Meditation: August 26

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?”  Isaiah 40:10

The question God asks causes us to think of His majesty and glory. It magnifies the Lord and minimizes all other things that once appeared to be so overwhelming and intimidating. It is not a matter of what but moreover, a question of who as we consider what we daily observe a coincidental. Things and people being held together, maintaining their set boundaries, is the result of an ordered plan. The thought and the power displayed in nature, if more carefully examined would have us stand in awe and the wonders of God! He created all things and is above all things. He calls to mind from the greatest to the smallest.  The telescopic expanse and mystery of universes created by His Hand and the microscopic expanse and mystery of the molecule both are in need of the invention of instruments powerful enough to examine what is yet to be seen. God has full knowledge of both extremes. “He has measured the waters the hollow of His hand.” He knows the limits of His creation that is measureless to man. Light years are used to describe the distance of planets and galaxies.  Things that appear limitless have their limits. “He has calculated the dust of the earth in a measure”, i.e.; He has knows the number of particles of dust existing in the planet earth! He knows how much each mountain weighs and the combined weight of all the mountains in the universe in both pounds and ounces. And not only mountains but hills are accounted for. If He pays that much attention to details, there is little wonder that God knows whatever challenge we may be facing. Nothing happens without God having full knowledge of it, the God who loves us!

Meditation: August 20

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.”Romans 5:3-4 (KJV)

A price tag cannot be placed upon the lessons learned in and through troubled times.  We often know how we should feel and respond, but to be honest, the character of that response may not been developed within us yet. Many call this faith while it is actually dishonesty. David, the Psalmist gave expression to his heart, having various trials, set-backs and disappointments, but asked God to work the right response within him. Our mere words alone will not deliver us, but what we are becoming as result of God s; working on us and in us is the aim. “Tribulation worketh patience and patience worketh experience or character. Eugene Peterson in the Message paraphrase puts it this way; “and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary — we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

It is through our experiences with the Lord that we develop a hope that will not fade when the scorching sun of adversity appear or the dark clouds of disappointments and setbacks obscure our view. There is a hope that continues to rise within us knowing that God is not through with us.  Yet in wonder we anticipate in alert expectancy the next move of God as to what He would do next! There is always a tomorrow for the believer who has put his trust in God. The tribulations are leading to something that awaits us beyond the horizon. When the sun rises again, He will enable us to see what we were unable to see in the dark. It can only be seen in the light of His love.

Meditation: August 18

“And you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

There is a place of soul rest established for those who wish to find it. Jeremiah speaks of “standing in the ways and seeing” then “asking for the old paths where the good way is and walking in it.” Trying to keep up with the new ways and expressions of faith produces frustrations even though many are attracted to these paths. They clamor for the latest song and cliché, thinking they have arrived, but as in the life of the prodigal son, they have distanced themselves from home. The “old paths” are tried, tested, and proven to be the route leading to soul rest. Jesus speaks of a yoke that must be borne. His yoke binds us to Him and not to other things or people. When we walk on the old paths, we walk with Jesus, bearing His yoke. They say “we will not walk in it.” Those who say this never find rest for their souls because their stubborn hearts make them too resistant to learn from Him. But when we walk in His paths that are old, the good way which is His way is made known and we will find rest for our souls. No longer are we left to ourselves to live with our decisions, but He is with us and we discover that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Meditation: August 10

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32

Jesus spoke of the benefits and advantages of His being Lifted up. It was not the elevation that many seek. It was not a platform of prominence, or the glitter and glamour of celebrity. It was the execution of the intentions of His enemies against Him. If they carry out their agenda, God will use it as a means to draw every people-group to a life of surrender. They would come to the very cross and die with Him.

What the devil intended for evil, God meant for good. His death was His life’s purpose. The dynamics of the death of Jesus Christ is too complex to fully explain. He became sin as a sinless sacrifice for our sins. The message is foolishness to those who consider themselves to be too wise and prudent even to need it, But there are those who sense the weight of sin damning their souls to hell. They are appreciative that the consequences of their fallen nature destined to express itself will not be held to their charge.

The message of the cross causes an explosion among people. Hope for eternal life is signaled to a terminal generation whereas a glimmer of hope reaches their soul. They rush in the direction of the new Light that burst forth before them. “Draw me away,” the Shulamite woman cries out to her Beloved. The power of the Holy Spirit implodes and all kinds of people are drawn in a strange direction of death to their self life with a promise and hope of resurrection. Do you desire the life that is lived after death or the death that denies true life because it is too busy giving expression to its own emptiness trying to just make a living?

Meditation: August 5

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  Isaiah 60:1

The pronouncement of God is to arise above the circumstances and above all that was previously seen.  All things are now viewed in the light that is in you rather than the darkness that is around you! The light of His countenance has risen upon you. You can now see in the light what you missed while you stumbled around in the dark.

He has become your life and light. Now your light has illumined your life and now can serve as light to the world. They walk in darkness just as you once walked, but now what has been revealed to you is being revealed through you. Your life is an invitation, not just your words but everything about you beckons the blind to see. Even nations shall come to your light.

The Sunshine of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ has risen upon you! As the moon reflects the light of the sun and has no light in itself, your life reflects the Light of the Son of God. Do not allow anything to eclipse the Light that is shining in your direction. The temptations that come your way are presented in order to shroud the view of your Beloved. These distractions can in no way provide for you what is being developed within you. The most earnest desire of Jesus Christ is to see the reflection of Himself in you. He has come upon all who have received Him. Now it is His passion to so shine thus erasing every shadow from your life. What more can be desired than this? This is the greatest of all treasures. All that He is taking hold of and becoming all that you are. Let the light of His glory rise and shine upon and in you.

Meditation: July 30

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

Memory is a gift from God. When appropriately used, it can serve as a blessing. But when the lingering effects of memory close our minds to God, it is then a curse. During times of stillness the mind can relive experiences of the past. Our memories capture those moments and freeze-frame them into the catalogue of our minds. Things we have learned lay the foundation for further knowledge.

Paul realized this and made a decision. He said, “for I determined…” The word “determined” in the Greek language is “krino” which means, “to separate.” Paul was in essence saying, “I separate the knowledge of the past from the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” God was determined to separate light from darkness. It is not that Paul was ignorant of other things. He knew many things, but now possessed the ability to separate what he knew from who he is in the process of knowing. To know Jesus Christ is a full time job that ought to occupy our undivided attention.

All other information must pass through the filter of the revelation of Jesus in order for it to translate into wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge effectively and skillfully applied to life. What should this mean to us? It is saying that since the life of Jesus is to become life to us, we cannot afford to allow competing information to separate us from what we are convinced of.  The discernment of the Christian is the ability to see through the lenses of Christ what He sees.  Only then can His judgments become our own. The wisdom that comes from beneath is sensual and self-seeking. The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:17-18. It will not come through mere wishful thinking. It is yours only when you are determined to know nothing other than Jesus Christ, and to know Him as crucified for us as well as the rest of the world.

Meditation: July 11

 “Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.”  Ps 68:1

The very presence of the Lord confounds the enemy. The light of His glory shines so brightly that anything that is contrary to His nature melts and fades away. We are drawn to His light. We are perfected in order to reflect the beauty of holiness. The defects as result of sin are first exposed, and then vanquished. It was the gravitational pull of sin that kept us earthbound and creatures with no desire other than the things of this world. The only sense of beauty was the aesthetics of His creation. Nature provided beauty but only as a reflection of true beauty. It is only when our sights are set on things above where Christ is will we be enabled to see that God alone creates in beauty, but makes all things beautiful in its own time. In the light of His glory all things give full expression of their being. What they attempt to express is fully expressed without any hindrances or reservations. We will then understand the beauty of holiness and the beauty of worshiping the One who is Holy.   When the enemies are scattered the worshipers are free to worship Him in the beauty of holiness.

Meditation: July 10

“But He is unique, and who can make Him change?  And whatever His soul desires, that He does.”  Job 23:13

God is complete in and of Himself. He is not like us with needs that may cause our focus to shift from one thing to another. Those are the limits placed upon the human experience. We navigate through time not knowing the things that lie ahead of us. But God knows the end before the beginning. He is light and in Him are no shifting shadows. Why would He change His mind for such things that may be a fleeting thought within our minds? Instead of His mind being changed by us, our minds are to be renewed by Him.  True humility is exercised when we are willing to forgo our will what another wills. When we trust Him in areas not completely understood, He will give us the will and desire to please Him. We will experience His goodness and grow in our understanding of dimensions of His love. What a blessing it is to find pleasure in what pleases Him! His uniqueness can then be celebrated rather than loathed. Some may wish to wrestle out of His hands what is exclusively His.  He is God alone and infinite. We are but instruments of clay and finite. It is His life within us that sets us apart from the rest of the world. Nothing can be compared to the joy that is experienced when our ways please the Lord. He gives us His joy, a joy that the world cannot receive nor comprehend.

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: March 7

“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” Psalm 36:9

The initial light of God leads us to greater light. We see Him as Redeemer and we are saved from the penalty of sin. The entryway into His grace has been provided as His light has shined upon us. But there is light shining on the path inviting us to enter in. It is not enough to enter in a park at the gateway of all that has been provided for us in Jesus Christ. The things that accompany salvation is awaiting us within the vast areas of exploration of blessings and joy that can only be experienced once we have passed beyond the Outer Courts and are will to enter into the Holy of Holies. The further we are willing to be led, the deeper the level of intimacy we are enabled to experience. His light leads to the fountain of life. We are able to drink from the fountain that spring forth into everlasting life. When Jesus Christ becomes life to us, we can then live the abundant life. The pleasure of knowing the Father as He is known by the Son is made known to us. Lord, lead us to the greater light so that we may be able to see You and be blinded to the distractions of the flesh, the world, and the devil.