A FLAME OF FIRE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 31, 2012
A FLAME OF FIRE



I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Revelation 3:15

The Holy Spirit is here to cause you to be on fire--to do God's work with intensity, passion and joy in the Holy Ghost.  When the Holy Ghost came on the day of Pentecost, it manifested itself as a flame of fire.  He still manifests in the same way-- in us. We must stay filled (hot) with the power of the Holy Ghost through prayer and communion with God, devotion to His Word, and fellowship with one another.  And then we must move with power and certainty as we accomplish God's will.  God hates lukewarmness.  In fact, in Revelation 3:16, the Scripture tells us: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." What does it mean to be lukewarm?  Have you ever been around an environment where nothing much is happening, and for a certainty not much will happen the next day, or the next.  Every so often the congregation may do a work of service or something, but the fire of the Spirit of God is not moving.. 

Yes, fire moves with great force.  We must be hot with the preaching of the gospel, hot with compassion and good works, hot like the Apostles in the book of Acts who were "full of joy" with the countenance of God:  "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance"( Acts 2:28).

God wants to reveal the ways of life to you so that you can move in His Spirit and be full of joy.  God's way of life is the way of resurrection.  After the flesh has been crucified, you shall rise up a new creation and live in the Spirit.  As a new creation you will drink continually from His fount of life, the Holy Ghost, and it is in Him you shall live and move and have your being (read Acts 17:28).

Today, let us move in the Spirit and let us be flames of fire!

NO NEED FOR FLATTERIES

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 30, 2012

NO NEED FOR FLATTERIES

  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32

In the last days, the enemy of our soul will attempt to corrupt God's people by flatteries.  The devil will seduce you, smooth talk you into believing his lie.  If you are inclined to add to or discount the Scriptures you are a prime candidate for the fall.  We must love the Word of God and we must cleave to the truth.  Moreover, we must interact with others with the blessed assurance that God is the only one who can provide for us and protect us.  We have no need  to walk in a spirit of flattery in order to get anything from anyone.  All things belong to God and we need to be sober about God's WORD.

Today, there is no need for flatteries.

FILLED AND OVERFLOWING

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 29, 2012

FILLED AND OVERFLOWING


Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalm 23:5

Jesus will anoint you and baptize you with His Holy Spirit if you ask Him to fill you.  It is His desire that you are filled and overflowing with His Spirit.  Speaking in tongues will be the result of this baptism, the evidence of it.  Then you will begin a life-long journey of asking and desiring to be re-filled.  When you speak in tongues you are edifying your inner man, giving him the resources to please God in spirit and in truth. The Scriptures give us insight into this filling of the Spirit in the book of John 7:36-38:

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

As you continue to walk with God, make sure you ask Him for the drink of living water that will satisfy your soul.  He will fill you up and cause your cup to run over.

Today, Jesus wants to fill you with The Spirit of the Lord.

THE HOPE OF GLORY

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 28, 2012

THE HOPE OF GLORY

Even the mystery that has been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you the hope of glory.  Colossians 1:26,27

Jesus enters the door of our lives by knocking on our hearts.  We let him in and from there Jesus desires to possess the entire vessel, the entire body.  Christ in us is the hope of glory.  When we are filled with the presence of Christ, the glory of God can be seen and felt.  We feel Him and we bear witness to His power as others look upon our lives.  Yes, we must be filled with the presence of Christ Jesus to show forth the glory of God.

Today, let us be filled with Christ Jesus-- for this is the hope of glory!

THE POWER OF VIRTUE

IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 27, 2012

THE POWER OF VIRTUE

And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.  Luke 8:46

Virtue is divine or miraculous power.  In Luke 8:46, a woman who had been sick for twelve years had finally found her cure.  She needed virtue to flow into her—so she reached out for Jesus, managing to touch the hem of his garment.  As she touched Jesus, the bible tells us that He immediately perceived: “virtue is gone out of me.”  The divine power of God had immediately made her whole.  That is the power of virtue and it is still flowing from Jesus today.

"Who can find a virtuous woman?  For her price is far above rubies” (Proverbs31:10).  Why is this virtuous woman so valuable?  No doubt,  it was this virtue that enabled her to move in the Spirit and produce good things.  She does good  and not evil; she  seeketh wool and flax and worketh willingly with her hands; she bringeth food; she riseth early; she considereth a field; she buyeth it; she planteth a vineyard; she girdeth her loins with strength; she layeth her hand to the spindle; she stretcheth out her hand to the poor; she maketh herself coverings; she maketh fine linen and selleth it; she delivers to the merchants; she openeth her mouth with wisdom; her tongue is the law of kindness; she looketh well to the ways of her household (read Proverbs 31).

Wow, the virtuous woman spoken of in Proverbs 31 is flowing in power.  She is full of this energetic life giving power—she indeed is full of the Holy Ghost!  She seems to know what she needs to do and actively and powerfully moves to accomplish her many tasks.  She is valuable to her  husband and family and community. 

The Bible tells us in Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."  Yes, Jesus planned for His church to be filled with power.  The baptism of the Holy Ghost is necessary to accomplish God’s task and to bear witness to Christ’s majesty and show forth His virtue. 

Today, as we bear witness to Christ, let us bear witness to the power of virtue.  Happy Pentecost!

HE MUST INCREASE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 25, 2012

HE MUST INCREASE

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. I John 4:4

God is greater than anything or anyone in the world, no doubt.  But we must allow Him to be greater in us by letting our light shine forth with His glory, without diminishing it.  Yes, He must increase in us through prayer, through fellowship with the believers, through daily devotion. 

Today, Let God increase in you and in me.

I LOVE YOU, LORD

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 23, 2012

I LOVE YOU, LORD


 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

The surrendered life is the sign of great love.  Are you willing to lay your life down for the One who calls you friend?  It is easy to say, "I love you," but are you willing to feed His sheep?  Are you willing to sell all that you have to follow Him?  Will you generously and passionately allow Him to lead you into the perfect day He has prepared for you?
Today, let us love our LORD.!

LASER LIGHT

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 22, 2012

LASER LIGHT


The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  Matthew 6:22

God desires for us to be singly focused on His work, serving him with joy and generosity.  This will cause our light to rise out of obscurity and shine as the brightness of the noonday sun (read Isaiah 59).

Today, let us focus on His work-- done His way!

KINGS AND THEIR QUEENS

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 20, 2012

KINGS AND THEIR QUEENS

And kings shall be thy  nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Isaiah 49:23

God has established for kings and their queens to nurse and cherish Israel with the gospel of peace.  Kings and their queens will minister salvation to Israel.  For all Israel shall be saved!

COUNSELORS OF PEACE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 18, 2012

COUNSELORS OF PEACE

 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.  Proverbs 12:20

Do you counsel....peace?  Do you imagine good for your neighbor, for your self?  Do you trust that God is bringing good to your life; do you trust that He is bringing peace to you?
Today, let us be those counselors of peace.

THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY, 15, 2012

THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Proverbs 12:24

In the Kingdom of God there are diligent hands.  The slack hand (Proverbs 10:4) must be healed and made whole.  What is the slack hand?  The slack hand attempts to do the work of God, but stops, stalls--like a car  en route to a certain destination, but simply gets rerouted, detoured or can only make it half way. No, in  the Kingdom of God we have diligent hands; we stay on top of the task and bring it to fruition.  Yes, we bear fruit for God.  And because we have these hands of the diligent, we walk in dominion.  This is how the Kingdom works!

Today, let Jesus heal your slack hand.

DO YOU HAVE PASSION, ENOUGH?

 IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 13, 2012

DO YOU HAVE PASSION, ENOUGH?
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44

In order to accomplish the will of God, we must enter into a passion of the Spirit.  For the bible tells us , "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).  In the Garden of Gethsemene Jesus, though he was "in an agony...he prayed more earnestly."  This is the passion that the children of God are called to in these last days.  In order for a peculiar people of God to demonstrate the power and wonder of God, we must have passion-- not of the flesh but of the Spirit.  We must be extra-ordinary as we purpose in our hearts to accomplish what God designs and desires. 

Today, passion!

THE OPERATION BELONGS TO GOD

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 10, 2012

THE OPERATION BELONGS TO  GOD



 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:12

The bible tells us that we are complete in Christ Jesus.  We are buried with Christ in baptism and we are risen with him in resurrection.  How does this all work:  "through faith in the operation of God."  God is working out our resurrection--He is working "everything together for good" (Romans8:28) to bring us to abundant life in Christ Jesus.  He is working on our faith, building it, causing us to believe the impossible.  He is renewing our hope and strengthening our hand.  He is operating in every circumstance of our life so that we will be who He designed us to be: complete in Christ Jesus.

Today, let us have faith in the operation of God.

COVERED IN GLORY

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 9, 2012

COVERED IN GLORY

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
 I Corinthians 11:3-10

Because the woman is the glory of the man, and the man is the head of the woman, the woman is to represent this relationship by wearing a head-covering or veil or hat in public worship.  Just as Christ is under the governance of God, man is to be under the governance of Christ and woman is to be under the governance of her man.  According to the Word of God, a woman who chooses to dishonor her head, is really stripping herself of any glory; she might as well have her head shaved and go about as a dishonored woman.  The woman's glory and honor is in direct relation to her submission to her husband.  The head-covering worn in public worship will remind the "angels" (see Revelation 2:1; 3:1) that the woman is under the power and  protection  of her husband. 

The church of God is to walk in order and under the rule, reign and glory of Almighty God.  God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of man; and man is the head of the woman.  This is the way the Kingdom works.

Today, let the women of God be covered in glory!

THE IMAGE AND GLORY OF GOD

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 8, 2012

THE IMAGE AND GLORY OF GOD


For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. I Corinthians 11:7
In the Kingdom of God there is divine order which was instituted at creation.  Man is the image and glory of God, made in the likeness of God.  Man must be born again of the Spirit to become a son of God and to have dominion in the Kingdom of God, which rules heaven and earth.  To be born again is to receive the forgiveness of sin through Christ Jesus and to confess and submit to Him as LORD over your life.  In the Kingdom of God, man is under the authority of Jesus Christ; Jesus is the head and ruler of man.  Man must stay in continual communion with Christ through prayer, fasting, daily confession and repentance of sin, worship, devotion in the Word and fellowship with the saints. 

When man is under sin, sin is his covering.  The glory of God is not seen.  The man under sin is a slave to sin, and must do what sin demands.  Gossip, pride, arrogancy, hate, contention, discord; these belong to the man enslaved to sin. 

In the Church of God, man is not to cover his head with a covering, thus representing that he is a man of God-- freed from sin, in communion with Christ Jesus his LORD.  It is this man, like my blessed husband,  who possesses the glory of God:  so good, righteous and needed in the earth!


Today, let us revere and behold the glory of God in man.

ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 6, 2012

ONE THING IS NEEDFUL:  JESUS


Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.   And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Luke 10:38-42

So often Christians want to focus on and be "troubled about" many things.  But the Kingdom of God is about Jesus:  He is the One thing that is needful.  Yes, we desire the gifts of the spirit, baptism,holiness, keys to the kingdom, speaking in unknown tongues, prayer, praise, fasting, but the Kingdom of God is centered on Jesus--  His life, His death, His sacrifice, His resurrection and His reign.  He is our King of kings, The Door, our Wonderful,  Fairest of Ten Thousand, Savior and Lord.

Today, let it all be about JESUS!

LOVE AND HATE: THEY GO TOGETHER

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 3, 2012

LOVE AND HATE: THEY GO TOGETHER

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26

The kingdom of God consist of those who love God.  When we love someone we honor them; we make the choice to esteem them above all else.  This is the nature of love--it is sacrificial.  In the Kingdom of God, you will find opposition to your love, something or someone that causes you to weaken your walk, your devotion.  It will pull on you and tug on you until you must choose to  move passionately toward God. This passionate move often requires suffering.  It is "taking up one's cross."  The cross is the divine symbol of the Kingdom of God.  For it reminds us of our Savior, JESUS, "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).

In the kingdom of God, we have to constantly make choices that affirm that God is first in our life.  These are often tough choices.  God absolutely wants us to walk in fellowship and agreement with our families if possible; but when it is not possible, we must have strength to walk with God alone.  In Matthew, Jesus models for us what it looks like to prefer the Kingdom of God over flesh:
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Matthew 12: 46-50

Today, let us love God, passionately-- and be blessed in His Kingdom.

THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, MAY 2, 2012

THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY


And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. Mark 16:3,4

This life in Christ Jesus is a life of resurrection. This is not a life of self-will.  It is Christ in us bringing forth freedom, liberation and glory.  By submitting to God's authority, we are empowered to be free of circumstances, like tombs, that try to bind us.

Romans 6:13 tells us that we are to yield ourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead.  "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).
Yes, we can praise God that the the stone of sin, fear, death, and the law of commandments has been rolled away.  "If the son shall therefore make you free, you are free indeed" (John 8:36).

Today, let us know that the stone has been rolled away.