Are you there to make Money or to make a Difference?

(Prov 11:16 NIrV) A woman who has a kind heart gains respect. But men who are not kind gain only wealth.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts those that seek to gain respect with those that only seek to gain wealth. I have told you many times before that money makes an excellent servant, but a poor master.

Having money is not the issue. The author of his passage (Solomon) was wealthier than Bill Gates. If you look at the possessions of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, and many others, you will see that they were very wealthy.

It issue is not whether or not you have money; it becomes an issue when money has you; when the driving motivation of your life is money. Paul said, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1st Tim 6:10).

When you love money, when you crave money, when all you can think about is making money, then your focus will be so skewed that you will neglect God and others on your road to wealth. It may seem like you are climbing the corporate ladder, getting fast promotions and greater positions, but at the end of the day, if all you pursued was money, you will be a poor man.

Some of the poorest people on the planet have lots of money. Having money doesn’t do much good if you don’t have strong relationships, a healthy body, a sound mind, and most of all – a strong covenant relationship with God.

Solomon says, “A woman who has a kind heart gains respect.” There is a certain level of respect given to a person because of their rank or position, but that initial respect can only go so far. A good leader knows that leadership is much more about disposition than position. He knows that if he earns the respect of his subordinates that they will go above-and-beyond for not just the mission, but also the leader!

The word “kind” in this text is key to gaining respect. The word “kind” means: being disposed to do good to others; having tenderness or goodness of nature. Jesus was an excellent leader and He was kind. He was disposed to do good to and for others. He was always on the lookout for ways to BE a blessing. His focus was not on His own personal advancement, but on the advancement of others.

“Leadership is a servant relationship, which facilitates human development.” Godly leaders are servant leaders. They know that they are blessed by God to be in a position of leadership, so they seek to use the position to glorify God, by seeking to make a positive impact on all those that they can. They seek to serve their subordinates by developing them, as they have been developed.

So what does this mean? It means that you should check your heart as you begin this day. What is the motivation behind why you do what you do? Are you at work only to make money? Or are you there to make a difference? Thank God for your position, but remember to maintain the proper disposition.

Be disposed to do good unto others, seek to be a blessing, make every effort to develop your subordinates, and guess what? You will be financially rewarded in the process!

Father, I don’t do what I do just to make money; I do what I do to make a difference and money comes as a by-product. I thank You for blessing me to be in a position where I can be a blessing to others. Use me Father, today, for Your glory. Use me to develop those that I oversee. Use me to speak a word of encouragement. Use me to speak a word of correction, if that is what’s need. Use me in whatever capacity You need to use me today, so that the organization I am a part of can progress and You can be glorified! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Focus on the Task at Hand

Life is tough enough as it is. It's even tougher when we're headed in the wrong direction.
One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept his life on course.
As Jesus looked across the horizon of his future, he could see many targets. Many flags were flapping in the wind, each of which he could have pursued. He could have been a political revolutionary. He could have been a national leader. He could have been content to be a teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal bodies. But in the end he chose to be a Savior and save souls.
Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus himself. "The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them" (Luke 19:10). "The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people" (Mark 10:45).
The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day he left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim--the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that his final words were, "It is finished" (John 19:30).
How could Jesus say he was finished? There were still the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to instruct, and the unloved to love. How could he say he was finished? Simple. He had completed his designated task. His commission was fulfilled. The painter could set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the writer put away his pen. The job was done.
Wouldn't you love to be able to say the same? Wouldn't you love to look back on your life and know you had done what you were called to do?

by Max Lucado

Mercy Triumps Over Judgement

Article by Kris Vallotton

Devilish Deceptions
It has been said that God does nothing in the affairs of men except they pray. Prayer is the catalyst for worldwide transformation. Prayer incites the angels, restrains darkness, and releases nations into their destiny. Prayer is the key to revival, building bridges between what should be and what will be. The devil also knows the power of prayer and he understands that he can't stop us from praying. But he is the master of deception and he tries to convince us that his destructive schemes are "acts of God" so Believers will not release the arsenal of Heaven against him! Unfortunately, satan has been more successful at deceiving the saints recently than he has for decades. One of the ways he has shrewdly crept into our society is by convincing the Church that it is our responsibility to release the wrath of God against sinners. This authorizes the dethroned prince of darkness to kill, steal and destroy while we stand aside applauding the demise of these ravaged people. To make matters worse, this evil prince frames the Lord of Redemption for his crimes, poisoning the people of His passion, which causes many of them to reject His wedding invitation. Meanwhile, those who have been empowered to police this property, lack discernment and assist these angels of light in their killing spree. The Remerging Of The Dooms Day Prophets
In the last decade the "Doomsday" prophets seemed to have come out of hibernation. In 1997, my own parents moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area to avoid the wrath of a great earthquake prophesied to strike southern California. This quake was going to destroy Hollywood for its immoral pollution of the media and San Francisco for its homosexual perversion. The word also predicted that northern California would become "ocean front property." My Mom and Dad relocated Bay Area to Lake Tahoe near Nevada, hoping to find a prophetic "no-fly" zone. Just about the time my folks got settled, several prophets began to prophesy about an upcoming international famine. This became known around the world as the "Y2K bug." This bug was going to judge us for making our intellect a god. It was the perfect "God Scheme." The whole plan was to be hidden by our foolish confidence in man's brilliance. It seemed that the Lord had blinded every computer nerd in the world, keeping them from discovering too soon that we would all be starving over the lack of a digit. What a way to go! There would be rioting in the streets; people would be fighting off the temptation to cannibalize their neighbors and children! Businesses and governments would crumble next. Some even predicted this would start the "Mother of all Wars." People streamed in mass to buy generators and guns to protect their food in the "Name of the Lord." Needless to say, these preparations proved to be pointless, and my parents are still driving for hours to reach the ocean. September 11, 2001 will forever be branded in the minds of Americans as a monument to murder. America woke up to the sounds of people screaming, many of them on fire as they exited the black smoke of a man-made hell. Explosions could be heard in the background as buildings crumbled and thousands were trapped in would-be tombs. Weeping and wailing were heard for miles as people wandered aimlessly through the streets looking for their loved ones. Many jumped to their death from these flaming infernos. Deep sadness and fear blanketed the whole earth as the news spread. Everywhere, people were crying out for mercy for those who were still counted among the missing. People were glued to their TV sets, praying, hoping and believing that life would emerge from the rubble.
Although the "Prophets of Doom" had not prophesied this disaster, declarations of darkness began to emerge from what was supposed to be the "House of Hope." Before we could ask ourselves why such a mindless act of horror would be perpetrated on the lives of the many innocent who died that day, numerous Prophets began to proclaim that this terrorist attack was God's judgment for the sins of our nation. Their thesis was God was angry over the abortion, homosexual and pornography issues so he decided to kill a bunch of people to make His point. Can you imagine the grief that beset those who had lost love ones and were now being confronted by an angry God who wanted to kill more people? This attitude reminds me of something Jesus said, "In the last days the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). Slow Learners
It seems that many of God's Prophets are slow learners as a whole new wave of prophetic judgments are being released over San Francisco, Northern California and Hollywood again. These judgments are predicated by a huge misunderstanding of New Testament prophetic ministry in the Church today. The Church needs to realize that the crucifixion of Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets! We need to stop doing for the devil what he can't do for himself!
Let's take a look at the goal of New Testament ministry and means of achieving it according to the Apostle Paul. He wrote:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthians 5:17-21).
Two things come to light in these passages; number one, New Testament ministry is the "ministry of reconciliation". And number two; the way God reconciles people to Himself is by "not count their trespasses against them!" In the Old Testament the primary role of the Prophet was to decree judgments for national transgressions because sin required judgment under the Law. But in the New Testament, the crucifixion of Christ paid the price that judgment required thereby fulfilling justice and ultimately releasing mercy to millions of sinners who didn't deserve it (people like you and me, for instance). A Violent Act Of Grace

It never seems to dawn on some Believers that we didn't get into the Kingdom through our works but through His (Christ's). Sinners who discipline themselves into good behavior are still sinners who are in need of a savior. No one can behave their way into Heaven! Trying to get into Heaven through the disciplined behavior is called self-righteousness and it is ugly to God! Jesus said, "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it (Luke 16:16). The Law said, "you can't come into the Kingdom because you haven't kept all the rules!" The Prophets continued the same theme proclaiming judgments on the world for their (our) wickedness. But then, suddenly, something amazing happen; unrighteous people began turning the Cross of Christ into a battering ram and through a violet act of grace they forced their way into the Kingdom! Shaking Out The Salt

Jesus told us, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men (Matthew 5:13). In Jesus' day, they didn't have refrigerators to store their food. Salt was the primary means by which they preserved their meat and poultry. Through this analogy, the Lord is teaching us that the Church is the element in society that preserves the culture from the wrath of God and the destruction of evil forces. A great example of this is Joseph, who released a corporate blessing through his righteous life. His presence in Egypt caused the Israelites and the Egyptians to be spared from a worldwide famine. Jesus also said that when salt becomes tasteless, it is not good for anything except to be walked on by men. In other words, the people of that day would taste the salt and if it was no longer salty, they knew that it would not keep their food from spoiling. It's important to remember that Jesus is not really talking about preserving meat, but describing the Body of Christ. So what does it mean to become tasteless? It implies that we have stopped preserving the world. You can tell when the Church has become tasteless because we begin prophesy against the people we are supposed to be preserving. Re-Presenting Christ

Not only is the Church preservation (salt), but we are also revelation (light). In the book of Matthew Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). What does it mean to be light, and what is it that we are illuminating? We are shedding light on nature of God; how He thinks and acts in the affairs of men. We are the revelation of the Father and His love letter to the world. We re-present Christ to the lost. The world looks to us to understand world events through the eyes of God. When we misrepresent our Heavenly Father, the world gets a warped perspective of God. James and John are a good example of how many misrepresent God. The "Sons of Thunder" wanted to call fire down to consume a city, but Jesus said to them, "You don't know what spirit you are of" (Luke 9:54-55). It is interesting to me that was this was the same John who wrote to the Beloved and exhorted us, "Not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). I imagine that he received the revelation that even Jesus' own apostles could be influenced by hell through his own experience of listening to the wrong spirit. Notice how his exhortation continues in the same chapter: "Beloved, let us love one another . . . There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love" (John 4:18). These verses were written in the context of testing the spirits. In other words, we test the spirits by examining them in light of the virtues of love. When we read love's virtues that are spelled out in the letter to the Corinthians, and understand that fear has no place in love, we find ourselves wondering what spirit is encouraging these judgment prophecies. The greatest tragedy is that the revelation the world receives from these voices causes them to believe that our Father is an angry God who is looking for an opportunity to punish people.

The apostle John laid his head on the chest of Christ and was transformed from an angry, "son of thunder" into John the beloved. It is time for the prophets of God to lay their head on the Masters chest and hear the heart beat of Heaven again. Jesus said, ". . . If the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness" (Matthew 6:23)! If we are the light of the world and we are speaking against the people who are already lost in night, how great is the darkness! In the same way, when we represent God as someone who wants to destroy America because forty millions babies have been aborted in our country, we perpetuate the very problem that we are trying to cure. People are killing their babies because they don't know or understand the love of the Father. Does it make sense that we tell people that God is so angry that we are killing our young that He is going to teach us a lesson by kill a bunch more people? Is our Father so single-dimensional in His being that He only has one response to anything man does wrong?
Can you imagine the negative impact it would have on your daughter if she came to you to tell you that she had an abortion, and in response you flipped out and tried to kill her? If you reacted out of rage, I would suggest that your lack of love is a large part of her decision to have the abortion in the first place. When we reveal God to the world, it is essential that we communicate light, life and love. Love doesn't punish or create fear. I personally don't believe that God is mad at sinners. I do think that He is grieved over the world's destructive behavior. But grief and anger aren't same thing. Love Requires Free Choice

Every time we see the heartless acts of destruction that deeply wound the heart of God, we must remember the depths of God's desire to share love. The nature of love is that it requires us to be able to choose. If God took away our choice, people could only behave in the way that God programmed them to. Wars would cease, hunger would end and poverty would only be an ancient memory. But the desperate cry of the human heart that beats with passion for a loving relationship with the most beautiful Being in the entire universe would be gone too. Day after day, a loving Creator looks down on a broken planet longing for the day when the object of His affection will walk hand in hand with Him into indescribable beauty in the halls of eternity. In the meantime the destruction continues, not because God is angry with man, but rather because men choose to kill, steal and destroy. This is the fruit of those who have chosen the wrong lover (Satan).

Meanwhile a hateful enemy is stalking a wounded and desperate people. He is seeking to paralyze us with fear, demoralize us with his arrogant boasts of destructive predications and hardness us with hopeless. Yet still, the future belongs to those who pray. Prayer is the bridge between what should be and what will be. The diligent prayer of a righteous people will ultimately determine the destiny of our children. Therefore it is our responsibility to leave to those yet to be born, a world in revival as their inheritance. Hanging in the balance of eternity is the ultimate climax of our Creator - the kingdoms of this world becoming the Kingdom of our God.

Making Sound Financial Decisions

(Prov 11:15 TNIV) Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts those that blindly enter into a binding agreement to cover the debt of a stranger, with those who wisely refuse to do so.

The translation I chose uses the word, “security.” The King James Version uses the word, “surety.” We were first introduced to this term in Proverbs 6:1. A surety is a person who agrees to be responsible for the debt or obligation of another. In today’s language this would be considered a co-signer on a loan. Solomon is basically warning us against co-signing on a loan for a stranger.

Solomon was an astute businessman. He ran a nation with a multi-billion dollar surplus. During his time the Phoenicians developed a new system of credit. Credit was not a new concept, but to this point is relatively fair and it was offered at reasonable interest.

What the Phoenicians established was credit with unusually high interest. This caused several people to be locked into bad deals. Let me pause here long enough to say that there is nothing new under the sun. Biblical wisdom stands the test of time. What President Obama is attempting to address today with the Credit Card industry is nothing new. For thousands of years people have been conducting commerce and using credit. Credit – in and of itself – is not a bad thing, but it can become a bad thing if not managed correctly.

Solomon warned his readers (believers) to avoid putting their good name on a bad loan; especially for someone they just met.

So what does this mean? It means that Solomon’s counsel is good advice on many levels, because:

1. You don’t know the person. You don’t know if this person is of solid character, if they will make good on their promise to pay, or if they even have the intention of paying. Why would you obligate yourself to a binding agreement FOR someone you just met?

2. Failing to pay is NOT an option. Solomon tells us that the person that refuses to make the pledge is safe. For the believer the word, “pledge” is a serious thing. You are putting your name on the line. You are giving your Word that if this person fails to pay, that you WILL; and as a believer, you are bound to do so.

A person of poor character and deceitful intent may enter into a loan without the intentions of paying, but you MUST never do so. Your word has to be your bond. We are expected by God to meet every obligation. That is why we must “Count the cost” (see Luke 14:28-30) before we enter into a binding agreement. So think things through, prayer over them, and make sound decisions.

Your family can be affected. You have an obligation to God and to your family to manage your finances well. Making a poor decision like this can put your family at risk. That is why prayer is so important. Many people make foolish decisions then say things like, “God, why did you let this happen to me?” No! Don’t blame God. He is not obligated to bless your mess.

So be very careful what obligations you take on. There is a difference between being generous and making a poor decision. Don’t allow your emotions to take you where your bank account can’t keep you. This is great advice in today’s credit-laden society.

Father, I thank You for providing me sound counsel through Your Word and by Your Spirit. You lead me in the way that I should go. I declare, by faith, that everything decision I make is a decision that is birthed out of my prayer life. I make decisions that line up with Your counsel. I am a blessing to others and I give to those in need. However, I am led in my giving. I don’t overextend myself and I don’t endanger my family by making poor decisions. You lead me in the area of my finances and in every area of my life. I pray, I think things through, I count the cost, and I make sound financial decisions – BY FAITH! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

You Need the Counsel of Others!

(Prov 11:14 KJV) Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

This morning we continue our series. In this verse Solomon contrasts the difference between those that are willing to accept counsel and those that attempt to make all decisions by themselves.

He tells us that those without counsel we will fall, whereas those with a multitude of counsel we will enjoy the safety of collective wisdom. This is especially true where leaders are concerned. It is one thing to lead yourself (and some struggle at accomplishing that), but it is quite something else to lead others.

Solomon was a leader’s leader; he was considered by most to be the greatest King Israel ever had. He knew the importance of others. Actually, he wrote this verse as counsel for leaders. You cannot really get that from the King James Version, but it is clear in other versions.

The New Living Translation says, “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” Solomon understood that leaders cannot accomplish everything by themselves. Great leaders surround themselves without other gifted leaders and they utilize their resources for the collective good.

John Maxwell says, “One is too small a number to achieve greatness.” He calls this, “The Law of Significance.” Think of anything truly significant that has happened in history and you will find that one person did NOT accomplish it.

John Maxwell also said, “We tend to think of great thinkers and innovators as soloists, but the truth is that the greatest innovative thinking doesn’t occur in a vacuum.” Ken Blanchard said, “None of us is as smart as all of us!” Yes, there is a certain level of safety in knowing that your plan(s) has been vetted by other great minds.

If anyone understood the value of a good team, Solomon did. He had too much to accomplish to allow pride to keep him from involving others. Let’s just use the building of the Temple as an example. When Solomon was ready to build the Temple the Lord told him to build, he knew that he needed cedar wood and that his people were not skilled woodworkers. So he partnered with the King of Hiram.
He contracted Hiram to provide the wood and skilled carpenters from Lebanon. Solomon then, knowing that he would need skilled carpenters in his country, in the future, hired 30,000 Israelites to learn form Hiram’s men. The project also required 75,000 stone carriers, 80,000 stonecutters and 33,000 foremen to supervise the project (see 1 Kings 5).

Overall, the project took about seven and a half years to build and when it was complete it was one of the wonders of the world. Could Solomon have accomplished this on his own? Of course not, and you won’ be able to do all that God desires for you to do by yourself either.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should not allow pride or ego to keep you from tapping into the gifts the Lord has placed inside of others. You cannot do everything on your own and Solomon warns you that if you attempt to, you are opening the door failure. Spinning more plates does not increase your talent; it increases your likelihood of dropping a plate.

The day you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you can do alone is the day you start your journey towards maximizing your purpose and potential in the earth. The Father’s plans for your life are too big to be locked in one person. If you are going to maximize your potential it WILL require others!

Father, I thank You for Your Word. I receive, believe and apply Your instruction this morning. I know that it is foolish to attempt to make every decision on my own. There is safety in the multitude of counsel and I declare, by faith, that I will tap into the counsel You have placed around me. I know that I need others to maximize my purpose and potential. Therefore, I will draw/learn from others as I seek to please You with my life. Thank You Father for not sending me out to live my life by myself! The journey is more pleasant when I experience it with others! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are you a Trustworthy Friend?

(Prov 11:12,13 NIV) A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

I pray you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend. This morning we get back to our series. In this passage Solomon contrasts those who lack judgment with those who have understanding. When he says, “understanding” he is making a reference to the understanding of God’s way of doing things. These are people that operate in Godly wisdom. As we walk through the book of Proverbs (God’s Book of Wisdom), I pray you are gaining better understanding; that you are learning God’s ways of doing things. When you do you begin to make decisions that line up with God’s counsel (His Word) and you soon begin to see the manifestation of God’s best in your life.

Here Solomon tells us that those who lack judgment deride their neighbor. In one sense, this simply means that they ridicule them or constantly put them down, but other translations of this verse actually say, “slander.” Not only does the unwise person belittle his neighbor, but he goes to the extent of lying about him. He tears his neighbor down, not knowing that he is really sowing seeds of discord and deceit; seeds that will cause him to harvest the same.

You cannot sow discord and expect to live in peace. You cannot sow slander and expect to maintain a good reputation. You cannot sow ridicule and expect others to respect you. Yes, this man lacks judgment. He doesn’t understand God’s system and his ignorance will cost him dearly.

On the other hand, Solomon tells us that the man with understanding holds his tongue. Even when he sees something in someone else that he does not like, he resists the urge to ridicule his neighbor for it. Maybe its because he understands his own flaws. Maybe its because he realizes that God is in the business of making holy garments out of flawed material. Maybe its because he knows how far he has come and he acknowledges the fact that he only made it there by God’s grace.

Yes, those who are mature in God are less likely to be judgmental, because the closer you get to God, the less you think of yourself; the more you realize that you are where you are by God’s grace, goodness, kindness and mercy. A person that understands his or her own flaws is NOT quick to point out someone else’s.

Solomon then tells us that a gossip betrays confidence. Not only does the man who lacks judgment talk about his neighbor, but when his neighbor actually opens up and confides in him, he quickly shares those inner secrets with others. In addition to slandering his neighbor’s name, he takes it a step further and violates his neighbor’s confidence.

This is a terrible thing. As a minister, I know first-hand how awesome it is to be there for a person who needs someone to confide in. People have poured their heart out to me countless times. If I took that what they said and spread it like gossip, not only would it be a violation of their confidence, but it would also be a violation of God’s confidence in me.

So what does this mean? A few quick things:
1. When you understand your flaws you are more apt to look past the flaws of others.

2. Never violate another’s confidence. If you do, you will also be violating God’s confidence in you.

3. A trustworthy man keeps a secret and covers his friends.

4. Hold you tongue. Your tongue can easily get you in trouble. The more you know about God, the less foolish talk you speak.

Father, I thank You for Your wisdom. I apply Your wisdom to every area of my life. I am a man of truth and understanding. I realize that I have been forgiven, so I am quick to forgive. I know You have looked past my flaws, so I look past the flaws of others. I am here to be a blessing and not a curse, so I will use my tongue to build up and never to tear down. I cover my friends, by never repeating what they tell me in confidence. I declare, by faith, that I am a trustworthy and loyal friend; always ready to help and never to hurt! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Theresa Phillips:
"The Scrolls Are Being Opened to the Ready Writer"
"My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1

While driving, I saw a flash in the sky. I looked up and saw a huge cloud shaped like a quill—I saw a perfect feather and tip...I was stunned. I was in awe. I began to think, I wonder, what the angels are writing? I wonder what is being written? Is a record being taken? What have I done? So much went through my mind at that moment. That is what happens when Holy Spirit is moving...you react.

The WORD was on my mind. Just words. I felt a slight panic. What is it, Lord?! Lots of thoughts flooded my mind with great anticipation, so I pressed in to that moment with great fervor.
"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him..."—Hosea 6:3
Then I saw in the spirit, a high mountain. On the top of that mountain was a man dressed in clothes of long ago. I gasped..he is from the Ancient of Days! I just knew it. Who was he? He was writing on parchment paper; he had a scroll. My heart leapt inside, and I knew something was being released.
He, the Lord, was speaking to me, "It IS time. Time, time, time, time...The scrolls of the ancient ones are being opened to the ready reader...scrolls of Law, Righteousness, and His total will and essence. Write, write, write, write!"
"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests," (was he a priest I saw?) "who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."—Deuteronomy 17:18-19
The Pens of Ready Writers are Going to Write as Never Before!
They will write:
• The words of plenty during famine.• The words of hope during despair.• The words of healing during mass illness.• The words of grace during unease.• The words of peace during battles.• The words of love during times of hate.
Then I knew: the writer is being released. The prophetic writer, who will prophesy from the realms of Heaven, the word of Heaven—looking for that great and beautiful day. Even memories of the evangelist, speaking of that day of the coming of the Lord, will emerge...but they will be different. They will speak of glorious encounters with GOD.
Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, I saw the quill writing across the sky.
The Quill Turned Into a Paintbrush
"And He carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God."—Revelation 21:10
As I continued to pray and press in to know HIM, to seek what He is doing, I saw the quill turn into a paintbrush (the sky was ablaze with magnificent color) and paint glorious star-studded skies and plush green grass and trees filled with all the seasons of the earth, all blooming at once. The scene was approachable and filled with light and the light became life—it was abundant!
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork."—Psalm 19:1

Then I heard again, "It's time—TIME, TIME, TIME of the creative writer; TIME, TIME, TIME of painters of mighty words. Even in song, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Be a ready writer of the GOOD NEWS! The paintbrush will write across the heavens and declare the beauty of the Lord. Look up, O Church! Look Up, O lost! I will call upon the gifts of the artist in the days of darkness."

"...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1
Theresa PhillipsPraise Ministries International

"The Scrolls Are Being Opened to the Ready Writer"
"My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1

While driving, I saw a flash in the sky. I looked up and saw a huge cloud shaped like a quill—I saw a perfect feather and tip...I was stunned. I was in awe. I began to think, I wonder, what the angels are writing? I wonder what is being written? Is a record being taken? What have I done? So much went through my mind at that moment. That is what happens when Holy Spirit is moving...you react.
The WORD was on my mind. Just words. I felt a slight panic. What is it, Lord?! Lots of thoughts flooded my mind with great anticipation, so I pressed in to that moment with great fervor.
"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him..."—Hosea 6:3
Then I saw in the spirit, a high mountain. On the top of that mountain was a man dressed in clothes of long ago. I gasped..he is from the Ancient of Days! I just knew it. Who was he? He was writing on parchment paper; he had a scroll. My heart leapt inside, and I knew something was being released.
He, the Lord, was speaking to me, "It IS time. Time, time, time, time...The scrolls of the ancient ones are being opened to the ready reader...scrolls of Law, Righteousness, and His total will and essence. Write, write, write, write!"
"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests," (was he a priest I saw?) "who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."—Deuteronomy 17:18-19
The Pens of Ready Writers are Going to Write as Never Before!
They will write:
• The words of plenty during famine.• The words of hope during despair.• The words of healing during mass illness.• The words of grace during unease.• The words of peace during battles.• The words of love during times of hate.
Then I knew: the writer is being released. The prophetic writer, who will prophesy from the realms of Heaven, the word of Heaven—looking for that great and beautiful day. Even memories of the evangelist, speaking of that day of the coming of the Lord, will emerge...but they will be different. They will speak of glorious encounters with GOD.
Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, I saw the quill writing across the sky.
The Quill Turned Into a Paintbrush
"And He carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God."—Revelation 21:10
As I continued to pray and press in to know HIM, to seek what He is doing, I saw the quill turn into a paintbrush (the sky was ablaze with magnificent color) and paint glorious star-studded skies and plush green grass and trees filled with all the seasons of the earth, all blooming at once. The scene was approachable and filled with light and the light became life—it was abundant!
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork."—Psalm 19:1
Then I heard again, "It's time—TIME, TIME, TIME of the creative writer; TIME, TIME, TIME of painters of mighty words. Even in song, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Be a ready writer of the GOOD NEWS! The paintbrush will write across the heavens and declare the beauty of the Lord. Look up, O Church! Look Up, O lost! I will call upon the gifts of the artist in the days of darkness."
"...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1
Theresa PhillipsPraise Ministries International

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (KJV)

There are at least 110 times in the scriptures where it references the words "fear not." However, every time God tells us not to fear, He also tells us the reason why: for the Lord thy God is with you where ever you go.
God told Joshua this very thing when Joshua found himself in a frightening situation. You see, when Moses died, Joshua had to take his position. Do you know what type of leader Moses was?
I mean, those people were use to a man who struck a rock and water came forth, who prayed and manna fell from heaven, who stretched forth his rod and parted the Red Sea. I mean, he had such a strong anointing on him that no one's clothes wore out during those 40 long years in the wilderness.
Now I ask you, how would you like to come behind somebody like that? Yet, God told Joshua, "Only be strong and very courageous." In other words, have a lot of courage and stand before this people and expect them to follow you despite how you feel.

God tells Joshua this again and again. Why? He knows that what we say and do have a lot to do with whether we function in faith or fear. So He commanded him to not to be afraid. And God reminded Joshua that He is with him. Well, Joshua got a hold of that revelation and eventually took the people over into the promised land.

And God is telling you to "fear not" today. God will never leave you. You don't have to fear anything for the Lord is with you where ever you go.
We find elsewhere in scripture, David's assurance of God's presence with him. When he had to face Goliath, the giant, he ran toward him instead of running away from him. He threw a stone with his slingshot and whop! It hit him right between the eyes and knocked him out (see I Samuel 17). I know what happened. An angel got behind that rock and gave it some extra velocity.

Now, why was David not afraid? Because He knew he had a covenant with God; therefore, he was confident that God was always with him.
What giant are you facing today? Well, the very same anointing that was on David is on you, and it will do the same thing with any Goliath in your life.
Scripture References: Joshua 1:1-18; Hebrews 13:5-6

Impacting Your Community (Part II)

(Prov 11:11 MSG) When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

This message flows in the same vein as yesterday’s where I told you that part of your responsibility, as a believer, is to serve your community; making a positive impact on your sphere of influence daily.

In this verse Solomon contrasts the affect the righteous and the unrighteous can have on their communities. For clarity’s sake, let’s look at this verse from two other translations. The New International Version says, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.” The New Living Translation says, “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.”

I believe the Lord, through Solomon, is explicitly clear. He expects us, as believers, to walk in His Blessing; and His Blessing should make a positive impact everywhere we go. The Blessing is traced back to Abraham (the father of faith) where Jehovah told Abraham (then called Abram) that he would be blessed TO BE a blessing.

Jehovah told Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen 12:2). All nationalities, all ethnicities, all races, both genders – all people, period – would be blessed through The Blessing on Abraham and his descendants.

Now, you may be thinking, “But wait a minute I am not a Jew. I know Solomon was a descendant of Abraham, but I am not.” Well, yes and no. You may not be of Jewish descent by birth, but in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia he said, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you” (3:28,29).

The Blessing of Abraham is now on us – along with the Blessing of Jesus – and we are supposed to make a positive difference everywhere we go. Notice that God did not say that all churches of the world would be blessed.

No, Jesus came to establish His Kingdom and His Kingdom is not limited to the church – the place where we meet at on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. When we are ‘Kingdom minded’ we realize that we are blessed to make a difference everywhere the Lord blesses us to be. Solomon said, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted.”

You and I must believe that we are Blessed TO BE a blessing – and this blessing is NOT limited to church activities. Your city should be blessed, because you live there. Your office should be blessed, because you work there. Your home should be blessed, because you sleep there. Your superiors should be blessed, because you work for them. Your subordinates should be blessed, because they work for you. I hope you get the point.

So what does this mean? It means that if you are a Born-Again believer, then the Blessing of Abraham and the Blessing of Jesus are both on you. You must have confidence in the fact that God has blessed you TO BE a blessing. Trust the fact that He walks with You and allow Him to use you to positively influence your environment daily.

Take the time to mentor someone. Take the time to speak life to someone who is down. Take the time lend a listening ear to someone who needs to vent. Take the time to do your job well, so that the Father would be glorified. The point is that The Blessing on your life is not just for Sundays and Wednesdays; it’s for every day. Be Kingdom minded today and believe that you are where you are to make a difference!

Father, I thank You for placing Your Blessing on me. I believe Your Word and I confidently say that I am Blessed TO BE a blessing. You bless me to have a positive influence on my environment. Use me Father, to make a difference today – for Your glory. I know that Jesus did not come just to establish His church alone, He came to establish His Kingdom and Your Kingdom is here to influence all the kingdoms of this world. I am in Your Kingdom and I will make a difference in my city and beyond! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Set Your Compass in the Right Direction

The problem is not that God hasn't spoken but that we haven't listened.
Imagine your reaction if I were to take a telephone book, open it up, and proclaim, I have found a list of everyone who's on welfare! Or what if I said, Here is a list of college graduates! Or, This book will tell us who has a red car. You'd probably say, "Now wait a minute--that's not the purpose of that book. You're holding a telephone book. Its purpose is simply to reveal the name and number of residents of a city during a certain time frame."
Only by understanding its purpose can I accurately use the telephone book. Only by understanding its purpose can I accurately use the Bible...
The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God's plan to save his children. It asserts that man is lost and needs to be saved. And it communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to save his children.
Though the Bible was written over sixteen centuries by at least forty authors, it has one central theme--salvation through faith in Christ. Begun by Moses in the lonely desert of Arabia and finished by John on the lonely Isle of Patmos, it is held together by a strong thread: God's passion and God's plan to save his children.
What a vital truth! Understanding the purpose of the Bible is like setting the compass in the right direction. Calibrate it correctly and you'll journey safely. But fail to set it, and who knows where you'll end up.

by Max Lucado

Impacting Your Community

(Prov 11:10 MSG) When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers; when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.

In this verse Solomon contrasts how the community responds to either the progress or plight of its citizens. His focus is on highlighting how different our community will respond when something good happens to good people and when something bad happens to bad people.

I am using the Message Bible translation (that is easy to read); that is why we see the words “good people” and “bad people.” Other translations make it clear that this is a reference to the righteous and the unrighteous, the just and the wicked.

Before I go any further I believe I need to highlight the fact that Solomon is teaching about the reaction of the community (or the world). This is NOT a reference to how believers should react to the good or bad that happens to others. He is not teaching us to celebrate when something bad happens to a wicked person. As believers, we should have compassion on others and our compassion will keep us from celebrating anyone’s loss.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome he said, “Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15). When someone comes to us who is weeping – whether they are righteous or not – we should have compassion on them. Now, if they are a believer and they are hurting, then the Bible actually tells us to help them bear the burden.

In Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth he described us (believers) as members of the Body of Christ. He said, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it” (1st Cor 12:26,27). We should join each other in both pleasure and pain. And finally, James said, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you” (1:27).

James expected us – as true believers – to show mercy to believers and non-believers; to the sinner and the saint; to righteous and the wicked. The bottom-line is that the Father expects us to operate in love towards everyone, everyday, in every way!

Now that we understand God’s expectation of us, as believers, let’s get back to the text. Solomon is not talking about the reaction of believers; he is talking about the reaction of the community. When he refers to the community (the whole town) he obviously includes those that walk WITHOUT God.

It is unreasonable to expect an unbeliever to live up to the same standards outlined in the Word for believers. Simply put, I don’t expect the world to act like the church. I expect the church to act like the church and the world to act like the world. How does the world act? The answer can be wrapped up one word: SELFISHLY! The world is a selfish place. People want to know, “What’s in it for me?” That being the case, then the only reason the community cheers when things are going well for the righteous, is because the righteous are making a positive impact on the community. The only reason they cheer when something bad happens to the wicked, is because they wicked were not adding value to their environment.

So what does this mean to you? It means that part of your responsibility, as a believer, is to serve your community. You should make a positive impact on your sphere of influence daily! I am sure that other believers will have good things to say about you, but what about unbelievers? Would they say that you are making a positive difference or would they call you a hypocrite and celebrate when you go wrong? It’s easy to get along with other believers, but are you getting along with the lost? Are you shining as light in the midst of them? Are you making the impact the Father wants you to make? Are you growing where you have been planted?

Father, I thank You for planting me in my community and for giving me a sphere of influence. I declare, by faith, that I will make a positive impact daily! Sure, I will get along with other believers, but I will also get along with unbelievers. I will treat all people the way that You desire for them to be treated. I operate in Your love towards everyone, everyday, in every way. Even the ungodly will acknowledge Your hand upon my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Possess Your Promised Land
Gloria Copeland

When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you...and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
– Numbers 33:51-53

God has given you a Promised Land. It's a place flowing with milk and honey, where your every need can be met. A place where you can keep sin underfoot as you rule and reign with Christ. A place where no weapon formed against you will prosper. A place where you are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers--far from oppression. As you study the Word of God, you'll find that's an accurate description of the kind of victory you should be experiencing in Christ--not in the sweet by-and-by--but right here, right now. You may say, "Yes, that sounds nice in theory, but I'm dealing with reality here. The rent is due, and all I see is sickness, oppression and fear. This doesn't look like much of a Promised Land to me." Are you still letting the devil live there? He's not just going to pack up and go home, you know, just because God has promised you victory. You have to kick him out. But don't let that scare you. God has given you the power to do it. Remember what Jesus said? He said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19). What's more, the devil is totally unarmed! Colossians 2:15 says, "[God] disarmed the principalities and powers ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in...[the cross]" (The Amplified Bible). You have absolutely no reason to cower before the devil. Jesus defeated and disarmed him through His death, burial and resurrection. The devil can't defeat you unless you let him. All he can do is make empty threats. But beware! Empty threats can stop you cold if you believe them. So don't. Believe the Word of God instead. Use the Word and the Name of Jesus to drive the devil out of every last detail of your life. Don't let him dwell in your territory. Force him to pack up and go home. Start possessing your Promised Land! Scripture Reading: Mark 16:17-18; James 5:7-9

Will you use your Mouth for Destruction or Construction?

(Prov 11:9 KJV) An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

In this verse Solomon contrasts the mouth of the hypocrite with the knowledge of the just. On the surface there does not seem to be a connection between the two. What does the mouth of one have to do with the knowledge of another? Well, our knowledge is stored in our mind.

I know very well the connection between our mouth and our mind. As believers, we should seek to master both our mouth and mind, so that our methods (our actions) would be pleasing to the Father.

This is all clearly laid out in Joshua 1:8. In the first chapter of the book of Joshua the Lord is seeking to prepare Joshua to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. The Father knows that they will face many battles as they seek to do His will. The success or failure of the nation rests upon the shoulders of Joshua.

God knew that Joshua needed exceptional leadership to accomplish all that He desired of him, so He gave Joshua what I call His formula for success. The Lord said: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

Joshua was to keep the Word on his lips (to master his mouth), he was to meditate on the Word day and night (to master his mind), and he was to carefully DO all that is written therein (mastering his methods). Joshua had to keep the Word on his lips. To do so, however, it would require keeping the Word on his mind. If he could accomplish those two – keeping the Word on his mind and in his mouth – he would be well equipped to turn the corner from information to application and actually DO what it says. This would be Joshua’s formula for success and it can be ours as well.

Solomon tells us that the knowledge (or the mind) of the just shall deliver him. Simply put, as believers, you and I should know better than to operate in hypocrisy and slander. Not only is it not Godly to smile in someone’s face and then talk about them behind their back; or to seek to defame, deface and destroy another’s reputation; but as believers we MUST know that we will reap whatever we sow. What we make happen for someone else – good or bad – God will ensure the same happens to us.

Once I taught a Bible Study about the characteristics of God’s love from 1st Cor 13:4-7. One of the characteristics of God’s love is that His love is kind. The word kind means: Being disposed to do good to others, and to make them happy by granting their requests; having tenderness or goodness of nature. Jesus was disposed to do good to others.

You and I must be the same way. The Father sends people our way, He sets up divine appointments between the hurting and the healed and He expects us to live what it is that we say we have learned. To expects us to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

So what does this mean to you? It means the Father expects you to be a blessing, not a bother! I will close with the words of the Life Application Study Bible’s commentary on this verse: “The mouth can be used either as a weapon or a tool, hurting relationships or building them up. Sadly, it is often easier to destroy than to build, and most people have received more destructive comments than those that build up. Every person you meet today is either a demolition site or a construction opportunity. Your words will make a difference. Will they be weapons for destruction or tools for construction?”

Father, I declare, by faith, that I master my mind, my mouth, and my methods. I am disposed to do good to others. Today I will be a blessing and not a burden; a blessing and not a bother. I seek to build up and never to tear down. I will use my words as tools of construction, helping every person I come in contact with. Father, give me divine appointments today and I will be the vehicle through which You bless others! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You CAN Make it!

(Prov 11:8 MSG) A good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts the believer’s and unbeliever’s interaction with trouble. Let’s look at some of the differences:

God is WITH US as we face the challenges: Now, let me say up front that we all face challenges in life. Jesus Himself said, “I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world” (John 16:33 MSG).

Did you catch that? Although Jesus did acknowledge the fact that we will experience difficulties, He also said that if we trust Him we will be unshakable, assured, and deeply at peace as we face them. Therein lies the difference between the believer and the unbeliever. We face the challenges with God – with the assurance that He will never leave us, nor forsake us (Heb 13:5) – while they face the challenges by themselves. We can face every challenge head-on, because we know that the Father is WITH US every step of the way. I like to say, “With God we are never hopeless, because with God we are never helpless!”

2. We face the challenges IN FAITH: As believers we are called and commanded to live by faith (Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38). This means that we should enter every day with complete confidence in God and in His Word. We trust that He will manifest Himself in our lives daily and we also realize that our faith will be tested. James said, “The testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3 NIV). Peter said, “Dear brothers, do not be surprised, as if it was something strange, if your faith is tested as by fire” (1st Peter 4:12 BBE). So we don’t get surprised when a challenge arises. We face the challenge head-on, determined to trouble our trouble BY FAITH; fully expecting to come out on top! Unbelievers do not have this confidence.

3. God will not ALLOW us to be pushed PAST our limit: In our focus text Solomon told us that a good person (a person walking with God) is saved from much trouble. Why? Because God knows how much is too much and He will intervene before we get to our breaking point. Paul said, “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it” (1st Cor 10:13 MSG). Personally, this truth is a well of encouragement for me. I remind myself of this verse whenever I face a challenge and I tell myself, “God is trusting me with this. He believes I can take this and since He does, I believe it too. With God I will come out on top!”

So what does this mean? I pray this lesson serves as a source of encouragement to you. I was just talking to an employee here about Iraq. That is his home and he was telling me that we as Americans are so lucky and we don’t even realize how luck we are. He went on to say that in Iraq, people are hurting so badly. They miss their families that have been killed or are missing or have been deployed to the war zone, they because they are in a war zone, and stress can take its burden.
He said here in America people are struggling with the economy and a seemingly uncertain future. Which is better???

I deal with hurting people all the time and I pray that if you are hurting this morning that this message serves as a reminder to you that YOU CAN MAKE IT! If you are facing it, then you can handle it. God is with you and He will never leave you. He won’t allow you to be pushed past your limit! Face this day head-on, IN FAITH!

Father, I thank You for reminding me this morning that I CAN make it! I enter this day with fearless confidence. I know that You are in me, on me, with me, and for me! You will never leave me nor forsake me. You will never allow me to be pushed past my limit. If I am facing it, then I can take it, and I declare by faith that I will. I am an overcomer and I will come over every challenge! I trouble my trouble BY FAITH! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Eternal Hope!

(Prov 11:7 BBE) At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.

In this verse Solomon contrasts the hope of the righteous (the upright) with the hope of the ungodly (the evil-doer). If you have been reading Today's Word for a while you know that I teach a great deal on hope. As a believer, we are called to live by faith and our faith is birthed from our hope. Our hope is birthed from our relationship with the Father. You and I, as believers, have a hope that springs eternal.In Romans 15:4 Paul said, "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." Paul tells us that the scriptures of old were documented for us so that we could have hope and encouragement while we patiently wait for the manifestation of God's promises in our lives.

When we read about what God did for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Daniel, Peter, James, John, Paul, and etc., it should give us hope. We serve a God that does not play favorites. He honors faith. Just like He responded to the faith of others, He will respond to our faith. The expectation of His manifestation is the source of our hope.

In the 13th verse Paul of this same chapter Paul aptly called God, "The God of Hope." That is an awesome name for our God and a sure reminder that our relationship with Him should be a source of hope. In that same verse Paul told us that this God of Hope can fill us with all Joy and Peace in believing (15:13). Since we serve the "God of Hope" that we should have the excitement that comes from Joy and the stability that comes from Peace, while we wait on Him. Paul went on to say that we can literally, "Abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit."Hope is a great blessing and it is what helps many of us as we face the challenges that we do. We have hope for the future. Now, the argument can be made that the ungodly have hope too. And that is true, but their hope is not birthed from God and therefore, their hope is NOT eternal.

To illustrate this point let's look at a story that Jesus told in Luke chapter 16. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In this story there was a certain rich man who lived in luxury every day. A beggar named Lazarus sat at his gates. The rich man never paid any attention to Lazarus. He simply went on with his life. Lazarus would have been content to eat the leftovers from the rich man's house, but the rich man did not show him any mercy.

Although Jesus did not say it, I am sure that the rich man had hope and plans for his future, as did Lazarus. They both had hope, but when they died only the hope of one of them lived on. Jesus went on to teach that after death Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom and the rich man went to hell. While Lazarus was enjoying his time with Father Abraham the rich man called out to Abraham and said, "Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony" (see Luke 16:20-25).

So what does this mean? It means that the hope of the ungodly goes no further than the grave, but the hope of the righteous lasts forever. So as you enter this day remember that our God is the God of Hope! And the Hope that you receive, as a by-product of your relationship with Him, will never die!

Father, I thank You for an eternal/everlasting hope. You are the God of Hope in my life. My relationship with You gives me a hope that will never die. You birth dreams and aspirations in my life that are worthy of pursuit. I am never hopeless, because IN YOU I am never helpless! You are in me, on me, with me, and for me! My hope is in You and I shall not be disappointed! I enter this day with great expectations! In Jesus' name. Amen.

He Will Make the Crooked Places Straight

Beloved, this is a time when you can bring to completion things that have been delayed and to tie up loose ends. But, you will still have to exercise patience in bringing to a conclusion undertakings that involve other people or things that you have no control over. This time will present opportunities to trust Me to do what you cannot accomplish by your own will and power, but I will go before you to make a way, says the Lord.

Isaiah 45:2 I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.

"A Prophetic Answer to Getting Out of Spiritual and Financial Drought"

The Old Testament was a shadow of things to come. Just as Elijah went to a region that was in severe drought, many are experiencing spiritual and financial drought today! Many are holding on to promises, believing and expecting. Which is good, however, oftentimes there IS something that we must do which allows those promises to come. I feel that through this short writing the Holy Spirit will speak to you and guide you in the direction to perform the actions that He is waiting on you to do. Take five minutes and read this short writing and listen to the Holy Spirit—I believe He will speak to you and show you what to do.

"All I Have is a Little..."

In the book of 1 Kings 17, Elijah went to this region that had been in severe drought, and the first thing he asked the widow women for was "water." Then he asked her to fetch him a morsel of bread. The widow woman was shocked that the first things this prophet asked for, who she knew was coming, was what she was lacking in. But she knew God had told her that a prophet was coming and to sustain him. In verse 9, the Lord says to Elijah, "See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."

In verse 12, the widow woman complained saying (paraphrased): "As the Lord liveth, all I have is a little meal. I'm going to make this bread, my son and I are going to eat it and then die, because we will be out of water and food."

Elijah told her something very interesting. He said in verse 13, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son." Basically, he said: You can still do the things you want to do—but first go and get what I have asked for.

She obeyed God's direction to sustain the prophet, even in her time of lack, yet shortly thereafter her son died. What she failed to realize was that she prophesied her own son's death; but he didn't remain dead. Elijah prayed for this boy and the power of God raised him up.
"I Hear the Sound of the Abundance of Rain!"

Elijah moved on to the drought-stricken city where there were 400 prophets of baal. Please read 1 Kings 18 for yourself, but in my own words, Elijah goes up and says, "Hey, enough of this. Let's build an altar; you call upon your god and I'll call upon my God, and the first one that answers by fire, let Him be God!"The prophets of baal accepted the challenge, began to cut themselves, and screamed and cried out to their god with no result. Elijah taunted them in verse 27, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." Still no response.

Then Elijah told the people of the drought-stricken region to go get four barrels of water and pour it on his own altar...three times. Barrels of water in a time of severe drought was a great need. However, they did it anyway, and Scripture says that Elijah prepared the altar and got the bullock in order. After taking the barrels of water in this time of drought and just pouring it out on the altar, which seemed wasteful, he called on God, and God answered with FIRE! Scripture says that the Fire of God came down and consumed the altar and licked up the water that ran in the trench (verse 38).

In verse 41, Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." Shortly thereafter, Elijah told his servant to go up and look toward the sea. His servant came down and said, "There is nothing!" (verse 43). Elijah told him to go again—seven times. On the seventh time he came down and said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand..." Elijah responded by saying, "Go tell Ahab—you better prepare your chariot and get moving!"
Offer God Your Little So He Will Answer with His Abundance

There are many living in spiritual and financial drought right now. Prophets are asking you to do things and are asking you for things that you know you need right now, because you are almost out of it. Be obedient to the inspired words of a true prophet. You may have a son or daughter that needs God's power in their life. Go and get four barrels of your most needed substance and offer it to God.

When Elijah got the people to obey his instructions and offer something to God that would cost them something—it was not for God to answer with fire and show the prophets of baal that his God was greater than theirs, because Scripture says that Elijah took the prophets of baal to the brook and slew them there. He wasn't trying to show off. He prophetically knew that if they would offer God their most needed substance, then God would answer with the same. The cloud about the size of a man's hand turned out to be an abundance of rain!

Go and get your most needed substance and give it to God. Go and pour your offering on the altar of God. Not so fire can come down and consume your little—but rather, that He will answer

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Godly Character

(Prov 11:5,6 MSG) Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life. Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

In this passage Solomon, once again, contrasts the life of the Godly with the life of the ungodly. The purpose of these contrasts is to show us a better way. The reason the Father goes to these great lengths – verse, after verse, after verse of contrasts – is to drive home the point that we have a choice.

There are two options. We can either live with God or without Him. We can choose to accept or reject Jesus. We can choose to allow Jesus sit on the throne in our lives or we can sit there and guide our own life by our own counsel. But just remember the Words of Paul, “Don't be misled — you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant” (Gal 6:7).

These two verses flow in the same vein as verse three, where Solomon said, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” When the Holy Spirit guides us, when we walk in integrity, when we apply God’s truth to every aspect of our lives, it makes for smooth traveling. The ways of God are clear and safe. Now, does that mean that we will be free from challenges? Of course not, but what it does mean is that we will not get ourselves into unnecessary trouble. There is a difference between facing a challenge and reaping a harvest.

Solomon says that the evil life is a hard life, because in addition to facing the challenges that we all face, the wicked also have to reap the continuous harvest from the unrighteous seeds they sow every day.

You and I, as believers, should be walking in the counsel of God and thereby sowing seeds of righteousness. So we might face our occasional challenge – because we do have an enemy, don’t forget that – but we won’t add to the challenges with unrighteous seed.

Actually, as we sow seeds of righteousness, on a daily basis, we set ourselves up to reap a continual harvest of godliness. So even when we do face challenges, we have the added benefit of God’s grace, mercy, favor, and divine harvest. With all of that going FOR us, then we are more than empowered to face whatever comes AGAINST us!

In the sixth verse Solomon tells us that good character is the best insurance. While the ways of the wicked open them up to destruction, the ways of God provide us holy security!

The more we walk with the Father, the more we learn to hear the voice of the Spirit, the more we apply His wisdom to our lives, the more we transform our thinking to line up with his thinking, the more we will develop our character into Godly character. Once our character is developed into Godly character, it becomes our insurance. It will protect us from sowing the wrong seed and thereby keeping us from reaping the wrong harvest.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that the Kingdom of God operates by the principle of sowing and reaping. If you don’t like the harvest you are reaping, then it is time to check the seed you are sowing. Insure you are doing all you can to develop in Godly character.

As you develop in God, as you learn His ways, as you transform your old thinking (by the Word of God) into Godly thinking, and as you learn to make decisions that line up with His desire for your life, you will be developing your character into a Godly character. Living your life His way makes for smooth traveling. The alternative is a hard life! Jesus came that you would have and enjoy life (John 10:10). So determine to sow the right seed, so you can reap the right harvest!

Father, I thank You for providing me Godly counsel, for sending me people that can teach me Your Word, and for teaching me, personally, every time I open Your Word. Your Word is the rule for my life. Your Spirit is my guide. I declare, by faith, that I learn to apply Your Word, to think like You want me to think, to feel the ways that You want me to feel, and to make the decisions that You want me to make. As I do, I am developing Godly character and it will make for smooth traveling through life! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Directions for the Road Ahead

The key question in life is not "How strong am I?" but rather "How strong is God?"
Focus on his strength, not yours. Occupy yourself with the nature of God, not the size of your biceps.
That's what God told Moses to do. Remember the conversation at the burning bush? The tone was set in the first sentence. "Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). With these eleven words Moses is enrolled in a class on God. Immediately the roles are defined. God is holy. Approaching him on even a quarter-inch of leather is too pompous...No time is spent convincing Moses what Moses can do, but much time is spent explaining to Moses what God can do.
You and I tend to do the opposite. We would explain to Moses how he is ideally suited to return to Egypt... Then we'd remind Moses how perfect he is for wilderness travel...We'd spend time reviewing with Moses his résumé and strengths.
But God doesn't. The strength of Moses is never considered. No pep talk is given, no pats on the backs are offered. Not one word is spoken to recruit Moses. But many words are used to reveal God. The strength of Moses is not the issue; the strength of God is.

by Max Lucado

Step Over the Threshold

I saw a threshold in the realm of the spirit, and the Spirit of the Living God said to me: I am bringing My people to the threshold. Oh, you have been here before, but the evil one has hindered you, and your fears have not allowed you to step over the threshold into a full victory, a total victory. Fear has captured you and held you back, and even as you lifted your foot, even as you anticipated the victory and lifted your foot to step over the threshold, the enemy forced you back. Now, you have come to a place where you are not sure if you can cross the threshold, but I say unto you, the door is open, and the doors that I open no man can shut. The doors that I open no devil can shut. For this reason, I am searching the land over, and I am looking for warriors and looking for those who have a heart of courage. I am looking for those who have a boldness to believe in My word, to believe that which I have spoken forth in this time. Now, I am calling My Calebs and My Joshuas to come forth. For, it is the season in which I call My faithful ones to be conquerors.

THE TRUMPET by Bill Burns -- May 11, 2009

Riches vs. Righteousness on the Day of Judgment

(Prov 11:4 AMP) Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.

In this verse Solomon contrasts the importance of riches with that of righteousness in the Day of Judgment. Remember, Solomon’s perspective was that of the Old Testament. He was a King and he had a clear understanding of the importance of the role of Israel’s leader.

If you read through 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings you will see how the nation of Israel experienced their share of ups and downs. Whenever they had a righteous leader (a King of a Judge), the nation would prosper.

Whenever they had an unrighteous leader, the nation would suffer. It all hinged upon the time of judgment. Judgment is a bad thing for the unrighteous, but a good thing for the righteous. The word judgment causes the unrighteous to shirk, whereas the righteous get excited about receiving their reward.

It’s not that Jehovah did not judge the nation of Israel during the times of righteous leaders; it was quite the contrary. It was because He judged them righteous that the nation prospered! Let me put it in modern military terms. I read that in Iraq they have a weigh-in every month. As service members are expected to meet certain height/weight standards. Now, according to what I read, the food there is good and plenteous. Soldiers must exercise discipline when choosing their meals and maintain a routine of physical exercise if they are to maintain the height/weight standards. When weigh-in day comes, they all have to step upon the scales. Some walk away from the scales with a smile on their face and others don’t. What seems like judgment to some is a rewarding experience to others.

When I was going to weight watchers it was much like that. If you did not have a good week you was encouraged to stay for the meeting…so that you would be given the tools to better discipline yourself. You were given an encouraging word on increasing your physical exercising program and making better food choices.

Let’s fast-forward to the New Testament. We no longer have Kings or Judges, but judgment still takes place. There is the common judgment, that takes place all the time, where the Lord judges our actions and ensures that we reap whatever we sow. If we have been sowing good seed, we reap a good harvest. If not, we don’t. There is no way around it. But ultimately there will be one great Judgment Day. Two major judgments will take place. The first one will be to check whether or not our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see Rev 20). Only the names of the righteous are written there and the only way to become righteous – by this standard – is to accept Jesus the Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10,13).

Paul said, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2nd Cor 5:21). When we accept Jesus as our Lord we become righteous in Him. It’s not that we are righteous in and of ourselves. No! He makes us righteous. The Father declares us righteous through the Blood of Jesus.

The second judgment will be for our works. The Father will judge what we did with the life and gifts that He gave us. Paul tells us that our works will basically fall into one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. Our works will be judged by fire and all those in the wood, hay, and straw categories will burn up. Only the ones in the gold, silver, and precious stones categories will endure the fire. Those are the works that we did that had eternal significance (see 1st Cor 3:9-15).

So what does this mean to you? It means that money has nothing to do with the Day of Judgment. Money has its place. It is God’s will that we finance the Kingdom, that we be financially secure, and that we leave and inheritance for our children’s children (Prov 13:22); but on the Day of Judgment the size of our bank account will not be a factor.

You can’t buy righteousness. Your righteousness was paid for – IN FULL – with the Blood of Jesus. On that day that all that will really matter is whether or not you have been MADE righteous in Him and what you did with the life that He gave you!

Father, I thank You for blessing me to hear, understand, and respond to the Gospel message of Jesus the Christ. I have been made righteous in Him. I am the righteous of God in Christ and I know that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What I seek to do now is to BE a blessing. I enter this day determined to do things that are of eternal significance. Lead me Father to works that will endure the fire! Use me to make a difference in someone else’ life today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin
SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns -- May 13, 2009:
Even when it seems like your efforts are hindered at every turn, trust that I am moving you in a particular flow. Things may not be moving along as quickly as you would like, but trust that I have everything under control. I know the end from the beginning, and I have your best interests at heart. All you need to do is relax and rest in the assurance that everything will work out in perfect timing and progression according to My plans and purposes for you, says the Lord. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and My ways are higher than your ways (Isaiah 55:9).
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.