Tag: Spiritual

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Strive To Fully Dwell

Mark 16:17-18

[17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Jesus said that in His name we would do many miraculous things. But do we actually fully understand what Jesus meant by “in my name they will…”? Here’s what I’m getting at. When someone speaks in tongues, they don’t start by saying “in Jesus name.” But when it comes to casting out evil spirits or healing the sick, we believe you HAVE to say “in Jesus name” or “in the name of Jesus.” But what if that isn’t what Jesus was talking about?

See, anyone can invoke the name of Jesus and get results. We saw this with the Seven Sons of Sceva, at least until they faced something stronger than they were prepared for. I don’t think Jesus is just talking on the surface level of “Say my name and x, y, and z will happen for you.” Jesus is not a magical genie that will perform commands you give, or grant any wish you make simply because you use His name.

Jesus said “in my name you will…” You have to be dwelling in His name to see results. You have to be dwelling in His name for the spirits to recognize you and the authority you have through/in Christ Jesus. It’s not about whether or not you say His name, it’s about whether or not you are dwelling in that name.

Here’s an example. Towards the beginning of their ministries both Paul and Peter use the name of Jesus when performing a miracle. Peter when healing a lame man and Paul when casting out an unclean spirit. Fast forward in their ministries when they have grown in Christ and are truly dwelling in His name. Peter’s shadow is healing the sick. Handkerchiefs that touched Paul’s skin is casting out demons.

The very two things they once had to speak to and invoke the name of Jesus in order to see results was now coming to fruition without even a word being spoken. The LORD was working through them. Jesus was dwelling through them. It’s the greatest example of “it’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives through me.” That is what we are aiming for. That’s what we’re running towards. That’s what we are striving for. To be so in tune with God that our shadows are charged with His Spirit. Our skin is charged with His Power.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Strive To Fully Dwell.

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Relight That Dwindling Fire

Hosea 10:12

[12]  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

So many of us desire revival. We want to see the Church on fire for the LORD and the book of Acts our reality once again. But little of us truly understand and comprehend that revival will cost you something. It’s not free, but costly.

What will it cost you? Rest. Me time. A missed meal or three. Your free time. Your relaxing time. Your “TV” watching time. Your “eating” time. And your time enjoying a good outing. It requires more than just a desire to see it take place. It requires a discipline that refuses to live without seeing it.

So, what are we to do? First, we must revive ourselves… before we can revive others, we must… ourselves be revived. We must enjoy being in the Presence of God again. Enjoy reading and studying His word. Enjoy the gathering of ourselves together. We must nurture the burden of prayer. We must have a love and a burden for lost souls. Our desires must be Christ-centered, not me-centered.

In other words, we have to light the fire again. We have to break up that fallow ground and return to our first love. We have to get off of the fence and choose to make and be a difference.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Relight That Dwindling Fire.

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Forget About The Season

2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV

[1]  I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Paul warns Timothy that he needs to be prepared in and out of season. What does that look like? The best example of this, is Jesus Himself. Jesus came to Israel and the fig tree didn’t have any fruit on the tree. So what did Jesus do? He cursed it.

The fig tree represented the Israelites. The physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Jesus came to them, they weren’t ready for the Messiah. They didn’t recognize Him. Instead, they hated Him. Accused Him and had Him killed. They weren’t prepared out of season.

The LORD is returning. He’s coming at a time we wouldn’t expect. At a time that just may not be when we’re in season, so what are we to do? Bear fruit. The LORD uses us and calls on us to be prepared whether we think the timing is good or not. So what are we to do? Bear fruit.

We are to constantly be on guard, bearing fruit, seeking the LORD, so that we might be ready for anything. Why? Because the LORD doesn’t work according to our time, but according to His own. Therefore, we must always be ready for the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Forget About The Season.

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Don’t Bow To A Place Holder

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. ~ Genesis 1:14-19

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as our sun in Psalms 84:11. Here’s what I find interesting about this: almost every single civilization worshipped the sun at one point in time. Even ancient Israel. In fact, God told Ezekiel that this was the greatest of the abominations the house of Israel was committing (Ezekiel 8:16). The worship of the sun had even penetrated the house of Israel. I believe that the sun was created as a sign to all of humanity and to be a type of symbol for God, if you will. I don’t believe it was ever created to be worshipped.

So, when the people of Israel began to choose the representation or symbol or foreshadowing instead of the actual God of the Heavens and Earth, the LORD’s anger began to burn against them. I believe that this is why the sun will eventually be no more. Isaiah 60:19-20 and Revelation 21:23 actually prophesy that the true Light of the World will take His rightful place as the only sun. The only separation of light and dark. The only Light that can truly destroy darkness.

There’s so much in our lives that are just a foreshadowing of the good things to come, and those things, oftentimes, actually end up taking away from the true essence that is to come. We cling to the temporary happiness of the world instead of the everlasting joy of the LORD. The lust of the flesh instead of the love of the LORD. This world promises so many counterfeits and pushes temporary but immediate pleasures that we forget the everlasting promises of the LORD. We trade the eternal for the temporary. The spiritual for the flesh. So, what are we to do? We search the Scriptures and seek the LORD for the good and perfect things to come to His people.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Bow To A Place Holder.

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Fight So He Will Fight

Genesis 29:31

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

When Jacob first met Rachel, Jacob weeps. He then willingly works 7 years for her, and because of how much he loves her, it feels like just a few days. When it comes time for Jacob to marry Rachel, her father, Laban, tricks him by giving him Leah instead. This now puts Leah in an uncomfortable situation. A very difficult one.

Now, we know the rest of the story. Jacob finishes his marriage week with Leah and then he receives Rachel, his one true love, as his second wife. The LORD saw the trickery take place. He saw the deceit and deception of Laban, and defended the innocent in his schemes.

See, sometimes, the enemy schemes against us and is successful. Sometimes, he puts us in a situation where we are unloved, unseen, or under appreciated. Now, granted, sometimes we do this to ourselves as well, we put ourselves in situations we shouldn’t have. Here’s the thing. God still sees you, even if others don’t.

Leah could have easily allowed resentment and anger fill her and consume her, but instead she chose to love, even when he (Jacob) didn’t love her. She chose to not give up, even when she saw her younger sister receiving all of the love and attention.

Leah’s story is a sad one. She really did nothing to deserve the hand she was dealt, but that’s life. We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. Leah reacted with persistence and love. And the LORD saw her from above and blessed her.

Leah is blessed with seven children, none die during childbirth, and she doesn’t die during childbirth either. Jacob honors her in the end. She’s buried with him and his ancestors. In fact, the Messiah comes through her, but her sister.

Leah may not have been loved the way Rachel was, but the LORD wouldn’t allow her to be forgotten. He wouldn’t allow her to be overlooked and pushed to the side. God made sure she was honored as the wife of Jacob. And in the end, I do believe Jacob honored her as his wife, as well.

Sometimes we’re in difficult situations that make us want to give up, give in, and claim defeat, but when we fight for our marriage, God begins to fight with us. When we pray for our spouse and we love even when it’s hard, God sees. He steps in and does the heavy lifting that we can’t do on our own. He makes a way where there is no way, softens hearts, and changes minds. God does not overlook us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fight So He Will Fight.

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Love God Above All

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. ~ Job 2:7-10

Job’s wife gets a bad reputation. She’s often the butt of the joke. The hidden villain. But when we look at this in context, she really wasn’t the villain. At least, she wasn’t trying to be. Think about it. She’s now lost all of her children. Her husband’s wealth is all gone. The lifestyle she was used to vanished. In a single day. Now, her husband’s health is under attack.

His entire body was covered in loathsome sores. Job describes his skin as turning black and falling off (Job 30:30). He was in agonizing pain. And the crazy thing is, they both seem to understand that it was a spiritual attack. His wife is probably in fear that he will die. That she will lose her husband just like she lost her children. So, she’s telling him to curse God and die from this. I don’t believe she meant a physical death. Otherwise, she’d have nothing and no one. I think she’s referring to spiritual death. Similar to the death threatened in the Garden of Eden. A death that would separate him from God but end his suffering.

I genuinely don’t believe this was from a place of evil. I think Job’s wife couldn’t take anymore of the suffering she’d endured, and she’d seen her husband endure. We often talk about Job’s suffering but never his wife’s suffering. It was her children as well. It was her wealth as well. She carried and bore each and every one of those children. She nursed them. Raised them. Watch them grow up, and then in a single day, they were gone. All of them. Not a single one spared. Now her husband is under attack. Do you not think she was desperate to save him?

Sometimes, our love for others can make us arrogant towards God, even if we don’t intend it to be. Even if we don’t mean to do so. Yes, it may have been with good intentions, but what is wrong is still wrong regardless of intention. When we go through hardships, when we suffer loss, when we are struggling to watch our loved one go through a test, we have to make sure our love for God is never lowered below the love of them. We can’t sacrifice following Him for the sake of the physical comfort of another. God must come first. When He comes first, we learn true love for others.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love God Above All.

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Unique Love

19 We love because He first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19

Christianity is a unique religion. It’s the only religion in the world that makes it a point to say that God loves all of His creation. That He loves all of mankind. Not just those that follow Him. Not just those who are doing good and obeying the rules. Not just those who are worthy and pure, but all of His creation. Everyone.

That’s unique. That’s specific to Christianity. Why? Because no other God has gotten off of His throne to make a way for all of humanity to be saved. For each and every person, regardless of their past, to have an opportunity to be saved. That is why we can boldly say our God is love (1 John 4:8). Because He is love, He loves. And because He first loved us, we in turn can love.

This is the difference between our God and all other gods. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving God. That is something to rejoice over. It is something to praise God for. We serve a God like no other.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love Because He Does.

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Seek Revival

17 And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ~ Acts 2:17-21

The Church today seems to be more dead than any previous generation. It seems to be more in danger of being spit out of the mouth of Jesus than all of the generations before. So, what are we to do? Is there even hope for our generation of the Church? A lot of pastors say there will be a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but I’m not so convinced. We have the Holy Spirit now. He didn’t go anywhere. He didn’t vanish. He didn’t stop working. He didn’t change. So, what did? We did. We changed.

We became lazy. Complacent. Worldly. We forgot our first love. We lost the passion, the drive, the desire for the things of the LORD, and became distracted by the things of life and this world. So, does that mean we have no hope? No. As long as there is breath in our lungs, we have hope. The Holy Spirit is still here. He is still working in our midst. He’s just waiting for us to seek revival.

According to the late great Charles Grandison Finney (he’s one of my Dad’s heroes), especially in his classic work “Lectures on Revivals of Religion,” published in 1835, he advocated that revival is not mysterious or accidental but occurs when God’s people meet certain spiritual conditions. The top five causes of revival, according to Charles G. Finney, are:

1. Extraordinary Prayer

  • Finney taught that revival is always preceded by prevailing, united, and persistent prayer
  • Prayer that is specific, faith-filled, and burdened, and is often led by a few deeply convicted believers
  • In other words, “Revival is born in prayer.”

2. Deep Conviction of Sin

  • According to Charles G. Finney, one of the greatest revivalist preachers to ever live, outside of brother Paul and the LORD’s Apostles, and maybe others like Philip the Evangelist, said:
    • Revival requires a profound awareness of sin, both personal and corporate. Honest repentance, confession, and forsaking of sin are necessary.
  • A brokenness before God: “There can be no revival without deep conviction of sin.”

3. Bold, Clear Preaching of Truth

  • Finney also emphasized the necessity for plain, direct preaching that is aimed at the heart and confronts the conscience. Preaching that appeals to the will, not just emotions. Obedience to God is demanded, and sin is named clearly.
  • We have to get back to the old-time preaching if we want to see revival.

4. Immediate Obedience to God

  • Mr. Finney sincerely believed that people must respond now, not later. You cannot put off conviction.
  • No delay in repentance must be tolerated, or the conviction will pass, and that soul will be lost.
  • Public and decisive commitment to Christ was the first and foremost priority. “Sinners must be made to feel that now is God’s time.”

5. The Church Must Bear Responsibility for Revival

  • Mr. Finney also taught that revival depends largely on the spiritual condition of believers, not unbelievers. Lukewarm Christians hinder revival. Revival begins when God’s people humble themselves before Him.
  • He also taught that “A revival is no miracle… it is the result of the proper use of the appropriate means.”

    Unlike his predecessors, such as Jonathan Edwards, Charles G. Finney was deliberate and intentional about bringing about and promoting his revivals. He had a methodology that he adhered to—a system to follow and often said that revival came about by “using the right spiritual means.”

    He was deliberate… intentional… and focused… That’s what we’re missing in the Church today. Intentional, deliberate, focused seeking of the LORD. Seeking of His Spirit, so that He might turn this heart of stone to flesh once again. So that He might renew a right spirit in us. So that we might see the Church awaken from its deep spiritual slumber.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Revival.

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    A Cold Flame

    The church in Ephesus had gotten into the “same old same old” routine. Jesus commends them for:

    • Their works
    • Their labor
    • Their enduring patience
    • Their resistance to evil
    • Their firm commitment to His Name

    But He also brought to their attention Their flaws. Their shortcomings. The church in Ephesus had settled into the “same old grind.”

    • They were busy
    • They were doctrinally sound
    • They were active
    • They were enduring

    But they had fallen from the heights they once soared at. In Jesus’ own words, they had abandoned their first love—the love they first had for Him.

    They had abandoned:

    • The passion
    • The drive
    • The desire
    • And the devotion they had at the beginning
    • They were going through the motions
    • They were having church as usual

    The danger with that is that your worship becomes stale, and outward—a thing to be seen and not experienced. Your song stirs the senses but never waters the thirsty soul. Your works are deeds that ease the conscience, but don’t fulfill the spirit.

    In time, your heart drifts. So, Jesus gives them the remedy: repent, and do the works you did at first. In other words, return to Me, and I will return to you. Remember what you used to do, not just what used to happen.

    Dear LORD, thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for being a forgiving God. Please forgive me for letting my love grow cold. Please forgive me for letting the fire die out and the flame quench. Please light the fire again. Please give me another chance to serve You with all that is within me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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    Work Your Land

    Proverbs 28:19

    [19]  Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

    Solomon said that whoever works the land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. What does that mean? Well, the word translated as “worthless” could be translated as “empty.” In other words, Solomon is talking about pointless, empty, vain pursuits that seem good, seem like it will reap a great reward, but instead it does the opposite.

    I don’t think Solomon is necessarily giving us financial advice, I feel like there’s a spiritual connection here. Imagine the land in this scenario is us. Mankind. Humanity. Each of us is a land, and if we don’t work our land so that it will bear fruit (Fruit of the Spirit), then we will be cut off the Vine and thrown into the fire (Hell).

    See, throughout the New Testament we are told to bear fruit. Water and tend to our faith. Uproot roots. We are told to treat ourselves like a field or land. And if we do, we will have pent of bread. We will have the Words of God feeling in us, sanctified and cleaning us. We will have treasure in heaven where moths nor worms can destroy. Eternal treasure.

    When we try to go through an easy way to get to God, a way that doesn’t include Christ, we are trying worthless or empty pursuits. When we try to do 5 step program to fix ourselves instead of going through Christ, we are chatting after world or empty pursuits. We are to follow Christ, and do the hard thing, which is work our land. Not find another way. Not find an easier path. We are to follow Christ, which means crucify the flesh.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Work Your Land.  

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