Meditation: February 28

“Therefore, I say to you, ‘Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them’ ” (Mark 11:24).

The condition of the heart qualifies one for answered prayers according to the will of God. He brings us into compliance with His will in order for us to see with Him what He sees, thus desire the same things that He desires. Only then is it possible to enter into the very prayer life of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit controls our passions and desires, the Father who always hears the voice of His Son will also hear Him speak through us. This should be our passion to reach that place of faith where there is nothing in us other than the will to fully please the Father. Then we can ask what we will and it will be granted to us.

Meditation: February 27

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:2).

Authority is given by God in order for it to be used in ways that honor Him. When He is dishonored, authority is then corrupted and His face is veiled by those who make decisions independent of His counsel. Prayer is necessary for all, that the Holy Spirit may guide the heart of our leaders and if necessary, turn their hearts in the right direction. There are many decisions to be made and God has full knowledge of the end of each one. Some may appear to be right but the end may be death or even damnation. More than ever, God must be sought and our hearts surrendered to His will. There are leaders chosen by God, but people must choose to follow them. They lead their followers to righteousness, justice, and peace. The Lord can then receive the honor and the people will rejoice because His favor will come upon them.

Meditation: February 26

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28-29).

A healthy fear is necessary for a balanced life. It helps one avoid carelessness and reckless living. Yes God is love and He initiates the process by loving us first. But unless we first fear Him, it is impossible to appreciate how far down He had to reach in order to save us. We are saved from the wrath of God. His wrath is measured against all ungodliness among those who suppress the truth. They are within the aim of His wrath. A healthy fear would cause concern as to whether we are in God’s will or out of it. It is when we receive His forgiveness are we able to respond in pure love. It flows to us and from us as it is received from the Lord. The assumptions of many lead to a brazen attitude interpreted as boldness or worldly wisdom. But the wise consider their state and desire to walk worthy of their calling.

Meditation: February 25

“Think of it! One solitary man when I called him, but once I blessed him, he multiplied” (Isaiah 51:2 MSG).

Abraham was blessed to be called and called to be blessed. He was one man standing alone but obedient to God. He was awaiting his assignment after having received the promise of blessings. When our future is in His hands, we can rely on His promises regardless of the current circumstances. God calls us alone. He calls us to Himself to personally respond to whatever He commands. Only then are we in the position to proceed. Some are waiting for the party to join them before they move beyond their present state. The blessings accompany us along the way even if we have to travel down the lonely road less traveled. He is with us to guide us along the way. Then He will bless with blessings that none can take away. The continual blessings of God will go from generation to generation.

Meditation: February 24

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8). 

There is a future after a fall. There is life and victory on the other side of apparent defeat. It is the enemy who has devised the plans and set the traps for my failure. He has studied my weaknesses and mocks my strengths when I take pride in them. Yes, it is too easy to believe that I have the strength to stand alone. But when I fall God who is my sufficiency, is there to pick me up. Do not rejoice over me when I fall. There is much I have yet to learn but now I will learn in humility, trusting God to show me what I was unable to see. My victory is merely delayed and not denied. I will arise from this place as the light of God’s love shines upon my path guiding me in the direction of His will. 

Meditation: February 23

“How is it you do not understand?” (Mark 8:21).

Every act on the part of Jesus has a much deeper meaning than we have yet come to realize. It was not just the feeding of the five thousand on one occasion, nor the four thousand on another. He was instructing them to trust Him for their provisions when it appeared there were none. The miracle of Jesus took place as He distributed the fish and the loaves into the hands of the disciples. But the miracle was compounded when the fish and loaves were multiplied as they had more than enough to feed the multitudes. There are multitudes that are hungry for the living bread of life. We are to feed His sheep and feed His lambs. Even when it may appear as if we do not even have enough for ourselves, when we distribute to those we are commanded to feed at the end of the day, there will be basketfuls to take home. He will allow His miracles to be performed through our hands.

Meditation: February 22

“And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1Corinthians 12:31).

The order of the Church and our lives is to be arranged by the Holy Spirit. He guides us through the gifts that were given to the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Many gifted people have not fully understood what it would take in order to get the most out of what was left after Jesus’ ascent into heaven. We are to earnestly desire to be endowed with the blessings, which are the extension of His work on the earth. He works through His Body, which is the Church. When gifts are given, the potential for change is present. The gifted are the called, which are endowed to be a blessing to others. But the way they are used may be to the best of their abilities yet they may still fall short of God’s intended results. When the gifts are given, the way to use them must be shown—a way that is better than the best we ourselves are able to offer. It is the way of love. Only then can we employ the gifts without taking ownership of them. It is then God working in us to do what He alone is able to do. He loves through us and reaches the hearts and lives of people that He is willing to touch. There are ways known and unknown to us, but we must allow ourselves to be shown a more excellent way.

Meditation: February 21

“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward” (Hebrews 10:35).

Once confidence has been attained, there is nothing standing between God’s promise and the fulfillment of the promise. To trust in the Lord with all of our hearts comes as a gift to believers. This is a level of trust that does not demand further evidence, but stands on God’s integrity as our guarantee. The only entryway available to the adversary is when we cast aside what we have attained over time. We must guard what is most precious from the allurement of the enemy whose objective is to cause us to surrender what can bring us to the promised reward. It may be closer than we think, the attacks may escalate. Don’t treat what is most precious as being useless because the promised blessings are not in sight. Reaping His promised blessings lie ahead if we do not lose heart.

Meditation: February 20

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).

The pronouncement of the two angels at the empty tomb is the challenge to this generation. We need answers. This is a desperate time for so many in searching for real answers. People are tired of pacifying words that merely delay the imminent failures that they have grown so accustomed to. Some are wishfully thinking that some semblance of life may yet remain among the ruins of yesterday’s shattered dreams. They have driven their stakes and set up their tents in graveyards rather than in the place where new life is blossoming. Jesus was once there but only for a little while. He was carried there because no life was within His body. Now it is as empty as those who attempt to live their lives without Him. But now as being resurrected, He has moved beyond where men were able to place Him. He is where He has decided to be. Now is the time to meet Him where He chooses to reside. He is among the living. For those who have spirit-life within them and a will to do His Father’s will, their lives will take on their truest meaning. Only there can they find true joy and peace within their souls.

Meditation: February 19

“Not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life” (Hebrews 7:16).

The High Priest, Melchizedek was a High Priest by the sheer force of resurrection life rather than mere genealogy. This was a different class of priesthood signifying an important future event. God’s promise to us is an endless life. Jesus, who is the Begotten of the Father, was with the Father from the beginning. Those of us who are in Christ have entered into eternal life. He is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Nothing of the law could produce it. All of its fleshly commandments could only point out to us our deficiencies. So many are yet trying to compensate for what is lacking, thus giving them a false hope of resolving issues that are too deep for them to fathom. In Jesus Christ, we have eternal life. To know Him is to take full possession of His promises. We die to our former state and the futile efforts of reforms to preserve our souls. We then rest in Him as being our sufficiency. It is His grace alone that saves us and delivers us from bondage to liberty and life eternal. Not by genealogical descent but by the sheer force of resurrection life — He lives! (MSG Hebrews 7:16)