God Never Fails

Whenever Moses spent significant "quiet" time with God he began to reflect the glory of the LORD. And through every desert place of adversity, wherever he walked, Moses learned more fully the undenying fact that God is FAITHFUL!

Do you regularly spend face-to-face time looking into the eyes of your maker?

If not, please take time to examine each benefit . . . for as you spend real quality time gazing-up at Christ you will begin to shine like the stars, become more fully formed into his image, and reflect God's faithfulness?

Therefore, since He is FAITHFUL in everything (whether good, bad, or ugly), I too want to be faithful in all that I can. Good intentions are no longer enough for me. I want to do great feats for kingdom - - in and through every opportunity that God allows to cross my path - - and at the end of the day I want to look in the mirror and rejoice.

My cheer: I'm beginning to resemble him because he's always on my mind.

Short Course on Intercession

Biblical Text: Genesis 26 - 36
Main Character: 'the supplanter'.

His story goes something like this:
Jacob, when young, took advantage of his brother.
He crafted 'such a deal!' not to look like a steal, but instead of giving to others he chose to grab at a chance to make some wealth for himself.
The hidden cost was priceless; something money can't buy.
Something God calls precious; plus what is true and wise?
The way of brotherly love.

Don't you see the 'poor'[-idge] intentions had he?

1. Desiring wealth over love.

Don't you see what is hidden?

1. He gained earthly goods but lost brotherly love.
2. He got rich but it cost him everything; becoming emotionally broke.
3. He found wealth but lost relationship.

So What Now? I need my God to intervene.

Begin with Confession

Forgive me Lord for deceiving others. Forgive me Lord for lies. Forgive me Lord for seeking my own advantage. Forgive me Lord for greed. Forgive me Lord for hating my brother. Forgive me Lord for fearing for my own life!

2 Chronicles 7: 14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Follow a Truly Reformed Model of Pleading Prayer
Pray God's spoken word to you; speak aloud his guidance and clear direction. Humble yourself before him and tell of all his mighty deeds. Seek the Lord and make plain your requests. Remind God (and yourself) of his good promises.

• He is faithful to bring it to completion.
• He is not a liar.
• Every word of God proves true.

Genesis 32: 9 - 12

And Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me,'Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,' I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. Yet you have said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.'"

What happens at His Feet

At the feet of Jesus Christ there is wholeness. . . and at the feet of Jesus Christ there is healing. These are bold and trustworthy statements. Do you believe them?

Read the stories of healing found in Luke 8: 40 -56 and Matthew 15: 21 – 28. Take note that the first two individuals mentioned fell at Jesus’ feet and the third, a Caananite woman, came and knelt before him.

Why did these individuals humble themselves at his feet? Clearly at this point in time they recognized Jesus for who he is, the Son of God. With this revelation they placed their full trust in him. Moreover, it is through their actions that they acknowledge his Divine authority and show him the honor and respect due.

What did they find at Jesus’ feet? The answer is simple, yet multi-faceted. They received spiritual blessing and wholeness (i.e. the strengthening of their faith); physical healing; and they heard the words of Christ. Do you see, or has it been hidden from you, that when we fall at the feet of Jesus we are renewed by the very word of God? This is not new! (Hebrews 13:8). When Moses came into His Presence (e.g. into the tent of meeting) he spoke with God. . . this same intimate relationship with God is available to us today. In fact, the curtain has been torn for this purpose (Luke 23: 45). Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is our invitation. Through Christ we are invited to come before our King.

So the question is: Will you come into his presence, acknowledge him as King, and listen for his voice? It is there at his feet that we receive his spoken word to us which leads to the life abundant Jesus promised his followers.

What a wonderful promise we have in Isaiah 55: 11 that God’s word is totally trustworthy and true at all times.

"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

What is his word to us today? Do you long to hear the words “Samuel, Samuel” spoken by Christ himself. God does have a plan.

The Invitation is forever printed in black and white:

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Are you intimately familiar with His Feet?

Picture in your mind the birth of a newborn child. Have tears of joy ever sprung to your eyes at the birth of a child? Do you see God’s mighty work? Did you take time to gaze upon the infant’s feet? What beauty! What love! Simeon and Anna too, like John the Baptist, knew what it meant to behold the Lamb of God as they held the Christ Child. They believed God’s revelation. They gazed upon the beauty of the Lord and caressed Him in their arms. Drawing near to his perfect feet (those that bring Good News) they knew of the Father’s great love.

Go quickly now. There's a clear picture of what Simeon and Anna intimately knew. It is found right there in Luke 2: 25 - 38.

Meditation on "Our Father"

Our Father, who art in heaven. . .

You are my Abba,
A Daddy God.

Daddy God . . .
I praise you,
For you gave me life.
It is by your hand that I live.
Job 12: 10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.

Daddy God . . .
I thank you,
For you give me eternal life.
It is through your Son Jesus Christ that I live.
John 10: 10b I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Daddy God . . .
There is none like you!
p.s. 119: 32 I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding.

Pope Trail

I keep thinking about a wonderful bike ride in the High Sierras last summer. When I was on my way to Pope beach I rode through a forest of giant evergreens. Their enormous size reminded me of the planting of the LORD (similar to Psalm 1:3 and Isaiah 61: 3).

For me that day, these giant soaring trees represented the heroic and much sought after lives of "Giant Faith" men who truly lived-out the Gospel while entrusting themselves to a faithful creator. These giants of the Christian faith still do proclaim "My God is Great"; they do not represent the rebellious Goliaths with fist-shaking hands in the face of God. Imagine with me people like the Pope, well-known evangelists, Christ's early disciples, and famous saints throughout history.

One tree in particular caught my attention. It had been struck by lightening and split in two. Even though it physically suffered from a significant fire, much like any real trial, persecution, or attack against one's life, it remained alive and is continuing to grow strong in the shape of a "V". Now that, to me, stands as a V for Victory which our Conquering King has won over death! (in reference to 1 Corinthians 15: 50 - 58).

Similarly, I noticed there were other towering trees among these giants which had signs of real physical suffering including famine, drought, harsh winter seasons, and plagues/bouts of illness. Illustratively so, these suffering servants had the marks of their Maker:

• visible battle scars (I bid you come; Come gaze upon His wounds; See Christ's hands and feet),
  
• patient endurance (Like God, the Giver of Life, who patiently waits many years for those tiny seeds of faith, planted deep within the soil of our hearts, to take root, sprout and grow in due season.)
• perseverance (The kind that Holy Scripture tells us about; God is Faithful; He will never leave or forsake us; He will see you through any crisis; He loves you!).

Elisha, A Contender

To contend for the faith is a good thing.

Jude 3
Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

What else could he have said to make it more plain? For it's clear, the writer of Jude is appealing to the saints to contend for the faith that was entrusted to them. The one true Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God; the one entrusted to him and to us, if we so choose to believe.

It's that simple. Let us therefore contend for all of it and not just part of it.

Take a moment to consider the life of our brother Elisha, an example of one who contended for it all. Even while many other known prophets tried to discourage him, he continued on the path of pursuing God by following along, and behind, another forerunner named Elijah* until he found for himself:

• the one true Master over everything in heaven and on earth.
  
• the one worthy of all praise.
  
• the one holding all authority.
• the one all powerful God!
  
• the author of life.
  
• and Victor over death.

iEncourage you to read all about Elisha's pursuit of the living God in 2 Kings 2: 1 - 14.

iPray that you will be moved to contend for the same unchanging faith entrusted to Elijah, Elisha, Jude and other God-fearing forerunners. Amen.

*One who had real evidence of the spirit of the living God upon his life.