Come Up Higher
COME UP HIGHER
When God says: For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa 55:9), He is not attempting to get us up under severe condemnation, He is offering an invitation to come up to where His ways and thoughts are so that we can know those ways and have those thoughts. Why would He do otherwise when going up to His ways and thoughts will bring glory to His name and cause the Kingdom to advance in the earth? He is saying that we are not quite there yet but just keep coming.
Whose Report Will You Believe?
WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
Often someone will walk up and say, “What is the Lord saying?” I think, most often, that the Lord is saying or asking, “Where are you going to stand? Will you stand with the nation-wide news broadcasts or with reports of demographics or with unrighteous legislation or, in spite of it all, will you stand on my Word?” At the close of each service (and every night before retiring), we might should sing the words of that song, “Whose report will you believe? We will believe the report of the Lord!” We are not subject to robbers, corruption and terrorists, we are subject to the Word of God if we will agree with it. (Mt 18:19-20) We too are posed with this question: “Is the Lord’s power limited?” (Num.11:23) Is the Lord’s power limited just a little bit in certain areas of disease or international crises? The answer is an emphatic, “NO!”. We live an overcoming life by the power of God because the living Word is alive and active within us. Col 1:29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Getting Into Agreement With His Word
GETTING INTO AGREEMENT WITH HIS WORD
God’s Word in Heb 4:12 is not penetrating to the dividing line of the soul and the spirit, and of joints and marrow, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart so that we can feel condemnation, but so we can get into agreement with the Word of His power. Getting into agreement with the Word is our living in such a way that the principles and values of the Word are evident in our lives. It will result in our living like we have a Lord and Savior.
THE WORD DIVIDES BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT
THE WORD DIVIDES BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT
A two-edged sword was so desirable in ancient battle because it cut coming and going and could cut right and left. The Word cuts like a two-edged sword to divide between the dominance of the soul and the spirit of a person. That continual drive of soulishness that feeds on carnal tendencies is brought into check by the power of the Word. At the time the Word precisely cuts and divides, we have an opportunity to respond to the Word and comply with it. Our responding and complying pushes down the dominating soul and allows our spirit to rise and grow with the Word. As the Word increases in our lives, sin’s ability to dominate decreases for “sin shall not have dominion over you.” (Rom 6:14)
God Doesn’t Ask Questions To Find Information
GOD DOESN’T ASK QUESTIONS TO FIND INFORMATION
God doesn’t ask a question because He is looking for information. He asks questions because He already has the information. He asks questions to get the person being asked to realize the weight of the information. In Num 11:23 The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?” Evidently the Lord had to ask the question which begged the answer because Moses had been talking and acting as though the Lord’s power is indeed limited, or perhaps he was beginning to consider someone else’s opinion on the subject. Moses must come to the realization of the information so he can decide where he is going to take a stand. Instead of getting all up under condemnation and feeling badly for allowing such a false view of God to creep in upon his considerations, Moses must say, “Wait a minute. God’s power is not limited, nor has it ever been!” Come up to a higher view than the one that is dragging you down.
Between Soul And Spirit
If you know someone who is living outside the Kingdom of God but they have had the Word preached to them or they have been taught a scripture or two, take hope, for that Word is alive and active. Once the Word is in them, it cannot be extracted. They may presently be yielding more and more to their soul drives than they do to the Word but the Word penetrates between soul and spirit and our job is to pray they will respond to the life of the Word at those moments when there is a cleaving between the soul and the spirit. Sins of the flesh, crime, even prison cannot nullify or extract that Word.
Word Will Leave Nothing Alone
THE WORD OF GOD WILL LEAVE NOTHING ALONE
The emphasis left us in Heb 4:12 is that the Word that is alive and the Word that is indescribably sharp, will leave nothing in us alone. The Word of God cannot be anything but alive, active, operative and penetrating and addresses everything in us. That powerful Word is going to leave nothing alone in your life. The Word of God is going to get after sin. It’s not going to leave the destiny of Jesus that is in you alone. It’s not going to leave the prophecies that are in you by the laying on of hands alone. It’s not going to leave the songs alone that God inspired and brought to you in worship concerning His greatness to be and greatness to act.
Sharper Than Sword
The Bible shows us clearly that the Word of God is not just some ink on some paper and it is not just a thought that happened to get scribbled down that works well for inspirational reading. The Word of God is power; it is active, operative, energizing and effective(Heb4:12). The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. That word “any” just can’t help but stand out. The Word is more effective than any cutting instrument, no matter how well made or refined. The Word cuts through layers better than any scalpel. The Word, in articles and teaching like this, is being worked in you by the Holy Spirit and is building you up in your most holy faith (Jude 1:20). Your faith is holy. i.e., (1) It is uniquely set apart unto God and (2) it has value. The Word of God that your faith is based upon has value for your life and for your family and your nation. (Ps 19:7-11)
Word And Power
It is apparent, and important to note, that “word” and “power” are related in the Bible. The two terms go together most purposefully. Heb 4:12 “For the WORD that God speaks is alive and full of POWER; 1Co 1:18 For the WORD of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the POWER of God.” His power produces His Word to us, to be active in us, alive in us, doing surgery in us, healing us, strengthening us and improving us. The Word of God is mighty in you because it is the Word of His power (Heb 1:3).
Setting The Course For The Next 40 Years
Click on poster below to view Apostle Hodges’ article on
“Setting The Course For The Next 40 Years”
From The Unseen Into The Seen
The Creator’s desire to extend the authority and rule of heaven into the earth is plainly seen in Gen.1:26-27. It is His purpose to move His power and authority from the unseen into the seen. Our power and authority in the earthly realm is to mirror His in the heavenly realm(Jn14:9). Hence, the glory, the character, the purpose, the intent of God is revealed in the earth. God’s relationship with the earth is expressed thru His sons. His sons are the only legal authority on earth and may, therefore, be the avenue for His power manifested here-His power and authority made visible(Lk5:17). When He sent His Son Jesus, He was saying, “See, this is what I mean.” (Jn1:14;1Jn3:8)
Jesus Died * We Live!
”Truly I say to you that UNLESS a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…”(Jesus speaking in Jn12:24) This particular Grain of Wheat had a choice as to whether or not He would die and go into the earth. Knowing what was coming, He said to the Father, “yet not my will, but yours be done.”(Lk22:42) He was willing! Because this Grain would not “remain alone”: v.24 “if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Those redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus are His fruit. We are His message, His living letters (2Co3:3) that He has sent into the future. He rose, He lives and His fruit (His message to this generation) will show Him and His resurrection to the world by the power of His Spirit. He was willing to die to bear much fruit and HIs resurrection enables us to live to bear much fruit.
Poison Or Fruit?
How often have you heard something like, “You’re gonna have a heart attack working hard like that!” What about, “That’s gonna make you gain 10 lbs.!” Or even, “You’re as dumb as a rock!” Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].(Amp) The Message is interesting here: Pro 18:21“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit–you choose.” It is just as easy to use that power to say, “You’re not going to have a heart attack; you are not dumb!” Our words are either poison or fruit. We get to choose which.
Revolutionary Thoughts To Bless The Nations
When Moses approaches the burning bush he discovers that what he has called “strange” is actually God (Ex 3:3-4). God performs wonders because it makes you wonder. His “normal” is not our “normal.” Just as God used the burning bush to get Moses’ attention, He uses signs to get our attention today. A sign is a miraculous phenomenon pointing to a higher reality beyond itself. God desires to get our attention in order that He may say something to us which could lead us into a revolutionary direction as it did Moses. Moses experienced a revolutionary thought shift. Out of the burning bush experience came a mind prepared to see and participate in deliverance and out of that came a people to bless the nations. With a God so great, what might we experience next if His “normal” were to be embraced by people who would give themselves to a revolutionary thought shift?
Purified Minds For Powerful Purposes
In Acts 2 fire on the heads of the 120 gathered there was purifying their minds for the uniqueness of their times. They were being prepared for unprecedented events as was evidenced throughout the remainder of Acts. Their minds were being prepared because they were meant to experience aspects of the Kingdom of God never seen before. They would experience the power and authority only seen in Jesus thus far. The uniqueness of our times calls for what only the empowering Holy Spirit can do in us and through us. The Holy Spirit and His enablements were never meant to be exclusively experienced and exercised by an elite few but by an available company. Let us welcome His fire to burn out the limitations of our learned sense of impossibility so that we might put into evidence at least the events of the Book of Acts.
How To Limit The Unlimited God
How to limit the unlimited God. “…they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” (Ps78:41) M.Henry says they limited Him to their way and their time. One can’t limit God in His wider purpose but one can limit His moving in their life. “Limited” means they circumscribed Him with bounds, virtually saying that there are some things which He cannot do; up to a certain point He has power, but after that He has not.(J-F-B) Yet, we continually long to see and experience what is beyond normal. Giving the limitless God full reign in one’s life may call for cooperating with measures and methods we have not thought normal.
Killing God’s Catalysts
Killing God’s Catalysts
by Kathy Gabler
Killing God’s Catalysts through rejection:
In Acts 6, Stephen was openly demonstrating the Kingdom with signs, wonders and miracles among the people. Rather than realizing that God was using this young man as a catalyst to continue the powerful changes that Jesus had begun, they were angered by this catalyst and decided to remove it. May God help us not to reject the catalysts for change He is raising up in 2012.
People who cannot connect the dots or those who intentionally reject God’s catalysts for change are dangerous. The human soul that is determined to defy God and desperate to be right, comfortable and undisturbed can, in the extreme, go so far as to consider false accusation and murder as fair and the right thing to do. Literally, the up-standing citizens that were upset with Stephen lied about him and then stoned him to death.
Forget the miracles, this young whipper-snapper was speaking against their lifestyle and their sacred places. He was threatening to tear it all down and CHANGE their institutions, customs and rituals that Moses had taught them. Acts 6:11, So they bribed some men to say, “We heard him speaking against Moses and against God!” He spoke against Moses, and oh yes, against God too! Moses, the temple, their customs were obviously their primary concern. Those things were ahead of God in their hearts and devotion. Their habits were more important than relationship or truth. Their habits were part of their comfort zone that they did not want disturbed. Their habits were part of their identity and self-image. To change them evidently implied fault or weakness in both.
Moses means “draw out, rescue.” They were determined to hold to the one they considered their historical agent of surviving, even when it was time to move on to the One who was their agent of thriving. I submit that is a paradigm we need to be wary of in 2012. If we are not willing to change as the Holy Spirit directs, we will merely be surviving rather than thriving. Surviving implies living with limitations and learning to be satisfied. Thriving implies growth, increase and maturing.
Killing God’s Catalysts through religious zeal:
In Judges 11, the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah to defeat the Ammonites. The anointing of God was the catalyst. However, Jephthah in his zeal of the moment vowed a vow unto Jehovah, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, Jdg 11:31 then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Jehovah’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering.
The Spirit of The Lord had come upon him for the task. There was no requirement to respond with a bargain vow! And there certainly was no need for such a deadly vow. The words of this verse prove conclusively that Jephthah intended his vow to apply to human beings, not animals: for only one of his household could be expected to come forth from the door of his house to meet him. Jephthah evidently contemplated a human sacrifice. He was born in Syria where human sacrifice was likely common. “The Syrians and Phoenicians were conspicuous among the ancient pagan nations for human sacrifices, and the transfer to Yahweh of the same rites as false gods might be expected.” (Brown-Driver)
Then when he returned successful, Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house; and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she wa
s his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. “Zealous religious reactions cut off his heritage completely. He was greatly distressed to think that his daughter, who was his only child, should be, in consequence of his vow, prevented from continuing his family in Israel; for it is evident that he had not any other child, for besides her, says the text, he had neither son nor daughter, Jdg 11:34. He might, therefore, well be grieved that thus his family was to become extinct in Israel.” (Brown-Driver) The real sad issue here is that he did not repent of the foolish vow. That is obvious because he believes it was his daughter who “brought him low” rather than his own action.
Jdg 11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me; for I have opened my mouth unto Jehovah, and I cannot go back. What could keep a man in a situation like this from repenting of a foolish vow instead of following through? While being a man of your word is commendable, standing behind foolish vows is not, and there was no wisdom in honoring his vow above the purpose of God in his heritage.
In 2012, may we realize that we are dangerous when we do not understand dominion so that we do not allow our words and actions to stir up consequences that misrepresent our God. What did the “heathen” nations think about Jehovah God because of this incident? It was not like Abraham where God was establishing a covenant and establishing trust through extreme obedience. Even that did not end in human sacrifice like the heathen gods required. This was not like the sacrificial Lamb of God who fulfilled the law to the ultimate to redeem all man had lost. Even that ended in resurrection life rather than death. That did not cut off heritage, it established generations forever!
Jephthah crossed the line between godly obedience to religious zeal to his loss. Fervor and zeal cannot attach to the mandate of God and bring its own holy results. Look at the diligence of those dedicated to false gods and ungodly causes. No matter how many times a day a Muslim bows, their pious patterns will not make Allah a real god. Their obligation will never become holy of itself nor ever become obedience which brings godly heritage. No matter how many times a witch rehearses an incantation, their diligence will not bring them protection from their demons or freedom from their deception. In 2012, may we not delay, disrupt or destroy God’s catalyst by adding empty, religious zeal.
Killing God’s catalyst with character:
In 2012, may we embrace God’s intent and instructions as our catalyst. At the same time, may we realize that the kryptonite to success is lack of cooperation in His sons; and the most common reason we are not ready to participate with God is because of the condition of our character.
Is it lack of training that leaves gaps in our character? Is it lack of healthy examples that weakens our character? Or does character corrupt in the breach between knowing the truth and living according to the truth we know? I think the latter is the heart of the matter. It moves the emphasis from lack and circumstance to diligence. We do not have to be perfect, but diligence is a requirement. The hand of the diligent will rule, Prov 12:24. (NKJ) In business or ministry or government or family or the local garden club, we do not suffer a downfall because of other people. Neither do circumstances cause us to fall. Opposition does not cause us to fall. We build our own path to downfall. Bad choices, emotional decisions, wrong priorities and self-focused agendas can cause us to fail, but a downfall comes from a breach of character.
Character, gifts and callings must needs be a three-fold cord in our lives. If our character does not reflect the Giver of the gifts and callings, there is a breach in our soul and an open door to destruction. I knew a preacher who had tremendous revelation and he powerfully preached it, but his adulterous life style opened his household to destruction. His wife lived in constant physical torment and his son lived in continual character-chaos as well as dangerous emotional extremes.
Saul was a man with a character breach. Whether his wrong beliefs flawed his character or his flawed character undermined his beliefs, I cannot say; but this king’s belief and value system was geared to bring him down because he did not truly fear God. There are three evidences of this in 1 Samuel, Chapter 15: 1) he feared man more than God, 2) he chose his own desires over obedience to God, and 3) he asked the prophet Samuel to honor him before the elders (in spite of his downfall), which was equivalent to asking God to do things his way just to make him look good. King Saul was obviously on the throne of Self as well as the throne of Israel and he was willing to pay any price to stay in his Saul-ish kingship. A man who truly feared God would not have set himself to war against God and His plan for Israel. Saul wanted to kill the would-be king, David, and was even willing to kill his own heir-apparent, Jonathan, to ensure that his throne not be shaken.
Saul’s breach of character was obviously a door to torment. And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. 1 Sam 16:23 (NKJ) Saul’s mind, emotions and most likely his conscience were vulnerable to demonic disturbance. Although God did not cause the breach, neither did He guard the open door in Saul’s soul. God did however, intervene when Saul sought His presence. Saul could feel the difference God’s presence made, but it was still up to him to close the door. To repair the breach, Saul would have to humble himself and repent and give God the throne of his life as well as the throne of the nation.
As surely as Jonathan maintained strong, Godly character, King Saul stayed consistent in his lack thereof. In fact, I believe one of Saul’s greatest grinds was that Jonathan was a man of character instead of a chip off the old block! Saul’s selfish pride was bigger than his love for his son and big enough to take him down.
We don’t know when or why Saul decided that he was “all that and a sack of chips,” but we do know that pride will breach character. Perhaps being head and shoulders above everyone else made him feel superior. On perhaps, the other extreme, his fear of the people (1 Sam 15:24) was a sign of inferior feelings and deep insecurities, and pride became his antidote. Whatever his path to pride, it became his path to downfall. The word warns that pride comes before a fall and I think it is safe to say that big pride comes before a big fall. King Saul did not fear God and pride was his door to destruction.
Sometimes we forget that we are made in the image of our Creator God. So when we create our own monsters and our own downfall, we transfer the credit to God, the devil or someone else. That way we feel like a victim instead of a perpetrator. The problem is that if we are victims, we ignore our need to repent. Instead of changing, we sit in the ruins expecting God to do what we will not do ourselves. Saul could not find someone else to blame for the breaches of his soul and character, and neither can we.
In 2012, may we fear God and humble ourselves before Him that we will have the godly character to cooperate and not hinder His intent and instructions. May the year be marked by sons willingly participating in the changes necessary to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Though you walk in the midst of trouble, may the Lord revive you; May He stretch forth His hand against the wrath of your enemies, And may His right hand save you. The Lord will accomplish what concerns you. [Declare out loud that the Lord will accomplish what concerns you] Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. [Declare out loud that the Lord will not forsake the works of His hands] (Taken from Ps 138:7-8)
Two Are Better Than One
An essential principle of God is that “two are better than one” (Eccl.4:9). In 2012 people of God will partner for effect. One shall set a 1000 to flight but two shall set 10,000 to flight.”If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it shall be done for them…”(Mt18:19).God is going to use small groups to defeat mighty opposition. We will commit to defeat together what we cannot overcome alone. It’s God’s Word. (seecministries.org)
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SEEC Magazine * Feb/Mar 2012
SEEC Magazine * February/March 2012 Issue
Click on magazine cover to read SEEC Magazine
Declaration
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I will not allow any person nor any set of
circumstances to determine the lifespan
of the hope God originally put in me. MG
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martygabler 
