Author: Hal Hollister Ministry

The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.” Numbers 22:32-33

This is the story of Balaam, a prophet of God, who was lured by Balak, the king of the Moabites, with a promise of wealth to speak a curse against Israel.

Balaam was very determined and headstrong to meet with Balak and he beat his donkey three times for refusing to travel to this meeting.

This is a very endearing story about the faithfulness of God to bless His people and His determination to destroy the evil intentions of the Moabites.

Balaam should never have allowed this situation to develop in the first place. He should have recognized the evil intentions of Balak and distanced himself from any encounter with him.

Balaam allowed his desire for wealth to interfere with the will of God. He was willing to yoke himself with the darkness of the Moabites to benefit himself.

The point of this story is you and I have to maintain pure motives pleasing to God and turn away from anyone tainted with darkness or evil intentions. It doesn’t make any difference how alluring or prosperous the offer, light does not mix with darkness.

If you enter into any form of a commitment with an ungodly person you will have face to the consequences of your decision and the judgment of God.

It is essential you inquire of the Lord before making these kind of decisions and abide in the will of God.

You do not have to experience the restraining donkey who has more sense than you in seeing the will of God.

As a footnote to this story, Balaam was killed for enticing Moabite women to seek sex with Israelite men. The Israelites who participated in this fornication were also killed.

Light cannot coexist with darkness!

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come. When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.” John 7:7-9

This scenario deals with a conversation between Jesus and His brothers. There was a Jewish festival in Judea and His brothers urged Him to go and openly display His works. Jesus told them His time (to die) has not yet come and He must move discreetly because the Jews wanted to kill Him.

Jesus told His brothers to go to the festival as they were not in danger and He would remain in Galilee.

His brothers did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and his mission was to be crucified for the sins of all humanity. If His brothers understood who Jesus was and His calling from God, there would have been no argument. They would have submitted to the wisdom of Jesus.

The significant part of this story is Jesus telling His brothers the world cannot hate you but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.

You and I live in a world that hates Jesus and wants to overthrow His influence and authority. Jesus brings light to the darkness of the world. He exposes the evil intentions of mankind and the hypocrisy of religion.

Jesus boldly states He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one can come to God except through Him. He defies religion and hates evil.

Jesus simply invites all to come to Him by faith. He forgives your sins, restores you to God, and implants the Holy Spirit to dwell within you.

You are a light for God and the world hates you. Like Jesus, Satan wants to destroy you. It is imperative to live in oneness with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. He will guide your footsteps and give you discretion in dealing with the ways of the world.

Remember, the world is not your friend. Your sanctuary is living with Jesus and abiding in the Holy Spirit.

“Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19

It seems impossible the Living Jesus can come down from Heaven to meet with you today. However, it is possible and He earnestly desires to have a personal and vibrant relationship with you. Jesus comes by invitation and with respect for His greatness and glory.

Jesus dwells in the moment and wants to infuse Himself into your life today. Come before Him with openness and a quiet spirit.

Jesus is omniscient and knows everything about your past, present, and future. He desires to reveal Himself to you and share His wisdom for your life. Jesus wants to protect you and guide you into His abundant life.

Develop the discipline of inquiring of the Lord before making decisions whether they are big or what may seem inconsequential. Jesus wants to be the Lord of all your life. He delights in those who commit their works each day to Him and walk in oneness with Him through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus speaks and acts at times in a paradox manner which may not make sense to you. Remember, Jesus does not think or act like you. What seems rational to you may not reflect the thinking of Jesus.

Jesus is unconventional and does not function according to the ways of the world. You have to accept the will of Jesus by faith and look to Him and not the circumstances in your life.

Meet Jesus today through prayer, living in His Word and take time to “Be still and know that I am God”. Your life is in His hands and He is your only hope for salvation.

Great is the Lord and worthy of your praise!

“Thus you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.” Ezekiel 11:12

The Israelites found out the hard way that “I am the Lord”. They suffered severe judgments of God for failing to honor Him and keep His statutes.

The question today is “How do you know that I am the Lord”? Do you have to wait for the judgments of God to sweep our country in order for God to get your attention?

How can you meet the Living God and have no question in your heart that He is the Lord and has power and dominion over the heavens and the earth?

First of all, you have to recognize God is not illusive or distances Himself from humanity. Jesus, the Son of God, wants to have a personal and vibrant relationship with you and demonstrate to you He is the Lord and there is no other God.

This can only happen if you come to Jesus by faith and accept Him on His Word. Faith comes by hearing and accepting the truths of God without a sign or any evidence.

The decision for Jesus is to agree to lose your life in order to gain His life. Until you reach this point, you will be unable to know that “I am the Lord”. Whether you are a believer or not, you cannot come into the reality of God and see His greatness and glory unless you want to live for Him.

The turning point is seeking first the kingdom of God above all else and building your life on Christ Jesus.

Then you will meet the Living God and know with unequivocal faith that “I am the Lord and there is no one like Me”.

“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:5

If you want to be filled with the life of Jesus and witness miracles you have to accept the Word of God into your life by faith. There is no other way to approach God. And, you cannot compromise your relationship with Jesus through works or laws.

Without faith you cannot please God. Jesus calls you to accept Him unconditionally without proof or evidence. The life of a disciple is walking by faith not by sight and trusting God for your every need. Your life is centered around the promises of Jesus and you draw upon His life for your sustenance.

The decision for Jesus is an act of faith. You agree to lose your life for His life. If you half heartily come to Jesus you will never experience His greatness and glory.

The transformation into a new creature in Christ Jesus will cause your old habits and thinking patterns to fade away and your perspective on life and value system will change to reflect the character of Jesus. You will see life through the eyes of Jesus.

The miracle of salvation is Jesus fills you with His Spirit and you live with Him forever. Invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over your life and you will see Jesus at work in every phase of your life.

The secret is to live by faith and walk in oneness with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!

 

“And you shall know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.” Ezekiel 11:12

This was a stern prophetic warning from the voice of God directed to the Israelites around 571 BC.

The message is God is bringing judgment on Israel for their detestable sins and lack of fear and respect for God.

This warning is also the reality of God today for the Body of Christ. The judgments of God will not be postponed and the Body of Christ will be severely shaken and suffer greatly over living in a fantasy about the retribution of God.

The Body of Christ was created to be a holy people reflecting the renown, praise, and glory of God. As a believer, you are a member of the “set apart” people of God filled with the life of Jesus. You are a light shining in the darkness and you live in the world but you are not of the world.

Unfortunately, today it is difficult to tell the difference between a believer and a non believer. We tend to blend into a world which is like Babylon of ancient times where greed, lust, and sexual immortality abound and there is little respect for God.

The Body of Christ tends to treat sin lightly and covers up the recompense of God. The truth is you are accountable to God for all your actions and you live under His hand of judgment.

You cannot hide in religion. It is not a safe place and it refuses to acknowledge the reality of God.

The sanctuary of God can be discovered when you surrender yourself to Christ Jesus and live in oneness with Him.

“That they may be one even as we are one” John 17:22

It is possible to live every day in the presence of Jesus. He can become alive and invested in every detail of your life. This happens through your abandonment to the Living Christ. 

Spiritual truth is learned through inviting Jesus to have authority in all the circumstances of life. You cannot learn the truths of God through an intellectual approach.

Many believers do not want to face the reality of God. It is too frightening and upsetting to life. So they escape God through doing works. It is safe and non threatening to do works. They attempt to determine their standing and righteousness with God through their works. Unfortunately, this approach will distance you from the presence of God.

You grow spiritually by applying the truths of God into your life. The Holy Spirit teaches you about the life of Jesus and how to appropriate the embodiment of His life into your living circumstances.

Walking with God is about living by faith and maintaining a oneness with God through the Holy Spirit. It is about committing your works each day to God and asking Him to guide your footsteps. You take self out of the picture and invite God to lead you through all the activities of your day.

Come before God today seeking His will and direction for you. Ask Him to show you His heart and priorities. This is not always easy. It requires prayer, listening to God, and dwelling in the Word.

As you enter into the reality of Jesus you will be surprised at His priorities. He is not so much concerned with what you do but how you do it. He wants you to draw upon His life for your every need and challenge. And, He does not want you to follow the ways of the world.

As human beings, we live in a culture oriented around achievement and success. The secret to living with Jesus is resting in Him. Learn to cease from striving and allow the Holy Spirit to go before you. He desires to do for you what you can never accomplish on your own.

The reality of Jesus is abiding in Him!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Easter is coming soon. You can have a personal encounter today with the person of Jesus Christ and then you will understand the reality of Easter.

Come to Jesus and you will quickly discover He has power and dominion over the heavens and the earth. It is a breathtaking and terrifying experience to meet Jesus. You see His greatness and glory understand there is no one like Him. Jesus causes you to see how incomplete and weak you are compared to His majesty and splendor.

You stand in awe over the omnipotence of Jesus who chooses to love you unconditionally and desires to have a personal and vibrant relationship with you. Jesus teaches you who He is and reveals your impoverished inner condition. You grasp the hopelessness of your life and realize that you can never match up to the character of the Son of God.

Jesus knows you better than you know yourself and His purpose is to guide you into His ways and provide you with protection from the evils of the world.

The amazing thing about Jesus is He wants to enter your life and bring His excellence into your relationship with your family, your work, and your interests in life.

The gift of Jesus is eternal life. You live with Him forever. Salvation is a decision to live for Jesus and die to self. Easter is experiencing the personification of Jesus Christ.

Jesus wants to give you an abundant life and fulfill the desires of your heart. However, He does not think or function in the ways of the world. The call of Jesus is to seek Him first above all things. He wants all of you. Invite Jesus to have authority in every aspect of your life.

Walking with Jesus is a call to give His life to others. Jesus fills you with Living Water so you can be His light touching those living in darkness!

Make this Easter alive with the person of Jesus Christ! He died to give you the fullness of His life!

“For in Him we live and move and have our being” Acts 17:28

How can you find the rhythms (pattern of movements) of Christ Jesus in your life?

You cannot live in the world of Jesus. You have to invite Him to live and work through your life.

Jesus promises to draw near to those who draw near to Him. Begin your day seeking first the kingdom of God through prayer, praise, and the Word of God. Come to God with a desire to do His will today.

Jesus tends to function in the present. He wants to meet you today and supply your every need according to the riches of His glory.

Commit your works to God and He will flourish you with His thoughts. He desires to give you heavenly wisdom and guide your footsteps. You have the mind of Christ.

Pray for the strength of God. Jesus wants you to be successful in your every endeavor today. It is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God.

Jesus has created boundaries in your life. They are for your protection and safety. Live in oneness with Jesus through the Holy Spirit and function within His boundaries. Troubles come when you overstep the Holy Spirit.

The rhythms of Jesus tend to work below your consciousness. He is at work at all times to sanctify you with His life and crucify your desire to live for self.

The priority of Jesus is to bring down demonic strongholds and draw those in bondage to Himself. You have to recognize this important biblical principle and be open to participate in spiritual warfare.

Intercession is a constant in the life of Jesus. The Spirit within you makes intercession for those living in darkness.

Jesus wants you to experience the freedom to “touch and go” in your relationship with Him. He will not allow you to cling onto His glory and majesty.

Jesus fills you with His life and then releases you to go about your affairs with confidence and boldness in the promises of God.

 

“Not my will, but yours be done” Luke 22:42

Easter is just around the corner. It will be here and gone in a matter of days. The good news is the Living God will endure forever.

How can you prepare to meet Jesus this Easter season?

The traditional methods of worship are prayer, fasting, participating in religious services, wearing an ash mark on your forehead, or attending an advent bible study.

These activities are nice gestures but they are not life changing. The Easter holiday for many believers is simply celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Then life goes on!

The question is do you really want to accept the Cross into your life! This is a life changing decision and you will discover the reality of Christ Jesus. Easter is about enduring suffering, pain, and death. The Cross crucifies your old life and allows you to be resurrected as a new creature in Christ Jesus.

The Cross magnifies your inner nature. You see that you can never be right with God. You have been sold under sin and can only be restored to God through the blood of Christ Jesus.

To prepare for Easter, come before the throne of God and offer your body as a living sacrifice to Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the parts of your inner nature which are in conflict with the design of God. Then repent from this condition and ask to be filled with the new life of Christ Jesus.

If you truly are a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things will pass away and all things will become new. There is no status quo (or normalcy) with Jesus.

The Cross does not conform to the ways of the world. The Spirit of Jesus transforms you through the renewal of your mind to comprehend the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. In essence you lose your old life but gain the life of Jesus!

Easter is an opportunity to meet the Living Jesus and live in oneness with Him through the Holy Spirit. Invite the Holy Spirit to have authority in every aspect of your life and you will experience Easter everyday of your life.

Easter is living out the life of Jesus!