Your Lovingkindness is Better than Life

Psalms 63

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. 7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. 9 They who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. 10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Your Lovingkindness is Better than Life

               For us to truly know the Lord and the intimacy of His relationship is the most sustaining power I know.  We can go through some very hard and difficult places and it is the knowing of His presence and love that can sustain us.  His love and assurance is so great that we can come to the place of relinquishing our life if need be for His sake. 

               David had this revelation of God because he had been to the sanctuary. He is not just talking about a building or a physical place, he is talking about that meeting place with God where we begin to get a comprehension and revelation of His love and the truth of who He is in relationship to us.  It is in this place of revelation and comprehension of the love of God for us that the praise and worship flows out of us like water out of a saturated sponge.  His love is so great, so precious and so real that it is better than life itself.

It is usually in the in the valleys and the dry difficult places that we seek Him and come to know Him in faithfulness and loving-kindness.  How many times have there been in our lives when we have been unfaithful, yet He has proved Himself faithful, when we deserved chastisement, but instead He gave us grace and loving-kindness?  Perhaps this is what overwhelms us the most is that He has given us so much more than we could ever deserve or earn.  His loving kindness is better than life itself. 

When we come to the revelation of who we are in Christ, we, like David, find ourselves wrapped in the mantle of the anointing and love of the Lord.  He looked favorably upon us.  We can’t really say why.  It is not because we are so much more than anyone else and we certainly aren’t deserving, but by His grace we have found our way into the sanctuary of His presence.  There His glory, love and awe overwhelms us.  How could we not but praise Him and express the deep thanksgiving for that which He has placed within us.                

Some don’t know what I am really talking about, because you have not been there, but when you do come into His sanctuary, His majesty is so great it is a fearful thing and yet His loving-kindness is so gentle is cradles us like a child in its mother’s arms.  It was this place of fellowship and knowing of God that sustained and encouraged David when King Saul pursued his life. 

Many of us are facing or will face very difficult circumstances in this hour, but if you want real encouragement, peace and joy, even in this place, come into the sanctuary of His presence.  Worship Him in spirit and in truth and the pure out-crying of your heart and spirit will bring you there.  Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.  You will find the grace to get you through and sustain you through every trial because His loving-kindness is better than life.

Blessings,

#kent

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Oh Come, Let us Adore Him

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

1 Chronicles 29:20

And David said to all the assembly, Now adore (praise and thank) the Lord your God! And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and did obeisance to the Lord and to the king [as His earthly representative].

               God is so good all the time.  He is so worthy to be praised even in our darkest times.  We celebrate holidays that commemorate Christ and it is good that He receives honor in days such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.  The truth is every day should grow sweeter and sweeter as we live it in Him.  Everyday, we should want to come and adore Him.  None of us have to think very long or go very far to realize how many blessings He gives and how much goodness He bestows.  Certainly, if I ever grow up to be like anybody, I want to grow up to be like Jesus.  He is the bright and Morning Star.  He is the glory and the lifter of my head.  In times of trouble we cry out to Him and He hears us from His holy hill.  How precious and rich is the grace of the Lord over our lives.  He protects us, keeps us, prospers our ways, touches our infirmities, and comforts us in our time of loss and grief.  How empty, meaningless and hopeless our lives would be if it were not for the One who has created us, to love us, and for us to love Him.  Every day, the cross of Calvary should bring us to tears, as we comprehend in some small measure the grace of God that was and still is extended to us through it. 

Who can really comprehend God, laying down His very own life in His son to reconcile us back to Him?  I can’t fathom that great of a love.  What grieves me is how lightly and commonly I respond to that majestic love.  How worthy He is of all our love, praise and adoration.  How we often reflect so little of it in our daily lives, in our actions, words and deeds.   Sometimes, we praise Him with our mouth, but our hearts are far from Him.   I know that the fuller our hearts are of Him and the more intimate we are in our relationship with Him, the richer and more sincere the praise and worship that we offer up. 

               One of the most precious things about King David was the anointing he had to praise and worship God.  No wonder David was so precious to the Lord.  David just knew how to love on Him.

He gives a convocation at the dedication of the Ark of the Covenant in 1Chronicle 16.  There, in verses 8-36 he declares, “8Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 23Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. 24Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 27Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 30Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

               Today, let your heart just rejoice in the Lord.  In our thoughts and in our words let us acknowledge Him for His awesome greatness, goodness and love.  May our lives be a sweet sacrifice of obedience and our will, mind and emotions fully bowed down before Him.  May all that we are, all that we do and all that we are becoming be to the praise, the glory and the worship of His Holy Name.  Just take the time to really love on Him, ‘cause His goodness never fails us and His mercies are new every morning.

Blessings,

#kent

Dare to Speak

Dare to Speak

Romans 15:18

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

How is the Lord working in you today?  What is He bringing forth in your life?   Do you know why He is working His ways in your life through various means and experiences?  As you think about these questions, think about what He wants to communicate through you as a result of the Holy Spirit working in your life.  This is why it is vital that each one of us has a personal relationship and experience going on daily with the Holy Spirit.  Our lives are being fashioned for a purpose and that purpose can only be truly realized as we walk in relationship with Christ.  While our churches and sources of spiritual teaching and instruction are good, they alone can’t work the experience of walking out a godly life through which the Holy Spirit is dealing with us and teaching us through our life experiences His ways and His truth. 

The point of what Paul is saying in this scripture today is that he didn’t just go and speak the things he had been taught in Bible school or read out of a lesson.  What he was teaching and speaking was coming out of spiritual revelation and experience of walking out the will of God in his life.  What he communicated to the saints was what God had wrought in him.  He was not giving regurgitated food, but he was giving fresh manna, made real through a personal walk and experience.  Each one of us, if we are walking with the Lord, are experiencing His personal dealings, corrections, revelations and spiritual realities in our lives.  It is these things that make up our testimony and give real life substance and meaning to what the Spirit is teaching us through the principles of His Word.  His Word is forever the foundation and the bedrock of what the Holy Spirit wants to make real and living to us.  As it is processed through each one of our personal experiences it becomes a living Word in us that we can communicate to others.  As each of us experience and process what God is working in us then we really have the right to share it with others.   Wasn’t this what Paul was sharing about concerning what He was teaching and the foundation He was building in the lives of others.  What God works in our lives I don’t believe He does for us alone.  Through our walk, experience and personal encounters with the dealings of the Lord, we then can be His expression to help and minister life to others.  Haven’t most of us been encouraged at one time or another when we were going through something and we may have felt like we were the only ones that experienced this and then someone came along that could personally relate with where we at through their similar type of experiences.  They offered comfort and encouragement to us through their personal identification with where we were at.

God works things in our lives for a reason.  Draw from these life experiences as you use them to bear witness and give testimony of your faith.  They are valuable instruments that the Lord has put into our hands to convey life and blessing.  Through them we’re able to get under others and lift them up rather than speaking down to them through just condescending head knowledge.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were great at judging others with the law, but Jesus said they were ‘whited sepulchres full of dead men’s bones.’  They only knew how to use the Word to minister death and judgement, rather than life, encouragement and blessing.   This is the difference the Word makes in us when it comes alive through life experiences.   We are able to relate with people in humility and love because we experience similar things. 

God is making us the ministers of His life.  Use what He has revealed in you through the direction of the Holy Spirit to give life to others in your life’s path.  God often places us with others for a reason.  We are the instruments and vessels He wants to use to communicate life, blessing, exhortation and teaching into those that He brings to us.  Be sensitive in your spirit to how our God would want to use and speak through you a living Word into someone’s life and circumstance.  You and I are His expression.  The world around us can only truly know Him by what they see in us and actions speak louder than our words. 

Blessings,

#kent

Take Responsibility

Take Responsibility

Genesis 3:11-13

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

               Even from the beginning of time people have not wanted to take responsibility for their own actions and consequences.  Even as we see Adam and Eve passing the blame for disobedience to someone else, so it continues today.   We are continually reading about lawsuits that people actually win where it is obvious that their own negligence, ignorance or stupidity was to blame, but someone else has to pay for it.  We obviously want to assume as little responsibility and accountability for our actions as is humanly possible.  As a result of the sue-happy society that we live in, insurance companies get rich on malpractice and liability insurance because any little thing gone wrong could result in a lawsuit and someone’s bankruptcy.  Obviously, there are many occasions when someone’s omission or commission causes harm or loss to another.   That is where they need to take responsibility for their action or mistakes. 

               How does that affect us as Christians?  Do we carry the same mindset and practice of the world?  Jesus gives us principles in the Word that are definitely contrary to the standards and responses of the world.  He says in Matthew 5:38-42, “”You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” “  The standard that Jesus gave was to go beyond what is required to give and forgive.  That pretty much flies in the face of our human nature that wants to do just the opposite and yet that it is a Christ standard of behavior. 

               Most of us would say, but don’t you know if you do that you are just going to be a door mat for others to walk all over you?  You have to stand up and fight for your rights.  Is that what Christ taught us?  It doesn’t mean we are without principles and that we don’t stand for our beliefs, but when we go beyond the expected we become empowered because we choose to give beyond what was required. 

               Paul addresses an even more disturbing situation that still exists among the church today.  It concerns the lawsuits among believers in 1Corinthians 5:1-11: “1If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!  5I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!

7The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  It is a sad state when brother defrauds brother or when we have to go into the world’s court system to seek the world’s justice.  Matters of difference should be arbitrated by the church if, not forgiven altogether. 

               Many of us still operate our lives by the natural laws that govern men.  Christ has given us an even higher standard to follow and it is one our flesh probably isn’t going to like, but we need to exercise godly principles.  Maybe you have a legitimate complaint against another, but forgiveness needs to be the order of the day, because Christ first forgave us and gave us what we did not deserve and could not earn.  That is the heart He wants us to live out of.  This is a foreign concept to many of us and not the way we have been brought up to think and believe.  Jesus practiced this principal most of effectively on the cross.  He took responsibility and paid the price for a debt that was not His own.  We will have our crucifixion experiences as well if we are in Him, because “as He is so are we in this world. “  Are we willing to take the responsibility for our actions while at the same time often forgiving the faults and sins of others against ourselves?  Such is the law of Christ.   

Blessings,

#kent

Follow Peace with All Men

Follow Peace with all Men

Hebrews 12:14

Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

               Often our relationships with others reflect the true condition our soul.  Just as our words are the reflection of our heart, our relationships with people should be the expression and the root of our relationship with our heavenly Father.  So often there is such a contradiction between what we want to think we are our as Christians and how we really treat other people.  Can we say that we are at peace with all of those that we have been in relationship with?  Have we ended up offending, hurting, betraying, backbiting, gossiping or taking advantage of someone we have been relationship with at some level of social interaction?  Have we found people that, for some reason, no longer want to associate with us or have turned against us?   Unfortunately, we aren’t often as pure and godly as we would like to think we are.  Through careless words, deeds or acts of selfishness, we can offend and hurt others without even realizing it.  This is especially true of the ones we say we love; our families, spouses, children or parents.  Loving and close relationships are much like our reputation, we can spend years building them and in one careless moment we can destroy them.  Perhaps some of us have issues like that today.  We may have even acknowledged our offense, repented of it, but maybe the person we have offended won’t allow us to mend that fence.  They may still carry that hurt and offense. 

               It is so important for our spiritual lives and social relational lives to line up with one another.  We say we love and serve God, but do we most often work in our self-interest or the interest of others?  Are we willing to truly live Christ before men and especially toward the irregular people that most push our buttons and whom we have a hard time dealing with? 

               We are all like a bunch of rocks in stream.  As the turbulence of life and trials pass over us we rub against each other with our sharp edges, we offend and hurt each other.   Over time the ruff edges begin to wear off and instead of rough rocks we become smooth stones.  Are you still rough around the edges?  Are you still wearing on and irritating those around you?  It is often ironic how God can turn the tables to allow us to experience from others what we ourselves have been guilty of.  When we judge others, do we first judge ourselves and see how, we too, have been guilty of many of the same offenses?  All of this is a part of growing up and maturing in Christ.  The end of the matter is that if we are truly pursuing holiness with God as the Word says we should, that also reflects on our human relationships and how Christ comes out of us with regards to others.  Our fruits of actions, words and deeds should bear out who we are in Christ; by the way we treat and respond to others.  Colossians 3:17 exhorts us, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  1John 3:18 likewise encourages and commands us, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  Our actions speak louder than our words.  What have we promised our children or our spouse that we never follow through with?  Are we a people whose actions verify their words? 

               Sometimes we create offenses that we can’t fix or make right, ‘but as much as possible live peaceably with all men.’  Roman 12:16-21 leaves us with this instruction about our human relationships, “Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” 

               Let’s be right and make things right as much as possible with others.  Let us really walk in love toward our neighbor and fellow human beings.  May they truly see Christ and not us.  This is pursuing holiness in the fear of God.

Blessings,

#kent

Fear Not

Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Fear Not

               The Lord reminds us today how many times He has exhorted us through His Word not to fear.  Fear takes place when we see our surroundings from a position of the natural and not a position of faith.  When God exhorts us to “fear not”, He is exhorting us to get our eyes back upon Him who is our strength and our salvation.

               The Psalmist, King David expresses this in Psalms 56:4, “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”  David expresses here an important principle to victory in our lives and circumstances, “In God I will praise His Word.”  Exalting God’s Word and promises over our trials and afflictions is the greatest weapon that we have.  Then we are making the declaration of faith by the authority of God’s Word and our trust is in Him.  This has far more power than we often realize.  There are times we might expect immediate results.  That can and does happen, but many more times we have released a dynamic in heaven that goes to work in our declaration of faith according to the Word and the will of God.  That dynamic may work through the natural realm to affect our circumstances according to what we have praised God’s Word for.   It doesn’t mean that God didn’t hear and honor His Word.  Often it is when we look back in our past we can see how God has worked in our life those things we didn’t see any change in at the time.  Never take lightly the authority and the power of God’s Word.  We only live in a free and democratic country today because of it. 

               Our fears are often present when our eyes are upon others and what we fear of them, rather than God.  This where it is imperative that we know who we are in Christ and take our stand and authority as believers and witnesses of the MOST HIGH GOD!  In Psalms 118:6, David says, “The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”  We must realize that our life is hid in Christ, in God (Colossians 3:1-4).  For satan to touch us, he first must go through the Lord to do so. 

               Remember that God has created you for a purpose and God will protect and even allow the enemy permission in the areas that will prepare you to fulfill your mission.  Listen to what David told his son Solomon when he passed the torch to him.  1 Chronicles 28:20 says, “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do [it]: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, [even] my God, [will be] with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” When we become secure in Christ in our revelation and in our faith in Him, we truly have no need to fear the world.  God has a purpose for our lives.  As we walk in obedience and faith to seek out and fulfill that purpose, we can know that God’s is moving on our behalf.  If God be for us, who can be against us? 

               Put away all your fears today.  Fix your eyes and your heart on Christ.  Fear not what men can do to you and praise God in His Word for it is your power and your authority.  “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ that loved us and gave Himself for us (Romans 8:37).”

Blessings.

#kent

This Day

Psalms 118:24

This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

This Day

               This morning when the alarm clock went off or you woke up and rolled out of bed, did you do it murmuring and begrudgingly or with a “Thank you Jesus for another great day with you?”  The attitude and spirit with which we start our day often determines our outlook and the mood we are in.  I’m sure we all remember with others in our household or ourselves, many times that we have resentfully gotten up in the morning full of bad attitudes and negativism.  Wasn’t that a delight? 

               When I used to go into work the standard greeting was, “Hi, so and so, how’s it going?”  Invariably you would hear back murmuring and complaining about having to come to work.   I decided I wanted to look at my day with a little more positive attitude than that.  When people would ask me, “How’s it going.”  I would reply with a smile and enthusiasm.  “It’s just another great day!  It’s great to be back isn’t it?”  I found that in that attitude, I not only encouraged myself, but I encouraged them to view their job from a different perspective.

               Everyday should be a new adventure in God, a new opportunity to succeed at what we maybe failed at yesterday, another opportunity to love and appreciate the people that God has placed us with.  In our daily routines we tend to lose our freshness, our spontaneity and our zest for life.  Lamentations 3:32-36 exhorts us this way, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, or his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; herefore I will wait for him.” 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” 

               God is so good to every one of us.  Even in our times of trials and testing, He is with us and He sustains us.  He is so worthy of our continual praise, adoration and thanksgiving.  Try starting your day out from the moment you awaken, praising and thanking Him for His goodness.  You are going to find your day a lot brighter and your attitude much better. 

Blessings,

#kent

The Peace that Passes Understanding

The Peace that Passes Understanding

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

               There is a place in the secret garden of God’s presence in us where we find of a refuge of His peace.  It’s a peace that we find only when we have found that place of full confidence and rest in the Father and all that He says He is and all that He has provided for us.  Philippians 4:3 exhorts us to “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.”  The joy of the Lord is what brings us into peace.  The joy of the Lord is what dispels the dark clouds of doubt, fear and unbelief.  The joy of the Lord is what instills in us confidence, assurance and yes, “peace”.  When the enemy, or circumstances, or other people can rob our peace, then they can defeat our faith.  Faith stands strong in the midst of peace.  Our peace is often quickly shattered because it is vulnerable to conditions and emotions that surround us.  Our peace can quickly turn to insecurity, doubt and fear, but not God’s peace. 

               A great example of this personal peace and God’s peace is seen in Jesus as He wages that great spiritual battle within for God’s comfort and peace.  We see the tremendous anguish of soul that beset Jesus as He is faced with the greatest, most terrible and horrifying task ever required of an individual.  He is staring in the face of insurmountable suffering, pain and anguish physically.  But beyond that suffering He is looking at the darkness of becoming sin and bearing the sin for every inhabitant of the human race, all of this from Him who knew no sin.  Worst of all, He is looking at a period where the Father Himself must turn away and separate His presence.  I doubt that few of us could even begin to imagine or grasp the tremendous weight and burden that was upon the Lord at that time.  It is no wonder that He sweat great drops of blood as He struggled with what He was facing. Everything in His mortal man must have been crying out, “NO, Anything but this.”  Yet He was not a man given to the outward man and the dictates of His own will, He was and ever would be completely and totally sold out to the will and purpose of the Father.  Through that spiritual battle that took place there in the garden where Jesus went to pray, Jesus found that peace that passes all understanding.  It was that peace, that complete rest in Father’s will and purpose that enabled Him to face and go the way of the cross when everything within His natural man wanted to turn away.  That is the kind of Peace that I believe Jesus left us when He told His disciples in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  There is a peace that Christ has left us in this world.  It is a legacy of His salvation and impartation of His great love.  It is a peace unlike the world’s peace that is fleeting and temporal.  It is a peace that cements us to the heart of God and the assurance that His presence abides with us always.  It is the assurance and comforts that Romans 8:31-39 speaks to us, “31What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us?

32God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things?

33Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself.

34Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us.

35Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war?

36The Holy Writings say, ‘Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed.’ (Psalm 44:22)

37But we have power over all these things through Jesus Who loves us so much.

38For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot!

39The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have the peace that our lives are hid in Him and nothing in heaven or earth can rob that from us who believe in Him.  Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

               Some of you are there in that garden today, like Jesus, struggling with tremendous tribulation and trials.  The Father wants you to find this place of peace that passes all understanding where you will find your rest in Him.  You can rejoice, even in the midst of the fire, because your heart has the assurance that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your situation.  It doesn’t matter if you understand how; it only matters that “HE IS”.  Your life is hid in Him and whether in life or death He is the peace that passes understanding.

Blessings,

#kent

Faith that Separates Us unto God

Faith That Separates Us unto God

Hebrews 11:24-29

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

               There is something in most of us that causes us to shrink back from the rejected, the unacceptable or unpopular ones of our society.  We may even have a compassion for them, but we don’t want to be identified with them because by association we fear the same rejection, ridicule and reproach they are suffering.  Our inclination is to be among the acceptable, the popular and well regarded of people.  We have seen this type of social behavior from the time we were little children all the way through into adulthood.  Think how Jesus’ life might have been different had He not chose to associate with sinners and tax collectors, if he would have just hob-knobbed and got in good with the upper religious class of His day.  Perhaps life would have not turned out so harsh for Him and perhaps we would still be perishing in our sins because we would have had no Redeemer of all of mankind.  If our Lord had been a respecter of persons, where would that have left many of us?

               In this passage in Hebrews 11 we view an example of an individual whose whole life was a diadem of faith.  Often, we associate Moses with the law and legalism, but his life was an Old Testament parallel of Christ.  Moses, even like Christ, had it all, authority, power, riches, might and dominion concerning earthly kingdoms.   Even like Christ he chose to be identified with the slaves and downcast people of God rather ‘than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.’  It says, “accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”  Egypt was a representation of the world and all that it has to offer us.  Many of us spend our whole lives trying to gain what Moses already had and gave up. 

               Moses was a man of vision.  If we have no vision then we will only pursue that which is directly in front of us.  Faith gives us vision to see with the mind and heart of God in order that we may pursue that which is eternal, but which is often ludicrous to natural minded men.  When by faith we begin to gain a God perspective of our world, our values and our goals change.  We begin losing our fear of what men think, what is popular or what will get us into the right social circles.  All of that becomes shallow, empty and hollow in the light of God’s vision.  By faith, we too, can begin accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.  The world is caught up in the lie that life is all about our personal success and us, when nothing could be further from the real truth.  Moses truly discovered life when he discovered a relationship with All Mighty God.  The world could have never given him, what he gained and experienced in God, but it personally cost him everything.  He bore the reproach of men, even the people of God, but the favor of the hand of God rested upon him.  He knew a relationship and friendship with God, that most men can only dream of, but Christ has made it possible for each of us through the Cross. 

               Today God’s call upon our lives is not to pursue the world or the things of the world, but to pursue Him and seek first the kingdom of God with all of our heart.  Jesus tells us in John 15:18-25, “18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’^[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

That badge of rejection and shame in the world is a badge of honor in the kingdom of God, for it declares that we love and care more of the praise and approval of God than we do of men. 

               Faith has the vision to bear the reproach and separation with the world that it might be identified with Christ and His eternal kingdom.  Our faith must not be one duplicity, but singleness of heart and purpose.  He bought us with the price of His blood.  We are no longer our own, but His.  Draw near in full assurance of faith, despising the shame and looking unto the ‘recompense of reward’ even as Moses.

Blessings,

#kent

Practical Application for a Holy Life

Practical Application for a Holy Life

Colossians 3: 1-3

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

       The first thing we need as Christians is a revelation of who we are in Christ.  In Christ, the former man with its natural affections has passed away and we are putting on a new man renewed in thought, purpose and deed; reflecting and producing the image of Christ.  Colossians 3 is a great application for who we are and what we are becoming, as well as what we need to be doing to get there. 

We start out by realizing positionally where we are at, “raised with Christ” who is seated at the right hand of God.  We are in Christ who is seated at the right hand of God.  We aren’t going to find many positions higher than that.  We, who are in that position, have come to a new mindset different from the one we formerly carried.  We must be a heavenly-minded people whose affections are on things above and not on things below, who walk after the Spirit and no longer after the flesh.  Many of us are still holding on to that old unrenewed mind and earthly affections.  It is bringing us down and robbing us of who we are and what we have “in Christ”.   It is only as we behold Him that the earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. 

Colossians 3 is an instructional in the practical ways we are to become heavenly-minded and have a renewed mind.  The first thing that it instructs us to do is often the hardest for us to put into practical application.  Verses 5-11 instruct us, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming, 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”  Do you happen to recognize any of these attributes still lingering around your life?   The hardest thing to put to death is our flesh.  It has an instinct for survival and it will do anything, compromise anyway, promise to be good, it just doesn’t want to die; yet it must.  We can see the value of keeping Christ and the Word of God constantly in front of us, so that we have a mirror of who we are in Christ and we don’t loose vision of where we are going and what our purpose now is.  These little daily devotionals are just one more means I pray the Holy Spirit uses to continually prompt and exhort us in His ways and not our former nature.  We tend to want to turn away and ignore the things that put a finger on our sin and our reluctance to yield certain areas of our lives to Christ.  We all have our little weaknesses, our idols, and those things that our flesh covets and doesn’t want to give up.  Yet, if we are unwilling, then we are living in rebellion and disobedience to Christ, we are not being true to who we are “in Christ”, thus we deny His best and His highest for us.

               These scriptures tell us what we must take off, but what about what we must put on.  God never takes anything away but what He doesn’t give us something better to replace it with.  Verses 12-17 instruct us, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” God is in affect telling us to be clothed now with His nature, which is the holy apparel that is consistent with heavenly citizenship.  The world around us must see something unique, different and special about the people who bear the name of Christ.  If we are no different than the world, then we haven’t really changed identity or clothing.  We are still living in the same old unredeemed man.  Its not all about us going to church, or just talking about Jesus, or telling the world they are sinners bound for hell unless they repent; it is about a lifestyle and behavior that exemplifies who and what we are in Christ.  That speaks so much more loudly than words.  Give me a person that truly lives Christ before me and that will more quickly move me to change than all the words and arguments they could give.  When you put on Christ you don’t just put on different behavior, you put on a holy presence.  It is a presence that exudes the love and power of the Spirit that you are of.  God now has place and platform to glorify Himself through you. 

               Colossians 3 concludes by these instructions to the households of believers and the reminder that at the end of this natural life there is a reward and an inheritance.  A reminder that it is Christ we serve and that if we choose to do wrong, that wrong bears its consequences without respect of persons.   Verses 18-24 instruct us, “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”

Thus we have simply laid out for us the guide for living the practical Christ centered life that is consistent with whom we now are.  Daily we present our bodies a living sacrifice and daily we renew our minds in Christ.  We apply these practical instructions with the help and power of the Holy Spirit, that in all things we might be conformed to His life and live consistent with the high calling that we have in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

#kent