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Word for Today:  November 30

Behold Jesus as a Perfect Man

ALL the miracles that Jesus performed while He was on earth were performed by a Human Being Full of the Holy Ghost and Power.  What He did… we can do.  What He accomplished as a Man, we can accomplish as men and women full of the Holy Ghost and living in that anointing.

He spoke to storms and they stopped.  He spit and made mud from it, put it on blind eyes and they were opened.  He confronted demon powers and they feared and trembled and begged for mercy.  He touched crippled and broken bodies and they were made whole.   He spoke healing to the sick and diseased and they were healed.  He received sinners and had mercy on the guilty.  He loved the unlovable and had compassion on the masses.  He raised the dead… cleansed lepers… resisted the devil… opened graves… interrupted funerals and restored the dead to their families…   He made wine out of water… friends out of enemies… peace out of confusion and torment… joy out of sadness and Heaven out of hell…  And then He told us that:

greater works than these shall ye do; because I go unto my Father… John 14:12.

Jesus is our Example.  Jesus is our Pattern.  Jesus is the guarantee that we can overcome the devil and take dominion over the powers of darkness.

What He did… we can do

Word for Today:  November 29

Jesus’ self-emptying.

(Jesus) Who existing in the Form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation (Kenoo) and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross…  Phil. 2:6-8

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel…  Isa. 7:13

The Kenosis of Jesus is a Foundation Truth that many have failed to grasp.  Kenosis or “self-emptying” simply declares that Jesus willingly “emptied” Himself of His God Characteristics and condescended to the stature and state of a man… a human being… born of a woman… and came to earth to live and die as part of God’s Plan to Redeem Man from Adam’s failure.

Jesus laid down and left in heaven certain characteristics and privileges He exercised as God.  He willingly emptied Himself of His God Form… His God Power… His God Knowledge… His Eternal Life.  He became subject to sickness, disease, death, failure, sin and any and all human liabilities and limitations imposed by Adam’s sin and failure.  The Scripture tells us that:

He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin… (Heb. 4:15)

Jesus willingly and obediently subjected Himself to the possibility of sin and the possibility of failure when He put off His God Characteristics and took on Himself the form and limitations of humanity.

But He was Victor over temptation.  He was Victor over sin.  He was Victor over every human weakness.  He was Victor over all…

Even death and the grave

Word for Today:  November 28

The Divine Counsel.

There was a Divine Counsel in Heaven regarding Creation.  It was a cooperative effort involving the Sovereign Will of each Member of the Godhead.  Jesus was there.  The Holy Ghost was there.  God the Father was there.

The pre-incarnate Jesus is clothed in the Splendor and Glory of the Omni-powerful God.  He is seen sharing co-equally with Him in all things.

He is Omniscient and Omnipresent as well as Omnipotent.  He is not just a “babe born in a stable and wrapped in rags”… He is God.  He is the Eternal LOGOS.  He is the Creative Agent of all that came into being as God Spoke:  “Let there be…!”

Jesus is the Force and the Power behind Creation.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him… John 1:10

Heaven is His Domain and the earth is His footstool…  By Him and through Him all things consist (hold together).

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Col 1:17

 In order for us to really behold His Glory, we have to transition from our “Bible Story” concept of Jesus…  “Meek and mild…” as a “Helpless child…”  Our early concept of Jesus has, for the most part, remained unchanged.  We have greater revelation therefore we must leave the “principles” and move on into the “perfection” of our knowledge about Jesus.

Some see Him as broken and bleeding and dead… impaled on a cross… the victim of hatred and religious prejudice.  Some can only behold a Dead Jesus.  They see the Crown of Thorns and the Bleeding Side and the Beaten Back.  They are moved to pity Him and feel sorry for Him.  They have developed a concept of His Human Limitations and see Him as weak and helpless.

• He is All-Powerful.
• He is Deity Personified.
• He is the Face of God.
• He is Majestic, He is Awesome,
• He is Originator, Creator and Sustainer…
• He is the All in All…
• He is the Great I AM…
• He is LORD OF ALL

All hail the power of Jesus Name,

Let angels prostrate fall,

Bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown Him Lord of all!

Edward Perronet  1779

Word for Today:  November 27

Behold His Glory.

but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed (transformed) into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord… 2 Cor. 3:18

Most are tired of the rigors or religion.  Many are frustrated with the shallowness and emptiness of methods, formulas, and quick-fix programs.  Some have become disillusioned and disappointed by the merchandising and man-management of the Gospel.

Often, Preachers become Spiritual Super Stars and ministries become Kingdoms that cater to the carnal.  Where are the Prophets?  Where are the Elijahs and the John the Baptists?  Where are the Pauls and the Silas’ and the Stephens and the Mary Magdalenes?  Where is the Simple and Straight forward presentation of Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God unto Deliverance?

We can worship ministries.  We can worship methods.  We can worship ministers.  We can worship music.  We can worship Praise.  We can even worship worship.  I want to Worship Jesus.  I want to Behold Him and His glory.  (John 1:14)

Let’s minimize the methods and maximize the Master

Word for Today:  November 26

The Kingdom.

“Religious” thinking (this is always a big problem) has removed the Kingdom from where it really is to where we think it is.  When we think of “heaven” we think “far away.”  We think “eternity.”  We think “after we die.”  We think “sometime in the future.”

The devil sees to it that we think wrong about the Kingdom and where it is.  Because he knows that when we find out the Truth, he is doomed.

The Kingdom is in (or within) every believer.   If you are a believer, the Kingdom is inside of you.  Jesus said the Kingdom of God is “within” or “inside” of you.

Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within (entos:  within, inside) you.”  Luke 17:21

Now, just what is in the Kingdom?   What is there?  What is inside of you?

• Life
• Health
• Peace
• Joy
• Power
• Success
• Prosperity
• Boldness
• Love
• Faith
• Forgiveness
• Patience
• Strength
• Soundness of mind

In fact “all things that pertain to life and godliness” are in you. (2Pet 1:3)   It is all there.  It is inside of every believer.  It came at the time of your conversion.  It is the Kingdom of God and it has come.  It is the Answer to the prayer Jesus prayed in Matthew chapter 6.  It will function when you let it.

All Kingdom resources are in you.

Faith brings them out

Word for Today:  November 25

Worship God.

Come before His presence.  Stand in awe of His Glory and His Goodness and His Power.  Be still.  Listen.  Wait.  Be quiet.  Weep.  Tremble.  Fall on your face.  Bow down.  Kneel. Worship God.  Get lost in God.  Get “caught up” in God.  Stand before Him.

When the Glory filled the temple in the Old Testament, the priests could not minister because of the powerful Presence of God.

On the Day of Pentecost in Acts, the saints who were filled with God staggered as drunk men and spoke in unlearned languages.  All around them people knew that something Supernatural had taken place.

• Some were amazed.
• Some were confounded.
• Some marveled.
• Some believed.
• All were moved by the Awesome Presence of God…

They Worshipped.  God Responded.

Word for Today:  November 23

What matters to Jesus.

Heart condition matters to Jesus.  The Word tells us that He looks on the Heart… not the outward appearance.  What is in your heart and the condition of your heart will determine the depth of your relationship with Jesus.

What comes out of your mouth was first in your heart.  How you feel toward others and toward God and toward the Church comes from the inner most part of your re-created Human Spirit… your heart.

Revival and Restoration comes from the “reconditioning” of the heart…. Commitment and dedication and fruit production all come from the “reconditioned” heart.  How is your heart?  Are you plagued with “heart trouble”?  The kind of coldness and indifference that is spiritually fatal?

The “don’t care” attitude and the “good-enough-as-I-am” and “satisfied as is” attitude is the direct result of a hardened heart… an “evil heart of unbelief” (Heb. 3:12).

Check your heart

Word for Today:  November 22

Seek Him.  Find Him. Know Him

Let your driving passion be to seek Him and find Him and know Him.  God tells us:

And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart… Jer. 29:13

Searching and Seeking “with all our heart” is the Key.  Many times our relationship with Jesus has been weakened and watered down… it has been prostituted and compromised… and as a result we do not seek Him with “all our heart.”   It could be that we have been too busy working for Him.  Perhaps we are too busy “going to church” and learning the latest trend and the newest formula and the next Revelation.

What do you really desire in your heart as far as your Spiritual Welfare is concerned?   What do you want most out of “Church”?   For what main reason do you attend church?

Some come to get healed.  Some come to learn how to prosper.  Some come because they like the music and the joy and the exuberance of the services.  Some come to hear the pastor.  Some come because they feel “obligated” and it relieves their conscience.  Some come to be with friends and some come to be with family.

All of these are good.  None are the best.

Come to seek Him

Come to know Him

Come to worship Him

Come to fellowship with Him

Come to love Him

Come to Behold His glory

And you will find Him

Word for Today:  November 21

The Bottom Line.

The Bottom Line of the Christian Faith is that Christians are to be like Jesus.  The very word “Christian” means “like Christ.”  We are not to be like Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Charismatics… or any other “religious” group… we are to be LIKE JESUS.

We are not to be like Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, Simon Peter, the Apostle Paul or any other notable preacher or teacher.  We are to be LIKE JESUS.

We have been so caught up with studying and learning about Jesus that we have neglected the simplicity of Knowing Jesus and Knowing Jesus intimately.

This is not something new for the church.  It happened in Ephesus as John describes in the Book of Revelation:

I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars and hast borne and hast patience and for my name’s sake hast labored and hast not fainted nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love… Rev. 2:2-4

The result of continuing to neglect our First Love is spelled out clearly in this passage.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works; or else….  Rev. 2: 5

Remember… Repent… and Return

Word for Today:  November 20

Weights.

We have been hindered by “weights.”   Some of these “weights” have been manufactured by the church and fostered by the ministry.  We have become consumed by Procedures and Techniques and Easy Formulas that will try to manipulate God and attempt to provide Instant Cures for all that ails us.

We have developed a Mind for God and a Knowledge about God, but our hearts and Spirits are dry and stunted and hungry for a Simple and Genuine Relationship with the Risen Jesus.

• Just to Know Him.
• Just to Love Him.
• Just to Commune with Him.
• Just to Walk with Him.
• Just to Fellowship with Him.

Forget about all the “buttons to punch” and all the “strings to pull” and all the empty “words to say”…. let’s come back to JESUS.  Let’s really make Him Lord and keep Him Lord.  Let’s Behold His Glory and Look into His Wonderful Face.

We have been like Martha “cumbered about with much serving” when we need to be like Mary who sat at Jesus’ Feet loving Him and hearing His word.

Mary chose that Good and Better Part.

So should you