His Heart through our Hands

Matt.8:15 – And He touched her hand and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

    Jesus had just come into Peter’s house and, when he did, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying down with a fever. Doctor Luke in his description says she was ‘taken’ with a great fever, which in the original language pictures one who was held down and constrained under the power of a life-threatening fever. She was so debilitated by it that she was completely out of commission but Jesus, as always, was immediately aware of her condition. There are several different things occurring here that are worthy of our attention and consideration.

    He touched her. Touch implies connection, closeness, and tenderness. Isn’t this what everyone needs? We all so desperately need the touch of Jesus. He is always ready and ever reaching out to touch humanity. There is no one outside the scope of His touch; there is no one too sinful or too damaged. The touch of Jesus heals the sufferer; the touch of Jesus cleanses away all sin; the touch of Jesus restores dignity and destiny. He touched her.

    He touched her hand. His hand made contact with her hand. He didn’t grab her roughly and lift her up; he didn’t lay hands on her fevered brow; no, he simply touched her hand. This seems to suggest a calmness; a respect; a dignity with which Jesus ministered; he, himself, had dignity and he preserved her dignity by not creating great fanfare. Her hand was what brought her joy. It was her hand that gave her the ability to serve in a practical way to others, and she had used her hands all of her life to bless and nurture her family; she had found her niche in life by extending her hand to those around her. He touched her hand.

    The fever left her. It almost seems to imply that the fever had personality; it knew that it must respond. The fever was aware that a greater power had arrived and, just as when light enters the room, darkness must flee. The touch of Jesus always causes the enemy to leave. The touch of Jesus always triumphs over every work of the adversary. When the fever left, health came flooding back in; the hindrance to health and strength was dealt with. The fever left her.

    She arose. She didn’t stay in bed. She didn’t say, ‘I must rest and recuperate’. She didn’t even look for any sympathy. She had no reason now to be in bed. ‘The fever that held me down is gone so I will arise’. She arose by an act of her will. Moments before she was under the power of the fever; completely incapacitated; without options; and now she has a choice and she used her choice to arise and be a part of the household and a contributor to her community. She arose.

    She ministered unto them. What a beautiful picture of a grateful lady. I’m sure that this desire to serve was not new to her; she had always served. Like many of the women we know, she worked hard in so many ways; cleaning, cooking, helping, serving, always putting others ahead of herself. That is why it is significant that Jesus touched her hand. That was part of her gifting and her place of joy and service;  to use her hands. She did not use her restored health for self-serving purposes. She didn’t go to the mall, so to speak. No! She used her renewed strength to serve in menial ways to others. She put others needs ahead of her own. She ministered unto them.

    Peter’s mother-in-law was one of those who ministered anonymously and silently; behind the scenes. She may remain nameless to us, but there is no doubt that she was not nameless to those of her family and those within her circle of friends. They knew her name and they knew her reputation; they saw her self-less service and they benefited from her ministering hands. Heaven also knows her name for no service ever goes unseen by Jesus. He sees the servant’s heart. These are the ones whom the Lord Jesus uses as vessels of His ministering heart. His heart reaches and touches humanity through our hands; His ministering heart through our ministering hands; what a privilege; what a joy; what a life!

Lean Back and Watch God Perform His Promise

Romans 4:21 - And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

    This statement of Paul comes out of a very powerful section of scripture which describes Abraham and his walk of faith. As we read of the life and the circumstance of Abraham and how he was called by God to pioneer a path of faith for all of us to follow, it is no wonder that he is held in such high esteem all over the world even to this day.

    God had spoken to Abraham about the fact that an heir would come out of his own body; he would father his own son. Then God said, ‘Look at the stars and count them if you can; so shall your seed be’. That statement is the promise that is spoken of in this verse and in the light of that, we might wish to reconsider our idea of what a promise is. We’ve heard it said that all of God’s promises are conditional; God promises, we meet the condition and He fulfills the promise. This is our culture’s basic understanding of a promise. We do a similar thing with our children; if you clean your room then you can have a snack after dinner; if you do well on your grades then we will buy you a new bicycle. There is certainly an aspect of this that is correct; there is indeed an ‘if’ in many verses of scripture.

    However, let’s look closer at this particular promise of God. ‘So shall your seed be’. It is not really a promise in the way we normally think of it; it’s actually a statement, an announcement or a declaration. This is the way it is. ‘So shall your seed be’. As Abraham heard that statement, it produced something in his heart; he became fully persuaded. What was he fully persuaded of? He was completely convinced that what God declared, He was more than able to bring it to pass. This took all of the responsibility right out of Abraham’s hands and placed it all exactly where God wanted it; in His hands.

    Anybody can make bold declarations but not everybody can back them up; not everybody has the ability to bring these declarations to pass. Abraham recognized who it was that made the declared promise. God said it; the Creator of the universe was the source of this declaration; God Almighty had spoken, and He is well able to fulfill His promise. Years ago there was a popular saying that went like this, ‘God said it, I believe it and that settles it’, but maybe we should re-phrase it; ‘God said it and that settles it’. I believe that this is what happened for Abraham; he heard God speak; he recognized who said it and he fully relied on the character and the ability of the speaker; that settled it.

    A man by the name of James Stewart once wrote something which will help us here. He said that, ‘The constant watchword of the New Testament is not “We are able”, but what you do find over and over again is, “He is able”, and when [the writers] say it, they are looking away from themselves to God’. God is the one who has all ability, capability, power and might; He is able. We must look away from ourselves and look to Him. This is the persuasive thought that came into Abraham’s heart that produced an unshakeable conviction that this promise of God will surely come to pass. What are some of these promises of God for us today? ‘All your children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children’, ‘By whose stripes you were healed’, ‘My God shall supply all your need according to His riches’. We are not the performer of these promises; He is. We don’t make it happen; God does. We don’t have the wisdom to make it happen; we don’t have the power to make it happen; we don’t have the resources to make it happen; our Heavenly Father does. Our part is simply to accept and agree with what He promises and let that Word persuade us and keep us calm as we lean back in the arms of our Father and allow Him to fulfill His promise. Thank you, Lord! You are definitely more than able!

For Every Broken Heart That Has Ever Asked Why?

Matt.27:46 – And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying ‘Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?’ that is to say, ‘My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?’

    This is one of the seven things that Jesus said while he was agonizingly hanging on the cross. These few, sacred statements from Jesus have proven to be a rich heritage of blessing, strength and comfort to us. Many sermons and books have been written about them and what a powerful and enlightening study it is.

    This cry of Jesus has been called the cry of anguish or the cry of despair and it was indeed a haunting cry. A cry is something deeper than words; it is an expression of the heart which surpasses language. Every person on the earth knows what a heart cry is. It is a cry of instinct more than one of intellect. It is a cry of longing more than one of logic. This heart cry transcends all language barriers; it transcends all belief systems; we can immediately identify with anyone who suffers no matter their culture, speech or nationality. The book of Romans tells us that the entire creation is groaning; suffering under the burden of sin and suffocating from the weight of wickedness. That groan is this very cry which we are considering. Jesus, being the most spiritually sensitive man ever, was acutely aware of this period of abandonment, and he cried and groaned in total identification with forsaken mankind.

    I have heard it pointed out that if you read through the Gospels carefully, you will never see Jesus address the Father as God. He always tenderly addressed him as Father, but in this dark hour of his life He cried out to the God of the universe. Mankind is fallen and has lost his filial relationship with the Father. He cannot truly be called Father by anyone other than His children. He may be God to the entire world but He is Father only to the family. Something mysterious was transpiring within Jesus that was so terrible, so sacred, so beyond description that we must be very careful how we tread here. A thick darkness had covered the land for three hours restricting the onlooker's sight; it may be that God mercifully hid the eyes of humanity from catching sight of things which are beyond our ability to fully understand.

    To ask the question 'why' is to ask the basic question of the fallen race. Why me? Why is this happening to me? Why is life so difficult? Why do I keep repeating destructive patterns? Why are all these terrible things happening in the world? Why? To pose the question 'why' is to inquire about causes; reasons that things are the way they are. We want to make sense out of our lives and circumstances. We want to find meaning and purpose in the midst of suffering. Someone has said that a man can put up with almost any ‘what’ as long as he has a ‘why’. Jesus knew why he had to suffer; he had told his disciples ahead of time that he was going to be killed and rise again, but darkness had encircled the land; darkness had come heavily upon him; darkness had enclosed his heart and now darkness was coming out of him. Why, God, why?

    The question of why that comes from the inside of any man always comes with his own limited perspective; he doesn’t see the big picture and therefore he doesn’t understand. Perspective is what one sees from their point of view; from their standpoint. I read years ago that discussing Bible truths is like climbing a mountain; if you climb up one side you see one view, but if you climb up from another side you see a different view. There are always a variety of views to look at from man’s partial perspective. However, there is God’s unlimited viewpoint and His infinite perspective. There was a specific reason that Jesus was forsaken on that day; the purpose of God was being fulfilled. God was carrying out His great plan of redemption in this sacred and horrific moment. There was a definite and meaningful why.

    Fallen man is forsaken man; he is forlorn man; he is forgotten man. Why have you done this to me? Jesus is representing the entire race of lost humanity who blame God for all their loss and agony. Why did you not protect me? Why are you allowing this to happen? The sense of forsakenness and abandonment is what stands between God and mankind. We sometimes have heard the phrase, ‘a God-forsaken world’, but maybe it is actually the Father God who is forsaken by the world. Maybe He is a ‘world-forsaken God’. The Father God is truly the ultimate sufferer; he loves much, therefore he suffers much. This moment of forsakenness was equally difficult for both the Father and the Son. The Son’s heart cried out in deep distress as He represented every terrible and tragic thing that man has ever experienced as a victim and committed as a culprit. The Father’s heart suffered in silent pain as He watched His Son carry the burden and the crushing weight; the culmination of every wrong choice; the sin and the hurt of the entire world.

    Tragedy, atrocity, calamity, brutality and heartbreak are the sad realities of life on earth. One doesn't have to look very far to see that there is sorrow on every continent, pain in every country and grief in every home. Our deepest consolation comes to us as we understand that Jesus suffered these same things, he experienced the complete range of human emotions and he continues to suffer with us. He understands you, he understands me. Jesus was forsaken, deserted, abandoned and rejected so that we could be fully accepted and lovingly embraced; included in the family and affirmed by the Father. No matter what you may be facing today, however dark and heavy your heart may be, however many questions may be in your mind, I pray that you would cry out to the Father and receive His peace, His strength and His assurance that He is right there, walking with you through it all. He is there, as close as a whisper and He is ready to answer. Amen!

    

Are You a Person Under Authority?

Dedicated to all those who have served in defense of their country...thank you!

Mat 8:9, 10 -   For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

   This account is well known as being the source for many sermons on the subject of faith. Jesus commended the Centurion in a way that was quite rare and it should definitely capture our attention. What was it about this man and the way he conducted himself that so impressed Jesus? As we study the entire passage and also the description given to us by Luke, we gain an understanding and a glimpse into the character of this unusual man. We see his humility, we see his compassion, we see his generosity and we see several other noble character traits, however, it was his faith that Jesus specifically applauded. Jesus did not praise his humility, or his compassion or his generosity; he praised and affirmed his faith. There was something so unique and different about this Centurion’s faith that Jesus felt compelled to comment; he was amazed; he was impressed. Contrary to some people’s thinking, Jesus is not all that easily impressed. Think about it; Jesus had seen it all, he had ministered to the multitudes and dealt with many fascinating people but never had he seen the quality of faith that this man exemplified. What produced this great faith?

    We have some insight into the kind of thinking and mindset that created the Centurion’s faith by his own comments regarding his understanding of authority. Luke’s account actually gives us a few extra words worth considering. ‘I also am a man set under authority’. The Centurion was a military man and he evidently viewed Jesus also as a man placed under authority similar to the military. The Centurion understood his place in the chain of command; he was both under men of greater rank and he was over men of lesser rank. When orders were issued to him he obeyed without rationale or hesitation; when he issued orders they were also obeyed. Orders are commands and commands are not suggestions. There are only two responses to a command; obedience or disobedience; we either submit or rebel; we either surrender or resist.

    No military man can promote himself; he rises through the chain of command in accordance with his compliance to superior officers and his ability to execute commands. He is set in his rank, he is arranged under others and assigned a particular station. The Centurion became the commander of one hundred men by years of loyal service and experience. There is something about the demeanor of a military man who understands that he is supported by the authority of the nation and also that he carries the authority of the nation. He walks tall; he walks dignified; he walks calmly; he receives orders and he gives orders; ‘Go, come, do this’. These are not requests they are directives. This Roman officer saw Jesus in the same light. He saw him as being supported and backed by the authority of Heaven. He saw Jesus as being a man who understood his place; he was set there by God. He also saw sickness as something inferior and of lesser rank; Jesus could simply speak a word of command and the sickness would have to obey and servant boy would be healed.

    How enlightening and helpful all of this is to us. The greatest commendation and sense of admiration, which ever came from the Lord Jesus, came to a man who was an outsider; a man who the elite religious community would tell us was not welcome or worthy; a military man of Rome who was considered an oppressor of Israel; and yet, his understanding of authority transcended all of the above. Great faith is not something to be pursued by us; it is something that is produced in us. It is a consequence of seeing all things in their proper order. Great faith was produced in this man by taking the patterns and methods of his own life and showing him the parallel to God’s way of operating. He did not have to look far to gain this faith; he did not have to work hard to gain this faith; he did not have to burn the midnight oil in study; he simply saw with clarity the way things are from God’s perspective. Obviously, that clarity of insight comes from God; we don’t unveil these things to ourselves. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of truth and as we position ourselves to hear from Him, He gives us glimpses and enables us to see and understand the Word of God. When that understanding and insight comes, genuine faith is produced within us; the lies and false perspectives of this world fall away and we walk forward into our future and into our destiny with confidence and security. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Acts 20:28 - Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

    Paul’s address to these leaders, spoken so many years ago, has given many ministers since, much encouragement and guidance. What a treasure to have this rare glimpse into the heart of Paul as he shepherds the overseers of Ephesus, and gives us much needed admonishment and instruction for our lives today. There are some strong words of exhortation and warning telling us that we must take heed. What does it mean to take heed? It means to be aware and alert and to take special note of something. When a sentence is prefaced with these words then unusual attention is required. This word is used elsewhere in scripture warning us to beware. To take heed, then is to beware. What are we to beware of? We are to beware or, be aware of ourselves. First and foremost we are to guard over our own lives as leaders. The obvious tendency, for those who have been charged with the care of a flock, is to put others ahead of themselves. That almost seems correct except that Paul says that is not the way to go. We must have the wisdom to see that if we do not take care of our own lives first, eventually there will be no one to care for others. We can be of no good to anyone if we neglect our personal lives to the point where we begin to breakdown. Call it what you will; burnout, compassion fatigue, running on empty, or just simply worn out, we are not designed to constantly live our lives at break-neck speeds, while bearing the load of ministry. There is another aspect of this, as well; we must take heed that we are not being negligent, lazy or possibly even, over-bearing or dictatorial. Take heed to yourself. Be aware of your own propensities and tendencies. Be self-aware. There is a big difference between being self-aware and self-conscious; one is a blessing and the other is a curse; one will give me the tools that will free and enlarge me, and the other will take those same tools and tighten the chains that bind and restrict me. Self-awareness is a blessing, because if I am not aware of my own patterns, habits and tendencies then, I can never change them.  It is only as I am aware, taking heed, and keeping a close watch on myself, that I can observe objectively and change accordingly.

    George Mueller said something along this line that has pertinence for us today. He said that the first thing that he would do in the morning is take some time to meditate on the word of God. He would do this not for the purpose of preaching but for the purpose of feeding his own soul. He stressed the fact that if his own soul were not well fed then the work of God could be done in a wrong attitude or spirit. This certainly seems to answer many questions for us. How many times has the work of God been done in a wrong spirit and done more damage than good? We are spiritual beings and we communicate not just in words but in spirit as well. Attitudes are transferable by association and contact. Someone has once said that some things are better caught than taught; and of course, in a positive sense, this is great. We catch a right attitude and posture from those around us; however the opposite is also true; we can catch a wrong spirit or attitude from others. As leaders it is so vital that we take heed to our own spiritual health and to keep a right attitude towards both the work that needs to be done and the people that are involved with us in it.

    This exhortation of Paul may also include a broader sense of taking heed to ourselves as a team of leaders. Elders, overseers, board members, department heads, worship teams, home group leaders and all the many volunteers are joined together crucially to facilitate the work and ministry of the local church. Our relationships with our ministry teams are so very important and vital. The enemy is always seeking to divide us and to stir up strife and hurt feelings amongst us. Paul wrote to the Philippians commanding them to, ‘let nothing be done through strife or vain glory’, which, as one minister said, is about how most of the church work gets done. James also said that where envy and strife is there is confusion and every evil work. Take heed; be aware of the strife that will inevitably surface in an attempt to destroy the work of God. Let us not continue to shoot ourselves in our own foot and become, as Jesus said, the foes of our own household.

    After we have paid attention to our own lives, as leaders, then we must not be neglectful of the condition of our flock, who are the ones whom the Holy Spirit has charged us to oversee. In our roving culture and non-stopping society, it has become increasingly difficult to gage the status and spiritual condition of people. Those who are regular and consistent attenders of our weekly gatherings can be more easily cared for because we see them and interact with them every week. However there are those who are not always in our Sunday morning gatherings due to a number of reasons. Take, for one example, the issue of employment. Years ago most of us worked regular daytime hours with at least Sundays off, but now we have a twenty-four hour, seven day work week. For many, there is no such thing as a weekend, the week actually never ends. Soccer, hockey, dance, extra-curricular school activities for the children, keep today’s families on the go constantly. I’m almost getting worn-out just writing about it. The beautiful people and families of our churches are feeling haggard and weary; some through a lack of knowledge; some through pressure from the workplace; but all of it is still a choice. One of the best things we can do for our congregations is continue to teach and preach on Biblical priorities; encouraging and exhorting people to take back their lives and bring them under the authority of God. I have a book in my library entitled, ‘In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed’. Just the title alone blesses me.

    Take heed to yourself, take heed to your flock. Whether its eating a meal, a morning devotion, a conversation with your child, or kissing your wife; slow down. Enjoy the journey, stop and smell the roses, pace yourself; the race of life is not a one-hundred yard dash; it is a long distance, cross-country marathon. Let’s be healthy and finish well and let’s finish well together!

God's Laws of Process and Growth

John 12:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.

   Jesus speaks to us of a seed and its process; it must fall into the ground and die. Both of those ideas are rejected by our positive-thinking, you-can-do-it culture. Firstly, we do not want to fall and, secondly, we certainly do not want to die, but Jesus says it is essential that both happen. The seed will remain an isolated and solitary seed if it does not surrender to this seemingly contradictory route. The seed has to leave one environment and enter another environment in order for it to change and grow. Do we wish to continue to cling to what we know? Are we going to hang on to the comfort of familiarity? You have probably heard people say, ‘I would rather stick with the devil I know than the devil I don’t know’, meaning that even though circumstances may be hard and undesirable, many times we are afraid to step out into something that we do not know so, we stay with the undesirable thing that we do know. Sadly though, we will never know the possibilities of what could be if we remain in the same known place, abiding as a seed. There was an Abraham within Abram, but, he would never have developed into the father of a multitude had he not left the familiar status quo behind. Elisha left his parents and his oxen, David left the sheepfold, Peter and John left their nets, Saul of Tarsus left the Pharisees and all of God’s men and women must leave in order for the promise of Jesus to be fulfilled; ‘he shall receive an hundredfold’.

    The seed represents astounding potential. The DNA of a full-grown oak tree is in the acorn, but there are laws of process that need to be observed, submitted to and obeyed. It is the will of God for that seed to grow and to become all that lies dormant within it, but there are laws of God that determine the unfolding of his will. If that seed never falls into the soil, thus surrendering itself to the death procedure, the capabilities and possibilities of the seed will never be released. The fall, the yielding, the surrendering of the seed must take place first; we must say with Jesus, ‘not my will but thine be done’. The seed, by remaining a seed, controls what it will always be; however, we need to release control if we are to become what God wants us to be.

   The seed must enter into the ground, into the unseen territory and into a new environment. God works through environment; nothing develops on its own. Neither the seed nor the man will ever grow without being placed around the right people and within the right setting. Once the seed has fallen into the soil, it must begin to die. Oh! How we recoil from that word and from the idea of death, but when we understand that death simply means a separation, then we gain a new appreciation for the method that God has chosen. It will be necessary for the seed to be stripped of its protective shell in order for the nutrients of the soil to penetrate and do their mysterious work. We will never reach the levels of development that are written into our DNA until we remove our self-defense systems and become vulnerable.

    If we do not submit to this God-ordained way, Jesus informs us that we will abide alone, which is another way of saying that we will remain a single, solitary seed; lots of potential but sadly, no change and no results. However, if we do yield and surrender entirely, placing ourselves in the soil of God’s choosing, we can expect a life of consistent growth, undeniable influence, multiplied productivity and deeply satisfying fulfillment. 

What is it That You Want?

Matt.20:32 – And Jesus stood still and called them and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

    There is something about the nature of Jesus and the way that He works that insists upon us choosing and being specific. The two blind men had just cried out for mercy and Jesus had heard them. He obviously understood that they wanted mercy but, apparently, mercy comes in drops or showers and it can cover a lot of ground.

    What do you want mercy for? Do you want the mercy that cleanses the soul from any taint of sin that you may have committed? Do you want the mercy that extends compassion toward you in the form of a meal to eat or a place to sleep? Do you want the mercy that lifts you out of the hopeless mindset of the beggar and restores vision and purpose to your floundering soul? Or, do you want the mercy that heals the diseased condition? What is your want? What is your desire?

    Mercy is general but faith is specific. The cry for mercy gets God’s attention but the cry of faith gets God’s answer. Mercy moves you in God’s direction but faith moves God in your direction. God is a Father who wants to deal with us as mature children. When your adult children want your help, all they have to do is ask. You won’t necessarily, do it for them; you desire for them to honour your relationship by asking. In the book of Exodus when God revealed Himself as, ‘I am that I am’, I believe that He is implying that He will be to us whatever we need or desire Him to be, all within the confines of his will, of course. He will meet us on whatever level of faith we are at. Jesus said to the blind men, ‘What will ye that I shall do unto you?’ I can be a comfort to you in your blindness, or I can be a healer to you of your blindness. I can be a provider to you of your daily needs or I can bring you to a place of providing for your own needs. I can give you a hand-out that will temporarily satisfy your hunger or I can give you a hand-up that will change your life forever.

    It would appear that our choices ultimately determine both the quality and the direction of our life. We may not be responsible for all that has happened to us but we are in charge of our response. In fact, when we analyze the word responsible, we can see that response is included. Dr. Edwin Cole once said that maturity doesn’t come with age but, maturity comes with the acceptance of responsibility. If that statement is true, then every time we respond in obedience to God, every time we respond to pressure and difficult situations, we grow; we increase our capacity for handling more; we develop and become more mature.

    Whether or not the blind men knew it, when they asked for sight, they asked to become responsible for their lives. They would no longer be looking to others for their sustenance but would become responsible contributors and participants in society.

    What are you asking for from the Lord? Please do not misunderstand me; God is so good and he is way better than we have known; he will bless us in ways that we would never consider for ourselves. His mercy will free us from poor choices and neglect, his mercy will rescue us; he is indeed a Saviour. However, there will come a time in our walk with him that he will require us to mature by accepting complete responsibility for our lives. We must stop pointing the finger and blaming others for where we are at, be it our finances, or our marriage, or any area of our life. There are some people who constantly blame others; it’s my boss’s fault or, my parents or, the government or, my church. Enough of that! What will ye? What do you want? Decide. Choose. Use your power and take action. How long will you hesitate?

    Lord, have mercy on us. Give us the mercy that enables us to take charge of our lives and to accept responsibility to cooperate with you in the fulfillment of your will and plan for each one of us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

No Vacancy for the Enemy

   Mat 12:43-45 -   When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

    Quite often when we read this portion of scripture we relegate it only to those poor souls who are completely taken over and have become demon possessed, but there is unique insight and powerful principles here for all of us to consider and learn.

    Firstly, we can see the nature of the enemy in that he is a restless entity; ever seeking, never finding; an eternal vagabond, always aware of a gnawing sense of agitation. That is Satan’s disposition and that sensation is what he attempts to foster in the heart of man. If you have ever had any acquaintance or dealings with a restless person, you know that it is seems almost futile to help them; true rest can only come from above, and only a restful person has genuine authority and lasting victory over the adversary.

    Another thing that we see with respect to the nature of the enemy is that he desires to own, possess and occupy man. He is ever seeking to influence, manipulate and control whomever he can; accordingly, then, the enemy, once dealt with, must continue to be dealt with. We can exercise authority and cast him out but, subsequently, we must exercise vigilance and keep him out. The enemy desires to return and to come back in to the same place that he once ruled, and because he is a persistent opponent, watchfulness and attentiveness are just two of the necessary elements that will secure our continued freedom.   

    Not only does the unclean spirit want to return but, he wants to reinforce his previously held stronghold; bringing the man into a worse state than the first. So again, we get a glimpse into his strategy and tactics. The enemy has an intention to strengthen his wicked purpose and ultimately bring utter devastation and ruin to the man. Make no mistake friends, there is a war and we are the targets; our foe hates all that even remotely resembles the image of God in man. We may have met some harsh, hard-hearted people but they pale in comparison with just how malicious, menacing and ruthlessly cruel this evil spirit truly is.

    When the unclean spirit had the rule of the house disorder and uncleanness was the norm. Once that spirit was gone the man was able to clean up his life and set things in order, however that is not enough. Any house, even if it is located in a posh neighborhood, must be occupied to ensure its safety and maintenance. Thieves love to find clean, orderly and vacant houses, because unoccupied houses have no one home to defend them. The problem with this house was not that it was clean and orderly, the problem was that it remained empty. There is an old saying that tells us that nature abhors a vacuum, but so also does the human heart; something will inevitably fill it.

    The principle we are being taught here is what we might call the Law of Displacement. When the children of Israel were commanded to go in and possess the Promised Land, the first thing they had to do was deal with the occupants of the land; they had to drive out the enemy. Once the enemy had been driven out he was to be kept out by their occupation of the new land, in other words, they displaced the enemy. We could also describe this law another way; how would one get the air out of a glass? You couldn’t shake it out. You could turn the glass upside down but, still the air would not come out. The only way to get air out of a glass and keep it out is to fill the glass with another substance, such as water. The water displaces the air, takes up residence and thus, prevents its return.

    Holy Spirit, please come and fill our hearts with your presence, fill our minds with your thoughts and fill our lives with a renewed sense of purpose. Let this next season be one of an awakening to all that God has for us. Let us be filled, be focused and remain free, in Jesus’ name, amen!

Are You Building to Last?

Mat 7:24 – 27 - Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

    These are the last few verses of Jesus famous discourse to his disciples which we call; The Sermon on the Mount. Only God can calculate the value of these statements and the impact that these words have had, and continue to have, on Earth’s inhabitants. Let’s look closer at how Jesus concludes this ‘sermon’.

    Jesus contrasts two different people; the wise and the foolish. Many times when we read this, we mistakenly assume that Jesus is talking about believers and unbelievers. A closer examination, however tells us that Jesus is speaking of believers. Unbelievers are not sitting at the feet of Jesus hearing his teaching. So this instruction and warning is for all of us as believers. Which type of man will I be? Will I be wise or foolish? I, alone, am in charge of that choice.

   The wise man built his house on the rock, so the question arises, ‘What is the rock?’ Most believers respond to that question by saying that the rock is God. It is true that in the book of Psalms, God is known as the Rock of our salvation; our steady, unchanging, always reliable and permanent security. However, in this verse, God is not the rock upon which the wise man built his house. The rock is his personal application and consistent practice of the words that he heard; it is the bending of his will to the Lord and the forming of his integrity. He did not simply hear but he acted on the word of God, thus constructing his life and character on the security and permanence of eternal foundations.

   Apparently, wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing. Both men heard the words of Jesus, so they both had knowledge, but only one had wisdom. Knowledge alone does not guarantee that we are building securely; in fact, we could be building on shifting sand, all the while quoting Bible verses. In contrast, wisdom is always looking way down the road ahead. Wisdom plans and builds for the future, even peering into the distance and preparing for eternity. The wise man did not take the easy route by digging a foundation in loose soil; no, he took the harder route by digging deep and chipping into the rock, slowly laying his foundation in the bedrock of faithfulness. We can imagine that the foolish man’s house seemed to be making better progress; he had his roof on before the wise man was finished with his foundation. In our fast-paced, get-it-done-now culture, slow and steady progress may be just what we need.

   Both men heard the word of God and built their lives; one by commission and diligence; the other by omission and negligence. From the outside both houses looked the same; it was only in the hidden realm that there was an infinite difference; and it was only when the storm came that the difference was revealed. The storms of life will inevitably come to all of us, at various intervals of our lives, and wise is the one who foresees such storms. Wisdom is not taken by surprise but foolishness always is. A fool builds on the sand, presuming that no storm will come, and even if it does, he seems to think his house will stand.

    I have heard it said that in one Oriental language there is only one symbol that stands for both crisis and opportunity. When the trouble and the tests come it reveals our character and it is our character that predetermines whether it will be a crisis causing our lives to crash or whether it will be an opportunity causing our resolve to be strengthened by God. Dr. Edwin Louis Cole once wrote, “There are no spur-of-the-moment decisions, but every decision is based on a lifetime of previous decisions which either enhanced or diminished one’s character”.

    I pray that we would awaken to a deeper resolve to continue to build on the firm foundation. If we have sinned and made mistakes, as all of us have, then make this an opportunity to repair the faulty foundations and get back on a path of wisdom; building the unseen life one brick at a time. It will definitely be worth it!

Crisis and Opportunity

Proverbs 5:22 - His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.

    The world we live in and, sadly, many sectors of the church,do not like to even acknowledge that sin exists and still has power. Many laugh and mock at the idea of sin but, if all of us were honest; we would admit there is an unseen and undetected power that tempts and drives men to commit horrendous and shameful acts against ourselves and one another. We can say that we don’t believe in poison but we will die if we ingest it regardless of our beliefs. In the final analysis men will suffer the consequences of continuing in their sin. Responsibility rests with the individual to choose the wisdom of God in avoiding certain evils. 

    In this very pointed chapter of Proverbs, we have frank and straight forward instruction and warning to shun sexual sin of every form. The strange and seductive woman has boldly come into our homes through the television and the computer screen, and we are the ones who have opened the door. We are the consumer, we are the reason that pornography and all sexually explicit material sells. We are the purchasers of sin. Iniquity is the power that holds men and keeps men shackled within a prison of addiction and weakness. Why does man do the things that he does? How can man treat himself and his fellow man and woman with such lack of respect and value? It could only be because of iniquity, which is the power within our fallen natures that clearly exhibits that something has gone terribly wrong. It is the propensity and the tendency to crave what we do not have. It shows itself in the fact that we are attracted to things that will eventually destroy us. Someone has written that habits are first threads then cables; easily broken at first and almost impossible to break later. We form the habit and then the habit forms us. 

    Sin is a powerful and compelling force that always has and always will entice men of all ages and all cultures. Sins' insidious power pervades and reaches to the highest levels and echelons of our society and it dives down into the lowest and darkest sectors of our culture; it is no respecter of persons; sin hates all men equally, Christian and non-Christian alike. Satan is the archenemy of God and the nemesis of mankind. He despises man; he deviously delights in the destruction of everything that is good and fair and kind.     Eventually if a sin is persisted in, the cords of that sin will hold the man captive. It will control the man and keep him in a cursed state. Regardless of what it looks like on the outside, he will be continually wrapped up, entangled and confined to a very tiny space, when all the while it is the will of God for that man to be blessed and free and ever-expanding in prosperity and influence. Sin, especially sexual sin, keeps men from becoming all that God intended for us. It restrains mature character and the full expression of the image of God. It diminishes true manhood. It promises much but delivers little. It is deceptive by nature and destructive in result. All of us need a Saviour; one who will free us from all iniquity and, thank God, Jesus has already done it! The power of sin has been neutralized. The shackles of sin have been broken. The prison doors are open. Captive humanity is now free to go. Why would we continue to stay inside?

    The crisis of life come to all of us, whether it be in the form of a sickness, the loss of a job, the end of a marriage or the shock of a fallen brother. When we find ourselves in turmoil because of a crisis, we have an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-examine our lives, and take a close and prayerful look at our spiritual condition. I want to exhort you to take advantage of this opportunity, as I am doing, and as Isaiah has exhorted us; 

 "Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, So he'll have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he'll pardon abundantly." Is.55:6,7

Can you say, Amen?

Luke 1:35-38 - And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

    Mary asked how this would happen and the angel answered; the Holy Spirit, that’s how. This will not be the result of the action of a man; it will be a result of the action of the Holy Spirit. Just the mention of the Holy Spirit should be enough to answer all of our questions. He will find a way; He will make a way to bring about the word and the works of God in our lives. He is ever-present in our lives to reveal the will and plan of God to us. Mary, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you as when He would come upon the prophets of old and they would work miracles or perform superhuman feats.

    The power of God shall overshadow you. Mary would not have known that this was the same word that was used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in Genesis 1:2 – ‘The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters’. Moved could also be translated hovered or fluttered, as a mother bird would crouch and huddle over her eggs, or as the Latin Vulgate says; incubat. God incubates new worlds and He can incubate anything within us. Whatever we need can be incubated by a process of gestation commenced within us by the Word of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit. Mary was, no doubt, aware of the creation story in Genesis and similar language was recorded there. This may have given her a powerful image for her faith to grasp hold of; the original creation took place as the Holy Spirit waited for the Word of God to be spoken. God said…and it was so. He commanded and it sprang into being. The Word of God and the Spirit of God working together released the creative, constructive and explosive power of God resulting in the formation of our universe, a brand new world.

    For with God nothing shall be impossible – With God. Are we with God? Or are we with this world? The person we stand with is the person who will stand with us. If we stand with God then He will stand with us. If we stand with God then we can withstand anything. Nothing shall be impossible. Nothing! Not one thing! Not large and obstructive things or small and deceptive things. Nothing shall be impossible. Nothing shall stand in the way of God. Nothing shall stop the Word of God from coming to pass. Impossible does not exist with God; that word is not in His vocabulary. Is that word in ours? There are some words which hinder our faith and limit our ability to believe and to trust God. The word ‘impossible’ is one of those words. We must eradicate it from our thinking and from our speech. If we are walking with God and agreeing with God then there is no such thing as impossible. The word with is a very instructive preposition in English as well as in Greek. The Greek word is para, which means, among other things: in close proximity, near, or beside. With God; in close proximity to God, so near as to be beside him as His close companion. The word implies and suggests an intimacy with God. Wuest’s translation renders para, ‘In the presence of’. In the presence of God nothing shall be impossible. Possibilities become available to all those that walk in the Will of God, following the Ways of God and fully believing the Word of God. This is a powerful phrase as translated in the King James, but the Greek is even more powerful; ‘No word from God shall be void of power’. Every word of God has self-fulfilling power including this word to Mary, ‘You shall conceive in your womb’. If God has said it then it must come to pass, however, there is a part that we must play in cooperating with the purposes of God.

    God has chosen to limit Himself to the faith and prayers of His people. He comes and knocks on the door of our hearts and gives us an opportunity to open the door and grant Him access to our lives. Mary had to open the door of her heart and allow the Seed of the Word of God to be sown within her. Someone has said that Mary received the Word of God as seed in her spirit and it manifest by conception in her womb. God hid Himself and all of His power in the tiny seed and submitted Himself to the laws and processes of growth. Think of the tremendous trust that God showed to Mary and subsequently to Joseph. He sowed Himself into the human race and entrusted Himself into the safe-keeping and nourishment of the womb. God embedded Himself inside humanity. The Word was made flesh. God absolutely became a man.

    Be it unto me. I see the meaning of the word ‘Amen’ in this phrase. Dr. A.T. Pierson said that the word ‘amen’ means, not ‘let it be so’, but rather ‘it shall be so’. Amen comes from the Hebrew ‘aman’ as it is used in Genesis 15:6 and is translated believed. Of course Mary would have a familiarity with the story of their nations’ father, Abraham. He ‘believed’ God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Just like it was critical for Abraham to believe and to add his ‘amen’ to the Word, so it was also critical for Mary to believe and to add her ‘amen’. She is considered blessed by multitudes today because of her willingness to receive and surrender to the Word of God. Let’s follow the example of Mary and receive the Word of God into our hearts, believing it and adding our Amen to it! Nothing is impossible with God!

Three Vital Factors

Acts 24:25 - And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

   Paul was a master conversationalist. God gave him an ability to speak to men in a way that kept their interest. Jesus had said to Paul that he would stand before the Gentiles and kings, and in fulfillment of that, we read that he reasoned with Felix concerning three vital spiritual realities; righteousness, temperance and judgement to come.

   Righteousness is an often misunderstood subject. What is it? I have heard several definitions such as; an ability to stand in the presence of God without any sense of condemnation; right standing with God; right living and right ways. The same underlying word is used to describe someone who is just. Righteousness and justice then are related. God is designated as the justifier of the ungodly. Whatever our definition, one thing is for sure; we do not make ourselves righteous, we cannot justify ourselves. We need God to make us righteous and we need him to make us just. That is not in our nature; we must have a new nature from God; a righteous nature. Right standing with God results in being able to be yourself before the Lord. It is the sense of being completely accepted and therefore not needing to be false in any way. We can present our true selves to the Lord because that is what he sees anyway, righteousness simply enables us to do so without fear of reprisal. We have been made right through the work of Jesus on the cross; the shedding of his blood. The scripture even speaks about receiving the gift of righteousness; so, if it is indeed a gift, then righteousness can never be earned, it simply must be received and walked in.

    Temperance is an old English word which we do not really use much today, however, it is packed full of meaning that certainly applies to us. To temper steel is to make it pliable and flexible yet stronger and less susceptible to shattering. You would have to agree that we could definitely use some tempering. How many of us have been damaged simply because we have not been able to roll with the punches, so to speak? Many people who have been hurt in car wrecks are hurt because they tried to brace themselves for the impact and the jolt of it damaged their bodies. I have been told that people who are under the influence of alcohol and who end up in a car accident are less likely to be hurt because they are relaxed and flexible. To be tempered by God is to become like a shock absorber, continually adjusting oneself to the contours of the road. Somebody has once said, ‘Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken’. One of the things that is evident in life is the need to be tempered by God; to go through a process that causes us to have an adjustable demeanor, adapting ourselves to different circumstances and to varied people. I am definitely not suggesting that we let go of our principles but that we adjust our practices. My pastor used to tell us that when we faced difficult things it was important to respond and not react; response has the tempered feel to it; reaction seems much more rigid and tense.

    The word judgement carries with it mostly negative connotations; a critical, nit-picky boss who loves to point out all your flaws, an angry, heavy-handed man with a gavel in his hand eagerly passing out a sentence of punishment, or a mean-spirited church-goer who looks down his nose at everyone. However, from God’s perspective, judgement is always a positive thing. Everybody wants to be rewarded but there is no reward without judgement. Any contest or competition has a panel of judges who determine whether you win or lose, and even our schools have a system of judgement through examination and grading; no promotion without passing a test. We raise our children with a view to helping them learn to exercise good judgement and wisely choose the proper path in life. Judges preside over court rooms, listening intently as each lawyer argues their case, after which the judgement must be made. Judgement is normal to God’s kingdom; he is a judge and he will adjudicate his will in the Earth. According to the New Testament writings there will be a judgement to come, there will be an account given for how we have lived our lives, and how we have stewarded our skills, our time, and our resources.

    Be encouraged, friends, because of the Blood of Jesus and His amazing grace, we can continue to walk in the gift of righteousness, remain yielded to God’s process of temperance and stand confidently in the light of his merciful judgement.

The Inborn Desire to Praise

Luke 19:40 - And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out

           God will receive praise, He will get the glory due His name. His preference is that we would willingly lift up praise and adoration but if, for some reason we decide that we are not going to praise God then the rocks would cry out. The picture I get is when one would try to hold down water that is coming up out of the earth, if I press down in one place the water will squirt up in another. That is what is called hydrostatic pressure. It is when water is forced up out the ground because of the pressure created by water flowing from higher ground. This downward pressure creates an upward response. God is high above so, as long as we keep the relationship with Him in its proper place by acknowledging His loftiness, the water of praise will flow down from Him and will flow out of us. God by nature attracts praise, He does not need to force praise out of people, He will get praise; He will be praised. 
        In creation man stands at the pinnacle. He was created in the highest place of all created beings. However, if man does not take his rightful place of worship before God, then the lower levels of creation will fill his place. The rocks will cry out. The actual material earth senses the weight of the choice of the first man, Adam. It reels under the curse of sin and feels the burden of the fallen world. Romans chapter eight tells us that creation is groaning, longing to see the full and final redemption. All of creation was made to respond to its creator, even the rocks. Scientists tell us that material substances are made up of invisible molecules which in turn are made up of atoms. Amazing discoveries have been made regarding the tiny ‘worlds’ that exist in every molecule. God created these worlds and ultimately, they will praise Him. The rocks will cry out. 
         This cry is a cry of praise acknowledging God’s supremacy and it’s a cry for help, acknowledging man’s inadequacy.  It is a plea to the Creator God for deliverance. It is a cry of instinct. All of creation has an instinctive and innate desire to cry out to God. As we said, there is a groaning within creation. Man groans within, the animal kingdom groans, the earth also groans. That groaning is an inner longing, it is the built-in cry that will find expression no matter what may try to hinder it. Just as the branches and leaves of a tree will intrinsically grow toward the light so our spirits reach out to God and all of His creation reaches out for the light to touch the presence of God. We are created for interaction and communication. We are interactive spirits designed for relationship to our Father God; created for worship. 
         Don’t get replaced by a rock. Praise God!

A Voice for God

Luke 3:1, 2 – Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, And Annas and Caiphas being the High Priests, the Word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

    Luke lists government leaders and spiritual leaders that were contemporaries of John. They were his contemporaries but not, necessarily, his peers. These men were known…John was unknown. These men had a platform…John did not have a platform. These men were recognized authorities…John was not recognized as an authority. These men were included in everyday society…John was excluded and isolated. These men had their own agenda…John was a herald with God’s agenda. These men had words…John had the Word. These men had to devise their own words…John had the Word of God come to him.

    While life was going on, somewhere, behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the world, the Spirit of God and the Word of God were working. There was a man being groomed and prepared by God. He was being prepared to be a voice for God. The Word of God came to John in the wilderness; in the solitary place; in the lonely place; in the isolated and obscure place. We mustn't be afraid of loneliness, isolation or obscurity, for there the Word of God will come to us. He will find us as we wait upon Him. In your wilderness; in your isolation; in your desert place, God’s word, God’s voice, God’s direction, God’s wisdom will come to you.

   Once we have the word, and that word has prepared us, then we can become a voice. There must be a vocal expression of the word. The word must not be simply spoken to us, but it must be spoken through us. It is given to us so it can be given through us. We must become vessels of the word. We must become a voice by which the word of God is transported into the ears of this world. We have the words whereby peoples' destinies can be changed. Faith comes to unbelievers as they hear the word spoken. It is a gift of God given to those who hear, through those that speak the words of God.

    Let us not be discouraged in our loneliness and isolation. Remember who you are; you came from God. Remember whose you are; you belong to God. He has not forgotten you. Wait on Him, listen to Him, worship Him, yield to Him. For He has enlisted you in the army of believers who come from the spiritual lineage of John; a people who know their God and who are faithful to be the voice of the Word of Life to this generation!

Jesus: Our Powerful Example and Hero!

Luke 4:2 – Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered.

    Imagine forty days in the wilderness; forty days and nights alone, without any human company or support; forty long days and nights without a friend to console you or to simply converse with. He was entirely alone. This was an intense test of who he truly was. It was a test of character, identity, security and destiny. The wilderness represents the place of fallen man; the wild place where nothing submits but, all things vie for supremacy. Tozer once wrote that, “The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, never toward the fruitful field”. Because Jesus was in the solitary and isolated place, he can identify with all these emotions and realities of our fallen world. He was there. He was tempted of the devil. He was scrutinized ‘of’ the devil. The Greek word for ‘of’ is the word ‘under’ which powerfully illustrates a concentrated, forty day experience of suffering. He underwent rigorous scrutiny and severe interrogation of the devil. The enemy is aptly called Diabolos; the slanderer and defamer of all that is righteous. One can only imagine the vindictives hurled against him; the slander, the accusations and the lies of the enemy, the constant barrage and cacophony of sounds from which we want to plug our ears.

    During all of this time that he was under this test, he did not eat even one thing. He did not do the most basic human thing. Eating is necessary for survival, for strength and for clarity of mind. Not once did Jesus take anything natural into himself. He lived on the basis of the Word of God; he was literally sustained by it. He overcame the enemy with powerful quotations from Scripture. He used the phrase, “It is written” to form the premise for his stance. He is our perfect example and we can follow in his steps. These words, “It is written” declare the spiritual and legal precedent for us as believers. It is written, it still stands, and it is still in force, therefore we can say with all authority, “Get thee behind me Satan!”

Several Vital Elements Needed

Acts 2:37-41  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

    After this group heard Peter preach the Word their hearts were pierced with truth and they were made acutely aware of their need. Where is the preaching that pierces the heart and brings conviction of a need to change? Where is the preaching that produces this kind of a response in people? ‘What shall we do?’ was the cry of their heart. 
    The first thing Peter tells them is to repent. Repentance is foundational to beginning a walk with God. It seems to clear the ground and prepare a way for God to work. Repentance is seeing things from God’s perspective and thus having a complete change of mind and direction. If I am walking on a certain path heading East and I repent, then that means I turn around and I head West, in an opposite direction. It means to think differently and to reconsider. This change of thinking and direction is a pivotal point for changing our lives. Simply stopping some bad habits and going to church does not mean that you have repented and are now viewing life and eternity much differently. The result of repentance is a changed life. When Zacchaeus came in contact with Jesus his life radically changed, he thought differently and he lived differently, even to the point of affecting his view of money. When Peter’s mother-in-law was healed she got up and gratefully served Jesus and his disciples, it was all about others now. When the blind man was healed, he didn’t use his new found sight to obtain what he desired, no, he followed Jesus very closely. When this group of people asked Peter what they should do now that they have been made aware of a need in their lives, he said to repent. One writer has said that repentance removes any moral blockage so that you can believe and obey God. If that blockage or hindrance is in the way there will be no flow of life or power from God to us. We are in charge of our own thinking and we must change the way we think. 
    The result of true repentance and change will lead the believer to take a radical step of obedience and be publicly baptized and immersed in water. This is the open demonstration and declaration of a new life in Christ. It is similar to a marriage ceremony. It is a statement to all people that you belong to another. Like marriage, this is no simple piece of paper. It is an official act that changes your status and it is recognized in three worlds. Heaven, Earth and Hell will stand up and take notice of a believers’ public and open faith. This immersion is a witness to Heaven. Jesus said that the angels in Heaven rejoice when one person repents. Heaven is aware of our choices and they document it when the right choice is made. Apparently, there are books and events being recorded and written down in Heaven. When someone repents and changes and steps into the waters of immersion, confessing Jesus before all, Heaven observes and pledges its resources. A committed believer now has the commitment of Heaven. He has been taken into the responsibility of the Father. This immersion is a witness to the Earth and all its inhabitants. It testifies to the fact that you are identified with Jesus and you now live under a different Lord. He is your Lord and by His grace you will serve Him and live a new kind of life. You have transferred your allegiance to a new kingdom; a kingdom of faith, hope and love. As the people of Earth witness your confession and your new lifestyle, they will now have an opportunity to follow your example and discover a life of faith. This immersion is a witness to Hell. It draws a line in the sand and testifies to the enemy that there is no going back. There will be no compromise here. I have decided to follow Jesus. I am putting my hand to the plow and I will not be looking back. There will be a test to this outward statement of your faith. As in any area of our life, there is no such thing as an unchallenged commitment. The enemy hates commitment because, once someone vows to live for God, he is powerless to stop it. Edwin Louis Cole once wrote that perseverance will always outlast persecution, so no matter what kind of pressure you come under, if you persist, you will overcome any and all opposition. Your choice has now become your ticket to freedom from all that has hindered you in the past. 
    We are to be immersed in the Name of Jesus, the Christ. God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him a Name that is above every other name. At the Name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That Name is higher and carries more authority than any other name. There is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. There is salvation in that Name. There is healing in that Name. There is deliverance in that Name. There is freedom in that Name. There is safety in that Name. We are immersed into the Name and all that the Name has accomplished and all that the Name represents is now ours. 
    I encourage you to remember that we, as members of the Body of Christ, are vitally united to the living Christ. We are part of the most victorious and the most glorious Church of the living God and there is nothing about God that is weak or in any way has ever been diminished. Do not be misled; the church of Jesus will always prevail against the forces of darkness. Don't be discouraged, continue to walk with Jesus, stay on his side and stay on the winning team!