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Why is Corporate Prayer Important?

Acts 2:42 (AMP) They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.

Since the day I received my salvation in the Lord, in 1998, I have been at church every time the doors were opened (except for the few vacations that have been planned over the weekend, and I mean A FEW). The only times that I would not be able to make something was if I was at work. A work day, I was there. Any camp meeting night, any call to prayer on a Saturday or weeknight, just anything. This was way before I got married and it did continue on afterwards. Would it be because my husband’s parents were the pastors? There were times that I was tired. I also had a rebellious streak, and I could have told him to go without me. Here is the thing though, when I started this new way of living, I wanted everything that God had for me, that meant I had to give Him all of me to.

A woman in the church and I started coming together in prayer a few years ago. I had never led prayer meetings, only attended them, and honestly it was intimidating. About a year and a half ago we opened it up to the whole church to accompany us. It is Tuesday mornings at 11 am. There have been a couple of ladies that have been faithful to join us as well. Others do so sporadically. Some want to pray at home. I understand the need for comfort, however, corporate prayer is not about comfort.

The early church gathered for prayer as often as they could. They were so unified and full of the fear of the Lord that miracles and healing were a part of their daily lives. We have grown so accustom to do things our own personal ways that we do not want to sacrifice a couple of hours, in the middle of the week, to gather for nothing else but prayer. We will sit down and scroll on our phones for hours on end, mind-numbingly, but to leave the house to pray with other believers, that is just asking too much.

I understand, I love my time. I love being in control of how I plan my day. I have certain days that I do certain things, but I have made it a point to not plan anything during this time (except for when something has happened with one of my kids). Enough about time, let’s get to the reason of why corporate prayer is important. Have you ever thought about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and His call for corporate prayer on behalf of what was about to take place in the coming days?

Matthew 26:36-41 (AMP) Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane (olive-press), and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [James and John], He began to be grieved and greatly distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and stay awake and keep watch with Me.” And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

The call to prayer as a group was not first brought to attention in the Book of Acts, as they were waiting for the Day of Pentecost. The call to prayer corporately and to watch has been all through the Bible. How about Esther? How about King David? The beginning of the church found it so important (that as you read more in Acts, to the letters to the Corinthians, Ephesians and in the Book of James) they found every opportunity to gather together in prayer.

I believe this is what made the church so powerful. Jesus was going into battle for us, He requested his closest disciples to pray with Him. Which reminded me of another story found in 2 Chronicles 20.

2 Chronicles 20:12-22 (AMP) O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless against this great multitude which is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” So all Judah stood before the Lord, with their infants, their wives, and their children. Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph. He said, “Listen carefully, all [you people of] Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: ‘Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the river valley, in front of the Wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’”  Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping Him. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice. So they got up early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe and trust in the Lord your God and you will be established (secure). Believe and trust in His prophets and succeed.” When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in their holy (priestly) attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Praise and give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were struck down [in defeat].

What happened when the entire nation bowed and revered God? What happened when they sought His face and His guidance? This is the purpose of corporate prayer. It is not about me any longer. This is why I am urging that we understand the importance of corporate prayer. It grows us so much further than we could ever have imagined. Think of what the church can do when she is unified. This is a call to no longer be a passive observer in your church.

I have learned a lot about the people in our church that attend corporate prayer. I have also learned a lot of myself. The best part is when prayers are answered and we get to come back together and rejoice about it. Corporate prayer has also changed the way I have my personal time of prayer. It has also changed the way I receive from the Holy Spirit in my time of prayer. The Words of scripture come to my mind quickly. I am ready to listen more and I am okay being in the silence.

James 5:16 (AMP) Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].

Prayer is an active part of our faith. It should be one of the things that breaths life into your church. Gathering for teaching, worship and fellowship are great in building each other up. However, do not forget about prayer. The early church started in a little room and carried it with them wherever they went. Let us do the same!

Father, our Lord, our Jehovah, You are more precious than anything, there is nothing we can compare with You. Thank You for sending Your Son to restore us. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that empowers us, comforts us and teaches us. Thank You for Your Word, that we can get to know You more. We repent for not valuing prayer as a part of our faith life. We are sorry for not desiring to gather together to see Your Kingdom established more and more in this earth. We are thankful that You desire us. We are thankful that we have a community, a body that You have joined us together in. Let us not take it for granted any longer. We choose to forgive ourselves and others for being the reason we have just not wanted to gather together. Give us a new heart and a new desire to worship, pray, gather and learn as we grow glory to glory. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Only the Truth, and nothing but the Truth

John 15:26 (AMP) But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me.

Have you ever had a relationship strained because of a reason that you had no idea of? I personally can tell you that it is the hardest to navigate. I was in prayer yesterday about such, asking for the truth to be revealed. I wanted them to know that I am not against them, that the issue could be so much deeper than me, that it could be an inward conflict taken out on me. The Holy Spirit stopped me and said, ‘the Spirit of Truth’. That was all. So what do you do when you hear a word, you go to your Bible.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth [and the gospel—the good news of salvation].

What is the Spirit of Truth? The Spirit of Truth is going to reveal the gospel. That even though I did not deserve it, I have been forgiven. Christ paid the price for me. The Spirit of Truth is going to reveal that in us time and again. He is going to remind us that we are now in Christ Jesus. Anything that tries to work against that truth will not stand. The same with others who are in Christ. We are unique, the level of faith we have may all be different, but we are in the Beloved (Christ).

Ephesians 6:11-14 (AMP) Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart)

I cannot do anything about anyone else’s thoughts, but I can do something about mine. The scheme of the enemy is to keep us divided. He wants us to think that we are not for each other. He wants us to think that they are mad at us and nothing we do can be right. He wants us to think on anything but the truth. The first part of the armor of God is the belt of truth. Here it talks about personal integrity and moral courage. In the Passion Translation is says to, “Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph.”

In Greek the word for truth here is aletheia. It means the state of not being hidden, also reality or unforgetting. What is the reality of a believer? What is it that we do not forget? Why are we not hidden and put under a basket (or in a cave)? We are placed on a stand to give light to the whole world (Matthew 5). The Spirit of Truth is going to reveal Jesus. Every day we need to put on the belt of truth, that we are in Christ.

Philippians 4:8 (AMP) Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

This is my go to verse when my mind starts to go to a place that does not think on things that are lovely. Do you know what happens when we do not get our mind in correct alignment with His Word? Our demeanor and our reactions start to show. We will start to hide, and not in a good way. We just learned that the belt of truth is a state of not being hidden. So that should be a sign to us that if we are wanting to do that, we have not put on that part of the armor of God. Again, I cannot do anything about anyone else’s desire to live this way. I can only do something about myself. When I asked God to increase His love in me so that is all that flows out of me, that gave Him license to change my thinking and to clean up my heart attitude. So when He told me the Spirit of Truth, I am going to listen. The Bible says those that have ears to hear, let them hear. I am not just a listener of the Word, I am a doer.

Everything goes back to the Spirit of Truth, that I am now in Christ. I have a location of residence. The Holy Spirit has empowered me to live a victorious life accepting who I am in Christ. I am never alone. The orphan spirit cannot be attached to me any longer. I know that may be an odd term to you, but I can tell you that it is not from God to feel rejected, alone and insignificant. If you feel that way, there is freedom, and it comes from finding out who you are in Christ and fully accepting it. That is why I am constantly encouraging others to ask God for the revelation of what it is to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. What does this have to do with the Spirit of Truth? Everything. How you perceive yourself in relation to the body of Christ has everything to do with the Spirit of Truth, you receiving the fullness of the gospel.

Adonai, our Creator, our Banner, You are so Wonderful and Awesome. We want to honor You with every part of our being. Thank You for Your Son who restored us in every area, but especially in our relationship with You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Counselor, our Intercessor, our Strengthener. Thank You Holy Spirit for being the Spirit of Truth, for revealing the fullness of the Gospel, that we are in Christ. Let us know more and more what that fullness is. We repent for the times we put on identities that do not line up with what it truly means to be in Christ. We are not alone nor insignificant. We forgive those that made up feel that way, and we forgive ourselves for allowing us to take on identities that are not true. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Faith Equals Rest

Hebrews 3:19 (AMP) So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God.

I just woke up from a really weird dream. In this dream I was trying my hardest to unlock a code and my fingers just fumbled. What made it worse is that I was surrounded by strangers waiting to get in to wherever I was trying to unlock. I woke up thinking, hopefully I can close my eyes and get more sleep, maybe figure this thing out, but my alarm was set to go off in just 7 minutes. So instead I started my day. As the morning progressed, the thoughts of my dream went away as well. What happened? I got in the Word and built up my faith.

Hebrews 4:1-2 (AMP) Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still remains and is freely offered today, let us fear, in case any one of you may seem to come short of reaching it or think he has come too late. For indeed we have had the good news [of salvation] preached to us, just as the Israelites also [when the good news of the promised land came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not united with faith [in God] by those who heard.

Faith is the difference between rest and unrest. Faith is hard to explain to someone that has to see something in order to believe it. Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses] (Hebrews 11:1 AMP). Hoping for is not wishful thinking according to faith, hope is confident assurance. My hope is not mystical and not wishful, it is confident. When I say love always hopes it means my love is sure and confident that God has already worked things out, because it is rooted and grounded in Christ’s love.

Hebrews 4:10-11 (AMP) For the one who has once entered His rest has also rested from [the weariness and pain of] his [human] labors, just as God rested from [those labors uniquely] His own. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. 

Often times this rest is mistaken as the absence of physical labor. We are to sabbath, but like the pharisees we can start to get religious in it. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and they freaked out. The works of the ministry (the ministry of reconciliation) is not something we should be taking a day off from. If that is the case then we are doing it as works to salvation and not works because of salvation. There is a difference. The reason the disobedient Israelites died in the wilderness is because they cared more for their own well being than trusting that God had it already worked out. They wanted their comfort (His presents) instead of His Presence.

When I read, “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]” (Philippians 1:6 AMP), this has nothing to do with me gaining anything other than transformation through Christ. This is bringing about the fullness of the ministry of reconciliation. So many are concerned with what they can get instead of realizing that they already got it all when they received Christ. This is the message that Hebrews 4 is trying to convey, if your salvation is still all about what you can get, it is full of unbelief. We are still waiting for God to restore what we lost, when He is the perfect gift. He is all we have need of.

Hebrews 4:12 (AMP) For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

John 1:1-4 (AMP) In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.

When I read the Word (all of it, not just my favorite parts, and Jesus is not just in the New Testament), I am allowing the work of Christ to do His full work. I cannot be a complete person without Christ. I cannot be a complete person without the Holy Spirit. I definitely cannot be a complete person if I neglect His Word. Now faith is the confident assurance that what God says is true. Therefore, I am whole, I am complete, I am healed, I am redeemed and I am in right standing with Him. That is our promised land, that is our rest. Nothing else matters. Now live like it and go share the gospel.

Psalms 27:8 (AMP) When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].”

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Jehovah Rapha, God our Healer, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. We want to honor You with our praise today. You said to seek Your face as our greatest need, we are doing that with all of our hearts. We long for You. Thank You for redeeming us with Your Son. Thank You for Your Word and for the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to take the full measure or grace (Your empowerment) to do the good works that You created us to do. The ministry of reconciliation is that good work. That good work has made us complete and whole through Christ Jesus. We repent for thinking that restoration had to do with stuff, that the promised land was material possessions, when it was our relationship with You. When Christ paid the price for our sins and we received Him in faith, we entered into that promised land. We entered into right standing with You. You are enough for us. Thank You for being Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider. We are at rest because of faith. We choose love today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose faith today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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It’s not worth it

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

I love this verse. We can cast all our cares on Him. I want to put this into context for you. This is a command to holiness. The preceding verse if very much attached to this one, and even all the way back to chapter 4. The reason is because we will all go before the judgement seat, “For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17) Also, you can find it in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].“

Does the fear of judgement cause you to want to run or hide? It causes me to want to do both, but not in the way you would think. I run and hide in Christ, not due to shame or guilt, but because of His great love. If as a believer it makes you angry when you are reminded that you will be called before the judgement seat, discover the why in yourself. Read the full above verse in context.

1 Peter 5:6-11 (AMP) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.

Pride is the root. It’s symptoms are not just anger, but can be fear. How do I rid myself of pride? Just like perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), His perfect love will also cast out that pride. It takes humility to be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. It takes humility to cast what is bothering you to His feet. It takes humility to allow the Holy Spirit to dig into your wells and pull out all the contaminates that keep you from running your race well. It takes humility to forgive, even when the other person does not ask for it. It takes humility to see the best for others. None of this can be accomplished without a deep love of Christ. This is not a one time confession either. This is a life long pursuit, and I am not always going to get it right. If I did, then there would not be a need for the Holy Spirit.

Are you questioning your salvation? How can one be assured of their salvation. Do you have a relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit? ‘Knowledge of’ and ‘relationship with’ are two different things. Our salvation was not to attain knowledge, but to attain His face. He wants a relationship with us. In a relationship it has give and take. If all you want is the gifts, then that is not a real relationship. If you are not willing to give of yourself and not willing to grow into holiness (because that is what His presence will do), then that is not a relationship with our God. When it comes to having more knowledge or having more of His presence, I will choose His presence. Here is the thing, He will give you knowledge when you desire His presence.

Read Hebrews 10:26-31 and Matthew 7:21-23. This is not meant to scare you, but to draw you closer to Him. If you are scared because you deserve punishment, there is still hope. Have the confident assurance that when you make Christ your savior, repent and surrender your life, you are redeemed. You can stand right before God. The rest is up to you. Casting all of my cares has to do with my mind, my will and my emotions. These are the parts that make me unique. They are also the parts that can cause me to not want the things of God. They are the areas that will hold onto pride. I decided, for myself, that holding onto things that did not glorify Him are just not worth it. What do you treasure? I treasure His Presence. I treasure being rooted and grounded in His love (unmovable and unshakable). Nothing is worth more than that. My reverential fear of displeasing God has nothing to do with punishment, it has to do with my great love for Him.

Abba, our Father, our Maker and our Banner, You are so Wonderful. Thank You for sending Your Son to live, die and come back to Your right hand. He is making intercessions for us because of Your great love. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We receive all that He has for us. We thank You for Your Word and for the Body of Christ. We grow in our relationship with You when we apply what you have gifted us with. We repent for trampling the blood of Christ by holding onto our own ways and by allowing pride to rule and reign in our lives. Nothing in this world is as valuable as You. The fear of the judgement seat was taken away when You sent Your Son. It was not just for the judgement, it was also for the restoration. We desire and long for You. Thank You for Your Presence, let it not depart from us. We desire You. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Lips filled with praise

Mark 14:26 (AMP) After they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

How big is your praise? This is a lesson that Jesus wanted us to learn. He knew exactly what was going on, yet He sang a song of praise and honor to God. What did they sing that night? It was a group of Psalms knows as “the Hallel,” Psalms 113-118. Jesus actually quoted from Psalm 118 earlier in the week, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone (verse 22).”

I want to pay extra close attention to Psalm 118. This is the passage that I have encouraged others to read over and over again this week as we prepare our hearts for service this Sunday. I also encouraged them to read it in different translations to get the fullness of what it is saying. In the Amplified Bible it says that “His lovingkindness endures forever.” In the Modern English Version, “His mercy endures forever (similar to the KJV).” In the Message, “His love never quits.” In the English Standard Version, “His steadfast love endures forever.” This is a psalm of praise. How big was Jesus’ praise that night?

This is the night that He washed the disciples feet, that He ate the Passover meal with them, then He tells them about the sacraments of the bread and the wine. He sings a song, and then heads to the Mt. of Olives, where He then tells them that they are going to scatter once He is handed over for death. Yet, He takes time to praise. In the midst of the craziness of life, will you take time to praise?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Use the words that I showed you from Psalms 118, “His love never quits” and “His love endures forever.” They are really easy to say and eventually will start to roll off our tongues when we commit to meditate on them throughout the day. Do you know how grounded Jesus was in the Father’s love? This is what He wants for you too.

Psalm 118:28-29 (AMP) You are my God, and I give thanks to You; [You are] my God, I extol You.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.

Our God is still good. Even in the moments right now, His lovingkindness endures. I have to remember that when Moses asked to see God’s glory, God responded in showing Moses His mercy and lovingkindness (Exodus 33:19). As I write these words my heart leaps with joy and my eyes fill with tears. The wonders of this everlasting love. How deep, wide and high is that love. This is the importance of praise, otherwise we try to look at God at our level and the reverence for Him slowly fades.

Hebrews 13:15 (AMP) Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. 

Psalms 63:3 (AMP) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.

Praise should never depart from our lips. In this there is a need for our hearts to be in line with our lips. Do not just parrot these words and they have no meaning to you. He is not asking for lip service, as the nation of Israel did (Isaiah 29:13). Our reverence for Him does not need to become a tradition, completely empty of meaning. Glorify His name in your praise. A heart filled with reverence will have a mouth filled with praise.

Instead of writing out a prayer of my own words today, I want to lead you in taking a deeper look at Psalm 118. Sing it, pray it, meditate on it. Align your heart this week.

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
Oh let Israel say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Oh let the house of Aaron say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can [mere] man do to me?
The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me;
Therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in princes.
All nations encompassed me;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side];
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
They swarmed around me like bees;
They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
I will not die, but live,
And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness;
I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it.
I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me;
And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior].
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the [a]chief corner stone.
This is from the Lord and is His doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
O Lord, save now, we beseech You;
O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship].
The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy].
Bind the festival sacrifices with [b]cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
[You are] my God, I extol You.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever. AMP
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A New Way to Live

Hebrews 10:19-25 (AMP) Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great and wonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

In the Chapters leading up to this point, Luke, the author of Hebrews wrote about how Christ fulfilled the law. It is now inscribed on our hearts because Christ paid the price (Romans 2:14-15). The works under the law had to do with the blood. Good deeds, good works, and serving one another was never under the law. It is a part of the new way of doing things. It is a part of the new commandment, “that we love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.” We are to be a part of a church, our church body is to encourage us in our growth in Christ, and to search for ways to do good deeds. We worship together, we serve together and we grow together.

As I was reading through Galatians, chapter 5, verse 13 through chapter 6, verse 10 jumped out at me. The new way to live is not full of self. Many times we will use our freedom in Christ to still live our way if we see that it is good (not harming anyone else). After Tuesday prayer we were discussing why the body of Christ struggles with unity. It all comes down to us loving unselfishly. We often use the permissive will as an excuse to not die to the flesh in those areas. I can be selfish as a believer when I choose to do only what pleases me, especially when I do not consider the needs of others above myself. We may not hate people, we even love our church, we just love what we want more.

Galatians 5:13-14 (AMP) For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another. For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”

In a world that tells us to ‘look at for yourselves’, ‘build for yourself’, ‘to experience life for yourself’, ‘to do what makes you happy’, ‘to choose you’, this is a different way of living. I look at it this way, if my motive is questioned and I am defensive then is it self motivated or was is it Kingdom motivated? My flesh is going to seek preservation and will become defensive, even angry. That is why accountability has left the church today. We feel like it is an attack, when really it is suppose to bring us back to putting His way above seeking our own.

Galatians 5:16, 25-26, 6:10 But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another. So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

As I have been listening to teachings about hearing God and really developing a relationship with the Holy Spirit, the one key component is to get yourself in a neutral state. Close off my own desires and really listen to the heart of God. Most of the time we are swayed to make a decision because of our own yearnings, which means our voice is louder. God gives us the desires of our hearts, but I want my heart lined up with His. This is how I can battle my selfish nature. This is how my desires match His desires. This is how my wants do not become idols (coveting creates idols). Dying to self means I let go of the permissible and submit to the perfect will. I want all that God has for me. That means I want God to have all of me. Fill me up Lord! I do not want to live any old way anymore, I want to live Your way, the new way.

I did not include the entire chunk of verses of Galatians 5:13-Galatians 6:10 for the sake of the link of this blog. I do encourage you to go back and read it for yourself. I chose to read it in both the Amplified Bible and the Message Bible. Just a little taste of message for Galatians 5:13-14, “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use that freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom.” I do not want to destroy my freedom by submitting to my selfish ways. I do not want to be under the bondage of my mind, thinking things that are contrary to the Word. I want to live free, I also want you to be free also.

Abba Father, we want to know You more. We want our lives to be an honor to You. You are all that matters. Thank You for Your Son to restore us back to You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Let us listen and be led by Him. Let us hunger and thirst for Your Word. Let us desire to please You, not out of fear of punishment, but because of our deep Love for You. We repent for considering our wants above Your wants. Even things that my look good can become idols in our lives and we do not want to put anything above You. Please search our hearts Lord and correct any way You see in us that is not Your will. Forgive us for the times we have bitten and used divisiveness as a defense to keep doing what we please. Let us give preference to others. Let us love the way You love, unselfishly, not self seeking. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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I am hungry!

Matthew 5:6 (AMP) Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

What is it that we hunger and thirst for? That is what I was praying about the other day. I was praying that we hunger and thirst for the right things. What we hunger and thirst for we begin to crave. My husband and I are foodies. We like finding new restaurants for the most unique dishes to try. I like cooking different types of cuisines and will often make my own twists on dishes. This year I had asked God to take away all my cravings and only crave Him. I looked up ‘what is the biblical definition of righteousness’ through Google and this was I found from Christianity.com:

In Its deeper spiritual meaning, righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God’s standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).

http://www.christianity.com

I have often heard the term that ‘I am now in right standing with God’ and that ‘through Christ I have been made righteous’, but those words out of context can tell us that we can live our lives any way we want to. There is still a standard. Since it was Jesus who spoke the words about hungering and thirsting after righteousness I searched for other times to hunger and thirst.

John 6:35 (AMP) Jesus replied to them, “I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].”

There was a time in the desert that the devil tempted Jesus to satisfy His hunger by turning a stone into bread (Matthew 4:3). Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” What was this bread they were referring to. Putting that quote into context, Deuteronomy 8:3 says, “He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” Manna was a substance that man could not make on their own. There is no recipe for it. If I wanted to show you what manna tasted like I could not recreate it. The ingredients do not exist here. God was showing us that our dependence on His Word would satisfy us.

John 1:1 (AMP) In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

Jesus said that He was the Bread of Life (the Word at the beginning), when we come to Him we will never be hungry again. The Word and Christ are one, just as the Father and Son are one. How can we wrap our understanding around such? Let me ask you a question, how can God feed a whole nation with something that man could never make for themselves? Faith. Faith in His Word (Christ).

Joshua 1:8 (AMP) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.

Now that I have hit on hunger, let us dive into some scripture about thirst. Jesus told the woman at the well that she would never thirst again from the water that He would give her (John 4:10).

Psalms 1:1-3 (AMP) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

One of my favorite verses to cling onto is that I am rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17). I cannot be rooted and grounded into someone that I have no relationship with. If Christ is the Word, then I need to have a relationship with the Word. This is what I have begun to hunger and thirst after. My roots are searching for nourishment. Everything that I need is found in His Word. My right standing, my righteousness, is found in Him. What happens when I try doing something else. God said that it was to bring the people of Israel to humility that He had them to hunger. Do you think He would allow us to thirtst?

Jeremiah 2:13 (AMP) For My people have committed two evils: they have abandoned (rejected) Me, the fountain of living water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Due to long times of drought, cisterns were dug to hold water. When a cistern was broken the water became contaminated. It is when we place our trust in anything other than God, that our cisterns are broken. It is when we say the Word does not work. It is when we say Christ might have done that for you, but He did not do that for me. When we do not trust in God and try to make out own way. He is the fountain of Living Water. He is the Bread of Life.

As Lysa TerKeurst writes in her books Made to Crave, we were made to crave after God. How? In the beginning was the Word. Christ being the Bread of Life (the Word made flesh). He being the fountain of Living Waters. I was made to crave after the righteousness of God. I am to hunger and thirst after Him. I am to be rooted and grounded in Him. There is a standard. My right standing cannot be defined by man, it must be Word defined. My righteousness in Christ is not the same as my self-righteousness. Today choose to hunger and thirst after righteousness (the God way).

Abba, Father, Lord and Creator, we honor Your Holy name today. We want to honor You in everything we say and do. Thank You for Your Son, the Word made flesh, the Fountain of Life and the Bread of Life. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, that empowers us to seek after You. We repent for the times we have tried to fill our hunger and thirst with anything that does not line up with Your Word. You tell us to be Holy as You are Holy. You tell us to seek after righteousness, that is Your way of doing things. We are aligning our thoughts with the Word today. We are thankful that we are rooted and grounded in Your Love. We choose to forgive those that we may have blamed for being a root of our depression, our anxiety or even our rejection. We know that we do not have to take root in anything other than You. We are allowing the Holy Spirit to dig up areas that do not reflect Your nourishment. We choose love today. We choose joy today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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How we treat people matters

Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP) Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

How we treat people matters to God. I was in prayer yesterday and God told me to turn to Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].” I am a context girl, so I read the verses around it.

Ephesians 4:29 (AMP) Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]. 

Ephesians 4:31-32 (AMP) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

The Book of Ephesians was written to the church of Ephesus, which means it was written to people who had received Christ as their Lord and Savior. At the moment, my husband and I are in a series about Relational Maintenance and we are taking the verses from Ephesians 5 and breaking down how we can apply it to our every day lives. Like I said, I am a context girl and when I see the word “therefore” that means that this is not the starting point of the thought. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we are not becoming imitators of Christ. This is not referring to winning the lost, healing the sick and raising people from the dead. We have been given the authority to do that at sons and daughters, but it is not referring to your position as a child of God. As a child of God, that is an imitation of the Father, an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). Does my character reflect His? There are two words in the Greek that are used for son, teknon and huios. Teknon refers to child or heir, huios refers to maturity and the mannerism taken on.

Can I grieve the Holy Spirit as a born again believer? Yes. How? By not maturing into huios, becoming an imitator of my Father. What are some checks in myself? When I am talking are my words building up? Do I take the chance to tell it like it is about someone? Do I repeat a wrong? Do I spread resentment or strife? I had someone do that to me recently and it has taken me a moment to think better about the person they were talking about. They said something to hurt me out of spite and sow a seed of division to another. This was a person in our body of believers doing this. Did I correct them? There would have been no point because of their character (they are known for doing this). Instead I loved them and am choosing to walk in forgiveness.

When we mature we begin to walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. There are times that I am going to have to work on this more and more. How we treat people matters to God. When I become an imitator of Him I do not have to fear grieving the Holy Spirit. I believe He is a God to be honored. I should honor Him with my full self, that includes my thoughts, words and actions.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (AMP) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Father, our Creator and Banner, You are so Marvelous. If we do nothing else but to just love You, that is all we need. Thank You for Your Son, for being the Restorer of our authority and fullness. Thank You for the Holy Spirit and the power that You have entrusted us with. We repent for not being imitators of You and for the words we have spoken in vain against Your body. Let our tongues be submitted to You. We are choosing to renew our minds daily in Your Word. Thank You for allowing us to partner with You in Your Kingdom expansion. We choose to see people the way You do. Let us have eternal eyes when we speak and treat Your people. Let us be true children of You and imitate You in all we say and do. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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My Treasure

Isaiah 33:6 (AMPC) And there shall be stability in your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His.

I love this verse. This verse has been on the cover of my Facebook page off and on for the past few years. How much do you desire stability? Stability in our lives makes us feel more secure and safe. You may be saying, ‘look at the things going on in the world, do they look stable?’ Right now there is a war in Israel. The United States just launched an air strike against Iran in retaliation for the attack that killed three American soldiers. Let’s not talk about the price of everything going up and the interest rates. Are those the things we look at to gauge stability?

John 14:27 (AMP) Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

An abundance of salvation. This my heart leaps for because I want to see the captives set free. As I have written before, ‘Sozo’ is the Greek word for salvation. It means to save, deliver, heal, restore, to be made whole. In Hebrew it means deliverance and redemption. We cannot separate salvation from the need of repentance. I grow in my salvation when I realize I have a great need for Christ. I have to remind myself of that daily, because Amanda still likes to live. I so much want to surrender to that Sozo life.

John 10:10 (AMP) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

How many of us would like more wisdom and knowledge? I know I would. That is why I read every day, if I am able. Most days I am able to spend a couple of hours to read. I know that it is a something that not everyone is capable of doing. I did not start out with a couple of hours. I started out with maybe five to ten minutes. I had to make it a priority in my life. I make sure that i am at least reading a few verses from my Bible every day. When I am at the gym, I am listening to the Word being taught. I love the Messenger X app. It is completely free and is tool from Messenger International, a ministry of John and Lisa Bevere. Reading without application really is a form of disobedience. I will go further in that in my last point.

Joshua 1:8 (AMP) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.

The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His. This is where i want to sit for a moment. This fear is not of failure nor of punishment. It is ‘God, am I honoring You?’ Once we receive salvation we become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). I am now called into the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). I am now an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus gifted us with five fold ministry (Ephesians 4:10-11) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-13). The fear of the Lord is also a gift. It is even a treasure. I take the Word very seriously, even the commands that Jesus left us. I am constantly allowing the Holy Spirit to put me in check because of the fear of the Lord. One verse really stood out to me this past week:

Exodus 20:7 (AMP) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the Lord will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].

Most of us were brought up with warning of not saying ‘oh my God’ or ‘Jesus Christ’ as response to be startled or in the heat of an argument, as in taking the Lord’s name in vain. How about how we live our lives as Christ’s ambassadors. Are we selfish? Are we self seeking? Do we put others down? Are we putting ourselves first? Do we take an account of a suffered wrong? Are we slandering? Do we stir up gossip and strife? All of these are taking the name of the Lord in vain. I have started to take this very serious in my life. I have written before that my prayer this year has been for God to increase His love in me, so that it is all that flows out of me. That requires me to submit to His cleaning some things out of me. Boy has this been an eye opener and stretching of my faith. The love walk is not an easy one. However, with the right training, it can become something we enjoy. I have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. FYI, those who just talk it and do not live it actually come off unloving. It is truly a humbling thing to go back and apologize. Asking for forgiveness is an essential part of our love walk. I have to continually die to the rights of Amanda.

I go to the gym five days a week, not because it helps me looks good. I go because it gives me strength that I am going to need one day (we all get older). That is why I submit to the Lord. It is not about me looking good. Every day I need that strength to go through some really tough things. I know that I am being watched by people. I know they are writing down my words. That can be a really scary thing. In James it talks about the great weight it is to teach the Word (James 1:1). People hold you to a higher standard. Then it talks about if anyone who does not say the wrong thing then they are perfect (James 1:2). I am not perfect. I do misquote things, not with the intention of twisting their meaning, but in my zeal for the Word. Why do I do it then? Honestly, I would rather not be doing it. Like Paul, I am a bond-servant to it (Galatians 1:10). Even if my words are judged, it is His Word that brings freedom. I am in awe of who He is. I cannot keep it to myself.

When I focused on the reverent fear of the Lord, as my treasure, things began to change in my life. Stability is in my time. I am not afraid for the future or what is going on around me. I am quicker to repent and put into practice what the Word says (James 1:25). I take it seriously. I have an abundance of salvation. I have more life, more hunger, more thirst, more contentment, more wholeness like never before. Wisdom and knowledge started to chase after me. The light bulbs started going off. The way I present the Word changed. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight (AMP).” My relationship with God is so much deeper than I could have ever imagined. He is not some distant God. He is not a God that cannot be reached. He is my secret place. I am surrounded by Him. The more I enter in, the more I am consumed by Him. He desires to meet with us face to face. He desires to commune with us like we read about with Abraham and Moses. We can have that. I do not need anyone to write books about me, when He has written the best one (Psalms 139:16, Ephesians 2:10). His authorship did not do away with my free will, I will still have to give an account (2 Corinthians 5:10). Focus on Him. Honor the Lord. Let Him be your treasure.

Yahweh, Elohim, our Master, our Creator, You are Holy. We do not need anything but You. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for the Way that You provided, established at the beginning. You are the Author of the beginning and the end. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. We are alive in You because of that great gift. Thank You for the gift of Your Word, of the five fold ministry, of the body of Christ. We are sorry for the times we took these gifts for granted and did not hold them dear. Thank You for the gift of the righteous fear of You. You said that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. We desire Your Wisdom. We desire Your ways. We desire the stability that only You can bring. We repent for seeking out anything or anyone that would take attempt to take Your place. Thank You for the gift of salvation, for restoring us to wholeness. Thank You for forgiveness, let us be courageous in giving it away freely. We choose hope today. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Who do you say I am?

2 Samuel 22:47 (AMP) The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation.

Psalms 46:10 (AMP) “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

While in prayer yesterday, I kept going back to “I exalt You, Lord.” There is a reassurance within yourself when you are rooted and grounded in the knowledge that He is our Rock. Why not exalt Him? It comes from what we say He is. We often limit the greatness of God in our lives by filtering His awesomeness through the lens of our view of the world. How can you tell? It is by the words that we speak, by our actions and by the way we respond verbally or non-verbally (your attitude).

Luke 6:46-49 (AMP) “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you?  Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced [what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

We are going to have times when the waters of life comes against us. We can either collapse under the pressure or be secure in who we are in Christ. Christ is our Rock. Be still and know (recognize and have a deep understanding) that He is God. We often want God to take us out of the storm or to cancel the storm. How can we exercise our faith or our peace if we never have to use it?

When I read the word foundation, and remembered the rock that it was lain on, I had to go back to Jesus’ question: “who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15-19 (AMP) He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”

The word rock is not singular in meaning throughout these verses. In Hebrew, as referred to in the old testament verses, it is tsur, meaning a word that describes God’s constancy, strength, power and presence. In Greek, it is petros, sharing origins with Petra and Peter. Often we reference “rock” here as revelation knowledge (knowledge that you now live by because you understand it). If we are referring to Jewish tradition, they often referred to Moses, so Jesus being the Rock would be God’s provision for us (the grace and goodness of God flowing through Jesus as released through the Holy Spirit).

So which it is? It is all of it. When we try to make the definition singular, when we try to limit to just one aspect, we limit who God can be in our lives. Jesus is asking, “who do you say I am?” If He is Lord, then act like it, stop running the show. If He is your Savior, do you really know what that means? “Sozo” is the greek word for salvation, but it is way deeper than the forgiving of sins. It means wholeness of spirit, soul and body. Is He Immanuel, God with us, then invite Him in to every part of your life. If He is your Prince of Peace, then lay down the anxiety and worry. Can He be your Everything? Can He be the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, Immanuel, our Rock, Prince of Wholeness, our Healer, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father…Everything? If you are not ready to take it all in, I understand, it can be so much. I made up my mind a long time ago that I wanted everything God had for me, so that meant I could not limit who He was in my life. I want that for you life too. Be still and know is the confidence in me to do the hard things. He is my Rock, a firm foundation.

Abba, Father, Creator, God, You are so Marvelous, You are so Holy. Holy, Holy, Holy is Your Name. Thank You for sending Your Son. Thank You for providing the Rock of our Salvation. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Thank You for our Wonderful Counselor. We repent for not laying the correct foundations in our lives. We are sorry for the times we put in our own reasoning along with Your Goodness and Mercy. We repent for the times we have allowed bitterness, unforgiveness and self pity to take part in who we allowed You to be in our lives. We are sorry for limiting You. We want Your fullness, You make us whole. Our redemption is not just for ourselves, it is for all. Give us the courage today to step out in boldness and proclaim Your Great Name. You are our Everything. We are secure and grounded because of You. Let us not speak anything contrary through our lips. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.