Sufficient in His Hands

Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.

— Matthew 14:19

A little boy was asked what his favorite Bible story was. He said, "I like the one where everyone loafs and fishes." That is not exactly what happened with the Feeding of the Five Thousand, but it is a great story.

Jesus was at the peak of His ministry during this time, and His popularity was spreading. Multitudes of people were anxiously following Him. A large crowd had gathered to hear Him, and they were hungry.

We don't know a lot about the little boy with his loaves and fishes whom Andrew brought to Jesus. We don't even know his name. But we do know he was poor, because he had barley bread, the cheapest of all bread. He also had two small fish. He didn't have a lot to bring to the table. But that little boy gave what he had to Jesus.

In the same way, God wants us to bring what we have to the table. This boy gave his lunch, as poor as it was, to Jesus. This lunch was as insignificant as it could be. And this boy was as insignificant as he could be. But that which was insufficient from the hands of the insignificant became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus.

It is not what you bring. It is whom you are bringing it to. God can do a lot with a little. And sometimes those who have the least are willing to give more, because they recognize that if anything good results, it has to come from God.

So bring what you have. God can take it, bless it, and use it to touch many. What makes a gift great in God's service? It is not the magnitude of the gift. It is into whose hands the gift is given!

Source: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/archive/devotion/2011-05-04.html
Posted by: Keturah

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Called to be Worldchangers!

Matthew 5:13-16

New International Version (NIV)

Salt and Light

 

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

 

An opportunity that life offers  us, is that of either being a pure consumer of the goodies of life or being a pure contributor to the goodies of life. Consumers simply eat and eat until they goad themselves to a fill and exclaim like the man in the parable of the rich fool who said, “I have so much grain for many years, so, I will simply take life easy, eat, drink and be merry (Luke 12:13-21).” But contributors go beyond eating the goodies to contribute to their own quota towards creating more goodies for others to participate in. That is why we are told amongst other things in (Matthew 15:13-15) that we (the believers)  are the salt of the earth. Hallelujah! Please, take note of the fact that it did not say that we are the salt of the church, it says the salt of the earth. What does that mean? It  means, that “we are the preservatives of this earth” our prayers go a long way to keep the earth stable, our participation in the business world will help to preserve the decadence, our role in leadership will help to purify the malady, our involvement in the industrial world will re-enact the new era of witty inventions. For indeed, we are the light of the world, the city set on a hill which cannot be hid. That again means, that we as believers are ordained to be the pacesetters of our clime, the gladiators in our community, the shakers and movers of our society, and indeed world-changers of note. For if we are the light of the world, it follows that our radiance must go beyond the boundaries of the church wall, we must be seen to be re-building the old places of decadence and rut through our visions, ideas, actions, words, and participations…If you believe that, say, “I do!”…Let us pray:

 

PRAYER:

Father in the name of Jesus,

We thank you for making us the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We pray that your fresh grace will implant your desire in us to participate in our world as contributors and not just consumers. That we will become major players in our communities, that your voice  will be heard through our voices and accorded the seriousness that it deserves, that we will be seen to be re-building the old rubbles in leadership, in finances, in business and in every area that needs repairs in Jesus name. Amen and amen!

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It's Transition Time - R U Ready?

By Scott Presson

CBN Staff Writer

 

CBN.com - It’s transition time. All over the Kingdom of God and throughout the Church the word of the hour is “transition”. We keep hearing that but what does it mean. Are we all in transition? If so, is your transition going to spill over and affect my transition?

It does seem as if God is telling the whole Christian body to take a few steps forward. In those steps, we’ll probably step on each others feet. I imagine there’s going to be more than a few of us pushing and shoving. Some of us are going to want to move forward. Others will want to stand still or move backwards.

Let’s face it; God’s will is always changing us. He is always transforming us and molding us to be something different than we are. In the Word, God even refers to Himself as a potter and we are His clay. It’s an easy image to see. A lump of clay is shaped into a vessel and then refined in the fire until it is becomes purified and hardened. Only then is worthy of use.

 

Change is never comfortable but it is a fact of life and it is the will of God. We are changed as we grow in age and maturity. We are changed when we accept Christ into our hearts. We are changed as we move deeper into a relationship with God and accept His will in our lives.

 

God is refining us in His furnance. God is molding us into vessels that glorify Him. This time of transition is going to make us feel uncomfortable but it is God’s will. We all have certain things in life that we want and even have planned for. Some of those plans will undoubtedly be disrupted. Don’t fret.

Here’s what the Bible says:

"You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail." (Proverbs 19:21)

 

God’s purpose is going to happen no matter what you and I plan. We need to be patient with each other as never before. In other words, we’re going to have look and act like Christians. We’re going to have to bear one another’s burdens and be willing to overlook each others faults. We’re going to have to learn to let those very real hurts and offenses go quickly. We’re going to have to react out of love instead reacting out of spite. It’s not going to be easy. God’s Word says He is returning for a Church without spot or wrinkle. How will we ever be that Church without going through the fire of refinement? We must press in and through.

 

If transition is the word of the hour, humility is the path to peace. If we act out of humble hearts we will demonstrate to ourselves and to God that we are the people He wants us to be. Only then will Jesus be glorified and only then will the world see a group of loving and united believers fulfilling their destiny. Now is the time of harvest. Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be frightened. Be encouraged!! It’s promotion time!! But we must enter in like never before. We must be servants towards each other.

Here are our marching orders. Here is the blueprint to live a life worthy of our calling. Here is the way to walk by faith and not by sight:

 

Philippians 2 says,

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had."

Prayer for this week -

Heavenly Father - Please search my heart and remove anything that blocks me from embracing the transition that you are calling me, as a member of your Kingdom to be a part of.  Help me to embrace and endure discomfort with grace so that I can participate in the Kingdom of God even as I see it being mobilized in the world around me.  May I recognize that it is not my skills, degrees, talents or finances that your need most, but rather my humility as it is only humility that will enable the image, power and glory of Christ to be seen in me and within the Church - His body here on earth.  Forgive me for thinking that you can be satisfied with something other than my humble and surrendered heart. May your Kingdom be my first priority and may I trust that everything else that is essential for my earthly provision and eternal salvation will be supplied, in abundance, by You as I follow in faithful obedience, united with your Church. 

 

I pray all this in the name of your worthy Son Jesus, AMEN.

 

Amen.

---

Source: http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/presson_transitiontime.aspx#.Um1J_w6wf2A.gmail

Posted by: Keturah

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Inspirational Video: Spirit of Excellence

Be encourage. Seeing this should move us into a constant state of worship, and the determination to succeed in whatever we put our minds to!

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There's A Fourth Man!

Dan 3:25 NIV. He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

Today we continuing with the story of the Three Hebrew Boys. In the last message we left off the story with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Yes, even though they honored God with their righteous efforts in an unrighteous land, even though they took their stand of faith and refused to worship an idol, even though they spoke the language of faith when confronted by the king Nebuchadnezzar's threat, and even though they remained in faith when the king turned up the heat, at the end of the day they were still thrown in the fire. No, God did not deliver them FROM the fire, but He did deliver them IN it.

When king Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, fully expecting to see the boys dead and consumed by the fire, he was surprised to see them alive. Not only that, but they were no longer bound and were freely walking around in the fire; and they had company. There was a fourth man in the fire with them. The translation I chose says that the fourth man looked like "A son of the gods."

The traditional King James Versions says, "The fourth is like the Son of God." The King James Version is one of just a few translations that liken he fourth man to the Son of God. Because of this "Son of God" reference, many have claimed that the fourth man in the fire was Jesus Himself. However, there is no evidence that would lead us to believe that king Nebuchadnezzar knew anything about Jesus or his physical appearance. Furthermore, three verses later the king made it clear who he thought it was, he said: "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." It is obvious that king Nebuchadnezzar believed the fourth man in the fire was an angel and not Jesus, but this does not diminish the miracle in any way. The bottom line is that the angel was there because God Himself sent him to intervene on behalf of His servants who were in trouble. The angel ensured that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unbound and unharmed in the midst of the fire. The fire was raging, but it did not harm them. And it is interesting to me that they did not immediately come out of the fire. They walked around in it (unbound and unharmed), as if to say, "You hit us with your best shot and we are still here... by the grace of God!"

So what does this mean to you ? Let's seek to glean a few golden nuggets:

1. Being a child of God does not automatically exonerate you from storms (or fires in this case).

2. Even if you are facing a storm, God can make a way when there seems to be no way!

3. It's not over until God says it's over. God can send an angel, or even show up Himself, and turn any hopeless situation around.

4. God can bless you so mightily, right in the middle of the storm, that you actually enjoy yourself while the storm is raging all around you. You can be so at peace that you are not even in a hurry to get out of the situation.

5. If the enemy knew any better he would leave you alone. The more he messes with you, the greater your testimony and the more God gets the glory from your life.

Father, I thank You for showing up and showing-out in my life. Time and time again You have been there for me when I needed You the most. You have been the fourth man in my fire and I sincerely thank You for it and I will never cease to praise Your name. You have done so much for me that I am behind in my worship. And I thank You for continually wanting to do more in, with, through, and for me. I call upon You in the day of trouble and You answer me, deliver me, and manifest Your glory in my life. No matter what the enemy brings my way, there is nothing He can do that You cannot undo or bless me even while I am enduring it. I am fully persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able me from Your love, which is in Christ Jesus, my Lord! I declare this in Jesus' name. Amen

Source: http://womenofdestiny1.blogspot.ca/2010/07/three-hebrew-boys-part-v.html

~ Keturah
 

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The Three Hebrew boys

Written by W Destiny

 

Posted by M . Harvey

 

(Dan 3:25 NIV) He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

We saw how king Nebuchadnezzar turned up the pressure on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by ordering the fire to be cranked up 7X hotter. The Hebrew Boys had done all the right things. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had honored their heavenly Father, they were promoted to leadership positions even though their nation was under captivity (they were supposed to be slaves), they refused to worship an idol god, they held their ground in the face of the king’s ultimatum, and they refused to crack under the pressure. There is no question in my mind that these boys had a Warrior Spirit. Their steel resolve was remarkable. They had crossed the faith-line and were now totally dependant on God. If God did not do it, it simply would not get done. Have you ever been there? I know I am there right now.

Imagine them going up the ramp to the furnace. The fire was blazing so strong that the flames consumed one of the men taking them there. I can only imagine what was going through their minds. If it were me I probably would be thinking things like: “OK God, I did my part, I am waiting on You to do yours. You can step in any minute here… Hey God, right now would be a good time for You to show out.” As I got closer and closer to the fire I would be looking and waiting and waiting and looking for God to do something, anything! But it did not happen as we would think. The Hebrew boys had done nothing wrong. Actually, they had done everything right, and they were still in a bind (literally) and facing death.

So guess what happened? Nebuchadnezzar’s men took the boys all the way to the mouth of the furnace and sure enough, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire while they were still bound. Wow! If it were us we would think, “Man! God never showed up. It never happened. They spoke up in faith. They took God public. They held their ground. They said all the right things. But at the end of the day, they were still thrown into the fiery furnace. What a sad commentary.”

But wait, the story is not over. Yes, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace bound, but someway, somehow, they were not dead. The fire must have burned up the ties that had them bound, but it was not consuming them. Furthermore, instead of being all alone in the midst of the fire, there was someone there WITH them. King Nebuchadnezzar saw it and he was amazed. He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 

Awesome! These guys were walking around in the midst of the fire and they had the blessed comfort of heavenly company. I will talk more about this “Fourth Man” in the fire next week. We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you? Let’s seek to glean a few golden nuggets:

1. Sometimes you can do all the right things and you still wind up facing strong opposition.

2. Sometimes God will deliver you FROM it, but there are also sometimes He delivers You IN it!

3. God can use the very thing the enemy meant to destroy you for your good (e.g. the fire was meant to kill them, but it was used to loose them).

 

4. Sometimes it doesn’t happen the way you expect it to happen, but never lose heart, God is still there! If you are still breathing, then there is still hope!

Father, living by faith is often awesome and amazing; and it is always exciting. I don’t know what You are going to do today, but I trust it will be good. I will honor You daily with my thoughts, words, and actions and I truly believe that You will bless me to experience Your best. I know I will face opposition and even strong challenges from time to time, but when my faith is tested it will be proven as strong, because I refuse to quit. Even if things don’t happen the way I would like them to, I truly believe that they will work out for me in the end. Even in the midst of the fire, I am still trusting You, because I know You love me so much that You are right in the fire WITH me! I am never helpless, therefore I am never hopeless! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

One love

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Blessing God at ALL times!

Read the Scripture: Job 2:9-13

His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" 
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. ¹² When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. ¹³ Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

 

(New International Version)

He replied, You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in what he said (Job 2:10).

Job's rebuke is a very gentle one. He did not say, You foolish woman! He said, You are talking like a foolish woman. He is not attacking her; rather, he is suggesting that this is a temporary lapse of faith on her part and that, for the moment, she has begun to repeat the words of stupid, foolish women who have no knowledge of the grace and glory of God. In that gentle rebuke you can see something of the sturdiness and tenderness of Job's faith. In this great sentence, he again reasserts the sovereignty of God: Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job's wife had the philosophy that life ought to be pleasant, and if it were not, there was no use living it.

That philosophy is widespread in our own day, and a mounting suicide rate testifies to the universal acceptance of it. But this book is given to show us that life is not to be lived on those terms. The reason we are here is not necessarily to have a good time. There are meaningful objectives to be attained in life, even when it all turns sour. When the pressure comes, when living is no longer fun, life is still worth living. A philosophy that wants to abandon everything as soon as things become unpleasant is a shallow, mistaken, distorted view of life. Job reaffirms that. Shall we not take both good and evil from the hand of God? We take His joy and His pleasure, the pleasant things of life, with gladness and gratitude. If God chooses to send something that is difficult, shall we then abandon that gratitude and begin to curse Him in protest because life is suddenly different than we thought it would be? The reason we are here is not merely that we might have a good time, and this is taught everywhere in the Scriptures. God, in His grace and glory, does give us many hours of joy and gladness and pleasure and delight, and it is right for us to give thanks. But do not abandon that when the time of pressure comes, because that is what Satan wants us to do. He wants us to begin to complain and protest to God; to get upset and angry and resentful; to stop going to church or to reading the Bible. That is what Satan's whole attack on our lives is aimed at doing.

Father, strengthen my faith in You, that I can accept from Your hand both good and evil. Thank You that Your purposes for me, though sometimes painful, are always good.

Life Application: Sometimes meaning and purpose for our lives gets out of focus. Do we then give in to despair? When we choose to trust God, then we can offer His comfort to others.

Text to Memorize: I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1
 

Source: 
http://www.raystedman.org/daily-devotions/job/accepting-what-god-gives--

 

Posted by: Keturah

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Adopting a Berean State of Mind

Be Like the Bereans
by Anna Kuta, ReligionToday.com Editor

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Acts 17:10

 

The first part of Acts 17 tells the story of Paul and Silas’ missionary journey through the cities of Thessalonica and Berea. The chapter begins with Paul and Silas arriving in Thessalonica to preach and share the gospel in the synagogue of the Jews, as was Paul’s typical approach: “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ’” (Acts 17:2-3). Paul and Silas’ teachings converted many, but some Jews who weren’t persuaded became angry and caused an uproar in the city, gathering a mob to attack the house of the Christian man named Jason who was hosting Paul and Silas. With the help of some believers, they escaped at nighttime to Berea.

 

Upon their arrival in Berea, Paul and Silas again went to the Jewish synagogue, but here they had a warmer reception. The Bereans proved much more eager to hear their message than the Jews in Thessalonica. As Acts 17:11 says, the Bereans “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that 1) theyreceived the word in all readiness, and 2) searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Acts 17:12 goes on to say that 3) many Bereans then believed, including many prominent Greek men and women.

 

What a lesson we can all learn from the Bereans. When Paul and Silas preached, the Bereans didn’t merely take them at their word – they searched through the Jewish scriptures to test and ascertain that what they were hearing lined up with God’s word. Then, when they discovered that the doctrine of Christ affirmed the Jewish scriptures, they received the message gladly. Acts 17:11 also makes a point to mention that they searched the scriptures every day – not just on the Sabbath.

 

The importance of constantly searching the Scriptures cannot be overstated. All preaching of man should be weighed against the inerrant word of God, and it is imperative that we know what the Bible says in order to avoid being deceived by wrong doctrines. In a world where there are innumerable false religions and false takes on Christianity, the most important thing we can do is become like the Bereans. The doctrine of Christ not only stands up to the toughest scrutiny, it stands strong as the beacon of truth and the divine standard by which everything else should be measured.

 

Intersecting Faith & Life: We should all strive to follow the excellent example of the Bereans by searching the Scriptures constantly and by receiving the truth of God’s word readily. Determine to examine all preaching and doctrine against the Word of God – making the Bible your ultimate gauge by which you test everything you read or hear.

 

Kindgom Life Application: This week we will be starting our Back-To-The-Bible Regeneration Study series with John!  The curriculum includes dailystudy guidelines and opportunities for personal and community growth as we meet to share, study, and serve together through our small groups.  Let's pray that the Holy Spirit will fill each of us with the Berean-state of mind which includes a sincere desire to 1) receive the Word; 2) search the Word and 3) believe and respond to the Word in a life-changing, community-transforming, Kingdom building way!    And If you haven't joined a small group yet.... perhaps now would be a good time to commit to a small group, so that you can be part of the exciting God-approved journey that He is about to take us on!

 

Be Blessed!

 
Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/be-like-the-bereans-crosswalk-the-devotional-march-21-2012.html

Posted by: Keturah

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Are you a V.I.P.?

Welcome to September Kingdom Life Family!

Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

Michael led us in a study about  the amazing life of Joseph (Genesis 27 - 41).  We were reminded of Joseph's commitment to his God-given dream, his spirit of excellence and his clarity about his identity - in spite of his circumstances.  As we each move into a new season - with school, work, relationships and our walk with God -  it may be helpful to think of Joseph as a V. I. P. (and I don't mean just a Very Important Person though he definitely was!)  I recently read about a minister* summing up the qualities of Joseph in the acronym V.I. P. as he was a young man who exhibited uncommon  Vision, Integrity and Perseverance even during very difficult and discouraging situations when the odds were clearly stacked against him (e.g. prison!). Yet, the life of Joseph teaches us that we too can be V.I.P.s if we also maintain the attributes of:

Vision - for without it, we coast, compromise and eventually perish.  Proverbs 29:18
Integrity -  in a world where this quality is increasingly difficult to find.    Proverbs 22:29
Perseverance - because too often we give up right on the edge of our breakthrough.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 (study the cartoon below!)

 



As you enter this NEW SEASON, prayerfully determine like Joseph to be a V.I.P.  Then be assured that your latter will BE greater as you commit your plans and your trust completely to the Lord.  I do declare, Your Latter WILL be Greater!

Be encouraged & be blessed!

Posted by: Keturah  *(Book referenced "When Good is Not Enough")

 

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T.R.U.S.T. Try Resting Under Steady Testing Psalm 5:11,12 11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. As you trust(lean on, depend on) the Lord today, know that He will surround you with Favour!(grace,power) Blessings Fam Michael

Try Resting Under Steady Testing

Psalm 5:11,12

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

As you trust(lean on, depend on)  the Lord today, know that He will surround you with Favour!(grace,power)

Blessings Fam

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Even Kings Die!

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

(Isaiah 6:1 ESV). 

This was a momentous day for Judah, the southern kingdom. King Uzziah had prospered them greatly during his fifty-two year reign. He assumed leadership at the young age of sixteen after his father, Amaziah, was killed. Uzziah successfully led military campaigns, fortified Jerusalem, built cities, brilliantly equipped an army of over 300,000 men, and even employed skillful inventors who crafted defense machines (2 Chronicles 26:5-15). In short, he oversaw wonderful years in Judah. But, unfortunately for both King Uzziah and his people, he did not head the “fear of God” in which he had been instructed (2 Chronicles 26:5; 2 Chronicles 26:16).

Uzziah seemed able to accomplish anything he set his hand to, but “when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense” (2 Chronicles 26:16). While this may not seem a crime, it was exactly contrary to God’s command that Aaron and the priests after him would be set aside to worship God in that way (Exodus 30:7,8). But Uzziah, he was a builder of cities and the master of a great army, and he believed himself to be above God’s Word. Uzziah entered arrogantly into the Temple and was struck with leprosy until the day he died. He lived in an infirmary alone and couldn’t even be buried with his lineage and family, only near them.

No matter how great we perceive men to be, they are never above the Word of God. Though he ruled an entire nation for half a century, his throne was much smaller than God’s, and he forgot that. This day, in the “year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up”. Even though the people of Judah would mourn the loss of their renowned king, and leadership passed to his son Jotham, there was One who remained on an everlasting throne. And ultimately, King Jesus’ reign is the one that we should find our security and direction in. Remember, even kings die, don’t put your stock entirely in men.

Prayer for Meditation

 

Heavenly Father - Teach us to recognize the brief and seasonal nature of all of our pursuits.  Help us to grasp that no matter how great our ambitions, or our attachments to people, possessions or positions, these too will eventually fade away because "even kings die".  Help us to, like Isaiah, really SEE you, so that we can really SEE our need for you, and the priority-setting, life-transforming wisdom that comes from you. Thank you for reminding us that you are the only King who is Eternal. Forgive us for forgetting that ultimately and always, it is ALL about YOU!  May you REIGN as KING of KINGS in our lives today. AMEN

 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  Eccclesiastes 3:1

 

The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.  Isaiah 40:7,8.

 

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalms 90:12

 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Further Reading:  Isaiah 6:1 - 8

Source: http://shortdailydevotions.com/devotions/isaiah-61-the-throne-even-kings-die

Posted by: Keturah

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Praying With Power

1 Kings 18:41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and enjoy a good meal! For I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” 42 So Ahab prepared a feast. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and fell to the ground and prayed. 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”The servant went and looked, but he returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look, and seven times he went. 44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a hand rising from the sea.”Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’” 45 And sure enough, the sky was soon black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. 

We read from the book of James –

James 5:17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! 18 Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again. 

James uses Elijah as an example of what it means to pray with power. What then was it about his prayers that made them so powerful?

There Was Purpose in His Prayers

Prayer means to come near with desire and to ask. There was a need for rain and so seven times Elijah fell on his face and asked God to send rain. If there is a need in your life, don’t be ashamed to go to God and ask.

There Was Passion in His Prayers

The King James Version says that Elijah – “cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees…” Though we don’t always have to fall to our knees when we pray, the posture we take in prayer is often an indication of our passion. Elijah’s posture revealed that he was:

• Humble before the Lord
• Sincere in his request
• Utterly helpless without the Lord’s assistance

Scripture teaches us that God loves to answer the desperate prayer.

There Was Perseverance in His Prayers

James tells us – “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) The phrase “effectual fervent” means to be at work or at business. Powerful praying is hard work and Elijah labored in his prayers. It was not a half-hearted prayer mingled in with all the other activities. It was a man on his face praying until there was rain.

Perseverance is an important ingredient in the life of someone who has power with God. Consider these notes taken from the journal of John Wesley-

• Sunday, A.M., May 5    Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
• Sunday, P.M., May 5     Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
• Sunday, A.M., May 12    Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
• Sunday, A.M., May 19    Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
• Sunday, P.M., May 19    Preached on street. Kicked off street.
• Sunday, A.M., May 26    Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
• Sunday, A.M., June 2    Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
• Sunday, P.M., June 2    Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.
  (from Sermon Illustrations.com)

There is nothing more powerful on the face of this earth than a man or woman of God who is sold out to Jesus and who believes in the power of prayer, and who asks, seeks and knocks until God’s hand moves.

This week Kingdom Life Family, you are encouraged to P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens.  May you see the hand of God at work in every aspect of your life.

Be blessed!

Source: Seeds of Faith: Christ-centred Thoughts and Studies by Pastor Terry Covey

Posted by: Keturah 

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Streams in the Desert

He has given us his very great and precious promises. (2 Peter 1:4)

When a shipbuilder erects a boat, does he do so only to keep it on the scaffolding? No, he builds it to sail the seas and to weather the storms. In fact, if he does not think of strong winds

and hurricanes as he builds it, he is a poor shipbuilder.

In the same way, when God made you a believer, He meant to test you. And when He gave you promises and asked you to trust them, He made His promises suitable for times of storms and high seas. Do you believe that some of His promises are counterfeit, similar to a life vest that looks good in the store but is of no use in the sea?

We have all seen swords that are beautiful but are useless in war, or shoes made for decoration but not for walking. Yet God’s shoes are made of iron and brass, and we can walk all the way to heaven in them, without ever wearing them out. And we could swim the Atlantic a thousand times in His life vest, with no fear of ever sinking. His Word of promise is meant to be tried and tested.

There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply

meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him as you should?

O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God’s promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have a time

of need, trust the Lord. 

Charles H. Spurgeon

Go to the depths of God’s promise,

And claim whatsoever you will;

The blessing of God will not fail you,

His Word He will surely fulfill.

How can God say no to something He has promised?

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