Come On In

Isa. 14:32b, "God has established Zion. Those in need and in trouble find refuge in her."

In my reading this morning, this portion of scripture resonated with me. As I think about the church where God has planted me to lead, the denomination where God has placed me, and even the future that He has for me. The thing that is most important is the fact that “GOD establishes it”. It really isn’t based on my ability. It is not based on the economy. It is not even based on the size of the entity where I serve. It is all based on God establishing it. My ability, the economy, the size of the entity: all gives way to what and where God establishes Zion. The same is true of you

When we stop trusting in horses, and princes, and others and start to trust God to do it in us. He establishes us. Because God establishes it, everything that He establishes is able to meet the needs of those who find their way to Zion. There is no need to great. No problem too big, no circumstance that is too overwhelming. Why? Because God has established Zion!!!
So come on in and find refuge. GOD HAS ESTABLISHED ZION!!!!

Lord, I surrender all that I am to you. I intentionally turn my trust to you today. I will not put my trust in myself or another. I trust you to do all that needs to be done. I trust you to establish Zion. Have your way in me and in every area of responsibility that you have given me. In the matchless, marvelous, magnificent name of Jesus, AMEN

Wes Morgan - I Choose To Worship

THE LORD'S LAMP

Prov. 20:27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Our spirit is the Lord’s lamp and it gives Him access to the deep recesses of our heart, our inner being. 1 Cor. 2:11 says “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” Our spirit is the only entity that can truly know our thoughts. Our thoughts are more than the cerebral ruminations that come to our minds throughout the day. Our thoughts are also those things ponderings that takes place deep in our subconscious that we often do not have direct access to. These are the thoughts that create, recreate, and keep in motions many of our actions and most of our reaction. In order for change to take place we have to give God access those places.

Not only can others not know our thoughts, we cannot truly know our own thoughts. Jeremiah 17:9-10 say, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]? I the Lord search the mind, I try the heart, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” According to this scripture we can’t know our own heart and mind. Therefore the Lord has to search it and try it.

Since others cannot know our heart and because we our perception is off, understanding impaired, and knowledge is limited; we are better off allowing God to search our hearts. He has access to our spirit which shines light on places inaccessible to us, but very available to Him.

Let’s pray: Search my heart O Lord, search all the dark recesses of my being. Shed you light, love and healing to those areas. Then Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. AMEN

SEARCH, KNOW, AND LEAD

Psam139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The prayer is an invitation to God for Him to search us. This prayer invites God to investigate, rummage around, and hunt. It says to God there are no hidden places, no places that are off limits. It says to God you have free access to all of me, all that I am, think, or imagine. In allowing God the free access to search us, we also invite him to know our heart. This is a deep intimate knowing; this knowing knows the secret, hidden, un-confessed, and even unconscious issues of our being. This knowing reaches the deep, intimate recesses of our hearts. There are no hidden, concealed, veiled, buried, unknown, or covered areas in our heart. There are no areas that are out of sight or unseen; there are no areas that are hazy or shadowed, we are totally exposed and naked before God.

The invitation to test is an invitation to cross examine, check, assess, and analyze. This invitation opens us up to scrutiny. In that process of scrutiny God see our thoughts, our anxieties and fears, He sees motivation and intent. As He scrutinizes and analyze us He also becomes intimately acquainted with our anxious thoughts, He knows what we are truly about. He has access to and will reveal to us a clear picture of what we are all about. With this revelation we can no longer operate in self-deception. We can no longer hide from ourselves. We can no longer project on to others our stuff.

As God searches, test, and knows us He is the only one who can truly judge if there is any offensive, grievous, or hurtful ways in us. As God does his recognizance of us, He alone has the whole story. If we are open to His TRUTH, He will reveal to us all the ways that we have been an offense, grievous, and hurtful to others.

After God has investigated, examined, and known us thoroughly, even if we come up short, which we will, He is still able to heal us and the ones we have hurt. He is still able to deliver us and those who suffer the consequences of our grave, serious, heinous, dreadful and offensive ways. He heals and delivers by leading and guiding us on the road to everlasting life. This leading takes us to places of deliverance from ourselves. He guides us to places of surrender to Him. He also steers us to forgiveness of those we are offended by and to seek forgiveness of those we have offended. He also directs us on the path of reconciliation with Him, those we are estranged from, and ourselves. He takes us through the valley of circumstances that grooms and removes all our impurities and imperfection.

So let’s pray “Search me! Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life”(MSS). AMEN

SEARCH AND KNOW

Psam139:1-"You have searched me and known me". Since God has already searched us and knows us, would it not make sense to allow him to determine who we are? Not only does He know the deep, dark, and dastardly, He also knows the good, great, and Godly that is in you. He has already made the search, so why do we try to hide? Some of the ways that we hide is by putting on masks, sometimes it’s through isolation, then again, sometimes in by being overly active and engaged. How do you attempt to avoid the searching and knowing of God.

Psalms 139:1 in The Message Bible says, “GOD, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.” Let us pray: Search me and know me O God.

Barbara LaToison

JOURNEY TO DESTINY II

Today’s reflection comes from 1 Samuel 23. We will continue to unearth divine principles from the life of David that will help us as we continue our JOURNEY TO DESTINY. Principle Four is the Prayer. One should never start an endeavor without first seeking God’s direction, will, and permission to proceed in that endeavor.

1 Sam. 23:1-4  It was reported to David that the Philistines were raiding Keilah and looting the grain. David went in prayer to God: "Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?" God said, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah." But David's men said, "We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?" So David went back to God in prayer. God said, "Get going. Head for Keilah. I'm placing the Philistines in your hands." (MSS)

These verses tells us that David got a disturbing report about the Philistines and his first response was to seek God’s will. He did not use his own judgment or what appeared to be commonsense. He sought God. Sometimes what appears to be the obvious is not always the case. Prayer should be our first posture when starting a new endeavor.

Principle Five: Confirmation. This principle is also found in these verses, when those we lead are resistant, afraid, or reluctant; it’s okay to get confirmation from God. David went back to God in Prayer. God Confirmed His directions to David. Not only did he confirm His directions, he gave David a promise. David then had the assurance to lead the people where God would have them go. Without this type of assurance, I know that I would doubt if I were doing the right thing, and in the heat of the battle, second guessing your decision, remove from you the ability to engage in the moment and give it your all.

Principle Six: Dealing With the Attack from Those in Leadership over You. After a victory, expect your enemy to attack. When the enemy uses one who is in leadership over you, how do you deal with it? Verses 7-27 show how Saul, king over David was used by the enemy and pursued David doggedly.  The Message Bible said that “David was in full retreat, running, with Saul and his men closing in, about to get him.” Sometimes our best posture is running. There is a major difference between running to save your life and running to avoid submission to authority. When we run to save our lives, we are not running away from responsibility, consequences of our behavior, or from embarrassment; we are simply running for our life, and/or running to avoid confronting those in authority in an inappropriate manner. God will allow us opportunities to confront power with truth; however, this apparently was not the time.

Lord Jesus, help me to remember to always pray and seek your face before embarking upon a new endeavor. Oh God when those you have given me to lead are resistant, afraid, and/or reluctant; give me patience with them and the wisdom to seek you to confirm your will. And oh Lord, when those in leadership over me are the instruments used to attack me give me the grace to run in humility. In Jesus name, AMEN

JOURNEY TO DESTINY

In my morning devotions there were several things that stood out to me as I read 1 Samuel chapters 22-24. As a pastor desiring to reach the destiny that God has for me, I struggle with the process or journey to get there. But this morning God began to galvanize together some principles that I know and have applied individually into a succinct JOURNEY TO DESTINY. I believe that God will continue to show principles as I continue to read and study the life of David.

Today Principle One, "Leadership Always Manifest”, is found in 1 Samuel 22:1-2 "So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all." If God has called you to leadership, then there will be people following you even before you reach your destiny. David is hiding in the Cave of Adullam, and his family, family associates, people who were down and out, losers, vagrants, and misfits were led by David. David led about four hundred people. As a pastor of a growing church, I would love to lead a congregation of four hundred.

Principle Two, "Lead Well Whom God Sends", David's initial followers were not the "crème de la crème" of society. They are the persons that many choose to over look and prefer not to deal with: our family, down and outers, losers, vagrants, and misfits. Or to put it into today's vernacular, the project folk, Beebe’s kids, Pukie, Shaniqua, and NaNa and nem. It is my opinions that this is one of the areas that would make or break David as the Leader of Israel. God gave David a little; both in number and in societal value, but David took what God gave him and developed it into a force to be reckoned with. He led, by influence, training, example, and precept.

Principle Three, "Obey the Voice of God", Verse 5 says "The prophet Gad told David, "Don't go back to the cave. Go to Judah." David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth." Whenever God give directions, obey the voice of God. God placed leadership, to give guidance to David. God supplies the wisdom that we need, even when it may not be resident in us, to get us where we He has designed for us to be. Listen and Obey.

There were many other principles found in those three chapters, but theses particularly spoke to my heart this morning.
Lord help me to be like David, to walk in the manifest leadership that you have given me, to lead well those you send to me, and to listen and obey your voice in those you have sent to give directions to me to assist me on my "Journey To Destiny, AMEN.

Worship and Affection

John 12:1-3 “Then six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. There they made Him supper and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very expensive spikenard anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”

In biblical times it was a tradition that when a guest entered someone’s home their feet were washed with water and their head was anointed with oil or perfume. According to James E. Talmage:

To anoint the head of a guest with ordinary oil was to do him honor; to anoint his feet also was to show unusual and signal regard; but the anointing of head and feet with spikenard, and in such abundance, was an act of reverential homage rarely rendered even to kings.Mary's act was an expression of adoration; it was the fragrant outwelling of a heart overflowing with worship and affection.

Additionally, spikenard was considered the oil of the Bride. It was the oil used by the bride to prepare herself for her marriage.

Reflection Questions:
1. How do we honor the Lord?

2. Does our worship express both adoration and an overflowing heart of worship and affection?

3. Are we preparing for the Bride Groom?

Prayer: Lord help me today be a person who honors you excessively, whose heart is overflowing with worship and affection for you, and one who is extravagantly preparing for you. Amen