Devotion: God Is An Artist

According to the first chapter of Genesis, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26).  Many people have a hard time reconciling the fact that mankind is “created in the image and after the likeness of God,” but it was the original man and the original woman that were “created in the image and after the likeness of God” (Genesis 1:27).  And since each of us are a copy of the original man or the original woman, then we too were “created in the image and after the likeness of God.”  Now, when God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” he was not referring to the image that you see when you look in the mirror.  Jesus tells us “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24), which means you must be a spirit as well.  Wow!  You are actually a spirit being, “created in the image and after the likeness of God.”  This does not mean that your spirit is not similar to the form that you see in the mirror because throughout the Bible, God is described as having features such as hands, arms, a face, and back parts (Exodus 33:22-23), but you are a spirit being first and foremost.  What you see in the mirror is actually your physical body.

According to the second chapter of Genesis, “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground” (Genesis 2:7), which became our physical body.

“For he knoweth our frame (understands our constitution); he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).  “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19).  “All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust” (Job 34:15).  “For that which befalleth (happens to) the sons of men befalleth (happens to the) beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence (advantage) above a beast: for all is vanity.  All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20).

So the reflection that you see in the mirror, that physical body that you see is made of dust and to dust is where it will return.  Also according to the second chapter of Genesis, “the Lord God breathed into the nostrils” of what he had created “the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).

“The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4).  “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration (breath) of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Job 32:8).  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Corinthians 3:16-17).  “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3).  “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

Now according to the second chapter of Genesis, the man that the Lord God formed from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils, the breath of life, he, “became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).  “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45).  More about this “last Adam, who was made a quickening spirit” another time.

The “soul” is defined as “the nonphysical aspect of a person, which contains a person’s most important feature, his or her essence.”  This is where the deepest and truest nature of a person can be found.  It is here that the most complicated human attributes can be found, such as a person’s consciousness, thoughts, feelings, and will.  The soul is where a person’s emotional and moral nature can be found.  This is a place where the most private thoughts and feelings are hidden.  The soul is the thing that gives each person his or her distinctive character.  It is also believed to be the one part of man that continues to exist after the body dies.  Basically, you are a spirit being, which has a soul, that lives in a body or a house made from the dust of the earth.  Paul put all of this into perspective for us when he spoke to those at Thessalonica.  In his epistle to them, he appears to give us a picture of the components that form the whole man.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23).

You are not the image that you see when you look in the mirror.  You are actually a spirit being, “created in the image and after the likeness of Almighty God,” who is himself “a Spirit.”  You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), truly God’s crowning achievement; a masterpiece created by a divine artist.

Once again, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God's Word Is Vital

All things are important when it comes to the things of God, no matter how trivial they may appear to be.  There is so much information to tell, so much information to share, and still so much more information to find.  So much so that unless you get all the information at one time, a lot of it gets lost in the interim.  The Bible is a mystery book with many secrets, hidden in plain sight just waiting to be found.  The Bible appears to hold a double meaning when read, one by which you can find truth and understanding about the things of God and one that just seems to leave you confused about and unable to grasp the meaning of the things of God.  Are you one who has a clear understanding or one who is just downright confused?  Guess what?  This is why God has told us to seek wisdom and know-how.  This is why we need to get understanding, get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions, and get the ability to perceive and to explain the meaning or nature of things.  Because once we have these things, then revelation knowledge will come, and we will no longer be confused.

There are answers for everyone in the Bible but many of us take the things that we read at face value, which means that when we do read the Bible with our limited knowledge of the workings of God, we believe that the way things appear to be is the way things really are, without ever thinking about what else they could mean.  And even in that, we will accept only those things, which fit into our belief system.  We have not taken the time to truly seek God, to truly find out what he is trying to tell us, or to truly find the meaning of the scriptures that they read.  God tells us to study to show thyself approved unto God so that we can rightly divide the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15), but most of us do not adhere to this command to study.  God tells us to study to show ourselves approved unto him, so that we can rightly divide the word of truth.  So, what do you think this word of truth is?  Could it be the Bible?  Could God be telling us to study the Bible so that we can rightly divide it?  And if the Bible is the word of truth, then how does one rightly divide something that is supposed to be truth?

The word of truth is given to tell us what to believe (for doctrine), what is wrong (for reproof), how to correct wrong (for correction), how to live (for instruction in righteousness).  We are to rely on the word of truth because it includes everything needed to grow in maturity, to be perfect (meaning proficient or capable), and to do what God wants (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The idea that we are to attend to his words holds little meaning for some because they believe that just carrying a Bible with them fits the commandment.  How so very wrong they are.  When we attend to his words, we learn that they are life unto those that find them (Proverbs 4:20-22), which means that God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.  God wants us to attend to his words, which means that we need to listen carefully to his words and we need to pay close attention to what is being said.  When was the last time you intently studied the word of truth?  Is it time to start?

This means that there must be more to knowing God then just opening the Bible, reading a few verses or so, and coming out believing that you are knowledgeable about the things of God.  Matter of fact, God tells us to immerse ourselves in his word.  He tells us that we must hunt for, look for, and seek the answers that he has provided us through his instruction manual.  But in order for us to do this, we have to open our mind, we have to open our heart, and we have to seek the wisdom of God so that we may see the truth.  This truth that we are talking about is the truth that God has been trying to reveal to us for many years.  This might mean that you will have to pick that Bible up, open it, and do a little more than just read it.  You may have to dissect it.

If you remember, God told us to study so that we can rightly divide the word of truth.  We would imagine that if we truly immerse ourselves in his word, while we hunted for, looked for, and sought the answers that he has provided for us through his instruction manual, that we would eventually be knowledgeable about the things of God.  So, until we do, we guess we will just be . . .

As always, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Come And Enter Into His Rest

“Although God’s promise still stands—his promise that all may enter his place of rest—we ought to tremble with fear because some of you may be on the verge of failing to get there after all.  For this wonderful news—the message that God wants to save us—has been given to us just as it was to those who lived in the time of Moses.  But it didn’t do them any good because they didn’t believe it.  They didn’t mix it with faith.  For only we who believe God can enter into his place of rest.  He has said, ‘I have sworn in my anger that those who don’t believe me will never get in,’ even though he has been ready and waiting for them since the world began.  We know he is ready and waiting because it is written that God rested on the seventh day of creation, having finished all that he had planned to make.  Even so they didn’t get in, for God finally said, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’  Yet the promise remains and some get in—but not those who had the first chance, for they disobeyed God and failed to enter.”

“But he has set another time for coming in, and that time is now.  He announced this through King David long years after man’s first failure to enter, saying in the words already quoted, ‘Today when you hear him calling, do not harden your hearts against him.’  This new place of rest he is talking about does not mean the land of Israel that Joshua led them into.  If that were what God meant, he would not have spoken long afterwards about ‘today’ being the time to get in.  So there is a full complete rest still waiting for the people of God.  Christ has already entered there.  He is resting from his work, just as God did after the creation.  Let us do our best to go into that place of rest, too, being careful not to disobey God as the children of Israel did, thus failing to get in” (Hebrews 4:1-11 TLB).

When you come to God, you are saying that “you” want to repent of your sins.  You are saying that “you” recognize the wrong in the self-fulfilling, sinful evil natured things that “you” have done and “you” are sorry about doing them.  You are saying that “you” regret your past actions and that “you” want to change your ways.  You are saying that “you” are ready to pick up your cross and crucify your sinful nature.  So, when “you” come to God, it be “you” that repents of your sins; it be “you” that confesses with your mouth; and it be “you” that believes with your heart.  It be “you” who tells God that “you” are changing the inside of your house.  It be “you” who tells God that “you” do not intend on continuing in your sinful ways.  It be “you” who tells God that “you” are ready to submit to him.  It be “you” who tells God that “you” are ready to worship and praise him.  When you come to God, it be “you” who does all of these things, because it is “you” who believes.  When you come to God, it is “you” who says that you have come to the end of yourself.  This is where “you” find the beginning of God.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

When you are ready to come to God, it be “you” who repents of your sins, who confesses with your mouth, and who believes with your heart (Romans 10:9-10).  When you are ready, it be “you” who wants to submit to God (Psalm 40:8), to praise him (Psalm 148:1-10), and to worship him (Psalm 66:4).  When you are ready, it be “you” who humbly comes before God (I Peter 5:6) and it be “God” who accepts you as you come, who forgives you of your past sins, and who wipes clean your slate (Hebrews 10:16-17).  But more importantly than anything else, it be “God” who reconnects his Spirit with your spirit, giving new life to your spirit (Ephesians 1:13).  And for those of you who have experienced this, you know the feeling that comes upon you when this happens.  You get this fire all up in your spirit as if it has been supercharged (Acts 2:4).  You get this unbelievable desire to serve, praise, and worship God for everything that he has done for you.  And so, let us continue to do our best to enter into this place of rest, this full complete rest that God still has waiting for his people.  Let us enter into this place of rest where we rest from our labors of trying to obey the law.  However, remember to be careful not to disobey God as the children of Israel did; you may fail to get in like they did.

May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We pray that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Claim Back Everything The Devil Has Stolen!

“And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; and had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.  So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.  Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.  And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.  And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod.  And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.  And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?  shall I overtake them?  And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all” (I Samuel 30:1-8).  “And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.  And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all” (I Samuel 30:18-19).

According to scripture, when David and his men returned home on the third day, they found that the Amalekites had raided and burned the city to the ground, while carrying off all the women and children.  David would later ask God if they should pursue the Amalekites and God responded saying, “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”  So, David did as the Lord God instructed him and scripture records that “David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away.”  David got back everything that had been taken.  He and his men recovered their families and all of their belongings.  David was even able to rescue his two wives.  David recovered everything.

This is a very popular passage that has been applied to us claiming back everything that devil has stolen from us, but is this scriptural or a misapplication?  Yes, Jesus tells us, that “the thief come to steal, to kill, and to destroy,” but at the same time, Jesus tells us that he come that “we might have life and have that life more abundantly” (John 10:10).  Scripture tells us that “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (II Corinthians 8:9).  Jesus, who was “manifested to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8), “came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  Many believe the son of man’s main purpose for coming was to save individual lost souls, but truth be told, saving lost souls was the by-product of what he actually did.

There were many things lost that Jesus saved, but one of the more important things was “the authority” (dominion) (Matthew 28:18) that “the first man had lost” (Luke 4:6), “in the garden when he ate of the fruit” (Genesis 3:6-7).  This is how the devil became known as “the god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4) or “the prince of this world” (John 12:31).  In getting back this authority (dominion), Jesus also gave mankind the ability “to cast out devils and to lay hands on and heal the sick” (Mark 16:17-20), along with several other things.  Jesus, who “redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13), also gave man the privilege “to become a child of God” (John 1:12-13), so that all could share in “the blessing of Abraham” and receive “the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14).  As a child of God, man now has “the right to” the inheritance of the new covenant, “a better covenant, built with better promises” (Hebrews 8:6-13), the right to “a divine inheritance to the best in life,” deserving all the Father has to offer (Romans 8:14-17), which includes the right to “good health, wealth, and total life prosperity” (III John 1:2).

Here is a thought to keep in mind; by not claiming and taking control of your rights, privileges, and inheritance, you have pretty much handed them all over to the devil.  So, before you go charging off to pursue the devil and try to take back everything that he supposedly has stolen from you, you might want to take inventory of the rights, privileges, and inheritance that Jesus gave to you through his sacrifice on the cross and lay claim to them instead.  This just might be more profitable than trying “to take back something from the devil” that he does not have control over anymore.

May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We pray that you will be the better for having read this message.  If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Are You Strong In The Lord?

Imagine believing yourself to be a believer, only to find out what you believed you were, you were not.  Imagine believing yourself to be a follower of Jesus, only to find out that the one whom you claimed to follow, was not the one that you needed to follow.  Imagine believing yourself to be saved because you believed you joined the family, only to find out that the family you joined, was not the right one.  Imagine believing yourself to be free from condemnation, only to find out you have been held in captivity, because you have rejected the knowledge needed to make yourself free.  Imagine all that you believed was based in untruths, based in deception, based in lies, and based in fiction.  Imagine believing in a truth that has been manufactured by the great deceiver himself, all for the sole purpose of taking you out of the kingdom of heaven.  Imagine not even being aware of any of this until it was too late.

We are so eager to meet Jesus that we see him in pots and pans, on building walls and in sidewalks, and in all kinds of food such as bread, chips, tortillas, bananas, and even in the bite mark of a Kit Kat candy bar.  The problem is that all of these images mirror the paintings that we currently have of Jesus, which are someone else’s interpretation of what they believe Jesus to have looked like.  The Bible never gives us a clear physical description of what Jesus supposedly looked like, yet we believe we are able to see images of him in so many things.  God warns us that “there will come false Christs and false prophets who will give great signs and do great wonders, so much so that if it were possible, these things could turn the very elect from the true way” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).  The Message (MSG) puts it this way:

If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, ‘Here’s the Messiah!’ or points, ‘There he is!’ don’t fall for it.  Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere.  Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better.  So watch out.  I’ve given you fair warning” (Mark 13:21-23 MSG).

This is a very illuminating passage.  The fact that the great signs and great wonders of the false Christs and the false prophets are so convincing that these things could trick “the very elect,” those who ought to know better, means that all who are not “the very elect” are in trouble of being deceived.  Do you know to whom “the very elect” refer?  Are you sure about that definition?  The possibility that “the very elect” could be deceived is a little disturbing and should raise all kinds of red flags.  While many believe they are “the very elect,” the possibility does exist that they may not be what they think they are.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils?  and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Scriptures tell us that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter into the kingdom of heaven.  For they will ask, “Have we not prophesied in your name?  Have we not cast out demons in your name?  And have we not done many wonderful works in your name?”  But Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you, therefore, depart from me you that work iniquity.”  Does this mean that “the many” who claim to be “in Christ” are not what they profess to be?  Are “the many” already deceived?  Here is the disturbing part, they, “the many,” will not find out any of this until the end, when it will be too late

When the judgment comes, “the many” will come to the Lord and tell of all the things that they have done in his name, but he will tell them to depart from him.  You see the deception is not what one would think or even recognize.  Most recognize “the works of iniquity” and know that these things are never of God.  Therefore, one can see Jesus telling them who do or practice such things to depart from him.  But the one thing that many fail to recognize is “to whom” the Lord is actually speaking.  While it appears that the Lord is referring to those “workers of iniquities” when he tells them to depart from him, he is actually speaking to those that “he never knew.”  Because they never truly received Christ and trusted in his name, they were not given the privilege to become “a child of God” (John 1:12-13).

The sad part is they truly believed, yet they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  They truly believed, yet they were never part of the family.  They were never part of the family because they believed in someone who was not the real deal.  They never truly received Jesus, so they were not given the privilege to become a child of God.  They believed they received, only to discover that the one they received, was from the one who continues to deceive the world.  They believed in the message of the one who can appear as “Christ’s apostle” and whose servants can be transformed to appear like “godly ministers” (II Corinthians 11:12-15).  They were deceived by the false Christs and false prophets.  “Are you strong in the Lord?”  If this message causes unrest in your spirit, then you may not be as “strong in the Lord” as you should be.  The good news is that it is not too late to make a change.

We pray that today’s message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: The Fall Of The Devil

We have had several discussions about the wicked one we call Satan.  We know that the scriptures do not reveal much detail about this entity, but the lack of verifiable facts has not stopped the speculation about him and his existence.  We know from our earlier discussion that there are no indications as to when the revolt happened or even when the fall took place.  The Bible is somewhat vague about how he became known as Satan and even vaguer about his origins.  We know that the scriptures do not reveal much detail about this entity, especially in the Old Testament, mainly because there was not much man could do about him; mankind was sort of at his mercy.  The one question that remains unanswered from our previous discussions is “How did he become evil?”  Many think or believe God created Satan, but this does not appear to be the case.  God created the entity known as “Lucifer, son of the morning, or Day Star” (Isaiah 14:12), who happened to be one of God’s highest angels, created perfect in beauty, wisdom, and morality (Ezekiel 28:11-19).  Satan appears to come along later, but the question is when?

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning” (I John 3:8).  “For the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The earth is given into the hand of the wicked” (Job 9:24).  “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9).

The above scriptures make it very clear that the devil sinned from the very beginning.  However, much of the problem with the entity called Satan is his beginnings.  It is not clearly defined in Scripture when Satan actually came into being  So, what was Satan’s beginning?

There are several theories in place where people attempt to explain the existence and nature of Satan.  Some subscribe to the “Genesis Gap or Ruin-Reconstruction theory.”  They believe that something happened between the time when God created the heavens and the earth and when the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  The “Genesis Gap theory” uses the period between the first and second verses of “Genesis” to account for many of those unanswerable questions about “the age of the earth and the age of the universe.”  This is and continues to be the biggest hindrance for many as they struggle to accept the truth concerning the Word of God.  The evidence for the theory is derived primarily from scientist, who have found through scientific testing, that the earth is billions upon billions of years old.  The teachers of this theory use these scientific findings and the biblical teachings to cover the unexplained chronological gaps that exist between the two.  In the “Genesis Gap theory” they believe that a catastrophic event, a cosmic war by Satan destroyed the original creation.  They believe that because of the fall and the revolt of Satan, led to some type of judgment that befell the earth.  There are many theories that exist similar to the “Genesis Gap theory.”  Common to all of these theories is the belief that the fall happened before the creation of man because of the serpent approaching Eve.  They share in the belief that the fall of Satan had already taken place and he used the serpent to express himself.

One of the biggest problems for us was the word “theory.”  By definition, “a theory” is “the formulation of an opinion or a belief about something arrived at based on incomplete and inconclusive facts or information through speculation or conjecture.”  The bottom line is that a theory is someone else’s best guess.  Now, this does not automatically mean the guess is completely wrong, it just means that one should exercise caution in what is accepted as truth.  At this point in our walk, we have left the world of theory and have since tried to live in the world of truth, supported by biblical facts and evidence.  However, with what appears to be a lack of verifiable facts pertaining to the origin of Satan and his fall, are we to stop short in our quest for truth by compromising and accepting “the theory?”  So often, this is the case.  Many believers have searched to find the truth about the God we all claim to serve, only to compromise and accept “the theory.”

Because they compromise, they fail in their efforts to seek wisdom and know-how, to get understanding, to get the ability to use good sense in their thinking, in their judgment, and in their actions, and to get the ability to perceive and to explain the meaning or nature of things (Proverbs 4:5-7).  Because they compromise, they remain confused by every wind of doctrine and/or new teaching as they are influenced by those people who trick them with lies so clever that they, the lies, sound like the truth (Ephesians 4:14).  The Bible is a mystery book, full of hidden keys that will unlock all of the mysteries contained within, but we really have to diligently and earnestly seek these keys.  But once we find the keys, the Bible ceases to be a mystery book and becomes a message book for God’s children.  Sometimes the messages are hard to see, “but God has revealed them to us by his Spirit:  for the Spirit searches all the things, even the deep things of God” (I Corinthians 2:10).  We will have more on the entity known as Satan in a future commentary, where we will revisit the question, “How did he become evil?”

As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Are Forgiven

We have heard that the Bible contains God’s instructions for man.  What most people do not know is that the Bible contains instructions for three different people groups.  More specifically, the Bible contains instructions for the Jews.  There are instructions in the Bible for the Gentiles (considered to be the sinners).  And then there are instructions in the Bible for the children of God (Ephesians 2:15-16).  So, depending on which people group you consider yourself a part of, determines which set of instructions you are supposed to follow.  But before you jump on any bandwagons claiming to be of a particular people group, here are a few things for you to consider.

First, everyone is a creation of God but not everyone is a child of God.  Second, in order to be a child of God, one must be born again or born from above (John 3:3).  Surprisingly, this includes the “so-called chosen people” of God, which according to the Old Testament scriptures, are “the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 7:6).  In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus tells us that in order to see the kingdom of heaven, one must be born again, and in order to enter into the kingdom of God, one must be born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:1-6).  This was very hard for the “so-called chosen people” to accept, since they believed they had a free pass into heaven.  Lastly, only the children of God have been given the right to come boldly and confidently to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

But here are some important facts about the children of God.  It was Jesus, who, through his death, put an end to the things that was dividing the Jews and the Gentiles.  Through his death, Jesus annulled the whole system of Jewish laws that favored the Jews and excluded the Gentiles.  Through his death, Jesus took the two groups and made them part of himself, fusing them together to become one family.  Through his death, Jesus was able to create one new man, putting an end to the feud between the two groups.  Through his death, Jesus was able to reconcile all back into agreement with God (Ephesians 2:14-22).  And it is through his death that we see the “true Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15-16).  Knowing these facts, “in part,” may prove very valuable for those who diligently seek God; “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (I Corinthians 13:9-10).

Through his death, Jesus has reconciled us back into agreement with God.  When we were enemies, haters of God, we were brought back to God through the death of his son (Romans 5:10).  Actually, the truth is that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world back unto himself” (II Corinthians 5:19).  Yes, folks, that is stated correctly.  “God was in Christ,” restoring mankind back unto himself, even when we were yet still sinners (Romans 5:10).  Through what Christ did, God made peace and brought us back to himself (II Corinthians 5:18).  And in doing this, God gave us the ministry of reconciliation, entrusting us with his message of reconciliation.  However, this honor of preaching this news of peace belongs to those who are in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).  Those who are in Christ be a new creature, a new creation, if you will.  Remember, it was through his death that Jesus took two groups and made them part of himself.  And in making them a part of himself, Jesus was able to fuse the two together into a new creation, into a new man, into the “true Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15-16).  It is this new creation, this new man that are the ambassadors for Christ, his representatives (II Corinthians 5:20).  God uses this new man to urge others to come into his favor, to be at peace with him, and to be reconciled to him.  Now that we have been reconciled back, it does make one wonder what blessings God may have for us who know that we are completely forgiven, who know to leave the guilt behind, and who come into his favor.

As always, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Are Healed

Not long ago, we asked the question, “Do you know that God wants you well?”  In that discussion, we found that God wants you well, he wants you healed.  We also debunked the belief that God, who is the creator of such things like physical pain, sicknesses, accidents, death, and other tragedies (Isaiah 45:7), uses such things to chastise or chasten anyone.  We found that much of this ideology used the theological and traditional teachings of those who primarily cited Old Testament scriptures to support their arguments, which portrays the God of the Old Testament as “a god of wrath.”  They read their Bibles and see what appears to be God causing such things to happen to mankind and then conclude that God is the perpetrator of such acts on mankind.  This belief has become one of the biggest misconceptions about the God of the Old Testament.

In stark contrast, the God of the New Testament is portrayed as “a God of love.”  The New Testament portrays God as a very willing healer and life giver.  Many of those who believe that God uses such things to chastise or chasten mankind appear to be unaware that God says he changes not (Malachi 3:6), meaning that what God was in the beginning is what he is today and what he will be in the tomorrows.  And since those things written in the Old Testament came first, they are steadfast in their belief that it is God who causes these things to happen.

But such theological and traditional teachings, based primarily on Old Testament scriptures, have divided the Christian community on many things, one of them being “healing.”  Truth be told, physical pain, sicknesses, accidents, death, and other tragedies actually comes from the devil (The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy - John 10:10) and not from God.  God will allow these things to happen, but he does not cause them.  Think about this, if God is the cause of all of these things, then he is working against all that Jesus came to do (I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly - John 10:10).

According to scripture, God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went around everywhere doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him (Acts 10:38).  We know that he went through all of Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing every kind of sickness and disease (Matthew 9:35).  From this, those who are trapped inside that religious institutional box, where no one is allowed to question those things taught and/or those things that just don’t make sense, will not see that it is the thief, who is stealing our health, destroying our bodies, and/or slowly and painfully taking our lives.  They will never understand that this is the work of the thief and not of God.  They will continue to blame God for the things that are done by the devil.

“He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.  Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole” (Isaiah 53:3-5 AMP).

It is hard to have faith for healing when you believe God is the source of your suffering.  It is hard to have faith for healing when you do not know that healing is available to you.  When your knowledge for healing is limited, then your faith for healing will also be limited.  And when your faith for healing is limited, then your belief for healing will be limited.  And when your belief for healing is limited, then the healing that you seek will be limited.  And when the healing that you ask for is limited, then the results that you receive will be limited or even non-existent.  Everything in this example was limited because the amount of knowledge that you had for healing was limited.  It is hard to have faith for healing when you do not have the knowledge that you have been “healed and made whole” by the actions on the cross.  “Do you know that God wants you well or are you limited in your knowledge?”

We pray that our commentary and today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God’s Word Is Alive

We have mentioned before that we are the first to admit that we are not scholars, nor do we claim to be any experts in the field, but we do have a love for the word of God, and we seek the truth in his word.  We will also admit that our motives for discovering the truth are somewhat selfish; however, we do share any and all results with those who have that same “ear to hear” as we do.

From a previous discussion, we mentioned that God has told us to seek wisdom and know-how.  That God has told us that we need to get understanding, get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions, and get the ability to perceive and to explain the meaning or nature of things (Proverbs 4:5-7).  We decided long ago to give ear to God’s instructions to seek wisdom and to get understanding because we had grown tired of being confused by every wind of doctrine or new teaching and being influenced by those people who tried to trick us with lies so clever that they sounded like the truth (Ephesians 4:14).

God tells us to “study to show thyself approved unto God” so that we can “rightly divide the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15), but most of us do not adhere to this command to study.  God tells us to study to show so that we can rightly divide the word of truth.  So, what do you think this word of truth is?  Could it be the Bible?  Could God be telling us to study the Bible so that we can rightly divide it?  And if the Bible is the word of truth, then how does one rightly divide something that is supposed to be truth?  The Amplified Bible states it this way:

“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth” (II Timothy 2:15 AMP).

The word of truth is given to tell us what to believe (for doctrine), what is wrong (for reproof), how to correct wrong (for correction), how to live (for instruction in righteousness).  We are to rely on the word of truth because it includes everything needed to grow in maturity, to be perfect (meaning proficient or capable), and to do what God wants (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The idea that we are to attend to his words holds little meaning for some because they believe that just carrying a Bible with them fits the commandment.  How so very wrong they are.  When we attend to God’s words, we learn that they are life unto those that find them (Proverbs 4:20-22), which means that God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.

God wants us to attend to his words, which means that we need to listen carefully to his words, and we need to pay close attention to what is being said because his words are full, abundant life unto those that find them.  You see, the word of God is alive and forever pregnant, giving birth to new revelations every time we give attention to God’s words, every time we correctly analyzing and accurately divide it.  This is why it is more important than we could ever imagine for us to seek wisdom and to get understanding.  Once we have them, we receive “revelation knowledge;” the kind of knowledge that can only be obtained by getting “the rightly divided word of truth” inside of us.

Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will help to direct or guide us.  Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will give us the correct interpretation of many things.  Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will lead us to all truths.  Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will allow us to know all things as they pertain to God.  Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will allow us to recognize the things that are of God.  Once inside, the rightly divided word of truth will “set apart” the true word of God from “every wind of doctrine or new teaching” used to trick us with lies so clever that they sound like “the truth.”  Knowledge is power, while misinformation will lead to our destruction.  It is the “truth that will set you free” (John 8:32).

“At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.  Even so, Father for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Matthew 11:25-26).

Jesus prayed this prayer to the Father thanking him for revealing the truth to his children and thanking him for hiding it from those who think themselves to be so wise.  One can only imagine what the master of the parable was referring to in this passage.  We need to realize that the Bible is our only source of knowledge about God.  We need to know that the whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.  It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.  It is our instruction manual and our source “for all things God.”

We forever pray that our commentary will be a tremendous inspiration to you, abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Got Wisdom? Got Understanding?

God has told us to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions.  God has also told us to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things.  Once we have gotten all that we have been told to get, it is then that the revelation knowledge comes.  And when it comes, this revelation knowledge, we will have to be ready to receive it.  And in order to receive this knowledge, we have to be ready to accept it.  But before it comes, we have to first do our part.  We have to get all that we are told to get (Proverbs 4:5-7) and we have to seek all that we are told to seek (Proverbs 4:20-22).  This is the first step in getting to the next level.

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that we have to do, which is a problem for many who profess to be Christians.  They seek God’s wisdom, but it is usually the wisdom of the world that they find, and they do not realize that this is what they have done or what they are doing.  God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know in his word, but we, with our finite worldly wisdom, have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to understand that which we really do not understand.  This is not a play on words or a manipulation of words.  This is all about us being manipulated by a worldly wisdom that has limited our ability to understand the thoughts and ways of God.  It is about us not recognizing the revelations that God has given us because they, the revelations, do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  This is about us not accepting those things that God has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can explain or understand the things of God.

Now, if no one can understand the things of God, then why do those same people try to explain those things that they, themselves just said that no one can understand?  Do you think it is to make themselves appear to have a special relationship with God?  Do you think it is to make themselves appear as if they are the only ones who can get divine revelations from God?  Now that is something to ponder.  We need to realize that the Bible is our source of knowledge about God.  We need to know that the whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.  It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone (II Timothy 3:16-17).  It is our instruction manual and our source for all things God.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

Let us vow to seek wisdom and understanding without traditional and denominational restrictions.  Let us open our mind and open our heart in an effort to prepare ourselves to receive revelation knowledge when it comes.  Let us do the things that God has told us to do (II Timothy 2:15) so that we may recognize the truth whenever it is presented.  Let us keep in mind that we do not have to agree on issues of doctrine or theology in order to receive truth from someone, for they just might hold the key bit of information that may aid you in your understanding and help you get to the next level.  Let us seek that next level of understanding.

We pray that our commentaries and messages will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read them.  If you are ever blessed by any of these commentaries and messages, please feel free to share them so that they may bless others as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Keep Your Heart With All Diligence

A look at the heart is to look at the place where God looks.

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).

God tells Samuel not to judge a man by his face or his appearance or by the height of his stature or by his standing in his community.  God tells Samuel not to judge a man by his outward appearance as the world does, but to look at his heart as he does.  He tells Samuel to look at the thoughts and the intentions of the man and not what he actually sees before him.  While it may seem impossible to look at someone’s heart to determine his or her thoughts and intentions, God as actually provided us with the means to do just that.

“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person” (Proverbs 27:19).

Could this be the very reason God wants us to look upon a man’s heart.  Just as the very image of a face can be reflected in water, so is the very thought and intentions reflected by the heart.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

According to this passage, it would appear that whatever we have an abundance of in our heart is what we will have an abundance of brought forth in our life.  The passage goes on to say that out of the treasures that are in our heart will be the treasures that we bring forth in our life, be they good or be they bad.  Just as the water reflects our image or face, the words that we speak reflect the thoughts and intents of our heart.  This is why God tells us to look not on the countenance of a man nor to look on the height of his stature because his heart will give a true picture of the man himself, reflecting his innermost thoughts and intentions.  The world will continue to judge others by their outward appearance, but God wants his children to look at the heart.

We pray that this inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Whom Do You Walk After?

Whom do you walk after?  Are you one who be in Christ but walks after the flesh?  Or are you one who be in Christ and walks after the Spirit?

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1 KJV).

For them who be in Christ but walk after the flesh, allowing themselves to be controlled by their lower natures give their minds over to the things of the flesh and live only to please themselves.  But them who be in Christ but walk after the Spirit, allowing themselves to be controlled by the Spirit give their minds over to the things of the Spirit and live only to do those things that please God.  Those who walk or follow after the flesh are carnally minded and headed for condemnation and death, because the carnally minded are enmity against God and cannot please God.  But those who walk or follow after the Spirit are spiritually minded and headed for life and peace (Romans 8:5-8).

Not long ago, we discussed a phrase that was coined to define a so-called believer who confesses and believes in Christ Jesus but lives a lifestyle that does not appear to glorify God while claiming the forgiveness and acceptance of God.  In that discussion we found that “a person who believes in Jesus Christ as his or her savior but is dominated by the physical needs or the strong desires of the body or the flesh in contrast to all that is spiritual” is by definition, “a carnal Christian.”  We also found that “carnal mindedness was enmity against God” (Romans 8:7) and determined on only following one’s evil flesh nature.

We found that making the effort to follow after the Spirit actually led to us being controlled by the things of the Spirit.  We also found that those who are living according to the way of the Spirit give their minds to the things of the Spirit.  They be controlled by their spiritual natures and give their minds to spiritual things.  They want to live their lives doing those things that were pleasing to God, which in itself leads to life and peace everlasting.  And this is why there is therefore now no condemnation to them, which are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the Spirit.

What so many who walk after the flesh fail to understand is that their carnal Christian lifestyle actually does not and never can obey or please God because their “carnal mindedness was enmity against God,” bent on only following their evil flesh nature.  We see from the eighth chapter of Romans that those who are living according to the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh.  They be controlled by their earthly natures and give their minds to earthly things.  This “carnal mindedness” is in total opposition to God, does not submit to the law of God, and is not able to do so.  Those whose minds are given to the flesh cannot please God.  This is why there is therefore condemnation to them, which are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the flesh.

But thank God for his grace and mercy and for revealing the truth to us.  Since the Spirit of God resides in us, then we be not in the flesh but in the spirit.  We are devoted to the spiritual things and are not devoted to earthly things, because the Spirit dwells in us.  If the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead be dwelling in us, then he who raised up Christ from the dead will in the same way, through his Spirit that is in us, give life to our mortal body, which is currently under the power of death.  Therefore, if Christ be in us, then our body be dead because of sin but our spirit has life because of righteousness.

If any man has not the spirit of Christ, he is not one of his and does not belong to him.  He is in debt, for it is his lower nature, the way of the flesh that he be obligated to live under the rule of.  If anyone lives according to the way of the flesh, then death will come to him.  But if he be under the influence of the Spirit and have put to death the works of the body, meaning you have put to death your old bodily habits, you will live, for only those who are led and guided by the Spirit of God are the true sons of God.  If you be in Christ, then walk, not after the flesh, which actually pertains to “The Law”, but after the Spirit, which actually pertains to “grace and truth.”  “So, whom do you walk after?”  You may want to examine yourself just to make sure you are actually walking after the right one.

As always, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Overcome That Problem You Face

Jesus tells us that we “will have troubles in this world,” but we are to “take heart” because he has “overcome the world” (John 16:33).  He tells us that he has overcome all of the ills of this world.  I declare I am full of power, that I am full of strength, and that I am full of determination for I am “more than a conqueror through him who loved me” (Romans 8:37-39).

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.  If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.  Whoever hates me hates my Father as well.  If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin.  As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.  But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: they hated me without reason” (John 15:18-25 NIV).

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:12-15 NIV).

“As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:36-39 NIV).  “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22 NIV).  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV).

“God’s love surrounds me much more than I can imagine, for God is always with me, even though it may not always seem so.  No matter what may come my way, God always helps to see me through it.  I know God has a special plan just for me.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails” (I Corinthians 13:6-8 NIV).

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God” (II Corinthians 1:3-4).

“What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things” (Romans 8:31-32)?

Though I may have troubles in this world, I will take heart because I know two things for sure.  I know that Jesus has overcome the world and that God be for me.  Therefore, I will declare that I am full of power, that I am full of strength, and that I am full of determination because I know that I am more than a conqueror through him who loved me.

As always, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW