Meditation: December 16

“Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” Isaiah 7:11

God extended an invitation to an evil king to request a sign. It was His challenge to reveal degrees of His authority either in heaven, the earth, or under the earth. The offer to the king was to choose for himself the means for which God would make His presence known. It would change the course of history and provide for those who would receive it a new destiny. It would be for him personally to empower him to govern in righteousness and peace. If any lacks wisdom, ask God. He condescends to our level. A wicked and perverse generation seeks after a sign in unbelief. They place the burden of proof upon God’s shoulders with a predisposed view what is real or not. God still allows Himself to be questioned by the unbelieving world with a willingness to provide evidence of the truth in contrast to error of her ways. Even though the king rejected the offer, Jesus came into the world as the sign and a wonder to the world. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Meditation: December 2

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:27

The voice of God speaks from heaven and the earth is shaken. God’s Word has the power to disturb the false peace that resides upon the earth when it is not according to His design. Our lives must be established on the principles of His doctrine unless we too will have a false sense of security merely to be shaken by the calamities that are sure to come upon all who live their lives in disobedience to His will. He stands alone as the Creator of all things. He has the authority over and the design for the whole of His creation. They are unstable without His Spirit bringing all things into proper order. The Word of God may appear obsolete in our day. The true ministers of God may seem to have lost their significance among much talk and activity that in God’s eyes is meaningless chatter. God has both a heavenly message and gives a heavenly vision to those whom He has called to represent Him on the earth. It is His Church established upon the revelation of Jesus Christ that will remain when all other things have failed.

Meditation: November 8

“And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” Luke 4:33

The conventional wisdom and language of the people was mere talk without power to back it up. There had been many who had made impressive speeches that dazzled the crowds and arrested their undivided attention. But none was able to speak with such words of power to command spirits that controlled their environment and lives as Jesus could. He did not mince words with senseless and endless babble. Every word was direct and true even when not fully understood. It was given for His disciples to know the mysteries of His message. He presented to mankind the kingdom of heaven, an order that was strange to the disorder existing on the earth. Little wonder why they were astonished when all they had ever heard were light-hearted messages that do very little for the soul and spirit. Now that His authority has been given to the Church, it is our responsibility to represent Him in ways where the integrity of His Words are delivered intact. If it is to be His authority, it must be both His Word and His Spirit communicated through a vessel that is His own.

Meditation: October 9

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world…” but now My kingdom is not from here.” John 18:36

Jesus is the King over all the earth, but His authority does not come from among the earth. The political parties and their divides are not the determinants of His allegiance. Nor is He limited and controlled by the popularity polls of a shifting societal opinion. His rule is exclusive to what heaven has ordered and demands. God knows the outcome of every decision that appear to be right but often lack the stability and character to even last beyond even one election year. He allows us to take wild guesses in our attempts to move things forward and afterwards await our request to eventually ask Him what He has always known. His kingdom is not of this world but our references are too often worldly. When we come to understand that the true answers and resolve to our most perplexing questions and problems lie beyond this world, we will begin with Him and end with Him. His kingdom comes to invade our own kingdoms. He superimposes over what we had once established when we yield to Him. Otherwise, all that opposes must be dismantled and be replaced with what He originally had in mind.

Meditation: May 20

“And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.” Ezekiel 47:9

The waters of life will flow from the Temple thus producing life wherever it flows. The dry and brittle soil will receive the refreshing of revival when the Temple has enough water to flow from it to places beyond its doors. God has given us what the world so desperately needs. In a culture of death and spiritual stagnation, many are in pursuit of a truth that is able to reach the soul. The cosmetic treatments of fatal illnesses have not sufficed. There remains a wound deep within the soul that nothing external is able to satisfy. It requires the living water so that one would not have to continue coming to the well. God has given authority to the Church to be salt and light to the world. But His anointing will flow from His people touching the whole of His creation that now groans for redemption. God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. It will awaken a people who will align themselves with the Lord, thus allowing His glory to be reflected throughout the whole earth. They will not try to usurp the glory and honor that is God’s alone, but rather reflect it, thus bringing glory to His Name.  Everywhere the river goes will be healed.

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 damnation or even death. 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 3

“He was supreme in the beginning and — leading the resurrection parade — he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone.” Colossians 1:18 (MSG)

Jesus Christ is supreme over all. His supremacy did not evolve over time, nor was it necessary for Him to usurp authority from another. He was there from the beginning. All things were brought forth from Him, by Him, and for Him. There were saints who have stood as witnesses of His preeminence. They did not defend their personal lives or dignity. What mattered most to them was to bring to the forefront the truth concerning Christ to whom they were willing to suffer the loss of all things. Those who have come to know what they had known stand today in defense of the faith. While this current trend may be to raise issues in defense of common interests and compromises are reached to settle arguments. There remains a standard raised from the foundation of the world that will crush to powder anything that competes with absolute truth. He will reign supreme over all created things.