I am not leaving you comfortless: I will come to you.
— John 14:18

I was raised in a wonderful church where we were doctrinally taught very well. But as I grew older, I began to become more and more spiritually hungry. It seemed there was a gaping hole inside my heart, and I yearned for more than what I knew about the Lord. That is when I began to learn of teaching about the ministry of the Holy Spirit that was different from anything I had ever been exposed to previously. Hearing those fresh teachings changed my life because they introduced me to the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit in a way I had never before experienced.

Starting today, I want to begin talking to you about those teachings on the Holy Spirit that so dramatically changed my life. To begin, let’s go to the Upper Room where Jesus gathered His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion; where He washed their feet; where He served them Communion; and where He took time to teach them about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The teachings about the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave in the Upper Room will be the basis for what you are about to read in the first 20 Gems of June. Then the Gems from June 21 onward will be drawn from various other scriptures that I believe also teach us vital truths we must know about the Holy Spirit.

On that last night when Jesus was in the Upper Room with His disciples, He knew that He was leaving the world and that these moments were actually His last opportunity to teach them. There was a myriad of subjects Jesus could have taught His disciples that night, but He knew that in His absence, they would need a powerful, ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit. Consequently, Jesus devoted His last opportunity to teach them about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John chapters 14, 15, and 16, we find teachings by Jesus that are devoted primarily to the Person, power, and work of the Holy Spirit. We don’t know the amount of time it took for Jesus to teach His disciples about the Holy Spirit during His last night on earth with them, but it’s clear from these three chapters that He dedicated a significant amount of time.

That evening Jesus told the disciples that He would soon be departing the world. By reading John 14, it is clear that the disciples were tempted to despair when they heard this heavy news. They were tempted to feel abandoned, so Jesus told them, “I am not leaving you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18).

Let’s begin by looking at the word “comfortless” used in this verse. The word “comfortless” is a translation of the Greek word orphanos, and it is where we get the word orphan. A literal translation would be, “I will not leave you as orphans….” But in the time of the New Testament, this word had a wider range of meaning, for it was also used to describe students who felt abandoned by their teacher. However, whether this Greek word was used to describe orphans who had lost their parents or students who felt abandoned by a teacher, it always conveyed the idea of a person who felt deserted by someone whom they trusted and to whom they looked for guidance.

Jesus promised that although He was leaving this earth, He was not abandoning His disciples. He would come to them through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who would exactly represent Him to the disciples in every way. By sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus was sending a personal replacement to take His place among the disciples — One who would be with each of them all the time. This would be far better than when Jesus was on the earth and could only physically be in one place at a time. In fact, Jesus later said that the coming of the Holy Spirit would be far better for them (see John 16:7) because it would herald the unlimited presence of Christ in the earth. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christ could reside with every believer in every place on the earth simultaneously.

Once Jesus was exalted at the right hand of the Father, He took on the role of our Intercessor for all eternity (see Hebrews 7:25). Once seated, He poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the Church (see Acts 2:33). Today the Holy Spirit is that Member of the Godhead who operates in the world. Christ is Lord over the Church, and the Holy Spirit carries out His Lordship inside the Church. We live in the age when the Holy Spirit operates in the world.

In Ephesians 1:13, the apostle Paul taught that the moment you receive your salvation, the Holy Spirit enters into you and serves as God’s covenant seal on your life in Him. Therefore, if you have surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has come to take up residency inside of you. Hear me clearly — the Holy Spirit is a Resident in the life of every person who has surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In fact, Romans 8:9 says it is impossible to personally know God unless you have the Holy Spirit residing inside you. So rest assured, if you have come to that moment when you gave your life to Christ — that is, you surrendered to His Lordship — then the Holy Spirit has sealed you and has permanently moved into your heart. This means your heart is not just a hotel where He occasionally visits. Your heart is His home.

As glorious as it is that the Holy Spirit lives inside those who believe, this does not guarantee that they experience fellowship with Him. So today I’d like to ask you: What kind of fellowship do you have with the Holy Spirit? Is He a neglected Resident in your life, or do you actually experience regular, intimate fellowship with Him?

That night in the Upper Room, Jesus promised His disciples (and us) that when He ascended to Heaven, He would not abandon us like orphans or like students who had been deserted by their teacher. He promised that He would come to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus kept His word! But just as any person must be recognized to be experienced, we must on purpose recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit if we are going to experience fellowship with Him in our lives.

If you have never stopped to recognize the Holy Spirit in your life or experienced what I call the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, today would be a wonderful time for you to begin! Just open your heart and say, “Holy Spirit, thank You for living inside me. Starting today I want to begin enjoying fellowship with You!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Holy Spirit, I want to begin enjoying fellowship with You. Since Jesus depended on You, I know that I need to depend on You too. So right now, more than ever before, I express my inner yearning to begin a new and deeper journey in learning how to have fellowship with You. I want to know You; I want to know Your power; and I ask You to come alongside and help me as Jesus said You would do!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I acknowledge that because I am a child of God, the Holy Spirit lives inside me as a continual Resident. He longs to have fellowship with me and to reveal the depths of Jesus’ love to my heart. I repent for the times that I have ignored Him and treated Him as an unrecognized Resident. From this moment onward, I confess that I will live with an awareness of His presence and that I will embrace the wonderful ministry that He has come to provide for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you experience the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in your life? If yes, how would you describe the experience of fellowship with Him to someone else?
  2. Can you recognize when the Holy Spirit is speaking to you? If yes, how would you describe the way you recognize His voice?
  3. Have you had moments when the Holy Spirit led you in a supernatural way that dramatically affected your life? If yes, what were some of those moments, and what happened as a result?

Are You Tired of Waiting For Your Fruit-Producing Season?

Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith,  as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
— Colossians 2:7

Have you ever been so frustrated at waiting for a fruitful time in your life that you said to the Lord, “When is the fruit-producing season ever going to start in my life? I’ve worked, believed, and waited, but I am a little tired of waiting to see the fruit I long to see in my life. How long do I have to wait, Lord?”

I encourage you today to stay on track and refuse to give up, because you’re about to reach the greatest period of fruitfulness you’ve ever known. Before a fruit-producing tree reaches a time in its growth when it blossoms and bears fruit, first it sends its roots down deep into the earth where it can draw on a constant source of nourishment. Then as it continues to be nourished from below, it begins to send its limbs upward and outward.

During the life of that tree, it must endure the elements of every season — the heat, the cold, the sleet, the rain, and the snow — before it ever blossoms. Because those roots are deeply tapped into a continuous source of strength, nourishment, and energy, the tree is able to outlast all the seasons and eventually become a fruit-producing tree.

Psalm 1:3 uses the example of a tree to declare that when a person is rooted in God’s Word, he is “…like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

If you are wondering how long it is going to take before your fruit-producing season finally arrives, don’t get too discouraged! The bigger the tree, the greater the need for that tree to send its roots down deep into the earth to draw nourishment and to give it a firm footing against the wind, the weather, and the elements of the different seasons. That continual nourishment will also protect the tree from pestilence that may try to attack it through the years.

In light of this, consider what the apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:7: “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” I want you to especially notice the word “rooted” in this verse. It comes from the Greek word ridzo, which means to be firmly and deeply rooted, making the object fixed, steady, stable, and strong. This is the picture of a strong tree whose roots go down deep and reach its source of nourishment. The tree is also held securely in place by those roots, regardless of the weather or the environmental opposition that comes against it.

Rather than complain that it’s taking too long for your fruit-producing season to arrive, you need to thank God for this time in your life! Take this time to send your roots down deep and tap into the strength of God’s Word and God’s Spirit. If your roots are securely fixed in Jesus Christ, you will outlast every season, every foul climate, and every storm. Eventually you will enter into the finest fruit-producing season of your life, your ministry, your family, or your business.

Honestly, you need to thank God that things haven’t happened faster in your life! Have you ever seen someone who reached success too quickly? That person usually loses his success just as quickly as he gained it because he didn’t have the roots and the experience necessary to maintain the success he gained. When people achieve success too quickly, it often means they don’t have the roots, the depth, and the sure foundation to bear them up in the difficult times they will encounter as they go through the seasons of life.

So take this time to work on your personal life, your mind, your thinking, your discipline, your finances, your weight, your relationships, and your behavior. While you are waiting for that fruit-producing season to come to pass in your life, use this time to put off the old man and to put on the new man (Colossians 3:9,10). Spend this phase of your life wisely by renewing your mind to the Word of God (Ephesians 4:23) and being certain your affections are set on things above, not on things of this earth (Colossians 3:2).

If you use your time wisely, there will be no wasted time in your life. But if you just sit around and complain that it’s taking too long to get where you want to go, you will waste time. Sitting and complaining doesn’t make anything happen faster — and it often further delays the manifestation of the answer you’ve been waiting for.

So refuse to belong to those who are grumpy and complaining all the time. Instead, look at this time in your life as a blessing sent from Heaven to help you get yourself rooted deeply in Jesus Christ! Then send your limbs upward and outward as you tap into the power of God. Eventually you’ll begin to see blossoms budding in your life, signaling that you are about to enter your long-awaited season of bringing forth much fruit!

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My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for not sending success to me too quickly. I know that if I had achieved success earlier, I wouldn’t have been ready for it. In fact, I might have destroyed it due to my own lack of experience and my immaturity. Help me embrace this time in my life as a time of preparation. Help me to truthfully analyze every part of my life in order to see what areas need to be more deeply rooted in You. I want my roots to go down so deeply that no storms of life and no attacks from the devil will be able to move me from the place where You have called me. Help me to stay so fixed, firm, strong, and stable that once I enter the fruit-producing season, I will never leave it!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am firmly and deeply rooted in God’s Word. As a result, I am fixed, steady, stable, and strong like a tree whose roots go down deep. I am tapped into the life of Jesus Christ, and He has become my Source of nourishment. I am held so securely in place that I am unaffected by the storms of life and the pestilence that the devil tries to use to attack me. I will outlast every season, every foul climate, and every storm. I am about to enter into the finest fruit-producing season of my life, my ministry, my family, and my business. My fruit-producing season is getting ready to begin!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever seen people quickly reach success, but it seemed that they lost their success just as quickly as they attained it? Can you name specific individuals who come to mind as examples?

2. What were the reasons these individuals gained and lost success so quickly? Reflect on this question for a while; then write down your observations.

3. What do you need to be doing differently in your own life to make sure you don’t ever fall into the category of those who quickly gained and quickly lost success?

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he [Jesus] 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.)
— John 7:38,39

If anyone ever understood the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it was the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ earthly ministry was completely dependent upon the Holy Spirit. From His birth, nothing that happened to Him and nothing He did was apart from the power of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, when He sat down at the Father’s right hand in Heaven, the first thing He did was send the Holy Spirit upon the Church on the day of Pentecost.

The ministry of Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit are inseparable. In fact, when Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit’s future ministry to His Church in John 7:38 and 39, He was describing the Holy Spirit’s present ministry through Him during His earthly ministry: “…Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he [Jesus] of the Spirit)….” The Greek word translated “flow” is a form of the word rheo, which pictures a rushing stream, so full that it actually overflows its banks.

This is how Jesus described His own relationship with the Holy Spirit as He walked this earth — and how He foretold the nature of the relationship that those who believed on Him would one day experience with the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus depended on the continual flow of the Holy Spirit’s power, wisdom, counsel, and ability through Him and upon Him during His earthly ministry. And as He is, so are we to be in this world (1 John 4:17).

So let’s take it further and consider these important facts about the workings of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of Jesus on this earth:

Jesus and the Holy Spirit were always together when He was on the earth. If Jesus needed this kind of ongoing partnership with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish His divine role in the earth, you must have that same partnership with the Spirit of God to fulfill what God has asked you to do. The Holy Spirit has been sent by Jesus to give you everything you need to be a victorious, successful, faith-filled, overcoming child of God in this world. With Him at your side, you are equipped for every situation you could ever face in life.

Because no one has ever known the Holy Spirit better than Jesus, we must look to see what Jesus had to say about His personality, His power, His gifts, and His character. In John 14, 15, and 16, the Lord Jesus Christ gives us important instruction about how to develop our own partnership with the Holy Spirit. If you are hungry for more of the Holy Spirit, carefully read every Sparkling Gem in this month of June, for it is totally dedicated to the ministry of the Holy Spirit!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, my heart yearns to know the Person of the Holy Spirit more deeply and to experience His power personally. I ask You to reveal truths and grant me understanding so I can cooperate with and respond to the Holy Spirit’s ministry in my life. Father, I desire to walk in the spiritual depth and fullness that Jesus made available to me when He prayed in John 14 that You would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to indwell me. I ask You to open the door for me to embark on a spiritual path that I’ve never been on before. I know that this is Your will for me, so today I come before Your throne boldly and confidently to receive this with gratitude and joy!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that it is God’s will for me to know the Person, power, and work of the Holy Spirit. In John 14, 15, and 16, Jesus taught explicitly about the Holy Spirit so that every believer could learn about the Spirit of God and knowledgeably respond to and experience His power. I recognize that this is why Jesus taught so much about the Holy Spirit’s ministry in those three chapters. Therefore, I boldly declare that I will act on the truths I learn in the days to come about the Holy Spirit and His work in my life. I choose to cooperate with God as I embark on a new, deeper, and higher walk with God’s Spirit than I’ve ever known before in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Can you describe what you know about the Person, power, and work of the Holy Spirit? Honestly, how well do you understand the work of the Holy Spirit?
  2. When you approach this subject, what feelings do you have? Excitement and anticipation — or bewilderment, intimidation, and fear?
  3. Does your church allow the Holy Spirit to move in its church services? In what ways does the Holy Spirit operate there? Are gifts of the Holy Spirit in open manifestation in your church? What are these gifts?

If You Pray Wrongly, You Can Be Sure Your Prayers Won’t Be Answered!

…Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss….
— James 4:2,3

We’ve all encountered moments in our spiritual lives when we prayed with no results. Apparently the people to whom James was writing his epistle were having the same experience. Just as you have probably asked yourself at one time or another, it appears that these believers were also asking, “Why aren’t our prayers being answered?” We can surmise that they were asking this question because James provided an answer in James 4:3: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss….”

The Greek word for “amiss” is kakos, which describes something that is bad or wrong. As James uses it in this verse, it depicts a person who is asking wrongly, badly, or inappropriately. You could say that this person is simply not hitting the mark in his request. Although he prays with the greatest fervor, he is not hitting the target with what he is asking. This person is apparently asking God to do something that is not in agreement with His Word. Therefore, regardless of how long or how passionately the person asks, God will not answer his request with a positive answer because it is not in agreement with the Word.

Or perhaps this person is asking for the right thing, but because he is so fretful and filled with fear and anxiety, he doesn’t ask in faith. Rather than praying from a position of faith, he cries out to the Lord in fear and anxiety. But fear doesn’t move God — faith does. Hence, although this person may be asking for the right thing, he is asking from a wrong spirit. Thus, he is asking badly or inappropriately.

This means what we ask and how we ask are both of vital importance if we are going to get our prayers answered!

A literal translation of this verse would be as follows:

“…You ask, and receive not, because you are asking wrongly, badly, inappropriately….”

Especially when I was younger in the Lord, I made the mistake of asking things wrongly when I prayed. Perhaps my intentions were right, but my prayers were not in agreement with the truths revealed in the Bible. There were other moments when I finally got my prayers in agreement with the Word of God, but I was so motivated by anxiety and fear that I couldn’t ask in faith. Consumed with worry, I pounded the floor as I prayed, yelling and screaming out for God to move on my behalf. But because I was so filled with fear regarding the situation I was praying about, all my pounding, yelling, and screaming didn’t do a bit of good. I was praying from a wrong spirit — out of fear rather than out of faith — so all of that effort resulted only in a sore throat!

Have you ever had the experience of asking the right thing in the wrong way? Praying scripturally and in faith is essential if you want your requests to be answered positively.

First John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” The word “confidence” is the Greek word parresia. It describes confidence, boldness, or assurance. It pictures a person so confident that when he speaks, he has no doubt about what he is saying. He knows what he is saying is correct or appropriate; therefore, he becomes very bold. In the context of prayer, this word presents the picture of a believer who is so confident he is right in what he is asking that he asks unashamedly and confidently.

What can give you this kind of confidence? The verse goes on to tell you: “…If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” So when you 1) know God’s will and 2) ask Him to do something that is in agreement with His will, you can be 100-percent sure that God will hear you and that your request will be positively answered!

This means you have solid ground on which to stand as you pray in agreement with the revealed will of God, the Bible. Since your request is in agreement with what God has already revealed in His Word, you know you can be bold when you make your request! And there is no need for you to pray out of fear and anxiety either. Just quiet down, and let the Word of God fill you with peace; then ask in faith.

First John 5:14 guarantees that if you ask anything that is in agreement with His will, God will hear you. In fact, verse 15 goes on to promise you, “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

Knowing what to pray and how to pray is vitally important. So always keep this in mind as you get ready to make your requests known to God: God listens for His Word, and He responds to faith. When He hears His Word prayed from a heart of faith, He is compelled to act.

The success of your prayer life is up to you, friend, so don’t ask “amiss” when you pray. Make sure you are asking correctly and in an appropriate spirit of faith. As you learn to pray in line with God’s Word from a heart filled with faith, the answers you seek will manifest in your life more quickly and more fully than ever before! 

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My Prayer for Today

Lord, I can remember times in my past when I’ve prayed the right thing the wrong way, and it resulted in unanswered prayer. I ask You to help me ask correctly when I pray, and to ask in a spirit of faith and not in a spirit of fear, dread, or anxiety. I never realized before now how important it is to ask in the right way. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me ask correctly and pray appropriately from this moment forward. Whenever I start praying wrongly or out of a wrong spirit, please stop me. I ask You to correct me and teach me how to pray in line with Your Word from a heart of faith!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s Word is my guide to help me ask correctly when I pray. I declare that I am motivated by faith and not by fear, dread, or anxiety when I pray. Because I ask according to God’s will, He hears me when I pray. Because He hears me, I know that I have the petitions I ask of Him. God acts promptly to answer my prayers because I ask with a heart filled with faith in accordance with His will. Because I make sure that what I pray is correct and how I pray is appropriate, I am receiving more and more results from my prayers all the time!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time in your life when you were so filled with fear that you couldn’t pray in faith, even though you prayed the right words? Did you wonder why your prayer wasn’t answered? Do you now understand how important it is for you to pray in an appropriate spirit of faith?

2. What results have you received in the past when you prayed in a spirit of faith and asked God to do something that was in agreement with His Word?

3. Can you list two things you have learned from today’s Sparkling Gem? If these two points have helped you, can you think of one person with whom you can share these truths today in order to encourage him or her the same way you’ve been encouraged?

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord….
— Hebrews 12:14

Do you have a difficult relationship in your life that has been poisoned by offense, bitterness, or misunderstanding? It doesn’t matter who it is — your spouse, a sibling, a friend, an employee, or a member of your church — you will find vital keys to help you navigate the situation in Hebrews 12:14. The verse starts out by saying, “Follow peace with all men….”

That word “follow” is the Greek word dioko. This word was an old hunting term that meant to follow the tracks of the animal or to follow the scent of the animal. Just imagine a hunter decked out in all his hunting gear, and he’s following the tracks of his prey. He’s following the scent of the beast, and he’s looking for every little branch that the animal may have broken. The hunter is hunting, following, and searching for that animal — and he is not going to stop until finally he gets his prey.

This word dioko is also translated as “persecute” in the New Testament. In other words, when someone was persecuted, it wasn’t something done haphazardly or accidentally; persecution was very intentional and deliberate. The persecutor followed his intended victims. He searched for them. He hunted them. He tracked them down. He was out to get them.

Now the Holy Spirit uses this same word in Hebrews 12:14 and says, “Follow after peace with all men….” That means sometimes peace doesn’t just come to us. In fact, most of the time, peace does not come to us. We have to do something to find peace with people. We have to follow after peace.

No matter how difficult a particular relationship in your life is, God is telling you in this verse what your responsibility is as a believer. You have to put on your hunting gear and make a firm decision to do something about that relationship according to His love that has been shed abroad in your heart (see Romans 5:5). Remind yourself: “I can’t be responsible for what that person does, but I am responsible for what I do — and God has required me to do everything I can do to obtain peace in this relationship.” Of course, sometimes when you do everything you can do, the other person doesn’t respond. You can’t answer for the other person, but you are going to answer for yourself.

So if you’re struggling to have peace with someone in your life, take this verse to heart. It’s time to put on your hunting gear and begin to look for anything you can do. Follow the tracks. Follow the scent. Look for every little broken branch. Look for anything you might possibly do that might lead to peace. Follow the tracks of peace.

Why is it so important that we follow after peace? The Bible goes on to tell us the reason in Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man will see the Lord.” That word “see” tells us that lack of peace serves as a blocker that stops us from being admitted into the immediate presence of God. Think how many times you’ve been in a service where God’s anointing is present and people are being blessed, but you can’t enter into it because you are so inwardly upset about someone or something. You see, these attitudes are blockers, and that is why the writer of Hebrews says without peace — or in the presence of strife — you will not be able to be admitted into the life-changing presence of God. Strife is a blocker. It will stop you from entering into the anointing. It will stop you from entering into blessing of any kind.

The Bible tells us to “follow after peace and holiness.” The word “holiness” is the word hagias. It means to be separate or to be different. In this particular case, the writer of Hebrews is telling us that we don’t have the privilege of acting or thinking like the world. God calls us to a higher standard. The Holy Spirit lives in us, giving us the power we need to walk in forgiveness on a much higher level than the world. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to walk in freedom rather than the bondage the world walks in. We are called to follow after peace — to hunt it, seek it, pursue it — with all men. And we’re called to walk in holiness, to behave differently than lost people behave and to walk in forgiveness, free from offense. If we fail to pursue that kind of spiritual walk and remain in strife and bitterness, we’ll never really be able to experience the tangible presence of God.

Take a moment to look at your life. Think about those times when you’ve harbored bitterness and offense and allowed your heart to grow hard toward a person. It was very difficult for you to experience the sweet presence of the Lord during those times, wasn’t it? That’s what this verse is talking about.

God has called us to a higher level, and like it or not, this verse tells us what we have to do when we’re dealing with difficult people in our lives who have hurt or offended us. If we’re serious about being disciples of Jesus, we must determine to forgive every person and every offense. We have to respond differently than the world would respond. Then as much as is possible with us, we must actively follow after obtaining peace with every person.

And let me tell you, friend — the only way you’re going to be able to do this is by spending time with Jesus. Ask Him what path you’re to follow to obtain peace. No one understands this better than Jesus. He had enemies all around Him, yet He walked in peace with all men. Talk to Jesus, and He’ll get you on the right track that leads to freedom from strife and offense and to an abiding sense of His presence every day of your life.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, Your Word is very clear on how I am to respond to people who have hurt or offended me. When I am dealing with difficulties in relationships, You expect me to take the responsibility of hunting down peace and pursuing it. I ask You to show me what path I am to take in this pursuit so that I can please You by walking in the high level of love You have already shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me. I will not allow hurt, bitterness, or resentment to separate me from Your immediate presence. I receive Your help, Holy Spirit, to maintain a pure heart so that not only can I see God, but also so that I can see others as He sees them.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that because the Holy Spirit lives in me, I have the power I need to walk in forgiveness on a much higher level than the world. The Holy Spirit gives me the power to walk in freedom from the bondage of bitterness and strife. God requires me to follow after peace — to hunt it, seek it, and pursue it — with all men. Therefore, because I am required to do it, I am equipped to do it. I yield to the Holy Spirit, and I walk in holiness and in consecration to God and His ways. I deliberately separate myself from ungodly attitudes and actions because I refuse to be separated from the presence of God.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Has there been a relationship in your life in which you have found it particularly difficult to maintain peace? Who is that other person? Do you know why it has been so difficult to keep that relationship peaceful? Do you remember how the whole mess began, and do you know what you would have done differently if you could start all over again?
  2. Has the Holy Spirit told you to follow after peace with that person? Instead of waiting for him or her to come to you with an apology, why don’t you put on your “hunting gear” and make the choice to start following after peace until you finally obtain it in that relationship? It may require some creative thinking and acting born of diligent prayer about the matter — but if the Holy Spirit tells you to do it, it means you can do it. Go for it!
  3. Have you been getting signals from the Holy Spirit that you have unresolved issues of hurt or offense with another person? For instance, when you try to worship God, does a certain name keep coming up, causing unsettled thoughts that steal your joy and your ability to freely worship? Don’t ignore those kinds of signs. That may be the Holy Spirit telling you that strife is at work in your life to keep you from enjoying the presence of the Lord. If it’s always the same person over and over again, consider that a clear signal that there is some kind of issue between you and that person and that you should do everything you can to forgive that person and to seek his or her forgiveness and make that relationship right so you can freely enjoy the sweet presence of the Lord again!

Darkness Cannot Overcome the Light!

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
— John 1:5

I know of no great Christian leader who hasn’t faced some kind of opposition as he or she sought to do God’s will. But the truth is that darkness does not have the power to overcome light! Every believer can overcome any attack if he or she won’t quit first!

John 1:5 says, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” The word “comprehended” is the Greek word katalambano. It is a compound of the words kata and lambano. The word kata carries the force of something that is dominating or subjugating. The word lambano means to seize or grab hold of. When the two words are compounded, they mean to seize, to pull down, to tackle, to conquer, or to hold under one’s power. Therefore, this verse could be translated, “Darkness does not have the ability to suppress or to hold the light under its domain.”

This doesn’t mean that darkness won’t attempt to overcome the light. However, its efforts will be frustrated and unsuccessful because the light of God always prevails, even in what seems to be the darkest hour or the bleakest situation. Darkness simply doesn’t have the power or ability to put out God’s light. Since you are a child of the light (Ephesians 5:8), this means darkness doesn’t have the ability to put out your light either!

First John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” The word “overcometh” is the Greek word nikos. It means to conquer. It was used to portray athletes who had gained the mastery of the competition and ultimately reigned supreme as champions over the games.

The Holy Spirit was careful in His selection of this word nikos. This word communicates vivid images that pertain to our walk of faith and victory. First, it tells us that when we begin the walk of faith, we enter into a real-life competition. The decision to walk by faith puts us right smack dab in the center of the ring where the contest immediately begins.

This is so important to understand, because too often we wrongly presume that if we walk by faith, we will be removed from all problems. But our faith pits us directly opposite the devil’s powers. He hates our faith because he knows what it can do! For this reason, Satan may try to go for a knock-out punch. But even if he knocks us flat, he can’t keep us down on the ground!

The apostle Paul testified to this when he said that he was “…cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). One translation says, “We occasionally get knocked down, but never get knocked out!” Those who are born of God have the supernatural ability to keep getting up again, no matter how many times they fall! Remember, John wrote, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.…”

Because the word “overcometh” is the Greek word nikos, it tells us that we are the ultimate champions and describes our superior position as children of God over the world. We are fully armed with everything we need to be super-conquerors in this life!

As the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), the devil may try to use the world around us to do battle with us. But regardless of what weapon Satan uses or how he attempts to combat you and me, First John 5:4 declares that we have a faith that overcomes the world! This means we have a faith that overrides and supersedes any organization, any event, any circumstance, or any difficult dilemma Satan would try to employ against us. He may be the “god of this world,” but we have a weapon so powerful that we can shoot him down every time he shows up uninvited.

John 1:5 makes it absolutely clear that darkness does not have the ability to suppress or to hold the light under its domain. Darkness may try to prevent the light from shining, but it never holds back the light permanently. Eventually it always comes shining through.

This is true of you and your dream, vision, or calling as well. You may feel hindered from time to time in your attempts to fulfill the call God has given you, but don’t despair. Those hindrances won’t last long. The only way the devil can steal your dream, vision, or calling is if you surrender to him first! If you hold on and refuse to give up, your faith will overcome every encumbrance the devil tries to set in your path!

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My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You that darkness doesn’t have the power to overcome me! It may try, but Your Word guarantees that darkness doesn’t have the ability to overcome the light! I am so thankful that I am Your child and that I live on the winning side! When the devil tries to discourage me, help me remember that in the end, we win!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I boldly confess that even if I occasionally get knocked down, I never get knocked out! I possess the supernatural ability to keep getting up again because I am born of God and I overcome the world. Regardless of what weapon Satan uses or how he attempts to combat me, my faith overrides and supersedes any event, any circumstance, and any difficult dilemma Satan would try to employ against me. 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. In what ways has Satan tried to use the world around you to hinder what God has called you to do? For instance, has he tried to create a lack of finances to slow you down? What unsuccessful attempts has he made against you and your dream?

2. What did you do to resist those past attacks?

3. If you sense that the devil is trying to assault you right now, in what ways are you resisting his assaults?

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
— 1 Corinthians 10:13

People can be quite a mystery!

You finally think you have them all figured out, and then they do something that totally lets you down and blows your mind! You never would have dreamed in a million years that they’d do something so crazy or inconsistent. That’s why you have to learn how to overcome the temptation to take offense or get upset every time someone disappoints or lets you down. You’ll enjoy life much more if you learn to forgive and overlook people’s inconsistencies, lack of commitment, unfaithfulness, temper tantrums, and mood swings — as well as all the other defects that are part of being human.

There are days when I don’t even understand my own moods! Therefore, I know I have to show mercy when I see others act differently than I expected. When I’m tempted to get upset with Denise, my kids, or my associates in the ministry, I stop and remind myself that I’m not perfect either. I’m sure there are moments when these same people are just as bewildered by me as I am by them! I can’t complain too much about others being a mystery because I’m such a mystery to myself sometimes. Oh, how I long for the day when I walk in the Spirit 100 percent of the time!

Even Christians who spend hours in prayer, read the Word, pray in the Spirit, and seek to live a holy life sometimes get in the flesh, doing and saying things they later regret. It’s just part of being human. When we receive our glorified bodies and go to Heaven, all our inconsistencies, mood swings, and complex emotions will be gone. Until then, we have to stay in an attitude of forgiveness and extend the same mercy to others that we expect them to extend to us.

If you’re going to get “bent out of shape” and lose your peace every time someone says or does something below what you expect of them, you will live your life constantly bothered, upset, and frustrated. Rather than focus on the inconsistencies and flaws of others, why not look in the mirror and let the Holy Spirit deal with you about the areas you need to change? It may be that God is using the people you think have done you wrong to expose a weakness in your own character that needs to change. Let God’s Spirit teach you how to overcome those exposed faults.

Galatians 5:22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

As Christians, we must learn how to allow the fruit of the Spirit to operate in us regardless of the situation. When our relationships with others are going great — when we have no challenges, no problems, and no conflicts with anyone — it’s not difficult to be kind, loving, longsuffering, and easy to get along with. The real proof of spiritual maturity isn’t measured by the moments when our flesh is comfortable; it is revealed when we run into a situation that rubs our flesh the wrong way!

But what if you’re dealing with serious offenses and hurts in your relationships? What if you’ve been abused, betrayed, or deserted by your spouse, stabbed in the back by fellow church members, or rejected by your parents, family, or friends? If you’ve experienced any of these hurtful situations, you know how the devil can try to use such an event to debilitate you. But it’s time to move on and let the past be the past. If you carry wounds, bruises, and scars from previous hurts and offenses, you don’t have to carry them anymore. You don’t have to live with the residual effect of what the devil did to you in the past.

If you have harbored unhealthy attitudes, you must allow them to be recognized, uprooted, and removed by the Spirit of God. Otherwise, they will begin to produce vile fruit that has the power to socially isolate you and emotionally immobilize you. Bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness become like a terminal disease when left untended, eventually eating away at your insides, turning you bitter, and destroying every relationship in your life.

In every one of these situations I’ve described, God will make a way for you to escape negative emotions and killer attitudes if you really want to escape them. First Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

That word “escape” comes from the Greek word ekbasis, which is a compound word combining the word ek, meaning out, and basis, which means to go or to walk. When compounded, the new word carries the idea of an exit and literally means to walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place; to walk out of a trap; or to walk out of a place that isn’t good for you.

So this is what you can know: In every situation where you face the temptation to take offense at someone’s words or actions, you are the only one who can make the choice to jump through that escape hatch. The moment you make that decision, your journey to freedom has begun! If you’ll say yes to the Lord, He will show you how to get out of your mess! You can avoid, evade, dodge, elude, shake off, get out of, and break away from every temptation to take offense. You never have to get dragged into destructive emotions, feelings, and attitudes.

So today the Lord is asking: “Are you going to stay upset and offended, or are you willing to take the proper steps to escape from this emotional temptation and demonic trap? Are you ready to give up all unforgiveness and lay it at the foot of the Cross so you can walk free? Or do you want to continue clinging to resentment and turmoil, held hostage by spiritually, mentally, and physically crippling attitudes?”

What is your answer? What are you going to do? God is waiting for you to decide, because you definitely have the option to receive the freedom He is offering you and to walk into a broad, new place of abundant living with the choice you make today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Dear Heavenly Father, I come before You right now and repent for having given place to the devil because of hurt and offense. I see now that the enemy set a trap for me to fall into temptation. I also ask You to forgive me for judging the faults and failings of others, when in fact my own impatience and carnality were on full display by the way I responded to their behavior. I ask You, Holy Spirit, to open the eyes of my understanding and reveal to me the ways I need to change so I am not susceptible to unhealthy attitudes that would keep me socially isolated or emotionally immobilized. I choose to walk away from the devil’s traps, and I trust You to help me escape the net of temptation.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I realize no one is perfect — and neither am I! I am not ignorant of the devil’s devices to destroy my relationships. Therefore, I refuse to be held hostage by crippling attitudes of negativity and disappointment when others fall short of my expectations. When I am tempted to become offended by a deliberate act of betrayal, rejection, or wrongdoing, I will look to the Holy Spirit. He is my Helper, my Strengthener, my Comforter, my Counselor, my Teacher, and my Advocate! The Holy Spirit will show me how to escape this temptation and respond according to the wisdom and the will of God. He will help me keep myself in the love of God so my faith will not fail and the devil cannot overtake me through his wiles against both me and the person who sought to do me harm.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Can you think of a time when you were tempted to be dragged into a conflict for which there was no real solution, but the Holy Spirit told you to be quiet and let it pass?
  2. If you are upset or offended, are you going to allow yourself to be dragged down by these negative mindsets, or are you willing to take the proper steps to escape from this emotional temptation and demonic trap?
  3. Are you ready to give up all unforgiveness, laying it at the foot of the Cross, so you can walk free? Or do you want to continue clinging to resentment and turmoil, held hostage by spiritually, mentally, and physically crippling attitudes? Your answer is very strategic to the outcome of your life, so seriously consider this question!

Two Kinds of Strongholds

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations.…
— 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

If you want to be free from every stronghold of the enemy in your life, you have to understand that there are two kinds of strongholds: rational and irrational. The rational strongholds are the more difficult to deal with — because they usually make sense!

Paul refers to these rational strongholds when he says, “Casting down imaginations….” The word “imaginations” is taken from the Greek word logismos, which is where we get the word “logic,” as in “logical thinking.” Thank God for a good, sound mind, but even a sound mind must be submitted to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, your mind will develop a stronghold of natural reasoning that starts to dictate all kinds of lies to your life. I call these rational strongholds.

The reason I call them rational strongholds is that they are strongholds in the mind that make sense! You see, your logical mind will always try to talk you out of obeying God. In fact, if you don’t take charge of your mind, it will begin to completely dominate and control your obedience to God. It will tell you that you can’t afford to obey the Lord and that it isn’t a good time to step out in faith. Your natural mind will come up with a whole host of logical reasons to explain why you shouldn’t do what the Spirit of God is telling you to do.

Second, there are irrational strongholds. These primarily have to do with completely unrealistic fears and worries, such as a fear of contracting a terminal disease, a fear of dying early in life, an abnormal fear of rejection, and so forth. These types of irrational strongholds in the mind, emotions, and imagination will normally play their course and then dissipate. But if harassing thoughts persist in your mind and insist on controlling you mentally and emotionally, you must deal with them straightforwardly with the Word of God.

In Second Corinthians 10:5, Paul says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Notice that Paul doesn’t say one thing about bringing the devil into captivity. Rather, he tells you to take every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

The devil tries to invade your life through lies that he plants in your brain. If you don’t take your thoughts captive, it will be just a matter of time before the devil starts using those lies to create mental and emotional strongholds for the purpose of keeping you in bondage. But if you take your thoughts captive, then your thoughts cannot take you captive!

Whether those strongholds are rational or irrational, you can take authority over them and cast them down! So quit listening to every ol’ lie that devil tries to sink into your brain, and start taking those thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ! Pull down every mental or emotional stronghold in your life with the supernatural weapons of warfare God has given you!

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My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to see any area of my life that is dominated by rational or irrational strongholds. Forgive me for allowing the devil to sink his lies into my mind, and help me now to uproot and cast down every one of his lies. I know that Your Word will renew my mind to think in accordance with You, so I am asking You today to help me make Your Word a priority in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that my mind is free from the devil’s lies! I think God’s thoughts; I meditate on God’s Word; and my brain is spot-free from the rational and irrational strongholds that Satan would like to plant inside me. Because of God’s Word working in me, I am completely free!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of three areas in which the devil has tried to penetrate your mind and take you captive with ridiculous, irrational lies?

2. Can you identify times in your life when the devil has tried to seize control of your mind with logical, rational strongholds in order to keep you from stepping out to do what God has asked you to do?

3. What steps can you start taking right now to cast these thoughts down so you can get free of these lies and move forward with God’s plan?

Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
— Matthew 18:19

In the early 1990s, I was on a plane that was horribly overloaded with people, luggage, and boxes. So many air-safety rules were being violated on this particular flight! Pieces of luggage and boxes were strapped into the seats where people should have been sitting — and people were sitting on top of the boxes in the main aisle of the cabin. From my vantage point, I could see most of the plane’s interior. As I watched the debacle, I saw people literally pushing luggage and garment bags away because they were hanging in their faces from the overhead compartments. Yet even with all the excess bags, boxes, and luggage already on the plane, the crew just kept loading more and more into the airplane bay. In fact, it came to the point where they were filling the bathrooms with luggage and boxes, and there were even suitcases stacked in the cockpit! I had never seen anything like it.

I happened to be seated toward the front of the plane near the flight attendants, and I actually heard one flight attendant tell her colleague, “This plane is dangerously overloaded. I’m afraid that we are going to fall from the sky.” As I continued to listen, I heard one say that the pilot had taken a bribe from a company to transport a gigantic shipment of items to the destination city. He knew he was taking a risk, but he had already been paid and needed the money, so he chose to risk the lives of his passengers. It was all about a bribe to get as much freight on that plane as possible!

People on the plane reeked of fear because it was blatantly obvious that this plane was loaded beyond its weight limitations, and its maximum capacity was far exceeded. I could tell my traveling companion was also very uneasy about the situation. I turned to him and asked, “Do you think this plane is going to crash because it’s overloaded?” He answered, “Yes, seems to me that we’re headed for a crisis.”

I quietly asked my traveling companion to join hands with me and pray. We acknowledged that wherever two or three were gathered in Jesus’ name, He was there and that He would answer our prayers. So we prayed in the Spirit peacefully and confidently. We harmonized our hearts and spirits together — believing that if we were in any type of danger, God would do something to change the situation and protect us. We prayed according to Matthew 18:19, saying, “Lord, You say that if two or three of us would agree on earth as touching anything, you would hear us, and our Heavenly Father would do it. So Father, if this plane is in danger in any way, as I have heard this flight attendant say, then we ask You to please do something to change this situation and protect us from harm.”

Within minutes after our prayer, a flight attendant abruptly came on the sound system and hysterically announced the plane would be evacuated due to a phone call that said there was a bomb on board. She said, “There has been a phone call indicating that there is a bomb on this plane. So please… quietly, orderly…begin disembarking this airplane as quickly as possible. EVERYONE GET OFF THIS PLANE!”

The panic in her voice caused panic to hit the whole plane. Suddenly everyone was standing up in front of their seats, fighting, screaming, and trying to force their way to the airplane’s sole open exit. It was mass confusion! Because the plane was overloaded with luggage that was choking up the main aisle, people were jumping and leaping over boxes and bags as they fought each other to make their way toward the exit. Because of where I was seated, I couldn’t move — there were too many boxes stacked around me — so I decided to just sit back and watch the people wage war with each other to try to get off the plane quicker than all the others. The sight was like none I had ever seen. It was anything but quiet and orderly! In fact, people were actually injured as they fought with each other to be the first off the plane!

When everyone was finally off the plane and transported inside the terminal, an airline official met us and said we were to wait for directions regarding what we should do next. Hours passed, and as I looked out the terminal windows toward our evacuated plane, I could see people completely emptying the plane of all boxes and luggage that had been recklessly packed into every available space. Finally, the plane was completely emptied, and officials and bomb-searching dogs thoroughly searched it from top to bottom. However, when they had finished, an announcement was made in the terminal that said, “No bomb has been found, so we are now reboarding the aircraft. But this time, we have decided that no excess luggage will be allowed. Please use your same ticket and take your same seat.”

About an hour later, we were seated back in our same seats, and when the door closed for that flight to take off, it was a completely different scene. People were all seated in their ticketed seats; no luggage or boxes were in the aisles; and no excess bags or garments were dangling from the overhead compartments. It was like a totally different aircraft. The passengers on board were now quiet and peaceful because they, too, knew it was a safer situation than what had existed only a few hours prior to our reboarding. Decades have passed since this event occurred, but I still remember it as though it happened yesterday because events like that are not easily forgotten!

That day, my traveling companion and I prayed according to Matthew 18:19, which says, “Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” According to this verse, all that is required is two or three people who “agree” as touching anything that they ask, and it shall be done for them of our Heavenly Father.

Let’s take a closer look at this word “agree” to see exactly what Jesus meant when He made this declaration. The word “agree” is the Greek word sumphoneo, and it is a compound of sum and phoneo. The word sum means with, and the word phoneo means to make a sound. As you can imagine by simply looking at its two parts, this Greek word is where we get the word symphony. Thus, when we describe agreement in prayer, it is good to first think of a symphony, which is a musical piece made of different movements, instruments, and parts. The use of this word sumphoneo in the context of prayer is revealing, for it shows that when two or more believers get into agreement — each of them praying and adding their parts — it creates a supernatural movement that deeply touches the heart of the Father. This action is so powerful, in fact, that Jesus said it would result in the Father fulfilling any issue they addressed through prayer.

This is precisely what happened on the airplane that afternoon. In a moment of urgency, my traveling companion and I got into high-level spiritual agreement and prayed with such power and faith that a movement of prayer ascended from our seats to the Father’s ears. When God heard our unified prayer, He was blessed by our faith and genuine agreement, and He literally swung into action to evacuate an entire airplane in response.

When you find yourself in a dilemma and need help from Heaven, find another believer who can get into agreement with you. Take turns praying, and pray together in the Spirit, letting your spirits mix and mingle and harmonize as they ascend to the throne of God to produce a symphony of prayer. When God hears this, it’s only a matter of time until He begins to move Heaven and earth to answer your prayers!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, I thank You for the tremendous power You have enabled us to tap into through unified prayer. When we come together in agreement with faith in Your Word, I am grateful that You not only hear us when we pray in accordance with Your will, but You also answer to perform Your will and purposes in our lives. It pleases and honors You when Your people take advantage of this powerful type of prayer that enables our spirits to harmonize in faith as we come before Your throne of grace (Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 18:19) with each one of us adding our parts. Father, You have instructed us to pray with all manner of prayer (Ephesians 6:18). I will, therefore, pay attention to engage this type of prayer with another believer when dilemmas arise so that Your power can be released.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

 

I confess that I deeply touch the heart of my Heavenly Father when I create a harmonious sound of faith by entering into faith-filled agreement with another believer in prayer. I do not fear when difficulties suddenly appear. Instead, I tap the power of agreement in prayer! As each of us add our part in a harmonious symphony of unified prayer, our agreement with God’s Word and with one another releases the supernatural power of God in our behalf.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Have you ever been in a desperate situation where you and a friend lifted your voices in powerful prayer and you saw almost immediate results? When was that experience? Is it something you could share with someone today to encourage someone else in his or her own experience with the Lord?
  2. Can you think of an emergency situation from your past in which your life was in danger, but you cried out in faith and God heard your prayer and rescued you?
  3. Have you ever experienced a moment of symphonized prayer — a supernatural moment when your voice was mixed and mingled together with another believer’s voice, and it released currents of power from Heaven?

Never Forget To Look At the Children!

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.
— 1 Timothy 3:4

Once while traveling on an airplane, I sat next to a lady who had taught public school for thirty-five years. I asked her, “What can you tell about a family by the way a child behaves in school?”

She answered, “Everything! I can usually tell by the way a child acts if his or her home is peaceful or tormented; if the parents pay attention to their kids or ignore them; and if the father and mother have a good relationship. Almost everything can be determined by watching a child’s behavior. It’s usually a mirror of what’s happening at home.”

Of course, I know there are unique situations in which parents do everything right in raising their child, yet the child still becomes indifferent toward God and develops a rebellious and disrespectful attitude toward others. But often rebellious children are a symptom of a deeper problem in the family. If only one of the children in a family is rebellious and unmanageable, you might be able to dismiss the situation as a freak development or an attack of the devil. But if every child exhibits the same disturbing behavioral problems, you can surmise that something is not right in that home.

Paul considered the condition of the home so important that he wrote that a leader must have “…his children in subjection with all gravity” (1 Timothy 3:4). This is important to understand, because what happens in a person’s home is usually the true picture about what kind of leader he is going to be. So when I personally look for new leaders or for people who will represent me and my ministry, I look at their children to see if they are respectful and understand authority. If the children aren’t being taught this at home, it may be a sign that this parent doesn’t value the things I count as important.

But what age of children are we talking about? The word “children” that Paul uses in First Timothy 3:4 is the Greek word tekna, the word used to describe children who are still under parental guidance at home. After a child grows into a young adult and leaves home, the parent is no longer responsible; however, as long as the child remains at home and under the authority of his or her parents, those parents have a God-given parental responsibility to teach that child how to live and how to act toward others.

Paul says in this verse that a leader’s children should have “gravity.” The word “gravity” is the Greek word semnotes. It presents the idea of a person who carries himself with dignity and treats other people with courtesy and respect.

Through the years, I’ve learned that the way a person’s children speak to each other and to others outside the home is very revealing about what’s really happening behind closed doors in that home. As noted above, children usually mirror the true situation in a home. In other words, how they speak, carry themselves, and treat others usually reflects the quality of relationships in their home.

If parents are constantly arguing and screaming at each other until it has become a pattern and a way of life, the children will usually speak to each other exactly the same way in that home. When siblings engage in chronic patterns of strife, name-calling, and mutual accusation, these destructive patterns probably exist in their parents’ marital relationship as well. Children repeat what they see their parents do.

I’ll never forget the time I was called upon to mediate a very difficult situation between a husband and wife whose marital problems could no longer be hidden. On the surface, they always smiled and acted deeply in love. However, the behavior of their children let me know that serious problems existed in that marital relationship.

Those kids frequently told each other:

It was very revealing to me that the children spoke so freely to each other like this and that no one at home stopped it. It told me that it was probably the kind of language spoken by everyone in the home — including Dad and Mom.

Then the true story came to light, and the facade of marital bliss this couple tried to project was removed. The truth was that this husband and wife fought like cats and dogs. He yelled and she screamed; he threatened and she threw objects. That house had been filled with strife, discord, quarreling, and squabbling for many years. This long-term destructive behavior was exactly what those kids mirrored in their own behavior and conversations with each other.

If a home is filled with love, respect, and teamwork, this is also evident in the way the children conduct themselves. For instance, just recently a leader and his family came to our home for dinner. I watched that leader’s children interact with each other all evening while they were at our home. By watching those children, I knew exactly what I needed to know about this family. Those children possessed a respect and courtesy for each other and for other people that had been passed down to them by their parents’ example.

When children are disrespectful toward authority and resentful when they’re asked to do something they think is too low for them to do, it usually means they come from a home where a servant mentality is nonexistent. If their parents were true servants, their children would reflect that servant mentality themselves. Leaders who are servants most often have children who are servants.

So if you’re looking for someone to serve in your church or to hire for a job, never forget to take a good look at the potential candidate’s children. If you see a house full of children who are content to sit and watch other people work, be careful. You may be inviting someone who lacks a servant’s heart into your team of leaders. Certainly there are exceptions to the rule, but you will most often find that what you see in the children is what you’ll experience with the parent as well.

I am certain this Sparkling Gem has raised questions for you. My prayer is that it raises a warning flag to make you think twice about your own children and to cause you to move more slowly when choosing a leader who has disrespectful children. I’m NOT saying that a potential leader whose children are rude and disorderly can’t be used. But you should enter that relationship with both eyes wide open.

If your own children are disrespectful toward each other and toward authority, maybe you need to ask the Lord to help you analyze the real situation in your life and your home so He can show you what is out of order. Then once He reveals it to you, determine to start taking the proper steps to put things in good shape!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for speaking to me through today’s Sparkling Gem. I ask You to help me truthfully evaluate the situation in my life and honestly analyze how I am doing at rearing my children. It is difficult for me to be honest with myself about my performance as a parent, so I need You to give me the grace to see the truth as You see it. After You show me where I have erred, please quickly teach me how to bring correction into the situation. I am willing to be corrected, and I am waiting for You to help me clearly see the situation. I determine this day to do whatever is required to put my home in good working order.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am growing and developing as a parent. My parental skills are getting better and better all the time. My home is filled with love; my children speak with kindness and respect; and I am rearing them to be godly leaders for the next generation. With God’s Word as my guide and the Holy Spirit as my Teacher, I am leading my family in a way that pleases God and that is an example to others.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. When considering the behavior of your children, would you say they are respectful or disrespectful toward authority?

2. Do your children play one parent against the other parent — going to the second parent to get approval for what they want to do after the other parent has already denied their request? If yes, what does this communicate to you?

3. Do your children speak kindly to each other and respectfully toward their parents? If the answer is no, what does this reveal about you as a parent?