Bowing the Knee

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:9-11 

“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…”

Maybe you look around and you say – “I don’t see all that many knees bowing”. Often when I read this verse I picture someone standing before the Lord and in rebellion still refusing to bow their knee when quietly an angel comes up behind them and pushes on the back of their leg at the knee, like we used to do as children to get another person to fall down, and voila, their knee bows before Him. That image is probably not too theologically accurate. You see there will be recognition of the honor due that Name even to those who never surrendered to it in this life. The evidence will be so overwhelming that the knee will bow and the tongue will confess. The word does not say some knees, it clearly says all knees will bow before the name of Jesus.

Do you bow your knee now or are you a ‘future-knee-bower’?

Do you recognize Him as Lord and honor His name now through obedience to Him?

Is the knee bowed in humble adoration today or is it only a:

‘far-in-the-future-fulfill-the-word-act-of-submission’ on your part?

Do you see the difference?

I am convinced that if more of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord bowed our knees in humble recognition of His Lordship now, He would draw more people to Himself through that simple act of obedience on our part.

Too often people look at us and we have the same posture as the rest of the world.

No bowed knees.

Nothing shows them a ‘bowed-knee-life’ in us so they take no note. Understand, though, our part is to humbly bow the knee in recognition of His Lordship and He will draw others to Himself.

Bow your knee now or bow your knee later.

The Knowledge of Him

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who

does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

II Timothy 2:15

Have you ever looked up a word you did not understand in the dictionary?

Have you ever had a sense of what it meant but you were not sure so instead of looking ignorant you went to Webster’s dictionary to be certain of your understanding? Probably everyone can say “I’ve done that.” If you want to grow in knowledge, then being sure to use words in the way they are intended just makes sense.

The same is true spiritually.

God does not reward ignorance. To be sure, our growing in the knowledge of His word cannot happen apart from meditating, studying and memorizing it. More importantly, though, we need to grow not only in knowledge, but also in wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 tells me: “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” From this verse I learn that I must grow in knowing His Word and in knowing His voice. In other words, I cultivate that relationship with Him through His Word and through His voice. Neither should be unfamiliar to me. If I claimed to be a knowledgeable person in a particular topic or subject but constantly misused words and miss-stated facts some might (rightfully so) question my knowledge of that subject.

As believers we should know His Word and know His voice.

That does not happen by accident.

It is a result of a deliberate and purposeful decision

to spend time with Him and with His word.

Take that time today to grow in your knowledge of Him.

Why do you say it’s bad?

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

He (the righteous) is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm trusting in the Lord. (Psalm 112:7)

There is a story of a conversation between a wise man and his friend.  Every time the friend would tell the wise some piece of bad news that happened to him, the wise man would always ask the question “why do you say it’s bad?”  The wise man would then go on to explain to his friend how the supposed “bad news” was actually a vehicle through which God brought about some greater blessing in his life.

The wise man’s friend was so busy focusing on the difficult situation that he never saw God’s hand in the midst of it.  How often do we do that?

Let me ask you this - Is there such thing as bad news for a Christ follower?  I don’t believe so.

The Bible says God turns our bad news into good news.  You know the verse from Romans 8:28 – “God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,” the key words being “all things.”

There is no bad news for a Christ follower.  Bad news is just an illusion.  Per Webster’s dictionary, an illusion is something that is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses; a deceptive appearance or impression; a false idea or belief.

The reality is God’s got our back.  We just need to make sure our heart is firm (unmovable) in trusting Him.

Don’t be afraid of bad news, because in God’s kingdom, bad news is just good news waiting to happen.

Hide and Seek

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11

Let’s play a game of hide and seek.

What’s that you say: “Isn’t that too juvenile an endeavor for a blog that is meant to encourage and strengthen you in your walk with God?”

Well, no worry – this is a different kind of hide and seek activity.

What you do is hide the Word of God in your heart and draw from those same scriptures at those moments when you need the strength of His word to keep you from sin.

Hide: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

Seek: When you are tempted to whine – Rejoice!

Hide: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

Seek: When you are tempted to worry – pray instead!

Hide: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Seek: When tempted to find man-made solutions in meeting the needs of a ministry He has called you to – trust Him to meet every need.

A couple of thoughts:

Did you notice that we never left the 4th Chapter of Philippians, but just in that chapter alone we were able to find three passages to hide in our heart and to seek in those moments of great need?

Scripture will bear witness with scripture – that means I can verify the Word of God and the truth of that Word with other portions of the Word of God. When I hide His word in my heart, I can seek the answers I need from more than just one passage. Go ahead and give it a try. Move out of the 4th Chapter of Philippians and find other scriptures that teach me to rejoice and not whine, to pray and not worry and to trust His provision over my own methods and plans.

But don’t stop there…

Are You Labeled?

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!”

I John 3:1

What’s in a name?

We all go through life with names, titles and labels.

Most people have a first and last name.

Many have middle names and some even have nicknames.

School systems and social service agencies often label people in order to be able to provide them with services not available to those who do not carry that label. As an example, Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI) is a label some people have which, by virtue of that label, allows them to receive certain medical or rehabilative services.

In today’s verse we are ‘labeled’ or ‘named’ children of God. As we read the verse we find that the ‘reward’ of that name is that the Father (God himself) lavishes His love on us. Maybe you are tempted to take that name (children of God) for granted but if so listen to this definition of the word ‘lavish’: very generous or liberal in giving or spending, often extravagantly so. More than enough, very abundant.

I have not peeked at how the Amplified version of the Bible might express that verse but let me offer you my version:

How great is the extravagant, abundant and generous love the Father has for us

that we would be labeled, named and called the children of God.

That’s a label we all can live with isn’t it?

God is not ashamed to call us His children. The blood of His son Jesus has washed us clean and we are adopted into the family of God as His children.

That is abundant grace.

That is abundant love.

That is something to worship Him for!

Thank Him today for the ‘label’ you wear.

Filling Up What Has Been Emptied

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”

Psalm 66:1-4

When was the last time you came home from church physically exhausted because you had poured yourself, all that you had to offer, into worship and praise?

Never?

How come?

Now, I know I may have just offended some by even asking those questions.

After all, don’t we go to church to get poured into?

Doesn’t God promise that He will renew the strength of those who wait on Him?

Yes and yes; but when was the last time you gathered with other believers just to give it all to God and lavish on Him all you could muster in worship?

We go to sports events and even as a fan, who is watching from the stands, we go home worn out because we were so engrossed in whooping it up for our team.

Heaven forbid (pun intended) that we should get as passionate about worshipping the Eternal God. No, I am not suggesting the proverbial swinging from the chandeliers and rolling down the aisles. Instead, I am talking about complete surrender and abandon in worship that is totally pre-occupied with Him instead of being focused on me or thee (forgive the KJV language)!

What if our mindset was different when we walked into the sanctuary and we set a personal goal of devoting the next hour or two entirely to the Lord in worship? So often we miss the refreshing infilling of His Spirit because

we have never emptied ourselves in worship.

Give HIM your ALL in worship!

The Heart of the Matter

“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Mark 12:33

We have been talking a lot about worship and a lot about sacrificing.

The only valid motivation for both is love.

Offer either to God – worship or sacrifice – void of love and it is a waste of your time.

As we have seen, we can worship many things but when we worship God, He alone knows the motivation of our heart. If you worship a career, it is unable to discern the intentions of your heart. The same can be said of worshipping material possessions, a ‘hobby’ or another person. As a matter of fact, the only one who knows the true motivations of your heart is God.

We don’t even know ourselves to the extent that God does.

Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying: “You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all the time.” To that we can add: You can never fool God! In your worship, learn to be honest before God. Don’t pretend when your worship is a struggle or when it is a sacrifice. God already knows, so express the truth to Him.

Ask Him to help you to worship Him with a sincere and honest heart.

Ask Him to remove the barriers and the “add-ons”

to your worship that are not motivated by love.

We all know from our relationships that love makes us vulnerable.

If that is the case, then why not be most vulnerable

to the one who loves you beyond measure!

Proud to Proclaim

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! (Romans 1:16 – MSG)

What news are you most proud to proclaim?

As a parent and grandparent, I can talk for hours about my children and grandchildren.  I love to brag about how smart or successful they are.  Sometimes it’s hard for me to contain my excitement.  I want to tell anyone who will listen.

Do I share the same enthusiasm when it comes to talking about Jesus and His extraordinary message?  Not so much.

Why is that?  Am I worried about what people may think?  Am I afraid of sounding too radical for our present day culture in America?

What about you?  What news are you most proud to proclaim?  When you are in conversations with others, what’s the first thing you want to talk about?

For the apostle Paul, he was most proud to talk about His Jesus, the person who radically changed the course of His life.

I can’t imagine sitting with the apostle Paul very long without the topic of Jesus coming up.  Yet, how long can we carry on a conversation without a thought of Jesus even entering our mind?

It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking the gospel has lost some of its relevancy based on what we are bombarded with every day from our current world culture, but a restored relationship with Father God through Jesus is still the ONLY solution to our broken society.

We can try and change the wrapping to make it look more appealing to the world, but when all is said and done, it’s still about God’s extraordinary message of love to a world that needs to be rescued.

Like the apostle Paul, may we always feel an immense sense of pride for what our Savior did and always willing to proclaim His message of hope that is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.

Can I Copy Jesus?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

John 14:12

Yesterday we talked about the need to be original and not a copy of anyone.

Of course you may be thinking when it

comes to Jesus surely it is o.k. to copy Him, right?

Let me give you a definitive answer - Maybe!

It depends on what you are copying and why.

Certainly we need the gifts and fruit in our lives and to the extent that Jesus exemplified the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit we should be imitators of Him. We should not confuse the character (which we should emulate) with the methods. Some people may be tempted to copy a method of Jesus when God never spoke to them concerning a specific action. Let me give you an example. If I am introduced to a blind man should I presume that if I spit in his eyes God will heal his blindness? After all that was a method Jesus used. True enough. But bear in mind that Jesus did not spit in the eyes of every blind man he healed. Remember, Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. Our creator is far too big to be reduced to a single recipe or formula. How many of you have ever gone fishing in an effort to satisfy your tax bill? If God were to specifically direct you in that fashion I would be the first to encourage you to go for it, but let’s not think that God will always use the same methods to meet my or your needs.

How about copying this aspect of Jesus’ ministry - tomorrow morning get up really early and spend a few hours in prayer to build your relationship with the Father and develop those spiritual ears that recognize His voice. God has not called you to die on the cross for the sins of the world. For that He gave His one and only son. But you can (and should) copy that example of sacrificial obedience by daily taking up your cross, denying yourself, and following Him!

No Copies, Only Originals

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Psalm 139:13-16

A children’s song we used to sing went something like this:

You are a promise –

You are a possibility.

You are a promise –

With a capital “P”

You are a great big bundle of Potentiality…

And it is true because we are – each of us – uniquely created by God.

There is no one else quite like you.

So don’t get stuck trying to be like somebody else or everybody else.

When you do that you shortchange what God created you to be.

I have to admit though; it is sometimes easier to be a copy and not an original.

A copy doesn’t have the sweat equity investment in life that an original does. Someone else pays the price and we come along trying to reap the benefits of their labors. There is one problem with that. After God created you, unlike anyone else in all of creation, He kept the blueprint imprinted on His heart.

He has a ‘permanent record’ of what His plans were for you.

Copy-cats cheat only themselves by robbing their very own potential in God.

Remember our children’s song? While it may be “cutesy” it is also quite true. There is so much potential that is maximized in each of our lives when we discover and live up to God’s unique plans for each of us. Consider this: One of the measures of value we place on objects of art is often tied to their rarity. The more common, the less value; the rarer something is the greater its value to us. That is true with our lives as well. No one else can live out God’s purposes for you like you! Don’t diminish the value of God’s creation by living your life as a copy of someone else’s purposes.

A “Get Out of Hell Free” Card?

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

Matthew 10:7

Some consider it blasphemous to even ask the question:

Will God do anything He purposes on the earth apart from man?

Note that the question begins with the word ‘will’ and not the word ‘can’.

God has chosen to partner with us.

What an awesome privilege and responsibility.

I am going to paraphrase some words from John Wesley that succinctly summarize this point –

Man can do nothing without God.

God will do nothing without man.

The Great Commission is all about Jesus sending us.

We carry His authority.

So much of the New Testament speaks to who we are in Christ and the power we hold to do His will.

What a shame some would see salvation as nothing more than a

“Get Out of Hell Free” card.

That is certainly not the abundant life found by abiding in the Vine.  

Jesus paid the price with His life to take back what the devil had stolen.

He gives us the privilege of partnering with Him to accomplish great things.

Are you ready?

Take Back Some Earth

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them

that they should always pray and not give up.”

Luke 18:1

Did you notice the audience?

Jesus did not speak these words to the crowds that often followed Him.

He spoke them to His disciples.

Are you a disciple?

Then guess what?

You and I are challenged by none other than Jesus Himself to persevere in pray.

The essence of what Jesus was saying would negate the idea of a ‘season’ for prayer.

To be sure we all have times in our lives when we draw nearer to God through prayer and fasting but the very act of prayer itself is to be part and parcel of a disciple’s life.  

Would you allow this post to serve as a reminder of our privilege to pray?

That’s right, while some may simply call it a responsibility it is so much more than that.

It is a privilege!

Through prayer we partner with God to advance His Kingdom in the earth.

Will you take back some earth today through prayer?

Watch for Cracks

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

My wife and I are trying to sell my mother in-law’s house.  As part of the process we had to clear out all the appliances and old cupboards in the basement, some of which have not been moved in decades.

  After clearing out one corner of the basement, we noticed very large cracks in the wall and some cement blocks that had shifted.  It was significant enough to be concerned the foundation of the house may have compromised.

After surveying the inside and outside of the house and getting some expert opinions it was determined that roots from a very old, large tree in the front corner of the house had put pressure on the wall causing the damage.

We are now faced with a pretty hefty bill to remove the tree and repair the basement wall.

The issue would have been caught much earlier and the damage much less if the basement wall was not covered up all those years.

As I thought about the work that needed to be done, I was reminded of the damage unexposed sin can do in our lives, especially if it goes undetected for long periods of time.  It can put our very spiritual foundation in jeopardy.

I think that’s why King David prayed the way he did in the above verse.  He gave God permission to search his heart and expose anything that could damage their relationship.  He loved God more than anything and desired that nothing come between them.

We need to do the same.  We need to give God permission to search every corner of our heart and identify any hidden sin that could, if left unchecked, cause damage to our relationship.

And if God reveals anything, promptly ask Him to remove the roots and restore any cracks in your foundation.

Pull Forces

“…As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you...”

II Kings 2:6

How easy is it to distract you?

If you have been encouraged to keep your eyes focused on something or someone, how quickly can you be enticed away from that attention by another affection?

Specifically, if we are told to keep our eyes focused on Christ, then how much pull from the world is required to avert your eyes?

In industrial settings there is sometimes a quality requirement specified for two joined components in an assembly called “pull force”. Often product specifications will designate the minimum pull force those components

must be able to resist before coming apart.

Yep, you know where this is headed, what is the minimum pull force required to pull you away from your focus on Christ? Would that focus fail with a minimum tug; perhaps measured in ounces? Would it fail with the exertion of a couple hundred pounds of opposing force? Would it hold up after tons of force was applied to break that connection? 

Elisha faced, and passed, a huge test. Elisha had asked for a double portion of the anointing that Elijah had. His mentor and father in the faith, Elijah, had made a promise to him found in verse 10 of 2 Kings and chapter two: “…yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise not.”

Listen to what happens next in verses 11 and 12:

“As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.”

I don’t know how we would measure it but there is no question that there was a huge “pull force” exerted to distract Elisha but it failed. He saw Elijah taken from him.

So what?

So, how easy are you pulled away from your devotion to Christ?

Is your walk daily distracted with detours and diversions

or is it marked by single-minded devotion? 

Ask God today for that purposeful and persevering tenacity that follows despite the things that would pull your eyes away from Him.

A Couple of Recipes

“…We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

II Chronicles 20:12b

You’ve probably heard someone say: “That is a recipe for disaster”.

Usually, they are expressing that sentiment when the circumstances or events surrounding an individual can only seem to work out in a calamity or as the quote declares: a disaster. Today’s verse can, in fact, be considered just the opposite.

Instead of a recipe for disaster it is a recipe for success.

If you take the time to read the entire chapter of 2 Chronicles 20 (and I would encourage you to) you will find that verse 12 from above is the last sentence of a prayer to God by King Jehoshaphat as he and all of the tribe of Judah faced a vast coalition army of their enemies. This army greatly outnumbered the army of Judah.

So what could the King do?

More importantly, what did he do?

Among other things he declared their inability and their lack of wisdom to know what to do (“We do not know what to do…”) but, and this is the crucial part, he said to God – “…our eyes are on you.” You see it is not just enough when you face overwhelming odds to simply lament and recognize your inability to find a solution. 

Like King Jehoshaphat we too must turn our eyes to God.

He has the answers.

He is the answer.

Too often we stop at the lament – we whine.

The lesson is to move beyond recognizing your situation and recognize God as your one and only solution.  As you read the chapter you find that God did deliver Judah in a spectacular way.

Yes, they prayed – have you?

Yes they fasted, have you?

Yes they declared their need – have you?

Most importantly, though, they recognized God as their deliverer – have you?   

When you don’t know what to do – turn your eyes on Him.

Cold, Hard Facts?

“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

II Kings 6:15-17

 

Sometimes our senses can reveal cold hard facts.

In our passage today the cold hard facts were revealed to the servant by what he saw with his natural eyes and this is what those facts told him:

A strong, well-equipped army that vastly out-numbered them had them surrounded. There was nothing warm and fuzzy about those facts, they were cold.

They were also hard.

They were hard to digest, hard to fathom, and hard to imagine a way out.

Here’s the reality, though, for a believer. When cold, hard facts come up against the truth of God, His truth is the only reality that matters.

You need only read the rest of II Kings 6 to understand the truth of that statement.

What is the difference?

The difference was which eyes were seeing. The natural eyes told of a very frightening outcome. But the eyes opened by the Spirit of God to see the truth had a much different ending planned. Your natural eyes and ears can see and hear some pretty frightening facts in the course of twenty-four hours. Maybe your last twenty-four have been like that. Ask God to help you see and hear those same twenty-four hours through the eyes and ears of His spirit. Ask Him to open your eyes and ears to His truth.

See if you don’t grasp things differently when He does.

As Jesus liked to say:

“He who has an ear; let him hear…”

Carrots for Your Spirit

“But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

II Peter 1:9

Did your mother say to you what my mother sometimes said to me: “Eat your carrots; they are good for your eyes to help you see”?

 I leave the value of that statement to nutritionists but if it is true I think I may have found its “spiritual” counterpart. Suppose you wanted to improve your spiritual eyesight, what do you think you could do? Well, Peter explains by listing for us in verses 5-8 what the meaning of “them” is from verse 9.

Look at it with me:

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being

ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

None of us would knowingly desire to be nearsighted and certainly not blind,

physically or spiritually.

Peter tells us how we can prevent spiritual blindness. He lists for us these eight characteristics: Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control,

perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love.

He says we should make every effort to have these and then reinforces their importance by saying we should possess these qualities in increasing measure. In other words they are not static in nature but should continue to grow in us as we mature in Him.

I don’t know about you but apart from the enabling power of His Holy Spirit I am helpless to see that happen. There’s the key – do you see that happening? Do you see yourself abiding in Christ and relying on the enablement of the Holy Spirit? I am not talking about some New Age visualization technique but rather an understanding of the power of His word and His Spirit to change you to see what He sees in you!      

Decisions, Decisions

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

Joshua’s question to Israel many years ago still applies to us today.  Choose this day whom you will serve!

Studies show the average adult makes thousands of decisions a day, many of them subconsciously.  So consciously or subconsciously, Joshua’s question is one we answer many times throughout the day.

We often stop and give a lot of thought to the big decisions in our life, but it’s equally important, if not more so, to pay close attention to the many little choices we make.

Why?  Because those conscious decisions we make each day will greatly influence the decisions we make subconsciously.

My pastor recently drew a comparison between our conscious and subconscious mind and a ship’s captain and its crew.  He said our conscious mind represents the captain who gives the orders and sets the course, and our subconscious mind represents the crew that carries them out.

So whatever orders (choices) you give consciously will also be carried out subconsciously.

If I choose to repeatedly look at that provocative picture, pretty soon it will become a natural reflex (a subconscious choice) to look.  The opposite is also true.  The more I choose to look away, the more I will do so subconsciously.

I encourage to pay close attention to the decisions you make each day, especially the little ones, because they will determine how you answer Joshua’s question for our life.

Visualize Whirled Peas

“If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;

But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

Proverbs 29:18 (Message Translation)

“Visualize Whirled Peas”

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker with those words?

It is a play on the words – “Visualize World Peace.”

As believers we are (me included in that we) hear certain words and they can become red flags for us.

The word ‘visualize’ is one of them for me.

It can sound so New Age.

And yet the Bible clearly tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Certainly part of that transformation includes ‘seeing things’ from Gods’ perspective and not our own.

We are to know that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Part of that ‘knowing’ includes being able to ‘see’ or ‘visualize’ what God has spoken concerning us.

God is creative.

The enemy is not.

So often we allow the enemy to hijack and distort what God has created.

We see this evidence with things like music, sex, and yes, even visualizing ourselves as God sees us.   

Commit today to visualizing the man or woman of God He has called and equipped you to be!