2023 October
-
Relating to Those Different From Us
“The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’”(John 4:9). Do you find it difficult to relate to others who are different than you? Do you shy away from interacting with those who may have a different belief? Jesus interacted
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, I want you to notice something about my Son’s prayer life. When confronted by evil in the life of a person, he did not recite long prayers. He simply exercised the authority I had given him over the demons he encountered. I have given you that same authority to destroy the works of darkness
-
Keeping Oaths
“This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” Joshua 9:20 Joshua and the people of Israel were in the Promised Land. They were winning battles and were feeling good about their progress. One day
-
Fear Not!
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 God calls each of us to engage in spiritual warfare at times. Whenever satan wants to come against one of God’s children, he does so by trying to intimidate through fear. Goliath’s
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, consider for a moment my infinite nature. I made planets, oceans, galaxies, all so vast that your human mind has no capacity to comprehend them. I made animals, flowers, colors of the rainbow, and I made you. Ponder for a moment the awesome nature of who I really am. And though I am all-powerful,
-
Worship and Work
“One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike”(Rom 14:5). Avodah (Ah-voe-dah) is a Hebrew noun used in the Bible that has two distinct yet intertwined meanings: worship and work. It is also derived from the Hebrew verb L’Avod which has two meanings; to work and also to worship.
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, when I call someone to an assignment of far-reaching significance, I must first remove hindrances that would prevent the mission from being fulfilled. When my Son told the story of the rich man who was unable to go through the eye of the needle, it was a parable about removing things. What in your
-
Moving in Presumption
“Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.” Numbers 14:44 The people of Israel were brought out of Egypt to enter a new land-the Promised Land. This land was not handed over to them freely; it required
-
Retirement or a New Assignment?
For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill…(Eccl 2:21). He didn’t begin this job until he was sixty-nine years old. He had already had a successful Hollywood movie career and decided to try his hand at politics. He would be known by one job more than any other. He would also
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, my ways can seem harsh at times, but my intent is always for benefit and blessing. When the priorities of my sons and daughters get out of order, I give them over to the idols of their lives until they repent. I did this many years ago when the Israelites placed their personal material
-
Seeing What Others Cannot See
“And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17 Several years ago, a movie was made called Field of Dreams. The story is about a
-
Workplace Minister
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”(Col 3:17). Over 70 percent of our time is spent in the workplace, yet our training and teaching in local churches focuses on areas where we spend much less
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, so many of my sons and daughters have their priorities out of order. They have a belief in me, but their hearts are somewhere else. They have fallen to the way of materialism, which is idolatry. I do desire to bless all my sons and daughters materially, but never at the expense of our
-
Going Without Jesus
“…they were unaware of it.” Luke 2:43 Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. Jesus was 12 years old. They were evidently very distracted by the excitement and business of the Feast. In fact, Mary and Joseph began their return trip to Nazareth only to realize well into the trip
-
His Vision, His Way, In His Timing
“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about’”(Gen 22:2). Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it? Have
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, I want to ask you a question. Am I enough? Or will I need to do other things for you in order for you to be satisfied? Will there ever be a time when you will be able to say to me, “You are enough, Father. My soul is satisfied by simply knowing you
-
The Isolation Chamber
“Be still and know that I am God….” Psalm 46:10 There is a time and place in our walk with God in which He sets us in a place of waiting. It is a place in which all past experiences are of no value. It is a time of such stillness that it can disturb
-
The Tipping Point
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…”(Eph 4:11-12). Malcolm Gladwell authored a secular marketing book entitled Tipping Point. A tipping point is when an idea, product or movement becomes accepted by the masses. Gladwell says “It is the
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Son, I will help you succeed in the things you are called to do if you ask me to help you. That was the kind of relationship I had with my son David. He was persecuted, but I protected him. He won many battles because he looked to me as his commanding officer. He asked
-
How and Where God Speaks
“The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.’” Ezekiel 3:22 God speaks in many different ways to His children. He spoke through a bush to Moses. He spoke through a donkey to Balaam. He
-
Regaining the Art of Community
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). I have a friend who spent three months living in Israel with Jewish believers. During one of their conversations the Jewish
-
Are You God’s Next Deliverer?
“But when they cried out to the Lord, He raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.” Judges 3:9 Have you ever heard of a man named Othniel? Probably not. He was Caleb’s nephew. When the people of Israel went into the Promised Land, they were victorious
-
Listening To The Father’s Heart
Sometimes, my son, life can take you to the brink. My son David came to a place in his life where he felt he had to fake madness just to stay alive. He lost his wife, his career, and his reputation. He was forced to live in a cave with 400 other down and outs.
