The Size of Your Miracle

The size of your God determines the size of your miracle. That is, how great and powerful and good you understand God to be will determine how big a miracle you will be able to believe Him for.

Little God, little miracle. Big God, big miracle.

Forgiving Ourselves

Over the past few years, I have written a number of articles on forgiveness and forgiving others (see About Forgiveness). Unforgiveness — unwillingness to forgive others — is a prevalent scheme of the devil, and a great hindrance to prayer and faith. But I am discovering that, very often, forgiving ourselves is the hardest one to do.

Recently I was talking with a woman who called our ministry. She was very distraught about her life, and also very angry. But her anger was not at other people; she was able to forgive everyone who had hurt or betrayed her. But she now realized that she had come to this point in her life because of her own actions and choices, and she was very angry with herself.

She needs to forgive herself.

Reflecting on this, I have been asking the Lord why we often find it so hard to forgive ourselves. The answer I heard back was that we need to believe the gospel more, to trust that God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ.

All our sinful actions and choices were taken up by the Lord Jesus and nailed to the cross. He was made sin for us, though He himself never sinned, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). That is, in Him, through faith in Him, we are made righteous before God. Our sins are forgiven, done away with, and it is God’s own righteousness that is now at work in us.

We may have gotten ourselves into some terrible messes, but Jesus came to get us out and put us on track with the wonderful purpose God has for us. We receive this forgiveness, this deliverance, this salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ. If God has forgiven us, then we can forgive ourselves.

Who Has Pleasure in Your Prosperity?

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
Ad let them say continually,
“Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

(Psalm 35:26-27)

There are those who are for you and those who are not. There are those who are rooting against you, waiting for you to fall, and will rejoice when you do. Some are very open about it; others keep it secretly in their hearts. Obviously, these are not the people you want to gather around you. They do not build you up; they only undermine you and tear you down. Share your dreams with them, and they will only taunt and deride you.

But there are others, praise God, who are for you. They’re in your corner rooting for your success. Not only that, but they are people of faith who understand that God is in favor of your success, as well. They believe that God takes pleasure in your prosperity, and that your success is an occasion to give Him great praise. These are the people you want to surround yourself with. They build you up, and encourage you when your down, reminding you of the promises and plans God has for you. Share your dreams with them, and they stand in faith with you, believing God to bring you into it, even if it seems impossible

It has been said that you attract what you are. If you are dour and sour and cranky, you will draw to yourself people who are dour and sour and cranky, and you will soon be slogging through a toxic brew of negativity, complaining about how unfair life is, and wondering why you can never seem to get a break.

On the other hand, if you are a positive-minded person who knows how to activate and exercise faith, you will begin to attract others of like mind and faith to you, and you will soon be encouraging each other, spotting opportunities, stretching yourselves, launching out into new things and experiencing fresh successes.

So it comes down to the kind of person you are. Fortunately, you can always change the kind of person you are. God’s purpose is not for you to be negative and cranky, full of fear and doubt. His desire is for you step over into faith and being enjoying success with Him. He knows quite a lot about success and prosperity, and He is more than willing to share it with you. In fact, He has recorded it in His Word, and if you ask Him, He will show you.

God delights in the prosperity of His people. Are you are ready to believe that? The first step of true success and prosperity is in knowing Jesus Christ, who came to restore us to proper relationship with the Creator of all things.

Making Sense of the Process

Someone wrote to me:

The book you wrote said, "God’s Word in your mouth is just as powerful as it is in His—when you speak it in faith!" and "The divine mandate of dominion and how to exercise it." That does not make sense at all. You are not as powerful as God. If you are that powerful and you have so much dominion why have you not changed the world? No offence, but do people buy these books? Seems very strange.

In my book, God’s Word in Your Mouth, I tell about how God created man in the image and likeness of God, and how He gave man a blessing and a mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion” (Genesis 1:26-28). In other words, we were created to be like God and given authority to fill the earth with this god-likeness, to subdue the earth (that is, bring it into order with God’s plans) and have dominion (rule and reign over the earth as God’s representative). Now, of course, Adam really messed things up when he rebelled against God, and sunk it for all of us when he unhooked himself (and us in him) from the life of God. But the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore us back to God and the purpose for which He created mankind.

But this is not an automatic process. It requires that we respond in faith to the promise of God. Nor is it an instantaneous process. It requires discipleship — training — just like Jesus trained His disciples. Then He gave them power and authority, and sent them out into all the world to teach the nations everything Jesus had taught them.

We might prefer that it all happened at once, but God’s plan is for us to be in partnership with Him. He did not create us just so He could reign over us, but so we could rule and reign with Him (see the mandate in Genesis 1:26-28). What He desires is relationship, fellowship with us. Toward that end, He trains us up into maturity and faith, not into magical expectations.

God is raising up sons and daughters for Himself through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is not mechanical nor magical, but the process of maturity.

One day everything will be set right in the world when the Lord Jesus returns. Then the kingdom of God will be here in its completeness, and the will of God will be fully done on earth exactly as it is in heaven — just as Jesus taught us to pray.

(And yes, people do buy these books, and find them to be very helpful.)

Framing Your World: Faith-Filled Words

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)

The Greek word for “idle” refers to that which is non-working, inoperative, inactive, ineffective, useless, lazy, barren. An idle word is one that is spoken carelessly and without faith. They are non-productive; they do not bring about any good in your life. In fact, they may be bring about great harm, for we will all have to give account to God about every word we speak, or perhaps especially, the careless ones.

“Oh, but I didn’t really mean what I said.” Perhaps not the first few times, but if you keep saying it, you will eventually start believing it. The apostle Paul said, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). The first half of that verse sets the general principle, “faith comes by hearing.” That is, if you hear something long enough, you will begin to believe it. That’s why Paul adds the very important qualifier, “and hearing by the Word of God.” Because what you give ear to affects your faith, be sure to give ear to the Word of God, and not lesser things. For the idle words that come from your own mouth might cause you believe what you are carelessly saying.

While idle words have the potential for calamity, faith-filled words based on the character and promises of God are powerful for moving mountains, calming storms, and bringing all creation into line with the kingdom of God.

Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:22-23)

Let your heart be filled to overflowing with the Word of God, and the faith that comes by hearing that Word, then release faith-filled words that release the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Framing Your World: Your Heart

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. (Matthew 12:34-35)

The worlds were framed by words — the Word of God (Hebrews 11:3). Jesus said that it will respond even to the words of your mouth, if you have faith in God and believe in your heart the words you speak with your lips (Mark 11:23). In other words, if your faith is in God, you have the ability to frame your world (the realm of your existence and the sphere of your influence).

Now, there is an important connection between your mouth and your heart. The effectiveness of your words is dynamically related to what is going on in your heart. As Jesus said, it is out of the abundance, or the overflow, of the heart that the mouth speaks. If you want to know what is going on in a person’s heart, listen to his mouth for a while.

Proverbs says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). The context is of a man who is pretending one thing with his words, but his real character and purpose are determined by his heart. And what is in his heart in abundance will soon give him away by his words as well as his deeds.

But here’s what I want you to notice: “As he thinks in his heart, so he is.” The Hebrew word for “think” means to reason out or calculate, but it comes from a root that means “to act as a gatekeeper.” Each of us acts as a gatekeeper, deciding what we will let into our heart and what we will keep out. Whatever you let into your heart in abundance will determine the kind of person you really are.

For some little biblical direction about what to fill your heart with, regular meditation in the book of Proverbs will bring you into much wisdom. Consider also Psalm 1:1-3; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:1-2.

Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.” Your are the one who determines what kind of treasure will fill your heart. Out of the overflow of your heart, your mouth will speak, and so shall you frame your world.

Framing Your World: Your Mouth

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

(Proverbs 18:21)

The worlds — the heavens and the earth — are framed by the Word of God (Hebrews 11:3). Your world — the realm of your existence and the sphere of your influence — is framed by your words. God created you with that capacity. He created you and me in His likeness, that is, to be like Him. He breathed His breath into us and made us “speaking spirits.”

Just as God ordered the worlds by His words, you also have the authority to bring the world into the order of God by your words. You also have the ability to bring things into disorder by your words.

The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. That is, your words can be death-dealing or life-giving. They are both under the direction of whatever you say.

“Those who love it will eat its fruit.” Every word you speak is a seed that will bring forth fruit and come back to you, and you will have to eat that fruit. The verse previous to this says, “A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled” (Proverbs 18:20). As someone else wisely counseled, “Be careful of the words you speak today, for you will have to eat them tomorrow.”

Do you like to babble? You will eat the worthless fruit of idle chatter. Do you indulge in gossip? Destructive rumors will come back on you, and leave a bitter taste in your mouth. If your words are filled with fear and darkness, that is what will follow you wherever you go. Some people go around damning this and damning that, and then wonder why things are not going well for them. Go figure.

On the other hand, if you respect the power of your words enough to carefully guard what you say, you will enjoy of pleasant harvest. For as you speak, so shall you eat. If you speak faith-filled words, you will bring forth a faith-filled harvest. Sow words that offer life and light and blessing to the world around you, then stand back and watch as life and light and blessing comes multiplied back to you in rich harvest.

Think back. What were the words you spoke yesterday? What is the harvest you are reaping today? Now think forward. What is the harvest you want for tomorrow? So what are the words you will speak today?

Framing Your World: The Word of God

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

The Bible says that the worlds were framed by words, more specifically, by the Word of God. The Greek word for “frame” means to render, fit together, equip, arrange, adjust, put in order, perfect, complete thoroughly. The worlds — the heavens and the earth — were put in order and brought to completion through the command of God. The word for “word” here is rhema and refers to the acutely articulated and precisely particularized word spoken by God. For example, when darkness covered the face of the deep, God said, “Light, be!” and there was light (Genesis 1:3). His rhema brought the darkness into order by establishing light.

Because the world was created and framed by the spoken word, it also responds to the spoken word. For example, Jesus rebuked the fever in Peter’s mother-in-law and commanded the wind and the waves. He also taught His disciples about the power of their words:

Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:22-23)

The key, of course, is faith in God. Rendered literally, the Greek text has “faith of God.” That is, the God-kind of faith, or the kind of faith that comes from God. The Bible in Basic English translates it as “Have God’s faith.” The faith that comes from God comes by hearing the Word of God. Paul said, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word [rhema] of God” (Romans 10:17). When we have the faith that comes from God, and we believe in our heart, then the words we speak with our mouth will be done.

That is how God made us to function. He created man in His image and likeness, that is, to be like Him. When he form Adam from the dust of the ground, He puffed His breath into Adam’s nostrils, and Adam became a “living being” (Genesis 2:7), or as ancient an Jewish commentary put it, a “speaking spirit.”

God created us to speak, and He gave us the mandate to subdue the earth and bring it into divine order (Genesis 1:28). The first assignment He gave Adam was to name the animals, that is, to bring them into divine order by the words with which he would call them (Genesis 2:19). God created the animals, but by naming and calling them, Adam determined what they were going to be about. By words, he established their purpose and destiny within the plan of God. To put it another way, Adam framed his world — the realm of his existence and the sphere of his influence — by the words of his mouth.

Of course, we know that Adam and Eve rebelled in the Garden of Eden, and by their disobedience disconnected from the life of God. From that day on, man began calling forth all sorts of things that God never intended to be upon the earth, framing the world by faithless, fearful words. But that is why Jesus came, to deliver us from the curse. Even in the Old Testament, God promised that a Redeemer would come, a Messiah who would rule and reign and restore the order of God’s kingdom on earth.

We are now living in that time. When the Lord Jesus Christ came two thousand years ago, He sacrificed Himself for our sins, then was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit and seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven (Ephesians 1:19-23).

Because of Jesus the Messiah, we can now speak words of faith, words that come from God’s own mouth. We can frame our world through rhema words and bring it into the order God in which God intended us to live.

Christmas Dreams: Return to Israel

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” (Matthew 2:19-20)

In the previous dream, which directed Joseph to take the baby Jesus and His mother and flee to Egypt, there was the promise of a new word that would come. That angel said, “Stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will see the young Child to destroy Him” (Matthew 2:13). And now here was that new word: “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”

The threat had passed, and the promise of the first dream remained: “You shall call His name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). God had showed Himself faithful to His Word. And He would continue to do so, even as another threat emerged:

Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. (Matthew 2:21-22)

When Herod died, he divided his kingdom among his three remaining sons (the ones he did not already have killed). To the cruelest one, Archelaus, he gave the region of Judea, subject to the approval of Rome. Galilee came under the rule of Herod Antipas, who was much less vicious than his brother.

So Joseph brought Jesus and Mary back to Israel, but not to Judea, which he had originally anticipated. Archelaus posed a new threat, and God was faithful to advise Joseph about it. Joseph and his family returned to Israel, but settled in the region of Galilee and a place called Nazareth.

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23)

There is no one prophet who makes such a statement in the Old Testament. Matthew is gathering together a few prophetic ideas and bringing them to a conclusion. One such prophetic text might be Isaiah 11:1, which tells of a “branch” (Hebrew netzer) which would grow out from the roots of Jesse (father of King David). This would be a play on words between the Hebrew netzer and the name of the town Nazareth.

It may also have to do with the sullied reputation Nazareth had developed. In the Gospel of John, when Phillip went to his friend, Nathanael, and said, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,” Nathanael answered, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:45-46). This would go along with Isaiah’s prophecy that Messiah would be despised and rejected:

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
  And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
  And when we see Him,
There is not beauty that we should desire Him.
   He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

(Isaiah 53:2-3)

But none of these things mattered. They could not stop the angelic dream. They could not undo the plan of God and destroy His promise: The little Child named Jesus would grow up and save His people from their sins!

When God gives a dream, the enemy will try every way he can to stop it. But if we will hold onto God and His Word, and always be listening for His voice, He will bring us through to the place of fulfillment.

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Let Earth Receive Her King
Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom of God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Christmas Dreams: Arise, Flee to Egypt

Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” (Matthew 2:13)

What? Flee to Egypt? How can this be? Was not that which was conceived in Mary indeed of the Holy Spirit? Was not the young Child named Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins? Had the plan of God now fallen apart? Had the purpose of God come undone now because of the anger of Herod?

The Magi, following the Star, came to Jerusalem, to Herod, asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). Now, Herod had been placed by the Romans as king over Jerusalem, but here was news of the rightful king whose coming had long been prophesied. Herod would not yield quietly to that.

Even the Star itself had been prophesied and was an indicator of the time of the Great King (Numbers 24:17). That is why the wise men came from the east — they had seen the Star. In the prophesy, this Great King would have dominion over all the enemies of God’s people, including Edom and Seir (Number 24:18). Herod was of Edom.

So Herod called together the chief priests and scribes and asked where this Messiah was to be born. They knew the prophecies, yet they were as troubled about it as Herod was. They answered that it would be in Bethlehem of Judea, according to Micah 5:2.

Herod met with the wise men again, this time in secret, for he was setting up a ruse. When he learned from them when the Star had first appeared, he sent them on their way, asking them to return when they found the infant King, so he could go and worship, too.

The wise men followed the Star on to Bethlehem, and found Jesus, now a young child, dwelling there in a house, along with His mother. They opened their treasures and presented Him with rich gifts befitting royalty. “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way” (Matthew 2:12).

It was when they departed that the angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream a second time: “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” Joseph quickly obeyed.

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son. (Matthew 2:14-15)

Ah, so this did not catch God by surprise after all. He had even indicated it long before through the prophets. Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Hosea was talking about the exodus, when the children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage. But Matthew sees a parallel here: Just as Israel experienced a time of exile in Egypt, so did Israel’s Messiah. And just as Israel’s bondage in Egypt did not mean the end of God’s plan, neither did Jesus’ exile in Egypt. In fact, it offered Him an important point of identification with the history of God’s people, whom He came to save.

Joseph’s second angelic dream did not signal that the first dream had failed. It had succeeded wonderfully, just as God said. It was so successful, in fact, that it had aroused the anger of the enemy.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet saying:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refused to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

(Matthew 2:16-18)

Matthew finds a parallel between Herod’s “slaughter of the innocents” and an earlier time in Israel’s history, a time of exile and destruction. We find the prophet’s words in Jeremiah 31:15. Ramah was a territory apportioned to the tribe of Benjamin; Rachel was the mother of Benjamin who died giving him birth and was buried in Bethlehem. So Jeremiah uses the tears of Rachel as a symbol of the inconsolable weeping heard in the desolate land when Israel was carried off into Babylonian captivity. But there was also an expectation of hope, found in the next verse:

Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy,
There is hope in your future, says the LORD,
That your children shall come back to their own border.

(Jeremiahs 31:16)

In the same way, the rage of Herod, which had destroyed the future of so many Hebrew children and sent the young Messiah into exile, could not undo the plan of God. The message of Joseph’s second angelic dream, “Flee to Egypt,” was not a capitulation to the enemy. It did not signal the failure of the first dream, but the protection of it. And it bore this important expectation: “Stay there until I bring you word.”

Exile does not mean the end of divine dreams and callings. It is often where they are protected, and even shaped.

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Let Earth Receive Her King
Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom of God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Christmas Dreams: Do Not Be Afraid

Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)

Matthew’s Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. It may seem like just a list of “begats,” but it tells an important story, tracing the kingly lineage, and the right of Messiah to rule and reign. But before it leads us to Jesus, it first introduces us to Joseph:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

Joseph begins this story with a dream, not the one with the angel, but the one that had already filled his heart with anticipation. He was pledged to be married, and his mind was busily preparing plans for their new life together.

But his dream was suddenly shattered, and his plans broken, when he discovered that Mary was pregnant, and he knew he was not the father. Now it appeared that Mary had been unfaithful and he had been betrayed. So he reluctantly filled his mind with different plans, and his joy was displaced by bitterness.

He had every right, under the law, to break his pledge and set Mary aside — if she had indeed been unfaithful to him. He might even have put her to public shame, except that he still cared for her, even though his heart ached. No, he would still put her away — his own honor demanded that — but he would do it quietly.

Joseph did not act hastily, but passionately pondered these things, his heart and his head debating whether to follow through with this intention. He was almost hardened to what he must do, when something unexpected happened:

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21)

“Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.” Before Matthew’s Christmas narrative is through, we will see this same declaration three times, at key moments.

It is easy to overlook the word “behold,” as if it was nothing more than a simple connective. But Matthew uses it very purposefully, drawing our attention to something important, something we are likely to miss if we understand things only in the natural. It is an indicator concerning something that was happening in the spiritual realm.

“Behold!” But what are we to give special attention to? “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.” A messenger from God, for that is what an angel really is, was sent to Joseph in a dream. Dreams were often recorded in the Old Testament as a means by which God revealed His plans to His people. Now Joseph was having just such a dream. Not only that, but an angel of the Lord appeared to him in it.

It was a startling thing, a burst of brightness. The Greek word for “appear” means that this angel was radiant with light; and he came to shine in the shadows of Joseph’s troubled understanding.

The angel addressed him: “Joseph, son of David.” Here is the important connection to the royal lineage with which Matthew began his account. Joseph was legal heir to the throne which God promised would continue in David’s family line forever.

“Do not be afraid.” No doubt, Joseph was intimidated by this glorious appearance. Who wouldn’t be? But in the midst of the despair that had enveloped his heart, these words also brought a glimmer of hope: “Don’t be afraid—all is not lost!”

“Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife.” Here was the directive, and the anticipation that there was a future for Joseph and his beloved after all. And now came the understanding Joseph had been lacking and for which he was unprepared: “For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

So this was not about Mary after all, but about God. Mary had not been unfaithful to Joseph; God was showing Himself strong, and faithful to an ancient promise, for this was about Messiah: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins” (his name means “The LORD saves”).

Joseph’s former plans would be set aside, and he would grieve for them no longer; God had now revealed a greater plan. Joseph would still have his Mary, but now he would step into destiny.

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. (Matthew 1:24-25)

The dream of Christmas is that God steps into hopeless situations, shines the brightness of His glory and fulfills the promise of redemption in unexpected ways.

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Let Earth Receive Her King
Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom of God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Prayer and a Heart Without Doubt

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in sight and this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (1 John 3:21-23)

The secret to a prayer without a doubt is a heart that does not condemn. To condemn means to find fault with, or holding something against someone. If your heart is finding fault with you or holding something against you, it can wreck the boldness and assurance with which you approach God. But if your heart is clear, your confidence will be strong.

So what is John talking about here? If our heart does not condemn us — about what? It is about keeping the commandments of God, and according to John, that comes down to two things: Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and love one another.

1. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

The apostle Paul declared, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). If you have received the Lord Jesus, there is no sentence of judgment that rests on you—Jesus took that in your place. God does not condemn you!

2. Love one another

This is the commandment Jesus gave to John and the other disciples on the night He instituted the Lord’s Supper. “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34).

Failure to love wrecks our confidence towards God because it shifts our focus off of God and onto ourselves. God showed His love to us through Jesus Christ, and He intends for that love to overflow to others through us. When we share that love freely with others, we are allowing God’s love to flow through us. But when we withhold that love from others, God does not withhold His love from us, but we stop the flow of His love from having its way in our lives. Then when the devil comes and whispers his accusations, our hearts begin to believe them.

Now, watch as James shows how failure to love can twist your prayer life and spoil your confidence towards God:

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3)

Clearly, this is not loving one another. It is self-centeredness. Prayer is not about our own pleasures but about God’s purpose, and His purpose is to love, because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Prayer is a very powerful thing. Jesus promised, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). But then He added, “And whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone, forgive him” (v. 25). As powerful as prayer is, if we are unwilling to love one another by forgiving one another, it will seriously hinder our faith and keep us from receiving what we have asked. For as Paul concluded, faith works through love (Galatians 5:6).

A Heart That Does Not Condemn

The declaration of Scripture is that there is no condemnation for those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ. God does not condemn us, but sometimes our heart does, especially when we know that we have not been walking in love toward God and each other. But there is a ready solution at hand, and it is found in Jesus Christ. As John said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

To confess means to agree with God about it, that it is wrong and does not belong in our lives. When we do that, God promises, not only to forgive us our sins, but to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that is, to deal with sin in our lives and lead us into victory over them. Then we are free to love as we have been loved by God, and our heart will find anything against us.

Oh, the devil may still come and whisper in your ear, making accusations against you, and try to set your heart in confusion. But you don’t have to listen to him. Instead, you can take the promises of God and say:

“I have received the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is now no condemnation for me, because I am in Him.”

If there is any sin in your life, or if you have not been walking in love, confess it to God, and trust Him to forgive you and to remove it from your life. You can always God boldly to God, for He has promised.

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

When our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God, and we can know that whatever we ask of Him, we will receive, because we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in love toward each, loving our neighbor as ourselves. Then the power of prayer and faith are released in a mighty way.

(See also, Outspokenness Toward God)

The Excellent Ones

As for the saints who are on the earth,
They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

(Psalm 16:3)

Who are the excellent ones? The saints who are on the earth. The Hebrew word for “saints” is qadosh, which means “holy.” To be holy means to be set apart for a special purpose. The saints are those who are set apart by God for His special. They are the godly ones, those who seek after God, to love Him, serve Him and trust Him with all their hearts.

Why does David, the psalmwriter, delight in the saints of God? It is because He has first delighted in God Himself. As he says in the previous verse:

O my soul, you have said to the LORD,
“You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from you.”

(Psalm 16:2)

To delight in the LORD means, in part, to love what He loves.

• David delighted in God: “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you’re the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
• The LORD delights in His people: “For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4).
• Therefore, David delighted in the people of the LORD, too.

Of the saints, the people of God, David says, “They are the excellent ones.” To lay out the meaning a bit more: “They are the great ones, the majestic ones, the powerful ones, the glorious ones.”

Then David adds, “In whom is all my delight.” The Hebrew word for “delight” here is the same one used in Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the Law, and in His law he meditates both day and night.” As much as we are to delight in the Word of God, that is how much we are to delight in the people of God.

Now, to delight in the people of God does not mean that we are going to agree on everything. It doesn’t even mean that we are always going to get along. We might not even always agree to disagree. No matter. But to delight in the people of God means that I am always going to believe and look for God’s best in them. Through faith in Jesus Christ they have become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). They have received the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), and the fruit of the Spirit is present within their beings (Galatians 5:23-24). They are being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), and as He is, so are they in this world (1 John 4:17). They have a rich inheritance and a wonderful calling, and it is an honor to walk with them in this life.

Every Tuesday morning, it is my privilege to lead a small group of men in worship and Bible study. These are mighty men of God, men of faith who have learned to look to the Lord in everything. They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Once a month, I meet with a diverse group of pastors, and I get to lead them in a time of worship as we enter into prayer and intercession for our city. They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

The little church where we fellowship, Revival Outreach Center in Dover, FL, is full of people who are continually pressing into the heart of God, stretching and enlarging to extend the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to others in our community and around the world. They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Father, thank You for all my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. I thank You for what You are doing in them. Because you see Jesus in them, I will look and see Jesus in them, too. For they are the excellent ones, the majestic ones, the glorious ones, the powerful ones, in whom is all my delight. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Table of My Inheritance

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.

(Psalm 16:5-6)

This morning I took of the Table of the Lord using this passage. Everything I need — forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, freedom from bondage, and even prosperity — is in the atonement, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ given and shed for me. And it is symbolized in the communion elements of the bread and the wine.

The significance that the use of “cup” in this verse has for me in regard to the Lord’s Table is pretty apparent. At the Last Supper, the Lord Jesus took the cup, blessed it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Lord 22:20).

In Bible times, a covenant was marked by the shedding of blood, so that the two parties did not just make a covenant, they cut a covenant. At the cross, Jesus instituted a new and better covenant between God and man, and it was cut with the shedding of His blood. The cup of the Lord’s Table is the symbol that quickens us to that reality.

Now, the essence of covenant is in exchange: All we are and have belongs to God; all He is and has belongs to us.

• Jesus took our sin; we receive His righteousness.
• He took our sicknesses; we receive His healing.
• He took the chastisement that belonged to us; we receive His peace.

All we have is His; all He has is ours. That is why Paul calls us joint-heirs with Christ: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Paul talks about this often:

If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11)

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18)

It has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6)

That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

All that the Lord Jesus Christ receives from the Father, He shares with us, holding nothing back.

Lord Jesus, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance!

(See also Yahweh, the Portion of My Inheritance and My Cup)

Everything is in the Atonement

Simply put, atonement is the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. The apostle Paul briefly describes how atonement comes about for you and me:

For God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

A great exchange has taken place. Jesus took all our sin upon Himself and nailed it to the cross. In its place, He has given us His righteousness — the righteousness of God Himself. We receive this great exchange through faith in Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Many Christians understand that forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God is part of the atonement. But they often do not realize the depth of what that entails: Everything that was lost to us in the fall when Adam rebelled against God is restored to us by cross when the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and extended to us His righteousness. However, Jesus not only took our sins to the cross, He also took our sicknesses:

Surely he has borne our griefs [literally, sicknesses]
  And carried our sorrows [literally, pains]
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
  Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
  He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
  And by His stripes we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:4-5)

Healing, for our bodies as well as our souls, is included in the atonement. For sickness entered the world because of sin. But Jesus took both our sin and its consequences upon Himself and nailed it to the cross.

Because of the atonement, we are made the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, so that whatever belongs to the righteous now belongs to us.

What belongs to the righteous? The blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-14 give us a very good example. (You can hear what these blessings are in this special 5 minute MP3 presentation, Choosing Life, from our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CD Vol. 2.) Psalm 112 also describes the blessings that belong to the righteous (see Living in Awe of God). All of these blessings belong now to those who have been made righteous in Jesus Christ. They are all in the atonement.

All of heaven comes to us in the atonement, for in the atonement we have all the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has been exalted to His throne in heaven (Ephesians 1:19-23), and we have been seated in the heavenlies in Him (Ephesians 2:6). Heaven belongs to us because of the cross, and we belong to heaven.

Even now, the kingdom of heaven is breaking into the world, even as the Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “Kingdom of God, come. Will of God, be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:33). Because of the atonement, we are now of heaven — born from above by the spirit of God (John 3:3), so that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

The atonement is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ at the cross on our behalf. In it, all the blessings of the righteous now belong to those who belong to Him. Everything you will ever need has already been provided for you in the atonement.

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Healing Scriptures and Prayers
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Living in Awe of God

Holy and awesome is His name.

(Psalm 111:9)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
A good understanding have all those who keep His commandments.

(Psalm 111:10)

The Hebrew words for “awesome” and “fear” have the same root. This fear of the LORD is double-edged: For those who are opposed to God and His ways, it is abject terror, and leads only to judgment and destruction. But for those who repent and turn to Him, the fear of the LORD is the recognition of His awesome majesty. It is to stand in awe of God, and that is the beginning of wisdom. From it follows insight, understanding and skill for living. This is seen in the next line of verse 10:

A good understanding have all those who keep His commandments.

The Hebrew word for “understanding” refers to the kind of knowledge that leads to success. The word for “keep” means to do. There are no Hebrew words behind the phrase “His commandments” in this verse; it was added by the translators to aid our understanding. The sense of this line in the Hebrew is that those who do according to the fear of the LORD have a good understanding about life.

But keeping the commandments of God is certainly an appropriate response to the awe of God. In fact, it appears in the first verse of the very next psalm:

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights in His commandments.

(Psalm 112:1)

Living in awe of the LORD and keeping His commandments leads to happiness and well-being, which is what the Hebrew word used here for “blessed” means. The remainder of Psalm 112 describes the kind of life that is available for all who honor the majesty of God and walk in His ways:

• His descendants will be blessed, and mighty on earth (v. 2).
• Wealth and riches will be in his house (v. 3).
• The effects of his right living will endure (v. 3).
• He will have light even in the dark times of life (v. 4).
• His heart will be gracious, and full of deep compassion and tender affection (v. 4), just as God is (Psalm 111:4).
• He will show favor and lend to those in need. He will have a soft heart, but not a soft head, because he will possess discretion and good judgment (v. 5).
• Whatever may happen, he will not be shaken out by, but will be able to remain stable (v. 6).
• He will be well-remembered by all those whose lives he touches (v. 6).
• When bad news is in the air, he will not be afraid, because he trusts in the LORD (v. 7). The word for “afraid” here is the same word for the “fear” of the LORD. When we live in awe of God, we do not have to be terrified by anything else.
• His heart shall be sustained with the peace of God, and he will not be afraid of his enemies, but will rejoice in victory over them (v. 8).
• He will have more than enough to meet all his needs, and plenty more besides for every good work (v. 9, see also 2 Corinthians 9:8-9).
• He will give generously and consistently, and it will not be wasted, but will extend his influence for righteousness (v. 9)
• His success and prosperity will confound the desires of the enemy (v. 10)

Living in awe of God is the beginning of a wise, happy and successful life.

Blessed ~ Marked With Blood

I came across a very interesting bit concerning the origin of the English word “bless.” We find it quite often, of course, in the Bible, throughout the Old and New Testaments. It has come to represent happiness and well-being, but it originally meant “to mark with blood,” and was used of things that were sacred, or made holy.

That puts a whole new spin on it for me. It sends my mind to two distinct events in the Bible, one in the Old Testament and one in the New. In the Old Testament, it takes me to that first Passover night when each Jewish household was to take an unblemished lamb, slay it and paint its blood on the doorposts of the house. Then when the LORD passed through to strike the firstborn of each Egyptian family, He would pass over the homes where the doorposts were marked with the blood of the lamb and He would not allow the destroyer to come there. Each house that was marked with blood from the lamb was thus blessed.

In the New Testament, the original meaning of “bless” takes me to the place to which the Passover points — the cross, where the Jesus the Messiah shed His blood on our behalf and in our place. Like the doorposts of those Jewish homes in the land of Egypt, it was marked with the blood of the Lamb, and that is indeed a blessing for us.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, which was at Passover, He instituted the Table of the Lord. After distributing the bread, He took up the cup, offered thanks and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

The apostle Paul called it the cup of blessing: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). The Greek word for “communion” is koinonia, and refers to fellowship and participation.

The apostle John speaks of the blood of the New Covenant which is presented to us by this cup.

If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin … If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7,9)

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

The wood of the cross has been marked with the blood of the Lamb, who suffered there in our place. By that blood, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are washed and cleansed of all sin — marked by blood.

In the Table of the Lord, we call to mind the great saving event of the cross, and by faith lay hold of all its benefits and blessings.

Angels on Assignment?

He shall give His angels charge over you,
to keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

(Psalm 91:11-12)

Jesus said, “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). “Little ones” probably refers here, not simply to children, but to all those who receive the kingdom of God in a child-like manner, that is, in full dependence upon God.

The author of Hebrews says of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).

There are certainly enough angels to go around for each one of us. However, angels do not go about on their own accord, doing whatever they please, but they minister by assignment. They are sent forth to minister, and God gives them charge over us. Psalm 103:20-21 says that His angels do His Word, heed the voice of His Word and do His pleasure.

The assignment of angels does not appear to be a general appointment to a particular class, but specific to each believer. The sense of Jesus’ statement is that each “little one” has an angel in heaven who beholds the face of Father God. (Hmmm, “face time” with the Father.)

God takes a particular interest in each one of us, so it should not be surprising in the least if God has assigned a particular angel to each one of us.

Our focus, however, is always to be on God, not on His angels. God gives the angels their assignments, we don't. Nor are we ever advised in Scripture to seek out our angels and try to communicate with them. But since the angels heed the voice of God's Word, they honor the Word of God in our mouths when we speak it in faith.

The Word of God in your mouth will activate the angels God has appointed for you in their assignments.

The Measure of satan’s Power

How much power does the devil have over us? All satan has is lies and accusations. He has no real power or authority over us, and we do not have to submit to him. The only power he can have over us is if we swallow his deceit. The New Testament addresses this in a number of ways.

• Paul counsels Christians to forgive, lest we be outsmarted by the devil and his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). When we are unwilling to forgive others, we leave ourselves open to believe his lies about God's willingness to forgive us.
• Paul also tells us not to give place to the devil, so it must be possible to give place to him in our lives (Ephesians 4:27). And if we leave him an open door, I doubt he will pass by without stepping inside to do some damage.
• Paul also tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). If we are not walking in the power, love and sound mind of the Holy Spirit, we leave ourselves open to the fearful whispers of the enemy. Kenneth Copeland says that worry is nothing more than meditating on the lies of the devil.
• James tells us to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). So it must also be possible for us to not resist the devil, in which case, he will not flee.
• Peter tells us to be alert and watchful, because our adversary the devil (the Greek word for “devil” means false accuser or slanderer) is walking about looking for people to devour (1 Peter 5:11). So if we are not paying attention to the promises of God, we might fall for the slanders of the enemy.
• Paul declares that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, satan no longer has any power or authority over you — except what you allow him to have.

No Footprints

Your way was in the sea,
Your path in the great waters,
And Your footsteps were not known

(Psalm 77:19)

The children of Israel were hard pressed against the Red Sea, with Pharaoh and his army bearing down on them.

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation* of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of it. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. (Exodus 14:13-18)

The path of God was in the sea, through the great waters. The waters opened for the children of Israel to pass through, and then closed behind them on all their former oppressors. No footprints were left behind.

That is very often the way God works in our lives. There are usually no footprints we can trace which lead up to the manifestation of His salvation, deliverance, or prosperity in our lives. Moses had led the children of Israel into what, in the natural, was an impossible situation. Who would have imagined what God was about to do? There were no indicators leading up to it. All Moses knew was that God was somehow going to come through for them.

Not only did God part the Red Sea for them, but notice how He did it — through Moses! “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.” God didn’t lift a finger. He simply told Moses how to exercise the authority He had already placed within Moses’ hand. But it required faith:

• Moses had to tell the children of Israel to look begin going forward, heading directly into the Red Sea.
• The children of Israel had to believe and obey this crazy command which went against all their senses were telling them.
• Moses had to lift up his rod, stretch out his hand over the sea and divide it. God had already done everything He was going to do in this situation. Now it was time for Moses to act in accordance with the promise and authority of God.

When the children of Israel were safe on the other side, and their enemies were crushed beneath the waters, they could not even see the pathway by which they had crossed. There were no footprints, only the fact that they had been miraculously delivered by the power of God through the hand of Moses.

When we find ourselves in a jam, often our tendency is that we want to see exactly how we are going to get out of it. We want to know the trajectory that will lead us from our present circumstances to our deliverance. We want to see the footsteps of God leading up to it, through it and across to the other side.

But it generally does not work that way. Instead, what we receive is a word of direction. For God has already provided for what we need to solve the problem, and if we listen for His voice, He will show us how to access it. As Moses found out, the answer may already be in our hand, and all that is necessary is to respond in faith.

When you are in trouble, do not look for God’s footprints; listen for His voice.

* The Hebrew word for “salvation” is this passage is yeshuah, which is the Hebrew name for Jesus.