Strategic Planning

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Have you thought about 2012 yet?  Most businesses are planning for their next year and the following years right now.  Most of the key leadership within my company does not take vacation the last months of the summer.  They spend the summer strategizing and then in the early fall they final next year’s plan.

Yes, we should focus on finishing the year strong.  Yes, we should reflect over what we thought 2011 would be and the goals that we have set.  Yes, this is important.

But frankly, I’ve got somewhere I want to go with God.  I’ve got dreams that need to become reality.  I believe He can do so much in my life, and I need to take some actions so He can move in it.  If we don’t live intentional, then we get caught in the trap of going through the motions of life, taking the paths of least resistance, and just existing.  The last thing I want to do is exist.  I want to live!  Jesus promised that He came to give life and life more abundantly.  Life is supposed to be abundant.  This doesn’t mean prosperity of the world, but prosperity of spiritual things and experiencing God!

Some of us merely react to life’s circumstances instead of preparing and being proactive.  Honestly, I think more of us plan for Christmas, shopping lists, presents, and parties than we plan for our lives.  We don’t put any thought into it.  Why don’t we?  I think it is because we don’t believe God.  We don’t think He will actually speak to us and tell us our next action or His direction.  We don’t believe He can use us because we think He just works in the lives of some people who are more gifted than us. 

God has a purpose for each one of our lives.  We are meant to be a people of purpose.  We are meant to live intentionally.  This means that we treasure each day and don’t squander it.  This means we need to take the time to reflect, pray, and ponder over where God is leading us.   We ask.  We seek.  We knock.  We press into Him and cling to Him, taking our daily steps.  Then we give Him room to operate.  Through obedience and trust, we see His activity and obstacles removed and ways made clear.

So let me ask you some questions:

• What do you want 2012 to look like?
• Is there something that you have always wanted to do with God?
• What is the most important thing that you accomplish next year?
• What steps do you need to take this year to best position yourself to follow God next year?

Now I want you to spend some time praying.  Pray about how you want to finish this year and use the last two months of this year wisely.  Then pray for God to reveal to you His plans next year.  Then commit to Him that you will live intentionally and not get caught in the trappings of living without a purpose.

If you feel comfortable, let me know what action you are going to take because of this.  I can’t tell you how many times that I have actually followed through with something because I told someone that I was going to do something.  Just reply to this email.  I’m crazy about you, and so is our God!

Pray with me:  Oh, God, teach me to number my days.  Teach me to live intentionally and to make the most of every moment.  Teach me what is most important in my life. Show me Your plan for me.  I don’t want to make my plans and ask You to rubber stamp them.  I want Your best for my life.  It is in Jesus’ Name, the Name above all names that I pray, Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

Hope of Glory

^“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Colossians 1:25-27

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

 
Colossians 1:25-27 tells about a mystery that has been hidden for ages but is now disclosed to the saints.  There are glorious riches in this mystery.  This mystery is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

This isn’t the only Scripture that talks about what resides in you and me.  Second Corinthians 12:9 is another amazing verse.  We’ll have to go through a language lesson and match it with other verses in the Bible to grasp the fullness of its meaning.  The Greek word for “rest” in the phrase “the power of Christ may rest upon me” is episkenoo which means “to dwell, to abide in, to tabernacle.”  Part of this word is used in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”   The Greek word for “dwelling” is skenoo which means “to tent, or encamp, to occupy or to reside, to tabernacle.”  John was using a play on words to say that the glory of God seen in the Exodus tabernacle and Solomon’s temple had come back to dwell in Israel.  God sent the fullness of His glory once again.  Only this time instead of being enfolded in a cloud or a pillar of fire, the glory was draped by flesh and bone on Jesus. 

Therefore, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul was saying that the power of Christ tabernacled in him.  In fact, the power of Christ tabernacles in all believers.  It is covered by your flesh and my flesh, but it’s in there.  The Greek word for “power” is dunamis which means “to be able, achieving power.”  This power is different from other words for power because this power is active, working, and achieving.  It is not just possessing the ability.  It is working power!  The English word “dynamite” is derived from dunamis.  Inside you and me is the very power of God!  We have dynamite in us that is all accomplishing!  Oh, my!  Oh, yes!  In you.  And in me.  Hallelujah!

Jesus was the Shekinah Glory of the Old Testament returned in the cloak of human flesh to dwell among us.  The Shekinah Glory had come back to Israel.  God’s glory had walked on the shores of Galilee, had taught in Judea, and had entered the temple during the annual feasts.  The glory that the old men longed for in their restored temple was back in Israel.  The disciples, the women, the crowds, and even the religious leaders had seen this glory for which others had wished.

Because the nation rejected Jesus as its Messiah, Immanuel left the temple for the final time in the history of mankind.  Just as the Shekinah Glory left the temple, ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives, and has not returned, so did the Son of God…Two thousand years of history without the perfect presence of the glory of the LORD. 

However, the glory of God still resides here on earth.  When the Holy Spirit came, the glory of God came back in secret once again.  Only those with eyes that discern the things of the Spirit understand it.  In you and me is the Hope of Glory.  Christ in us, the Hope of Glory!  Jesus Christ lives in us!  Jesus lives in you and me!  Believers are covenant partners with Him, and we have ingested Him into our entire being.  Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, now lives in us.

This is just another dimension of how I know that Jesus lives.  I know that He lives because He lives in me.  I am being made new every day and being conformed into the image of God’s precious Son.  The old sinful Shirley is dying, and the righteous Shirley with Jesus in her is blooming.  It is the most alive, beautiful, and wonderful that I have ever felt.  So I say, “Keep living in me, Jesus.  Keep living in me.”

Pray with me:  Oh, God, how amazing is it that Christ dwells in us!  This mystery that was hidden through the ages was revealed to those who accepted Jesus.  The mystery is that the Hope of Glory is in us.  Jesus lives in us!  We have dunamis power, accomplishing power.  Keep living in us, Jesus.  It’s in Your Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray.  Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

No Weapon Prevails

Every Tuesday, we get our verse of the week to meditate and memorize.  I want to encourage you to keep trying to focus on just one verse for the week.  If you stay determined, the Word will take root in your heart.  If you have failed with some of the previous verses, don’t get discouraged and quit, but continue to press on.  This spiritual discipline is worth pressing through our failure!  So free yourself of guilt and let’s go!

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

This is one of those verses that reminds me that victory is mine!  I can win.  I don’t have to live defeated and crushed down.  There is no weapon, no instrument that has been forged and made with the intent of harming you and me that will prevail.  It cannot succeed or beat us unless we depart from God.  The enemy may try to forge something that he thinks will get to us and launch some well-thought-out attack that may get to us.  However, in the end, I will stand victorious because I have chosen God above all others.

Next this verse tells us that we will refute every tongue that accuses us.  Oh, has that treacherous enemy thrown many fiery arrows intending to pierce my heart to get me to believe that I am useless and incapable.  I’ve been outwitted many times.  But now, my mind has been soaked in the truth of God’s Word.  When he hurls the insult, I refute it with God’s truth.  I know who I am in Christ.  Do you know who you are?  Have you discovered your identity in Christ?

The third part of this verse tells us this is our heritage.  Our heritage is our inheritance or our property.  This means we have every right to possess this promise.  Our heritage is to be able to know truth, speak truth, and refute the lies of the kingdom of darkness.  There is no weapon of the evil one that has the right to beat you and me.  It’s our inheritance to prevail.  I plan on taking what God has given me and acting on it.  Will you?  Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart.  Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds.  I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this.  Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word.  Take this verse with you wherever you go.  Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands.  Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time.  However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God.  We have to redeem the time.  For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair.  For men, use the time while shaving.  For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn.  Let’s face it:  our minds are thinking about something during this time.  Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go.  You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice.  You can write it out on index cards.  Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together.  For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app.  You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method.  We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it.  We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean. 

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse.  Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize.  For example, say Isaiah 54:17 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate.  You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us.  When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens.  Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ.  We worry and fret less.  We are armed for the attacks of the enemy.  Our lips will be full of praise for our God.  My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!

Daily Steps

“The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”

Psalm 37:23

People have repeatedly asked me how did I write the Jesus Lives Bible study while working full time, raising three kids, and serving in women’s ministry at my church and in the marketplace?  I tell them that it is the power of God coupled with my daily investment. 

First of all, I can do nothing on my own power.  Secondly, it takes a godly passion that drives me to glorify God and fulfill my calling.  In terms of “how-to”, it really was about little steps at a time.  Every day I seek God and desire to hear from Him in every circumstance.  Every day, I bite off what I can do for the kingdom that day.  I listen to God and see what He is revealing to me, and I capture it.  Not every day’s lesson is meant to be shared with you.  Some days, God’s message is just for me alone.  By making small daily investments, I reach my end goal. 

Jesus Lives was written because I woke up early almost every morning for three years.  Before the sun came up, my alarm clock would sound.  I would ask God for the willpower to get out of bed.  I prayed Psalm 63:1 that says, “Oh, God, You are my God.  Earnestly I seek You.  My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  I know the Hebrew word for “earnestly” almost means early.  So I would say, “Oh, God, You are my God.  I seek You early today.  Even though I would love to stay in bed much longer, give me the strength to get out of bed.  I choose You because I know that Your love is better than life (Psalm 63:3).”  I would slip out of bed while my husband was sleeping and go to my bathroom floor.  Some days, there was a bath mat.  Some days, I just sat on the vinyl floor.  I didn’t dare make a sound for any noise might wake up my young children and quiet would flee from my home.

Yes, there were a handful of days that I took vacation days from work to finish a day of homework.  But very few full days were spent writing.  It was my small investment in the morning, meditating on the Scripture for that part of the homework as I went throughout my day, and returning the next morning to the same part of the homework.  A good day was when I wrote a whole paragraph.  Gradually, not suddenly, I reached my goal.  God could have spoken it into being, but He chose instead to empower me and speak to me daily.  It was hard work.  There were many days I wasn’t sure when I would ever finish.  Through persistence and commitment, the power of my small daily investment partnered with the almighty power of God.

A small daily investment has helped many people reach their goals.  It is how people lose that unwanted weight.  It is how a runner builds up their distance running.  Daily learning to tell yourself “no” is how people break bad habits and addictions.  Small daily investments over many days will help you to reach your goals, too.

So what part of your life would benefit from a daily consistent investment?  What long reaching dream do you hope to achieve and how will daily bite-sized chunks help you?  What relationship would benefit from you making a commitment to take it one day at a time to behave and treat them as God has called you to do?  Let me know how you decide to use the power of the daily investment.

Pray with me:  Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, You are majestic!  You are worthy of all praise.  We know, Lord, that we can do nothing of eternal value on our own power.  It is only when we plug into You and use Your power that kingdom things are accomplished.  Lord, teach us to be intentional though.  We delight in You so please make our steps firm.  Teach us the power of daily steps and consistently moving towards the goals and plans that You have for our lives.  Teach us the power of daily investments partnered with Your power.  In the mighty Name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

Late One Night

Late One Night

By Shirley Mitchell

“Late one night he visited Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God.  No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it.’ ”

John 3:2 (The Message)

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders in Israel. We met these leaders when we studied John the Baptist. They are easy to pick out of the crowd for they were the ones pointing their fingers and bearing the proud faces. They were the dry ones - physically and spiritually - too pious to accept the invitation of baptism by John. Nicodemus was a member of a group of 70 men who had given their lives to study and obey the Law of Moses and follow the traditions. He was a man of prominence, wealth, and power. He could have summoned Jesus to his home or addressed Him in the temple. However, he chose to come in the shadows of night.

Isn’t it interesting that Nicodemus sought Jesus in the cover of night?  Scholars conjecture many reasons why the visit was after darkness settled. Most Pharisees studied the Torah at night after a day’s work in the temple. Or maybe he wanted a private conversation with Jesus’ full attention and no interruptions. Or was it because he was too afraid of his peers and coworkers to be seen with Jesus? I think it was fear. I picture him looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching and pulling his prayer shawl over his head to conceal his face. I wonder if he sneaked past the Romans who guarded Jerusalem or if he had the influence to move freely.

I lived the first part of my life with a desire to keep my faith in Jesus to myself. In college, I was so embarrassed when my older sister placed a bumper sticker on my mother’s convertible. The sticker said “Jesus Lives.” She branded the most hip car that we ever owned in the family declaring to everyone that we were Christians. My, oh my, isn’t it interesting how God can change a heart? Not only would I proudly have that bumper sticker on my car, I want it to be the neon sign of my life! How I long to use my frail mouth with His mighty Spirit to tell precious souls that Jesus really does live today.

Consider what Nicodemus was thinking that led him to visit Jesus. He watched the crowds as they listened to Jesus. He never held their attention like Jesus did. Jesus used simple words, but He taught with power. Nicodemus, Israel’s teacher, had never performed one miracle. He had to visit Him and understand how this could be. It would be too bold, and possibly foolish, to talk to Him where the other guys could see. 

He was drawn to Jesus because He knew that He was a teacher sent straight from God. No one could do the God-pointing, God-revealing acts Jesus was doing without God’s involvement. Jesus was pointing the people to God! Jesus came to reveal God to man and to be His Messenger to us! Jesus replied to Nicodemus in verse 3 of the Message, “You’re absolutely right.”

Do you think he accepted Jesus as Savior as a result of this encounter? God’s Word does not tell us directly. We can only guess by his actions. Nicodemus and Jesus met publicly soon after this private meeting. In John 7:45-52, Nicodemus stands up to the Pharisees who want to bring Jesus in because they think He has deceived the people about the Law. He plays it safe, sticks to the Law, and says, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

The third encounter helps us to be more certain about Nicodemus’ faith. After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who feared the Jews, asked Pilate for His body. With Pilate’s permission he took the body and prepared it for burial with Nicodemus. They brought myrrh and aloes and wrapped the body with strips of linen according to Jewish customs. Both men risked judgment by the religious leaders if it was revealed that they were followers of Jesus. Additionally, Jesus was crucified as a criminal and enemy of Rome. It was dangerous, but they were convinced of who He was and stood for the truth. 

Aren’t you proud of our shadow walker? His life was changed by the courage that it took one late night to come to Jesus. Later, he took a greater step of courage to risk his life to be involved with Jesus. He did it! Oh, precious one, may you and I be willing to risk something precious to us for the most precious thing in all life – Jesus! May no one be confused about our alliances. May it be evident to all who observe our lives that we believe in Jesus Messiah and live for Him!

Pray with me: Oh, God, we worship You! We exalt You. Give us the courage to seek You even though the crowd may not. Give us the desire to want to understand the deep things of You. May it be obvious whom we are in covenant relationship with. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

Good Works

Every Tuesday, we get our verse of the week to meditate and memorize.  I want to encourage you to keep trying to focus on just one verse for the week.  If you stay determined, the Word will take root in your heart.  If you have failed with some of the previous verses, don’t get discouraged and quit, but continue to press on.  This spiritual discipline is worth pressing through our failure!  So free yourself of guilt and let’s go! 

 Good Works

By Shirley Mitchell

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

We are God’s workmanship, His handiwork.  Creator God made us from the dust of the earth with His hands.  He didn’t just speak man into being but touched him with His hands.  We are the only creation that God got personally involved and personally touched.  We are also the only creation made in the image of God.  Then, He breathed life into Adam and put His breath in Adam’s nostrils.  However, Adam sinned and death came into the world and to man.  Through Jesus Christ, we have been born again and get to live with God forever and ever.

God didn’t save us and then take us to heaven.  He has more planned for believers than that.  He prepared good works for us to do.  Yes, we are saved by grace and not by works.  The Scripture right before this tells us that, but God still has good works for us.  You and I have things that only we can do.  God prepared them for us before we were even born, before the beginning of time.

God isn’t hiding them like a cruel big brother may hide all the Easter eggs in difficult spots and ruin the Easter egg hunt for the little kids who can’t find them in his extra tricky hiding places.  No!  God won’t plan the good works and then not lead us to get them.  He will show us the way.  If we follow Him with all our hearts, we can be assured that we will complete the good works He has planned for us.  Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart.  Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds.  I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this.  Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word.  Take this verse with you wherever you go.  Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands.  Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time.  However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God.  We have to redeem the time.  For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair.  For men, use the time while shaving.  For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn.  Let’s face it:  our minds are thinking about something during this time.  Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go.  You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice.  You can write it out on index cards.  Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together.  For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app.  You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method.  We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it.  We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean. 

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse.  Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize.  For example, say Ephesians 2:10 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate.  You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us.  When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens.  Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ.  We worry and fret less.  We are armed for the attacks of the enemy.  Our lips will be full of praise for our God.  My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!

Prayer for Our Pastors

Prayer for Our Pastors

By Shirley Mitchell

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

2 Timothy 4:2-5

 

Dear one, this month is pastor appreciation month. Whether you call the spiritual leader of your church pastor, priest, reverend, or friend, we all need to take some time to pray for our Christian leaders. They balance the stresses of ministry while they are writing sermons, managing church business and issues, attending meetings, and counseling others with problems.  They wear multiple hats as the pastor, priest, preacher, counselor, teacher, manager, organizer, visionary, and administrator – oh, my, what a list!

 

Jesus warned us in His Mount of Olives teaching that in the last days false prophets would appear and deceive people (Matthew 24:4-5). Many other New Testament writers give us more warnings about the last days and the age of apostasy – when there will be false teachings.

 

God has impressed me more and more to pray for our Christian leaders. They are under more spiritual warfare and oppression than we understand. You see, as the time nears for the return of our Lord, the evil one gets more and more furious. He strikes out more at God’s people. He intensifies his battle plan to increase immorality and turn people’s worship from the one true God to anything else.

 

We forget that there is a battle raging around us for the souls of men and for the territory of this country. Our pastors are on the front line of that battle. They are held to a higher standard as the shepherd of their flocks. They are the ones seeking our Father for the vision and mission of their particular church. In Revelation, Jesus gave a report card to seven churches. They are responsible for their lampstand. He sees their hard work and perseverance. He also knows if they have forsaken their first love like the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:4).

 

So I’m going to give you the chance to take the time today to pray with me for our pastors, priests, and spiritual leaders. Pray these words below with me.  Then try to take a few minutes to pray for those who are in Christian leadership. I’m sure if you give the time to God that your time with Him will be much better than my starter prayer for us.

 

Pray with me: Father, we lift up our Christian leaders to You – be they pastors, priests, ministers, reverends, or whatever their title. We ask, Lord, that You empower them. May they remember the Word that You have planted in them. Grow that Word. Give them a passion for You. Make them hungry for You, Lord. When they deliver messages, may it not be out of duty, but out of extreme love. May they never speak their own words, but only what they have received from You. 

 

We pray specifically for our own pastor by name ____________ (You say your leader’s name.).

 

May he preach the WORD! May he never water it down, compromise, or ever take the way of apostasy. May he know that every bit of Your Holy Word is true, and may he stand on it and be willing to give his life for it.

 

We pray for his holiness. Just as He who called him is holy, so may he be holy in all that he does (1 Peter 1:15).

 

Open a door for his message so that he may proclaim the mystery of Messiah for which he is a bondservant to. May he proclaim it clearly (Colossians 4:3-4).

 

May he never try to win the approval of men. May he not seek to please men, but to please You, O Lord. May he be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).

 

Give him the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

 

May he become more surrendered to You. May he flee temptation.

 

Give him the boldness to confront sin in the church and in the world today.

 

Bind the enemy from stirring up trouble and criticism and wrecking Your plans for our church in our city.

 

Give him a compassion for the hurting, the cold, the hungry, the weak, the homeless, the abused, the broken, the crippled, and the down and out. Give him a vision to reach our city for Your glory. Empower him to walk so far out there on the water with You, taking his people past the normalcy of American Christianity. May we see miracles of healing again – not just the few – but many miracles.  May Your Spirit be poured out upon us – just a downpour of Your Spirit filling us so we can pour Jesus out to the world!

 

May the people of his flock follow under his leadership. May we become passionate about the things that are eternal and lay aside the things that thieves steal and that moths and rust destroy.

May our churches return to their first love. May we be vibrant and as in love as a blushing young bride. May we never be lukewarm again like the Laodicea Church in Revelation 3, but may we be burning hot for You!

In the mighty Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen

The Feast of Tabernacles

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites:  'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.’ ’ ”

Leviticus 23:23-24

Beginning sunset today, Jews and Christians were celebrating the seventh and final feast that God gave to Israel.  In Leviticus 23:34, God spoke to Moses, “Say to the Israelites:  ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and lasts for seven days.’ ”  It is also called Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, or the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16).  The feast lasts seven days and occurs on the 15^th day of the seventh month, five days after the most solemn Day of Atonement.

In verses 39-41, God instructs Moses that after they have gathered the crops of the land, they are to celebrate this feast.  The first day is a day of rest, and the last day is a day of rest.  They are to take the choice fruit from the trees, palm fronds, leafy branches, and poplars and rejoice before the LORD for seven days each year.  In verses 42-43, God commands them to “live in booths for seven days…so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt...”

This feast is celebrated annually as a reminder of God’s provision in the wilderness for 40 years.  During the feast, booths were built commemorating God’s provision of shelter for the Israelites following the exodus from Egypt.  In the wilderness, the Israelites lived in temporary lean-to’s as they traveled.  The most joyful and festive of all Israel’s feasts celebrates God’s past provision and goodness during the wilderness years and His present provision and goodness with the harvest.  It was one of the three feasts requiring a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  From the second night until the final night, there was a light celebration or temple–lighting ceremony.  This light celebration was reminiscent of the descent of the Shekinah glory in Solomon’s day and looked forward to the return of the Shekinah in the days of the Messiah (Ezekiel 43:1-6).

Previously, I have told you that God has told the story of Messiah and the story of the Jewish people through these feasts.  Colossians 2:16-17 says that the feasts were a shadow of the things to come that were found in Messiah.

Zechariah 14 speaks of the end times when God will go and fight against the evil nations and those who have come against Israel.  Verses 6-7a say, “On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.  It will be a unique day without daytime or nighttime.”  Then verse 9 says, “The LORD will be king over the whole earth.  On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.”  Lastly, verse 16 says, the people “will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.”

Revelation 21:1-6 speaks of when God will finally dwell with man.  It says there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  The Holy City of Jerusalem will come down out of heaven, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  Then a loud voice from the throne will say, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

Messiah will set up the messianic kingdom and tabernacle among men.  His plan has always been to tabernacle among men, to tabernacle with us.  Then He will begin His Millennium reign on earth from Jerusalem.  Countless prophecies speak of God’s desire to dwell with man, but one of my favorite is Ezekiel 37:27, “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

As Revelation 21 says, He will wipe away every tear.  There will be no more mourning, crying, pain, and death!  He makes all things new.  We will celebrate and dance for joy!  Do you see why the Jewish celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is just a foretaste of the fulfillment of the feast and the celebration that we will have when Jesus returns, when we dwell in the Holy City of Jerusalem and rejoice and celebrate for our God has won the battle.  We will dwell with Him forever!  Hallelujah!

Pray with me:  Lord Jesus, come quickly!  We long for Your return and Your reign as King.  We long for You to defeat Your foes and set up Your reign in the New Jerusalem.  We long for the day that there will be no more tears, no more death, and no more pain.  We long to dance down the streets made of gold in Jerusalem and celebrate the seventh feast.  Most of all, we long to dwell with You forever!  In the mighty Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Delight

“Delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV 1984)

First let me tell you, this verse in the updated version of the NIV says, “Take delight in the LORD…” It threw me off at first because I’m so used to hearing “delight in the LORD.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized delight has to be taken. We have to choose delight. It is not a state of being. Delight means we have risen above our circumstances that try to pull us down. Delight means we have eyes to see the world as He does and see how He is operating all around us. To take delight means we have taken the attitude of gratitude and the mind of Christ.

Delight means a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment. We are supposed to enjoy God. Do you? Do you delight in His presence? Does it please you to be with Him? Do you wish that I had not asked you these questions because you don’t like the answers? We have to remember this is not about a religion and man-made list of do’s and don’ts. It’s about a relationship. The last thing God wants to be in our life is boring and unsatisfying. He wants to be the One who rings our bell, makes us laugh, and do crazy acts of love. He wants to be our delight.

If we delight in Him, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. After over a decade of praying the same prayer, I can honestly say He is still the number one desire of my heart. All I really want is Him. He makes my heart sing. He just does “it” for me. But I still have other desires. He has fulfilled many, but I’m still waiting on a few to be fulfilled. I’m believing that since I’m delighting that He will give them to me. Why? Because He said so. I know that as long as my desires align with His Word and His design for my life, He will give them to me. I trust Him. So let’s live each day delighting in Him. Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart. Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds. I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this. Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word. Take this verse with you wherever you go. Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands. Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time. However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God. We have to redeem the time. For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair. For men, use the time while shaving. For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn. Let’s face it: our minds are thinking about something during this time. Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go. You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice. You can write it out on index cards. Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together. For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app. You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method. We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it. We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean.

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse. Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize. For example, say Psalm 37:4 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“Delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV 1984)

“Delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV 1984)

“Delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV 1984)

“Delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (NIV 1984)

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate. You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us. When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens. Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ. We worry and fret less. We are armed for the attacks of the enemy. Our lips will be full of praise for our God. My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!

Day of Atonement

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.’ ”

Leviticus 23:26-27

Today is the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, the High Holy Day for Jews. This Holy Day falls 10 days after Rosh Hashanah on the 10th of Tishri which is the Hebrew month that correlates with September-October on our calendars. This sixth of the seven feasts speaks of atonement.

Kippur means to cover. The word atonement simply means covering. It was the most solemn day of the year. It still is today. For the ancient Jewish people, it was a day of repentance and confession. It was the last day to repent before the books and the gates were closed and judgment was passed down. They said that God would decide the fate of each human being and what would happen to them in the coming year.

On that day, the high priest entered into the holy of holies to stand before the shekinah glory. The Ark of the Covenant was only seen on this day, Israel’s day of national repentance. The high priest would repent first for his own sins and then for the sins of the nation. They tied a rope around him and bells on his garments so if the bells stopped jingling, then they could pull out the high priest.

Today in Israel, there is no temple because of its destruction in 70 A.D. Therefore, there are no more sacrifices. I find this fact so interesting because Jesus Messiah is the only sacrifice for sin. Even if the Jewish people didn’t accept Jesus as Messiah and stopped the sacrifices, God stopped the sacrifices after Messiah came as the final sacrifice. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Over half of the Israeli people will fast during this time. There are no radio or television broadcasts, airports are shut down, there is no public transportation, and all shops and businesses are closed.

This feast will be fulfilled in a time to come when Israel will repent of her sins and turn to Messiah for salvation. In the tribulation, satan will pour out his wrath on the earth and God will pour out His wrath calling for repentance. Through the tribulation, Israel will be redeemed and accept Jesus as Messiah. Oh, how I long for the day that Jesus can gather the Jewish people under His wings of protection as He longed to do when He entered Jerusalem the week before His death.

Now the church has dealt with sin at the mercy seat. Through accepting Jesus as our Savior, we are saved. We have had our Day of Atonement. Rest assured, my friend, that if you accepted Jesus as your Savior, repented from a lifestyle of sins, and desire to live for Him, then Jesus’ blood has atoned for your sins. You and I can fellowship with a Holy and Righteous God. There is no longer the gulf or the veil like in the temple that separates us from Him. I ask you to spend some time like the Jewish people will today in some introspective prayer and to focus on our Great God.

Pray with me: Father, on this Day of Atonement, we are reminded that Jesus’ death on the cross atoned for our sins. We don’t take it for granted to live a sinful life. But we rejoice and desire to live for You. May each one of us look into our own lives and allow You to reveal to us anything that does not please You. May we have ears to hear if You are calling us to fast and push other things aside so we can focus on You during this day.

While we are not looking forward to satan’s wrath being poured out on the earth, we long for the day when Israel has her eyes opened to the fact that her Messiah has already come. We pray for Israel to accept Jesus as her Messiah and to turn to You. In the mighty Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.