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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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Confidence

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.] 

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning I take a class at the gym called Body Pump. I stand towards the front of the class, because that is where a fan is. So that means quite of bit of the class are behind me and can see me in the mirror. I like the mirror, because I can check my form while I am exercising. We are often afraid of mirrors because we do not like certain parts of ourselves. Mirrors are needed. They help us keep the correct form, so that we do not cause an injury.

James 1:23-25 (AMP) For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like. But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience].

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.

Comparison is very crippling in the body of Christ. The mirror I am looking into is not to see a reflection of anyone else, other than Christ in my life. I should be an encouragement for others to continue, not a hinderance to stall growth in their life. Authenticity and real change are what people are wanting to hope in. Peace and stability in Christ are real. Being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ is possible.

A lady stopped me yesterday as I was putting away my equipment. She said, “I admire your confidence.” She told me she had been watching me and that she admired how confident I am in this class. In this class, I am the big girl. I will not be the small girl; there will not be a huge transformation about from big to small. Very little is known about lipedema, other than there is no cure. That is not why I go to the gym. I go so that I can be healthy. Mobility is health. Skinny does not mean healthy. We all grow older. What matters is that we do not quit because we do not see a change. Others see the consistency.

We are called into the body of Christ. What happens when we think that it does not matter if we show up on Sunday? Who are we really thinking of? I love my gym community. We watch out for each other and look for each other. That is called being the church. It is through the obedience of the Word in my every day that He reveals Himself more to me. I have to get outside of myself. When we think we do not matter, it is because we are still rooted in self. There is no peace in self-reliance.

John 14:21 (AMP) The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].

John 15:12 (AMP) This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you.

I ask that of myself daily. I pray for opportunities daily to show others His grace, mercy and love. I also have not attachment as to whether I receive it back from them or not. That is called keeping score, and love keeps no account of suffered wrongs. Jesus never looked to received back; He continually gave. How does He show me that He loves me? In the moments that I do not expect it. From the stranger that told me they see the confidence in me. That confidence does not come natural to me. It is from a surrendered life that confidence came. It was where being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ came from. It is where my peace is found. I grieve for those who look for it any other place than in Him. I hear the resentment in their voices. I hear the lack of love for others when they speak of what others were willing to do for them, yet they will not do something small for someone else. Yet I continue to serve, not that they deserve it, but because I love Jesus.

Peace is so important, that He said He would leave it with us. Peace brings courage. Peace brings confidence. Peace opens the door to wholeness. Worry is an enemy of peace. Depression is not resting in peace. Afraid of being uprooted from what you think is safe is not peace. Peace comes because we are confident in who Christ is in our lives. Others should see that confidence. Jesus will not turn away from confidence (Matthew 15:28).

Abba, Father, our Banner, You are Mighty and Wonderful. You Name is Holy. Thank You for Your Son, that we may have Peace. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, that we may know Comfort and Confidence. We repent for the times we made our days about just us. We repent that we approach Your church the same way. We love You. Jesus said that if we loved Him that we would obey His commandment. We are sorry that we have fallen short in seeking the best for others. We repent for keeping score and only serving those that we thought deserved it or would return it. We did not deserve the Love You so freely gave when you sent Your Son. Let us look for the best in each other. Let us no longer keep accounts. Let us love like You love. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We stand in Your Perfect Peace today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Found my rest

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

In a time where it is easy to give up, do not quit. There are times that we are going to get tired and exhausted, that is why Jesus said to yoke up with Him. I use to think that He would carry all of the burden, but that is not what it means to be equally yoked and that is not us allowing the transforming work of Christ in our lives. He said to take His yoke and to learn from Him. It was in my surrender that I started to yoke up correctly.

I did a quick google search on ‘yoking two different animals together’ and the AI overview showed “Yoking two different animals together, or ‘unequally yoking’ them, can cause discomfort, pain and injury. When animals are properly yoked, they are usually the same type, height, and strength, and are attached together so they can pull together on the load. However, if the animals are different, one might be stronger, taller, or have shorter legs than the other, causing them to pull unevenly. This can lead to chafing and discomfort, and eventually animals might not be able to pull together at all. For example, if an ox and a donkey are yoked together, the ox might carry most of the load, and the donkey might refuse to move, veer to the side, or leave important seeds unplanted.” When I decide to yoke up with Christ, He is not doing all of the work and that is what makes it easier, it is because I am aligning my life with His.

Jeremiah 6:16-17 (AMP) Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ I have set watchmen (prophets) over you, Saying, ‘Listen and pay attention to the [warning] sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

My rest is not in the absence of action, it is in the obedience to Christ. When we look to anything else to satisfy us, we become hardened. Our burdens in life become too heavy and even though we may love Christ, He is not what we have yoked up to. Instead of waiting and becoming we look to satisfy the right now. It is like Esau when he sold his birthright. What made him do it? A momentary discomfort that he could not take his mind off of.

Genesis 25:29-34 (AMP) Jacob had cooked [reddish-brown lentil] stew [one day], when Esau came from the field and was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, “Please, let me have a quick swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished.” For that reason Esau was [also] called Edom (Red). Jacob answered, “First sell me your birthright (the rights of a firstborn).” Esau said, “Look, I am about to die [if I do not eat soon]; so of what use is this birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear [an oath] to me today [that you are selling it to me for this food]”; so he swore [an oath] to him, and sold him his birthright.Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. In this way Esau scorned his birthright. 

In Hebrews 12:15-17 there is a reference to this very lesson for us, “See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; and [see to it] that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears. (AMP)

There is something to these verses that should give us a wake up call to the meaning of God’s grace. A root of resentment comes from the seed of offense and/or anger, which ultimately is rooted in pride. When I yoke myself with Christ, I have given Him permission to help me break up the hardened ground so that the seed of His Word can be planted there. Being yoked up with Him is what makes the soil good for planting (Read the meaning of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23). Do not take for granted the grace of God, it is not meant for a license to do as you want, it is an empowerment to overcome. We can do that because of Christ. He did not promise a life absent of trials, He did promise us peace in the midst of them (John 14:27).

John 15:4-5 (AMP) Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 

Christ wants us to be united in Him. I encourage you to read all of John 15 if you have not had the chance, or read it again if you have. Jesus gives some rich teaching to His disciples in that chapter. My prayer has been for God to align my heart with His, I want to love how He loves so that it is all that flows out of me. Now in doing that, it does not mean that people can abuse you. Bowing down to a narcissist or someone who is always playing the victim is not love and it is not being peaceful. God said blessed are the peacemakers (those grounded in His Word) not the peace keepers (compromisers of His Word). My greatest love for others is to point them to Christ, in doing so I have to be united with Him. I am yoking up to Him. We are in this together and peace abounds there. This is how I have found my rest.

Father, our Creator and our Banner. You are Mighty and Holy. Thank you for Your Son to be our Redeemer. Thank You for the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter and Teacher. Thank You for Your Word and the revelation that You desire for us to know You more. We repent for not aligning our hearts with Yours. We repent for not abiding on the vine and allowing our hearts to be hardened by this world. We choose to yoke up with Your Son. We are choosing a life of surrender and abiding. We are choosing to forgive and not allow the seed of resentment to take root. We are thankful for Your grace so that we make be overcomers. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Many Voices

Jeremiah 7:23 (AMP) But this thing I did command them: ‘Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, so that it may be well with you.’ 

Many people want to hear God on the direction to go in life. Do we take a certain job? Do we enroll our kids in this school? Do we move to this city? As I see it, there are three voices speaking to us at all times. There is God’s, there is the devil’s and then there is ours. Which one will you listen to?

John 10:4-5, 10 (AMP) When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. 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].

The sheep are brought out in the presence of not just their shepherd. This let’s me know that the stranger does not need to be absent for me to know the voice of God. The stranger was present, not absent. They can lead us to food and drink also. What is the devil’s motive? To get us distracted, to get us in offense, to get us away from our purpose. When I read the parable of the sower, I can also see that the seed of the Word is planted even in the midst of satan (Mark 4:15). We have to get to know Christ to know the voice of God.

Looking at Jeremiah 7 again, verse 24 says, “But they did not obey Me or bend their ear [to hear Me], but followed the counsels and the stubbornness of their [own] evil heart (mind), and [they turned and] went backward instead of forward.” This reminded me of the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. Balaam was a prophet and the King of Moab called after him so that he could curse the Israelites. Each time Balaam was approached they offered more and more treasures. Balaam went to God on each occasion. The third time God told him to go. Why? It was in his heart that he wanted to go anyways. On the journey Balaam was riding a donkey. The donkey kept leaving the trail. Why? An angel was in the way. Balaam was beating the donkey each time and finally the donkey spoke. Talk about God making you listen. The donkey was trying to save Balaam’s life because the angel was sent to kill him. Balaam was not able to curse Israel, instead he blessed them at every turn. It no longer mattered about the silver and gold that had been offered to him. He had to follow the voice of God.

Isaiah 30:21 (AMP) Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Listening for His direction often comes in a still quietness within you. I have to go back to the Word. Is this going to line up with what Christ told us to do (John 15:12)? Is this going to glorify God (not me)? Is this going to benefit others? I recently came into a situation that required me to talk about someone that I have not had contact with in many years. The still voice in me has been nudging me to go see them. Why? We are called into the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). There is nothing in our lives to keep us from loving others. We cannot keep an account of all the wrongs they have done to not see them reconciled to Christ. How do I know that it is God? It is not something I would have chosen to do. I am making a step of obedience. Do I know what the outcome will be? It is beyond me. I can reason it away: “they have not asked me to come,” “they pulled through,” “what happens to them does not affect me.” That is not how Christ responds to us. Love always hopes.

Whose voice are you listening to today? God’s, ours or the devils? Many times we want to be selfish and that leads us to listen to the other to voices, ours and the devil’s. God’s is going to lead us to a life we could never have imagined for ourselves. I love how John talks about the Word (Christ): “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 (John 1:1-4).” Then in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.” I am going to keep listening out for the voice of my Shepherd (God).

Jehovah Nissi, our Banner, our Maker, we see You in Your Glory and Majesty. We call You Holy. Thank You for Your Son for being our Prince of Peace and and our Prince of Wholeness. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we know Your Voice. We are thankful for Your Word and the direction of Your Voice through all that You have given us. We repent for falling into the deception of selfishness, for listening to other voices including ourselves. We repent for the lure of the strangers voice to the things that look good, but truly are not for our benefit. We want to glorify You in all that we do and say. Thank You for seeking the best for us and others. You gave Your best when You sent Your Son. Let us remember what He left us to do, to go out and make disciples of Your ways. We surrender our hearts to You so that we can Love the way You Love. Grow that Love deeper withing us so that it is all that pours out of us. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Jesus left us a gift

Exodus 33:15 (AMP) And Moses said to Him, “If Your presence does not go [with me], do not lead us up from here.

If this is not the message that You want us to preach, then remove it from our thoughts. This is the prayer I prayed at the Holy Spirit Conference. My husband and I have been on a series together since September of last year. We just cannot drop it. We reverence God and our prayer that week was if God did not want us to stay on it any longer, then remove the message from our mouths.

Just like God spoke to Moses, we can have a face to face relationship (Exodus 33:11) with the our Father. It takes surrender and obedience (John 15:14). A heart ready for correction. Do not fool around with people’s lives. What we minister from cannot be from us, but from the Holy Spirit. Take time to develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit. We did not go to get direction from a prophet (as that is what Dr. Mark Barclay flows in). We came for refreshing. We left with confirmation. Every message he preached directly tied into what we have been speaking these past nine months. Were we disappointed that he did not speak a word of knowledge to us? Not at all. That is not what we should be chasing after, especially if you have developed a relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:7-8.11-12 (AMP) Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift. Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and He bestowed gifts on men.”  And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].

Before Christ ascended He bestowed gifts to mankind. He gave the church, as a gift, the five fold ministry. Some may say they do not have to have a pastor, or that they can have Jesus and themselves. Jesus gave us the five fold ministry. Your pastor is a gift. We are to be building each other up. We are to be ministers of reconciliation. It was not man’s idea for you to have leadership, it was a gift given to you by Christ. Course correction can save our lives. Figure out what is stealing your excellence. God appointed watchmen (Hebrews 13:17). We are to preach the uncompromising Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2). Do not be selective in your submission to the Word as seen in 2 Timothy 4:3. We are all submitting to something whether it is sin, satan or the Word.

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

What is the burden? Souls!! The ministry of reconciliation. Christ’s yoke is easier than satan’s. People who are on fire for God are contagious. The adversary is walking around to see who he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Give him a place and he will oblige. Take anything out of biblical order and satan takes it as permission to strike. Honor the authority of the leadership that God has placed in your life. The biggest lie the enemy has told the church is that they can be their own pastor. I need authority in my life. It is the gift that Christ left for me. Do they hear God for me? No. They help me with course correction and discipling me for the ministry of reconciliation. My burden would be for my own selfish needs and desires if I did not have those Christ put around me to keep me yoked.

The reverence for God in His gatherings should be top priority when we get together corporately. I do not want to enter begrudgingly. I get to serve and worship with the body He has connected me with. I want to see those that have been placed in my life as gifts. Gifts are meant to grow me, to mold me and glorify Him. My serving within the body is a worship to Him. Christ did not come to be served but to serve (John 13). Oh that we would really grasp what it means to sin against each other in the body (read the verses 21-32 of Ephesians 4). How much more we would desire to please Him and be more ready to cast down those thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). I have to admit that I have to do it through out the day. I have to do it even when I am serving in my church. I have to do it when I am speaking to the congregation. If not, I will not be led by the Holy Spirit.

How can I judge my thoughts: Is it true? Not what I have imagined up. Is it honorable or worthy of respect? Is it right and confirmed in God’s Word? Does it bring peace? Is it admirable and of good repute (slander never is)? If it goes deep within my heart will it harden it? Can I love unselfishly with that thought? Will it bring envy, covetous, jealousy or anger? Will it provoke me to become overly sensitive? Am I believing for the best for others? These are all questions we can ask ourselves to take captive our thoughts and bring them back to Him. A repentant heart and a change can happen in a moment. Do not allow them to linger.

This is why I love His Word. This is why I love ministers that are not afraid to preach the truth. There may be some ouch messages, but it is for my good. I would rather be led to the Holy than to the stink pit. A half truth is not what we need. Let us be a sweet fragrance to the Lord (Ephesians 5:2).

El Elyon (the God most High) we want to Honor You with everything that is within us. You are so wonderful! There is no one like our God. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You that He came to redeem us and restore us. He paid a price that we are not worthy of. We cannot stop being thankful of that. Thank You that the Holy Spirit now dwells within. We have the power to overcome. We are not longer separated from You. We desire a close relationship with You. We repent for the times we have made it all about us. We repent for profaning Your gifts. We repent for looking at Your gifts as common. Thank You that You have given us the weapons for warfare. We do not take Your Word lightly. You are the Potter and we are the clay. We surrender our hearts and will to You. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Do not let the roar of the lion drown out your voice

Amos 3:17-18 (AMP) Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?

Did you know that when you speak you are prophesying? There is a difference in the five fold ministry of a prophet and a born again believer being a prophetic. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” If my words have power, then that would mean that they are prophetic. My favorite words to speak are those found in His Word.

I love the words in Ezekiel 37 when God tells him to prophesy to the dry bones. He did not just say “get up, dry bones.” He said, “dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.”

The question regarding whether we really heard God can be like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). Although a lion roars, a true servant of God listens to the voice of God above the roar of the lion (John 10:27). If it lines up with His Word, do it, and in boldness, say it. It might look foolish to others (believe me, I battle this too). Often I will argue with God before delivering a hard word. I do not take it lightly. As a teacher of the Word, I know I will be held accountable far greater than those who are not (James 3:1). The call to follow God in obedience should be louder than the roar of defeat.

He speaks through us to others, encouraging them and affirming them, and upon occasion, giving a word of correction for them (this is the part I wrestle with). I have learned to dust off my feet after I have been obedient (Matthew 10:14). My heart is to see people grow and to be blessed. It is not my job to make sure they receive it. My job is to deliver it. May I add a little thought provoking question? If you sit through services and listen to your pastor and it does not prick you to take an evaluation of yourself, has your heart become hard? Being sweet has nothing to do with the status of your heart. Love will propel you to seek the best for others, unselfishly.

Here are some questions I ask myself. Does it line up with His Word? That is not the same as it making you feel good or stroking your spiritual ego. Does it line up with His character and nature? Not how I want Him to be. Sometimes we want God to conform to our image of Him. Finally, will it bring freedom (even if it is correction)? We are called ministers of reconciliation. If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions. Then be obedient. Do not let Sanballat’s (Nehemiah 4:1) in your life deter you from what God told you to do. Be bold and courageous. Here the voice of the Lord and go!

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Options or Obedience?

Jeremiah 42:13-16 (AMP) But if you are going to say, “We will not stay in this land,” and [in so doing] do not listen to the voice of the Lord your God,  saying, “No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the [warrior’s] trumpet or hunger for bread, and we will stay there,”  then in that case listen to the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “If you are really determined to go to Egypt and to reside there [temporarily], then the sword, of which you are afraid, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine of which you are afraid will follow closely after you in Egypt, and you will die there. 

How frustrating must it have been to be Jeremiah during this time. He was the man God decided to speak His Word through. It was not an easy Word either. He was beaten for it, put in stocks for it, put in a pit for it and even spent time in the courts prison for it. Yet, he did not change what God proclaimed.

Here the people are asking Jeremiah what God says about their decision to go to Egypt. Exodus happened in the 13th century BC, Babylonian captivity in 539 BC, yet the people were still looking back to Egypt. How many generations had passed? Whenever, there was a threat, Egypt was their answer. God delivered them from there before, He would do it again, right?

This is what He told them: verses 9-12, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: ‘If you will indeed remain in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I will relent and be satisfied concerning the disaster that I have inflicted on you [as discipline, and I will replace judgment with compassion]. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear [as if he were deity]; do not be afraid of him,’ says the Lord, ‘for [he is a mere man, but I am the living, omniscient God and] I am with you [always] to protect you and to deliver you from his hand. And I will show you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land. 

The Babylonian captivity was going to last 70 years. There were people who would be led captive and would return in their life time. This could not be said of those who chose to return to Egypt. One such person that is possibly recorded, but I cannot find any definite disproof or proof of, was Mordecai. Mordecai is the uncle of Esther, who raised her as his own. We read in Esther that he and his family were led away to Babylon as part of the captivity (Esther 1:6). He did not live a terrible life. It even shows that he held office at the king’s gate (Esther 2:21). He was able to carry out his duties in his customs. He honored the king. There was some upset that happened, but God worked it out in their favor. Upsets are going to happen.

What caused me to take notice was Mordecai was mentioned again in Nehemiah (7:7). Could this be the same Mordecai? He would be very old, but that would not be unheard of. Ezra 3:12, “But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house (temple), wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy.” This could very well be the same Mordecai. Proof that God did keep His promise.

My take away…stop looking to what worked in the past. God is not a formula to plug in to get the outcome you desire. Do not look back to the old land that He delivered you out of? We are a people that craves familiarity and want to keep our options open. We survived there and we can survive there again. What if He wants better for you than to just survive? What if He wants you to thrive? What I love about Mordecai’s story is that when he was led into captivity, sorrow and self-pity were not part of his story. He was told by God that he would be able to trust the king, and He would take care of him and his people. Just because harm was intended by someone else, did not mean that it was able to succeed. Mordecai did not run. He did not go back to the familiar. He trusted God at His Word.

Luke 9:62 (AMP) But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.”

It is never going to be as good as it was back there. He wants better for you! Stop trying to get back there, move forward. God is not something you plug into the equation for the favorable outcome. He should be the source. My question to you is, “Are you looking for options or choosing obedience?” The Israelites wanted options. Mordecai chose obedience.