Posts

Refiner’s Fire

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Malachi 3-4; Psalms 148; Acts 5 “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap…So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers…” Malachi 3:2, 5 “When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened…Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events…Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number” Acts 5:5, 11, 14 Jesus came to save, cleanse, heal and deliver. He came to teach, refine, and purity for himself a people that were his very own. When Ananias perjured himself and lied to the Holy Spirit (and to Peter), the Lord himself judged Ananias and struck him dead. Paul later said in his letter to the Corinthians that those who don’t “discern the body of Christ” drink judgment on themselves (1 Corinthians 11:29, 30), which is...
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My Name will be Great

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Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1, 2; Acts 4 “’My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 1:11 The greatness of God’s name is magnified by the worship of those who know him. This prophesy that God’s name would be great among the nations was made possible by the salvation found in the name of Jesus, opening up relationship with God to all nations. What are the incense and pure offerings that are being brought to the Lord in every nation? Intercession, prayer, and worship are like incense before God. It is the offerings of our lives and resources that honor him. These sacrifices and acts of worship magnify the name of the Lord. If our lives were the only witness our nations had of who God is, would his name be great? “Lord God, you are worthy of my best. I offer it to you with joy and love, for your glory.” ...
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Planted

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Nehemiah 11-12; Psalms 1; Acts 3   “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:2, 3 Our level of fruitfulness in life is determined by where we are planted. A tree planted by “streams of water” will yield fruit in season and remain resilient, even in dry seasons. When we plant our lives in the presence of the Lord through daily meditation on his Word with renewal through the streams of the Holy Spirit, we, too, will experience the fruit of the Spirit’s work in our lives. Listening and obeying the Word through the Spirit feeds our Spirit and soul and renews our strength in the Lord. Many are planted in front of the TVs or screens much more consistently than they are planted by “streams of water”. Prospering spiritually affects everyone who meets us. All are able to enjoy the fruit of God’s prese...
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The Gift of the Holy Spirit

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Nehemiah 9-10; Acts 2   “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear…Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 2:33, 38 This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the Feast of Weeks, the harvest festival. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was not just the birth of the Church; it was the launch of the mission-harvest and ingathering of souls which continues to this day. There are large portions of Christendom where churches are empty and faith has been abandoned; they appear to be in a ‘Pre-Pentecost’ state. Other places in the world including much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, are experiencing their Pentecost moment, evidencing itself in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon repentance and water baptism leading to mission and spiritual ha...
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Holy Joy

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Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1   “Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’” Nehemiah 8:10 How do we define holiness? Sometimes we might even equate sadness with holiness and joy with sinfulness. That would be a scheme of the enemy to separate us from the presence of God. Nehemiah’s revival of worship and the Word included a day set apart for God, a holy day, a day of feasting and joy with God at the very center of it. Do we bring God into the center and celebrate his goodness, love, and presence in our lives? Or, do we celebrate each other and the goodness of our lives and love for each other? Holy celebrations are full of joy because they are full of the presence of God. These celebrations renew our strength in the Lord. …time to celebrate? “Lord Jesus, you are my joy and my strength, for your glory.”
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All the Scriptures

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Nehemiah 5-6; Psalms 146; Luke 24 “He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:25-27 Our capacity to receive spiritual truths and revelation is influenced by the condition of our heart. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were both “foolish” and “slow of heart”.   What is the speed with which our heart engages in faith to God’s Word through the tests and trials we face? Have we learned to trust the whole counsel of God, including the books of Moses and the Prophets? Or, do we limit our worldview to our church tradition and a few favourite Scriptures? Jesus explained that the most awaited person in human history, God’s Messiah, needed to suffer and die. No one expected that. What are we expecting will happen at Christ...
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Sound the Trumpet

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Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23   “Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!’” Nehemiah 4:19, 20 The silver trumpets the Lord commanded Moses to make were used for calling people together for an assembly, or calling them to battle, or calling them to break camp and move on. In the spiritual and physical warfare of Nehemiah’s wall project, Nehemiah utilized the trumpet again to rally the people together to resist an opposing threat. The use of the trumpet was most importantly an act of faith that the Lord would fight for his people. The trumpet signaled heaven. What is our ‘trumpet call’ today, in ministry and mission work? What are we using to call God’s people together for concerted prayer? It is in prayer that we unite together before God’s throne. It is in unity that the Lord anoi...
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