When the Lord speaks, impressing us through His written and revealed Word, we should respond to Him as teachable—able and willing to be taught, able and willing to learn. A willing heart and teachable spirit denote the humility necessary to respond to the teaching judgment aspect of a word from the Lord:

• judgment of blessing on the obedience side, and
• judgment (verdict) of “something other than blessing”, a result of disobedience

When God speaks the “word of the Lord” offers both opportunity to align with Him, or something different if we choose our own way. Alignment relates to righteousness; we are aligned with righteousness when we choose the Lord’s will and way of doing things, an important lesson to learn considering the knocks and bumps we experience believing we can continue in our own routine, without righteous alignment with the Lord.

The Lord speaks and both “judgments” appear, simultaneously. One is Light and abundant Life, the other a death struggle with emboldened darkness. Every word of God is perfectly pure and is perfect protection for the one responding to its impression, leading, direction, and inspiration. Every word from God carries the potential to saturate Life and defeat death. It is the way we are to judge ourselves: The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Proverbs 30:5 Psalm 9:9.

Amen.

Those on the Lord’s side naturally cling to His Word and choose His ways in everything – for family life, in business and government, nationally and internationally. Those who oppose Him are rewarded and snared by the same mischief they create. The Lord is present in every nation, executing righteous justice against oppression and oppressors.

Be certain you are on the Lord’s side! Expect corrupt influences to fall by their own counsel!All who take advantage of those who cannot fight back will impale on their own counsel, soon reaping harm they once advanced. Everything reproduces after its own kind.

The Lord is not on the side of cruel, corrupt men. His mercy cannot be measured in human terms yet mercy becomes judgment at the point of Divine justice; His merciful judgmentperfects justice for those who devise hurt, heaping unbearable weights on those under their authority, while taking pleasure in ruthless rule; their philosophies are empty, their religion vain, they do not know the LORD and are deaf to the reward they are about to receive.

Amen.

Psalm 5
Psalm 103

Kingdoms and thrones are in place, their daily administrations carried out by those who live under their government. These reins of power and societal dominance often belong to those who do not know God, often with no intention of ever knowing Him.

These are the power brokers among men, ultimately measured in light of Revelation 11:15; “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.”

Likewise, with God’s people a Kingdom and its Throne preside over governments possessed by Him—the King eternal, unlimited rule. Its citizens recognize His power and receive an unmovable Kingdom; they are the intercessor-agents who establish the Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven!

God’s Kingdom power advances mankind and raises them to the possibilities established by His Son; His death on the cross ensured a future greater than anything they could have dreamed. Our LORD does not advance Himself; rather, He advances mankind, those He first created in His own image, who now in turn, exalt Him with worship and gratitude.

The power of God is not a shrine or image of someone now dead; His Kingdom is His Presence, alive in those who carry out His government on earth—the power brokers of a different society, unlimited in God’s love, eternally vast in its reach with perfect dignity for every man, every race.

His really is the kingdom and the power and the glory. As power brokers of that Kingdom, that is precisely our prayer. Lord, Yours is the Kingdom power and glory. Amen. Amen.

Revelation 11:15
Matthew 6:9-15

And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” But Abraham still stood before the LORD. And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? . . . So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. Genesis 18

It is not always the case those on a wrong path must ask for help, be ready to confess, or even be willing to cooperate. We’ve heard of many requirements before God will deliver, but test that! God’s love is not limited that way and Bible truth contradicts the claim since the predication for the Lord’s deliverance primarily is covenant prayer, earth’s supernatural power grid.

Abraham trusted God completely and “returned to His place.” What followed is a Bible example of covenant deliverance—of instantaneous snatching, against all odds. Angels arrived at Sodom’s gate, assigned to rescue but Lot resisted, preferring Sodom, blinded to the danger he was in. The mob spirit grew violent and pressed but, in split second timing, angel messengers snatched and nothing was destroyed until the covenant family was safely out and escorted to safety!

Throw out the rule that limits God. Love will snatch them! Possess every gate with covenant prayer then “return to your place” and sleep peacefully. God’s love . . . the seed of Abraham . . . confident! Lot did not ask . . . Abraham did.

Amen.

John 10:29 2 Corinthians 2:6-16
Genesis 19  Judges 6:9 Jude 1:23

Religious and philosophical streams share the foundational principle of goodness and what it means to be good. The idea is to be good, on some level, for some cause, be it personally beneficial, for the benefit of the group, or for the benefit of the overall global community. The human principle of goodness is being good “for goodness’ sake”, achievable using basic, agreed upon behaviors like tolerance, pity for the less fortunate, or self-denial for the sake of a cause.

Biblical Christianity teaches another approach. For Christians, all goodness is from God—He is good and is good to all, and those who know Goodness also demonstrate goodness! For us, goodness is achievable because of redemption, Gods’ unconditional love for all mankind. His love is kind, it is good, and His goodness produces spiritual fruits of goodness in and thru our lives—goodness greater than anything we knew before. Romans 2:4 Galatians 5:22 

The Lord’s redemption is not based in the goodness of man but on His own goodness to the man. He does not say to be good for anyone’s sake; rather, the definition of goodness for the Believer is that the Lord is at work in each life and the works that result are not for goodness alone but are the natural expression of lives responding to His lead.

He is good! Hallelujah! 

Amen.

John 14:12
Ephesians 3, verse 20
Philippians 2, verse 13
Jude 1, verse 24

A principle of governing is that everything begins somewhere—everything has a door, an entrance. Practically speaking, anything we fence or hem-in also has a gate; rooms have doors and nations have ports of entry. Every parent realizes the principle; speaking to a child who will not, or who is unable to hear is unfruitful, the same as speaking to a closed door. The principle is a spiritual one and Paul requested prayer for “an entrance and an utterance,” knowing his message would fail without access to those appointed to hear. Ephesians 6:19 Colossians 4:3

Spiritual discipline includes patience. There are times to wait for doors to open with a word of God’s Wisdom for what to do, or not do, in the meantime. But when it comes to the enemy we do not wait; when it comes to the enemy we possess every gate! As the seed of Abraham we are blessed as the innumerable descendants destined to “possess the gates of their enemies.” Abraham’s relatives, sending Rebekah to become Isaac’s wife, blessed her declaring these exact same words: “And may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them.” Genesis 22:17 Genesis 24:60

In daily life every report needs a door, every threat needs a door and every wrong spirit must have a door in order to affect you. Instead of allowing that opening, possess it! Our covenant with God includes authority over every gate and we have governing authority to open, and close them. Every Christian is an elder at the gates appointed to them, those where they have appointed authority from God to decide against trouble regarding that spiritual house. Isaiah 61:7-9

Take authority! Remove the thing that does not belong in your life. Now, close the door.

Amen.

There is benefit in hearing what the opposition has to say. An enemy will tell you things your friends might not—sometimes the very thing needed; perhaps an embarrassing detail or maybe a missing key for breakthrough.

Behavior and attitudes change and we may not be aware of wrong patterns that develop unless those are brought to our attention; the person least likely to offer anything good may just be the best attention-bringer for the situation. All criticism contains some element of truth.

Satan is both accuser and adversary and we are to steadfastly resist him—absolutely; but in another place we are warned to “agree with your adversary.” Proverbs tells us “a friend sharpens the countenance of a friend” and ideally that’s true, but when was the last time a friend was the sharpening iron able to get you to hear the thing you absolutely refuse to hear about yourself?

We can be thick-headed—slow to really get it (if you know what I mean)! Recurring patterns are both cause and effect which, undetected, continue in circles while we haven’t a clue why breakthrough is delayed. What a man sows he will also reap.

Amen.

1 Peter 5:8 Matthew 5:25 Proverbs 27:17
Galatians 6:7

If trying to find your way through a maze of life-altering decisions and all that goes with that, including the reality giants standing between you and your breakthrough, remember your source and the rock from which you were hewn.

And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

From childhood—despite lack or loss in other areas, the Lord’s sovereign intervention exposed you to the one thing that really matters, that controls and holds everything together—the Word of God has guided you. Hebrews 11:3

Wise for salvation—wise for wholeness, for completeness, including your past and future together, a series of miracles you may not have completely noticed; His workmanship—carved out, created for specific good works prepared before, ready now. Ephesians 2:10

For reproof and correction, including riddance of guilt, so that today guilt does not drive or torment. The entrance of God’s Word forever settled in your understanding concerning God’s plan for your life; you are free of guilt and its devastation. Hebrews 1:3

Amen.

Watch what people offer to someone in trouble. Some offer things because things are where they turn when their spirits are weighted. Some offer criticism since they also condemn themselves in response to pressure, using additive substances and behavior to transfer misery from their conscious. Some offer the past in response to trouble and primarily, they too draw from their past, rehearsing in minute detail specific losses and wrongs suffered. These are typical responses to those who are in crisis, but the response needed is God’s Word—the only source of effective help for any trouble.

So why is the Word not given? Because many do not have it to give—they are unfamiliar with, have little personal experience in the study of, and overall are ignorant concerning the Word of God.  Unless Scripture is stored in my heart for my life personally, how can I, and why would I offer it to others?

We cannot give something we do not have.

Amen.

Guilt is a force. It exalts soul-desire over the Spirit walk. Guilt is a survivor, returning again and again to influence motives. Guilt is like a death arrow to relationships but God’s spirit is the agent of divine rescue. Instead of allowing guilt to dictate, ask the Lord to speak to your heart; never compromise with guilt and never require someone else to carry the blame for your sin or  someone else’s.

Guilt is not of God; instead, our Lord speaks to us through conviction by His Spirit, directly into our human spirit: When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:8-11

Guilt is based in unbelief—refuse to align with it! Faith in God refuses guilt, and right-standing with God is exactly the strength we need to stand and not yield to guilt and its connection to evil. Disconnect with guilt in every situation you are aware of, and the evil force of guilt responsible for trapping you again and again in this ploy will leave you.

Amen.

John 16