Saints Call Upon God

SAINTS CALL UPON GOD

Part two of seven devotions in Warrior Saint series

Isaiah 7:11:  “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or the highest heights.”

             Believers-in-Christ are saints.  Saints are positioned in Christ.  He is our righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).  He is our salvation (Acts 4:12).

            Modern saints have the same privileges that Biblical saints had.  We have license to accomplish similar wonders for God!   We just need to understand what opportunities and authority we have, and how to use them. 

            Jesus gave Peter keys to the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 16:19 (authority to announce guilt or innocence, as in Mathew 18:18, and Acts 5:3 and 9).  Peter used these keys on Pentecost in Acts 2, urging fellow Jews into the kingdom. … Then, Gentiles in Acts 10! 

            Saints continue growing into disciples—faithfully lifting up to the Father seemingly impossible petitions, never doubting—developing courage to wait patiently, reverently, after calling upon God.  We continue on our paths doing whatever is within our power and authority (2 Corinthians 13;10, 1 Thessalonians 4:2).

“Make thy petition deep, O heart of mine,

Thy God can do much more

Than thou canst ask;

Launch out on the Divine,

Draw from His love-filled store.

Trust Him with everything;

Begin today,

And find the joy that comes

When Jesus has His way!”

--Selected

            Setting our sails to catch the wind that we can’t create; placing ourselves before the Lord to obey His Spirit’s command, which we cannot control; these are things He bids us to do so that we come under the power and influence of His mighty breath.—paraphrased Selected

            “Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old?  Where is the God of Elijah? He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him!”  —Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich 

Take Home Nugget

            Fellow saints, we are on the exact level as the greatest Biblical saints we read about!  The same unseen forces in the spiritual world that were at their command—which made them spiritual super heroes—are readily available to us today! 

            May we ask for the same faith, the same hope and the same love they showed in order to achieve great wonders.

            May prayers spoken from our mouths be as powerful to rain down grace from God’s Spirit as the rain and fire Elijah’s mouth spoke (1 Kings 18)!

Heavenly Father, May Your will be carried down from heaven to Earth through Your kids’ prayers.  We lift up to You this petition asking for faith enough to speak Your Words with compete confidence that we’re accomplishing Your will—in the precious name of Your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

              

Adapted from “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman.  June 5, 2016. www.Crosswalk.com/devotionals/desert

J.D. Griffith

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Spiritual Fragrance

SPIRITUAL FRAGRANCE

Part one of seven devotions in Warrior Saint series

Deuteronomy 28:7:  “The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you.  They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.”

            Twelve year old Missy watched kids splashing each other in the pool’s shallow end.  Then she confided to her best friend, Cassie, “Every morning I wake up thanking God for His love.” 

            Cassie sprayed sun block on herself before lying down on her towel beside Missy.  She responded, “God’s love is awesome!  Being God’s kid gives me confidence.”

            “I feel Jesus hugging me when I wake up. … Why confidence?”

            Cassie explained, “There is sooo much wrong in the world!  I hear my parents talk.  Mom wrings her hands, wanting to help people.  Dad wants to change stuff.  When I wake up, I thank God for the confidence to even get out of bed!”

            Missy said, “Life doesn’t scare me.  Of course, I don’t hear horror stories, either.”

            “Unseen evil surrounds people every day.” Cassie commented.  (See the lesson linked, below). 

            “Okay.” Missy relented.  “But what’s unseen doesn’t scare me.  Do you think demons and evil angels pick fights with good angels—in a different realm?”

            “Nonstop!” Cassie said, giggling.  “Let’s not ruin our fun day with spooky unseen evil lurking.”  Cassie wiggled her fingers at Missy saying eerily, “Whhhhoo!”  

            “Stop!”  Missy laughed.

            Jesus knew where unseen evil lurked as He walked on earth with His disciples.  Once, landing on the far shore across the lake from Galilee, a demon-possessed man from town greeted Jesus.   Wearing tatters of cloth over his bony skeleton, he fell at Jesus’ feet.

            “What do You want, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  Please don’t torture me!” he screeched.

            “What is your name?” Jesus asked.

            “Legion,” the man answered.  “Many demons live here.  Please don’t order us into the Abyss!” they pleaded with Jesus, sounding like many voices coming out of one man.  “We prefer entering the herd of pigs eating on the hillside,” he (they) asked, hopefully.

            “I give you permission to do so.” Jesus said.

            Immediately, the demons poured out of the man and entered the pigs.  The entire herd rushed down the steep embankment into the lake and drowned. 

             When word spread to the town what happened, people came to investigate.  Jesus sat with the man sitting at His feet—washed, dressed, calm and talking in his right mind.  

            The crowd was afraid of what power Jesus possessed to cure this man.  “Leave us,” they asked Jesus.

            Jesus prepared to get into the boat.  The man grabbed Jesus’ arm, “Take me with You,” he pleaded.

            Jesus took his hand into His own, saying, “Go back to your town.  Tell what God has done for you.”  (Luke 8:26-39).

Take Home Nugget

            Whenever the devil or his demons encounter Jesus, they flee.  Cassie is correct to rise from sleep with confidence.  She will be unharmed throughout the day because Jesus lives in her. 

            Cassie oozes a spiritual fragrance which evil spirits detect and which causes them to tremble.  Remember Believers, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4).  No curse, accusation, threat or destruction planned against you can succeed.

Thank You, Father, for radiating a spiritual fragrance from me that causes evil to flee from me seven ways!  Amen. 

              

Adapted from “See Your Enemies Flee Because of Jesus” by Rev. Joseph Prince.  June 6, 2016. www.josephprince.org.

J.D. Griffith

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Finished and Done

FINISHED AND DONE

John 19:30:  “When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

            Believers claim many “finished work on the cross” accomplishments to thank Jesus for.  Thirst devotion named some: salvation for eternal life, all sins forgiven, reconciled to the Father who sees us as righteous, holy and redeemed. 

            But what about troubles we’re battling right now?

            What about people suffering sicknesses?  What about debt collectors banging on people’s doors?  What about unhappy marriages?  Can they see how Jesus’ finished work on the cross applies to their distress?

            Can Jesus increase His Believers’ faith during times of trouble to trust that His work is truly finished?

            The Father has a message for you: “What you’re desperate for has already been done!  My Son’s finished work on the cross satisfied me completely.  ‘It IS done!’ I said with a loud voice from My throne from heaven.  (Revelation 16:17). 

            “What Jesus said on earth, I agreed from heaven!

            “Whatever you need is done.  Jesus’ finished work has already been accomplished.  Can you trust Me?  I say, ‘don’t worry.’  What you see and feel are the devil’s lies.  But you belong to Me!  My Word is truth.  You can believe that the devil’s lies must eventually line up with My truth.  Besides, the devil is defeated!

            “When I look at you, I see Jesus’ righteousness and holiness.  I love to hear you confess My Son’s righteousness every day, because that’s true.  My truth is eternal.  Your spoken word agrees with My Word.  All the worldly lies you see or feel must eventually line up with My eternal truth! 

            “I understand your frustration if you don’t immediately SEE your healing or provision.  Everyone reading this already believes in Jesus, and has My Spirit guiding you in My truth.  Keep praying, keep asking, keep confessing and keep believing My truth. 

            “I want you to SEE your healing finished.  Look to Jesus.  He accomplished your healing by His suffering.  I’m asking you to BELIEVE that your restoration has already been accomplished by His death on the cross.  I’m eager to HEAR your thanks and praise for healing or deliverance.  Angels are poised to chime in with your thanking and praising Jesus—for your victory is in Him!” 

Take Home Nugget

            God the Son said, “It is finished!”

            God the Father said, “It is done!”

            What do you say?

“Heavenly Father, I’m so scared when I cannot see Your healing and provision!  Please increase my faith enough to trust that Jesus finished work on the cross is done.  I confess being Your righteousness in Him today and every day.  Thank You, Jesus!  In Your name I lift up this desperate prayer, Amen.”

              

Adapted from “See the Work Accomplished” by Rev. Joseph Prince.  June 2, 2016. www.josephprince.org.

J.D. Griffith

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Thirst

THIRST

1 John 4:15-17:  “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we rely on the love God has for us.

“God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like Him.”

            “I am thirsty.” Jesus said in John 19:28 as He hung on the cross.

            Jesus’ thirst didn’t come the same way people get thirsty.  Jesus became our burnt offering sacrifice during the crucifixion.  Breathing was torturously difficult, yet Jesus did utter a few words from the cross …

            “He said to His mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’  From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”  (John 19:26-27).  John cared for Mary from then on.  

             Jesus may have mentally checked off each Scripture He fulfilled.  Then, realizing that He accomplished all that His Father assigned, Jesus said, “It is finished.” 

            Believers thank Jesus for so many benefits we receive from His finished work on the cross: we’re saved for eternal life, forgiven of sins, reconciled to the Father, seen as righteous, holy and redeemed (1 Corinthians 1:30).

            We can only do this because of Jesus’ thirst, sacrificed as our burnt offering.

            Leviticus 1:3-4 details burnt offerings: “If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to be a male without defect. … He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.”

            Atonement [a-TONE-ment] means punishment / compensation.  Jesus is a male without defect.  The Father bellowed His acceptance of him from heaven in Matthew 3:17: “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”    

            Jesus became the LAST burnt offering to make atonement for human sin!  Thousands of animals sacrificed before never satisfied the Father permanently.  He sentenced Jesus to death as atonement for sin (punishment).  He transferred Jesus’ perfection and righteousness to Believers (compensation).  God sees His redeemed kids as transferred perfection—from Christ.   

  

            Jesus covers our sin with His righteousness daily.  Check the lesson linked below for detailed assignments from the father.       

          

Take Home Nugget

            Smell the heat rising from the burning sacrifice.  Does that sting your eyes?  Does Jesus sacrifice humble us to worship Him with thanks every day?

Thank You, Father, for the faith to believe in Jesus as my burnt offering, who covers me with His righteousness!  Thank You, Jesus, for covering me today and every day with Your perfect righteousness.  Amen.

              

Adapted from “Jesus Has You Covered” by Rev. Joseph Prince.  May 29, 2016. www.josephprince.org.

J.D. Griffith

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Fullness of God

FULLNESS OF GOD

Ephesians 3:16-19:  “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know His love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Emphasis mine).

           

            “Where’s Jeremy?” Twelve year old Cassie asked Missy when she noticed his absence at the swimming pool.

            “His dad had a heart attack.”

            “Oh no!” Cassie gasped.  “How can we help?” she screeched.

            Believers are urged to revere God by doing things that sound religious during times of trouble.  Fasting from eating food to align with God’s will sounds religious.  “Praying in Tongues” also sounds religious.  But Cassie and Missy only prayed aloud together for Jeremy’s dad to heal.  Then they played, swimming and laughing the rest of their day. 

            Cassie’s conscience didn’t nag her to be sad for Jeremy’s dad.  She knew that her role for caring—as Jeremy’s friend—was done.  Cassie uses the keys to the kingdom Jesus gives Believers (through Peter) to use in Matthew 16:19.  Confident that the Father heard their prayer, Cassie knew that His will would be done.  

            Cassie lifted up her petition to God, confidently trusting His love and handling her trouble.  

            Can you agree that Cassie is covenantally aligned with God?  What else is Believer’s responsibility?   To be full of God is to be full of health, abundance and success.  Isn’t that what all Believers want?  How can we achieve the fullness of God?

            To be full of God is not about what we do, or about how much we love God.  It concerns knowing the love Christ has for us!  When Believers know how much God loves us and we focus on His love FOR us, we become full of Him. 

            God designed us to operate at optimum level when we’re full of His love.  Realizing and feeding on God’s love supernaturally fills us with God’s fullness.  God’s fullness brings wholeness.  Wholeness is included in salvation, by faith.  Wholeness generates total wellness, peace, and abundance. 

            Check out the lesson linked below, for more fullness of God that may delight you.

Take Home Nugget 

            Are you ready for the next verse?  Ephesians 3:20 broadcasts, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,” experience the explosion of blessings of God!  (Emphasis mine.)

Nourish me with Your love through Jesus today, heavenly Father!

              

Adapted from “Getting Filled with All the Fullness of God” by Rev. Joseph Prince.  May 26, 2016. www.josephprince.org.

J.D. Griffith

Traditional, Words By: Anna B. Warner
Music By: Wm. B. Bradbury,Copyright Unknown

 

Jesus loves me! This I know, 
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Fullness of God

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Propitiation

PROPITIATION

Romans 5:6-11

Romans 5:6:  “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

            Propitiation [pro-pit-chi-A-shon].  Don’t you love learning new words?  This one is a doozy.  Propitiation means satisfying another’s anger.  Placate, appease, mollify,   soothe, pacify all define the word propitiation.  A deeper understanding of propitiation is:  Giving something in exchange for something else.

            In other words, soothing another’s anger comes with a price.  We all can relate.  Just saying, “I’m sorry” rarely satisfies the one who’s been wronged.  An exchange of gifts or favors usually sets things right. 

            Our heavenly Father sets the rules.  He originally decided that forgiveness of sin must ALWAYS be paid for with blood.  This is because blood is the life force in a living being (Leviticus 17:11).  The Bible’s Old Testament is filled with priests sacrificing animals for forgiveness of people’s sins.

             “The wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23).  Christ shed His blood and died as the LAST sacrifice in exchange for the Father’s forgiveness of peoples’ sins. 

            Ephesians 1:7 promises, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  A great exchange! 

 We get life from death!

            Jesus dying for us is His most awesome act of love.  Why would He willingly come to earth as a human/divine baby?  He had to learn how to be human, then grasp His divinity—AND His Father’s purpose.  Can you accept that you are on earth to fulfill the Father’s will?  Imagine if you learned that you were born on earth to DIE!

            And worst of all: death by crucifixion!

            Our Father’s plan to rescue humans from certain eternal death provided everything we need for salvation:

            Redemption.  Jesus’ shed blood and death paid the sin debt humans accumulated since Adam’s (Genesis 3:6).  Everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior is redeemed from death to life.

            Propitiation.  The Father accepted Jesus’ death as payment for sins in exchange for forgiveness of human sins.

            Forgiveness.  The Father’s justice is satisfied.

            Justification.  Jesus’ sacrifice satisfied the Father to declare Believers not guilty.  In addition, while we still sin in our earthly lives, our Father sees His kids as righteous as His Son.  And He promises to never change His mind.

            Healing.  Isaiah 53:5 promises, “By His wounds we are healed.”   

  

            Reconciliation [rek-kon-SIL-i-a-shon.  Christ’s death bombed that wall of sin separating us from the Father.  Now His kids are free to roam straight into His throne room and pile up on His lap anytime we want to!    

        

Take Home Nugget

            Crucifixion was the ONLY way humans could have been redeemed.  Because our lives are so important, Jesus agreed to the Father’s plan to rescue us from certain and permanent death.

           

Thank You Jesus for sacrificing Yourself for me!  Amen.

  

Adapted from “The Greatest act of Love” by Dr. Charles Stanley.  April 9-10, 2016. www.intouch.org.

J.D. Griffith

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