Daily Devotional September 30 - How Infinite Is The God You Serve?

"He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by name." Psalm 147:4

Numbers are important and God uses numbers, multiples of numbers, special numbers and every other kind of number you can think of. God created numbers. God put all the sciences in place so that they would have measurable results and of course these measurable results are usually found in numbers.

You might wonder, if God telleth the number of the stars, whom did He tell it to? And if he calleth them all by name, what are their names? Those are good questions. The number of the stars is so big that we cannot say it, we haven't invented it yet, we don't have a way to express it. How could we? Those who have been born again understand this better than those who have not, because as we grow closer to God we get understanding that God gets bigger and as we learn more, there's more yet and as we contemplate real deep, there is deeper still. We get it.

The realm of God is beyond our comprehension. We don't have enough space to write down the number of the stars, much less their names. I'm OK with that. If I could know all there was to know about God or figure out every science to its fullest depth and end, then God would be too much like me. But that's not the case. We are made in the image of God and we are to be like God in so many ways and we are designed with the capacity to grasp God concepts, but to think that we could find the end of any is for skeptics, not believers.

Yes God did give each star a name and yes they are innumerable by our standards, but to God they are all easily accessible and discernible. If you are wondering if your problems get the same attention that the stars get, quit even thinking that way. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

Daily Devotional September 29 - Defining The Kingdom Of God

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable unto God, and approved of men." Romans 14:17-18

"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink." What is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is the realm of believers, this side of heaven and those who have passed on to be with the Lord. The kingdom of God is anywhere a believer is as well as in the believers mind and anywhere that believers are in the world.
Angels are in the kingdom of God.
Pure thoughts are in the kingdom of God.

There is no darkness in the kingdom of God.
Unbelievers are not in the kingdom of God.
Fallen angels (demons) are not in the kingdom of God.
Evil thoughts are not in the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is made up of imperfect, saved individuals. The thoughts of God are loose, available, plentiful and easily accessible in the kingdom of God. In our minds we have kigndom thoughts and we have other thoughts. The kingdom thoughts help us to move forward with God while the other thoughts quench the Holy Spirit. Kingdom thoughts are God thoughts.

Kigndom food is the Word of God.
Kingdom love is love for those in Christ and those without.
Kingdom works are those things done under the influence and instruction of the Holy Spirit and they positively affect believers and non-believers alike.
Kingdom righteousness is given to us by God through the efficacy of the work that Jesus did on the cross.
Kingdom giving is to give to believers and to non-believers as led by the Holy Spirit
Kingdom hospitality is to believers and to non-belivers.
Kingdom theology is for believers only, because only believers can and do communicate directly with the Holy Spirit in the inner man.
Kingdom religion is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep yourself unspotted from the world. Kingdom religion has no denominational affiliation.
Kingdom gifting is for believers only and given to believers for the purpose of edifying the body of Christ, strengthening the inner man and promoting the gospel to the unsaved world at large.
Kingdom prophesy is for all mankind and written in the scriptures to verify the actions of those who have gone before us, to measure where we are in relation to what God is doing today, and to reveal actions of those in the future and the events surrounding their actions.

Daily Devotional September 28 - It Is Written

"Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to Him, He said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:1-4

"It is written" is one of the most important messages from God. The reason is, men and women have the ability to make up their own truths, create their own religious philosophy, make up their own belief system, even create a completely false set of values and morays. But God, in His infinite wisdom, along with creating all the universe and you and me, decided to make sure that there could be no question about all that is necessary for salvation and a godly experience in this life. God did that by creating His spoken word into the written word, using willing, inspired vessels, men and women just like you and me. God still uses men and women to write down inspired words of wisdom and truth that will assist others in finding their true self and experiencing a better life with God.

If you are skeptical about the written word of God, the Bible, then read it. Pray about what you read and let faith have its place in your life. Whatever faith you give to the scriptures will be equally rewarded with belief in those scriptures. Faith turns words on the page into belief that brings things to pass. Can any other book do that? No. The Bible is the only codified, inspired and validated book from God ever written. It is validated through exposure to history without fail and by personal experience and confirmation by the Holy Spirit within. Any attempt to discredit the scripture is futile, because God cannot help but be God and when God had the words of scripture written down, He verified every word so that it could be trusted from age to age without fail.

Don't be sucked in by all the new-agers that believe anything or by other religious philosophies that purport that they are on equal ground with the Bible. If it were so, the Bible would make it clear that there are other sources to qualify your eternal destiny. But there isn't. That's why Jesus can say without any doubt, "it is written," and know that if it is written by God it is as good as if God were standing in the room.

I wish we had believers like that today. When they read the word of God they believe it and move on it and respond to it and follow it, that same as if God had physically given them a command, standing in the same room. Just for the record, that's really the only kind of faith that gets results; the I believe what God says in spite of what I see with my eyes or hear with my ears, despite the outcome, despite anything.

Daily Devotional September 27 - Let The Word Of God Sink Deep Down Into Your Soul

"And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, He said unto His disciples, let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men." Luke 9:43-44

Jesus is saying the same thing to you.
Jesus has been interacting, communing, healing, delivering, saving, strengthening, rehabilitating, salvaging and empowering men, women, teens and children every day.
Jesus has been wielding the power of God with no restrictions in order to be interactive with you.
Jesus has done so much in so many places that it cannot be recorded.
Jesus has done that much just in your own personal life to get you where you are today.

This same Jesus that is fully involved in your life says, "let these sayings sink down into your ears:" This concept of letting the words of Jesus sink down reveals just how important it is to stay vigilant in hearing from God. Jesus doesn't want us to go to Church on Sunday (or whatever day you worship) and be texting, looking around for the best looking girl or guy in church, reading a novel, looking at your watch or just sitting there tearing the pastor apart in your mind. Nothing will sink down into your mind, to the root of your being, to the depths of your soul, that is just casually heard or understood.

There is a message for you when you hear the Word of God read, taught or preached. That word is personal and you need to hear it and let it sink down deep into your being. Now catch this: It might not be what the pastor, teacher, priest or rabbi is saying that is what you need to hear, but rest assured if you listen carefully you will hear the voice of God speak to you with a message for you that you need to incorporate into your life, deep down in your ears, as Jesus said.

Try it. Test out the theory. It's God's theory. I know you won't be disappointed. Next time you are watching a preacher or evangelist or you are at church, listen attentively; push down and out all other thoughts. Don't be distracted. Turn your phone off, not on vibrate, off. Open your Bible. Don't even look around. Think of it as if you were the only one sitting in the presence of Almighty God and God was getting ready to speak to you. Listen and let each word go deep. Don't fight it. Let your spirit, that part of you that is alive in Christ, let your spirit discern truth from untruth. Let you spirit have a few moments alone with God to be revitalized. Then the truths that you hear, those truths that can be confirmed in the Bible, let them go down deep into your soul, to the root of your being. It will liven your experience in life. You will begin to understand the deep things of God, because it is deep where they are understood and stored for use.

Jesus knows what He is talking about. Let His sayings sink down deep into your ears, be processed by your spirit, then your mind and heart, then deeper into your inner man, and the depths of your soul. You are worth it.

Daily Devotional September 26 - Just Fall Back Into The Hands Of God And Rest

"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" Psalm 139:17

I can't get enough of this verse. God is thinking about you right now and always. How important is it that we understand God-thinking? The most important thought in your life. If you were to ascertain all that God is thinking toward you you wouldn't have a worry in the world.

• You wouldn't be easily fooled by the pressure of advertising and you wouldn't want to run off to greener pastures.
• You wouldn't have a worry because you would fully understand that with God nothing is impossible.
• You won't be easily fooled by the pressure of advertising because you will know that God will meet all your needs.
• You won't want to run off to greener pastures because you will realize that you are where you are supposed to be today, maybe not yesterday, maybe not tomorrow, but today you are where you are supposed to be.

God is thinking into reality the path that is ahead of you. Keep in mind that God has already forgotten your past sins and indiscretions so the future is bright without the cumbersome baggage of unforgiven sin. If you were to listen to God and follow the path everything will work out. I've had to learn, the hard way, that everything working out doesn't mean that there will be no suffering or injustice. There will be. Along the way there will be people who just can't live without doing you harm and so be it. But God has a way of working out the details so that we can have an expected end of joy and peace in our lives. You need to learn to trust God in that way.

Stop thinking that if your prayer isn't answered in the just the way you presented it, that it means that God did not or is not going to answer your prayer, and for your good and for the good of others at the same time. It's a God thing to answer prayers and only God can do it. Not only that, there will always be an element of mystery in the operation of how God does this or that. Flow with it. See if what God has done and is doing on your behalf is not perfect in every way. You will have to put your spiritual eyes on, but they should be on all the time anyway. God is thinking of you and that is enough to bring to pass anything and everything good for you.

Trust God in this and let God have His way with you for a while. You will be taken deep and to places in the heart you didn't even know were there and there will be times when fear will overwhelm you, but you are being carried by a loving God who thinks about you all the time. What else could be more comforting. Just fall back into the hands of God and rest for a while. God will think you caught and you will be caught

Daily Devotional September 25 - Magnify God's name

"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name." 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

I hear a lot of complaints about the use of old English in scriptures. The Thee's, the Thy's and the Thou's negatively affect the psyche of a great many. I'm not sure but I think God is not moved when people complain so much about so little. If you aren't reading your Bible because it is difficult to understand then you aren't very interested in moving forward with what God has to say. Most of what people say they don't understand, is rebellion against taking the time and effort to read the scriptures, any version.

Enough of that. David has come to know just how much involvement God has in his life. He has seen the grace, the forgiveness, the power, the direction, the victory, the patience, the waiting, the move of God, yesterday and today and David knows that tomorrow as well God will have gone before him and made a way.

God has gone before you and made a way too. More often than not, the obstacles have been removed, the course plotted and surveyed, the road built and the mode of transportation to follow the road has already been done. You are complaining about not having a life when God has prepared a banquet for you. It's easy not to see how God works and more difficult to see through the base things of life and see God's hand at work. But whether you see it or not, God has already prepared for you a great many wonderful things.

David can see it. Can you see it? David finds all kinds of reasons to thank God and bless God and extol God and praise God and worship God and love God and seek God and find God. Is that what part of your day is made of, seeking and finding God, talking to and hearing from God, praying and watching God's mighty hand at work? Oh how simple it is and we have made it so complicated. Find a reason to bless God and magnify His name.

Daily Devotional September 24 - All things are possible

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23

In this particular case Jesus was speaking to the father of a son who could not speak and who also was tormented severely by an evil spirit, since he was a child. Jesus is the healer and don't forget it. The man brought his son to Jesus because he heard of what Jesus was doing. The man always wanted the son to be healed. What Jesus did and what Jesus is trying to say to this father isn't about the healing about rebuking the fowl spirit or about giving the man what he was requesting. What Jesus was trying to show the man is that belief in Jesus opens up the possibility for a supernatural, heavenly touch in a fallen natural world. That's what Jesus is trying to tell you also. "All things are possible to him that believeth."

But you need to know that not everything you believe for will come to pass. Don't be fooled by those who claim that it is your lack of faith that is keeping certain things from coming to pass. It can be, but it is not necessarily true.
It is a biblical fact that not everyone receives everything they pray for.
It is a biblical fact that not everyone is healed, (while on earth).
It is a biblical fact that not everyone gets rich.
It is a biblical fact that not everyone's child comes to the Lord.
It is a biblical fact that not everyone gets to grow old.

There are entire ministries trying to get you to believe in and for things that are not even in the plan of God for your life. You need to pray to God and listen attentively about the situation. What God might do or allow might not be what you think. However, with the mind of Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit you will also not be left in a lurch wondering if God is even there.

Use your faith to trust God despite the circumstances or outcomes of events in your life. Not all of them are because you did this or that or because your faith is less than perfect. Some events fit into the global will of God and the outcome of your situation is part of the bigger picture. But also know that:
God does answer prayers
God does heal
God does assist people to acquire wealth
God does bring children to the Lord
God does allow many people to grow old

What God does in your situation should be what you truly desire. It's true. Instead of trying to get God to bless what you want, try finding out what God has prepared for you and start desiring that. Try praying for the things you hear God talking to you about. Try praying for the people that God puts in your path. Try praying for the people who have hurt you, used you or defrauded you. It is the will of God for your life. Try finding out from scripture what is the acceptable will of God for your life. Try laying down the things you know are harming you or that you already know are against the express will of God. "All things are possible to him that believeth." But not all things that you believe for are necessarily possible or in the will of God. Can you see the difference?

Daily Devotional September 23 - Be Rejuvieated

"And the Apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." Mark 6:30-31

Jesus had been with the disciples probably less than a year at this point. He had taught them and showed them how to live under the influence of God. He had given them instruction and helped them through their fears and their inadequacies. They had seen Jesus heal people who touched his cloak as he walked by, raise the dead, calm the waters and much more. Now Jesus sends them out for a short season to continue the work, practice, so to speak, what they had learned. And they did. They were all clamoring for an opportunity to tell Jesus what happened when they did this or that, who was healed and how lives were changed. They came back revealing that what they had been taught works.

Jesus says to them, let's rest for a while.

You know, the needs are great, and just as fast as you do some mighty work for Jesus, or you do some little thing for someone in need there will be others standing in line as far as you can see and beyond with needs, even yourself. Haven't you felt that at times?

You did something for someone or gave something up you really wanted for yourself, or even gave of your own need and now you are the person who has a need that needs met? Come and let's go to a desert place and rest a while. Have you ever been on a vacation and when you got back you were more tired than when you left, because all you did was go, go, go and do, do, do?

You planned a vacation but you planned to do so many things that rest was never made the center point of the vacation. That's fine and there are times, especially when you have kids, that you just have to go have some fun. But that is not rest.

The reason that Jesus took the disciples in a desert place was because in the desert place there is nothing to do, no one needing, wanting or requiring your attention, less distractions, less din. Jesus knows how hard you work and there are times when going to Disney World just isn't what your body, mind or soul needs to be rejuvenated.

Daily Devotional September 22 - Be Yourself

"Recompense to man man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men." Romans 12:17

Defending yourself is not the same as vengeance. I've heard so many interpretations about people protecting themselves and the naysayers use verses like this to show how we should just lay down and let others walk on us, steal from us, cheat us, or worse. That is not the spirit of this verse at all. Defending yourself is not an offensive act. If after you have been hurt by others you make a plan to get back at them and do them harm then you are recompensing evil for evil.
Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.

The point of this verse and the whole of scripture is for you to recognize your part in the big picture and recognize what part God has in the big picture and carefully work within the parameters of a godly life to enjoy your life and bring blessings into other's lives. All of this under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and all of this understanding your part in it. God has a plan for His people to be set apart from the same mind-set as the world and to live out the experience of having the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Be yourself and don't put on a front. Let people know you are real and that you care about them. Do what you can for others while you are growing. Don't take something that is not yours and live within your means. This is good advice. "Provide things honest in the sight of all men."

Daily Devotional September 21 - Total Revelation Of Self To God

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." John 4:23

In spirit and truth: When you are born again your spirit is made alive by God. Your spirit considers God and worships God in perfection. One of the battles in our lives is finding the true balance of body, mind, spirit so that when we worship God we allow our true inner self, our spirit, to connect with God. When this happens worship is at its best.

Our spirit is always seeking life and alignment with God, while our bodies are quite often seeking other, less spiritual endeavors and the mind is trying to figure it all out. In the mind you do have some control. If you are a disciplined person you can manage your body better and give more place to your spirit. If you are not a disciplined person you will have continued difficulty with your body wanting and desiring things that are not good for it an you are much more likely to cave in and you will have more difficulty discerning your spiritual inclinations.

Don't think for one minute that if you are not born again but you have a very disciplined mind that somehow you can manage your spirit. You can better manage the body than if you are not disciplined, but you have no control over your spirit. Before you are born again your spirit is dormant, not functional, non-receptive, not connected to God. That's why Paul says in Romans 8:5-8, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity with God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

What does it mean to worship God in truth? It's real simple. You connect with God (worship) consciously revealing your whole self to God. The good, the bad, and the ugly. You come before God without trying to cover up who you are, what you have done, where you've been, what you believe or why you did what you did.

Now catch this: You can come to God by putting on a front and acting like someone you're not. You can put on a show for others as to how spiritual you are. You can live one way and present yourself another way at church. You can lie and cheat and steal and defraud others and as long as no one knows you can look spiritual , but that's not worship, that's religion. If you do that there is no connection to God, no spiritual awareness, no inspiration, no truth. God has had enough of that.

No, to worship God in spirit and truth, you will have to change business as usual. It's real likely you will have to unlearn a great many things before you come to the place where you are even true to yourself, much less true to God.  Total revelation of your self to God might be the most freeing experience you have ever had.  Are you willing to take a chance with God and let God in on all your secrets?  He knows anyway. Why not enjoy the benefit of being honest with God?

Daily Devotional September 20 - Have You Ever Wondered?

""Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." Colossians 2:8-10

• Have you ever wondered what would it take to be fully accepted by God, in your current condition, in need of no thing in order to stand before God?
• Have you ever wondered if you are receiving the blessings of God?
• Have you ever wondered if there is something you need to do, like (tithe or give to charity, or join a church, or teach Sunday School or feed the poor, help someone across the street or anything else that you need to do) to be in God's good grace?
• Have you ever wondered if you said the right thing when you were at the altar or wherever you were when you gave your life to Christ? Or is there something else you need to say to get right with God?
• Have you ever wondered about the spiritual gifts of the Spirit and that maybe you are or are not operating in the right gift?
• Have you ever wondered if you have to operate in a certain gift to be saved and move forward with your relationship with God?
• Have you ever wondered if what you did in the past is really forgiven or is there one more thing you must do before God will take you back?
• Have you ever wondered if you have the wrong theology about the end time (pre-trib, post-trib, no-trib) that you aren't accepted into the beloved?
• Have you ever wondered if you were baptized by the right person or denomination or if you have never been baptized at all that if you were to die you would go to hell?
• Have you ever wondered if you don't take communion at certain times that your salvation is in jeopardy?
• Have you ever wondered if since you were married to an unbeliever that you cannot have a full relationship with God?
• Have you ever wondered if since you have sinned since you were saved that you lost your salvation?
• Have you ever wondered if since you haven't been baptized in the Spirit that your salvation is not complete?

Quit wondering!
You are complete in Christ.

Note:
Organized religion has many pre-qualifications and duties that you must perform above and beyond what God has freely provided. Your acceptance of God's free salvation brings with it everything you might be wondering about. Your church does not hold the keys to the kingdom, Jesus does. Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that your church affiliation has done any of these things to keep your faith from growing. What I am saying is that your church didn't write the book on it. Trust God with your self and all will be well. Serve at your church with vigor and excitement, but trust the truths of the gospel alone to grow in faith.

Daily Devotional September 19 - Is Your Faith Growing?

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

From faith to faith. This verse has been grossly misunderstood over the years. It doesn't mean that the righteousness of God is revealed to those of different faiths or transferred from one faith (Christianity) to another faith (Islam). It also doesn't mean that the gospel is present in differing faiths; That somehow if you acknowledge some story about Jesus, you have received the gospel.

What the verse is speaking to is your internal faith growth. As you learn to live by faith your faith is increased, thus faith to faith. To the Jew, the Gentile, the Muslim, the Hindu, the Shintoist, to everyone seeking God, the message is: receive the gospel of Jesus Christ for in it is the power of God. The gospel contains the power of God, no other message, no other faith.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism," Ephesians 4:4-5

Now that we have settled that, is your faith growing? Have you been meeting with Jesus and unlearning the things that cultural Christianity has taught you? Have you been exercising your faith and moving forward truth upon truth learning truths from the Word of God and through personal experience? The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Are you learning more about God than ever before? Is your faith increasing exponentially? These are the signs of a living faith in a living God.

Daily Devotional September 18 - Let Go And Let God

"Many, O LORD my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5

Have you ever noticed that the most appreciative people are the ones that have had an encounter with God? I hope you are one. It's easy to speak like David in this Psalm if you have seen God working and interacting, creating and responding in your everyday life. Don't think for one moment that David didn't go through times when he couldn't hear the voice of God and couldn't see how things were going to work out, because David had his doubts at times just like you do. But at some point in time you really need to let go and let God.

Part of this closeness that David displays is taking time to think about God and to consider just how great a role God does play in his daily life.

David realized that God didn't just create him and then say:
"Now you are on your own, I have made everything you will need, including the raw materials that can be manufactured to make weapons, and including new technological advances for the future. Of course I can't participate in your everyday experience and you will have to fight your battles on your own, and you will have to supply all your own needs and you will have to be a little smarter than the other guy if you are going to survive, but I love you and I will be hoping the best for you. I won't be taking any calls/prayers over the next few thousand years but I do hope you will meet up with the right people and create a religious philosophy that will give you something spiritual to hang on to. I know that people will get all mixed up and call God just about anything, but that's OK, it doesn't matter who they think I Am, all paths lead to God."

No way! David knew in His heart that God was not only on the scene but had plans that were carried out by His chosen people. David knew that if he didn't do certain things that they would not get done, because David was the one chosen to do certain things to fulfill the express will of God. It is the same for you. God has certain tasks that only you can do. It should be comforting to know that the very God of the universe has specific tasks for you to do because God knows you fully and knows what you need to be doing to become whole and satisfied.

It amazes me:

• How so many people would rather have the kind of god that just created everything but then leaves them alone.
• How so many people are disgruntled to know that God would require anything from them.
• How so many people want to cherry pick what God does for them and then leave them alone to do other things. They want a magic genie in a bottle, not a living, participating, miracle working God.
• How so many people want a god that is disconnected, unknowing and non-participating.
• There are literally billions of people who not only want, but actually have this kind of god.

God's plan for your life is so important. Take a little time today and ask God to reveal more of His plan for your life. It will help you to be more aware of all that God is doing in your life.

Daily Devotional September 17 - Where Are The Men and Women Who Will stand For Jesus?

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve the gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Daniel 3:16-18

I like this kind of an attitude. This had to be believers that really did have an experience with God. Not only that, but there experience was one of trust in God, unlike those who say one thing and mean another, these three men were clear and so should we be clear. They laid out their plan:

1. We will trust God
2. He will deliver us from you (and that in itself is a blessing)
3. Our God is able to deliver us from the fire
4. Our God is able to deliver us from your tyranny
5. But even if God chooses not to save us from the fire, we will be saved from you and from the disgrace of participating in, worshiping and serving your false, non-existent gods and your silly man-made idols.

Where are the men and women who will stand up for Jesus like this?
Where are the millions who place their faith and trust in God?
Where are those who praise the LORD even when things don't go the way you want them to?
Where are those who will stand up and declare the faithfulness of God even when in an adverse situation?
Do what you've got to do, but for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Daily Devotional September 16 - Do you wear doubters glasses?

"And He (Jesus) entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse Him." Mark 3:1-2

There are those in every religious group that see life through doubter's glasses. Not only do they doubt Jesus and/or what Jesus has done or who He is, but they doubt even the work that Jesus has done. It's the same way with pastors and their flock. Too many people are always finding fault with the pastor. It doesn't matter how hard he has worked or how many hours or what he has had to sacrifice to make it all happen, there are those who would throw him under the bus for making even the slightest faux pas.

You would think that the populous would want healing and reconciliation all the time. "That Jesus healing on the Sabbath day. What kind of man is he?" You can get like this if you aren't careful. People have so many flaws. If you are constantly on the hunt for mistakes or differences of opinion from others, you won't have to look far. If you are always on the look out for someone to falter, don't worry it won't take too long. But what a cynical view of life. What a judgmental view of life. This is not the Christian way.

The new methodology for modern man is to look for agreement. Look for common ground. Look for understanding. Look for things to go right. Look at your pastor with love and give him your widest view possible. Quit trying to box him in such a small box hat he can't even be a person. If he decides to believe for healing on the Sabbath day or even a Wednesday, maybe it is the healing that is important, not the day.

Maybe it doesn't matter so much what the color of the carpet is.
Maybe it doesn't matter so much that Sunday School starts at 9:45 and not 930 like they did it 50 years ago.
Maybe it doesn't matter if the pastor's wife is involved in every ministry. She probably wouldn't be if she could just get the least bit of commitment from someone who will show up on time.
Maybe it doesn't matter so much that your pastor doesn't wear a tie anymore.
Maybe it doesn't matter so much that your pastor takes the offering at the end rather than in the beginning or the middle of the service.

I could go on for days, but the point is that maybe it doesn't matter so much that everything isn't made to order for you. If Jesus heals on the Sabbath, it's OK. And so are a lot of other things.

Daily Devotional September 15 - Have You Ever wondered?

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." Colossians 2:8-10

• Have you ever wondered what would it take to be fully accepted by God, in your current condition, in need of no thing in order to stand before God?
• Have you ever wondered if you are receiving the blessings of God?
• Have you ever wondered if there is something you need to do, like (tithe or give to charity, or join a church, or teach Sunday School or feed the poor, help someone across the street or anything else that you need to do to be in God's good grace?
• Have you ever wondered if you said the right thing when you were at the altar or wherever you were when you gave your life to Christ? Or is there something else you need to say to get right with God?
• Have you ever wondered about the spiritual gifts of the Spirit and that maybe you are or are not operating in the right gift?
• Have you ever wondered if you have to operate in a certain gift to be saved and move forward with your relationship with God?
• Have you ever wondered if what you did in the past is really forgiven or is there one more thing you must do before God will take you back?
• Have you ever wondered if you have the wrong theology about the end time (pre-trib, post-trib, no-trib) that you aren't accepted into the beloved?
• Have you ever wondered if you were baptized by the right person or denomination or if you have never been baptized at all that if you were to die you would go to hell?
• Have you ever wondered if you don't take communion at certain times that your salvation is in jeopardy?
• Have you ever wondered if since you were married to an unbeliever that you cannot have a full relationship with God?
• Have you ever wondered if since you have sinned since you were saved that you lost your salvation?
• Have you ever wondered if since you haven't been baptized in the Spirit that your salvation is not complete?

Quit wondering!
You are complete in Christ.

Daily devotional September 14 - Is Your Faith Growing?

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

From faith to faith. This verse has been grossly misunderstood over the years. It doesn't mean that the righteousness of God is revealed to those of different faiths or transferred from one faith (Christianity) to another faith (Islam). It also doesn't mean that the gospel is present in differing faiths; That somehow if you acknowledge some story about Jesus, you have received the gospel.

What the verse is speaking to is your internal faith growth. As you learn to live by faith your faith is increased, thus faith to faith. To the Jew, the Gentile, the Muslim, the Hindu, the Shintoist, to everyone seeking God, the message is: receive the gospel of Jesus Christ for in it is the power of God. The gospel contains the power of God, no other message, no other faith.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism," Ephesians 4:4-5

Now that we have settled that, is your faith growing? Have you been meeting with Jesus and unlearning the things that cultural Christianity has taught you? Have you been exercising your faith and moving forward truth upon truth learning truths from the Word of God and through personal experience? The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Are you learning more about God than ever before? Is your faith increasing exponentially? These are the signs of a living faith in a living God.

Daily Devotional September 13 - Trust in The Miracle Of Belief

"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust Him." Nahum 1:7

What does it mean to trust God or to put trust in God?
It means that you have received the Holy Spirit in your life and you now connect to God via the power of the Holy Spirit within. You believe what the Bible says, every Word. You desire to be with other believers. You find time to pray and not just at dinner. You apply your faith with expectations. You grasp the concept that God made you in His image and likeness and that emulating anything other than Jesus is a encumbrance to fulfilling your purpose and finding yourself. Trust is the muscle of belief. God says it, you believe it.

Is there a difference in trusting God and believing in God?
Yes. Believing is the first step to getting understanding from God. Once you believe God you are able to trust God, but not the other way around. You believe God from the moment you are saved, but you don't start trusting God until you see your faith in action and start to measure the results. Once you see that with God everything is different and that there is no reason to go about life under your own power, you start to trust God.
You learn to trust God whether the answer is yes, no, or wait.
You learn to trust God even if the answer to a prayer was not the answer you were anticipating. You learn to trust God with more than the superfluous.

Does it make a difference in which God I put my trust?
It is sad that this question even needs to be asked or answered. Yes it matters. It matters so much that those who put their trust in any god other than the God whose Son is Jesus has put their trust in no one, nothing. They don't exist. The way you know if you have believed in the only living God is by the connection of Jesus Christ. If you are trying to find a way to believe God, but not believe what He says then what's the point. If you are trying to make a god for yourself, that you like what that god thinks more than the way that God discloses Himself in the Bible, then you are trusting in nothing, no one. There is only one God and God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

How do I know if I am trusting God or just playing church?
How much time do you devote out of your day/week to search the scriptures or to commune with God in the cool of the day?
What interests you most?
Do you have a propensity to find ways to help others or lift others up?
Is the only experience you have with God on Sunday morning, or Friday or Saturday?
When someone asks you about God do you first tell them what denomination you are from/with?
When you are at church are you in a hurry to get out?
Are you faking your relationship with Jesus so no one will know that you don't have a clue?

Life is short and God deserves an answer from you. Are you going to trust Him with your life and everything in it, or not? You know, sometimes it's just time to grow up and move forward.

Daily Devotional September 12 - The Cross Of Christ

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

The preaching of the cross has power.
Talking about the cross has power.
Praying about the cross has power.
What kind of power? Supernatural power from God.

The cross is the beginning of the journey with God. It is where we go when we really need for God to move on our behalf. You have heard of people 'laying it down at the cross.' That's because we come to realize that in our own power we just can't get the job done, and we know that at the cross there is power, so we take our care and burdens, our pains and our hurts, our disillusionment and our betrayals and we lay them at the cross. Why? Because it is at the cross where God takes all those things that we laid down and consumes them unto Himself. The supernatural power of God mixes in with the natural experiences of mankind and things turn around.

It's true. The cross is the power of God to those who are saved. Unto others it is foolishness. The cross brings to nought the work of the devil, not only when Jesus died for us, but even today. The cross is not only a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, it is the power of God given to those who trust in Jesus. Those of you who have laid down a great many things at the cross understand that it is the pickup point where God meets man and removes any and all cares, burdens, pains, hurts, disillusionments and betrayals. Jesus knows what it is like to be betrayed by friends and He made a way for you to move on from it and even more to be healed from it and even more to get back lost territory. Don't get me started!

At the cross you can find relief from the everyday drudgery, from the din of the world, from inner bitterness that has risen up over time, from your own sins and indiscretions. The cross has the power to extract the poison that has been put in you by association with this worlds system. If you had any idea just how far our generation has fallen away from our true purpose in God, you would run to the cross and lay it all down.

Daily Devotional September 11 - Have You Had An Encounter With An Angel?

"And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  but the angel said unto Him, fear not Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." Luke 1:11-13

Have you ever had an encounter with an angel? Are you skeptical about the existence of angels? Do you believe that angels are real but they just don't appear anymore? Have you desired to be in the presence of an angel? Let's talk angels.

First of all angels are real. Angels are servants of God that go about doing whatever they are assigned to. Angels have access to both heaven and earth. Angels are invisible except when they aren't. Angels can come to you in a dream, when you are day dreaming, in a vision, or in person. But angels have a job to do and they are not going about trying to impress you or scare you. Angels do the work assigned them by God. Demons, which are fallen angels, do the work assigned to them by satan. Angels and demons have similar attributes, thus the spiritual battles that you hear about or have experienced first hand.

Of all the angels created 2/3's are holy angels and 1/3 are fallen angels. God did not separate the angels so that there would be an unfair advantage to the holy angels. The angels that fell from their first estate fell by their own will and followed satan on their own recognizance.

I know that there are a lot of ridiculous stories about angels and that makes it very difficult to cull out the ones that are true against those seeking attention, but it is made clear in the scripture that angels are real and they have very important tasks to do on behalf of believers. Angels are ministering spirits to believers.

As far as angel worship, that is out. We are the higher creation. We are never to bow to or worship an angel and any angel that might request such is not an angel, but a demon. We will judge angels. Angels are messengers and spiritual helpers working the will of God on your behalf. They shouldn't be worshipped nor should they be mocked or made fun of as if they don't exist. God is wise and doesn't assign angels to go and make appearances to those who are not going to be receptive. Nor do angels make themselves visible for their own glories sake. They are past that.

Unlike humans, angels finish their assigned tasks. We can, but quite often we don't, for whatever reason. God speaks to you and me, just as God speaks to angels, and we have free will, just like angels, but we don't always do the will of God. Unlike angels we were created in the image and likeness of God. Angels know their place. It is you and I that have difficulty in following Christ. Unlike angels, you and I are under grace. Our sins were paid for by the blood of Christ and we will be like Christ. Unlike angels you and I are a child of the living God and joint heirs with Christ.

Angels have a job to do and it is my hope to be about my Father's business enough that angels are directed to participate. How about you?

Daily Devotional September 10 - Wield Your Power Wisely

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

This freedom is freedom from something as well as freedom for/to something. The freedom from is the freedom from the power of sin over the body and mind. Until you are saved, there is no freedom from the power of sin because your spirit has not been made alive in Christ; you don't have the indwelling Spirit of God within you. Of course someone who has not received the Spirit of God within can fight against sin in the flesh. Many do and they win the battle some of the time and you can be a really good person and do mostly right things even if you are not a Christian. But what a non-born again person can't do is erase the penalty for past sin and correct the problem of inherent sin born into them through the race of Adam.

When Christ sets you free, many wonderful things happen. None of these things happen to anyone who has not received the Spirit of God:

1 You are set free from the penalty of sin imposed on you through Adam.

2 You are set free from the power of sin over you, because when you are born again you receive the Spirit of God internally; your spirit is made alive and has within its imprint the ability to stand against sin in all its forms.

3 You are set free to serve God without the burden of going to God guilty. This is really important. You currently have (as a born again believer) the ability and the right to go directly before God, without any mediator, such as a priest, pastor, apostle, rabbi, guru or any other spiritual leader. This right to go before God enables the supernatural power of God to be available while on the natural earth/world.

You can come to God in your current condition and make a request and all of heaven will go about working out the dilemma with your consent. You can invite God into any situation that you are in, any plans you have, any business you intend to start-up, any new church start-up, any relationship you might be going into, any anything, and God will make His ways known to you so that you can make the right choices in life. God will not make the choices for you nor will He avert your foolish choices if you indeed invite Him in and then go against His will. Free will is part of this freedom that Christ gives you.

But don't let anyone fool you, when you are born again, blood washed, sanctified, filled with the Spirit, full of the Holy Ghost, any way you want to say it, you also have the free will to go against the will of God, with the same measure of your ability to follow after Christ and do the will of God. Those who teach that your ability to sin ceases after getting saved or a second blessing or getting filled with the Spirit are mistaken and that kind of philosophy gives the believer a false sense of pride and security.

Your ability to sin is part of the power you will always possess on this side of heaven. However, your propensity to sin will be reduced at the same rate as your commitment to faithfulness.

• Yes you can overcome. 
• Yes you can make the right decisions. 
• Yes you can live a faithful life/lifestyle. 
• Yes you can keep your commitments to God. 
• Yes you can follow Christ. 
• Yes you can overcome temptation. 
• Yes you can choose not to sin. 

That's what true freedom in Christ is; you have the freedom to sin and you choose not to. You have the power to resist and you wield it wisely.

Daily Devotional September 9 - Unlocking The Power Of The Bible In Your Life

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham...So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations." Matthew 1:1,17 also see Luke 3:23-38

I would venture to say that there are many people that have never read this or other genealogies from the Bible, however there is valuable information tucked in this and other genealogies. If you were to read these two genealogies you will find that they trace the physical heritage of Jesus from His birth back to Adam. That lends a lot of credibility to Bible scripture. No other book from any other religion can do that. First of all only God could arrange for an accurate accounting of the generations from Adam to Jesus. The main reason no other book can do that is because the Holy Bible is the only inspired book approved by the direct influence of God. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible discloses the history of man as well as the history of the earth, animals, and all other created substances. Only someone who has been there from the beginning could possibly put together an historical document that can stand up against scientific scrutiny. The Bible can.

Over and over again, as our technology increases, we find more and more verification of historical accuracy. Ancient civilizations that the Bible talks about by name, as they are uncovered, validate scripture. This has happened over and over again, from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran to the discovery of the ancient Hittites, which until this generation, were considered non-existent. Those using old arguments to discredit the Bible are having to find new arguments to keep the myth alive, i. e., that the Bible isn't the Word of God.

I also want to mention that if you are interested in the deeper walk you will have to read the entire Bible. Not for points, not so you can say you did, for that reason has no spiritual value, but so that God can speak into your intellect the mind of God. The primary source of inspiration in your soul is from reading the Bible and hearing God speak into you the whole counsel of God. Just knowing a few stories from Sunday School isn't enough to go up against the enemy in this generation. You need the whole armour of God to fight and win modern battles. There is power in reading the Word and you need it to go up against the modern threat of apathy and ignorance. You might find that every page of the Bible is chocked full of vital information and you have been living without the ability to unlock it's power in your life.

Daily Devotional September 8 - Where Do You Look To See God?

"Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent me." John 14:6
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, shew us the Father?" John 14:9

As theology goes, this is one of the big issues. Sometimes it's hard to see why there is such disagreement when the scriptures speak so clearly. The problem isn't with God making Himself clear. There is also no problem about who Jesus thinks He is. The problem is that different denominations have differing views on this issue, thus creating doubt and suspicion among everyone. You decide for yourself what Jesus is saying, but there are a few notes of interest I think you should consider.

1 Jesus said, "He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me." This is Jesus making it clear that when you believe on Jesus you believe on God. If you don't like what Jesus says, Jesus makes it clear that you don't like what God says.
2 Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me." Jesus again is making it clear that if you choose to believe what He says or not, either way you are not believing or believing what God says.
3 Jesus said, "And He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me." Jesus makes it clear that when you look at Jesus you are not seeing Jesus, you are seeing God.
4 Jesus said, "Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip." When you see Jesus, whom do you see?
5 Jesus said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." When you see Jesus, you see the Father. What does that tell you?
6 Jesus said, "and how sayest thou then, shew us the Father?"

To encapsulate:
If you believe Jesus, you believe God.
If you know Jesus, you know God.
If you have seen Jesus, you have seen God.
Who told you that you need to look further than Jesus to see God?

Daily Devotional September 7 - Where Is Your Focus?

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption , and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

This moment in time is one of the benefits of being a Christian. God does not want us focusing on the hereafter, but God has put at our disposal ample information about the future and life after death of the body. All through the scriptures there are references to different times in the future, different events, revealed for your edification and expectation of the future. It is wise to have a healthy understanding of the future without getting caught up in the religious politics of these future events, holding to one view or another, i. e., post-trib, pre-trib, when the body goes to be with the Lord, how we are transformed, whether the earth is rebuilt or remodeled, who the two witnesses are, Mystery Babylon, the seven heads and ten horns, and many other easily arguable topics. If you are the one that is right or if you are mistaken about certain events in the future, God's plan for you will remain the same.

Can you imagine if God left it up to only the group that is right to determine the outcome of it all? There would be chaos and impropriety to say the least. But God does not leave the future in the hands of men and women who are trying to steer people to believe their bent. Yes it is important to know the truth and to be right about it, but it is not as important as following after Jesus and letting Him work in you and through you despite your religious background. Some things transcend church polity.

One thing for sure; It is in the now that your time and energy needs to be spent mastering your calling, seeking the mind of Christ, abounding in love, blessing others, praying, worshiping, teaching, ministering, caring for the sick, being hospitable, studying the scriptures, fellowshipping with believers. Keep your eye on the ball. Look forward to a future that is wonderful and beyond anything you could ask or dream, but let your mind and heart work while it is day to assist others to be a part of God's great adventure.

Daily Devotional September 6 - How Much Of What You Are Doing Do You Let God Have?

"Search Me O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:"  Psalm 139:23

This is a little brave. We are struggling at best just to keep our appearances up; to at least make it look like all is well and we are on the right path and now we are going to invite Jesus to look closely on our thoughts, and expose us for who we really are; our motives, intents and passions revealed. This is the sign of a man who has lost the battle with God. David has been there done that. He has been on his own, lead tens of thousands, lied, cheated, committed adultery, felt that God did not exists and now he gets it.

David now knows that if he exposes his whole self to God that there can be a connection that can't be there when we are hiding from God. Even though God knows everything that we are hiding, it is the hiding that keeps us from accessing and utilizing the power of God within. You are driving the 'how close can I get to God train.'

• If you exclude God from your everything, God will not be discerned when things go wrong.
• If you exclude God from some things, those things are under your power and protection.
• If you exclude God just a few things, those things will have to be brought to fruition without the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit.
• However:
• If you invite God into a few small areas of your life, those areas will be blessed and you will be able to see God at work.
• If you invite God into more areas of your life, those areas of your life will be purified and stabilized and you will see that God is alive and working in your life, for your good and the good of others.
• If you invite God into most areas of your life, most areas will reveal the power of God working in you and through you, you will see the hand of God at work.
• If you invite God into your everything, God will be noticeably involved in your everything. Your life will not be the same in any manner, because God will have burnt off the hay, wood and stubble of your affections, crushed your evil passions, built up your character, enhanced your skills and put within you a new direction. If you invite God into your everything, there will be some pain and disappointment, because not everything in your life acknowledges or serves God and you will lose the desire to keep those things around. They will lose their hold on you and you will lose your desire to service them.

But the rewards of this kind of knowing inside your soul has its own value, above and beyond the conspicuous. Giving yourself over to God in this way changes the why to it all. Instead of seeking to be filled and seeking gratification and seeking wealth, you will seek the overflowing of these things knowing that you have become a vessel of use where God can pour out His love, mercy, grace and wealth on others, through you. You realize, that from now on nothing stops at you as if you are the destination, but all things go through you to bless others. You get the whole stewardship, not ownership concept and you love it.

The truth is that not everyone really has the interest in going deeper with God. They will have to give up too much of the world. They like the look of being spiritual as they stroke their ego from atop the precipice, but they don't like the depth of the deep where they hear the voice of God, calling them into the unknown.

Daily Devotional September 5 - Can A Nation Be Blessed?

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance."  Psalm 33:12

If you were thinking that it doesn't make any difference what the majority of people believe in a nation, think again. The inner blessings to the individual who believes in God can be anywhere and is. But the outer blessings to a people/nation has a lot to do with their accumulated faith. It's like corporate prayer, (prayer of people in groups); when the mind-set of a group of people is in alignment with the mind of God there is action in the heavens on our behalf. God moves among the individual believer and God moves among believers as a nation.

I won't go there, but just imagine for a moment what it is like in the nations that clearly deny God and make no place for: open worship of Jesus, men of faith or women just because they are women. Just imagine what it would be like if you couldn't tell others when you had a revelation from God or an inspiration or learned when you learned a new truth or just wanted to thank Jesus publicly.

Yes, the nation whose God is the LORD is blessed and in innumerable ways. I'm delighted to live in America and I love my country, not just because I was born here, but also because God has blessed us. It could be that way across the whole world, but it isn't. Men and women who are blinded by pride and arrogance deny God His place in their land. That's too bad, but in no way does that mean that we should bash our own country as if it weren't true that God has blessed us. It's not God that has planted the seed that we should not have national pride or that we should not recognize and praise God for His many benefits. Only those who are blind to all that God has done and is doing in America could even make such a ridiculous comment.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;" Oh, if you are wondering 'what's the big deal, it's the same Lord over all religions;' you are sorely mistaken.

Daily Devotional September 4 - Unlearning Can Lead To enlightment

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:19

To know the love of Christ: This is more than accumulated knowledge. Accumulated knowledge can take you deep into understanding the sciences and the world, but the knowledge of Christ is given by the Holy Spirit into the inner man as God sees fit. You will never be in charge of how much God gives you or how much God allows you to see or understand. You are only in charge of what you do with what God gives you and allows you to see and understand. You are not in competition with anyone to see who can be the most religious or the most spiritual. If you are in any competition at all it is with your own ego.

The love of Christ emanates from God and cannot be learned or earned by seminary degree or by any other means of competing for knowledge. Wisdom is given to you by God, at God's good pleasure, to the faithful, and cannot be earned by study or good works. The love of Christ is the outpouring of the love of God upon mankind. God does this because He loves you. God pours out His Spirit on you because He is God. God does this to fill you up with God-likeness.

The more you empty of yourself the more room is available for God-likeness. You can empty out the stuff that keeps you from more of God; push down and out thoughts and actions that are not godly, but you can do nothing to be filled with more of God except to receive from God what God freely gives you. You can acquire knowledge, but you can only receive the love of Christ.

You have to get this right if you ever want to see more of God. You will have to unlearn a great deal for the love that passeth all knowledge to be recognized. Each generation is being taught what the last generation learned. If they learned well they give us a good start for our venture with God but if they learned poorly they give us a bad start. Either way we must unlearn what is erroneous and learn truths that empower us for ourselves. If you want to rest on the laurels of those before you, go ahead, but if you want all the fullness of God, you must unlearn a great many things.

Daily Devotional September 3 - Focus On What Does Have Great Value

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he posseseth."  Luke 12:15

This should be good news for all those who have tried almost everything to make money. Even much preaching has been devoted to assisting people to get more. I've heard sermons where it was said that money is by far the most important thing that Jesus ever talked about. And more often than not, much will be promised to you in the way of financial blessings if you support so and so. Just for the record, the money that those who want your money promise you, is not their money to promise you.

God is the owner, we are the stewards. It's a lot more important how you distribute what you have than how much you have. "Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith." Proverbs 15:16

Your life has great value in the way you live it, not necessarily in how many things you accumulate. The abundant life can included having more money than you need, but you can live the abundant life with what you currently have also. The abundant life is your life in Christ, that connection between your inner man and God.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having a lot or having more than you will ever need or even having more than many people will ever need. It's not that there is anything wrong with having money, its just that if you begin to trust your money with the same enthusiasm as you should trust Christ or have trusted Christ before, then you are going to miss the inner blessings that come from God to those of all financial statures.

The world says that a man's stature does consist of the thing hr/she accumulates and that message is taught and shoved down our throats through much television and radio day after day. But God says differently. A man's/woman's true wealth is measured by the character of his soul; a genuine heart; right relationships; honesty in his dealings; integrity when no one is looking; an ear that hears God; feet swift to go where lead; a heart that is kind and generous; one who doesn't hold to tightly what he has, but shares what he has with others while on the way to his/her success; not one who is only willing to share what they win later or when their ship comes in.

Jesus says "take heed," (beware) that you don't focus on something that doesn't have any real value. Focus on what does have real value and God

Daily Devotional September 2 - Grace

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  Romans 5:1-2

Just a reminder: This Daily Devotional is meant to be a light in times of darkness, good theology when you are perplexed and a simple reminder of the Greatness and Goodness of God. 

Whatever you learn and whatever you read, I hope that nothing steers you away from understanding the magnitude of God's grace. Of all theology that one can learn, and all is of importance and great value, the concept of grace transcends the importance and value of them all.

Grace is the part of God that brings mankind into His realm.
Grace is the reckoning between man and His ego and God and His wisdom.
Grace is thought into you personally by God who knows you intimately.
Grace transcends your sin and indiscretion.
Grace is too high of thinking to grasp fully
Grace:

• Pardons the guilty
• Loves the unlovable
• Forgives the unthinkable
• Lasts for eternity
• Demands no action
• Thrives in all places

Grace, when thinking about God, puts in perspective how great God is. It gives clarity to why we aren't where we were, why we are where we are and glimpses of what God has in mind for the future.

Grace brings all theological perspectives (religious thought) to it knees, in admission that through all the ages and through all the schools of thought and in all denominations, man just can't create a better system than what is already in place; the grace of God.

Grace opens your eyes to see what you are with the hand of God at your back and the mind of God making a path for you.

Grace, as a science, has empirical proof of itself.

Do you love God for the grace He has bestowed on you?

Daily Devotional September 1 - All Things Spiritual Are Not All Equal

"But as it is written, eye hath not see, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man , save (except) the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."  1 Corinthians 2:9-12

There is a knowledge of God, a wisdom that comes from having the Holy Spirit reside in our life. The scriptures make it clear that those who deny Christ do not get internal revelation from God, i. e., understanding when reading the word of God and confirmation in their spirit that what they have read or heard from God is from God and not from man or from other spiritual sources.

It's not talked about much, but those who practice other world religions practice them using the spirit of man within them to discern spiritual things. They have valid spiritual experiences, but their understanding is not enhanced by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Many of the things they believe are real, but they are not sanctioned by Holy God. There is no consistency among the world religions because there is no direction and agreement from the Holy Spirit to all those who practice religious experiences without the aid of the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit does not cross over and enter into the spirit of man just because that person is following or believing or practicing a religious philosophy incongruent with the Word of God. The Holy Spirit and the enlightenment that comes with having a relationship with God only comes by invitation from mankind to God to come in and make their spirit whole. Without this invitation, all of the spiritual experiences and practices are man made and/or other spirit made, meaning it may be spiritual but it is spiritual in the sense of being generated from mans own conscience, a fallen angel/demon or satan himself. These other experiences are why there is so much confusion. When a person creates their own religion without the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, anything goes.

Other spirits will try to emulate the true Christian experience, creating a false sense of security that simply because someone had a spiritual experience that it must be from God. That's the goal of the evil spirits, to take people on a journey that never connects with Holy God.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14

Much of the world is caught up in religion without the Spirit of God. I don't fight them. I love them. But I don't try to act like, since they have a religious philosophy, that somehow that means that they are worshipping the same god. No they don't worship the same god as we do and no they don't believe like someone who has the indwelling Holy Spirit, and no they don't receive the same messages from God that we do and no they aren't going to pass into the everlasting with understanding. Those who understand on this side will understand on the other side. Those who don't understand on this side aren't going to understand on the other side either. Rev. 20:15