Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: David

• Keeping It in Perspective!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 4, 2020

  James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. NKJV

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  My past two blogs have been centered around the idea that we foster, that in order to be humble before God, we must somehow decrease that He must increase. In this blog, I want to look at what humility looks like, in the face of success, with some biblical figures we are all familiar with.

  I want to start with Daniel. Those of us who are familiar with the word of God are familiar with Daniel. He is well known as the prophet who told the Gentile kings the interpretations of their dreams. The first time he did so, the king had threatened to kill all the wise men, magicians, and astrologers, which included Daniel, because of a troubling dream. As a matter of fact, the king didn’t even remember the dream, yet, he wanted them to tell him what he dreamed and what it meant. When his astrologers and wise men said that they couldn’t do it, and no one could, he ordered their deaths. Daniel heard about it, and to spare his life and the lives of his friends, they fasted and ask God about the dream. When Daniel reported to the king to share the dream, he said these words:

  Daniel 2:30 – “But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. NKJV

  Prior to this verse, Daniel had already given the honor to God, who knows the secrets of every heart. He wasn’t looking for anyone to think that he thought he was something special, but had come to share the dream and the interpretation of the dream as God had shown him. What he did was pretty spectacular. The king was so impressed he fell prostrate before Daniel and wanted to make an offering to him. He also placed Daniel in a high position and lavished gifts on him. But Daniel knew who the real interpreter was, and he never forget Him! And God exalted him!

  David was another man who demonstrated what it meant to be humble before the Lord. He was the giant killer who killed his tens of thousands. He was the king who brought unity to Israel. He was the leader of the mighty men. Yet, he understood that even so, it was because of God.

  2 Samuel 7:18-19 – “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God ? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God?” NKJV

  David said that what God had done for him was a small thing in His sight, but David knew it for the great favor that it was. I met a Jewish believer when I was a teenager. Without thinking, I said, “Why is your name David? That’s not a Jewish name!” He said, “Are you kidding me? You don’t know about King David, the great king of Israel?” I went, “Oops!” (What was I thinking)! Even today, he is heralded as the king of Israel. David knew that God had exalted him above his enemies and his own desires. It’s what happens when humility is truly demonstrated.

  Peter also demonstrated humility after having been used mightily of God. The lame man at the gate called Beautiful, and others, were ready to fall at his feet and worship him. Why? Because the man had been lame and begging for all of his life. And with a few words, he was made completely whole. Peter had to put that to a stop!

  Acts 3:11-12 – “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? NKJV

  Peter knew he didn’t heal the man, although the Spirit of God healed the man at Peter’s words. The old Peter might have responded differently, but this anointed Peter, showed much humility. He didn’t take God’s glory, because it didn’t belong to him. Anymore than it belongs to us. You can do wonderful things for God, even be successful, without belittling yourself, and still give Him all the glory!

  Acts 18:24-26 -Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. NKJV

  I asked the Lord for an example and He gave me Apollos. What we may not have paid attention to is the effective ministry that Apollos had amongst the Gentiles. On at least five different occasions Paul referred to Apollos’ ministry, placing it in the same category of his ministry and Peter’s ministry. Yet, when Apollos met Aquila and Priscilla, and they shared about Jesus, he readily listened, changed his message, and continued to preach. That’s humility! He wasn’t concerned about his reputation, or his prominence amongst the Gentiles, just the message of the Messiah. It was of Apollos that Paul wrote that he planted and Apollos watered, but God got the increase!

  I give you Jesus! The Bible states:

  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8 – NKJV

  Never once did He think less of Himself. Yet everything Jesus said and did was a witness to the position of humbleness that He displayed before the Father. He became obedient even to the point of death. He bowed His will to that of the Father, and died for us. In spite of the utter shame the cross held, in spite of the devastation to His physical body, in spite of the lies and being ridiculed, He humbled Himself. And He was highly exalted, and given a name above every name!

  Fellow believers! Each of these individuals humbled themselves before God, whether they said it or not. Each of them honored the Father above themselves. Each of them realized that the success that they had or was having was due to the Father, not to them. They did great exploits for the Father! He used them to do those things, but they gave Him all the honor and all the glory!

  It is possible to be a success in what you do, and give God the honor due Him, without sounding flaky and seeing yourself as a wretch. Paul even referred to himself as the least of all the brethren, which we would probably differ with. Yet, I don’t see that “poor wretched” mentality, I just see that he didn’t think more highly of himself than was necessary. If some of us accomplished what Paul did, we’d want a whole lot more money and fame and service than he received. Looking for the exaltation of others. But Paul was humble in what he did because he did it for Christ, only for Christ! That’s really the bottom line! Keep it all in perspective as to whom we are doing it for, and our hearts will remain humble. Then He will exalt us! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Humility, Jesus, Serving God | 2 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Daniel, David, dreams, glory, Honor, humble, Humility, increasing and decreasing, Jesus, obedience, Paul, Peter, service, success

• See Jesus in You!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 2, 2020

  John 3:30 -He must increase, but I must decrease. NKJV

  

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  In my previous blog, I used this same scripture to share the context of how and why John the Baptist used this phrase. For him, it was the reality of his situation, the end of his ministry. But it has become a cliche, used in the body to express humility. And again, I think it is flawed.

  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…

  Psalm 139:14

  David said to the Father in a time of worship that he recognized that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. In the Young’s Literal translation it reads like this:

  I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished.

  God took care in putting us together. To Him, we are special. He made us as different from each other as we can be. Our fingerprints are ours alone. Even our teeth have their own signature. And while we may share DNA with other people, we are still different. And it’s a beautiful thing!

  So now, here’s my point: Why would God gift us to do different things in the kingdom, make us all different, and then not expect that individuality to shine through when He uses us? Again, I know the sentiment behind the phrase but it is scripturally misleading in how and why God chooses and uses us.

  Let’s look at Biblical examples:

  Galatians 2:8 – (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), NKJV

  In this verse, Paul makes it clear that Peter was sent to the Jews and he was sent to the Gentiles. Both of these men were Jewish, but Paul was a Jewish scholar. It would seem that Paul was more qualified to minister to the Jews, but it was Peter who was sent to them.

  We know from the scriptures that Peter was Jewish to the core. When God gave him the vision on the rooftop, and told him to eat of the unclean animals, even though it was God, Peter was still refusing to eat. His strict ways of Judaism made him the perfect candidate to go to the Jews. His life, upbringing, and biases, equipped him to deal with those of his fellow Jews. He didn’t decrease in who he was to increase in what God had for him. He just allowed God to use him, with all of his weaknesses and strengths, to fulfill the call on his life.

  Paul on the other hand, was perfect for the Gentiles. He was a Roman citizen from his birth. He was a Jew from his birth. He was scholarly and understood both cultures well. But he was passionate about the law. When Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, his life was forever changed. The same passion he used to persecute the church, he used to build it. He didn’t ask to decrease from being who he was. All of him, being used by all of the Holy Spirit, caused the gospel to spread, churches to be planted, and him writing most of the New Testament.

  Again, I know what is meant by using this phrase. We want people to see Jesus, and not us. Hopefully! But why can’t they see Jesus in us? What is so wrong with who we are, that we feel a need to say that we want to disappear while the Spirit take over? Or have we so much religious jargon in our churches, that we don’t bother thinking about what we are saying?

  Let’s talk plain! I have some friends who can sing! Had they met the same talent managers that Whitney Houston met, they’d be famous! I mean, they can sing. And when they get up and say this, (all of You God and none of me), it’s like, really? None of you? You were asked to sing because you have a beautiful voice. If it didn’t matter to God or the audience, we’d ask somebody who could “only make a joyful noise”! No! We ask the gifted and the talented to sing because we enjoy listening to them sing. And when they are anointed, they sound even better!

  When I tune into Jesse DuPlantiss, or Bill Winston, or any minister for that fact, I am listening to the individual as much as I am listening to the Spirit of God. There is no way Jesse is going to preach without telling a joke. No way! So when I listen to him I understand that’s the way God uses him to minister to people. He has a way of making an audience laugh. Sometimes after a hard day, or many trials, a good laugh goes a long way! There is no way Bill Winston is going to minister without sharing about kingdom living. It’s just what he does! He and Jesse are both powerful men of God (whether you like them or not) and yet they are so different. And so are their assignments. And yet they are both preachers, being used by the Holy Spirit, with their own distinct personalities and ways of doing it.

  This is true for every pastor, minister, singer, and person in the Body. When God uses us, He wants to use us. He’s not looking for cookie cutter ministers, singers, musicians, or teachers. He wants to use us in our own unique way.

  When my niece was ministering, I felt like we were just having one of our normal conversations. She was just as down to earth in her presentation: no airs, no pretentiousness. She got up and shared an encouraging word as a person who is comfortable in her own skin. And yet, she still felt like she didn’t want people to see her, but she wanted them to see Jesus! Glad to hear it! It’s admirable. But I saw both her and Jesus, and I heard them both! And it was all good! I still hear her saying, “Just keep swimming!” But I heard the Spirit of God saying, “Don’t ever give up!” God used her where she was at, as she was, and I know the people were blessed and encouraged!

  When you are asked to do something for God, just remember: God is saying that He is ready to use you! He’s not asking you to decrease, or stop being you, so that He can increase. You should not get up and rely on you, and your abilities alone, but in Him and His abilities alone! That’s the right attitude! But it’s still you, and He wants to operate through you! So step forward in faith and say, “Use me, Lord; and then believe that He wants to! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Attitude, Humility, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Christian, David, fearfully and wonderfully made, Galatians, God, Jesus, John the Baptist, Kingdom of God, Paul, Peter, psalm

• Which Way Lord?

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 20, 2020

  Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. NKJV

  

  Life is full of decisions that we have to make. My least favorite decision to make is , “What are we going to eat?” I mean think about! As a wife and mother I have had to decide on three meals a day for over thirty years. That’s over thirty thousand decisions about food I have had to make over the years. Quite frankly, it’s not a decision I look forward to. I really like it when someone else makes the decision about the meal and take care of the details. Better yet, let’s go out for a meal, or two, or three! Seriously! One thing I miss during this pandemic is going out to eat! If only all of life’s decisions could be something to laugh at!

  In our text today, we want to look at the phrase, “in all your ways acknowledge Him”. Did Solomon really suggest that we should acknowledge God in all of our ways? He did! However, I know we don’t! It is not my practice to say, “Lord, what should I cook this time?” Although, in desperation over trying to figure out the next meal, I have prayed it!

  When Solomon told us to acknowledge God in all of our ways, he used the Hebrew word, “yada” which means “know” and carries the idea of “being aware of”. This thought goes beyond asking, “Lord, what do you think,” in way of acknowledgement. It, in essence, suggests that when we acknowledge God, we are aware of who He is and how He operates and our ways are filtered through that knowing.

  Adam and Eve knew God, and yet they did not “know” Him as they partook of the forbidden fruit. Had they taken the time to know what He would want in regards to them talking with the serpent and taking of the fruit, they would have left that fruit alone.

  Joseph, on the hand, knew God as he conducted business in Potiphar’s home. When Potiphar’s wife tried to get him to spend some ‘time’ with her, (I have a few young followers), he knew God, was aware of God, and ran for all he was worth.

  David, one of my favorite people, knew God and yet, he didn’t acknowledge God in all of his ways. When he saw Bathsheba bathing, all sense of knowing God and His ways went out of his head, leading him to make some horrible decisions that were life and kingdom altering. It can happen to the best of us!

  Acknowledging God isn’t a once in awhile thing to do. It’s not even a last minute thing to do, or what we do when we’ve gotten ourselves in such a mess, we are out of options. Acknowledging God, knowing Him, and being aware of Him as we go through life’s path is the only smart choice.

  I think of the picture of the maze that I found, which I could never imagine walking through, and having to find my way around. The walls look tall enough that I probably couldn’t see anything but what is directly in front of me; and when I get to an opening, I am clueless in which direction I should go. Do I take the stairs, go through the door, or keep looking for an exit? It can be overwhelming! Just like life! That’s why we are to acknowledge Him in all our ways.

  As we travel through this maze, called life, with walls higher than we are, and more twists and surprises than we can count, we need a guide. Imagine going through this same maze with the architect of the maze, or the owner who has spent countless hours navigating through it? It would certainly take the fear out of going through it, and the worry of making the wrong decisions. God is the architect of our lives. He knows the plans He has for us and the expected end for our lives. When we acknowledge Him, and are aware Him, as we have decisions to make, He takes the fear out of them!

  There are so many areas of our lives that we could benefit from by being aware of God: getting married, raising kids, career choices, relationships other than marriage, purchasing expensive items, getting involved in business deals with others, and a host of other things. This reminds me of Joshua and the leaders of Israel.

  They had a mighty victory at Jericho. God brought the walls down as they shouted, then they went in and took the city. The night before, Joshua was in prayer before the Lord and had an angelic visitation. God gave him instructions and he followed them. But after that great showing of force in Jericho, they thought they were quite the warriors and went against Ai without God’s counsel. That didn’t work out so well for them.

  And if that wasn’t enough, they had some visitors from Gibeon. These visitors told Joshua and the leaders of Israel that they had come from a far country. They even showed them molded bread, old wineskins, old garments, and old sandals explains to them that everything was fresh and new when they left home. The Israelites made a treaty of peace with the Gibeonites without acknowledging, or being aware of God, during the process, and were deceived. Yes! Even our hero, Joshua, didn’t acknowledge God in all of his ways.

  The good news is that even when we blow it, we can get back on track. That’s what Joshua did both times. After the failure of the battle at Ai, he went to God and God told him there was sin in the camp. Deal with it and all will be well. He dealt with the sin and went back and destroyed Ai. With the Gibeonites, there was no getting out of the treaty. They were stuck. They had to honor the treaty and ended up having to save the Gibeonites from destruction. But had they just acknowledged God in the beginning they would have avoided this.

  Great point to make! Some fixes God will get you out of, but some of those consequences you are going to have to live with. And if you are aware of Him during the process of living with those consequences, He will turn things around in your favor. He’s just good like that!

  Which way Lord? What should I do now, Father? What are you saying here, God? These types of questions only take a few seconds to whisper but can save you from a life of unnecessary heartache! Make a decision today to acknowledge, be aware of, and know what He is saying and where He is leading, and see how He takes the “fear” out of traveling through the maze called life. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in God | 6 Comments | Tagged acknowledging God, Adam and Eve, consequences, David, God, Joshua, making decisions, relationships, trust in God, Victorious Living

• I Will Trust in the Lord!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 16, 2020

  Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. NKJV

  

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  Trust comes easy for most children. As they are fed, clothed, and held by their parents and family members they learn to trust them. When I was thinking about the concept of trust, I immediately thought of a parent telling their child to jump into their arms, or a father raising a kid in the air and laughter ringing in the room. Simple, child-like trust is a beautiful thing to watch in action. As children become teenagers, young adults, and later adults, not all of them still trust their parents in the same way they did as kids. Some don’t trust at all!

  When we first come to the Lord, we may start off with childlike trust in the Savior. He has saved us, forgiven us, and given us a new lease on life, but one day we wake up and we don’t feel quite the same way. What happened? We allowed the circumstances of our lives to eat away at that trust!

  In both the natural and the spiritual realm, things happen to challenge our trust. One day kids wake up, and their parents aren’t as perfect as they first believed. I well remember a situation with our oldest daughter when she was about five. She was taking piano and voice lessons with our minister of music, who is a close personal friend. She was learning a song, and my friend told her to ask me to play it for her so that she would be more comfortable with it at her next lesson. When my daughter told me this, I got out my tape player to let her hear the song. She said, “No mommy! She wants you to play it on the piano!” I said to her, “No! She wants me to play it on the tape player!” She was insistent that I was to play it on the piano. When she discovered I couldn’t “play” the piano, she was so disappointed. She said, “You can’t do anything!” If you think she was devastated, I want you to know I wasn’t too thrilled either! Of course, she has forgiven me for not knowing how to play the piano, and will not have to worry about her daughter saying the same thing to her!

  Although my example is mild, and meant to be humorous, we know that many children, teens and young adults experience a variety of times when parents don’t live up to their expectations. Some children have overinflated expectations of their parents, which causes disappointments, as my daughter had; and some just expect their parents to be good, honest, loving parents. Unfortunately, that’s a tall order for some parents!

  When we come to God, we expect to see the mighty miracles, hear the thunder roll, see our every trouble removed because we are now Christians. We don’t want heartache, failure, or disappointment now that we are saved, and yet, we sometimes see more of that, then we see of the other. Trust is waning because expectations are not being met!

  In Proverbs, Solomon didn’t write, “When things are going according to your expectations, trust in the Lord!” No! He simply wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart!” The Hebrew word for trust is bâṭach, pronounced “baw-takh'” and it is a primitive root word which means: to hie for refuge. I was going to overlook this definition and go straight to the part that means, “to trust, be confident or sure:—be bold”. But let’s not! In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition for hie is, “to go quickly; hasten”. When we put this all together, Solomon is saying that when we trust in the Lord, we go quickly, we hasten to Him for refuge! Isn’t that interesting? I think so!

  Isn’t this the picture of a child who dearly loves his or her parent? When something comes up in a child’s life, they quickly run to their parent knowing that it’s going to be better when mom or dad gets involved! This is how we are to be with the Father! Instead of falling apart and becoming discouraged, we are to hasten to Him for refuge knowing that it’s going to be better because of Him!

  Now let’s look at the rest of the meaning of trust! Trust implies a confident assurance in God that allows us to be bold before trials, tribulations, and persecutions; knowing that God has us in the midst of it all! It’s easy to see why Solomon instructed us to trust “with all of our heart,” because in this way, we leave no place for doubt, confusion, or fear to set in! Have I always trusted like this? That would be a negative! But I will to trust in Him more and more! Meaning I set my will to trust God as I grow in my ability to receive His love for me!

  Isaiah wrote in chapter 12 of his book that it was his will to trust God!

  Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. (Verse 2)

  Isaiah purposed that he would trust in God, and he would not be afraid because God was his strength and his song! That’s what our trust in the Lord needs to look like! We should train ourselves to say, I will trust, I will not be afraid!

  Anyone who has heard of Job understand that he went through a difficult time in life. Some say it lasted less than a year, but it was still a painful time. Here’s what Job said during his trial,

  Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him…Job 13:15

  Again, it was Job’s will to trust God! He wasn’t happy with his situation. He didn’t feel like he was getting a fair shake for one who had lived righteous before the Lord. But putting all of that aside, he said that it didn’t matter if he died, he would die trusting the Lord!

  David had this to say about trust:

  Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us! Psalm 62:8

  There is that reference to “refuge” in relationship to trust! When we trust Him, in spite of what is going on around us, He is a refuge for us against those things that try to destroy our trust in Him!

  Scripture tells us in Psalm 125:1,

  They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abide forever.

  When we trust the Lord, we will not only be bold, as the definition tells us, but we will not be moved by what we see! We will only be moved by what we believe, or what we are trusting God to do!

  Anyone can trust during the good times. It’s how most children learn to trust their parents, because things are good! It’s during the difficult times, the hard times, the challenging times that we must say, “I will trust in the Lord”!! Solomon knew the life his dad lived trusting God! He also knew the blessings, the well-being that came with trusting the Lord. But most assuredly he knew what it was like to “not” trust in the Lord with his whole heart!

  We are living in some challenging times in this world. We have political unrest all over the world, a world-wide pandemic, world-wide economic woes, and world-wide attacks on the church! If there has ever been a time when we need to “will” to trust the Lord, this is that time. Stop fretting over what you have no control over today, and hasten to the Lord for refuge! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, Proverbs 3:5-6, Refuge, trust in God | 4 Comments | Tagged body of Christ, children, David, economic crisis, encouragemnt, hard times, I will trust, Job, pandemic, Solomon, trust in God

• The Weapon of Praise!

  Posted at 4:33 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on August 1, 2020

  Psalm 8:2 – Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. NIV

  

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  I’ve been blogging about weapons that are effective in stopping the enemy! I have blogged about the weapon of our salvation, the weapon of the Blood of Jesus, and the weapon of holiness. In this blog, I want to talk about the weapon of praise!

  The psalmist, David, stated that praise establishes a stronghold (a tower) against our enemies. Can you imagine yourself building a tower, with your praise, that the enemy cannot get over? Hopefully, when you finish reading this blog, you will do just that! In the KJV of the Bible the translators used the word “strength” and not “praise” in this verse. However, to be clear that the psalmist is referring to praise, in this verse, let’s look at how Jesus quoted it in the book of Matthew. In Matthew 21:16 – “And (the Pharisees)said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” NKJV

  When I think of both of these words, (praise and strength) it causes me to draw the conclusion that our strength against the enemy lies in our praise! Get this picture in your mind: The enemy is on the attack, in some form or fashion, then you begin to praise God, and you start constructing a tower with your praise! The longer you praise, the higher the tower, the higher the tower, the harder it is for the enemy to access you! I like that picture!!

  The word praise is sometimes translated as “boast” meaning to boast in the Lord and what He has done, and to boast in who He is! Praise can be carried out in a number of ways:

  • We can praise Him in the dance!
  • We call praise Him with song!
  • We can just walk around and praise Him for who He is
  • We can sit and praise Him for what He has done in our lives
  • We can bow before Him and give Him praise just because we feel like it
  • We can praise Him at church or at home
  • We can praise Him with or without music
  • We can praise Him in the Spirit

  Choose one! Better yet, try them all! The next time the enemy goes on a rampage, praise God like never before!

  The Old Testament reference that comes to mind involves Jehoshaphat! There was an army of people who came up against the king and the people of Judah. When the king heard, he called a fast and prayed. The Lord gave the king a promise, a prophetic word, that he would not have to fight in the battle, and Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, gave Him praise. The next morning, when they got up, Jehoshaphat called for another time of praise. Here’s what verse 22 states: “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated!” Now how powerful of an example is that? Yes, they had fasted and prayed, and that caused them to hear from God! But when they began to praise Him, God defeated their enemies!

  Now, if you have been following me, you know I have to give you at least one more scriptural proof of praise silencing the enemy!

  The verse that keeps resonating in my heart and spirit is found in Isaiah 61. Although these are the words that Jesus said He fulfilled in Luke 4, there is a part that illustrates the victory through praise. Isaiah wrote, “put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”. What is the spirit of heaviness but an oppressive spirit from the devil? Isaiah said, when it comes, clothe yourself in praise! Get up from your place of “woe is me” and get in a position of “Lord, You are good! You’ve been better than good!” Hallelujah!

  Everyone may not be able to “apply the Blood of Jesus” in faith as soon as you learn about it, but you can start praising Him right now and be extremely effective against the attacks of your enemy!

  In Psalm 30:12, the psalmist wrote, “You have turned for me mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. O lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” What was David mourning over? Why was he in sackcloth? Who knows? Much had happened in his life before this point. It could have simply been that God had denied him the honor of building His temple because he had so much blood on his hands. Yet, when David was dedicating his home to the Lord, he began to give God praise and said, “you have turned my mourning into dancing”.

  My sister died many years ago. I hadn’t seen her in decades. One day I was just talking to the Lord when I said, “Father, I don’t want the next time I see Jeannie to be at her funeral.” That’s it! That’s all I said. Not long after that, Jeannie contacted me, came and spent a couple weeks with my family and I, and went back to California. She died shortly after. As I was beginning to allow grief to set in, God reminded me of what He had just done for me. I want you to know, I had such a spirit of praise in my heart at the funeral, it was almost embarrassing. However, I shared with my family that day about why my heart was not heavy, and I had to leave it there! He turned my mourning into dancing!

  I can give you example after example of the power of praise over the enemy. When we are praising God, the enemy runs away, because he can’t stand to be in a place where praise to God is going on. Also, when you praise God, you don’t have time to think about what the enemy is saying and doing, thereby, silencing him! And don’t forget that tower that is built when you give God praise! It’s blocks the enemy’s access to you!

  Let’s say that you are not in a place to even give Him praise right now. It happens! At this time, you just put on some praise music, and just be in the atmosphere of praise. It worked for Saul. When the evil spirit came upon him, David was called in to play some music for him. It was probably one of David’s psalms that he played for Saul, because the enemy left. He didn’t want to hear it. Not even in instrumental form!

  David wrote, “Let the poor and needy praise your name,” in Psalm 74. There is no state, no condition, in which we cannot give God praise. The best praise will come from your lips. Sometimes, it will have to be a sacrifice of praise more than a praise party. However it starts out, know that your praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, praise, the devil, weapons of warfare | 0 Comments | Tagged attacks, David, Deliverance, encouragement, hard times, Jehoshaphat, Jesus, praise, Spiritual warfare, the devil, the enemy, victory, worship

• The Flip Side!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 23, 2020

  Ephesians 4:27 – “nor give place to the devil.” NKJV

  

  the-flip-side.mp3

  I grew up in the Flip Wilson era, where we thought it was funny to say, “The devil made me do it!” Flip Wilson, in his comedy show, did some stupid things, then he would say that the devil made him do it. There is a poster with him in a dress, and of course, the devil made him buy the dress. However, through the years I have realized that it’s no joking matter to give place to the devil and his bidding.

  I’ve written several blogs to remind us that we have an adversary and he is out to get us. However, I would be remiss, if I didn’t write about the “flip” side of that picture. While it is true, that the devil is directly or indirectly responsible for the bad things that happen in our lives, we willingly or unwillingly participate in his schemes. It’s time to stop giving place to the devil!

  A young lady approached me one day crying. I asked her what was going on? She said that it wasn’t fair that she was pregnant and she had only had sex one time, when she knew people who were far more active than she was and they hadn’t gotten pregnant. Can I just say that I was standing there looking at her with a “are you kidding me” expression on my face? How could it not be fair? If you are old enough to have sex, you should be old enough to understand that pregnancy can and might be the consequence of your actions. It’s not a matter of fairness, it’s a matter of consequence.

  Consequence is defined as “a result or effect of an action or condition”. Stephen Covey had this to say about consequences: “While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” This is a truth conveyed throughout scripture.

  When David slept with Bathsheba, not only did he father a baby with another man’s wife, but he killed the man to hide his sin. He chose the sin, but the consequences were costly. A warrior who served him with unwavering devotion died, the baby died, his son rape his daughter, her brother killed the one who raped her, and then he turned around and tried to take the kingdom from David. Did I forget to mention that he slept with David’s wives on the rooftop of the palace? David chose the sin, but the consequences were out of his control.

  Achan was another person whose actions brought devastating consequences. The children of Israel had just finished rejoicing over the walls of Jericho falling. They were rounding up the treasures that were to go to God. Achan saw “a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels” and he took them. They were forbidden for him to take, yet he did it. The children of Israel went out to fight the battle of Ai. They lost. Joshua was so upset that he was crying about to God. God told him there was sin in the camp. Achan was exposed. Joshua had them take Achan, the treasures, his family, and all that he owned to the Valley of Achor. There Joshua had them all stoned and burned with fire. Achan chose the action, but he didn’t get to choose the consequence. And let’s not forget that lives were lost in a battle that should have been a cake walk.

  Do you want a New Testament example? I have one for you. Ananias and Sapphira. They sold their property to be a blessing to the church. They decided that they would keep a portion of the money. It was theirs to do with as they wished. But when Ananias showed up to give his money, he lied and said that it was the total amount that he had received from the sell. It was a lie and he died on the spot. He was so not expecting that! Then his wife came in, not realizing what had happened to her husband and gave the same lie. Then she died. Wow! What an expensive price to pay for a lie. They chose the action, but God chose the consequence.

  All of these are examples of people giving place to the devil. The devil could very much have whispered in their ears, suggesting these things. But he could not make them do any of it. They had to give place to the devil. He didn’t make Eve eat from the tree and he doesn’t make us do things. Unless he possesses us! That’s a different blog, altogether.

  What about that couple I mentioned who had the yelling contest, allowing their anger to get the best of them? They gave place to the devil with their anger, and those spirits had permission to come in and wreak havoc and fear in their lives and their marriage.

  When we sin, whatever the sin, we give place to the devil. We give him an invitation to come into our homes, our lives, our finances, and our children’s lives, by our choices and our actions. When we say “no” to sin, we shut the door to the devil and his demonic activity. We stop the negative consequences from happening in our lives and open the door to the blessings of the Lord. When we say “yes” to sin, we will reap the consequences God has laid out in His word, for our sins. God isn’t punishing us, per se, we are reaping what we sowed.

  I can assure you that there are times, the devil just attacks us for no good reason, except that he can. But sometimes, we invite his attention with the things we do and say. We don’t have to be afraid of the devil, but neither should we give him access in our lives.

  I trust that these past blogs have helped you to see that Satan really is your adversary. I hope you have also realized that you can help him hurt you, or you can stop him in his tracks! And no matter where you’ve been in the past on this issue, I trust that moving forward you have a made up mind to actively watch out for his activity, and to enforce his defeat in your life. Keep reading for weapons to defeat the devil. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Choices, consequences, God, Satan, the devil | 0 Comments | Tagged Achan, Ananias and Sapphira, consequences, David, David and Bathsheba, Joshua, Lying, obedience, Sin, Spiritual warfare, the battle of Ai, the battle of Jericho, the devil, the devil made me do it

• Happy Are the People!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 2, 2020

  Psalm 144:15 – “Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” NKJV

  

  happy-are-the-people_.mp3

  Happy people are blessed people, and blessed people are happy people! I woke up with this passage of scripture on my heart and just thought I would share it!

  We are happy when our children are doing well! David wrote the following about children:

  • That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth! In today’s vernacular this means, that our sons are doing well. They are physically healthy, they are growing into fine young men. They are morally upright and are demonstrating a sense of responsibility.
  • That our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style. No figure heads for our daughters. But still applicable in the sense that we want daughters of grace and inner beauty. Young women who are confident, vibrant, and of course, morally upright and responsible.

  We are happy when we have money in the bank, the bills are paid, and we can enjoy life and giving:

  • That our barns may be full, supplying all kinds of produce.
  • That our sheep may bring forth thousands in our fields. Increase in our labors. Much fruit in our jobs!
  • That our oxen may be well laden;
  • That there be no breaking in our going out- I left all of these together because they speak of prosperity. Yes, prosperity. Our finances, our business, our homes, our possessions, growing, flourishing, and overflowing to the point of being a blessing to others. That they are protected from the thief and from waste.

  We are happy when we feel safe and secure where we live:

  • That there be no outcry in our streets. We are living in such a way, that there are no protests in the streets over injustice, lack, or unfair treatment. We can go back and forth in the city without fear of being hurt, harmed, or in danger!

  How can this be? David was praying that this would be the state of the people whose God is the Lord! When we are in the kingdom of God, we should expect that every area of our lives will be touched by His goodness, filled with His blessings! Our family, our livelihood, our cities! Nothing missing, nothing lacking! That’s actually what blessings are all about! And when we are blessed by God like this, aren’t we happy?

  Somebody is saying, just one area Lord, and I’ll be happy! That may be true, but trust Him to move in all areas; expand your heart to receive more from God! He’s not having an economic crisis, and He’s not rationing out blessings!

  I just thought I’d share what I woke up to! I pray blessings over your family, your home, your livelihood, your city, your country! As David did! So the next time someone say to you, “Be blessed,” think of all these ways in which David, and I prayed for you to be blessed! Because happy is the people whose God is the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings | 1 Comment | Tagged Attitude, blessings, children, David, goodness, material blessings, provision, psalm

• Jesus, Son of David!

  Posted at 2:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 27, 2020

  Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” NKJV

  

  jesus_-the-son-of-david_.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation-1-1.m4a

  Whenever I read the word of God I am amazed at how God sets things in order. Nothing happened, just because. It was all part of His plan for redeeming mankind, displaying His love, developing us as His own peculiar treasure, revealing Himself. Just amazing!

  Such was the case of each leader in the Old Testament. They not only were a part of the grand scheme of God, but they point us to Jesus! Abraham was a prophetic demonstration of God’s love for us as the one who would offer up His only Son for us, Jesus, the Seed of Abraham. Moses was a prophetic picture of Jesus, the deliverer. And King David revealed Jesus as King of kings. Let’s look at King David.

  Although, Abraham was before David, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is mentioned first as the Son of David, and then as the son of Abraham. That’s because the Jewish nation understood that the Son of David, was their title for the Messiah to come, and Matthew purposefully declares Jesus to be, the Son of David, and then gives His genealogy to prove it.

  This was intentional on Matthew’s part because he understood that Jewish people placed a high value on a person’s ancestry. We know this to be true because of the long records in the Pentateuch, which give us great details of who fathered whom. When Ezra reorganized the temple worship, the Jews had to prove their family tree with records and those who could not, of the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve as priests. So lineage was extremely important and this is why Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus in this manner.

  In 2 Samuel 7:13, God said to David, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God established the Davidic covenant with these verses. He promised David that his seed would be the one that would have a forever kingdom. Several of the promises made to David at this time were in fact related to Solomon, heir to the throne. But verse 13, was in reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who was yet to come! The forever King!

  Luke confirms that Jesus, the Son of David, was indeed the one who would have a forever kingdom. In chapter 1, verses 32-33, we read- “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of a kingdom that would have no end. We know that to be true today, and we know it to be fulfilled in Jesus!

  There are two important ways that David and Jesus are mirrored. David was a shepherd. As a shepherd he cared for the sheep and protected them when necessary. Jesus, Himself, declared that He was, and is, the Good Shepherd and He refers to His people as His sheep. He takes care of us, protects us, and provides for us, just as David did with his sheep. They are both kings. David’s kingship ended with his death, but he is known to be Israel’s greatest king. His kingdom was taken by force, and he ruled as one who loved the Lord. Jesus’ kingdom is taken by force. He rules as one who is God. He has established a forever kingdom and it is still in operation. He is Jesus, King of kings. From His birth, when the wise men came looking for the King who was born, to His death on the cross, where they nailed a sign King of the Jews, to today, He has been king! And guess what, He will still be King when we leave here, and when we meet Him in heaven.

  The Old Testament tells us some very important things concerning the Messiah, the Son of David:

  • He would reign forever
  • He would rule over all the people of the earth
  • He would be both King and Priest
  • He would bring a new covenant
  • He would provide forgiveness of sins

  Jesus fulfilled all of this and so much more!

  In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the Son of David on several occasions:

  • Matthew 12:23- It was written, “Could this be the Son of David?” – After Jesus healed the man who was demon-possessed, and was both blind and mute
  • Matthew 15: 22- Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! – The Syro-Phoenician woman who wanted the crumbs from the under the table for her daughter’s healing cried to Jesus.
  • Matthew 20:30- “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”- two blind men cried for their sight!
  • Matthew 21-15- “Hosanna to the Son of David!” – the children cried in the temple when they saw Jesus during His triumphant entry!
  • Matthew 22:42- Jesus asks the Pharisees how could David call his descendant, his Lord? They responded that he was the Son of David, basically the Messiah!

  Why did they call Jesus the Son of David after these miracles? Because the Old Testament references to the Messiah declared that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.” Isaiah 35:5 NKJV

  There are so many wonderful truths about Jesus, the Son of David, and how their lives were mirror images, but can I share some that are dropped in my heart?

  David, was the first Old Testament person who had the Spirit of God with him always. Jesus also had the Spirit of God with Him always, although, without sin. David also brought in the realization of a personal relationship with God, and Jesus was and is the fulfillment of that personal relationship with God. David was a man who sought the face of God, and Jesus was always praying. David was a great servant-leader, and Jesus was a greater servant-leader. David cared deeply for his people, and Jesus demonstrated great compassion for His people. And the list can go on!

  I will return to my first observation in this post. God is so intentional. Every detail has been well thought out! As I have been working on this post and thinking about these things, it has caused me to realize that He didn’t stop being intentional after Jesus. He is still just as intentional in our lives. I can’t explain delays, or disappointments, or how they fit in the whole tapestry of life; but I am confident that He misses nothing, and He is working out His own plan; for my life, for your life, for the sake of the kingdom, for the return of Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, King David, Messiah | 0 Comments | Tagged David, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, Prayer, provision, Salvation, shepherd

• But Then God…!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 19, 2020

  Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” NKJV

  

  The word afflictions is translated from the Hebrew word, “ra” and can be used to mean adversity, calamity, distress, harm, hurt, misery, sorrow and trouble, to name a few. What type of evangelism experience would you have if you walked up to an unsaved person and said, “Hey! I want to tell you about all the trouble, the hurt, the misery, and sorrows you are going to go through as a believer”? You will be ineffective in your attempt to win that person to the Lord! No one wants to buy into trouble. But the wonderful thing about affliction, is that the Lord delivers us out of all of them!

  Jesus said it like this, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In other words, we as Christians are inevitably going to experience some things, but the promise of God is that He has already overcome the world, and that includes its troubles!

  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; but then God gave Pharaoh a dream that only Joseph could interpret, and he was moved from the prison to second in command of Egypt. Moses’ mom had to put him in a basket in the Nile River because she couldn’t bear to see harm come to him; but then God had Pharaoh’s daughter find him, fall instantly in love with him, and she raised him as her own. The children of Israel were standing at the Red Sea, with the sea before them and the Egyptians behind them; but then God parted the sea, that they could walk over on dry land. And then God drowned the Egyptians in the sea! The children of Israel came to a place where there was no water; but then God told Moses to strike the rock and water gushed out to meet their needs.

  Job lost every thing he had except his wife and his life; but then God stepped in and blessed him with double for his trouble! The Hebrew boys were thrown in a furnace that was turned up seven times hotter; but then God stepped into the furnace and not a hair on their head was singed. Daniel was thrown in the lions’ den; but then God closed the mouths of the lions, and Daniel went to sleep. Jonah was swallowed by the large fish, but then God made the fish throw him up!

  Goliath had the Israelites shaking in their boots, but then God sent David to the camp and he killed Goliath! David was in the cave of Adullam seeking encouragement from the Lord, but then God sent him 400 men who became his mighty army! David was running from Saul for his life; but then God took care of his enemy, and gave him the kingdom.

  Five thousand people went to hear Jesus preach, and ended up staying so long they missed their dinner; but then God multiplied two loaves of bread and five fish, and fed them. Taxes came due, and Peter was concerned about how to pay them; but then God had a fish find a coin, and led that fish to Peter’s net. Saul was a persecutor of the church; but then God stopped him on his way to Damascus, and turned him into Paul the apostle. Jesus was crucified and hung on the cross; but then God raised Him from the dead, giving salvation to us all.

  You see, I can’t think of a single person who sees a trial and then shouts, “This is going to be a good one! Let me at it!” I know I don’t! But we should! The minute we see the devil prowling on the attack, we need to start looking for the “but then God” moments! It is in the midst of all of these troubles, trials, difficulties, hurts, sorrows and disappointments of life, that we see God stepping in on our behalf, bringing mighty miracles of deliverance! Andrea Crouch sang these words in a song, “If I didn’t have any problems, I wouldn’t know that God could solve them!” This is so true, and yet many of us struggle through our difficulties, barely able to believe that God could possibly loves us, since we are hurting so much! I want you to know He most certainly does!

  Am I saying that we should ask for, look for, or even desire afflictions? Absolutely not! My pastor likes to say, “You are either going through a trial, you just came out of a trial, or you are about to go in a trial!” Every time I hear it, I cringe! I don’t like trials! But I love the victories! I love the testimonies! I love the shouting and the dancing that follows every time! Guess what? You can’t have one without the other!

  This pandemic feels unreal! It’s hard to comprehend all that has happened in such a short period of time. In just a couple months there have been over 320,000 people who have died as a result of this virus, while almost 5 million have contracted it worldwide. That’s mind boggling! On top of that, millions are unemployed! Not what we were looking for in 2020! But I am confident, and I am so convinced, that there is going to be a “but then God” moment in the lives of all who can believe! Hopefully, even in the world!

  This is not panic time! It’s time to believe like never before! It’s time to trust in the faithfulness of God like you have read about in the examples above, even in God’s word! It is time to say, and continue to say, that this is a great time and place for a…but then God! Trials and tribulations that we will face may not be a wonderful place to start an evangelism opportunity, but it most certainly can be a wonderful place to end it! Whatever Satan has up his sleeve, hang in there for your “but then God”! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, hard times, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged coronavirus, Daniel, David, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Hebrew boys, Jesus, Job, miraculous, Moses, protection, testimony, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory, witness

• A Prepared Table

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 14, 2020

  Psalm 23:5- “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…” NKJV

  

  Years ago, I was stationed in Italy, while in the Navy. I lived on base and I had my own room. In the room I had a set of bunk beds, a table, a couple chairs, and a refrigerator. I didn’t do a lot of cooking, but I had set my table, prepared at any moment to eat alone, or with a guest. After washing dishes, they would go back on the table and I would be ready once again. I’m not sure where I got that from, but I’ve always loved looking at a table that was set for company or a special meal.

  As I mentioned before, the 23rd psalm is a favorite of mine. I remember a few years ago that I was invited to God’s table, prepared just for me. Here’s how: I was in the midst of some challenging situations and I was spending hours in prayer to keep from walking in my flesh! As I would read the word and pray, I would always find myself hovering around this psalm. Then one night as I slept I had a dream!

  In the dream, I was driving down a street when I saw a man standing on the steps of a church. He began waving at me to come over. I stopped and walked to the church. As he ushered me in the church I realized that I was in a fellowship hall. There was a long beautifully set table. I was escorted to the table that had looked empty when I entered, but was now heavy laden with all types of bread, freshly baked bread. A chair was pulled out and I was invited to sit. It was just me at the table with all this bread. And I knew in my spirit that a table had been prepared for me. Peace flooded my soul and I woke up. Nothing had changed in the natural, but I had a peace that God had prepared a table for me and that He was pleased to my response to what was going on around me.

  God prepared a table for David and anointed him king. He was out in the field with the sheep and a banquet was going on to which he had not been invited. But they didn’t understand that the banquet was in his honor. God had sent Samuel for him, and as the banquet was being prepared no one knew it had been prepared for David.

  It is said that eating and drinking at someone’s table creates a bond of mutual loyalty and could be a culminating token of a covenant, as in the Passover meal that Jesus had with His disciples. It is also said, to be an invited guest of the Lord’s is to suggest that you are more than an acquaintance for a day for it is an invitation to dwell with Him. (Logos)

  David had been talking in metaphorical language about the Lord as his shepherd. Now he is referring to the Lord as his friend. It is an honor to have Jesus as your shepherd, for as such, He provides protection, provision, and healing. To have Him as your friend is an even better position. Friends share with one another, what they wouldn’t just share with everybody. Friends like just being together. Friends are hard to separate, hard to break apart. Friends can be closer and tighter than family. The Bible talks about a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Every one needs one!

  In that difficult season of my life when I was really going through, He invited me to sit at His table and enjoy fellowship with Him over bread. He is the Bread of Life, and bread represents life in dream symbols books. He also told us to pray “give us this day our daily bread”. And here I was at this challenging place in my life and I am being offered bread at a table that has been set, just for me by my Friend.

  Life isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always easy; but Jesus makes it worth the living. He knows what we need and how to provide it. I could not have articulated what I needed at that moment, but He visited with me in a dream that felt so real I smelled the fresh bread. It was as if He had taken leave from His seat by the Father and come for a visit. It was beautiful!

  I have had so many times in my life when I have had similar experiences with Jesus. I get David. His relationship wasn’t about doing stuff as much as it was about time with Jesus. This pandemic has put all of us in a place where we can develop our friendship with Jesus. We certainly have the time! It may start off feeling a little funny, or even a little forced, but the more you take the time to be with Him, He will make the time to be with you. This dream has been on my heart this week and I thought that I would share it with you. My prayer is that you are having these special times with Him already; but if you are not, then I pray that you will begin to pursue that relationship with Him. And one day, you will be invited to sit at the table that has already been prepared for you. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Fellowship with God, Psalm 23 | 4 Comments | Tagged bread, David, encouragemnt, God, hard times, Jesus, love, Prayer, protection, provision, Psalm 23, word of God

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