Concept 6 - the Cross before the Throne

The letter to the church at Pergamum sets the stage for our next concept. These Christians did not deny Jesus’ name during persecution (their personal cross), so their enemy came in subtler ways. He “sweetened the pot”, so to speak, making compromise and infiltration of false teachings look better than the pure word of God.

Jesus’ description of coming as a “double-edged sword” (Rev 2:12) sets the precedence for dealing with words. He is separating the truth from falsehood, and true ministers from false.

The first false teaching Jesus deals with are those of Balaam. Peter tells us that Balaam “loved the wages of wickedness” (2 Pet 2:15). Those who can gain through compromise will look for sweet deals, if they are not fully sold-out to Jesus.

The second false teaching that Jesus deals with are the Nicolaitans’, who taught people to compromise with the unbelievers around them, even to the point of immorality. They believed that their spiritual liberty allowed fellowship with unbelievers and uncensored (by the Holy Spirit) behavior. Those who can experience the old “sweets” of the flesh and sin will follow this line of teaching, if they do not follow Jesus whole-heartedly.

Men have always tried to find a way around personally bearing a cross in their own lives. Few would follow Christ if they knew that His image in them would bring them to the cross before they sat on His throne. The 6th concept is this; that in a believer’s life, the cross comes before the throne. Jesus’ own followers fully expected Jesus to set up a kingdom on this earth in which He would rule with them (Lk 19:11). They could not have foreseen the crucifixion. So it is with us, that we fully expect in this life to rule and reign with Christ, not fully grasping that we will have a personal cross to bear first.

The more we grow in Christ’s likeness, the more able we are to bear our cross. Our crosses lead us towards overcoming, and a seat next to Jesus on His throne, in this life. It is here where we rule and reign with Christ. The false teachings lead us to false gain and a life of empty fulfillment of the desires of the flesh.

Remember, Jesus divided the words that the church at Pergamum was teaching with His sword. Therefore, for the overcomer, His reward is pure teachings, (hidden manna), personal purity (white stone) and a new name (often the mark of promotion given to a victor). Truly the marred image of Christ will become our inner riches as we grow more like Him, and our crosses will give way to our seat on His throne. Amen. What a glory to look forward to. Amen.

Concept 5 - The first & Last; Authenticity

Jesus said to the church at Smyrna “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” (Rev 2:8)

It may seem obvious to you that, for God to be God, He had to exist first, and will live way beyond our years. But there is more to this saying; being “first and last”. This phrase is used twice in Isaiah (44:6 & 48:12), and each time it is in the context of a treatise wherein the Lord argues the case of His Lordship with a people who are worshipping idols (Is 48:5), and who think that they themselves are the origins of God’s thoughts and words (Is 48:7). In saying that He is the first and the last, God is stating that He is the legitimate and authentic God. There is no other beside Him, and men did not create Him.

In stating that He is the “First and the Last”, Jesus is setting down the concept of His authenticity, and states the proof; He was raised from the dead. Though He is dealing with both authentic Christians and people who are not what they say, the main concept here is more than authenticity; it is about how an authentic Christian will be like Jesus in both living, and in dying.

True Christians will suffer persecution like Jesus did (Jn 15:20). As Jesus was being crucified he said to the women who wept for Him, “For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Lk 23:31). Jesus knows that persecution is hard. Persecution separates true Christians from those who would use God for what He can give them.

In the parable of the Sower and the Seeds, Jesus pointed out that some hearts are like rocky places; there isn’t enough good soil for the word’s roots to take hold. When persecution comes because of the word, that heart will become offended at the word, and the person will fall away (Mt 13:21). So, some Christians will treasure the word of God, even in persecution, and others will not. The letter to the Smyrnan church was a word to two kinds of Christians; authentic ones, who would never taste of the second death (in other words, they would also be resurrected, like Jesus was; see Rev 20:6) and those who were not authentic.

The word “Christian” means “Christ-like”. If we determine to be like Him in both life, and in death, we will never taste of the second death. We will be legitimate heirs of Christ, symbolized by the crown of Life.  Amen.

Concept 4 - The Right to Eat of the Tree of Life

To each of the seven churches, Jesus promised a reward to the overcomer.  In this lesson we will look at the reward that the overcomer in their church was promised; the “right to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Rev 2:7)

Adam and Eve were the first people who had the right to partake of the tree of life. When they disobeyed God, they were prevented from ever eating of that tree again, (Gen 3:22) for their disobedience had disqualified them.

In Ezekiel we read again about trees whose fruit was for food, and leaves for healing. These trees were eternal; their leaves and fruit never failed (Ez 47:12). The trees were nurtured from the river of Life, which came from the sanctuary. We see a glimpse in this vision of the tree of life mentioned at the end of Revelation, on either side of the river of God, and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:2). God is promising restoration of Man’s broken relationship with God, back to the fellowship and fruitful eternal life that Adam and Eve shared with Him in the Garden of Eden.

The promise of a fruitful life and eternal life, one in which ministry can bring healing to others, is made possible through Jesus Christ’s atonement on the cross. Though made possible, we still run the risk of disqualifying ourselves by the same means as Adam and Eve; through disobedience. Why is our obedience to God so important? Because it is the manifestation of our love.

John writes that “If anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in Him” (1 Jn 2:5). Here we see the coupling of love and obedience. The only way we will bear fruit in our lives is to let Jesus’ words have their place of obedience in us (Jn 15:7). That obedience is a love-born act, and sets us into the relationship we covet with the Father and the Son (Jn 15:10). It is because Jesus taught obedience to the Word that He then comes in Revelation to speak about disobedience and disqualification. But because He is the Word, Jesus also holds out the remedy for disobedience. He offers each church healing from those ways which would disqualify them, for He covets a relationship based in love with us all.

Without accepting the concept that our love-motivated obedience qualifies us to eat from the tree of life, the rest of Revelation makes little sense. It is Jesus’ love that caused Him to reach out to the seven churches with the very healing they needed in order to continue in Him. Those that think they are in Christ and will always be in God’s good graces may not see the flame of love grow cold in their hearts. Let us listen to God’s words, and obey them, letting love grow within, for God covets to share eternal life with us. Amen.

Concept 3 - First Love

“Yet I hold this against you; you have forsaken your first love.” (Rev 2:4) The 3rd concept is the love which first indwells God’s people, for Him. The Lord was careful to attribute the church at Ephesus’ works and virtues to them, however, these can become religious acts without maintaining love. Once love goes, and religion takes its place, the motive for all we do changes.

In the Old Testament we find the concept of first love in Jeremiah; “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved Me and followed Me through the desert, through a land not sown.” (Jer 2:2) One definition of devotion is that it is the most intimate degree of loyalty, love and faithfulness that can exist between two people.

Devoted love causes a young bride to follow her husband, no matter what the hardships. Because Israel strayed in her heart after idols, she lost her place as God’s wife. If we, as God’s church, go after works, recognition, or other things that become our objects of affection, eventually He will remove our lampstand. It is not our works that give us a secure place before God, but our love of Him. He seeks a holy relationship, not a list of deeds. Amen.

Concept 2 - the double-edged sword

Revelation Concept 2 – the sharp double-edged sword


Yesterday I wrote about the lampstands being a symbol of God’s word bringing His Light to Men. This is embodied in our Lord Jesus Christ. This lesson is about the double-edged sword in Jesus’ mouth.

“And out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.” (Rev 1:16).

Our first reference to the sword being in a person’s mouth is found in Isaiah and is a statement about the Lord’s servant. God makes his mouth like a sword (Is 49:2). This is a prophecy about Jesus, whose words divide. He said about Himself, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Mt 10:34) Jesus did not bring a physical sword, but a spiritual one, and it came through His words. Jesus’ ministry to man was one of separating the truth from error, and light from darkness.

The nature of the sword is revealed in the book of Hebrews. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Heb 4:12-13).

The sword in Jesus’ mouth represents the words He speaks and the Spirit He speaks by. It is the spoken word coupled with God’s Spirit, and thereby is a two-edged sword. Because we must give account to God, His Son is preparing us by His words to be in the best place possible. It is not coincidence that Hebrews also contains this warning four times; “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Heb 4:7). It is important that we listen. In each letter to the seven churches in Revelation Jesus admonishes us to listen, saying “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (the first is Rev 2:7).

Knowing the significance of the sword, or words from Jesus’ mouth, and that His words have the power to set us in the right place (spiritually) before God, sets the purpose of the content of Revelation: God is restoring His people, and preparing a Bride for His Son. That is the power of the Word coupled with the Spirit of God. This is the face of God’s revival . . . His renewal for His church: restoration to Him. God desires a relationship with His people based on His nature and our recreated selves. He is not coming again to bring an experience or a feeling, but to include those that listen and obey into His kingdom.

Each letter to the churches in Revelation contains advice on how they can be set in the best possible place before God, and how they can avoid losing their spiritual inheritance. Jesus is “He who searches hearts and minds, and (He) will repay each of (us) according to our deeds.” (Rev 2:23) Since we seek after His reward, and an eternal relationship with the Father and Son, Let us listen, and implement God’s words to us today. Amen.

Concept 1 from Revelation - lampstands

Concept 1 from Revelation - lampstands

We are going to take a look at concepts in the Book of Revelation. The first one is the seven golden lampstands, fashioned in appearance to look like olive branches.

“I turned around to see who was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone ‘like a son of man’ . . .” (Rev 1:12-13a)

Why was Jesus amongst the lampstands? God instructed Moses that the temple should have lampstands to “light the space in front of it” (Ex 25:37). The first use of the lampstand was to provide a setting for light.

Besides bringing physical light, the light symbolizes insight. Light means understanding and guidance (Ps 119:105). God brings His people out of darkness by His light. The Lampstands, therefore symbolized God’s provision for Man’s understanding and guidance.

The Lord showed Zechariah a vision wherein he saw “a solid gold lampstand” and two olive trees. (Zec 4:2-3). When he asked the angel what the lampstand and two olive trees meant, he was told “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel ; ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Again, the lampstand was providing a setting for light, but this time it was for spiritual light. The lampstand held the light, provided for by the flow of oil, or the Word of the Lord coupled with His Spirit. The second use of the lampstand was to provide spiritual light by providing a setting for both the flow of oil, and the fire.

In the New Testament we see that Jesus is the light (Jn 1:9). “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Jn 3:19) The Light does more than give understanding and guidance: it divides those who love evil from those who love God (vs 20).

Though, in our times, many ministers want to focus on the power of the Holy Spirit, the concept of the lampstands is summed up as this: the flow of the Holy Spirit is found in the Word of God, which keeps the Church’s lamps lit. God’s Word coupled with His Spirit keeps us afire, not His power. Though we would make a mistake to separate God’s Words from His Spirit, we would also make a mistake to elevate the power of God’s Spirit above His Words.

The purpose of using the lampstand, therefore, is to present Jesus as the Light of the world to the churches, some of whom have grown in darkness. By the very nature of Him being Light, division will occur and some who claim to be Christians will fall away. Yet, as we see, Jesus’ Words hold the answers to all who want to overcome their darkness and remain with Him. Jesus was amongst the lampstands because they are His light to the world. Amen.

Interpretation

Interpretation

Since 1971 the Lord has given me prophetic dreams. Sometimes I would awake with the meaning already given to me. But most times the purpose of the dream and the interpretation of the symbolism would come after a period of prayer. I learned that, to open the dreams up to my understanding, I needed a key. The key was a concept found in scripture. The Word of Wisdom would come at some point to tell me of the purpose of the dream, and the Spirit of Revelation would reveal the meaning of the symbols.


As my skills of interpretation grew, the Lord entrusted me to interpret other’s dreams. The Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge and Prophecy would bring forward any instruction or advice, just as they had done for me after interpreting my own dreams.

In the 1990s the Lord began having me read the book of Revelation. Though I formerly had steered clear of this book, He chose to instruct me in it. This book contains the words of Jesus to His Church, and the Lord reminded me that whoever “keeps the words of the prophecy of this book is blessed” (Rev 22:7). How can we “keep” what we do not read? And so I began reading the book of Revelation.

I found the Lord ministering to me much the same as He did when seeking Him for understanding a dream.  Many things written in Revelation are scriptures from the Old and New Testament and contain concepts represented by symbolism and allegory.  Jesus is speaking to us “figuratively”.  In the gospel of John we find this quote from Him; “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no long use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about My Father.” (Jn 16:25) When Jesus lived on the earth, He expounded on many scriptures, applying them to people’s lives. Only Jesus, the Word of God, can take the figurative and make it plain.

Jesus is the Word of God (Rev 19:13). The concept of Jesus being the Word of God also comes at the beginning of the Gospel of John (Jn 1: 1-2, 14). Revelation is a book spoken by this same Word of God, Jesus. It cannot be understood by isolating it, but by laying these words alongside every other word He spoke. As God is One, so is our collection of the scriptures, our Bible, one.  Without finding God’s purposes, and understanding the concepts He is using, we err in looking at symbolism to interpret Revelation.

I’d like to encourage you to read from the Book of Revelation. My prayer is that you gain understanding, and then you will be blessed in keeping His Words.

 Amen.

Understanding and Wisdom

The Bible is full of more than information. God seeks to bring us understanding, and thereby from understanding, wisdom will come. He knows that we get confused and wants to help birth wisdom from those things that we find strange. A good example of this is trials, which at the time we suffer them, seem to make no sense at all. Let’s look at the topic of trials, and how God brings wisdom in the midst of them.


First, Job lays down a foundation for us. He suffered a great trial and shared this; “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28) Respecting God and what He is doing are the ground rules of understanding the trials that come into our lives and gaining wisdom from them. Not seeking after the world’s comforts or evil sets us on the path towards understanding.

Peter also wrote to Christians about this common phenomena of trials in order to bring understanding to his brethren. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Pet 4:12) Men think that “something strange” is happening when difficulties and evils enter their lives. In fact, in men’s wisdom, they try to plan their lives so that these things won’t happen. Many covet riches because money will greatly reduce the risks of bad outcomes in this life. Such is the wisdom of men.

Peter knew that God’s wisdom is not the same as men’s, and that trials weren't a strange occurance. After bringing understanding about trials, he shared his wisdom on how to experience them. “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Rejoice that you partake in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed (1 Pet 4:13-14).

Though we count ourselves blessed if we have a nice life, and plan it to be so, God sees things differently. If, in all our wisdom, we plan and implement a life without trials (or very few), we will not really be blessed, for this world cannot offer us the kingdom of God, neither will we overcome our enemy in order to rule and reign with Christ.

But, in this life, if we submit to our trials with the understanding that they are part of our walk with God, then we will walk in wisdom, to the end that we overcome, and rule and reign with Christ. This may appear to be a shabby and poorly constructed life to those who value what the world has to give them, but it is a life full of riches for those who trust their lives unto the Lord.

The riches and ease of this world bring dullness to the spirits of men and cause them to become lukewarm. Jesus counsels us “buy from Me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich.” (Rev 3:18) The same fiery ordeals that try us, purify our faith. “These (trials) have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1Pet 1:70).

We may not understand our trials, but God will bring wisdom out of them, and purify our faith. Trust in Him, for the Lord has His eye on sharing glory with us, and we will not be ashamed. Amen.

Our Lives As God Sees Them

Men do not always see God’s people the way God sees them. What they find weak may actually be strength, and what they see as foolish may be God’s wisdom.


Men esteemed Jesus poorly. Isaiah writes “We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted” (Is 53:4). If the Son of God can be misread, surely this will happen to us as well.

We are called to make sacrifices in this life so that others will benefit. Our lives may look foolish, but in God’s hands they are full of power . . . Power unto salvation for those to whom we lay down our lives.

Though some may think God is against us, even judging us, they are seeing as the world does (2 Cor 5:16). Crucifixion may look costly to them, but for we who are sacrificing, it releases the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Cor 2:14-16). Lest we become convinced by the estimation of the worldly, we need to see our lives through God’s eyes. The personal pain in our lives, the inconveniences and frustrations, will lead to a bountiful harvest one day. Though we walk in crucifixion today, we will walk in resurrection power tomorrow. Though men may despise your life, do not follow their lead, for in you is Life. Amen.

God does not have a retaliatory nature

When we are having trials and suffer disappointments in our lives, it is often difficult to resolve within ourselves why these things happen. At times like these it helps to read about God’s nature. In today’s lesson we will look at His nature through the eyes of Moses, for God revealed His glory to His friend (Ex 33:11).


“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming the ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation’.” (Ex 34:5-7)

As we read the history of God’s walk with His people, we see His long-suffering, forgiveness, and pain over the rejection by those He loved. Yet, by His very description of Who He is, God is not retaliatory. He did not cause suffering and calamity at every opportunity when His people sinned. Neither does He today.

I am surprised at the popular advice of the teachers who cause Christians to believe that their every sadness is due to some disappointment they have caused God, or that the tragedies in their lives are from some personal sin. They have failed to see that the One Who was perfect also suffered, and had tragedy in His life.

We make a mistake in looking at part of God’s nature and ignoring the rest. Some read only the last sentence in God’s revelatory statement to Moses (Ex 34:7). Because they think that God will bring misery for their every error and misdeed, they exhaust themselves trying to be perfect. When the next sorrow comes, they blame God for being unfair. And this is where the enemy wants us; frustrated and angry with God for not making our lives come out “right.” Our bad attitude becomes the perfect smoke screen for what all that satan is doing in our lives.

There are other forces at work in our lives besides God. If this seems unfair, then consider how many times Jesus addressed satan’s work on this earth. Jesus did not blame God for the inconveniences in His life, nor expect to have a “good outcome” according to the standards of Man. He was familiar with the life of the Spirit, where the hand of His Father worked in unseen ways. Jesus trusted God, His Father, and did not see personal disappointments or sorrows as punishment from Him. Why should we?

It should be no surprise to us that God knows we are not perfect. He is, therefore, long-suffering towards us. If He were retaliatory, as some men think, then who would He have left to love Him? It is God’s nature to limit His anger and bring healing; He doesn’t want the people He created to become faint-hearted (Is 57:16). Since we have this example in the Old Testament, why then would He retaliate each time we erred now?

It is difficult for us to conceive of God being both disappointed in our behavior, and still loving us. Perhaps we fail to see the value of Jesus continuing on as our High Priest in intercession for us personally. “Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Heb 7:25) As long as we believe God’s nature is like ours, we will fail to grasp the complexity of Who He is, and the great provision for us that continues daily.

God is anything but retaliatory. Let us look upon His goodness today, and if there be any bitterness against Him, repent. He will forgive and restore us. As for the sorrows in our lives, they will come as long as we live in a fallen world ruled by a fallen prince. Let us hasten the day of Jesus’ reign with prayers, worship, and lives lived in trust of the One who continually saves us. Amen.

Knowing God

I felt led to share a word from 9/11/2006.  It holds timeless truthes, and although lengthy, you will find many nuggets of truth.  Blessings,  Helen

We see God through the things He says and does. As people created in His image, we want to relate to Him through the ways we know Him about Him. His Word tells us that knowledge of His glory will one day cover the earth like the waters cover the seas (Hab 2:14). It’s God intention that He give us this knowledge. He daily gives us messages, or manna, to teach us His ways. This Word is revealed to our spirits by the Holy Spirit and causes the listener to know a little more about God each day.




Besides being instructed in God’s character, we are instructed in God’s ways. He involves us in works, which He has predestined for us to walk in (Eph 2:10). To find these works, we need to know where He wants us to go. We need signposts along the road to mark the validity of our way and tell us when to turn. God provides both instruction and direction in the messages He gives us daily. These prepare us to be more like His character, and to find the works we are to do in our lives. In order for us to know how to relate to God we study His Word. In order to know how to relate to the events in our lives, we study His Word also; His daily revealed Word.



God’s daily revealed Word prepares us. You might say that it is like the day of Preparation which the Hebrews observed before the Sabbath. It’s our Friday. In Hebrews 3 and 4 we read about the Sabbath rest which God appointed to His children. The admonition is, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Heb 3:15). His voice, and obedience to what He tells us, is the preparation for entering His rest.



God’s intention is to teach us His ways and His Character. He wants to bring us understanding, wisdom, and discernment from the everyday events in our lives. To gain understanding from an event, we need to know how to relate it to what God has already taught us. What we know is a frame of reference for what we are learning. In order for God, as our Father, to teach us discernment and understanding, He first must give us a framework, constructed of pieces of knowledge. All abstract concepts need a framework, a setting by which we gain understanding. And anything unknown remains abstract until we can know and utilize it.



Jesus pointed out to the Hebrew leaders of His day that they knew how to interpret the appearance of the sky in order to have understanding of the weather (Mt 16:2-4). But they did not know how to interpret the signs of the times; Jesus, their Messiah was in their midst. Why didn’t they know what His appearing meant? They had missed the messages, the Voice of God, which were the components of the framework God had been sending them.



The Jewish leaders had not been prepared during their day of preparation. This was evidenced when Jesus said that they were a “wicked and adulterous generation”. They did not have the preparation that their Father sent them; repentance. John went to this generation as a fore-runner to prepare the way of the Lord by bringing the message of repentance, and they had not truly heard him. So they had no understanding by which to interpret Jesus’ appearing.



Frameworks are built a component at a time. It is line upon line, and precept upon precept (Is 28:10). Each message, or lesson, builds with the others and they relate to each other. The result allows one to see how things in our lives correlate to His Word, and we gain understanding of the overall lesson God is trying to teach us.



Let us look at Isaiah 28 again. The prophet is telling the Israelites that they did not learn line upon line, precept upon precept. Therefore, God was going to speak to them “with foreign lips”, or in a way they did not understand. This happens to us as children in school. If we have not done our math homework, we find that we have little understanding of the next day’s lesson. We might say “It’s Greek to me”, or that it’s as if the teacher were speaking in another language.



In verse 12 of Isaiah 28 the Lord gives the Israelites the framework by which to understand their lesson. He tells them that they are in His resting place. The problem was that they did not listen. And the result was that God’s messages did not become a framework by which they could gain understanding; the messages therefore became a snare which captured them for judgment (vs 13). The Israelites had taken the message of being God’s chosen people as one of security, bringing a permanent position before God and man, and eternal life. Somehow, though, they had not understood justice and righteousness to be a part of this framework. The One God was bringing would institute these missing components. Jesus would put the pieces of the framework back together again.



If we look back at the passage in Matthew 16 we read Jesus’ warning that the Jewish leaders sought a sign. People who don’t do their homework are lost in a math class, and people who follow God can become lost if they do not obey the former lesson He has sent them by His Voice. Sometimes the lost ones even doubt that the Teacher knows what He is doing. Lost people need signs because they have no sense of direction. When Christians lose their sense of direction they’ve often missed what God has been saying “little-by-little” (see Is. 28). All those messages that would have formed a framework for their life were not listened to. Therefore they are not formed by the Word of God into His image, neither do they know how to relate to the circumstances of their lives.



These lost people tend to wait on other people to tell them what to do. Coincidences become signs, and they are tossed on the ocean of their lives behind every vessel that passes by. It doesn’t have to be this way. If a man would hold as valuable each Word God speaks to him and obey it, he would be prepared by the framework these words form. He would gain understanding of the times and appearance of things. He would “see” the works of the Father and know what to do. And He would understand that it is God’s nature to give him knowledge, therefore he can trust God to provide the knowledge he needs to walk through this life, doing the works he was predestined to do. It is God’s nature to prepare His people. This is our day of preparation, our Friday. If we listen and obey, we will walk in all His ways. Amen.

God Likes to Redeem

God likes to redeem. He takes situations we’re ashamed of and brings His glory. When we hang our head and have no hope of things getting better, God has another plan.


In the Old Testament , women who were fruitful bore children, and women who were barren were unable to conceive. For a woman to be barren was a shame. Yet God chose barren women to bare some important men of faith. Sarah was unable to conceive until her old age, when God “did for Sarah what He had promised” and she became pregnant with Isaac (Gen 21:1-3). Rachael was unable to conceive until God opened her womb (Gen 30:22) and she bore Joseph and Benjamin. In similar manner the Lord “remembered” Hannah, and she bore Samuel (1 Sam 1:19-20). And in the New Testament we read that Elizabeth was barren into her old age, when the Lord chose her to bear John the Baptist (Luk 1:5-25). God redeemed the hopelessness of these barren women and gave them children.

God chooses unlikely people for His works . . . men and women whom others would not hold in high esteem. Gideon was such a man, hiding wheat from his enemies so that his own family could eat. The Lord sent an angel to Gideon, who called him a “mighty warrior.”(Jud 6:12). Though Gideon saw himself as the weakest of the weak, God chose him to deliver Israel from their enemies. The Lord not only redeemed Gideon’s life, but the whole nation benefited from conquering their enemies.

God’s plans are big. When we receive His promise, it is not just for ourselves. He waters the barren landscape of our lives so that we can be fruitful and produce saviors. With His provision, our works will glorify God.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up: do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor Me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise.” (Is 43:19-21)."

God knows that the desert wasteland is a discouraging place for His people. Left to ourselves, we become wild, having lost sight of His purposes for our lives. But He will bring His streams into our dry experience, that we might be fruitful in praise. Let us remember that God created us for Himself, and He will not forget all His promises to us. In the appointed time He will redeem our situation, fulfilling His promises and causing us to bear his fruit. He will raise up saviors amongst us (Ob 1:21) for the benefit of His people.

Would it be unusual for God to choose you? Do you seem unqualified in your own eyes? It may be a new thing for you to serve Him in the capacity to which you were called, but take comfort. It is not a new thing for God, our Redeemer.

Press On

Words are powerful. They bring us hope when we feel lost, and start a process in us of looking forward. However, as powerful as the beginning of this process is, we become stuck if we stand on words alone. Past mistakes, errors and sins creep into our minds to overpower us.


Feelings are powerful. When God sheds His love in our hearts then we know what true love really is. This begins a process in us whereby we know how to relate to others. However, if we stand on this feeling alone, it’s memory wanes in the face of our fiery trials.

The Apostle Paul found that the way to a changed life was to move forward, and away from the past. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13b-14)

The mind needs to forget, and find new hope in pressing forward. The heart needs to live the love that dwells inside it. The prize of a new life awaits those who continually step forward. Amen.