Zion Revival Ministries

Redeemed From The Empty Way Of Living Handed Down To Us

2010-05-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:18-19
¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

The two epistles of Peter were addressed to Christians living in various parts of Asia Minor, consisting mostly of converted Gentiles (people of non-Jewish origin). Their past life was characterized by ''living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry'' (1 Peter 4:3) . To these people, Peter declares that they have been ''redeemed from the empty way of life handed down'' to them from their forefathers.

This is a truth that people all over the world, regardless of culture or race, can relate to. As individuals, we may find ourselves trapped in certain patterns of lifestyle, some even in certain sin patterns, that seemed to have been handed down to us from our parents, sometimes even from earlier generations.

For example, say that the parents are heavy into use of drugs or alcohol. The children they raise may have this sin pattern passed down to them. In other cases, it could a religious form of worship that is handed down through the generations. As believers, we need to know that the blood of Christ has redeemed us from such sin and lifestyle patterns we may find ourselves in.

It is an awesome thing to see people walk out free from the vain manner of life that has been handed down to them, through the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus. It is indeed an awesome thing to see a person who was raised in a family with years of idol worship be set free to worship the true and living God.

It is indeed an awesome thing to see a person raised in a family history of adultery or sexual immorality walk free from this.

Delivered From This Present Evil Age

2010-05-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

Galatians 1:3-4
³Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

1 John 5:1, 4
¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
⁴for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

It was the desire of the Father that you and I be delivered from ''this present evil age''. Jesus made this possible through His redeeming work on the cross. We have been set free from the control of ''this present evil age''.

This age (Greek 'aion' meaning '' a period of time'') refers to this present period of time during which satan is operating as the ''god of this age'' (2 Corinthians 4:4). The word translated 'rescue' comes from the Greek word 'exaireo' which according to Vine's Dictionary means ''to take out for oneself''.

The Father had a special interest and great pleasure in taking us out of this present evil age for Himself. Since we are delivered from this present evil age we no longer need to be subject to the works and influence of the god o this age. Taking this a step further, the Scriptures declare that every believer overcomes the world.

The world (Greek 'kosmos') refers to the ''order'' or ''system'' we find around us. It refers to the system of evil and rebellion that pervades societies, cultures and nations, setting people and circumstances up against the purposes of God. A believer does not need to live in subjection to the system of evil and rebellion that influences and dominates the world around her/him.

The Scriptures teach us that we ''... may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.'' (2 Peter 1:4). A believer is free from the evil that dominates this present age, and can walk in victory over the system of evil and rebellion in the world. This is possible through Christ's redeeming work.

Redeemed From Satan's Works

2010-05-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Colossians 1:13
¹³For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

John 14:30 (Amplified Bible)
³⁰I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]

1 John 5:18
¹⁸We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.

Luke 10:19
¹⁹I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

We have been redeemed from satan's control over our lives. What Jesus said in John 14:30 can now be said of us who have been redeemed by Him. The prince of this world, satan, has no claim on us, he has nothing in common with us, there in nothing in us that belongs to him and he has no power over us.

We belong to God who has made us His own. Jesus, the One who was born of God keeps us safe and the devil cannot harm us. Not only have we been set free from satan's dominion, but we have been given authority over him and complete protection from him! What a glorious redemption!

Now when the devil attempts his wicked schemes against us, whether by trying to put some deadly disease, or destroy our family, or lead our children astray, or hinder our business, or cause financial hardships, or bring disaster, etc. we can arise up against him and victoriously resist his works. We do not have to suffer at his hands.

Redeemed from sin's power

2010-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Titus 2:13-14
¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Romans 6:14
¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Jesus came to ''redeem us from all wickedness'' or ''every lawless deed'' as rendered in another version. The Greek word for redeem is the word 'lutro', which as we stated in an earlier study refers to setting a captive free by the payment of a ransom.

So the truth presented here is that Jesus sets us fee from every sinful deed that may hold us captive. As individuals we may have been or may still be captives to various sinful habits. We don't have to present a list of these here. Each one of us can recognize them in our lives individually.

Now that we are in Jesus, we need to know that as part of the redemption that has been provided for us, we can be free from bondage to sinful deeds. The world may try to reason away certain sinful deeds as being ''genetic'', or what ever else.

But we've got to acknowledge sin as sin and recognize that in Christ we can be set free. We are to live as God's own people who are eager to walk in righteousness.

Brought Out To Be Brought In

2010-05-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 4:20
But the LORD selected you and brought you out of Egypt's iron furnace to be a people for His inheritance, as you are today.

Deuteronomy 6:21-23
²¹ tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²² Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. ²³ But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers.

God bringing His people out of slavery from Egypt is a type of our redemption from spiritual bondage to the devil. God brought the people of Israel out of slavery, so that He could take them to be His own people, ''the people of His inheritance''.

He brought them out from there, so that He could bring them in to the land of promise. Our redemption therefore involves bringing out and a bringing in. God brought us out from being separated from Him and brought us in to being His own sons and daughters.

God brought us out from bondage to satan and brought us in to liberty in the Kingdom of His son. He brought us out from sin and brought us in to righteousness. He brought us out from condemnation and brought us in to justification. He brought us out from being sinner and brought us in to being His priests.

He brought us out from being slaves and brought us in to reign in life. He brought us out from sickness and brought us in to health. He brought us out from being oppressed and brought us in to God-given authority. He brought us out from failure and brought us in to success.

He brought us out from poverty and lack and brought us in to His abundant supply. He brought us out from despair and brought us in to an eternal hope. He brought us out from eternal death and brought us in to eternal life.

Living As ''The Redeemed Of The Lord''

2010-05-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

Although conquered and defeated, the devil has been allowed to continue with his wicked schemes on the earth, a little longer. We know that this won't be forever. Yet, while we are here on the earth, we face an enemy daily, who desires to have us back as his captives.

Whether it is in the moral financial, the physical (body), relational (marriage, family, relationships), the ministry or the spiritual (our walk with the Lord) the devil attempts relentlessly to gain an entrance and capture territory in our lives. The challenge that we are faced with is to successfully resist attempts and walk in the benefits of the redemption Christ provided for us.

The redemption that we have in Christ brings benefits, some of which we can enjoy and experience in this life and those we will enjoy when we are changed into His likeness. While we are here on the earth, what must we do to live as people whom the Lord has redeemed and purchased for Himself?

How can our lives be filled with the rich blessings of the redemption that we have in Christ? As individuals and communities of believers spread around the world, we are to demonstrate the reality of our redemption. We are to live, individually and corporately, as the redeemed of the Lord.

Our Redemption

2010-05-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

The Bible tells us that ''the whole world is under the control of the evil one'' (1 John 5:19). We are living in an environment that is under the influence of the powers of darkness - satan and his demonic hosts. The works of darkness are manifested all around us in its varied forms - sin, sickness, destruction, poverty, corruption, etc. The list can go on and on. Regardless of which part of the world we live, and regardless of what vocation we may have in life - minister, doctor, business person, home maker, school teacher, student, etc.

We come face to face with the works of the devil every day. The devil and his cohorts influence, control and dominate people and events in the world. In view of all this, the Bible presents a very powerful truth. The Bible teaches that every person who has been saved through faith in Christ has been set free from the control of the devil. It is possible for every believer to live victorious over the works of the devil. Any individual who is ''in Christ'' does not need to live in subjection to the evil one!!

On the one hand there is a large part of the Body of Christ that has not heard this truth. Many believers in many churches around the world have never been told that they can indeed live an overcoming life. They have not been taught that they no longer need to be dominated by the works of the devil. They have not been taught about what they need to do to live a life where they can resist and overcome the works of the devil.

And then there is another large portion of the Body of Christ who have heard these truths - they have heard the tapes, read the books, attended the seminars, and have ''received the revelation'' - and yet have not been able to consistently translate these truths into their daily experience. We believe that God wants His people to know the truth. He wants His people taught and educated in the truths presented in His Word. And we also believe that every truth presented in Scripture will have its effect on our daily lives. The truths presented in Scripture are not just to be preached, taught and written about. They are meant to becomes a part of our daily experience.

Origin Of Heavenly Peace

2010-04-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

Luke Chapter 19 verses 41 and 42 indicate that the city of Jerusalem was happy and prosperous for sometime. But then God says that Jerusalem ought to have realized something, that is, it should have known things about heavenly peace while it is prosperous. We too have times of prosper in our lives. Just because we are in peace and prosperity doesn't mean that God is with us or our deeds are pleasing in God's eyes. It is the time given by the Lord to make us realize. Where does this Godly or heavenly peace originate?

From the blood of Christ: Colossians 1:20, 1 John 1:7

Only the blood of Christ cleanses our sins that are between us and the Lord. This is the starting point of heavenly peace. Jesus Christ is the cause or origin of our peace as written in Ephesians 2:13-17. His blood removes our sins, which are obstacles that stand between the Lord and us. Because of this, Jesus Christ preached heavenly peace as gospel. Those who listened and obeyed to the gospel are cleaned by His blood and hence become vessels to receive heavenly peace.

Explicit deeds: Acts 22:16

Being washed by the blood of Christ is a hidden thing. Nobody can physically explicitly visualize this. But there are certain things that need to be done explicitly in order to acquire the heavenly peace. They are (i) getting up, (ii) worshipping the Lord and (iii) obtaining baptism. This is because baptism is a covenant of the righteous soul with the Lord. Baptism is also a law given by the Lord and hence if we follow His laws there will be heavenly peace according to Isaiah 48:18.

Prayer: Phil. 4:6,7

Even if we are cleansed by the blood of the Lord and follow His laws and get baptized, we still may lack heavenly peace. The reason for this is we are still in this world and not in heaven. Therefore we might be attacked by worldly sorrows that take away the heavenly peace in us. In this case, God tells us to just inform Him of all our sorrows and He will take care of everything so that we are filled with heavenly peace. We can inform things to Him through prayer and those who pray are free from worries and have heavenly peace (Matt. 6:25,27, I Peter 5:7).

Hold on to Him: Isaiah 26:3

Heavenly peace comes to those who strongly hold on to Jesus and Jesus alone. We should not try all possible things according to our own will and upon failure, come to Jesus in the end. According to Psalms 125:1 and Psalms 34:22, those who hold on to the Lord will not be charged by others since they do not choose the path of sin according to their own will. Choosing their own path often leads to a lot of trouble and hence loss of peace.

What Happens When We Don't Listen To God's Warnings?

2010-04-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our Lord always warns His people before the times of trouble. But most of the times
we don't listen to His warnings, and even more we continue our journey as we planned. We forget to realize that if we don't listen to His warning then our journey, however perfectly planned, will be in trouble. In this post I will discuss what we learn from two incidents, one described in Acts 27:10-21 and another the example of Lot.

Other examples in this context include

(i) Joseph, a positive example, who changed his own plan upon being warned by the angels. According to Matt. 2:22, he was warned by the angels and he listened to the warning. If he had not done so, he would have lost baby Jesus.

(ii) Simpson, a negative example, who neglected God's warning. He didn't even know that the Lord is not with him.

(iii) Noah, a positive example, listened to God's warning about the rain and the flood
and immediately started to build the ark and planned his journey.

Now, let us see what happens when we don't listen to God's warnings:

Step 1: We don't listen to God's warning.

Step 2: Eventually your faith is shifted from the Lord and His words. This is because even though you receive a warning from the Lord, you are not inclined to obey to His words. you choose your own way, but your conscience may poke you often. In order to silence your inner good side, you convince yourself by shifting your faith from the Lord's words to some other person's words which seem to agree with what you are doing. In Acts 27:11, the general had more faith in the captain's words than in the Lord's words. Abram and Lot started their journey according to God's word. But eventually Lot's interest was shifted on to worldly blessings and prosperity. That's why he chose Sodom and convinced himself by saying that it looked like God's paradise!

Abram also is a negative example of this case. In Genesis 15:4 the Lord promises Abram about his generation. But just in the next chapter, when Sarah tells him to sleep with her maidservant Abram listens to her. He puts more faith in Sarah's words than on the Lord's words!

Step 3: False favourable situation arises. When we read the verses 12-14 of the passage in Acts Chap. 27 there was cool breeze that comforted them. They thought that their journey has been approved the Lord and everything turns to their favour. But this favourable situation didn't last for a long time. There came Euroclydon a tempestuous wind. Favourable situations are fake and won't last long for those who neglect God's warnings. As a similar example, Lot chose Sovar when God wanted him to run to the mountains. Even though Sovar appeared to be a favourable place for Lot, he feared to stay in that place after a while and went to the same mountains where Lord wanted him to go in the beginning.

Preserve What Is Given To You

2010-04-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

This post is out of the notes of the Sunday (19 - 04 -2010) sermon.

I Timothy 6:20 - Preserve what is given to you. It is a command by the Lord. So what should we preserve?

II Tim. 4:7 - Faith is the treasure given to us by the Lord. Paul Struggled to preserve his faith. Jude v.3 Faith is given to God's people. They should struggle with guts to preserve it. Acts. 14:22 asks us to hold on to the faith - but this leads to lots of problems in your life - however this is the right path to the kingdom of God. In order to preserve the faith, you should have a strong heart. You also should have a good conscience (I Tim. 1.19). According to I peter 5:9 you can stand against satanic forms only if you firmly hold on to the faith. I Tim.6:10 Desire (for anything) is the root cause of losing faith.

Rev. 3:10 - Preserve God's word. John. 14:23 God, the trinity is with the one who follows God's word. This means that if you do not preserve God's word or if you are lethargic about it, God is never with you. According to John. 17:6 only those who preserve Gods words get heavenly or Godly vision; beware of those who always talk to you about visions. Rev. 3:8 Widely opened doors are available to only those who preserve God's words. John 8:51 - Eternal life is also given to those who preserve God's words.

Rev. 16:15 - Preserve your dress ( God has given us so many dresses like salvation, righteousness, praise, etc.). Rev. 3:17,18. Matt. 22:11 - Not only wearing or preserving a dress in important but wearing an appropriate dress is more important. Zec. 3:3 - Joshua stands before God's angel with unclean dress and there comes Satan - this is the worst condition given that Joshua is the high priest! Rev 3:4, Rev. 7:13,14,15. Those who wear the clean dress, washed with the blood of Jesus, stand before God's throne. Rev. 19:8 - Acquiring this clean, bright, fine dress (in the heaven) from the Lord depends on preserving our God-given dress in this world.

Elihu's Understanding Of Ransom: A Price Paid For Redemption

2010-04-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Key Passage: Job 33:14-30

Elihu waited for his turn to speak to Job, because he was younger than the three other friends who had come to comfort Job. As Elihu began to speak he emphasized his dependence on divine inspiration. For instance consider this portion of opening statements: "I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. I though, 'Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.' But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right." (Job 32:6-9). We must also remember that later when God spoke, He rebuked Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar for what they said, but not Elihu.

As Elihu begin to reason with Job, he rebuked Job for his self-righteous attitude and acusing God of denying him justice. In the passage quoted above, Elihu states how God attempts to speak to man through dreams and visions to turn man from the error of his ways. God may even speak in the midst of sickness and pain to draw a man back to Himself. Even when a man is sick upon his bed, drawing near to the grave, if there is a messenger to explain to the sufferer what is the right thing to do, and turn him back in repentance towards God - and if the man does repent - then God if gracious to him and says "spare him from going down to the pit (destruction), I have found a ransom for him."

A ransom is a price paid for redemption. When some one is held as a hostage, the price that is paid to obtain their freedom is a ransom. The process of obtaining their freedom from captivity is redemption. The Hebrew word used in verse 24 translated "ransom" refers to a redemption price, a ransom, an atonement. It is also used to refer to a covering for sin and also in the sense of expiation - to make amends for sin, to appease.

It is interesting to note that the concept of a ransom - a redemption price - was understood at that early time. It is also interesting to note that this was held in connection with bringing some one out of sickness and saving them from destruction. The "pit" could refer to both physical and eternal destruction.

Birthing Through Prayer

2010-04-10T04:45:00.000-07:00

Through prayer we give birth to the purpose of God in our lives. Prayer, in one sense is the birthing process by which we being forth the things of God into the earth.

In prayer you receive an understanding of the purpose of God.

When praying in the Spirit, you are praying the purposes of God into existence.

1 Corinthians 2:9,10

1 Corinthians 14:2

In addition to the general plan and purpose of God for the human race, God has things planned and prepared for each of us as individuals (Ephesians 2:10). To many of us, the purposes of God for our lives may be ''hidden'' and may seem to be a ''mystery''. However the Spirit of God knows the mind of God. holy Spirit knows all the deep things of God and is fully aware of God's plan and purpose - for He Himself is God. The Holy Spirit will reveal the plans and purposes of God to us. And this happens often in prayer.

A powerful benefit of praying in tongues (or praying in the Spirit) is that we are praying ''mysteries''. Often when we are praying in the Spirit, we are in fact praying the plans and purposes of God for our own lives, which at that point may be a mystery - a hidden thing to us.

In prayer God reveals to us the things He wants to birth through us. As we pray, conception takes place and the purpose of God is implanted/impregnated into our spirit. As we continue to pray in the Spirit we give shape to the purpose of God in the spiritual realm. Birth or delivery may not have taken place as yet. But from the time or a conception till delivery, there is a period of gestation or a period of growth, inward growth, growth in the unseen realm. This is what happens as we pray in the Spirit.

We are not seeing any visible change but in the spirit realm the purpose of God is being shaped and formed. The hands, the limbs, the body is growing and is getting closer to the time when it can be released on the earth. So when we get an idea or a vision and when God reveals to us the things He desires to release through us, we need to spend time praying over them. And at the right time, in the fullness of time His purposes will be birthed into the earth.

Our Knowledge Governs Our Burdens - A Short Note

2010-04-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is a very short note in connection with my previous post on Spiritual Value Of God-given Burdens.

While it is true that burdens we receive as we wait on God express His will for us, it is also true that in the main it is our knowledge which governs our burdens initially. There are exceptions. For instance, in the middle of the night God may call you to get up and pray for a brother in a remote place whose circumstances at that particular time are unknown to you, and not till later do you learn of the specific need he was in just then.

But more often our burdens arise in connection with matters about which we have some information. God first brings a certain matter to our knowledge, and than on the basis of that knowledge a burden lodges.

Spiritual Value Of God-given Burdens

2010-04-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

Every child of God has some God given burdens in life. But burdens can only be received from God as our spirits are open to Him. Openness of spirit to God is the condition of receiving burdens from God. You might not be so interested in reading this post since I am not talking about receiving blessings, but burdens. Well, continue reading for your spiritual well being.

It is because of unfaithfulness we can easily reach a state where we receive no burdens at all, so if we wish to be those who bear God's burdens, we must be very sensitive and not reject any impression that comes from Him. At the outset such impressions may be faint, but they will gain in strength as we go on. If we quench the spirit and lose our burden, the only way of recovery is to confess our sin and thereafter to respond faithfully to every God-given impression. As soon as you are moved to pray, pray.

Burdens are specially related to the work of God. Therefore if we are seeking to do His will we must wait on Him till He communicated His burdens to us, for His burden is the indication of His will. It is through the burden He puts upon us that we discern His will for us and the way in which His will can be wrought out through our lives.

For instance, if God gives you a burden to preach the gospel, the more you preach, the more you will come into release, whereas if you fail to discharge your burden it will weigh down more on you till you are crushed beneath it. Then arises a barrier between you and God and you will find it difficult to get in touch with Him. Burdens of this nature are connected with all our spiritual work.

The value of your work depends on the burden you bear in connection with it. It is sure to have a spiritual value if performed under a God given burden, and all the while you yourself will be released and refreshed; otherwise it will be spiritually valueless, and you will sense that you are laboring in vain.

Transfer Of The Prophetic Anointing

2010-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

The mentoring relationship which the fiery prophet Elijah had with his successor Elisha is well known, especially the events surrounding the transfer of a double portion of the Spirit;s anointing on Elijah to Elisha. The Lord spoke to Elijah telling him to anoint Elisha "as a prophet in your place" (1 Kings 19:16). So Elijah went and looked for Elisha and when he found him, "Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him" (vs 19). Elisha understood the significance of what the prophet had done.

After taking care of some final duties "he arose and followed Elijah and became his servant" (vs 21). Elisha was no doubt aware of his calling to be a prophet who would one day take Elijah's place. When the time had come for Elijah to be taken away into heaven by a whirlwind, Elisha would not let go of his master. He followed him from Gilgal, to Bethel, to Jericho and across Jordan, even when Elijah requested him to stay back.

Perhaps it finally occurred to Elijah that his servant is "after" something. So after they had crossed over the river Jordan, "Elijah said to Elisha, 'Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit come upon me". Elisha wanted a twice the measure of the prophetic anointing that rested upon Elijah.

Once Elijah had been caught up into heaven in chariots of fire, and Elisha returned with the mantle of Elijah, the sons of the prophets said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha". As one examines the ministry of Elisha we observe that indeed there are twice as many miracles recorded through his ministry than that of his predecessor Elijah.

Through this account we understand that the prophetic anointing can be transferred from one prophet to another who is also called to be a prophet. While it is God who calls, appoints and anoints prophets, He may choose to use human agency to train, impart and activate the prophetic one who is called to be a prophet.

The Prophetic Realm

2010-03-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Words are a powerful tool in communication. Using appropriate words we are able to convey our ideas, thoughts, even our deepest feelings and emotions. The encouraging words of a friend or loved one can impart strength and bring revival in times of hardship. All of us can remember such times when the words of a dear one was especially meaningful and brought much blessing.

While the words of another compassionate human being can bring great blessing, hearing the words of our tender and loving Heavenly Father in the critical moments of our lives can be truly life transforming. And the Father desires to speak to us "in the now" - in the midst of our present circumstances and situations.

He desires to speak His encouragement, direction and counsel into our lives. While there are many ways in which the Father communicates to us, the foremost being the written Word of God, and secondly by the inward leading of His Spirit, one of the other modes is prophecy.

From the turn of the 20th century, beginning with the Pentecostal movement the Church has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the restorative ministry of the Holy Spirit. Following the Pentecostal movement, there have been several clearly identifiable movements in the Church which have caused the Body of Christ to rise to higher realms in God. Of these, the Prophetic movement which came into full recognition in the 1980's is among the more recent moves of God's Spirit in the Church.

The Word Is Near You

2010-03-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

The Word is always very near us if we have endeavored to lay up His Words in our hearts. Our heart is like a big repository where we can store the Word of God. When we discipline ourselves to meditate in the Word and lay up His Word in our heart, then we have ready access to His Word anywhere, at any time.

We can draw out of the deposit of the Word in our heart by the words of our mouth. We speak out what we have put in there. When the Word occupies our mouth and our heart it becomes ''very near'' to us. This enables us to meditate in the Word of God almost anywhere and at any time. Ideally we would desire a quiet place away from disturbances where we can sit and meditate with the Bible opened before us.

However if we have laid up His Word in our hearts then we are also able meditate in the Word while walking down a busy street, or driving along the highway, etc. On many occasions whether we are lying down, or walking through a shopping mall, or driving to work we can meditate in the Word of God. We can focus our attention on a particular Scripture or perhaps many Scriptures or even a particular theme conveyed in Scripture. We may use any combination of the three aspects - contemplation, visualization and confession - as we meditate at any given time.

The Scripture - Our Window Into God

2010-03-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Psalm 119:18

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law

The Scriptures provide us with insight into the living God. They reveal the nature, the character, the attributes and the heart of God. In the pages of Scripture we find insight into who God is, what He does, His feelings and His desires. Consequently it is through the Scriptures that we get to know God and thus build a ''personal'' relationship with Him. Relationship is based on knowledge. Where there is no personal knowledge there can be no relationship. further, the depth of the relationship is determined by the depth of knowledge or intimacy attained.

Therefore to have a deep and close relationship with the living God, one would have to know Him intimately as He is revealed in the Scriptures. It is so exciting to open the pages of the Bible because they are our window into God. When our eyes are opened to see ''behind the lines'' we read, we gain an understanding of the splendor and majesty of our God.

To base our understanding of God on anything else, whether it be experiences, others' opinions, etc. may not always be accurate. It is true that God also reveals Himself in other places, e.g. in His creation. However whatever information we may derive from other sources must first be examined in the light of the written Scriptures.

Member Of The Body Of Christ: Christ In Me

2010-03-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

What constitutes me as a member of the Body? If the Lord gives me a revelation concerning the Body, what will be the effect on me? Is it simply that I have seen something which I have never seen before, that I have the knowledge of certain truths which I never had before? or is it that revelation going to be revolutionary? Will that revelation be treated by me as a teaching, as a doctrine? or will it become something really subjective in me, producing some real change in me?

Let me assure you that, when you have seen it, it is going to be a revolution. Something is bound to happen.

Now, back to the question: What constitutes me as a member of the Body? It is not something I can do, it is not something I can experience. The thing that constitutes me as a member of the Body of Christ is Christ in me. That entitles me to be, and that actually makes me, a member of the Body.

Paul did not say anything wrong grammatically or spiritually when he said: ''For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is the Christ'' (1 Corinthians 12.12). I think some of us would like to correct him. Grammatically, or logically, it is wrong. He ought to have said, ''so also is the Christ and the Church.'' He only says, ''Members . . . body . . . so also is the Christ.'' So the Head is the Christ and the Body is the Christ. Both are the Christ - the Head and the Body.

So the Body is the Christ. Everything that comes from Christ constitutes that Body. Then anything that does not come from Christ can never get into the Body, and must be ruled out. It is not a question of ''plus,'' It is not a question of what you must be, or must experience, in order to make you a member. No, you are a member, but because you are one, therefore many things have to go. If you see the spiritual constitution of that Body, the heavenliness of that Body, the divineness of that Body, you will see that nothing from you can be attached to it. Anything that is not Christ can never be in the Body.

All Scripture Is God Breathed

2010-03-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 3:15-16

¹⁵and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

When the apostle referred to the Holy Scriptures he was talking about the written scriptures. He ascribes divine authorship to all of the written scripture, when he says "all scripture is given by inspiration of God." Even though man penned the words, God was the source and inspiration of the message. The apostle Peter brings this out in a slightly different manner when he states: "knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20,21).

All scripture is prophetic in the sense that they were birthed through the inspiration of the Spirit of God. It is this fundamental fact which makes the written scriptures of divine value. Believing this fact from the very core of your being can totally transform your view of the scriptures.

If you really believe that all scripture is inspired by God, then you will give a high priority to the Word of God in your life. You will open the Bible knowing that the God of this universe is communicating His thoughts to you. Out of His infinite wisdom, He has chosen to distill that amount which He considered essential and sufficient for our life on earth and has placed them in the pages of the Book. The scriptures provide education (doctrine), conviction (reproof), correction and instruction.

Using "Thus Saith The Lord"

2010-03-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

For most of us, the only way we recognize a prophetic word is when we hear a "thus saith the Lord". But sad to say there have been many "thus saith the Lord"s put forth which were not from the Lord. On the other hand there have been whole messages preached, a series of teachings given or sermons delivered which in their entirety were prophetic, even though they did not have a "thus saith the Lord" attached to it. There have been words spoken without the qualifier "thus saith the Lord" and yet these words have come straight from the heart of God.

And often because our recognition of the prophetic word is tied to the phrase "thus saith the Lord" we have taken lightly many of the genuine prophetic words that have been spoken into our ears. A true prophetic word is a word in season, it is a word from the heart of God, it is a word that draws us closer to him, it is a word that comes forth under the anointing and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and it is a word that will find its target.

We find nothing wrong in using the phrase "thus saith the Lord" when delivering a genuine prophetic word. However due to the seriousness of the implications we urge that it be used with the reverence it deserves.

The Prophet, The Gift Of Prophecy And The Prophesying Believer

2010-03-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

In addition to those called into the office of a prophet, we have prophecy as one of the manifestations or gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Further, prophecy is also listed as one of the gifts of grace distributed among believers (Romans 12:6-8), also referred to as the ministry of prophesying.

Therefore we can identify at least three distinguishable operations of the prophetic in the Church today: the office of the prophet, the gift of prophecy and the prophesying believer. The operation of the prophetic anointing can be expressed through a prophet, through a believer by the gift of prophecy or through the grace gift prophecy. While all the three are the operations and manifestations of the same Holy Spirit, who is the prophetic anointing, they are distinguishable in terms of authorization, realms of influence, measure of anointing etc. Only some are called and authorized by the Lord to operate in the office of a prophet.

However the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as expressed through the gift of prophecy is available for all believers and must be earnestly desired (1 Corinthians 14:1,5,39). Through the operation of the Spirit's gift of prophecy or the ministry of prophesying is given to some members in a local body. These prophesying believers will be used by the Spirit of God often to bring forth prophecy to the body.

In general, the gift of prophecy and the prophesying believer operate within a local community of believers. One operating in the office of a prophet will serve a local body and may also have a wider realm of influence (that is, a wider ministry) to other believers if the Lord so desires.

Typically, the gift of prophecy and the grace gift of prophecy is used to bring forth words of edification, exhortation and comfort. The prophetic office has greater authorization to bring forth words of direction, correction, instruction, motivation and is often accompanied by an impartation of anointing and gifts.

Understanding Timing In Personal Prophecy

2010-03-13T05:52:00.000-08:00

Every prophetic word that God speaks to you has its appointed time for action and fulfillment. God always carries things out in their fullness of time (Galatians 4:4). God may speak to you today about something that will take place perhaps ten years from now or some time later in your lifetime.

God's promise to Abraham about having a son with Sarah actually took place about twenty five years after the promise was given. Abraham misinterpreted God's promise, become impatient and produced Ishmael (Genesis 16) before he could finally have Isaac the son of promise.

God's concept of time differs from how we understand it. A thousand years are like a day in His sight (Psalm 90:4). When God says that He will do something very soon, quickly or in the immediate future it could mean any time in the next two or three years or so. It may not mean today or tomorrow or even next week. Prophetic time line varies according to whom God is addressing.

When the word is for individuals, then God usually speaks with respect to a lifetime. When God speaks to a family or household, He speaks in terms of generations. When He speaks to nations the prophetic timeline spans centuries or hundreds of years. When He speaks to His people at large - the Church or Israel, He speaks in terms of ages or thousands of years. Think about this, Jesus, speaking to the Church said in Revelation 22:12 ''behold I am coming quickly ...'' It has been about two thousand years since He spoke that word to the apostle John and He is still yet to come.

Understanding the timing for the fulfillment of our personal prophecy is very important because we need o determine what to do between now and then. Just because you received a prophetic word about going to the nations does not mean that you pack your bags, keep them ready and sit around doing nothing, just waiting to go to the nations! You might have to wait ten or twenty years, if that is God's timing to take you to the nations - and that is a good number of years of life to let slip by doing nothing!

Who knows, if God sees you sitting around doing nothing for that long, He may even choose not to take you to the nations! Anyway the point is that you must keep doing what you know you ought to be doing until the time comes for your prophecy to be fulfilled. Continue with faith, patience, diligence and walk in practical wisdom fulfilling the responsibilities God has given you presently.

The Process Of Germination

2010-03-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

Mark 4:26-29 ²⁶He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

In this parable Lord Jesus revealed to us a general principle that operates in all of God's Kingdom. This seed principle is applicable to many different aspects of our life in the kingdom of God. The main concepts from this illustration are as follows:

The seed must be sown

There is a passage of time before any signs of growth manifest

The seed will produce - even if we do not know how

When the harvest comes we have to put in the sickle and gather it in (in other words, we have a part to play in gathering the harvest)

When I first began to understand these truths about God's Word - the miracle seed, I began to faithfully sow seeds of the Word of God into my heart. I developed a discipline convenient to myself, that enabled me to sow seeds concerning different areas of the Christian life - faith, divine health, family, wisdom and understanding, success and prosperity, ministry and miracles, prayer and financial giving.

Now, these seeds of God's Word that were sown (and are being sown) in my heart did not bring a "bumper harvest" overnight. There was a passage of time and then I began to see the effect and results of the seeds that were being sown in my heart. Perhaps I have only experienced a "thirty fold" harvest. As I keep sowing the seed of the Word into my heart, I know I will enjoy many more rich and bountiful harvests of what the Word produces in my life.

Now, we may not be able to fully explain how sowing the seed of God's Word into our hearts is going to cause that Word to produce in our lives. For instance, we cannot fully explain how if a person sows the seed of the Word concerning success and prosperity, that this Word will cause them to experience success and prosperity in all they do. Likewise we cannot fully explain how when someone sows the seed of God's Word for healing and health, they can experience God's power to heal any kind of sickness and disease and to keep them in good health.

We can only say that the Word is like a seed, and the seed will produce even when we do not know how. When the Word is sown on good ground and nurtured, it will produce that which it has been designed to produce.

Standing On The Promises

2010-03-10T05:29:00.000-08:00

Romans 4:18

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

Understanding the purity and power of the Word gives us strong confidence to rely on it. The Word of God is truth and so we can expect to have what we are promised in the Word. The Word of God is full of power and so we can be confident that His Word will produce in our lives. When things seem hopeless, we still hope in faith that we will become all that God said we would become. We are able to do this because we have understood the purity and power of God's Word. We know that His word cannot fail.

Some of us may be facing tough times financially. We wonder if things will ever change when it comes to our material life. God has made His promise that all our material needs will be met. We know that He has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches (Philippians 4:19) . We know that as we seek first the kingdom all things we need for our life here on earth will be given to us (Matt. 6:33).

We know that as we honor God with what we do have He will cause us to increase (Proverbs 3:9,10, Malachi 3:9-11). Knowing that each of these promises is pure and full of divine power we hold on to them in faith. We know that there is enough power in these words (promises) to cause a creative miracle of financial blessings to be released into our life and change our circumstances. We continue to stand on His promises.

Some others may be looking to God for their future. Even when things seem unclear, unsure, perhaps hopeless and bleak, the Word of God brings confidence and assurance into our lives. The Word says that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God knows the plans He has for us, plans of great prosperity, plans to bring about the future we are hoping for (Jeremiah 29:11). Our path is like the shining light that shines brighter and brighter (Psalm 37: 23,24). All of these and many other similar Scriptures fill us with undaunted courage and confidence. We continue standing on His promises.

In a similar way, for the many different areas of our lives we can recognize the promises and commandments of the Lord. We acknowledge that all of His Word concerning all areas of our lives is pure and full of power.