Devotion: Think You Know Something?

Did you know that 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?  Did you know that 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?

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:5-7).

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).  The Bible is our instruction manual and our source for all things God.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).

In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism or denominationalism.  Limited knowledge leads to a limited life.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  This lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.  If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possibly know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.   Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  If we reject every person who makes statements that we do not agree with, then we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding to rightly divide the word of truth and pick the harmful items out of the ocean of knowledge.  When we attend to his words, we learn that they are life unto those that find them, which means that God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.  Knowledge is power, while misinformation will lead to your destruction.  It is the “truth that will set you free” (John 8:32).

We forever 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: The Blood Speaks

Recently, we discussed the power that was in the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ.  We discovered that he, using his own blood as the payment, was able to go straight into the Holy of Holies to, once and for all, obtain redemption for us and secure our eternal salvation.

“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation (propitiation) for the sins of the people.  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (aid) them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:16-18).

Since we were human beings, Jesus Christ, who did not take on the nature of angels, instead took on the same nature as his brethren, flesh and blood.  Being born in human form, it was the only form in which he could willingly give himself to death to rescue us from the penalty of sin and to break the power of the one who have the power over death, that being the devil (Hebrews 2:14).  In dying, he became our High Priest, who went directly before God, once and for all, to obtain eternal redemption for us.  In dying, he became our merciful and faithful high priest, a mediator, who understood what it is like when we suffer and are tempted having experienced suffering and temptations firsthand.

“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).  “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:14-15). “Wherefore then serveth the law?  It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.  Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one” (Galatians 3:19-20).  “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (I Timothy 2:5-6).

In dying, Jesus Christ became our mediator to the new covenant, a covenant that had better promises and a better system than the old covenant.  In dying, Jesus Christ made clean the hearts of those who have answered the call, freeing them from the worry of having to obey the old rules and dead works so that they could become servants of the ever-living God and receive the eternal inheritance, which had been promised to them.  The old rules were given, after the promise, as a way to define sin and to show man how guilty he truly was of breaking God’s laws.  The old rules were only designed to last until the coming of Jesus Christ, the seed of Abraham to which the promise was made that he would be used as the go-between of the new covenant much like Moses was used as a go-between in the old covenant.  When God made the old covenant, he used Moses as the mediator between himself and the people to give the details to the people, but with the new covenant, God had to wait for a mediator, so that he could give the details of the new covenant to us as Moses had done previously.  Scripture tells us, there is one God and one mediator, one negotiator of the new covenant between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.  Therefore, all that have accepted and answered the call must be very careful to listen to and obey this mediator, because he has been set up as the go-between to give us the details of the new covenant.

We forever 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 his message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Sprinkle The Blood

There is power in the blood of Jesus.

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building (creation); neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place (Most Holy Place), having obtained eternal redemption for us.  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth (sets apart) to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot (blemish) to God, purge (cleanse) your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:11-14)?

His death rescued mankind from the penalty of sin.  He came as the High Priest of the new covenant, a covenant that would come later, having better promises and a better system than the one of old.  Because he now has a more perfect tabernacle, one not made of hand nor made by men nor being a part of this world, but one resurrected, he was able to bypass the restrictions of the old tabernacle and go straight into the Holy of Holies to once and for all obtain eternal redemption for us.  Using his own blood as the payment and not the blood of goats and calves, he entered into that inner room in the holy place and secured our eternal salvation.  He set us free.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of young cows could cleanse those under the old covenant from sin, how much more should his blood, he who came with a new covenant, cleanse us inside and out and transform our lives and our hearts.  With help from the eternal Holy Spirit, he, who being perfect and without a single sin or fault offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice.  He willingly gave himself to God to die for our sins so that we could be free from the concerns of having to follow and obey the rules of the old covenant and live all out for God.  That’s right, it was Jesus Christ who did all of these things for us and that’s why “there is power in the blood of Jesus.”

“And almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness).  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified (cleansed) with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures (copies) of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place (Most Holy Place) every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world (ages) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look (eagerly wait) for him shall he appear the second time without (apart from) sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:22-28).

Under the old agreement, almost everything was cleansed by blood.  We see that without the shedding of blood, there was no forgiveness of sins.  Moses, after giving the people all the laws of God, dedicated the first covenant by sprinkling the blood of calves and goats over the book of the law and over all the people.  Scripture tells us that it was necessary for Moses to make the things down here on earth, all copied from the things in heaven, pure with these offerings, but the real things themselves in heaven, were to be made pure with a far more precious offering.  So, Christ, who did not enter into the earthly holy place, which was a copy of the one above, entered directly into the real temple in heaven itself and appeared before the mercy seat of God.  However, unlike the high priest down here on earth, who offered the blood of animals year after year as atonement for our sins, Christ went before the face of God, once, to make an offering of himself on our behalf.  By dying, Christ was able to put away the power of sin for all times as the ultimate sacrifice, unblemished and without a single sin or fault.  Again, it was Jesus Christ who did all of these things for us and that’s why “there is power in the blood of Jesus.”

We forever 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 Has A Plan

Most people have no idea that God has a plan for their life much less know what that plan is.  Often, we look back at our past, be it the things that we have done or the things that have happened and see only failures.  Some have even held God responsible for these things.  Regardless of what may have or have not happened in your life, no matter what your current situation is, or what the future appears to hold, God did not create you for failure.  The truth of the matter is, God wants you to succeed and not fail.  God wants to prosper you.  God wants to give you hope and a future.  Scripture tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).  God knows the plans that he has for you.

“It is in this hope that we are saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25 NIV).  “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12 NIV).  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NASB).

God has a plan for your life, even though you may not know the plan or be following the plan yet.  You should never lose hope, for there is always hope, no matter the situation.  If you do not have hope, then you have nothing, for no one hopes for what he or she already has.  As you look forward with this hope, you must wait patiently and with confidence for things to manifest.  Jesus warns that there will be tests, trials, and tribulations, but you are to rejoice in hope because “hope is an anchor unto the soul” (Hebrews 6:19) during these times.  Regardless, you are to be of good courage and not allow your heart to be troubled because he who has promised is faithful and will deliver.  There is no greater example of this than the story of Joseph, who faced many challenges yet God prospered him in everything he went through and everything that he did.  God has a plan for your life, one to prosper you as well as to give you hope and a future.  You just need to find out what that plan is.

We forever 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: Jesus Paid For Your Prosperity

In reading the scriptures, we find that there is a thief that “cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).”  We also find in that same passage, Jesus telling us “he has come that we might have life and have that life more abundantly.”  Jesus, who was manifested to destroy the works of the thief (I John 3:8), came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).  Many believe that Jesus’ main purpose for coming was to save individual lost souls, but truth be told, saving lost souls was just the by-product of what he actually did.

There were many things lost because of the disobedient actions of the first man.  It was the obedience of the second man (I Corinthians 15:47) that restored all that the first man lost (Romans 5:19).  Because of obedience, the second man became the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).  Because of obedience, the second man rose from the dead as the firstfruits of them who have died or slept (I Corinthians 15:20).  Because of obedience, the second man became the first to come back from the dead, who will die no more (Revelation 1:5).  The second man is the firstfruits of the first resurrection.  The second man is the firstborn or first in rank of or over every creature and has preeminence in all things.  Because of obedience, the second man was made ruler over all of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).  Scripture after scripture, we see a comparison between the first man and the second man, also known as “the last Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45).

Among the many things that the last Adam restored, was our right standing with God (Romans 5:16-17).  This was by far the most important of all things restored.  This meant that our relationship with God was as it was at the very beginning with the first Adam.  It was like starting over, if you will.  The last Adam was able to get back the authority or dominion (Matthew 28:18) that the first Adam had lost (Luke 4:6) in the garden when he ate of the fruit (Genesis 3:6-7).  Because of the obedience of the last Adam, we have been redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) and given the privilege to become a child of God (John 1:12-13), so that all could share in the blessings of Abraham and receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14).  As a child of God, we now have 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).  We have all of this, because of the obedience of the second man, the last Adam, He paid for our prosperity.

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: The Message Of Revelation

Many believers, as well as many non-believers, have a fascination with what is popularly referred to as “the end-times.”  We have all kinds of individuals across the globe foretelling, predicting, and/or trying to give insight into what will happen in “the so-called end-times.”  This has created much unrest amongst believers and led to some incredible actions by those who appear to be concerned about and consumed by the events of the last days.  While sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked him questions about “the end-times” (Matthew 24:3-14).

Despite sternly warning us not to let the many that will come claiming to be “the Messiah” fool us, Jesus also shares the frightening fact that “they will lead many astray.”  Jesus would go on to tell of the many things to come, while assuring that “those who endure to the end would be saved.”  Though Jesus was able to describe the events to come and those surrounding his second coming, he also warned us “to be prepared” because no one knows, not the angels in heaven nor he himself, the date and hour of his return and when the end would come.  The only one that knows this information is God himself (Matthew 24:36).

Today, we see all sorts of bad things happening in the world, but we also know that the days of evil, suffering, and persecution will come to an end.  In the book of Revelation, we find “the revelation” that God gave to Jesus Christ for him to show his servants those things that must shortly come to pass.  John, who testified to God`s word, of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and about everything that he saw, recorded and shared these things.  According to the scripture, God is to bless those who read the words of this prophecy and all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near (Revelation 1:1-3).

“Then I saw a new earth (with no oceans) and a new sky, for the present earth and sky had disappeared.  And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.  It was a glorious sight, beautiful as a bride at her wedding.  I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, ‘Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them.  He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain.  All of that has gone forever.’  And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new!’  And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true: It is finished!  I am the A and the Z—the Beginning and the End.  I will give to the thirsty the springs of the Water of Life—as a gift!  Everyone who conquers will inherit all these blessings, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those conversing with demons, and idol worshipers and all liars—their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur.  This is the Second Death’” (Revelation 21:1-8 TLB).

We now have knowledge of the many signs signifying the “end-times” and the events that take place, but what should we do with this information?  While these signs have their significance, it would appear that being prepared and obeying those things revealed to us in “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” by John are more important than actually trying to foretell or predict the last days, especially since only God knows the exact day and hour it will take place.  Let us point out the fact that when Jesus was asked about “the end-times,” his first response was to warn us not to be fooled by those who would come claiming to be the Messiah because they would lead many astray.  We also want to point out that those led astray are “so-called believers.”  So let us be prepared because “those who endure to the end will be saved and everyone who conquers will inherit the many blessings” when all evil, suffering, and persecution comes to an end.

We forever 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 Now A Giver

Man has twisted just about every godly message in the Bible, usually for his own purpose or gain.  The prosperity message is not immune to the unscrupulous twisting actions of man either.  We have discussed varying opinions as to the interpretation of prosperity and no matter the path or the road taken, we have continually been directed back to the same passage, “for it is he (God) that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  And yet again, we are saying that it appears that the power to get wealth is of God and that there is a reason for this prosperity.

Recently, we discussed “the giving of alms,” where we basically “give money or goods to those in need of charity.”  We previously asked the question, “Do you serve money or does money serve you?”  Hopefully, you were able to perform an honest self-evaluation and truthfully answer the question.  But for those of you who know how to give alms and whose money serves you and for those of you who have an ear to hear, this message is for you; know that “you are now a giver.”

“But remember this—if you give little, you will get little.  A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.  Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give.  Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes.  God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.  It is as the Scriptures say: “The godly man gives generously to the poor. His good deeds will be an honor to him forever.”  For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.

Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help.  So two good things happen as a result of your gifts—those in need are helped, and they overflow with thanks to God.  Those you help will be glad not only because of your generous gifts to themselves and to others, but they will praise God for this proof that your deeds are as good as your doctrine.  And they will pray for you with deep fervor and feeling because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you.  Thank God for his Son—his Gift too wonderful for words” (II Corinthians 9:6-15 TLB).

We know that blessed is the person who gives to the poor in their time of need, because it shows that the love of God resides inside of that individual.  We know that God loves a cheerful giver and every man should give as it is purposed in his or her heart to give.  And though God want you to freely give and not grudgingly, or of necessity, know that if you give little, you will get little.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38 KJV)”

“You are now a giver.”  Today’s inspirational message is just another example of why the children of God are supposed to prosper in this life.  It would be hard to do as God has commanded and it would be totally unfair of him, if he does not make previsions for us to do what he commanded, since “we are workers together with God” (I Corinthians 3:9) “helping to establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  As always, we pray that this 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