Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, have I redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell everyone that I have redeemed you! For there is no other God- there never has been, and there never will be. I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Remember that no one can snatch you out of My hand. No one can undo what I have done. I alone-will blot out your sins, and will never think of them again.

 

When you feel that all hope is gone – take courage and believe in Me. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you because you are precious to Me. You are honored by Me and I love you. You have been chosen to know Me, believe in Me – that I alone am God; your God. Therefore, do not be afraid; for I have proclaimed My purpose for you long ago.

 

When you cry, “LORD, help!” I will save you from your distress, and I will lead you. When My children understand this they will have great joy. Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will look back and see My faithful love through it all.

 

Those who refuse My salvation have burdened Me with their sins. Who but a fool would make his own god- that cannot help him one bit? Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. Oh, that these people would turn to Me, for I have paid the price to set them free.

 

Lord, my heart is confident in You. All human help is useless. Only with Your help can I persevere and do mighty things.

Relationships – Chapter 3

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Why Relationships are Important – Part 2

 

Three very important promises are given in Matthew 18. Any promise of God is important, but when I look at these three in particular I realize that these are things that we need to pay careful attention to.

 

Matthew 18:18-20 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

 

The whole 18th chapter of Matthew is talking about relationships.  If we are going to live in a community (and the church is a community) then this is the chapter that we should pay careful attention to.

 

Matthew 18:15-17 talks about the need for reconciliation.  Verses 21 to the end of the chapter are talking about perpetual forgiveness. However, what is interesting is that between verse 17 and verse 21 we have verses 18-20.  The question that comes to my mind is: Why did the Holy Spirit insert these three verses between reconciliation and forgiveness in the context of our relationships with one another in this community that we call the church?

 

These three verses are ‘conditional’ promises. The condition is whether reconciliation as well as forgiveness is taking place so that we might claim these powerful promises.

 

The first promise in verse 18 is talking about the power to bind and release. What are we to bind and release?  It would seem to me that we are to bind the enemy and release souls.  As Isaiah said: “Set the captives free.”  Isn’t this the task of the church?

 

When I think of the world that we live in, the task of the church is very clear. With the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist world we realize that many are locked in their religious prisons.  God said in Matthew 28 that all authority is given to us – to GO!  We have that authority, but it is conditional upon our relationships working right. Satan knows this and he will do everything in his power to stop us using broken relationships in the way.

 

The second promise is talking about collective prayer being answered. We all intellectually know that God answers prayer.  The question comes: Why don’t we have more prayer in our own individual lives as well as more collective prayer? I think one of the reasons for this is that prayer does not seem real to us. We do not pray because we do not see real answers to prayers, and the reason we do not see answers to prayer is because our relationships are not right.

 

Peter brings this out regarding the husband and wife relationship. 1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

 

What can hinder our prayers as husbands?  Not being in the right relationship with our wives.  Often Jesus said that when we stand praying and have something against our brother that we should first get it right with our brother, so that our Father in heaven might forgive us and our prayers not be hindered.  Scripture says that if I hide sin in my life the Lord will not hear me. Broken relationships keep the Lord from hearing us.

 

Lastly He brings out the promise of the Presence of the Lord.  When we are in right agreement with one another we find that God is there in our midst. The Psalmist tells us that in the Presence of the Lord there is joy and Nehemiah says the joy of the Lord is our strength.

 

I often find that people are emotionally run down and unable to rise up to do what should be done because they do not have any strength.  When I talk with them it often comes out that there is a broken relationship.  We all have experienced this and we all have felt its tremendous draining effect upon us. However, we also have sensed the joy when a relationship was worked out.  This is the Presence of the Lord. 

 

We often hear that we should live in His Presence, but what does this mean practically in everyday life?  I believe it means that my conscience is pure/clean before God and any other person – so that there are no broken relationships that were my responsibility to correct in God’s eyes.

 

Relationships are very important.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, I heard your president and your politicians speak, now let Me tell you what I think.

 

They speak with such arrogance. I’d like them to show Me what they can do so that everyone may consider the evidence. Let them tell what the future holds so that everyone can know what’s going to happen. Then everyone will know they have the power they so proudly imagine!

 

In fact, I’d like to see them do anything-do something that could amaze Me, but they can do nothing at all; the power that they think they have is less than nothing! Those who choose them to lead are polluted by their deceitful lies.

 

This is what I have to say to them: “You see and know what is right but you refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don’t really listen. Your legacy will be that you robbed, plundered, enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped your people. So hear the lessons of the past and see the ruin that awaits you in the future?”

 

I will not give My glory to anyone, nor share My praise. Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens. Since America has refused to turn from their sins, and have forgotten all of My many acts of kindness to them, I will give them what they asked for!

 

This nation sheds innocent blood by abortion and the land has become polluted with murder. America will now be ruled by those who hate them. I am allowing this so all who see this will understand what America has done, and against whom they have sinned. For they have refused to walk on My path, and therefore I will pour out My fury on them and destroy their pride. Yet! Even as I am destroying them they will refuse to understand.

 

Son, tell My children that they have followed My instructions, but not with all their heart; not as one. They must all open their eyes and turn from darkness, from the power of Satan. I am their only strength and hope. Then they will be given a place in My kingdom among My holy people, who have been set apart by faith in Me; changed by the good things they do, and speaking boldly for Me. In the coming days My children will be punished in public view to get them to curse My Name; the Name Jesus Christ. They will be pressed to deny Me altogether. But they must not cave in or I can’t help them!

 

I, the LORD, have called My children to demonstrate My righteousness. I will take them by the hand and guard them. So don’t be afraid or discouraged, for I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. Therefore, let the whole world know what I have done. Tell everyone about My wonderful deeds. Search for Me and for My strength, and continually seek Me. Remember the wonders I have performed, all of My miracles of old. Until the time comes to fulfill My promises I am testing your character.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, how will you answer when the people of the world ask you these questions?

 

“Who are you?” And after you answer them: “What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?” “When men rise up against you to distort the truth; what are you trusting in that makes you so confident that you have the truth?” “When a creditor has come to take what you have, or when someone comes to threaten you; what makes you think that the Lord can rescue you?” 

 

Son,  when I ask you to give to people so they can eat. What will you trust in to make you confident in giving?

 

Son, in the days ahead questions will come to My children more and more. Tribulation causes this and so My children must be prepared with answers; be strong and confident in knowing that I am coming soon. You must not shrink back from telling people what they need to hear; which is the Good News about My wonderful grace! I have entrusted this message to My children only, for they understand My grace; it has built them up and will give them an inheritance with all those I have set apart for Myself.

 

Lord, I know that when I cry out to You for help, You always answer me. You are the forgiving God. You have disciplined me when I went astray, so that I can walk on Your Highway of Holiness. No evil-minded person can travel on it. Only the redeemed; those who walk in Your ways will walk on it. Therefore, my life is worth nothing unless I use it to finish the work You assigned to me. Help me to be able to say, “I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault.”

 

Relationships – Chapter 2

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Why Relationships are Important – Part 1

There are two reasons why relationships are important when it comes to the Body of Christ.  The first one I would like to discuss in this chapter and the second one I will discuss in the next.

 

Relationships are important because of the Body of Christ.  Consider some of these verses:

 

1 Corinthians 12:12  “The body is a unit, though it is made up of  many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”

 

Ephesians 4:14-16  “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

 

John 17:22-23  (Jesus says) “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.”

 

If I understand Scripture properly, the Body of Christ functions according to how the interpersonal relationships are working.  If our relationships are not right with each other then the Body of Christ is not right. Broken relationships hinder growth more than anything else.

 

If one member is in disagreement with another so that they separate from one another, the Body hurts.  The analogy that Paul uses is that of a human body.  If one member of the body (let it be an arm, leg, foot, toe, finger, etc.) is hurting or not functioning the way it should, it hurts the entire body.

 

According to John 17:23,  Jesus said, “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

 

The word “complete” brings out the idea of perfecting one another.  In other words, I need my brother to help me to become complete in Christ. This is not something that I can do on my own.

 

Every day you and I allow evil things to come into our hearts. God brings this out through what the prophet Jeremiah spoke: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (17:9) I need my brother to help me see what is deceiving me so that it does not begin to produce any actions of evil.

 

For many years after I was saved I thought that I could personally push for maturity on my own since it seemed that the Body in Christ, in general, was not interested. It wasn’t until I got more involved with the O.M. ships’ ministry that I began to change my thinking and recognize that I needed my brothers and sisters in Christ in order to grow up in the Lord. If I am not growing then the Body of Christ is not growing. If the Body of Christ is not growing then I am not growing as a part of the Body.  Realizing this truth made me work harder using my spiritual gifts which have been given from God – for the common good of the Body of Christ; that it matures in Christ.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, how foolish people can be! They will never stop perverting the truth. They honor Me when they speak out loud for others to hear, but in their hearts there is no worship of Me. They try to live righteous lives in front of others, but make plans that are contrary to Mine. They tell My prophets to stop telling them that I am coming soon. “Don’t tell us what is right and true. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Tell us that it is okay to get off this narrow path of Holiness. Stop telling us about the Holy One.”

 

Because people despise what I tell them calamity will come. It is only by returning to Me, to the truth, and then resting in Me, in My love, that they can be saved. I patiently wait for them to come to Me so that I can show them My love and compassion.

 

Son, when you listen for Me to speak, you will hear a voice say, “This is the way you should go!” Your quietness and confidence will be your strength, so be bold, and tell everyone about My grace. Encourage My children to continue in the faith, reminding them that they will suffer many hardships in the days ahead. I will prove that you are My messenger when the things you have written begin to happen.

 

So think about everything I have said to you. When doubts fill your mind, My word will be your comfort and give you renewed hope and cheer.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, the more you understand who I AM, the clearer you will be able to see what the future holds. You will know that I AM preparing a great banquet with wine and choice meat that no man has ever enjoyed. It will be a place where the cloud of death is removed. I will wipe away all your tears; all the tears of My children. For I AM indeed, the Son of God and you are Mine!

 

You know that because of My holiness I cannot lie. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of My throne, and unfailing love and truth walk before Me. Therefore, I promise to steady you, and make you strong. I will never stop loving you or fail to keep all My promises to you. I will not take back a single word I have ever said! I gave you My Holy Spirit to live in you, and He will guide you, and be your source of encouragement. He guarantees your place with Me. When you trust what My word has said, it will give you My perfect peace. When your thoughts are fixed on Me, I will make the path before you smooth.

 

You will know that I AM coming soon to punish the people of the earth for their sins and rebellion towards Me. The earth will no longer hide those children of Mine who were martyred. Everyone who has died in Me will live; their bodies will rise again for everyone to see!

 

Lord, help me to realize how quick my life on earth is over, so that I may grow even quicker in Your wisdom. Quicken Your blessed Spirit in me! Satisfy me each morning as I seek You. For when I trust You I will not fear the unknown. I will experience Your unfailing love, and with Your counsel I will understand Your plan for My life; that of telling everyone the Good News that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ. Everyone who believes in You, the Savior of the world, will have their sins forgiven. You will give them a new name; Your Name! You will give them a new heart; Your heart! They will be with You forever!

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, when My children follow Me with integrity and godliness, obeying all that I ask of them; I will send them times of refreshment when they need it most. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing. I will clothe them with a white robe of My blessings, and I will withhold no good thing from them. What joy there is for those whose strength comes from Me, and who have set their minds on obeying all that I ask.

 

When My children live in My blessings they will become bold, and people will be amazed at what they do. For, they will see that My children are ordinary people with no special training, but they will recognize My children as having been with Me. They will not be able to stop telling others about all they have heard and seen from Me. They will speak with great boldness about My word because they have proved My word true in their lives. When My children are united in heart and mind they can pray, and great things happen because they are filled with My Holy Spirit. 

 

How foolish people are when they listen to counsel that does not come from Me; counsel that is wrong. They listen to teachers who boast about their knowledge and their degrees, but have no true wisdom. These teachers are arrogant, and even try to change history about Me and those who have obeyed Me.  Soon I will disgrace them, and they will be ashamed, terrified, and die in their wickedness. They will learn that I alone am the LORD GOD; that I alone am the One to be feared; the Most High that reigns over all creation.

 

Son, anyone who abandons Me and refuses to obey what I ask of them will serve and worship other gods. They will become an object of mockery and ridicule, and not fit for My kingdom. Though they have seemed impressive, everyone will be appalled and gasp in horror of how their life will end. People will ask, “Why I would allow such terrible things to happen to them.” My answer will be, “Because they abandoned Me!” When they rejected Me they rejected all good things that come from Me.

 

Lord, I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give to You all that I have. Help me to see every opportunity that You place in front of me, so that I can tell everyone, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven but Jesus Christ by which we must be saved.”

 

Relationships – Chapter 1

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

What They Are Not

 

One of the things for this New Year that the Lord has laid upon my heart is the subject THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS.  I told my daughters that they will succeed in life if they learn how to build and maintain relationships.  Relationships are something that we all face in our families, churches, jobs, professions, etc.  Learning to build and maintain relationships will spell success or disaster in everything we do, and especially when it comes to the work of God.

 

When we talk about relationships we need to define what we are talking about.  Often there has been a lot of confusion and misunderstanding when it comes to relationships. Often people think that to have a right relationship we must all think alike.  Isn’t this what the Scripture teaches that if we are in Christ we will have the same mind? But, this is not the same as everyone thinking alike. I do not believe that this is what that Scripture teaches. 

 

God has made each of us unique.  There are no two humans alike.  We are all different. And because we are different we all have different ways through our senses of sorting through information that comes to us throughout the day. I look at my wife and two daughters.  They receive the same information that I receive, but they respond differently.  When my two daughters were teen-agers they really thought differently.  But, we all had a right relationship with one another.

 

Although we do not think alike we are to think together.  In fact, to have a good relationship with someone means we are thinking together, or sharing our thoughts.  We see the importance of this coming out with the different nationalities; that to have right relationships with people of other cultures we need to think together even though we think differently.  

 

Having right relationships does not mean that there will be no differences of opinions on issues.  It is only natural that if we think differently that there will be differences of opinions.

 

What I have discovered over the years is that we actually need our different thinking on issues.  This is the beauty of the Body of Christ and why we need one another with our different aspects of thinking.  There is no one person who has all the truth, who has all the wisdom, etc. When we come to together to think together we can begin to see a bigger picture of who Christ really is through His Body.

 

Some people think that to have right relationships means that there will be no more conflicts.  How untrue this is. It is true that in a maturing marriage over the years conflicts will become less and less.  We will see later on that conflicts are not always bad, but often even necessary for spiritual growth. Having conflicts is not necessarily a bad sign as far as relationships are concerned.  In any relationship maturity comes by not avoiding conflicts, but rather by working them out and through. 

 

One last thing that we need to understand about relationships is the mistake in thinking that everything should be perfect in the relationship.  I find people who think that if something does not feel right to them then there must be something wrong with the relationship. There are two things I would like to mention about this.  First, when it comes to developing relationships as well as maintaining them it will take discipline, working at it every day. The time spent working on good relationships is time well spent.  Secondly, we need to understand that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.

 

I remember one brother mentioning that when things came up between him and his wife he remembered that he married a sinner and so did his wife.  We want to push towards perfection, but at the same time we need to keep in mind that we will not achieve perfection on this side of eternity.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Obama said on, June 28, 2006:

“Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation.” 

 

Lord, is this true about our nation? What makes a Christian nation?  

 

Son, unity is the strongest statement of a Christian nation; unity of people who devote themselves to reading and teaching and obeying My Word; being united in a common goal of doing all that I command. United people freely share with those in need; they even sell what they have to provide for others. You can not force unity on people; for this will divide them not unite them. For unity to have the right affect, the people will know that when they pray to Me, I listen; I hear them and I will heal them. Unity in worship of Me will be seen in their churches, in their homes, and on the streets. WHEN MY CHILDREN ARE UNITED – PEOPLE WILL GET SAVED and SET FREE from BONDAGE!

 

I have let America follow its own stubborn desires, and live according to their own ideas. How is the unity in your country now?  Oh, that America would follow Me by calling on Me and walking in My ways; that America would turn to Me in repentance and humbly pray, “We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly. May You give us the desire to do Your will and to uphold Your laws.” 

 

Son, I made a promise to My children that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit lives in them. My Holy Spirit will unite them, and they will be My witnesses, telling people everywhere about Me; even to the ends of the earth. When united people cry out to Me – I will save them from trouble. I will defend them so that their enemies fear them. Then people all over the earth will know that I am the God of this nation, and there is no other to trust in.  

 

Lord, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep Your promises and show unfailing love to all who walk before You in wholehearted devotion. You have shown me that the unity of Your children is the right way to live, and that when Your children are united they will have the joy of Your favor and presence.