Ephesians 3: 16-21
That He would grant you,
as a grace gift.
according to the riches of His glory,
Not stingy, but very generously.
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Like a super-power, but inside us, to do powerful things in our minds and hearts.
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
We believe Him, we put our faith in believing what He said, just as He said it, that He would never leave us or forsake us (John 14:18).
and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Like a well-established tree planted in the ground that has a strong root system anchoring it; our love is that stabilizing force.
may be able to comprehend
To understand with our minds, to wrap our heads around it.
with all the saints
Everyone who has been saved by God, every member of His church.
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
The boundaries and shape.
to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,
To know what is beyond our ability to know! That's how big His Love is!
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
God is Love; for us to be filled up with God, with Love.
Now to Him Who is able to do
God is capable of and strong enough and willing to do whatever He decides to do.
far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,
Way beyond what we ask, or even what we're able to imagine.
according to the power that works within us,
God's own power, in His Holy Spirit that lives right inside our spirits, deep inside each of us, working in us, on us, and through us.
to Him be the glory
He deserves all the credit, all the fame, all the popularity.
in the church
Among all the members of His body, each one of us, giving Him the credit.
and in Christ Jesus
He is the One Who is our Sacrifice, Who took our death upon Himself, His Blood washing us from every stain of sin--He gets the credit.
to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
As long as Mankind keeps producing more people, and on into Eternity itself.
O my Father, strengthen me, along with all Your saints, to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of what You are doing in this World, according to Your Plan, to fulfill Your Purpose, for Your pleasure!
That we might know what surpasses knowledge: the Love of Christ! Thank You, and I praise You for doing for me, in me, on me, and through me exceedingly abundantly beyond all that I would ever ask, or even be able to think of; so that You will receive all the credit, all the glory, throughout all Time and Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Friday, September 21, 2018
Intoxicating Violence
Proverbs 4: 14-19
Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
For they eat the bread if wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
Violence is intoxicating. I learned this when I researched the genocide that was perpetrated against the two tribes in Rwanda before I went there with a missionary group. The young men who were doing the killing were acting like they were drunk on the violence, and only later, long after the acts, did they realize the destruction their violence wrought.
I think that virtual violence is also addictive. Violent video games have entrapped so many of our young people.
O my Father, I pray for those who have been enslaved by the draw of these virtual games, that You would call them out of the darkness of their addiction into the glorious light of Your Love.
Just like I was addicted to the evil of my weakness when You found me, and showed me that Jesus took my place in death and gave me Your Life. That's when I realized that You loved me that much, and it broke my heart. That's when You released me from those chains and set me free.
Please, Father, find my loved one and show him Your Love, as You did for me. Lift him out of the morass of twisted thinking that has kept him captive for so long. Draw him to Yourself, Father, so his life will bring You glory, instead of ending in disgrace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
For they eat the bread if wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
Violence is intoxicating. I learned this when I researched the genocide that was perpetrated against the two tribes in Rwanda before I went there with a missionary group. The young men who were doing the killing were acting like they were drunk on the violence, and only later, long after the acts, did they realize the destruction their violence wrought.
I think that virtual violence is also addictive. Violent video games have entrapped so many of our young people.
O my Father, I pray for those who have been enslaved by the draw of these virtual games, that You would call them out of the darkness of their addiction into the glorious light of Your Love.
Just like I was addicted to the evil of my weakness when You found me, and showed me that Jesus took my place in death and gave me Your Life. That's when I realized that You loved me that much, and it broke my heart. That's when You released me from those chains and set me free.
Please, Father, find my loved one and show him Your Love, as You did for me. Lift him out of the morass of twisted thinking that has kept him captive for so long. Draw him to Yourself, Father, so his life will bring You glory, instead of ending in disgrace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, September 20, 2018
God Keeps His Promises
Isaiah 61: 1-9
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord ...
Jesus read these verses from the scroll of Isaiah that was handed to him in the synagogue at Nazareth, where He grew up.
He stopped at the first part of verse 2 without completing it, because only this much was being fulfilled by Him at that time.
The rest of the passage reads:
... And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
But you will be called the priests of the Lord; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of Nations, and in their riches you will boast.
Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.
For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Then their offspring will be known among the Nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed.
So Jesus fulfilled the "favorable year of the Lord" in His bringing good news to the afflicted, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners.
But He stopped in the middle of the verse.
He will fulfill the rest of the passage when He returns again to this Earth.
When He calls out (Raptures) His church and the Wedding Feast of the Lord takes place (Revelation 19:7-9), then He bursts through the clouds on His white horse with all Heaven's hosts with Him, and He wages the Battle of Armageddon (verses 11-19).
This is when Jesus will set up His rule over the World as King. And the rest of these verses will be fulfilled. His people Israel will be given all the benefits of His rule, and each tribe will be given a double portion of land from the original apportionment. The ancient ruined cities will be rebuilt and restored, and they will live as His specially chosen ones, serving Him, while people of the other Nations will do all the menial work of shepherding and farming.
And their children and grandchildren will be recognized by the rest of the World as the specially blessed of the Lord.
This Thousand Years will be Earth's Golden Age, when King Jesus will be reigning and His wife, the church, are in our Resurrected Bodies, like Jesus' Resurrected Body, and we will rule with Him on His throne. We will perform as His governmental workers enforcing His rule all over the World.
And all His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) will be fulfilled.
All loose ends will be tied up and all affairs will be put in order during this time, to be ready for the Grand Finale at the end of that Millennium (Revelation 20:7-9), when the Earth will explode and the Universe will implode (see Rev. 20:11 and II Peter 3:10), and all the knowledge of this existence will be obsolete (I Corinthians 13:8-10 tells us that "knowledge will be done away") when God's perfect Creation, the New Heaven and New Earth will come to be.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord ...
Jesus read these verses from the scroll of Isaiah that was handed to him in the synagogue at Nazareth, where He grew up.
He stopped at the first part of verse 2 without completing it, because only this much was being fulfilled by Him at that time.
The rest of the passage reads:
... And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
But you will be called the priests of the Lord; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of Nations, and in their riches you will boast.
Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.
For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Then their offspring will be known among the Nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed.
So Jesus fulfilled the "favorable year of the Lord" in His bringing good news to the afflicted, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners.
But He stopped in the middle of the verse.
He will fulfill the rest of the passage when He returns again to this Earth.
When He calls out (Raptures) His church and the Wedding Feast of the Lord takes place (Revelation 19:7-9), then He bursts through the clouds on His white horse with all Heaven's hosts with Him, and He wages the Battle of Armageddon (verses 11-19).
This is when Jesus will set up His rule over the World as King. And the rest of these verses will be fulfilled. His people Israel will be given all the benefits of His rule, and each tribe will be given a double portion of land from the original apportionment. The ancient ruined cities will be rebuilt and restored, and they will live as His specially chosen ones, serving Him, while people of the other Nations will do all the menial work of shepherding and farming.
And their children and grandchildren will be recognized by the rest of the World as the specially blessed of the Lord.
This Thousand Years will be Earth's Golden Age, when King Jesus will be reigning and His wife, the church, are in our Resurrected Bodies, like Jesus' Resurrected Body, and we will rule with Him on His throne. We will perform as His governmental workers enforcing His rule all over the World.
And all His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) will be fulfilled.
All loose ends will be tied up and all affairs will be put in order during this time, to be ready for the Grand Finale at the end of that Millennium (Revelation 20:7-9), when the Earth will explode and the Universe will implode (see Rev. 20:11 and II Peter 3:10), and all the knowledge of this existence will be obsolete (I Corinthians 13:8-10 tells us that "knowledge will be done away") when God's perfect Creation, the New Heaven and New Earth will come to be.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
To Live Securely
Proverbs 1: 33
But he who listens to me [Wisdom] shall live securely, and be at ease from the dread of evil.
Wisdom is what we all need in order to take what knowledge we have and use it to the best effect. To know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.
But true wisdom is based on our knowledge of God. Who He is, what He does and how wonderful He is.
O Father, I pray that You would open our ears to Your instruction. That You would open our hearts to Your love. Open our will to obey Your commandments.
Your words are choice food and thirst quenching drink for our famished souls.
You, Lord God, are our Source and Sustainer, our Life and Health, our Goal and our Prize. Keep our focus only and always on You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But he who listens to me [Wisdom] shall live securely, and be at ease from the dread of evil.
Wisdom is what we all need in order to take what knowledge we have and use it to the best effect. To know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.
But true wisdom is based on our knowledge of God. Who He is, what He does and how wonderful He is.
O Father, I pray that You would open our ears to Your instruction. That You would open our hearts to Your love. Open our will to obey Your commandments.
Your words are choice food and thirst quenching drink for our famished souls.
You, Lord God, are our Source and Sustainer, our Life and Health, our Goal and our Prize. Keep our focus only and always on You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
God's Only-Ness
Judges 17: 6 (also 21:25)
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
This verse is repeated, so it appears twice in this book. It is the theme of the book.
God was to be the King over His chosen people Israel, but they just wouldn't stay true to Him. This book illustrates for us how we will go around the cycle of: being blessed of God; then taking Him for granted; then thinking we did it all ourselves; then being drawn to other gods, worldly ideas; then being conquered by the surrounding Nations (or our own addictions); then turning back to God, crying out for help; then God raises up a military leader to win back their freedom (or means to overcome our addictions) and we worship God again; then be blessed by Him again; and the cycle goes on.
We are so weak, and we justify to our own minds all our choices and decisions, no matter how poor or foolish or evil they be.
The people seem to have lost their sense of God's holiness, His only-ness. This chapter tells us about how Micah and his mother dedicated some silver coins to God, then proceeded to make idols out of it, as though God could be represented by a statue, or even that all the pagan dieties were versions of God. Not realizing that all the images that are honored and prayed to are backed by demons (KJV "devils," I Corinthians 10:19-20).
God designated the Levites to be scattered throughout all of Israel to teach the people God's Laws, His rules and regulations for living; but even they fell down in their duties. Micah hired a Levite to be his own personal priest, and he thought that God would be pleased with him (verse 13).
O my Father, You are holy! You are totally Other from all that You have created, everything that exists. You are Light, You are Love, You cannot be pictured by anything You have made.
You have showed us that we cannot justify ourselves, we must depend on You, only You, my Father. Only You are God. Only You deserve to be worshipped and prayed to. When we pray to any image or any other created thing, we are ascribing to them Your attributes, asking them to do what only You can do.
O Father, I pray for all those today who are bowing down to statues, lighting candles to them, or asking them for favors. Open their eyes, Father, to see that You only are God, and You love them more than they can imagine. Let them see how holy and good You are, draw them to Yourself with Your kindness, and receive all the credit, all the glory for what You are doing in the World to continue to carry out Your great Plan of the Ages.
O Father, be our King. Reign over us all. Teach us Your ways, that we may follow them and reap the benefits, Your blessings, now in this World and in the World to come in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
This verse is repeated, so it appears twice in this book. It is the theme of the book.
God was to be the King over His chosen people Israel, but they just wouldn't stay true to Him. This book illustrates for us how we will go around the cycle of: being blessed of God; then taking Him for granted; then thinking we did it all ourselves; then being drawn to other gods, worldly ideas; then being conquered by the surrounding Nations (or our own addictions); then turning back to God, crying out for help; then God raises up a military leader to win back their freedom (or means to overcome our addictions) and we worship God again; then be blessed by Him again; and the cycle goes on.
We are so weak, and we justify to our own minds all our choices and decisions, no matter how poor or foolish or evil they be.
The people seem to have lost their sense of God's holiness, His only-ness. This chapter tells us about how Micah and his mother dedicated some silver coins to God, then proceeded to make idols out of it, as though God could be represented by a statue, or even that all the pagan dieties were versions of God. Not realizing that all the images that are honored and prayed to are backed by demons (KJV "devils," I Corinthians 10:19-20).
God designated the Levites to be scattered throughout all of Israel to teach the people God's Laws, His rules and regulations for living; but even they fell down in their duties. Micah hired a Levite to be his own personal priest, and he thought that God would be pleased with him (verse 13).
O my Father, You are holy! You are totally Other from all that You have created, everything that exists. You are Light, You are Love, You cannot be pictured by anything You have made.
You have showed us that we cannot justify ourselves, we must depend on You, only You, my Father. Only You are God. Only You deserve to be worshipped and prayed to. When we pray to any image or any other created thing, we are ascribing to them Your attributes, asking them to do what only You can do.
O Father, I pray for all those today who are bowing down to statues, lighting candles to them, or asking them for favors. Open their eyes, Father, to see that You only are God, and You love them more than they can imagine. Let them see how holy and good You are, draw them to Yourself with Your kindness, and receive all the credit, all the glory for what You are doing in the World to continue to carry out Your great Plan of the Ages.
O Father, be our King. Reign over us all. Teach us Your ways, that we may follow them and reap the benefits, Your blessings, now in this World and in the World to come in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, September 17, 2018
Promise Left Unfulfilled
Judges 15: 20
So [Samson] judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
I look at Samson's life and I see so such promise there that was left unfulfilled! Samson was highly gifted by God to do great exploits, but he never did seek God in his life to follow His ways, so he did not lead the Israelites in victory, overthrowing their enemy, thus gaining peace.
At the end if his twenty years Israel was still under the domination of the Philistines. Samson disregarded God's Laws (14:8-9, taking honey from a lion's carcass when the Law stipulated not to eat anything from an animal that was already dead), and he gave in to his own carnal desires; he only ever considered himself, not his Nation or God's plan to free Israel from the Philistine domination.
His lack of moral strength limited his vision to small, temporary, selfish ends, when he could have lifted up his eyes to see how his leadership could have inspired all Israel to follow him in total victory for the whole Nation!
What a difference moral integrity makes! Even with extremely great giftings and abilities, success is elusive and unattainable without the moral strength to rely on God.
O my Father, please strengthen me to use the gifts You have graciously given me to lift up Your Name and further Your Kingdom in this World, rather than benefit only me and mine. I know that You will always provide everything I need from day to day, and You are trustworthy to rely on when I don't see the way.
Enlarge my boundaries, Father, my vision of what can be accomplished. Help me to see beyond my own tiny world into the Grand Vision You have for the people of this Earth. Lead me, guide me, teach me Your ways to walk in Your paths hand-in-hand with You. Then, as I rely on You, You will work through me to accomplish Your works, which are far beyond my own.
And I will give You, my Father, all the credit, all the glory for the wonderful things You are accomplishing among us all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So [Samson] judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
I look at Samson's life and I see so such promise there that was left unfulfilled! Samson was highly gifted by God to do great exploits, but he never did seek God in his life to follow His ways, so he did not lead the Israelites in victory, overthrowing their enemy, thus gaining peace.
At the end if his twenty years Israel was still under the domination of the Philistines. Samson disregarded God's Laws (14:8-9, taking honey from a lion's carcass when the Law stipulated not to eat anything from an animal that was already dead), and he gave in to his own carnal desires; he only ever considered himself, not his Nation or God's plan to free Israel from the Philistine domination.
His lack of moral strength limited his vision to small, temporary, selfish ends, when he could have lifted up his eyes to see how his leadership could have inspired all Israel to follow him in total victory for the whole Nation!
What a difference moral integrity makes! Even with extremely great giftings and abilities, success is elusive and unattainable without the moral strength to rely on God.
O my Father, please strengthen me to use the gifts You have graciously given me to lift up Your Name and further Your Kingdom in this World, rather than benefit only me and mine. I know that You will always provide everything I need from day to day, and You are trustworthy to rely on when I don't see the way.
Enlarge my boundaries, Father, my vision of what can be accomplished. Help me to see beyond my own tiny world into the Grand Vision You have for the people of this Earth. Lead me, guide me, teach me Your ways to walk in Your paths hand-in-hand with You. Then, as I rely on You, You will work through me to accomplish Your works, which are far beyond my own.
And I will give You, my Father, all the credit, all the glory for the wonderful things You are accomplishing among us all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Compassion Or Calamity?
Proverbs 28: 13-14
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
How blessed is the man who fears [God] always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
It's so easy to make excuses for my faults. But that would be hardening my heart to God's cleansing.
O my Father, please help me to continually regard Your Lordship over me from hardening my heart to refuse to hear Your still, small voice behind me, saying, "this is the way, walk here."
Examine my heart, Father, and show me that sin that I have been excusing, that I am concealing from myself--reveal it that I may confess and forsake it, and live my life according to Your righteousness; that Your glory would shine out from this clay pot to the praise of Your glory.
May Your "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (II Corinthians 4:6). fill me and shine forth from this " earthen vessel, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from [myself]" (II Corinthians 4:7); let it be read and seen of all that it is of You, Father, and not from me!
Keep me out of Your way, Father, in my relationships with my adult children and with others.
Here I am--send me--use me!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
How blessed is the man who fears [God] always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
It's so easy to make excuses for my faults. But that would be hardening my heart to God's cleansing.
O my Father, please help me to continually regard Your Lordship over me from hardening my heart to refuse to hear Your still, small voice behind me, saying, "this is the way, walk here."
Examine my heart, Father, and show me that sin that I have been excusing, that I am concealing from myself--reveal it that I may confess and forsake it, and live my life according to Your righteousness; that Your glory would shine out from this clay pot to the praise of Your glory.
May Your "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (II Corinthians 4:6). fill me and shine forth from this " earthen vessel, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from [myself]" (II Corinthians 4:7); let it be read and seen of all that it is of You, Father, and not from me!
Keep me out of Your way, Father, in my relationships with my adult children and with others.
Here I am--send me--use me!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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