Month: June 2024

Impossible isn’t a word in God’s vocabulary. From His response in Genesis 18:14 to an incredulous Sarah, to Jesus’ response in Matthew 19:26 about Salvation when He said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” To even in Romans 4:21, where Paul reminds us, that God has the power to do what He promises. So today, as you look at your current situation in all its unattainable & hopeless conditions…remember that nothing is impossible for God, and He is able to do immeasurably more than all you can ask or even imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

God doesn’t call the already equipped – He equips those He calls. Think about that for a moment. If we, in our own self, feel we’re equipped for something, chances are it’s because of pride and self rather than God’s work within. Being equipped by the Lord isn’t a one and done encounter…it’s a Season of learning, abiding, and perfecting until we are thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:17) My prayer for you today is that our Lord Jesus Christ would equip you with everything good for doing His Will. (Hebrews 13:21)

One of the prophets, probably a member of the prophetic guild led by Elijah & Elisha, was sitting by the side of the road…intentionally wounded & disguised. As King Ahab passed by, he told him a “story” about guarding a captive but allowing him to escape because he was too busy with other things. When the King passed judgment on him, the prophet quickly turned it back on him as God’s judgment on King Ahab’s evil dealings. This prophet used the excuse of busyness in order to execute God’s displeasure, and it is busyness today that will get us into trouble too. Busy work, however wonderful it is to further God’s Kingdom, when done at the detriment of other priorities, is just something that looks productive, but only keeps us occupied & often drowns out His Voice. If your “good works” are taking you away from your main priorities of God & family…should they even be considered good works?

Prayers of all sorts are the foundation of a productive Christian Walk. Intercessory prayer is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit through which God is glorified. True intercessory prayer is void of deception and pride, for our focus is on others not ourselves. It’s not necessary to even tell that person we’re praying for them, for in that hides the puffed-up egotism of “Look what I’m doing for you!” No, intercession is between God & you when the Holy Spirit prompts you to pray for a particular person. Granted though, there may come a divine appointment when that person comes across your path and your Word of encouragement about intercessory prayer on their behalf is truly an answer to their intimate petitions before God.

The social & religious gap between the sanctimoniously elite, “the righteous” and the general population, “the sinners” was wide & long. The Pharisees here wouldn’t even come into the home where Jesus was eating…regarding table fellowship with sinners especially defiling. But it quickly became clear the declaration of His mission…a mission of repentance & eternal Salvation. And as the Great Physician, Jesus intentionally sought out the sick, both physically & spiritually…healing them mind, body, & soul. We see this throughout the New Testament…Jesus hung out with sinners…not because He wanted to appear politically correct, inclusive, or tolerant, but in order to call them to a changed and fruitful life. Thus the focus of His mission always was transformation…not affirmation of sin.

Both Zechariah and Obadiah (Obadiah 21) delivered seemingly apocalyptic prophecies…foreshadowing the Second Coming of the Messiah and His all powerful dominion. These promises will be fulfilled in Revelation 11:15 which says, “The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.” We hear this elsewhere in the New Testament as the Apostle Paul teaches about the Second Coming, final judgment, and triumph of God’s Kingly rule in Ephesians 4:5-6 as the one and only true God, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.” Many gods will rise and fall, but only God rules as King over everything.

Knowledge about God doesn’t equal faith in God. Just because you understand about Him doesn’t mean you actually believe & trust in Him…And Satan is a really good example of this concept. Satan knows God very well, well enough to come into His Presence and interact with Him. (Job 1:6) Satan knows that God is the one and only God Almighty, but he is void of personal trust. (James 2:19) Finally, Satan knows and can even quote Scripture, as seen when Jesus was tempted by him in the wilderness, but he lacks the clear perception of what the living Word is. We can possess all knowledge about God and have the entire Bible memorized but if we only believe intellectually and not by faith, we have nothing.

The only thing we can fully trust & believe in are the promises of God and His Word. We can’t trust our heart, for our heart can be duped and led to believe in untruths. (Jeremiah 17:9) We can’t trust our flesh, for our flesh fails us miserably to stand against falsehoods. (Matthew 26:41) Neither can we trust our mind, for our mind is depraved, corrupt, and evil. (I Timothy 6:5) We can’t even trust our conscience to correctly choose right from wrong when being led astray by false teachers. (I Timothy 4:2) Finally, we shouldn’t trust our friend’s personal opinions, biases, and slants/twists on God’s Word. (Psalm 41:9) The only thing we can fully trust in is God’s Word…for it is living, (Hebrews 4:12) fire, (Jeremiah 23:29 and flawless. (Proverbs 30:5)

This week I came upon a most interesting painting of Jean-Leon Jerome from 1896 entitled “The Naked Truth”. As legend goes, lies and truth met one beautiful day. Lies suggested that they take a swim in a well, so removing their clothing, down into the well they dove. Suddenly, lies leaped out of the well and stole truth’s clothing & ran off. A naked truth gave chase only to be seen by the crowds nearby who became angry & turned their faces away. A shamed truth quietly stole back to the well and hid, never to come out again. Meanwhile, lies traveled around the world dressed as the truth…satisfying the carnal needs of society…all because man could not look upon the naked truth. The Apostle Paul spoke of this in Titus 1:13-14…rebuking those who were following Jewish myths & legends rather than the truth of Jesus Christ and the Gospel Message. Even today lies, thinly veiled in the truth, can be found everywhere simply because man doesn’t want to acknowledge the truth.

The Lord has brought Ezekiel to a vast plain or valley… and he casts his eyes on an enormous field of destruction, covered with dried -up and dismembered skeletons…as far as the eye can see. It’s within this horrific & mind numbing scene that God asks Ezekiel if these bones can live. For Ezekiel, the obvious answer would be a resounding “No!”, yet Ezekiel chose to not look at the appalling evidence in front of him, but to rely solely on the Sovereignty of God. There will come times in all our lives that God will bring us to our own Valley of Dry Bones to view the “dead” in our life. It may be a body ravaged by disease, a confused mind, a hardened heart, an empty womb, a hopeless soul. For in this Scripture is a message of hope…that nothing is impossible for God for those who trust in His Sovereignty & Divine Will.