“Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God. Refuse to get involved in inane discussions; they always end up in fights. God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands” (2Tim 2:22-26; TM)

This is a promise I claim when praying for a backslider. This is the truth: no man can repent in his own strength. Salvation is of God alone! There is no need to manipulate salvation or deliverance. It never works that way. It is not by might, not by power, not be shouting, not by quarrelling…but by the leading and the anointing of the Holy Spirit who alone convicts of sin thru genuine godly sorrow. It is easy to become frustrated and disappointed as an intercessor or a teacher. That leads to foolish dangerous impatience that destroys much good in the ministry of a mentor. Just make a vow before God that no matter the situation, in all circumstances, you shall never lose your temper and you shall never quarrel with your students or with your children. A servant of God never quarrels! That is a loser’s method! I promise: you will never regret this vow of power, love and self-control! In times of pressure, when evil people expect you to argue and shout, you shall remain cool and show self-retrain! These are the marks of a mature believer, totally submitted unto his God.

The unbeliever or the backslider may look free, but they are in fact kidnapped, trapped by the devil. They cannot say what they want to say. They cannot go where they want to go. It is not just that they are not willing, but for as long as they are trapped and deceived by the evil one, they are unable to be free. They are ensnared by sin and by the devil. They are ‘brainwashed’ to cooperate with their kidnapper and work for him. This is a real bondage that needs real deliverance, not just talk!

As an intercessor, pray that you may see the demon behind your people. Pray that you may know the difference between their voices and the voices of the interfering demons! For as long as they remain in bondage, they shall manifest ‘a split personality’ that can deceive many with opposing ideas coming from the same mouth.

You need to pray for the strength, patience and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to be faithful in prayer and in the ministry of a teacher of the Gospel… You cannot know how long this sacrificial ministry may last before there is a breakthrough!  Pray for your ‘student’ and continue to teach him, by words and actions! As a teacher, as a husband, as a wife, as a parent, never give up on your ‘students’! Even if they are the most stubborn, rude, proud and foolish people you know, continue to pray and teach them the truth! The Gospel of Christ Crucified…the power of the Blood…that is the truth! That is the power able to destroy all bondages! Learn to forgive when there is need for that but still move on with prayer and teaching! Is deliverance or healing still needed? Then have faith and press on…

Look ahead and see this vision: The devil loses more and more ‘errand’ boys and girls!!!

It does not matter how many times I failed or how many times I lost a good opportunity for ministry. At last, we made it! Against all odds, we made it! And the wonder is this: I made it not alone, but with my students and my colleagues, as a congregation, as a fellowship, as a church, as a Body… together forever! Only God can take the glory for such deliverance, for such a long awaited exodus! Now I am sure that revival will spread to the whole city! I believe!

I cannot describe the satisfaction, the joy of victory and success once God grants freedom all around…

It is not easy, but oh…it is all worth it!

In Christ I declare:

I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!

I pray always!

I patiently teach the Word of God to all who have ears!

My whole family is saved and delivered!

None is left behind!

I believe!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad” (Ps 14:7)

King David wrote Psalm 14 as a young man. Much later he wrote Psalm 53. Both Psalms are almost the same, word for word. It means that over the years David confirmed his first assumption that fools may be religious but they do not really believe in God. A reprobate is a fool. Each word in the Bible is to be taken seriously, but when God repeats them twice, it is a warning to give great attention to the truth revealed there.

The fool is described as a dangerous man. His life is reckless and wasteful. There is a danger in becoming too friendly with a fool. The world is fascinated with foolishness. The sinner hates God so much that he is willing to become a fool.  This fashionable mysterious foolishness is connected with witchcraft.

But the end of both Psalms is filled with hope. In this world of sin, with so much pain and sorrow, we are called to rejoice when God comes down to free His people from the grip of the godless fool. This is a call to prayer, to repentance leading to salvation. Freedom and deliverance is the reward for them who pray for revival in the land. The release of the backsliders from the prison of doubt and foolishness is compared to an exodus from a deadly bondage. There is hope! We shall continue to pray and trust God!

In Christ I declare:

The unrepentant godless fool has failed!

I am saved!

I am delivered from the spell of foolishness!

Revival is here!

In Jesus name

Amen!

THE BIBLICAL FOOL (2)

“The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt,

They have done abominable works,

There is none who does good” (Ps 14:1)

The word ‘fool’ in Hebrew is ‘nabal’. It means someone who is stupid, disgraced, wicked and worthless, a loser, a failure, withered, wasted and coming to nothing.  A fool is a corrupt, wicked, evil and ‘filthy’ man. It means someone who made a mess out of his life, who is confused, aimless with no focus or vision for the future and who eventually destroys himself.  He claims to be wise but he understands nothing. He does not understand God, life in general or even himself. He is ignorant of the fact that there is a spiritual realm behind this visible world. He does believe that there is nothing good in the natural man; that man needs a personal Savior. He is ignorant that there is a heaven and a hell.

A fool is called an evildoer, a worker of iniquity; a man who has gone astray from the good path prescribed by God to all men, that they may be saved.

A fool is ‘a mad man’, dangerous to all but especially to the believers. His lack of vision, his spiritual blindness, combined with his recklessness makes him dangerous indeed. His hobby is to persecute the believers, to make them fall or backslide. Then he is happy and encouraged to continue in his foolish path of destruction. Like a hunter, he has perfected the skill of killing the faith of many. He frustrate the plans of the poor, he lacks mercy and goodness in his relationships with others. A fool is proud, un-teachable and unwilling to become humble.

A fool may be religious. He may go to church regularly, but in his heart, in his spirit he denies God. He may say it with his mouth that he believes in God, but there is no sign of fruitful faith manifesting in his life. He does not seek God. He does not study the Word of God. A fool does not pray and mocks all them that do. A fool is not interested in God’s opinion. He has his own ‘pet’ ideas and he is not willing to change. He does not read the Bible but gathers his information thru the media or thru gossip.

A fool is a proud man; he thinks that he can be good without God. He thinks that if there is any heaven anywhere, he can arrive there by his own goodness and self-righteousness. A fool thinks that he can save himself from any danger, trouble or hell.  

A fool is a ‘disappointment’ to God and men. God is looking down to see if He can be gracious to any on earth, but all He sees are proud, rebellious wicked fools. Like Noah’s dove, grace finds no place where to land her feet and rest. All God sees on earth are reckless fools who ignore and fight Him. Therefore, God has no other option but to judge their sin. Suddenly, fools start to tremble. The same fool that ‘says in his heart that there is no God’ is the same who is now filled with fear and confusion. He is disappointed in the fake protection of his own unbelief but too stubborn to let go of it. He is jealous on the godly man and covets his peace. But he is unwilling to humble himself and cry to God in repentance. And so, he still remains a fool…

This is a simple question: are you a fool?

The lesson is to pray for wisdom and discernment, to detect and to avoid a fool. Imitating a fool, that is a dangerous path, for you become a fool yourself (PV 26:4). Religion does not help a fool become wise. The only hope for a change is found at the Cross of Christ.

I was a fool for many years. I could not have believed the truth if it was not for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. My unbelief in God made me a fool. My education could not change the truth that I was a fool. I tried to defend my position claiming ignorance about the Spirit realm, but all my excuses proved to be useless. God judged me based on the amount of light that came on my way. The stars in the sky blinked their testimony, that there is a God who made them all. I had no other option left than to join them in declaring that God exists! From everlasting to everlasting, God is God! Independent from people’s opinions, separated from their sin and foolish talk, the Holy Living Creator of the heavens and the earth is God! Jesus is Lord! May my soul desire the dwelling of God and the fullness of His Spirit!

In Christ I declare:

I reject foolishness and evil!

I have the mind of Christ!

Christ is my wisdom and my righteousness!

I daily grow in favor and in wisdom with God and men!

Eternal joy is my inheritance!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the Lord our God,

Until He has mercy on us” (Ps 123:2)

As we climb higher on the slopes of Holiness Mountain, we are reminded that we are servants of God. The word really means a bond slave, the property of the master. A slave has no rights at all, no money, no inheritance, no identity and no purpose apart of his master. The master went to the slave market and bought the slave he wanted with his own money. From the moment of the transaction, the slave belongs to the master. He has the right to kill him or to adopt him as his son. The slave depends on his master for everything, including life itself.

The household slaves were trained more rigorously than the rest to please their master. They had to learn the sign language of the master, like they are deaf and dumb. The master used his hand to talk to them. He does not have to shout and tell them what to do. His hand ‘speaks’…“Come, go, wait, bring water…” all these are the signals of the hand. A slave is to understand his master’s desire thru the movement of his hand. Like the conductor of the orchestra, all eyes are on his hand that holds the baton. Any misunderstanding of the signal and there is rebuke and punishment. But together, under the hand of the King, the throne room is orderly, quiet and perfect. The visitors wonder and stand in awe saying: ‘Your Majesty, your slaves are greater than our kings on earth…’

The attitude of a slave is that of patiently waiting and watching. His attention is directed only to a particular ‘object’: the hand of his (her) master. This is a spiritual posture, a skill that comes with time, with experience, to them that pay the price for it. There is need for spiritual exercise, diligent study of the Word of God, meditation and prayer. Like good sweet wine, it takes a long time before you are able to stand on the slopes, dead to any danger to yourself and fully focused on the hand of your Master. This is a picture of deep communion between the soul of the believer and His Lord, Jesus Christ.

The word ‘hand’ in Hebrew basically means an overflow of power, resources and sense of direction. In particular it means the ability to pay off any debt. Other meanings are spiritual connection, fellowship and ordination for ministry.

Spiritually speaking, I am a bond slave of Jesus Christ, the Lord. He is my God. My duty and privilege is to look unto Him alone for everything: for my wealth, health, prosperity, promotion, power, identity, sense of direction, fellowship and anointing for ministry. I have to learn to respect, trust and understand His hand, the the leading of His Holy Spirit. Even in the absence of a particular Word from His lips, I am supposed to know what to do for Him. In my fellowship with my Lord, I will be quick to understand His heart and move at His bid. ‘Baby’ Christians need loud commands and even whipping on their backs before they obey their Master. This is the necessary training to serve the One who is Holy. But I rejoice in this wonderful training of a household slave. I rather be a slave to Jesus than a prince in the harem of the devil. After many mistakes, overcoming impatience and much distraction, I now learn to focus on the Hand of my God. My only business is to wait for Him. When ‘on duty’ in the throne room, I am not concerned with the status or needs of angels or men. My destiny is to serve Jesus Christ. I pray daily that I may willingly and gratefully receive this blessed portion for my life, to be His slave.

“Without Me you can do nothing…” I can nothing on my own. That is why I look at His hand that can do all things. His hand is powerful because he is God. His hand is rough because He came as a servant to earth. His hand is scarred because He died for me. For saving my soul, I have no words to express my gratitude, than to be His bond slave forever!

His royal hand is filled with compassion and healing and blessings. In the throne room people come and people go. There are greetings, choirs and dancers, recitals and poems…noises and thundering…But my eyes are steady on the face of my master, on His hand of mercy… I do not care about Queen Sheba’s gown…I do not observe the jewels of King Herod’s crown…I ignore Naaman’s gifts and garments…I close my eyes to Ahab’s entourage…I do not blink sighting Goliath…kings and kingdoms shall pass away…even the cherubs, they look like plaster on the wall to me…for I have eyes only for my Beloved Master, King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lamb upon the Throne, waiting for His hand of mercy to move upon us…

’Here I am O Lord, send me…’

In Christ I declare:

I am a bond servant of my Lord Jesus Christ!

I am satisfied!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“The fool has said in his heart,

‘There is no God’…

They have all turned aside,

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good…

No, not one!”  (Ps 14 and 53)

DEFINITION

The world defines a fool as someone who is not intelligent, who cannot think fast, lacks wisdom , common sense or a good memory; one who is a failure, makes a lot of mistakes, unprofitable, still poor even after much work, failing all his exams, proud ‘for nothing’, rude and lazy. In the natural, foolishness is something associated more with the intellect than with the state of the spirit. Men believe that good education and hard work can eliminate foolishness from the mind of a child. But in the Bible, the definition is different. Foolishness is a spiritual sin. An unbeliever is called a fool. Any man who denies the existence of God, who is not born again, who resists the Holy Spirit, who rejects Christ as his only Savior, that man is a ‘Biblical’ fool. Any man, no matter how educated, no matter how wealthy, but ends up in hell, he is a fool. He may be very intelligent, have a doctorate degree, be successful in business and famous in the world, but if his soul is not saved thru Christ, then he is a fool. Selah!

EDUCATED FOOL

In his heart the fool says ‘there is no God’. Here, the word ‘God’ in Hebrew is the word ‘Elohim’ which is one of God’s names. The Bible does not defend the existence of God. It takes it for granted that the reader is a believer. God introduces Himself in the Bible as Elohim. ‘In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth…’ (Gen 1:1) Elohim is a more general name of God, presenting Him as the Creator and the Sustainer of the Universe. A fool does not believe that the Person of God, Elohim, created the universe just by the Word of His mouth. A fool lacks the true saving faith, the belief the God created all things out of nothing. He has a sick imagination thinking that the universe was made by itself.

The scientists say that the observable universe is about 46 billion light years in radius and it is expanding continuously. It is made of all the objects in the ‘sky’ and the space in between. Most of the scientists in the world today have approved the idea that the universe was made by itself, thru a cosmic explosion long ago. They call it the ‘Big Bang’ theory. They say that about 13 billion years ago, the universe was in an extremely hot and dense state and began expanding rapidly. Later it broke into pieces that began to cool off. This they say is the origin of all the planets, stars and galaxies. They do not believe in the existence of a Person called God who planed and created all things, by His power, will and word. This is the truth: all men who believe in the ‘Big Bang’ theory, these are ‘educated’ fools.

The same scientists believe that man is a ‘cosmic mistake’, coming out thru evolution from molecules. They say that we evolved out of some monkeys. Therefore, any man who believes and teaches the Darwin’s ‘evolution theory’, the same is a fool.

WISE BELIEVER

But this is the eternal Word of God by which we are saved:

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb 11:3)

A true believer’s faith is an ‘understanding’ faith. Saving faith drives away the foolishness of the world and makes us spiritually intelligent and wise. By the power of the Holy Spirit we believe that the universe is the creation, the hand work of God. A Christian has no doubt that God, Elohim, made the heavens and the earth; that there is nothing in this universe, visible or invisible that came out on its own by accident. God is Spirit and He created all things. God spoke the universe into existence. This belief is called saving faith or godly wisdom. The fool denies God the creator and therefore he refuses to worship Him. A fool thinks that he does not need God; that he is able to be ‘a god’ to himself. But this foolishness is sin; it has no excuse, for the Creation is made in such a way that all things point to God and demand to give Him the all the glory (Rom 1:20)

LASTLY

Maybe you ask, dear reader, how is it that I know so much about foolishness? This is because once upon a time I was the greatest fool myself. I was an atheist until I became 32 years old. I believed in the Big Bang and Darwin’s theory. I too said in my heart and even with my lips: ‘there is no God’…I said that heaven and hell are the imaginations of men…I said that prayer is a waste of time…I said that faith is the deception of the illiterates and ‘religion, the opium of the masses’…I mocked at the faith of the Christians and ignored their efforts’ to save’ me…I was a confirmed communist, as many of my people in Romania, where I was born…These lies were injected into my mind since I was a child…Unbelief was my religion and doubt my philosophy…until the day…that holy day (I can’t think of it and not weep…)… when the grace of God was manifested to my wretched soul…I gave my life to Jesus Christ…O, blessed salvation human words cannot describe…’Amazing Grace, how sweet thy sound, that saved a wretch like me…I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see…’

In Christ I declare:

I am saved forever!

My foolishness is removed; faith came in, peace and joy followed!

I shall be forever grateful!

To God be all the glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

“And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there” (1Cor 7:17, TM)

There are times when I wished I was somebody else, more beautiful, taller, fairer…

There are other times when I wished I lived in a beautiful country with green parks and flowers…

There are times when I wished I had the gift to sing or dance or talk like an angel…

Sometimes work is just a headache and the office colleagues all the wrong people…

There are times when married, I wish to be single and free…

There are other times when single, I wish to be married, at any cost, a dream wedding to a stranger…

Often I wish I have more money, more friends, more opportunities to travel, get lost, in the world…

Sometimes I wish to be young again, no wrinkles, no diabetes, no need for hearing aid…

What do I do with this basket full of impossible dreams and fading wishes?

All I have is a long boring today that nobody wants, even if for free…

New questions come to the surface…

Even if nothing changes…Can I find favor with God right here, right now?

Is it really true that going away to a fantasy land will make me the happiest in the world?

The Wonderful Counselor whispers a strange, but fresh word to me:

Stop looking around…look up and see Him who holds your breath…you are not too far, you are not too deep…you may be living in the desert, in between two rocks, in places nobody wants to visit, places absent from a decent map…but still… this is God’s earth, and you are here right now, for such a time as this…

If you are a wind, then blow…

If you are a rainbow, then shine…

If you are cricket, then jump…

If you are a flower, then bloom…now…in this very spot…do not wait for another day…do not wait for the rain…do not wait for men to find you…bloom where your roots have found favor with the ground…for the pleasure of the Holy Gardner alone…for He alone is worthy of all praise, beauty and lonely labor of love…

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses” (1Tim 5:17-19)

The elders in the church who feed the flock are ‘worthy of double honor’. The Lord Jesus Christ gave gifts to His Body: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists (Eph 4). It is not easy to be in full time ministry. It is not easy to pay the price for the anointing. There are many churches that do not have a resident pastor and they advertise for that position. They have only guest preachers, but none stands there in the middle of the flock day and night. If you have a resident pastor with the mind of Christ, blessed are you and your church!

The true leaders in the church are servants of the Word. They pay the price to study the Bible diligently and prepare sermons filled with the Holy Spirit. They pray and fast. They intercede for the members of their churches. They weep with the sorrowful and rejoice with them who are happy. It is a great and difficult emotional draining work. It means to be a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, a mother and a father in the same time. They live by faith. They expect fruit that abides. They are responsible to God for the dishing out of spiritual food to the flock of Christ. The visitors are directed to the Cross for salvation. They also have the duty to oversee the souls of men, to pray for them, to counsel them and to teach them to worship God.

The word ‘honor’ in Greek means to pay a price (even in money) to show appreciation to something or someone you consider precious and profitable. It also means to be punished, to pay a fine (even with money) for refusing to honor the one you know is worthy of honor. The word honor here also means to show respect by submitting to his teaching with fruits following. The negative way to describe honor is not to slander or accuse your leader, never to gossip your pastor, even in your secret heart. If you cannot freely submit to his teaching, it is better to go away, before the wrath of God manifests on you.

In ancient times an animal was used to spin a wheel or walk a threshing floor to separate the wheat from the stalk/chaff.  That was very hard work, going in circles from morning to evening. But the men quickly discovered that their “power source” was eating the grain they were harvesting.  Animal owners began to muzzle the ox/donkey to keep it from eating the grain.  They placed a wire cage around the mouth of the animals so that they cannot eat the harvest. In the Old Testament Law God commanded Israel to permit the animal doing the labor to share in the benefits of his hard work (Deut 25:4)

The lesson here is that if you hire someone to work hard for you, that servant must enjoy the fruit of his labor. In particular, we are to respect, honor, encourage and support our spiritual leaders in the best way we can. Pray for them daily. They are your parents in Christ. If not, God may ask you to pay ‘a fine’ for carelessness, ignorance, rudeness, laziness, pride, rebellion as we make the pastor’s work harder than it should be.

I am a pastor. I do not ask for honor. I am responsible to God for the sermons I prepare, for the counsel and prayers for the church. To honor your leader is not my request, it is God’s command. This is my counsel, especially to the young people: honor the men and women who labor hard in God’s vineyard. If you value your soul and the souls of our children, if you value your destiny, then honor your pastors and leaders in the Body of Christ. Ponder about these words…pray about this matter…Let God speak to you!

May God give you the grace to live a life worthy of His calling!

In Christ I declare:

I honor my spiritual leaders!

I pray for my pastors!

I will never gossip, exploit, mock or dishonor my pastors!

I will help and encourage my elders in the church in the best way I can!

So help me God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!

All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]” (PV 15:15; LB, AMP)

Once you are born again and Spirit filled, you do not depend on the circumstances; your happiness depends on God alone. Because God is eternal, your joy is eternal. A man with a glad heart does not look at the menu. Whatever is offered on the table shall taste good, for the heart is good. It is not the tongue or the chef that dictates the level of joy. It is the heart that which feeds on the secret table of the Lord that has ‘a continual feast’. The goodness of God makes you happy. And because that goodness never ends, so your joy will never end. A glad heart is a generous and friendly heart. It is not your food that attracts people to you. It is your heart and your words. It is not the kitchen that leads the family but the Holy of holies.  Many come close and ministry results out of Spirit overflow. People run away from the bitter and the proud but a man full of joy is never lonely. Even if the meal is simple, something like ‘akara’ (Nigerian beans cakes) or ‘bole’ (baked plantains), it tastes sweet when there is peace and joy in the home or such a good fellowship with friends.

The question is this: is your joy seasonal or continual? Do people who have a genuine need come close or avoid you? Is your liver ‘smiling’? Are you able to be grateful in all circumstances? Do you ‘dish out’ the Bread of life to others on a regular basis? Do you have a full store of ancient wine that gladdens the soul? Are you generous with your wisdom? Is there overflow from your spirit? Do people taste Christ in your words and go home revived?

Then well done, good and faithful servant! Enter the never ending joy of your Lord! The Lord has prepared a table for you in the midst of your enemies! For His glory alone! Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! Rejoice always! And I say again, REJOICE!

In Christ I declare:

I am born again!

I am Spirit filled!

I have the heart and mind of Christ!

I rejoice always!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“But this is a people robbed and plundered;

All of them are snared in holes,

And they are hidden in prison houses;

They are for prey, and no one delivers;

For plunder, and no one says, “Restore”

Who gave Jacob for plunder and Israel to the robbers?

Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned?

For they would not walk in His ways,

Nor were they obedient to His law”

The Lord says to you…

“Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert…”

(Is 42:22-24; 43:18, 19)

This is a sad picture. This is the result of sin. For a moment of satisfaction, Esau paid with an eternity of regret. Sin promises much pleasure but the end is sickness, sorrow, despair and death. Sinners who used to be fashionable and happy are now ‘robbed, plundered and snared in holes and prison houses’. The word ‘hole’ describes the habitation of a snake. He hides there for fear that he will be killed. It is an underground, dark, lonely and restricted space. The backslider has the devil for a landlord and companion.  A sinner lives on just survival mood. No more romance, no more dreams, no more hope for the future. His only plan for life is this: ‘let none find me…’ God said that ‘it is not good for man to be alone’… but now, God allowed him to live that which is not good, a lonely isolated and barren life…no peace, no fruits, no  more marriage ‘bliss’, no more joy…The failure of man to be happy in this life comes from sin. Look around and see… hospitals full of sick men, young and old…crime…poverty…sadness…

The word sin means ‘missing the mark’. It does not matter how close you were to the mark, you missed it…Sin means transgression, rebellion against God’s law…Sin means trespassing, going too far without God…Sin means perversion and deception, betrayal of all that is good, the rejection of God…

Who can help a sinner? Who can locate the hole of the sinner? Who is willing to pay the price for the redemption of the souls of the enemies of God? In this whole universe, is there such a Savior?

The answer is a wonderful and unexpected and surprising ‘YES!!!’

Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, the Son of the only Living God, His is the Savior of men!

From the eternal bowels of God’s compassion, the mercy of God is revealed, the grace of the same God, Jehovah…it is called revival…it comes as ‘a new thing’, a refreshing prayed for but still surprising in its force of blessings, in its power of life out of death…tables overturned…changes decreed…rivers in the desert…a blooming wilderness…a lifting from the holes of despair… a breaking of the prison’s gates…

In Christ I declare:

Revival is your portion… God’s grace and mercy your inheritance, the victory of God your latest boast…you shall know this salvation, this deliverance…you shall hear the voice of hope singing the ‘coming out’ song to you…you shall once more feel hungry for righteousness…the passion for Christ rekindled… you shall be filled with His Spirit…you shall be married and fruitful…the barren shall sing for joy at the embrace of miracle children…you shall see the King in His beauty…you shall fell His touch, His grip and His lifting…the hole shall be emptied of its contents, for Jehovah has come to redeem His people and claim back His own! Let the praise start! For the glory of God alone!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Rejoice in the Lord always…The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philip 4:4-7)

Anxiety is a vague, undefined type of fear. It is a painful silent expectation of danger combined with doubt; I fear that I do not have the resources to cope with the trouble ahead. Most people are not aware of anxiety. It manifests as weakness, depression or even as a chronic sickness. The natural man is filled with it. He has no power to stop worrying about his life and his future.

But here I want to point to a different type of anxiety. It comes to the believer in Christ. After you become saved a whole new world opens to you. It is called the Kingdom of God. In it there are laws and promises, hopes and dreams you never thought about. As an unbeliever, you did not worry about the colors of the rainbow in heaven. But now, just reading about the glorious eternal riches found in Christ, a new anxiety starts to grip your soul.

‘Will I finish the race…Will I be faithful to the end…Will I ever be filled with the Holy Spirit…Will I ever speak in tongues… Will I marry God’s choice for me…Will my children be saved…Will I fulfill my destiny on earth…Will I be accepted to enter heaven…Will my ministry be successful…’

This is ‘a Christian’ anxiety, for lack of better words. In the scripture above we are commanded to confront this newly developing fear and to deal with it in a spiritual way. The first thing to do is to learn to rejoice always. It means to praise God in the midst of all circumstances. It is a vow, a decision you have to make in the presence of God. The things around you should not dictate your moods. Even if it sounds foolish, do praise God always! Remember who God is in general and who He is to you! If you are saved, that blessing alone should give enough desire to praise God day and night. Also, you are to pray always! Pray not only for major decisions in life, but about all things…

’Lord, I forgot how many eggs I need to make vanilla cake…Lord, do You like this outfit…Lord, I need a friend to visit me…Lord, I want to write a song…Lord, my electric bill is unpaid…’

As you praise and pray, then the peace of Christ will come on you as a blanket on a shivering child. The Father will come and carry you to bed and tuck you in, as the stars blink a song composed for you alone…The peace will cover your mind and protect your emotions. No more wild crazy fearful thoughts! No more fear of the dark! No more hellish dreams…

I press on for the gift of the assurance of salvation…the doctrines use ‘to float’ in the air around me, but now I know the One whom I have believed! I can feel His special love for me alone! I can hear my name called by the King! Then the miracle I read about but never truly experienced is here…Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost…The little foxes of anxiety have lost the battle and finally they are gone…really gone!!!

After many tears and sleepless nights…the Lord is near…the Prince is here… His crown of glory, His diadem of Peace is finally mine…Hallelujah!

In Christ I declare:

I shall be anxious for nothing!

I shall praise God always!

I shall pray always!

I have peace in my soul!

I am eternally saved!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us” (Ps 123:2)

Psalm 123 is the fourth Song of Ascents. We are a group of pilgrim going higher on the mountain of God. The journey is slow and difficult. But the good news is that we are truly making progress. I can see it on their faces, in their eyes, brighter with hope. I can hear it in their voices; hope has its own sound, strings and trumpet mixed together. The noise of the world, coming from the valley below is slowly fading away. After a period of rest in the house of God, we are now ready to move on. We have planted our feet on the Rock that says: God is good! All the time! Fully confident of God’s presence, we are ready! So…let’s go!

Psalm 123 is one of the shortest in the Bible. It means that we shall travel lighter than in the past. There shall be no unnecessary load of ‘little’ sins. The Bible and a bottle of water in the backpack shall be enough. We trust that the rest shall be provided by the Lord of the mountain. As we go higher, we shall practice the skill to listen more attentively and to talk less. The Spirit can use any sound to speak mysteries to us… even the blowing of the wind…

We shall learn to receive encouragement without words. We shall use our ‘shorter’ breath only to worship and pray, in human language or in the Spirit. The people in the valley can afford to waste a lot of words; they are busy with fancy religion. But up on the mountain things change. Jesus said that long repetitive prayers are a sign of unbelief. We are confident that The Father knows what we need even before we pray. The understanding of God’s purpose found thru the study of His Word, will simplify our lives. There shall be more worship and fewer requests. Prayer becomes shorter because our faith is higher. Thank God!

This Mountain-top Psalm is ‘lighter’ than the rest. Let’s see what is ‘missing’ from this Prayer Psalm. Remember this is a man who wants to go higher. He is surrounded by proud, wicked people who mock, persecute and ‘block’ his way. Their intent is to discourage the progress and to convince him to back-slide. In similar situations, the psalmist could have been angry asking for the death of his enemies. But here, high on the mountain, we do not see any hint of impatient anger, anxiety or frustration. Focusing on God’s throne, the only plea is for mercy; not for his enemies, but for himself. Immediately we see that this is not the ordinary attitude of a believer. This prayer comes from the heart of a mature servant of God. Flesh is subdued and the Spirit rules. Above the attacks of mockery and discouragement, the soul is fully confident that God is in charge. The heathen may rage but God is on the throne! When all is said and done, it is God’s opinion that matters anyway!

Why mercy? What is its value? We need a fresh and greater revelation of the need for God’s mercy!

Mercy is defined as kindness towards an enemy, especially when he is in your power. God is a God of mercy. His Gospel is filled with mercy. A sinner needs mercy. God’s answer to sin is mercy. Sin causes untold suffering, sickness and death. God hates sin. That is why mercy is a miracle!  Mercy is God’s general attitude, His inclination and compassionate desire to come down to the aid of a victim, to relieve the suffering and pain caused by sin. God’s mercy is always connected with His grace. It is not our pain that moves God to act, for He knows all things. He intervenes and helps men only according to His infinite grace found in Christ alone. Mercy is the withdrawal of punishment from a sinner. We offend God and He has the right to punish.  Mercy then comes and says ‘No!’ It is like a criminal waiting on the death row in prison. He is now sick with an incurable disease. In the midst of an ocean of despair, with waves of sorrow upon sorrow, against all odds, the sinner comes to God and asks for forgiveness. The power of mercy is released from the throne of God on behalf of the Cross of Christ. The mercy of God means life. Suddenly the God of peace comes to that cold cell. The hated and forsaken prisoner is healed in the body and his soul is set free. This is an unmerited pardon and an undeserved healing. This is the power of grace released by the prayer of a broken heart…

“Lord, please have mercy on me…”

A great lesson for us going higher is to have to right focus. The decision must be made that the eyes will remain lifted towards God enthroned in heaven. The word ‘eyes’ appears four times in just two verses. The temptation is to look down, at my past sins, or look around, at my circumstances. Both these are wrong and will make me spiritually ‘dizzy’, unable to rise higher in faith. I have to learn to steady my gaze, long and fixed on the throne of God in heaven. The more I practice this skill of beholding God in his glory, the more I gain strength and faith. My problems may shake me, but heaven is forever stable. As I see God, undisturbed by my problems, my fears melt away and peace replaces them. My destiny is connected with heaven and not with the earth. Down below I am just a pilgrim, passing by thru this world that rejected my King. The clearer I see Jesus in heaven, the easier it is to go higher, closer to my Beloved…

“May my gaze be stable and pure!

Lamb of God, here I come, I come…”

In Christ I declare:

I have found mercy and grace in time of need, at the throne of God in heaven! (Heb 4:14-16)

I am a merciful believer!

When people offend me, by God’s grace, I shall represent a merciful Father to this sinful world!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“I completely surrender myself to You, dear Heavenly Father as a living sacrifice. I reject to be conformed to the pattern of this world. I chose to be transformed by the renewing of me mind. I take authority in Jesus name and I tear down all the strongholds of satan, any unholy practice or habit in my life. I destroy the plans of satan formed against in my mind or in my body. I surrender my mind to You Holy Spirit. I confess with my mouth and I believe in my heart that God has not given me the evil spirit of fear, but He has given me power, love and sound mind. I destroy all plans of satan against my emotions. I will feel only what God wants me to feel and no lust, greed, covetousness or idol passions will be in me. I destroy all plans of satan against my will. All the decisions I make will be in God’s presence and all to His glory. I destroy the plans of satan against my body. I reject the evil spirits of infirmity, sickness, depression, fatigue and pain.

Dear Holy Spirit I pray that You reveal to me any area of deception or false prophecy. I break any covenant I made knowingly or not with the evil spirit of religion. I command all evil spirits to leave me and go away in Jesus name. Holy Spirit enable me to be aggressive in prayer, to think Your thoughts after You, to walk in Your way. I pray for revival in my heart and the overflow will touch many around me. I pray You grant me the gifts of the Holy Spirit especially that I may prophesy to edify the Body of Christ.

Again I cover myself with the Blood of Jesus Christ. I pray to You Holy Spirit that You manifest in my life all the work of the Cross, all the work of the Resurrection, all the work of the Glorification, all the work of the Pentecost in my life. I refuse to be discouraged! You are the God of all Hope! Grant me healing! Grant me deliverance! Grant me a new beginning! I promise, I vow, to give You alone all the glory!

Thank You Father. I am grateful! I will praise and worship You forever!
IN JESUS NAME I PRAY,
AMEN!”

“The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence…Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured [I pledge it] they will not go unpunished” (PS 5:5; PV 16:5, AMP)

Pride means to think too much of yourself, of your looks, gifs, achievements or possessions. Pride is the root of all other sins. God calls pride SIN! We should not call it by any other names. Pride is not a weakness, a family trait, a style, a fashion or a way of life. PRIDE IS SIN! Do you want to know what sin is? Sin, pride, it is what killed Jesus on the Cross!

God hates all sin, but in particular, He hates pride. We usually say that God hates sin but He loves the sinner. That is a general truth. But when it comes to the sin of pride, God hates the unrepentant sinner too! Selah!

God is a God of love, but He is also a God of hate!!! God hates pride so much that He rejects and drives away all proud people from His presence. He will not answer their prayers. Even when the proud men are oppressed and in need, even when they cry out for relief, God counts their prayers as ‘empty pleas’ and He ignores them. God will not invite the proud men closer to His throne of grace, but He lets them stay ‘afar of’. God opposes them! (Job 35:12, 13; Ps 138:6). This is one of the most terrifying revelations in the Word of God. But it is the truth that sets us free from false ideas of ‘freedom’!

God promises to judge proud men! God said that He will ‘tear down the house of the proud’ (PV 15:25). The way Jericho fell down, this is how the family of the proud man falls and scatters. Like gangrene, pride is able to spread and to damage others. The treatment is radical surgery; often, the whole leg has to be amputated. The judgment of God affects the whole family and the proud man’s friends. This is the warning of love: stay clear from the proud! There is terrible danger around them!

What then is the solution? Come to the Cross! Come to Jesus! Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God! Submit to God! Submit to His ways! Come into His presence! That is where you belong! That is where you are safe! The God who blesses and heals you is the same that drives away the proud! Separate yourself from the arrogant and come home! The door is still open…

In Christ I declare:

I humble myself for Christ sake!

I separate myself from the proud and wicked!

My friends are humble brethren!

I dwell in the center of God’s presence and will!

Forever!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“God sets the lonely in families” (Ps 68:6)
Once I gave my life to Christ, I lost all my friends. I became lonely with a purpose. I started seeking God in the absence of all. According to His gracious, surprisingly (for me) wonderful promise (Mt 6:33) He started adding to me the blessings of true friends. After much struggle, I finally died…but then my life became fruitful. Children in Christ became a new beautiful addition. My loneliness became a family (Ps 68:6) , then a tribe, then…who knows what the future holds…

All my friendships are purely gifts of grace, placed on the altar…Flesh dead and the Spirit lives…No fears, no manipulations, no artificial greetings, no pretense, no pleasing men, no waste of opportunities, no stealing of joy…but with each friend, there is the assurance of heaven, of eternal values shared, of inspiration, of covering, of impartation, of ‘following me as I follow Christ’, laughter, prayer, prophetic utterances, stirring the Spirit, challenging to go up together to the mountain of spices, enjoying together the fragrance of Christ…my friends know this, I told them, it is my standing rule: ‘if you need money, go to the bank; if you need groceries, go to the market; if you need gossip, go to your enemies… but of you need Christ, the Word of God and the Holy Ghost, come to me, I will be waiting for you…you shall be filled…’

This is my foundation with all people: I am prudent in friendships (PV 12:26), I test the motives of all who want me as their friend, you cannot come too close without passing thru the fire where I dwell…the earlier you know it the better…I do not chose my friends based on natural liking, God chose them for me…I am often surprised at His choices…But never disappointed…In this way, the road is safe and strong, no major frustrations, no hidden agendas…only the freedom of hope and the potential for so much more…my life has become a great adventure with my Lord’s family on earth…
To God be all the glory!

In Christ I declare:
I am blessed!
My family is blessed!
I am fruitful!
For God’s glory and the encouragement of many!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot Me…So I will be like a lion to them… I will attack them and rip them open… I will devour them…I will tear them apart” (Hos 13:6-8)
Pride is not easy to define. It means to be over-satisfied with your person, with your looks, position, gifts, success, possessions or knowledge. It means to be overly self-conscious. It is a sinful, distorted and wicked ‘happiness’ at the expense of all.
Someone said that pride is the AIDS of the soul. This sickness does not kill directly but it weakens the body. Other viruses take advantage if it and attack to kill. In the same way, pride weakens the soul and other sins come to parasite on it.
God blessed His people Israel. They became wealthy and strong. But in their satisfaction they became foolishly proud. They forgot the Giver of the gifts. Pride dwells in the flesh. We are born with it. But it becomes a monster when visible success comes in. We pray for financial breakthrough but rarely remember to pray for the grace to sustain such blessings. We should desire to become more humble, once God blesses us with wealth. The passion to remain humble in the midst of riches and good health is lacking in many hearts. They postpone the prayer for humility and wisdom in dealing with wealth and soon pride overpowers the soul. It is a poisonous weed that strangulates the heart. The relationship with God weakens to the point of backsliding. Slowly, sadly, the proud man forgets God. Practically he ignores the Bible, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the habit of prayer and the church. Pride deceives the heart that all is well, even when God is angry. We easily forget that God is jealous. He will not share His throne or His glory with another. God will warn the sinner! If unrepentant, He will attack the proud and the ungrateful ‘like a lion’, suddenly and mortally. Pride leads to demotion, losing positions of leadership and authority. It damages and destroys governments, churches and marriages. Stubborn pride is like an incurable sickness and it leads to untimely death.
“God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble” (Jam 4: 6).

Pride is like a mental sickens. It poisons and deceives the heart. Before I gave my life to Christ, I thought that I was humble. This is because I did not like to dress with expensive clothes, I did not like to drive big cars…But ignorantly I was worshiping self; ‘my intelligence and good luck in life’. I did not believe in God and I was sure I did not need Him in my life. I was a successful woman, a medical doctor, married, with children. I was self-made and proud of it. In my foolish pride as an unbeliever I did not know that the death penalty was decreed upon my sinful soul. I did not know that it was only the mercy of God that sustained me. Then, in the year of God’s favor, the Holy Spirit came down on me. God came like a lion, like a leopard; like a wild bear robbed of her cubs…God confronted me and demanded total, unconditional surrender. He came to carry away His property. Every crumb of health and happiness was taken away from me…I argued in vain… No medicine could help… No human counsel worked… I still had my money but I lost the desire to spend it. I still had my marriage and children but I lost the desire to live. Except you are born again by the Spirit of God, you can never understand the terror of true repentance…Totally defeated by God’s sovereign grace, I used my last breath to call on the ‘strange’ name of Jesus, for the first time heard on my arrogant lips…JESUS…JESUS…JESUS…and so, the miracle of salvation happened…the blessed forgiveness came, and with it peace, joy, eternal life and the power to be a child of God! My pride died… myself I died…so that Christ can live and rule in me!

May we hear the warning of the Spirit! May we never forget God! May we be humble, wise, teachable and patient in the hands of God! May we be forever grateful for God’s blessings of salvation, health, wealth or the gift of a family! We are the clay and we can never be the Potter! May we accept the painful but loving chastisement of our Heavenly Father! May we never be tired to give God all the glory!

In Christ I declare:
I hate and reject pride!
I love to be humble like Jesus my Lord!
I die to self!
I receive God’s favor!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

“Dear Ma,
It’s quite a pleasant surprise that you’re on line…
My questions are many but let ma ask this – why am I not able to articulate
what my assignment is, even when I’ve been praying for a while?…
We now attend … church of God. Somehow it has been impossible for me to go through their ‘workers in training’ program. I need to be sure what my ministerial calling is first, to even be able to know how to go about it.
Right now I work at a Montessori teacher training school for early childhood yrs. I first did the training and worked in a pre-school and now here. Secularly I’m hoping to start a pre-school in the near future. Having said this, I believe there’s more to what the Lord will have me do than raise a family.
Shalom”

My answer:
“Dear…
I will try to answer you, to help you. But some questions, only God alone can answer to you.
You are a child of God! What you need now is revival!
I see that you are living a good life. Often, the good is the enemy of the best. God is calling us upwards, towards the high mark of holiness in Christ Jesus. That is more than a good, nice life…
Good is dangerously safe. It is very hard to leave the good behind and start climbing the mountain of God to achieve eternal success and fruit that abides. It is possible that you have compromised the highest calling from God, that you have silently rejected it. God does not force anyone to answer His call. If any man rejects God’s highest best, he shall have some level of peace in this life as a believer, but regrets and frustrations shall be his constant companions. There is a price to pay for total fulfillment which is found in Christ alone. If you meet any person who is totally happy and satisfied, serving God, that one met God’s conditions for divine success. It does not happen just by ‘hard work’ or by ‘getting old’…
Climbing the holy mountain starts with prayer for revival. God answers prayers but He always answers desperate prayers in Jesus name. You need to reject the spiritual passivity that has enveloped your soul. Your friends may think that to be lukewarm is fashionable. But it makes Jesus ‘sick’!
Cry to God for His mercy! Promise that you shall pay the price for a greater passion for Jesus! Vow to give Him all the glory for your progress! If your church is not a living church, then go away and find another! ‘Throw the ball back’ to God! Then go back to your foundation! Start afresh, read the Bible, fast and pray. There is no other simpler way. Then flesh will slowly die and the spirit in you shall be revived. I pray that God will grant a new hunger for Jesus in your heart!
As for me, I am ahead of you, follow my foot steps, as I follow the ones of my Master…It is time to climb up!

“I am dark but beautiful,
O women of Jerusalem—
dark as the tents of Kedar,
dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents…
Don’t stare at me because I am dark—
the sun has darkened my skin.
My brothers were angry with me;
they forced me to care for their vineyards,
so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.
Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today?

Where will you rest your sheep at noon?
For why should I wander like a prostitute
among your friends and their flocks?

If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman,
follow the trail of my flock
and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents” (Song 1:5-8)

Love in Christ alone
Malia”

“Pride leads to disgrace…to conflict… Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall” (PV 11:2; 13:10; 16:18)

Pride is not easy to define. It means to be over-satisfied with your person, with your looks, position, gifts, success, possessions or knowledge. It means to be overly self-conscious. It is a sinful, distorted and wicked ‘happiness’ at the expense of all.

It is the most difficult sin to identify and to repent of. It is hidden behind other sins. Pride is the root, the master of all sins. Long ago, the devil, which was once called Lucifer, became proud and fell from his exalted position as a heavenly cherub.

It is said that the proud man is the last one to know that he is proud. Others see his pride but he still thinks himself as humble. Religious pride is the ugliest of all. It is only the Holy Spirit who is able to identify pride as sin behind other sins. True repentance and godly sorrow is necessary. But for these to be real, pride, sin has to be seen as it really is- an offence against God. For example, an adulterer may repent of sexual sins. But he has to go deeper and repent also of pride, which lead him to adultery. If not, his repentance is too superficial to produce fruit to God’s glory.

The following words describe pride in other ways: selfish happiness, selfish ambition, self-confidence and self –satisfaction. The danger of pride increases with visible success in life. Pride is very ugly.  It makes you look artificial and fake. Proud people create divisions among friends, they love to quarrel and oppress others. Soon people will reject you. But humility makes you look simple, real and friendly.

Pride manifest in boasting, self-pity, anxiety and doubt. It leads to disgrace and confusion. Proud men hide their fears and ignorance behind over confident looks. A proud man is always attacked by unexplained anxiety. Like a worm quietly eating at his stomach, anxiety is his constant companion. You shall know that you have been humbled when anxiety, the fear of the unknown has totally disappeared from your heart! Amen!

Why do you desire to go on the reckless, dangerous path of disgrace and destruction? Are you not tired of so many falls; of making so many unnecessary mistakes that draw you back in life? Come to Jesus! Pray to God! The Cross will do its work! Once the process the humiliation has been perfected, you shall have peace beyond understanding. Then you shall be safely ‘promoted’! Humble people make fast progress for God’s favor is with them.

“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels” (St. Augustine)

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I humble myself for Christ sake!

In due time God shall lift me up!

I humble myself so that blessings and peace shall rest upon my family!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church…” (Eph 5:25)

“Would you bow with me?
And as we bow before the Lord I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are those of you in this room right here today who have said, “I am done.”
My prayer for you today is that you would readjust your focus, readjust your gaze and gaze upon the majesty and magnificence of Christ. You have not worshiped Him enough for who He is and for what He has done in your life. He has redeemed you from the pit. He has satisfied your soul. His divine power has given you everything you need for life and godliness. And yet you have chosen to focus your gaze on the imperfections of your spouse, who was never intended to be perfect.
Don’t you dare walk away! Don’t you dare give up! Don’t you dare lose hope! Don’t you dare because to do so is not just a rejection of your spouse here on earth, but it is a rejection of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ who, in case you were wondering, laid down His life for his bride when she was still yet an adulteress and is in the process of sanctifying her, though she still from time to time wanders off pursuing other lovers. He shed his blood for her. He is seated at the right hand of the Father forever making intercession for her and He is going to come back for her, not to condemn her, but to embrace her and to bring her into Himself, into his bosom, to carry her off to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Not because she is worthy and she has satisfied Him in every regard, but in spite of the fact that she is not and she cannot.
She is precious to Him, not because of what she provides to Him, but in spite of what she cannot provide to Him. He makes her precious because of the price He pays.
Oh, God, don’t miss this! Don’t miss this! Don’t you dare miss this! Don’t you dare miss the One who loves you beyond your ability to comprehend it…

Father, as we bow before You we recognize, acknowledge and confess our unworthiness. We also recognize and confess our utter hypocrisy in being a spouse who is unworthy and yet at the same time being on the verge of rejecting a spouse who is unworthy. May we fix our gaze upon the magnificence and the majesty of Christ trusting You to work in us both to will and to do your good pleasure…We want to obey You, not out of fear or out of pride, but out of gratitude to the One who redeemed us from the pit.
Help us to hear and to heed what You say to us today and bring glory to Yourself through our lives. We pray in the name of the Magnificent One, the Majestic One, the Bridegroom, the Lover of our souls who died to redeem us and lives to reclaim us.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.
Amen”

(From a wonderful sermon by Rev. Voddie Baucham, Grace Family Baptist Church, Houston Tx)

“Truly God is good to Israel,

    to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

    my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…

But for me it is good to be near God…” (Ps 73)

After a long and needed rest in the house of God we are ready to move on to higher grounds. From now on, the attacks will become more personal. The devil will send ‘a designer’ demon against each pilgrim. None can hide in the crowd. You must pass thru the fire that purifies your faith. Nobody can help. You must do it alone. Remember, it is Jesus who called us up! We are tied together with ropes of loving-kindness. Each one must be responsible and helpful, watchful and patient. The gains ahead are beyond words to describe. There shall be not only an improvement of your life as it is now, but a great change in its quality. The lesson today is this: obey the truth! Avoid the evil trap of doubt planted to make you stumble! So, let’s go!

‘What is truth?’ –asked Pilate?

The truth is this: GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!

The rich young ruler called Jesus ‘Good Teacher…’ He was rebuked for speaking words without understanding. Jesus said to him: ‘No one is good-except God alone!’ (Lk 18:18-19). We need a fresh revelation of the Person of God, the Holy Spirit, not only of His gifts! Any goodness in man comes only from God, as a proof of intimate, established and fruitful relationship.

God is good! Such a simple revelation…But it is still so hard to believe it… So many stumble…Each step up the mountain requires total trust that God is indeed a good Person. Believe that He who called you higher is always faithful and good!

The word ‘good’ in Hebrew is a very powerful, precious and active one. It means good, better and best in the same time. It also means favor, prosperity and sweet pleasure. This describes someone attractive, loyal, trustworthy, kind, skillful and fertile.

If God is so good, then why do we struggle so much in believing the truth? The first reason is that we are not yet mature spiritually. When things get hard, doubt resident in the flesh starts grumbling. In the wilderness the people of God complained again and again doubting the goodness of God. .Even Jeremiah thought that God has ‘deceived’ him into ministry. The Bible raises our expectations concerning our blessings from God. As sinners we had no hope of any inheritance from heaven. But now, we are told that we are kings and priests. We start to imagine golden palaces and exotic temples.  This is the result of a fleshly, wild and un-sanctified imagination.  For a long time we do not know how to control or restrain that. I find myself dreaming and claiming all the gold of the streets of heaven and the pearls at the gates. Then I look around and see myself in a cheap apartment I call my home on earth, I can’t put them together…I feel disappointed and start to blame God…

Another reason why we struggle to believe that God is good it is because we foolishly compare ourselves with others. We see them having a ‘better life’ than ours. It is even more painful when the wicked prosper. The word ‘prosperity’ in Hebrew is ‘Shalom’. This is one of the personal names of God. We see our enemies getting richer and stronger. They are proud, violent and loud. We feel jealous and bitter. We end up feeling betrayed by God. Without a good explanation why the ungodly prosper, we start blaming God for partiality and wickedness. The great Oswald Chambers said that ‘we are always suspicious of God’. We are addicted to doubt concerning God’s character and His hidden motives. This secret sin is like leprosy; it weakens our life, worship and commitment. When things get a little bit difficult we quickly jump at the conclusion that God does not care, that He is not fair. We tend to forget that behind this wicked stronghold of doubt is the same devil that deceived Eve long ago.

So what is the solution? It is good to draw near God!” Cultivate the presence of the Holy Spirit! Go back to the Bible! You cannot find the truth outside the Word of God. Pastors preach and elders counsel. But nothing can replace the daily quiet time, to study God’s Word! Pray always! Then come to church. Listen to the preaching of the Word. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary. Many have found peace within its walls. Pray about your questions. You shall see the ‘end of the wicked’…You will never envy them again!  Confront and reject your doubts! Do not spread them! Disgrace your fears! Do not boast about them! The Christian life is by faith alone. What do you lose if you believe? There are times in which you have to close your eyes and your ears. Be blind and deaf to all that is not of God. Reject gossip and tales! Be honest with God and with yourself! Draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you! Pay the price for intimacy with God. Be satisfied with your portion and inheritance in Christ! I promise you: Jesus is the best Friend you can ever have, kind and faithful, wonderful beyond description and worthy of all your trust!

In Christ I declare:

God is good to me and to my family!

All the time!

I believe 100%!

I will never doubt this truth!

In Jesus name,

Amen!