Top Seed

Luke 17:5-6, And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.  An the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, an be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you. 

How was it that a seed could displace a tree? And not just any tree.   Scholars believe the sycamine tree  to be the same as the  “tree of the knowledge”  found in the book of Genesis.  

Interestingly enough, when referencing the sycamine, the Hebrew describes it as “having the form and foliage of the mulberry, but fruit resembling the fig”. 

Similarly, the tree of knowledge also bore two characteristics…good and evil. 

It was the tree of accountability with God.  Like the law itself, the tree of knowledge would continually bear record of rights and wrongs. To eat of it is death.  (Genesis 3:3)  

The fact that it bears foliage that  resembles the mulberry tree, yet bears the fruit of a fig eludes that is nothing more than an “imitation” of what is true. 

Religious living and keeping and doing the law….the constant maintaining to be “good” is exactly that.  It’s nothing more than an imitation of righteousness and a counterfeit of faith. 

Galatians 3:19 says, What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. 

The mustard tree (seed), on the other hand is believed to be symbolic of the “Tree of Life”, God’s original plan.  Note that this tree is undivided, representing wholeness and unbroken fellowship with God. It was of this tree that Adam & Eve were invited to eat freely, until the time when they partook of the other.  

We have received this Seed!  

Religious attempts that have been nothing more than overgrowth in our garden, imitating the blessings and  leaving room for little else can be easily displaced by the Seed.     

The mustard seed wants to have a conversation with the sycamine tree in your (my) life!

 

Kill And Eat!

In prayer some time ago, I saw a parabolic vision or picture, if you will.  I say it that way because God showed me what I could relate to, to lead me to a certain passage of scripture.

In this picture there was a large bed sheet rolling down from the sky for as far as  I could see.  And when it opened up, it was filled with animals and the one that was most distinct to me was a pig.  Book mark this because God uses this again later.

I knew immediately that God was making reference to Acts 10:1-26.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

 I have highlighted certain aspects of Acts 10 to place an emphasis on what I believe God is saying.  Pastor Sharon (www.wlwc.org)  did an excellent teaching on this during our study of the Book of Acts and some of this stems from what she taught. 

Upon seeing the vision, the first thing that God instructed Peter was to “rise”.  That word translates in the Greek to

1.) raise up from laying down (Sound familiar?  sleeping or even hitting the snooze button.) 

2. ) to raise up from the dead (resurrection power)

3. ) to prepare oneself (This was the prophetic word prior to Women of Valor. God spoke this to Pastor Sharon telling her to “prepare for one hundred  days from now” ) http://fromsharon.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/january-19-2011/)

The second instruction was to “kill”. This was making reference to sacrificing or slaughtering the “paschal” lamb or the passover lamb for the feast commemorating Christ’s resurrection.  But this time, it wasn’t a lamb that was being served.  The Lamb had already been sacrificed &  served and had made all else clean and uncommon.

Lastly, He instructed Peter to “eat”; to consume everything he saw; to do away with completely.

I do believe that God is opening up visions to us in these days of things that religion has deemed unclean or common and tradition has put away for safe keeping in the church.  The untouchable things are no longer out of reach and I see children being trusted with the “breakables”.  It’s time to use the “fine China” everyday! 

Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!  If you see it running loose in Walmart, kill it! If it’s on the school bus, at the skating rink, the garage sale just up the street or at work on Monday morning, go ahead and kill it! 

Pass the pork! 

OK!  Here’ s the bookmark.  During Women of Valor, a sweet sister, who I don’t often get to talk with and whom, I might add, knew nothing of this, was praying with me and said, “I see cured ham!”  She thought it was completely ridiculous and laughed but I knew what God was saying.  She kept saying, “It’s cured! It’s cured! Now everyone can eat! It’s cured! Stacey, God’s giving you a cured ham!”

And here’s the thing.  Pastor Sharon had just preached to us to be SALTY!  What do they cure a ham with?  Salt!  That cured ham isn’t just for me! It was everyone who had just heard that Word! It’s for everyone who will hear because that Word is NOW!

God is so good isn’t He?  He reveals the hindrance to us.  It’s spelled out in bold letters above.  DOUBT!  He says, do not doubt!  I know it seems like something we can’t help but if God says, do not, that means we have the ability to not do it!   The choice is ours.  You see, Peter doubted in himself!

That’s exactly where doubt originates! SELF!  We must keep our eyes on God alone!  On His vision! On His purposes and plans! On His will! 

Belief will change our countenance! When you think on Him, you will LOOK like HIM! 

The word says that when Cornelius met Peter, he fell down and worshipped him.  Why?  Because Peter had God’s countenance.  What do you think he must have looked like? There was glory on him. 

We read of this same occurrence in Revelation when John went into heaven. 

Revelation 22:8-9 “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

The days are coming as we rise, kill and eat, that those around us will have a great desire to worship and we must follow Peter & John in their example and say, “I’m just a man like you.  All of this is available to you.  Worship God!”

 

A Swaddled Body

Luke 2:10-12

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Yesterday, during our Sunday morning worship service, there was a manger scene in the background.  As I was looking at that picture, I realized  that Jesus was given a mantle at birth.  And that mantle was swaddling clothes. 

Last night, I found myself hungry to know, why the swaddling clothes?  It’s mentioned twice in Luke chapter 2.

The only other references to swaddling are found in Lamentations 2:22 and then in Ezekiel 16:4.  It’s in Ezekiel that Israel, God’s chosen people, are described as being un-swaddled, which speaks metaphorically of total abandonment.

And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

So what then does it mean, that our Lord was swaddled.  What is this sign?

Wikepedia says this of swaddling practices…

Swaddling is an age-old practice of wrapping infants snugly in swaddling cloths, blankets or similar cloth so that movement of the limbs is tightly restricted. Swaddling bands were often used to further restrict the infant. It was commonly believed that this was essential for the infants to develop proper posture.

Swaddling clothes described in the Bible consisted of a cloth tied together by bandage-like strips. After an infant was born, the umbilical cord was cut and tied, and then the baby was washed, rubbed with salt and oil, and wrapped with strips of cloth. These strips kept the newborn child warm and also ensured that the child’s limbs would grow straight.

Perhaps the swaddling signifies that He was the Redeemer and being restored to His creation.  Bound to it. 

What a beautiful picture of God With Us! Emmanuel.  We are not abandoned.

The Lord came and was swaddled as a sign that God will never leave us nor forsake us.  He was bound from neck to foot, just as we were meant to be.  His body would be perfect in posture.  His limbs, straight.  No deformities.  This is the picture of the church that would come. This is us.  We are that body.  

It also speaks of the restrictions placed on Him when came as a man. Everything had to come through the means that was available to his earthly form.  What does that say to us?  If He was restricted as we are and yet could accomplish God’s will here on this earth, so can we.  Our earthly body, bound from birth, does not abandon heavenly reality.  Nor does it stay our hand or keep our feet.  He has given us proper posture.

Thank you Father, for a swaddled body. That it would be a sign to us of the body that would never be abandoned.

 (For more on the subject of mantles, visit Melissa Flores at www.definingwords.com!  Melissa has authored a book on this very subject, Own Your Mantle.  You can find it there and info throughout her blog as well. )

I certainly welcome any revelation you might have on this subject!  I invite you to join the conversation and supplicate with me on this subject as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Appearance of Evil

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  1 Thessalonians 5:22

This verse has been ringing in my hearing for days now and as I’ve been meditating, I can’t help but to think, again, my understanding has been wrong concerning this. 

What is it we perceive to be evil?

Of course, there’s all the obvious.  

Exodus 20

Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 

Thou shalt not kill. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Believe me when I say this, we must hate what God hates and must avoid it.  That’s wisdom.

But we are mislead and even deceived in thinking we are good if we fail to encounter what God hates and change it! 

The word says, abstain from the very appearance of evil. 

It’s evil not to reveal who the One True and Living God is to someone who has all their other gods before them.

It’s evil not to wade in ankle, hip, and dare I say it,  neck-deep through graven images to reveal His image!

It’s evil not to speak His name and demonstrate the power with which it was meant to be spoken, when we hear someone run off at the mouth with “%@#!?*& Jesus Christ!”    Do they realize they just called His very presence?  He wants to know them.

It’s evil not to decline to participate in the “goings on” and demonstrate His rest from having to “have” and “get” and “do”. Gasp!  Go ahead, judge me.

It’s evil not  to honor your Father and Mother and be a help to them.  For many, this is easy and I am well aware that this can’t be said of everyone and for that I’m sorry. 

It’s evil to physically kill someone yes but do we realize that we do this even when we gossip or by speaking of someone’s sin to someone else?  We are killing their reputation and whats worse, doing the devils work with him because that’s his plan.  To see us all dead. 

It’s evil to commit adultery but we do it every day.  It’s not just about “marriage” to our spouse.  It’s about loving only our God.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:37, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”  We have to love him more than we love our husbands, wives and children.  More than our sisters and brothers.  More than our fathers, mothers, father in-laws and mother in-laws.  More than our friends.  And most importantly, more than ourself.  It’s about His pleasure and not our own.  No husband wants a wife who takes more pleasure in herself than in Him. 

It’s evil to steal.  And we’re stealing from God with, “more for me” mentality. I’m not talking about “more of God” for me but I’m talking about the work of the thief.  He comes to steal, kill and destroy.  Robbing Him, when we don’t offer salvation, heal the sick, bring deliverance, offer forgiveness and extend grace.  Stealing opportunities for Him to LOVE!

It’s evil to bear false witness against thy neighbor (another person).  John Gill’s Exposition says it best I think, “by laying things to his charge that are false, and swearing to them, to his hurt and damage; nor privately, by whispering, tale bearing, backbiting, slandering, by telling lies of him, traducing his character by innuendos, sly insinuations, and evil suggestions, whereby he may suffer in his character, credit, and reputation, and in his trade and business”.  I have a gripe, I’ll admit.  We should not parent, lead, or minister based on what one child  or person says about another that has gone unwitnessed.  Neighborhoods were never meant to have fences where you have to chose to take one side or the other.  Our approach should be in this, love your neighbor as yourself.  Scrap the fence!  If when you discipline, you aren’t concerned for whether or not they are feeling loved, it’s not Word based.  Father corrects those he loves and I’ve never known anyone to make eye contact, hug, or embrace with a fence in between them. 

It’s evil to covet your neighbor’s (another person) anything.  We shouldn’t want what’s not rightfully ours.  Believe me, the Jones’ have to put their pants on one leg at a time too, take ibuprofen for their headaches, put camphophinic on their canker sores and put calimine lotion on their chicken pox!  They might have the best job, biggest house, the hottest car, the latest in technology, 2 kids, no pets (because their allergic and you shouldn’t have one either), etc, etc. but  they can’t get to heaven without Jesus, just like you.

I said all this to say more. I’m sorry. 

What is the appearance of evil to God? 

Does it look evil to Him when someone goes unloved, when it’s within our power to love?

Does it look evil to Him when someone goes unfed and there’s an empty seat at our table and plenty to go around?

Does it look evil when a man lives under a bridge and we don’t even slow down?

Does it look evil when we find that he’s a drunk and judge that he deserves it and put himself there?

Or, how about when we find out that she chose to live on the street and that she has money?  She could be helping herself.  Can she really?  Are we excused then to deprive her of Jesus?

Does it look evil when a child is laying in a crib for three years and no one touches that little one, except to change his diaper?  Does it appear evil, when I fail to reach out and hold them in my arms?

Does it look evil when a child orphaned, four years old, has never spoken and later his testimony is, “I didn’t have anything to say.”… Does it look evil when I’m the one who could be listening?

Help me Lord.  In all of this.  Help me.  I know it looks bad.  I look bad.  Even evil.  Help me.

 

Brood of Vipers: Kim Clement

This past weekend, I was privileged to be a part of the services at Life Center, Harrisburg, PA  (www.lcmi.org) . They had invited Prophet Kim Clement (www.kimclement.com) to come for the weekend. 

It was an amazing time in the presence of God and much was spoken to my spirit personally but there was a corporate word for the church and America that I want to take a moment to share. 

Matthew 12:34 speaks of the brood of vipers.  “Brood of Vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Let me just insert here before I go any further.  I think it’s very important to note that evil people are perfectly capable of saying “good things”, not according to God but man.    The latter seems to be the world’s standard there is a spiritual flood about to break forth.  God’s standard is on the brink and about to break the ranks.

Much of the prophesy came from this passage.  Allow me to paraphrase.

There have been a brood of vipers released into homes, communities, regions and the nation.  They have been released into the places of government but there is a new anointing coming upon the church to cause them to scatter. An anointing to divide and conquer.  There is a commotion that has been taking place and the angels are awaiting to hear from the saints their direction.  Demons are awaiting as well.  What will the saints say?  The angelic and the demonic both wait upon the words of the saints because both must take their direction from them.  And there has been a commotion as the angels and demons alike have been warring over the Word. 

Prophet Clement had a dream that he shared with us on Sunday morning.   He had very little sleep the night before because he was visited by a viper.  This viper was large in size and it was in his face.  When it at first visited, Kim was in his room and fear came over him.  He felt he was not able to defeat this enemy.  He awoke.

When he fell asleep again, the viper came. This time, he was in muddy waters and it was so close but Kim feared he would drown if he were to try to take hold of it.  He also thought that if he were to extend his hand toward it, to grasp it’s neck, it would bite him.  God said, “Put your hand in it’s mouth.”  Kim struggled and said, “It will kill me.”  And God said, “Put your hand in it’s mouth.”  He awoke.

The third time he slept, he dreamed he was in a hospital on a bed, in cardiac arrest.  The viper was once again there and Kim, from fear was laboring for his every breath. His strength was gone.  God said, “Put your hand in it’s mouth, for it’s venom will have no effect on you.”  At God’s instruction, he put His hand in it’s mouth and took hold of it’s tongue.  It was paralyzed.

There is a Paul like anointing being released to the church. The venom shall have no effect.

ACts 28:3-6

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.  Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

It seems to me that it’s time for the church to turn up the heat and bring out the snakes.  The next shaking will be by our hand.  Into the fire.

 

And Forget Not All His Benefits

A.W. Tozer once said this, “As a man prays, so is he.” Reading this, I was provoked to ask myself a hard question.  What have I become as a result of reading the word and prayer? 

It all comes down to for what reason have I been reading?  For who’s sake?  Mine or His? 

What have I been praying?  Has it been for my sake or for His? 

 And the things I think and do?  For what cause and for who’s benefit? 

 I love what Matthew 10:39 says, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”   

Our life is going to flow from the time we spend in the Word, in prayer, in meditation and in our doing or “being” as long as it’s for His sake.

Life is defined in this passage as the “soul” which is the seat of our emotions.  Our feelings, desires, affections and even aversions come from the soul.

 That word loseth is defined as putting to death or to put away entirely.  It speaks of separation.  Being separate from what we think or feel in order to be united with what God thinks and feels. 

In essence, it’s about motive and agenda.  It’s an indication of who we are living for when we find ourselves asking, what will I gain from this?  How will this benefit me?  What blessing will come to me? 

Right motive asks the question, what will God gain from this?  Agenda is revealed in will this benefit His cause and will He be blessed?

When He gains, we gain.  When God reaps the benefits, we reap and are ultimately blessed. 

I can’t help but to think that I have been reading Psalm 103:2 the wrong way (or should I say my way) for too long.  “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” 

Bless the Lord O my soul…

O my thoughts…

O my feelings…

O my wants…

O my ways…

O my motives…

O my agendas…

And forget not that all of these things are for His benefit.  When I pray, He should benefit! When I spend time in the word, He should gain.  When I go about doing and being, it should bless Him.  Don’t forget!  Don’t forget!

 

No More Me and My Shadow

James 1:17 says,“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” 

What are the gifts? 

1 Corinthians 12 gifts… spiritual gifts, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, working of miracles, gift of healing, faith. 

Ephesians 4 gifts…apostlic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, teaching.

Romans 12 gifts… Prophecy, ministry of helps, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, showing mercy.

I find it interesting that a double emphasis is put on the gift in this passage and even more interesting that there are two words used to describe the gift, that would seemingly hold the same definition.  Good and perfect would seem to be relative to one another, so what’s the difference between a “good” gift and a “perfect” gift?  

Taking a look at the word good, it means, to be of good constitution or nature.  Constitution refers to the physical makeup of an individual, in regard to the appearance of such an individual.  We’re talking about the one who the gift came from, so that constitution would be Father God’s.  And the nature referred to here is very much the same, yet speaks of creative power as well.  The power to act and something interesting is that is speaks of disposition…what is transferred to another.  It is the essentially useful gift.  It’s meant to be put to use.  

When we use the good gift, it’s going to look like Father and what He himself created.  And with it, we create.  In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.  Genesis 1:1  and in verses 4, 10, 12, 18, 21 and 25 that God saw that it was good! In fact, when you read it, in it’s original context, the words it was were added.  So it should read, God saw that good! 

You see, after the fall of Adam, what was good was no longer ours.  We had to work for it. The law required it.  But since Jesus, the cross and the resurrection, good has been restored to us through grace. And that word gift is simply another word for grace.  And as we use the gifts or the graces that God has given us, we create again in this earth that is rightfully ours through the blood of Jesus.  We have been restored to the good! 

Now, how about perfect?  There is a perfect gift. Why the distinction?  Well, perfect means to be brought to it’s end, finished, wanting nothing, complete.  To be perfect is not about being “flawless”.  It’s about fulfilling our purpose.  Matching our integrity, moral character and virtue with God’s and doing His will in this earth.  Psalm 37:37 says, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”   

We also know that the Hebrews 5:9 says that Jesus was made perfect in that he became the author of eternal salvation to all that would obey him.   If it was about being flawless, it wouldn’t have applied to Jesus.  It was about becoming His purpose.  

When we use the perfect gift, we become the purpose God created us for. 

And He is the Father of lights.  I find it interesting that the word light translates of truth and it’s knowledge but more than that, it’s the truth and knowledge that is exposed to the view of all, openly and publicly.   

In Him there is no variableness nor is there shadow of turning.  God never turns from His purpose…His perfection.  And if we are to be like Him, perfect as He is perfect, then we must use these gifts and not turn from the truth.  No more me and my shadow.

 

With All My Might!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life,  and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 

That word might should not be mistaken for a question mark or a maybe.  That’s just where God left it up to us to decide!  It’s our choice to receive it or not!  And each and every day, we are faced with opportunities to determine whether we have it or not.  

I mean really, how many times have you used the word might that way or even heard it used to denote that something is in question…as in “it might be?”  It’s a word that we commonly use when we really don’t know or are uncertain about the state of something.  But in this particular passage, that word might does not represent a question mark, nor does it mean “I don’t know, maybe?”  That word might can defined as express permission.  Reading this passage with that in mind, He came so that we have express permission to have life and express permission to have it more abundantly.  More life than what the need determines. 

Liberty is another word that can be exchanged for might.  To have liberty is to have the power to do as one pleases!   It’s freedom from arbitrary or despotic control. It’s not about whether we deserve it or whether we’ve done everything right today!  It’s not about whether or not someone else sees fit that we have it!  The devils tyranny can’t stop it!   It’s grace.  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  When we believe, the only thing to be said is, “It’s mine!” 

Thief, interestingly enough in this passage, translates differently than I had expected.  It translates, “embezzler”.  To embezzle is to appropriate (as property entrusted to one’s care) fraudulently to one’s own use.   The thief is nothing more than a fraud! One who comes with intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right.  He doesn’t work behind the scenes, go behind our backs or even come in unaware.  This thief comes, pleads his cause bending the truth, twisting words, leaving something out, adding to and presenting us with all the ands, ifs or buts, question marks and maybes there are to offer.  And then…if we surrender to it, there he goes with our husbands, wives, kids, houses, cars, bank accounts, etc…using them for himself!  

The stealing, killing, destroying…the blood prevents it all!  It’s better than a dead bolt, a combination, padlocks, keyed entry!   Brinks Home Security (no offense) doesn’t hold  candle to it!   And more than that, it’s our agreement with the blood, that determines what we have.

 

Wrestling with God

Genesis 32:24-26

 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 

This is a very interesting encounter that Jacob had with God.  It says “when he saw that he prevailed not against him”.  God?  Almighty, all powerful God saw that he prevailed not against Jacob?  It wasn’t that God could not prevail or overcome Jacob.  Of course He could.  It’s that He would not prevail against him.  He chose to let Jacob continue as long as he was determined to, to see the outcome that God had promised him. 

Could it be that God was testing Jacob’s desire?  Perhaps this was to build Jacob’s endurance and to prepare him for what was to come.  This was a feat of faith, one that Jacob was determined to win.  What was Jacob wrestling with?  His words had become flesh to him.  If you’ll look back to verse 12, Jacob had received a promise from God and it was in that place that he uttered those words and suddenly they were manifest.  “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.”  The Word Himself had come at Jacob’s remembrance. 

What might have that wrestling sounded like?  

With every twist… “You uttered My words.  My presence is here, do you understand Who I really Am?  Do you know Who has your life in His hands?” 

With every turn… “If it’s not the way you imagined it, will you still believe Me?  

Who’s will? How will it be?  In My  timing or yours? …the balance shifts.  Agree with Me!

And with every grasp of the hand… Do you believe you will touch it?      

I want God’s promises but when I declare it, am I willing to wrestle with it as it really is?  Am I willing to answer to the wrestling?  Will my will to see it come to pass match God’s will?

 

Dry Spells

In prayer this morning, as we were praying for revival, I began to hear the words dry spells. 

I understood this to mean that there is witchcraft involved as we seemingly enter into revival and then suddenly, there’s no sign of it whatsoever.  And by witchcraft, I mean, with our own words of doubt and unbelief, we are casting these “dry spells”. 

To be blessed is to be empowered to do something.  All throughout the word, we see that when God blessed, it was to accomplish something in the earth.  The blessing is the empowerment to fulfill the will of God in the earth and in our lives. In the beginning, God blessed Adam & Eve and told them to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it…having dominion.  

God blessed Abraham as Genesis 24 tells us, in all things!    And if you backtrack a few chapters, God said it was in the seed of Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed.  The same blessing of empowerment is available to all who believe and to be distributed to all who would believe!

In Genesis 24, a blessing upon Rebekkah caused even her seed to possess the gates of those that hate them.  We are empowered to possess and have authority over the gates of our enemy. 

This “blessing” is exhaustive and I could go on for miles with scripture and references to this but the word says in Number 23:19-21 (Balaam was being asked to curse God’s people.)  “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.”

Let’s insert the word empowered in that passage and now what does it say? 

Behold, I have received commandment to empower: and he has empowered; and I cannot reverse it!

Note that he received the commandment. He accepted that is was his own!

To command is to have at one’s immediate disposal, as in “commands many resources”. 

He received and accepted having at his immediate disposal the empowerment from God!

It is a command to bless and when we do otherwise by not confessing the word and speaking negatively, we aren’t necessarily cursing ourself but are stopping the flow.  Basically, we deny what’s available to us immediately and the empowerment to bring that thing to pass is at a halt or delayed for a time or even indefinately.   

The word says in Psalm 1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” 

Empowered to be planted, immovable in the rivers of water.  Empowered to bring forth fruit.  Empowered to not dry up! Empowered to “do” and prosper.

Proverbs 26:2 says, “…so the curse causeless shall not come.” 

In the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth, let there be no cause.  Let them be pleasing unto the Lord!  For it pleases the Lord to bless me!  Let there no longer be a cause!