To me, Bethlehem represents that place we never intended on ending up, but somehow, some way we got there. It’s as though in spite of all of our planning and preparing for another direction and another place, there were forces at work that had another idea about our lives.
Let’s start by asking, how did you get to where you are today? I’m sure none of us could begin to recount the millions of events, people and circumstance all through our journey, that got us to this place and this time in our lives, and yet, here we are… We could have ended up in a thousand other places, but HERE WE ARE!
Two cowboys come upon an Indian lying on his stomach with his ear to the ground. One of the cowboys stops and says to the other, "You see that Indian?" "Yeah," says the other cowboy. "If you’ll notice, he's listening to the ground and he can hear things for miles in any direction."
Just then the Indian says "There’s a Covered wagon, about two miles away. It has two horses, one brown and one white. There’s a Man, woman, child, and all their household effects in the wagon."
"Wow, that’s Incredible!" says the cowboy to his friend. "This Indian knows how far away they are, how many horses, the color they are, who is in the wagon, and what they have in the wagon. I am amazed that he can tell all that by listening to ground! "The Indian looks up and says,"It ran over me about a half hour ago."
Well, life is full of surprises, and along with the plans we have planned, it’s those very unplanned events that have usually brought us to where we are. The Bethlehem story, would have been altogether different, if it weren’t for some unplanned surprises. One of those surprises is in… Luke 2:1 “There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”SURPRISE!!!
Caesar Augustus was one of the greatest of the Roman emperors, greater even than his grand-uncle, Julius Caesar. It was said that when he came to Rome it was a city of brick, and when he left it was a city of marble. He reigned as emperor for 41 years. His greatest single act–that would have the most lasting effect on world history–was to call for a census of the empire. It’s the kind of thing governments have been doing every since.
When the time came to take the census in Israel, it meant that the Jews would have to return to their ancestral hometowns. That would explain why Joseph and Mary had to return to Bethlehem at a most inconvenient time–in the ninth month of Mary’s pregnancy.
So, Merry Christmas, Caesar Augustus. You played a part you never knew and paved the way for the birthday of the King of Kings.
As a matter of fact I want to take time to thank all the folks and situations that taken all together, brought you to exactly where you are today, doing what you are doing at this time in your life, and perhaps, for you being the person you are now….The truth is, we have all been on our own unique journey filled with unplanned events, to our own Bethlehem.
Joseph was a good carpenter, but probably knew nothing about bringing babies into the world. One well read, theologian, his research, submitted that there was another woman there in the manger, and that Mary probably had the help of a local midwife, which was very common in those days, to assist with the birth of Jesus in the lowly stable. How could this lowly midwife have known that she would be called upon to bring the Son of God into this world. What an unplanned event she was brought into, as the first one to introduce the Messiah to the world. She was probably called upon because the local folks knew she had done this before, and would have sent for her.
It makes me think that the Messiah is looking for some midwives to help Him to be born into the lives of those who need some help, in making that important life changing decision. How wonderful that there are some among us who are known for being the assistant for Jesus to be born into many people’s lives. We think of Billy Graham, the TBN network, 700 club, Reinhart Bonke, and we could go on and on…. But what if each of us made the history changing decision to be God’s mid wife in the world, to see Jesus born into the lives of families, friends, neighbors and those many folks without Christ in our city….
Philip Yancey has a line in his book, “The Jesus I Never Knew”, where he puts it this way: “The God who came to earth came not in a raging whirlwind nor in a devouring fire. Amazingly, the Maker of all things shrank down, down, down, so small as to become a single fertilized egg barely visible to the naked eye, an egg that would divide and redivide until a fetus took shape, enlarging cell by cell inside a nervous teenager. Growing in her womb toward the time of birthing…. Scripture tells us that He ‘made Himself nothing . . .and He did it to give us everything”!
This Bethlehem story tells us that as folks are going about their daily tasks, just living life…. Working, playing, interacting and just doing their daily stuff….suddenly God shows up, and GOD INVADES the natural order of things with the supernatural! It may start small, but HEY, THERE’S AN INVASION GOING ON! It’s those times when things begin to develop that take us to another level and we are launched onto an uncertain path that takes us in an uncertain direction…..that changes everything forever!
The road to Bethlehem is about never giving up….There is no way they could have known, that what was being done in the palaces of Caeser, would touch the lives of this teenage girl and the man she was espoused to, but they persisted in spite of all the surprises,. I wonder how many times, things that didn’t look spiritual at all, none the less, positioned and located us in such a way, that God moved thru them, to bring about Spiritual transformation and a Holy birthing!
So many have heard the call of God on their journey to their ownBethlehem, and because they refused to give up…they ended up as a Martin Luther King Jr…. a Paul Crouch, a Pat Robertson, a Joel Osteen, T.D Jakes, or maybe a little woman who anointed and washed the feet of Jesus. The apostles were fishermen, carpenters, a doctor, and a couple of religious zeolots…. Who ended up changing the world!
Perhaps you didn’t know that when he was 15, the award winningactor Jim Carrey, had to drop out of school to support his family. His father was an unemployed alcoholic musician and as the family went from “middle class to poor,” they eventually had to start living in a van. Carrey didn’t let this stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a comedian: He went from having his dad drive him to comedy clubs in Toronto to starring in mega-blockbuster moviesand becoming known as one of the best comedic actors of an entire era.
Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at age ten. That didn’t stop this determined young man from his journey of learning and self-development. He taught himself through his constant reading and studying, and eventually went on to invent the lightning rod and bifocals. He was a world traveler, and Oh yes, he became one of America’s Founding Fathers, who helped compose and sign, the Declaration of Independence! And a favorite picture of him is on the $100.00 bill!!! I guess that makes us all art collectors!
Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his entire lifetime and it was bought because his brother’s girlfriend felt sorry for him. It was sold for 80 dollars. Today that same painting sold for 82.5 million and is exhibited at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Van Gogh is considered one of the greatest artists of all time, and even though Van Gogh made no money while he was alive, he still painted over 900 works of art. Each one of these paintings are now worth millions. Even though his persistence went unnoticed when he was alive, Van Gogh proves that you can’t judge your success by what you see at the moment.
Here's some quotes I found about success….
Jay London wrote, “Your window of opportunity sometimes involves a rock”. Darrin Weinberg wrote… “Before you start climbing the ladder of success, be sure you have it propped against the right wall”. An anonymous writer, said “ Don’t get too attached to the scaffolding that is part of the construction, It will be removed as the building is completed.”
If you were to ask one of the locals, of that day “How far is it from the gates of Jerusalem to Bethlehem”?. He would tell you that it is about eight kilometers or just a two hour drive from Nazareth to the sleepy little town where Christ was born. Sometimes things seem to take forever, as you’re walking through them, but as you look back, it’s amazing how quickly it happened. As we look back at some points in the journey that seemed to never end, it’s amazing how the time has flown. The older you get the faster it flies… and the hurrider you go the behinder you get. Why make mountains out of molehills? We can’t be like the man who was making a big deal of washing the dishes… He said, ‘I washed the forks, then the spoons, then the knives, then I washed the plates and saucers, after that I did the cups and glasses…. And that was just putting them in the dishwasher! He could have just said, “I did the dishes”....We call that much to do about nothing! An NFL player, gets a lot of bumps and bruises on the way to the playoffs…. But he keeps moving forward, because his eyes are fixed on the purpose for which everything else is preparing him in his skill level and his endurance. He’s not a champion because of winning the big games, but he becomes a champion through the journey to that goal. The journey is shaping and molding him into the champion he becomes and there comes a point where he realizes that it wasn’t about the big games, it was about the personal journey. It’s about what you do before and after football!
There’s A lot of history tied to that two hour drive called theBethlehem road. It was in Bethlehem that Rachel was buried, and it was to Bethlehem that Naomi and Ruth returned, and where Ruth married Boaze and became part of the linage of Christ. King David was born and raised in Bethlehem and the prophet Micah wrote in…. Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come forth from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.” On your journey to your personal Bethlehem, you will find a lot of great inspiration and direction from so many who have gone before you. We can benefit from the history of our Bethlehem, or we can ignore it and we’re doomed to repeat the parts that are not so good… We need to learn from the mistakes of others, because we can't possibly live long enough to make all the mistakes ourselves.
The Bethlehem road today, is a two lane highway, but long ago it brought a virgin girl with child to a stable on that starry night.Today, just as then, when you take that road back to Jerusalem, it brings you as it brought them, to Calvary’s hill. “How far is it from Bethlehem to Calvary?” Compared to the Millenniums that have come and gone since God spoke the world into being, the thirty-three year life span of Jesus is a relatively short period of time. There is only a short lifetime between singing angels, shepherds and wisemen, to cursing soldiers with cat of nine tails, at the Savior’s whipping post, (for by His stripes we are healed).
It’s Just a few short years from swaddling clothes and a babe in the manger straw, to a crown of thorns…. from dimples and stubby fingers to blood stained cheeks and nail pierced hands. And yet as close as it might be, it is a sad fact of life that not enough have made that all important journey from Bethlehem to Calvary. Yes, it’s just a 5 mile drive, from Jerusalem to Bethlehem… but from Bethlehem to Calvary, is a journey from Christmas trees, bells and bangles, to Easter Lillies, a cross and a tomb. But one cannot find the real power of Christmas, separated from that place called Calvary…. Whether society wants to admit it or not, When they celebrate Christmas, they are joining in the celebration of the Messiah’s birth. Our Father’s road map will always take us from a stable manger to Calvary’s hill where the crude wood of a manger is spiritually transformed into an old rugged cross.
It was Dr. Seuss who wrote….“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more”. (That was a transforming thought for Mr. Grinch) Every advertisement for Christmas keeps the name of Jesus in front of people for it is after all “Christ Mass”. And while local stores may not play “Victory in Jesus” or “Power in the Blood”…they proclaim the birth of Christ to everyone in the store with “Silent Night”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, and “It came upon a midnight clear”…. Christmas without Calvary is like a snowman in August, it’s just a puddle….
A Christ child in a manger is a safe place, because a baby makes only temporary carnal demands on our life. But a crucified, resurrected Savior, requires that we make a decision about Him, to accept what He offers, or to walk away and refuse His gift of forgiveness and salvation. You see, without Calvary, there would be no Bethlehem celebration, because Jesus would have been just another fake…. A good, wonderful person, but just a fake.
A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas. After hearing about this extravagant gift, a friend of his said, "I thought she wanted one of those sporty four-wheel-drive vehicles." "Oh yeah, She did," he replied. "But when I checked, a fake Jeepis much easier to see that it is a fake than a diamond?" Thank God Jesus is the real deal….and there is coming a day when the world will see and know that He is exactly who He said He is!
Jesus Laid Aside His Godhead….And when He was born in Bethlehem, He chose to leave His divinity, and become flesh and blood. He chose to live with the same limitations that you and I have. He told the disciples that the glory He had with the Father, was available to them also. He said that He did nothing of himself, but that it all came from the Father in Heaven. Jesus said that the Father showed Him what He was to do, and as He obeyed. The Father’s glory was what made the difference. The mystery of the incarnation is that He was fully man, while being fully God. The story of Christmas is a mystery of integration, where the life force of God entered the seed of a woman. God the Son, chose to lay aside His God part, as an example and as sin’s remedy foreach of us.
So, the big question is… how can Christ, dying on a cross, cleanse my soul from it’s sin, 2000 years later? That’s simple….. He’s not dead! He’s alive and after leaving us as the heirs of His kingdom, He came back to be sure that we would receive what He left for us. Hebrews 7:25 tells us… “Wherefore He is able also to save all of those totally and completely that come unto God by Him, seeing He forever lives to make intercession for them”.
Why should we be content to stay in Bethlehem when there is so much waiting for us just a 2 hour drive down the road? After all Bethlehem holds the promise of eternal life but it’s Calvary and an empty tomb that holds the actual gift of eternal life.
Mary Ellen Chase said “Christmas, is not a date on the calendar, it is a state of the heart and mind transformed. ”
Luke 2:8 tells us that some shepherds were in the fields outside the village that night, guarding their flocks of sheep. . What an announcement They received! They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. But what about those Christmas shepherds? I hate to malign the shepherds but I tend to think of them as flash in the pan believers. They had this great choir of angels who told them about the Christ child, and if anything should move you to action I would think this would. Luke 2:17 tells us that the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
But that’s all Luke wrote, we don’t hear anymore about the shepherds, no aged shepherd 33 years later, are recorded making their way to the cross to worship at the feet of Christ, as they saw the promise told them by angels fulfilled. None of the disciples of Jesus were shepherds, there were no shepherd witnesses at the trial of Jesus. No,they stayed in Bethlehem, for them it was too far to travel that 2 hours to get to Jerusalem, where Calvary is located outside the city walls. When the thrills, and angels singing stopped they just melted back into the hills. They had a historical experience, it was something that happened long ago, but never maintained and kept current. They were spectators, but not followers.
The reason the Christian faith and the Christian Church has survived and flourished over the past 2000 years is because there are some who after the angels have gone, the visions and thrills have subsided, and the heavens are still, and life is life again, they still believe and stick fast.
Then there are the words “No room in the inn” that are part of the Christmas story…. When the gospel of Luke records the arrival of Mary and Joseph and the unborn Jesus in Bethlehem, as they come to the inn, it doesn’t say that there was no room in the inn….. It says that there was no room for THEM in the inn. How would you like history to record that YOU were the one that rejected Jesus. And yet this guy has lots of company, for he is just one of multitudes who could never get their heads around the amazing mystery of the incarnation! But just two hours away at calvary, it will never say that there was no room for anyone…. There is always room for more, at the foot of the cross, for as many as will come….For all who are willing to make the journey, there is a place for them and a blood covering for them.!
You see the truth is, the Bethlehem inn keeper just didn’t care…. He was busy, he was distracted, he didn’t understand the importance of the moment he was in….But no one can ever be able to say, that there is no compassion at calvary. The sacrifice made there is self explanatory!
We know that Joseph died at some point after Jesus was 12 years old, because that’s the last mention of him….but out of all of the people that were there that first Christmas, there is only one that we know for sure followed Christ from Bethlehem to Calvary and that was the young virgin who was his mother. Her life was changed forever by the child that she gave birth to that day. For her, every moment of every day would be changed from that point on. It’s the difference in just knowing something and having it birthed in you. You see Mary’s experience was not just a Bethlehem Christmas experience, or a commitment of someone caught up in the celebration and the excitement. She was 100% committed to the child she called Jesus. And that is what He is looking for today. He wants us to come to the manager with the same attitude as Mary, who was in it for the long haul. Because it’s only when we are completely convinced of who Jesus is and what He offers all of us, that we will be able to make the trip from Bethlehem to salvation’s birthplace at Calvary.
Bethlehem was the birthplace of the Savior, but Calvary was the birthplace of salvation!
Satan will try every way possible to keep us from going from Bethlehem to Calvary. He will use people who disappointed you and let you down, he will use religions that said one thing but did another, he will use circumstances and life itself to seduce your perspective. Listen, Stop remembering what God has already forgotten. Just because the past keeps tapping you on the shoulder doesn't mean you have to turn around, give it attention, and stop moving forward.
It was at Calvary, that He bore our offences, it was there that the power of sin was defeated, and a person forgiven, who walks in repentance, puts Satan out of business. It was there that the power of death was broken. And if we no longer fear death, then what else is there to fear! Christmas is the beginning of the journey, and Calvary sets us free, so that what was done in Jerusalem gives us confidence, courage, boldness and assurance in Key West, Florida!!!
If the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed!!!
To me, Bethlehem represents that place we never intended on ending up, but somehow, some way we got there. It’s as though in spite of all of our planning and preparing for another direction and another place, there were forces at work that had another idea about our lives.
Let’s start by asking, how did you get to where you are today? I’m sure none of us could begin to recount the millions of events, people and circumstance all through our journey, that got us to this place and this time in our lives, and yet, here we are… We could have ended up in a thousand other places, but HERE WE ARE!
Two cowboys come upon an Indian lying on his stomach with his ear to the ground. One of the cowboys stops and says to the other, "You see that Indian?" "Yeah," says the other cowboy. "If you’ll notice, he's listening to the ground and he can hear things for miles in any direction."
Just then the Indian says "There’s a Covered wagon, about two miles away. It has two horses, one brown and one white. There’s a Man, woman, child, and all their household effects in the wagon."
"Wow, that’s Incredible!" says the cowboy to his friend. "This Indian knows how far away they are, how many horses, the color they are, who is in the wagon, and what they have in the wagon. I am amazed that he can tell all that by listening to ground! "The Indian looks up and says,"It ran over me about a half hour ago."
Well, life is full of surprises, and along with the plans we have planned, it’s those very unplanned events that have usually brought us to where we are. The Bethlehem story, would have been altogether different, if it weren’t for some unplanned surprises. One of those surprises is in… Luke 2:1 “There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”SURPRISE!!!
Caesar Augustus was one of the greatest of the Roman emperors, greater even than his grand-uncle, Julius Caesar. It was said that when he came to Rome it was a city of brick, and when he left it was a city of marble. He reigned as emperor for 41 years. His greatest single act–that would have the most lasting effect on world history–was to call for a census of the empire. It’s the kind of thing governments have been doing every since.
When the time came to take the census in Israel, it meant that the Jews would have to return to their ancestral hometowns. That would explain why Joseph and Mary had to return to Bethlehem at a most inconvenient time–in the ninth month of Mary’s pregnancy.
So, Merry Christmas, Caesar Augustus. You played a part you never knew and paved the way for the birthday of the King of Kings.
As a matter of fact I want to take time to thank all the folks and situations that taken all together, brought you to exactly where you are today, doing what you are doing at this time in your life, and perhaps, for you being the person you are now….The truth is, we have all been on our own unique journey filled with unplanned events, to our own Bethlehem.
Joseph was a good carpenter, but probably knew nothing about bringing babies into the world. One well read, theologian, his research, submitted that there was another woman there in the manger, and that Mary probably had the help of a local midwife, which was very common in those days, to assist with the birth of Jesus in the lowly stable. How could this lowly midwife have known that she would be called upon to bring the Son of God into this world. What an unplanned event she was brought into, as the first one to introduce the Messiah to the world. She was probably called upon because the local folks knew she had done this before, and would have sent for her.
It makes me think that the Messiah is looking for some midwives to help Him to be born into the lives of those who need some help, in making that important life changing decision. How wonderful that there are some among us who are known for being the assistant for Jesus to be born into many people’s lives. We think of Billy Graham, the TBN network, 700 club, Reinhart Bonke, and we could go on and on…. But what if each of us made the history changing decision to be God’s mid wife in the world, to see Jesus born into the lives of families, friends, neighbors and those many folks without Christ in our city….
Philip Yancey has a line in his book, “The Jesus I Never Knew”, where he puts it this way: “The God who came to earth came not in a raging whirlwind nor in a devouring fire. Amazingly, the Maker of all things shrank down, down, down, so small as to become a single fertilized egg barely visible to the naked eye, an egg that would divide and redivide until a fetus took shape, enlarging cell by cell inside a nervous teenager. Growing in her womb toward the time of birthing…. Scripture tells us that He ‘made Himself nothing . . .and He did it to give us everything”!
This Bethlehem story tells us that as folks are going about their daily tasks, just living life…. Working, playing, interacting and just doing their daily stuff….suddenly God shows up, and GOD INVADES the natural order of things with the supernatural! It may start small, but HEY, THERE’S AN INVASION GOING ON! It’s those times when things begin to develop that take us to another level and we are launched onto an uncertain path that takes us in an uncertain direction…..that changes everything forever!
The road to Bethlehem is about never giving up….There is no way they could have known, that what was being done in the palaces of Caeser, would touch the lives of this teenage girl and the man she was espoused to, but they persisted in spite of all the surprises,. I wonder how many times, things that didn’t look spiritual at all, none the less, positioned and located us in such a way, that God moved thru them, to bring about Spiritual transformation and a Holy birthing!
So many have heard the call of God on their journey to their ownBethlehem, and because they refused to give up…they ended up as a Martin Luther King Jr…. a Paul Crouch, a Pat Robertson, a Joel Osteen, T.D Jakes, or maybe a little woman who anointed and washed the feet of Jesus. The apostles were fishermen, carpenters, a doctor, and a couple of religious zeolots…. Who ended up changing the world!
Perhaps you didn’t know that when he was 15, the award winningactor Jim Carrey, had to drop out of school to support his family. His father was an unemployed alcoholic musician and as the family went from “middle class to poor,” they eventually had to start living in a van. Carrey didn’t let this stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a comedian: He went from having his dad drive him to comedy clubs in Toronto to starring in mega-blockbuster moviesand becoming known as one of the best comedic actors of an entire era.
Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at age ten. That didn’t stop this determined young man from his journey of learning and self-development. He taught himself through his constant reading and studying, and eventually went on to invent the lightning rod and bifocals. He was a world traveler, and Oh yes, he became one of America’s Founding Fathers, who helped compose and sign, the Declaration of Independence! And a favorite picture of him is on the $100.00 bill!!! I guess that makes us all art collectors!
Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his entire lifetime and it was bought because his brother’s girlfriend felt sorry for him. It was sold for 80 dollars. Today that same painting sold for 82.5 million and is exhibited at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Van Gogh is considered one of the greatest artists of all time, and even though Van Gogh made no money while he was alive, he still painted over 900 works of art. Each one of these paintings are now worth millions. Even though his persistence went unnoticed when he was alive, Van Gogh proves that you can’t judge your success by what you see at the moment.
Here's some quotes I found about success….
Jay London wrote, “Your window of opportunity sometimes involves a rock”. Darrin Weinberg wrote… “Before you start climbing the ladder of success, be sure you have it propped against the right wall”. An anonymous writer, said “ Don’t get too attached to the scaffolding that is part of the construction, It will be removed as the building is completed.”
If you were to ask one of the locals, of that day “How far is it from the gates of Jerusalem to Bethlehem”?. He would tell you that it is about eight kilometers or just a two hour drive from Nazareth to the sleepy little town where Christ was born. Sometimes things seem to take forever, as you’re walking through them, but as you look back, it’s amazing how quickly it happened. As we look back at some points in the journey that seemed to never end, it’s amazing how the time has flown. The older you get the faster it flies… and the hurrider you go the behinder you get. Why make mountains out of molehills? We can’t be like the man who was making a big deal of washing the dishes… He said, ‘I washed the forks, then the spoons, then the knives, then I washed the plates and saucers, after that I did the cups and glasses…. And that was just putting them in the dishwasher! He could have just said, “I did the dishes”....We call that much to do about nothing! An NFL player, gets a lot of bumps and bruises on the way to the playoffs…. But he keeps moving forward, because his eyes are fixed on the purpose for which everything else is preparing him in his skill level and his endurance. He’s not a champion because of winning the big games, but he becomes a champion through the journey to that goal. The journey is shaping and molding him into the champion he becomes and there comes a point where he realizes that it wasn’t about the big games, it was about the personal journey. It’s about what you do before and after football!
There’s A lot of history tied to that two hour drive called theBethlehem road. It was in Bethlehem that Rachel was buried, and it was to Bethlehem that Naomi and Ruth returned, and where Ruth married Boaze and became part of the linage of Christ. King David was born and raised in Bethlehem and the prophet Micah wrote in…. Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come forth from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.” On your journey to your personal Bethlehem, you will find a lot of great inspiration and direction from so many who have gone before you. We can benefit from the history of our Bethlehem, or we can ignore it and we’re doomed to repeat the parts that are not so good… We need to learn from the mistakes of others, because we can't possibly live long enough to make all the mistakes ourselves.
The Bethlehem road today, is a two lane highway, but long ago it brought a virgin girl with child to a stable on that starry night.Today, just as then, when you take that road back to Jerusalem, it brings you as it brought them, to Calvary’s hill. “How far is it from Bethlehem to Calvary?” Compared to the Millenniums that have come and gone since God spoke the world into being, the thirty-three year life span of Jesus is a relatively short period of time. There is only a short lifetime between singing angels, shepherds and wisemen, to cursing soldiers with cat of nine tails, at the Savior’s whipping post, (for by His stripes we are healed).
It’s Just a few short years from swaddling clothes and a babe in the manger straw, to a crown of thorns…. from dimples and stubby fingers to blood stained cheeks and nail pierced hands. And yet as close as it might be, it is a sad fact of life that not enough have made that all important journey from Bethlehem to Calvary. Yes, it’s just a 5 mile drive, from Jerusalem to Bethlehem… but from Bethlehem to Calvary, is a journey from Christmas trees, bells and bangles, to Easter Lillies, a cross and a tomb. But one cannot find the real power of Christmas, separated from that place called Calvary…. Whether society wants to admit it or not, When they celebrate Christmas, they are joining in the celebration of the Messiah’s birth. Our Father’s road map will always take us from a stable manger to Calvary’s hill where the crude wood of a manger is spiritually transformed into an old rugged cross.
It was Dr. Seuss who wrote….“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more”. (That was a transforming thought for Mr. Grinch) Every advertisement for Christmas keeps the name of Jesus in front of people for it is after all “Christ Mass”. And while local stores may not play “Victory in Jesus” or “Power in the Blood”…they proclaim the birth of Christ to everyone in the store with “Silent Night”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, and “It came upon a midnight clear”…. Christmas without Calvary is like a snowman in August, it’s just a puddle….
A Christ child in a manger is a safe place, because a baby makes only temporary carnal demands on our life. But a crucified, resurrected Savior, requires that we make a decision about Him, to accept what He offers, or to walk away and refuse His gift of forgiveness and salvation. You see, without Calvary, there would be no Bethlehem celebration, because Jesus would have been just another fake…. A good, wonderful person, but just a fake.
A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas. After hearing about this extravagant gift, a friend of his said, "I thought she wanted one of those sporty four-wheel-drive vehicles." "Oh yeah, She did," he replied. "But when I checked, a fake Jeepis much easier to see that it is a fake than a diamond?" Thank God Jesus is the real deal….and there is coming a day when the world will see and know that He is exactly who He said He is!
Jesus Laid Aside His Godhead….And when He was born in Bethlehem, He chose to leave His divinity, and become flesh and blood. He chose to live with the same limitations that you and I have. He told the disciples that the glory He had with the Father, was available to them also. He said that He did nothing of himself, but that it all came from the Father in Heaven. Jesus said that the Father showed Him what He was to do, and as He obeyed. The Father’s glory was what made the difference. The mystery of the incarnation is that He was fully man, while being fully God. The story of Christmas is a mystery of integration, where the life force of God entered the seed of a woman. God the Son, chose to lay aside His God part, as an example and as sin’s remedy foreach of us.
So, the big question is… how can Christ, dying on a cross, cleanse my soul from it’s sin, 2000 years later? That’s simple….. He’s not dead! He’s alive and after leaving us as the heirs of His kingdom, He came back to be sure that we would receive what He left for us. Hebrews 7:25 tells us… “Wherefore He is able also to save all of those totally and completely that come unto God by Him, seeing He forever lives to make intercession for them”.
Why should we be content to stay in Bethlehem when there is so much waiting for us just a 2 hour drive down the road? After all Bethlehem holds the promise of eternal life but it’s Calvary and an empty tomb that holds the actual gift of eternal life.
Mary Ellen Chase said “Christmas, is not a date on the calendar, it is a state of the heart and mind transformed. ”
Luke 2:8 tells us that some shepherds were in the fields outside the village that night, guarding their flocks of sheep. . What an announcement They received! They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. But what about those Christmas shepherds? I hate to malign the shepherds but I tend to think of them as flash in the pan believers. They had this great choir of angels who told them about the Christ child, and if anything should move you to action I would think this would. Luke 2:17 tells us that the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
But that’s all Luke wrote, we don’t hear anymore about the shepherds, no aged shepherd 33 years later, are recorded making their way to the cross to worship at the feet of Christ, as they saw the promise told them by angels fulfilled. None of the disciples of Jesus were shepherds, there were no shepherd witnesses at the trial of Jesus. No,they stayed in Bethlehem, for them it was too far to travel that 2 hours to get to Jerusalem, where Calvary is located outside the city walls. When the thrills, and angels singing stopped they just melted back into the hills. They had a historical experience, it was something that happened long ago, but never maintained and kept current. They were spectators, but not followers.
The reason the Christian faith and the Christian Church has survived and flourished over the past 2000 years is because there are some who after the angels have gone, the visions and thrills have subsided, and the heavens are still, and life is life again, they still believe and stick fast.
Then there are the words “No room in the inn” that are part of the Christmas story…. When the gospel of Luke records the arrival of Mary and Joseph and the unborn Jesus in Bethlehem, as they come to the inn, it doesn’t say that there was no room in the inn….. It says that there was no room for THEM in the inn. How would you like history to record that YOU were the one that rejected Jesus. And yet this guy has lots of company, for he is just one of multitudes who could never get their heads around the amazing mystery of the incarnation! But just two hours away at calvary, it will never say that there was no room for anyone…. There is always room for more, at the foot of the cross, for as many as will come….For all who are willing to make the journey, there is a place for them and a blood covering for them.!
You see the truth is, the Bethlehem inn keeper just didn’t care…. He was busy, he was distracted, he didn’t understand the importance of the moment he was in….But no one can ever be able to say, that there is no compassion at calvary. The sacrifice made there is self explanatory!
We know that Joseph died at some point after Jesus was 12 years old, because that’s the last mention of him….but out of all of the people that were there that first Christmas, there is only one that we know for sure followed Christ from Bethlehem to Calvary and that was the young virgin who was his mother. Her life was changed forever by the child that she gave birth to that day. For her, every moment of every day would be changed from that point on. It’s the difference in just knowing something and having it birthed in you. You see Mary’s experience was not just a Bethlehem Christmas experience, or a commitment of someone caught up in the celebration and the excitement. She was 100% committed to the child she called Jesus. And that is what He is looking for today. He wants us to come to the manager with the same attitude as Mary, who was in it for the long haul. Because it’s only when we are completely convinced of who Jesus is and what He offers all of us, that we will be able to make the trip from Bethlehem to salvation’s birthplace at Calvary.
Bethlehem was the birthplace of the Savior, but Calvary was the birthplace of salvation!
Satan will try every way possible to keep us from going from Bethlehem to Calvary. He will use people who disappointed you and let you down, he will use religions that said one thing but did another, he will use circumstances and life itself to seduce your perspective. Listen, Stop remembering what God has already forgotten. Just because the past keeps tapping you on the shoulder doesn't mean you have to turn around, give it attention, and stop moving forward.
It was at Calvary, that He bore our offences, it was there that the power of sin was defeated, and a person forgiven, who walks in repentance, puts Satan out of business. It was there that the power of death was broken. And if we no longer fear death, then what else is there to fear! Christmas is the beginning of the journey, and Calvary sets us free, so that what was done in Jerusalem gives us confidence, courage, boldness and assurance in Key West, Florida!!!
If the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed!!!
The 6 top things to say about the gift no one would want..
6. You know, I always wanted one of these! Jog my memory—what’s it called again?
5. You know what?—I’m going to find a special place to put this!
4. Boy, you don’t see craftsmanship like that every day!
3. And it’s such an interesting color too!
2. You say that was the last one? So glad you snapped that baby up!
1. And the number one thing to say about the gifts you didn’t like is: “You shouldn’t have! No, really, I mean it, you really shouldn’t have!”
Well, We wish one another a Merry Christmas, A Happy Christmas, and we talk about The Joy Of Christmas, The Reason for the Season, The True Meaning Of Christmas, and as I thought of all these Christmas greetings, I began to see a few that we don’t hear much about when we extract some of the aspects of the Nativity which Christmas offers us....
But what matters more than what Christmas meant to the angels that filled the heaven on that miraculous day, or to the shepherds and wise men, or even to Mary and Joseph...or the Apostles, and prophets, and the preachers who are expounding the message from large and small churches this Advent season.... (what really matters), is what Christmas means to you....and how it affects your daily life....Cause that’s what people in your family, your circle of friends and your neighbors and work place are going to determine what “Merry Christmas” really means to you. How has Christmas effected my behavior, and my actions,.... and MY LIFE!
So I want to begin with the first thing which I celebrate at the Christmas Season.... Christmas is about the Gift of Access....When we couldn’t get to God, He came to us, through a miraculous, sinless birth. You see, God put mankind in charge of the earth, so He needed to become a man, in order to undo, and reconcile what the first man and woman had brought into the earth. This act of rebellion and disobedience, opened the door for Satan to legally enter and gain authority to bring evil and the works of darkness into a perfect, sinless world. Knowing all the ramifications of this act allowing Satan into the garden, and knowing what it would take to reverse it, God laid it all out, “Satan will bruise yourheal, but the offspring of the woman will crush, Satan's head. So God had to bring redemption within the terms He had bound Himself to, by His own word, in order to give authority and power back to mankind, in taking back what he had given to the devil. “They who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light, and upon them the light has dawned.” Adam and Eve lost access to that God part of their nature, which they had in the garden, and now God was giving it all back.
The babe in a manger was God’s gift of His pleasure. No wonder the angels sang enthusiastically “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will to all men” Or did they??.... The original Greek language which this song of the angels was recorded in, (Yes, to be understood, they sang in Greek, they speak and sing in every language) but the song actually says, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will to those on whom His pleasure rests”
Wow, the angels are actually saying, that through this (God come in the flesh) baby, the pleasure of God is once again available and accessible. The results in the earth are peace and God’s will to those upon whom His pleasure rests!! Every good and perfect gift begins to be evident in those upon whom His pleasure rests!(How many want the pleasure of God on you).... His name is Jesus! Jesus is the pleasure of God....
When the Man Jesus came out of the water of baptism, and when He was transfigured before his disciples, the Father spoke the words, which in the original writing is .. Matthew 3:17 “This is my beloved Son, upon whom My pleasure rests”!!! Jesus accessed that, (God’s pleasure) as a man, so that we could walk in His pleasure as well.... Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, (speaking of believers in Christ) for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” God delights in seeing believers walk by faith as His grace empowers them. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He takes pleasure in his way.” As a parent, I take pleasure in every accomplishment and every growth season in my children, grand children and great grands. Their first steps, first words, first birthday, first day at school, graduation, marriage, birth of their children... and on and on. God is the same, and takes great pleasure in all the seasons of growth and development in our lives. Jesus wants us to believe big, to expect abundance, and to receive something bigger and greater in this life, and into eternity!
So at Christmas, laying there in a manger, we get a look at God’s Gift of a New World....
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever , more. The passion (or pleasure) of the LORD of hosts will do this”. God will do what He is now doing.... Lying in that crude manger, in a cow barn, was the future government of a new world, of peace without end, true and fair justice, and righteousness that will last forever! Imagine peace with no interruptions, endless justice and fairness, and righteousness everywhere and in everything. Oh, my, something bigger than just surviving in life, and making it to heaven is embodied in Christmas... No wonder Satan wants to make it about Santa, and materialism, and partying, and carnal joy andgreed and the almighty dollar.... because He wants to focus on those things, so we will get our eyes off the real meaning of Christmas! He wants it to be Happy Holidays, and Yuletide, and the Season’s greetings, but NO, NO, NEVER ABOUT JESUS!! In a Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon, Charlie Brown was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit so Linus said, “Charlie Brown, you’re the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.” (Well, Satan loves to do that)
Satan likes it just the way it is, and maybe a lot worse.... The last thing he wants is a New Government, and a New World....
The gift of Christmas is the Gift of Redeemed, Eternal Life. Notice, Isaiah 9:7 tells us... That the new government and that new world, “shall be from this time forth and forever.”Christmas gives new meaning to “the span of a person’s life”... When I was 15, Jesus appeared to me at Youth Camp. He walked up to my bunk, where I was worshiping, and I looked into His eyes. They were pools of eternity, that went on forever.... He said, “Follow Me” and I knew it was forever and eternally....My world was about to change!
Those who receive Emanual, have the pleasure of the Lord upon them, and they shall live forever! Oh, I love the message of Christmas! Buildings and every other structure of man, will crumble and collapse with time. The greatest achievements will become obsolete and gather dust in some ancient archive. But those who have the pleasure of the Lord, will be forever young.... (I like the idea of being 30 forever).
The Gift of Christmas is “All Things”..... Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him, freely give us all things”. When I was a kid, I would make a list of what I wanted for Christmas, and I knew I would get one thing on the list... But God says “All Things” come with the gift of Jesus! It is God’s pleasure to give us, Not a few dribs and drabs, Not to keep us barely making it, but He delights to freely give – without restraint or reluctance. He is NOT a withholding God. He gave us Jesus! He will not withhold from us any good thing!!!. Luke 18:29 “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that has left houses, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 30 Who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting”.
James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who GIVES GENEROUSLY to all men”. Christmas reminds me that I serve a generous God. He doesn’t just give to us to meet a need now, but He gives to provide for things we don’t even know we need yet and the wisdom to use it wisely.
Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen”.…
And that is only the start of His giving to you. Ephesians 2:7 tells us that God saved us “so that in the ages to come He might show us the surpassing riches of His grace & kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” He NEVER STOPS GIVING! He never will! God saved you to show you the surpassing riches of His grace, and kindness, for all eternity! Paul said, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him”. You can't imagine all the wonder God has prepared for you, because of Christmas!
Jesus is the Father’s declaration of intention toward us for all eternity!
Now let me clarify something, God’s greatest gift is not things, Christmas means that God's greatest gift is Himself. Henry Scougal, a seventeenth-century Scottish minister, said, "God has long contended with a stubborn world, and poured down many a blessing upon them; and when all His other gifts could not prevail, He at last made a gift of Himself." I like how the Message bible interprets John 14:1 “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into theneighborhood”. – (That’s everyone’s neighborhood)! For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son!!! Romans 8:32 Listen again to Paul as he says. (I want this to sink down deep in our spirits....“Having given us Himself, will He not freely give us all things”... The most fundamental promise God gives us is this: I will be your God and you will be my people! God gives himself to you! Even if we have very little in material things we are still fabulously and greatly blessed in all that matters most. We should never be overwhelmed by any loss, when we see all that God has prepared for us. God said to Abraham, “I am your shield, your very great reward”. God gave Abraham himself. If you have come to know God, and seen and experienced his glory and experienced his love for you, then you know something of the riches of possessing the gift of GodHimself. If you have God with you, for you, and on your side, you have it all. When God spoke that to Abraham, Abraham was a stranger and a sojourner in the land; he did not own one sq ft of land, but he had God. This is a place you need to come to if you will ever be truly happy and content at Christmas and through the New Year, God has given us Himself!!.
All things..... that’s Food, work, abilities, marital bliss, money, families, children, laughter, friends, flowers, birds singing, sunshine and blue skies, orange and purple sunsets, rain to grow, rainbows to glow, bacon and eggs and sourdough pancakes, pizza on Friday night, walking, running, and music and song - all these are gifts from God! Anything that you find pleasure in (that is pure and wholesome), anything that is good, of value and profitable in your life, is from God!
I heard a missionary share a story about their little daughter who for a long time wanted an American Girl doll. But they had no money and couldn't get her one. So they cut out a picture of an American Girl doll and attached it to cardboard, then cut out some outfits to hang on it, put some clothes on it and that was her American Girl doll. Well a couple of years later they came into a situation where they could buy their daughter a real American Girl doll.
They were so excited to give it to their daughter on Christmas morning. They couldn't wait to see her face. Of course their little girl opened the present the next morning and was ecstatic with joy and jumped up and down and said thank you mommy and daddy. But this father said his daughter's joy could not have been greater than he and his wife's own joy in giving her that doll.
Then he said this, “How would we have felt if our daughter had opened that package and said, mommy and daddy, I don't want this doll, all I want is you, all I want is to be with you. We would have been shocked because, by receiving and enjoying our gift to her, she was allowing us our greatest pleasure, in allowing us to show our love to her.” Material blessings do not to make us lovers of things if we see “The Giver Himself” through the gifts He gives us! These things are to make us lovers of God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy! Jesus provided fish on the fire for the disciples, He multiplied the loaves and fish, He turned water into wine, and He put money in the fishes mouth, and enabled them to catch a boat sinking load of fish. In all these things, the gift only caused them to worship the giver....
Paul tells the Christmas story from the cosmic viewpoint. He tellsthe Colossians Christians, in Col.1:15-20 that the baby born of Mary, “is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together… For in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things… making peace by the blood of His cross. Try singing that to the tune of “Jingle Bells” or “Deck the Halls with balls of Holly.” It just won’t fit, no matter how you sing it....
So then, Christmas is the Gift of A new beginning, when God restores His creation to its perfect and glorious condition, FROM THE INSIDE OUT, BY OPERATING FROM WITHIN IT. The baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger is none other than God’s “Behold I make all things new again” Our new beginning has arrived!!
Instead of using the option to destroy it all and return it all to oblivion, after sin entered into God’s very amazing creation, God chose to redeem His creation. He must renew and restore it. And for this, blood must be shed. Divine blood that makes all things new, and pure and holy and ‘very good.’
If Christmas is the promise, then Easter is the proof.
The flesh and blood of our new beginning must be the very fleshof God Himself so that it will be divine blood that poured out toconfront and destroy the curse. The swaddling clothes He is wrapped in is the promise of the grave clothes that He will be wrapped in. The manger He is laid in is a promise of the tomb that He will be laid in. The new beginning that God began when the Holy Spirit overshadowed the virgin Mary is accomplished when the baby she gives birth to, cries from the cross, “It is finished.” So, even if we cannot communicate all of this to those who we meet and greet during this holiday season, at least let US be aware of the meaning of what we are saying when we say, “Merry Christmas.”
Tell someone, “Merry Christmas is an amazing Gift which we are still unwrapping.
(shall we pray) Pastor’s prayer......Lord, Renew in our hearts the wonder and awe of the miracle of the Gift of Christmas. Not only us, Lord, but let it spread to our families and our friends. Let us come together to celebrate You and leave behind all the fuss and enter into the real beauty of Christmas. Let us sing Your praises with joyful thanks in love and devotion! Let us love our Lord who has loved us since the world began. In Jesus’ Name. I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours all the happiness God intended you to have. May He shower His blessings upon you and bless you with every desire which He has designed for you. Have a God filled Christmas and a profitable and fruitful year ahead.
My message today is Be Still And Know That I Am God...
The title of my message was written during the reign of Jehoshaphat when the vast armies of Assyria came against and surrounded Israel. after Hezekiah went before God gave him this instruction, and then sent one angel to destroy 185,000 Assyrians. God arose as their strength and help with supernatural intervention in this national time of trouble.Regardless of what Hezekiah was seeing as the enemy surrounded the city, God wanted him to know that He had not changed, and His promise had not changed. So the message to Hezekiah was exactly what he needed the most in this time of bad news coming from every direction..
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God”
These are the same words which God gave to Moses, when Isreal was trapped in a narrow place with the mountains on both sides, the Red sea in front of them, and the Egyptian army closing in behind them. Moses went before God in prayer and He said... Exodus 14:13 “Be still, and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again”.
The Bible is an exciting, supernatural book. It’s filled with world history, prophecy, theological principals, faith building stories, science, Geology, and ancestry…Anyone would have to really be an amazingly dull person to make the Bible boring!
But no one usually gets excited when they read through the begats in the bible, unless you just don’t have a life. You just try to get through them so you can get to the good stuff. I only read through the begats because I commit to read the WHOLE bible! Because all that begetting about as exciting as reading through the phone book.
It’s like the reaction of one college alumni meeting another, forty years later at the class reunion. The first guy says “Do you remember how I used to be so fat, well I’ve been on an exercise program for a few years, and now I compete in marathons.” “That’s great!” replied the other guy. “And…. (the first man continued), “Do you remember how I used to be so shy, and a fairly poor student? Well, I took a course in public speaking, and now I make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on the lecture circuit.” “That’s great!” came the reply. “So, what about you?” The first guy inquired. “How have you changed?” “Oh, Yes, I have changed,” said the very bored listener. “Remember how brutally honest I used to be and how when someone said something I was totally uninterested in, I would reply, ‘I couldn’t care less?’ Well now, I just say, ‘That’s great!”.
Sometimes waiting for God to do what He promised, is kind of like that.. We say about what God has promised... “THAT’S GREAT”... But when it comes to the waiting, we say “I COULD CARE LESS”.... The disciples find themselves In a storm which looks as though it will sink the boat they are in…and Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat… Mark 4:39 “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Well, this story is there in the bible, so we will understand that He’s the same today as He was then! Like the disciples in the storm, We know that Jesus is in the boat, but it’s hard to wait for Him to wake up and move into action, when the boat is filling with water! But the message from God is still “Be still and know that I am God”....
When everything is raging around you and you’re struggling just to hold on and stand where you are and the enemy has you boxed in, it’s hard to “be still”!
But when you know that before the enemy came up with your problem, God had already planned your solution and your victory, you can trust that the battle is the Lord’s and the victory is yours.
2 Chronicles 20:22 “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were defeated”.
Jehoshaphat, the King was told by God to send the musicians and singers out in front of the army… DO WHAT!!!! Chronicles tells us that they were to face the enemy and sing out over and over, one phrase, “Give thanks to the Lord, Forhis love endures forever’” (Over and over)
They worshiped in 3 stages of the battle....
They worshiped God before the crisis, they worshiped during the crisis, and they worshiped after the crisis. Worship was not an event they attended; worship was a way of warfare for the people of God. And God responded to their worship by giving them a fantastic victory.
Perhaps we have underestimated the powerful weapon, that our songs and our praise really is, as we begin the service. Perhaps we fail to see how important it is that we all lift our voices and raise our shouts of praise. Perhaps we fail to see what it does to the enemy as it sends confusion upon his forces and interferes with his plans. Church, let us understand how it sets the atmosphere for needs to be met, and folks to have supernatural breakthrough in their lives. Oh, Church, let’s sing when it’s time to sing and praise when it’s time to praise and drive the enemy back, because we know that the Battle is the Lord’s and He is fighting for us! And He never loses!
So while we’re waiting, let’s sing, during the crises let’s praise, after the battle, let’s do a little shouting!
There is a time to hold your peace and there is a time to praise and shout and sing out…Oh that the Lord would find some folks at Eagle’s Rest, going into service time, singing and praising like warriors going into battle!!!
Please get a hold of this... Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.
Knowing the value of waiting, can revolutionize your life!
Waiting, in the original Hebrew tongue, is “kaw-vaw”... It means to be looking, believing, and expecting... It also tells us, that as a result of this waiting time, of looking, believing and expecting, They shall mount up to a higher place.... and they shall come forth from the waiting place, running, without getting weary and walking without fainting.... While we’re in the place of waiting, we can make the moments count. We can evaluate our priorities. We can make time for eternal things. We can make time to use the gifts God gave us. We can make a nobody feel like a somebody. Make your voice heard. Make time to enjoy the small, everyday things. Make someone smile. Make the change you know you need deep inside. Make reconciliation. Make a difference. Make sure to tell your people they are loved. Make sure you have no regrets. Make sure you are ready when the waiting is ended.”
He's The God of the waiting... Most of the best things that happen in our lives are revealed at the end of a time of waiting. We are told that Jesus was 30 years old when he began his public ministry after being baptized by John but that's actually not the case. You see, Jesus was 30 years plus 9 months of waiting. He was God become flesh in Mary's womb, he was as much God in the womb, as He was when the waitingwas done..... Look at the scripture that tells what happened when Mary who was about 3 months pregnant, got with Elizabeth who was almost 9 months pregnant with John the Baptist... … Luke 1:40 “Then Mary entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. v41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. v42 In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”!… John leaped inside of Elizabeth, when he came in contact with Jesus within the womb of Mary... Most theologians believe that John was filled with the Holy Spirit on this occasion, to prepare for the assignment before him. Jesus was still God, even though hidden in Mary’s womb... (OH SUCH A MYSTERY)
My point is that God is as much God in the waiting, when He seems to be hidden from us!
In the space race of the 60’s, A Russian Cosmonaut went up into space and said, “I see no God up here”… But an American astronaut went up into space and the American said “I see God everywhere”… The difference was not the place or situation they were in, but it was the eye of the beholder, that had changed. While you’re waiting, see God everywhere! It’s easy to get distracted by a lot of things, but when our quest and our priority is to look for Jesus, to find Him wherever we go and whatever the situation, then we will begin to see Him all over the place.
Song of Solomon 2:13 “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come forth with singing. 14 I have hidden you in the cleft of the rock, in the place of safety..” Have you considered that the place of waiting, was your place of safety, where God hid you from the enemy who was out to destroy you. While you were complaining that nothing was happening, God was saving your very life.....
While Moses was waiting on the mountain, for a word, ofguidance and instruction... Exodus 33:22 says “I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have finished passing by”.
Believe me, there were many powerful forces out to destroy this tool which God used so mightily to deliver His people from bondage. Your waiting place may well be, the place where God is protecting you because Satan knows what God has planned for you.
We need to understand, that perhaps while you’ve been waiting on God, He’s Been Waiting For You.... I hear Him saying to all of us what He spoke to me....and I wrote it out....
”Come with Me to the narrow place, to the place of your first love. It is the place of your lost passion. It is the place where you will recover your joy and peace. It is the place where worry, anxiety and fear cannot enter because fresh revelation and clarity in the Spirit, banish these carnal and soulish things. Allow Me to restore and refresh the vision of your youth and renew the hope that was once so vibrant and strong. Through all the twists and turns, I have brought you to this place of deep desire to know My touch and hear My voice. I have been speaking, but there were so many other voices. I have been moving in your life, but you thought you could make it happen. Welcome back to My unending grace and My all-encompassing love. I have been waiting for you to return, now cast aside the restraints which have been placed upon the gifts I gave you, and the anointing upon your calling. Now, is the time of My fresh stirrings and the rekindling of the flame. Step through the veil and come into an open heaven. I have been waiting for you.
In the waiting, you are revitalized with the strength of God that is endless and renewable. You are cleansed and purified in the complete perfection of God's sanctifying sacrifice. You are redeemed – mind, body, and soul. By faith, God is bringing it into the clear light of manifestation. It is there already available inside of us, ready to come forth, Jesus said, believe you have received it and you shall have it..
No matter what the body is saying, You are well, whole, vital, and strong in your spirit being. The God life is already withinyou, inside of you. The energy of God awaits your call. The power of God flows through you now, renewing and restoring you. Failure does not exist with our Father, through Jesus the Son.....
You are strong, because God is your daily strength. Sometimes you may think that the challenges you face are greater than your strength. At such times it is good to remind yourself that God is your strength and that you have the God-given capacity to meet and overcome all challenges. In our changing, transitional situations and circumstances, God has not, and will not change. Quiet your thoughts, your emotions, and your physical body, and affirm in prayer:
I AM STRONG IN MY SPIRIT, MIND, SOUL AND BODY. FOR GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE!
Makes me feel like going out and putting post em notes everywhere saying “Be still and know that I am God”......
Be Still and Know, as the world gets darker, God’s goodness and glory will be seen more and more evident in your life.
Be Still and Know that God’s heart is for you to possess His abundant provisions and thrive, Spirit, soul and body.
Be Still and Know that the challenges you face will not defeat you but make you stronger.
Be Still and Know that the battle is won before we see the victory…
Be Still and Know, The Lord has already prepared the way and everything you need is ready for you to win this battle and overwhelm this enemy. Just be still and know….
He didn’t bring us this far to leave us, He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown, He didn’t build His home in us to move away, He didn’t pick us up to let us down…. Be Still and know again, and again, that He is God!!!
Prayer, Lord, I believe and declare that through Christ I am redeemed from the curse of the Law. He has made me to triumph over poverty, over sickness, over fear of the future, and all the ghosts of the past. I delight myself in the Lord and He gives me the desires of my heart. Through Christ I am positioned for His good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, that men shall give unto me. With the measure I give, it is now measured to me. I give cheerfully and my God has made all grace abound toward me and I have all sufficiency in all things. There is no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ. Jesus came that I might have life and have it more abundantly, so that I might reign in life through Him as I am clothed in His righteousness. I will continually magnify the Lord, because He has placed His favor upon me and His grace abounds in my life. I am growing in God’s divine favor and I am maturing more and more in my faith walk. The favor of God goes before me creating divine appointments, connections and relationships. I seek the Lord with all of my heart and He delights in my prosperity, for He makes me the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. I expect and receive God’s excellence and overflow to manifest in my character, in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, and I expect the OVERFLOW to manifest in my health, my finances, my life, my family, my workplace and His church. The overflow will cancel out all the losses of the past and release more than enough for the future! Lord, I make the decision to be someone You can trust with finances. I have faith that I will experience an overflow of God’s blessings so that I may bless many others around me. I am decreeing these things because I have been positioned with authority which the Lord has given unto me! In Jesus Name! Now, I stand still as Your beloved child and allow You to do what You have declared over me… I am looking, believing, expecting and receiving, In Jesus Name….
The message title for today is “Talking To Mountains”….
Matthew 17:14 And when they had come to the multitude, there came a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, v15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic (afflicted with epilepsy or insanity), with painful and destructive episodes, often he falls into the fire, and into the water. v16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.
v17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, (Those who turn away from the purpose of God) how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him to me. v18 And Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. v19 Then came the disciples said to Jesus privately, why couldn’t we cast him out? v20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief, for surely I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you (means you) shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to a far place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. v21 However this kind of results will only be achieved by prayer and fasting”.
Jesus compared the situation which this father faced with his tormented son, as a mountain, that needed moving.
Mountains are a symbol of the hardships and difficulties of life, they rise and tower high over our heads and represent the insurmountable problems that we often face. We can’t be like the old Jewish man kibitzing at the Wailing wall, when someone asked him how many years he had been doing this. He said, he had been coming every day since 1967. The question was then asked, “How do you feel about all that praying here at the wall”? The old man said, “It’s like talking to a wall”... Mountains are about problems to be solved, obstacles to be overcome, crosses to be lifted high in triumph, burdens to be borne successfully, troubles to be triumphed over, and difficulties to be dispatched and resolved. Sickness can be a mountain. Troubles are mountains. Hardships are mountains. Family crises are mountains. Death is a mountain. All of our lives are like a mountain range stretching out before us. But Jesus reminds us in our scripture today that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to each of these mountains, "Move from here, to way over there," and it will have to obey you. This tells me that Faith never has to stand alone, it always has the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as it’s partners. And there are forces far greater than the seed, but that tiny seed sets in motion, violent energy which produces amazing results.
Matthew 11:12 “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." —An intercessor releases a violent force against the kingdoms of darkness. A tither releases a violent force against the destroyer.... Those who witness to others about salvation’s plan, release violence against Satan’s kingdom and all these are taking it by force.....There is a domino effect that begins to happen to topple the mountains one by one. It is not your mountain that determines the outcome, but it is the seed which you sow, which puts a demand upon your mountain,that has your destiny and your desired outcome attached to it. The seed puts a demand upon the earth to bring forth and produce. By faith we must change ourinner outlook before we can change our outer reality…. That change comes when we are honest with our inner areas of rebellion and disobedience, then we can find alignment which will bring us into harmony with our destiny. Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 1, says, "Faith is the inner substance of things hoped for, which contains the outer evidence of things not seen." And, frankly, that makes all the difference. It's not always what's on the outside looking in, that matters, but what's on the inside looking out that really makes the difference. When Hannibal’s African army was crossing the Alps and struggling to march into Italy. It was an amazing and unbelievable accomplishment, Infact, it was one of the greatest acts of military strategy and courage in human history. In the account given of this event, it is said that when Hannibal got to the Alpine mountain range, his army began to rebel. The soldiers saw these mountains rising up into the clouds, like a giant colossus before them. They saw this incredible barrier and were so intimidated, they were paralyzed with fear. They were ready to quit, turn around, and go home. But we’re told that with defeat staring him in the face, Hannibal rallied his troops by positioning himself between them and the mountains, then, pointing toward the Alps, he declared, "Forward march, we don’t see the mountains, we see beyond the mountains to the prize which awaits us!" And with those words the army of Hannibal went forward, against incredible odds, across the mountains and on to victory. Your obstacles may look like Hannibal’s mountains….but sometimes you’ve got to get right up to it and just declare, "Forward march”… We don’t see the mountains, because there’s someone standing between you and the mountains. He’s the God of the mountains and His name is Jesus. All I can see is the prize that He has promised if we will be faithful! “Forward march”, I don't see that problem, I see Jesus standing in front of it, saying because I have overcome, you shall overcome also….. “Forward march”, I don't see that obstacle, I see Jesus raising up a standard of victory …..“Forward march”, I don't see that hardship, I see Jesus, my greater reality saying “come unto me all that are weary and I will give you rest…..“Forward march”, I don't see that cancer, I see Jesus, taking the stripes on his back for my healing, for by His stripes I am healed!.... “Forward march”, when Jesus stands in front of the mountain, the mountain shrinks in size compared to his greatness, and His power!" The reality and substance of your Faith can change your outlook.. And if your outlook has been changed, it doesn’t matter what mountain Satan has placed on the horizon. In Colossians 3:1 the Apostle Paul, is facing his own eminent death and says “If you are now risen with Christ, then seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. v2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. v3 For you are dead to the flesh (the carnal appetites and desires), and your life is hidden with Christ in God” Unbelief and doubt are matters of the heart. Paul is telling us that if we have our hearts full of trust and devotion to God, there will be no place for doubt and unbelief to get into our heart, or our affections, and Faith will keep transforming our outlook and our outcome as a result…… That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 “Where your treasure is, there will your heart (your desires and affections) be also. v22 For the light of the body is the eye, if therefore your eye be single (focused and centered), your whole body shall be full of the light (of truth)”. Faith can move mountains, because faithtransforms your outlook on life so that it’s about what’s inside your spirit, not what lies outside, on your horizon. “Faith can move mountains because faith will always find a way where there Is no way”. Faith enlarges your view, and finds another way which couldn’t be seen before. Faith enlarges the possibilities of your life. Faith expands your options because faith brings God directly to bear on any situation. The SOURCE OF OUR FAITH is stronger and more eternal than any mountain in our life” Fear and doubts focus on your limits, what you don’t have, what you can’t do, and is based on your failures and short comings of the past, while faith grabs hold of the possibilities, potential and promises that lie ahead in your future.
Doubt, fear, and all the enemy’s lies and intimidation, belong in only one place.... UNDER YOUR FEET! Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings forth a good report, that publishes salvation; that declares in my Holy Hill, Thy God reigns! In the constant principles of Math, when you have an equation and you change one variable in the equation, you change the outcome of the equation. An equation is a mathematical statement that has two expressions separated by an equal sign. The expression on the left side of the equal sign has the same value as the expression on the right side. One or both of the expressions may contain variables. Solving an equation means finding the value of the variables on each side by manipulating the expressions. (let’s simplify this) Theexample we have here is (x = 4+8) …to solve this equation we would add 4 and 8 and find that x = 12, but if the equation were changed so that (x=8+8) the value or outcome becomes 16… So, when God is factored into your life’s equation, the outcome is required to changeWhen (x=God). Everything changes, it has no other option. We all want God's grace to operate through our trials. We want God's grace to move through united prayer, through laying on of hands, through a Rehma word from God, or through a prophesy or teaching….but it’s wonderful to know that God's grace will move through any means necessary to bring about the end that God would have for us. Grace will find a way, where there is no way, a way we never deserve or qualify for! Faith enlarges your vantage point and creates new unseen, never thought of possibilities. A problem is only a problem as long as there is no solution. If there is even a hint of a possibility of a solution, then you don't have the same problem any longer…. The equation has changed. Now you have options. In the midst of famine, A cloud the size of a man’s hand changed the equation and the outcome for Elijah and Israel….The jawbone of a wild donkey, changed the equation and the outcome for Samson, when facing overwhelming odds…. A mere walking stick, changed the equation, and changed the history of a nation, as Moses picked up the rod, and plagues came, the Red sea opened, water flowed from a rock and the promised land was reached and occupied….. A small stone, changed the equation as David placed it in his sling, and brought down the giant and victory came instead of defeat….. If you've got God in your life, sure you'll have problems, but with God in your life there are always other possibilities. It changes the equation! With God, all things are possible....Here’s the equation.... (x= with God all things are possible, which means on the other side of the equation, if the unknown is with man, then, with man all things are possible..... Before creation, there was nothing.. but God changed the equation with words of faith…and authored a new possibility and Creation came into physical reality…. Jesus died on the cross, and His disciples thought all was lost, but God created a new possibility and presented another option instead of death and raised Him who is our first fruits, to new life and we are raise up with Him…..Faith can move mountains because faith enlarges the possibilities and probabilities of life. Faith can move mountains because faith connects us to the God of the Mountains! Our God is a mountain shaking, mountain moving God. We used to sing a song that says… He’s God in the middle of the ocean, He’s God in the middle of the sea, He’s the God of all creation and He’s the God for me, I know God and He don’t ever change, I know God and He always will be God…He’s God way up in heaven, He’s God way down in hell, He’s the God who speaks to the mountains, He’s the God who makes me well, I know God and He don’t ever change, I know God and He always will be God!! God does some of His best work when you’re surrounded by mountains. The devil is like an old barking dog trying to stop your parade….He’s barking out to you, that it’s over, (Woof) that you’re dead in the water, (Woof) your dreams and hopes are never going to happen, (Woof) just give up and die and get out of my way…(Woof) You’re never going to see those children saved, their hearts are too hard, it’s just a pipe dream…(Woof) You’re never going to get out of debt, that’s for other people to enjoy, but not you. (Woof) And when you look at your present circumstances and what you’re seeing and feeling, it can be tempting to agree..... But somebody needs to make up their mind that they are going to hold on to the promise and hold on to the prophecy, hold on to the dream and the vision and keep moving forward, because Jesus has positioned Himself between you and your mountain and He has changed the equation and made it possible for you to have a different outcome! What we don’t realize in these times is that we are building a place in our obedience and perseverance, for God’s blessings to come flooding in to offer new options and new possibilities! We are expanding our capacity to receive a greater glory, a greater power, a greater anointing a greater blessing than we have ever had in our lives. Be not weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not. This is the due season of Divine fulfillment… and your obedience has blasted open the barriers and opened up the way. John 14:2 says, “ I go before you to prepare a place (kho'-rah…an expansive territory that you may occupy), that where I am, there, you may be also. If it were not so, I would have already told you”. In the same place where the enemy said “it’s over”, God says “the famine is leaving”. In the same place where the enemy said “I’m going to destroy you”, God says “you are more than conqueror”. In the same place the enemy says “I’m going to destroy your ministry”, God says “the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage”. In the same place the enemy says “I’m going to destroy your marriage and your family”, God says in “Acts 11:14 “Your household shall be saved” . The enemy says “I’m going to destroy your health and your finances”, God says Isaiah 59:19 “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him”.. In that same place where the devil said “you’re going to dry up and die”, God says, Psalms 118:17 “You shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD”.. John 10:10 “The thief comes, only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that you might have life, and that, more abundantly”. In that very same place, you’re getting ready to tap into a fresh anointing and a brand-new supply of the glory and the power of God. You could have quit, you could have given up on your dreams and your hopes, but something entered into you, and something began to stir inside of you, something that was a shout in your spirit, that your season was changing, something that shouted, that it’s going to get better, something within, shouted that, “weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning”. You’re going to rise up with a new boldness and a new faith and determination and a new anointing and you’re going to go into the enemy’s camp and you’re going to take back everything he stole from you during the drought, the hard place, the mountain experience. The prophet said, “I hear the sound of an abundance of rain”…it hadn’t appeared yet, but the equation had changed and he began to respond to that new sound!” The smell of miracles is in the air. The sound of revival is in the air. The fragrance of a new anointing is in the air. It’s on its way and You can’t see it now, but it’s already been released from heaven. What has already been done, assures us of what will be done. There is a breakthrough and God is trying to tell you (its closer than you think). You’re on the edge of your miracle; the drought is breaking right now, the season is changing (that financial strangle hold is breaking). You’re getting your joy back, you’re getting your fire back, you’re getting your vision back, you’re getting your passion back, you’re getting your health back, your family back, your finances in order, and a fresh jump start to your career. And when you look back, it just took one more shout, one more thank you Jesus, one more Hallelujah, one more dance, one more march around the walls, one more push, before something began to happen. Your praise has broken through the heavenlies. Your praise is creating an open heaven atmosphere for the power and the glory of God. So, start praising God: like you already have it. Start praising him like the mountain of debt has already moved far away. Start praising him like the marriage is already restored. Start praising him like the sickness is already healed. Start praising him like those children are already saved, filled with the Holy Ghost and working in the church. Start praising him like those doors of opportunity have already swung open. Our praise, our hope, our joy and our confession, change the equation and make possible a brand new outcome! Your mountain has come to overwhelm you, but all it’s going to do is elevate you!.... It was in the mountain environment, that Moses met God in the burning bush and it was on a mountain that he received the 10 commandments, written by the finger of God. It was in a mountain setting that Elijah faced the prophets of Baal and God’s Glory was revealed by fire, which settled the dispute of who the true God really was. It was in a mountain setting that Isaac was offered by Abraham and the glory of God’s saving grace spared him from sacrifice by providing a ram caught in the thicket. Jesus was transfigured on a mountain top, and crucified on a mountain called Calvary, where God’s heart of mercy allowed a better sacrifice than the blood of bulls and goats, and the glory of His redemption plan was offered to all men who believe…… We serve.. El Shadi...(The Almighty God) The God of the Mountains! Matthew 17:1 And after six days (of teaching the disciples who he was, and what was ahead) Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, up into an high mountain alone, v2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light…… God didn’t bring you to your mountain to disfigure you, but to transfigure you… you’re not here to retreat, but to defeat your enemy….You haven’t come to this mountain to be brought down but to be elevated to new levels of hope, joy, peace, power anointing and provision. He can make mountains, and move mountains, He can shake mountains and break mountains, He knows when to take us up and when to humble us, when to inspire us and when to take us by another way. And our faith connects us to our God and allows us to stand transfigured before our mountains. When that happens, our lives become connected to something greater than the mountains and those mountains have to move.
The next time you face an impossible “mountain”, tell it that the God of the Mountains says to “MOVE!” AND if YOU AGREE….. (SHOUT….”MOVE” )
Tell your loneliness that the God of all Comfort says “Get out of my way!” Tell your frustrations, God will have the final say, so, “Move on down the road”! Tell your turmoil that the God of Peace says, ‘Leave me now!” Tell your poor health that the God of Healing says, “I’ve had enough of you!” Tell your mountain, “Mountain, I command you to move, because the one who is my creator, has given me authority over you”. You are expanding your capacity to receive a greater glory, a greater power, a greater anointing a greater blessing than you have ever had in your life. You’re putting on some spiritual muscle, getting a backbone of steel, lifting the mighty sword of the Spirit, and getting some diamond spikes on your shoes, so you can run up a mountain….! Let us rise up with a new boldness and a new faith and determination. As we move into the rest if the year ahead….There’s the scent of miracles in the air. The sound of revival is in the air. The fragrance of a new anointing is in the air. It’s the season for invading the enemy’s camp and taking back what he stole from you. It’s time for restoration. We are called to occupy until He comes! Isaiah 43:18 Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. v19 For behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Hallelujah, to El Shadi….. The God Of The Mountains!
There is a mountain mover inside of you right now!!
I was facing a spiritual mountain this past week, and I began to press in to God’s promises, I began to order my thoughts and proclamations to line up with God’s word and I was getting it on, folks. I was storming heaven, when the Holy Spirit said, “It’s already in You”.... Holy Spirit reminded me, that greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world.
He reminded me of Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh (energeo) in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure”. This word in the Greek this means “to take what is within you and manifest it outside of you”....
Then He took me to John 1-1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (skip to) v14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld the glory, of the one and only Son of God...” Think about it, the divine energy took the word which was deposited in a 13 year old virgin, brought it forth and manifested the Savior, creator, redeemer to the world.
The very Messiah which she, and those before her had prayed for hundreds of years was deposited in her and manifested to the world.... Just as God deposited His creative word in Mary, He has deposited his word in each of us, so that He can manifest His will and plan to our world. There is something you’ve been praying and believing for that is already in you. It is stirring and growing so that it can reach the point where it can be manifested.
God has planted buildings in me by His word, and they became manifest, He put a radio station in me and it was manifest, He put cars in me when I had no transportation, and they were manifest, there were Homes, and finances, which I had no way of acquiring.
When I was pastoring in Maryland, God put a Christian School in me and the church had no money to even think of doing that. Two people stepped forward and cashed out their retirement account, to get me started with 40,000 dollars. Then people began to invest in the vision, till we had 600,000 dollars to make it happen. When it was built it was worth over amillion and a half.
When Elijah fled from Jezebel and was by the brook, God put some things inside of him. Remember that he found a widow woman, with only a little meal and a little oil, and he came to her in a terrible famine, and asked her a key question...
What do you have in the house”?
God is speaking to someone, that what you’ve been praying for and believing for is already in the house.....what’s on the inside is waiting to be manifested on the outside... Say it with me, “Victory is where I live”...
Say it again... “Victory is where I live”.... Victory is more than receiving an answer to prayer.... Victory is a lifestyle....Victory is where I live!!! Lord raise it up and manifest it, raise it up and manifest it..... Raise up what is on the inside and display it on the outside.....
Prayer for today…… Father, in the Name of Jesus, thank you for opening supernatural doors in our lives today. Thank you for a double portion of your Spirit as we take back everything that the devil has stolen: Emotional Health, Physical Health, Finances, Relationships, Children, Jobs, Homes and Marriages. We cancel every plot, plan and scheme the enemy has devised against us in the MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS. We declare that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US WILL PROSPER. I speak LIFE into every dead situation. And, I thank you that nothing is over until YOU say it's over! We speak prophetically into lives and situations. Our households are blessed, our health is blessed, our marriages are blessed, our finances are blessed, and our businesses are blessed. Father we declare that our jobs are blessed, our children are blessed, our grandchildren are blessed, Our parents are blessed, our siblings are blessed, our ministries are blessed and, our decisions are blessed. Marriage partners are on the way, mortgages are paid and debts canceled, and our lives are blessed because we love, honor, serve and exalt the Blesser. Where there is pain, give Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your Divine ability. Where there is weariness or exhaustion, I ask You to give understanding, patience and strength as we submit to You. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask for renewal and greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release inspired, bold, fearless courage. Where there is any issue that is blocking the way, reveal it, and break its hold.
Father in the Name of Jesus, I proclaim that this is a season of intense physical, emotional, mental, and Spiritual favor from the Lord. A place of joy and laughter, a place of strength and refreshing, a place of Your glorious presence invading every aspect of our lives. Thank you for the fresh scent of miracles in the air, for the sound of revival, and the fragrance of a powerful new anointing. To God be all the Glory, for great things He has done, is now doing, and will continue faithfully to do. In Jesus mighty name, Amen
