Out of the abundance of your heart flows rivers of the living God. The joy of knowing Him, the wonder of experiencing His love, and His peace that is beyond understanding. As a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ, your heart can be full of His abundance as well.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
I live in the United States of America, 50 Separate State governments United together to form a great nation. Sports teams comprised of different players with varied talents join together as a team with one common goal, to win. And then there’s marriage. Two different people joining together to become one in life together. But there’s another uniting that’s important to us. Our uniting with Christ. When we accept Christ and believe, we’re not joining a team or a political organization, we’re being joined, United with Jesus Christ. God the Father does this as a sovereign act of His will. He joins our spirit to His Spirit. It’s a mystery, a miracle, but it’s true. The Bible says…
“God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.“ (Ephesians 2:4-7)
You are so special to God. Since He has United you, that is placed you, in Christ, when He looks at you He sees His Son Jesus Christ. Subsequently He sees us as the righteousness of God in Christ. This is your true status, your position ever after. United with Christ.
“Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart” I love that song and so many do, but do we mean it? When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes we can see the wonders of heaven and the Lord. What, you say? Yes it’s true. If the cry of your heart, like the song, is I want to see you, then expect it, believe, and receive. Your life will never be the same.
This is the wish that the Apostle Paul had as he wrote to the Ephesians the following…
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power
In other words, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you.
Check out the music
Stop beating yourself up! We were all born in sin and inherited a sinful nature. It’s in our very nature to sin. The Apostle John wrote that if you say you don’t sin, then you’re a liar and the truth is not in you. We couldn’t help ourself so Lord Jesus had to die on the cross to take the punishment for us, for our sin. Now, should we go on sinning? No! But being born again in the spirit we struggle with sin but more importantly we accept that Jesus forgave and forgot about our sin and when God the Father looks at us he sees Jesus and His righteousness. Amazing! Look at what the Apostle wrote.
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:19-25)
So let me ask you…have you nailed it?
Who shall be free? The world has continuously produced ruthless leaders, despots, King, Queens, and many others who enslave people in order to enrich themselves. Even today, millions of people around the world, some of whom read this blog, are downtrodden and persecuted into submission. This is why millions of people for decades come to America through any means possible, legal or illegal.
Some years ago while visiting Washington DC with my family, we stood in the National Archives and I beheld these words on an original document…
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson)
Not only was the Declaration of Independence on display, but the constitution, and on loan from Great Britain, the Magna Carta, the first declaration of free rights ever. These documents free us from political chains which have bound us.
The right of freedom was given us by our Creator. We have had to fight to get it and keep it, and we are blessed to have it. However the greatest freedom that mankind can experience is the spiritual freedom which comes through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul penned these words,
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:13-14)
Jesus freed us from religious chains. We’ve been freed from the chains of sin. These chains were broken on the cross of Christ. Don’t forget it. And don’t allow men to enslave you with religious chains for you are free. Free from guilt, free from shame, and free from the lies of the enemy that tell you that you are a lousy sinner who God just wants to punish. No, that’s him, the devil. And he wants to take as many souls to hell as he can. Even he knows that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are free. Period!
I’ve seen and therefore I share. The Holy Spirit gave me a prophetic vision just now. In Heaven within the throne room there is quite a Godly commotion. I don’t know what has caused this. It seems that something significant has happened. The atmosphere is charged with the presence and glory of God. He sits on His throne with Lord Jesus beside Him in the throne and they are in such unison. They are practically merged into one person although they are individually separate. Their hair is like wool and their eyes are alight with fire, the fire of the Holy Spirit who encompasses them.
They are surrounded by heavenly creatures chanting, Glorious! Marvelous! Wonderful! Glorious! And so forth continuing. Their tone is musical. Around them are multitudes of Saints who have preceded us. They are joining in the chant. Glorious! Etc. The twenty four Elders on the their thrones are on their knees and elbows facing God with their crowns held on the floor in both hands, quivering, and chanting as well.
Glorious! Marvelous! Wonderful! Glorious! I find myself also joining them in their chant of praise, even as I observe. The atmosphere which is charged with the glory of God is radiated with the brightest of light. But though it’s bright, it’s also pleasing and not intimidating. I asked myself what is it about this light. I no more thought that, than the answer came…it’s love. LOVE!
As the occupants in the room praise They, the Godhead respond back with this light of love. I am overcome with emotion as I am experiencing love on such a level that surpasses any earthly love. Praise God! I have to stop. I’m writing this as it happens and I’m overcome and must wait in the moment….
After some time I’m back to myself in my easy chair reflecting on what I have just experienced. My friends, heaven and the realm of God is real. And it’s for you! Remember the words of our Saviour who said, “ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3)
He’s coming back to take us there, but meanwhile allow your spirit to receive this revelation given by the Holy Spirit. He’s real! Heaven is real! And there is NOTHING this world has to offer that’s better than this. Plug in and receive in the name of Jesus!
Are you still waiting for your miracle? Waiting for a child? The promise of God is yes and amen. He knows the desire of your heart and is pleased to help us. My wife and I were married 19 years before our promise came true in a baby girl. When the miracle happens, the wait vanishes. Someone needs to hear this today. God is making good on His promise to you. Believe.
“Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!” (Galatians 4:27) Paul quotes Isaiah.
I remember as a boy sitting in church as the choir sang a song called “Only Believe.” “ It went…Only believe, only believe. All things are possible, only believe.
Looking back it didn’t say only behave, or only live perfect, or only never fail. It said only believe. Now I understand. Of course we strive to live holy in righteousness, but the Bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags. And what are filthy rags worth? Nothing. It’s the righteousness of God in Christ that saves us and makes us whole in freedom. Only believe, only believe. All things are possible. Only believe.
The Apostle Paul wrote in the Bible, “If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:21-22)
Listen and enjoy.
Are you like me and struggle with the lures of the flesh? Lures and temptations come in many forms, originated and orchestrated by the enemy of our souls…satan. Think about it. Every vice, sin, and lust of the flesh is a twisting, a perversion of the pure and Holy gifts of God. Some of which are; we are to be satisfied with what we have and depend on God for our substance, yet we steal. We are to love truth and not bear false witness, yet we lie. We are to honor the Lord with our bodies, yet we commit fornication. We are to honor the sanctity of marriage, yet we committed adultery. We are to lay down our lives for a friend, yet we commit murder. Just to name a few.
Though we were all born in sin inherited from our granddaddy Adam in the garden of Eden, Lord Jesus took all that away on the cross when He died in our place. He paid for all these, and every sin, when we could not help ourselves. When we accept the grace of God our Father, and the payment for our sin through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, then we are free. Father bonds us to Himself and Christ by placing us in Him on that cross as a sovereign act. The Apostle Paul said it best…
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”(Galatians 2:21)
So we lawbreakers are released from the sin that permeates us by trusting in Christ as we live in Him.
This week seems to be disastrous for many fellow Americans. Fires, floods, thunderstorms, and tornados. Some are saying that we are receiving judgement from God. Judgement due to the disastrous behavior and blatantly sinful lives that so many are living. Others say that God is a loving God who would never wreak havoc on our nation and it’s people.
We’ll friends I have thoroughly read and studied the Bible, which is from God, and I see something different. Love and judgement. Mercy and punishment. The law of God is without repentance. God said it and that settles it. Sin is sin and those who commit sin and also those who condone sin are subject to the wages of sin, which the Bible says is death.
God doesn’t have to sit on His throne in heaven and speak disaster on America. All He has to do is lift His hand of protection off of us and bad things happen. And not only us but the entire world is under His authority. Let us recall the great flood that covered the earth and the one family which survived. It was judgement on a world so evil that it couldn’t redeem itself. So judgement came upon the earth.
But in the midst of judgement and total destruction was love. The Bible teaches us that above Gods’ throne in heaven is a rainbow which circles the throne.
The majesty of the earth previews the majesty of God. For whom but God could create the highest mountains, the lowest valleys, the pristine fountains and the mighty oceans? Nature in its purest form gives us an insight into the life and character of Almighty God, and His Son Jesus Christ. For the Bible states that all things were created though him.
How is it that when we absorb and enjoy nature, we have peace like no other place? Again, the life and character of Almighty God is displayed in the wonders of nature. This earth, and all it contains was put here for the express purpose of sustaining humanity. And not just our physical bodies, but our spirit as well. I encourage you to take the time to visit the part of nature that gives you peace and serenity, wether it be the beach, the lakes, or the mountains.
The poet Wendell Berry, who talks about how he deals with his despair and his fear, and how he experiences grace:
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
We don’t worship nature. We worship the creator of nature and enjoy what He has prepared for us. Rest in His grace at His place.
For the believer in Lord Jesus who spends time in prayer, meditation, and Bible study, there comes a moment when we receive, what we call, a revelation from God. It can be a simple thought or an extensive message. Either way, when we receive it we know, that we know, that we know, that it’s from God.
Sometimes it’s such that we can’t explain it, and other times we try to explain it and the person we’re talking to acts and believes that they understand, but we can tell that they don’t get it. No matter how hard we try, a revelation from God is a powerful personal experience. It will change our lives, and help us to grow into a deeper walk with the Lord. Write it down, and remember it for it is precious.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:12)
Reading today’s headlines, we learn of constant challenges to our liberty. Terrorists’ threats against our nation, economic turmoil, and political struggles are on our minds. But hasn’t that been a constant in the history of our country?
From the very outset of our nation’s birth, our forefathers passed the test of liberty in places like Bunker Hill and Valley Forge. But there has come a steady stream of trials and tests to our nation that we have had to pass in order to remain free. We mustn’t forget the Alamo, the battle of New Orleans, or Gettysburg, and our current heroes who fight a war against global terror.
There has been a test that each generation has had to pass for liberty. And these tests are always given to the individual. A woman, who we’ll call Maria, had always wanted to become a United States citizen, but could not pass the test. Well, after praying with a CBN prayer representative, Maria passed the test of liberty and became a United States citizen!
There once was a young boy named Tommy who was brilliant at an early age. Born and raised in a rural area, he read all of his father’s books by the age of six and had a hunger for knowledge that was unquenchable. He was tested many times in his life but at the age of 14, his father passed away, leaving him to assume the role of head of the house.
In spite of life’s circumstances, he entered college at the age of 17. Maintaining his home with his mother and siblings, at the age of 24, Tommy passed the bar exam and became a lawyer. When he was 27 and away working in another city, his home burned down and he lost all his prized possessions, including his extensive library. In time, he rebuilt his library, had an illustrious career, and passed the test of liberty.
Harriet Powers, a woman freed from slavery after the civil war, suffered hardships and struggled to pass the test of liberty. She was an expert seamstress who made quilts to help support her family of nine children. Few black women could write in those days, but Harriet told the stories of the Bible with the figures she sewed into the panels of her quilts. To see Harriet’s quilts was to get a visual of the great stories of the Bible. She passed the test of liberty and led her family into the free world.
The greatest test of liberty, however, came in a garden in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus passed the test of liberty for all mankind when He submitted Himself to His Father and said,
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42).
He sacrificed His liberty for ours, even to His death on a cross. Now we have liberty in Christ, eternal life that no man or devil in hell can take from us. When we accept Christ Jesus as our savior, we are free!
The test of liberty is an individual test, which we must pass daily. Our struggle, whether spiritual, physical, or financial, is not in vain. Just as we reap the rewards of those who have passed the test before us, we pass the rewards of our tests on to those who come after us.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
So, pass the test of liberty and be an over-comer like Harriet Powers, the freed slave whose Bible quilt hangs in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC today. Or Maria, who passed the test of liberty and became a United States citizen at 96 years of age! And finally, let’s not forget Tommy, who at the age of 33 passed the test of liberty when he penned these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776).
