Month: October 2024

11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him –
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord –
³ AND HE WILL DELIGHT IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Isaiah 11

Isaiah’s prophetic vision of the Messiah, centuries before He came to Earth. I hear many prophets today speaking of more need of the Fear of the Lord, not the fear of man, nor the fear of the enemy. Many are saying that when the Glory and Power of God are revealed that the Fear of the Lord will increase greatly.

¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira) Acts 5

The Fear of the Lord came upon the Church first, the place where God’s Spirit was moving most powerfully. However, those outside the Body of Christ were also aware of the Power of God’s Spirit moving in their midst.

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ NO ONE ELSE DARED JOIN THEM, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Acts 5

We long to see God moving in power and mighty works accomplished in His Name. (A prophet said recently in a word, ‘His Name and His Fame’, that’s a good word for us to hold onto today. God won’t share His Glory with another.) God moved powerfully in the Acts, but His nearer presence brought consequences to the people who experienced it. No doubt the fledgling Church were excited and blessed, but others felt fear at His nearness.

¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. ¹⁵ As a result, people brought those who were ill into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Acts 5

People were drawn to the Lord in increasing numbers and many miracles were recorded, but eventually persecution broke out and the message of the Kingdom spread beyond Jerusalem, to the neighbouring lands. The Lord plans for the knowledge of His Kingdom to cover the whole world and that’s going to happen, whatever the cost. Jumping back to Isaiah’s prophecy, God’s plan has always been the redemption of His world from the control of the wicked.

⁹ They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11

There is a sense that things are ‘hotting up’ and we need to be circumspect, keeping our eyes open to what’s happening around us. We need the Fear of the Lord guarding our hearts in these days when the world is in turmoil. God is able to care for all His Children, but neither should we be careless in our ways.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

¹³² Turn to me and have mercy on me,
    as you always do to those who love your name.
¹³³ DIRECT MY FOOTSTEPS according to your word;
    let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119

Two verses from the longest book in the Bible, Psalm 119. Verse 132 is the psalmist’s reassurance of God’s mercy for those who love His Name – GOD IS DISPOSED TO BE MERCIFUL, not judgemental, to those who love Him, Selah (pause and consider).

The following verse, 133, notes the psalmist asking God for direction. Many of us believe that we can ‘DIRECT’ our own lives, but that may be a dangerous position to take at the present time. We may not fully comprehend the current situations we face, so better to invite the Lord to help and guide us before we step out and get into difficulties.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT/Direct your paths. Proverbs 3

A further couple of well known verses from Proverbs, once again urging us to trust the Lord rather than our own understanding. We may not be able to change what’s happened in the past, but we can learn from it and ask the Lord to help and guide us in the future. His word reassures us that when we’re willing to lay down our own will that He’ll help and guide us in the right way for our lives.

I believe that God has prepared paths for all of us to walk in and His ways are best for us. We need both humility and faith to walk and take His paths for our lives. It’s interesting that long before the Lord came into this world that the prophets were declaring that God was preparing and laying out the path for His life.

³ A voice of one calling:
‘In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ Isaiah 40

Jesus didn’t just parachute down to earth and have to make His own way around, God had a plan and that plan will continue in the present day and right through to the end of this age! The devil and his tribe oppose it but God the Father will see that it’s perfectly fulfilled.

⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

¹⁰ Since you have kept my command TO ENDURE PATIENTLY, I WILL ALSO KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL … Revelation 3

People sometimes talk  about ‘poetic justice’, usually when people receive justice in a similar way for what they’ve done to others. In this verse, however, the Lord says He will bless the Church at Philadelphia, because they have KEPT HIS COMMAND, THEREFORE HE  WILL KEEP THEM FROM A TIME OF GREAT TRIAL. The family of believers don’t tend to think that the way we act towards God and people may very well determine what’s coming to us in the future. ‘Do to others as you would have them do onto you’, isn’t just a nice sentiment, we may actually reap all that we’ve sown into the lives of others. The key to avoid reaping a bad harvest is to repent and walk in love towards God and those around us.

The Church at Philadelphia was one of only two churches, among seven, whom the Lord didn’t criticise. They were not a powerful group, but the Lord commended their faithfulness.

⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE LITTLE STRENGTH, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelation 3

The issue in the Kingdom of God is not really our strength, but His strength. We’ve seen that David didn’t come against the giant Goliath in his own strength, but in the Name of the God of Israel.

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 1 Samuel 17

He is still the ‘God of the armies of Israel today’ and the God of all true believers.

¹² That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to GUARD/KEEP what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 2 Timothy 1

Paul, probably in jail when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, was trusting God TO KEEP Timothy and the Church, for whom he’d laid down his life. Sometimes we have no choice but to trust in God’s KEEPING POWER in our own lives, but like those in Philadelphia, He will be faithful to us as we continue to honour Him. Many believers need to lay hold of this in our own situations at the present.

²² The Lord said to Moses, ²³ ‘Tell Aaron and his sons, “This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ ‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’ Numbers 6

Our God is still able to Bless and Keep His children today as Goliath and the Philistines found out to their great cost. Hallelujah

May the LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU TODAY. Immanuel, God is with us.

³³ But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. THEN JONATHAN KNEW that his father intended to kill David. 1 Samuel 20

Sometimes it’s in unguarded moments that people’s true intentions are revealed and so it was between Saul and his son Jonathan. Saul must have hidden his true intentions about David before Jonathan,

² ‘Never!’ Jonathan replied. ‘You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why should he hide this from me? It isn’t so!’ 1 Samuel 20

Jonathan didn’t believe his father actually wanted to kill David, but then in a moment of anger the truth came out. Saul was so angry that he even tried to kill his own son and heir. He was implacably opposed to David, God’s sovereign choice, ever becoming the next king of Israel. It became the very reason for his existence, but God’s will prevailed.

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ 1 Samuel 16

When the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons as Saul’s successor, he made the statement above – God looks at the heart. Derek Prince said, ‘God chooses His disciples on the basis of character’. God only instructs those who are willing to be taught.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in. (Septuagint ‘loves / and He chastens EVERYONE He accepts as His child) Proverbs 3

EVERY TRUE CHILD OF GOD MUST BE WILLING TO ACCEPT DISCIPLINE. The world today opposes this correction or discipline of children, yet elsewhere in Proverbs it says that discipline

¹⁵ A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
    but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother. Proverbs 29

Saul was called and anointed by God to be king, but along the way he turned from God to the praise of men and ‘God left him’. We need to make sure today that those we are walking with and following are themselves walking with God. WE CANNOT LET OUR LOYALTY TO MEN OR THE CHURCH OVERRIDE OUR LOYALTY TO GOD! David made mistakes and had moral failures in his life, but he repented deeply to God and as we saw yesterday he was given the plans for the Temple and made provision for its construction. We live in a time of great shaking and many people may be hurt and confused by revelations of hidden wrongs but our first allegiance must be to God alone.

¹⁸ If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
¹⁹ But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Psalm 66

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

3 But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, UNFORGIVING, slanderous … – ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3

I was reading the last chapter of Paul’s second letter to Timothy this morning and the word, ‘UNFORGIVING’, stood out to me. Paul said that there would be tough times in the last days, which likely implies that a lot of people, including followers of Christ, will be wounded and carry hurts. Unforgiveness, one of the identifying marks of this specific period of time will affect everyone, but the Lord Himself told His followers not to let it take root in their hearts. Unforgiveness is like a prison and it will taint every area of our lives if we don’t get rid of it. Deep wounds to the soul may require focused ministry to bring full healing, but we can always invite the Spirit of God to come into these areas ourselves.

Steve Shultz, leader of the Elijah Streams ministry, said that he had declared daily that he forgave someone for a deep hurt in his past life. He continued to do this until in time, after more than a year, the wound was just forgotten and no longer caused him pain. It had just gone from his life. Another brother, now with the Lord, said we’d know if the problem had finally gone, ‘WHEN WE NO LONGER TALKED ABOUT IT’. What comes out of the mouth does reveal the heart.

⁴⁴ Each tree is recognised by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, or grapes from briers.⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6, The Lord’s Prayer modelled for us.

Whether by intensive ministry with the help of others, or by persistent declaration and working with the Lord’s Spirit (OR BOTH), WE MUST DO ALL IN OUR POWER TO BE FREE OF UNFORGIVENESS, WHICH WILL POISON OUR SOULS.

The parable of the unmerciful servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’

²² Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18

JESUS SAID KEEP DOING IT UNTIL IT’S GONE, BE RUTHLESS WITH IT!

May the Lord bless and keep our hearts free and full of His love in these days. Immanuel, God is with us.

¹⁹ ‘All this,’ David said, ‘I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.’ 1 Chronicles 28

ARE WE WILLING TO HELP BUILD THE CHURCH THAT’S COMING, EVEN IF WE’RE NOT CENTRE STAGE?

David wanted to build a resting place for the Ark of God, but he wasn’t permitted because of the blood he’d shed while defending God’s people from their enemies. God gave that privilege to his son, THE NEXT GENERATION would build the Temple of the Lord, but David gave ‘heart and soul’ to help Solomon in the work. It may well be that some who are centre stage at the present time will not be permitted to raise up the new model of Church on Earth, but we can greatly help the next generation to accomplish it!

The old saying, ‘he/she who gets vision gets job’, wasn’t true in this crucial moment. David got the plan for the Temple from the Lord but he had to hand it over to the new king and explain everything to him and the elders. He gathered all the resources that would be needed for this great project. Sometimes the preparations can be overwhelming on a large project, but David did this so that the project wouldn’t be delayed. (Proper Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance!)

³ Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: ⁴ three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, ⁵ for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. NOW, WHO IS WILLING TO CONSECRATE THEMSELVES TO THE LORD TODAY?’ 1 Chronicles 29

David didn’t just give the resources of the kingdom of Israel for the work ahead, he gave from his own personal wealth to see the Temple and the worship of God established in the land of Israel. He made great personal sacrifice to ensure the House of God would be built, even though he’d never see it.

²⁰ David also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. ²¹ The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.’ 1 Chronicles 28

Major projects require large teams of people to bring to a successful conclusion . David didn’t just donate physical resources to the project, he gathered the teams together who would be necessary to have the Temple completed and operational. David was fully committed to helping build what God required among His people. We need to be just as committed to what God is doing across all the nations at the present time, even if we don’t receive the glory here on earth. How many people today, including those in leadership, will be willing to sacrifice for the establishing of the Lord’s Church, rather than personal honour? We live in incredible times and great things may be asked of people to see God’s plans brought to fulfilment and His worship established again.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

⁴ TAKE DELIGHT or DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, Psalm 37

⁴ KEEP COMPANY WITH GOD,
    GET IN ON THE BEST. The Message, MSG (Really like this version)

CHANGE YOUR FOCUS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE – the message for us today.

David spent much of his life running or fighting his enemies and Israel’s enemies, so what’s new you may ask. However, when David wasn’t fighting, or leading the people around him, he must have been drawn to spend a lot of his time, ‘KEEPING COMPANY WITH GOD’. We know he wrote at least half of the Book of Psalms, so for sure he lived in a strong relationship with his God and believers still enjoy that fruit to the present day.

I believe I may have quoted someone in a previous blog, perhaps Kathie Walters or Anne Hamilton, who said that the focus of many believers was on battling the enemy in their own situations. David obviously had to do this repeatedly, but David always returned to God’s presence, whether it was to give thanks or just enjoy some peace and quiet there. The point is that in our day we NEED TIMES OF PEACE TO HEAR GOD and the enemy does all in his power to disrupt our connection with heaven.

Brother Lawrence was a simple monk who developed a strong relationship with God through turning his attention constantly to God during the course of his day.

⁸ As for you, SHOW KINDNESS TO YOUR SERVANT, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord. 1 Samuel 20

Many people in this world say that there is no stronger bond than family e.g. ‘Blood is thicker than water’. (According to ‘Bible Tools’ this saying originated in the Church of England because they thought that blood ties were stronger than water, representing the Holy Spirit and could pull people away from the truth of God.) But this wasn’t the case between David and Saul’s son, Jonathan.

³ But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favour in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.” 1 Samuel 20

David feared for his life and petitioned Jonathan to be kind to him because of their covenant together before the Lord. Jonathan put his friendship and love for David ahead of his own future as Saul’s heir and future king of Israel. Their friendship meant so much to Jonathan that he was willing to sacrifice his role as the future king, no small thing and Saul tried to kill him because of it. 1 Samuel 20:33

²⁶ “Anyone who wants to be my follower MUST LOVE ME FAR MORE than he does his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—yes, more than his own life—otherwise he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And no one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me. Luke 14 The Living Bible, TLB

Jesus warned us that there could be a high cost to following Him, including estrangement from family in many cultures, especially in the Muslim world. He also emphasised that His disciples might be called to give up everything here in order to follow His call on their lives. I believe that there’s a radical generation, soon to be revealed on the earth, we could say a, ‘Generation of Jonathans’, who will be so in love with the Lord that they’re willing to sacrifice everything here for Him and His Kingdom. Lives laid down for the rightful King to sit upon His throne. We also have choices to make, how much we are willing to sacrifice for the Lord. Saul did all in his power to prevent David from sitting upon the throne, but nothing he did could stop God’s ruler from taking control. The Sauls of this time are heading for a similar destiny as the ancient King of Israel.

³⁰ No one, regardless of how shrewd or well-advised he is, can stand against the Lord. Proverbs 21, TLB

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

^{17 “}But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. (MEN DON’T HAVE THE FINAL SAY, GOD DOES!) ¹⁸ I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, BECAUSE YOU TRUST IN ME, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 39

These words from God were addressed to Ebed-Melech the Cushite (Libyan, I believe). He had gone to King Zedekiah and asked to be allowed to rescue Jeremiah from the pit where the King’s officials had thrown him. They wanted to stop the prophet telling the people in Jerusalem what would happen to them if they continued to resist the Babylonians. So reminiscent of others today, who know they’re defeated, but still battle on, seeking to hold onto power and keep people captive to their failing and falling regimes. God’s decrees will come to pass today just as surely as they did to the besieged city of Jerusalem.

King Zedekiah called Jeremiah to a secret meeting and asked for his counsel regarding the plight of the city. Jeremiah told him to surrender to the Babylonian army, BUT THE KING WAS AFRAID of his own officers and the Jews who had gone over to the enemy.

²⁰ ‘They will not hand you over,’ Jeremiah replied. ‘Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jeremiah 38

The prophet told the King the way out of his desperate situation, obey God’s word and surrender, but he didn’t take the way of escape offered to him and suffered terribly as a result. I heard a prophet recently admonishing some people on the dark side to turn to God, acknowledge their wrongdoing and surrender to Him, while they still could. The time came when the door closed for the people in Jerusalem and all chance of escape was gone. Whatever your situation today, God is willing to forgive if you’ll turn to Him in surrender. He knows everything anyway, so seize the opportunity while it’s available, put yourself into His hands for as David said, ‘God is compassionate’.

¹⁴ David said to Gad, ‘I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, FOR HIS MERCY IS GREAT; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.’ 2 Samuel 24:14

This foreign official, Ebed-Melech and Jeremiah were the only two people mentioned who would walk away from Jerusalem when God’s judgment fell. Jeremiah even received blessing from the enemy. God is still able to deliver in the worst of circumstances. Don’t fear the threats of men, turn to Him. He can and will deliver, even in a day of judgement. Jeremiah was bound in chains with the rest of his people but the King of Babylon ordered his release.

Then the commander GAVE HIM PROVISIONS AND A PRESENT AND LET HIM GO. ⁶ So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land. Jeremiah 40

God also ensured provision and protection for His prophet and allowed him to remain in the land and not be taken prisoner to Babylon.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

¹⁸ When David had fled and made his escape, HE WENT TO SAMUEL (The prophet whom God sent to anoint him king, his spiritual father) at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. 1 Samuel 19

WHERE OR WHO DO YOU RUN TO WHEN TROUBLE COMES?

Saul made another attempt to take David’s life as he sat playing the harp in Saul’s presence and once again he failed. How frightening to serve a deranged man who could turn to you in a moment and try and take your life. Saul was David’s king but it was no longer safe for David to be around him. As we’ve said before, there may come a point in a relationship when the best thing to do is pack up and leave. David had no other alternative, his life and future calling were under dire threat.

¹¹ Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But MICHAL, DAVID’S WIFE, WARNED HIM, ‘If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.’ ¹² So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. (Michal also delayed the king’s soldiers from discovering David’s escape, she bought him time to get clear away)

Ultimately God delivered David from Saul’s hand, but He also used someone closest to him to warn and help him flee for his life. Once again, we should listen to and not ignore those around us, even unbelievers, for God can certainly use them to alert us of the harmful intentions of others toward us. It is always wisdom to seek the Lord’s confirmation in difficult situations.

¹⁸ When David had fled and made his escape, HE WENT TO SAMUEL AT RAMAH and told him all that Saul had done to him. THEN HE AND SAMUEL WENT TO NAIOTH AND STAYED THERE. 1 Samuel 19

It’s all very well saying David had to leave Saul’s presence before he was harmed, but where was he to go? The attack on David’s life by someone who was jealous of him drove him closer to the Lord! He went to the person who was God’s prophet and judge in the nation of Israel. Many times the devil will try to use adverse circumstances to make us turn away from God, but they drove David towards God and ‘HE STAYED THERE’. David must have felt reassured in the presence of the older man and he didn’t wander off else where. David found safety in the presence of Samuel and God rescued him from Saul’s troops and even Saul himself.

DO WE HAVE SOMEONE OR SOME PLACE TO GO TO IF TROUBLE COMES? It’s very good to know where and who we can turn to in, ‘The day of trouble’.

¹³ Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND YOUR GROUND, and after you have done everything, TO STAND. ¹⁴ STAND FIRM THEN, Ephesians 6

Christians are called to STAND and not faint in evil days. David turned to God and His servant and God kept him. God is just as Faithful in our ‘evil days’, praise His Name.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.