- araratchurch
- Oct 20, 2023
- 3 min read
In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on these passages of scripture:
“Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”” I Samuel 10:6, 9-11 NKJV
““I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”” Job 42:5-6 NKJV
“And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” Mark 9:1-4 NKJV
“Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”” Luke 24:28-32 NKJV
“As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”” Acts 9:3-6
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19 NKJV
Living in the last days before the soon coming of Jesus Christ, we are facing pressures and challenges as we have never seen before.
As well, there is much work to be done to bring in the last harvest of souls into the kingdom of God.
As such, we—as Christ’s ambassadors on the earth—must be ready to do more than just survive the evil onslaught; yes, we must be able to do exploits.
Over the next five days, we will discuss the need for a next-level transformation to be able to contend with next-level challenges.
Peace to you. Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him! #ThePropheticWord
- araratchurch
- Oct 20, 2023
- 16 min read
The Prophetic Word
Day 154: Do not be dismayed.
In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on these passages of scripture:
“A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?””
Luke 23:27-31 NLT
Jeremiah 1 (All)
Jeremiah 2 (All)
Jeremiah 45 (All)
““But I will not destroy them all,” says the Lord. “For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones (and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away— some of those grapes are good!’), so I will not destroy all Israel. For I still have true servants there.”
Isaiah 65:8 NLT
The world seems to be on fire. All around us we see death and destruction; and at the same time, many people—even those numbered within the Church—are living lives far from God.
How are we to navigate these perilous times without becoming overwhelmed? How can we obey God’s instruction that we must not be dismayed?
Over the next five days we will discuss how—even in the midst of days of trouble—we do not need to be dismayed!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 155: Don’t allow fear to have its way with you by failing to trust God.
“They came to Jesus and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are about to die!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging, violent waves, and they ceased, and it became calm [a perfect peacefulness]. And He said to them, “Where is your faith [your confidence in Me]?” They were afraid and astonished, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey Him?””
Luke 8:24-25 AMP
The prophet Jeremiah was called when he was very young.
In fact, Jeremiah initially argued with the Lord that his age would be an obstacle to doing what the Lord wanted him to do.
“But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.””
Jeremiah 1:7-10 NKJV
You see, the Lord was calling Jeremiah to prophesy to the people of God concerning the judgment they would face because they had forsaken the Lord and turned to other gods.
“I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands.”
Jeremiah 1:16 NKJV
The Lord warned Jeremiah that he must not allow himself to become dismayed because of the hostility he would face coming from the people.
““Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.””
Jeremiah 1:17-19 NKJV
It’s interesting to note that the Lord warned Jeremiah that if he allowed himself to become dismayed because of the peoples’ hostility toward him, God would allow him to truly be dismayed before them.
Now, what initially may sound like a “wherever you go, there you are,” statement, actually is the Lord warning Jeremiah not to bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy.
That is, if he feared the people in spite of the fact that the Lord had sent him to speak, the Lord would allow him to have reason to be afraid of them.
In our opening scripture we see Jesus scolding the disciples because they had allowed fear to overtake them in the midst of the storm. Yes, they were fearful even though their master was sleeping on the very boat they were in.
“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?””
Mark 4:37-38 NKJV
As we see, when the disciples came to wake Jesus, they questioned whether He cared about them or not!
Yes, we are living in a world on fire. Death and destruction surround us. As a result, we may find ourselves being alarmed and distressed. Sadly, fear may have us gripped, seeing no way out.
However, that level of distress would never be experienced if we truly had confidence that the Lord is with us and cares about us.
Additionally, if God sends you to do something, you need not fear what others will think or do to you.
Remember, as we saw in what the Lord said to Jeremiah, if we choose to remain in fear (as opposed to trusting God), fear has free rein to do its worst to us!
Tomorrow we will look further into this.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 156: Sin is to blame for it all.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Romans 5:1-5 NKJV
There is a very old hymn entitled, “Sin Is to Blame.” Here are some of the lyrics:
“Yonder a man in the prison dwells.
Sin is to blame; sin is to blame.
Sadly his story of woe he tells;
Sin is to blame for it all.
Chorus:
Sin is to blame for all sorrow;
Sin is to blame for all woe.
Heartbreak and pain,
Hopes that are vain,
Sin is to blame for it all.”
Some people may contend that blaming everything on sin is far too simple. The same people would probably also want to talk about the dynamics in society that lead to crime and all other ills.
Now, whereas I would not disagree that we can see a cause-and-effect relationship between certain societal patterns and criminal behavior (as well as other human woes), I would not agree that societal patterns are the starting point of all woes.
You see, for the most part, secular humanism would contend that deep down inside, everybody is good. That indeed, all criminal behavior, all distress, etc. is a result of the failure of society to meet the needs of individuals.
Sadly, even some churches present, a narrative over their pulpits that has no biblical basis. This narrative would contend that listening to a 20 minute motivational message on Sundays, will help the congregants discover how wonderful they really are, leading to a victorious life.
Now, positive motivation may be part of good practice, but trying to fix the problem with humanity through positive motivation, or even as mentioned earlier, through societal reconstruction, is akin to trying to provide a viper a better environment in which it will cease to use it’s venomous bite to destroy.
Before you wonder if this evaluation is too harsh, let me remind you that this is the stance we see in the word of God.
““From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds. They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.”
Jeremiah 6:13-15 NLT
Yes, the Lord warns against offering platitudes or false promises to try to heal the mortal wound of sin.
The misery you see around you, man’s inhumanity to man, hunger, disease, yes, all that is wrong in the world, can be blamed on sin.
The only solution for the individual is accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
John 3:14-19 NKJV
And, because all people will not believe in the work and rule of Christ, the only solution for the world, is Christ’s bodily return to rule and reign as King over the Kingdom that will never end!
In our opening scripture, we see that peace with God came through Jesus Christ.
With that, we also see that because we still live in a sinful world, we will experience persecution, yes, tribulation.
The good news is that God by way of His Holy Spirit is with us to help us navigate our way until Jesus returns to set EVERYTHING straight.
Tomorrow we will talk further about the hope we can have even here and now in the midst of judgment and destruction.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 157: Mercy digs the ditch through which judgment flows.
““But I will not destroy them all,” says the Lord. “For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones (and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away— some of those grapes are good!’), so I will not destroy all Israel. For I still have true servants there. I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel and of Judah to possess my land. Those I choose will inherit it, and my servants will live there.”
Isaiah 65:8-9 NLT
It may seem that we took a detour yesterday as we turned our attention to discussing how sin is behind every woe of man.
However, in terms of addressing how to avoid being dismayed in the midst of trouble, we must necessarily recognize that some terrible things we see, are judgments on particular people, or nations, even on the whole world.
And, lest we become disturbed over why God is allowing terrible things to be happening, we must be aware that, if not for sin, none of these bad things would’ve ever happened.
As well, because sin persists in spite of God reaching out to man, there are times when we see major judgments; we see terrible things happening to people, yes, even on groups of people. In these cases, our position should be to stay humble and penitent before the Lord. The last thing we want to do, when, finding ourselves in the midst of God’s judgment, is to waste energy being angry for what God has allowed. Again, the enemy, the source of all ills, is sin.
“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before.”
Joel 2:12-14 NLT
Hearing of the judgment of God, indeed, seeing the judgment of God all around us, can be overwhelming and lead to dismay. But, we must remember that the Lord will help and rescue the penitent and humble soul.
“Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
Psalms 51:9-10, 17 NLT
Baruch was a scribe who served the prophet Jeremiah. And, as we know, the Lord used Jeremiah to convey strong prophecies concerning the Lord’s displeasure of His rebellious people. As such, Baruch became overwhelmed with the gravity of the words he was writing.
Therefore, the Lord, seeing Baruch’s distress, spoke to Jeremiah a special message for him.
““This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You have said, ‘I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest.’ “Baruch, this is what the Lord says: ‘I will destroy this nation that I built. I will uproot what I planted. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!’””
Jeremiah 45:2-5 NLT
Yes, the Lord encouraged Baruch by assuring him that no matter the judgment, no matter the destruction he would see around him, wherever he went, his life would be preserved as a prize.
In our opening scripture, we see the Lord, in referencing a judgment He pronounced against the people, pointing out that He has found a remnant who will not be destroyed: His true servants.
Yes, the Lord always looks for those whose hearts are faithful toward Him even in the midst of judgment, to preserve them, to use them, even when the world is crumbling all around.
Now, it would be ludicrous for me, or anyone else, to try to come up with an exact analysis of why all bad things happen, and an exact remedy for how to avoid all these bad things. But, one thing we know, one thing that is certain, God is a merciful God. Indeed, mercy became personified in Jesus Christ!
Therefore, no matter what is going on around us, if we cry out to the Lord with a humble and penitent heart, the mercy flowing from Him will dig the ditch through which destruction comes, such that the judgment does not come on us.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 158: There is comfort in covenant.
“But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you.”
Isaiah 49:14-17 NKJV
God is a God of covenant. Yes, if God has made a covenant with a person, nation, or even the whole world, He will keep it.
God made a covenant with Abraham that through his Seed all the world would be blessed.
“Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.””
Genesis 22:15-18 NKJV
As well, we know that God’s covenant with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is an everlasting covenant.
“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.””
Genesis 17:7-8 NKJV
“O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,””
Psalms 105:6-11 NKJV
As we are speaking, Israel is involved in yet another fight for its very existence. Some people falsely believe that God has forsaken Israel, that somehow He no longer honors His covenant with the nation of Israel.
Now, whereas individual Jews will face God in terms of whether they have accepted Jesus as their Messiah, the nation of Israel will always exist. Indeed, the final battle against the enemies of God will be fought from Israel.
“Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The Lord is one,” And His name one. The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.”
Zechariah 14:1-4, 9, 11-12 NKJV
As well, we know that through Jesus Christ, we have become heirs of the promises of God.
Jesus died, not only to forgive us of our sins, but to extend an everlasting covenant to us, and to all who would believe on Him.
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.””
Matthew 26:26-29 NKJV
“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV
You may wonder what God’s covenant has to do with keeping you from being dismayed, or overwhelmed, concerning things going on in your life and the world around you.
You see, just as God has kept His everlasting covenant with Israel and has not forgotten them (even though they have experienced times of judgment), just so, all who receive Jesus as Savior, and trust in the blood of His covenant, will be sustained in this life, and rule and reign with Him in the next!
In our opening scripture we see the Lord speaking through Isaiah, that though they feel forgotten and forsaken (because of the things they were going through), they have not been forgotten, and will never be forsaken.
Friend, the enemy of our souls wants us to despair and be dismayed. He wants us to think that God has forgotten us, that God will not deliver us. But make no mistake, just as God’s covenant with Israel is sure, just so, our covenant through Jesus Christ is a guarantee that God has not forgotten and help is on the way!
Take comfort in God’s covenant written in the holy, precious, indelible ink of Christ’s Blood!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 159: Say, “Yes,” to pray, and, “No,” to dismay!
““But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.””
Luke 21:34-36 NKJV
Just hours before our Lord would be crucified, He and His disciples go to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
Taking Peter, James, and John aside with Him, Jesus instructed them to watch with Him.
However, after pouring Himself out before the Father, Jesus returns to find Peter, James and John fast asleep.
“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””
Matthew 26:40-41 NKJV
You see, Jesus knew what the disciples were about to face; and, He also knew that they weren’t spiritually prepared to face it.
Sadly, they were tired, and failed to heed His instruction. So, when the pressure was poured on, they were scattered, just as Jesus had warned.
“Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”
Matthew 26:31 NKJV
This week we have been discussing how we can face all the things going on in this world without becoming dismayed.
As we conclude this discussion, we must consider the importance of watching with Christ through prayer.
No amount of hypervigilance will keep you from being overwhelmed. As a matter of fact, that level of fear-inspired intensity will drain your resources just about more quickly than anything else.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
Pouring ourselves out before the Lord, can bring refreshment to the soul, keeping us from becoming overwhelmed.
In our opening scripture, Jesus, talking about the pressure of the Last Days before His coming, warns that we must not allow ourselves to become overcharged. Rather, we are to watch and pray.
Now, it isn’t a matter of praying to the Lord just to “give vent” to our concerns.
Rather, making our needs known through prayer, effects change, particularly when we pray in an attitude of thanksgiving.
You see, knowing that the Lord wants to answer, and to give us good things, makes thanksgiving a natural response rather than a forced form.
My friend, praying can keep you from “dismaying.” It’s a gift from God that we neglect to our own peril.
So, don’t dismay, watch and pray!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Oct 20, 2023
- 16 min read
The Prophetic Word
Day 148: Run to the Lord when you’re hurting.
In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on these passages of scripture:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:1-2, 6 NKJV
Psalm 71 (All)
Isaiah 63 (All)
“Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.””
Job 42:1-8 NLT
Christians are not exempted from bad times. Indeed, some of our trials actually serve to aid our spiritual development by strengthening our faith, purifying our souls, correcting our course, etc.
Now, nobody enjoys hard times; but there are things we can do to survive the hard times and emerge from them in victory!
Over the next several days we will look into this crucial topic: How do we survive hard times without despairing or dishonoring God?
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 149: God is a good Father.
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
Matthew 7:9-11 NLT
I have observed a couple of interesting phenomena in terms of parent-child interaction.
First, I’m sure we’ve all seen, or may even remember doing so ourselves, that when a small child is hurt and a parent is near, the child goes running to the parent for comfort. In fact, I have never seen a small child run from their parent when injured, afraid, or hurting in some other way. [Of course, I am here referencing the dynamics in a healthy, loving, parent-child relationship.] Yes, the small child being hurt or threatened, instinctively seeks the arms of their parent(s).
There is another phenomenon I have witnessed where a child has been hurt, and having been comforted by those who are not their parents, when the parent arrives, the child starts crying again and runs to the arms of the parent for comfort and consolation. Now, this doesn’t mean that the child wasn’t somehow comforted by those around them when they were hurt, but the full release from the hurt and pain could only happen in the arms of the parent.
The Lord recently led me to study Psalm 71 in which David is expressing great distress because of his enemies. Not only is he being attacked, but this is being done at a time when he feels vulnerability associated with his advancing age.
After considering this psalm for some length of time, the Lord placed a question in my spirit as to in what manner the psalmist approached God in the midst of his trouble. Now, having learned that generally when the Lord asks me a question, He tends to answer it, I waited for the answer. And, he did answer, saying that the psalmist ran to Him, as a hurting child runs to their parent.
Yes! The hurting psalmist offers no hint of “How dare You do this to me?!” Rather, he runs to the Lord for solace and relief. He runs to his Father!
When we are going through hard times and bad things are happening, when we fear what is coming upon us, it is the tendency of the flesh mind to want to blame God.
Certainly, nothing could happen without the Lord allowing it. However, the dynamics of God’s ways of dealing with a fallen world probably won’t make complete sense to us until we see Him as He is and become like Him (1 John 3:2).
You see, “blame” is a different step from recognizing that God is the ultimate authority over all things. Blame questions whether what He did was “right” or “fair.” Again, it offers a “How dare You?” to the Lord.
For now, we let faith settle the issue regarding whether or not the Lord is to blame for the bad things that happen.
To explain, faith is believing that God is Who He said He is. Now, this involves the fact that He is true to His word and that He is good.
As well, faith assures us that all things are working together for our good; and, the end result will be that we are rewarded.
Given, this is a rather brief explanation of what faith is, the exploration of which has commanded volumes of written analysis to date. However, I borrow it from a reliable source:
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Now, “believing God is,” as referenced by the writer of Hebrews, goes beyond just believing that He exists, to also believing that He exists as He says He is. Therefore, as stated above, we know that He is all powerful and all good, along with all of the other wonderful qualities making God Who He is. And, as such, He is above reproach and worthy to be praised.
As well, we can be sure that our God is a good Father. His love for us is never-failing.
“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
Romans 8:31-37 NLT
Although we may feel that what we are going through must indicate that the Lord does not love us, or does not love us anymore, hard times indicate no such thing.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 NLT
There is nothing created that CAN separate us from the love God has illustrated to us, and extended to us, through Christ Jesus!
The only thing that can keep God’s love from sparing us, would be our own turning from Him, no longer loving Him, no longer trusting Him.
“The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.””
Psalms 91:14-16 NLT
That is why the enemy of our souls works so hard to try to make us believe that the Lord does not love us anymore, if, peradventure, he can provoke our turning away from the Lord.
Yes, we can be sure that our God is a good Father Who cares for us and wants to give us good things. And—as we see in our opening scripture—Jesus instructed us concerning this very thing!
When you’re going through hard times, when you’re hurting, or in need or want in some way, it may seem that you have been separated from God‘s love, tempting you to blame God for what is going on in your life. But, make no mistake, God is a good Father Who cares for you. His unfailing love will not fail to bring comfort and relieve you! Just run to Him!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 150: Hard times that bring correction are good.
“Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.””
Job 42:1-6 NLT
Paul had sent a scathing letter to the church at Corinth concerning their apparent siding with a man (or, at least, leaving him unchallenged) who was speaking evil about Paul.
After a while, Paul heard back from Titus that the letter had been well-received. This good news of the Corinthians gladly receiving correction, prompted Paul to lavish them with praise.
“I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NLT
Though he was originally sad about the letter, Paul was made glad about it, as it had produced a wonderful change in the Corinthians.
As you may be aware, Psalm 119 extols the virtue of God’s way of being and doing; yes, of God’s commands.
In this psalm we find a powerful statement concerning what the Lord’s correction has done for the psalmist.
“I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.”
Psalms 119:67-68, 71 NLT
Indeed, the psalmist recognizes that his affliction has brought correction in his course. Therefore, he is grateful for it.
“I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it. Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant.”
Psalms 119:75-76 NLT
As well, the psalmist affirms that the Lord’s ways are always right and then asks God for comfort and restoration.
The writer of Hebrews, after having presented the “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11), turns to encouraging the Christian Jews to faithfully run their race no matter what is encountered along the way.
He then exhorts them to receive correction without becoming weary and discouraged.
“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
Hebrews 12:5-8, 10-11 NLT
The writer of Hebrews wants the people to understand that correction is a sign that they are God’s children!
He also points out that seemingly harsh correction, if well-received, can lead to spiritual vitality.
“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.”
Hebrews 12:12-13 NLT
In our opening scripture we see that Job—though he was not afflicted because of personal failings—ended up receiving correction from the Lord, thereby gaining a whole new level of understanding about Who God is.
Friend, if we see our hard times as being undeserved and become bitter concerning our affliction and/or correction, we will never be able to have the next level type of relationship with God that produces people capable of doing exploits.
So, even if we don’t understand why we are being afflicted or chastened, if we will receive it without becoming bitter, the Lord can use it to turn us into a lean, keen, fighting machine for the Kingdom of God.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 151: Our Refuge is mobile.
“In you, O Lord, I have put my trust and confidently taken refuge; Let me never be put to shame. In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; Incline Your ear to me and save me. Be to me a rock of refuge and a sheltering stronghold to which I may continually come; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked (godless), From the grasp of the unrighteous and ruthless man. For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust and the source of my confidence from my youth.”
Psalms 71:1-5 AMP
Let’s face it, our idea of surviving a hard time is that we either never encounter hard times, or are immediately delivered from hard times.
But, the fact of the matter is, just as the Hebrew children were kept safe as they were walking in the fiery furnace, and just as Daniel survived a night with hungry lions after being thrown into their den, just so, our rescue may not involve being removed from the hard time, but rather, being sustained in it and through it.
Think of people who have a mobile home. Wherever they travel, because they are in their own home, they can rest comfortably.
You see, God’s refuge works like that: It’s a “mobile” unit, a mobile dwelling place we can take wherever we go!
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me; Your [unwavering] lovingkindness, O Lord, endures forever— Do not abandon the works of Your own hands.”
Psalms 138:7-8 AMP
In the above psalm we see David expressing his confidence that even though he is surrounded by trouble, the Lord will sustain him in the midst of it.
In Psalm 91 (said to have been written by Moses, and is included in the Dead Sea Scrolls as one of the four psalms against demons) we see that dwelling in God’s place of safety does not necessarily mean that we won’t be surrounded by trouble.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.”
Psalms 91:1-8 NKJV
Certainly, if we’re walking through hard times, if we are navigating days of trouble, it’s easy to let what we are seeing overwhelm us, causing us to fear.
Ironically, it is that very fear that actually takes us out of the secret place, out of God’s refuge.
When Jesus said He was giving us His peace, He clarified that it wasn’t the kind of peace that the world gives.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27 NKJV
You see, the kind of peace we can find in the world, requires that everything is going well in our lives and our circumstances.
But, the peace Jesus gives is His own Spirit of Peace, and is not dependent upon circumstances. However, it is dependent upon our refusing to fear.
In our opening scripture we see David—from a place of great distress and pressing—expresses his confidence that the Lord is his refuge. Even in the midst of his trouble, he will do what he has done from his youth: run to his Refuge, run to his God and King!
Child of God, nobody enjoys hard times; nobody enjoys being pressed. But, don’t make your circumstances worse, and miss the peace the Lord has offered, by thinking your only way for relief and release, is to be out of your circumstances, out of the trouble.
Remember, God’s refuge can be with you wherever you may go, if only you will trust in Him!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 152: If the Great Shepherd is with you, you need not fear!
Tomorrow we will bring all that we have discussed this week together.
For today please meditate on these scripture passages. Read them at least two or three times. Try to form pictures in your mind that represent what you are reading. And most important of all, ask the Holy Spirit to make these words real to you by writing them on your heart and mind.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
Psalms 23:1-6 NKJV
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”
Isaiah 43:1-3a NKJV
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
The Prophetic Word
Day 153: Our Lord is mighty to save!
“Who is this who comes from Edom, With crimson-stained garments from Bozrah [in Edom], This One (the Messiah) who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His might? “It is I, [the One] who speaks in righteousness [proclaiming vindication], mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And of the peoples there was no one with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes. For the day of vengeance [against ungodliness] was in My heart, And My year of redemption [of those who put their trust in Me—the year of My redeemed] has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, And I was amazed and appalled that there was no one to uphold [truth and right]. So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath sustained Me. I trampled the peoples in My anger And made them drunk with [the cup of] My wrath, And I spilled their lifeblood on the earth.””
Isaiah 63:1-6 AMP
Over the last several days we have been discussing how to make it through times of pressing, through hard times, without despairing or dishonoring God (please review Day 148 through Day 152).
As we conclude this week’s journey, I want to remind you of a scripture I rehearse almost daily:
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
Hebrews 10:35-39 NKJV
As well, the Lord wants me to remind you of something written in our “Word of the Day” on 1-27-2021 as commentary on Hebrews 10: 34-35:
“It is true that there are great pressures all around. We are literally seeing all of the actors and agents in the antichrist system (“the beast”) coming together. Now is no time to panic; now is the time to remember that the Lord has warned us of all of these things in advance. Our energy must be focused on keeping our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, remembering the words that God has spoken, and walking daily in the Spirit of God. No! We’re not going to be counted among those who turn back and lose what has been promised! We’re going to stay the course and receive the prize: everlasting life with God where we rule and reign with Him!”
Now, approaching nearly 3 years later, we see even more reason to stay the course without wavering. As well, we are experiencing even more of the pressure to despair, possibly to the point of causing some to doubt the goodness and faithfulness of God!
My friend, God forbid that we would drawback to destruction! God is faithful and He will enable us to remain faithful under pressure if we keep our eyes on Him.
Our opening scripture paints a picture of our glorious, kingly, Warrior, yes, our Lord Jesus!
Remember, no matter how hard the times, no matter how hard the pressing, Help is always with us; and, He is mighty to save!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!