Entering Into God's Rest (Part VI)

(Heb 4:9,10 NLT) So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.

This morning we continue to wind down we have already covered the fact that God rested from Creation, not because He was tired, but because He was finished. The only thing that God is creating today is Born-Again believers, as they accept His Son Jesus as Lord. God rested when He finished the work of creation. God's Son rested when He finished the work of making new-creation available to all men. And now, when we accept Jesus as Lord, we are made new creatures in Him (2 Cor 5:17). For those believers, those children of God, those who have been born of His Spirit, the Father offers a special rest. After making peace with God the Father offers us the peace of God, which far exceeds human understanding, reasoning, or even explanation. This is not a heavenly rest that will be experienced 'some day,' but rather a current rest that is made available to every believer by faith.

The Hebrew writer tells us that "All who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors." Prior to Jesus the Jews attempting to receive atonement for sin through a series of rituals and routines under the Mosaic Law. Because the Law was cumbersome and taxing, it could never provide true rest; especially rest from our own works. It's as if believers before Christ were actually working for justification and intimacy with God. However, you and I, as New Testament believers, understand that we could never work our way to heaven. No amount of labor could ever provide true justification and righteousness. We have been declared righteous because of what Jesus did (2 Cor 5:21) and now we can rest in the salvation we have in Him.

I remember when I thought I had to basically "work" for my salvation. I was always apprehensive, timid, and somewhat weary. Whenever I sinned (which we all do by the way), I wearily asked for forgiveness and attempted my best to reconcile my wrongdoing with God. It was not until the Father revealed to me, through His Word and His Spirit, that my salvation has been purchased by the Blood of Jesus and that I was secure in Him that I was able to truly rest from my own works. Today I serve God because I love Him, not because I am trying to earn my way to heaven. If we could earn our way to heaven it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die for our sin. We could never earn it, and Jesus did die in our stead, so now we can truly enter into divine rest.

So what does this mean to you? It means that Jesus died to get us out of everything that Adam got us into. When Adam disobeyed God satan's dynamic duo, sin and death, were introduced into the earth and Jesus came to deal with both. Jesus conquered sin on Calvary's cross and He then conquered death when He was resurrected three days later. Jesus was both the PASSOVER lamb (for death) and the Atonement lamb (for sin). This means that we no longer need to kill animals, we no longer need to 'attempt' to work our way towards righteousness, and we no longer need to labor to make it heaven. Today our work is simply to believe (John 6:29) and then to rest in Jesus' finished work.

Once we are at peace with knowing that we are going to heaven, then we can truly rest, enjoy God, enjoy life, and be the light and salt the Father desires for us to be!

Father, I will never cease to praise Your name for sending Your Son to die for me. You sent Jesus, who knew no sin, to be MADE sin FOR ME, that I might be MADE the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD by faith. For that I am eternally grateful. You have declared me righteous because of what Jesus did for me and because I accepted Him as Lord. I receive that righteousness by faith, I rest from my own works, and I know I have been delivered from hell. Since I have been delivered from the worse possible thing that could ever happen to me, then I can surely enter into Your rest long enough to enjoy the life that I now have IN YOU! Use me today Father to be light (to shine) and salt (to preserve) in the midst of darkness and decay! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Entering Into God's Rest (Part IV)

(Heb 4:6,7 NLT) So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."

This morning we are walking through our final passage in this series and the Hebrew writer talks to us this morning about a rest that is available to us TODAY! The writer has already made it explicitly clear that God's rest was offered to the Israelites when they, by the grace of God, were made free from the bondage of Egypt. However, because of disobedience and unbelief they missed out and over a thousand years later the writer of Hebrews tells us that rest is still available.

The actual Greek language used gives us the understanding that what is being offered actually "remains over from a past time." It's almost as if this is a blessing that is just out there waiting for whomever has the faith to appropriate it. The Father has done His part by making the rest available and those who originally received the offer failed to accept and appropriate it because of unbelief.

Wouldn't be a shame if you and I did the same thing? Wouldn't it be sad if we did not learn from the mistakes of those that have gone before us? The writer even gives us additional motivation by quoting David when he said, "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."

Did you get that? Did you understand the point the Hebrew writer is driving home? He is saying that the offer still stands, divine rest is available, you tap into it by faith, and the time is NOW! TODAY divine rest is available to you. TODAY you can enter into a rest that will give you peace from the inside out. TODAY the Father can deliver you from negative stress. TODAY anxiety can fall off of you like water falling off of a ducks back. TODAY supernatural peace can flood your heart and your mind. Yes, TODAY is the day! The time is NOW! Will you do it? Will you tap into divine rest? Will you appropriate the rest that remains from time past? Will you take God up on His offer? Don't keep waiting on God to give you rest when He has already made it available. He is now waiting on you to make a demand for it. You have not because you ask not. Will you ask (in faith) today?

When I teach I talk about the voice behind the voice, the word behind the word. What I mean by this is that while I am teaching the logos (written Word) the Holy Spirit, at the same time, is teaching rhema (living words). The written word (logos) that I teach may cut and make an incision, but the living words (rhema) that the Holy Spirit preaches, while I am teaching, cuts with precision, causing those that receive the Word to make a decision. The same thing happens while you are reading Today's Word. You are reading what I wrote and that has the ability to bless you to one level, but while you are reading it the Holy Sprit Himself is speaking to you and what He says to you will be far more impactful in your life. Understanding that, I will also quote David and say, "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."

Now that you know that divine rest is available to you, you must do something about it. The Holy Spirit will attempting to get you over into His rest, but you must respond in faith when you hear His voice. If you resist His urging He won't force you into His blessing. God makes His best available to you, but you must take hold of it BY FAITH. Will you?

Father, I thank You for this Word. This is a life-changing Word and I receive it by faith. I also thank You for the Word behind the Word, the voice behind the voice, the rhema behind the logos! In addition to reading the Word I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to me behind it. I hear the Holy Spirit telling me that divine rest is available to me TODAY and I will not harden my heart towards it. My ears are anointed to hear what the Holy Spirit is telling me, my heart is anointed to receive it, and I declare that I will respond IN FAITH. I take hold of the divine rest that is available for me and I take hold of it TODAY! TODAY I enter into Your rest, by faith, and my life will never be the same! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Entering Into God's Rest (Part IV)

(Heb 4:3b,4 NLT) this rest has been ready since He made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: "On the seventh day God rested from all His work."

We are walking through our final passage in this series and the Hebrew writer talks to us this morning about a rest that has been available since creation. After creation, after the Elohim (God the Creator) did all He was going to do, He rested from all His work. Elohim did not rest because He was tired; He rested because He was finished.

This is the Sabbath. God rested on the seventh day, and that was the Sabbath day. However, the Sabbath today is not a day you keep or observe. Have you entered into the real Sabbath today? Do you know what it is to trust Christ and Christ alone for your salvation? Are you trusting anything else? Is He it? Have you entered into rest?

I hear this on the radio a few days ago this pastor was sharing his story he said “I had a good friend who was a doctor and who observed Saturday as the Sabbath. We used to play tennis together, and we got pretty well acquainted with one another. One day after we had played three sets of tennis, we sat down on the bench, and we began to have what you would call a religious argument. He looked at me and said, do you keep the Sabbath day?" "Yes, I keep the Sabbath." He looked at me real hard and said, "What day?" I said to him, "Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then I start all over again on Saturday." He said to me, "What in the world do you mean?" "Well, the way I understand the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Sabbath day is now this day of grace in which we live, and Christ, after He died on the Cross and came back to life, went back to the right hand of the Father and sat down. He sat down, not because He was tired, but because He had finished your redemption and mine. So now He tells me, 'You rest in Me.' I have a Sabbath day every day-I rest in Christ." That friend looked at me in amazement. "Well," he said, "that's better than having just one day, isn't it?" I said, "It sure is. Seven days a week is a sabbath of resting in Christ."

Now, I am not looking to start a debate over whether or not we should rest on Saturday or Sunday. My point, and the point of this passage, is that there is a supernatural rest that is available to us and if we would approach the Father in faith, we could tap into that rest daily. This rest is a rest of grace, comfort, and holiness; it is a state of being that enables us to be at peace internally, even when things externally may be going haywire.

So what does this mean to you? It means that Jehovah and Jesus have both done what they were going to do and they are resting. God now gives you the opportunity to rest in what He has already done. Rest in the finished work of the Father in creation. Rest in the finished work of Jesus the Christ on the cross. Rest in the grace God has given you to be saved from your sin. Rest in the hope that you have for eternal life. Rest in the purpose the Father has placed in you. And rest in the fact that satan is a defeated foe; knowing fully well that hell is waiting on him and hating the fact that you have cross over to the other side. Rest in the fact that Christ Jesus died to make you free! If you know you are going to heaven, and you know the Father wants you to enjoy the ride, then what do you have to worry about? Enter into God's Rest!!!

Father, I thank You for your finished work in creation. I also thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to die in my stead. He paid the price for my sin, he was crucified on Calvary's cross, He was buried in a borrowed tomb, He went down to hell to take captivity captive, and He ascended from the dead with all power in His hand! Jesus then ascended into heaven and took a seat next to You Father, signifying that His work in the earth was complete (at least for now). I declare that I rest in His finished work. I rest in the grace by which I am saved from my sin. I rest in the peace that You have made available for me. I rest in fact that You have planned out an awesome future for me and I will maximize it by faith. I rest in YOU! I enter this day by entering into Your rest! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Entering Into God's Rest (Part III)

(Heb 4:2 NIV) For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

Last week we closed out with this verse and we go back to it this morning to reiterate the faith-factor in receiving God's rest. The gospel (good news) that the writer refers to in this passage was the good news that the Lord was giving the newly freed Israelites the land of Canaan, the land promised to the forefathers to give them. The Lord told Moses that He was giving them the land and that he was to send in 12 spies to survey the land, to bring back evidence of the land's goodness, and to perform reconnaissance of the inhabitants because taking possession of the land would require a fight. Moses told the people what God said (he preached the gospel), the spies went into the land, they brought back physical evidence of how good the land was, but they then made the fatal mistake of allowing fear to cancel out their faith. Because the land was inhabited by giants (the Anakin), 10 of the 12 spies developed a 'grasshopper mentality' and told the people that there was no way that they could do it. Although 2 of the 12 (Joshua and Caleb) did their best to drive home the message (preach the gospel) that they COULD do it, that they COULD take possession of the land, that they COULD enter into God's rest, the crowd (millions of people) sided with the 10 instead of the 2 and the rest, as the say, is history.

Millions of people wound up dying in the desert without ever entering into God's best, all because of unbelief.

So what does this mean to you? You may be thinking, "I got it, I have read the story, but what does this have to do with dealing with stress and what does this have to do with me?" Actually, several things:

1. Rest is part of the promises of God: The Father wanted rest for the Israelites and He wants rest for you today. When I say "rest" I don't mean 'laying down on the couch' or 'taking a nap.' I mean a supernatural internal peace that enables you to maximize your purpose and potential in life, because without it, you can easily cross over into frustration. Frustration is: "A feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems." Will there be times when you feel like you have unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems? Of course there will be, but that's where divine rest comes in. The Father wants you to trust Him SO much that you can truly rest, even while you are waiting on the manifestation of His promises in your life. Because if you don't enter His divine rest, the enemy can creep in and get you to lose heart, to relax the grip on your faith, and to give up!

2. The promises of God must be received by faith: Like anything else in the Kingdom of God, divine rest must be received by faith. The Israelites in the text failed to mix faith with what they heard and their lack of faith led to a catastrophic failure where millions of people missed experiencing God's best. Don't let this be said of you. Live by faith, engage the Father in faith, and enter into divine rest by faith!

3. Even though God wants you to have it, it does not mean you will not have to fight for it: Not a physical fight, but rather the good fight of faith. The Hebrew writer goes on to say, "Let us labor to enter into that rest" (v.11). Remaining in God's rest is not always easy. The enemy will do his best to get you over into fear, fret, and frustration, but you must be strong enough NOT to allow him to. Once you are in God's rest you must fight to remain there.

When the negative thoughts enter into your mind, you must take control of them and bring them captive into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:3-5). If you do that, you will be able to enjoy divine rest daily!

Father, I thank You for taking the time to show me the type of divine rest that is possible through Your Word and Your Spirit. I declare, by faith, that I enter into that rest today. I receive the Word, I mix it with faith, I apply it to my life, and I enter into Your rest. I trust You with my whole heart, I believe You can do all things in and through my life, I live by faith, and my life of faith enables me to LIVE every day in Your rest. When the enemy attempts to get me out of Your rest, I will resist every negative thought and bring them captive to the obedience of Christ. I will not allow myself or the enemy to get me OUT of Your rest. I live in a stress-free environment from this day forward. I face challenges by faith, fully confident that You will bless me to overcome them! In Jesus' name. Amen!

This is Today's Word!

Entering Into God's Rest (Part II)

(Heb 4:1,2 NLT) God's promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news-that God has prepared this rest-has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God.

This morning we continue In the third chapter of this letter to the Hebrews the writer quotes the 95th psalm at length and speaks of the Israelites who were cursed by God to die in the desert because of their unbelief. The author then juxtaposes (To place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast) the unbelief of the Israelites in chapter 3 with the faith of believers in chapter 4. The question that is raised is: is the promise of entering God's rest (given to the Israelites but forfeited because of unbelief) still valid in our time?

The answer is a resounding yes! The offer still stands, the rest is still available, the blessing is still there waiting for us, but only "we who have believed enter that rest" (verse 3). The believing part (faith) is the key and that is why the writer tells us that some might fail to experience it. I would venture to say that many today fail to experience it because of the hustle and bustle of modern day life. But whether we have failed to experience it in the past or not, the fact is that God's rest - a supernatural rest - is available to us today and if we take Him up on His offer His rest can change the way we experience life forever!

The Canaan rest for Israel is a picture of the spiritual rest we find in Christ when we surrender to Him. When we come to Christ by faith, we find salvation rest (Mat 11:28). When we yield and learn of Him and obey Him by faith, we enjoy submission rest (Mat 11:29-30). The first is "peace with God" (Rom 5:1); the second is the "peace of God" (Phi 4:6-8). It is by believing that we enter into rest (Heb 4:3); it is by obeying God by faith and surrendering to His will that the rest enters into us.

Having peace WITH God is one thing, but having the peace OF God is something else altogether; and this peace, this rest, the type that is available to us today is far greater than what the Israelites would have experienced in Canaan. How do I know? Because we have a better covenant! Our covenant was ratified with the Blood of Jesus, not the blood of bullocks, goats, and turtledoves. Interestingly enough, the book of Hebrews is often referred to as the "Book of Better Things" or the book that describes the "Better Covenant." The word "better" is littered throughout its pages. The covenant we enjoy in Christ is far greater than the covenant the Jews enjoyed through Abraham. That being the case, the rest offered to us today must be even greater than the Canaan rest offered to the Jews!

But guess what? The faith-factor still applies. Just like the Israelites had to mix what they heard with "faith" in order to experience the rest they were offered, we must do the same thing. In essence I am announcing (or preaching) to you the fact that God's rest is available, just like it was preached to them. And just like they required faith to receive it, you do as well. You must mix what you are receiving WITH FAITH if it is going to do you any good.

So what does this mean to you? It means that God's supernatural rest is available to you, but you must receive it, tap into it, and make a demand for it, by faith! If you don't tap into this rest by faith then you will be one of those who fail to experience it - and it won't be God's fault. The Father has done His part; He has sent His Son to die in your stead, He left you his Word so you can know what is available to you, and He dealt to you the measure of faith (Rom 12:3) so you can have the means through which to properly engage Him in order to receive His best. God's part is done, will you do yours? The offer still stands; will you take Him up on it?

Father, I thank Your for making Your rest available to me. Your rest is supernatural, it's awesome, it passes all understanding, and I want it! Since I am a believer and not a doubter, I declare, by faith, that I tap into Your rest today, this year, and for the rest of my life. I enter into Your rest and I live there. Once I am IN Your rest the stress, struggle, and strain of the world won't be able to negatively effect me. I have lived outside of Your rest far too long. I thank You for this series, I understand that Your offer for rest still stands, I mix what I am receiving with faith, and I LIVE in Your rest from this day forward! In Jesus' name. Amen!

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Entering Into God's Rest

(Heb 4:1-11 NLT) God's promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news-that God has prepared this rest-has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest. As for the others, God said, "In My anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter My place of rest,'" even though this rest has been ready since He made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: "On the seventh day God rested from all His work."

But in the other passage God said, "They will never enter My place of rest." So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering His rest, and that time is today.

God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear His voice, don't harden your hearts." Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

This morning we start to wind down our series. We have covered a lot of ground in this series and the time has come to bring it to an end. But before we do, we will discuss this final passage. I normally don't lay out this many verses for you, but I was led to do so, in order that you might read the passage in it's entirety before we truly start breaking it down. If you have the time, please read it more than once so it can get into your spirit.

Listen, I was led to start this series because the times have been truly difficult for a large majority of people, even believers. But while God never promised us a perpetual picnic, He never expects us to operate as wimps either. The Father expects us, as His representatives in the earth, to live our lives as overcomers. Jehovah expects us to be light (shining) and salt (preserving) in the midst of darkness and decay. The stories we have covered have been good, and possibly even entertaining, but the messages in the stories are the key. If you have pulled out the golden nuggets as we have gone through each story then I trust that you are now better equipped to handle the pressures of life and to experience true victory over negative stress.

This passage is about entering into God's rest. We are called to live by faith, God's peace is available to us when we truly trust Him, but rest, to me, is another level altogether. When you enter into God's rest concerning something, then that's it! As far as you are concerned, it's a done deal, whether the deal is actually done (in the natural) or not.

So what does this mean to you? It means that as we close this series out you will want to ask the Father to anoint your heart and your mind so that you can learn to truly enter into His rest. Once you enter into God's rest the pressures of the situation have no power over you. Once you enter into God's rest the fiery darts of the enemy have no way of getting to you. Once you enter into God's rest the Father will show-up and show-out because He knows you are completely relying on Him to manifest His glory. The Father wants us enjoy His rest!

Father, I thank You for Your Word. Your Word is the foundation for my life. As I read and meditate this passage, I declare, by faith, that it gets down into my spirit. Your rest is possible for me and I believe that it will become a reality in my life. I will learn to enter into Your rest concerning situations and once I do, the enemy's attempts to get me into fear, worry, doubt, and unbelief will all fail. No more sleepless nights for me! I enter into Your rest and I enjoy the life You have blessed me with. I do all that You have called me to do, by faith, and I then completely rely on You to do all that I cannot do. As I am waiting on You to manifest Your glory, I enter into Your rest! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Mephibosheth (Part V)

(2nd Sam 9:7 NLT) "Don't be afraid!" David said. "I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!"

We have been dealing with Mephibosheth for a while now and yesterday I focused in on the fact that Mephibosheth's self esteem was low. It is understandable why it was low, but it was low nonetheless and his low opinion of himself was evident when he referred to himself as a "dead dog." So what was king David's answer for Mephibosheth's low self-esteem? Eating at the king's table Wow!

Now, you may be thinking, "Wait a minute David did two things: give him the property and offer him a seat at the king's table. The property would have done it for me." You might think that, but the reality is that money is an amplifier. Money does not change who you are, it just allows you to do more of what you are already doing. So if I give a drunk a large sum of money, he will drink more. If I give a womanizer a fortune, he will run more women. If I give a philanthropist, whose heart is in his giving, even more money, he will give more. Giving Mephibosheth the money was great, but his self-esteem still needed to be changed. He needed to see himself as he once did, as royalty.

So now you may be thinking: how would eating at the king's table help? I'm glad you asked. First of all, eating at the king's table would cover Mephibosheth's weakness. Mephibosheth's greatest issue was his crippled feet. Although David was not anointed to heal him, he did the next best thing: he covered his weakness by having Mephibosheth to sit at the king's table.

You may be asking why is this so important and life transforming well here is why. Dignitaries that were fortunate enough to eat with the king would never know that Mephibosheth had a weakness, because the King's table covered it. David was taking Mephibosheth's troubled past and putting it behind him. While Mephibosheth was at the table he could hold conversations with other heads-of-state as an equal. Once he felt comfortable operating as an "equal" with royalty and dignitaries he would no longer feel sorry for himself.

David changed Mephibosheth's financial balance sheet when he gave him the land. Mephibosheth became a millionaire overnight. David changed Mephibosheth's level of responsibility when he gave him the servants (36 in all). These servants would assist him in any way he required assistance and it allowed him to exercise the leadership and rule he was born to yield. Just a few days prior Mephibosheth was hating life in Lo-Debar, but seemingly overnight he inherited an estate with an army servants to help him. Changing his financial situation was great, and changing his responsibility was smart, but David changed Mephibosheth's life when he covered his weakness and placed him in a position of honor.
Once Mephibosheth saw himself as royalty (again) his life was changed forever.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that the greatest change the Father can effectuate in your life is from the inside-out. Changing your financial balance sheet is great, because money is required in this world to accomplish most things. Changing your level of responsibility is important, because we must all prove ourselves faithful over one level, so that the Father can promote us to the next. But the greatest change is an inside job. If you allow the Father to do it, He can work with You, through His Word and His Spirit, to change you from the inside-out. Once you are changed internally and you see yourself the way He sees you, your life will never be the same!

Father, I thank You for covering my weaknesses and keeping me from public exposure long enough for true change and deliverance to take place. I know that I cannot grow without changing and since I want to grow, I welcome the change. External change is good, but internal change is better. Therefore I commit to the process of mind-renewal. I cooperate with You as You seek to expose me to environments that will stretch me into the person You desire for me to be. Day-by-day I will incrementally change into the image of Your Son Jesus. Little-by-little I am learning how to see myself the way You see me and as I do, I realize that nothing is impossible for me, because I am a believer! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Mephibosheth (Part IV)

(2nd Sam 9:3 NIV) The king asked, "Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?"

This morning we continue our series: "Victory over Stress!" Last week I introduced you to Mephibosheth and his tragic story. One of the most tragic things about this story was the fact that Mephibosheth called himself a dead dog. Actually, many Christians today have the same problem. They may not call themselves a dead dog, but they have a low self-esteem because of:

1. Repetitious Information: You eventually believe (and become) what you consistently receive. Mephibosheth was more than likely - because of his environment - exposed to conversations of failure, frustration, and disappointment. The people around him were associated with Saul's regime and probably talked about the "good 'ole times," without any hope of future success. Make no mistake, what you allow through your ear gates will eventually get down into your heart. And then, what it is in you abundantly will come out of you eventually. Jesus said it this way, "Your words show what is in your heart. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." The quality and type of your words are a direct indication of the quality and condition of your heart. Your heart is your reservoir, it is filled with what you allow through your eye and ear gates. If you hear or see the wrong things, you will become the wrong person. Mephibosheth said he was a dead dog because that's how he saw himself in his heart. If you feed yourself the wrong things you too might wind up saying things you don't like, but if you look deeper you will have to admit that your words are actually exposing the condition of your heart.

2. Personal Experiences: Mephibosheth experienced a string of unfortunate events. Since the age of five, all he knew was struggle. So while Mephibosheth's words are sad, they are understandable. We are all, in one way or another, a product of our environment and a product of our experiences. Maybe you can identify with Mephibosheth this morning. Maybe you too have experienced a string of unfortunate events lately. You may be thinking, "Yeah! I have a right to vent. I have a right to be frustrated! I have a right to complain." You may have that right, but the difference between you and Mephibosheth is that you have JESUS and He is the difference maker. Jesus will identify with your struggle, but He will also expect you to maintain your hope through it. James said, "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course!" (5:11,12 MSG).

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. You become what you behold: Whatever you allow through your ear and eye gates will be what your life-sponge soaks up. When the pressure is on your life-sponge will release whatever you have allowed in. Garbage in, garbage out! Righteousness in, righteousness out!
2. Speak the language of faith: If you protect your eye and ear gates, and engage God with a believing heart, you be able to speak words of faith. The language of faith always aligns itself with God's will. Resolve to speak the language of faith today!
3. Look forward in faith: No matter how disappointing your past was and no matter how difficult your present is, if you are still alive, and God is IN you, then you can make it; and not only make it, but you can experience VICTORY! Enter today with a 'forward-ever, backward-never' mentality!

Father, I refuse to allow the pain of my past or the challenges of my present to cause me to see myself defeated. I see myself as You see me and I force myself to speak the language of faith. I speak the Word ONLY! I speak life and not death, blessing and not cursing, and victory and not defeat every day of my life! I refuse to quit. I refuse to throw in the towel. I refuse to relax the grip of my faith. I have STAYING POWER. I am in this faith-walk for the long haul. No matter what the enemy brings my way, I will never allow his attacks to cause me to give up my hope. My hope is firm, fixed, and focused on You Father. I am never hopeless, because with You I am never helpless! I enter this day with great expectations! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Mephibosheth (Part III)

2nd Sam 9:3 NIV) The king asked, "Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?"

This morning we continue our series: "Victory over Stress!" Last week I introduced you to Mephibosheth and his tragic story. We left off with Mephibosheth bowing before David, before the throne that he was once an heir to, not being able to mentally wrap his head around the words king David was saying. The king said, "Don't be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." Mephibosheth clearly understood the power of the king's throne. Unlike a president or prime minister, David had no checks-and-balances. Since Kings are elected there is no tie to external pressures for administration. Presidents and prime ministers govern, kings rule; and there is a big difference. Kings cannot be impeached, they have absolute authority, and their word is final! Once king David said that the land was Mephibosheth's, then it was, from that very moment; no bureaucracy to wade through. You would have thought that Mephibosheth would have been ecstatic. But his response was: "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

Mephibosheth was so beaten-down by the events of his life that he could not receive what king David was saying. It is often hard for us to receive what we cannot perceive. Mephibosheth could not understand why the king would do such a thing. In Mephibosheth's eyes he had done nothing to deserve such a blessing. While he may have been born royalty, by this stage of his life Mephibosheth saw himself as a nobody going nowhere, surrounded by nobodies going nowhere in Lo-Debar (a barren place). The key issue here is that Mephibosheth actually did not do anything at all to deserve what king David was offering him. David was showing Mephibosheth kindness because of the covenant he had made with his father Jonathan.

In 1st Samuel 20 we see the friendship between David and Jonathan so strong that they established a covenant. The Bible basically says: (Jonathan) "I am going to find out how my father feels about you. If he is OK with you, I will let you know, but if he wants to kill you, then I will also let you know and give you INTEL on his plans. Let's establish a covenant between you and I to treat each other with the faithful love of the LORD as long I live. But if I die, treat my family with this faithful love, even when the LORD destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.

Jonathan loved David as he loved himself." Jonathan's words were somewhat prophetic. It's almost like he knew he was going to die, that his father was also going to die, and that David would become the next king. So he was saying, "Hey David, when you become the king, after you deal with all your enemies, please don't forget my family." And that's exactly how it played out. As soon as David was firmly established and his primary enemies were out of the way, he was ready to do something about the Covenant that he established with Jonathan!

So what does this mean to you? Two things:
1. God shows you kindness because of the covenant: The Father sent His Son to die in your stead and He is committed to releasing His blessing over every person who accepts His Son as Lord. Once you accept Jesus you can walk in the blessing; not because of what you did, but because of what Jesus did! So accept God's goodness, don't worry about being unworthy, because the Father is not blessing you based upon you, He is doing so based upon the covenant!
2. Our God is a King: Understanding the Jehovah is king and not a president or prime minister is key, because it means He does not have any checks or balances. His Word is final; one Word from God can change your life forever. So accept His Words, receive them with a believing heart, repeat them from faith-filled lips, and walk in His best today!

Father, I thank You for Your goodness. You are exceptionally good and although there have been times where I could not receive Your goodness, because I could not understand why You wanted to be so good to me, I now understand that You want to shower me with Your blessing BECAUSE of Jesus! I have accepted Your Son as my Lord and therefore You accept me in Your bosom and You release Your blessing. One Word from You can turn any seemingly hopeless situation around. Today I will receive that Word. I look to You as my light, my strength, my fortress, my strong tower, my guide, and my life! As You speak to me, I listen. As I hear Your words I receive them with a believing heart, I repeat them with faith-filled lips, and I get to experience Your best life now; walking in love (not selfishness) and light (not darkness). In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Mephibosheth (Part II)

(2nd Sam 9:3 NIV) The king asked, "Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?"

Yesterday I introduced you to Mephibosheth and his tragic story. But hold on, it gets better. One-day king David, seemingly 'out of the blue,' asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" David had established a covenant with Jonathan and they both agreed to take care of each other's families if anything ever happened to one of them (see 1st Sam 20). Ziba, one of David's servants, said, "There is still a son of Jonathan; but he is lame in both feet." Isn't that how people are? They label us with our issue. Here's a side note: don't let anyone label you with the pain of your past. Resolve to move forward by faith.

But let me continue... "Where is he?" David asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo-Debar." King David sent a team to get Mephibosheth and bring him to the royal palace. When Mephibosheth arrived he bowed down in honor of the king. What a weird turn of events. The kid who was destined to be king was now bowing before the person who occupied the throne that used to belong to his family. I am sure it must have been emotionally hard for Mephibosheth to be there; especially not knowing what he was there for. King David said, "Mephibosheth!" "At your service," he replied. "Don't be afraid," David said went on to say, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

Wow! I am sure Mephibosheth did not expect that to come out of David's mouth. It was too much for Mephibosheth to fathom, so he bowed down again and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that your opinion of yourself is extremely important. Because Mephibosheth's 'train of life' had fallen on the tracks he could no longer see himself the way he did when he was a boy. Even when the king said that he was restoring all the land that belonged to his grandfather, Mephibosheth could not wrap his head around it, because he saw himself defeated. Solomon said, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov 23:7).

Inside every one of us is an image I call an "invisible fence," which dictates how far we can go and what we see ourselves doing and being. It is an invisible wall between you and God, holding you back, and keeping you from stepping out and doing what seems impossible. If you attempt to go outside this fence, your subconscious mind brings you back. I call it your "autopilot." It's designed to keep you on course at the level of your self-image."

Mephibosheth's self-image was set to "defeated," so he could not open himself up to the power of the blessing he was being bestowed. Don't let this happen to you! If you allow the enemy to stress you out to the point where you set your self-image to "defeated," then no matter what God attempts to do in your life and no matter how hard He tries to bless you, you will simply not receive it, because you will not see yourself as worthy of it. Guess what? None of us are worthy. Get over it! Accept God's opinion of you so that you can walk in His blessings!

Father, I refuse to allow the enemy to cause me to see myself as a dead dog. I refuse to allow the pressures of life to cause me to set my self-image to "defeated." As a matter of fact, through the renewing power of Your Word and the encouragement of Your Spirit, I am able to see myself the way that You see me. Like Mephibosheth, I know that You desire to bless me, not because of anything that I have done, but rather because of the covenant that You have established for me through the blood of Jesus Your Son. When You look at me You see the blood. When the enemy stands before You to accuse me, Your Son Jesus is my advocate and He pleads my case, once again, not on the basis of what I have done, but rather on the basis of what He already did for me! You then bless me richly, because of Jesus. My job is to align my thoughts with Your thoughts of me, so that I don't fight the process and so that I am able to receive the blessing. I declare that I will! I walk in Your blessing today and every day! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Mephibosheth

2nd Sam 4:4 MSG) It so happened that Saul's son, Jonathan, had a son who was maimed in both feet. When he was five years old, the report on Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran, but in her hurry to get away she fell, and the boy was maimed. His name was Mephibosheth.

I begin to wind down this series, so we can go back to Proverbs, I have been in prayer about how to close it out. One of the people the Father wants me to introduce to you, within the context of this series, before I close it out, is Mephibosheth. His story is one of the most powerful stories of redemption you will ever hear. If you don't know anything about him, then get ready, because you are going to enjoy this ride. If you have read about him before, then still get ready, because the Lord has a way of reintroducing old stories in a new way.

By the way, just so you know, I love this stuff! I can get up in the morning, sit in front of my computer, with no one else around but me and God, and get so excited about writing Today's Word that sometimes I could high-five myself (smile). Lest I regress, let's get on to the story.

Mephibosheth was born the son of Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (2 Sam. 4:4), the king of Israel. Think about what type of life Mephibosheth had as a kid. He was raised in the royal palace. He had servants waiting on him hand-and-foot. He didn't have a need in the world and he probably did not have a care in the world. He was in heir to the throne, so he had the best of everything and he was also being prepared for the possibility that he could some day be king. But all of that changed in a moment. His life came crashing down on him at the tender age of five years old. News came back to the royal palace that king Saul and prince Jonathan, Mephibosheth's grandfather and father, had both been killed in the Battle of Mount Gilboa. Everyone in the palace knew that their lives would never be the same. So hearing of this calamity, his nurse (or nanny) fled with him from Gibeah (the royal residence) and in her haste she stumbled and dropped him to the ground. This was no ordinary fall. Mephibosheth fell so hard that he was left paralyzed from that day forward (2 Sam 19:26). Talk about a tragedy! Mephibosheth lost his father, grandfather, the throne, and the use of his legs within a matter of minutes. So there he was... the same little boy who didn't have a care in the world was now maimed for life and his future was completely uncertain. How's that for a stressful situation?

Mephibosheth was carried to the land of Gilead where he found refuge in the house of Machir, at Lo-debar, and he was raised there. Interestingly enough, the word Lo-debar (the town where Mephibosheth grew up) means "no pasture," "no word" or "no communication." And true to its name, Lo-debar was a barren place - physically, psychologically, and spiritually - it was a place of no hope. We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you? It means that some times life takes unexpected turns, but the only way we can stay down, when life takes us down, is if we decide to stay there. We will see how Mephibosheth's life was turned around and your can as well. If there is still blood flowing through your veins and air flowing through your lungs, then it is evidence that God IS NOT through with you! In other words, if you're still alive, then you can still recover! Your Story IS NOT over! The last chapter of your book has not been written! Don't judge your future by your past... get excited about what God wants to do in and through you!

Father, I have had my fair share of setbacks and disappointments. Many of them have come as a result of my own mistakes. But I am thankful that I am still alive, I am still here, I am still breathing, I am still moving, and since I am, then I will keep on believing that You desire to use me for Your glory. No matter how difficult things get for me, I am a believer and not a doubter. I know that all things are possible to him that believes - and that's me! I won't allow past pain to spoil future success! I am looking forward to my future. I enter this day with great expectations. If you did it for Mephibosheth, You can do it for me! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Who Do You Think You Are?

1st Cor 10:13 GNB) Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

I thought I was going to move on to something else this morning, but the Father won't allow me to. He wants me to continue to drive home the message of this verse. You and I must understand who we are in Christ and we must also understand the schemes of the enemy. Actually, in Paul's second letter to the same church in Corinth he explained that if we are ignorant of satan's schemes and methods then he will surely have an advantage over us (2 Cor 2:11). In that same letter Paul taught that while we may be human, satan does not wage war against us in humanly form (see 2 Cor 10:3-5). In other words, the battle we face against the enemy is not one that is fought with knives, swords, and earthly weapons. The battle the enemy wages against us is a spiritual one and his main battleground is our mind!

Solomon said, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." (Prov 23:7). If the enemy can get you to see yourself defeated, dejected, disregarded and dismissed, then you will pose no threat to him or his kingdom whatsoever. Actually, satan does not even mind you going to church, just as long as it is a church that is not teaching you how to maximize your purpose and potential, how to receive the blessing of God so that you can be a blessing to others, and how to destroy the works of satan - just like Jesus did. When you start seeing yourself the way God sees you and you start making a dent in the enemy's kingdom, that's when he turns up the heat on you. But don't fear he has no power over you if you remain in faith. The problem is that many believers don't.

Satan knows that there are a multitude of believers who will cower at the first sign of opposition. Not only does he oppose them, but he makes every attempt to get them stressed-out. If satan can get you physically worn, emotionally unbalanced, psychologically unstable, and financially bankrupt then he could care less if you call yourself a Christian or not, because you pose no threat to him. But if you are a believer you is getting a constant diet of the Word of God, who is applying the Word to every area of his or her life, who is being led of the Spirit, and who is ready, willing, and able to BE a blessing wherever the Father sends you, then satan is not going to be happy with you. And what frustrates the enemy the most is that he knows that if you remain in faith - being led of the Spirit, in accordance with the Word, seeing yourself as God sees you - then there is nothing much he can do to you. Even when he attacks you, the attacks always seem to backfire. What he meant for evil, the Father can turn around for your good.

So what does this mean to you? It means the Father needs you to see yourself the way He sees you so that You can do all that He needs you to do in the earth. God's assignment for your life is bigger than your enjoyment. While he does give you all things richly to enjoy (1st Tim 6:17), He is also looking for you TO BE a blessing everywhere He sends you. However, you will never BE that blessing if you see yourself defeated, dejected, disregarded and dismissed.

But if you see yourself as the head and not the tail, as above only and never beneath, as the winner and not the loser, as the victor and not the victim, and as more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus, then the Father will be able to use you mightily. If you live this way God will be glorified, the body of Christ will be edified, and satan will be horrified!

Father, I am not ignorant of satan's schemes. I will not allow the enemy to get me to see myself as any less than the way You see me. I know who I am, because I know WHOSE I am. I have been bought with a great price and that price was Jesus' life. You thought enough of me to send Your own Son to die in my stead. I am eternally thankful for that and I declare by faith since I am covered by the blood, anointed by Your Spirit, and called according to Your purpose, that I will never see myself defeated again! I win the battle for my mind, I see myself the way You see me, and I SHALL BE a blessing today everywhere I go. Send me Father, I am ready! In Jesus' name. Amen!

You Can Do It!

(1st Cor 10:13 GNB) Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.


I'm not sure how much longer this series will last, because I simply keep going until the Father releases me, but it has been a true blessing to me and I trust it has to you as well.

Paul was an awesome man and he was used of God mightily. He is a great example of how God can use someone who has misdirected energy and passion and redirect it for His glory. Paul was the #1 persecutor of the church before his conversion and he then became the #1 promulgator of the gospel. Paul traveled extensively for Christ's sake and He wrote letters to churches that we are still reading today. One of those letters, his first to the church at Corinth, was focused around bringing order to a disorderly body. The Corinthians were passionate people and sometimes their passion got the best of them. Some believers at Corinth were slipping back into idol worship, fornication, and other sorts of sin. Paul told them to flee these things (see 6:18, 10:14), to desire spiritual gifts (12:31), and to walk in love (chapter 13).

Were the believers at Corinth perfect? No! They had made their fare share of mistakes and they were reaping the negative harvest associated with those mistakes. So what was Paul's answer to this? We find it in our text. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "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."

So what does this mean to you? It means the Father knows how passionate you can be about things and He also knows that you have made mistakes. Those mistakes have led to frustrating and stress-invoking situations. But as you prepare to move forward from the mistakes of your past, learning from them for your future, remember:

1. Every human is tempted/tested: Don't feel you've been singled out. Everyone deals with internal temptations and external opposition (tests).

2. The Father will not allow you to be overwhelmed: I will elaborate on this more tomorrow. The key here is knowing that IF YOU ARE FACING IT, then GOD TRUSTS YOU WITH IT!

3. Resistance is possible: The Father can aid you in both resisting the temptation and overcoming the test!

4. There is always a way out: If you look for it, you will find it and when you do you must have the fortitude to take the way out and not the way in; that will lead to more bad harvests.

Father, I can identify with the believers in Corinth. I know what it is like to make mistakes and to have to deal with the consequences of them. But I declare, by faith, that I will learn from my past as I prepare for my future. I realize that every human is tempted from their internal lusts and tested from our external enemy. Temptations and testings are nothing strange and by faith I shall overcome both. You will never allow me to face something I cannot handle, so if I am facing it, it is evidence that You trust me to overcome it. I declare that I will. I submit myself unto, I resist satan, and Your Word says that he shall flee from me. As I pray about how to deal with things Your Spirit will show me the way out and I declare, by faith, that I will take it! I will make better decisions in 2011. I will stop making decisions that lead to stressful situations. I will make Godly decisions and enjoy the Godly results of them! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Jairus and the Woman - Let's Review

Over the past three weeks we have looked at the case of the woman with the issue of blood and the case of Jairus and his dying daughter. While we have covered a lot of ground I want to point out that all of these events happened in one evening. Talk about "A Day in the life"! Jesus spent the morning and most of the afternoon teaching in parabolic form and He then spent the late afternoon and evening dealing with demons, disease, and death - exhibiting divine power over all three. Jesus even spoke to a storm along the way. Jesus no doubt lived an amazing life, but do you realize that He has called us to follow after His footsteps? Yes, that type of life is possible for both you and me, but we must live it in-faith, led of His Spirit, and in accordance with His Word.

The woman had been dealing with the issue for 12 years and the little girl was 12 years old. In other words the girl started breathing around the same time the woman started bleeding. Who would have known that their paths would cross 12 years later?

The contrast between these two needy people is striking and reveals the broadness of Jesus' power, love and mercy. Jairus was an important synagogue officer, but the woman, on the other hand, was an anonymous "nobody." One was known by everyone the other was hardly known at all because she had been living in a shell for 12 years, but yet Jesus welcomed and helped both with loving compassion.

Jairus was about to lose a daughter who had given him 12 years of happiness, excitement, and joy (Mark 5:42); and the woman wanted to lose an affliction that had brought her 12 years of sorrow, stress, and strain. Being a synagogue officer, Jairus was no doubt wealthy, but his wealth could not save his dying daughter.

The woman was already bankrupt! She had given the doctors all of her money, and yet none of them could provide a cure or even comfort. What's amazing to me is how both Jairus and the woman found the answers to their contrasting situations at the feet of Jesus (Mark 5:22 and Mark 5:33).

So what does this mean to you? Let's bring this from the then into the now, from the world of was-ness into the world of is-ness. What's your issue? What you are dealing with? What is causing you stress, struggle, strain and strife? What is the thing that is keeping you up at night?
This series is all about learning how to experience divine victory over negative stress and best place to start your journey towards victory is at the feet of Jesus! Powerful things happen at the Jesus' feet. Humble yourself, worship your Lord, fall at His feet, call on His name, acknowledge His power, reverence His throne, and you will find that He will meet you where you are.

Whether you are up or down, at the end or your rope or on the top of the world, struggling or sailing, in faith or afraid, in hope or in despair, Jesus is available to you today and there is a great exchange that takes place at His feet. Spend some time at His feet today and He will impart into you all that you need to start experience His best life NOW!

Father, I acknowledge no other deity. I call on no other name. You alone sit on the circle of the earth. You alone have all things in and under control. You alone are the King of kings. You alone are the Lord of lords. I have only one Lord and His name is Jesus the Christ. Father, I have accepted Your Son as my Savior and Lord and I declare that I will spend time at His feet daily. At Jesus' feet I find peace. At Jesus' feet I experience Your power. At Jesus' feet I receive Your direction. At Jesus' feet I enjoy Your protection. At Jesus' feet I exchange my worries, cares and concerns for Your joy, love, and wisdom. I find victory over stress at Jesus' feet! I declare this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Jairus and His Dying Daughter (Part IX)

(Mark 5:41,42 NIV) He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

By the time Jesus finally made it to Jairus' house He had to get past the gossips looking for a story, the neighbors bringing in casseroles, and the mourners who were already emoting. The presence of the mourners is proof that the girl was actually dead; for the family would not have called them if there had been even the slightest hope that the girl was still alive. But Jesus said unto them, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep." The word "sleep" Jesus used is the exact word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 15 referring to the death of believers. To the believer death is only sleep, for the body rests until the moment of resurrection (1 Thes 4:13-18). The spirit, however, does not sleep; in death, the spirit of the believer leaves the body (James 2:26) and goes to be with Christ (Phil 1:20-23). It is the body that sleeps, awaiting the return of the Lord and the resurrection (1Cor 15:51-58).

As soon as Jesus assured them that the child was not dead but sleeping, their tears turned to mockery and scorn. Undaunted, Jesus took the immediate family to the motionless child, and taking her by the hand, said in Aramaic, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the twelve-year-old girl got up and walked. The relatives were stunned and doubtless delirious with joy. Not only was the little girl alive again, but she was healed of her sickness; she was able to get out of her bed and walk around. Then Jesus, always the loving physician, instructed the astounded parents to give her something to eat.

Jairus' situation was over, but there are two things I need to highlight about what happened. First is the method. We know that Jesus could have simply spoken a word from the seashore and Jairus' daughter would have been healed. But I have already explained to you that Jairus' faith was not at that point. As Jairus petitioned Jesus he said, "Come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." Jairus wanted Jesus to physically come to His house and physically lay His hands on his daughter and that is exactly what Jesus did.

I don't know if you noticed it, but when Jesus got to the motionless child He took her by the hand. That subtle act was actually an answered prayer. Secondly, Jesus really did raise this little girl from the dead. This is extremely important to understand because, humanly speaking, death represents the worse possible scenario. I would venture to say that whatever you are dealing with this morning pales in comparison to what Jairus was dealing with and if Jesus could manifest His glory and exercise victory over death, then surely He can exercise victory over whatever you are dealing with. No matter how difficult your situation may seem, there is NOTHING too hard for God!

So what does this mean to you? Two things:
1. The Father will meet you at your level of faith. Wherever you are today, weak or strong faith, He can meet you where you are. Ask Him to!
2. There is nothing too hard for God. He is absolutely limitless. Remove whatever artificial limits you have placed on your limitless God and watch Him show up in your life!

Father, I thank You for meeting me where I am today. There are times when my faith is strong and You meet me there. There are also times when my faith is weak, and I am thankful that by Your grace You come down to meet me there. You always meet me at the level of my faith and for that I am thankful. I declare, by faith, that I will develop my faith to the point where I am consistent, strong, fixed, and focused. I understand that there is nothing too hard for You. You are a limitless God and I determine today to remove every artificial limit that I have placed on You so that You can freely operate in my life as You desire. Your Word gives me hope, Your promises give me confidence, and Your Spirit gives me comfort and power. I am equipped to experience Your best today! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Jairus and His Dying Daughter (Part VIII)

(Mark 5:36, 37 NIV) Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

We have been dealing with Jairus and his daughter for quite a while now. I believe it's obvious that I love teaching about the life of Jesus and how He went about doing the will of the Father on a daily basis. The powerful part of studying Jesus' life is the realization that we are supposed to be the same way. It is one thing to read the story of the woman with the issue of blood and Jairus and identify with those coming to Jesus for help. But it is quite something else to read the same stories and identify with Jesus - seeing yourself the Jesus in the story - and believing God to anoint you the same way so that others can come to you for help the way that they came to Him. That is the goal of Christianity. Jesus was God incarnate, no doubt about it, but we are the 'continuation of His incarnation.' In other words we are to continue what He started, living our lives the way that He lived His; manifesting the glory of the Father everywhere we go! But we will never do that if we are stressed out, frustrated, fearful, and disillusioned.

I want to piggy-back off of something I highlighted yesterday and that was that Jesus refused the crowd, and 9 of His 12 disciples, to go any further once He found out the little girl was dead. This reminds me of a story of some frogs. A group of frogs were happily hopping through the woods when two them started racing each other side by side. There they were, hopping and hopping, each making an effort to out-hop the other, when all of a sudden both of them landed inside of a hole. Immediately the other frogs gathered around the top of the hole and the two frogs inside the hole attempted to jump their way out. After a few minutes it became obvious that the depth of the hole was just a bit too much for the frogs to manage, as they kept coming up short. After about an hour the frogs at the top of the hole started telling the ones in the hole to give up and die, because they believed the effort was futile. One of the frogs believed what the others said, he crawled up into a corner of the hole, gave up, and died. The other frog, however, kept jumping. This infuriated the frogs on the outside. The more he jumped the more they yelled at him to stop! But the more they yelled the more he jumped. It seemed like their yelling was giving him extra energy. Finally, one of his leaps was long enough and he made it out of the hole. Do you want to know why he made it? He was deaf! Since he could not hear the other frogs he assumed that they were cheering him on. That's why he kept jumping.

Now, you may be thinking, what does this have to do with Jairus? Actually, it has a lot to do with Jairus' story because Jesus strategically picked whom He wanted to go with Him to Jairus house, knowing what influences He wanted with Him when the pressure was on.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Surrounding yourself with the right people can fuel your faith. When the frog thought the other frogs were rooting for him he was able to jump longer and higher.
2. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people is dangerous. Some people are dream-killers. They are frustrated with their lives, so they will attempt to frustrate yours.
3. Picking the right people to be with you when the pressure is on just might make the difference between overcoming and succumbing. Jesus only wanted key people with Him when He went into Jairus' house and we should do the same when we are faced with difficult situations.

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I know You have blessed me to be surrounded with a great cloud of witnesses and I am not in this race alone, however, I also understand that everyone who is with me is not for me. I know that some people are dream-killers so I thank You for blessing me to have the insight to know who to share my dreams with, who to take with me into faith-fights, and who to surround myself with when the pressure is on. Two are better than one, but only when both are in-faith. So I declare, by faith, that You reveal to me who those people are and as I connect with them and they with me, together we will assist each other in striving to maximize our purposes and potential before we die! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Story of Jairus and His Dying Daughter Part VII

(Mark 5:36, 37 NIV) Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

This morning we continueI trust you are enjoying the story of Jairus and his daughter. We have lots to learn from this situation. One of the key lessons is something I brought yesterday when I said, "If you can't speak faith, then keep your mouth shut! That's what Jairus did and he got his breakthrough!" Jairus was in no condition to speak the language of faith. The gravity of the situation (the reality of his daughter's death) was sinking-in and if he had spoken, his words would not have been faith-filled at that point. The key objective of the enemy was to get Jairus to tell Jesus to STOP, so that He would never arrive at the house. Satan knew that he had no power over Jesus and that there was no way he could stop Jesus from raising the little girl back to life once he was on the scene. That's why he attached Jairus and not Jesus. By telling Jairus to stop bothering the master, the enemy was hoping that Jairus would simply tell Jesus to go away. If Jairus had done that his daughter would never have been raised from the dead.

Why? Because I have taught you before that God will allow whatever we allow. God will permit whatever we permit. He is not going to force us to be blessed. He won't twist our arm so that we could accept His best. Our heavenly Father definitely wants to operate in our lives, but He does so with our cooperation.

If Jairus refused to cooperate then Jesus would not have operated. This is extremely important for every believer to understand, especially when we are facing stressful situations. Without realizing it many believers have hindered God from moving in their lives because they have followed the negative suggestions of the enemy - suggestions that lead to fear, doubt, and unbelief; suggestions that wind up canceling out our faith and blocking God's best from manifesting in our lives.

The good news is that Jesus stopped Jairus before he said anything and told him to keep on believing. Guess what? Jairus did not say a word. I believe that since he was not in a position to speak the language of faith, he simply kept his mouth shut and there is a lot of wisdom in that. By keeping his mouth shut Jesus was able to operate off of his last words and continue on to his house. But Jesus knew that since the situation had taken a turn for the worse that He needed to be surrounded by faith-filled people. So He stopped the crowd and even stopped 9 of the 12 disciples from going any further.

When the rubber met the road Jesus only wanted His inner-circle (Peter, James, and John) with Him. There were times where Jesus was comfortable being with the 5,000, other times just with the 70, other times with the 12, and then there were times, the most intimate times, when He only wanted the three (Peter, James, and John) with Him. We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. If you want God to operate in your life, you must cooperate with Him - in faith!
2. Don't allow your mouth to ensnare you; speak faith only or don't speak at all.
3. When you are dealing with a difficult situation you must surround yourself with people of 'like-precious-faith.' If you surround yourself with the wrong people you will hear the wrong things.
4. You need an 'inner-circle;' a small group of people you can rely on when the going gets rough. These are people who will be there for you and you for them.

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I declare, by faith, that I will cooperate with You every day of my life. I know that faith pleases You, so I will live by faith daily. I am so committed to living the life of faith that I refuse to speak any words of fear, doubt, or unbelief. If I can't speak faith I won't say anything until I can! And I thank You for blessing me to have an 'inner-circle.' I can rely on them and they can rely on me. When I truly need a breakthrough I know I can call them and they can call me. We pray for each other, speak life into each other, and are there for each other. I am thankful that I am not in this race alone. You have blessed me with people of like-precious-faith and together we maximize our purposes and potential! In Jesus' name. Amen!