Meditation: February 2

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.” Isaiah 54:17

The objective of Satan is the formation of weapons that may be used to attack areas of apparent weaknesses against the saints of God. The alluring factions that seem to appear out of nowhere were skillfully planned with precision to wear down even the strongest among us. If we ever become careless in our defense or unaware that we are in the battle of the lifetime, his fiery darts will attach itself to us and slowly dispense the poisonous venom that slowly produces death. Much of what is used are words that plant within our hearts the seed of discontent and doubt. What God has done, and is currently doing in the life of the believer, is establishing him in righteousness. Whatever is not of faith is sin. Our eyes must constantly be fixed upon the object of our faith, Jesus Christ that we might be established in His righteousness. Every trial, every challenge that comes can either be used as a means of establishing us in the faith, or providing evidence against the One in whom we have placed our trust. We must be reminded that righteousness and faith to believe, in spite of circumstances, is from the Lord. Stand in faith and God will be our defense to judge as impotent whatever weapons may be used against us.

Meditation: January 23

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” (9) Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.1 Peter 4:8-9

Love does not ignore or deny the sin, but love loves in spite of the sin. There are some deeds that could make it difficult to love the one who has offended you. That is the true test of love when you are able to look beyond the offense and see the soul that is in a desperate place drifting in a direction away from God. Stephen understood this when he was being stoned to death. He cried out to God in the midst of their throwing stones at him “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” He wanted what was best for them even while they were venting their hatred against him. If this had not been the case, Saul the Pharisee who became Paul the Apostle would have never been saved and used in such a mighty way. God’s will is to use your enemies if they ever come to know Jesus Christ for who He is. But your release of them may pave the way for them to receive what they would otherwise have no knowledge of. Love your enemies. Do good to those who despite fully use you. Your life may be sufficient in mirroring Christ to those who would otherwise perish without your witness.

Meditation: January 20

“Known to God from eternity are all His works.” Acts 15:18-19

What may appear as a difficulty or even defeat for many who are engaged in the works of God is no more than a part of a sentence in a completed story. The script has been written and complete while each has entered onto the stage with an assignment. It is only when everything comes together as the Author has prearranged, will we fully understand the significance of portions that does not seem to make any sense. “Known to God from eternity are all His works.” God has always known what He is about to do next in time because it is already established in eternity. This little stretch of time, in the vastness of eternity, is like a little boat in the sea. There is much more to life than we have been given to know and understand. That is why life often doesn’t make sense. Some would think that God doesn’t make any sense, because their judgments of Him are based upon the little knowledge made known to man. God’s will is that we participate with Him in what He is doing. There we will find both rest and peace. There is an eternal purpose, a God-given task to which the sons of men ought to be occupied. As we are faithful to align ourselves with His will, He will then show us from His perspective more of what He is all about. All is contained in Jesus Christ, His Son.

Meditation: January 2

“One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25

God has allowed us to see the entrance of a New Year. Sight is such a precious thing. Without it we would never see the beauty that surrounds us nor be able to discern the difference between it and the most horrifying and disgraceful thing that may appear. God gives sight to the blind and restore those who have lost their way. Often it is the knowledge gained of other things that appear which makes it more difficult to believe in the invisible. Even when God is not seen the signs of His Presence are all around us. They speak of His majesty, splendor, and power. As New Year’s Resolutions are being made, the greatest would be to draw our hearts and minds in the direction of Jesus Christ. If He is known He will make His Father known to us. Then our hearts would be settled on the one thing that really matters. When we see Him through pure eyes, we would be enabled to see all things that pertain to life and godliness. Those things that accompany salvation would become as priceless jewels. But the greatest gift of all is that we would know that our names are indelibly written in the Lambs Book of Life. He gives us sight that we may see Him. One day, we will see Him face to face.

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: October 29

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

There is a place where our heart and truth connects. The heart beforehand had grown accustomed to wandering in search of whatever would bring any semblance of satisfaction. The pursuit alone would appease it for a little while but only to eventually resort to the same empty space to which it had grown accustomed. Where faith in God is lacking, a void exists of which nothing else can fill.  A godless life is an empty life. Our displeasure is a reflection of His longing for us and His displeasure when live not taken advantage of the privileges made possible through the sacrifice of the life of His Son. God is pleased when the Holy Spirit is revealing Jesus Christ to us. The truth of God concerning His Son liberates the soul from the bondage of self-seeking. By faith we believe that God is who He says He is in His Word. This is both the truth and the reward of the saint, to know Him and to be known by Him. When we know what is to be known, our major quest will be to apprehend that for which we were apprehended. Our faith has made known to us that there is much more yet to know of Him, therefore our diligence is never to settle at any level.

Meditation: October 25

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

The host of heaven gives witness to our challenge. All of the saints that have gone before us give witness to our challenge. They are awaiting us to finish well what we have been assigned to accomplish. Therefore all of the impediments of heart and mind must be dispensed of unless they restrict our mobility and entrap us, holding us as slaves to old habits. Our minds must constantly be renewed in order for us to know what the will of the Lord is. Never should our pursuit fall short of those that have gone before us. We are to build upon the foundation that has already been established by them. The weights are spurned from the sin that would remain as a stronghold. Whatever is our greatest weakness is the sin awaiting the opportunity to be given full expression. Only when we maintain our focus on the Jesus Christ could we be empowered to resist it.

Meditation: October 7

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3

The heavenly place must be occupied by the preparer before it can be inhabited by the prepared. The place was the reward of obedience to the will of the Father. All requirements of His earthly life were fulfilled. He was spiritually there even though He was still here. His spirit at that point knew no limits. His death was the ultimate qualifier for His bodily entrance into the place once filled by Him spiritually. The heavenly place was to become the permanent positioning of all who would allow the life of Jesus Christ to fully absorb their own. His finished work was to be presented to the Father as evidence through the passageway of death. His spirit had already ascended, yet all limits of time and space had been removed. Those who have received His life are seated in heavenly places in Christ. We are there in Him. Just as He arose from the grave and now the Man Jesus Christ is there in bodily form, so shall we be in the future. Now His life is to be given expression on the earth through us. We are there in Him and He is here in us. All of our efforts are to become the expression and evidence of the One who is here among us and in us. He must be altogether here in us as we are altogether there in Him.

Meditation: October 2

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4-5

Our comprehension will become the measure of our apprehension. When there is a willingness to understand that part of Jesus Christ which has been given to the saving of the soul, one then is able to be saved. If there is no interest in eternal life, but merely a desire to catch a few of the trappings from the promises given to the believer, he may prosper to a degree in those things, but be eternally lost. The light that God sent to men was the light of eternal life. This light illumines and guides the person to understand how little he really understands about Christ. Yet it awakens his interest to pursue Him with a passion never realized until the light has come. Those who are hungry for more than worldly pleasures or survival have seen something more of Him. The blinding light of His glory fixes their attention on a different object of affection. They become dead to the world and alive unto Christ. Paul wanted nothing more than to apprehend that for which he was apprehended. He wanted to pursue the purpose for which God arrested him from self destruction. May we walk in the light that shines in the midst of darkness.

Meditation: September 30

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

The strong language used by Paul was to express how he directed his will to block out all information that would in anywise compete with the knowledge of Christ that he had attained. This knowledge would serve as the filter because it was the highest level of knowledge ever made available to mankind. He was not limiting what was being made known to his intellect. He was in addition speaking of his experiences. His entire life was to be governed by the dimensions of Christ yet to be known and the deep meaning contained within His death on the cross. There are so many distractions in this life competing with our knowing the things that are most essential to life. Many will major in minors and minor in majors. But none of their information can produce anything that produce a permanent resolve to their challenges and survive beyond this life. To know Jesus is to have eternal life. To know Him as crucified is to identify with His death, thus possessing resurrection life. As with Paul, we must determine to close the door on all that would appear to be objective knowledge and bring it into subjection to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Cross Culture Church