How Far/ Lengths 106

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.  Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 
Luke 5:17-20 

 In this passage it is clear that these men's belief systems combined so powerfully with their trust in the Lord Jesus that they will go to any lengths to get to Him with their paralytic friend.
Every normal entrance way was blocked, but they did not just walk away with a shrug of their  shoulders, saying, "Hey man, we tried, but it wasn't possible to get to Jesus."
The Scriptures tell us that these believers would not be dissuaded by any obstacles,
climbing to the roof with great effort, they broke through the outer roof and ceiling, working furiously with debris flying off as they worked, lowering their sick friend into the immediate proximity of Jesus. Often times we are in a place where we have a roof over us,
where we feel our prayers are "bouncing off the ceiling" and we are not being heard by God,
but this is not true beloved!
We can have what has already been afforded us: when belief, faith and trust combine together-
and we are enabled to tear through the ceiling and we are face to face with Jesus, our healer when we are sick, provider for all our needs, protector from every threat, lover of our souls, shelter when storms are all around us, and so much more.
How far will you go, beloved, what lengths are you willing to go to-to be in His Presence?

Compliance v. Defiance 196

"Now the serpent was  more cunning than any beast of the field which the  Lord  God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the  fruit of the trees of the garden;  but of the fruit of the tree which  is  in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you  touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 
Genesis 3:1-5

I once saw a bumper sticker that read, "GOD SAID IT, I BELIEVE IT, THAT SETTLES IT."
What a different world we would be living in if Eve-and Adam-would've trusted the Father and had been compliant, instead of defiant! In speaking to His Chosen People Israel,  God said repeatedly: "I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME."
What is it about human nature, about me, that is so innately defiant?
Why is it that the only way for most of us to learn compliance is by God allowing us to exhaust ourselves, exhaust our flawed human strivings, until we are broken and shattered?
I had to learn this the hard way, and am still learning compliance and obedience,
as defiance is worked out of, and broken off of, me.
I am a work in progress, basking in my Father's love, as His Holy Spirit whispers to me:
"Keep going, fix your eyes on Me, do not listen to those other voices, 
forge straight ahead as you focus on Me. 
As you do I promise to make all things possible."

Seeking 141

On most news stands and at check out counters at retail stores everywhere there are publications prominently displaying filth and gossip, championing self-worship,  while exploiting and exposing the dysfunction of so many pitiful celebrities, and every other vile worldly thing,  while a small discount rack off in a corner of the stores sits God's Holy Word  on a dusty shelf, or the bottom rack of some unlikely place.
 It is often not easily located , but in it is found the greatest of treasures. 

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. "
Matthew 2:1, 2, 10, 11 

The Magi went to great lengths and great expenses to find the King of Kings. 
They didn't listen to the voice or bidding of  the evil King Herod, 
the predominant voice of the natural world, whom they recognized as worthless and vile. These "wise men" were looking for the One foretold of,  whose coming advent had been revealed to their hearts and minds, but not to the high priests of Israel, 
Caiphas and Ananias, nor the Pharisees, whose hearts had become cold and hard.
God doesn't do things off in a corner, but the world we are passing through will try to obscure the Light of the World. 
Counterfeits and shiny things abound everywhere, but nothing can satisfy us, answer our longings for wisdom, meaning, and purpose except for Jesus, 
His Holy Spirit, and the power found in God's living and active Word.
In this season remember: Wise men still seek Him.

Prosperity 201

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health,
 just as your soul prospers."
III John 1:2

There is a direct correlation between the condition of the soul and the condition of the other facets of our existence. I have read this scripture many times,  as many of us have, and I have a confession to make: there have been many times in my Christian life whereas I have shuddered deep inside upon reading these words-because of the poor and reprobate condition of the core of my being, my very soul. These words are a double edged sword; a soul that is well fed and familiar with the Holy Spirit is the guiding force of a life centered on our magnificent Obsession, Jesus,
but a soul that is broken down, and guided by a seared conscience and hardened heart is in desperate straits, and when in this place we cannot deny it.
Prosperity of soul can only come when we seek the sovereign LORD with all our heart-trust, 
it doesn't necessarily mean material wealth, but a type of prosperity where the knowledge of God's Word and His promises is in perfect synchronicity with our trusting Him, even when the world we live in is turned upside down and tremendous shakings are tearing the natural world asunder, and our every need is met.
So I pray for you, beloved, for the prospering of your soul, as you experience real life and abundance   found only in Jesus.

Overboard 200

"I  would    have    lost    heart,  unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the  Lord
 in the land of the living."
Psalms 27:13

The Christmas season is meant to be celebrated with great joy, but this is also the season where more people suffer from depression than any other season. At times when I've grown depressed, cold, suffered from illness, or simply not am not feeling the Holy Presence of The Lord
I feel like Jonah-thrown overboard in stormy seas.
Sinking fast and reaching out for something, anything, but sinking anyways...
but then as my soul faints within me, I remember the LORD
and from the depths of my brokenness my prayers break forth,
going upwards towards the LORD and into His holy temple.
The LORD brings me up, bringing me back to life from the miry pit of depression,
loneliness, and darkness...
"e en though You cast me out of your sight, yet I will look again towards Your holy temple."
Beloved, Salvation is of the LORD,
Sacrifice to Him today with your voice and heart of thanksgiving.

He said: “In my distress I called to the  Lord , and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas,  and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers  swept over me.
 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight;
yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.  To the roots of the mountains
I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,  O  Lord  my God.
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you,  Lord ,
and my prayer rose to you,  to your holy temple.
 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
 What I have vowed I will make good.  Salvation comes from the  Lord .”
Jonah 2:2-9 

Illumination 203

Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. "
John 8:12

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;  on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. "
Isaiah 9:2

Yeshua is The Light.
Chanukah begins  tonight, and we will kindle the Chanukiah
( the special Chanukah menorah) lights.
The eight candles are lit off of one special candle,
the Shamash or servant,  that is positioned higher than the others:
"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted."
Isaiah 52:13
The metaphor is clear: the shamash is Yeshua, the One who is the illuminator of our lives,
both to bring us out of the darkness of sin, and to light the paths of our hearts, minds,
and souls, and the Holy Spirit is the oil that keeps that light burning brightly.
 Without Him our "candles" would never be ignited, we would be doomed to darkness,
both in this life and the eternity that awaits us all.
Walk in His light beloved...

Sure Foundations

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
1 Corinthians 3:11-15

My daughter is 19 and not quite sure what she plans on for a profession, and I'm fine with that.
What she is doing at International House of Prayer University is building a firm foundation with Jesus as the chief cornerstone of her life.
Parents often are solely concerned with what their children will become vocationally, which is often a source of pride to the parents. The most important concern we should have as parents is that the real inheritance being passed to the children is eternal life only found by being born again, surrendered and sold out to Jesus our Messiah, and the revelation of the knowledge of God which only the Holy Spirit can give.

One of the founders of Harvard had said that "the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which all other knowledge is built.". Indeed Harvard was created to spread the Gospel. In the world we live in most people decide what they want to do for a living, without actually having any relationship with the Father whatsoever, and this vocation becomes their identity, when the truth is that the only identity we really have is we are either children of God and co-heirs with Jesus-or we are not.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 

Fixed 230

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. "
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Recently we had the opportunity to visit dear friends.
In the course of conversation and asking about others
that we knew in common we were told that, sadly, many of them had walked away from the faith.
They had fixed their eyes on men, and were not prepared for the fact that our lives, our walk with Jesus, will bring trials and difficulties.
There will be heartaches and a great deal of shaking and breaking,
and none will escape it.
Somehow many never understand that God can't use us
until all the garbage and rubbish is removed from us,
that at some point(s) we will be sifted and shaken like rag dolls in the mouths of wolves,
and we must go through the furnaces of affliction to burn off the dross of self .
Unless our eyes are fixated on Christ alone we will be offended, hurt and injured.
Instead of pressing into He who is our Hiding Place
we will revert to attempting to find peace, solace, and contentment in the world,
but it will bring only emptiness, darkness,  and pain.
Beloved,  if you find yourself far away, in such a place it's time to come home.
God, who is both your Father and Bridegroom,  awaits you!

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” "
John 8:12