Tag: #Acts17:28

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Beginning Anew

Recently, as I awakened one morning and looked out the window, I saw a clear sky over treetops in a way I never had before. This continued over the next few days. 

From the very first sunrise, our Lord began to speak to my heart. He revealed that these sunrises of new days are for those with child-like faith and wonder—those who have awakened to Holy Spirit’s revelations over the years. 

These beloved ones are beginning to come into the manifestations of their hearts desires, even greater than they imagined as a child. God has made their futures bright and is leading them now to continue to show them the way. They will see that the wilderness they once found themselves in has become the stepping stone to their expansive freedom.

God has come in with a consuming fire to burn up obstacles that once came against them—the same obstacles He didn’t cause but purposed and used to bring them higher in Him. “They have served their purpose,” says The Lord of Hosts. What used to plague them no longer will. They are free from what was sent to hold them back. They have been made strong in Him for such a time as this, beyond what they could see back then.

God’s fire will also help these beloved ones not look back. He has set them on a clear path at a new altitude and range with eagle clarity and focus, heading straight into His promises. Nothing below them concerns them, as God has broken them through into a beautiful new life that will honor Him in a new way. These beloved ones will experience His beauty of a new day and in a new area to them. 

Our Lord reminded me of a key scripture that He highlighted to me and that I clung to ten years ago, which is Song of Songs 2:13. It asks us, “Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, ‘There is change in the air.’ Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me” (TPT version).

In this passage, the “signs” of His purpose and plans are described as “early.” The “vines of new life” are described as “budding.” But now, the day of destiny is right in front us. It’s in clear sight from a higher perspective. 

In this passage, the early signs have given way to the latter signs of right now, just before big-shift promises are made complete. Do you see these latter signs? Do you also realize that you still need to continue to come away with Him as you navigate the soar? For only in Him do we live and move and have our being.

In addition to this key scripture, Holy Spirit also highlighted Matthew 11:30 to me four times, confirming that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He’s revealing that much has been lifted off of His beloved ones to live and move again as He intended in Acts 17:28, which is to function forward, knowing our identity in Him. 

“It will be as though it never was,” says The Lord of Hosts regarding the pain of the past, “as you continue to step into My glorious future for you.”

The Lord then took me to Isaiah 35 to remind me of His glorious promises for His redeemed. As I re-read this chapter, He reminded me of specific promises that are about to come on the scene as He brings about big shifts. 

In verse 1, He speaks of the desert blossoming “like a rose” and rejoicing (Is 35:1)! He says in verse 2 that “Every dry and barren place will burst forth with abundant blossoms, dancing and spinning with delight!” He speaks of “magnificent beauty” and “awesome glory.” He cites “the beautiful grandeur” of Himself.

He goes to say in verse 4 that “He is breaking through to give you victory! He comes to avenge your enemies. With divine retribution, He comes to save you!” He says in verse 10 that “Ecstatic joy will overwhelm them; weariness and grief will disappear!”

All of this is for those who walk with God and have allowed Him to do deep work in them. I encourage you to read Isaiah 35 and jot down what Holy Spirit reveals to you, specifically, about His purposes and strategies forward. 

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for deliver us up out of former places into our futures. Please help us to continue to abide in You to produce as much fruit that pleases You. I trust You to navigate us all the way into Your completed promises. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen. 

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

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Salvation: Riches & Treasures – Part 2

One morning, as I saw my husband off to work, I stood at the front doorway and watched a Corona delivery truck drive down the street. I noticed a crown symbol on the front of the truck. The Lord highlighted this to me. And so I inquired.

Holy Spirit reminded me that “Sin is not our portion. Salvation is.” 

Later, He led me to Psalm 149:4 NIV, which says, “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.”

Victory in this scripture means salvation. (See the NASB version.)

And in Hebrew, this victory-salvation, this liberty is called Yeshua, which is also the Hebrew Name of Jesus (Strong’s #3444). 

Therefore, when we call on the Name of Jesus, we are calling on the victory-salvation that He is and that He offers (Pr 18:10). 

He is always available to adorn us with new life—inside and out. 

He is our treasure and we are His.

Treasure implies riches that are stored up.

We know He has treasure in Heaven for us but He, as our greatest treasure, also lives inside of us believers (Co 1:27). As we seek and obey Him, He will release more of Himself into our souls (mind, will, emotions), working out His victory-salvation in us and through us.

God aligns our minds with His helmet of salvation (life), the crown of victory-salvation, because whatever is on our minds can be produced (Pr 23:7).

Our lot is to be cast according to His way and His portion. Our lot is Love and all that He is (Ps 16:5, Ac 17:28). He doesn’t leave it to chance. He makes our victory-salvation certain. 

So, may we not compromise our blessings as we look to Him as our source. 

Always.

Several days after the Corona (crown) delivery truck drove by, The Lord led me to an article about a Christmas season “star” to appear in the night sky on December 21, when God’s two largest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are expected to align within 0.1 degree. This special “star,” as it debuts low in the sky on the shortest day of the year, is considered rare as it becomes the largest and nearest one in 800 years. It is expected to remain constantly bright, and not twinkle, given that it’s actually the conjunction (union) of two planets (not actual stars).

Metaphorically, this speaks of a cycle of new unity—the coming together to create something unusually spectacular for nations to see. Through God’s glory expressed in this cosmic event, I believe He is inspiring us and inviting us to come closer to Him and align with Him uncompromisingly, as to consistently shine brighter than we ever have in a short amount of time for His glory (Ps 19:1, 45:11, 97:6; Hab 3:3; Is 26:7 AMPC, Is 60:21 AMPC).

The Lord then highlighted two encouragements from His Word:

Proverbs 4:18 TPT, which says, “But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light, and their way shines brighter and brighter until they bring forth the perfect day.”

Isaiah 60:3 AMPC, which says, “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

I believe these promises are for all believers, who will receive God’s truth and obey.

As I continued to study God’s Word, Holy Spirit revealed six steps to receiving His stored up treasures:

 It begins with asking:

Matthew 7:11 NLT –  “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

“Psalm 2:8 NIV – “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”

Allow His light to shine in and through us as our Treasure:

Colossians 2:3 NLT – “In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Corinthians 4:7 NLT – “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

Matthew 5:26 NIV –  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The key to unlock this Treasure is the fear of The Lord:

Isaiah 33:6 NIV – “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”

Psalm 85:9 AMPC – “Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.” 

Go His way obediently:

Isaiah 2:2-3 AMPC – “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be [firmly] established as the highest of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths…’”

Matthew 6:33 NLT – “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Stay the course:

Proverbs 3:5 NLT – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

Isaiah 26:3 AMPC –  “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”

Let Holy Spirit produce good fruit through us:

Luke 6:45 NLT – “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Isaiah 60:3 ESV – “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Friends, I look forward to gazing up at the Christmas “star” on December 21st with you as a remembrance of who God is, what He has done for us and what He will do forward. 

God has an extension and an expanse waiting to be received.

He longs to fulfill His promises.

What dreams have you long held in your hearts that go beyond yourselves?

What has God assigned to you right now?

How do you see your dreams progressing?

May I pray for you?

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, and for aligning our minds with the new life You offer us through Him. As we look up into Your night sky on December 21st, may we be reminded of You as our Creator and of Your Son as Your greatest gift to us, who came down. May You encourage each person reading or listening to this devotion to be closer to their dreams by giving them a special promise revealed to them by You in a personal way. May You give them good gifts for the asking, including nations (Matt 7:11, Ps 2:8). Thank You, Lord, for enabling them to receive Your very best and to walk consistently upright with You. Thank You, Lord, for being our very best promise, life and inheritance. Our certain victory-salvation for all times (Mi 7:7).

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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Solid Foundation – Part 1

The title of a sermon, I heard nearly two decades ago, has always stuck with me: It was Keep Your Tent Pegs Light.

While I don’t remember the sermon, I realize God has highlighted this title to me recently to remind me of an important message for this hour: 

That we are to continue to walk in holiness as we move forward with God and grow in His promises.

First, we must believe that we have one solid foundation, which is Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth and Christ’s resurrection life within us (Jn 14:17, 1 Tim 3:15).

1 Corinthians 3:11 AMPC tells us, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”

Acts 17:28 says, “For in Him we live and move and have our being…”

We know that Christ, as our firm foundation, doesn’t change; but He changes us. 

In this, we get to trust Him as we walk through the process of transformation to greater promise, which is God instilling His higher standard as He defines our path and delineates our boundaries—first inwardly, then outwardly.

Like Abraham and the Israelites, who moved with God into the unknown-to-them, we are to grow in the grace of pulling up stakes, departing from our past and moving from glory to glory as God continues to pour into us and out of us. 

We are to continually acknowledge Him and rely on Him during increase, as graciously held pegs re-set into holy ground (Is 22:23).

Move by move, every time the ancients of faith pierced the ground with their pegs of identity, purpose and commitment, their faith had an opportunity to grow; and their houses became increasingly established in a secure foundation of glorious new dominion with The Lord.

Like them, we are to go from Him to more of Him in our soul.

From more of Him to much more of Him.

And from much more of Him to much, much more. 

Psalms 18:31 TPT asks, “Could there be any other god like you? You are the only God to be worshiped, for there is not a more secure foundation to build my life upon than you.”

So, in this journey of consecration and fruit production, we are to keep our fierce focus on God and live in the honor of worship to Him alone, turning from all wickedness (Is 26:13, Pr 3:6, Is 19:13). 

As we align with our Chief Cornerstone, He will strengthen us, reveal what we need to know and ultimately deliver us into an expansive reward to make His Name great (Ps 119:38). 

Our full dependence on God invites His fulfillment of promise (Jn 1:16).

Just like Joshua, who was known to be carefully obedient, and Caleb, who was known to be wholehearted, our reality-walk will expand and go long from believing God’s promises; to acting on them; then to experiencing the manifest heart of God, which is to have and to hold Him in the possession of good, exponential fruit. For His glory.

It is a walk where we experience all the pieces come together.

We can be encouraged in this process by Ephesians 2:20-22 TPT, which say: 

You are rising like the perfectly fitted stones of the temple; and your lives are being built up together upon the ideal foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, and best of all, you are connected to the Head Cornerstone of the building, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ himself! This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under his supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord himself. This means that God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!

So, in order for our reality to change for the better, we have to embrace The Lord’s higher ways and keep Him first and center as He reveals Himself and delivers us. 

We must believe God at His Word beyond our circumstances and trust that He sees us as deserving such an inheritance through Christ, our Savior, who makes a way by grace where we could not go otherwise.

We must willingly come to operate in the kind of balance that excels in both God’s Spirit and applied wisdom to the practical—remaining on solid ground.

This balance is the key to, and the fruit of, a life built on a firm foundation that is stable and, therefore, does not waffle or waver but produces what God intended.

For those who are not there yet, there’s hope for those who remember Him—the repentant and the willing.

He offers us an example in Isaiah 19:18-23, where we see people in five Egyptian (worldly) cities turn and commit themselves to God in worship and intimately knowing Him as their Lord. As a result, God revealed Himself as a promise keeper: He healed and restored them, and He called them His people. 

So, friends, how about you?

Are you ready to faithfully walk on the solid ground of wholeness, where you will see your life come together in purposeful ways?

Are you ready to trust God more in a greater role? To establish His Kingdom even more in the earth through you as you abide in Him? 

There is no need to fear; but there is a need for faith, as God raises a standard, does a new thing and helps us move past our past in His overcoming grace (Is 43:18-19).

Join me next week for Part 2 of Solid Foundation. 

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