“And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” Isaiah 33:6

The question is what will motivate someone to come to God? It will never be the fear of punishment. It is a promise that God can give you a better life than you can ever achieve on your own.

The treasure for the man or woman who fears the Lord is stability and a wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.

Jesus is a loving and kind God. He wants to give you an abundant life and bless the desires of your heart. The fear of the Lord is not about punishment. It is about salvation and a new life. It is an invitation to participate in the goodness of God and to live with Jesus forever.

The fear of the Lord is an acknowledgement in the depth of your heart that Jesus must come first in your life above all things. It is a recognition of the greatness and glory of God and accepting your only hope in life rests in Him.

Jesus is compassionate and merciful. However, He does have the authority to bless and curse and your life is in His hands. This is why it is so important to be accountable to God for all your actions.

The fear of the Lord is honoring Jesus in both the good times and the difficulties of life. Many people stumble away from Jesus during the troubles of life. They fall into unbelief and rebel against God.

The Spirit filled believer may become angry, fearful, or bitter over the trials of life however he or she knows Jesus is the only viable option and regardless of feelings will walk by faith with the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is an openness in your heart to seek the will of Jesus and live a life pleasing to Him.

The fear of the Lord is accepting His Word without doubt or evidence. You walk by faith and are obedient to the calling of Jesus even though His direction may not make any sense to you.

The fear of the Lord is accepting the wisdom of God and rejecting the foolishness of the world.

To share in the treasures of the Lord, abandon yourself to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over your life. You will meet the Living God and you life will never be the same.

The fear of the Lord is life saving and eternal!

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:24-25

Greetings on Palm Sunday! Today we are commemorating Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. He comes as a triumphant King who will die to give you the gift of eternal life.

Jesus explains that He is like a grain of wheat which must fall into the ground and die. The act of dying will bring much new grain. The Cross was the only option for Jesus to draw people to Himself.

Like Jesus, you and I have to be willing to lose our life and reject the temptations of the world to inherit eternal life.

If you are serious about Jesus you will have to follow Him through the journey of death and resurrected life.

Jesus wants one thing from you. He wants you to be obedient to Him without any reservations or doubt.

This is very difficult because He will take you down a path which is the antithesis of the world and you will have to accept His ways by faith without any evidence or proof.

Jesus died to leave you with the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood. This is how you can live in the world but not be of the world.

The Spirit lives in you and He fill you with the life of Jesus, the Water creates new life, and the Blood forgives all your sins.

Rejoice and celebrate Palm Sunday. It is God’s gift to you!

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:14-15

It was just before the Passover Festival and the disciples were assembled together with Jesus. It was also near the time of the betrayal and death of Jesus.

After the meal Jesus washed each one of the disciples feet. He set an example of what you and I are to do for each other.

As a believer, you are a servant to your master and under His authority. You are a messenger sent from God to proclaim the good news of Christ Jesus.

The symbolic event of washing feet to become clean relates to the work of the Cross. You cannot wash the feet of those around you but you can invite them to come to Jesus who offers forgiveness of sins and redemption to God.

You have been chosen by God to be a member of the “set apart” people of God. You are a light shining in darkness filled with the renown, praise, and glory of God.

In reality, you need the Cross more than a non believer. You live in a world filled with evil and hate for Christ Jesus. And, you constantly have to be alert to the temptations of the world and your inner urges to please self. If you allow yourself to become tainted by the world, you lose your value in sharing the Living Water with others.

Jesus said you have to put the new wine into new wine skins. If you try to pour the wine into old wine skins the wine and the wine skins will both be ruined.

As a disciple of Jesus, you are a living sacrifice designed for good works. Live as a new creature in Christ Jesus with a willingness to be baptized into the death and resurrected life of Christ Jesus.

“What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41

As believers, you and I have good intentions and desire to be obedient to Jesus. Unfortunately, we all stumble away from Jesus at times.

Jesus simply asked His three disciples to watch and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane for one hour while He prayed to His Father. They fell asleep and Jesus rebuked them by responding the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The disciples failed Jesus at the most difficult time in His life. This happened because they were weak men and lacked the Spirit of God.

You and I do not have any excuses for falling away from Jesus. We are filled with the Holy Spirit who desires to guide us into the pathway of Jesus.

What happens is we lapse out of oneness with Jesus and allow the flesh to have control over our actions. We succumb to the temptation because we are not abiding in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

The troubles of life come when you step out of the protection of the Holy Spirit and attempt to satisfy your inner urges. When this occurs you fall out of the safety net of God and you diminish the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is why it is so important to invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over all of your life and walk in oneness with Him.

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!

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.