Meditation: June 19

 “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” Ephesians 3:14-15

The Father allows us to enter into the love relationship experienced between Himself and His Beloved Son. We are welcomed into His family as being the earthly portion adjoined to the heavenly portion. There the fellowship is complete. Here we anticipate the reunion that awaits us whereas through prayer we are able to tap into the resources that await us there. He gives us a glimpse of His glory now. Enough of what He has promised is fulfilled in our lifetimes to assure us of what we have yet to anticipate is glorious. Yet eye has not seen nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the thoughts what God has ultimately provided for us. As Jesus prayed to the Father, we pray having been given access to Him through the Blood to petition His Throne. Fathers on the earth can take what they have received from Him and bless their children with blessings from above. Our fatherhood is a derivative of His Fatherhood over us. Our prayer is that His love will be distributed through us as Christ would pray that the same love received by Him would be shared by us.

Meditation: May 26

“And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Matthew 13:10

He spoke to them with simplicity, but with profundity. There were natural things that they were able to see and understand. Therefore the language of Jesus was overly simplistic. Often His message is ignored because those to whom it has not been given may easily dismiss truths with such depth that the sharpest of minds may spend a lifetime examining one sentence, yet not be able to scratch the surface of its meaning. God has “hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them unto babes.” There is a language that is coded for those whose hearts are open to receive the message. One must have a heart of understanding in order to have a mind of understanding. When Jesus speaks, we must hear Him with our hearts and not just our ears. The parables separated the seekers from the groupies. There are crowds that gather for entertainment. There is another select few that want to know the Lord. They have blessed ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand.

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: December 3

“…and you will find rest for your souls.”Jeremiah 6:16; Matthew 11:29

It is not established paths that causes constant disturbance of the soul. It is the ignorance that there is a course already laid out before us that is both tried and sure. Each message from God provides both guidance and peace. When the commitment is to do the same, the results will be a peace that passes all understanding. The pleading of the Spirit of Christ is “learn from Me!” He is fully aware of the outcome of every decision made in a lifetime. He still pleads rather than force us to do what is best. Yet many will stubbornly reject the offer to learn from Him what He knows. My friend, your restless soul can only find rest in Him. He will take your burdens and permit you to be His yoke-fellow. As you walk with Him, even though there will be challenges ahead, the lessons learned through those challenges will provide a much greater reward than the little effort required of you. You will discover a new kind of rest, a rest in labor rather than from it for His yoke is easy and His burdens are light.

Meditation: September 1

“…. they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10

The motive behind one’s action is either truth or pleasure. Throughout our lifetimes we have made decisions on the basis of either of these factors. Usually it is pleasure and if truth can be found in pursuit of it, there is an added bonus. It gives one the sense of being right. The path of least resistance in pursuit of wholeness is a pursuit of pleasure and often requires the compromise of truth. The quest for truth must be deliberate unless a compromised version of it surfaces as a substitute for the real thing. The reason truth alone appears to be so unattractive is because it prohibits the full expression of free will. To follow ones heart is to allow the dictates of the world, the flesh, and the devil to dominate the life of the person. The heart unchanged will by nature violate the laws of God because of the nature of sin dwelling within the heart. “They did not receive the love of the truth,” they had not allowed their hearts to be changed by the Word of Truth. They found pleasure in other things which prohibited them from receiving the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit will make the Truth of God sensible thus bringing one to a place of receiving in the heart what the mind is yet to fully understand. It is saying yes to God before He thoroughly explains what one has agreed to. This is faith in God’s Word to take us where God desires for us to go rather than where we wish for Him to take us. The grace to be saved is the grace to accept God’s Word and to be passionate about it. Then our confidence in Him will position us to understand what is reserved, not for the wise and prudent but for His babes.    

June 2017 Article: “Generations”

Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”

We have been assigned to make a difference in this generation and leave a legacy for all the generations that come after us. What matters most is not what we may have enjoyed in our lifetime, but what we leave behind for others. Today, we are either reaping the benefits or suffering the consequences of former generations. However, these conditions do not just develop, as there were people who set the stage that we currently occupy. In a sense, they were our fathers, for we are the products of their investments and efforts. Consequently as fathers, there are many things to consider—since we give birth to sons and daughters, what kind of world would we wish for them? Fathers of families, fathers of movements, and fathers of nations share this one thing in common; they all set the pace and rhythm for their generation. As time advances, the objective is for the progression of people commensurate to the progression of time. We are growing older, but we must also grow better.

Although God works within the framework of time, He is not confined to its limitations. He invades time with miracles, signs, and wonders, and His works are from an eternal perspective. They come down from the Father of Lights, where there is no variation or shadow of turning. He establishes His creative order in heaven and descends upon the earth. These works are our gifts from Him to us. If you would just take the time to consider all that God has provided, you would be overwhelmed. The work of creation and of maintaining all things created by Him is worthy of praise, but that praise is not a private and personal expression. It is meant to be proclaimed to all who will hear it. We were not born in this generation by coincidence, for God has brought us and His work together for such a time as this. If this generation is to ever know and understand who fathered all that we presently enjoy, the light of His glory must shine for through us. Much is being lost in this generation, and many people are taking matters into their own hands with the idea that things just appear and circumstances just occur randomly. By God’s design, we are given the privilege of participating in the works of God when we acknowledge what He has already done.

Then comes the declaration where we then declare His mighty acts. The acts of God reference God’s intervention in the affairs of mankind. He can change the climate and reset the atmosphere in an environment where His mighty acts are declared. We are to make the declaration to this generation, and there are words that help us understand its meaning. Ori(gen)—there is a beginning to what was generated. There was a foundation established from its beginning that should be maintained. De(generate)—just as something is generated, if not properly maintained, it will degenerate. Re(generate)—the second chance given to that which has lost its way.

We live in an orphaned society that is a product of a fatherless generation. The criminal element among us is merely symptomatic of what happens when the role of fatherhood is either absent or abandoned. If this generation is to proclaim His praise and declare His mighty works, it requires the father’s heart to be restored to the Father of creation. Then the heart of the fathers restored to the children. Then the glory of the Lord can pass from generation to generation.

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: September 13

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.”  Songs of Solomon 2:15

The tender grapes are the daily benefits provided to us by God. It is the knowledge of God’s love producing within us a confidence that is not easily shaken. When we are confident that we are loved, then we are empowered to love others without pretense. True friendships can be forged to last a lifetime and the expectation of a future hope of eternity burns brightly within our hearts. How delicate the balance is between our faith and our love. We can now love because we by faith can see beyond the shortcoming and limitations of the misguided and the misinformed. We can see good intentions even when bad habits inhibit positive action. We can also see the possibility of change among those whose lives appear to be hopeless and they may be blind to the true remedy of their souls. But when careless and immature foxes enter into a well cultivated vineyard, they have the tendency of destroying the very vines on which the fruit is being developed. One mishap can raise such doubt as to cause one to abandon all of the beauty once experienced. One unkind word may throw out of balance the intricate details of a well ordered life. We must be aware of those little things that can make such a devastating difference. It is not always the most dynamic or earth-shattering experiences that destroy the lives of many and leave them shipwrecked. It is those little things that appear to be so benign. We must be on guard and guard the entrance of little foxes. They destroy all that is in their path merely to feast upon immediate gain. Catch them before they invade more prohibited territories. Our Beloved will produce within our lives precious fruit that is reserved for those who wish to grow in grace and knowledge and not those whose will is to take advantage of others. Catch the foxes in order for a future harvest to be made ready for the forthcoming generation.

Meditation: May 26

“And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Matthew 13:10

He spoke to them with simplicity, but with profundity. There were natural things that they were able to see and understand. Therefore the language of Jesus was overly simplistic. Often His message is ignored because those to whom it has not been given may easily dismiss truths with such depth that the sharpest of minds may spend a lifetime examining one sentence, yet not be able to scratch the surface of its meaning. God has “hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them unto babes.” There is a language that is coded for those whose hearts are open to receive the message. One must have a heart of understanding in order to have a mind of understanding. When Jesus speaks, we must hear Him with our hearts and not just our ears. The parables separated the seekers from the groupies. There are crowds that gather for entertainment. There is another select few that want to know the Lord. They have blessed ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand.

Meditation: December 3

“…and you will find rest for your souls.”Jeremiah 6:16; Matthew 11:29

It is not established paths that causes constant disturbance of the soul. It is the ignorance that there is a course already laid out before us that is both tried and sure. Each message from God provides both guidance and peace. When the commitment is to do the same, the results will be a peace that passes all understanding. The pleading of the Spirit of Christ is “learn from Me!” He is fully aware of the outcome of every decision made in a lifetime. He still pleads rather than force us to do what is best. Yet many will stubbornly reject the offer to learn from Him what He knows. My friend, your restless soul can only find rest in Him. He will take your burdens and permit you to be His yoke-fellow. As you walk with Him, even though there will be challenges ahead, the lessons learned through those challenges will provide a much greater reward than the little effort required of you. You will discover a new kind of rest, a rest in labor rather than from it for His yoke is easy and His burdens are light.