El Shaddai

"Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. How could I become a father at the age of 100? he thought. And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?" Genesis 17:17

In verse one of Genesis 17,  God appeared before Abraham and told him of his name, "El Shaddai" - God Almighty who is sufficient. I pondered about the reaction of Abraham when God told him he was going to be a father. It was disbelief and not really having faith. Here we have, the God of the Universe, that had told Abraham earlier, that his name was El Shaddai, which is God Almighty who is sufficient. When I ponder this one name of God, for He has a few, I come to realized that His name tells me that He is so powerful and He is all I really need. To be sufficient, means to me that God fills me to the brim, even when I may think it is impossible! How many times I have felt like my back was against a wall, and God opened doors that I thought impossible. This chapter is about trusting in God, knowing that He can do the impossible, even though we may feel otherwise.

Question: Are you in a situation now, where it seems hopeless? Can you use this verse to build your trust in El Shaddai?

Unveiled

"But whenever he (Moses) went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord." Exodus 34:34-35

Can you imagine having your face glowing and radiant from being in the presence of the Lord? This is what happened to Moses when he had an encounter with the Lord. Moses would go into the Tent of Meeting without a veil over his face until he came out to speak to the people. After he spoke to the people he veiled his face again. I think of many women today whom wear veils. This is not the veil that the women of the far east wear because of their faith. I am speaking of the mask that women use to cover up who they really are. I think of the veil as a mask that shows others only what they want you to see. It is a mask that they wear and when someone asks, "How are you?" they smile and say "Okay". In reality, they are not okay. I recently went to a store in Hawaii that specializes in koa wood. They have what you call koa veneer. When I asked what that was, it was explained to me that the veneer is a thin top layer that lays over another wood. The koa  that I was viewing was koa wood only on the surface, but underneath it was a piece of  wood that was not of the same high quality as koa. This concept resonated in my soul, for I realized that many people may have a veneer to cover up who they really are.  That veneer covering is like a mask or veil. What God wants for us is to be unveiled, to be authentic and to be 100% of who we really are. As we go into prayer, do we approach God with a veil like everything is okay or do we take away that veil and show him everything in our hearts that is deep down, underneath the surface. That is what the Lord wants us to do, and that is to unveil ourselves before him. Are you ready? Let's get real!

Question: Are you being real or do you have a veil? What can you do to get unveiled?

God is our Refuge

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.  Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge." Psalm 46:1-3

When I saw this image, I had to gasp! Look at the man that is standing at the door and the waves are crashing around him. I wanted to know more about this one picture so I had to google the topic. What I came up with was a series of pictures of this situation. What really happened? This man was waiting to be rescued and a helicopter was hovering above. The man had come out to check on the helicopter and a huge monster wave began to engulf him. What happened? Did he live or die? The series of photos from U-Tube showed that the wave closed in on him but on the very last frame, he closed the door and retreated to the safety inside the lighthuse. He was saved. I think about the storms in life that may come against us and it may seem impossible to ever survive. We have a God that says that all we have to do is knock on the door and the door will be opened. That is exactly what we need to do, and that is to run to the safety of the Lord and shut the door. May you find comfort in the Lord today, amidst the storms of life.

Question: Have you ever felt like this man on the lighthouse and the seas are closing in on you? If you are in this spot today, seek the Lord with all you heart and you will find the one that is our refuge and strength in times of need.

Reference:  "Oceans Fury Unleashed"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fapXUqagiFQ

Angels Among Us

"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him." Exodus 23:2021

Do you believe in Angels? They are mentioned in God's Word and one of the passages that mentions an Angel is in Exodus 23. I have come to realize that angels have assignments that have been given to them from God. The specific task that was given to this Angel in Exodus, was to guard, lead and communicate with the Israelites so that they were protected in their journey to the Promised Land. When does God send his messengers? I think that God sends his Angels to minister to us in those times when He sees that we need that guidance and support. Just as this picture shows, at the times when you are just worn out and not able to do anything more in your own efforts but to take one breath at a time, the Lord may send Angels to surround you and to minister to you! In Exodus, the Lord sent an Angel to guard and to bring the people to the place where God wanted them to go. I looked at the words that showed the task for the Angel and that word was to "guard". We have those Angels that are able to take their mighty swords and to fight for us and guard us! The other task that scripture identified in Exodus was to "bring you" and that phrase means that the Angel was to lead and direct our paths to a place where God needs us to be. Another task the Angel was assigned and that was to communicate to the people because the people had to "listen" to what he said. It is interesting here, that scripture used the word "him", which reflects a male gender. There are Angels that are sent by God to do God's purpose in our lives! I think about how comforting those thoughts are to me. To know that God watches over me, cares enough about me to send His messengers down to earth to do His will on this planet. If I think of all the tasks that this Angel did in Exodus, I can honestly say that this is an Angel that is here to guard us and therefore the word "guardian angel" really does have meaning to me. There are Angels directed by the Lord to guard and protect us.

Question: Do you believe in Angels? Can you think of a time when an Angel had ministered to you?  Psalm 91:10-11 "no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His Angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

Incredible Healings

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they willd rive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt then at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well." Mark 16:17-18

I have read many books about healings that occur in this day and age. There are many authors that write about healings, but one that stands out to me, is Dr. Francis MacNutt. He wrote the classic book called, "Healing". God will use ordinary people like you and me to lay hands on the sick and with the authority that was given to us and in the name of Jesus, people will be healed. There also needs to be an element of faith. After you watch this video, you will see a young man that heard the Holy Spirit tell him to lay hands on a lady and her hearing was restored. The lady was standing in front of him in the check out aisle in Safeway. After he laid hands on her, another lady came up to him in a wheelchair and there was another healing in Safeway. Then the young man, stood out in faith and announced over the loud speaker, that anyone that needed healing was to come to the check out counter! What an amazing God we have!

Question: Do you have the faith, that we can lay hands on the sick and they will be healed? Have you ever stepped out in faith and prayed for healing for others? If not, what is stopping you? Go for it! 

92 Year Old Witnesses to Robber

May we all learn a wonderful lesson from this 92 year old woman. We can witness to anyone, no matter what the circumstances, or who they are. She is one of the greatest evangelists of our time! She represents a true Christian and following the command of Jesus, to love one another.

Idols in Your Life

"I have given them your Word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do." John 17:14-16

This is a picture of the tallest inhabited building in the world. It is located in Taiwan and it reaches 1,671 feet. I was doing a google search for "not of this world" after I read John 17, and this image came up. This building was constructed in 2004 but soon will out matched by an even taller building in Dubai. Man keeps building higher and higher to get the biggest and tallest. What does it really matter? This striving for being bigger, better and taller all is part of being in this world. It is trying to be the best, the wealthiest, fittest, best looking and all through competition of man vs. man. I think it is so sad, because those that strive to be the best, really do miss the point. The point is that it really does not matter, for when all said and done in this life, everything goes back into the box, just like the game of monopoly. Jesus knew as he knelt and prayed to the Father for the last time, that the believers of this world were no longer part of this world. The believers had new eyes and new vision, that the things of this world really do not matter anymore. Look at society today, everything we see in media is about competition. I remember reading an article recently by Francis Fragpaigne and he said that God' s other name was "Jealous". God commanded for us not to have any other God or idols. God wants to be number one in our lives and not have our hearts on things of this world. So Francis talked about the idol "Mammon" which is wealth and that people strive for it and want more. People build sturctures that are big and beautiful and they are places for this idol worship. I have thought this one through lately and know that the Lord wants me not to be of this world. It is hard for me because many times, I just do not fit. Other Christians are in the same situation, that they do not fit into the conversations at work, nor the parties where people drink and tell crude jokes. I remember a friend telling me recently, "this is hard, being a Christian, cause I am losing all my friends. They don't include me any more in social events because they say I am so church-like and not fun anymore." This can be the reality of Christians, we don't fit, and I told her not to worry, that she was in a good place because as the "old" friends fade away, God will replace them with "new" Christian friends that will fit perfectly.

     So, I need to guard my heart, to not worship the idol of Mammon and to be worshiping only the one true God. I pray that I may see the truth that money and material wealth can be an idol if it replaces God. I want God to help me let go of anything that may be taking the place of Him in my life.

Question: Are there any idols in your life? Is there anything that is taking the place of God? What can you do to change your priorities to put God first in your life?

The Empty Tomb

"Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdaline came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance."  John 20:1

Last night, I went to a play called "The Witness", which was a musical production of the life and death of  Jesus. How powerful to see actors recreate the story of  Jesus. At the end of the production, there was the empty tomb and then there was a light that came from the tomb and Jesus walked out. Everyone in the audience shouted with joy and clapped their hands. What excitement we all shared, and that was the end of the play. But then the actor that played Simon Peter exclaimed, "This is not the end, but just the beginning".  Oh yes, the empty tomb was the beginning and not the end, for now the door is open and it starts the beginning of a new journey for many. The empty tomb not only signifies victory over death, but it signifies  new beginnings. Just as Mary Magdalene had a new beginning in her own life, we too have the promise of the "Empty Tomb". The Empty Tomb is the open door for many of us to leave the place of death and walk into life. Look carefully at the perspective of the picture above. We usually think of an empty tomb from the perspective of standing on the outside looking in. If we were doing that, we would be standing in our current life and we could only see a dark and empty place of death. But stand where Jesus stood from INSIDE the tomb. Here we are, living in this world, in the place of death. But we do have hope and since the stone was rolled away and now we can look outside to the place of life and there is hope. If we die to ourselves and accept the free gift of eternal life that only Jesus can give us, then we will be able to see the magnificence and the promise of eternal life. What a difference it makes as to where to stand in life. Are you standing outside the tomb and looking in? Or are you inside the tomb and looking out? Let us tell as many people as we can today, that Easter is all about the promise that the empty tomb brings. The tomb is empty because there is life through Jesus! 

God's Promise:" For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him."(John 3:16-17)

Sour Wine on the Cross

"Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty". A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "it is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." John 19:28-29

    I cannot begin to comprehend the agony that Jesus endured on the cross for me. Today is Good Friday, the actual day that Jesus died. I weep this morning for my Jesus, that precious lamb of God, that sacrificed his life for my sins. I am filled with the sorrow that I just cannot comprehend. 

    As I meditated on the scripture today, I thought of Jesus on the cross and when he said, "I am thirsty", it rang a familiar chord within me. Since I have been reading the book of John I remember having read about the Samaritan woman that met Jesus at the well. She went to the well thirsty and Jesus gave her what she did not expect, he gave her the living water in which she would never thirst again. Then, remember the first miracle Jesus performed at the wedding celebration? Jesus took ordinary water and changed it to wine of the greatest quality. Here are examples of what Jesus gave humanity, the best water and wine that Heaven could offer us. But when Jesus was thirsty on the cross what was he given? He was given bitter/sour wine. What did humanity give Jesus? Humanity gave him sour wine, mockery, whippings, crucifixion and even death. How symbolic this wine was! I go through this day, just meditating on what he did for you and me and what we did to him. He gave love and we gave him death. Oh, the agony of this, but the beauty of this all, was that he did this out of the greatest love and devotion for you and me. He went to that cross for us and took our sins upon himself as the ultimate sacrificial lamb. My prayer today is that there be a grater awareness of what happened this day almost 2000 years ago. May hearts be opened to this truth, and may many be led to Jesus this Easter. Please join me in prayer this day for those that don't know Jesus, that they will come to know him and understand that Jesus died for them.

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." John 15:1-2

When I read this scripture it reminded me of the book I had read, "The Secret of the Vine" by Wilkinson. He took this same verse and explained how we are the vine and God is the gardener. God needs to prune us sometimes and it is not out of punishment, but we get pruned because He wants us to produce more. Look at the picture carefully, and see that the saw is sharp and the process can be painful. Pruning in a person's life can be difficult but it is important to focus on the end result, more fruit for the Lord.

This is so true in my life, the times when I was overwhelmed with business and too many things on my plate. I was tired and had overcommitted to too many activities. I remember sitting on my lanai and I saw my vine that was in a nearby pot. There it stood, it was long and leggy and the leaves were sickly looking. I heard so clearly on that day, "You are like that vine, in order for optimum health there needs to be cutting back (pruning)". I got up and started pruning back to where there were only a few of the primary stalks left. It was quite pitiful but I knew it needed to be done. Then it was so very clear to me, I needed to prune in my own life, to cut away all those activities that were not a priority. It was the beginning of saying "No" to people and to start realizing that I needed to focus on those things that were important in my life. What happened to the vine? A few months later, I got the most beautiful green and healthy leaves. It was magnificent. This was one of those lessons that God needed to take me through. Pruning is not easy and at times it can be painful. Keep focused because God is taking you to where you need to be - producing more fruit for the Kingdom.

Question: Is God taking you through a pruning process in your life right now? What do you think is the end result?

Think of a time when you needed pruning and God did it for you?