FEBRUARY 2

WITH PURPOSE OF HEART

“And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” (Acts 11:22-23)

Barnabas beheld the GRACE OF GOD working in their lives, and he was glad. This is a beautiful, positive approach. He could have seen all the imperfections, how much spiritual growth was needed, worried about the errors of doctrine, whatever else might be common to the beginnings of the Christian walk. But he saw the grace of God, and knew there was a work begun, and viewing God’s handiwork, he knew that the One who had begun in these people a good work, He also would bring it to a successful conclusion in due time, so he only sought to encourage, to exhort them to continue, to follow on to perfection, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

The word ‘cleave’ comes from the Greek ‘pros’ meaning toward, and ‘meno’ which means to remain, abide. What an excellent exhortation, to remain towards the Lord, to abide in a walk that is always directed towards the Lord, to keep Him in the center of our vision, and to remain in that close union with Him. “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth,” (Psalm 16:8-9)

This vital abiding, remaining ever towards the Lord, is the resultant action of our PURPOSE OF HEART. It speaks of the action of the will. True, spiritual depth and maturity come with growth and processing under the workmanship of the Spirit of God within us, but our responsive action to His inworking is the exercise of our will, willing to live out that which He has wrought within. “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself,” (Dan. 1:8). The deliberate, pre-meditated, chosen course of action. It was the action of his will motivated by his heart, his inner state of being, that gave strength to face every test, which followed.

Lord, we will to have Your will in all things. Amen!

FEBRUARY 3 LAMBS, OR SHEEP

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
(John 10:27)

When Paul wrote that God hath “committed into us the word of reconciliation”, so that “we are ambassadors for Christ”, (II Cor. 5:19-20), we note that the word for ‘ambassador’ is a Greek word literally meaning, TO BE ELDERS, SENIOR. Not a novice, untrained, undeveloped, but one who has been matured and fully processed and able to bear the load of responsibility. When it comes to spiritual matters, it is not speaking of natural age-spans, for some dear souls remain childish in attitude and understanding year after year. We speak of that maturity which comes when the Spirit has dealt with us and so thoroughly processed us with His disciplines that we KNOW our God, and become one in His will. He is able to do a quick work, and cut it short in righteousness, and it appears that He is certainly increasing the temp in these days. Yieldedness to the Spirit of God is the vital issue for processing.

The Shepherd calls, and the mature sheep, those who have followed Him and grown under His care, they recognize His voice. The lambs do not always recognize His voice, but they know their own mother-system, and so they will follow her, and she, as the mature sheep must follow the Shepherd. In due time the lambs will grow and learn to recognize the Shepherd’s voice also, but it is the SHEEP who KNOW His voice.

There is a need today for direct communion with our Shepherd, to know HIS VOICE, and not have to follow the ‘mother systems’, which were used to help birth us into this walk with the Lord. Some of the ‘mothers’ begin to insist that you follow on in their way, and not release you to hear the Shepherd for yourself, and such ones God will judge. Nor is the weaning process easy to go through, we feel bereft and alone. But the Shepherd knows exactly where we are, He has not left us, nor forsaken us. He simply strips away some of these props, so that we might be more attentive to His voice alone. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

FEBRUARY 4 ONE IN HIS HEADSHIP

“Grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.”
(Ephesians 4:15)

There is a spiritual realm of dominion and control, not a position that is selfishly grasped, but a position filled by those prepared by the Lord. “Keep on fostering the same disposition that Christ Jesus had. Though He was existing in the nature of God, He did not think His being on an equality with God a thing to be selfishly grasped,” (Phil. 2:5-6, Williams).

“And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, (Heb. 5:4). One can always find a few self-appointed apostles and prophets in the land. Those who would like to prophesy others into some kind of a position, as if by saying so would cause them to qualify. But let it be clear, OVERCOMERS are not self-proclaimed reactionaries, they are carefully prepared by God through much purifying “To him that overcometh…”implies that there will be a sufficient amount of obstacles placed into your pathway for your overcoming, so that having gained the victory you qualify for the crown. If the difficulties seem to be piling up in front of you, take it as a sign from the Lord that He purposes to make you an overcomer. Consider the trials as a token of the personal attention of God in your development.

You are sitting alone in the desert, the Lord is talking to you only by these pressures; He is testing you with trial and tribulation, and yet you feel so dry and dead, no feelings, no morsel of fellowship for a long time, and then one comes along boasting of their many works and the causes they are promoting. Don’t envy them, don’t measure your life by theirs, and don’t let their activity place you under condemnation because you aren’t engaged as they. Many a star falls out of its place and blazes across the sky in a spectacular display, but it burns itself out, and plunges into darkness. God is bringing forth developed disciples that will qualify to share His throne, which will abide in the place He appoints for them, to rule in righteousness.



FEBRUARY 5 ZION IS FOUNDED

“What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it (betake themselves unto it).” (Isaiah 14:32)

Tell me, what’s going on these days? Is anything happening? What is God’s move for this hour? THE LORD IS FOUNDING ZION! Take a heavenly tour and walk about Zion and count, inspect, look over His new creation. God is raising up PILLARS in the midst of the land, His elect, and they KNOW IN WHOM THEY HAVE BELIEVED. They are willing to be ‘placed’ by God, and there to abide. Let the nations rage, let the people imagine a vain thing. Let the storms blow, and let the darkness cover the earth. They that KNOW HIM are unafraid, for they are upheld by His mighty hand. And they shall become a beacon of light to those who stumble in darkness. When men’s hearts fail them for fear, these shall remain calm, cool, and collected, ready to give an encouraging word to him that is weary. These processed saints have been so disciplined by the Lord that they are not easily disturbed by the pressures without. Thus, God shall have His strong ones in the midst of the land, and the poor shall be able to take themselves unto these FOUNDED ONES, to find safety, security, and help.

We have become ‘a nation on wheels’, driven by a restless spirit, searching everywhere for they know not what. Buried deep in the bosom of every Israelite is that call of God which says, “we have here no continuing city”, and with Abraham we “look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God”, (Heb. 11:10). Men do not know this is what they seek, but their very restlessness is an evident token that they are not inwardly at home, at rest, at peace. Not until we find ourselves again contained in the fullness of the will of God, conformed to His image, filled with His Spirit, do we find a satisfaction and an inner quietness. God’s elect, His Zion, is being brought into this place of stability and victory in Him.





FEBRUARY 6 MADE TO HAVE DOMINION

“And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion.” (Micah 4:8)

Obviously, this is a work of sovereign grace in the hearts of His apprehended ones. “What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all under his feet,” (Psalm 8”4-6).

Made to have dominion – over all the works of His hands. This is hard to comprehend. “For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him,” (Hebrews 2:8).

There is none to demonstrate this dominion at present, except One, “But we see JESUS…crowned with glory and honour”, (Heb. 2:9). He is the Captain of our salvation, and once He has brought MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, then shall we see the exercise of this dominion to the glory and praise of God.

We need not delve too far into the headship of the first Adam, since it was never fully exercised, thus we have little record of its scope, but we do know that all that was lost under the rule of the first Adam is to be restored under the headship of the Last Adam, hence the headship of Christ will reveal the true first dominion. “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him”, (Eph. 1:10).

When Jesus Christ began to manifest some of this dominion, it caused men to marvel, and to question, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matt. 8:27). They were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught as one that had authority. They were amazed at His works, for all other powers were subjected unto Him. He was LORD, and now He shall bring forth those who shall rule and reign with Him in love and victory.

FEBRUARY 7 RETURNING GOD’S LOVE

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19)

The initial expression of love is always HIS, He loves us, and this love that is directed our way, working in us, becomes the cause of our loving Him in return.

Love unexpressed is love unfulfilled, unsatisfied. Therefore God has brought forth this whole creation upon which He can express His love. “For Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11).

Furthermore, it requires an even greater expression of love when the object of that love is ever so unlovely, unholy, unclean. Hence the introduction of evil to form the bleak background against which the ultimate of His love can be portrayed. It was while we were yet sinners that this expression came to us, for “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Jesus is a manifestation of the Father’s heart of love, sent to us when we were so very unlovely, rebellious, and selfish.

Though this Divine love, so sacrificial in nature, so freely given, is ours to receive, it remains unsatisfied until it can be returned. Love shared, but if one-sided, one sharing and the other doing all the receiving, this does not bring happiness. Not that love requires a return or a reward for loving, but it rests in the happiness of the beloved, and to receive love selfishly, is to remain unhappy, thus the giver realizes that his love has failed to make the loved one happy. But when that loved one begins to return that love because it is out of a heart overflowing with joy and love, it brings joy and happiness to the heart of the initial lover.

When we are so completely transformed by His love to us, and so filled with that love that we must express it back to Him again, then He knows that His creation is happy with His expression to us-ward, and receiving that which now flows from us to Him, He shall be satisfied as well. Love expresses and returned is love fulfilled. He truly is worthy of our love.


FEBRUARY 8 WEAK, THOUGH ANOINTED

“I am this day weak, though anointed king…” (II Samuel 3:39)

Much teaching in charismatic circles emphasizes the verse, “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8), and they stop right there, thrilled with the thought that if you want power, get anointed. But it is needful that we understand the purpose of these present day anointings, which literally become our “anointing for burial”. The rest of the verse reads, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me…” The anointing is to enable us to lay down our own self-life, so that henceforth we become a manifestation of HIS LIFE. But it requires power to be able to face this death-to-self-process, and that is why the anointing of the Holy Spirit is given unto us. It is for our burial. Then comes the resurrection life, His life rising out of our earthen vessel, “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”, (II Corinthians 4:7).

It is a fact, the more we walk by His anointing, the weaker our flesh will become, and He will subdue us; crucify every form of resistance of the carnal nature. Nothing like the glorious anointing of the holy Spirit to make us weak – weak, and yet so very strong, for there is a power released of which few know anything about, because they refuse to accept the sphere of weakness wherein HE IS MADE STRONG.

Again we say with the Psalmist, “He weakened my strength in the way”, (Ps. 102:23). HE diminished me, brought me to nothing, until we had nothing left herein to boast, nor in which we could glory in ourselves. But then is when we truly find that “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will we glory in our weaknesses, that the power of Christ might rest upon me – for when I am weak, then am I strong”, (II Cor. 12:9-10).
And when my weakness I can give
To Him, He takes this negative
And births a strength so positive.
O new creation, rise and live.


FEBRARY 9 MIGHTY BY HIS SPIRIT

“This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6)

How desperately the world seeks to marshal their forces, to give a show of strength, to unify and consolidate, so that by the very weight of their numbers they hope to gain an advantage. While in contra-distinction to this, God is separating, drawing to Himself in a path of aloneness, to “take you one of a city, and two of a family, to bring you to Zion,” (Jer. 3:14). As we are stripped of all human resource, no might or power in ourselves wherein we can trust, then out of this sphere of our nothingness He shall arise, totally triumphant.

The Lord would apprehend a man to bring deliverance to His people Israel, and He sent an angel to appear unto Gideon while he was threshing wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. The angel said to him, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour,” (Judges 6:12). But Gideon immediately challenged the whole statement. “Oh, my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of?” “And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.” Because Gideon recognized his own lack, his emptiness, his weakness, God looked upon it as MIGHT, because when this weakness was turned over to God, then it entered into a new dimension – and the Spirit became the power for His victory.

The world would seek for talents rare, the gifted men, the doctrinaire, The outer form with beauty fair, and on them all its glory share.
The noble and the mighty rise to blaze across the azure skies,
To claim again some earthly prize, their hopes and dreams immortalize.

How different is the higher way, as God doth mold vessels of clay. To choose the weak to take the prey, the things of naught for vict’ry’s day.
For thus He strips and bruises sore, and multiplies the pressures more;
Then uses troubles for the door into His fullness, heav’nly store.

FEBRUARY 10 UNTO THE CHOICE VINE

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.” (Genesis 4910-11)

In fulfilling this scripture, significant that Jesus did not ride just one, but two. “Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass,” (Mt. 21:5).

What meaneth the symbolism of all this? Jesus sat upon the ass, and placed His feet upon the colt, and rode them both into Jerusalem. Binding together the vine and the choice vine. Jesus Christ was both the connecting link and the transition from both the vine of the first covenant and the choice vine of the new covenant. He rode out the law, fulfilled it, and He placed His feet firmly upon the new covenant with a full arrangement unto life and victory.

Those apprehended to become a part of the enchristed company have likewise often been placed in that position of riding both the old and the new. Brought up under the law with all its commandments, forms, ceremonies, yet receiving a vision of the glory of the NEW, so that they can no longer stay within the confines of the old, but now would “go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come,” (Heb. 13:13-14)

Surely as He leads from the old into the new, we also “wash our garments in wine…” “The fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death,” (Phil. 3:10). There can be no union with Him without treading this same path which He trod. But there is a going from glory to glory, until we partake of the fruit of that CHOICE VINE, the new wine of the kingdom.




FEBRUARY 11 GATHER MY SAINTS

“Gather My saints unto Me, those that have made a covenant by sacrifice. (Psalm 50:5)

The qualification of those presently being gathered unto Him is found in this word “saints”, from the Hebrew “chasid”, also given as good, godly, holy, and merciful. Thus we read, “Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself”, (Psalm 4:3).

There are two kinds of separation these days. There are those who “separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit”, (Jude 19). These are ego-centered, soulish people who desire to go their own way, build for themselves and will not submit to the deeper inworkings of the cross in their self-life. But, there are, also, those whom the Lord sets apart, apprehends them for His own purpose, draws them away from the crowds that He might work into them the perfections of His own will. These are in contra-distinction to those that “went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have no doubt continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us”, (I John 2:19).

What a powerful message. Once you have ‘come out from among them”, and left the babylonish, religious system behind, to be totally joined unto the Lord, to become His will, from thereon those who are not of one spirit with you will go out from you, separating themselves from you. Do not grieve over it all; see it as a work of the Lord, that actually HE HAS SET YOU APART FOR HIMSELF. For when God sets you apart, it is because there is a difference, you are not of this world. You now belong to Him, to His kingdom. Even if you try to mingle with them, you find yourself a mis-fit. You are not of them any more than they are of you. You are marked to be gathered unto Christ. This is the handiwork of God, conforming His called ones to His image, that in them He might be glorified.

“O Thou Spirit Divine, all my nature refine,
‘Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”


FEBRUARY 12 BECOMING MERCIFUL ONES

“With the merciful Thou wilt shew Thyself merciful.” (Psalm 18:25)

One of the precious inworkings of His grace in the lives of those, whom He separates unto Himself, is that they are becoming His merciful ones. Seems that many have walked with God for years without learning what it means to “have mercy”, to become a vessel of mercy through whom His mercy is revealed. There has been far too much fight in us; a demand for justice according to what we think is justice.

Jonah received the word of the Lord – it is a marvelous thing to receive “the Word of the Lord”, but that doesn’t make us a merciful one. It was because Jonah rebelled against the mercy, that he first fled unto “Tarshish: for I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness,” (Jonah 4:2). So God had to discipline him in the belly of a great fish, until somewhat subdued he was willing to speak the “Word” which the Lord had given unto him. Then God had to give him another forceful object lesson with a gourd to teach him to have mercy. How hard are the lessons we need to teach us also to be merciful. But in due time we shall be perfected in mercy, for He has a work of mercy to be performed through His people.

“Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven,” (Luke 6:36-37). Note the word “forgive”, same Greek root used elsewhere as ‘redemption”, meaning TO LOOSE AWAY. We are groaning within ourselves for the fullness of our redemption, that we might be loosed from the very last vestige of this bondage of vanity. But what sayest thou to this statement of our Lord, according as thou forgivest another (loose them from their offences toward you), so shalt thou be forgiven (loosed from all that presently holds you captive)?
The more we learn to be merciful unto others, the more we also shall be able to comprehend His mercy for us. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him”, (Ps. 103:11).


FEBRUARY 13 OVER A SACRIFICE

“Gather ye to Me My saints, making covenant with Me over a sacrifice.” (Psalm 50:6, Young’s Literal)

Covenant - a Hebrew word that means – a league, an eating. It speaks of partaking together, that vital COMMUNION, “He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood”, so partaking of Him that our life is changed and merged into one with His life. Such a covenant can only be made over a sacrifice. Many have made their vows, their covenants with God, only to break them in due time. He had blessed them and they rejoiced and made their vows, but as time passes the world draws them into its mesh, and they forget the vow they made unto the Lord.

Therefore, this covenant is made OVER A SACRIFICE. It is painful, it goes deep into the marrow of our being, and it costs us everything. Just as that merchant went seeking goodly pearls, and finding that pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had to buy that pearl, so also it will cost us everything of self; our ego, our own will, ambitions, plans, wishes. All is laid out before Him, consumed upon the altar of sacrifice. Indeed, we come to know what it means to offer ourselves “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service,” (Romans 12:1).

Betimes, we have offered up to Him our strengths, talents, and abilities, that He might use them in glad service. It was to the Lord, yes, but I dare say we also enjoyed it; self took its portion of the glory. Then He stripped us of all the gifts and graces wherein we rejoiced, and we offer up to Him our weaknesses, it is all we have left to give, and on the altar it goes, Broken, yes, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise,” (Ps. 51:17). We see the vision of a broken alabaster box, with its perfume pervading the atmosphere, for there are those fallen on the Stone, broken, and there they made a covenant with God to manifest only Christ.




FEBRUARY 14 OUT OF THE STONE AGE

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

“I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people,” (Heb. 13:10). Thus that which was written in the tables of stone must give way to that which is now written in heart and mind. There are plenty of people who still carry all their ‘tables of stone’, living in THE STONE AGE. Laws and standards, tenets of traditional creed by which they measure and brand all else as false, judging most freely, and using their ‘tables of stone’ to throw at, to beat, coerce others who do not follow their prescribed course. But God has a people which follow the promptings of the Spirit, because THE VOICE IS WITHIN, writing His laws in their heart and mind, and they are living a life which redounds to His glory, in freedom, joy, and peace.

He has to remove our stony heart just as much as we need to be loosed from the ‘tables of stone’, that it might be a living, pulsating, vibrant expression of truth. We are not left without a law, but no more is it engraved upon stone, as a letter that killeth, but it is a new ministration of the “Spirit, which giveth life”.

Many have rebelled against the restraints of the law; have cast it aside, to become lawless. They caught a glimpse of the freedom of the new, without possessing the SPIRIT OF THE NEW, thus use these truths for an occasion to the flesh. Jesus is our transition from the old into the new – not to abandon the old, He fulfilled it, and He will fulfill it in us, for “the righteousness of the law shall be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, (Rom. 5:4). The indwelling Spirit of God leads to a path of holiness far more exacting than the first covenant on tables of stone, yet it is wrought in freedom because it is HIS LIFE living the requirements in us.





FEBRUARY 15 THIS IS NO ACCIDENT

“Even though at present you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident – it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold, and gold, as you know, even though it is ultimately perishable, must be purified by fire. This proving of your faith is planned to result in praise and honour and glory in the day when Jesus Christ reveals Himself.”
(I Peter 1:6-7, Phillips)

This is no accident. It is a HAPPENING that is PLANNED to prove your faith! The responsibility is God’s, according to His plan and purpose being wrought out in us, that we might be found to His praise. Let us not be so quick to look for secondary causes, and forget that God is working out all things after the counsel of His own will. Nor did He just allow it, nay, HE PLANNED IT. We need to know wherein we stand, and in Whom we believe, else we shall not be able to stand in the “evil day”. But knowing that whatever shall touch our lives in the days, months, years to come, is in the purpose of God, under His sovereign control, and that IT IS NO ACCIDENT, then we can rest in His power and sufficiency to bring us through victoriously. All our circumstances are not just casually permitted; they are planned in His love.

No wonder it is written, “neither give place to the devil”, (Eph. 3:27). You cannot be GOD-CONSCIOUS and devil-conscious at the same time. Since God is working in His elect to bring them to that place where “the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me”, (John 14:30), it is obvious that all the ‘place’ in our minds where we have given room to the negative must be purged, and Christ totally enthroned, so that He alone fills our being with His consciousness.

Predetermined counsel working, ‘Tis the Father’s will for thee,
And no accident can happen, what He planned is what you see.

From our God all things receiving, single eye, in faith to stand,
Strengthened with the blest assurance, none can pluck us from His hand.


FEBRUARY 16 BUT GOD MEANT IT

“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. – So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. – As for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.” (Gen. 45:5,8; 50:20)

God wanted Joseph to get to Egypt, to be used to preserve life, and in the process of getting him there God causes his own brethren to sell him into servitude. But brothers, shall I say “why did you do it when it was God that told you to do it?” No, just look beyond all secondary causes, God chose the means to accomplish the sending, and ultimately it all worked into good, and to His glory and praise.

David was caused to flee his throne for a while, for his own son Absalom had conspired and risen against him. While going through a wilderness and deep valley, there was a man running along the hillside throwing down rocks and cursing David. One of those with David requested permission to take care of this evil man, but David answered, “So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? – Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him”,
(II Samuel 16:10-11).

Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus,” (Gal. 6:17). Never the marks of the soldiers, of the persecutors, or of the Romans. It wasn’t the marks of the whips and scourges, but the marks of the Lord Jesus. Negative forces weren’t ruling over him. It was all the mark of the Lord, received as from the hand of God. He saw the sovereign hand of God in all that crossed his path. Bound with chains and delivered into the hands of the Romans, he said, “now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ”, (Philemon 9).


Good or evil, let it be,
Mine eyes are single, Lord, to Thee.




FEBRUARY 17 RESIST THE DEVIL


“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

The pre-requisite is clearly stated, “Submit yourselves therefore to God”. The Greek word for ‘submit’ is ‘hupotasso’ meaning, to set in array under. Ah, is not this the purpose for all of our present processings? Until every part of our will bows to the will of God, and then we are able to resist the devil and he must flee from us. Fully set in array under the hand of God leaves us as ‘untouchable’ to all other forces. “My Father, - is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand,” (John 10:29).

Submitted, set in array under God, does require chastening to bring about such a submission. “Shall we much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live,” (Heb. 12:9). This is an individual challenge. He is my Father, and my submission to Him is essential if I shall ever truly LIVE. Too many only exist, torn between their own desires, and what they know to be right in God. To resist the circumstance, which He plans for our proving, is to resist the God who planned the circumstance. But as we learn to submit to Him in all things, then are we able to begin resisting the devil.

The word ‘resist’ means ‘to set’ or ‘place over against’. This is easily illustrated in the realm of our thinking. To be sure, God has been, and is dealing much with the ‘mind’, for we shall be “transformed by the renewing of our mind”. The mind has long been the battleground as evil forces seek to brainwash mankind. But we find that as we PLACE TRUTH, a positive thought over against every negative thought that arises, we gain the victory over the negative realm. Deliberately place positive thoughts over against the negative. This action is prompted and enabled by the indwelling of His Spirit. The strength for this work is His but we, through His enablement, “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”, (Phil. 2:12).




FEBRUARY 18 THOUGHTS OF DELIVERANCE

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day”, (Eph. 6:13). Time and space prevent us from examining all of the armour, but we would mention “the helmet of salvation”. Here the word salvation could equally be translated as DELIVERANCE. When the helmet, which is placed on our head, is covering our entire mind with THOUGHTS OF DELIVERANCE, then we cannot think thoughts of defeat. Would to God that whatever the situation is, the helmet that protects our thinking, and forbids us to think anything else, would be thoughts of victory, of His salvation.

We make the point clear, we do not teach, as some, that there is no evil power or devil. There are those instances of demon possession, and the demons must be cast out. But our point is our own personal relationships of where we LIVE IN HIM. We do not have to worship or give allegiance to any other force as in control of our trial or situation. We are to worship God as in control of all things that pertain to our life and walk in Him. As we keep our eyes on Him, our whole body shall be filled with light. Don’t worry about the things that are filling the atmosphere with the dust of confusion and turmoil. With His helmet of salvation upon our heads we can “mind the things of the Spirit”, and have a realm of victory even in the midst of our enemies. Though we watch the circumstance deteriorate, becoming steadily worse until our flesh would tremble in fear, we can gain dominion over it, rising to live above it all, when we wear the helmet of salvation, and allow only the truth of our God’s deliverance to control our mind.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; - yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord is my strength.” (Hab. 3:17-19). He gives me thoughts of deliverance!



FEBRUARY 19 YE ARE THE TEMPLE

“For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (II Corinthians 6:16)

From the time that Jesus declared “Your house is left unto you desolate”, (Matt. 23:38), and “The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom”, (Matt. 27:51), since that time our “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands”, (Acts 17:24).

There are two Greek words, which have been translated as ‘temple’, they are: HIERON, meaning a building, and NAOS, referring to the inner sanctuary. When the veil was rent asunder, as far as God was concerned, that building ceased to be a temple, naos, and thereafter was just a building, hieron. Then Paul picks up this word ‘naos’ and uses it exclusively when speaking of THE TEMPLE, INNER SANCTUARY, which is the new, living dwelling place of God. He dwelleth no more in temples, naos, made with hands, such are only building, but He dwelleth in the inner sanctuary of your heart and mine.

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building (making),” (Heb. 9:11). He is forming HIS TEMPLE with the “LIVING STONES” whom He is processing and preparing through the nitty-gritty of every day living. Renewed into the mind of Christ, for His dwelling shall be all of one mind, HIS! Brought to that place where from every avenue of our being we cry out, “not my will, but Thine be done”, His will is supreme in His entire house – supreme, yes, it is also the sole delight of all who are His temple. This living temple fulfills Haggai 2:9, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace”.


FEBRUARY 20 A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.” (Revelation 3:12)

A pillar is one who supports, bears the load without wavering, always stedfast, faithful. There is a place in God where we are “stedfast, unmoveable”, (I Corinthians 15:58), “being rooted and grounded in love”, (Ephesians 3:17).

God is establishing His pillars, and upon them He shall build His kingdom in the days ahead. The process of producing OVERCOMERS results in receiving those who do gain the victory, and thus qualify for becoming His “pillar and ground of the truth”, (I Tim. 3:15), from whence the kingdom shall arise. Settled in Christ they are not blown about by every wind of doctrine. Founded upon the Rock they need not run to and fro, to seek Christ in the desert or in the far city. He dwells within them, and they dwell in Him.

“All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when He lifteth up an ensign on the mountains,” (Isa. 18:3). God’s ensign, His pillar and ground of the truth, shall not be pointing in first one direction, and then with a change of mind point in another direction. These shall KNOW THEIR GOD, and they shall consistently point men to HIM. Their lives shall be a solid, living declaration of truth. Their state of being shall challenge men and women to right-ness.

The opposite of this elect company is found in Proverbs 5:6, which well describes the religious harlot systems of Babylon, “Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them”. Moveable ways! Nothing stable. As the waves of the sea, driven and tossed, double minded in all their ways. Trying to serve God and the flesh at the same time, it is utter con-fusion.

But the “pillars” whom the Lord is preparing “know in Whom they have believed”, thus changing circumstances do not alter their standing. Trials and testings do not dim their vision. HE IS, and they are IN HIM.
FEBRUARY 21 BUT WE SEE JESUS

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Heb. 2:9-10)

Although God has ordained that man should fill a position of rulership over all the works of His hands, presently we do not see all things in subjection to man, but we see JESUS, Who, by the grace of God, did fully conquer all, and HE is bringing many sons into this same glory.

When in the process of the unfolding of His purpose God would reveal Himself to mankind, it was in the form of man; the creaturely form of His own creation, and this expression of Himself is called JESUS. “The express image of His person”, (Heb. 1:3). God, in the totality of His omnipresence cannot be confined to one form of expression, nor can He who is Spirit be limited only to the material, physical realm. But in the glorious revelation of His expressions to mankind, we find Him in various dimensions and manifestations. ONE GOD, yet revealed as SON, then as the “indwelling Comforter, the holy Spirit”, and yet to be more clearly revealed, as THE FATHER. Lesser forms of revelation are never lost, nor cast aside; they are swallowed up into the more complete revelations of our God. Our transition cannot be made in just one grand leap, nor can our understanding grasp and comprehend the whole when we have just begun our walk into spiritual realities. But “then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord”, (Hosea 6:3).

The idea has been expressed that to ‘go on’ means leaving behind the ‘Jesus realm’, but let it be clear, the ministry of Jesus is not complete till He has not only brought many sons unto glory, but until SALVATION “TO THE UTTERMOST” (Heb. 7:25) has been brought to EVERY CREATURE. Thus He is “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever (for all ages)”, (Heb. 13:8).




FEBRUARY 22 THY KINGDOM COME

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:9-10)

The negative forces would daily affirm that this cannot be, and with the constant crisis and turmoil in the world, the present rule of corruption and evil, until “he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey”, (Isa. 59:15), it does seem to be an almost impossible dream. But Jesus clearly taught that when the situation was so bad that men’s hearts would fail them for fear, and “for looking after those things which are coming on the earth”, then we are to take courage. “For when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”. Furthermore, “when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand”. (Luke 21:26,28,31).

But even before the full kingdom age is manifested, the scriptures also teach that there are those who “have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world (age) to come”, (Heb. 6:5). Surely even now the firstfruits are tasting of this power, authority of the age to come, and they are learning to bow in submission to pray from their innermost being, “not my will, but Thine, be done”. And HIS KINGDOM is beginning to reign in the hearts of men.

Surely “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation”, (Luke 17:20), so that men may say, “Lo, here; or, Lo, there”. For His kingdom is among us, yes, within us, as daily we learn to submit to His sovereign rule. The Son, Jesus Christ, must rule until all enemies – all self-will, rebellion, lust, strife, within has been brought into His control. Then will He deliver the kingdom up to the Father, that God might be all in all. It is an everlasting kingdom, but in ascending degrees its glory expands. When all is delivered up, given over to the Father, it is that greater revelations might be realized than those confined to the “Son realm”, for the lesser is swallowed up into the greater, and the “in part” into the whole, glorious kingdom of God!



FEBRUARY 23 YOUR HEART SHALL REJOICE

“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”
(John 16:22)

Peter wrote that “now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: with the trial of your faith…” (I Peter 1:6). The testings and provings are not always easy to bear, the tears flow, and the flesh would cry for ways of escape. Sorrow is not something that is readily welcomed; it is endured when it overtakes us. Yet, the wise child of God can see that through these things God is preparing His people for a day of glory and victory, so that Paul could write, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”, (Romans 8:18). While the Phillips translation waxes even more eloquent, “whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing, compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us”.

“But I will see you again…” “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is,” (I John 3:2). That He will return again is a promise, that we shall see Him again is certain. Every revelation and unfolding of truth is helping to prepare us for this climactic hour, when “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven”, (Acts 1:11).

“And your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” So, “hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His Word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed,” (Isaiah 65:5). “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation,” (Isaiah 25:9). Tears are wiped away, the heart is filled with singing, and praises shall be lifted up to Him who comes to bless us with all spiritual blessings in Himself.

FEBRUARY 24 OUR UNCHANGEABLE GOD

“If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.”
(II Timothy 2:13)
“For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” (Romans 3:3)

Certainly, we recognize that faith is a necessity in the life of a believer, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”, (Heb. 11:6). But whether we believe God, or do not believe, that does not change God’s character. He is still the God, Victor over all. Were it possible for our unbelieving attitudes to have an effect upon God’s operations, then unbelief, not faith, would be the stronger. If, in our unbelief, we “limit the Holy One of Israel”, we do bring a restriction into our own lives, which God will then have to deal with. Paul once wrote, “Our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straightened in us, but ye are straightened in your own bowels”, (II Cor. 6:11-12). We become bound in ourselves, but God is not bound by us. His purpose shall be accomplished.

But, praise God, it is, as we do believe, open up our heart to trust and rely upon Him, that His victory begins to work in us in an experimental way. God was all-victorious before the ages of sin and selfhood began. He knew what was going to happen, for He planned that it should happen, and He has always been in total control, restraining what He did not purpose to use, and causing what He did purpose to use. But He not only is God of the past, He is God of the present, “by Him all things consist”, (Col. 1:17). The word “consist” coming from the Greek word meaning “to put and hold together”. Things can only fall apart to the extent He plans for them to fall apart, for He holds all the boundaries, holding together all things, working out His plan in perfect order. And, obviously, He is God of all our future, so that ultimately all things will have been worked together into our good, and for His praise. Past, present, future – forever He is God!




FEBRUARY 25 JOY AND LIFE CONSCIOUS

“Looking unto Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2

This word “despising” from a Greek word that means, “to think down”, which is just the opposite of mushrooming it out of proportion. He did not dwell on the shame of the cross and how awful the dying process, but He had respect unto the joy, which was set before Him. He was joy-conscious!

We read, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I life; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God”, (Galatians 2:20-21).

There has been much needed teaching on the death to self process, for without it there can be no resurrection into His more abundant life. But there comes a time when we need to become more LIFE-CONSCIOUS. Phillips gives, “My present life is not that of the old ‘I; but the LIVING CHRIST WITHIN ME”. In whatever measures of this new life we have our portion, let us rejoice. As we daily commit our way unto the Lord, He is going to bring about a certain amount of the death process during that day, but at the same time He is also going to LIVE HIS LIFE THROUGH US, as it is needed. You will not have to worry about “dying’ during the day, He will see to it that this is accomplished. But it will certainly bring a new manifestation of victory if we become more LIFE-CONSCIOUS, and begin to see the Hand of God working in us to bring forth the expressions of His life.

Betimes, when going through a trial and inner death to self, one would ask, “how are things going?” and I would answer, “just fine”. Then wonder if I was being hypocritical. Then He said to me, “When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto Thy Father which is in heaven”. And the principle was clear – rejoice in His joy and life, regardless of the temporary conditions. Confess His victory!

FEBRUARY 26 ADD TO…

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this giving all diligence, add to… (II Peter 1:4-5)

Add to your faith virtue…knowledge…temperance…patience…godliness…brotherly kindness…charity.

In Genesis 37:3 we read that Joseph had a “coat of many colours”. We find a literal Hebrew translation actually gives “many pieces”. That each piece was also of a different colour would add to the splendor of the garment, but the underlying truth is that it took many pieces to make up the whole new coat. One piece was not sufficient to cover Joseph, much of his body would have been left exposed and naked, and so piece was added to piece until there was enough to fully cover him.

The glorious truth of salvation through faith is not enough to meet all the need of the hour. Truths of sanctification will not fully cover either. Blessed revelation of the infilling of the Spirit with gifts and graces added is also beautiful. And thus ever onward, adding truth upon truth, until the new man, the “hidden man of the heart” shall be fully clothed with a new coat.

“Besides this, giving all diligence, ADD TO”…ALL OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF His divine character being wrought in us. Made partakers of the DIVINE NATURE. Great and precious promises which are given, and then experimentally worked into us until we are possessors, not just “professors”. “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 1:8). ADDING TO, until we abound. There is an abundance in Him, and the more we “grow in Christ”, then “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord”. (II Peter 1:11). What vast horizons are placed before those who go on to perfection!


FEBRUARY 27 NIGHT TIME INSTRUCTION

“For God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.” (Job 33:14-16)

What a marvelous token of His love to us-ward. Caught up with the cares of the day, holding our mind to the job that we might do it right, and we bemoan the fact that we do not have enough time to “study” and wait upon the Lord for the answers to our problems. Weary and exhausted we retire to our bed, and find that GOD BEGINS TO IMPART. Well He knows, that if we were conscious of all the instruction we received, we would tell His secrets prematurely to others, or miss-use that knowledge for the building up of the flesh, and the kingdoms of men. So He sealeth up their instruction. But in due time the need arises, and our heart cries out to God for help, and the holy Spirit, who was sent to bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever He had told us, brings forth to our conscious mind that instruction which the Lord sealed up during the “night seasons”.

Many have grappled with a problem all day, unable to find an answer, so they prayed, committed it to the Lord, and went to bed to sleep. Yet in the morning as they arose and their mind turned again to the problem, they found they knew the answer. Where did it come from? Ah, out of the thoughts of the night, God has implanted that needed fragment of knowledge.

The Psalmist must have experienced this also. “I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.” (Psalm 16:70). How wonderful to know that GOD IS THERE, through the night seasons, to impart of His wisdom and understanding, to quiet our hearts, speak peace to the inner man, and to give courage to face a new day with positive attitudes. Blessed is the one who finds “his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night”, (Psalm 1:2).

Then out of the night shall come a song,
His truth prevails over every wrong.

FEBRUARY 28 AS, AND YET

“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, - as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live.’ (II Corinthians 6:4,8-9)

Because of the LIVING CHRIST within him, Paul found he could be approved as a minister of God, whether it be “by honour or dishonour, by evil report or by good report”. If they spoke evil of him, he just continued to live pleasing to the Lord. If they spoke well of him, he did not take an ego trip, for he knew it was the grace of God that enabled the good report. It is God all the way. And then he lists some interesting “as” with counterparts of “yet”.

“As deceivers, AND YET TRUE.” Many certainly viewed him as a deceiver, for his doctrine was certainly different from the organized religious systems. But the fact was, AND YET TRUE, for he had received by revelation from the Lord the wonderful gospel of reconciliation and total triumph.

“As unknown, and YET WELL KNOWN.” Surely many have experienced what it means to be stripped of everything, reputation, fame, etc., to become one of God’s unknown ones. In the circles of men counted as a nobody. Yet there is a sense in which we are well known, as we are joined to those of “like precious faith” in a bond of love and oneness in which it seems we never were strangers. And uniquely enough, when someone needs help, they know just where to find you, drawn to the Christ within you.

“As dying, and, behold, WE LIVE.” There is a dying, being reviled we cannot strike back; there is no power or right for personal defense. Our rights are laid aside, “turning the other cheek”; we are being crucified with Him. But also living with Him, because of the inflow of His power. “He that hath the Son hath life,” (I John 5:12). Nor is it an off again on again, now you have it, now you don’t. He ever liveth! This is coming into an age-abiding life, continuous and constant. Though the billows roll on, and the storms continue to blow, though there are still areas of self to which we must die, yet that life we have received shall not diminish, it only leads into that which is more abundant.
FEBRUARY 29 MORE “AS, AND YET”

“As chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (II Corinthians 6:9-10)

“As chastened, YET NOT KILLED.” Chastened – to be child trained, with all of its disciplines. Many see only the rod, and all they can talk about is the rod, till they think they must be some awful children to need such discipline. Better to see that God has purposed to develop us for His special purposes, hence all the extra love and attention from His hand. And we are not killed. It is not to diminish, but to enlarge our capacity for greater degrees of fruitfulness and glory of His life.

“As sorrowful, YET ALWAYS REJOICING.” There is a godly sorrow; which worketh repentance, a change of mind, until we are clothed with His mind. We also know what it is to be sorrowful over the conditions of darkness and unbelief around us. Yet, through it all there is a rejoicing because of that kingdom soon to be manifest, because we rejoice in the knowledge that God has it all under control, because though “weeping endures for a night, joy cometh in the morning”.

“As poor, YET MAKING MANY RICH.” So stripped of all self’s resources we have no confidence in the flesh. We can of our own selves do nothing. Yet, because of CHRIST LIVING WITHIN, there is that which flows out to encourage, strengthen, edify, and yes, to make others rich in Him.

“As having nothing, YET POSSESSING ALL THINGS.” The more we are processed by His grace, the less we lay claim to anything. No more “my ministry” or “my gifts”, but we go out as He bids, carrying neither script nor purse, and yet there is that abounding of His grace so that we truly possess all things and have no lack. He has become our sufficiency. How simultaneously one can feel so empty, and yet so full, is a fact almost beyond explanation. Out of our nothingness and into His fullness. Only those who experience it know so great a paradox. He truly is our wonderful and bountiful Supply.

Ray Prinzing

Sister Doris Prinzing
1130 Allumbaugh St. Apt 257
Boise, Id 83704-8700

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