Hope

On October 28, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 10: 23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hope is the beginning of faith. Without hope, one will not even look forward to the promise. But we can have great hope and hence great faith because the one who has made promises to us is more than faithful. He is honest and true without the ability to lie. And as we think of Him, our hope grows. We can feed that hope with the Word of God too, and it is just like applying fertilizer and water to a young plant. That Word causes our faith to grow the same as fertilizer and water cause the plant to grow. Our faith then develops and when it reaches maturity, it produces a crop. But it all begins with hope like a small seed faithfully sown.

We are to hold our confession of hope without wavering which means we keep speaking the word of hope and then the word of faith even when we cannot yet see the offshoot of the seed. We hold onto our belief that the seed will produce a plant whether or not we see the evidence of that plant. The evidence is our faith because our confidence is in He who promised. We keep our words (our confession) aligned with our hope and His promise despite any evidence. Then, when the proper time is come, the seed gives forth the plant which then gives forth the fruit.

Keep your hope and keep your faith. Fear not. Trust He who is faithful and worthy of our trust. Don’t dig up your seed with contradictory language, rather keep your confession consistent with His promise for in due time you will reap if you don’t grow weary.

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Hang On

On November 27, 2023   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 10: 23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Why must we hold fast to our confession? Because sometimes it takes some time before our answer arrives just as was the case in Daniel chapter 10. First you must have hope. Then hope gives you reason to pray and develop a confession. Without hope, you won’t even pray. Why would you if there was no hope of answered prayer but we always have reason to hope because our God is faithful.

When you pray, you have reason to expect God to answer that prayer. Yet the answer isn’t always on the doorstep the next morning. So, what shall we do? We enter our confession stage. We are to develop a confession (or profession of faith, if you will) which is consistent with our prayer and with the Word of God. For example, if my prayer was for healing an ankle sprain and my ankle still hurt the next morning, I would begin to confess my healing rather than confessing the pain. My confession might sound like, “My ankle is healed because 1 Peter says that by His stripes I was healed.” Then I am going to hold onto that confession until my ankle manifests its healing. I am not going to start speaking doubt and unbelief because I have faith that God, the one who promised, is faithful. The writer of Hebrews tells us to hold fast without wavering. So, we shouldn’t waffle back and forth. Since He who promised is faithful, we just hang onto our confession of faith until our answer arrives.

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Hindered but not Stopped

On May 13, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Daniel 10: 12

“Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.”

It can be very discouraging to pray for something and see no results. Daniel had the same experience. Verse 13 says that the “spirit prince” of the kingdom of Persia withstood the angel God sent for twenty-one days. Isn’t that amazing? From the very first prayer Daniel uttered, God dispatched His angel with the answers Daniel needed. Twenty days passed without Daniel seeing an answer to his prayer. However, on the twenty-first day, the angel arrived and greeted Daniel.

Don’t you find this passage fascinating? It is a glimpse into the spiritual realm. We learn that the bad angel of that region was able to hinder God’s angel. There are angels and then there are angels, and they are not all of the same strength and power. The angel who spoke with Daniel told him that the arch-angel Michael went to his aid. He was withheld until Michael showed up and helped him. Wow!

There is much going on in the spiritual realm of which we are mostly unaware but take heart. There is much good news in this passage. First, from the moment Daniel first prayed, God sent His angel with the answer. Yahoo! That is what we all need to hear. Second, even though Satan tried to prevent the angel from getting through to Daniel, God prevailed; as He always does and as He always will. Yahoo again!

There is a very important lesson in this too. Don’t give up! Jesse Duplantis says, “Don’t be defeated by time.” In other words, just because you have not seen the answer to your prayer yet does not mean that God has not answered it. Hang in there! Remember God’s answer is “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Corinthians 1: 20). There are, though, hinderances to prayer. You do not need to concern yourself with what they are actually. All you need to do is keep your confession of faith in your mouth. Remember, overcoming is achieved through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12: 11). So, we must keep our words in agreement with the Word of God and keep praying in faith. That means that we don’t need to beg to God, repeating the same petition over and over. No, instead we use that prayer time to talk with the Lord, to give voice to the Bible scriptures that speak to our need and to wrap it all up with thanksgiving and praise.

Persevere in prayer because the Lord is in agreement with you. Sometimes, it takes time. Keep making your positive confessions of faith. You may have to break through a battle that is going on in the spiritual realm and you can do that with the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony.

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Bravado

On April 27, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 10: 35

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

Today we see a series within a series. Yesterday we talked about holding on to our confession of hope which built on Monday’s word of our testimony, our testimony reflecting our confidence in Christ. You will have undoubtedly noticed that I have referred you back to previous Word of the Day devotions several times. The reason is that these verses build upon one another and intertwine. Together they form a matrix of revelation and a pattern of behavior.

We began with God’s promises. Then we saw how to use those promises to affect healing in our bodies and now we have come to maintaining our stance in those promises, knowing that the blood will not fail and that He who promised is faithful. Our faith in God’s word and in His promises bolsters us and gives power to our prayers for our confidence is in Him.

As we close this series, we arrive at this point, “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might . . . having done everything, to stand firm,” (Ephesians 6: 10, 13). This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. Yesterday’s Word of the Day was titled Hang On! I wrote that we are in need of endurance, but when I think of the woman with the issue of blood (WOTD 4/14/22 Deliberate Faith) I think the better word is tenacity. That woman would not be denied. Or, how about the Canaanite woman who, wanting healing for her child, would not relent even when Jesus shunned her repeatedly and told her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” He called her a dog, for goodness’ sakes! Because she was a Canaanite, she had no promise upon which to rely. She had no right to the children’s bread. None the less, she replied to Jesus, “Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” That was a bold statement to make to the Lord. Indeed that was bravado, but she would not be denied. She was resolute, being full of confidence, not in her right, but in Jesus’ ability. She was determined and though she had no covenant upon which to stand she moved Jesus. “Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed at once,” (See Matthew 15: 22 – 28).

Let that story minister to your heart because that woman did not have a promise to stand on, but you do. We have need of confidence so that we, too, will stand firm being unmoved by doctor’s reports, the evidence of our eyes or other people’s opinions. We’ve got to hang on even when it looks like we are denied even the crumbs from the master’s table. We do have the promises. We have the right to petition Christ. In fact, he promised, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it,” (John 14: 14). He expects us to call upon him and to receive what we desire.

We must hang on to our confession of faith, maintaining confidence in he who promised. Don’t let anything or anyone change your mind, heart or words from agreement with the Christ. He endured torture and the cross so that we can walk in divine health. Listen to the voice of the Lord guiding you in the way you should go. Pay close attention as he leads you in dietary choices and more. He is the Lord of wholeness, not brokenness. He is the Prince of Shalom, perfect peace in heart, soul and body. “Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits,” (Psalm 103: 2).

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Hang On!

On April 26, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Throughout this series we have seen that our words impact our health. We’ve learned not to speak negatively about our bodies or our health and not to ‘own” disease or sickness with our words by talking about “our cancer” or “my bad knees.” We have learned to pray in conjunction with the Word of God so that our words match Father’s words, not to get hooked on sayings like “I am scared to death” but the most important of all lessons is that we can use positive language to bolster our bodies. We saw that when good words were spoken over water, they produced pretty crystals and ugly words produced hideous looking crystals.

Yesterday’s scripture was conclusively clear about our language, our confession, being part of the overcoming of any obstacle. We can pray with very affirming language knowing that He who promises is faithful. Looking back at yesterday’s verse, Revelations 12: 11, I would add that we may be strengthened in holding onto our confession because of the blood of the lamb. Knowing that Christ took our sickness and disease to Calvary and nailed it to the cross should bolster our confidence. By his stripes we were healed and now we can boldly and confidently declare victory in his name.

Today’s verse intimates that we will have need of endurance and perseverance. It is one thing to get our language straight. Quite another to hold onto our confession over time or when confronted with challenge. So, we have need of stamina so that we will not stagger in our profession of faith.

There is one more layer we should consider today. It goes right back to index cards or other memory and reminder devices. In that we have learned that the first step is to stop making negative decrees about our health and our bodies, and that the second step is to replace those words with edifying ones, the third layer is to make positive declarations. By this I mean that we can daily make a point of making affirmative pronouncements about our health. Every morning we can look into the mirror and proclaim our health and wellbeing. We know “they overcame . . . because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony,” so we must hold fast to our confession of faith. One of the best ways to do that is through simply repetition. In other words, practice.

We have need of endurance, but we know that He who promised is faithful and that the blood of the lamb is victorious. Therefore, hang on. Jesse Duplantis says to not let time defeat you. Hold on and keep to your affirmation even when the situation looks rough. In the end, you win. Just don’t give up and don’t stop saying what the word says about your health.

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Victory in Jesus

On May 11, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   2 Comments

1 Corinthians 15: 57          Young’s Literal

And to God — thanks, to Him who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse caught my eye today because of its tense. It does not say, as one might expect, that God gave us the victory in Christ. He is presently and perpetually giving us victory in every circumstance. Why is this important?

Some people think that because Jesus defeated Satan, we get to float through life as upon a cloud. This is not the case. The Amplified Version reads, “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We become conquerors through Jesus. His victory can become our own. Because Jesus is victorious, we too can be.

This is the intertwined life. One can be a Christian and yet stand apart from the life in Christ. Then his victory is far removed from us. However, when we live in him and him in us as he discussed in the gospel of John, then we learn how to put on his victory in each circumstance of our lives. We are allowed to partake of his victory and claim it as if it were ours. And, it is ours, through a life intertwined with him.

So, what do I mean by this? First, you must know Christ as Lord and know of his victory. Then overcoming is through his blood and our testimony. In other words, we have to say something. That is how we put on his victory. We claim it with our words. For example, “By his stripes I am healed!” “I am blessed coming in and going out”. Whatever the Word says, when you proclaim that you are speaking Jesus’ victory into your life. Keep faith words in your mouth and meditate on God’s promises. You can put on Jesus’ victory because it was for you that he even came to earth. There would have been no contest and no victory but for God’s love for humanity. But, look around you. Are all Christians living in the victory of Christ? No. Some do and some don’t. It is not automatic. A faith stand speaking a testimony of belief clothes you with Jesus’ victory. Meditate on the promise of God. Speak it from a position of faith and don’t give in to doubt and worry. You will be a conqueror in Jesus.

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What are you Saying?

On April 3, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 4: 17        God’s Word

Abraham believed when he stood in the presence of the God who gives life to dead people and calls into existence things that don’t even exist.

This is a good time to teach about Abraham. We will visit him next week as well. Today’s verse continues the thoughts of yesterday’s Word of the Day. And so, here is the question, “What are you saying?”

I love this version of the Bible and its rendition of this verse. Abraham is called the Father of faith because he believed even when the promise of God seemed ludicrous. One of the things that made it a bit easier to believe is that he stood in the presence of God. I find that the more time I spend in God’s presence, the easier it is for me to believe too. So, now I am thinking, “I just need to spend more time in God’s presence.” It’s true. When I slow myself down and mediate in him, my ability to hear Him is improved and understanding and faith increase. The hard part, at least for me, is in quieting everything about me: my physiology as well as psychology. Mind and body can be unruly partners, but I have decided that I am lord over my body and my mind, and they will behave. Further, the more I submit them to Jesus’ lordship, the more peace I enjoy physically and mentally. That’s phase one, getting quiet in God’s presence.

The next thing I need to model about God and Abraham is “calling those things.” What is this? Abraham took his cue from our Father. We not only model Abraham, but we can see what he learned from the Father. Therefore, we have two very good role models. What we see when we observe them is that they said what they wanted before the thing even existed. They actually called those things which were not into existence. This is where it gets sticky for some people, but it needn’t.

Some people say, “Well, I can’t call myself healed when I am sick. That isn’t true.” Here’s the thing, when you shift your gaze you find it is true. I wrote a piece about shifting the frame just a little. It is amazing what you will see when you move the frame. Make a frame with your hands and then narrow your focus to only that which is inside the frame. What do you see? Now shift the frame. What do you see now? If you’ve played the game with me, you will find a totally different picture within the frame. Now, here is the question, “Which one represents truth?”

Here’s another way to play this game. Do you have something you can use as a frame and fix it in place? If not, you have to do this with your brain. Fix the frame either literally or figuratively and take a picture of what you see with your internal eye. Now remember that picture. Do not move the frame, move yourself. Move your body. Now what do you see? Again, if you played along, the picture has changed although the subject neither moved nor changed. You changed your perspective. You changed your vantage point. Now, again, which picture represents the truth? Of course, truth has not actually changed, only our perspective and perception changed. This is the greater reality. This is (T)ruth with a capital T.

Abraham was able to call himself the father of a multitude because he had a new perspective. It was one of faith and belief. He could close his eyes and see this truth. It is the most natural thing in the world to say what you see. We do that all day long. We assume that which we perceive with the natural eye is “true” although we know it’s not always so. Why, then, is it so challenging for us to believe that what we see with the eyes of our spirit is truth? In this, we have identified the real work of faith that Jesus spoke of. This is the “work” that he wants us to do. Once we see his truth, it becomes an easy thing to speak that reality.

One last thing before I let you go, and it is another question. Speaking both literally and figuratively, who is in control of the placement of the frame and the perspective of viewing? Who is the director of this film? If you answered Jesus, you are half right. Hopefully you also recognize that ultimately you are the director of the film. You have to set up the camera and shout “action.” Then you sit back while Jesus rolls out a movie for you. If you will keep your camera focused on him, he will show you are version of reality that you can sink your heart into and speak with confidence.

This leads back to the beginning. What are you saying? We must listen to what comes out of our mouths and police it, if need be. That isn’t all though. Phase two might be tuning our eyes and spirits to Jesus’ version of truth but ultimately we must transition to phase three which is intentionally calling those things into existence which do not currently exist in the natural realm. That is the point we want to get to. That is the meaning of this verse, but sometimes you have to fix your believer first. This is exactly, how your Father created the earth. He called things which didn’t exist into existence. Was he not speaking truth? He was speaking the truth He saw in His spirit and it had to come into existence. That is your charge. See what Jesus wants to show you and then speak it out in confidence. See your protective shield, see your healing. Say what Jesus says about you. Amen?

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