The Prophetic Word- Days 65 Thru 70: No More Tears

The Prophetic Word

Day 65: Someday all tears will be wiped away.

In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on the following scriptures:

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.”

Psalms 56:3-4, 7-9, 13 NLT

“Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 59:15-18 NLT

“He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”

Isaiah 53:3-5 NLT

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.””

Revelation 21:4-5 NLT

Sin brought sorrow to man and to Heaven. God saw our tears and sent His son to become one of us. The result of Heaven hearing the tears of this Man, is the ultimate remedy for all sorrow and tears. And, we will begin our investigation into this tomorrow.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 66: Sin brought death.

“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.””

Genesis 2:15-17 NLT

““You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”

Genesis 3:4-7 NLT

Death brings so much sorrow, so much pain, but how did it come to this? Why do we have to die? Let’s start at the beginning.

Man was made in the image of God. We were made to live forever!

“Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.”

Genesis 1:26-27, 31 NLT

But man broke covenant with God.

“But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.”

Hosea 6:7 AMP

Now, Although we don’t generally reference original sin as being the breaking of a covenant, God speaking through Hosea makes it clear that that is exactly what happened. Indeed, any relationship with God is based on a covenant (God willing, we will pursue the topic of God’s covenants next week).

So, God made us virtuous; but we ruined it all by sinning against Him.

“Behold, I have found only this [as a reason]: God made man upright and uncorrupted, but they [both men and women] have sought out many devices [for evil].””

Ecclesiastes 7:29 AMP

As a result, the penalty of death was applied to all men.

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned.”

Romans 5:12 AMP

We earned death through sin!

“For the wages of sin is death…”

Romans 6:23a AMP

Although God could have knocked man into oblivion at that point in time, He didn’t. And it wasn’t just that once that God chose to withhold destruction. Indeed, the Old Testament testifies repeatedly of God’s mercy toward His people.

“But He, the source of compassion and lovingkindness, forgave their wickedness and did not destroy them; Many times He restrained His anger And did not stir up all His wrath. For He [graciously] remembered that they were mere [human] flesh, A wind that goes and does not return.”

Psalms 78:38-39 AMP

Yes, He was preserving us for the time when He would bring a remedy for the sentence of death!

Our opening scriptures give us a glimpse into the tragic moment when everything changed for man, the moment when an eternal God-like being was reduced to a mere flesh man in whom the doomsday clock had begun to tick.

As we move forward, we will come to another point when everything was again changed. But that’s for another day.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 67: God sees our tears.

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”

Psalms 56:8-9 NKJV

When thinking about our tears of sorrow, three songs come to my mind: “The Tears of a Clown,” “He Washed My Eyes with Tears,” and “Tears are a Language God Understands.”

We will employ these songs to reveal 3 truths about our tears.

The first song, “Tears of a Clown,” (a secular song) references the reality that sometimes our tears are not seen by anybody. Indeed, sorrow and brokenness can feel very lonely: “Now there’re some sad things known to man; but ain't too much sadder than, the tears of a clown when there's no one around.”

The second song, “He Washed my Eyes with Tears,” references the fact that tears can be used by the Lord to cleanse us and bring us to understanding: “He washed my eyes with tears that I might see. The broken heart I had was good for me. He tore it all apart and looked inside.

He found it full of fear, and

foolish pride. He swept away the things that made me blind. And then I saw the clouds were silver lined. And now I understand 'twas best for me. He washed my eyes with tears that I might see.”

The third song, “Tears are a Language God Understands,” references the fact that God does care about, and responds, to our tears: “God sees the tears of a brokenhearted soul. He sees your tears and hears them when they fall. God weeps along with man and takes him by the hand. Tears are a language God understands.”

Let’s put these three thoughts together:

First, tears are often unseen, a fact Jeremiah the prophet knew all too well:

“But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.”

Jeremiah 13:17 NKJV

Secondly, God can use tears to answer our need. Hezekiah found this to be true:

““Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.””

II Kings 20:5-6 NKJV

Finally, the Lord shares our sorrow. Certainly, Jesus lived this truth:

“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:3-5 NKJV

In our opening scripture we see that David—in the presence of his enemy—cries out to God, knowing that the Lord will hear his plea, remember his tears, and bring deliverance.

Friend, please know that God sees your hidden sorrow and tears. And, He can use those tears for your good. Indeed, He shares your tears!

Tomorrow we will look further into this “Man of sorrows.”

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 68: Jesus wept.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV

Did you know that the shortest verse in the KJV (as well as many other translations) of the Bible is John 11:35?

The context of this verse is the death of Lazarus and the sorrow of those who loved him.

“When Jesus saw her [Mary, Lazarus’ sister] sobbing, and the Jews who had come with her also sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit [to the point of anger at the sorrow caused by death] and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.”

John 11:33-35 AMP

There it is: “Jesus wept.”

Do you have any idea how powerful of a statement is made in those two words? The One sent from Heaven is so moved by man’s sorrow concerning death, He is reduced to tears!

Indeed, this is one of the three times we find the New Testament referencing Jesus crying.

Of course, Jesus turned mourning into rejoicing when He raised Lazarus from the dead. However, as wonderful as that was, the remedy for the sorrow of death would be accomplished at another time.

Another account of Jesus crying involves the fact that Jerusalem would be destroyed because Jesus had not been recognized as being sent from God.

“But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.””

Luke 19:41-42, 44 NLT

Now, make no mistake, Jesus wasn’t crying from the personal hurt of being rejected, He was crying because of the suffering and death that would result from their blindness.

Obviously, these first two accounts of Jesus crying are directly connected to His sorrow over man’s condition. But, what about the third account? Is it also connected to man’s condition?

Let’s look at it:

“While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.”

Hebrews 5:7 NLT

This reference by the writer of Hebrews seems to clearly point to the agony of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane just before His betrayal.

Now, is His crying here related to Him feeling sorry for Himself for what He was about to have to endure?

Before deciding that, let’s look at another scripture:

““The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.””

John 10:17-18 NLT

You see, Jesus willingly suffered. He was doing this for us; and, the tears He cried were the tears God would see and answer.

Although Jesus would indeed suffer and die, He was able to take His life back up again, becoming the Resurrection and the Life for us!

In our opening scripture we see the writer of Hebrews explaining that we have—in Jesus Christ—a High Priest who is able to sympathize with us. Yes, He cried those tears for us! The Fall of man was so egregious that it demanded our death. The remedy for that penalty demanded nothing short of a perfect sacrifice. So, Jesus became that perfect sacrifice.

Yes, Jesus wept. God saw His tears. He heard His cry. And, a remedy was created for death!

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 69: He exposed Himself to death that we might live.

“But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT

Jesus made a very telling remark to the women who were weeping for Him as He was being led to the place of His crucifixion:

“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.”

Luke 23:27-28 NLT

Jesus was doing what He was sent to do; it was a mission of mercy and the carrying out of it was His joy.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].”

Hebrews 12:1-2 AMP

On the other hand, Jerusalem would still face judgment and a terrible time of persecution was at hand.

“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.’”

Luke 23:29-30 NLT

As we saw yesterday Jesus wept because of the destruction Jerusalem would needlessly face. He took no pleasure in their demise; indeed, He had come from Heaven to prevent it.

Yes, a tragedy remained for Jerusalem and its people. Sadly, the destruction of the Jews would be repeated over and over again. Even into modern times, we have seen terrible violence against the Jews. But praise God, the Lord is not finished with delivering them.

Our opening scripture offers a prophetic preview of what the Lord did—not just for the Jews—for all of those who call on His name. Yes, in order for us to have life, He exposed Himself to death and was victorious over it.

Sadly, not all turn to Him. So, a tragedy remains for those who will not be identified with the Lord and His provision that overcomes our death penalty.

Tomorrow we will look at the time when tears will cease for all who have run into the Ark of our salvation. Praise God! The tears associated with what was once our awful plight, have a remedy!

Peace to you!

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 70: There will be no more tears when death is swallowed up in victory.

“For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"”

1 Corinthians 15:53-55 ESV

Over these last few days we have been discussing something that came out of what the Spirit spoke to me as I was seeking what I needed to present to the people last Sunday. I heard in my spirit this direction: “Tell them about the time the angels cried.”

Now, when hearing this, nothing immediately came to my mind. I know the Bible speaks of Heaven rejoicing, but I never thought of Heaven crying or mourning.

Now, I know that there will be a time during the final judgments when Heaven will be silent for 30 minutes from the impact of what is going on.

Still, I knew there was something I was missing, so I continued to ask the Spirit of the Lord to direct me to what He wanted me to see. What was so severe that the angels would cry? [Please understand, I am not necessarily visualizing the angelic host with tears running down their faces; I have no idea how that would look, but I do know what the Spirit spoke to me.]

Of course, my mind naturally went to the crucifixion; it was such a terrible thing for the perfect Lamb of God to so greatly suffer. But, this wasn’t it. As we have discussed, the Lord does not seek sympathy.

Then, the event the Lord was referencing, that which led the Heavenly host to cry, to mourn, came into focus: It was the Fall of man and the resulting death sentence.

You see, we are God’s workmanship, something He pronounced to be good! We were created to rule and reign over the Earth and to live forever. But—in one moment—everything changed as the clock of mortality began to tick in every human being.

On Day 67 we looked at a portion from Psalm 56 where David asked the Lord to remember his tears, to put them in a “bottle.” And, asking the Lord to remember his tears, is asking for relief from the same.

Indeed, later in that psalm we see confirmed the fact that the Lord did hear, and did remember his tears.

“For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?”

Psalms 56:13 NKJV

In this verse, the Psalmist may have been referencing that the Lord delivered him from being killed, and from the current sorrow he was experiencing. But, David would go on to cry again, and he would eventually die.

But, this passage, these words have proven to be prophetic. It also talks of a time when death will be dealt with completely, and tears will be wiped away forever!

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Revelation 21:2-7 ESV

What a blessed hope we have for the wonderful day when there will be no more sorrow, pain, or death. But remember, before that happens, the Lord Himself will come and fight his enemies, putting an end to all evil.

“Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 59:15-18 NLT

In our opening scripture we see the blessed promise all believers are given. Truly, there will be no more fear of death. Praise God—through Jesus Christ—death’s power has been revoked!

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Psalm 30:5 ESV

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word - Day 59 thru 64: perseverance

The Prophetic Word

Day 59: We must not let go of Him.

In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on the following scriptures:

“So Jacob was left alone, and a Man [came and] wrestled with him until daybreak. When the Man saw that He had not prevailed against Jacob, He touched his hip joint; and Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let Me go, for day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me.” So He asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.””

Genesis 32:24-28 AMP

“Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.””

2 Kings 13:18-19 AMP

“Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.”

Matthew 24:12-13 AMP

“Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?””

Luke 18:6-8 AMP

We are living in the Last Days before the coming of Jesus Christ. As such, there is pressure all around to waver from our faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, make no mistake, this pressure will not relent; but—by the grace of God—neither will we!

What does the Bible have to say about the need to have persistent, enduring faith?

We will begin our investigation into this tomorrow.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 60: If it’s yours, don’t settle for less.

“So Jacob was left alone, and a Man [came and] wrestled with him until daybreak. When the Man saw that He had not prevailed against Jacob, He touched his hip joint; and Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let Me go, for day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me.” So He asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.””

Genesis 32:24-28 AMP

I remember my father telling a story about a time when he was greatly tested concerning a promise the Lord had given him.

At the time of this testing my father was a young man who was a traveling evangelist with a totally ragged out car. Of course, my father beseeched the Lord concerning his need and—in his spirit—saw a brand new car driving into his driveway (he would describe the car in detail in the telling of the story).

So, my father began to tell family and friends that he was going to be getting a brand new car.

At first, they met the news with great joy and encouragement. But, as the days turned into weeks with still no new car driving into his driveway, the people began to look at him “out from underneath their eyebrows.”

In the end, in not too many days, the Lord made it possible for him to get a brand new car, the car he had seen in the vision!

He never gave up on the promise. He had seen it and was not about to “unsee” it!

The psalmist—in recounting the adventures of Joseph—gives this commentary:

“He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.”

Psalms 105:17-19 NKJV

Now, what does it mean to say, “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him”?

You see, the time between the giving of a promise and the realizing of it is used by the Lord to see what is in us (the genuineness of our faith) as well as to strengthen our faith.

I realize that it may seem a conundrum to put those two dynamics together, but let me restate it this way: For those who let go of their steadfastness, their faith is shown for what it is: weak and unstable.

However, for those who won’t let go of the promise, continuing to believe and act on the promise, they will come out of the trial with even stronger faith!

In our opening scripture we see the story of Jacob wrestling with (Who turned out to be) the Lord.

You see, Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, had received the original covenantal promise. Then, the promise was extended through Jacob’s father, Isaac. But now the time had come for Jacob to take hold of the promise for himself, making it his own. By refusing to let go, he became the rightful heir of the same promise.

We must not let go of God’s promises. Our part is to do what the Lord has asked of us, then to patiently wait until the same word that has been testing us, comes to pass.

“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.””

Hebrews 10:35-38 NKJV

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 61: We must be persistent to see complete victory.

“Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.””

2 Kings 13:18-19 AMP

You’ve probably heard of Job’s “comforters.” Now, Job was a righteous man who was severely tested by the devil in an attempt to prove that he would curse God.

What made his situation worse was that his so-called friends basically accused him of not being righteous, of being a sinner.

At one point in Job’s argument with his friends, he acknowledges his dire situation and also the fact that he knows that they are judging him as being unrighteous. Then he makes an assertion that is astonishing, considering the pressure he was under:

“God has made a mockery of me among the people; they spit in my face. My eyes are swollen with weeping, and I am but a shadow of my former self. The virtuous are horrified when they see me. The innocent rise up against the ungodly. The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

Job 17:6-9 NLT

Job indicates that even though he is being sorely tested, as well as being accused of not being righteous, he will continue to hold fast and continue to do what is right!

Even Job’s own wife told him to give up!

“Then his wife said to him, “Do you still cling to your integrity [and your faith and trust in God, without blaming Him]? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the [spiritually] foolish women speaks [ignorant and oblivious to God’s will]. Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster?” In [spite of] all this Job did not sin with [words from] his lips.”

Job 2:9-10 AMP

Because of Job’s persistent faith in God, he came out victorious, regaining all—and many times over—what had been lost.

Our opening scripture describes a scene that took place when the king of Israel, Joash, came to see Elisha just before the prophet died.

You see, Joash was concerned about what would happen to Israel in Elisha’s absence. So, Elisha gives Joash the object lesson of shooting the arrow out the window, after which he pronounced that they were to attack the Syrians at Aphek and destroy them. Our opening scripture takes up after shooting the arrow out of the window.

Because Joash didn’t show persistence in the beating of the arrows, the victory over the Syrians would only be a partial victory rather than a complete victory.

This beating the arrows test showed that Joash lacked the persistence that would be needed for a complete victory.

We are facing—and will continue to be faced with—many forces that could deter us from our persistent faith. However, we cannot relent until we partake in the total victory offered to us by Jesus Christ!

“Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith].”

Revelation 3:10-11 AMP

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 62: Ask and keep on asking.

“Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?””

Luke 18:6-8 AMP

There are a couple of reasons why people don’t persist with their requests before the Lord, or for that matter, for not continuing to believe for what has been asked according to the will of God.

First, some people relent from their beseeching God, because their faith is weak or nonexistent. So, when they don’t see an immediate answer, they assume that either their prayer has gone nowhere or God doesn’t care to answer. The remedy for this type of individual—in terms of becoming persistent in prayer—has to do with faith development.

However, the second reason people may give up on their prayers, does not have to do with a lack of faith, but rather, a misunderstanding of how we should pray.

Given, the Lord makes it clear in Matthew 6:5-8 that prayers for show, or prayers which are just an abundance of meaningless words, are ineffective:

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”

Matthew 6:5, 7 NLT

So you see, the Lord was not saying not to keep on asking; quite the opposite, and He makes that very clear a little later on:

““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7-8 NLT

Yes, if we know that what we are asking is consistent with God‘s will (measured by what we are told in His word), then we are not to give up on asking, not to give up on seeking, and not to give up on knocking!

In our opening scripture we see that the Lord is giving a parable in which a widow who had been wronged, continues to badger an unjust judge for justice. And, this judge—though he was not a righteous judge or a compassionate man—gave her justice because she would not give up asking:

“The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’””

Luke 18:4-5 NLT

Indeed, God will answer those who continue to ask. He will be found of those who continue to seek. And, He will open the door to those who will not relent from their knocking!

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 63: Persevering faith will be rewarded with exemption from the final test.

““Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.”

Revelation 3:10-11 NLT

When I was in school I was in several classes where the teacher had a policy that if you had an A going into the final exam, you could opt out of it. This was a huge motivation to master the coursework as it was presented, so that I did not have to face a final exam covering all of the material.

Now, did you know that there is a final exam that’s going to come upon the whole earth? We reference that time as The Tribulation and The Great Tribulation.

Now of course we know (as was discussed last week) that because we are identified with Christ, we will face trials and troubles all the time.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.””

John 16:33 NLT

But, there is also going to come a time of testing over the whole earth.

“And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.”

2 Peter 3:7, 11-14 NLT

Indeed, a time of trouble is coming such as has never been seen before and will never be seen again:

[Jesus speaking] “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.”

Matthew 24:21 NLT

But, those who persevere in their faith and in looking for His coming, if this time of testing comes before their going to be with the Lord, the faithful will be saved from an event we reference as The Rapture.

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT

Given, not all Christians believe in a Rapture, and those who do, disagree as to when in the seven-year period of Tribulation it will happen. But, for our purposes here: We believe that Tribulation will come, and that the Lord has promised to save us out of it.

In our opening scripture we see the Lord promising to reward the persevering church with being exempted from the great time of testing coming upon the whole world.

Now, some Christians ignorantly think that if there is a Rapture, and they don’t go in it, they still have the ability to be saved through The Tribulation. But I’ll offer to them something the Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah:

““If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?”

Jeremiah 12:5 NLT

If a person can’t persevere in their faith now, living a holy life in this evil world, I would not think they should take a chance on persevering in The Great Tribulation!

Let’s be faithful now; let’s persevere in our faith now; and we will be rewarded with a Great Escape!

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 64: Perseverance is greatly rewarded in the Kingdom of Christ.

“He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne.”

Revelation 3:21 AMP

This week we have been discussing the importance of having persevering faith. We will conclude that discussion (for now) with the wonderful promises the Lord has made to those who will overcome or conquer.

Let us now look at seven excerpts from the Revelation of Jesus Christ where Jesus is making some extraordinary promises to the overcomer, to the conqueror.

First, we see that the one who persists in their faith will receive eternal life.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'”

Revelation 2:7 ESV

Second, we see that the one who persists in their faith will not suffer destruction in the second death.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'”

Revelation 2:11 ESV

Next, we see that the one who persists in their faith will be fed from Heaven, be counted guiltless, and be given a new personal name.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'”

Revelation 2:17 ESV

As well, the one who has persistent faith will be given unbreakable ruling authority and the morning star (Christ revealed in us).

“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.”

Revelation 2:26-28 ESV

Additionally, the one who persists in their faith will have their name permanently written in the Book of Life and Christ’s commendation before the Father.

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

Revelation 3:5 ESV

As well, the one who persists in their faith will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. And, we will be permanently branded as property of our God and of His Christ.

“The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.”

Revelation 3:12 ESV

In our opening scripture we see the most amazing promise that the Lord offers those who overcome, those who persist in their faith. Yes, those who are faithful to the end will sit on Christ’s throne!

Remember, the overcoming we are called to do, the conquering we are called to perform, is that of keeping our faith in Jesus Christ against anything the world, the flesh, and the devil throw at us.

Friend, let’s lay aside any thoughts of turning back. Let’s shake off the temptation to grow weary. Let’s cling to our Lord so tightly that nothing can dislodge us from our trust in Him, our faith in Him, or our obedience to Him.

Indeed, persistent faith has great reward!

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word-Days 53 thru 58: Sharing his reproach

The Prophetic Word

Day 53: It’s an honor to share His reproach.

In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on the following scriptures:

““If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.”

John 15:18-21 NLT

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”

Hebrews 11:24-26 NKJV

“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.”

Hebrews 13:12-14 NKJV

“So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.”

1 Peter 4:1-5 NLT

The apostles actually rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer with Christ. How were they able to have such an attitude? How is reproach ever an honor? We will begin our investigation into this tomorrow.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 54: Reproach is to be expected.

“There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.”

1 Corinthians 16:9 NLT

As the time grew near that Jesus would be offered up He prepared His disciples for what they would now face. He explained that the same people who persecuted Him, would persecute them as well.

““If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.”

John 15:18-21 NLT

Yes, the disciples were to expect persecution from the world because they were no longer a part of the world system.

Indeed, the Lord reiterates concerning the hatred the disciples would face, as He prayed the priestly prayer on their behalf:

“I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do.”

John 17:14-16 NLT

You see, the world rejects all who are not under its sway. Indeed, even former friends still aligned with the world, will become tools of the evil one by attacking us.

“Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.”

1 Peter 4:4 NLT

It’s comforting to know that just as the Lord prayed that His disciples would be kept safe from the evil one, He was, as well, praying for all of us who would also believe!

““I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.”

John 17:20 NLT

In our opening scripture we see Paul commenting that although he had a great opportunity for ministry, there was also great opposition coming at him.

Now, the place Paul was referencing in terms of the great door of opportunity, was Ephesus. And, Ephesus was a large center for idol worship.

Because of the fact that Paul and the disciples were preaching that there were no gods made with hands, Demetrius, a silversmith, stirred up a frenzied riot! (See Acts 19)

Think about it: Everything we stand for when standing with our Lord, is a threat to the world system. Because, not only is the practice of sin a great means of controlling people, it also brings in a lot of money. So, those of us standing with Christ, will necessarily face persecution from the world system which sees those who are with the Lord as a threat to its very existence. And, so it should.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 55: Sharing His reproach is to be desired.

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”

Hebrews 11:24-26 NKJV

Peter and some of the other apostles had defied the command of the religious leaders that they not speak in the name of Jesus Christ. So, the religious leaders severely beat them and then let them go.

“…They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.””

Acts 5:40-42 NLT

Having been released, we see the incredible statement made that they went out “rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.”

Now, this type of statement goes contrary to two of the strongest desires common to most people: the desire to be accepted and the desire to avoid pain. Yet, these disciples deliberately made themselves a target of disapproval and the resulting physical abuse. It seems that knowing they were suffering because of Christ, made them welcome the suffering as an honor!

Indeed, James declared that suffering for the sake of Christ—in any way—should bring joy!

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,”

James 1:2 NKJV

This sentiment was also shared by Paul.

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations,…,”

Romans 5:3a NKJV

“And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything….”

2 Timothy 2:9-10a NLT

One of the most amazing statements made by Paul concerning his suffering is found in his letter to the Colossians:

“I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.”

Colossians 1:24 NLT

In President John Kennedy’s inaugural address (1961) he made the now famous statement: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Indeed, countless numbers of Jesus’ followers have been willing to not only ask what they can do for, but ask what they can suffer for, the sake of Christ. Yes, Paul expressed that he welcomed the suffering he was enduring for the Church.

In our opening scripture we see that Moses chose to endure affliction along with God’s people, rather “than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.”

Yesterday we discussed how being reproached for Christ is to be expected. Today we see that it is not only to be expected, but to be desired. Tomorrow we will look into the great benefits associated with suffering with/for Christ.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 56: Sharing His reproach leads to sharing His glory.

““You have stayed with me in my time of trial. And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Luke 22:28-30 NLT

There’s an old children’s story about the little red hen who wanted to make a cake. Now, as she set out to do the tasks necessary for the making of the cake, she tried to solicit the help of the other animals; but, they all refused. However, when it came time for the eating of the cake, of course, they all wanted to help eat it. But, because they had not helped in the preparation, they were not allowed to help in the consumption.

This is a simple little story; but it presents a great truth in terms of those who will share in Christ’ glory.

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”

I Peter 4:12-14 NKJV

Indeed, those who are unwilling to suffer for the sake of Christ will not be allowed to share in His glory.

““Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 10:32-33 NKJV

Make no mistake, reproach doesn’t feel good; but it is temporary. However, the reward is eternal!

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”

II Corinthians 4:17 NKJV

In our opening scripture we see Jesus telling His disciples that because of the fact that they remained His disciples through hard times, they would be given the privilege of ruling with Him.

Now, although ruling over the 12 tribes of Israel was a promise exclusive to them, ruling and reigning with Christ is a promise to ALL who follow after Him and are willing to bear the approach of doing so.

“So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.”

2 Timothy 2:10-12 NLT

Let us not allow the fear of reproach in this life, rob us of the eternal glory awaiting those who will endure until the end.

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”

Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 57: Suffering with Him strengthens us spiritually.

“So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.”

1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT

In Bible days gold was refined by being subjected to fire. In the fire the impurities would rise to the surface where the refiner could easily skim them off. Indeed, it is this very process that Peter used as a metaphor to encourage the dispersed Christians concerning the trials they were facing.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT

Think about it, if we gladly submit ourselves to the suffering and reproach coming because of Christ, the Lord will use that to remove what keeps us mixed with our old ways of being and doing. The end result is a faith, a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, that is unwavering.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Romans 5:3-5 NLT

In our opening scripture we see that Peter is exhorting the people to allow the suffering they endure with Christ to enable them to be completely finished with their own ways of being and doing, yes, completely finished with sin!

Let’s look at part of that scripture in another translation:

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh [and died for us], arm yourselves [like warriors] with the same purpose [being willing to suffer for doing what is right and pleasing God], because whoever has suffered in the flesh [being like-minded with Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [having stopped pleasing the world],”

1 Peter 4:1 AMP

Yesterday we discussed how sharing the afflictions of Christ leads to sharing His glory. Today we see that the suffering can actually be used to purify us so that we will more perfectly reflect the Lord. As such, our light will shine more brightly in this world. As well, we are also being strengthened to face the next trial that may come our way!

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

The Prophetic Word

Day 58: It’s the cost of discipleship.

“Remember [and continue to remember] that I told you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these [hurtful] things to you for My name’s sake [because you bear My name and are identified with Me], for they do not know the One who sent Me.”

John 15:20-21 AMP

When the time drew near for Jesus to be offered up, He began to talk openly with His disciples about what must happen to Him, what He must suffer. Peter, hearing this, took Jesus aside to say that these things must not happen to Him.

“But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man.””

Matthew 16:23 AMP

Having rebuked Peter, Jesus turned to His disciples and told them very succinctly the cost of discipleship:

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

Matthew 16:24-25 NLT

Think about it, Jesus willingly gave up His royal throne to come and be abused by/for those whom He came to seek and to save.

“I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting.”

Isaiah 50:6 NLT

“He was despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; And like One from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem Him. But [in fact] He has borne our griefs, And He has carried our sorrows and pains; Yet we [ignorantly] assumed that He was stricken, Struck down by God and degraded and humiliated [by Him]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]; The punishment [required] for our well-being fell on Him, And by His stripes (wounds) we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, We have turned, each one, to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] To fall on Him [instead of us]. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth [to complain or defend Himself]; Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before her shearers, So He did not open His mouth.”

Isaiah 53:3-7 AMP

Yes, Jesus willingly—and without complaint—carried our cross. He paid for our sin, and did so gladly.

The cross we must bear is not for our sins. The cross we bear is the reproach of being identified with Him. Yes, our obedience and faithfulness to Christ is an offense to those who belong to the world!

In our opening scripture we revisit the Lord’s instruction to His disciples concerning what they would suffer. He basically tells them that His willingness to suffer must be shared by His disciples. Indeed, it’s the cost of discipleship.

Suffering with Christ is an honor; and, it is an honor with great benefits. But the main reason we should faithfully endure reproach—or any other persecution for His name’s sake—is that He suffered first…for us.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!