Hal’s Blog

“In the whole land,” declares the Lord,
“two-thirds will be struck down and perish;
Yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
They will call on my name and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” Zechariah 13:8-9

The judgments of God are inevitable! They are written in His heart.

You and I can choose to accept His judgments or you can distance yourself from something that seems so surreal and impossible to take place.

The reality of God is His judgment is over the world and He plans to punish us for our sins and lack of respect for the Creator of the heavens and earth.

In the perfect timing of God, He plans to strike down two thirds of the population of the world and leave a remnant of one third.

The remnant will be refined by the fire of God and severely tested to measure their faith and obedience to God.

The remnant will live with God and call on Him for their every need. They will walk by faith and not by sight.

The circumstances of life will never effect their loyalty to Christ Jesus. They will be firmly grounded in the bedrock of Christ Jesus and nothing will be able to shake them away from God.

The question to ask yourself “Is the Lord your God”? Where does He rate in the priorities of your life?

Have you built your life on the words proceeding out of the mouth of God or are they in competition with your worldly needs?

You cannot compromise the Word of God. You have to accept the wholeness of God if you want to belong to the remnant.

God never changes. His character lives forever! You and I have to change and come under the authority of God.

What impresses God is your unwavering faith in His promises. You live in the world but you are not of the world. You live through the breath of God!

Come to God without any exceptions and He will respond “You belong to Me!”

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

Prayer is engaging God in conversation. You talk to God and He talks to you.

Prayer has no beginning or end. It is the integral part of your relationship with God. Prayer is living with God and inviting Him into every aspect of your life.

Prayer is a recognition of your utter helplessness and the greatness of God.

Prayer is reaching out to God by faith and believing in His promises.

Prayer is offering yourself as a living sacrifice to be used as He pleases.

Prayer pleases the heart of God. He wants you to submit your every need to Him.

Prayer is a pure and holy approach to plead with God for those who are suffering, living in bondage, or lacking the salvation of the Lord.

Prayer keeps you honest with God. You invite Him to search your thoughts and ways and correct you from any actions not pleasing to Him.

Prayer is speaking and singing praise to the Creator of the heavens and earth whose name is exalted above all names.

Prayer is allowing God to go below your consciousness and make intercession through His Spirit for those living in bondage to sin.

The prayers of a righteous man avails much. The eyes of God are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cries.

Prayer fills you with the wisdom of God and teaches you how to appropriate His values into your life.

Prayer causes the joy and peace of God to fall upon you.

Prayer is acknowledging the greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty of God!

 

“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest’” Hebrews 4:3

This amazing truth about entering the rest of God will change your life forever. You will understand in the depth of your heart the power of God and your inadequacy as a human being. The Cross will become a reality in your life.

God created the heavens, the earth, and every living being in six days and then He rested.

God made a promise to you to enter into His rest by faith.

The rest of God is an acknowledgment of the greatness and glory of your Creator. It is a recognition to cease from your works as God did from His works and walk by faith with God. You see the futility of self sufficiency and the grandeur of God.

Resting in God is expressing your obedience to God and living by faith in His promises. It is a commitment to walk by faith and not by sight.

Today, when you hear the voice of Christ Jesus accept Him unequivocally without any doubt or unbelief.

God swore in His wrath that the Israelites would never enter His rest. They fell into unbelief and died in the desert. They did not receive the precious promises of God.

As a disciple of Christ Jesus you enter into His rest by faith and understand it is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God.

He lives so I can live in His rest!

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25

Jesus has been resurrected and lives with His Father. This is your only hope for life today.

If you are a believer the resurrected power that lifted up Jesus and took Him to heaven lives in you.

This is the miracle of life for a believer. This is the source of your wisdom, strength, and joy. You will never understand the reality of God unless you live with Him through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit brings life to the scriptures. They become alive in your heart.

Jesus prayed that you might be one with Him even as He was one with His Father. Come into oneness with Jesus by yielding to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will reveal the transfigured Christ and He will share the life of Jesus with you.

You can choose to accept Jesus as a figure in the Bible or invite Him to be your best friend and walk closely with you through all the challenges of life.

You have the mind of Christ! Be still and open up your mind to hear the voice of God. He desires to fill you with wisdom and protect you from the perils of the world.

Experience the resurrected Christ who promises He will do for you what you can never do for yourself.

The resurrected Christ is your hope for life today. There is no other way!

 

 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” John 14:3-4

Jesus has prepared a place for you. He gave up His life so you can have the gift of eternal life. This life is about living with Him today and will never end.

Jesus promised that He would come back from death and receive you to Himself. The purpose of the Cross is to take you into oneness with Jesus.

This truth is much deeper than life after death. It is about life today with your Creator. Jesus wants to meet you at your point of need. He lives in the moment and nothing is impossible for Him!

Jesus is the path to eternal life. He lives in believers in the essence of the Holy Spirit. Abandon yourself to God by speaking these words from your heart; “Not my will but yours be done.”

This declaration to God will set you free to live in the presence of the Living Christ. You will be able to walk with Jesus towards your higher calling.

The miracle of the Living Water is “Christ in you” and this truth will fill you with the life of Jesus and satisfy your soul. You will never thirst again because you will live by the words that proceed directly from the mouth of God. Christ will be the foundation and centerpiece of your life.

The simplicity of Christ is giving up your life for the life of Christ. And, you will discover He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.

God will become your best friend and your helper. He will be the strength of your life and the source for the precious treasures of God.

Jesus lives with an invitation for you. “Where I am, there you may be also.”

 

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

I seldom share my personal testimony because I believe the Word of God changes life not your testimony. However, the Holy Spirit wants me to share this life changing experience with you.

I lived with a misconception about Jesus until I was in my mid 30’s. My understanding of God was He lived in heaven and no one could really get close to Him. I thought He was too busy with the business of the Kingdom of God to deal with someone like me.

I thought the significance of the Cross entitled me to go to Heaven but I didn’t really want to think about death! I was a young man with a long life ahead.

My view of God was shattered when I met the Living Jesus. I discovered quickly He wanted to be my best friend and alive in all the details of my life. Jesus speaks to me everyday of my life.

The turning point in my life occurred about two years into my journey with God. It was a cold winter day and I was on my knees in prayer.

God abruptly came into the room and His presence was the most terrifying experience in my life. I have no words to explain His greatness and glory. I wanted to run out of the room or hide under a table. I really thought I was going to incinerate under the intensity of His glory. I can only describe facing God as trembling in terrifying fear.

God did two things in this visit with me. First, He revealed Himself to me. I saw His greatness and glory. I saw that He is holy and without sin. I saw He is compassionate and loving. I saw that God has no ego and His primary purpose is to draw people to Himself. I was amazed and in awe over this majestic God.

Then God showed me who I was looking through His eyes. It was disgusting to see myself. I was ashamed to see how I fell so short of the standards of our Holy God.

After a few minutes God left the room and I was numb and in shock. One of my first conscious thoughts was God has the power to destroy Russia (who was our Cold War enemy) in a second.

I now knew in the deepest part of my heart God was omnipotent and nothing was impossible for Him. And, I have never again doubted the greatness of God!

At the time I had no idea why almighty God would allow me to see the transfigured Christ. Who am I to be in the presence of God?

However, God is omniscient and knew the trials and tribulations He was planning to send my way. He knew the severe testing and the pain and suffering Jan and I were going to endure in this journey with Jesus.

In the bleakest moments of my life, I would look to God and tell Him I don’t know why you are allowing this to happen to me but I know you can change these circumstances in a second.

Regardless of my distress and feelings of anger and bitterness at God, I knew I had no other place to turn except to Him.

I have met the Living God and no one can compare to Him!

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

This is one of the most misunderstood statements in the Bible and religion has attempted to turn this into a works doctrine to justify you before God.

It is true that a believer is a new creature in Christ Jesus and undergoes a deep and precise sculpting by the hand of God. This is the process of dying to self and living for Christ. You become transformed into the life of Jesus so you can be a light touching those living in darkness.

The remarkable thing about the preparation of God is this started before you were born and culminated in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

The first misconception about this verse in Ephesians is failing to understand the works of God were finished on the cross with the death of Jesus. And, you do not have the capability to do anything for God. It is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus dwelling within you that will change lives.

Secondly, the works have to be born of the Holy Spirit and not be an effort of the flesh or religion to justify yourself before God.

It is also important to understand the Holy Spirit will direct you concerning the works of Christ. You don’t have to go looking for works to please Jesus. Just wake up in the morning and the works will be waiting for you.

The most effective ministry in your life will be the efficacy of the Living Water pouring out of you and touching others. This is the life of Jesus and is untainted by ego or religion. People see the Living Christ through your words, actions, and demeanor.

Think about unbelievers for a moment! They are everywhere. Jesus said they cannot receive because they neither see or know God. They are blinded to the things of God.

It is usually an exercise in futility to quote bible verses or talk religion to an unbeliever. So the question is how can they be reached?

Unbelievers will be reached when they have a personal encounter with the Living Christ. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. You enter the highway of holiness when you hear and accept the gospel in your heart.

Finally, you must operate in your ministry with the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit which are dispensed to you by God. The gifts are designed to draw people to God. If you are unsure about your gifts, review the description of the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and then ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom.

Prayer is most effective in becoming a witness for Christ. Ask God to anoint you with His Spirit each day and guide you into doing His work. He will show you how to pray for those people around you and your responsibility as a believer.

Your ministry will be a reflection of your faith in God. Living by faith in the promises of God will authenticate your works before Christ Jesus and all those around you!

People will see the Living Christ in you and want the precious gift of eternal life!

 

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Deuteronomy 4:24

God is a spiritual being and has a personality and range of emotions just like you and me. He wants to be your best friend and alive in your life.

God is very jealous! And, His jealousy is like a consuming fire. You might ask why is God so jealous? He has power and dominion over all things. He lacks nothing!

The consuming fire is about you! God wants all of you. He does not want to share you with other gods or idols.

He gets very jealous and angry when you shut Him out of compartments of your life or choose to place the things of the world above Him. He wants to be first on your priority list.

God does not want you to turn Him off and on like a button on your computer. He wants to be online with you at all times.

Think about your thoughts, actions, and how you spend your time. Are you in balance with God?

A good method to measure your spiritual life is to ask yourself do you spend an inordinate amount of time, money, or energy pursuing an earthly desire?

The perfect symmetry of God is a blend of prayer, praise, dwelling in the Word, and learning to be still and listen for the voice of God. It is about living grounded in Christ Jesus and yielding to the Holy Spirit in all the details of your life.

God has no ego! You and I are self driven people and it is so easy to turn your attention to the things of the world.

Come to Jesus and ask Him show you what is blocking you from living in the fullness of His presence.

It is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit!

“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.” Proverbs 13:11

The underlying truth concerning prosperity for a believer relates to your motives.

The role model to follow is the action of Jesus after fasting for 40 days and being tempted by Satan to turn the rocks into bread.

Jesus responded “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Jesus yielded his hunger for food to the will of God.

God wants you to have money! In fact, He wants to give you more than you ask or think. However, you are accountable for all your actions. You can’t take shortcuts or employ dishonest intentions and expect God to bless you.

Dedicate your work to God and ask Him to keep your motives pure.

You can do this by committing your works each day to God and asking Him to fill you with His thoughts. In this way, you are inviting God to accompany you to work.

God wants to infuse you with His strength, wisdom, and creativity so you can excel in all your endeavors.

God does not bless you under any obligation. There is no relationship to your works and the prosperity of God.

God blesses those who walk by faith, live by His values, and are obedient to His voice!

The discipline of placing your work each day on the altar of Christ will cause His favor to fall upon you. This is an act of expressing of your subservience to almighty God and asking Him to reign in your workplace.

Remember, God is always about priorities! You have to seek Him first and all the other things of life will be added to you. Your work has to be in third place behind God and your family.

Jesus lives to bless you abundantly in your work!

 

 

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10

Here are my thoughts today inspired by the Holy Spirit about the purpose of life for a Christ follower:

The purpose of life is to glorify Christ Jesus in your thoughts, words, and actions.

Live grounded in God through prayer, the Word, and yielding to His Spirit. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

Come to know the suffering, death and resurrected life of Christ Jesus.

Knowing Jesus is more important than trying to serve Him. Serving Jesus can easily distract you from His purposes.

Live in harmony with Jesus by worshipping Him in Spirit and Truth. Be still and know that I am God!

The bedrock of your relationship with Jesus is living by faith believing in His Word and not what you see with your eyes.

The gift of eternal life is “Christ in you” and is like a fountain of Living Water springing up to everlasting life.

You cannot grasp the grandeur of God but you can live with Him through His Spirit. That they may be one even as we are one!

The greatest honor you can give to God is inviting Him to fill up your flesh with the afflictions lacking in Christ for His Body the Church. This is the act of sacrificing yourself to be an intercessor for God and allowing Him to work through your Spirit to set those free living in bondage to sin.

My purposes are eternal!