Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Lord, why are these acts of nature happening in America, and especially in California?

 

Son, I am making accusations against California and your nation. Just who is to blame for this rebellion towards Me? It is your capital! Your leaders think up evil plans and hurry to carry them out simply because they have the power to do so. They have canceled My Word in their hearts, and then removed My Word in their schools, in their government, and will have it removed from every public place; and then they test Me, “If there is a God, then do what we want.”

 

Why do they keep doubting Me? Why can’t they understand? Their hearts are just too hard to take it in. They have eyes, but can’t they see all that I have done. They have ears, but can’t hear Me. They don’t know, and can’t even remember; they have no understanding of anything true and holy. Yet, more than anything, they need to understand who I Am! For their own sakes, they need to stop seeing things merely from a human point of view.

 

This is the question that needs to be asked, is the sin of rebellion in your country/state too deep to heal?

 

If it is, then people will anxiously wait for relief but only get bitterness.  They will no longer walk around proudly because it will be a terrible time. People will tell My spokesmen, “Don’t say such things. Don’t prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!” But respond to them by saying, “Will God have patience with such behavior? If you do what is right, then you would find God’s words comforting. But you have filled the land with sin and now the land is being ruined completely.”

 

Lord, if You say that California, or our nation’s rebellion is too deep to heal, then my family and I will look to You to guide us through the terrible time. When You lead us then we will have the strength for each day. When we set our minds on what You say is coming, then our hearts can rejoice. Your promise will comfort us as we walk through the Valley of Weeping, and it will become for us – a place of refreshing. We know by what You said, that You will withhold no good thing from those who honor You.

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, sometimes the road to My promises will lead through the dungeons of man. But the key to understanding is that you listen to Me. So pay close attention to what you hear Me say, and do not assume anything else. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given about the drudgeries and pits in life. 

 

When I walked this earth I told My disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”  But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat and it began to fill with water. I was sleeping at the back of the boat with My head on a cushion when the disciples woke Me shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” I got up and rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped and there was calm. I asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

 

At first they acted upon what I said; they got in the boat and headed out towards the other side, but when a wall of opposition came it made them think that what I had said – might not happen. These disciples asked Me, “Don’t You care?” They accused Me of not caring about what they we’re going through. Of course I care, but I wanted them to understand what faith is: to keep acting upon what I said even if it looks or feels like it is not going to happen.

 

Son, those great men with faith that I had mentioned in My Word believed what I told them because they kept going on what I said to them – no matter what. They lived out their lives as though it already happened. Even though they were humiliated by the world and mocked by their own family and friends – they kept the vision of My promise before them and didn’t stop moving with it. 

 

So what have I said to you? Do you think I have forgotten about it?  Do you think that you can run away from it because of where it takes you?  You cannot run away from Me and how I will fulfill My words to you. If you go after understanding – you will gain the strength to keep going in what I said to you.

 

Lord, Your children are mocked and attacked when we live our lives by what You have said. Our enemies laugh at us and say that our hope is a joke. Many of Your children are giving up on what You have said. Strengthen our next-to-nothing faith, and revive us, so that what You have said to us – we will do it all in Your Name. May we hunger for Your words of wisdom and encouragement each day as we keep moving through every wall of opposition that is in front of us.  Lord, increase my faith!

Relationships – Chapter 16

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Fellowship in Depth – Part 4 – Grow Spiritually

 

Paul Tournier in his little book SECRETS brings out three steps that a person takes to become or develop a personality. It would seem that each step is important in this development.

 

He uses the illustration of a little girl called Sally. Sally when she begins to talk tells her mother everything – where she has been, who shetalks with, etc. However, one day Sally tells her mother everything except for one thing. Sally has a secret. Paul Tournier goes on to say that Sally is now beginning to develop her own personality.

 

What Sally does next is very crucial. She will choose someone to share
that secret with. This is the second step in developing a personality. When Sally shares that secret, something that no one else knows, she has done something very special. The person that she shares that secret with has been picked out by Sally to become her friend.

 

Often what happens is that this friend takes the secret and shares it with
someone else and doing so Sally is crushed, because her confidence has been eroded by the one that she picked out to be her special friend. What often happens here is that Sally does not share anymore, which in turn hurts her, not only in her personality but spiritually as well.

 

Paul Tournier goes on to say that there is one other step and that is to share that secret with God. One might say why share it with God since God knows everything anyway. The reason we share that secret with God is because we are taking the step of saying to God that wewant Him to be our closest friend. He will never break our confidence.

 

Why we need fellowship in depth is because no-one ever discovers himself in
isolation. Paul Tournier says: “No one discovers themselves in solitude,
by turning inward on himself and by analyzing himself. It is by giving one’s self that one finds himself. To tell a secret is to give one’s self. It is the most precious of gifts, the gift which touches the most. This friend has become himself a person by this victory over his timidity and constraint. He experiences an extraordinary feeling of liberation. The dimensions of his being are suddenly increased: he has breached the wall within which he was suffocating. By becoming transparent for you, he has become transparent for himself.”

 

“The most powerful means of getting to know one’s self is to allow ourselves to be examined by God and to listen to what He has to say to us, for He knows us better than we know ourselves.”

 

The tendency for each one of us is to go off on tangents. One of the things that will happen when there is genuine fellowship is that people will act as mirrors. We begin to see ourselves and our own mistaken attitudes. This is where ‘corrective surgery’ can come in.

 

Paul said something very important in Romans 2:1 “You, therefore, have no
excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.”

 

If we understood this verse I doubt that we would be so judgmental.

 

 

Do you find yourself getting irritated by what someone else does or says and you find yourself judging that person? It is possible that person is acting like a mirror and you are seeing some of your own wrong attitudes, errors etc. that the Lord wants to correct. This does not mean that we do not judge, because we must, but it does mean that we first take the log out of our own eye before trying to take out the splinter in someone else’s eye.

 

The Psalmist said in Psalms 19:12 “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.” The writer of the Hebrews says: “Throw away every weight.”

 

 

Fellowship in depth brings these to light so that they might be dealt with and that we might become all that God wants.

 

The problem that we face today is that the format of our fellowships does
not enable real fellowship to take place. We are like little islands in the midst of the congregation. Real community life is essential for fellowship in depth and fellowship in depth is important for spiritual growth.

 

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Michael K Dietz, Mikes Blog.

Son, My children have forgotten how to fish for people, they think people will come to them. I told them not to fish for people who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners, and that they must go where these are.

 

It grieves My heart that some of My children do not know My Word. I made it very clear that they are not to hide My Word from their children; that it must be taught in their homes so that the next generation will know it, and they in turn will teach it to their children.

 

Son, tell My children who will listen, “Get ready, the day is near when I, the LORD, will come.” My children must be ready and prepared.

 

Lord, some of Your children are afraid of this day, for it will bring hard times. They are worried that You will not help them. They have forgotten what You have done for them in the past, and cannot believe that You will care for them. Despite all of Your wonders they refuse to trust You.

 

Son, their lives will end in failure because their hearts are not loyal to Me. They do not know My power; the power of My Word and Spirit. They have been deceived by their own pride and ignorance that man has the solution. These men that they seek after make promises that they have no way of keeping.  So I will give them what they want, and see if man can care for them like I can. 

 

Lord, You have led me and my family on a pathway that has taken us through mighty waters – a pathway we did not know was there. Thank You!

 

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, the night I was taken in the garden My followers made a choice to run away and hide; to deny and betray Me. So it is again, as that day approaches when I come back.

 

In the coming days My church will have to make the choice to stand up for the truth, or to run away and hide; betraying Me and others who do stand up for the truth. Those cowards will think that they are just a few in number and so they will be crushed if they stand up.  They believe they will be ruined, and their entire work for God wiped out! What fools; how can My work on earth be wiped out?! They blindly think, “Let’s be smart and keep our mouths shut, for this is an evil time!” They have no wisdom at all when they are angry and resentful towards those who do stand up for the truth. In their madness they accuse the faithful by saying, “You are the reason they have ruined our work and made us afraid of what they will take from us.”

 

Lord, those who keep their heart’s pure; will it be for nothing? Was my life of living for the truth – for no good reason? When I tried to understand why the wicked prosper, I get all torn up inside. But, then You remind me of the fate of the wicked! So, I will keep going, no matter what!

 

Son, My church must do what I called them to do, and that is to stand up for the truth of My Word; My Word is Truth! They must stop twisting My words so that they can fit into their societies and cultures. They must stop treating righteous living like dirt because they want to live unthreatened and painless lives. They do not want the troubles and suffering of those who do stand up for My Word. They wear the pride of their wicked tolerance like a jeweled necklace. They scoff at those who denounce evil and boast that I, the Lord, stand with them and their way of thinking.  What fools!

 

Lord, how long will you allow them to dishonor Your Holy Name? Because Your church has not stood up for truth and obeyed Your Word, our nation is full of darkness and violence! Arise, O God, and defend Your righteous cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long.

 

Son, I hate dishonest judges, and I despise people who refuse to stand for truth! I know the vast number of everyone’s sins and the depth of their rebellion. When people learn to hate evil and love what is good, it will turn their courts into true halls of justice, and then perhaps I will have mercy on the people. But know this, “The day of the LORD will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or happiness.” So My children, keep alert and watching in prayer as you wait for My return, and you will not give in to the evil temptation of being accepted by this world. Remember your spirit is willing, but your body is weak; therefore, be filled with My Spirit so that you will overcome all that comes against you.

 

Lord, when I finally understand what is about to take place, I will have peace that I belong to You, me and my family. For, You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your good counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I to look to and to depend on, but in heaven with You my Savior and Lord? It is when I desire You more than anything on earth – I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do!

 

 

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, all My children are precious to Me. That is why I send them prophets, wise men and teachers to tell them what is about to happen, so that they are prepared.

 

Any nation that accepts My blessings, and then refuses Me, will have the following things happen. I tell you in advance not to frighten you, but so that you know how to prepare. Weather patterns will change. Much rain in some parts of the nation and no rain in others. Disease will come, that there are no cures for. Young men will be sent to fight and die in wars all over the world. Some cities will have major catastrophes they won’t recover from. Yet after all of these warnings this nation will not return to Me. So when you see these things taking place, be prepared and ready for My service.

 

Son, My return is very near, so let Me tell you the signs that you need to look for. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. My children will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. They will be hated all over the world because they are My followers. Some of My children will be fearful and turn away from Me, then they will betray their brothers. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. BUT THE GOOD NEWS will be preached throughout the whole world, and every nation and people group will hear it.

 

Some of My children won’t realize what is going to happen, and they will not be prepared. They do not want to hear these things because it brings fear to them. They wonder how a loving God would allow His children go through this. It will be hard for them because they are not prepared spiritually, they have forgotten words of promise that, “I will take care of you.” My children must be ready all the time for My return, and not think that I won’t come back in their life time. My return will be repeatedly announced, but for most it will be unexpected.

 

Lord, I am old and gray, and not skilled with words, but I must tell this new generation about You. You are their only hope. You have cared for me my whole life, and I am not worthy of Your unfailing love; all Your faithfulness that You have shown to me. No wonder I want to tell this next generation about You! 

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Michael K Dietz, Mikes Blog.

Son, those who are wise will understand, and those with discernment will listen carefully. My path is true and right, and My children must walk on it. I AM the only hope of everyone on earth, for there is no other savior.

 

California is overwhelmed by its sins; thus in deep trouble and sealing its destruction. All their flowing rivers, springs and lakes will run dry, and all their wells will disappear. Every precious thing they own will fly away. All of California’s guilt has been collected, and their sin has been stored up for this day. California has become proud because they have forgotten Me.

 

California’s leaders cause little ones to die before they’re born, and those that are brought into the world, they cause to fall into sin. Look at what they teach, and what they refuse to allow back into their schools. These leaders and teachers who direct what is taught, need to listen! “It would have been better for you to have drowned in the depths of the sea, or never have been born than what is in store for you. Beware, I tell you that in heaven these little ones have angels who are always in My presence.”

 

What do I want from the leaders of California? They must acknowledge that I am God and confess that they have sinned against Me, ask for My forgiveness over their rebellion, and then return to Me and My Word. For, I AM the One who reigns from Heaven and that will answer their prayers, just as I will watch over them.

 

Son, I have given My children the power to stop this drought. I told them in My word that, “If two of you on earth agree concerning anything you ask, My Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as My followers, I am there among them.” But what stops them from agreeing with one another? They refuse to forgive their brothers and sisters from their heart. They do not listen to Me. They have so little faith, if any at all. I told them in My word that, “If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move.” Nothing would be impossible!

 

Thank You Lord, that You do not ignore the prayers of Your children or withdraw Your unfailing love from us. I confess the sin in my heart, and I know You will listen and pay attention to my prayer. Lord, we need Your help! Give us the strength to stand up for truth and tell the world how wonderful, gracious and awesome You are!

Relationships – Chapter 15

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Fellowship in Depth – Part 3 – Meet Basic Needs

 

Romans 5:5 “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

 

One of the things that I have discovered in traveling is that no matterwhere we come from, what culture we might have or language we speak, we all have the same basic human needs. What are they? A sense of acceptance, to love and being loved and a sense of self-worth.

 

One psychologist brought out that there is no such thing as mental illnessunless the brain has been impaired in some way. What he was saying was that when people’s basic needs are not being met they begin to do some strange things that when observed by others we begin to think that they are mentally off. We may look at our children and think they are acting strange and perhaps are “not all there” because they are engaged in things like drugs, sex, alcohol, etc., but this could be that their basic human needs are not being met. We see Joe Blow (fictitious name) standing on the street corner shouting out that he is Abraham Lincoln. We tend to think that he is mentally off when in reality nobody recognizes him as Joe Blow and his basic need of acceptance is not being met, but as Abraham Lincoln it is a different case to him.

 

We all have a need to be accepted and to belong; this is a strong human need.In our evangelism one of the issues we miss is that it is hard to get a person to leave one kingdom (kingdom of darkness) for another (kingdom of light). What locks us into our kingdom is acceptance. To move into the kingdom of light there must also be the acceptance. This is why little fellowship groups, where acceptance is being manifested, are a powerful magnet to the kingdom of light.

 

Paul Tournier said: “Men’s loneliness is linked with fear. Men fear one another, fear to be crushed in life, fear to be misunderstood.” Anotherneed is a feeling or sense of self-worth. When we realize that we are worth something to somebody it makes a big difference in our life as well as in our outlook.

 

When there is a real fellowship taking place we begin to see that not only are others in the same boat as we are, but that we also have the ability to respond. In helping meet the needs of others we find our own needs beingmet as well. This is the way God has made us. We are made for fellowship. To build His church we must discover fellowship in depth.

 

One of the most misunderstood words today is the word LOVE. We use thisword for so many things. I love my dog, my car, ice cream, my neighbor and we might also say: “I love God.” Yet, so often what we mistake for love is nothing more than wishy-washy sentimentality or personal preferences.

 

Love must always be accompanied by the truth. These two are inseparable. They will always go together like a hand and glove.

 

Our text is Romans 5:5: “His love has been poured forth into our heartsby the Holy Spirit.” This love from God is poured forth by the Holy Spirit, but it is through His Body that we mostly experience it. This is where true fellowship is found, as it should be. We are infinitely precious in the sight of God, therefore we all have ‘self-worth.’

 

We see how these three very important needs are met in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been accepted in the Him, the Beloved of God. We know that He loves us because greater love has no man than to lay down His life for others, and this is what the Lord Jesus did for us.

 

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, I am God, not a mere mortal. I AM the Holy One, and My heart is torn within Me. I lead My children with ropes of kindness and love. I have removed the yoke of bondage from their neck. I Myself feed them, and yet My children are determined to desert Me. They call Me the Most High, but they don’t honor Me as they should.

 

Listen to the words that come out of their mouths. The words they speak come from the condition of their hearts. They know how to interpret the weather, but they are clueless to the time they live and how to interpret these signs! It is very dangerous to see things merely from a human point of view, instead of Mine. They have so little faith, and that is why they argue with each other and compete with each other. They don’t understand that “I AM!” They don’t remember what I’ve done!  And they act like they don’t care!

 

Look at their lives, they chase after the wind; they go after the acceptance of man all day long. They refuse to stand up against the lies that are said about Me. They make alliance with people and governments because they are afraid. They do not understand that these alliances will compromise their faith in Me, and will cause them not stand up for the truth of My Word.

 

So My children, stop rejecting My prophets who I have sent to warn you, and come back to Me your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on Me. Stop boasting, “I am rich!” Stop thinking, “I’ve made a fortune all by myself!” Stop deceiving yourself that because no one has caught you cheating – that your record is spotless with Me!

 

Lord, yes, the human heart and mind is cunning; our tongues reveal what is really inside of us. The ungodly shake their heads and ask what the difference is between them and us. They say that our worship is a farce, nothing more than man-made ideas treated as commands from You.

 

Lord, forgive us! Forgive me! Your unfailing love is better than life itself. I will worship You. Help me to see what You see in my heart. Change me! I belong to You!

Daily Devotional

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Son, put this in your storeroom where the gems of truth are kept. I keep My Word and will do exactly what I have said. It will happen at just the time. Understand that in the days ahead I am the God who will provide for you. Yahweh-Yireh: “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!”  When you do not withhold a thing from Me, I know you truly fear Me. 

 

Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here with you! When you see the strong winds of turmoil and the waves of opposition, don’t be terrified and began to shrink back. They are not as powerful as they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, they are lighter than a breath of air.

 

I called you to be a watchman, and you will face hostility even from My own children. They will say that you are crazy, and a fool! They will reject what I tell you to say and refuse to listen or obey. These children of Mine who refuse to listen have made covenants with Me that they do not keep, or even intended to. They spout empty words instead of faithful words. Therefore, injustice springs up in their land.

 

Now is the time to obey Me by planting the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. I know that some of My children will listen, but since they don’t have deep roots in My Word, they won’t last long. Some will fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing My Word. Some will forget My words because it is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth. Then there are those children of Mine who understand My Word and obey it; they will produce a harvest of good fruit.

 

Lord, it will be a terrible day when the day of payment comes. Our sin is great, and we are harvesting a thriving crop of sins. Today people’s hearts are hard, they refuse to listen, and they have closed their eyes to what is going on. Now we will have to eat the fruit of our lies. 

 

Lord, help me to wait quietly before You, for all my hope is in You.