Face Time With God

Exodus 34:29 - "It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him."

Show me a man who is in love with God's law of liberty, and I will show you a man who doesn't know he is godly! Moses' face shown with the Shekinah Glory yet he was totally unaware of how he appeared to others. But that is what happens when a man or a woman loves the Lord God with all one's heart, soul, and mind. They walk with Him, and talk with Him, and life becomes a romantic journey!

A huge difference between a legalistic Christian and a Christian who is set free to obey the Lord's command is spiritual appearance. The former will produce a frustration and a desire to depart from their company as soon as possible. The latter will create a longing for the Spirit of God within them. They are like a cool drink of water on a scorching day. Yet, they do not have a clue that God is flowing from them to others.

Power on Reserve

Luke 10:19 - "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you."

This verse is packed with power! Yet, we must be careful not to allow romantic sentimentality to rocket us away from its intent and to discourage us. Many days, we live out the miracle of the mundane –allowing God's character to grow within a little at a time. We live as fathers and mothers and sons and daughters, doing the next right thing that God desires of us. These days are usually without spiritual drama and can look very much like what our worldly counterparts are accomplishing.

However, the exceptional is made exceptionally grand when we have been living right every day. Then, when we come upon someone who truly needs a touch from God, we can be the one to offer them God's peace while we grind the enemy under our feet. This, my friends, is the real Christian life.

Clouded Revelation

Luke 9:35 - "Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!'”

God does not hide Himself in clouds, but rather He reveals His character. We know from Revelation 1:7 that Jesus Christ's great revealing will be in the clouds. Then, we will see Him as He truly is.

If our own Mount of Transfiguration does not include instruction from God, then we may want to question it. If it is merely a tingling or a feeling of spiritual ecstasy, we might have experienced some other spirit. God always speaks during times of revelation and it always confirms His word. Beware of experience without God's word. Test the spirits as John tells us (I John 4:1). When God's clouds come, listen intently for the Father's direction. It will surely be there if we pay attention.

Bread That Satisfies

Isaiah 55:2 - “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance."

Everyone is receiving some type of wages for their respective life. Romans 6:23 tells us "the wages of sin is death." Furthermore, Proverbs 11:18 states: "The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness gets a true reward." So, it is a matter of what we sow for we will certainly reap accordingly.

The irony is when we spend our lives upon others in Jesus' Name, that is when we "delight" ourselves in the abundance of God. Too often, many Christians seek to buy for themselves spiritual peace by helping themselves. If we seek holiness or God's righteousness for ourselves, it will never fulfill. Sanctification is not meant for others to "ooh and aah" how spiritual we are. It is a bi-product of spending our "spiritual cash" on others, because Jesus spent all of His on us. Like Jesus, we can then become the bread of life for others.

The Believer's Heritage

Isaiah 54:17 - “'No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,' declares the Lord."

This verse is very clear. Every weapon formed against us by the enemy of our souls will be defeated. It is our heritage. However, Isaiah makes a point to speak about the tongue. We must understand this is the devils greatest weapon. He has a tongue and he knows how to use it. He is tireless as his accusation is 24/7 to God against us (Revelation 12:10).  He also inspires others to use their tongues in destructive ways, continually trying to tear us down.

What we listen to we will inevitably become. If we choose to embrace words (or weapons) of destruction against ourselves or others, then we have denied our heritage as sons of God and we have allowed the devil's weapons to prosper. However, if we look to Jesus when Satan tries to heap guilt on us, then we are walking in our rightful power as children of the Most High.

Stained Garments

Exodus 29:21 - "Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments and on his sons and on his sons’ garments with him; so he and his garments shall be consecrated, as well as his sons and his sons’ garments with him."

Peter calls those who believe and trust in Christ "a royal priesthood" (I Peter 2:9). As the Old Covenant could not cleanse a man by the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 10:4), it was an important foreshadowing of the blood of Jesus and how He forever cleansed us of our sin. As our High Priest, we have become His priests to serve others by the blood of the Lamb.

As true priests to our Lord, we must not be so in word only. Like Aaron and his sons, we must have signs of the blood of Jesus that has been sprinkled on our spiritual garments. This is the only way to be consecrated for God's use. If we are not stained with the blood of Jesus, beloved, we will be stained by the things of this world. May our garments be soaked with blood of our Savior. There is hope in no other.

A Life Held Dear

Acts 20:24 - "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."

Whom do we refer to as "dear?" Our spouses, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, friends? All of these we should certainly hold dear to our hearts. If, however, we are holding our own lives dear, then that is something which must be measured in degrees. Paul tells us not to merely look out for own interests, but for those of others (Philippians 2:4). Therefore, it is not wrong to look after ourselves, but we must place a higher interest in others. As Jesus said, if we seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, then our needs will be provided (Matthew 6:33).

Life should be a romance as we walk hand in hand with our Creator. He is the One we should hold dearest to our hearts. When we do, we will finish the course with great joy He has given us to run.