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Even Though, I Will

Genesis 15:6 (AMP) Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord; and He counted (credited) it to him as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man).

A statement rung out in me yesterday as I was preparing to go into corporate prayer with my church. I heard, “We can know the Word and not have faith in the Word.” Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Faith is required for righteousness. It is faith in Christ that we are made righteous. However, this faith only works by love.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP) He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

Galatians 5:6 (AMP) For [if we are] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love.

The church today has a faith problem. Why? Really, we have a love issue. We are looking at anything but the Word of God to define love. We have let the world define love to us. Love was sacrificed for us. There is so much knowledge available to us that we can reason away everything that is really promised to us. We will use our symptoms or our circumstances. Yet, the Bible gives an account such as,  “Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah’s womb. But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised. Therefore his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God) (Romans 4:19-22 AMP). Even though, I will. That is what I am saying right now. Even though should not stop our obedience. Our obedience is the product of our righteousness, our faith, and I do not have to waiver in it because of my position of Love in Christ.

Our positional authority is because we have been rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ. An “I can’t” response is not of faith, and it is not coming from a place of love. That may sound rough, but I tell you this truth in my love for you because I want you whole. I do not want you limping through life quoting scripture but not having faith in the power of Christ within you.

Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

I want to see all that the Word tells about. I do not just want to read it and think that is a cool story. Do you really believe that is real? Do not just dream about it. Talk about it. Have an expectation about it. Encourage others in it. Faith works through love, but faith without works is dead. We cannot please God without faith. If faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26), then faith requires obedience to His Word. We can know the Word and not have faith in it, abstaining us from obedience. This is not what God called righteous. Remember, everything is permissible (1 Corinthians 6:12). We have been given free will. However, we can choose to say to God not our will, but His. Even though, I will.

Abba, Father, our Banner, You are Holy and Marvelous. You are the Creator and Sustainer of all life. Thank you for sending Your Son, who embodied the fullness of who You are, making us whole through Him. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit, who reveals the depth of who You are and empowers us to understand the vastness of Your love. We repent for only having head knowledge and not believing in Your Word. We know that we please You with our faith. Through ongoing surrender, we will reflect on what it means to be fully Loved by You through Christ and our faith is found in that Love. We long for everyone to grasp the enormity of Christ’s love, which is incomprehensible without the Holy Spirit. Even though reports may say or circumstances look a certain way, we will choose obedience. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Endless love

John 17:26 (TPT) I have revealed to them who you are and I will continue to make you even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless love that you have for me, for your love will now live in them, even as I live in them!

When God created mankind, man and woman, He did not want to create “robots.” Robots have to obey according to what they are programmed to do. He wanted to create beings that could make a choice. Why? This was the only way He would have a true form of love towards Him. People have to choose to love Him, we are not forced to. Jesus revealed that love to us when He was here on earth.

We all have dreams and desires, that is part of being a created being. We are given choices. It is up to us to make sure it lines up with His Word, and the character and nature of God found in His Word. This means taking our “free will” choices and laying them down before God. Letting Him have the say in our lives. It is a surrendering of choice. A surrendering of will.

I had to make a choice when I first excepted Christ. At that time in our lives my husband and I were engaged. We had just gotten engaged but in a sexual relationship for a couple of years. It was my hunger and desire to know His endless love that I approached my fiance and told him, “if we are going to do this, we need to do it right. We do not need to have sex again until marriage.” I was prepared to walk away from him to walk closer to God. Thankfully, when I prayed for a husband those years ago, that is who he turned into. He honored me by saying yes, let us do this right together. We were abstinent for two years before we married.

When a person comes to this place in their life it represents having a true faith in God. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Purpose is the motivation for all of God’s actions. Purpose is more important than plans. Purpose is more powerful than plans. Purpose proceeds plans. The only thing that motivates God is His purpose, not your plans. The word purpose means original intent, it also can be translated as will.

When we make decisions to do or not do, to go or not go, what is the intent of the heart? Is it to experience His endless love? Are we willing to show that to others? My plans and decisions cannot move God, I am moved my His purpose. Sometimes we get that backwards and we try to manipulate God. We even use some good religious speech that does not line up with His character and nature that can be found in His Word. Satan manipulates the Word of God to get his way. Check the intent of our hearts. Jesus was the ultimate example. Experience His full love today!

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Out of the grave

Depending on where you are and what worship bands you have access to, because there are many, what would you say would be your favorite song to put on repeat right now? Elevation Worship and Maverick City just put out a new collaboration album called “Old Church Basement.” To be honest I have not listened to many of the songs, “Jireh” is a pretty good one. One song though that I have to stop whatever I am doing and just sing when it comes on is “Rattle” (not on this album, but releases by Elevation Worship a year ago).

Pentecostal fire stirring something new
You're not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon
Yeah, resurrection power runs in my veins too
I believe there's another miracle here in this room

This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I'm coming out
I'm gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling

I do not know about you, but the greatest battle that I have is in my mind. My mind will tell me that I really am not wanted. That it does not matter when you get up and speak. I ask myself whether the things that I make available to serve, do they really matter, does anyone care? Then I feel guilty and I wear the shame or disappointment on my face. Then I am told that I need to change my face because I am wearing my disappointment. This causes me to want to go into hiding, and God would let me do it. Really? God will let me run and hide. Yes, He will. Remember, you have free will.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP) All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

Case in point is to look at Elijah. In 1 Kings 19 Elijah hears word that Jezebel is mad and has sent people to kill him. In the previous chapter we see that he calls does a fire and it burns up and kills all the priests of Baal. Verse 4, “But he himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.‘” Have you ever had those moments that you curl up and think, would it better if I was not even here? An angel comes and feeds him, there was cake (talk about comfort food). Then he makes his way to a cave. Verses 9-10, “There he came to a cave and spent the night in it; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’  He said, ‘I have been very zealous (impassioned) for the Lord God of hosts (armies) [proclaiming what is rightfully and uniquely His]; for the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.‘”

God then calls Elijah, while he is in the cave, a couple more times asking what he is doing there. Showing His marvelous self outside of the cave each time. My friend, God does not want us to stay in the cave, but He will let us be there if we choose. What Elijah did not have available to him is the Holy Spirit (also referred to as our Comforter). I look at it this way, yes a cave is good for hiding and it does provide shelter, but do you know what else it is used for? A grave! They buried their dead there. This is why I love the song “Rattle” so much right now. I wanted to stay in that cave. I have to make the choice to come out, and no God would never want to keep me there. Do not let that cave become your grave!

Do not let that cave become your grave!

I found a nice cave when I had COVID. It was after the 10 days had passed. I was still feeling exhausted, so I slept a lot. Saturday afternoon I had nausea again and a headache so bad that I needed a cold compress. This was my chance, I could tell my husband that I needed another Sunday to recover (I had already been out the previous Sunday). He would have to be compassionate and let me, I mean I still had the affects of COVID. The articles said this could last months. Yep, there was a nice cave I could hide in. I had to make the decision not to stay there. I was not one hundred percent when I went to service that next day. Since I was still dizzy and my mind was foggy, I did not play the bass with the worship team. In worship I pulled on that corporate anointing and received the healing I needed to not go back into the cave.

If you have been in a cave, please know that God does not want you to stay there, but He will allow you to be there. He loves and cares for you. Let Him show you all of His majesty. I heard from Joyce Meyer one time, “You are graced for the hard stuff.” Here are a few scriptures I use to help me with the hard stuff, I pray they encourage you. Have a blessed day!

Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

Isaiah 4:29 (AMP) He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might He increases power

1 John 3:19-20 (AMP) By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands].