"True Adversaries"

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive".  Genesis 50:20

Joseph said that his brothers thought- and did- evil against him.  He didn't say the devil did it.  We often say the devil is the one that does evil things against us.  True, he comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He plots and devises schemes.  He looks for opportunities to convince and inspire men to be the instrument to carry out his plans against us.  But the devil is not always behind every evil thing that is done against us.  The Bible says that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.  We do have real, flesh and blood enemies.  The wicked plot against the just.  Men do evil when their hearts are evil.  The heart of man has to be regenerated by the power of the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said for us to "love our enemies".  We know He wasn't talking about loving Satan.  He was talking about loving those who are against us; those whom the wickedness in their hearts is compelling them to act in a harmful manner against us.  So, Joseph was correct when he said his brothers acted in an evil way against him.

Even though we have real flesh and blood enemies, take note.... if God be for you, who can be against you?  Although the brothers hated Joseph, although they plotted against him, although they did an evil thing to him, God was still with Joseph.  He did not let them succeed in their evil plan.  They wanted to kill him.  God made sure they didn't.  God watched over Joseph.  God delivered Joseph from their desires.  God preserved Joseph.

This is a lesson and encouragement to us.  The devil is out to destroy us, and he will use any means he can-- material things, dark places, addictions, sickness, even family, friends and good people.  But also remember that there are wicked people who are out to destroy us.  But never forget that if you are in God's hands, then what they mean for evil, God will work out for good and the evil that they intended to do to you will not prosper.

Have a great day.  You do have adversaries, the devil and wicked people.  But God is for you and their weapons will not prosper against you.  

"Deliverance In Darkness"

"And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord".  Exodus 14:10

The children of Israel had just left Egypt and were heading into the land that the Lord had promised to give them.  They ran upon an obstacle-- the Red Sea.  If that wasn't enough, they looked behind them and there was Pharaoh and his army pursuing after them.  Talk about being in an impossible situation.  Talk about looking hopeless.  They thought they were either going to drown or be destroyed by the sword.  There was no escape.  Or so they thought.

God made a way.  God delivered them.  God came to their rescue.  God gave them a miracle.  God saved them.  He not only removed the sea that was standing before them, but He also destroyed the army that was pressing in behind them. 

You may feel like your situation is so dark that there is no light anywhere.  You may feel as if what you are going through is going to consume you and take your life.  You may feel like there is no hope, no way, no deliverance.  Listen to the word that the Lord wants to speak to you this morning.  It is the same word He gave to the Israelites.  (Exodus 14:13) "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord".  He fulfilled it to them; He will do the same for you.  This darkness will pass.  He will overcome it on your behalf, and you will be doing what they did afterwards-- singing songs of praise to God for His mighty protection, salvation and deliverance! "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea". (Exodus 15:1)

Have a great day.  It may look dark now, but God will bring deliverance.   

"Filled For A Purpose"

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth".  Acts 1:8

When Jesus left the earth, He promised that He would send the Comforter to be with us-- the Holy Spirit.  He told us what the Sprit would do in our lives and why we needed Him.  He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit.  Receiving Him endowed them with power.  That power was two-fold.  It was an empowerment to live the Christian life and be transformed into the image of Christ.  The second was to be empowered to be a witness for Jesus and the Kingdom of God. 

My question to those of us who say we are "Sprit-filled" is-- why are we Spirit-filled if we aren't going to be led by Him to reach the world for Jesus?

Many people stop with the first reason-- the more personal one.  They are allowing the Spirit to do a work in them, but they are not allowing Him to move through them to reach others for Christ. 

We have been empowered to be able to witness to others.  He desires to work through us to reach the lost for Christ.  He has given us gifts of the Spirit that will show the world that He is real, powerful and worthy of being served.  He has empowered us to lay hands on the sick and see them recover.  He has anointed us by His Spirit to do miracles, signs and wonders so that Jesus is exalted before men.  The Spirit's work in our lives is in order to convince the world and convict the sinner of who Jesus is.  So, my question again is-- Why aren't we letting Him move through us?  Why are we "keeping Him in a box"?  Why are we confining Him to one role only?

Have a great day.  Why are you Spirit-filled if you are not going to let the Spirit do through you the thing that He has filled you for?

"Real Peace"

"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."  Psalm 119:165

When we feel stressed out, tried, weary, overwhelmed by life, we will go to great lengths and take all kinds of measures to try to regain and restore that peace.  We will spend money on all sorts of remedies.  We will go to the doctor and get a prescription to calm our "nerves".  We will take a nap.  We will get a drink.  We will take a trip.  We will engage in some sort of entertaining activity.  We will go for a long walk.  We will try to get away from reality for a while.  If we think it will help, we will do it.  But we will neglect to do the one thing that will ensure that peace---- Go to God's word.  We will totally neglect it or use it as a last resort.   

For some reason we don't think that His word is what we really need.  Evidently, we don't think that it is as powerful as the other things we are willing to try.  If we did, we would go to it.  If we did, we would take the time to read it.  If we did, we would sit down with it and "bathe" our heart, mind and emotions in it and let it wash away all the mental clutter, confusion, frustration, anxiety, worry and emotional fatigue. 

Before you totally neglect His word and put all your hope in some other alternative, that only brings temporary relief, remember this:  His word is life.  His word is peace.  His word brings hope.  His word is trustworthy.  His word is powerful.  His word is Him.  It is His very breath, heart, love, grace and will.  He is the Living Word.  He is the Prince of Peace.  He is the glory and the lifter of your head.  He is Grace; therefore, He gives grace over every trying thing that wants to steal your peace. 

Do you want real peace?  Do you want just momentary peace?  Do you want just some peace?  Or do you want great and sustaining peace?  Remember, great peace comes as you love His word and loving it means you read it, study it, embrace it, hide it in your heart and do it. 

Have a great day.  Do you want peace?  Real peace?  Then you will find it in God's word.   
 

"Storms Have Purpose"

"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"  Mark 4:38

Storms in life are a given.  They are unavoidable.  We have to go through them sometimes.  Remember, Jesus sent His disciples out to sea knowing a storm was coming. 

Storms do three things: 
1)  They test our reactions.  They test what we are made of.  They expose what is inside of us.  The disciples reacted in fear, doubt and unbelief.  The storm exposed the fear that was hidden in their hearts.  It exposed their lack of faith in Jesus and His word.  They had heard Him preach and teach.  They had seen Him heal the sick and cast out devils.  He had already told them that would do the same in His name.  But then the storm came and they were tested.  Their hearts were tested, not just their intellect. 

2)  Storms also reveal our trust in the Lord.  The disciples got in the storm and didn't trust His word-- His word that they were going to the other side; not that they were going to drown in the sea.  They didn't trust His presence that was with them to keep them safe.  They didn't trust His love for them.  Instead, they believed He didn't care.  They trusted Him enough to get in the boat but not enough to keep them safe in the boat.  Sound familiar?  We trust Him until it gets rough.      

3)  Storms give us a revelation of who Jesus really is.  "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:41)  Again, they had seen the miracles He had performed.  They had seen the devils bow down and submit to His authority.  They had heard Him teach with an anointing and authority that the other teachers of the day did not have.  But when they saw His power demonstrated in the storm they marveled and became afraid because they realized this was no ordinary man. 

Are you in a storm?  You may have to "ride it out".  It may not go away quickly.  But let the storm cause you to take inventory and see what is in you.  Let it take you into a whole new level of trust in the Lord.  Let it give you a fresh revelation of Who Jesus is, and through that revelation give you peace to weather the storm and go through it to the other side.  It is possible when you realize exactly Who is in the storm with you.

Have a great day.  Storms serve a purpose in our lives.  Therefore, sometimes we just have to go through them.