Our hearts are turned to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in thanksgiving for His sacrificial and redemptive acts of love in our behalf. We receive them and what He has procured through them that we may gratefully bring glory to His Wonderful Name. “And let the peace from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” (Col.3:15, Amp)
A while back I walked into the kitchen and I said to Kathy, “That smells like Thanksgiving!”. As I walked in, I experienced a wide range of sensory connections with Thanksgiving. The smell of spices and basting meat and the odors of baking coming out of the oven filled my senses. But I also began to hear things. As memories of Thanksgivings-come-and-gone stirred in my mind, I could hear the sounds of those gatherings, those loved ones, those children, those songs, that worship—in my memory. Kathy couldn’t hear any of it but I could hear many things all at once. I had to just stand there for a minute or two, not focusing on anything in the room but looking with my memory into those sights and sounds that had been cherished and stored away in valuable files of my heart. Then, even as I write now, hot tears filled my eyes and my heart raced up at the peace and joy and delight all those sounds and people in my memory brought to me. I didn’t even realize that I had tucked those precious memories away so many years ago. But the loving atmosphere, the loving people, the lovely ambiance and delicious foods all impacted my senses then for a delightful, sensory and welcome release now. No camera could have accomplished what those pleasant experiences wrought, for they were drawn up out of the well of cherished ones and cherished things in my heart. And for a brief time they were all there, all real and all so lovely once again. I am so thankful for a rich heritage, deeply meaningful relationships and for cherished memories that still impact me today. May this Thanksgiving bring to you sights and sounds and smells that pleasantly soothe you and heal you, and may they all bring you to a fresh place of rest in our Lord. (Prov.10:7a, Amp) ”The memory of the righteous [person] is a blessing,”.
Is the real need of this nation a great politician or a real church? Politicians would hardly ever get a mention in the news media if the church was being and doing everything Jesus was and did when He was on earth. One of the major factors that got Jesus crucified was that He was getting more press than Caesar. People were following and clamoring after Jesus because of His acts which so effectively represented the Father. When Jesus confronted and contradicted darkness through redemptive acts it got the nation’s attention. After consistently revealing the Father in this manner, there was a snowballing effort to make Jesus king. Simply put, Jesus was more representative of life and productivity than was Caesar with all his financial resources and all his millions of citizens. Needs were met and problems solved that Caesar had no capacity for.
Kathy — How do we fight for a corporate cause when we are fighting to survive individually? First, we must take hope that God has positioned gifts and strengths geographically and relationally for corporate wars ahead of time, and we must believe corporate agreement will defeat customized weapons as well as enemies with tenure that are attempting to protect ungodly strongholds. Secondly, we have to be confident that being the target does not mean we have to just take a right hook and then wait helplessly for a left jab every time the enemy gets upset. We are not a victim nor a God-authorized target. Once that is settled in us we can fight with confidence and win through time and perseverance. Heb.3:14, Msg — “If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.”
Preferred Government — Nebuchanezar was in office for an unlimited term. Nebuchanezar is the one who took the choicest of Israel’s future and enslaved them for the purpose of culturizing them to the values of Babylon. In spite of that fact the Hebrews Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego triumphed and impacted the culture of Babylon with the precepts of Jehovah. (Let us not forget that much prayer was the habit of Daniel.) Saul was in office for an unlimited term. Saul is the one who attempted to murder the future of Israel’s government. In spite of that fact David triumphed. Saul was actually used as a catalyst to join the tribes of the nation to David and see that he was seated on the throne. (Remember: David is an Old Testament type of the New Testament Christ) After being under Saul’s government, Israel much preferred the government of David (NT Christ) over the government of Saul (Heb.: “desired”). He who was so desired became so undesired. (Let us not forget that much worship was the habit of David.)
In spite of some past inferences we might have heard concerning prayer, God is not a celestial bellboy waiting in an anteroom for us to ring a bell to do what we require. Rather, in prayer, we partner with God for His purposes in our lives and in this earth. Jesus went apart from the crowd to pray so that He might find how to partner with His Father so He could glorify Him. Jn.12:27, (The Passion Translation) — “Even though I am torn within, and my soul is in turmoil, I will not ask the Father to rescue me from this hour of trial. For I have come to fulfill my purpose—to offer myself to God.”
Martin Luther said that prayer is not overcoming the reluctance of God but it is laying hold of the willingness of God. Why didn’t he say “finding the willingness of God”? There is a lot more in laying hold than in finding. You may find gold, but you have not laid hold of it until you have dug. Let us dig in and find His willingness. Js.5:17, TPT — “Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years!”
Kathy — Why is our trust in God sometimes in pieces? I think it is because of all the times it’s been shaken. I’m talking about every time that we followed our emotions through a trial and we “trusted” God to come through like we felt He should…. but He didn’t. Our trust was shaken if not shattered, not because He’s not trustworthy, but because He did not allow us to manipulate the situation or Him. Ps.18:2, TPT — “You’re as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet, like a castle on a cliff, my forever firm fortress, my mountain of hiding, my pathway of escape, my tower of rescue where none can reach me. My secret strength and shield around me, you are salvation’s ray of brightness shining on the hillside, always the champion of my cause.”
Kathy — When you are mistreated or attacked or accused or scared or you step in the neighbor’s dog droppings in your own yard you might not deliberately think, “Back off God, I’ll handle this.” In fact, you’re not likely to think of dog droppings and God in the same thought! The point is that there’s no time to hear God when emotions erupt. That tells us that emotions are one of the big reasons that we harden our hearts. 2Pe1:6, Amp — “For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness.”
As the people of God assemble today and they sing out praises and worship and they hear the powerful Word of God taught, may they realize it is time to take yet another step. May each one take a step more in the direction the Lord has them headed in within their bent, their calling, their purpose. This is the season for stepping up to the next level of purpose and function in the Kingdom of God. Prov.3:5-6, Amp — “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].”
We are celebrating Reformation Day! On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the Wittenberg Church door in Germany. What had been covered over by centuries of profitable and manipulative tradition, was exposed and the truth of God’s Word, the Gospel of salvation by grace (Eph.2:8), was made known. There is ONE Mediator between God and man, not a Mediator plus someone or some religious/ecclesiastical system (Heb.10:10). That Mediator, JESUS, alone was appointed by God to make atonement for the sins of men by His death. His atonement alone gives only Him authorization to be our Intercessor with God in our behalf. All persons (no matter race or creed) are to go directly to that Intercessor JESUS (Heb.7:25) and trust only in this Mediator alone. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tim.2:5).
Kathy — At God-intersections, when He reveals His doings, we witness not only His acts but also His might and love and faithfulness. Seeing beyond the “what” to the “who” He will most certainly stir us to worship and our worship is a sound of agreement from the earth regarding who He is in Heaven! I don’t know yet all that His breakthroughs have prepped and set in motion, but I believe we will recognize them as the Intervener intervening in the weeks to come.
We are built to anticipate. Each of us already has a pretty full plate of anticipation about the rest of the year. If we are honest, I believe we will admit that we are continually anticipating what is ahead whether we are anticipating good or bad, productive or nonproductive, desired or undesirable. It is quite difficult to anticipate the provision or intervention of God if we are not looking to God and His Word, if our anticipation capacity is already filled with the negative or the false. Ps.145:15 (NKJV) “The eyes of all look expectantly to You…” Ps.145:15 (NET) “Everything looks to you in ANTICIPATION…”
God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s covenant with His people have not become void or suspended or even diminished. “Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.” (Isa.55:3, Amp) Panic and/or despair are nothing but wasted thoughts and emotions. Those people who walk uprightly before their God will be kept in the shadow of the Almighty. “For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Ps.84:11, Amp) Jehovah (“self-Existent”) is still Jehovah and remains all that He has ever been and His Word is still good and cannot be changed. “God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working.” (Matt.5:18, Msg)
The priorities we give ourselves to now are already having an impact upon our future. I have heard regrets expressed like, “If only we would have saved ‘X’ amount of money each month instead of buying that timeshare, we would have enough for this major home repair we have had to borrow money for.” “If we would have spent more time with our son while he was growing up, maybe he wouldn’t have ended up in so much trouble.” Each of us can picture those scenarios in our minds and just what they might entail and the “if” in each example rings significantly. Stewardship of our person and of the present and future events of our lives, community and nation will not only have a resulting impact upon us but also upon many others, including family. A great deal of confusing events are going on in our nation presently and they are impacting our lives and loudly screaming for our attention and energy and finance. And yet… stewardship matters. A King has stewards so He will have someone to act through for the needs of those in His domain and the advancement of that domain (Lk.12:42-48). The King’s stewards consider present actions for future benefit of the King and His Kingdom as well as the efficient present function of that Kingdom. 1Pe.1:13, TPT — “So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you.” Lk.12:35-36, TPT — “Be prepared for action at a moment’s notice. 36 Be like the servants who anticipate their master’s return from a wedding celebration. They are ready to unlock and open the door for him at a moment’s notice.” Voting is a privilege of citizenship and a basic act of Christian stewardship. You make the choice: do you want America or non-America? After November 3, 2020 it will be one or the other.
When we can look beyond today and see tomorrow, God will give us all we see and our children will benefit. “The Lord said to Abram…lift up your eyes from where you are…All the land you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.” (Gen.13:14) We can break in our generation the things that have bound us so our children do not have to live under them.
Kathy — God’s plans for where we are going depend on our being who we need to be when we get there. That requires transformation, and transformation comes through trials. Let me say that more exactly: transformation comes through listening and learning His Ways in trials, which is the opposite of hardening the heart! Rom.12:2, Amp — “And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”
Anticipation is inevitable. The coming generation will anticipate something whether positive or negative. But what will they anticipate? One of the biggest favors we can do the coming generation is to build anticipation into them: anticipation for the intervention of God in their lives and in our nation. We must see beyond and we must help them to see beyond that which has been the norm in our nation and in impotent religion. Let’s help them to anticipate the unconventional which no previous generation has seen, to be what no generation has been. Mic.7:7- “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” We are praying you discover daily that you are looking beyond the ordinary and you are helping the coming generation to anticipate new possibilities.
Kathy — I think we sometimes mistake tenacity for faith. Tenacious means extreme persistence; relentless or enduring. Tenacity is awesome for getting and keeping the Word in our thinking so it can be an overriding priority in our lives, but tenacity is not faith. Tenacity is not our goal but it is a powerful element of getting to the goal. Our goal is faith, a confident, unshakeable knowing. If faith becomes a matter of tenacity and strain, we’ve simply stopped short of the goal. The mark of reaching and standing in faith is rest.
As the people of God assemble today may they see clearly and be equipped effectively for what is expected of them in this pivotal hour of our nation. Sons/daughters of the Kingdom become the answer to the groaning of creation which we read about in Rom.8:19,22. In the original language, groaning creation is pictured in such a way that it is expectantly stretching the neck to glimpse that which is beyond itself and beyond its present plight. That which creation is stretching its neck to see, or THOSE whom it is stretching its neck to see, are their hope of lifting them out of their hopeless plight.
If someone is a slave to something for a long time, it is difficult for them to see a picture in their mind of what being free is like. If we can’t see ourselves as anything but a slave to that thing that has mastery over us then we will maintain that slave mentality. “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are…” (Gen.13:14)
Kathy — In Heb.3:9-10, it goes on to tell us that when the Israelites were in the wilderness, they saw God do awesome works and miracles for them; yet they hardened their hearts and REFUSED to learn His ways. I’ve thought many times, ‘What was wrong with those people?’ But when I read it recently, I suddenly realized how simply we can harden our hearts. We just refuse to LISTEN to God during a trial! Ps.85:8, TPT — “Now I’ll listen carefully for your voice and wait to hear whatever you say. Let me hear your promise of peace—the message every one of your godly lovers longs to hear. Don’t let us in our ignorance turn back from following you.”
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