Fear Not ... Receive the Peace of Jesus!

     In John 14:27, Jesus tells us, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives to you; do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled; nor let it be fearful. That's easier said than done these days, isn't it? Only those who choose to be blinded can ignore what is coming upon the earth. It is hard to pretend that anything else is on my radar, or that I need to be writing about something else. For the last three months, we have seen the world immobilized by the threat of a pandemic. And for the last two weeks civil unrest has dominated our TV screens, and racism and injustice seem to be the only words that anyone can speak. And that isn't even considering the "rumors of wars", the movement to "defund" law enforcement in our nation, and the predictions of an unusual and prolific hurricane season. It feels as if our lives [and the earth] have been robbed of their peace and stability.
    All of this combines to produce fear and confusion among all people. Even those who profess faith in Jesus Christ find themselves wondering where this will all lead, and if we will be protected from the manifestations of wickedness among men. I cannot predict how far current events will go, but I can tell you that my Pentecost experience was so profound! [And I find it interesting that the Enemy was able to orchestrate men's hearts to do his evil just prior to that holy convocation... hoping to forestall an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, perhaps?]. 
     But the small group of us who met in our home to call for the Holy Spirit to bring fresh anointing and prophetic destinies were not disappointed! Jesus opened a door to the glory of Heaven and invited us in to experience not only His Presence, but His empowerment and forewarning. This is what I heard the Lord say in my spirit: "The Darkness is coming, but there's no need to fear. You have done well with what I've given you; I'm giving you more. Step into this new territory and do not be distracted by the world. Look neither to the left nor the right, but stay focused on Me and I will lead the way". 
     My husband, Mark, heard nearly the same thing, as did the other participants ... the Darkness is coming. But Mark heard something very specific ... "I am giving you a hammer, but will tell you when it's time to use it". We all felt joined in the spirit that we are to know the Darkness is coming; but so is empowerment, and we will be Overcomers in the Lord! And with that statement, John 16:33 comes to mind: "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world". It's a very sobering message; but strengthening and fortifying at the same time. I'm still trying to take it all in!  
     And as difficult as it may be for some of you, I think it's time we get honest with each other and ourselves. I want you to see that in that verse, Jesus offers Peace, but He promises Tribulation! And note in the opening Scripture I mentioned (John 14:27), Jesus says He leaves His peace with us, and He gives His peace to us. It's there for us! But we may only have it IF we receive it; IF we open our hearts to experience it. Can you see that we are responsible for having peace? And that if we make the free will decision to accept it, that peace will become centered in our heart? 
     That's what we need to realize about what we are seeing on the streets of America today -- God is exposing the condition of hearts! We can see the hearts that have been influenced by the Anti-Christ spirit; hearts filled with hate and rage; hearts mimicking Satan's goal to "steal, kill, and destroy". But I want you to understand that there are hearts rooted in the true spirit of Christ, too -- voices who pronounce that the violence and injustice our nation is experiencing comes from the kingdom of darkness, and that we must recognize that what we are seeing transcends the color of our skin and police brutality. We are in a spiritual war! Both sides of the battle in the streets have the same Enemy! He wants to destroy us, divide us, and drag us along with him on his way to eternal torment. Those are not my words, but the wise words of a young biracial man on Facebook. He recognizes that we need to "address the real matter, [which is] the heart and what flows from it!"
     Jesus has always been concerned primarily with the condition of our heart. In fact, He told the prophet Samuel, "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). So, there's a difference between the people whose hearts are pure and clean, and wish to call attention to injustice, and still promote the brotherhood of man -- and the people whose hearts are corrupted and only wish to inflict pain, chaos, and death.
    My goal in writing the post today is two-fold ... First, to tell you that the Darkness is growing; Jesus said it would in Matthew 24. He told us that we will be persecuted and hated for His name's sake. Many will stumble in their faith and hate one another; false prophets will lie and mislead; lawlessness will increase; and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures til the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). 
     "Saved" here does not merely mean "saved from eternal death as a believer in Jesus Christ". We must look at the full context of what Jesus is talking about in this passage. It is in context to "the end" mentioned in this verse and the next, in which Jesus says, And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a testimony to the nations, and then the end will come. He's talking about the end of the kingdom of darkness [that we are witnessing in the lawlessness today], and from which we will be delivered into [saved for] the glorious presence of our Lord to rule and reign with Him. 
     So, yes the Darkness, is coming but we have been given hope [and peace] to endure. And this brings me to my second goal.... I don't want you to concentrate on all the negativity that the Media is trying to spread. They are a useful tool for the Anti-Christ spirit. When the Lord says we may have peace in untroubled hearts, you need to see that there are messages of hope in the midst of the darkness, and then let that hope and peace manifest in your heart. There's a beautiful video of men and women of all colors gathering together in Lynchburg, VA so they might praise the Lord and glorify their common Savior. This video is in contrast to the negative seeds being sown by so many. So, don't let the hate drown out the voices of these faithful people raised in mutual awe and adoration of Jesus! You may have the peace of the Lord, if you seek it, choose to receive it, and share it! Remember ... the Darkness may be coming, but there's no reason or need to fear ... it will never put out the Light! Be the Light! 

Psalm 27:14    Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! 

  
    

My Thoughts In These Troubled Times: Up Close and From A Distance

     

     This is a difficult post to write. As I watch the social unrest in the cities of my nation, and I hear the words of empathy and compassion, as well as anger and hate, I am aware that no matter what I say here, there will be those who misunderstand my heart. I am not going to be able to relieve or satisfy the intense emotions being experienced by all sides of this tragic situation.
     Let me start by saying that I do not know of ANYONE who is not deeply disturbed by the death of George Floyd. And let me further say that anyone who finds no fault with the officers involved needs to examine their hearts. But what I am seeing on the streets of our largest cities does not honor this man's life or the loss of it. And let me be clear .... in no way can I ever understand what it is like to walk in the shoes of a black man in America. I cannot understand what it's like to experience decades of racism and bigotry. And it's naive and insensitive to suggest that it has not existed, or its time to move on.
     I have never felt the fear of being stopped by a white policeman during a traffic stop. But I have felt outrage when my bi-racial nephew was accosted by a minority police officer for mistakenly turning the wrong way down a one-way street in a town he was unfamiliar with. My heart has hurt for him as he described being thrown up against a car and hand-cuffed as the officer automatically suspected the worst from his innocent actions.
     At the same time, I have also felt anxiety and fearfulness as my white nephews put on their police uniforms in order to serve the public during riots in Ferguson, MO and again, in these latest cities that are on fire, literally and figuratively. I am just as troubled that they are perceived guilty because of the color of their skin as my black nephew was. All I can do is love these young men based on their hearts, not the color of their skin. And I do not cite these incidents to try to convince you that I understand every side of this human issue, or that I have the answers. I do not and cannot.
     I am all too aware that some will perceive that I have not said enough to express the heinousness of the crime or their feelings on the matter, while others will think I have said too much in favor of those whose opinion they oppose. But I need us to step back and see behind the spiritual veil -- and that is not an attempt to gloss over or diminish the very real issues that are happening in this earthly realm.  I want you to hear me .... my spirit is very sensitive to the truth that what we have seen on the surface this last week or so is not the complete story; nor does it convey the sinister agenda of the devil and his kingdom of darkness.
     As I personally step back from the immediate chaos and lawlessness (by all parties involved), I hear the Spirit telling me through Paul's words, "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." I am seeing this truth profoundly displayed in the earth these past few months. I have discerned the spirit of Deception in most everything associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. I have perceived the duplicity in powerful men and corporations who have much to gain financially from the fear spawned by this manufactured plague. Therefore, I was not surprised when I read about the revelation received by Jeremiah Johnson during a vision in which he encountered a demonic entity.
     In case you are unfamiliar with Jeremiah, he is the founder and director of Maranatha School of Ministry, a full-time two-year five-fold ministry training center that equips and sends out End-Time messengers. Before I share the heart of Jeremiah's vision, I want to make it clear that I am not declaring that recent events indicate we are in the End Times, or that Jesus's imminent arrival on Earth is to be expected any moment. Of course, I believe the Word when it says no one knows the day or the hour, only the Father. But I am inclined to believe that the last 100 years of history has [more than likely] been the "beginning of the birth pains" that Jesus speaks about in Matthew 24, and which He predicted would precede the ever-increasing tribulation we are beginning to see now.
     I believe it is important that the Body of Christ understand that what we are seeing and experiencing is rooted in something much more than racism and racial politics, the upcoming Election, or the actions of the Deep State -- although all are tools of the kingdom of darkness. We must take to heart what Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:10-12. He says, Then many will stop following me and fall away [or stumble, or take offense], and they will betray one another and hate one another.  And many lying prophets will arise, deceiving multitudes and leading them away from the path of truth. There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold.
     This is being fulfilled before our very eyes! And this prophecy was confirmed by Jeremiah Johnson's vision, which also aligns with what my spirit [and many in the Body of Christ] have been sensing for some time. You can read about the entire vision at this link, but here is the gist of it.... a demonic entity appeared to him on the evening of May 30th, announcing that "Just as there are forerunners in the Kingdom of God that go before the Son of Man, so I am a forerunning spirit in the kingdom of darkness that has been sent before the coming of the man of lawlessness."
     Jeremiah said that the demonic entity had a visible and deep scar underneath its right eye, but it also had the ability to mutate or rather, change forms. He watched this “being” morph several times right in front of him, yet the gash below its right eye remained. Then the demon spoke: "The scar underneath my right eye has come at the hands of the praying Church, for many of them in this hour have begun to detect our true plans and purposes to disrupt systems, divert attention, and release chaos in the land." The demon revealed that the source of the power and influence coming upon the world in these days is the Media! It revealed that the Media has been the tool to spread, first, the fear of the pandemic, and is now fueling the hate that we see in our cities on fire and escalating racism (on both sides). And ultimately, it is the greed of those with evil hearts that is inciting the spirits of fear and hate.
     We MUST look beyond the [hear me] JUSTIFIED pain and anger of Black Americans, and all of us must seek the keys of the Kingdom to overcome the man of lawlessness's agenda! Granted, the Bible tells us that he will succeed for a time until the Lord of Righteousness, Jehovah Tsidkenu, appears to put an end to his lawless, violent, and evil reign. Yes, we must continue to pray for healing of our land and hearts. But prayer alone will not defeat this evil agenda. We must combine it with fasting, binding and loosing [on earth as it is in Heaven], casting out demons, and putting on our spiritual armor and battling alongside the Host of Heaven who are fighting on our behalf in the Second Heaven.
     The words and actions of mere humans who do not know Jesus Christ will not accomplish the peace and healed hearts that we seek. The Body of Christ must rise up in their Heavenly Kingdom identity as the Ekklesia and take back the government of this earth, stopping the disruption of, and diversion from God's agenda, and end the chaos caused by the agents of Satan's kingdom of darkness.
     The crowds clamor for Justice, and rightly so. But as human beings, we will never come to a consensus and agree on what that justice looks like. Righteous justice certainly does not look like anything that Satan is currently fomenting. God, whose Justice is holy, merciful and truly righteous, is the only one who can turn this around. We need to turn to Him for guidance on how to heal, and ask for His righteous judgment to fall on our land. We must remember that Vengeance is His, and He has a record of all that has happened and everything that has been said and done. He knows the true nature of all hearts and we will have to stand before Jesus as our thoughts and deeds are exposed to His Light. Let us pledge that we will remain His vessels for mercy, love, and righteousness. Pray, fast, release the power and authority of the Kingdom into your spheres of influence, and praise Him for His everlasting love for all who love Him in return. Lord Jesus, let me be on the front lines in this spiritual war against the Anti-Christ spirit that has invaded our land. Let me represent You in this time of lawlessness and chaos!

 1 John 3:10    By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
     
    

The Inadequacy of Religion

    

     I was truly saddened this past week as I ran across a headline which read. "Christian Rock Singer Reveals He No Longer Believes in God". Normally, this might have escaped my attention. But after scanning an article or two about Jonathan Steingard of the Christian rock band, Hawk Nelson, I was struck by some of his comments: "Thousands of people from a wide range of belief and unbelief have reached out to let me know I’m loved... I have been inundated with your stories. Beautiful stories. Tragic stories. Stories of hurt and healing, of pain and release... It’s clear I’ve struck a nerve, and that many many many of you have felt what I feel. We haven’t all landed in the same place, or reached the same conclusions but the struggle with the questions? That’s something we share."
     Why should we be concerned about this particular person's crisis of faith? First of all, every person matters to God, and when even one person in the Body of Christ succumbs to the spirit of Doubt, it should affect us all. But I want you to key in on his words that talk about being "hurt" and then healed; of feeling "pain" and then release. I'll return to those sentiments in a moment. For now, I offer his Instagram post that reveals the struggles he has encountered within his faith life:

     "This is not a post I thought I would ever write, but now I feel like I really need to. I've agonized over whether to say this publicly, and if so, how to do it, but now I feel it's less important how I do it, and more important that I do it. So here goes.
      After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastor's kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word "Christian" in most of the things in my life -- I am now finding that I no longer believe in God.
     The last few words of that sentence were hard to write. I still find myself wanting to soften that statement by wording it differently or less specifically -- but it wouldn't be as true.
     The process of getting to that statement has been several years in the making. It didn't happen overnight or all of a sudden. It's been more like pulling on the threads of a sweater, and one day discovering that there was no more sweater left.
     I have been terrified to be honest about this publicly for quite some time, because of all that I thought I would lose. I'm still scared, but I'm writing about this now for a few reasons.
     Firstly, I simply can no longer avoid it. Processing this quietly seemed right when I simply had doubts, but once they solidified into a genuine point of view, it began to feel dishonest not to talk about it."

     These are not the words of some young rock musician who is being seduced by the temptations of the world. They are the heartfelt cries of a 36-year-old man who has discovered that he's followed all the "rules" of what it means to be a Christian, yet realizes there's no foundation to his faith and he doubts the existence of the God he's been taught is real. The "sweater" unraveled and there was nothing substantial left.
     "Praying in public always felt like some kind of weird performance art," he said. "Emotional cries such as 'Holy Spirit come fill this place' always felt clunky and awkward leaving my lips. A youth conference I attended [when younger] encouraged every teen to sign a pledge that they would 'date Jesus' for a year. It felt manipulative and unsettling to me. I didn't sign it."
     Jon also revealed that when he consulted the Bible for answers to his questions, he became more confused.  His doubt in the Bible is what ultimately led him to stop believing in God, a thought that sent him "into a tailspin." He then suffered depression after the loss of his faith.
     Obviously, we can lay a measure of responsibility at the feet of the Enemy, who comes to "kill, steal, and destroy", and I believe our faith and relationship with the Lord are at the top of his list of targets to annihilate. But, are you also able to recognize the Enemy working with spirits of Doubt and Unbelief, which work nicely with the spirit of Religion that has been all over this man's life ... and how inadequate Religion was in overcoming his doubt and encouraging an intimate and legitimate "heart relationship" with the Lord? Those stories of "hurt and healing", and "pain and release" that he received were the result of untold numbers of people who have been hurt and pained by a Church that preached Religion instead of Relationship. And now, like Jon, the only way they can experience the freedom that comes with healing and release is to walk away from Religion, which corrupted the message and the relationship of the One who longed to bring them true and genuine healing.
     I will also submit the very real possibility that he received no real encouragement to read the Bible, nor to understand it through the revelations of the Holy Spirit. If he was "confused" when trying to get answers from the Bible as an adult, then it's quite possible that the Biblical teaching he received was religious [or denominational] in nature, as well, instead of revelatory. 
     Jon admits that his next question is, "What Now?" At this moment his answer is this: "I don’t really know how to answer the question… with much certainty, other than to (say) that I’m ready to live," he writes. "Openly. Honestly. Curiously. Deeply." I have to say that not only does my heart ache for him, but I must admit that I'm angry!
     To say that he's ready "to live" tells me that he has felt dead in Religion. And I know that, for me,  to truly "live" is to be in relationship with Jesus. And because I have been seeking to "know Him", He has met me in the midst of all my questions and searching for answers, and He has met me openly, honestly, encouraging my curiosity, and He has allowed me to experience Him deeply. But it wasn't until I came out from under the restrictive blanket of Religion that I was able to even begin that process.
     So, I get where Jon is coming from. I do not condemn him, because I have seen the damage that Religion has [and is] doing within the Body of Christ. Jon, and those who responded with their own stories about their struggles with faith, are not God-haters. They have just been short-changed by Religion. Jesus did not come to earth to establish a Religion; He came to re-establish a Relationship between man and His Creator.
     I'm sorry that Jon's struggles did not lead to a new awakening of his spirit in Christ. But Jon says he's open to having his heart changed, and that's a very good sign. If he will leave the door open to renewing his faith, then Jesus can heal his heart, breaking up the fallow ground in order to plant new seeds of righteousness that will bear fruit, watered by springs of Living Water. It's my prayer that Jon will be able to experience what it means to really be alive; to "live" in Christ, and then he will be able to bring a powerful testimony to those who are still hurting from the consequences of Religion. Jon may have turned from God at this moment in time, but God has not turned away from him. The Father will be waiting with open arms!

1 John 3:20     "for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything."
    
     

Understanding Pentecost: The Jewish and Christian Perspectives

     This weekend is Pentecost [meaning "fifty"], the Christian holiday which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Jewish Feast of Weeks [or Shavuot -- which is translated as "weeks" in Hebrew]. For the religion of Judaism, this feast emphasizes the time lapse between Passover and Shavuot, two of the three "solemn feasts" which every Jewish male was required to attend in Jerusalem [the other being the Feast of Tabernacles].
     Passover, in addition to its historical phase commemorating the end of Egyptian slavery, also was a spring festival linked to the beginning of the spring harvest season. The grain harvest lasted seven weeks, beginning with the harvesting of the barley on the second day of Passover and ending with the harvesting of the wheat about a month later, at Shavuot.
     The Feast of Weeks also involved a ritual in which there was the bringing of the wave offering of bread [as a show of peace and service to God], which was to be baked from the new crop of wheat. Leviticus 23:15-17 gives us the details of this ritual ... You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. This was the way one expressed his or her gratitude to God for the new crop.
     It is important to us, as Christians, to understand that the Lord's Feasts were instituted not only as holy convocations, or gatherings, to the ancient Israelites, but they have continued significance to us as the children of God, whose faith is rooted in the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

     As I have pointed out to you in the past, the four Spring feasts are a mirror of Christ's reality here on earth. Jesus was crucified as the “Passover Lamb” and rose from the grave at the Feast of Firstfruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection, and ascension, where He sat at the right hand of God, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit [which God had promised] to indwell the disciples and empower them for ministry. The promised Holy Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost, which is another name for the Feast of Weeks.

     Yes, this day has extraordinary meaning to the Body of Christ. The holiday of Pentecost commemorates the day God made good on His promise to send us a Counselor/Helper in the absence of our Lord and Savior. 

     Jesus, Himself, prophesied that this would happen ...  And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49); When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me (John 15;26). Paul confirms this in Ephesians 1:13 -14: having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance. 

     But this promise of the Holy Spirit was well-known throughout Jewish history, too. Their prophets had brought the message of the Promise down through the centuries. The Holy Spirit had been present in their midst whenever God sent Him for specific purposes. Haggai 2:5 exemplifies this concept: As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear! The prophet Ezekiel preached this message from YHWH: Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. And then there is the End Times prophecy from Joel 2:28-29: It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 

     As you can see, throughout the Old and New Testaments, which in reality are one continuous covenant with His own, there has been a promise that God would give us the Holy Spirit. And He has given us Holy days upon which we are to reflect and glorify His sovereignty.  The importance of that promise and those holy days are meant for both Jew and Christian; our faiths are intertwined, along with the promises from the Father and the Son. We are all called to repent and be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This weekend I will meditate on what the Holy Spirit has done in my life, and I will pray and express my gratitude for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for the revelation of the importance of this Feast. And I will cry out for a new anointing in the Spirit as I renew my dedication to witness of the power and authority of Jesus Christ on the earth. To God be the Glory!

Thank you to the websites MyJewishLearning.com and GotQuestions.org for supplementing my own research in the Word of God. May these resources which point to our Lord always be available.

     

 Isaiah 59:21     As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.”

In Preparation for Pentecost: How Full Is Your Lamp?

     This upcoming weekend we will be celebrating the Lord's holy feast day known as Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks. It is among the three "solemn feasts" that all Jewish males were required to attend in Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 16:16 makes this clear: "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed."
     This Feast, along with the other holy feast days ordained by God, has significance for both Jews and Christians. They all foreshadow the coming Messiah and His ministry. The holy day is also known as the "Day of the Firstfruits" and the "Feast of Harvest" in the Jewish religious traditions, as it was in celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. And in Leviticus 23:16, the Lord gave this commandment, "You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain [from the harvest] to the Lord". 
     But it has unique meaning for Christians as well. Exactly 50 days after His resurrection and ascension into Heaven, Jesus sent the promised Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17) to indwell the disciples with power to begin their ministry. That empowerment by the Holy Spirit happened precisely on the Feast of Weeks, or Day of Pentecost (which means "fifty"). I will share more of the history and significance of what the Lord has to say about Pentecost in the next post. But today I want to revisit a revelation I received about this holy feast day a couple of years ago. I think it has even more profound significance for us today.
     We are all familiar with the power of the Word contained in Acts 2:1-4, When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This is a depiction of the Glory of the Lord falling on the devout followers of Jesus! But I have to ask you a very serious question now ... does that same power of the Holy Spirit permeate the places that you worship? Does your church experience being overtaken by the Holy Spirit each time you gather? Does the presence of God manifest in your church as the pillar of fire that accompanied the Israelites in Exodus 13, or the tongues of fire that engulfed the disciples in Acts 2? I'm pretty sure not many can answer "yes". Which brings me to the question I have posed in this blog title .... How full is your lamp?
     In 2 Corinthians, Chapter 4, Paul is warning Believers that "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." He goes on to say that we are to be the "light-bearers", so to speak, of the knowledge of the glory of God; "we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us". We know that the power of God came to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, and that same power dwells in us, as evidenced by 1 Corinthians 3:16, Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? So, we are, in effect, carriers or "vessels" of God's power and glory!
     If we believe Scripture that we have the treasure of the Holy Spirit in us, with all of God's glory and power, why does the Body of Christ not resemble the "vessels" that met together at that first Pentecost in Acts 2? Why does the modern Church dismiss the glory that they contained? Why do we dismiss the signs and wonders and the power of the Holy Spirit that was evidence of God's glory in them? In response to these questions, I'd like to share the wisdom I received from an article in Charisma Magazine a few years ago...
     Consider that the state of our churches is similar to the experience of the Wise and Foolish Virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. In this well-known parable, half of the Virgins have their lamps full of oil (which is representative of the Holy Spirit in the Bible). The wise Virgins had been in recent contact with the dispenser of oil (Holy Spirit), whereas the foolish Virgins had apparently procrastinated. Engaging frequently with the dispenser of the oil [the Holy Spirit], the wise had an adequate supply of oil to trim their lamps and go into the marriage supper when the Bridegroom finally arrived. They were prepared! But the foolish Virgins think they can just borrow some of the oil from their wiser counterparts.  But that's not how the Holy Spirit works!
     The premise of the article was as follows: "Churches are filled with people the Bible would call foolish—those who are not spiritually vibrant, personally disciplined, and deeply intimate with Jesus [and Holy Spirit]. Their lamps are empty... If a church is ablaze with the spirit of prayer and alive as the Holy Spirit blows and burns through everyone there, those who are asleep and without any oil will definitely not feel comfortable. There is no way they can integrate in such a place without feeling the pressure to fill their lamps." Why are we so willing to share our oil; or to dilute the glory of God in the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to make those people feel comfortable? Why is the Church of today so willing "to integrate nicely with others who are equally resistant to the deeper things of the Spirit? They are [all] spiritually interested, but not spiritually invested. They have not paid the price and have not bought their own oil".
     Here's what is so important for us to understand ... the oil (Holy Spirit) cannot be borrowed. And it cannot be passed from one person to another.  Each person must determine just how much of the Holy Spirit he or she wants.
     This principle reminds me of those 120 who were present together in the Upper Room, devoted to prayer, as they waited for the promised Holy Spirit. And do you recall that after He was resurrected, Jesus appeared first to Peter, then to the 12 Apostles, and then to more than 500 of His followers? Acts 1:3 says, "He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering [on the Cross] by many proofs [signs and wonders], appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God".
     The Bible tells us in Acts 1:2, that just before He ascended into Heaven, He left instructions for ALL of those followers and apostles [which means "sent ones"; not restricted to the Twelve]. He told them all to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit; that which had been promised by the Father [in Joel 2].  So there were at least 512 people who had seen the resurrected Christ and been told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. Why were there only 120 who received Him? Did the others get tired of waiting? Did they think they had lots of time and weren't diligent about being prepared? Or did they think that the gift of the Holy Spirit wasn't for them or worth their while? Do you see the similarities with the Foolish Virgins? With the modern Church?
     If we think that we're on solid ground, or good enough, with being Saved and having the Holy Spirit indwell us, and thus being content with a moderate level of the Holy Spirit in us... aren't our lamps only half full? Don't we want the full measure of Him, which means we are willing to pay the price to seek Him on our own? Do we really want to be like those 200 or more people who missed out on the Upper Room experience because they weren't willing to pay the price to wait for the Father's gift of the Holy Spirit? As the article proclaims, "Those who had their lamps full, those who responded to the command of Jesus to wait and pray, were ready when the wind and the fire came!"
     So, as we prepare to celebrate the holy Feast of Weeks [Pentecost] this weekend, let us be sober and intentional in seeking to fill our lamps and vessels to the brim with the fullness of the Holy Spirit! Let us be like the wise Virgins who "took flasks of oil with their lamps." Does this suggest they went with full lamps and extra provision of the Holy Spirit? [I believe that fasting for Pentecost could certainly "store up" the power of Heaven for future spiritual needs.]
     At the very least, I wish to encourage each of you with these thoughts ... Let us not quench the desire of the Holy Spirit to manifest among us in the supernatural power of Heaven. Let us not restrict His Presence because some are uncomfortable, or lazy, or fearful. Let us not limit His Presence to the lowest common denominator. The glory of God is to make His Presence known; to pour out His Spirit on all mankind. What He did in the Upper Room at Pentecost is His desire for you and me. As Peter declares at Pentecost, "The promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself". We are those who were "far off"; generations and a couple of thousand years away from the impartation of the Holy Spirit and His power  -- but we can experience the same thing this Pentecost, if we desire it. Spend these next few days repenting and asking for that supernatural promise to be fulfilled in your life. It's time to fill our lamps!


Acts 2:43    A deep sense of holy awe swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
      
      
     

Now Is The Time For "Abiding"!

    

     You can feel the tension among some in the Christian community ... these are times of wariness and fear, filled with apprehension and even despair. We, in 2020 America, and the Western world, for the most part, have never experienced such upheaval in our daily lives as this Corona pandemic has brought. We have lived our lives in consistent uniformity and stability. But now the very foundation of our way of life is being shaken. Our freedoms have been curtailed, and we are hearing government leaders, as in the state of Illinois, voicing the possibilities of confiscating personal property during a "state emergency" such as Covid-19.
     People are out of work, unable to worship in Church together, and I have no doubt that faith is being tested. But now, more than ever, we need to come to terms with our relationship with Christ. We are by no means the first Believers to have their world shaken, or their expectations to be challenged. I can only imagine what it must have been like for Jesus's disciples in those days leading up to His trial and crucifixion, and then the discouragement that must have descended upon them after His burial. All their hopes in Him must have been seriously in question! After all, Peter had been told by Jesus, Himself, that he had correctly identified Him as the Son of the Living God. Yet they knew He had been buried in a tomb like an ordinary man!
     I would venture that many Believers are like the disciples, Cleopas and his companion, whom the risen Christ encountered as they traveled to Emmaus. They did not recognize Him and commiserated about their feelings of defeat and the questions they had about all that had transpired in the preceding days. They were so overcome by dashed hopes that they were unable to perceive His presence in their midst. They had not clearly received the revelation Jesus shared with them at their Last Supper together -- that He would sacrifice His body and shed His blood for the remission of their sins. They were blinded by their disappointment in dashed dreams and had returned to their old ways of thinking.
     But as Jesus began to reveal all that the Scriptures had spoken and prophesied about Him, they were overtaken by a burning hunger within themselves, and begged this stranger to stay and abide with them. Jesus obliges them, and stays to share a meal with them. As He breaks bread with them, reminiscent of what He did at the Last Supper, their eyes are opened and they knew Him!
     I believe that many of us can identify with Cleopas and the other disciples who had followed Jesus. Remember, there were more than just the Twelve who were closest to Him. He had touched the lives of many people who chose to follow Him and be known as disciples of Jesus, of Nazareth. But like them, as we are faced with these confusing times, we are distracted by what we see in the flesh and how we discern world events affecting our personal lives. We have taken our eyes off the promises of our Lord Jesus.
     We long for a return to those comfortable feelings of stability in Him; and the exhilaration of seeing His undeniable and obvious blessings. And in looking back, we are unable to see His continued presence in our immediate circumstances. But if we seek Him, we can still experience that burning hunger for Him, just like Cleopas, and invite Him to "abide". And it's important that we understand the fullness of that word ... to abide is to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy -- no matter what turn of events might cloud our vision.
     It is easy to look at the realms of politics, global transformation, and the growing limitations of our personal freedoms and begin thinking that everything is out of order according to God's plan. And you can imagine how the Enemy can use these states of affairs to whisper seeds of doubt and unbelief into our hearts. But if we truly belong to Him in spirit, then we will remain abiding in Him. We will know in the depths of our soul and spirit that God orders everything in the earth and the universe -- everything has an appointed time and purpose. God thinks in terms of Eternity. Man views circumstances in short periods of time.
     Have you considered that your success in persevering through these trying times relies much more on what you believe than what you do? It's what you believe about who you are, and what you think God will do for you, and how you call that into existence that will ensure your survivability.  As I said, everything in the universe is ordered by God, and you have been appointed for this time. Your life has a purpose now! And it's more than your job or your physical comforts. God wants to talk to you personally, face-to-face, about what's in your heart [and that He wants you] to accomplish. Just as Jesus did with Cleopas, He wants to reveal to you all that God has ordered through the Scriptures up to this very day -- so that you clearly see and know that everything He did was the Father's will for your happiness and blessing.
     So, even though the world might look bleak now, we need to abide in Christ -- to stay in that state of expectancy that His timing is perfect for our lives; that ALL of His promises for our life are "Yes" and "Amen"! We must not abide in the limits the world is trying to place on us! We have been given the ministry of Jesus in trying times, and they are no less trying than those disciples experienced in the first century under Roman occupation, fearing for their lives as followers of Jesus Christ. No matter what the world throws at us, it is essential that we stay rooted in the True Vine and the knowledge that the Vinedresser has destined us to bear fruit for His Kingdom. And if He is pruning you, then know that it is so you will bear more fruit. It is the season for "abiding"; and it is our time to renew our strength in Christ, not growing weary, nor fading in our purpose!

1 John 2:6    Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

The Fullness Of God -- Part Two

    

     In the last post, we considered some familiar names of God. We came to know Him as the God Who Heals and the God Who Provides. We explored His Might as the Commander of Heaven's Armies and the One Who Goes Before Us Into Battle. But we also discovered that He is a Jealous God who demands our loyalty to the covenants we share with Him; and we also discerned that our God is able to bring peace to our lives as we trust Him [with confidence] to help us complete our assignments in this life.
     Today, we will expand our view of God and look at more dimensions of His Nature and Character. What is interesting to me is that while each of these names is unique and distinguishable from the others, there is a coalescence among the names that forms a complete whole who is El Shaddai, Almighty God. No other "little g" god can claim His total magnificence and perfection. So, let's learn some more about our Heavenly Father...

Jehovah Mekkodishkem: The Lord Who Sanctifies You.  My husband, Mark, and I have had a personal encounter with this facet of God. In about 2012, He spoke to Mark in the middle of the night, telling him that He wanted to sanctify us unto Him. He gave specific instructions as to the preparations we were to make, and the actions we were to take. It was unlike anything Mark had experienced before and he questioned God. "If this is really from You, I need You to show me that this is Your will". The next night, Mark had the exact same encounter, with the same words and instructions given to him.
     It was at that point that we entered into a personal covenant with the Lord to serve Him wherever He led us and however that looked. It is the same nature of God we see in Exodus 31:13 when the Lord entered into a covenant with Moses and the Israelites: “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you." I will tell you it is very humbling to encounter Jehovah Mekkodishkem, but equally exhilarating to bow before Him in obedience.

Jehovah Ra'ah: The Lord Is My Shepherd. We are all familiar with the 23rd Psalm, which begins with The Lord is my shepherd. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul and leads me on paths of righteousness for His name sake.... It is easy to see Jesus as our Shepherd. We grew up in Sunday School classrooms where pictures of Him were displayed carrying a lamb across His shoulders; or standing serenely with staff in hand. And we are likely to think of the 23rd Psalm as a peaceful reminder that He is our Caretaker, and we are the sheep that follow His voice; meek and quiet, inoffensive. 
     But there is more to this image of our Good Shepherd. We are told that we can walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and fear no evil, because Jesus's rod and staff will comfort us. The rod and staff are emblematic of the Lord's comfort and His protection in fending off attacks from our Enemy. In addition, He is seen as setting a table for us in the midst of our enemies -- a table that is a realm unto itself; set with the finest china and the best foods and drink. The Enemy and his hordes are unable to penetrate that realm and we are able to feed upon the Lord and His Goodness undisturbed. 
     Furthermore, our Shepherd exhibits Himself as Defender, Protector, and Keeper by anointing us with oil; setting us apart as holy, and rendering our cup full to overflowing with blessings. All this leaves us declaring Jesus as Jacob did, when he blessed his son Joseph, "[This] is the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day" (Genesis 48:15).

Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness. This name of God is employed by the prophet Jeremiah as he warns those leaders who have led the nations of Israel and Judah astray. They have allowed His chosen people to be scattered and have not cared for His flock as good shepherds should. The prophet predicts, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness' " (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
     I see two different aspects of this name of God. The first is that the Lord will come bringing His justice. He will come as Judge, settling accounts, bringing both retribution and compensation. Secondly, He is also God, the Source of righteousness; man having no righteousness of his own. He is the Righteous God who has provided for our acceptance before Himself through our cleansing by the blood of the Lamb. He wraps us in His righteousness through Jesus Christ the Righteous One! We cannot be righteous on our own, so Christ becomes our righteousness [for us] before the Father. What a benevolent and generous God we serve!

Jehovah Gibbor-Milchamah: The Lord Mighty In Battle. This name is eloquently pronounced in Psalm 24:8, which says, Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Have you ever thought about what it truly means when we declare, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper"? It is because Jehovah Gibbor-Milchamah stands before you, in all of His glory and splendor, and He defends you. He DEFENDS You.
      So to every obstacle that stands in our way, for every demon or cosmic power or stronghold that we haven't been able to tear down or defeat, we can shout that our God is the mighty Jehovah Gibbor-Milchamah, and He fights for us! He stands with His mighty Sword and He fights alongside us in our battles. He is our Shield and Buckler and we declare that there is no war that He has not won! He will not and cannot be defeated! He is the mighty Conqueror and Defender of those He calls His own.

Jehovah Shammah: The Name of the New Jerusalem. The Lord is There. I think this is one of my favorite names of God. When God had reached his limit in regards to the blasphemous idolatry of Israel and His chosen people, He showed the prophet Ezekiel that He removed His glory from the Temple and Jerusalem (Ezekiel 10). Then in a later vision, the Lord showed Ezekiel that He would restore Israel and what the New Temple and the New Jerusalem would look like. Ezekiel 48:35 are the last words in Ezekiel and they describe this scene: "The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits [5.11 miles]. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There."
     This is such a beautiful picture of God's promises for the future! That prophecy came true when the exiles returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the walls. And again, God’s presence returned to the temple in the form of a tiny baby brought to the temple to be offered back to God by his parents, Joseph and Mary. And His presence will be established for all time when King Jesus rules and reigns from the temple in the New Jerusalem! 
     We can take so much hope from this powerful name of God -- His promises are never-ending. He is already in our future ... The Lord is There! We can't foresee our futures, but we can trust in the God who is already there, knowing He will be faithful in His promises to us! 

     Together with the names of God from the previous post, these additional names give just a hint of the fullness of God's Character and Nature. He is also El Elyon (Genesis 14:22) The Most High God; El Olam (Isaiah 24:8, Genesis 21:33) The Everlasting God; El Roi (Genesis 16:14) The God Who Sees Me; Jehovah Issuwz (Psalm 24:8) God Who Is Strong; Jehovah Chayil (Psalm 18:1) God is My Strength; Jehovah Hoseenu (Psalm 95:6) My Lord and Maker; Jehovah Nekamoth (Psalm 18:47) The God Who Avenges; Jehovah Keren-Yishi (Psalm 18:2) The Lord the Horn of my Salvation; Jehovah Sali (Psalms 18:2) – The LORD My Rock; Ha-Melech Jehovah (Psalms 98:6) – The LORD the King; Jehovah Machsi (Psalms 91:9) The LORD My Refuge.... and so many more!
     Can you see that most of us have barely scratched the surface of the fullness of who God is? He cannot be contained by one Name! He cannot be contained by one Book! Yet we want to define Him and limit our ideas and beliefs about who He is to chapter and verse! It is only through seeking more of Him through the Word [that we have at our fingertips], that we can hope to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit that will transcend our limited faculties. So I hope that I have given you even a small measure of the immense and powerful God who is our everything. How can we not bow down in awe and reverence?

Thanks to Dan Duval of Bride Ministries for his extensive list of the Names of God found here. 

Matthew 6:9     Pray then like this: "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name."  

Do You Know The Fullness of God? -- Part One

    

     I want to begin a series of articles that will explore the fullness of God because I have been finding myself increasingly focused on pressing into my Father in Heaven in order to gain the most from our relationship. Mind you, it's not all about me and what He can give me, but more about my desire to honor all that He is. And by honoring Him with a fuller and broader understanding of His identity, I know my life will surely be blessed.
     I would venture that most of us have a pretty limited view of the dimensions of God and His Nature. Most likely, that view is biased, depending on what our relationship with our earthly father has been. Granted, our human fathers can have many dimensions, too: loving, generous, strict, athletic, self-centered, angry, critical, encouraging, good provider .... well, you get the picture. They are usually a mixed bag of strengths and weaknesses that can inhibit our impression of the fullness of God.
     I will tell you that as I have researched how God inspired the writers of the Bible to represent Him, I am blown away at the sheer number of ways He is described. And my spirit has rejoiced at the understanding of these names and their meanings. It has opened up a whole new way to pray! Now I can go right to YHWH's heart and address Him in the particular manner and with the particular name that represents the issue I'm praying about. When I'm conversing with God by using the proper name, I know exactly whom I'm talking with, and am able to receive counsel in the correct context. I believe that knowing His names and their meanings can not only enhance our prayer life and create a deeper intimacy with God, but help us to take direct aim at the Enemy in our spiritual battles.
     So, allow me to introduce you to the depth of the God that we love and serve. Over the next couple of posts or so, I want to share some of the Hebrew names of God that illustrate His innumerable and limitless attributes. And I will share a Scripture that shows the use of each name in the Bible. Doubtless, you will be familiar with some of the names and their meanings, but I hope to expand that knowledge and show you a broader scope of our Sovereign God. And as I reveal more unfamiliar appellations, I doubt that you will be able to read the Bible in the same way again.

Jehovah Rapha: The God Who Heals -- This is a name well-known among Believers who are determined to do the works that Jesus did; to see the power of God demonstrated in His ability to heal through them. Exodus 15:26 finds God making a promise to the Israelites; a promise that is as real to us today as it was then ... “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”  
      There is no greater "high" for my spirit than to boldly walk into a hospital room where a man lays dying of cancer, and the spirit of death fills the room, and to be able to call his spirit forward and speak life into it by the power of God that is in him as a Believer. And then to quietly leave and hear reports from the family that he rallied and the doctors are mystified!

Jehovah Jireh: The God Who Provides --  I am concerned that we don't see the depth of this name of the Lord. We may often use this name when asking for financial help, and use it to meet our temporal needs. But looked at within the context of Genesis 22, we find Abraham's use of this sacred name to be life-giving. After being obedient to God's call to sacrifice his precious son, Isaac -- the child of Promise and his old age -- God stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and supplies a substitute burnt offering in the form of a ram. In verse 14, the Bible reads, So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”      
     But there is another dimension to God in this story; it is more than His Goodness to spare Isaac. It is that He saw Abraham's obedience and knew how much He loved his son, yet the patriarch was willing to be true to his covenant with God, no matter the personal cost.  And then God acted to have a ram ready to replace Abraham's precious son.... God saw the need and He showed up. He's not an indifferent God.

Jehovah Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts -- "Hosts" is a word that means a company of angels, and oftentimes is defined in military terms, as an "army"; specifically the heavenly angelic army, of which The Lord is the commander. That is true. The Lord is a mighty warrior who will exhibit His Might upon the unrepentant, as in Psalm 59:5, You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse Yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.  Again, in Isaiah 28:22, we see that same picture of the Lord of Hosts: Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land.
     But did you know that Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel was the first to call God by this name? And it had nothing to do with His identification as a mighty warrior. In her struggle with barrenness, Hannah had turned to the Lord in prayer. 1 Samuel 1:11 records this: And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.  
     I believe that Hannah understood that the Lord could create from nothing. She knew that every atom and molecule, every cell in her body could be commanded to produce a son just by the voice and command of the Lord of Heavenly Armies. If He spoke it, it would be executed and He would sustain it. This was not a battle to conquer lands, but a battle to create something from nothing, and she believed in the name of Jehovah Sabaoth to see it accomplished.

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord is My Banner -- This name is most closely associated with Moses overseeing the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites as the ragtag army of Israel fought their way to the Promised Land. In Exodus 17:11, Scripture says, Whenever Moses held up his hand [which held the staff of God], Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. When the Israelite men saw this, they rallied behind Joshua, and verse 13 says, And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
     It is important that we recognize that as Israel traveled through the lands of their enemies they knew their God was with them; His very presence was evident in the pillar of fire and the cloud of smoke. But on this day, they knew for the first time, that He was with them in battle. They understood that He fought for them, He led them into battle, He protected them, and He conquered their enemy. It was a day to remember! Exodus 17:15 says, And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner. 
     So, do you recognize that the Lord is your banner? Do you trust Him to fight for you, to lead you into your spiritual battles, to protect you, and to conquer your enemy, the devil and his demons? And do you raise a banner to Him -- letting the world know that He is your God; that you celebrate and praise Him; making a declaration that you belong to Him? He is our banner, and we are the Lord's!

Jehovah Qanna: The God Who Is Jealous -- God made sure we knew how much store He puts in the covenants He makes with those He calls His own. We first see this name mentioned in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20... You shall not bow down to them [false gods] or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments. 
     Throughout the Old Testament, God depicts His covenant with Israel in the nature of a marriage. He is a devoted husband, caring for and protecting and providing for his beloved wife. In the person of Jesus, He is even willing to die for her! But He warns her that He will not tolerate her adultery with other gods; there will be consequences as stated in the Ten Commandments. Joshua reiterates this in Joshua 24:19 as He admonishes them to choose whom they will serve: But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.  
     Do we, in the 21st Century, fully understand that He is still a jealous God, demanding our complete allegiance and devotion? Or do we spread our love around among the false gods of this world -- wealth, power, status, addiction, self? We would do well to remember the warning He has given us -- love Him and Him alone and He will be faithful with a steadfast love. Decide to bow down or serve anyone else but Him, and our generations will suffer separation from Him. 

Jehovah Shalom: The Lord Is Our Peace -- I could find evidence of this name of God only once in the Bible. Yet, I find it interesting that "Shalom" and it's meaning of peace is used quite commonly among Believers. But when we read about the circumstances under which this name of God is revealed in the Old Testament, it carries more significance than we give it today.
     In Judges 6, Gideon is called by God to defeat the Midianites, who have been oppressing the Israelites. In fact, the angel of the Lord greets Gideon by saying, The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor. This is the speech of war, not peace, as we know it. Gideon doubts that this calling is truly from the Lord and asks for proof. God provides the proof by sending fire to produce a burnt offering upon the meat and unleavened cakes Gideon had placed upon a rock. The Bible records in Judges 6:22-24 that Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
     But that's not the end of the story! The word "Shalom" is a derivative of a Hebrew word that means "sound" or "complete", and in its own sense means "absence of strife". The result of Gideon recognizing Jehovah Shalom was that he no longer doubted that the Lord was leading him; he had no fear to complete assignments God gave him to tear down the altar to Baal and the Asherah poles that accompanied it, and to build an altar to the Lord where they had stood. We must understand the fullness of that name, Jehovah Shalom. It gives us confidence that comes from the harmonious state of body, soul and spirit to receive the power from the Lord to be "mighty men and women of valor". We are not to sit idle in our state of peace, but trust [in confidence and wholeness] that we can carry out assignments from the Lord. 
     Finally, Shalom comes from the root word Shalam, which means "to finish, complete, repay, reward". It denotes perfection in the sense that a condition or action is complete. And once we recognize that perfection and completeness are attributed to the power of God, we know we can enter into a relationship with Him that will provide the power and peace our souls and spirits seek.

    These are just a few of the names of God with which we are most familiar. The next post we will explore less common names, but that are nevertheless accurate portrayals of the magnitude of Almighty God. This may not "stir your soul" as some more exciting topics might, but I would ask you to consider that it pleases our Father when we seek to recognize [and then utilize] His unique and distinguished names. He wants us to know more about Him. And as we begin to incorporate these powerful names in our prayers and daily conversations with Him, I believe we will see a growing manifestation of His presence in every aspect of our lives. Be blessed with the magnificence and greatness of our God!

Proverbs 18:10      The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.