Meditation: July 6

“And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10

The posture of the follower of Jesus Christ is anticipation for what lies ahead. The word of God received has lifted his sights above the persecution of trials and the tests that come against him. It has the ability to stabilize us even when the circumstances remain the same. It is word upon word that increases faith and raises the level of expectation for the return of our Lord. Nothing could be more valuable than this. Jesus, whom He raised from the dead provide for us a model of what awaits our future. He was delivered from death through death. The wrath of man measured against us in this world is nothing in comparison to the wrath of God. We must endure the intermediate in order to experience the ultimate. He has delivered us from the wrath to come against all unrighteousness and now we are a part of His kingdom where righteousness reigns. Our deliverance is as result of hearing and obeying the message delivered to us from heaven. It was delivered to us to deliver us from the wrath that is sure to come. As we wait for the return of the Son of God who is in heaven, we must patiently wait for Him to turn the tide in His favor. All things are working together towards this end.

Meditation: March 14

“For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Romans 3:3

God is determined to fulfill every one of His promises. Too much is at stake for Him to fail. Yet there are many who doubt Him and question His authority and abandon their post defecting from the faith. Does unbelief negate God’s faithfulness? He allows the rain to fall on the unjust as well as the righteous. He provides for believers as well as unbelievers. Seasons of the year that change for all to receive the benefits of change. Yet God is determined to raise up a remnant among His people who will obey Him and receive the full benefit of His promises. They will hear His voice and heed to His call. If not the parents, He may reach some of their children. What is rejected by one generation may have been embraced by their successors. God will provide future evidence of His truth. When all else is shaken and crumbles to the earth, His Word will remain. And what was once cast down and rejected will be raised by and through what God has already spoken.

Meditation: January 6

“Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God” 1 Samuel 25:29

When our souls are joined to the Lord, our lives are hidden in Him. Our minds, our wills, and our emotions are under the influence of the Holy One. We think His thoughts in order to willfully obey Him, thus we can feel with Him the same as He feels about every matter. His objective is to draw us into a merging of hearts that we may love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Such compassion will bring us to give a fuller expression of His life. The life that we live in the flesh will be the life of the Son of God. Our lives would be hidden. We are bound to each other, but bound together with the Lord. This is the Church of God. This is the degree of protection and safety that is provided for us when we are on one accord. No man can touch us without touching God. He has identified with humanity through the incarnation. Now we can identify with Him as He identifies with us.

Meditation: November 29

“This is love,  that we walk according to His commandments.” 2 John 6

Love defined by the Source from which it originated. None else can define love in language that is so sensible yet so profound. The qualities of love are found within the confines of obedience. Everything else outside of this is hatred and repulsive to the One who is able to determine the authentic from the counterfeit.  The world is in search of authentic love. Too many have been duped into believing the lie of those with strings attached to their affection. It is a legitimate need that is, to love and be loved.

This is love, love identified as a lifestyle chosen and a people empowered to obey God’s commandments. The will or the heart to obey precedes one receiving the power or ability to obey. A daily walk willfully engaged that is pleasing to God. An assurance accompanies that degree of commitment. God makes it known to the servant’s heart that He belongs exclusively to Him. He reveals His love in order for it to be disbursed abroad or distributed through his heart to others. He becomes an instrument in God’s hands as His servant which is the highest honor. The synchronizing of wills so that only one exclusive expression remains. One enters into His life of love as He lives His life through us. The knowledge of His love produces joy within the soul. It is a contagious love which recruits others to enter in. They see the message of Christ conveyed thus giving an entryway for the hearing of the message which readily pours forth from the lips. True love cannot be contained within the heart of the lover. It must be given away.

Meditation: October 21

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

The living Spirit of God frees us to give a fuller expression of His will. We are no longer bound to obey His Law as heavy restrictions levied against us, but rather freed inwardly to joyful give expression to what we have become. We are made alive to His righteousness while the Spirit reveals to our spirit a standard no longer alien to us. He gives us both the will and the ability to do for His good pleasure. What a life; to please God and at the same time be pleased ourselves! The old nature of sin of which we had grown accustomed, has now be exposed as a slave master. We have now been liberated from his controls and freely ruled over by a Beneficent and loving Lord. He rules by placing His will within us so that there is no struggle between us. We know that He loves us and we know that His will is perfect. As we progress in our knowledge of Him, we surrender even the most stubborn portions of our lives to His government. We want His Kingdom be fully established in our hearts that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

Meditation: October 17

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7

Our strength against the enemy must not in our boasting. Many may flex their muscles and consider that they are strong enough to withstand the attacks of the opposition. The chariots of old were status symbols representing pedigree of the warrior. Some had two horse chariots arrayed with precious metals which were often intimidating to those of lesser position. They trusted in their nobility and the amounts of artillery they were able to afford. Their horses were the best money could buy, trained to obey their every command. But even the best had the possibility of failing them. The psalmist placed his trust in Lord his God and remembered His name. His name defines His character. He trusted in what God said about Himself. When we who are called by His name remember it, we are able to face every opposition. We take ownership of His name as His people and are protected with His strength. He is reliable in keeping us from falling and failing and gives us victory over our enemies.

Meditation: June 27

 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,For this is man’s all.”  Ecclesiastes 12:13

The fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins. It is the acknowledgement of God’s existence and His divine power. Even though He is invisible, the evidence remains that God is Almighty.  Many have lost their fear of the Lord and has either disrespected and ignored Him altogether or reduced Him to a level that makes Him common. As important as it its, yet the fear of the Lord does not constitute salvation. Even the devil believes that there is a God and trembles. The second must accompany the first. We must keep His commandments. An attempt to keep His commandments solely on the basis of fear will lead to a Pharisaic and legalistic form of obedience. It is the motivation is love that provides consistency in our obedience to Him. If we love Him our will is to obey Him. The Royal Law of love provides a constant flow from our hearts to the object of our faith. Then it is distributed towards the assignments given to us. We must see the objective from beginning to end. Then our path will remain straight because our intentions will remain pure.

June 2016 Article: ” City Fathers”

There was a time when leadership was both honored and obeyed, and where men of renown would gather together at the city gates or the entryways to decide what was good for the well-being of communities. They would take the prophetic Word spoken by the prophets and interpret its truths so that every family could align him or herself with the will of God. They were usually the elders with years of experience in both life and judgments. Issues could then be easily settled and the people would move in one direction. Without the conveniences of modern technology, the spoken work connected to the fundamentals that governed behavior and were taught by every father and reinforced by every mother. If controversy arose, it was settled among the elders or fathers of the people.

The elders were men that administered justice, settled disputes, and guided the people under their charge. Even the king would consult the elders even though he had the authority to determine his own course of action. As we retrace the path of history, it is easy to see those points of departure that adversely affect society today. In order for elders to govern the affairs of the king, they must first govern their own households. Fathers had to be there as heads of the household with an eye towards future generations. What choices would be left for children who were under the rule of fathers setting the example for them? It is a matter of established authority and the lack thereof that will determine either the rise or fall of civilization. The disintegration of morals can be directly traced back to the relaxed morals of prior generations that left individuals to judge matters independent of an established standard. God would speak to the prophets and the prophets would convey the prophetic word to the elders. The message was not merely to inform, but with the intent that lives be conformed to the standard established by God Himself. If the prophets were not received as instruments sent by God, neither the king, the fathers, nor the elders would have received the message. The receptivity of the family was commensurate to the receptivity of the father. They were taught of the Lord through their fathers.

Today God speaks through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). Likewise, we are taught of the Lord through the ministry gifts given to the Body of Christ. Yet it is the fathers who have the primary responsibility to interpret the message so that his family may gain a clearer understanding. Although it expands beyond an intellectual understanding, the Word must be articulated in daily practice. How the Word of God is to be applied to every area of life will require aged men with maturity gained through experience. They not only speak of truth, but spare their children the pains of having to face life without a guide. Their successes and failures can be used as object lessons for the immature and inexperienced. Their tried and proven methods can be built upon from generation to generation.

Church fathers then can become city fathers. The Church was intended to be the center of the community as the gathering place for the instructions in knowledge and wisdom. Additionally, fathering is the derivative of being fathered. As Father, God set the criteria and model for every man that would ever occupy such a sacred position. Just as He spoke to the prophets of old to the fathers or elders, so He speaks today. To understand Christ’s earthly mission and to fully participate in work is our highest calling. Through Him we fulfill the role and carry out our mission. Let us not shortchange our children by giving them less than what they so desperately need. Guide them into knowing Christ through our godly example. Who will be our future city leaders? Those that we are training and leading today.

Meditation: May 19

“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” Daniel 7:27

The rising of kings that will attempt to change times and laws will appear to have prevailed against God. The saints will be persecuted and the enemy will prevail against the saints. It will be a day when God’s Word will be among the minority who are willing to give their lives for what does not appear to be working. As it is today, persecutions are surmounting and Christians are being persecuted in various parts of the world. Their story is not being told and their experiences are often isolated from the whole experience of the Body of Christ in the eyes of many who profess to be believers. Leaders are rising who are void of any knowledge or experience thus not agitating the powers that are currently rising. They coexist with the enemy; therefore, they do not pose any threat. Times and seasons are being altered by the opposing forces. Ultimately, God will arise to judge the kings of the earth. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. It will be at a time when defeat will be apparent that God will raise up the lowly and they will reign with Him serving and obeying Him.

Meditation: May 4

“When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.” John 2:9

Only the servants were knowledgeable of the source of the wine that was changed from water. Those who served had knowledge beyond those who mastered over them. Their obedience to the Master that ruled over masters had given them the instructions. As they had filled the water pots with water, they were firsthand to give witness to the first miracle of Jesus Christ. Jesus will reveal Himself to those who are willing to obey Him at His Word. They did not see first and then obey but rather, their obedience positioned them to see. The master of the feast was in amazement because he tasted the best wine last. The master of the feast was pleased, the bridegroom was pleased and the guests were pleased because the feast could continue. But only the servants knew the secret.  Who would get the credit for the miracle? Jesus, who was only a guest, had rescued the feast by turning water into wine. He took the most common and plentiful and made it something that was rare and expensive. He used His servants to merely fill up the water pots and the transformation took place immediately. His servants today are set for miracles. As we serve Him He changes simple things into glorious masterpieces.