Who Is The King?

This morning as I was sitting to write I thought about the greatness of our God. My wife and I were praying about a specific path in our life, and God brought to mind for each of us a scripture in Psalms.

Psalms 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalms 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Every time we need direction from God I am always blessed when He gives it to us. God wants us to know that He will be on our side in what we are planning to do, and that we need to do His will and trust in Him. He alone is worthy to be praised. He alone is worthy of all honor and Glory. He will never leave us, and He will always protect us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of our praise. Please send us our provision for today and hold us up. Do this for our loved ones and those of the faith as well. Send Your kingdom to the earth. Forgive us when we fall. Please send Your healing and deliverance. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Again And Again

As I am writing today I am thinking of all of the benefits our God has provided. Granted there are times in life when it becomes challenge, perhaps even to the point of seeming overwhelming. But what an amazing benefit we have in knowing that we can always retreat into the shadow of the wings of our God.

Psalms 17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

We have many opportunities in life for the cares of this life to overtake us. And those same opportunities offer us the chance to trust in our God, to rest in His presence, knowing that He cares for us. When I imagine the Creator of the universe watching out for me I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. How great a gift of life we have received!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of our praise. Send us Your abundant provision today. Thank You for watching over us and our loved ones. Keep us from harm and from evil. Forgive us when we stumble. We forgive those that have harmed us in the past. Prevent those that would do us evil. Send us Your healing and deliverance. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Leading Edge

When we are fighting against the enemy, we do not stand alone. Not only that, we do not stand defenseless. Paul tells us how to fight and what keeps us safe. The edge of the blade we cut the enemy with, the leading edge, is not scripture.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Here Paul says it begins with God. It is His power. We protect ourselves with truth wrapped around, the breastplate which covers our heart is our righteousness which is in part our attempts to do good. For example, if we keep the Torah, we attempt to do good works. More importantly we have the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

It is this same faith which is the protector of our minds, our helmet, which is our salvation. Our salvation is through faith. So our heart and our mind is protected by our faith in Jesus. And we are lead to that through the Law, according to Paul.

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Finally, in the end, we have the sword of the Spirit. Many think that this is the bible. According to this scripture, it is not. According to this scripture the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, is the rhema of God, which in the Greek means the utterance of God. Paul goes on to explain that this is the praying in the Spirit. If we are to overcome the enemy, we are to use this to pray without ceasing, to pray on behalf of all believers. This is the weapon we have been given.

Today, if you want to join in the battle, pray in the Spirit and watch God destroy the works of the enemy in your life and in the lives of those for whom You pray.

Prayer
Father, we long for You to be with us. We exalt You as our King. You are our Father, always looking out for us. Please send us today Your kingdom. Please send us today Your power and Your provision in abundance. Help us to remember to pray in the Spirit. Forgive us when we fall. Keep us from evil. Heal and deliver us. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Building A Future

Each day we add to what has gone before. Each day we can choose what we will do, or not, to advance God’s kingdom in the earth. This can seem like an overwhelming task that we are not able to do, especially if we are prone to believing that we are not up to the task. The truth is, if we think we are doing it under our own power, we are correct. That is a task we are not likely to be up to day after day. The good news is, we are not alone. We do not do this by our own power. God is with us, and He is on our side. We do what we can, and God makes up the difference. Jesus taught us this when He taught us how to pray.

Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Jesus was not teaching us specific words. He was teaching us a pattern to follow. If we follow this pattern, we are using what He instructed us to do to reach out to God to help us.

We are not alone. God alone is able to make the earth His kingdom again. We need only cooperate with this pattern. If we do, we will see positive results.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You alone. You alone are worthy of glory and honor. Send Your kingdom in our lives. Send us today Your overwhelming provision which You have predestined from before time began. Forgive us when we stumble, and pick us up. Take from us those that do evil to us and our families, and those that follow you, to them do the same. This is Your earth, Your kingdom, and You alone have the power to change it. You receive the glory. From before now until forever. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Time For A Change

Have you ever had a habit you wanted to change and found it difficult to make that change? It could be eating too much ice cream, the way we drive, smoking, etc. We end up with habits by repeating actions over and over. Some of these actions actually result in a biochemical dependency as well. Once we have them they can be hard to break on our own. So how do we overcome these? With another habit.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Here we see scriptures help us to do the good works. By spending time reading scripture we can displace bad habits for a little while.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Here we see time spent in scripture helps us to get better at doing the things of God.

Psalms 96:1 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

And even David said he praise God and spent time with God daily. I do not suggest in all this that it is a very simple process or step to overcome a bad habit. But there is a way that provides help when we need it most. We can seek God daily and ask for help. In the process we begin to substitute this new behavior of time with God for some of the time spent in our old habit.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. We need Your kingdom in our lives. We cannot get things right on our own. We need help. Please forgive us when we get it wrong. Help us to find Your ways. Help us to know You more each day, and those of the house of faith. Please send us today Your healing, deliverance, and overwhelming provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Like Us

Perhaps there are some believers that do not have areas in which they struggle. I am not in that group. It seems like every day I face challenges with doing what God wants me to do versus what I want to do. It can be particularly challenging when I have to trust God for something to happen if that something seems completely impossible to me. These become challenging times. I suspect that there are many believers like me. Paul says that even our Messiah struggled in this way.

Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

When the enemy came to the garden and was going to kill Jesus, He told the Father that He would prefer not to have that happen, but would do whatever the Father wanted. This is something that I have not yet faced, and it would take the grace of God for me to win that one. But because Jesus suffered this with obedience, we have a High Priest that can help us make it through tough times. He has experienced it and struggled and won. Jesus understands our struggles and always cheers us on, even when we stumble and fall, He picks us up. He is our comfort.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are the One that keeps us safe. You alone are King. Please send Your kingdom to us today. Do not see us through our doubts, unbelief and sin, but through the blood of Your Son. Forgive us. Send us Your healing, deliverance, and overwhelming provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Hear While You Are Here

As we rest on this Sabbath day I am reminded that God has always been talking to us. He loves us because we are His children. He wants us to know Him and learn of His ways. This has been a constant message to His people.

Deuteronomy 6:1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Let us rest and listen, wherever we are at this moment.

Prayer
We exalt You. We want to hear Your voice and do Your will. We love You. Send us Your kingdom. Forgive us our errors. Please give us Your healing, deliverance, and abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Who Is The One Righteous?

My wife and I had an interesting conversation the other day. We were discussing apparel and modesty. The point that came up is, what does that mean? Is one person’s modesty immodest to another person? I think the point that makes the most sense to me is that we should be considerate of others. If we go somewhere to fellowship where blue jeans and t-shirts are what everyone wears, then a suit and tie would be inappropriate. The opposite is also true. It would seem that anything that draws attention to us and away from God lacks modesty. That also brought up another point about dressing inappropriately. It reminded me of a scripture.

Luke 7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

Two things come to mind here. The first is that Jesus did not judge the woman for who she was or had been. He saw her for who she would be. But as I thought of this story and reread it a question came to mind. The Pharisee was very harsh on both the lady for being a sinner and for Jesus for letting her touch him. The Pharisee in his mind called her a sinner. My question is, how did he know?

It is better to be considerate of others while judging ourselves. When we do the opposite we glorify ourselves and not God. If you know of someone and have heard of their sin, stop and ask yourself if it glorifies God more to do things that lead them to repentance by sharing our lives with them, or does it glorify God more to listen and give place to the gossip?

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are the Judge. You alone are our King. We praise and worship You. Let Your kingdom be in the earth today. Send us Your healing, deliverance, and provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Our Defense

As I watch the conflicts in today’s world unfold, I am thankful that I do not live in a place where I have to go to bed at night wondering if rockets will land in my house while I sleep. It is sad that so many people in the world just cannot get along. But we as believers know why this is. It is because we have an enemy that is our to kill us. It is that enemy that keeps the world at war. While today it may not be near us, none of us knows what tomorrow may bring with regard to the physical attacks. What we do know is that God has not left us without defense.

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We see in this passage that there is an armor we can where, and a weapon we can use. The weapon here is the rhema, the utterance, of God. It is the things we say and pray out loud. For those like myself that believe in the ability of believers to pray in the Spirit, this is our weapon. Paul say we are to use it all the time (“Praying always”) and that it is our ability to fight for ourselves and others. Here is why I am thankful for this. We have an invisible foe out to kill us. But we also have invisible protection and an invisible weapon far more powerful than anything our foolish enemy could imagine! Thank You God!

Prayer
Father, we love and exalt You. We want to thank You today for Your kingdom. We thank You for not leaving us defenseless. We ask for forgiveness for the sin in our lives, and that You help us to wash it away. We ask that You remind us to pray in the Spirit every day, that we might be victorious and that You might send us Your healing, deliverance, and overwhelming abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Kneeling Warriors

When we think of warriors, whether ancient fighting men or today’s modern soldier, certain images come to mind. The warriors of old are pictured standing hold sword and shield. Modern soldiers with weapons ready in full gear are pictured firing at the enemy. There is another type of warrior that has even greater power. This is the prayer warrior.

When we pray to God on behalf of others or situations, we are the most powerful warriors of all. This is not because we in and of ourselves have some great power. It is because of who God is. God is able and willing to defend us and His creation when we ask. David knew this. He was a great warrior and yet He called out to God regularly to defend himself, his soldiers, and his people – God’s people.

Pslams 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

It is not a requirement for us to kneel to pray and praise. No matter where we are we can praise our God. No matter where we are we can cry out to God to come to our defense and He will answer. But there are times when we as prayer warriors feel compelled to fall to our knees to honor God and call out to Him. In all cases He responds to rise up to defend His people.

Today, if You have a need or know someone that has a need, call out to God and watch Him again come to the aid of His people.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of our prayer and praise. You alone are King. Please come in Your power today and bring Your kingdom into the lives of Your people. Please forgive us when we stumble, and pick us up. Come today Lord, come now, and bring Your healing , deliverance, and abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.