Called

Isaiah 45: 2 – 3

“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.”

What is most exciting here, that God will smooth out the rough places, give you hidden wealth or that you are called by name? One exciting bit is that God is willing to prove by these measures that you are called by Him and for Him. He doesn’t call you as a servant then leave you to your own devices. It is by His strength and His power that accomplishments are made. God is willing to give you attesting miracles to prove, not that He is almighty God, but that you are called by name. That’s pretty exciting! He will validate your calling with Him signs.

This is also a good verse to think of when you are faced with a big project. When God first spoke these words, He spoke literally about rough places and doors of bronze. Those were the obstacles of the day. Today your rough places aren’t quite as literal and Father doesn’t need to shatter strong doors for you but still, isn’t this attractive? You will not have to endure closed doors and God will make the way smooth for you. By prospering you, He shows Himself. God, Himself, becomes your attesting witness.

You should expect to be blessed. You should expect favor. You should expect to be successful in everything you do because He has promised to bless the work of your hand. God isn’t looking for downtrodden Christians. He wants to show off so that everyone knows that you have been called by the God of Israel, the Almighty Lord and that He is well able to care for His own, and in style.

Ditto

Matthew 7: 7 – 8          GW

Ask, and you will receive . . . Everyone who asks will receive.

Yesterday I wrote about speaking the result you desire when you pray. That is a very important part of prayer. No sooner had the email gone out than did God prove his word to me and to a grandmother who relied on her profession of faith for her grandchild.

My friend, Ann, wrote that her son sent her a message that his newborn was having digestion issues. Ann says she began praying that the child’s digestive system works perfectly and commanded his digestive tract to behave properly. She didn’t stop there though. She says she closed her eyes and pictured her grandchild exhibiting healthy characteristics. She said, “I just thanked God and knew.” Her son texted her 30 minutes later with the good news. It witnessed to her son as well and is a testimony to all of us that what was in the Word of the Day yesterday works. What is funny about this is that the encounter with Ann’s son and grandson was happening at the time I was writing the Word of the Day. Do you think God knew what He was doing? Was He bringing a point home for us?

Look at these components again. Ann spoke the end result. She didn’t beg and plead. She knew God’s will that we all be healthy so she could begin to speak, with confidence, what she knew to be God’s will. She visualized. Remember how God gave Abraham visual images related to his promise? Ann saw her grandchild exhibiting all the signs of a healthy baby with a healthy digestive system. She didn’t stop there though. She also thanked God. In her mind’s eye she saw the baby healthy and whole and thanked God for that result. She spoke it and thanked God for it before it “existed” because in her mind it was a done deal. She spoke health rather than complaining of sickness. She thanked God because she believed in the end result. Thirty minutes it took for that particular miracle. Thirty minutes, and her son called her with the good news!

There is one more component here that may not be obvious but is very much present. Look at this scripture, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive,” (Matthew 21: 22). Did you see it, the extra ingredient? Ann is a believer. She believes the Word of God; she believes God will do what He has promised, and she sees it fulfilled.

Get your promise from God. Just go to the Bible and pick one. Try the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy if you don’t have a verse you are focusing on. Imagine what it would look like if that promise was fulfilled. See your child healed, your finances whole, your home blessed. Picture what your life will look like when that prayer is answered. Then, open your mouth with a positive profession of faith. “I am the father of many, legs work as you were designed, etc.” Speak to that mountain and command it to obey the Word of God. Talk about the problem in the resolved state rather than in the broken state. “I am healthy and strong.” Then believe it. If you really do believe it, then gratitude to God will naturally come out of your mouth. If you don’t believe it, hibernate on that picture and God’s Word until you know that Yahweh is a god of His word.

Get the promise, get a picture, believe, speak the end result, command obedience to the Word, praise God. And, keep speaking the end result rather than the symptoms until the result you believe for is fully manifested. Don’t talk about the brokenness; speak the answer. See things fixed, not broken and let the words of your mouth reflect that picture.

Sand and Stars

Romans 4: 17                Tree of Life Version

He is our father in the sight of God in whom he trusted, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence that which does not exist.

This verse speaks about Abraham and says that he is our Father in faith. He is our faith example. We learn from him as he learned from God. God had to teach Abraham how to stand in faith. It wasn’t an intrinsic trait, but God was the example to Abraham teaching him that he must speak the end from the beginning. He had to learn to emulate God in calling those things which aren’t as though they were, speaking the end result instead of the appearance of things.

This is actually a prayer model. God made Abraham a huge promise, but it took years to bring it to pass. So, God had to teach Abraham how to stand in faith. Part of that involved teaching him how to pray and how to speak. Let’s see how this unfolds.

First, you get a promise from God. That is one of the important uses of the Bible. It could also be a dream God has given you which is anchored in the Word. Then, get a picture of it. God took Abram out to look at the stars and told him his children would number as many as the stars. He also gave him the imagery of sand telling him his children would be as numerous as the grains of sand. Every time Abram thought about sand or looked at a night sky he was reminded of God’s promise. The most important bit was yet to come though.

God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Abram means, “exalted father.” Abraham means, “father of many or father of a multitude.” Abram didn’t even have one child at the time, and both he and Sarah, his wife were well advanced in years. Besides that, she was barren. How was he to be the father of a multitude?

What Abraham did have, though, was a promise from God and to Abraham, that made all the difference. So, he had the promise, two images (the sand and the stars) which represented the fulfillment of that promise and now, he had a new name. Every time anyone called him, he heard, “Father of many.”

However, there was one thing remaining. His confession. First, we pray to receive God’s vision for us. That’s where the real asking takes place. Once we have the promise then we don’t have to ask and wonder anymore. We certainly don’t need to beg and plead. He has already said, “Yes.” Abraham had to learn to call those things into existence which didn’t exist. This is called standing in faith and it is the final component of prayer. This is where most of us miss our answer.

The message I wish to convey today is that this is part of the prayer model. We don’t need to keep on asking the father to do something for us once he has said okay. That part is done and it is time for us to stand like Father Abraham. This last part is crucial and as I said, I believe this is where most of us are losing our prayer answers. After you have an answer from God, it still takes faith to bring it in. He has already said, “Yes,” to healing you but what are you saying? He has already said, “Yes,” to prosperity but what are you saying? If you are still begging God to do something for you, you might be missing your answer to prayer. Pray to get His answer but then stand on that promise like Abraham did. Believe with all your might that what God has said is truth and is yours. Become stubborn and resolute. By his stripes, were you healed? Did God promise to prosper the work of your hand, or not?

This is the hard stuff but right here is where we can make a difference in our lives and the lives of our families. Find your promise. If you are having trouble finding a scripture to stand on, contact me. I will help you. Then, you’ve got to speak the end result. Forget the circumstances. Speak the result. Quit begging God and start thanking Him. Praise Him that He who promised is well able, and willing, to deliver. Call those things which are not until they are.

Let Us See

Psalm 90: 16 – 17         TPT

Let us see your miracles again, and let the rising generation see the glorious wonders you’re famous for. O Lord our God, let your sweet beauty rest upon us and give us favor. Come work with us, and then our works will endure, and give us success in all we do.

This is my prayer. How can it not be? Oh, dear Lord, let your glory fall in our presence and show us the wonder of you. Revive our hearts with and by your grace. Let the radiance of your presence fill us and rejuvenate our spirits.

God is known for His glorious works. Let us praise Him for them but let us also pray for them, pray for their return to our everyday existence. Let us be the people, the generation, who lives by His Word and according to His grace. Call His fire upon us through prayer, servitude, generosity, and devotion. Beg, plead if we must, for his sweet beauty to rest upon each one of us daily and yes, dear Lord, give us your favor so that everywhere we go and everything we touch is blessed and anointed.

Let the work of our hands, Lord, be established in you. In all we do, let us first seek you and then proclaim you. We are but the dust of the earth without you Lord. Fill us with your presence so that we may live a justified and worthy life. Let me see your miracles again. Don’t let your servant die without the sweep of your Spirit through the land. Let your glory fill this place Lord. Let your might and graciousness be seen. And Lord, let them be seen in me.

My Heroes

Luke 6: 38         KJV

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

I don’t use the King James version very often because I don’t speak Elizabethan English. Occasionally, though, there are verses that I just hear in the old KJV and you may as well. This is one of those verses. We understand, at least at one level, what this verse means. Taking a look at it in a modern version, though, is like hearing it in “plain English.” Here is the Passion Translation’s take on this verse, “Give generously and generous gifts will be given back to you, shaken down to make room for more. Abundant gifts will pour out upon you with such an overflowing measure that it will run over the top! Your measurement of generosity becomes the measurement of your return.” I like what the God’s Word version says too, “Give, and you will receive.” I mean, just say it plainly, right? Now, just in case we hadn’t noticed, this is Jesus speaking. What, then, is his point? Is he trying to get us to give, or to receive? It seems to me that he is teaching us how to receive. What do you think? I can imagine a question like, “Jesus how do I receive what I need and want?” Here is his answer, give!

I have some absolutely lovely friends whom I met through the MS bike ride. Recently when I inquired about bike racks, they made me one. WHAT?!! Crazy, right? They are so generous! They do a lot for their team, but they also do a lot for others. They are just crazy givers. I said to a friend, “How can they even afford to do all they do?” She answered, “Because they are givers.” Duh Ivey! Yeah, God pours into their lap because they give generously. That’s what Jesus said would happen, after all. Oh, me of little faith. Why didn’t I see that right off the bat?

We read these words, even believe them, at least in our minds, but they are only effective when they sink in and become a part of us. You can’t talk people into being givers, they have to get there on their own. You can encourage them, but the key is that if we really believed Jesus, we would all generously give. Jesus’ words can infect your heart and boy, when they do, it is awesome. I mean, you just want to be around people like that.

I want us all to learn to be generous in our giving. I should lead by example but then come with me. I want you to give so you receive, and then I want you to give again and receive again, and . . .. I want us all to be like these folks because not only do I have a beautiful bike rack for my team, but even better was the feeling they gave me in my spirit. How can I repay them for that? I cannot, but I pray to my dear Lord that he will bless them for their kindness, and I am confident that he will.

Lucky or Blessed?

Deuteronomy 28: 12

The LORD will . . . bless all the work of your hand.

As many of you know, last year at the MS Bike ride, I won a bicycle. It was very exciting. At a different event I won a Jersey shadow box. Recently there was a drawing in an exercise class and, yep, I won. Yea!

People have been saying I should go to Las Vegas. Others said, “We need to get in the car right now and go buy a lottery ticket.” Truthfully, I love winning. It is exciting and fun, but I still don’t feel lucky and I didn’t go buy a lottery ticket.

I believe my good fortune comes from my Father. I don’t mean to intimate that he causes me to win a raffle over someone else that He loves. It’s just the blessing that He is and that is in operation because of him. The more I am into Him, the more that blessing seems to get on me.

Father really does help me with a lot of things. Sometimes I am lucky in games, but I think the truth is that my Dad helps me. Perhaps, I can hear Him and feel His nudges a little better these days.

I don’t feel lucky, but I will say, I am one of the most blessed people I know. I have good fortune, no doubt, but my fortune has a name, Yahweh. He is my good luck and my blessing. I just need to press into Him more so that more of Him gets on me. Then it is hard to go wrong. I love the Lord and He is good to me. He loves you too. That is not Las Vegas kind of love. It is infinite love so press into it and see the blessing flowing all around you. You are blessed!

Ouch!

Ephesians 4:29              The Passion Translation

And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.

Wow! After yesterday’s Word of the Day on encouragement, this verse speaks volumes. Words are the cornerstones of encouragement. One side of this verse is probably what you thought of yesterday when reading on encouragement. That is to specifically and intentionally say things which will bring encouragement and uplifting thoughts to others.

The other side of encouragement is not saying “ugly or hateful” words. So, here is the way I would like to look at that. This goes beyond not saying hateful words to a person about themselves. That’s kind of a no brainer. Never tell anyone they are stupid or ugly, etc. Only tell them truthful good things about themselves. And, as we discussed yesterday, it is important to be intentional about that. Compliment people on what you see them doing well.

Sometimes, the “ugly” words are not specific to that person. I think some of the good you can do with your words has to do with trying not to be negative generally. For example, don’t complain incessantly about the weather. Don’t put down other people. Don’t be critical and judgmental. If you will find things to speak positively about, it will be uplifting to the people around you. You will find that you build them up rather than tear them down. Just speaking ugly or hateful words about anything pulls down the people who hear it. Even if you are right, it still fills the space with negative energy rather than positive. People will rather be around you and will feel better in general if you fill the space with positive words.

Your words are beautiful gifts. They can change a person’s day and even their life. Never let ugly or hateful words come out of your mouth. Allow only those lovely thoughts be expressed and thereby be an encouragement to others.