Daily Devotional

Lord, why did you give life to those who have no future with You? The life they have chosen has no peace, no quietness, no rest; only trouble.

 

Son, they brought all this on themselves when they turned their back to Me. They must bear the consequence of their own choices, and I will have no pity on them. They will be judged on the basis of their choice and sins. They will groan when they stand before Me, and realize all of the evil they have done. Their error was to reject My Word, and so they will meet the fate planned for them.

 

My pronounced judgment should be a warning not to turn their backs to Me. Because what they fear will happen; what they dread will come true. The time is coming when they will not be able to change their destiny, and I won’t hold back My wrath on all rebellion, nor will I change My mind.

 

Lord, You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You. You show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever. It is by Your great mercy that I have been born again by Your Spirit. There is wonderful joy ahead for Your children, even though I must endure for a little while longer, many trials and trouble in this life.

 

Son, godly people are the true heroes. So prepare your mind with the truth, so that when you act it will be right and bold actions. Exercise self-control daily and keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very soul. Patiently endure unjust treatment for doing the good work of My kingdom. I AM your Shepherd, the true and faithful Guardian of your eternal soul.

 

Relationships – Chapter 11

Reconciliation – Part 4 – Forgiveness Must Come In

 

Ephesians 4:30-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

 

When we consider reconciliation we must keep in mind that there must be forgiveness. When there are conflicts what often happens is that bitterness comes in.  The writer of the Hebrews explicitly tells us that we should not fail the grace of God by allowing a root of bitterness to spring up.  The reason why is because bitterness to the soul or spirit is like poison to the body.  It will kill us.  How many churches have been split, ministries stopped and people of God hindered because of bitterness of spirit?

 

The only antidote to this poison is forgiveness.  Yet, if we are honest, the one thing that we do not want to do is to forgive.  Somehow we sense a kind of morbid pleasure and satisfaction by having bitterness towards the one who offended us, we do not feel like forgiving that person.  How often our emotions have played a major role in our Christian life in what we do or not do.

 

One thing that we must understand at the outset is that forgiveness is not based upon how we feel, but on being obedient to the Lord.  We are commanded to forgive. 

 

In Matthew 18: 21-35 Jesus talks about perpetual forgiveness.  Peter asked the question: “How many times must I forgive my brother, seven times?”

 

Jesus responded and said, “Seventy times seven.” In other words, we need to have perpetual forgiveness, and yet so often we do not feel like forgiving.

 

In Luke 17 Jesus brings some additional teaching to Matthew 18 with something similar to contemplate. He told the disciples that if a brother comes seven times in a day and asks your forgiveness – to forgive him. I am sure that we would not feel like doing so, question it, as we would probably wonder how genuine his asking for forgiveness really is. However, that is not for us to judge. We are simply to forgive, and entrust it all to God. 

 

It was at this point the disciples said: “Lord increase our faith.”  It would seem that the disciples thought that what they needed was more faith, but that wasn’t it at all.  What they needed was obedience. They were to forgive. It is through obedience that our faith grows.

 

Then Jesus went on to tell a parable about a servant who was out in the field all day working, sweating, thirsty and tired.  When he came back home what did the master do?  He told the servant that before he eats, drinks and takes it easy that he was to fulfill his duties to the master.  Does his master thank him?  No, because we are told that this was the servant’s duty.  This is what he should be doing.

 

However, the point is this: I am sure that the servant did not feel like taking care of his master after having worked in the field all day.  He was tired and hungry and he wanted to rest.  This is what he felt, but what he had to do was another thing.  He had to prepare for the master. He had to obey!

 

It is in this context that Jesus is talking about forgiving our brother.  But, we say, we do not feel like it. Forgiveness is not based on how we feel, but upon obedience to our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is an act of our will.

 

When we obey the Lord, whether we feel like it or not, we will find that ‘in time’ our feelings will catch up to the Lord.  The problem in the Christian life is that so much of what we do, or do not do, is based upon how we feel.  We cannot allow feelings to lead us; instead we must be led by our ‘will’ to obey the Lord. Genuine forgiveness means several things.

 

It means that I will not raise the issue again; whatever the issue or the thing is that I am to forgive. We may say we forgive, but we are constantly raising the same issues again and again. 

 

When we forgive it means that we will not tell a third party. Yet, often this is what takes place.  We say that we forgive, but then we are constantly repeating it to a third party.

 

When we forgive it also means that we will not dwell on the issue.  This is where the battle is; it’s in our minds.  When the issues do come back into our minds then we need to deal with them quickly and severely, to make them obedient to the words of Christ. After a time we will find that they do not come back.

 

The Lord is our example. When it is hard to forgive, just take a look at the cross and see how much the Lord forgave us.  When He forgives – He does not bring it back up to us, but removes it as far as the East is from the West.  He forgets about it.  Let us do the same.  Life is too short for anything less.  May God work in us all.

 

Daily Devotional

Son, people with integrity will be revealed in the coming days when things become hard and difficult. To be a person of integrity will require them to understand My ways. They prove it with the humility of living before Me with honorable moral lives that are filled with the good works I’ve prepared for them to do. People with real integrity stay close to Me with faithfulness, and are wise and patient as they truthfully wait for My return. These people consider their hardships a reason to rejoice as they pray and praise Me. They know that the prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

 

You will not find these qualities where there is envy and jealousy of selfish ambition. When selfish ambition controls your life you have disorder, quarrels and hatred. You want more and more because you are not content with what you have; so you scheme, lie and deceive as you work to get what you want more and more of. You will not have a prayer life with Me because you know your motives are wrong; for you want what only gives you pleasure in life. Your loyalty to Me vanishes as your eyes are on the things of this world.

 

Son, I am about to unsheath My sword on the righteous and wicked alike. When it begins, the boldest heart will melt with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint; strong knees will become as weak as water. It is coming! It’s on its way! For people don’t even try to hide what they are doing today! Everything they do is obvious for all to see. The family unit is treated with contempt, and people despise My Holy Word. People accuse others falsely, worshiping the things of this world, and then do obscene things while calling it all good and noble. Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims, and actually destroy people’s lives for money!

 

Son, remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. I am looking for people, that will stand up and rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards your land. I am searching for My children to stand in the gap of the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land. Will I find enough of them?

 

Lord, everything I have comes from You, and I am content in my old age. If it should be taken from me, help me not to fight against You, but let it have its work in me. Should I not accept the good things from Your hand, and never anything bad? I know I will continue to learn this till the day I die.

Daily Devotional

Lord, the foundations of law and order have collapsed in California. The wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout our state. What can Your children do? Help us, for it seems that Your children are disappearing! Our leaders consistently tell us, “You can’t stop us!”

 

Son, as the judgment begins in California tell My children it will be a time of great opportunity, and great joy. I will bless those who patiently endure and stay faithful. Tell My children to get rid of all the filth and evil in their lives, and humbly accept My Word that is in their hearts. In the coming days My Word will be what they will need for instruction and encouragement. My children must not just listen or read My Word, but do what it says.

 

Son, here is what I have told the leaders of California through My prophets, “How dare you come to ask Me for help? I will tell you nothing because you have rebelled against Me and would not listen when I came to you!  I told you that I would pour out My fury on California if you continue in your own direction, but you refuse to listen. You even pollute yourselves with the very gifts I had given you!”

 

They tell Me that My ways are not the ways they want to follow, and shout out to everyone, “We want to be like everyone else around us.” I have examined these leaders very carefully and will hold them accountable for what is coming. Tell them that fires are coming! I will set California on fire. These terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north. And everyone in the world will see that I, the LORD, have set this fire, and it will not be put out.

Daily Devotional

Son, don’t think for a moment that because you live in America, that you can keep quiet at a time like this, and not be affected. All of My children living on the earth today were made for such a time as this. If My children think that they will not be noticed – keeping to themselves, it will not happen!

 

When My Spirit is living in My children they will think and live differently than the world today. They live by My laws, not by the laws of the land today that oppose My laws. When My children refuse to obey the laws of the land they will be noticed and will suffer persecution. Because My children refuse to bow down to these wicked leaders and to do what they demand, these leaders will be filled with rage.

 

My children must remain faithful no matter what; for I will give them strength to endure.  I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away from Me. In the days ahead some of you will be exposed to public ridicule, but I will honor them. Some will be thrown into jail, but I will fellowship there with them. Some will have everything they own taken from them, but I restore to them even more. So do not throw away your confidence in Me; but trust in My love and promises. Patient endurance is what you need, and you will receive all that I have promised. Remember that better things are ahead for My children, and it will last forever.

 

My deliverance and relief will come to My children, for they can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus Christ. They can come into My presence with sincere hearts and fully trusting Me. I can be trusted to keep every promise I’ve made. Test Me in this!

 

So instead of being fearful – think of ways to help one another and motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Do not neglect meeting together, for this will be your encouragement during your days of hardships. This is the time to be bold and courageous.

 

Lord, when I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers with the moon and the stars that you set in place; what are mere mortals that you should think about them the way You do; human beings that reject You – that you should care for them like You do? You look deep within the mind and heart of Your children, and still You do not hold anything against us. I am perfectly secure in You Lord; what have I to fear, but You.

 

Daily Devotional

Son, think carefully about who I am, and when you hear My voice – don’t harden your heart. Do not allow your heart to turn away from Me by refusing to do what I tell you. When you refuse to do what I ask, you will not remember all that I have done for you in the past, and you will grow fat by hoarding for yourself – all the blessings I give you.

 

When My children hoard they will become fearful, proud and stubborn; they give little to no attention to My Word. They are disobedient to Me when they turn their backs on My Word day to day, and then refuse to listen to My prophets that I have sent to warn them. They will never enter My place of rest, and then wonder why they feel the way they do and have the problems they have.

 

Son, My promise of entering My rest still stands, but My children must want it. They must understand that My Word is alive and powerful in their time, as it is for all time.  It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes your innermost thoughts and desires. When My children believe My words, confess their sins, and start to obey Me – they can come boldly to My throne of grace, and will receive My peace. When My children have My grace and peace, it will strengthen and help them live their lives.

 

Lord, we Your children need to get right with You, then stand up and shout that we are children of the King! We need to praise Your Holy Name all over this country; the One who is from everlasting to everlasting! You alone are God, and there is no other. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all. You have done what You promised; for You see every promise that You have made – all done and finished. You are true to Your everlasting Word. My security comes from this truth. Thank You Lord!

Daily Devotional

Son, tell My children that in the coming days they need to listen very carefully to the truth of My Word, or they will drift away from it. For My word is absolute truth; they can trust My Word; for it has always proven itself trustworthy. My Word will give them the signs of things to come that they need to be prepared for.

 

My Word tells you about the wonderful gift of My Holy Spirit that sets you free from the bondage of sin and of this world. My Word is able to help you through every time of testing. My Word tells you there is great joy ahead so you will not become discouraged and hopeless.

 

In these days My children must not follow the advice of the wicked, or associate with people who reject and mock My Word. My children must know My Word by meditating on it day and night.

 

Tell My children, “Don’t be afraid and sad because of what is coming, but celebrate instead; for it is a sacred day, the Day when truth wins! I will be their joy and strength. When they know and understand My Word, they will only need to ask Me, and I will give to them.”

 

Ask those people who refuse My word, “What makes you think you can escape what is coming?”  Tell them, “When you refuse My word, there is only one path left, and it leads to destruction.” For I have only one path that leads to the Truth.

 

Son, do you see the detestable things people do to drive Me away? Do you see what the leaders of America are doing? They are leading this whole nation into violence. They shout to everyone, “Let us be free from the bondage of the Word of God. Let’s break the chains of His words and completely remove every word of His from our land.”

 

Tell these leaders and those who follow them, “The end is here, and your vain hope won’t help or save you.”

 

How foolish they are to hope for something that will not come about!  What fools they are; they do not know how to solve the problems they have created themselves! I will now call them to account for all their rebellion and detestable sins. Therefore, disaster after disaster is coming! The day of destruction is dawning. Shouts of anguish will be heard throughout the land because the wickedness that is taking place has blossomed to full flower. Soon people will throw their money in the streets, tossing it out like worthless trash. Their silver and gold won’t save them on the Day of My anger. None of their plans will succeed. They will look for peace but not find it because they have refused My way of peace.

 

Lord, help me to understand that this is a great day of celebration, and not to be afraid of what You have said is coming. It is when I meditate on Your words that I will know that this is the beginning of Your Rule, and I will no longer am bound with a sinful nature. Oh how thankful I am to You for setting me free with Your truth and love, and giving me the only hope that won’t disappoint me in the end. 

Relationships – Chapter 10

Reconciliation – Part 3 – Must Risk Confrontation

 

Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

 

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”

 

One of the greatest difficulties in the area of leadership is the inability to confront when necessary.  Often the leader gets pushed into a corner where he must confront and then it is done in a wrong manner and does irreparable damage.

 

Many people fear confrontation. There are probably a number of reasons for this. It might be that we are afraid of making judgmental statements, or we have a feeling of inadequacy ourselves (who are we to judge?), or we ourselves have things to cover up.  In other words, we do not have a clear conscience and so we feel hypocritical.  Whatever the reasons might be, confrontation is something that we try to get out of.

 

Yet, when I read a verse like this in Matthew the one thing that comes out to me is that God wants a constant movement towards one another.  “If I see my brother… go!” “If I know that my brother has something against me… go!” We need to have honest communication with one another.

 

Often we go, but not to the one that we should go to, but we go to a third party and there we do our sharing. It becomes more of a time of gossip (God forbid that we call it “gossip!”) than a time of honest sharing and praying.

 

Some people ask the question: When should I go to another person and confront for any grievance or something that I think is wrong? I have found that before I confront another person I should first bring the matter before the Lord.  I have learned that when I have brought certain things before the Lord that soon they were erased from my mind.  I took this to mean that I was not to confront the other person with it.  However, if after I have brought it to the Lord and it still remains in my mind, often this is something that the Lord wants me to bring out to the person involved.

 

Sometimes when a person is confronted with something, they deny it. What do we do then? We take it as far as we can and then we leave it with the Lord.  When I was the director of the Doulos (one of Operation Mobilization’s ships) I had a situation where a brother was confronted with a particular thing, but he denied it.  I left it at that. A few months later I was visiting his country and through some rather strange happenings I found out that this brother had lied.  Later I confronted him with this.  At that time there was real confession and repentance.

 

When I look back over this incident I see a spiritual truth coming out about how to deal with confrontation.  In 1 John 1:7 we read, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”  When I originally confronted this brother I was walking in the light that I had.  When he denied it I had no more light at that time.  However later on, through circumstances arranged by the Holy Spirit, I received more light on this brother’s situation.  I now needed to walk in the new light that I had received and to confront that brother with it.  The result was brokenness, confession, repentance, fellowship and through restoration this brother is now being used by the Lord.  I often thought what would have happened with this brother if these steps were not taken.

 

In Matthew 5:23-24 the idea is that confrontation is to take place quite quickly, but first we need to pray and make sure that we have the log out of our own eye.  Then sometimes we allow too much time to go by so that when we think about confronting, it seems that we are bringing something out from the past and so we would like to by-pass the incident.

 

When confronting we need to make sure that we go with humility.  This is the idea that comes out in Matthew 18 where it says that we should “go.”  The Greek word brings out the idea “to lead oneself under, to withdraw or retire as sinking out of sight.”  In other words, we are to go with humility.  It always helps to realize that we have the same capacity for sin as the brother we are confronting.

 

My prayer for myself and for those who read this is – that we might be the kind of confronters that God wants.

Daily Devotional

Lord, things are not going well for Your children today, for they are in great trouble and disgrace. People who do not know the truth become angry when Your children tell them truth. They shout, “What are you doing? Why are you rebelling against the thinking of today?”

 

Son, I am giving you a message to a rebellious nation. Because of their rebellion to Me they have become stubborn and hard-hearted. The have turned to follow their own path; a path going downward, but that they call “progressive.” Yes, a progressing downward path! They refuse to listen to the message of My spokesmen, but even if they refuse to listen, you still must give them My messages.

 

Tell My children, “They are living in the last days, and it will be very difficult for them. People today only love themselves and their money. They have become boastful and proud; scoffing at My wisdom and warnings. They are unloving and unforgiving; they slander others to get what they desire and have no self-control. They are cruel and hate the truth. They have become reckless, puffed up with pride, and lovers of pleasure. They act religious, but they reject the power that could save them.”

 

These rebellious people have created a counterfeit faith where evil people and impostors flourish, and where good people are treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are treated as though they were good. This counterfeit faith is all about deceiving people.

 

My children must remain faithful to the things they have been taught by My faithful teachers. The time is now when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. But will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after lies.  

 

My children must understand that to live a godly life – they will suffer persecution. They must know My Word which was written by Me and is useful in this day. It will show My children what is true. It corrects them when they are wrong and teaches them to do what is right. I will use My Word to help them be prepared and on how to live in this day. My children must live out My Word in their lives, and be prepared. I have a crown of righteousness, which I will give them on the day of My return, because they eagerly look forward to My appearing.

 

Lord, when You spoke to me Your Spirit that in me confirmed what You said. Therefore, I listen carefully to Your words to obey every one. You stand with me, and give me the strength I will need; I will tell everyone what You have said.

Relationships – Chapter 9

Reconciliation – Part 2

 

Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

 

When it comes to reconciliation one of the first steps we are to take is to start with ourselves. The above passage illustrates the truth that it is easy to see what is wrong with others, but far more difficult to see what is wrong with us.  We are to make sure that the ‘log’ is out of our own eye before we try to take the ‘splinter’ out of the eye of our brother/sister.

 

This, I believe, is a very delicate matter.  I think this is the reason why the Lord Jesus uses the illustration of the eye since the eye is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body.  So when the Lord talks about relationships and reconciliation, I believe these must be treated as delicate matters.

 

Ephesians 4:1-3 “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

 

We have unity in Christ.  It will take work and effort to maintain this unity.  Here in Ephesians Paul is giving us the type of behavior necessary to maintain unity and to bring about reconciliation.  This is what we must consider to make sure that we have the ‘log’ out of our own eye.

 

1. Humility:  The Greek word means humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty.

1 Peter 5:5 probably best brings out the idea of what Paul is trying to say here. “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”  The idea is to bring ourselves under.

 

2. Gentleness: The Greek word brings out the idea of mildness, meekness. Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Meekness does not mean weakness. Perhaps the best way to describe this is “strength under control.”  It is the ability (or strength) to destroy, but held in check.  A good example of this is Moses.  He was the meekest man on the earth. When he came down from the Mountain with the Ten Commandments in his arms and saw the debauchery taking place among God’s people he could have stepped aside and allowed God to destroy them, but he didn’t. Strength under control.

 

3. Patience:  Perhaps one of the best definitions of the Greek word for

patience is, “to be long-tempered.”  One of the problems in relationships is anger. This is something that we will look at later.  When it comes to establishing and maintaining relationships, anger is something that will have to be dealt with.

 

4. Forbearance: Again the best definition for this word is, “to put up with.” In the New King James Version of the Bible it says: “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4) We see that ‘forbearance’ is one of the attributes of God.

 

In closing I would like to say that the prayer for myself and for those that read this is that we might experience daily revival.  We need to see afresh how important relationships are and yet often how difficult they are to maintain.  Still maintain them we must.  This is our message of reconciliation and we cannot allow anything to interfere with that message.