Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Do you have a “friend-in-faith”? Spiritual companionship is one of life’’s highest priorities. We are social creatures, needing affirmation and encouragement in the pursuit of life’‘s highest values. Doubt, depression and rebellion seem to need no encourager, as they apparently operate by default. But cultivating the true treasures of life requires the support of friends. God Himself saw that it was not good for man to dwell alone. And as long as the two partnered together in obedience to God, their efforts were blessed with exponential success. In a world that smothers our incentive for God, it’’s His plan that we have friends to encourage our faith. `

God listens in to the conversations between friends who share their faith in Him. He takes note, with the intent to preserve and bless them. God involves Himself with people who establish genuine fellowship partners with whom they share their spiritual insights, trials and questions.

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it,

The power of spiritual agreement is always at work in them. It’’s very hard to defeat someone who has bound themselves in a spiritual friendship with others. The accountability they share creates an atmosphere of Light, making it near impossible for Satan to find a cover of darkness from under which to operate.

Eccl. 4:12 And though a man might prevail against him who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Spiritual loners usually end up easily defeated because their fellowship with God is often too infrequent to stave off the assaults of the devil against them.

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another;

It’’s too easy to slide the truly valuable things onto the back burner when you go it alone in your walk with the Lord. No wonder the devil pushes so hard to legitimize the secular notion that spirituality is a highly private matter. Yes, and he wishes to keep it so “private” that the believer dies spiritually of neglect. But we will see as this devotional continues, that God resides in the midst of His people. He moves along the fellowship currents of friends in faith.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // 1 Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

(from yesterday’s edition)

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.” - Ellie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor)

Indifference to evil is not only the opposite of love but the indication that love is vacant. No true love can tolerate evil. No true love can abide neutral in the presence of evil and continue to call itself “love”. For love, by proper definition, springs from love for truth and righteousness. Love for God is the fountainhead of all true love. So hate for evil is the natural flip side to love for righteousness. The one who has no capacity to hate what is evil has no ability to love what is righteous.

The failure of our leaders to hate evil is one of the greatest corruptions of our modern culture. When men and women, with no ability to identify evil for what it is, head up our nations, sit as judges, write laws, teach our youth, lead our congregations and form our public policies, we have no defense against wickedness. When poor children are left under the guardianship of mothers with no internal revulsion for wicked men, they always become their helpless victims. It is the most grievous of all abuses, when the protected are sacrificed by stewards of authority who refuse to stand against wickedness. Judges who release child-molesting beasts upon society should serve in the jail cells with them when they re-offend. While self-distracted people whine and moan about gas prices, our society’s refusal to hate and react against evil is quickly depleting our most important energy resource. Hand-wringing collegiates run around foaming over destruction of the environment, but have no concern whatsoever over the erosion of our real context for survival: loving righteousness and hating evil.

The evil of Islamic fascism only succeeds because the stewards of free nations lack the orientation to see evil, the heart to hate it, and the will to defeat it. In America the Executive branch of Government is the only one with a will to fight this evil. The President (Bush) struggles in an uphill battle because he has to drag a reluctant and obstructive Congress and Judiciary behind him every step of the way. Why? Because they cannot bring themselves to see evil for what it is. “Sympathy For The Devil” may have to replace our National Anthem, as evil is being given a massive makeover by the combined forces of government, academia, the press and the entertainment industry. With the exception of the church (and that just barely), all the great centers of public influence are working in concert to smear lipstick on the evil pig and give it a facelift.

Treating rebellion against God as a virtue has long been the practice of public leaders. This was King Saul’s big problem. God had left him with instructions through the Prophet Samuel, to wipe out the Amalekites. But King Saul failed to discern the evil of the Amalekites and spared their king and livestock. When the Prophet Samuel arrived at the battle scene King Saul presented his compromise as some kind of elevated act of conscience. He excused his disobedience to God as an act of righteousness, just as many today do when they defy the claims of God by presenting their so-called morality as a higher love.

1 Sam. 15:22 And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.

1 Sam. 15:23 For to go against his orders is like the sin of those who make use of secret arts, and pride is like giving worship to images.Because you have put away from you the word of the Lord, he has put you from your place as king.

1 Sam. 15:24, 30 And Saul said to Samuel, Great is my sin: for I have gone against the orders of the Lord and against your words: because, fearing the people, I did what they said…but still, give me honor now before the heads of my people and before Israel, and come back with me so that I may give worship to the Lord your God.

No morality that fails to hate wickedness, has ever known righteousness.

No morality that fails to spit-out wickedness, has ever tasted righteousness.

But righteousness is not a collective political condition. You can’t get righteousness out of 100 hypocrites who agree to social reform. Jesus said that love for righteousness has to be practiced at home before it can be exported to the marketplace.

Luke 6:41 “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Luke 6:42 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Tolerating the works of wickedness, when they appear within the sphere of your own responsibility, is a sure sign that you’re not operating from a Love for Righteousness. This was the downfall of the kingdoms of Israel & Judah. Ultimately it wasn’t their failure to school or correct the ungodly nations around them, but the refusal to purge evil from their own midst, that brought the downfall of the Jewish kingdoms.Knowing the difference between true righteousness and evil obligates us to be stewards over our own responsibilities before trying to school others.

The downfall of the Jewish Pharisees was that they tolerated compromise with evil in their own lives while enforcing strict religious codes on others. This is why they were the only people that Jesus publicly denounced as hypocrites. While the Jewish leaders imposed the harshest sanctions against certain sinners, they shamelessly tolerated their own sins and those from whom they stood to gain political advantages. So their so-called love for righteousness was a front for their own tolerance for evil.

Tolerance of wickedness reveals the absence of righteousness.

So tolerance of wickedness IS wickedness.

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.”  - Ellie Wiesel

Looking at history, we can see that the Hand of God had raised up many leaders because of their love of righteousness and hate for evil, but was later removed when they began to tolerate corruption. To be exalted by the Hand of God, with His anointing upon your head, one must share His virtues and reasonings. This is what was said of Jesus:

…therefore God, thy God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

The world likes to use Jesus as an example of love to promote their agenda of false righteousness. They site His sayings about love, in attempt to use Him as an endorser of social tolerance for sexual sin and political pacifism. The wicked hate scrutiny and always try to divert the condemnation of righteous judgment by criticizing it as unloving. They use the symbols of righteousness to cover themselves. Every counterfeit endorses the genuine by their existence. It’s no small wonder that evil hides itself within the gutted shell of love. A love with no allegiance to God is a convenient cloak for every self-justification. So true love is known by it’s fruit – including hate for evil and the will to oppose it.

2 John 1:6 And this is love that we walk after his commandments.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.”

- Ellie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor)

Indifference to evil is not only the opposite of love but the indication that love is vacant. No true love can tolerate evil. No true love can abide neutral in the presence of evil and continue to call itself “love”. For love, by proper definition, springs from love for truth and righteousness. Love for God is the fountainhead of all true love. So hate for evil is the natural flip side to love for righteousness. The one who has no capacity to hate what is evil has no ability to love what is righteous.

Edmund Burke is universally credited with the famous maxim:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Although no one has been able to nail down that exact quote in any of Burke’’s writings, the following quote is taken from Burke and amounts to the same point:

“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

However stated, the message is universally true: Evil will, so good must! No sentiment, which presents itself as good, noble or lofty, while at the same time, refusing to see evil and hate it, can ever claim to be love. It is misguided philanthropy at best and heartless self-interest at worst.

The byproduct of prosperity is forgetfulness. Those who inherit the prosperity, which their forefathers fought evil forces to obtain, all too often act as though they themselves invented peace and are worthy of it. They look with contempt upon the battles fought against evil as they lift themselves up in erudite condescension.They see themselves as “too good” to hate evil. But they are, in reality, unworthy of the peace they have inherited and sure to lose it to the evil they ignore.

Jesus is exalted because He loves righteousness and hates evil.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

But there are those today, who claim that their love has no room for hate. They say that because of love they have been elevated above hate and are free from it.They have become elevated above the ability to hate anything, and they see their position as being superior and an example of true love. In the name of tolerance and in an effort to respect everybody, they bind themselves into a paralyzing inability to act against evil.They have become so objective that they can’’t even stir themselves to be angry at it. But objectivity that fails to brace itself against the righteousness of God, and position itself upon the mount of His Word, is doomed to float weightless without a point.

2 Tim. 3:1-7 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self…holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This false objectivity, this failure to love righteousness because it might conflict with someone else’s ideas and appear intolerant, is not love.It’’s indecision. It’’s immorality by default.

For love is not the absence of hate, because hate in itself is not sin. Some hate certainly is sin.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,hateful, and hating one another.

Hating God is sin. Hating righteousness is sin. Hating those who love righteousness is sin. The humanistic repulsion against righteousness, and the natural tendency to rebel against it, that is a hate for righteousness, and that is sin.

1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin….

So how can one say he loves others but by not hating evil he fails to love righteousness. By his “love and understanding” for evil he takes sides against God and His righteousness.

Luke 11:23 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.”  —Jesus Christ

But Hate has its place too. Hate for evil is the appropriate response of love for righteousness. The two are inseparable.

So where do we apply this tension between love and hate? Do we attack the world like crusaders, righting the wrongs?

Some answers tomorrow, so until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The focus on love, which is used today to shape public policy and form a morality for judging society’s behavior, is based in accommodating people’s idiosyncrasies and not in respect for God’s claims.  So love becomes defined and judged in terms of human desire rather than a God-centered morality. That’s why we find people advocating in the name of love, for such things as the rights of homosexuals to marry and chickens to avoid human consumption. And at the same time these advocates are usually demonstrating against displaying the 10 Commandments in public forums, and usually spouting something like, “You can’t legislate morality!” But the truth is that all legislation is nothing more than the ratifying of some morality into regulation. It’s total foolishness to say morality cannot be legislated because it is done everyday. The cry that we cannot legislate morality is really code for, “we don’t want God defining our morality or telling us how to love others.”

But loving others must begin with love for righteousness. That is what connects our love to God and to true virtue and makes it a helpful influence. It prevents our love from becoming “blind” and misguided. Guided by the love for righteousness, love for man will empower us to truly help people rather than hurt them or help them to continue hurting themselves, in the name of love.

Loving righteousness comes FIRST in the endorsement that Jesus receives in our text. It’s the fundamental motive, holding dear ALL of the virtues of God’s moral goodness.

Rom. 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom. 13:9 For this, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness, Thou shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

Rom. 13:10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Rom. 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy, insincerity). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

So we see that, guided by the true love that comes from God and His righteousness, we will do that thing which is good and helpful, and if nothing else, we will avoid doing what is evil and destructive.

Rightness and Righteousness…

But to love righteousness one must know and understand righteousness. Righteousness does not just know what is “right”. But righteousness begins with a right relationship with God – one that brings your motives into balance with His righteousness. Without a reverent heart and tender conscience towards God, our knowledge of righteousness can harden into legalistic correctness and turn us into moral bullies. So righteousness begins with a posture of humility before God, to safeguard our souls against hardening under a know-it-all attitude. But then knowing righteousness requires a great ability to weigh and balance all the pertinent truths so that the path of righteousness emerges. Knowing righteousness requires that we understand the guiding principles of God’s purposes. This provides direction, when trying to sort out the right principles to apply and right way to go.

For example, under the influence of misguided righteousness (so-called), we see the most outrageous absurdities being practiced today, in the name of political or social correctness. The imbalances that we are asked to accept are so obtuse that they actually become oppressive to the cause of true righteousness, and an impediment to true love. When love for the Truth (as defined by God) is taken off the table, arranging our guiding principles into some practical righteousness becomes impossible.

True love must first love the Truth if it’s to be of any use.

2 Th. 2:10 …because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

In explaining why people who have heard the truth end up under deception, Paul states that they failed to “love the truth”. People will be faithful to that for which they have their deepest affections. We are faithful to what we truly love. So for love to be grounded and ultimately helpful, it must first love the truth, for truth will keep our love righteous when simple affection, no matter how strong or sincere, can leave us vulnerable to error.

So love for righteousness is the foundation of true love. Jesus, Who in our text, was exalted because He loved righteousness, commands us to love by His own example:

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

It is love for righteousness that will help us to keep from loving chickens more than people and allow us to love and treat our homosexual neighbors with God’s love, without being intimidated into agreeing to a warped definition of marriage in order to prove it.

Loving righteousness is far more than longing for its benefits or position (peace, prosperity, happiness, etc). But it’s looking deep into all its ways, discerning its virtues, and falling in love with its superior qualities. It’s having such a love for God’s carefully balanced arrangement of truth that you will look to Him for guidance in your love.

In short, you can’t love righteousness without knowing just what it is about righteousness that is attractive to you, and being convinced enough by it that you let it order your life and govern the way you love. It’s not love for being correct. And it’s not love for only one aspect of righteousness or just one side of truth. But love, true love, for righteousness, is really love for God, Who alone can show you how to love in a way that is good and righteous.

More tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The morals of modern culture are possessed by an almost militant preoccupation with acceptance, as the arbiter of all goodness. Love is defined primarily as accepting others without making any value judgments about their behaviors. In modern culture, the highest expression of love is the ability to tolerate what we are naturally or traditionally apt to reject. In short, people take personal affirmation as love. And if you withhold approval you are withholding love.

As much as we need and crave approval and support, there is something we need even more, and that is direction. What good is a love that makes you feel good with an affirming pat on the back, as you march off in the wrong direction, but won’t encourage you to choose another path?

Love was once weighed in terms of righteousness. People who loved you helped you, with an eye on a higher purpose than simply making you feel good in the moment. Good parents often endured the fall from popularity with their children, for long durations, as they held their sons and daughters to standards of decency and respect. They endured the lack of reciprocated love from their children, in order to serve them with what they truly needed at the time. Love use to be essentially understood as a high affection, fueled and governed by righteousness.

But in most homes today the militant demands of those who must be accommodated are served by the weak needs of those who must be popular. This usually translates into children, or immature spouses, getting the others to do what they want them to, in exchange for the shallow satisfaction of fleeting popularity. I say, “fleeting” because the selfish are never satisfied, and must always be served.

But if God, as He reveals Himself and His character in the Bible, is to be considered as the Author and true measure of love, then let’s rouse ourselves out from under the intoxication of this cheap knockoff, under whose spell we’ve fallen, and awake to take hold, before all love is replaced by indulgence.

First let’s start with the fact that love is a command. It is not essentially a human emotion, but rather a command to follow a standard regardless of whether the human emotion is there or not.

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

John is referring to Jesus’ talk with them at the Last Supper…

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Obviously the Lord is saying that love must be approached as an act that is doable.One can abide in God’s love by doing the things He is commanding. This means that God’s love will work in us, even when we don’t feel motivated by affections, if we will simply follow His commands, from our heart.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…

The reason why the power of love will actually work in us as we act in love according to His prescribed commands is that God Himself is love. True love is the essential nature of God. To understand true love, as it is distinct from human selfishness, we must look at the virtues of God Himself. These qualities, these fruits of the Spirit, are the manifest values and acts of love, because they are the manifest values and acts of God.

1 Cor. 13:3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

1 Cor. 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

1 Cor. 13:5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

1 Cor. 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1 Cor. 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Cor. 13:8 Love never fails;

Notice that love is not “giving to the poor”, or any other such act of social charity that people hold others hostage to in the name of love. Love MIGHT feed the poor.But feeding the poor is not what love IS. Love begins at much higher plane before it ever makes peanut butter and jelly for street people. It begins with the recognition that God is its author, along with a healthy reverence for His views.There are many people who know very little about God’s views, but they have an inner regard for Him and if they knew what His views were, they would matter to them; and God knows it of them. This is why some people who know a lot about God’s views very seldom walk in love, while some others, who may know little about His views, walk more often in love, because from their heart they regard what little they do know as a sacred command.

With our stewardship of love as a critical issue, the Day of Judgment should be very interesting, to say the least.  And lest we turn on one another in judgment, let’s remember that the command to love begins with loving God.

Matt. 22:37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matt. 22:38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.

God knows who loves Him.

If love is a command then there must be a right and wrong way to love. Tomorrow we’ll look into it, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Nick Champlin

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”.  These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 16^th and final sign:

Growth -

This final sign of the early Church of Acts is not a ruler but a principle. Jesus describes the Church as a grapevine that produces fruit. Notice that in Jesus’ model of the Church HE IS A MEMBER!

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Fruitfulness refers to increase, and the key to it involves your relationship with Jesus, the Vine. The members of the Church are to ALL see themselves with responsibility for increase. But running out and just trying to drag people into the church doesn’t fulfill that responsibility. The secret to fulfilling the command of God to Grow begins with the Church practicing right relationship to Jesus. First off, Jesus said:

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

To understand what this means, and then to make sure it’s the defining motivation of all Church activity, is the beginning. The Bible actually tells us what the elements were that stimulated growth:

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Daily fellowship

Unity

Joy

Praise

The Lord did the adding

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people…

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.

Many signs and wonders (miracles, healings)

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

The Gospel was spread

Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Faith was the foundation (not religion)

We get the picture of a Church:

In love with Jesus,

Understanding His preeminence,

Yielded joyfully to His will,

Not ashamed to give witness,

Fellowshipping in Love,

Flowing in the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit,

Standing in Truth,

Walking in Faith

Let’s consider that the entire array of the Signs of the Church – our signs – are the necessary components that God placed within us in order for Growth to take place. We should cry out just as the Psalmist did:

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

And we should recognize that it’s abnormal to be separated from the supernatural elements of the Church. How do we truly embrace God, Who is Spirit, and there be no supernatural consequences? God never intended us to be an insulation, preventing His power from touching the world. But we are a conductor of His love and power, jolting the spiritually dead with the Life of Christ. Let’s throw the switch of fellowship with Jesus and get power flowing to Our Signs again!

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 15^th sign:

Praise -

This is the supernatural sign of response, from a grateful church to the victorious Savior. These are sentiments of love and appreciation, lifted in musical strains, shouts and declarations. Praise stands high above all other forms of music and expression, as the currents upon which God’s Presence travels. Praise, in musical form, is distinguished from other music by its content of Truth, selfless expression, and acknowledgement of God’s glory. There is a direct connection between Praise and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Eph. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Eph. 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

The idea is not that God gets pleasure from a cool groove, snappy tune or clever lyrics. But true Praise is full of the human will, humbling itself in the expression of Truth and gratitude before Almighty God. True Praise is never about boasting in man or wallowing in the self-pity of flesh. It’s always about exalting Jesus, the divine remedy for a sin-cursed world.

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The Christians of Acts considered Praise as a part of their teaching. Today’s lifeless teaching of intellectual and theological facts has fallen so far from the place of Spirit-filled and Praise enhanced teaching. We could say that the early believers weren’t learning about God as much as they were experiencing Him. Intellectualism is what you’re left with when the Praise fades away.

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Acts 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every oneís bands were loosed.

Here is but one Bible example of the Holy Spirit working powerfully to confirm the words of Praise, uttered boldly from the circumstances of a trial. Praise is a powerful sign!

Here are a few scriptures siting the God’s involvement with Praise:

Psa. 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

“Comely” in Hebrew means To be at home. The Psalmist sees Praise as building a suitable house for God and the believer to meet in.

Psa. 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

“magnify” in Hebrew means To twist together, make large. The Psalmist sees Praise as blending us together with God and making us large.

Psa. 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised…

“greatly” in Hebrew refers to a poker that turns coals to make a vehement fire. The Psalmist sees Praise stirring the fire of God in our hearts.

These aren’t references to simple human passions or zeal, but rather show the ignition of divine glory and power in the life of those who live on the Praises of God.

Do we see this sign of Praise today?

One more sign to go…so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 13^th sign:

Liberality -

This was a great sign of the newly born Church of the risen Christ. Instantly, the other-worldly grace, filling their hearts with the treasures of Heaven, raised these new believers to a place of new priorities. The common Love of Jesus that filled them bound them in a oneness that transcended any social order.

Acts 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

This Liberality was certainly not obligatory or an imposed socialism. It was a willingness to share that was spawned by the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit. The scripture itself explains it as, ”great grace was upon them all”. The “grace” meaning “gift”, tells us that they were so filled with the gifts of God that they were eager to help one another.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Acts 4:35 And laid them down at the apostlesí feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

This liberality was shared among the believers. It was not a welfare crusade for the poor. It was a demonstration of the Blood Covenant bond that made them one with each other. This oneness did not extend to the world. This was a demonstration of the oneness of the Body Of Christ. No denominational barriers had yet been erected.

1 Cor. 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

In recognizing Jesus in the other members of the Body of Christ, we immediately find an altar of sacrifice.

Gal. 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Do we see this sign of Liberality today?

Daily Fellowship -

The 14^th sign of the New Testament Church, found in Acts, is that they fellowshipped together daily. In today’s modern church, people would go crazy if they had to be together more than once or twice a week. No body could endure that much religion! But in the Church of Acts there was no religion; no obligation; no mind-numbing rituals. These early Christians were living a daily unfolding adventure. The Church wasn’t a place it was a person. They didn’t attend church they worked and worshipped together daily, as the church.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

The early Christians didn’t fellowship together once every 7 days only. Though they did observe a weekly worship gathering, which quickly became the first day of the week (Sunday), these believers became a close knit community, knit together in the common love of the Lord that flowed among them. They were heavenly ambassadors, a family of faith, an elite corps of witnesses. They fellowshiped daily because each one had a share in their great commission. Without a personal zeal and love for Jesus guiding each individual’s heart, this sign of daily fellowship would be impossible. In fact, many a Christian have found in their lifetime, the absolute necessity of daily fellowship, as a support for spiritual lives. God has set the entire existence of man to move incrementally in 24 hr installments. If a man can manage a day well, he can manage a life. Consider what the Bible says:

Psa. 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

Matt. 6:11 …Give us this day our daily bread.

Matt. 6:34 …Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Eph. 4:26 …let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Life is meant to be maintained DAILY. If we are to live in the Kingdom of God, our walk with the Lord must be a daily walk. Trials and troubles are daily. Energy is depleted daily. Accounts must be zero’d out and balanced daily. Daily fellowship with our partners in faith, helps to keep us sharp, encouraged and on target. Daily Christian fellowship keeps us from drifting into the faith diffusing fog of the world. Satan cannot defeat the church whose fellowship is renewed daily.

Do we see this sign of Daily Fellowship today?

More signs tomorrow, so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 11^th sign

Fear Of The Lord -

The Church of Acts so wonderfully exemplified the Fear of the Lord. In reading the early chapters in Acts, a couple of characteristics stand out prominently in contrast to the “religious” churches of today. One is that they simply took God seriously.

Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Consider how simple a definition of the fear of the Lord, that is: to simply take God seriously. If you fear the Lord you won’t ignore His claims or be indifferent to His call. Through the fear of the Lord they were able to “walk” with God. He wasn’t pushed off into the distance and thought of only in abstract terms. The very real and immediate relationship the early Christians had with Jesus is a powerful sign of the Church, and it’s made possible through the fear of the Lord.

The other characteristic of the Church Acts that exemplifies the fear of the Lord is that they simply found it impossible to dismiss the will of God. The Psalmist said:

Psa. 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments…

When you take God seriously you will know God seriously, and then it’s easy to do His will because you’re acting out of wisdom and not religious tyranny. Choice reigns in the heart of those that fear the Lord. There is no bit in their mouths, because the fear of the Lord has place wisdom in their hearts. The fear of the Lord is not the least bit oppressive, heavy or burdensome. Religion is a heavy yoke but the fear of the Lord is joyously clean.

Psa. 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean (pure), enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Unity -

The 12^th sign of the Church of Acts is Unity. Unity was immediately manifested on the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness andsingleness of heart

It came from the inside out and not from the outside in. It wasn’t the result of agreements forged by a council. It had nothing whatsoever to do with a social or political agenda. The unity that’s a sign of the church belonging to the resurrected Christ, is the condition of hearts all surrendered in common agreement that Jesus is Life and serving Him is living.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomonís porch.

Acts 5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Acts 5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid themon beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

Anyone who thinks the unity that’s a sign of Christianity is some sociological script for tolerance, is outside looking in, and not seeing. This sign of Unity was a common motive they all shared. Everyone of them, regardless of their personalities, idiosyncrasies, or other diversities, had one over-arching motive, and that was to glorify Jesus Christ no matter what change it called for in them. They were all moldable in the Hands of the unchanging Master. This Unity begins with being in unity with the Lord Jesus, His mission and the Holy Spirit. Any unity that isn’t surrendered to the will of God is an alliance of rebellion. Unity by itself has no special virtue. But the purpose to which that unity owes its existence sifts discerningly before God. The Church is not a club it’s a Bride. We are not social workers, we’re servants of God. The sign of unity comes on the wings of the Holy Spirit, not the demands of a leader. This unity isn’t manufactured it’s pre-existent in the Holy Spirit. You either join it or you don’t

Eph. 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

And the only hope that we will see each other there, when our faith is completed, is that we’ll all stay in the Unity of the Holy SpiritÖthe sign of the Church.

Eph. 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

More signs to come tomorrow…so till then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 10^th sign:

Persecution -

Jesus had promised that persecution would follow the church. It was inevitable that the more filled with the Spirit of God, and the bolder they were in Christ’s mission, the more the disciples would be persecuted.

John 15:19 ”If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

John 3:19 ”This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

John 3:20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

Jesus spelled it out like simple arithmetic. If you manifest the Light of God’s truth it will cause two very distinct reactions. The first is that the humble will come to the Light and be saved. The second is that the proud will hate and eventually fight against the Light. The Light of Christ eventually becomes the arch enemy of everyone who clings to their evil ways. His Light, His Gospel becomes the only real enemy of darkness, and the people of darkness will persecute the people of Light. No matter how they all try to maintain a congenial tolerance, the very nature of darkness will force the people in its grasp to persecute the bearers of Light. No tolerance can ever be permanent. Jesus said that, “the world would love its own (and)…everyone who does evil hates the Light.”

2 Tim. 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

The world uses Christians like social seasoning to make their immorality palatable. They like to hide behind their tolerance of religion as some kind of example of spiritual virtue. But the truth is – and Jesus warned of it – that the minute the Church doesn’t stay in lock-step with the political agendas of society, all that tolerance isn’t worth a bucket of spit. Through their social, intellectual and physical persecutions of Christians, the world shows itself for the dark hypocrites they are. Jerusalem’s citizens were inspired and amused at first, by the miracles and joy of the first Christians. But then when Stephen and others began telling the Truth about why Jesus died and the need of everyone to repent, the party came to an abrupt halt.

Acts 8:1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him (Stephen) to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

This is typical of today’s secular culture. They love to showcase their fondness for the inner-city Gospel choirs. But watch the ugly comments and persecution arise the minute that choir stops singing and starts preaching about forgiveness from “sin” and Jesus being the only way; rather than “God loves everybody, and let’s all just get along”. Then that same choir is a subverted band of “haters”. Watch all the fake “Reverends” come out of the wood work to condemn the non-progressive hate-speech. The true bearers of Light will ALWAYS eventually become black-listed as “enemies of tolerance”. But true “Tolerance” demonstrates itself in the grace of God every time Christians are harassed.

Mark 4:17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

Persecution is ALWAYS aimed at the Word of the God. The quickest way to get persecution off your tail is to back off your public stand on God’s Word and testimony of Jesus. No one will be persecuted for being a Methodist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, Catholic or Evangelical as long as they are willing to disassociate their religious affiliation from the Word of God.

Matt. 10:16 ”Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Matt. 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues…”

Matt. 10:18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Matt. 10:19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

Matt. 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

True persecution isn’t suffering for your wrong doing or foolish behavior. That’s called punishment and consequences. But true persecution is suffering in innocence for the guiltless testimony of Jesus Christ, and His Gospel. There is a wonderful dynamic involved in true persecution. The Gospel attracts the persecution. The Word of God is actually attacked in an effort to censor it. But if faithful Christians will learn to navigate the treacherous waters of persecution “wisely” – not becoming wasted targets for foolish reasons; the Holy Spirit will place us before people to whom He wants us to give the Gospel. The Gospel cannot shine in the shadowy halls of compromise and accommodation. But if we are willing to be faithful, we will be humble Lights of God’s glory contrasted against the true violent nature of sin and secularism. Only then, can many of the trapped souls of the truly intolerant and hateful, see the Light of Freedom and come to salvation. Be faithful, be humble, preach the Word of Jesus’ Gospel, and let it take you where it will!

Do we see the sign of Persecution today?

More signs tomorrow…so till then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 8^th sign:

Preaching -

As suddenly as the Holy Ghost fell, preaching came forth. And it wasn’t just the Apostles doing the preaching.

Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Preaching is what happens when a Christian gets so full of the Holy Spirit that the glory of Jesus can’t be contained. Preaching doesn’t come from talent nor is it learned in school. It is an effect of the Holy Spirit upon a follower of Jesus who is willing to fulfill the great commission. Paul called it “Utterance”, and prayed to be endued with it.

Eph. 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Col. 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Preaching is not an art, it’s an anointing. Preaching pierces the darkness-clad hearts of unbelievers, and presents salvation to lost souls.

1 Cor. 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preachingto save them that believe.

Rom. 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Rom. 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

While increasing numbers of young Christians seek ministry positions as musicians, entertainers, counselors, administrators and computer technicians, the call to preach is being almost completely ignored. Knowing that without preaching, few people will ever come to Jesus; it’s a sad marvel that there are so few Christians praying for the unction to preach.

Because sinners, without the grace of God upon their hearts, recoil in offense at the preaching of the Gospel, many Christians today have abandoned it. They are ashamed to preach, too proud, and overly concerned with their popularity among the unsaved. Preaching doesn’t fit today’s pop culture standards of social etiquette. But this is a culture that is crucifying Jesus to this day. And sprinkled among them are souls ready to hear and receive the Word of the Gospel. We must have Christians who are dead enough to the demands of the world, and alive enough to the burning love of God, to go into His harvest and throw out the lifeline of Truth.

Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Acts 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

There is a difference between skilled pulpiteers and powerful preachers. The power of preaching comes from conviction of the Truth and the anointing to speak it. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the qualifier for preaching. Early believers weren’t sent away to Bible School or Seminary to learn how to preach. They began preaching the Good News immediately after receiving it! You don’t need a formal education in order to simply tell people what Jesus has done for you, or to give the plain Gospel. There is a truly spiritual element in genuine preaching. Man thinks with his head and decides with his heart. And preaching cuts to the heart.

Do you see the sign of Preaching today?

Prophecy -

Prophecy is NOT preaching. Preaching is when men declare the Gospel to the lost. Prophecy is the Holy Spirit speaking to the church, through men. It is a divine source of edification when the Holy Spirit speaks to the Church. God is here, taking an active role in leading us. He is guiding us; publicly confirming and encouraging us in our gatherings.

Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

The entire focus of Jesus Gospel was the orientation of God resident IN His people. Not just occasionally coming upon them. Not just visiting them. Not just occasionally reviving them. But LIVING IN them. Prophecy occurs when a believer, brimming with the Holy Spirit, is moved by the lord to speak forth a word from God. This isn’t a word from men about God; but a word from God for men.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Whether it was a Prophet, with a ministry-office in the Church, just like an Apostle, Evangelist, Pastor and teacher; or a Christian who simply prophesied…

Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Acts 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

Acts 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paulís girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

The scripture encourages all Spirit-filled Christians to seek the Lord to be used in the simple Gift of Prophecy.

1 Cor. 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

1 Cor. 14:39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

Through the sign of Prophecy, Jesus intimately continues to speak directly to His followers; imparting edification, exhortation and comfort. So many have abandoned this gift, leaving the churches swallowed up and drowning in the words of men. But Christians today desperately need the Word of the Lord flowing among them. A Word from on High, to distinguish them in a sea of words. A Word of dynamic divine Life that will release the holy fire of God’s presence upon the believers. One of the strong indicators of life in the church is Christians zealously seeking God to be used by the Holy Spirit to bless the church with Prophesying.

1 Cor. 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Do you see the sign of Prophesying today?

More signs tomorrow…so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 6^th sign:

Miracles…

The freshness of Jesus’ in their hearts made fertile ground for miracles. Never blame God for the lack of miracles. His Word compels us to keep Him fresh in our churches and His promises, believed in our hearts. Miracles aren’t mystical and never come as a result of arbitrary providence. They always occur in connection with God’s people exercising faith and obeying Him in a mission. The Church of Acts was full of them. And they weren’t limited to the Apostles, either.

Peter, short on change, gives the lame man begging at the Temple door, what HE had.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Man! Think about it. What do you have? Just Jesus? That’s all Peter had. Only he knew he was anointed to give what he had….just like you are! When you pray for people, give them something.

Miracles were flowing from plain ole church helpers and Deacons.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

For those who think miracles are the special insignia of spiritual Field Marshalls, think again. Stephen’s secret is available to YOU!

“And Stephen, full of faith and power”

Philip went to the hated Samaritans with the good news that Jesus had risen for THEM. There he found out that he was an Evangelist. He didn’t go because he was an Evangelist; he went because he loved God. And he found out that Jesus’ was with him continuing His ministry of healing, deliverance and salvation as Philip preached.

Acts 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Miracles don’t have recipes, but they sure do occur in certain environments. Look! See the hearts and lives of the Christians of Acts.

Do you see the sign of Miracles today?

Laying On Of Hands…

The 7^th sign on my list is not just religious symbolism, but the practice of imparting the Holy Spirit’s anointing. Through this impartation, by laying on of hands, healings, deliverance, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and ministry-gift impartations were given.

1 Tim. 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Yes, God could have certainly chosen to impart these things without the agency of man. Perhaps it may have avoided the problems with human pride that have arisen, if He had. But that would have bypassed His entire purpose, which is to demonstrate His partnership WITH us.

Acts 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostlesí hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

God fearlessly risks applying His authority through the vulnerable vessels of mankind, because he is confident of the influence of His love upon us. He knows we will rise to faithfulness in Him. So then, God will have it no other way, but to let the world see His ministry applied through the laying on of OUR hands. It’s all about God working with us. If this sign is merely used in symbolic ways, then we must cry out to God for the return of His Substance; because the Holy Spirit is here now to fill OUR hearts and hands.

Do you see this sign of Laying On Of Hands today?

More signs tomorrow…so…

Stay On THE PATH!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 4^th sign:

Tongues -

One of the great manifestations that God had taken residence in His people was the advent of the Gift of Tongues.

Mark 16:17 ”These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;

1 Cor. 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

This strange yet divinely ingenious gift of the Holy Spirit serves 2 purposes:

The first is the edification of the individual believer in his own prayer life:

1 Cor. 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.

The second is the that, coupled with the Gift of Interpretation Of Tongues, the two together produce Prophecy.

1 Cor. 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Though this sign has been neglected in many churches, it is one of the most valuable of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, because through its edifying affect, it aids the manifestation of the other Gifts. And because of it, this Sign is greatly resisted by the devil. There is absolutely no solid scriptural evidence that Tongues has passed away from its use in the Church.

Do you see the sign of Tongues today?

Angels -

The Bible is clear that to seek or worship angels is wrong. But throughout the Book of Acts, angels routinely visited the Lord’s followers in times of trouble, to bring deliverance and encouragement.

Acts 5:18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.

Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said,

Acts 5:20 ”Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.”

Phillip, an Evangelist, was visited by an angel directing him to go down to Gaza, where he met a high Ethiopian official and led him to Jesus.

Acts 8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

Acts 8:27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship

As Paul’s ship was about to be swamped by a storm he was visited by an angel and reassured with a message for him and the entire crew.

Acts 27:23-25 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you. Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.

These manifestations were angelic interventions for the purpose of either bringing deliverance to God’s people, or specific direction from God, that had extraordinary results.  These were not the flaky unprovable claims made by deceivers who use their made-up stories to gain influence over spiritually vulnerable people.  In every New Testament case of angelic visitation substantial fruit for the glory of Christ’s Kingdom quickly resulted.  And validating individual reputations never seemed to be the purpose or result.  Nonetheless, it is undeniable that angels were very active in the ministry of the early Christians.  Do we see the sign of Angels today?

It is evident that the NT Church was filled with the supernatural signs of God’s active presence among them. These signs did not occur in lieu of the written scripture, which was in the making. The purpose of the two are entirely different. The written Word provides doctrine, reproof and instruction:

2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

But the purpose of the signs of the church are to signal the world, with their supernatural testimony, that God is resident in His people. The church without her signs is a poor house with nothing but religion to offer. Consequently the Church of Acts was a gold mine of spiritual power and fruit, just brimming with the “burning-bush” presence of God.  And the Holy Spirit is still in the world today, on order and readyto fill every servant surrendered to Jesus’ purpose.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

More signs tomorrow.  So until then…

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

The Filling Of The Holy Spirit -

The first sign of the New Testament Church was (and is) being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

The Church began with the filling of the Holy Spirit; and began the Age of the Vessel and the Indwelling God. Even when persecution arose against them, the scripture says:

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus’ response to His crucifixion was to fill His followers with the Holy Spirit! It was the first and foremost sign of the church.

Do you see the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit today?

Joy -

The sign of Joy transcended the world drained of happiness. The Joy that Jesus had promised arrived with Pentecost. A joy that is unconquerable powered by the miraculous resurrection of Jesus. He was alive! And He was leading His people as tens of thousands streamed from the darkness into His Light-Washed Path.

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

When Philip took the Gospel down to the hated city of Samaria joy broke out in the whole town.

Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Do you see the sign of Joy today?

Boldness -

The sign of boldness, as the mighty Hand of God, lifted men and women far above the limits of their own courage. Boldness put the steadfast purpose of Jesus fearlessly into the hearts of His followers. Boldness quenched the heart pounding of humble disciples, as they stepped far out on the high wire of God’s calling.

When Peter and John were hauled before the same court, that only days before, had Jesus crucified, boldness was all over them:

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Under the influence of Boldness, God has sent souls on fire around the world. Television and technology can never speak as deeply into the life of the one bound in darkness, as the witness of a Christian in the Hands of Boldness!

Do you see the sign of Boldness today?

There’s more tomorrow, so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We become godly by living as a true worshipper of Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through our lives. Not by honing “godly qualities” or developing righteousness. Putting our heart-felt efforts and prayer into relationship with Jesus, rather than the development of spirituality is what really gets us there. We’ve said it for so long as a cliche’, “It’s relationship with Jesus, not religion that God wants.” Since the Fruit of the Spirit is the moral attributes OF Jesus, and not like Jesus, then we can not grow this fruit, we must steward this fruit.

John 15:4 ”Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Our walk with Jesus, that thing that should be the greatest source of happiness in our life, becomes our deepest frustration when we strive to make ourselves holy. All the Fruits of the Spirit should be approached with a joyous excitement, by thinking, “Wow, look at all I have access to!”. But what ought to be a source of joy becomes a trap of condemnation, when we say instead, “Wow, look at all I have to DO!”.

Paul warned about the terrible trap of self-righteousness. We often think of this as the sin of proud people. But often, it’s the occupational hazard of conscientious Christians who simply try too hard.

Rom. 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

Rom. 10:3 For not knowing about God‚’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

This is too true of many sincere believers. They know that God requires righteousness, but they don’t understand that He has given it to us through relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. So they can’t relax in faith, and they try to please God by becoming righteous and developing the Fruit of the Spirit. But the Fruit manifests in us as self-reliance gives way to Christ-reliance and the Holy Spirit is able to empower us with the strength of Jesus’ moral excellence. So the Fruit of the Spirit is the result of nurturing our relationship with Jesus, and not the by-product of engineering our walk with God.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

(quoted from yesterday’s devotional)

Jesus didn’t just leave us the example of Kindness, He left us the Spirit of Kindness. That’s why it’s called a Fruit of the Spirit. And it’s the cruelty of religion, under which people toil to attain moral perfection from human corruption. Like making a silk purse from a sow’s ear. But what joyous freedom when the truth sets you free to realize that the Spirit is at work in you to induce Jesus’ moral forces in your heart, to bolster your own weak virtues. You’ll always be a better steward of the Fruit than a grower of the Fruit.

Christians must get a hold of this concept: Trials do not develop the Fruit of the Spirit within us. The Fruit of the Spirit is already matured in Christ. Trials merely bring us to our knees where we both realize and remember. We realize that from within ourselves there is no moral excellence that can perform God’s righteousness. You have to start there. And then we remember in the moment of the trial, that God loves us, and our sufficiency is from Him. In short, the love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, which sustained Him through His earthly trial, are resident in us. These are all the moral attributes of His Love towards us.

As we let him love us by humbling ourselves in truth and worshipping Him in prayer, His character arises with our weakness upon His shoulders. It’s His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, goodness and faithfulness, His gentleness and self-control that go to work in us. Nowhere in scripture are we told that God expects us to grow these fruits or develop these qualities. Does He expect us to manifest them? Yes! But by yielding to them as good stewards of our relationship with Him; not by cultivating them. He has furnished us with all the moral excellence of Christ in the Spirit He has given us.

2 Cor. 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

2 Cor. 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Look again at 2 Cor. 3:6. Our adequacy does not come as a result of doing our best to follow the letter of the Word (commendable as that motive may be). But we don’t begin to achieve adequacy until we allow the Holy Spirit to flow in us with the Life of Christ. Moral perfection and excellence are already realities in the Holy Spirit. God is simply looking for yielded sons and daughters through which He might display them to the glory of His Son.

The Fruit of the Spirit doesn’t even arise as a result of denying self in the fires of trial. It’s not death but Life from which the Fruit springs. It’s the Life of the Spirit that we yield to, which carries the Fruit into manifestation. The only thing our trials do is bring us to a point where we finally break from insisting on doing it all ourselves.

Trials simply serve as an opportunity to peel our white-knuckled grip from the controls so we can take God’s Hand.

We give into the Lord through repentance over self-works and accept His grace by allowing the Spirit to work. What utter joy and relief to finally come to the point of this realization. This is the insiders’ secret to Christianity!

2 Cor. 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

More to come tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Look at that list of enviable qualities and understand correctly what you are considering. These are manifestations of the Jesus’ character, not human virtues. The Bible clearly states that…

Isa. 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

The Fruit of the Spirit are not manners to develop but forces of grace to use. And in using these divinely imparted graces we may conform under their influence, but we’ll never achieve them apart. For these fruits are not achievements but stewardships. They flow from the Presence of God as the very forces of Christ’s life. They are ridden, not developed. From the very heart of the scripture comes the principle of God’s Spirit, issuing forth the forces of Life, as divine currents, flowing through the lives of faithful worshippers:

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springingup into everlasting life.

Prov. 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

Wise and happy is the Christian who learns that Love is not a level of performance but a gift from the Father – one that is given to be used. Love will fill the heart of a recipient, empowering him to act under it’s influence. Joy is not human happiness – dependent as it is on happenings. But it’s the indelible and irrepressible state of God’s confidence. When you learn to receive it from God you can have it even when you’re unhappy.

Isa. 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

It doesn’t sound like they cheered themselves up, but Joy was upon them.

Many believers think that the Fruit of the Spirit is developed under the pressure of trials. You hear many Christians saying that God has them in the vice of trials, or the furnace of affliction, or breaking them in the valley in order to develop the Fruit of the Spirit in them, or the character of Christ. But if all this impressive death-to-self produces the Fruit of the Spirit then maybe these pure and noble qualities do exist in the filthy righteousness of man after all. And maybe all we need is a sufficient crushing until we’re ready to give into our “good side”. Maybe the arduous religion of death and legalism is what we really needed all along. For those who think this way, here’s Paul’s comment:

Gal. 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Paul taught that we are able to successfully endure the violent cycles of life, yet remain consistently governed by the Fruit of the Spirit, THROUGH the power of Christ, not for the approval of Christ.

Phil. 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Jesus didn’t just leave us the example of Kindness, He left us the Spirit of Kindness. That’s why it’s called a Fruit of the Spirit. And it’s the cruelty of religion under which people toil to attain moral perfection from human corruption. Like making a silk purse from a sow’s ear. But what joyous freedom when the truth sets you free to realize that the Spirit is at work in you to induce Jesus’ moral forces in your heart, to bolster your own weak virtues. You’ll always be a better steward of the Fruit than a grower of the Fruit.

Tomorrow we’ll learn a little more, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // 3 Comments »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The fruit of the Spirit is the characteristic of Christ manifest in us as we yield to the Spirit’s influence. The fruit of the Spirit is NOT our human virtues, sufficiently honed, until they resemble the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t so much the development of human character as it is the stewardship of God’s character. You don’t become more patient as much as you yield to patience. James writes (Amplified Bible translation):

James 1:3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

James 1:4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play anddo a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

The idea here is that Patience is a virtue of Christ that is ready to operate in the life of the sincere Christian. It is there as a fruit of the Spirit – a manifestation of divine character, on tap in the believer’s life. The reference is not so much to any virtue of patience native to the believer, but rather to the indwelling quality of the Holy Spirit. The admonition isn’t to be patient as much as it is to allow the Spirit’s patience to rise in you during a time of trial. This principle is true of all the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They are all forces of the life of Christ, residing in you, and not just goals for your own virtues to attain.

It is so easy to misunderstand the scriptures that talk to us about being Christ-like. So many Christians have the misguided impression that the way godly character develops in a follower of Christ is by struggling under the pressure of trials to develop our own character until it resembles the images of Christ’s character, which the Holy Spirit illuminates for us. But not only is that wrong, it leads to religious futility and bondage. Hear what Paul cries in Romans:

Rom. 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.]

Paul then goes on into Rom. 8 and explains that his freedom came as he allowed Christ in Him to provide the goodness of character, as he walked after the power of the Holy Spirit. The idea being that the Holy Spirit enters the life of a believer, bringing with Him the full influence of Jesus’ character, and ready to provide us with the fruit of His character as we yield to Him.

Paul struggled through great trials trying to be Christ-like and develop the fruit of the Spirit. But he couldn’t do it, and was driven to frustration trying. Unfortunately, at this point many Christians give up, feeling they are failures, or worse yet, that God has failed them. But Paul went on to realize that the Holy Spirit had already brought the qualities of Christ into his life, and all he needed to do was learn to yield to them. What a great concept. We get to display Christ’s character, as our own, without having to make our own virtues – rotten as they are – produce perfection.

Years ago as a Pastor, I was moved when a woman in our congregation stood up in church and exclaimed that she was weary of being so unhappy in her walk, and realized that she had been trying too hard to please God. She went on to say that surely the Lord had a resting-place in Himself where she could be what He wanted from her. My wife herself also experienced those struggles, being frustrated between the expectation of godly character and the failure of human virtue. Until she realized that trials were not designed to force our flawed character to become Christ-like, but rather to bring us to dependency upon the Holy Spirit. For He is ready to release the power of His character in us when we yield to Him.

She was so right. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t what we become so much as it is what we possess. Tomorrow we’ll look at the how-to portion of this simple, but great truth. Until then…

Stay On The Path!

Nick Champlin

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism – – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

At the center of distinguishing Materialism from Biblical Prosperity lies this simple divine formula:

Matt. 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matt. 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Matt. 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

Your treasure is the thing you value most. You can tell what your treasure is because it’s the thing that will ultimately determine your decisions. You will always choose in favor of your treasure because it’s the thing that holds your heart. When you stand at a crossroads you’ll decide in favor of your treasure and give up something else instead. When other things are your treasure you’ll disobey and disregard the Lord, no matter how much you love Him, because your heart rests in those other things. But when the Lord is your treasure you’ll let go of anything else, if necessary, no matter how much you love it, if it interferes with your heart’s pursuit of Him.

Matt. 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

We always declare that Jesus is Lord, but that isn’t the issue, is it? The real issue is whether He is your Treasure. Because the Kingdom of God upon Earth depends upon whether He is treasured in our hearts. No Treasure, –no Kingdom. Know Treasure, know Kingdom. Once Jesus became the true Treasure of the man’’s heart he gladly unloaded other things in order to possess it. At that point the man becomes an actual piece of living real estate in the Kingdom of God –- one of Heaven’’s mobile Embassies in the world.  Jesus doesn’t really possess our heart until we make him our Treasure. Then we become biblically prosperous – we flourish, rooted in our newly purchased field, bought with the proceeds of our surrendered former treasures.

Psa. 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

The Lord never said you couldn’t have both, Him and “other things” at the same time. He said you couldn’t handle 2 treasures at the same time. If you make the world, and its monetary system, your treasure it’s all you’’ll have, because the world can’t buy you salvation. But if you make the Lord your Treasure He’’ll add other things to you, for your enjoyment, because He knows you are truly devoted to His Kingdom above all else.  And you’’ll serve your First Love with the prosperity He adds to you.

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).

Materialism is trying to feed the big hole in your empty heart with the things of the world. You’’ll die hungry.  But prosperity is enjoying your relationship with Jesus and sharing its proceeds with the world.

Jesus said that God should have your heart. He should be your chief treasure, above all things, for then Heaven will have another presence upon the earth. It’’ll be in you because you are uncorrupted by the love of materialism.  And when you’’re free of materialism then you are qualified to feed the Lord’’s lambs.

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism –-  A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment, and 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Both Lust and Desire spring from Want.  Both words describe a passion, whether passive or aggressive. If there is a distinction between the two it is a moral or spiritual one.  And their source, as well as the object of their passion distinguishes them.  In other words what you desire and why you desire it can determine if you are lusting or simply desiring.

It’’s in a Biblical context the distinctions between Lust and Desire become clearer.  Biblically, Lust is associated with passionate desires for what is considered evil:

1 Cor. 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lustafter evil things…

Lust is associated with desire for things banned by the Word of God:

Rom. 7:7 …Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Lust is associated with desires that emanate from physical cravings which have no concern for moral limitations, and will most certainly place the person under sin, who gives into their demands:

Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

The power of Lust is the power of the world that exists in a state of rebellion against God:

2 Pet. 1:4 …having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So to summarize, Lust is the craving for things without regard for relationship with God or His Laws. In this sense one may lust for certain things that are natural appetites, even essential human needs. But in their desire for these things they bypass any obligation to God or consideration that He may have a prohibition, provision or purpose that addresses this desire.

Simple Desire on the other hand is very much a critical element in our relationship with God. He built desire into us. Desire is often the voice of our purpose crying for guidance and fulfillment. Here are some verses that show the function and necessity of Desire in the life of a Believer:

Desire motivates people to seek the things of God.  Without Desire God’s people would stagnate and fail to take their ordained place in God’s purpose for us:

1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Prov. 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh andintermeddleth with all wisdom.

Through Desire God leads His people to reach forward and endeavor to attain purposes He would have them fulfill. The significant purposes of God are reserved for those who would, through their desire, be willing to endure any process to enter into them.  God wants us to cultivate our Desire for His purposes to point that they are our passions.  Thus God meets us at the point of our Desire.This is a VERY important point because it dispels the false notion that God simply bestows His will upon us solely based upon slavish attachment to a mechanical timetable.

Heb. 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

1 Cor. 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

1 Tim. 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Even prayer is regulated by Desire. Effective praying is far more dependent upon Desire than it is upon scriptural correctness.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Desire that is focused upon God does not corrupt our character in pursuit of its fulfillment. People who come to God with their desires are willing to conform to His dealings.  But Lust draws people off the path of righteousness in its pursuit.  In other words, people who ignore God in pursuit of their desires, and simply turn to the world for gratification, open themselves to having their character polluted. Many believers have allowed themselves to become corrupted because they became tired of having to filter their desires through the “will of God”. The primary distinction between Lust and Desire is the God-factor, –looking to Him for approval and provision.  The Christian with godly desires wants the will of God above all. The Christian who is yielding to Lust doesn’t want God to have the opportunity to interfere with their desires.  The truth is that Lust always leads to sorrow and emptiness and (godly) Desire results in fulfillment. The Lord is not cheap nor is He afraid that His love and goodness are so weak that they are incapable of holding a believer who is being blessed by Him. In short, the Lord knows the hearts of true believers will not be corrupted if He grants then the desires of their hearts, because He Himself is their chief love.

Prov. 10:22 It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1) An economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment.  2) The condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

True Biblical Prosperity is quite different from the world’s view, which is measured by accumulation of wealth. But Biblical Prosperity is an effect of our relationship with God. That doesn’t mean that if you have a good relationship with the Lord you’ll accumulate wealth, as though God is simply a means to riches.

1 Tim. 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

So godliness is not measured by money, but good relationship with God is itself, the source of Prosperity. And contentment doesn’t mean being happy with lack, but being happy with Jesus, because Jesus will take care of those who depend upon Him with their faith.

Consider that Peter was exercising prosperity when he went to Jesus for the tax money that was due. And Jesus told him to go fishing for the fish that would have a gold coin in its mouth and that would cover the tax bill for both of them. Likewise when the disciple presented Jesus with a young boy’s lunch, from which Jesus fed thousands and ended up with a greater abundance left over.These are examples of true prosperity, which focuses on dependency upon Jesus and His care for us. He is so willing to help us when we ask in faith, without fear of rejection, and let Him provide for us. The key is not to think that you are in lack just because you don’t have immediate resources. If you have Jesus and know your covenant you’re never poor. But the worldly concept of prosperity is rooted in fear of lack and dependence upon money in hand. This is the essence of materialism.

Materialism places its value, not upon relationship with Christ but in possession of money and the things it can acquire. When Christians confuse Prosperity with Materialism they get caught up in status symbols. If faith (confidence that God is willing to bless when asked) is the evidence of Biblical Prosperity, then status symbols are the evidence of Materialism. Those trapped in materialism experience anxiety until they can possess the symbols of wealth. The evidence of materialism can be seen when Christians feel pressure to dress, drive or dwell as “prosperous” as others. There’’s a difference between a Christian who can wear a nice outfit with humble appreciation, but feel no less prosperous without it; and the Christian who is insecure and unhappy without the clothing.Some young people would rather die than show up in something less than the latest style. That might be chalked up to immaturity, but many adults have never grown out of it. That’’s Materialism and can be manifest in any dependence upon “things” for one’’s sense of wellbeing. It’’s idolatry in its essence, because those who suffer with it can’t achieve satisfaction through their relationship with Christ. It’’s surprising that there’s not a greater outcry against Materialism from our pulpits today. Could it be that today’’s church has largely become corrupted by the tyranny of fashion and status symbols?

1 Pet. 3:3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

1 Pet. 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

True Biblical prosperity can wear fashionable clothes, drive new cars, and live in a nice house,… or NOT.  It’s heart isn’t in those things; but in the Gospel of Christ, for which it longs to invest the benefits of its prosperity. Materialism, on the other hand, is preoccupied with physical things, as comforting symbols of its wellbeing; and is often frightened of the claims of discipleship, dreading the thought of “living by faith”. The truly prosperous Christian loves living by faith, even though they have to pray for everything, they love the faithfulness of God, and long to share it with others.

Psa. 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Who knows the Lord so intimately that he or she considers their wealth to be the fellowship and faith they share with Jesus; and it can’t be corrupted with the blessings He bestows upon them? It should be you.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The ability to maintain a godly balance between efforts to prosper and avoiding the carnal lust-for-money, that drives many TV Prosperity Preachers; requires a proper understanding of the difference between Biblical Prosperity and Materialism.  Unfortunately this topic has been burned out, like a lightening rod that’s been hit once too often.  Most conscientious people are fed up TV Preachers’ preoccupation with getting wealth. It’s nauseating to combine the precious message of the Gospel with tactics for accumulating riches.  Clear-thinking Christians see the immediate contradiction in goals. But what may not be so apparent is the difference between Prosperity and Materialism.  Let’s begin by defining the two.

Materialism – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity - 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment, and 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

It is immediately obvious that Materialism is anti-Christian. But Prosperity is simply the state of doing well. And “doing well” certainly falls within the parameters of God’s stated blessings:

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

If Prosperity is “doing well” then Soul Prosperity is really the key here.  John is simply restating the simple formula of Jesus:

Matt. 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So the key is understanding that Prosperity is not to be what we “seek first (foremost)” but what is “added to” us.  True Biblical Prosperity begins with understanding that God is the Author of life and all it’s blessings: we are prosperous if we know that and have a relationship with Him. Our faith and trust in Jesus makes us rich because by them we know that God wishes to provide bountifully for us. We are rich in faith if we know that He lovingly wishes to care for us, that we can rest in that trust, and truly dispel all fears that He will abandon us in poverty.

Seeking first the Kingdom has another connotation as well.  It refers to making the business of His Kingdom, our highest chief interest. So not only do those who seek first the Kingdom of God, truly trust Jesus for their blessings, but the business of His Kingdom and its Gospel, is their greatest interest. They are people who’s greatest passions are to see the Kingdom of God spread upon the Earth. This is what makes a “prosperous soul” – ”…I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” The foundation of true Biblical Prosperity is the very opposite of Materialism.  It’s knowing the worth of Jesus Christ and living for the purposes of His Gospel. And thus, to the life of that prosperous soul, the Lord contributes the “added” prosperity.

Remember, Prosperity is basically, “doing well”. The secular definition was, “an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment”. It could be argued that Mother Theresa was prosperous. She did experience rising profits and full employment. But what she chose to do with her fruits causes many people to fail to see her prosperity. This is where Prosperity is confused with Materialism.  Mother Theresa folded her prosperity into the place of her treasure rather than into the status symbols of materialism.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the deception of materialism.  Until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon.  In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship.  This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.  They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B.    Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part six

Performing The Tune-Up

First we read our gauges and found the symptoms that determined it was time for a spiritual tune-up.  Then we ran an 11-point Diagnostic Scan of the vital activities of your spiritual life and found out exactly where our deficiencies were.  So now that we know where the problems are manifesting it’s time to perform the Tune-Up.

There are 4 basic points at which any Christian can improve the quality of his or her own spiritual life.  These 4 areas lay within our power to control. God will not simply bless us with spiritual effectiveness and edification if we ignore these 4 points of personal maintenance.  Here they are:

Paying attention To The Word…

It’s not enough to pay attention to sermons or read a few Bible verses.  The Word of God doesn’t really empower our spiritual life until we really pay attention to it on a day-to-day basis, and apply it to our circumstances.

Prov. 4:20-22 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body.

If we will not treat God’’s Word as though it were on the same level as the words of men; if we will set aside our own will and views in order to allow God’’s Word to frame our views of life and govern our behavior; then His Words will fill us with divine energy to experience the very blessings they promise.

1 Th. 2:13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Prayer & Intercession…

Like the human body, prayer is the oxygen that mixes with the elements of our blood to keep life in it.

Lev. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood:

If a car isn’t getting the right amount of air injected into its fuel, combustion won’t take place and the car won’’t run.  In the same way, if we are prayer starved our life becomes weak and powerless.  You can have all the knowledge of God’’s Word but without the continuous flow of prayer your life has no breath.  Prayer brings the power of God’’s Presence to life in His Words that lie within our hearts and minds.

James 5:16 The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (Amplified Bible)

Praise God Continuously…

The world always loves to trot out a church choir for the Grammy’s or similar music award shows.  They like getting that little “touch of Gospel”. But that doesn’t mean they have any interest in praising God. Likewise, some Christians say, “Praise God”, but never DO IT.  Cars don’t have a perpetual energy cell – they need to be regularly filled with fuel.  Our bodies can’t live off of one meal. And no Christian can experience a spiritual life simply by getting saved.  We are designed to fill ourselves, and not to just passively wait around till God fills us.  Praising God is the way we fill ourselves with the Spirit He has poured out.

Eph. 5:18-19 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but (you) be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

How are you filled?  By praising from your heart to the Lord! Knowing that we can fill ourselves with the presence of God, why would you ever stop praising Him? Living a life of praise is how we carry the fire of God in our lives, so that others can behold Him in us.  There can be no tune-up without restoring the praise of God to our heart and lips.

Psa. 34:1-2 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

Be A Witness…

If you never left your house there would be no reason to keep your car tuned up.  And Jesus sent the power of the Holy Spirit to those who are witnesses of His life and grace.

Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The power TO BE a witness comes from the Holy Spirit.  And the decision to be a witness, and receive that power, comes from you. Being a witness is more than just talking about Jesus occasionally.  It’’s really living the tuned-up life.  It’’s when you maintain yourself in Christ to the extent that others see Him in you.  When you determine to display Jesus’ life God adds the power of His Spirit to you to accomplish the task. One of the best ways to stay well tuned and avoid breaking down, is to determine to be of witness for Jesus Christ.

There are at least a dozen ways your life can begin to deteriorate once you let yourself go down hill spiritually. But with diligence on your part, in relatively few areas, you will live a spiritually powerful and effective life for Christ.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // 1 Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off.  When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up. They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part five…

Running A Diagnostic Scan

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie.  These are the vital activities of your spiritual life.  Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions.  And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list and we left off with number 9 yesterday.

10.  Get God’s Business Done First

If your car didn’t run reliably and constantly broke down, you wouldn’t avoid getting a tune-up just because it had a great stereo and speakers.  Nor would you be satisfied to just let it park in front of your house, and go out to sit in it occasionally and listen to music. You’’d get that thing tuned-up because a nice stereo in a good running car is an additional bonus.  But in a poor running car it’’s a waste.  In the same way, when our lives aren’t ‘running well for God’ – when we’re not putting the things of His Kingdom first – then all the other ‘cool things’ in our life are almost meaningless. God doesn’t mind adding things to our lives when we live for His Kingdom and purposes.

Matt. 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

But you know it’s time for a spiritual tune-up when you keep putting off the things that God wants done in your life, and busy yourself instead with pursuing all the other things. It’’s the same as fixing up a car that doesn’t run, with all kinds of interior renovations, fancy wheels and custom paint jobs. What’’s the use?

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

James 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”

The Lord knows the needs and desires of the heart of he who lives for God’s Kingdom, and He will add those things to his fruitful life.

11.  Don’t Let A Spirit Of Heaviness To Stop You

The final diagnostic scan deals with discerning a general condition of sluggishness. When you step on the accelerator of your car you can tell when it’s not responding like it should.  The problem might be in the electrical system or the fuel system, but whatever it is, its affect upon the performance of the car is dangerous.  A sluggish, non-responsive car, unable to quickly get out of the way of danger, is a hazard to its passengers and those with whom it shares the road.

Isa. 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To…grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

In the same way, Christians who allow a spirit of heaviness and depression to remain on them, become non-responsive to God.  Absorbed in their own feelings, they become sluggish and dangerously prone to wrecks.  Too many Christians simply ignore their need for a spiritual tune-up, after becoming sluggish under a spirit of heaviness.  They often lapse into apathy, park themselves along the roadside somewhere and just become spiritually inactive, withdrawing from church, Bible study, prayer and fellowship.  They usually become convinced that they are seriously damaged and permanently broken; when in fact, they simply need a thorough tune-up.  And like a master mechanic, the Lord Jesus is zealously eager to tune-up the depressed Christian and deliver him from heaviness.  In fact, the Christian who is well tuned and functions with joy, is a testament and a glory to God.  This kind of healthy, well-running condition isn’t the result of being a high-end Christian or a special model.  All Christians are born-again in Christ – He’s the only model there is. It’s simply the result of staying finely tuned-up in Him.

Tomorrow we’ll learn how to perform the Tune-Up. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off.  When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon.  In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship.  This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.  They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light-Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B.    Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part four…

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list and we left off with number 7 yesterday.

8.  Don’t Promise Your Flesh Anything

When we begin to make deals with our “flesh” – that part of our physical anatomy that houses carnal desires – it’’s a sure indication that we are degrading spiritually and need to pull in for a tune-up. It works like this: You are probably in the middle of an episode in your life that has involved spiritual sacrifice and victory. You have a certain amount of spiritual edification built up and confidence in your walk with the Lord. In short there is a sense that you can “afford” a little detour into carnal indulgence. But the idea that there exists enough spiritual fortitude or moral clout to afford and endure a little carnality is a terrible deception. There is a very good reason why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write:

Rom. 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

The expenditure you make on the lust of your flesh is never spiritually affordable. Because it pollutes your spirit and introduces a cycle of “bad seed” that just keeps demanding and increasing.

Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Gal. 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.

9.  Cancel All Plans To Sin

Another indicator that we need a spiritual tune-up is when we begin to actually make plans to sin and can’t seem to find the spiritual determination to back down.  Planning to sin creates momentum and sets our flesh in motion.  Before we even sin our flesh rises in power and becomes hard to resist.  At this point the fear of the Lord is necessary to get yourself to pull over for a pit stop tune-up.  Recognizing what sin will cost you should provide the incentive to guard your fellowship with God against its collapsing affect.

Psa. 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

The key is to never plan to take your flesh on any field trips to Lust World. What you feed grows.  What you starve dies.

Tomorrow we’ll finish the last 2 points in our Diagnostic Scan. And then we can perform the Tune-Up.  Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part three…

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list of Diagnostic Scans and we left off with number 4 yesterday.

5. Keep God As Your Primary Desire

When we set our desire on anything, the force to pursue it and the power to enjoy it comes from within us. But when we set our affection upon God, and pursue Him, there is another force that couples with our efforts, and joins with our own passion. That force is the Spirit of God. He is not like the inanimate objects we usually pursue, with which we must furnish the pleasure we derive from them. But He infuses us with His Presence and joy. He is enthusiastically drawing our desire with His own; adding strength to our resolve, when we bypass other contenders to have His attention alone.

Heb. 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb. 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Heb. 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb. 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

6. Avoid Lusts Of The Flesh

There’’s an old nasty trick for destroying someone’’s automobile engine. You simply pour sugar into the gas tank. That’’ll just about ruin an engine. In the same way, when we allow ourselves to participate in sinfully feeding the lusts of our flesh, we quickly bring the progress of our spiritual life to a breakdown. Then you need a complete overhaul to recover. Peter plainly warns that involvement with flesh-oriented lusts will introduce spiritual conflict to your soul. These carnal worldly influences of sin are alien to the heavenly nature of your spirit. So inner conflict will immediately breakout when they are brought together. And you can’t move forward when you’’re fighting for your spiritual survival.

1 Pet. 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

7. Make Your Flesh Serve Your Goal

You know it’s time for a tune-up and service when getting from point A to point B usually results in some kind of repair bill on your car. A car that won’’t provide reliable transportation without demanding special attention is more of a headache than it’s worth. It’’s the same with our bodies, along with their fleshy cravings and desires. They can get out of hand and in the way of your spiritual progress in life. Your body is supposed to provide reliable transportation for your soul. Getting your soul to its goals in life is it’s primary function, along with housing the Holy Spirit. But your flesh will try to dictate its own agenda for your mind, if you let it. So you must enforce a strict policy of authority over your body to maintain order. You must make your body serve the goals that God has laid within you. If you don’t, then it will impose its own lazy, time wasting, self-indulgent influences upon your soul and corrupt you. But Paul said that he kept his body under control so that he wouldn’t get off track in life. How many times have we seen Christian leaders have to hang their heads in shame because after preaching to others, and often making significant sacrifices to be qualified to do so, they were defeated from within by allowing their flesh to indulge its lusts. Then all their credibility and hard work is lost, often on a few fleeting worthless pleasures. So make your flesh serve it’s usefulness and don’t let it lead you or it will ruin your life.

1 Cor. 9:27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Tomorrow we’ll finish the last 3 points in our Diagnostic Scan. Then we can perform the Tune-Up. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction……

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light-Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part two……

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up. Let’’s scan through the list:

1. Run Your Life To Gain Souls

It’’s so easy to get off track in life and become bogged down in things that won’t matter in the end. Jesus said that living to be a light for God to others is the prime focus of every Christian. There certainly are other activities and interests that we pursue, but to stay spiritually healthy we must keep to our primary focus, because that is where the refreshing of the Holy Spirit meets us.

1 Cor. 9:19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

2. Don’t Run Without Desire

Running your life without the motivation of desire and passion is like running your car without oil. Eventually you’ll burn up your engine. The oil of desire keeps all moving parts lubricated and prevents friction from causing them to overheat. When we let our desire for God run low our walk with Christ goes from the wonderful flow of joy to the grind of religion. Desire is what fuels faith and helps it keep its focus.

Psa. 27:4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, And to meditate in His temple.

Desire is what allows us to press toward our “mark”.

Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

3. Put Down The Weights

Just like our car engines accumulate ‘junk’ and need to be flushed, so does our life. Satan isn’t the great hindrance to spiritual progress; our own distractions are. So just like the runner who must eliminate all excessive weight, so also a healthy Christian will regularly make the adjustments to lay aside the ‘junk’.

Heb. 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

4. You Set The Limits

Desire will set your goals but you determine your limits. Each Christian must set the parameters of his or her disciplines. The more we lose sight of our goals in Christ the more we will allow ‘permissible’ activities to claim our time and attention.

1 Cor. 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Cor. 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

Tomorrow we’ll continue to run our Diagnostic Scan. Remember, before we can perform the Tune-Up we have to locate the problems. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it. And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up. They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Reading The Gauges…

We must begin by properly reading our gauges. Too often we simply ignore the signs and indicators and keep pushing while our spiritual energy degrades. There are 3 main indications of spiritual emptiness that the children of Israel experienced in Babylon:

1. Grief Over Emptiness

It says, “We sat down and wept when they remembered Zion”. This was a clear indication that they felt removed from the place where they had experienced freedom and fullness. It’’s always a mistake to ignore the sense of spiritual emptiness and press on through in our own strength. This is why Isaiah wrote:

Isa. 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Isa. 40:30 Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly,

Isa. 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

We often become grieved when we can’’t seem to make things work out the way we want them to. But the wise Christian will learn to become grieved instead, over his lack of spiritual presence, and realize he needs to make a pit stop in the service area of prayer.

2. Lack Of Praise

The Israelites then said, “Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung our harps.” They quit praising God. That is a huge indication that one is running on empty.  Sometimes people are so use to not praising God that it doesn’t seem out of place to them until they get around people who are praising God. The key is to properly read your ‘praise gauge’. It shouldn’t be the presence of others praising God that makes you feel awkward, but the lack of your own praising God that feels foreign to you.  So put a gauge on your praise because it’’s an indicator of how you’’re running.

Psa. 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psa. 34:2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear it and rejoice.

Psa. 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

3. Bondage

The Israelites then recognized that their captivity was interfering with their ability to worship. They were no longer free, but in bondage. They said, “How can we sing the Lord’’s song in a foreign land?” There is a strong relationship between living in the place of bondage and having the freedom to worship. Basically, the two won’t mix. When you have allowed yourself to run so low that Satan traps you in some bondage, your natural freedom to worship God is lost. At that point some Christians ignore the strangeness that their bondage produces in them, and simply press through church services, quenching their convicting pains. But the Israelites couldn’t ignore the gauges, and singled out their captivity as the source of their spiritual inability. We Christians must learn to do the same, and not simply tolerate the paralyzing conditions of bondage when we fall into them. Painful as they are, they indicate that we are desperately overdue for a spiritual tune-up.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about how to Run A Diagnostic Scan.  Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We are guided by what we see.  The inner vision of a person’’s life determines their self-control.  That vision can come from something they see with their physical eyes, or it can come from seeing a principle, an ideal or a dream.  A person with no self-control either has no vision or has stopped looking to the one they had.  But the person with a vision will possess self-control to the extent that they keep their eye on their vision.  Your vision will discipline you.  With a great focus upon your vision you will practice great discipline in your journey.  Every worthwhile vision involves a great journey and demands strong self-discipline.  If you lack self-control then you’re not following your vision.

For Moses, it took immense self-control to shed all the familiar comforts and privileges of life in Pharaoh’’s Court, in order to launch himself into God’’s path.  Though he had no idea of what the future would hold for him, he was so convinced that God was leading him that he burned all the bridges back to Egypt, behind him, before obtaining any assurances of his future.  Moses saw something out on the horizon.  His eyes were locked onto something that gave his feet the power to step away from Pharaoh’s Court.

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Most of us are paralyzed where we are.  There might be things that we believe should be different, but we can’t muster the personal discipline to change them.  Dissatisfaction with the status quo has never produced enough power to change it.  That’’s why whining, complaining and hand wringing is obnoxious.  Those who whine never demonstrate the self-control necessary to arise and produce a breakthrough.  They’re nonproductive.  Just seeing the problem is never enough to bring improvement.  Moses’’ vision had to take him all the way to God, – to the answer, before he saw something powerful enough to motivate him to produce a change.

When Moses left Egypt the first time, his eye of faith had seen a distant vision, and it was enough to move him to forsake his old life.  But the vision wasn’’t clear enough for him to deliver the Hebrews.  Moses ran away from Egypt, leaving the Hebrews behind.  But after many years his eyes encountered another vision in the burning bush, clear and explicit: ““Go, and deliver my people.  I am with you!”” On the strength of that vision, filling his eyes, not looking back at Pharaoh’s chariots, Moses left Egypt the second time with millions of Hebrew slaves in tow.  He kept his cool, didn’t freak out when everyone around him did, because he knew God was going before him.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt (this time w/ the slaves), not fearing the wrath of the king (who was chasing him); for he endured, as seeingHim who is unseen.

Is there something stirring in your heart, something God is showing you that needs to be done?  Is the Holy Spirit setting Christ before your eyes (as He did with Moses), drawing your heart towards a purpose?  Then go to Him!  Take strength from His vision -– strength to endure whatever the path may require.  This is the origin of self-control.  The only time that controlling self results in any eternal benefit is when it’’s controlled for the will of God.  Whether it’’s serving your family, your community or delivering a people, it takes the power of self-control, derived from a vision, to maker a difference.

Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Moses “chose rather” than enjoying the benefits of Pharaoh’’s court, to endure the hardships of the Hebrews, in order to seek out his path in God.

In order to choose you must refuse.

Now there’’s a universal law, which people could use to eliminate a lot of misery from their life.

Here’’s another universal law that cannot be circumvented:

Everything in life is on some path. Nothing stands alone.

Life is not Ala Carte. There is simply no way that you can go skipping through life, selecting things that attract you, without taking the paths that they are on.  Everything is on some path, with the things that lead up to it and the things that follow it.  And the world is full of little maxims that alert us to this law.  Like, “If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”  Nobody wants fleas.  But if you select the dog you have to deal with the fleas too.  Jesus put it like this:

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).

You cannot walk two paths.  Foolishly, every new generation thinks they can beat that principle.  Girls think they can take that ‘bad boy’ in High School, with the smoldering good looks, and infamous popularity, and not end up with misery, disease, poverty or abused, a few years down the road.  That boy came with a path.  And when she picked him she took the whole path thinking she could change it.

The young man, immersed in hormonal glory and fixated on the moment, thinks he can pluck that girl on a Friday night, and then put her back before school the next Monday.  He thinks he’’s just choosing a night-of-passion.  He doesn’t see the assumptions and expectations that will follow.  He doesn’t think he’’s choosing a baby, a family law attorney, and a family feud and grief for years to come.  But he took the path thinking he could just choose the goodies.

When I was a young man I thought I could just choose to hang out with the “bad boys” on a Saturday night –- no big deal.  I wasn’t choosing to be a criminal.  I wasn’t choosing jail or ‘Big Bubba’ for a new roommate.  But that Saturday night crowd comes on a path.  And when you join them you jump on their path, and inherit everything down the line.

This principle is true of every other decision in life: friends, fun, money, marriage, divorce, etc, etc.  And some paths are very possessive.  Until you surrender to the Lord you’’ll never get off them.  Heaven and Hell are destinations at the end of two paths. If you don’t want what’’s at the end of the road you’re on, then don’t take the path…or anything on it.

Prov. 2:11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you,

Prov. 2:12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things;

Prov. 2:13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;

Prov. 2:14 Who delight in doing evil, And rejoice in the perversity of evil;

Prov. 2:15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

Prov. 2:16 To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words;

Prov. 2:17 That leaves the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God;

Prov. 2:18 For her house sinks down to death, And her tracks lead to the dead;

Prov. 2:19 None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life.

Prov. 2:20 So you will walk in the way of good men, And keep to the paths of the righteous.

Many people have asked, “”What’s wrong with __________?”  When we isolate a thing from the environment of its path, it may be hard to see why it’s sinful or dangerous to our soul.  But real life isn’’t an academic exercise, where everything can be viewed in abstract terms.  Everything comes with a path and to understand the worth or the danger of it one must look down the road to the end.    So……

Stay On THE PATH!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Self-Control is to your soul what your immune system is to your body.  The defensive perimeter around your heart and mind is manned by the ability to control yourself.  God designed you so that you could take charge of your life and guide it successfully under His leadership.  He would be your God and you would be His people -– not puppets. This meant that you would use all the faculties He put within you; and they would work properly as you followed Him with your affection and obedience.

Isa. 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa. 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Isa. 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The idea here is that God asks for our cooperation and in turn He blesses our obedience to His leadership.  In order for that to happen your ability to control yourself is in your hands and you must take hold of it.  When you do He will supply the courage and strength to prevail over temptations and mercy to forgive errors.  God told Cain that he would have to exercise self-control over his own anger.

Gen. 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.

The scripture portrays the person who does not control himself as a city without a defensive perimeter wall:

Prov. 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

In our culture today we are encouraged to be as the senior Solomon who set out to expand his wisdom by sampling all that life had to offer.  But Solomon sadly discovered, from that foolish pursuit, that he had ruined his ability to protect himself from corruption, by exposing himself to life without any self-control.  His ultimate sad revelation was that everything in life, except for serving God, was utter vanity and worthless.  And this was not just an academic lesson.  Solomon’’s life had become overrun with corruptions that he could no longer control.  He was a servant of God who became an invaded, conquered, and occupied man.

We are driven to God for help through our need to control ourselves.  When we try to protect our souls from temptation and damage we find that, in our broken sinful state, we are overwhelmed and need His help.  When God sends His help He doesn’t take over your will but gives you His wisdom – the Bible and Holy Spirit to teach you, – and His Presence to empower and comfort you.  But ultimately He is strengthening your ability to practice self-control.  In other words, He enables you to protect yourself with His help:

Psa. 119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Eph. 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

The Lord puts into our hands the ability to keep ourselves in His keeping!

Isa. 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is kept on you: because he trusts in you.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The first thing Moses did when he ‘grew up’ was he REFUSED.  He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’’s daughter.  Moses was a Hebrew. It was stirring in his heart.  He wanted to know God.  And the Egyptians who had raised him as a Prince, were the slave masters of the Hebrews.  Pharaoh’’s daughter knew that Moses was Hebrew, but she also knew that Egyptian culture had ruled him all his life, and that he was Egyptian at heart.  If he were going to pursue the God of the Hebrews there could be no shared commitment.  No dividing himself between one kingdom and another.  No dual citizenship.  So just how was he to proceed into the Kingdom of God?

Once Moses decided to Choose the Kingdom of God the first step was clear: REFUSE!  Neither kingdom, nor its god/God, would allow Moses to straddle the fence.  He couldn’t stay in the courts of Pharaoh and serve Jehovah too.  And he couldn’t serve Jehovah as the Prince of Eqypt.  He would have to be cut off and sent back as the Deliverer of the Hebrews.  Either in or out, but you can’t serve two masters.  So choosing begins with refusing.  You haven’t really chosen until you’ve refused all competitors.  We march up the wedding isle to vow, “Forsaking all others and cleaving only to you, I…”  Right there is the difference between marriage and shacking up.  In marriage you close the doors behind you.  You REFUSE all other options in order to choose what you want.  With shacking up, you leave those options open and just take a test-ride.  Most fail their Christian mission because they have Jesus out for a test-ride.  That’s why Jesus wouldn’t permit anything less than the crucified life for those who would walk with Him.

Self-Denial is the very first rule in acquiring Understanding. Scripture says that when Moses “grew up” he refused. You can be 50 years old, but you’re still immature if you don’t learn that to have good things you must refuse evil things, but you can’t pursue both. The reason why our churches are swamped with morally defeated people is that they are being taught that self-control is a futile work of the flesh  And that all such struggle is useless.  They say that “God will ‘take away the bad when He gets ready’.”  But that’’s the thinking of an immature child. “ “Until someone makes me stop, I’’m going to have what I want.” ” Notice how a child reaches for everything he wants, regardless of how incompatible it may be with his other desires.  It’’s a sign of immaturity when they don’t understand why they can’t have it both ways.

1 Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

The first step toward really growing up is learning to ‘put away’ -– to refuse certain things.  Maturity doesn’t begin with choosing the right things.  It begins with refusing the wrong things.  Self-control is the first mark of maturity.  The ability to control yourself comes from refusing sin, not from choosing good things.  You’re not free to choose righteousness until you’ve refused evil.  The Bible couldn’t be more clear about it:

Luke 3:8 Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham. – John the Baptist

James 4:7-8 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, yedouble minded.

The power of self-control depends upon the practice of self-denial.  Not worthless self-denial, that’’s practiced for the sake of religious pride.  But the self-denial that is purposeful and necessary in refusing sin and unrighteousness.  The reason why there are so many Christians who go to Church but can’’t control themselves, is because they don’’t practice self-denial.  They have been filled with teachings, books and seminars about self-fulfillment and know little about self-denial.  To make matters worse, Christian parents seldom deny their children what they want. Pastors won’’t deny their congregations the comfort zone of false grace.  Christian authors won’’t risk publishing books that might not sell because they challenge readers to obey the scripture’s and commandments.  Consequently our churches are increasingly populated with morally defeated Christians, who are trying to choose the blessings of the Lord, but coming up empty because the Church won’’t tell them to first refuse sin.

The good news is that if we would refuse evil God would deliver us from it.

James 4:7-8 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

I was recently speaking with a Christian young adult, who was describing the moral dilemma of a friend. The subject of the discussion was a young adult Christian woman, raised in Church, solid Christian family, Bible School Graduate, now living on her own, but conflicted and unhappy. She was living in a cycle between two worlds, partying in clubs, engaging regularly in sex with different partners, and going to Church on Sunday mornings. She asked her friend to pray for her, saying, ““I’’m trying.””

This young woman’’s situation represents a growing trend among Christians: living in sin and staying in Church. Many modern Evangelical churches are simply adapting their message and policies to accommodate the growing numbers of morally defeated and compromised members. Messages from the Bible with direct references to absolute moral laws or condemnation of sin are avoided. Preaching any ‘“Thou shalt nots’” is being transformed into teaching “principles and options”. All this is based upon the belief that expecting self-control from people is neither possible nor loving. Instead, the strategy is to simply, “love” people.

The reluctance to set a standard and reinforce it with teaching has resulted in more and more Christians believing that if God wants them to stop any practice He’’ll deal with them and “take it away” from them. I shudder to think of just HOW God would do that. So now the young woman above, continues to go to the clubs but thinks she’’s “trying”, because the church has reinforced the secular notion that she can’t control herself. Christianity is increasingly becoming a mental religion of people who have holy beliefs but defeated lives. So what ever happened to Self-Control?

The Bible actually teaches the very opposite of that which modern churches are embracing. Paul wrote to the early believers that Self-Control was actually a Fruit of the Spirit. We have Self-Control. But we’’re talking people out of developing it by not requiring it.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal. 5:23 gentleness, self-control…

The first Christians were admonished that controlling themselves was their responsibility and not God’’s:

1 Thess. 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

The last verse of our text talks about Moses’’ enduring faith:

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Every Christian has been given a gift of the faith of Christ. The faith that was resident in Jesus and victoriously carried Him through His temptations, has been planted in us by the Holy Spirit. But for that faith to work you must resolve yourself to endure. You just can’t sit in passivity and think that God will deliver you from evil. YOU must do what it takes to endure, and thus your faith will grow. God will work through your determination, but never without it.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Every time we tell people that God will take the moral sins from them we are weakening them and setting them up for failure. We are misleading them into a false hope and turning them away from the very acts of faith that God WILL bless: self-denial and self-control. The girl in my illustration thinks she’’s “”trying”” because she wants God to stop her. But if she really were “trying” she wouldn’t buy club clothes and go there to attract men in the first place. She would control herself when it came to taking the first steps down that path. She doesn’t even try to resist because self-control is a struggle.  Struggle makes us unhappy, and God doesn’t want us to struggle in unhappiness –- or so her church tells her. So until God “shows up and takes away the bad” she’’ll just “wait on the Lord”, …somewhere between the club and church.

Of course, this is totally absurd in light of scripture. But that’’s where we find millions of Christians today: waiting for God in confusion and defeat. But real faith must be developed through endurance. When any Christian decides to endure temptations and hardships in an effort to obtain the things of God, his faith will develop. And tomorrow we’ll begin to look at how that development takes place, as we consider the faith of Moses.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // 1 Comment »

2 Tim. 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto allmen, apt to teach, patient,

2 Tim. 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2 Tim. 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

In the classic story, THE SONG OF THE SOUTH, Brer Fox , who is always trying to catch Brer Rabbit, devises a plan use Brer Rabbit’s own weaknesses to trap him. He develops a secret weapon, sure to defeat the rabbit. It’s called the Tar Baby. Here’s how the Tar Bay works. Knowing that Brer Rabbit’s ego won’t let him overlook “offenses”, Brer Fox fashions a little person out of tar and sets him up on the side of the road where Brer Rabbit is sure to pass, as he waits undercover nearby. Sure enough, along comes the rabbit and he gives his greeting to the Tar Baby. But the Tar Baby is so rude, he won’t return the greeting. Brer Rabbit’s ego is offended, he won’t let the matter alone. One thing leads to another and soon he puts his hands on the Tar Baby. Well, that’s all it takes; now he’s trapped and getting himself all balled up with this thing. He’s now powerless to get away from Brer Fox, who’s just laying low watching the encounter unfold, waiting for his opportunity.

I’m sure I don’t have to interpret this story for you. It’s probably played itself out too many times in your own life for you not to recognize Satan’s Trap Of Offense.

2 Tim. 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive;

2 Tim. 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Here in Timothy Paul warns us to deal wisely with the person who always gets into strife, realizing that they are a Tar Baby. I shudder to consider Paul’s description of the one who is the Tar Baby, when he tells how they are “taken captive by the devil at his will.” Consider what you’re getting tangled up with when you enter strife with a Tar Baby.

The Christian who will not recognize the strategy of Tar Babies will never be effective in spiritual warfare. There is NO WAY you can walk in freedom and be an overcomer if you don’t know how to walk past Tar Babies without engaging them. I can just hear people justifying the importance of their conflicts. But in the end, the more important the strife, the better the trap. Tar Babies are by design, crafted to appeal to YOUR most vulnerable issues and idiosyncrasies. Satan’s got a Tar Baby out there aimed right at your weak spot.

The Trap Of Offense is Satan’s primary issue field rifle. Christians have sustained more casualties through the use of this very efficient weapon than any other demonic scheme. There isn’t even a close second. And the reason this weapon is so very effective against us, is that we don’t ever train to defend ourselves from it’s snare. In fact, we have adopted the secular doctrine of victimization, and we foster a culture of offense. In short, we encourage Christians to be offended rather than taking an insult, overlooking a fault, and refusing to be offended. Honestly, if we’re just as “touchy” and easily offended as the world, then “what in the world” is it that we’ve been delivered from?! If Christians are permitted to “be offended” then just what is it about Jesus that is better than the world? There isn’t a scene in the Gospels where someone wasn’t setting up a Tar Baby to trap Jesus. Ah, but Jesus was the Master Ninja of spiritual warfare. He would unleash some amazing moves against those Tar BabiesÖall evasive. Jesus avoided strife. It wasn’t easy. But He did it. His mission was too important to blow it on a personal dip in the quicksand of strife. And yours is too.

The Trap Of Offense, (code name: Tar Baby), works like this. It takes 2 elements to create an “offense”: the Offender and the Offendee. Someone has to GIVE the opportunity to be offended and then someone has to TAKE the opportunity to be offended, in order for the trap to be complete. No “Taker”Öno offenseÖno trap. Now then just who is guilty of creating an offense? The Taker always blames the Giver. But is the Taker powerless against the trap? No. The Taker of offense is GUILTY of getting himself into the trap. No one else. If that isn’t true for the Child Of God, then why are we running around claiming to be Overcomers?

Our secular culture is breeding a society of spoiled, over-sensitive traumatics, whose egos are so fat they can’t even get around a Tar Baby, much less deal wisely with one. We have crimminalized the Giver of Offense and made the Taker of Offense a victim. We have taken all the responsibility for being mature, forgiving and understanding, away from the Taker and made the Giver responsible for the offended person’s reactions. Everybody’s bad behavior is simply a victim’s response to having been offended. The fact is that today’s Offendee is tomorrow’s Offender. It’s the nature of the Tar Baby to transfer himself to the one who gets offended and grabs him. The Law of the Tar Baby is simple: he’s gonna get on you if you touch him. When you “Take Offense” think about what you’re allowing into your spirit. In what way has your Heavenly Father left you incomplete so that you even have anything to be offended about? Taking offense is an admission to possessing lack, guilt and flaws. You can not like what someone says about you or your associations without taking offense. You can dislike their hostile intentions. But unless what they say is true, just what is it you’re taking offense at? And if it is true then the best thing for you to touch is “the hem of Jesus’ garment” in prayer. Because you’re not going to accomplish anything wrestling with the Tar Baby, accept getting yourself caught. Remember who’s watching in the weeds?

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Praise, Prayer & Devotion // Add Comment »

CAUTION: Excessive Use Of Scripture

2 Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2 Cor. 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)

2 Cor. 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The battleground of spiritual warfare is the mind of men. What we think and believe controls what we do.

Prov. 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

It’s not what you say but what you really believe in the depth of your mind, that controls your actions. Whoever has the controlling influence over your mind, controls you. The deeply held convictions of your heart (mind) are what determine who is the dominant spiritual influence over your life: God or Satan.

Eph. 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit (inspiration) of your mind;

Eph. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

In this verse Paul directly connects the ability to be transformed into the victorious “new man”, with focusing your thinking on what God’s Word declares. For instance, if you insist upon believing that you are defeated, then there’s no way you can avoid becoming a loser. But if you believe without wavering, that you are “more than a conqueror through Him” (Rom. 8:37); and that you can “do all things through Christ” (Phil 4:13); then you will do whatever is necessary to obey the Word of God and come into conformity to these divine declarations. In short, if you truly are convinced of God’s promises concerning yourself, follow the guidance of His Word, and refuse to believe and act contrary to it, you will become exactly what He describes the overcomer to be.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is not the power of positive thinking. It is opening yourself to the working of the Holy Spirit through believing what God’s Word says about you. That is Divine Wisdom. God’s Word itself is full of His transforming power to develop you into the “New Creation”. But only when you believe and act upon it without being double-minded. Divine Wisdom is your greatest weapon in spiritual warfare. Satan cannot defeat the New Creation.

When we walk in divine wisdom it acts like a great cloaking device that keeps demonic influences from being able to figure us out, and touch our lives. Jesus walked under this great shield, and so have thousands of other men and women of God. People who walk in divine wisdom can often appear to live under a special blessing. But the reality is simply that they do very few things that give demons an access to their lives.

Prov. 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth comethknowledge and understanding.

Prov. 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Prov. 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Prov. 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Prov. 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

God has spoken passionately in His Word about the necessity of basing your life in His Wisdom. He very clearly lays out the case that with Divine Wisdom comes blessing and protection from Satan. But by forsaking His Wisdom, people make themselves prey for every disaster and oppression known to man.

Below is a section from Proverbs where God gives “Divine Wisdom” as voice and lets it speak to us of it’s great worth and power to bless those who pursue and embrace it.

Prov. 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

Prov. 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Prov. 8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Prov. 8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

Prov. 8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

Prov. 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Prov. 8:18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

Prov. 8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

Prov. 8:20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

Prov. 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Prov. 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

Prov. 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Prov. 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water…

Prov. 8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

Prov. 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Prov. 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Prov. 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

Prov. 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

What is Divine Wisdom and where is it obtained?

Prov. 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despisewisdom and instruction.

Prov. 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Clearly, wisdom begins with the reverential fear of God. It starts by acknowledging Him, and it continues to grow with seeking His Word, learning and following it. Divine Wisdom will not tolerate compromise and foolishness. When you have enrolled yourself in God’s School of Wisdom, you have made a commitment to follow it above the wisdom of the world. Divine Wisdom is understanding and following the Word of God, not just memorizing scripture and learning historic facts. The wisdom of the world is different. It’s rooted in the experiences and insights of men. Satan often uses the wisdom of the world to approach you with rationalizations, doubts and fears. If you’re not armed with Divine Wisdom, you will knuckle right under to the Devil’s logic.

Worldly wisdom may declare that you are sick – but Divine Wisdom says:

1 Pet. 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Worldly wisdom may declare that you are impoverished – but Divine Wisdom says:

Phil. 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Worldly wisdom may declare that you are defeated – but Divine Wisdom says:

Rom. 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerorsthrough him that loved us.

Worldly wisdom may declare that you are abandoned – but Divine Wisdom says:

Heb. 13:5 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

God has made a provision to deliver you from every situation that Satan uses worldly wisdom to take away your hope with. Those provisions are made available to you through the promises of God’s Word. Understanding, believing and acting upon those promises, is what is referred to as Divine Wisdom. Therefore Divine Wisdom is far more than just knowing God’s Word. It is the militant determination to respond to every need, threat and trial with God’s Wisdom. The strongholds of the enemy mentioned in 2 Cor. 10:3-5 are the towers of rationalization that he speaks from. These platforms are the natural circumstances of life from which Satan takes his stand, declaring to you that nothing can deliver you from the grip of your trials. Well, he is a liar. And you have been authorized and empowered by the Lord Jesus Christ, to blunt his arguments with the promises of God’s Word.

It’s time for God’s people to rise above the limitations of worldly wisdom, and reclaim the heritage of God’s promises. Stop subjecting your faith to Satan’s editing powers, as he reasons with you from worldly wisdom. Arm yourself with the Wisdom of God and declare the superiority of the Gospel of Jesus. Stop letting the devil determine how much of God’s Word you’re allowed to actually believe! Take off his head with the sword of the Spirit. Divine Wisdom isn’t passive believe-ism. It’s trained faith in action.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Praise, Prayer & Devotion // Add Comment »

Eph. 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Praise, Prayer & Devotion // Add Comment »

Eph. 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Praise, Prayer & Devotion // Add Comment »

Jer. 23:26 “How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart,

Jer. 23:27 who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal?

Jer. 23:28 “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw (chaff) have in common with grain (wheat)?” declares the LORD.

Jer. 23:29 “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?

Jer. 23:30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other.

Jer. 23:31 “Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’

Jer. 23:32 “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them, and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

What does chaff have in common with Wheat? They both come from the same plant. Just as the words of God and the words of men come from the mouths of men. But one is food and the other isn’t.   Men usually speak from their opinions, experiences and feelings; and sometimes they speak from the Holy Spirit. When men speak from their own opinions there is no life-giving force in their words. But when they speak from the Holy Spirit, they are releasing the Living Waters of God through their words.

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:…)

As Christians we are called to bear the Word of God. Not just to express our opinion about His Word but to literally act as His oracles.

1 Pet. 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ……

Certainly we cannot walk around all day long speaking like an Old testament Prophet. And I’’m certain that they did not prophesy every day. But in this life we are faced with situations that require the Word of the Lord, and not just the opinions of men. These are situations that need the life-giving power of God in order to bring God’’s will into the situation. Often the most important decisions of life are made on a whim. And then when trouble arises down the road from that decision, those who made it start looking for God’’s help, often wondering why He let them fall into a mess. But more often than not, the Lord was never really consulted in the first place. We tend to go to church, learn about Bible principles, and then just rationalize the navigation of our own pathways. That is not how one is led by the Holy Spirit. It’’s simply following one’’s own opinions.

For example, the Apostle Paul already knew that it was God’’s will to take Barnabas, and go to the mission fields, when he got together with the Prophets and Teachers of Antioch to seek the mind of the Lord. He didn’t simply assume that because he was called, he just needed to go forth and God would be with him. So when they prayed, guess what? The Holy Spirit had something to say.

Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Acts 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed…

Only a Word from God can send us into the Lord’’s mission. That word comes from the Holy Spirit, and is full of self-fulfilling power. A man could run through a desert on the strength of one word from the Spirit. It is precisely such a word upon which the Lord’’s Kingdom is built. We need to receive the Word of the Lord, for it is full of the power to equip us with all that we need to accomplish it.

So how does one know he has the Word of the Lord, as opposed to the opinions of men? Look at the prophetic rebuke from Jeremiah 23. God said His words were wheat that men could live from, and thereby be energized. But the words of men were chaff, with no nutritional life giving properties. You can chew on straw but you wouldn’t want to try and live on it. In fact, speaking about the dreams, visions and words that the false prophets were giving out, the Lord said this:

“I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.”

There is NO Benefit to straw. No one is ever sent by God with straw! The presence of the Wheat of God’’s Word is the indication that one is sent.

Separating The Wheat From The Chaff…

Matt. 3:12 His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out.

John the Baptist predicted that one of the strong indicators of the Messiah’’s ministry would be that He would be able to separate the chaff from the wheat. For the sake of our analogy, the chaff is the words of men and the wheat is the words of God. Both these words are found growing in the hearts of men. One grows out of their own mind and the other grows out of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And vigorously threshing the harvested wheat plant, is necessary for separating the two. When the stalks are winnowed, the lightweight chaff drifts off with the wind as the heavier wheat grain falls to the threshing floor. This is a perfect illustration of how the words of men and the words of God are distinguished. Many believers have both grain and straw in their minds and hearts. But they lack the discipline and won’t invest the time and energy to thresh their thoughts in order to determine the word of the Lord. It takes a process to separate the divinely potent from the ultimately worthless. Here are some of the elements in that process, which the Lord will use:

Don’t let the words of others replace the Word of God.

Jer. 23:30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD,“who steal My words from each other.

Learn the scriptures correctly for yourself.

2 Tim. 2:15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

Pray with mature Christians who have proven spiritual standing.

Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,

The true church, radiating its intended glory, will always emerge prominently, in an atmosphere where people diligently seek out the Word of the Lord, above the words of men. In the Old Testament the people use to seek out the genuine prophets of God, such as Samuel, Elijah and Isaiah. But in the New Testament the Spirit of the Lord lives in every true believer. We must all take our own hearts and minds down to the threshing floor to test the lightness of our own thoughts against the weight of God’’s Word.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 106:34 They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them,

Psa. 106:35 But they mingled with the nations, And learned their practices,

Psa. 106:36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them.

Psa. 106:37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,

Psa. 106:38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.

Psa. 106:39 Thus they became unclean in their practices, And played the harlot in their deeds.

Psa. 106:40 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people, And He abhorred His inheritance.

Psa. 106:41 Then He gave them into the hand of the nations; And those who hated them ruled over them.

Psa. 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were subdued under their power.

Psa. 106:43 Many times He would deliver them; They, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity.

Psa. 106:44 Nevertheless He looked upon their distress, When He heard their cry;

Psa. 106:45 And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

God’’s people have spent most of their history out of His will but under His care. The majority of our history chronicles the epic drama of backsliding, punctuated with periods of deliverance and occasional revivals. Throughout our history, most of what we call, “times of blessing” have been periods of relief from hardship and brief revivals. But seldom have God’’s people really advanced in fulfilling His will. We have spent most of our generations in a state of mixed compromise with the world that we are called to minister overcome.

Rom. 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

God’’s blessings and times of refreshing cannot be taken as an endorsement of His people’s obedience or holiness, but rather of His own divine pity.  The greater call of God, that extends over His people, still to this day, remains largely unfulfilled. His blessings and outpourings have largely NOT been rewards for the obedience of His people to His call, but rather merciful response to the messes into which their compromises have put them.

Psa. 107:17 Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.

Psa. 107:19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.

Psa. 107:20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.

Psalms 106 and 107 reveal a phenomenon often misinterpreted by His people.

Psa. 106:43 Many times He would deliver them; They, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity.

Psa. 106:44 Nevertheless He looked upon their distress, When He heard their cry;

Psa. 106:45 And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.

Even though God’’s people have sunk down become mired – as a result of their failure to obey His counsels, God would hear their cries and revive them. This was done according to His covenant promise to hear and help them, in response to the faith of a few. Imagine the influence with God that stems from faith in the covenant.

The World…

But the larger part of God’’s people have seldom understood, much less obeyed, His commands regarding their relationship to the world.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

By “the world” God is not referring to the planet, or even those things in the world, which might become objects of affection or even lust. But He is referring specifically to that state of worldliness, in which people place their interests before the interests of God. In such cases, even basic provisions can become the objects of idolatry and lead to rebellion against God.

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

The influence of the world that is referred to as God’’s enemy, is specifically that influence and counsel, by which man is emboldened to ignore God’’s will.

The phrase, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” Proves that He is not referring to objects that God has made (which might be lusted after), because these actually have come from God. But the sinful dispositions and selfish desires of men did not come from the Father, and they are what constitute “the world”, as God’’s enemy.

John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

The First Step Out Of God’s Will…

Psa. 106:34 They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them,

We are not to destroy people, but rather the deadly speculations of men.

2 Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

2 Cor. 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

2 Cor. 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

2 Cor. 10:6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

We cannot be governed by the ideologies and rationale of men, and be the Lord’’s Ambassadors among men, at the same time. The “love of the Father” is not in the world – there is no regard for obedience to faith, but rather, a disdain for it. God wanted the home of the believer to be free of 3^rd party interference and competition. He wanted our house to be His house.

Mingled & Serving Their Idols –

Psa. 106:35 But they mingled with the nations, And learned their practices,

Once God’’s people mingled with the Canaanites they became sympathetic to them, bonded with their families by marriage and involved with them in business. It then became impossible to reject their ideologies and tear down their altars.

Likewise today, the church cannot bring itself to reprove the worldliness that it mingles with, because it would then be at war against itself. The church is paralyzed, caught in the tentacles of a giant jellyfish of worldliness.

Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of theflesh.

Gal. 5:17 For the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Gal. 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

This moral paralysis is the very reason why “judgment begins at the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17)”. A captivated church cannot detangle itself without the chastening help of the Holy Spirit. Without chastening and reproof, mingled Christians are unable to be critical of the worldliness that they are practicing.

1 Cor. 11:31 For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment].

Sacrificed Their Sons & Daughters –

Psa. 106:37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,

Psa. 106:38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.

A Church pre-occupied with impressing the world cannot expect that their young people will not be impressed by the world and follow its trends! Through our own fear of rejection by the world, we have sacrificed our sons and daughters to it.

Played The Harlot In Their Deeds –

Psa. 106:39 Thus they became unclean in their practices, And played the harlot in their deeds.

The Church has become captivated by the same practices of selfishness, lust and blame shifting by which the world is controlled. Compromise with the ideologies of the world will lead to captivity by its practices. The compromised Church cannot hate sin.

Hated By The World –

Psa. 106:41 Then He gave them into the hand of the nations; And those who hated them ruled over them.

Psa. 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were subdued under their power.

If you seek acceptance by the world, it will ultimately hate you for not fully joining them and renouncing Christ. The worldly Christian is an irritant to secular-thinking people.  And the compromised Christian will never fully be part of them without a complete rejection of Jesus. Therefore the compromised Christian is ultimately hated by the world for being lukewarm; the same reason for which they are spewed from the mouth of God. Truly there is no one more the orphan than a compromised Christian; stuck in the no-man’’s-land between two worlds.

Remember The Covenant –

Amazingly God never forgot His covenant with us. In spite of our detour into worldly compromise, He remains faithful to execute His Word. And no claim of the world can prevent Him from moving to deliver us when we cry out.

So if the covenant is that strong, that our deliverance will exceed our judgment, then why don’t we “remember the covenant” on our end – choose to represent Jesus and break diplomatic ties with worldliness – shut down the Canaanite Embassies, and hold our ground pure for Christ. Then will we have the power of holiness and the attention of those who truly matter.

Acts 5:12 And at the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico.

Acts 5:13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem.

Acts 5:14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number;…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 105:17 He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

Psa. 105:18 They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons;

Psa. 105:19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him.

Psa. 105:20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of peoples, and set him free.

Psa. 105:21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler over all his possessions,

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday’’s installment……

At that moment Joseph’’s path became separated from theirs’. His dream challenged the very reasoning powers of his brothers, and even of his greatest ally, his father. They rebuked him. His brothers hated him more than ever, and now saw him as a cunning manipulator w/ a heart to use his influence to lord over them. They became committed to getting rid of him.

Psa. 105:17 He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

Inexplicable misfortune took hold of Joseph’s feet, and his way became hedged with thorns. The launch into Joseph’’s dream looked more like a betrayal than a calling, but God was “sending” him.

His departure into fulfillment took place under the cover of a tragedy.  Joseph was on a divine mission but nobody knew it – not even him. He was on a business trip for God, but he wasn’t flying first class –he wasn’t even flying coach – but he becomes checked luggage – deliberately misplaced, but divinely directed.

Continuing……

His Soul Supporter…

Psa. 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Nothing in Jacob’’s circumstances confirmed his dream. In fact, his new surroundings had removed him from everything that seemed to have anything to do with his dream, except one thing… …Joseph himself.

Nobody cared if Joseph followed his dream or even kept faith with God. In his new surroundings, he had only one supporter, and that was himself. His own character would be his only friend, the only one to remind him of who he really was, the only one to keep him connected to God.

The dream had to first position itself in the dreamer.  Joseph could not look to his surroundings to make him who he was. That had to come from within. Neither could he allow his surroundings to define who he was. That had to arise from within.

2 Cor. 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

2 Cor. 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Remember…, a dream is “a vision without the burden of logistics, – without knowing how we arrive at the start, we see something that enlists the whole fascination and desire of our soul.” A dream is not a road map. It comes without explanations, and simply drops a glorious ideal into our heart. We then, without the benefit or fear of knowing its cost, we get to decide if we will buy it or not. Is it worth “whatever it takes” to arrive at? That is the nature of a dream.

There in Potiphar’s house and Pharaoh’’s prison, Joseph lived as the prince in his dream, behaving himself as though he were worthy of the honor of his brothers and father.

Even though it was the reason for his betrayal, he never allowed bitterness to separate him from his vision. Instead of abandoning the troublesome dream, and leaving it in that pit back in Canaan, instead of adapting himself to become an Egyptian,– he became galvanized to his dream, and lived as the prince, worthy of the dream’’s fulfillment, even though its fulfillment seemed impossible.

The Setting…

Joseph had dreamed that his brothers and father would bow before him and honor him, that his work would rise above theirs’, and that they would become subservient to him. But the familiar homeland of Canaan was never going to be the setting for its fulfillment.

In his immature innocence, and without regard for the politics or process, Joseph whimsically supposed that his dad and brothers would be overcome by his exceptional nature, and simply come to bow before him, and offer their honor and service.

But his brothers knew what the fulfillment of that dream would mean if it were to occur under normal conditions in Canaan. In fact, by that very consideration, they reasoned that the dream couldn’t possibly be of God, and that it had to have been a lie, concocted in the mind of this uninvested usurper. And to a point, they were correct. God had no intention of turning Joseph into some sort of unprocessed recipient of special divine favor, and making his family honor him.

The setting of Joseph’’s dream had been unseen by all, but God alone, and it would arrive in the form of a world-changing disaster, that would re-arrange everyone: a famine that would drive everyone from their homes in search of survival.

Joseph would have been a useless prince if he’’d remained in Canaan and tried to fulfill his dream. But in Egypt Joseph was being prepared to become the manager of life and death, in God’’s relief program. And none of his brothers would have ever volunteered for such training, not even Joseph himself. It took the willingness to live a dream.

Ultimately, by the time the dream became reality, it was not Joseph the Dreamer, who was being thanked and bowed to, but God the Dream-Giver.

Phil. 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // 1 Comment »

Psa. 105:17 He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

Psa. 105:18 They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons;

Psa. 105:19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him.

Psa. 105:20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of peoples, and set him free.

Psa. 105:21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler over all his possessions,

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

A dream can be the sleepy activity of a subconscious mind or something envisioned and dawning upon our imagination. It can be Joseph relating his night vision or Martin Luther King’’s declaration, “I have a dream”.

A dream can come as the pure inspiration of God or the carnal ramblings of the flesh. A dream from God can draw our obedience, and remain pure or become managed selfishness and polluted.

When God apprehends us it’s like being captured by a dream. We become captivated by a vision, an ideal, a scene or principle, which arrests our entire being, spirit, soul and body.

By means of a dream, we are transported into the scenery of a glorious ideal, without knowing its beginning or development. We are simply there.  We don’t know how we got there. We don’t know how it relates to our present life. But dreams bring us to a place of vision.

There, in the free-floating state of a vision, without the burden of logistics – w/o know how we arrive at the state – we see something that enlists the whole fascination and desire of our soul. That something is to become the lightening rod of our life. For those who awake to claim their dream, that something – that ideal – that glorious principle – becomes our point of contact with the power of God. From the moment you take ownership, God begins to align your path with the dream.

For Joseph, that journey began the day he told his dream to his brothers and father…

Gen. 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.

Gen. 37:4 And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

Gen. 37:5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

Gen. 37:6 And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;

Gen. 37:7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Gen. 37:8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Gen. 37:9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

Gen. 37:10 And he related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”

Gen. 37:11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

The Separation…

At that moment Joseph’’s path became separated from theirs’. His dream challenged the very reasoning powers of his brothers, and even of his greatest ally, his father.They rebuked him. His brothers hated him more than ever, and now saw him as a cunning manipulator w/ a heart to use his influence to lord over them. They became committed to getting rid of him.

Psa. 105:17 He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

Inexplicable misfortune took hold of Joseph’’s feet, and his way became hedged with thorns. The launch into Joseph’’s dream looked more like a betrayal than a calling, but God was “sending” him.

His departure into fulfillment took place under the cover of a tragedy. Joseph was on a divine mission but nobody knew it – not even him. He was on a business trip for God, but he wasn’t flying first class – he wasn’t even flying coach – but he becomes checked luggage – deliberately misplaced, but divinely directed.

Tomorrow we’ll continue the story of The Path Of Dreams. So until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

2 Sam. 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy itof thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Praise, Prayer & Devotion // 1 Comment »

Heb. 2:6 It has been solemnly and earnestly, …What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him?

Heb. 2:7 …You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands,

Heb. 2:8 For You have put everything in subjection under his feet.  …But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him [man].

Heb. 2:9 But we are able to see Jesus,

Hebrews 2:6-12 (click to view entire text)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

It is self evident that we do not see man walking in this authority, where “everything” is under his feet. In fact, man himself seems to be under the feet of just about everything from microorganisms and illness to betrayals and deceptions. Man surges forth to explore the universe while strife and temptation dismantle his families. He organizes to form great governments and lofty constitutions but falls prey to depression, addictions and suicide. No, we definitely don’’t see everything under man’’s feet at all.

But we do see Jesus. A man under whose feet all authority and power had been placed. He neither strove for nor negotiated this authority. He simply had it, walked in it, and bestowed it. In fact He came, as man, to earth in order to reclaim the fallen authority of men. He first defeated the forces that had taken control of our authority: Satan, sin and the guilt of our rebellion.

1 John 3:8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus Christ, as man, defeated Satan, triumphing over all his efforts and placing him under His feet.

Col. 2:14 (Christ) Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.

Col. 2:15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

He then bestowed on us, the renewed position of sonship, with it’s reclaimed authority.

Matt. 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

When you saw Jesus in action against the powers of Satan, you are seeing Him at work with your own authority. Listen to His reply to the Pharisees, about His right to forgive sins and heal the sick. He refers not to His divinity but His authority as a son of man upon the earth.

Luke 5:24 But that ye may know that the Son of man has authority upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

What is amazing is how removed the Pharisees have become from the idea that man should have such authority. We’’ve been without power, under the control of Satan for so long that we just assumed we have no authority. But if that were really the case how could Jesus make promises like the following?

Mark 11:23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

Obviously we don’t have the power to move mountains in the way that Jesus describes, but it’’s not “power” we are moving the mountain with, it’’s authority – – the authority of the Sons of God. God furnishes the power as we exercise the authority.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Jesus was never in a power struggle with the devil. The authority God had given man to rule and reign may have become ineffective, due to his corruption with sin, but God never removed it.  Jesus, as a man unbound by sin, simply took up the mantle of man’’s authority, and with flawless, godly righteousness, He overturned the effects of the curse. He undid the effects of sickness, broke the bonds of demonic oppression, and released sinners from the captivity of their condemnation. And there was absolutely nothing Satan could do to stop it. It is precisely that re-established authority which we receive when we come under His Lordship.

Luke 10:17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

Luke 10:18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.”

Try to find even one instance where the devil was able to resist the authority of Jesus. As long as people received His authority with their faith, the devil had no way of breaking in to short-circuit Jesus’ actions. So we should simply look at every command and promise of Christ with absolute confidence. For whatever He has said His will for us is, that He has given us authority to do.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

More tomorrow so until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Heb. 2:6 It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him…

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Heb. 2:6 It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him?

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Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

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Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

Acts 14:9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, andperceiving that he had faith to be healed,

Acts 14:10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The Holy Spirit gives Paul a word of knowledge. Not a revelation that God wanted to heal the lame man, but a revelation that the lame man “had faith to be healed”. It was not the arrival of a special anointing but rather the arrival of faith in the heart of the cripple that triggers the healing. This is a wonderful insight into the working of God. For it reveals that God’’s gracious and miraculous provisions are not based as much in His mystical sovereignty as we may have thought. It reveals the wonderful world of Faith, and the eagerness of God to participate with us in it. It shows that the realm of faith is the atmosphere in which uncommon miracles become common reality.

Outside of the sphere of faith, it seems “No” is the standard answer to most all our petitions. Because we so seldom truly enter a state of faith when we petition the Lord, we all too often mistake the lack of answers as a “No” from God. When if fact, we simply haven’t positioned ourselves to receive. Theologians and teachers have spent centuries fashioning the scriptures into elaborate explanations, to cover all the disappointment and questions that people ask outside the realm of faith. The wonderful Temple of Faith is where Jesus actually dwells. And it is literally surrounded and besieged by rings and miles of religious establishment. It’’s like a gigantic refugee camp of rationalism, set up to service the millions who come to Christian beliefs but seldom enter into Faith.

Let there be no mistake in understanding and no error in teaching. It IS the will of God to answer Faith with provision.

Jas 1:16-17 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

There is a place! A place where the promises of God are Yes! And Amen! A place where all the theologians best efforts to explain why God doesn’t really answer prayers with direct provision, simply dissolve away.  A place where no such excuses are needed. A place of answers. This is the place called FAITH.

Faith is NOW. Not tomorrow, but now. It’’s always easy to kick the “belief can” down the road of abstracts and theories. But faith is in the right now moment. When you enter the state of faith, you receive whatever God has for you right then. Paul stopped his message and commanded the man to be healed right then and there, once the Holy Spirit revealed the man’’s faith. He didn’t wait for an altar call because the man was “open” right then. Because the man was in a “moment of faith”.

Faith always exists in the moment. Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

If you are going to receive from the Lord’’s liberal offer, then you must be in a moment of faith “WHEN you pray”. We are forever being cautioned that we had better make sure it’’s God’’s will to grant our request before we go praying for things. But plenty of people plainly see in the scriptures that God has promised certain provisions. Yet when they go to ask Him for them they are beset with doubts and fears – there is no faith to receive. So accuracy in belief is not faith.

“…when ye pray, believe that ye receive…”

Most unanswered prayer has little or nothing to do with praying for things that are not God’’s will to grant. But instead, most unanswered prayers are a result of being asked without any faith to receive. What did Jesus say we were to believe, when we prayed? Were we told to believe in God?  Were we told to believe God can do it? Were we told to believe God wants to do it? As good as it is to believe those things, they all fall short of Jesus’ instructions.  Jesus said, “Believe that YOU RECEIVE.”

Once Paul got the word from God that the lame man had faith TO BE healed, he didn’t bother praying and asking Jesus to heal him. He didn’t ask the man if he wanted prayer for healing. He commanded him to stand up. And the man did! How quick is NOW???

Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

It’’s as though Jesus has already accomplished great things that are available to all of us who enter the moment of faith.

More tomorrow, so……

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »