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Redeeming Your Time – Part 1

Recently, Holy Spirit brought to mind Paul Anka’s 1975 gold song titled, Times of Your Life. I hadn’t heard this song in a very long time. I remember it as one that was popular among young people to reminisce about mostly good times forty-plus years ago, especially at proms and weddings.

But, this song heralds yesterday as hard to find and suggests that we reach back anyway to gather moments and collect dreams to pack away in our minds. It goes on to talk about setting suns and passing seasons and tomorrows, where we wake up and find that time slipped away. 

But God has something else to say about moments and time in our lives. 

His way says it’s not over. In fact, God has some big, new beginnings for us.

He has better for us now and forward than we ever experienced back then. Our latter can be greater, as He redeems our time—past, present and future. 

He’s waiting. It’s our choice. 

As we look to God and seek Him, not our past, as we release all that’s former to Him, He will awaken us to more of His true life for us now and forward. He will enable us to see as He sees and embrace His best. He will work all things for our good and for His glory, recompensing what we missed out on earlier. He will make it better than it would have been. 

Daily, He will encourage us and reveal Himself to us as merciful and gracious as we prioritize Him as our first and center and follow Him forward.  (La 3:22-23). 

Do you believe Him?

Do you trust Him?

Do you know Him in this way?

It’s not too late. 

God desires to change the trajectory of our lives to go higher, farther and deeper in and with Him. 

He is not limited, except by our unwillingness.

He will give us better memories and make the dreams He put inside of us still come true.

As we commit to prioritize the Spirit of Grace above all else in our lives daily, He will refashion, reframe, refocus, refit and refresh us in ways that will bring Him (and us) greater honor. He will offer us better memories than we ever had and could have made on our own. 

He’s that good.

He’s that powerful.

He’s God.

He will take us from survival to feasting on His abundance, as we receive His grace of salvation to work on our behalf: His perfect life-blood will work righteousness and justice into our lives (Ro 3:25; 5:9, 18, 21 TPT). His great Name will open new doors for us. His Word will illuminate our hearts in truth that sets us free from a disappointing past. He can rework our today and our future and bring something good out of it. He is everlasting, and in Him, there is no end to His love, life and goodness (Ps 18:25). 

It begins with an attitude of humility, seeking Him and dependence upon Him, because we cannot do it ourselves (Ro 5:6).

And God exalts the humble (1 Pe 5:6, Lk 18:14).

If you feel like all hope is gone, and your heart aches for “Christ in you, the hope of glory” to show up on your behalf (Co 1:27), it’s time to be led “to the rock that is higher” (Ps 61:2). It’s time for hope to be restored. If you let Him shine His light in your heart, you can then put this fresh hope fully in Him. 

He never disappoints.

Isn’t it time to believe Him at His Word and let Him work on your behalf to do authentic life His way (Jn 6:63)?

Friends, God will restore His root of love in us—His greater glory, and make us into His brightest lampstands as we walk with Him along His narrow path and remain in Him.

God can and will bring opportunities around again for new life to prove better than it would have been if we had known better and done better earlier. Even if some of our previous moments got cut short, due to an illness or perhaps an untimely passing of a loved one, that time is still redeemable. The goodness of God continues onto the next generation to be appropriated (Ps 78:6). God’s will for us is to offer us recompense for whatever was lost or stolen when we forgive, repent for any wrongdoing and submit to Him. God will even reveal His recompense to us in advance, so we can set our expectation on Him to fulfill His promise.

How exciting are these mysteries of God revealed?! 

Pray with me if you will:

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for Your mercy for me. I “cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Ps 61:2 NKJV). I entrust my life to You to get me where You desire I be in my growth in You and in Your Kingdom for Your glory. Restore my hope. Redeem my time. Make something good out of every lost moment and disappointment. Do that which only You can do. And open my eyes to see it and receive it all Your way.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen. 

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Faithful Decisions – Part 2

On this Pentecost Sunday, I am reminded of the early church, who sought Jesus in Heaven and received an outpouring of Holy Spirit to empower them to go and reach others for Christ (Ac 2).

The decision to receive the gracious redemption Jesus offers us as Lord and Savior is a new beginning that extends to subsequent decision-making.

Because redemption is intrinsic of the nature of Christ.  

This very nature of redemption draws us to do things His way—the way that offers, brings and gives true life (Jn 14:6).

Prioritizing The Spirit of Grace first in our lives invites Him to guide, protect and lead us into all truth for this redeemed, abundant life.

As followers of Christ, we have His living hope that does not fail us (1 Ti 4:10).

Our decisions are seeds that grow to be established over time. Our Lord gives us this freedom to plant seeds of faith-righteousness that are aligned with God’s will, to reap what proves victorious in His eyes.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NIV say, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

One of our Lord’s most beautiful promises for our efforts can be found in: 

John 3:21 AMPC, which says, “But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are–wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence upon Him].”

Pleasing God and bringing Him glory as we go and share His good news is our ultimate goal. But the prophet Isaiah reminds us that we are always on God’s mind, and He never forgets to bless us.

He says in Isaiah 26:12 TPT, “Lord, Yahweh, You will establish peace and prosperity for us, for all we have accomplished is the result of what you work through us.”

Here and again throughout Holy Scripture, our Lord reveals that He releases His best to His yielded ones.

Making decisions that do not align with God’s will reveals our unbelief of His Word and our unbelief in our true identity in Christ due to a lack of trust in Him to provide for all our needs. 

How can we possibly receive God’s finest blessings with such an impoverished mindset?

We can’t. 

Our minds need to be renewed like Christ’s, and we need to walk out His truth by faith in His living promises.

Perhaps one of the best Bible examples of getting it wrong before getting it right, at least in part, is Jonah.

Jonah’s decisions from his strong will and reluctant obedience caused him a lot of unnecessary pain and nearly costed him is life. And even after Jonah completed his mission, he remained pouting in his self-justification, which is a sign of immature character.

I love what the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible notes say to counter Jonah’s example. They say:

Transforming faith…is more than just knowledge about God. It changes us and molds us into the image of the One in whom we place our trust, and it is expressed through our actions and our attitudes. Let your faith in who God is transform who you are. Pray and ask the Lord to conform you into his image. Respond to God’s instruction with a willing heart that is open to change. By faith, receive the Lord’s instruction, and allow it to change the way you think, feel and behave. 

So, like Jonah, when we cry unto the Lord in our troubles, He will deliver us from our distress by His mercy. He will send His Word and heal us and rescue us from the pit of destruction (Ps 107:19-20). 

Proverbs 28:13 TPT says that “If you cover up your sin you’ll never do well. But if you confess your sins and forsake them, you will be kissed by mercy.”

Friends, we must come to an understanding that the perfect justice of the sacrificial blood of Jesus is enough to redeem our lives from ungodly choices (Ro 3:25 TPT). His Word and Holy Spirit are enough to guide us into living higher, as we turn to Him and commit our lives to Him (Ps 37:5-6). 

Faithfulness is our friend (Ps 37:3). Our Lord Jesus faithfully completed His work on the cross to redeem the lives of as many as who will receive His grace. In honor of Him, let’s make faithful decisions that align with His will and invite His blessed redemption into our everyday lives for His glory.

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your mercy and grace of redemption that makes a way of a blessed life for me. I believe Your Son’s sacred and sacrificial blood redeems my life. I repent of all my sins and gratefully receive You as my Lord and Savior over all of my life. As You search my heart, if there is anything specific I need to lay at the foot of Your cross today, I invite You to bring the conviction that leads me to repentance. Help me to live out all the victory of redemption You have for me—spirit, soul and body. Help me make faithful decisions forward that bring honor and glory to Your Name as You transform me into Your likeness. Thank You for Your mercy and grace.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Faithful Decisions – Part 1

To make faithful decisions is to make right decisions—decisions that are righteous in the eyes of God. 

“As for God, his way is perfect, says 2 Samuel 22:31 NIV, The Lord’s word is flawless…”

He sets the standard of righteousness, and He credits our active faith (obedience) as righteousness (Ge 15:6, Ro 4:9, De 6:25).

So, we are to “walk in the way of that faith,” dependent on God’s truth as we make right decisions (Ro 4:12 AMPC).

Why is this so important?

Because to bring honor to God and be victorious in the Promised Land, we must know His instructions and agree with them. We must sync with Him in life-union to sustain His flow of true life through us, as we progress and complete divine assignments with Him (2 Co 5:21).

2 Samuel 22:26 NIV tells us that “To the faithful,” God shows Himself “faithful.”

“If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you and understanding will protect you from making poor choices” (Pr 2:11 TPT).

Keep in mind that, in the Promised Land, God gave Joshua a new strategy for each battle. Joshua and his army were protected as they overtook enemies to expand their territory only because they faithfully hearkened to God’s instructions.

Of course, Moses’ mentorship helped. 

Romans 10:8 TPT says, “But the faith-righteousness we receive speaks to us in these words of Moses: ‘God’s living message is very close to you, as close as your own heart beating in your chest and as near as the tongue in your mouth.’”

Sometimes, the most righteous and life-sustaining thing we can do is lay down our self-righteousness, including our self-justification of our ways, and trust God enough to pray according to His will, so He will hear our prayers (1 Jn 5:14).

We need His grace to work on our behalf. Therefore, we must come out of self-reliance and into God-dependence. We must also remember that God’s perfect justice constantly works on our behalf. 

This perfect justice is described in Romans 3:25 TPT, which says, “the perfect demonstration of God’s justice” is “faith in the sacred blood of Jesus.”

So, before we step onto the Promised Land battlefields, we may want to survey our hearts and ask whether our faith is in Him or in ourselves. We may even want to ask Him to search our hearts. 

Remember that Caleb, who fought alongside Joshua, was wholehearted.

As we continue to believe God’s truth and abide in Him, we will come to know our Lord as the God of the Mountaintop, victorious in new ways to us.

Psalm 31:19 NIV tells us that abiding with Him in our decisions is where we find God’s abundance of good things.

So, we can intentionally choose to receive the abundance of Christ by aligning with Him as Lord of our lives.

Psalm 72:7 TPT assures us that “In the days of his reign the righteous will spring forth with the abundance of peace and prosperity forevermore.”

God will even reward our faithfulness.

Psalm 37:6 NIV says, “He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”

His grace of salvation for us includes the righteousness of vindication and working out that salvation in us and through us to reflect His brightness (Is 62:1).

So, friends, we can be encouraged that, by His grace, all the restoration God did in us up until now will lead to outward manifestations of significant purpose. Therefore, let’s make decisions that are right in God’s eyes to see them produce good fruit. 

Others are depending on us. So, let’s not disappoint them—not the ones in the great cloud of witnesses, who have gone before us and are watching; not those who are still living on earth and waiting; and not the future generations to come. 

Ephesians 3:20 TPT reminds us to “Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.”

So, friends, from the Word of The Lord, I declare over you: 

“Open the gates and let a righteous, faith-filled people enter in” (Is 26:2 TPT).

“May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness” (Psalms 72:3 NIV).

“Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name” (Ps 97:12 NKJV).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen. 

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Faith Believing

This Thursday, May 13, 2021, marks Ascension Day—the fortieth day from Jesus’ resurrection, when He ascended to Heaven to be seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father (Lk 22:69). 

Although many scriptures describe what this means for us, my favorite illustration is found in Isaiah 25:6-12 of the TPT version, which is subtitled “The Rich Feast of the Lord.” It says: 

The Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, will host a rich feast on this mountain for all peoples—a feast with plenty of meat and well-aged wine, with an abundance of food and the finest of wine. And on this mountain, he will destroy the shroud wrapped around all the people, the veil spread over all nations. It is the gloom of death! He will swallow it up in victory forever! And God, Lord Yahweh, will wipe away every tear from every face. He will remove every trace of disgrace that his people have suffered throughout the world, for the Lord Yahweh has promised it! In that day they will say, ‘Behold! This is our God! We’ve waited for him, and he saved us! This one, the Lord Yahweh—he is worth the wait! We will keep shouting with joy as we find our bliss in his salvation-kiss!’

The mighty, gracious hand of the Lord Yahweh will rest upon this mountain, but the Moabites will be trampled under his feet as straw gets trampled into the manure. They will stretch out their arms in it like a swimmer stretches out his arms to swim, yet God will bring down their pride, and they will thrash and sink despite their struggle. He will tear down the high walls of Moab’s fortresses and flatten them into the dust.

So, friends, in these verses, we see what is available to us as we live an ascended life with Jesus, which is in the true high place, where our enemies become our footstool and we rise above pain to a protective place, full of provision. Believing this, we can apprehend it in our lives on earth, as our eyes are fixed on Him, no matter what. 

It’s the abundant life of God revealed to us in John 10:10 above the enemy’s false parallel to kill, steal and destroy.

It’s the goodness of God revealed in Philippians 4:19 AMPC, which says, “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

It’s where we can “be supernaturally infused with strength through” our “life-union with the Lord Jesus,” according to Ephesians 6:10 TPT. Where we can “stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through” us.  

It’s the place of true power and authority, where we can remain as God releases judgment on unrepentant evildoers—both on the person and on the spirit behind the person, according to Isaiah 24:21 TPT.

This begs the question: Since we determine where we are seated—the mountaintop or the pit—by our behavior, as seen through grace, do we have the active faith that is required to gain and sustain rich mountaintop abundance? 

The answer is that we do if we are patiently obedient—if we continue to choose to be faithful to God’s instructions—all the way through the tribulation of the climb to completion.

Our Lord as salvation will protect us inwardly and outwardly along the way (Is 26:1).

Isaiah 26:2-3 describe this journey of victory by saying, “Open the gates and let a righteous, faith-filled people enter in. Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you.”

We can also find encouragement in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NIV, which say, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

So, our living faith (with works) pleases God and brings honor to Him. Isaiah 1:17 TPT reminds us to “Learn what it means to do what is good by seeking righteousness and justice! Rescue the oppressed. Uphold the rights of the fatherless and defend the widow’s cause.”

Our behavior—meaning our faithful obedience and works—sets the standard and expectation by which we will be judged by God (Ro 2:6, 9, 16). So, let’s not take the “riches of his extraordinary kindness…for granted” but choose His higher ways above our limited ways.

Let’s keep believing for God’s best and behave accordingly. It’s easier when we remain in worship to Him alone—in His Word, in prayer and in praise. It’s easier when we embrace His vision as our own.

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for Your very best for me. Help me to receive it by Your grace. Don’t let me stray from your clear path of victory. Help me. Keep me on track. Help me be a doer of Your Word—all the way to and on top of the mountain (Ro 2:13, Ps 72:3). Open my eyes to see more of Your goodness and Your ways. Help me to be faithful to You, Lord, above all else. You alone are my King.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Faithful Harvest – Part 2

It’s harvesttime. And God is completing promises to us as He enables us to do the work before us. 

Hebrews 12:11 NIV reminds us that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

The word “righteousness” here means divine approval of character or actions (Strong’s #1343). And we know this perfect nature to be found in and through Christ.

In Part 1 of this series, we saw that Ruth—in her faithful expressions of generous heart and enduring work—gleaned and gathered her way to a better life forward. 

In this we are reminded that “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride” (Ec 7:8 NIV).

Ruth humbled herself, completed the work at hand and came out as pure gold. 

So, how do we do the work before us in a way that is approved by God? And how do we not become weary in well doing during this harvesttime (Ga 6:9)?

As we remain in intimacy with God and keep right priorities, never putting tasks before Him, He will guide our path and equip and empower us by His great grace to complete them (He 6:15).

So, keeping right priorities honors God, keeps us energized and brings rewards.

Very recently, during quiet time, Holy Spirit reminded me that our victory depends on Him in this way and that the spirit of defeat will try to reverse the priority to exhaust us and make our efforts inefficient. 

Matthew 6:33 TPT reminds us by saying, “So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.”

Intimate time with God is greatly beneficial. It’s where we realize we are not alone. It’s where we open ourselves up to receive more of God’s beauty. It’s where He nurtures us and warms our hearts to move in His ease of grace for duty. It’s where perfect love casts out fear and makes a way. It’s where God aligns us for our assignment by helping us see His greater vision for greater victory. It’s where we gain insight to do tasks more efficiently. 

When we keep God’s order, we gain access to greater clarity.

God will sometimes specifically draw us to come away with Him to refresh us just before an important assignment. A wilderness experience is an extended stay experience to strengthen us little-by-little for the big assignment ahead in the Promised Land. Daily, we should be encountering Him as the Spirit of Grace, sufficient to help us complete tasks. 

When we feel like we don’t have time to invest one-on-one with God, it may be due to fear that we won’t be able to accomplish them. But this fear is linked with self-reliance and unbelief. Instead, we can choose to believe God’s truth which is that, when we make time with Him a first priority, we open ourselves to receive whatever we need from Him to complete the job before us that day. 

God’s grace is empowerment, a Holy ease. He will show us how to best accomplish it, so we can face it ready and able. 

So, invest time in the priority that empowers you, not drains you (Ep 6:10). Act in faith, not the false energy of anxiety. Feast on God. And believe He will deliver His promises. Believe He will continue to show you your part and help you fulfill purpose alongside Him as you go forth with Him. 

When circumstances feel tough, we can choose to not give up. We can choose to give up more of our ways to God’s and be fueled by His anointing.

We can also keep God’s faithful promises ever before us, knowing that His promise preserves our lives (Ps 119:50).

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You secure promises by Your grace as we extend our faith in action for it to be so. “May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise” Ps 119:41 NIV. With this in mind, we constantly pray that our God will empower us to live worthy of all that he has invited us to experience. And we pray that by his power all the pleasures of goodness and all works inspired by faith would fill us completely” (2 Th 1:11 TPT). Thank You, Lord, for awakening us to see Your way, agree with You and obey You.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.