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| TODAY’S SCRIPTURE |
| “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” |
| (John 10:27, NIV) |
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| TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria |
Right now, there are hundreds of radio frequencies in the air, hundreds of television signals all around you. But, you don’t hear them all. The reason is that you’re not tuned in. If you tune a radio or television to one of those frequencies, then you would pick up the signal.
In the same way, God is constantly transmitting to us. He wants to lead us, guide us, protect us and give us insight. But too often, we’re not tuned to His frequency. You have to pay attention to Him and learn His voice. God doesn’t speak to us most of the time out loud. He speaks to us through subtle things. He leads us by peace inside.
The best way to “tune in to His frequency” is by reading and meditating on His Word. The more know His Word, the more you know His voice. It’s like when you constantly tune in to a radio station and learn that DJ’s voice, you’ll recognize that voice when you are in a restaurant or at the mall. It’s the same idea. Tune in to God’s Word, tune in to Him and let Him lead you and guide you into victory all the days of your life!
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| A PRAYER FOR TODAY |
| Father, thank You for leading me and guiding me in Your truth. I choose to tune in to You, I choose to tune in to Your Word. Help me to hear Your voice so that I can follow Your leading all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
| — Joel & Victoria Osteen |
Monday, April 28, 2014
Tune in to Him
The Teacher (2)
The Holy Spirit, Who is your Teacher:
(1) Wants you to search God's Word for answers and direction.
He doesn't want you to be passive and simply accept whatever comes into your life. He wants you to turn to His Word for insight; to find divine solutions to the human problems confronting you day in and day out. He wants you to stand on His Word instead of lying down and saying, 'I guess this is just the way it's got to be'.
Your Bible is a road map that will never steer you the wrong way. It's a sword you can fight with, and win every time.(2) Wants you to grow by following in the footsteps of Jesus.'...Meditate in it day and night...do according to all that is written in it. For then you will... have good success' (Joshua 1:8 NKJV).
The word 'disciple' is our translation of the Greek word mathetes, which means 'a learner or student'. In Jesus' day, disciples not only learned from the teacher's lectures, but also by observing and experiencing every aspect of the teacher's life. That's how Jesus trained His twelve disciples. And finally the time came whenWhat's God's plan for you?He could say to them,'The works that I do shall [you] do also' (John 14:12 KJV).Peter, James and John, 'the inner circle', had a more intimate relationship with Christ. That was not because He loved them more, but that He had a particular plan in mind for them.
That's what the battle in your life is about. Satan will do all he can to put distance between you and God. Don't let him!Soul Food: Acts 22-23, Mark 2:13-22, Ps 144:9-15, Pro 11:12-13
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 28 April 2014
The Teacher (1)
Jesus said the Holy Spirit is the greatest Teacher of all.
Here's why:
(1) Because He will interact with you. When you are interested enough to ask questions, the learning process has really begun. Your questions don't bother God if they come from a hungry heart.Jesus said,
'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find...' (Matthew 7:7 NKJV).It's okay to be inquisitive. God doesn't want you to be passive and just accept everything that comes into your life. He wants you to question Him so that you can find clarity and direction.
(2) Because He wants to teach you how to live.That means showing up every day for class, and not just every once in a while. It means listening intently, taking notes, and doing the reading assignments you're given. It means trusting that the Teacher knows what He's talking about, and that the knowledge you're receiving will equip you to go out and succeed in life.
You may not see much value in what a teacher is telling you right now, or think it relates to you personally. Perhaps you're only interested in passing the test, graduating, and getting out of school. No, passing tests only proves you've a good memory, not that you've really learned!
A good teacher's goal is to create in you:
(a) a hunger for knowledge;Soul Food: Gal 5:22, Luke 10:25-37, Eph 4:31-32, Gen 50:15-21 (Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness)
(b) an ability to seek out and understand things when he or she is no longer around;
(c) a willingness to put what you've learned into practice.
You say, 'How can I know I'm truly learning?' John answers,
'...Continue to live in Christ, as [He] taught you' (1 John 2:27 NCV).
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 27 April 2014
Saturday, April 26, 2014
The Book of Revelation: Chapter 10: vs. 1 – 11
A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE
In chapter 10, we again discover a parenthesis similar to the one in chapter 7. Between the sixth and seventh seal judgments, there was a lull before the storm.
Now we experience a break between the sixth and the seventh trumpet blasts.
The study of this parenthetical period continues through chapter 11, verse 14.
Verse 1: And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.
This angel is Christ. Remember, Christ was and is eternal. In fact, He was before the angels because He created them.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him (Colossians 1:16).
Thus, I believe that such Theophanies and Christophanies were appearances of Christ throughout the Old Testament, usually in the form of angelic manifestations. This angel of Jehovah has always acted and worked as a deity.
Proof? Isaiah 63:9:
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
On three occasions to this point in time, we have observed this angelic messenger in action. In chapter 7, verses 2 and 3, He holds back the tides of judgment for a special hour of grace. In chapter 8, verse 5, He stands as the messenger of the covenant, pouring out the fire of judgment upon the earth. Now He appears again in the text before us. In the first appearance, He is a prophet, in the second, a priest, and now, in the third, He appears as a King.
This is the threefold ministry of the Saviour. Hence, this angel is Jesus. As He comes down from heaven, He is clothed with a cloud, has a rainbow upon His head, exhibits a countenance that shines like the sun, and has feet like unto pillars of fire.
What do these attributes signify?
First:
Christ, in His deity, is usually surrounded by a cloud:
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne (Psalm 97:2). Bickering Israel witnessed the glory of the Lord [appearing] in the cloud (Exodus 16:10).
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments of judgment, He descended in a thick cloud, and immediately the
Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud...and it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount (Exodus 19:9,16).
At the completion of the tabernacle,
a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). This was the cloud of the Lord (Exodus 40:38).
On the Mount of Transfiguration,
a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him (Matthew 17:5).
When Christ ascended to heaven,
a cloud received him out of their sight (Acts 1:9). And as He departed He said, they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory (Luke 21:27). When He returns, He will come with clouds; and every eye shall see him (Revelation 1:7).
Second:
The God of all eternity made a covenant with Noah, placing a rainbow in the sky as a symbol of His mercy. The rainbow pictures mercy in the midst of judgment. Ah! Who but the Lord could wear it?
Third:
Christ is often pictured as One who has a shining face as unto the sun. In fact, Saul of Tarsus met this One whose countenance was and is light:
And as [Saul] journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus (Acts 9:3-5).
Finally
Christ's feet as pillars of fire picture judgment, as we saw in chapter 1, verse 15.
This verse pictures Christ preparing to take control of the earth and sea, which have always been rightfully His. He created them, forall things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:3).When Christ came to take control over 2,000 years ago, He was rejected, crucified, and buried, but He rose again. Since then He has been at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for His people (see Hebrews 7:25). At a given moment He will rise from the throne and make a request.The picture is presented in Psalm 2:6-8. God says,Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree. Then Christ says, The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.Immediately the Father asks His Son to make a request, saying, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. At the granting of the request, the Lord Jesus sets His right foot upon the sea and His left foot on the earth, and He unrolls the scroll (or book) which contains the record of the judgments He plans to unleash.
This is the cry of the Lion of the tribe of Judah (see Hebrews 7:14). Immediately prior to executing the judgments listed in the book, He cries loudly (or roars as a lion) to warn of impending danger. Other portions of Scripture also speak of His roaring whenHe comes as the Judge of the universe.Hosea 11:10 states: They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
Joel 3:16 adds: The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
When the Lord roars, seven thunders utter their voices. Though thunder is usually associated with judgment, no attempt will be made to explain the meaning, since God forbids it in verse 4.Again, Amos 1:2: The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem.
Well, someday we will know! For the present, however, God commands that this one portion of Scripture be kept secret.
Verse 5: And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, Verse 6: And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer [or literally no waiting period].
Here we see our God taking an oath. Though this is forbidden in our dispensation of grace, it was not under the Law age of Moses and will not be during the Tribulation and Kingdom periods. This oath is by the eternal Creator, based upon His creation of heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things contained within them. The oath is that time should be no longer or, more accurately, that there should be no more delay. The time has come for the seventh trumpet blast and nothing can stop it or hinder its execution. There will be no further waiting.
The seventh angel does not sound at this point, but rather in Revelation 11:15. When he does, all the warnings of the prophets concerning judgment will be fulfilled. Then the mystery of God will be finished, and the Tribulation hour will end.At that timeWhen this knowledge floods the land, the mystery disappears.
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).
The Old Testament prophets could not understand all the scriptures concerning this mystery. They could not see God's timetable as we can. First Peter 1:10, 11 describes their situation.The text states:Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when [he] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. This glory has to do with the return of Christ to earth to establish His millennial kingdom.
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
Though the prophets knew this would happen-as evidenced by their many predictions-they did not clearly foresee the 2,000-year interval between the time of Christ's rejection and the establishment of His kingdom. Still their writings reflected the fact that a suffering Saviour preceded a ruling King, as can be seen in Psalm 22:14-16.This is Christ, speaking prophetically concerning His suffering and crucifixion:
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.Again Isaiah mentions a cross preceding the crown in chapter 53, verses 4 through 6:The centuries have now passed and, in our study, we are presently at the moment in history when the mystery of God is finished. The final pieces of the puzzle have now fallen into place. The prophetic time clock has struck midnight, or the "zero hour?'
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
There will be no further delay. The final trumpet is ready to sound and the Tribulation hour is about to come to an end. There is great rejoicing as the heavenly host proclaims the joyous news.Listen to them:Some may find it strange that the Tribulation hour ends in chapter 11 especially in light of the facts that chapters 18 and 19 contain seven more bowl judgments and the Lord Jesus Christ does not return until chapter 19, verses 11-16.
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15).
The answer? Chapters 12 through 19:15 run concurrently with the judgments already discussed. They are a repeat of chapters 6 through 11. Actually, the simplistic outline of the Book of Revelation should be as mentioned in chapter 1, verse 19: the past-chapter 1; the present-chapters 2 and 3; the future chapters 4 through 22, with chapters 5 through 11 and 12 through 19:15 running neck and neck.
At this point John is told to take the book out of the hand of Christ, who stands upon the sea and upon the earth. This he does.
The little book John is commanded to take is either all or a portion of the Word of God dealing with the judgments. John obeys.
This verse pictures a devouring of God's Word-assimilating it through study and personal application. At times it is both sweet and bitter.The Prophet Jeremiah stated:
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart (Jeremiah 15:16).
The psalmist also declared in Psalm 119:103,Now John, following the angel's instructions, also finds the Word of God sweet as honey. This is because he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. As he reads the prophecies, he envisions the established kingdom, the Bride sitting beside the Bridegroom, and the peace and prosperity prevalent in the land with Satan bound and sin abolished. What sweetness! What blessing! Yet, as John learns of the remaining judgments still to be released, the Word becomes bitter in his digestive tract.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!How true for us today!
How precious is the good news of the gospel. Jesus loves sinners. He shed His blood for the remission of sins.By trusting in Christ, one obtains eternal life, yea,However, this message becomes a bitter pill to swallow when one realizes that the rejection of the beautiful gospel appeal brings judgment, for
he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life (John 3:36).he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:16).Get in on the honey! Believe and be saved! It's for all!This bittersweet message is now about to be propagated by John.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
John does this, as we will discover in the remaining chapters. He is faithful unto the end, proclaiming both the good news and the bad, presenting both the sweet and the bitter. He warns of the remaining judgments-the seven bowls or vials, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the dissolution of the present heavens and earth. May we be found as faithful in proclaiming all of God's Holy Word.For God commands that we
preach the Word: Be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2)
Let God Show You Where to Go
Where you are matters.
You can't grow bananas in Invercargill, but you can grow them in Northland.God not only has a plan for your life, He has a place for it.What's the point? Simply this:Look at the life of Elijah. 'The word of the Lord came to him, saying,
sometimes you need to change your location in order to succeed in what God's called you to do."Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there"' (1 Kings 17:2-4 NKJV).Ravens normally don't deliver food, they eat it. But when you do what God tells you and go where He sends you, you move from the natural realm to the supernatural one.
Yes, you must have the right strategy, but you must also be in the right spot.'...I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go' (Isaiah 48:17 NIV).If your heart's desire is to honour God in all things, He will show you the best location to succeed in. Indeed, He will go ahead of you and rearrange circumstances to your advantage.He did it for Abraham.'By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8 NIV).
Ask God, and He will show you where to go.
Soul Food: Acts 18-19, Mark 1:35-45, Ps 7:10-17, Pro 11:7-9
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 25 April 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Waiting for Things to Change (2)
Before you quit and give up in discouragement, consider the long and difficult process by which a butterfly emerges from its cocoon. If you try to rush God's purpose and process in your life, you'll produce something deformed, something that can't get off the ground and fly.
Perhaps you're thinking,
'I can't wait for this to be over.' That's understandable.
Job couldn't either. He said, 'All the days of my hard service I will wait, 'til my change comes.' But by God's grace he survived, and ended up with twice as much as he lost.
So hold on, your change is coming!
God won't give up on you, so don't give up on Him! There's a work going on in you right now. Something is dying that has to die, so that something better can be brought to life.Continue to walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that
Let it happen. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told a king,
'We will not bow down to your gods' (Daniel 3:18).Don't bow to temptation, or to manipulation, or to ungodly persuasion.
Don't try to keep up with the Joneses, or surrender to selfish ambition and self-promotion.
Don't bow to the spirit of anxiousness and impatience.
'...[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we are able to ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).They say,
'Good things come to those who wait.'
The determining factor is Who you are waiting for. God says there's a purpose for all these things (Ecclesiastes 3:1).Wait, God will make the pieces fit together. He won't disappoint you.
Soul Food: Acts 16-17, Mark 1:23-34, Ps 7:1-9, Pro 11:3-6
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
An Encounter with God
Isaiah describes a life-changing encounter he had with God at the start of his ministry:
'...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up...Above it stood seraphim...And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of Him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King"...Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal...from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" And He said, "Go, and tell this people"...' (Isaiah 6:1-9 NKJV).
An encounter with God always brings three things:
(1) A sense of His holiness and our lowliness.
(2) An acknowledgment of our inadequacy.
(3) Humility, and a hunger for more of Him.
The wear and tear of daily life dulls the sharp edge of our spiritual sensibilities. And measuring our holiness by those around us just lulls us into thinking we're living a committed life when we're not. So God calls us to an encounter with Him to cleanse us, empower us, and send us out to fulfil His purposes.
Soul Food: Acts 12-13, Mark 1:1-13, Ps 103:13-22, Pro 10:30-32
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Waiting for Things to Change (1)
Are you waiting for your vision to start coming to pass, or to find a solution to a problem you're facing, or for the first signs of fulfilment to a promise God has made you?
You're not the first person to struggle with the idea of waiting, and you won't be the last. Furthermore, when you get what you're waiting for now, you'll begin waiting for something else.If there's one word that defines Christian living, it's - waiting. God said to the prophet Habakkuk,
'The revelation awaits an appointed time...and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay' (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV).Why did God say that?
Because He was answering the prophet's question, 'How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?'
Look at the patriarch Job. Covered in boils and totally bankrupt, he says,What God has in store for you is worth any price you have to pay and any season of waiting you have to go through.'If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, 'till my change comes' (Job 14:14 NKJV).Waiting for things to change is not easy.So what should you do while you're waiting?Pour yourself into the job at hand; otherwise you'll shortchange your own future.James writes,'Be patient...See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm...' (James 5:7-8 NIV).
Soul Food: Acts 14-15, Mark 1:14-22, Ps 16, Pro 11:1-2
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Instrument Rated (11)
Instrument rated for finances.
Just when you get ahead a little bit, your car breaks down, your house needs a new roof, and your boiler gives up the ghost.We all experience it.But the instrument-rated believer can fly through financial storms because he has absolute confidence in his gauges and radio. If he looks at them and doubts their accuracy, he's in serious difficulty. This must all be settled on the ground while he is going through the checklist. He must not take off into the storm if all is not in good order.
When it comes to money matters, check your craft.
Do you know what the Bible really says about your finances?
To fly through or above a financial storm, you must practise Biblical stewardship, know what God has promised to you, and stand on it in faith.Giving is like sowing (2 Corinthians 9:6).'Give, and it will be given to you' (Luke 6:38 NKJV).Giving is an act of obedience. It honours God. But there are some things God will not do. He will not be generous with you if you have been stingy with Him or others.The Bible says,You ask,
'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich.''How rich does God want me to be?'That depends on four things: your spiritual maturity, your God-given assignment in life, your willingness to put God in first place when it comes to finances, and exercising your faith.
When a seed is sown it produces a harvest. But the farmer has to go and get that harvest. Similarly, faith, plus obedience, draws the harvest of God's blessing into your life.Soul Food: Acts 6-7, Matt 27:26-32, Ps 75, Pro 10:22-23
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 17 April 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
He Won! (1)
The cross is universally recognised as symbolising the Christian faith.
We've all seen sportsmen crossing themselves before going to bat...jewellery stores selling gold crosses...and bakers celebrating Easter with hot cross buns.One author says:
On one level I think of individuals in our own time who disarmed the powers.'Christianity has become a religion of the cross - the gallows, the electric chair, the gas chamber, in modern terms. Normally we think of someone who dies a criminal's death as a failure. Yet Paul would later reflect that"Christ...forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code...that was against us...He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross".
Racist sheriffs who imprisoned Martin Luther King Jr....the Soviets who deported Solzhenitsyn...the authorities who imprisoned Nelson Mandela...all thought they were solving a problem. Instead they ended up unmasking their own violence and injustice...
When Jesus died, even a gruff Roman soldier was moved to exclaim,
"...Surely He was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54 NIV)...He saw the contrast between his brutish colleagues and their victim Who forgave them in His dying gasp.
The pale figure nailed to a crossbeam revealed the ruling powers as false gods who broke their own lofty promises of piety and justice.
Religion, not irreligion, accused Jesus; the law, not lawlessness, had him executed.
By their rigged trials...scourging...and violent opposition to Jesus, the political and religious authorities exposed themselves for what they were...Each assault...laid bare their illegitimacy, yet in the end" He won!' "
Soul Food: 1 Cor 15, Matt 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-12 (Easter Sunday)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
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