Psalms 133:1-3 "How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! 2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting."
David compared harmony or unity to the anointing and the refreshing dew that falls upon Mt. Hermon. All a person has to do to understand the value of unity is just walk into a room where there isn't any. When people are in discord or strife, the whole environment around them is tainted with the stench of war. Invisible bullets are flying across the room and everyone in the room feels the sting.
But unity and harmony refreshes the soul and empowers people to live, love and serve together. There are very few things more powerful than unity. When a family is united, they have a special bond that empowers them to weather the storms of life and come out on the other side. When a church is united, it fires on all cylinders and effectively fulfills the Great Commission. Unity creates an unstoppable force that is capable of the impossible. No wonder Satan sows seeds of discord in our life's because Satan fears unity. He knows what we should know, that unity is powerful and creates an unstoppable force that establishes the kingdom of God and declares His Glory.
Paul said in Romans 12:18 "Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone".
I challenge you today to do all that you can do to live in peace,unity and harmony with everyone. Refuse the seeds of discord and choose the life giving, refreshing power of unity; in your family, on your job and in the church.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Intimacy and Prophecy
1 Kings 13:16-26 “No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. 17 For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’ ” 18 But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’ ” But the old man was lying to him. 19 So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home. 20 Then while they were sitting at the table, a command from the Lord came to the old prophet. 21 He cried out to the man of God from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: You have defied the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.”
23 After the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet saddled his own donkey for him, 24 and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 People who passed by saw the body lying in the road and the lion standing beside it, and they went and reported it in Bethel, where the old prophet lived. 26 When the prophet heard the report, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the Lord’s command. The Lord has fulfilled his word by causing the lion to attack and kill him.”
This story illustrates what happens when we live by prophecy and not intimacy. The young prophet had a word from God and he had fulfilled his commission and was returning home as the Lord had commanded him. Then the old prophet comes after him and speaks lies in the name of the Lord and because the young prophet abandoned the intimate word he had received out of his relationship with God and followed what he thought was a prophetic word, he died. It cost him his life and future ministry.
As New Testament Christians, we all are capable of hearing and knowing the voice of God. Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. So what part does the prophetic play in our lives. The prophetic word is confirmation, it confirms what you have already sensed or heard God saying to you. When God gives you a prophetic word and let me just interject that if you are not in a place where the prophetic word is in operation then you need to find a Church where the reality of the prophetic word is at work. Because the confirmation of the prophetic word launches you into the will of God for your life. We have all had those times where we felt like God was leading us to do something but because of fear, worry or just a uncertainty we held back waiting for that confirmation, so that we would know that it was God. And that is where the prophetic comes in. God uses someone to speak into your life and what they say confirms what God has already spoken into your heart and because of the prophetic word you now have the boldness to step out and obey God.
Understand the divine order, first you receive an intimate word from God that flows out of your relationship with him. Then someone gives you prophetic word, if that that word agrees with what God has already told you then receive it and launch out in faith. But if the prophetic word doesn't agree or maybe even contradicts what you have heard God tell you, then wait. Set it upon your spiritual shelf and go back to God. Don't allow the prophetic word to over ride the intimate word, the young prophet made that mistake and it cost him everything.
23 After the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet saddled his own donkey for him, 24 and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 People who passed by saw the body lying in the road and the lion standing beside it, and they went and reported it in Bethel, where the old prophet lived. 26 When the prophet heard the report, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the Lord’s command. The Lord has fulfilled his word by causing the lion to attack and kill him.”
This story illustrates what happens when we live by prophecy and not intimacy. The young prophet had a word from God and he had fulfilled his commission and was returning home as the Lord had commanded him. Then the old prophet comes after him and speaks lies in the name of the Lord and because the young prophet abandoned the intimate word he had received out of his relationship with God and followed what he thought was a prophetic word, he died. It cost him his life and future ministry.
As New Testament Christians, we all are capable of hearing and knowing the voice of God. Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. So what part does the prophetic play in our lives. The prophetic word is confirmation, it confirms what you have already sensed or heard God saying to you. When God gives you a prophetic word and let me just interject that if you are not in a place where the prophetic word is in operation then you need to find a Church where the reality of the prophetic word is at work. Because the confirmation of the prophetic word launches you into the will of God for your life. We have all had those times where we felt like God was leading us to do something but because of fear, worry or just a uncertainty we held back waiting for that confirmation, so that we would know that it was God. And that is where the prophetic comes in. God uses someone to speak into your life and what they say confirms what God has already spoken into your heart and because of the prophetic word you now have the boldness to step out and obey God.
Understand the divine order, first you receive an intimate word from God that flows out of your relationship with him. Then someone gives you prophetic word, if that that word agrees with what God has already told you then receive it and launch out in faith. But if the prophetic word doesn't agree or maybe even contradicts what you have heard God tell you, then wait. Set it upon your spiritual shelf and go back to God. Don't allow the prophetic word to over ride the intimate word, the young prophet made that mistake and it cost him everything.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Better Than
Proverbs 17:1 "Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting-and conflict."
Peace is better than prosperity, because a prosperous house without the peace of God is a place of conflict and torment. Through Jesus we can prosper with peace, without the peace of God all prosperity is short circuited and short lived. Prosperity magnifies the hole in our heart that only Jesus can fill. Instead of creating peace, prosperity without Jesus just creates more tension and conflict, but through Christ we can enjoy peace with God and the peace of God that make all things right. It is amazing what you can endure and overcome if you have peace. Peace sustains you through the difficult times and multiplies the good times.
Peace is better than prosperity, because a prosperous house without the peace of God is a place of conflict and torment. Through Jesus we can prosper with peace, without the peace of God all prosperity is short circuited and short lived. Prosperity magnifies the hole in our heart that only Jesus can fill. Instead of creating peace, prosperity without Jesus just creates more tension and conflict, but through Christ we can enjoy peace with God and the peace of God that make all things right. It is amazing what you can endure and overcome if you have peace. Peace sustains you through the difficult times and multiplies the good times.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Trust Promise
Psalm 125:1 "Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever."
What a powerful promise, those who trust or put their faith and hope in the Lord, will be secure and will not be defeated. Our victory does not come from our strength but from our faith. Who you are trusting in, determines weather or not you will win the battle.
As Christians we should be confident in our ability to do what God has called us to do, but our faith to win the battle should be firmly rooted not in our abilities but in our Great God
What a powerful promise, those who trust or put their faith and hope in the Lord, will be secure and will not be defeated. Our victory does not come from our strength but from our faith. Who you are trusting in, determines weather or not you will win the battle.
As Christians we should be confident in our ability to do what God has called us to do, but our faith to win the battle should be firmly rooted not in our abilities but in our Great God
Monday, June 6, 2011
Freedom
Psalms 124:7 "We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free!"
Praise God for the cross of Jesus Christ, through the cross the trap of sin was destroyed and we are free. Free to live, free to love and free to serve God with all of our hearts and lives. This blog goes out to all those who went through the encounter this weekend. We are rejoicing with you in the freedom of Jesus Christ. The trap is broken and we are FREE!
Praise God for the cross of Jesus Christ, through the cross the trap of sin was destroyed and we are free. Free to live, free to love and free to serve God with all of our hearts and lives. This blog goes out to all those who went through the encounter this weekend. We are rejoicing with you in the freedom of Jesus Christ. The trap is broken and we are FREE!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Attitude and Atmosphere
2 Samuel 19:5-7 "Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. 6 You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. 7 Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”
David's actions and attitude caused his men to grieve instead of rejoice. They had just won a great victory but David's attitude created an atmosphere of defeat. And isn't that what our attitudes do? Attitudes create atmospheres; let one of your family members come home with a bad attitude and the atmosphere changes in your home. The greater your authority the greater the change of atmosphere is. Mom and Dad's attitude has a greater influence over the atmosphere than the children do. In the Church the attitude of those leading sets the atmosphere of those following. When the atmosphere in a church is negative, discouraged or grieved it can be traced to someone in leadership and ultimately the atmosphere is set by the pastor.
Our job as leaders should be to create an atmosphere of expectancy where the presence, power and purpose of God is manifested in the lives of his people. That atmosphere begins with an attitude of expectation in the heart of the pastor or leader. If you as the leader come expecting God to show up and show out in the lives of his people, then the atmosphere is set for people's lives to be changed.
Now back to the story, David's attitude went south because he had just found out that his son had been killed. Even though Absalom was leading the army fighting David, he was still David's son.
So how does a leader deal with personal grief and difficulty without bringing his people down. We have to recognize that what is happening to us, doesn't change who God is. Our lives might stink, but God doesn't. We may be going through a very difficult season in our personal lives, but God is still Good, Holy, Righteous and Worthy of Praise.
One of the defining marks of a leader, is the leaders ability to say positive when his personal life is filled with the negative heart aches and heart breaks of life. If as a leader you can stay focused during the difficult times of life, not only will you lead your people well, but you will shorten the season of difficulty and bless your family in the process. Every thing works better in an atmosphere of faith and expectancy
David's actions and attitude caused his men to grieve instead of rejoice. They had just won a great victory but David's attitude created an atmosphere of defeat. And isn't that what our attitudes do? Attitudes create atmospheres; let one of your family members come home with a bad attitude and the atmosphere changes in your home. The greater your authority the greater the change of atmosphere is. Mom and Dad's attitude has a greater influence over the atmosphere than the children do. In the Church the attitude of those leading sets the atmosphere of those following. When the atmosphere in a church is negative, discouraged or grieved it can be traced to someone in leadership and ultimately the atmosphere is set by the pastor.
Our job as leaders should be to create an atmosphere of expectancy where the presence, power and purpose of God is manifested in the lives of his people. That atmosphere begins with an attitude of expectation in the heart of the pastor or leader. If you as the leader come expecting God to show up and show out in the lives of his people, then the atmosphere is set for people's lives to be changed.
Now back to the story, David's attitude went south because he had just found out that his son had been killed. Even though Absalom was leading the army fighting David, he was still David's son.
So how does a leader deal with personal grief and difficulty without bringing his people down. We have to recognize that what is happening to us, doesn't change who God is. Our lives might stink, but God doesn't. We may be going through a very difficult season in our personal lives, but God is still Good, Holy, Righteous and Worthy of Praise.
One of the defining marks of a leader, is the leaders ability to say positive when his personal life is filled with the negative heart aches and heart breaks of life. If as a leader you can stay focused during the difficult times of life, not only will you lead your people well, but you will shorten the season of difficulty and bless your family in the process. Every thing works better in an atmosphere of faith and expectancy
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