessed be the name of the Lord!   Praise You, Jesus, for paying for my sin in the shedding Your blood on the cross! Amen.   After we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, we are then sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the water by the Word.  

Jesus’ purpose in this is that He might present the Church to Himself as a “glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (vs. 26, 27). In Ephesians 4: 11, 12 we read of the process by which the Church will be made ready for the coming of the Lord.  

The five basic ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers in vs. 12) should EQUIP the saints to do the work of the ministry for the edifying and “building up” of the Body of Christ.  Verse 5 describes the goal: “Till we all come to the UNITY of the faith” which will then move us into “the knowledge of the Son of God” (vs. 13).  The Greek word means not merely head “knowledge” but “acknowledgment” – our acknowledging of Jesus, the Son of God!

The only way we will come into unity of faith is by acknowledging the HEADSHIP of Christ Jesus, in our personal life and corporately. Unity will never be accomplished through discussing doctrines (which have been instituted through the thoughts of men… see Isaiah 55: 8) and most of you recognize how doctrine actually causes extensive and destructive division within the Church.  

As we acknowledge Christ in His headship and in His supreme authority over EVERY aspect of the Church, unity will be the result. For the doctrine of salvation is meaningless without the Person of the Savior; the doctrine of  healing is meaningless without the Healer; the doctrine of deliverance is meaningless without the Deliverer; the baptism in the Holy Spirit is meaningless without the Baptizer.   When we acknowledge the Savior, we believe in salvation; when we acknowledge the Healer, we believe in healing, and so on.  In every case, the road into unity is NOT the road of doctrinal disputation and discussion; it is in the acknowledging of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glory, in His authority, in His headship and in every aspect of His ministry!

Through this we are brought into two further parts of God’s will: “to a perfect man,” or “mature, full-grown man” and then “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (vs. 13).  Until the Church of Christ Jesus (His Body) demonstrates Christ in all His fullness—in every aspect, in every grace, in every gift, and in every ministry—then the Church IS NOT EQUIPPED TO MANIFEST JESUS!   At the present time we manifest to the world a very small part of the totality of Jesus Christ.  There is much of Jesus that the Church is incapable of demonstrating to the world—BUT GOD IS bringing the corporate Body into that place where she WILL REVEAL the TOTALITY (fullness) of Jesus Christ—in His personality and in His ministry and I personally have seen the GLORY of His manifest presence as I was ministering to women and children in Kenya, Uganda, and to the nations of China and Nepal!  Hallelujah!

His GLORIOUS CHURCH is becoming and will be: (1) glorious—filled with the manifest presence of God, (2) holy, (3) without blemish, (4) coming into the unity of faith, (5) acknowledging Jesus Christ in His headship and Lordship; and thus she will (6) come into maturity; and (7) will manifest the fullness of Christ to the world! Not one of us can fully comprehend this individually; it is only as we come together with all the saints that we are able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3: 14-19).   In Christ, God was manifested totally. The Church of Jesus Christ will be the DWELLING PLACE OF ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD (Colossians 2: 9)!  

When Holy Spirit has completed the work of forming the Body of Christ, the fullness of God in all His nature, in all His power, in all His aspects will once again be manifested in His GLORIOUS Church!  In fact, it has already begun and is growing in power through the Spirit of God!  Amen!

“Jesus – Son of God, Son of Man”
“Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL’ (Isaiah 7: 14). Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US’ ” (Matthew 1: 22, 23).
The name Jesus, God spoke the essence of Christ’s nature through the prophet Isaiah many years before His birth; He is GOD WITH US. Even before Isaiah, God purposed and planned His “mystery” (how humanity was to become godly); He became flesh (1 Timothy 3: 16). He spoke it to the enemy in the Garden of Eden: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; IT shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel” (Genesis 3: 15; Psalm 110: 1; Mark 12: 35-37; Hebrews 10:13).

 

“Now to Abraham and his SEED were the promises made. He saith not, ‘and to seeds’ as of many; but as of ONE, ‘And to thy SEED, which is Christ’ ” (Galatians 3: 16). Jesus said in John 12: 23, 24, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces MANY SEEDS.”
It is GOOD NEWS to know that all of us who have been reborn (John 3: 3-7) into Christ, are part of His seed; therefore, we share in the blessings given through Abraham (Galatians 3: 14-18; 26-29). Verse 14 says, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through JESUS CHRIST; that we might receive the PROMISE of the Spirit through FAITH.” Hallelujah!

 

In Genesis 12: 2, 3, is given the seven-fold blessing pronounced by God upon Abraham (and on us as the seed of Christ; His Bride: (1) “I WILL make thee a great nation, (2) I WILL bless thee, (3) and make thy name great, (4) and thou shalt be a blessing, (5) I WILL bless them that bless thee (6) and curse him that curseth thee, (7) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” WOW!!!

 

IF I am crucified with Christ: I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2: 20). Solomon, the wisest man ever known (2 Chronicles 1: 12) asked a question I am sure all of us have asked ourselves at various times; “But WILL God in very deed dwell with men on earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built” (2 Chronicles 6: 18)! John replies to the question with a resounding Yes; “And the Word was made flesh, and dwealt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14).

 

Our second witness is Paul and he speaks of the indwelling presence of God in both 1 Corinthians 3: 16, 17 and in 2 Corinthians 6: 16-18. A child will often take on many of the characteristics of the parents; therefore, as we allow our hearts to be renewed by Holy Spirit who indwells us, our old nature is removed as the nature of Christ takes control (John 3: 30; Colossians 3: 8-14).

 
“Sons/children of God” is not gender specific; there is an example I want to include here. Mary, the mother of Jesus magnifies the LORD in such a beautiful way in Luke 1: 46-55. “And Mary said, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent empty away. He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to His seed forever.” Her words convey the message of “humility” and it is a necessary character trait for all “children of God.”

 

“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, ‘I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to Myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people: IF My people, which are called by My name, shall HUMBLE themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN WILL I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever: and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.”

 

I pray for and bless all of you “sons of God” around the world. I ask that each of you sons will join together in unity and will seek God in humility and repentance for your nation this day.

“LORD, as for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness” (Psalm 17: 15). Amen.

Come, my children, listen to Me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies  (Psalm 34: 11-13)

God’s Word offers to teach us the fear of the Lord. The psalmist infers here that “life” and “many good days” go with the fear of the Lord. In Scripture, the measure in which we have the fear of the Lord is the measure in which we enjoy true life. One of the first areas of my life in which the fear of the Lord will be practically manifested is through my tongue and my lips. If I can keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking lies, then I can move into the fullness of the fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 13: 3 states: “He who guards his lips guards his soul, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.” How many of you “flap off at the gums” (my grandmother’s expression) and immediately wish you hadn’t? Well, I do and probably much more frequently than I care to admit; however, I am getting better as time goes by! Praise the Lord! Your soul is your whole personality; it is the “real you”. Your soul is the area where weakness will be manifested first and where the enemy will gain access first. If you want to GUARD YOUR SOUL, YOU MUST GUARD YOUR LIPS. If you speak rashly (without first thinking about implications); you will come to ruin. If you control your tongue (count to 1000 slowly), you will have protection. God’s Word is VERY clear in the power this small organ has (many Proverbs, James 3) to bring life or death.

If you guard your mouth and tongue; you guard your soul and life and are safe as Proverbs 21: 23 says, He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself from calamity.   “A wholesome (in Hebrew: healing of the tongue) tongue is a tree of life:  but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit” (Proverbs 15: 4).

This passage suggests that perhaps many of us have tongues that are in need of healing? I wonder how many of us are aware that the words we may be speaking are giving the enemy an open door into our own life and circumstances. Have we recognized that our words can be an area of sin in our life? “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18: 21). The alternatives are clear; it is either LIFE or DEATH and both are in the power of the tongue. If we use our tongues properly, they will be as a tree of life. Improper use results in death.

In Matthew 12: 33-36 Jesus says, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are veil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned.”

The heart is the tree and the words are the fruit. The words coming out of the mouth tell us the condition of the heart. Our hearts are either good or evil all the way through! If you spill a pan of greasy, dirty water on the floor, you don’t have to examine the water left in the pan. You KNOW it is greasy and dirty as well. If impure, evil, unbelieving words come from your mouth; it is an indication of the state of your heart!

The good and bad trees represent two natures; the good tree is the “new man in Christ”; our old nature is like the tree that cannot produce any good fruit. Anything in our lives that has not been submitted to Christ Jesus will still produce fruit that corresponds to our old nature. Therefore, the problem of the tongue leads inevitably back to a problem within the heart. Solomon spoke a great truth in Proverbs 4: 23, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.” Whatever flows out in your life or through your mouth originates in your heart. If your heart is pure, what flows from it will also be pure. I believe one of the best examples of how our words can affect our destiny is found in Numbers 13, 14 (take a few minutes to read this passage). I am struck by what the LORD says in 14: 28, “So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I WILL DO THE VERY THINGS I HAVE HEARD YOU SAY’…”

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. How much more clearly could that be illustrated? The men (in Numbers 13, 14) that spoke negatively settled for death. The men that spoke positively received life. They both settled their destinies by the words they spoke. When you face God’s promise concerning a certain situation, what are you going to do with your tongue? Are you going to give assent to the promise of God, saying out loud, “God said it, I am able”? Or, will you look at all your problems, knowing what God has said about them, yet still feel unable to accept His truth? I caution you, according to God’s Word, you will settle your destiny by the words that you speak and you will affect the destinies of others by what you speak over their lives.

Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 outlines God’s covenant promise of blessings that follow our obedience to all His commands and I would like to speak them over your life now…because I do BELIEVE there is GREAT POWER released when I speak God’s written Word over His people. You can appropriate these blessings as you completely submit all areas of your life unto Christ, who IS the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!

The LORD God will…
Set you high above all nations on earth and the blessings will come upon you and accompany all who obey the LORD:

You will be blessed in the city and in the country
The fruit of your womb will be blessed
and the crops of your land and your livestock
Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed
You will be blessed coming in and going out
Enemies who rise against you will be defeated
You will have blessing on your barns and on all you put your hand to
He will bless you in the land He is giving to you
He will establish you as His holy people
He will grant you abundant prosperity- in your children, jobs, and in your nation
He will open the heavens and rain on all the works of your hands
You will lend to many and borrow from none
You are the head and in control; not the tail who follows
You are seated above all situations; not lying defeated beneath them.

Life transformation; from what has been invisible and that is becoming visible.  I am being changed into Christ-likeness!  This is God’s will for my life and it is accomplished by the Spirit of God (Romans 12: 2, Ephesians 4: 22, 23). Through this process, eternal life from God himself is imparted into my heart (2 Peter 1: 3,4; 1 John 5: 6-11) and I am adopted as a child of God’s ( John 1: 12,13; Galatians 3: 26-29). Therefore, I am now created to be like God in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4: 22-24).

This process is necessary because apart from Christ, all people, in their inherent natures, are sinners incapable of obeying and pleasing God (1 Corinthians 2: 14-16). I repented of my sins and turned to God (Matthew 3: 2).  I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and NOW through Christ, I am set free from sin’s bondage; no longer under the law, but under GRACE (Romans 6: 14-23)! Hallelujah! The SPIRIT of GOD lives in my heart and He gives me the spiritual desire and disposition to obey and follow His instruction through God’s Word.  I live a righteous life (1 John 2: 29), love others (Matthew 19: 19; 2 John 3-6); I do not love the worldview and I avoid a life of sin for those born of God CANNOT make sin a habitual practice in their lives (1 John 3: 7-10). This is truly God’s desire for each of us, but we all know it is hard at times to walk the narrow road He calls us to because “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing (Romans 7: 18-2).

However, my spiritual journey is accomplished only through God’s presence and unmerited love (1 John 2: 3-11; 15-17; 24-29) and through a sustained relationship with Christ and through dependence on Holy Spirit (Romans 8: 13, 14; Philippians 2: 13; ).  It is His grace that keeps me walking according to His purpose, helps me to pray, to grow in Christ and to witness His life through mine (invisible becomes visible). God’s grace must be diligently desired (Hebrews 4: 16) and I do this through studying and obeying His Word (John 15: 1-11), praying (Jude 20), worship (Colossians 3: 16) and being continually refilled with Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5: 18).

Just as I am born of the Spirit by receiving the life of God, I can also extinguish my spiritual life through ungodly choices and unrighteous living. Romans 8: 13 states, “If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die.”  Those who live in immorality and follow the world’s ways demonstrate they are still unregenerated children of Satan (1 John 3: 6-10).

I just finished the book of Hosea and it illustrates how sin separates us from God but it also reveals His promise of the restoration of His repentant people.   I see the body of Christ as ONE in Spirit so these passages in Hosea chapters 6 and 10 are still speaking to us today:  “Come let us return to the LORD… In just a short time He will restore us, so that we may live in His Presence.  Oh, that we might KNOW the LORD!  Let us press on to really know Him.  He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of the rains in early spring” (6: 1-3).  Oh Israel (church), stay away from idols!  I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.  I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me” (Hosea 11: 8, 9; Revelation 22: 1-5).

Eternal life is the gift God bestows on us when we accept Christ as Lord.  “Eternal” does not only express perpetuity but also the quality of a divine type of life;  a life that frees us from the power of sin and Satan and removes us from what is merely earthly in order to truly know our Father (John 8: 34-36).   I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My sufficiency is from God. His grace is sufficient for me.   Praise the LORD!

“Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple.  For which of you, wishing to build a farm building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see whether he has sufficient means to finish it?  Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is unable to complete (the building), all who see it will begin to mock and jeer at him.  …  Or, what king, going out to engage in conflict with another king, will not first sit down and consider and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand men to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand men”  (Luke 14: 27-31).

In Luke 14, Jesus lays out the terms of discipleship. There were great crowds following Him. Everyone loved the miracles, healing, and free food. Jesus was cool, the talk of the town, and the latest fad. But He knew their hearts. He knew they desired the benefits of what He did rather than an understanding of who He was. They loved His gifts, not the life He was calling them to. So He explained what it takes to be one of His followers:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-33). 

 

 

Jesus said a lot in those simple illustrations. He quickly put an end to the idea that He offered some kind of welfare program. Although the gift of eternal life is free to anyone who asks (John 3:16), the asking requires a transfer of ownership (Luke 9:23; Galatians 5:24). “Counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives.

 

Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won’t stick around when the going gets tough. When God’s way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17). In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when the free food stopped and public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen.

Jesus ended His description of the cost of discipleship with a breathtaking statement: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). “Renouncing” may mean we give up something physically, but more often it means we let go emotionally so that what we possess no longer possesses us. When we become one of His, we cannot continue to belong to this world (1 John 2:15-17). We must make a choice, for we cannot serve both God and Mammon (Matthew 6:24). The rich young ruler, when confronted with that choice, turned his back on Jesus (Luke 18:18-25).

 

 

 

Suppose you learned that you had been given an all-expense-paid condo on a beach in a tropical island, complete with airfare, a car, food, and a maid. You could brag about your new lifestyle, plan for it, and dream about it. But until you pack up and leave your current home, the new life is never really yours. You cannot live on that island and your current hometown at the same time. Many people approach Christianity the same way. They love the idea of eternal life, escaping hell, and having Jesus at their beck and call. But they are not willing to leave the life they now live. Their desires, lifestyle, and sinful habits are too precious to them. Their lives may exhibit a token change—starting to attend church or giving up a major sin—but they want to retain ownership of everything else. Jesus is speaking in Luke 14 to those with that mindset.

We cannot earn salvation by lifestyle change or any other good deed (Ephesians 2:8-9). But when we choose to follow Christ, we are releasing control of our lives. When Jesus is in control, pure living results (1 John 3:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). In Jesus’ parable of the sower, it was only the soil that allowed the seed to put down roots and bear fruit that was called “good.” If we are going to be disciples of Christ, we must first count the cost of following Him.

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3: 21).

Because Christ loves us, He rebukes us. Because He cares for us, He warns us of specific dangers in these closing days of time:
The Danger of Diminishing Love (Represented by the church at Ephesus)
The Danger of Fearing, Suffering (Represented by the church at Smyrna)
The Danger of Doctrinal Compromise (Represented by the church at Pergamos)
The Danger of Moral Compromise (Represented by the church at Thyatira)
The Danger of Spiritual Death (Represented by the church at Sardis)
The Danger of Failing to Advance (Represented by the church at Philadelphia)
The Danger of Luke Warmness (Represented by the church at Laodicea).
In these closing passages we see a picture of  the standing Christ, symbolizing His readiness to enter our individual lives and corporate church fellowships to correct every deficiency; the knocking Christ, who seeks us unceasingly, He keeps on knocking;  the pleading Christ, continually speaking to us, wooing us to a more intimate relationship with Him;  the penetrating Christ, who as we open the door of our lives to Him, He enters in;  the companion Christ, enjoying sweet fellowship and communion with us, preparing and equipping us for His soon return.
We are also given preview of the ‘Nine Promises to Overcomers’ for Jesus is not returning for a weak, anemic, defeated Church. He is returning for a mighty, powerful Church composed of men and women who have learned to overcome. In each of His messages to the seven churches, Jesus gave a specific promise to those who overcome:

 
1. Overcomers Will Eat of the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7). Those who overcome will inherit eternal life. They will live forever!
2. Overcomers Will Not be Hurt by the Second Death (Revelation 2:11). Those who overcome have their names written in the Book of Life and are part of the first resurrection. The “second death” is identified in Revelation 20:14 as the ‘lake of fire.’ This second death has no power over the righteous who are part of the first resurrection: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).
3. Overcomers Will Eat of the Hidden Manna (Revelation 2:17). “Hidden manna” refers to Christ because He is the Bread of Life (John 6: 33-35). Jesus, in all His fullness, will be manifested to those who overcome and they will partake of all that He is and has!
4. Overcomers Will be Given a New Name (Revelation 3: 12). To write the name upon something is a common Hebrew expression used to indicate taking absolute possession of something. Christ will write His Name upon the foreheads of those who overcome, forever identifying them as His own possession.
5. Overcomers Will Be Given Power Over the Nations (Revelation 2: 26); they will reign with Christ and sit in judgment over the nations. (Revelation 20: 4).
6. Overcomers Will Be Clothed in White Garments (Revelation 3: 5). The white garments that overcomers will wear represent the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8). John saw the redeemed standing before the throne of God, clothed in white robes with palms in their hands (Revelation 7: 9).
7. Overcomers Will Be a Pillar in the Temple in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3: 12). A pillar is permanent, so Christ’s promise to those who overcome means He will give them a permanent place in the New Jerusalem.
8. Overcomers Will Sit With Christ on His Throne (Revelation 3: 21). They will sit with Christ on His throne and reign with Him forever!
9. Overcomers Will Inherit All Things (Revelation 21: 7). The promise is the summation of all the blessings God can bestow. Like a son taking possession of his inheritance, those who overcome will take possession of all their Heavenly Father has prepared for them.
You Are Called to Overcome!  Beloved, these promises do not belong to half- hearted, uncommitted, compromising, fearful, unfaithful believers, but to those who overcome! The word “overcome” in these verses is translated from the Greek work, “nikao,” which means “to conquer.” When Christ calls us to overcome, He is calling us to conquer by locating our enemy, engaging him in combat, and defeating him! We are called to OVERCOME and CONQUER the flesh!
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lust of men, but to the will of God (1 Peter 4: 1-2). Amen!

We are called to overcome and conquer the world! Jesus said: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
We are called to Overcome and Conquer sin! “For sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:14).
We are called to Overcome and Conquer Satan! “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4: 4).
Christ has overcome, and by His Spirit living within us, we are able to do the same: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5: 4-5).   Hallelujah!
You do not overcome because of who you are. It is not because of any merit of your own, your good works, your strength, or anything else you possess. You are able to overcome the flesh, the world, sin, Satan and his evil principalities because of Jesus Christ who lives within you! In the Spirit, John glimpsed the great victory that belongs to God’s people and declared, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11).
Beloved, you are an overcomer and more than a conqueror through Him who loved you (Romans 8: 36)!  Your victory is sealed with the assurance of the blood of Jesus Christ!

Jesus declares, “These things saith the Amen” meaning He is the “Amen”. The Hebrew rendering of Isaiah 65: 16 also calls God, “the God of Amen.” What does this mean? The original meaning of the verb “to amen” is used to affirm that someone is reliable, trustworthy, and truthful. It is used in the Old Testament in two ways:
• It echoes a leader’s prayer or praise. It means “Yes, indeed” or “may it be so in very truth” (For examples, see Psalms 41:13; 72:19; 106: 48; 1 Chronicles 16:36; Nehemiah 8:6).
• It is used as the assent of a listener to a royal decree or purpose (For examples, see 1 Kings 1:36; Jeremiah 11: 5).
When Scripture declares that Jesus is the “Amen,” it means that He is the divine “Yes” to the prayers of God’s people whenever they are made in accord with God’s will: “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1: 20).   “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” (Revelation 1: 3).

(Revelation 3: 16)

‘So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.’
Few ever want lukewarm coffee or tea? Jesus is saying, ‘If you do not stop being lackadaisical in your worship, I will spew you out.’ This is a strong warning that Jesus is displeased.  Jesus does not want just hearers of the Word, but doers. Don’t be a pew warmer, get involved.

(Revelation 3: 17)
‘Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked…’

Wealth can sometimes give us a false sense of security. It is very difficult for a very wealthy person to be humble and realize their need for God. It is not impossible, just difficult. Some large churches can meet a fantastically large budget because of the people of great wealth who attend. However, it can be much harder to tithe on an income of 500,000.00 per year than it is on 5,000.00 per year; the person giving is more likely to balk at the huge amount he is giving as a tithe; not recognizing that all he has is God’s anyway!  God blesses a cheerful giver, not a reluctant giver. God promises over and over to meet our needs.

The Laodicean Church and its people have no physical need; they develop a spiritual blindness and come to believe that they can pay their way out of anything. One thing is certain, we came into the world naked, and that is the way we will leave. We leave behind all the big cars, big houses, and diamond rings, and bank accounts. God will not be impressed by how much you had; your little bit in comparison will not impress Him, even if you count it in the billions.  This church is blind to the reality of their condition and the needs of others. Their self-satisfied attitude keeps them from growing in the Lord and a Christian should never be standing still; if we are not growing, then we are falling away.

(Revelation 3: 18)

‘I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.’

 
Gold tried in the fire means pure gold.  Jesus is speaking of being rich in the sight of God.  We need to be rich in good works laying up our treasures in heaven ‘where moth nor rust doth not corrupt’  (Matthew 6:19-20).   Truly, the only riches worth having are the ones that we can collect on in heaven.  It has always proved to be a very serious mistake to trust in uncertain riches.  We can look at the Stock Market Crash of October 28, 29, 1929 and see how so many were plummeted into such a financial crises that led to such severe depression and fear, people committed suicide.
White raiment garments are only available if we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Christians who are dressed in white robes standing around the throne of God are wearing garments Jesus has purchased with His own precious blood. We do not have enough money to buy them. They are a free gift to all believers in Jesus.

(Revelation 3: 19)
‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.’ 
Jesus says here that He rebukes the Laodicean Church because He loves them.  Proverbs 19:18 tells us, ‘Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.’  Jesus tells this church to get excited about serving Jesus and repent of their being lukewarm. When Jesus returns, we must be found working. Work for the night is coming when man’s work is done (John 9:4). 

Just as a fruit tree produces much more fruit after it is pruned, Jesus here is pruning the church so it will produce much fruit. Tribulation comes to make us strong. Perhaps this church would be stronger if it faced a little tribulation. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
In the Lord’s  closing appeal of these messages to the churches, we see Christ Jesus our Lord standing by the door of our heart.

(Revelation 3: 20)

‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’
Here we see a terrible scene; Jesus issues His final call to the church; He is outside trying to get in. Jesus will knock for a while, but there will come a time, if we do not allow Him to come in, that He will stop knocking.  Jesus wants to come and live inside of each of us.   Galatians 2:20 reminds us, ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’   Our flesh is nothing.   It will soon pass.   The Spirit which dwells in us is the important thing; it is eternal.