Our lives are to be an offering to the Lord.
We are to be honoring God with our gifts, our talents, our whole lives for we were purchased with a price, redeemed from the pit, given grace upon grace.
And yet are we like the people Malachi is speaking to ?
Do we live our lives as an offering to God or as an offering to what we do for work, for our pleasure, for our success, for our vanity ?
Do we offer just a part of our lives to God - the blemished, the lame, the sick ?
Do we believe that what happens on Sundays is sufficient for our offering ?
Are you helping to build the kingdom of God focused upon eternity with the offering of your whole life or are you spending the majority of your life building the kingdom of man which shall be burnt up as wood, hay and stubble ?
We are all called to be His witnesses in ALL that we do during our days on this earth.
Let our hearts be fully devoted to Him and we shall be a light to all around us touching lives with the love of God – building upon the foundation that is the corner stone, Jesus Christ.
A pleasing offering that is not defiled.
What does your offering look like ?
"But you are profaning it, in that you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.' "You also say, ' My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it," says the LORD of hosts, "and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?" says the LORD. "But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, "and My name is feared among the nations."
Malachi 1:12-14
Saturday, June 27, 2009
a time of famine
In this portion of scripture we have some admonitions that I believe are worthy of visiting as we proceed through these volatile times-
1) the man of God, Elisha, warned the woman of the famine
2) the woman listened and acted on God’s word through Elisha
3) the woman was sustained during the time of the famine
4) after the famine had ended she requested that her life be restored and the Lord restored
And what may we glean from this passage: if we follow Him, and listen to His word of truth, and are faithful to respond to His leading and direction – the Lord will provide for His own during the time of famine. His remnant will be upheld. And after the famine has subsided the Lord will restore.
May we trust Him in this as we experience a famine in our land?
2 Kings 8:1-5
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for theLORD has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years." 2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went out to appeal to the king for her house and for her field. 4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done." 5 As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 When the king asked the woman, she related it to him. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, "Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now."
1) the man of God, Elisha, warned the woman of the famine
2) the woman listened and acted on God’s word through Elisha
3) the woman was sustained during the time of the famine
4) after the famine had ended she requested that her life be restored and the Lord restored
And what may we glean from this passage: if we follow Him, and listen to His word of truth, and are faithful to respond to His leading and direction – the Lord will provide for His own during the time of famine. His remnant will be upheld. And after the famine has subsided the Lord will restore.
May we trust Him in this as we experience a famine in our land?
2 Kings 8:1-5
Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for theLORD has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years." 2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went out to appeal to the king for her house and for her field. 4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done." 5 As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 When the king asked the woman, she related it to him. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, "Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now."
Sunday, June 21, 2009
a famine of truth
A famine of Truth is coming upon our land…
It looks to be a severe famine that will touch all parts of our land.
A famine that results in blindness to the light of truth.
A famine where truth shall nary illumine a small corner nor cast a slight shadow amongst the daily affairs of men.
A famine resulting from arrogant men who have risen up and have not set the Lord before them nor do they stand for His truth.
A famine that creates bondage - that will see people bound up as if prisoners in chains.
A famine that destroys hearts and minds – people lead astray by their wandering away from the protection of divine intercession.
Fear replacing hope
Strife replacing joy
Struggles replacing peace
Such is the famine that is to befall us.
What can we do?
1) listen to the Lord’s leading in your life
2) fill yourself with His word
3) praise Him in the storm
4) be prepared to walk thru the fires of adversity – knowing that He will be at your side
5) be open to the Lord’s teaching – drink abundantly from the living waters
6) meditate and dwell upon the Lord and His nature
a. His lovingkindness
b. His truth
c. His righteousness
d. His grace and mercy
e. His power
7) hold steadfast in His strength
8) be faithful to share His truth with a perishing world
but most of all TRUST IN HIM COMPLETELY…
It looks to be a severe famine that will touch all parts of our land.
A famine that results in blindness to the light of truth.
A famine where truth shall nary illumine a small corner nor cast a slight shadow amongst the daily affairs of men.
A famine resulting from arrogant men who have risen up and have not set the Lord before them nor do they stand for His truth.
A famine that creates bondage - that will see people bound up as if prisoners in chains.
A famine that destroys hearts and minds – people lead astray by their wandering away from the protection of divine intercession.
Fear replacing hope
Strife replacing joy
Struggles replacing peace
Such is the famine that is to befall us.
What can we do?
1) listen to the Lord’s leading in your life
2) fill yourself with His word
3) praise Him in the storm
4) be prepared to walk thru the fires of adversity – knowing that He will be at your side
5) be open to the Lord’s teaching – drink abundantly from the living waters
6) meditate and dwell upon the Lord and His nature
a. His lovingkindness
b. His truth
c. His righteousness
d. His grace and mercy
e. His power
7) hold steadfast in His strength
8) be faithful to share His truth with a perishing world
but most of all TRUST IN HIM COMPLETELY…
a man of God
A man of God
Is there anything that the Lord can’t accomplish thru a man of God – one who is totally surrendered to God and His Word of Truth ?
A man whose heart seeks longingly after his God ?
Let’s take a look at Elisha (from the 6th chapter of 2 Kings), a man of God, and see what the Lord accomplished through him –
1) Elisha made iron float
2) Elisha opened the eyes of man to see the heavenly host about them
3) Elisha blinded those who were his enemies
4) Elisha took his enemies captive without any violence
Again I ask, is there anything that that Lord cannot accomplish ?
We seem to live in times when we really don’t truly believe in the absolute and awesome power of God. We have minimized Him in our lives to a small place (usually calling upon Him only in our times of troubles). We have placed Him within a very small human contextual understanding that almost totally eliminates the miraculous.
Either we serve and worship a mighty God or we don’t – there is no middle ground.
If we believe that He is limited in what He can accomplish than we are, as Peter was when he began to sink into the stormy waters, not focusing on Him but on our own human limitations.
And here I speak to myself – my ability to accomplish my goals and objectives has been inherently within my own abilities (although I have given credit to God for gifting me for the things that I have achieved) and that works well until our ‘own efforts’ fall short !
As I walk through this time of struggle in my work life where I have seemingly lost the ability to control the ‘results’ I need to stand firm on of this portion of scripture.
Where man sees the impossible God works the miraculous.
And as we see in Elisha He can work mighty and miraculous things through a man of God.
2 Kings 6:1-23
Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. 2 "Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live." So he said, "Go." 3 Then one said, "Please be willing to go with your servants." And he answered, "I shall go." 4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed." 6 Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7 He said, "Take it up for yourself." So he put out his hand and took it.
8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he counseled with his servants saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp." 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there." 10 The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.
11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?" 12 One of his servants said, "No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom." 13 So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him." And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan." 14 He sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, " Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, " O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he brought them to Samaria.
20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "OLORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, " My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" 22 He answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master." 23 So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.
Is there anything that the Lord can’t accomplish thru a man of God – one who is totally surrendered to God and His Word of Truth ?
A man whose heart seeks longingly after his God ?
Let’s take a look at Elisha (from the 6th chapter of 2 Kings), a man of God, and see what the Lord accomplished through him –
1) Elisha made iron float
2) Elisha opened the eyes of man to see the heavenly host about them
3) Elisha blinded those who were his enemies
4) Elisha took his enemies captive without any violence
Again I ask, is there anything that that Lord cannot accomplish ?
We seem to live in times when we really don’t truly believe in the absolute and awesome power of God. We have minimized Him in our lives to a small place (usually calling upon Him only in our times of troubles). We have placed Him within a very small human contextual understanding that almost totally eliminates the miraculous.
Either we serve and worship a mighty God or we don’t – there is no middle ground.
If we believe that He is limited in what He can accomplish than we are, as Peter was when he began to sink into the stormy waters, not focusing on Him but on our own human limitations.
And here I speak to myself – my ability to accomplish my goals and objectives has been inherently within my own abilities (although I have given credit to God for gifting me for the things that I have achieved) and that works well until our ‘own efforts’ fall short !
As I walk through this time of struggle in my work life where I have seemingly lost the ability to control the ‘results’ I need to stand firm on of this portion of scripture.
Where man sees the impossible God works the miraculous.
And as we see in Elisha He can work mighty and miraculous things through a man of God.
2 Kings 6:1-23
Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. 2 "Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live." So he said, "Go." 3 Then one said, "Please be willing to go with your servants." And he answered, "I shall go." 4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed." 6 Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7 He said, "Take it up for yourself." So he put out his hand and took it.
8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he counseled with his servants saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp." 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there." 10 The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.
11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?" 12 One of his servants said, "No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom." 13 So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him." And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan." 14 He sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, " Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, " O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he brought them to Samaria.
20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "OLORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, " My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" 22 He answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master." 23 So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
true prophets
As we meditate on these verses in 1 Kings it is interesting to see what we can glean.
Here are the key components:
1) Ahab, King of Israel, had his 400 prophets (he had surrounded himself with people who’s only aim was to please the king)
2) Along comes a true prophet of God (the true prophet who hears from God and stands firm on His truth has become the one who is hated by the king)
3) Ahab does not like what he hears of God’s truth as revealed through a true prophet (Ahab believes that since the truth is not ‘pleasing’ to him that this word is not from God but evil)
What is the lesson: the word of truth to those who do not want to truly hear from God, those who have their own agenda, becomes an unpleasant word – he does not prophecy good but evil.
As the church do we only want to hear the ‘positive’ and count as ‘evil’ the difficult words from the Lord (ie: our sin nature and its consequence, the call to repentance, the price of the cross, obedience to the truth, waiting on God, self sacrifice, dying to self, self control, warfare, deliverance, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness)?
Do we have too many who only desire to have a ‘favorable word’ for leadership knowing that leadership does not want to listen to those who have a ‘difficult word’ ? Those who are only concerned about moving forward with their own conceived agendas and surround themselves with their own ‘400 prophets’ ?
The Lord will make the whole counsel of His word known to those who truly seek Him and do not rely on the ‘prophets’ who wish to tickle the ear with worldly wisdom.
Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of the LORD." Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men…
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?" The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil…
Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably." But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak."
Then the king said to him, "How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, " Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' "The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.' "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"
(1 Kings 22:5-24)
Here are the key components:
1) Ahab, King of Israel, had his 400 prophets (he had surrounded himself with people who’s only aim was to please the king)
2) Along comes a true prophet of God (the true prophet who hears from God and stands firm on His truth has become the one who is hated by the king)
3) Ahab does not like what he hears of God’s truth as revealed through a true prophet (Ahab believes that since the truth is not ‘pleasing’ to him that this word is not from God but evil)
What is the lesson: the word of truth to those who do not want to truly hear from God, those who have their own agenda, becomes an unpleasant word – he does not prophecy good but evil.
As the church do we only want to hear the ‘positive’ and count as ‘evil’ the difficult words from the Lord (ie: our sin nature and its consequence, the call to repentance, the price of the cross, obedience to the truth, waiting on God, self sacrifice, dying to self, self control, warfare, deliverance, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness)?
Do we have too many who only desire to have a ‘favorable word’ for leadership knowing that leadership does not want to listen to those who have a ‘difficult word’ ? Those who are only concerned about moving forward with their own conceived agendas and surround themselves with their own ‘400 prophets’ ?
The Lord will make the whole counsel of His word known to those who truly seek Him and do not rely on the ‘prophets’ who wish to tickle the ear with worldly wisdom.
Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of the LORD." Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men…
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?" The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil…
Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably." But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak."
Then the king said to him, "How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, " Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' "The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.' "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"
(1 Kings 22:5-24)
where are we to turn?
For the teraphim speak iniquity,
And the diviners see lying visions
And tell false dreams;
They comfort in vain.
Therefore the people wander like sheep,
They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
My anger is kindled against the shepherds…
Let us seek to be encouraged and take comfort in the words from the prophet Zechariah.
For we are living in a time where we are wandering as a people – the shepherds (our leaders) seem to have lost their way. There are too many who speak iniquity and see lying visions and tell false dreams – and their attempts to comfort are truly in vain. The sheep are afflicted, hope is fading.
Where are we to turn?
First of all know that we have the almighty Shepherd – the Lord Jesus Christ who, by His atoning work of grace, has given us all that we could ever need. He has brought forth truth and in Him there is no iniquity. He comforts His own with a peace that passes understanding. His Word was not given in vain but for life and hope and joy abundant. We must trust in Him and we shall no longer wander.
Stand firm on these words from chapter 10 of Zechariah which provide hope and direction that we can anchor our lives upon as we struggle through these times.
And the Lord God said:
I will strengthen…
I will save…
I will bring them back…
Because I have had compassion on them
For I am the LORD their God
and I will answer them
And their heart will be glad, their children will see it and be glad
Their heart will rejoice in the LORD
And they will pass through the sea of distress…
And I will strengthen them in the LORD…
And in His name they will walk, declares the LORD
And the diviners see lying visions
And tell false dreams;
They comfort in vain.
Therefore the people wander like sheep,
They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
My anger is kindled against the shepherds…
Let us seek to be encouraged and take comfort in the words from the prophet Zechariah.
For we are living in a time where we are wandering as a people – the shepherds (our leaders) seem to have lost their way. There are too many who speak iniquity and see lying visions and tell false dreams – and their attempts to comfort are truly in vain. The sheep are afflicted, hope is fading.
Where are we to turn?
First of all know that we have the almighty Shepherd – the Lord Jesus Christ who, by His atoning work of grace, has given us all that we could ever need. He has brought forth truth and in Him there is no iniquity. He comforts His own with a peace that passes understanding. His Word was not given in vain but for life and hope and joy abundant. We must trust in Him and we shall no longer wander.
Stand firm on these words from chapter 10 of Zechariah which provide hope and direction that we can anchor our lives upon as we struggle through these times.
And the Lord God said:
I will strengthen…
I will save…
I will bring them back…
Because I have had compassion on them
For I am the LORD their God
and I will answer them
And their heart will be glad, their children will see it and be glad
Their heart will rejoice in the LORD
And they will pass through the sea of distress…
And I will strengthen them in the LORD…
And in His name they will walk, declares the LORD
Saturday, June 6, 2009
our inheritance
Have we given over our inheritance? Have we traded it for the promise of something better? Have we sold it for a price?
We, in this country of ours, have been given an inheritance from our fathers. It is an inheritance that was very costly to obtain and it should be cherished and protected. The inheritance that has been passed down from our fathers was based on the idea of freedom and liberty for all but specifically to provide the ability to freely worship God and live our lives based upon His Truth. Our inheritance provides a firm foundation that enables our country’s leadership to maintain our freedom. And this foundation is based on truth that does not change.
Yet we have moved to a time when we are not standing firm as Naboth did. We are giving away our inheritance, ours as well as our children’s, to the Ahabs of today for the promise of something better! What could be better than our freedom and our liberty? What price can even compare to the cost that has been paid to provide our inheritance? We have come to a time in our history where truth has become relative and there is no longer absolute truth – our foundation is crumbling, our inheritance traded away.
Arise, people of God, and stand firm as Naboth did and do not trade nor sell your inheritance. For the price of giving away your inheritance will be persecution.
Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, " Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money."
But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.
(1 Kings 21:2, 3)
We, in this country of ours, have been given an inheritance from our fathers. It is an inheritance that was very costly to obtain and it should be cherished and protected. The inheritance that has been passed down from our fathers was based on the idea of freedom and liberty for all but specifically to provide the ability to freely worship God and live our lives based upon His Truth. Our inheritance provides a firm foundation that enables our country’s leadership to maintain our freedom. And this foundation is based on truth that does not change.
Yet we have moved to a time when we are not standing firm as Naboth did. We are giving away our inheritance, ours as well as our children’s, to the Ahabs of today for the promise of something better! What could be better than our freedom and our liberty? What price can even compare to the cost that has been paid to provide our inheritance? We have come to a time in our history where truth has become relative and there is no longer absolute truth – our foundation is crumbling, our inheritance traded away.
Arise, people of God, and stand firm as Naboth did and do not trade nor sell your inheritance. For the price of giving away your inheritance will be persecution.
Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, " Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money."
But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.
(1 Kings 21:2, 3)
pray for rain
Ask rain from the LORD….
And He will give them showers of rain…
(Zech 10:1)
Patti, my beautiful wife, has recently been moved by the Lord to pray for rain in my life. She was impressed with this when we watched the movie ‘Faith Like Potatoes’. A true story of a man’s life and how he was powerfully moved by God to serve Him along with the chronicling his struggles. In spite of his struggles, he put his total faith in God to fulfill His word to him about planting potatoes in a part of southern Africa where rain had been in short supply.
The thing about potatoes is that you cannot tell if they are growing until it is harvest time – so it took persevering faith to wait through the growing season, while praying for rain, to be able to rejoice in the harvest. And the rain came and the harvest was abundant!
It is like that in our lives. We just don’t seem to have the patience to wait and see what the Lord is doing in our lives. We want immediate answers and results. And if they don’t come as we ‘expect’ we sulk and wander about questioning our faith and God’s promises.
Are you asking the Lord for rain in your life?
Will you be patient and faithfully persevere to wait for His showers of rain so that you may rejoice in His harvest?
I know that my patience has not been persevering lately. As I struggle with my ‘planting of potatoes’ it seems that the harvest will never come – that the fruit of my labors have dried up and shriveled away. But I know that my steadfast wife and her prayers, along with a faithful God, will provide a harvest of rejoicing.
I just wish I could get a glimpse of those ‘potatoes’ and how they are coming along!
And He will give them showers of rain…
(Zech 10:1)
Patti, my beautiful wife, has recently been moved by the Lord to pray for rain in my life. She was impressed with this when we watched the movie ‘Faith Like Potatoes’. A true story of a man’s life and how he was powerfully moved by God to serve Him along with the chronicling his struggles. In spite of his struggles, he put his total faith in God to fulfill His word to him about planting potatoes in a part of southern Africa where rain had been in short supply.
The thing about potatoes is that you cannot tell if they are growing until it is harvest time – so it took persevering faith to wait through the growing season, while praying for rain, to be able to rejoice in the harvest. And the rain came and the harvest was abundant!
It is like that in our lives. We just don’t seem to have the patience to wait and see what the Lord is doing in our lives. We want immediate answers and results. And if they don’t come as we ‘expect’ we sulk and wander about questioning our faith and God’s promises.
Are you asking the Lord for rain in your life?
Will you be patient and faithfully persevere to wait for His showers of rain so that you may rejoice in His harvest?
I know that my patience has not been persevering lately. As I struggle with my ‘planting of potatoes’ it seems that the harvest will never come – that the fruit of my labors have dried up and shriveled away. But I know that my steadfast wife and her prayers, along with a faithful God, will provide a harvest of rejoicing.
I just wish I could get a glimpse of those ‘potatoes’ and how they are coming along!
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