And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
— John 14:16

I can’t begin to imagine how alarmed the disciples must have felt when Jesus told them that He would soon be leaving them. Jesus had often warned them that He would be leaving, but that evening in the Upper Room, as they spent their last hours together, the full weight of this reality began to dawn on the disciples — and it put them in a state of panic and dismay. John 14:2 tells us that Jesus was aware that their hearts were troubled.

It was natural for the disciples to feel sorrowful at the news of Jesus’ imminent departure. Living and walking with Jesus was more than they had ever hoped for in this world. With Jesus at their side, their lives had been filled with adventure, excitement, joy, victory, power, healing, and miracles. What would life be like without Jesus? Would it ever be the same? Was this the end to their dreams?

Feelings of insecurity and uncertainty would have been normal for any human being in the disciples’ position. They had grown dependent upon the physical, visible presence of Jesus — something we’ve never experienced and therefore cannot fully comprehend. But in the midst of the disciples’ fears, Jesus promised them, “I will not leave you comfortless…” (John 14:18).

As we saw in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, the word “comfortless” is from the Greek word orphanos, which is where we get the word orphan. As noted before, the word orphanos could describe children who had lost their parents, or it could describe students who were abandoned by their teacher. In both cases, it is the picture of younger, less educated, less knowledgeable people feeling deserted by those they trusted and looked to for guidance.

Jesus had become a spiritual Mentor to the disciples. For more than three years, these men had walked with Jesus and depended entirely upon Him. During those three years, Jesus’ voice had been the only voice they had followed. They walked in His footsteps, and they explicitly followed His directions. As a Mentor, Jesus had taught them everything — how to cast out demons, how to heal the sick, how to travel in ministry, and on and on. The full extent of the spiritual training Jesus imparted to His disciples includes far too many truths to list here. In fact, Jesus had taught them everything they knew regarding spiritual matters.

But in John 14, Jesus made it clear that He would be leaving His disciples. Later that night, He was to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, judged before the religious leaders of the city, sent to be judged by Pilate, then by Herod, and then back to Pilate again. And following these harrowing experiences, He was to be scourged, crucified, and buried. All of these events would occur in a mere matter of hours from those moments when Jesus sat with them in the Upper Room and told them that He would be leaving. They simply had no idea how quickly He would be physically taken from them.

But Jesus knew. That is why it was so important for Him to take that last evening to teach the disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew they would need to depend on the Holy Spirit as completely as He had depended on Him. So Jesus took His last hours to instruct them about the ministry of the Holy Spirit and introduce them to this spiritual Partner who would be become their new Teacher and Guide in the world.

Jesus told the disciples in John 14:16, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter….” The word “pray” is Greek word eratao, which was a legal word that described a lawyer who would argue a case in a court of law. It is interesting that this is the Greek word most generally used in the Gospels to describe Jesus’ prayer life. This particular word indicates that it was so crucial for the survival of the disciples that the Comforter would be sent that Jesus was going to the Father to present His case in that matter. This case would be so concrete — so clear and unmistakable — that the Father would respond to Jesus’ request by sending the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, as His replacement to the disciples.

Imagine how important the ministry of the Holy Spirit must be for Jesus! Jesus was making the case clear to the Father that He must send the Holy Spirit, for the disciples — and then later the Church — would not survive without the Holy Spirit’s help and assistance. The very fact that the word eratao is used to describe Jesus’ petition to the Father tells us that the coming of the Holy Spirit was imperative. Jesus treated this request as one of the utmost importance. And if Jesus treated this subject so importantly, then we must treat it with equal importance.

So I encourage you to seriously ask yourself this question today: How importantly do I treat the subject of the Holy Spirit in my life? And whatever your answer, make it your priority in the days ahead to learn how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work in your life on a deeper level than you ever have before!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I admit that I have often neglected to acknowledge Your presence in my life. I repent, and I ask You to please forgive me. It’s not that I’ve tried to ignore You; I have just been ignorant of Your role in my life and how deeply I have needed Your fellowship. I confess that I’ve even had fears about opening my heart more deeply to You because of things I’ve seen and heard others do that seemed a little strange. Forgive me for being closed to You when, in fact, I cannot live the Christian life without Your power and Your help. Right now I take the next step to invite You to move powerfully in my life. I take down all the guards, and I decide to trust You to bring Jesus closer to me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that the Holy Spirit works mightily in my life. I am not afraid to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s power. I acknowledge that I cannot successfully live the Christian life without His involvement, so I open every part of my life to Him and to His powerful workings. As a result, I am filled with spiritual power; I am supernaturally led by the Spirit of God because I am a child of God; and I am being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. As a result of my fellowship and obedience to the Holy Spirit, my Christian life is filled with victory and adventure!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you treated your relationship with the Holy Spirit as seriously as Jesus treated it? If not, why not?
2. Do you attend a church where your fellowship with the Holy Spirit will be encouraged or discouraged? If your church does not encourage you to go deeper with the Spirit of God, why are you still attending that church?
3. What concrete steps can you take to start developing a deeper fellowship with the Holy Spirit? For example, you could read books on the Holy Spirit that will take you deeper in your spiritual walk, or you could listen to teachings on the subject of the Holy Spirit. What other things can you think of to do to enhance your fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

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?

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!

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!

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?

“If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself… lay thine hand upon thy mouth.”
— Proverbs 30:32

Many years ago, Denise and I went on a cruise of the Caribbean Sea. We had never been on a cruise and didn’t know what to expect. When we arrived for dinner the first evening, we assumed we’d be seated alone, but the maître d’ seated us at a table with six young people in their early to mid-20s. Denise and I looked at each other and then at the six other people, and we realized we were the grandpa and grandma in the group. It wasn’t exactly the romantic setting we had in mind, but it was the seating given to us for the evening so we decided to enjoy an experience with this young group of people.

These were university students who had decided to take a cruise together. So rather than talk about ourselves, we decided to listen and see what we could learn from this younger generation. The young female seated next to Denise glowed as she chattered away. She told Denise that she was studying Classical Greek and that her dream was to become an expert, having already attained a measure of that expert status compared to other students back home at the university. She went on and on about the marvelous characteristics of Classical Greek — obviously trying to impress us with how smart she was.

Then the young man seated to my right side decided it was his turn to chime in, and he began to quite literally rave about how brilliant he was with the Russian language. Believe me, pride was not hidden at that table! These young people — according to themselves — were absolutely amazing in their respective abilities! The man next to me went on and on about how he had studied Russian at the university for two years and that he spoke Russian so flawlessly that even native Russians couldn’t even detect a foreign accent when he spoke! Denise and I looked at each other in amazement, but never uttered a word in response or gave a hint that we are both Russian-speakers.

Then a gorgeous young girl across the table spoke up: “Well, I guess it’s my turn to tell who I am and what I plan to do. I am a soprano, and I plan to sing professionally at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.” Oh my goodness, I thought I would fall off my chair any moment. Even if she was a good singer, she was sitting at the same table as my wife, who really had the opportunity to sing at the Metropolitan Opera but had given up the opportunity for the ministry. This gorgeous young girl had no idea what kind of real opera singer was sitting right in front of her as she exclaimed how many awards she had won and how gifted she was at singing.

After the young people had gone around the table and they had all finished “sharing” their areas of brilliance and expertise, they looked at Denise and me — almost as if to say, We know you are older and probably the least experienced, but… And they kindly asked us, “Now tell us — what has been your past area of expertise?”

Denise spoke up first and said, “Well, my husband is a Classical Greek expert and has written best-selling books on the subject.” The girl sitting next to Denise, who claimed such expertise at Classical Greek, nearly wilted. She said, “Well, I’m really not a real expert, like you are. Oh, how embarrassing.”

Then I turned to the overly confident Russian-student to my right and said, “My wife and I have lived in Russia for many years, and we speak Russian fluently. How about if you and I speak a little Russian together?” He leaned back from the table and said, “Oh, I really don’t speak that well. I feel a little put on the spot. I’d rather not speak in Russian right now.”

Then the gorgeous blonde soprano looked at Denise and said, “And what about you?” I interrupted and said, “May I answer that question, because my wife may be a little timid right now to tell you. But she is an opera singer who holds concerts all over the former USSR and who personally gave up a career at the Metropolitan Opera when we decided to get married.” The blonde’s mouth literally fell open, gaping in shock.

I didn’t want any of them to be embarrassed for grossly exaggerating the truth about themselves, but I felt a need to give a little advice about truthful presentations. Feeling they were all embarrassed, I said, “There’s no need to be embarrassed in front of us, but you need to be careful how highly you lift yourself up in front of others, because it could put you in very embarrassing situation. Speak well of yourself, but don’t stretch the truth.” Then I asked them to please pass the gravy, and we all moved on to other subjects. All in all, the evening turned out to be a wonderful time with a group of young, inexperienced university students.

When I read Proverbs 30:32, I remember that night. It says, “If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself…lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” God’s solution in such a moment is simple: “…lay thine hand upon thy mouth” — or in other words, shut your mouth when you are tempted to gloat about yourself.

In the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word “foolishly” is the word euphrosune, and it pictures the abandonment of one to self-aggrandizing. Thus, it is translated as someone who acts foolishly. It is the extreme picture of one who speaks too highly about himself, one who revels in his own accomplishments, or one who is ridiculously self-congratulatory, which is why sometimes it is translated as mirth. It is the most extreme version of thinking too highly of oneself. The word “hand” is cheira, the normal word for a hand, but here it pictures a person putting his “hand” on his mouth!

Especially when I was younger, I felt the need to impress others because I wanted people to think highly of me. I was probably guilty of the same thing that I saw these young people do who were seated at the table with us that night. However, as I’ve grown older and become more secure in the Lord and who I am in Christ, the need to impress others has become less important to me — and my relationship with Jesus and how He perceives me has taken the place of greatest importance in my life. As I become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I become increasingly aware of how grieved He is when we embellish the truth.

During a time of self-examination years ago when I took an extended time to look back on my life, there were many words I wished I could retract, but it was too late and too many years had passed. So I made the decision to be very careful from that point onward to say only those things that were true and honoring to Jesus. Sometimes the best policy is to say nothing at all.

So today I want to ask you — are you guilty of embellishing the facts? If you’re still guilty of this sin of the mouth, Proverbs 30:32 may be the best advice for you: “If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself…lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” God’s solution is very simple. Whenever you are tempted to exaggerate the truth — or to exaggerate your own importance — put your hand over your mouth until it becomes a settled practice in your life to rest in who you are in Jesus. In time you will ensure that in all things and in every situation, Jesus alone gets all the glory and honor for whatever you accomplish in this life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I repent for the times I have sought to impress people by inflating the facts rather than seeking to please You by simply telling the truth. To exaggerate my abilities or accomplishments is utterly foolish since people usually see right through it! I realize now that if I engage in self-aggrandizement, not only am I deceiving myself, but I am also attempting to manipulate others by controlling their perception of me through a lie. That is not the way I want to live! I now see that to blow things out of proportion in order to exalt myself before others is actually a symptom of fear, not confidence — and fear brings a snare. Holy Spirit, I ask You to forgive me for the times I’ve grieved You by exalting myself instead of exalting Jesus. I ask You to set a watch over my lips as I commit to place my hand on my mouth and to give all glory to the Lord Jesus Christ alone!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I choose to resist the temptation to exaggerate the truth and embellish the facts in an attempt to make myself seem more important or accomplished than I am. To safeguard against foolish speaking, I will put my hand over my mouth. I am complete in Christ, and my sense of security in Him continually increases as my identity in Him becomes more and more established.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you remember a moment when you embellished the truth to make yourself look more important in the eyes of others? When was that, and did you ever repent for embellishing the truth?
2. What is most important in your life right now? Is it the opinions of what others or what Jesus thinks about you? Be honest, because Jesus already knows the truth anyway!
3. Have you ever been astonished at someone’s willingness to exaggerate the truth in order to impress other people? If you hear someone embellishing the truth, what do you think is your responsibility? Should you simply be quiet and let it go or privately ask the person about it?

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
— Ephesians 4:25

I want to talk about the importance of honesty in relationships and the need to deal with past offenses or hurts before they take root in your heart and breed bitterness. I’ll warn you in advance that you will need to pray for wisdom after you read this.

Many times offense and hurt arise from moments when little problems get completely blown out of proportion. At the time, the issue seems so big and all-consuming, but deep down, you know in your heart that it’s stupid and not worth that kind of attention. How often do these little, nitpicky hang-ups steal our time, rob us of our joy, and separate us from others — whether for a few moments, or several hours, or days at a time, or even longer? It is important that we learn to identify and address these minor problems before they escalate into something bigger that ultimately steals our time, robs us of our peace, and separates us from those we love.

Let’s bring this a little closer to home. Is there anyone in your life right now with whom you’re having a hard time getting along? Perhaps you have a close friend who has disappointed you. Maybe a business acquaintance has rubbed you the wrong way. Or maybe there is someone at church you just can’t stand. You don’t know why you feel the way you do, but when you see them, you feel disgust and intolerance and want to turn the other direction. Perhaps someone has hurt you unintentionally by saying something that was thoughtless, or maybe their attack was entirely purposeful. Regardless of the motive, the person’s words went into your heart like a dagger that you’ve never been able to completely pull out. You still feel the hurt, the wound, and the pain of his or her thoughtless words, actions, and deeds.

As a Christian, you already know what you should do in all of these cases: Ask the Lord to forgive you for your wrong attitude and help you change the way you see the people who have hurt or offended you. You should overlook their weaknesses, forgive them for their wrongs, forget about their characteristics or hang-ups that irk you so much, and then move on as though nothing ever happened to ruffle your feathers. It’s also possible that you might need to prayerfully, honestly, and lovingly communicate with those people about what’s bothering you.

That’s what you should do. You know the Holy Spirit wants you to love them with the love of Jesus. However, the emotions you feel are so strong that you’d rather just look the other way and forget about those who have hurt you. Your flesh doesn’t want to take the time and energy required to forgive them, show God’s love to them, and do as much as you can to preserve or restore those relationships.

And have you noticed how your mind will constantly drift back to that moment when you were hurt, irked, or offended? Subconsciously, you keep rehearsing the whole event over and over again in your mind, examining every little point of what you said and what the other person said. It grates against you as if it just happened minutes ago, when in reality quite a space of time has elapsed and you should be well over it by now. But if the truth be told — you’re not!

If this describes a true scenario in your life, it’s time to let go of your hurt or offense and forgive the person who wronged you. Why is this so crucial? Because these attitudes left unchecked will form a root of bitterness that could eventually ruin your life (see Hebrews 12:15). But in order to free yourself from these destructive mindsets, you must first confront them head-on. You must be honest with yourself and with the person who wronged you.

Honesty is the name of the game when it comes to relationships. Learning to “speak every man truth with his neighbor” is a challenge for the most mature believer. Yet this is the mandate the apostle Paul gave us in Ephesians 4:25 when he said, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.”

Paul said that God requires believers to “put away” lying in their relationships. These were mature believers Paul was addressing, so it is unlikely they were lying outright. The Greek word for “lying” is pseudos, which really means dishonesty. Maybe they weren’t outright lying. Maybe they just weren’t being truthful or didn’t know how to be truthful. Regardless of how the situation transpired, it had led to dishonesty. Paul called on them to learn how to speak the “truth” with one another. The word “truth” is alethosi. In this verse, it refers to truthfulness or honesty in relationships.

In spite of Paul’s exhortation for honesty between the members of the Body of Christ, the Church is full of actors who pretend like everything is good when inwardly they are hurt or offended by the words or actions of another believer. They aren’t trying to be dishonest; they’re trying to be mature. They think that by not discussing the issues that bother them, they are being “spiritual.” But this “silent spirituality” is not a sign of spiritual maturity. In fact, it often leads to the cultivation of hostile attitudes, resentment, and a hard heart toward the other party.

Most people choose to simply “grin and bear it” and think that by ignoring their hurt, it will somehow go away by itself. But it rarely happens this way. The hurt may hide itself deep inside the soul for a while, but the next time a similar situation happens with the same person, that old wound will start screaming again.

That’s your signal that you have never really dealt with your heart toward that other person! You never really got over it; you just covered up the hurt.

Honesty might be difficult, but it’s not more difficult than living with a bitter spirit and a bad attitude. Being honest with the one who hurt you may seem difficult at the moment, but when forgiveness clears the breach in the relationship, you are free. Holding on to silent resentment makes you a prisoner in your own mind and emotions.

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you today about taking action to be honest with someone about a situation you’ve tried to ignore? Well, as I told you at the beginning of the Sparkling Gem, it may be time for you to pray for wisdom!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to help me in this life. He is the Spirit of Truth who alone can lead and guide me into all truth. I receive His counsel and help to open the eyes of my understanding and grant me revelation knowledge as I search my own heart in the light of Your Word. Help me discern the areas where I have become dishonest in my relationships in an attempt to deal with hurts and disappointments. I believe that I receive Your help today as I purpose to change!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

Today I choose to yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in my heart so I can forgive and move forward with integrity and in truth. I recognize the importance of maintaining honesty in my relationships — and that it starts by first being honest with myself. I receive the help of the Holy Spirit, who teaches me how to speak the truth in love so that I may walk with integrity and that I may honor my Lord Jesus in all areas and relationships in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you have a relationship that is dishonest because you do not know how to speak the truth to that other person? I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lie, but has your ignoring of the truth really emerged into a dishonest relationship?
2. If you did what the Holy Spirit wanted you to do, what would it be? Do you think the Holy Spirit would tell you to ignore the situation or find a way to discuss it with that other person?
3. What actions will you take as a result of reading today’s Sparkling Gem?

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
— James 1:6,7

It is no secret that the devil will try to knock you back from your stance of faith when you are facing a difficult challenge. However, in this pivotal moment when he is pushing his hardest, you must be aware that you stand at a crossroads. You have a crucial choice to make: You can give up, or you can stand your ground and boldly declare, “I refuse to be moved off my position of faith! The Word of God is true, and I’m not going to back off!”

If you’ve had trouble standing firm in your faith against the pressure of the enemy in the past, don’t feel condemned. Just receive this message as an encouragement from the Lord to get back on your feet and then go for it again! To experience a breakthrough regarding a difficult situation or a trap that you’ve struggled with for too long, you must take a bold stance of faith and then stand still.

Yes, it may take time for your answer to manifest. Just because your request is in accordance with God’s will, the answer doesn’t always come to pass quickly or without a hitch. There’s a devil out there that doesn’t want you to experience God’s will for your life. You also have your own flesh to deal with, and flesh loves comfort — it does not like a challenge. Your faith may need to grow. God wants you to come to a higher level in the process of receiving the answer to your prayer.

Faith knows what it wants. It doesn’t vacillate. It never moves. Faith stands still in one spot. So make your bold confession of faith: “God, this is what I want. This is Your will for my life, and I’m not moving until I receive the fulfillment of it!”

In James 1:6, James described the unwavering attitude a believer must have when he asks God for something in faith. It says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

First of all, James told us that we must “ask.” The word “ask” is the Greek word aiteo, which means to be firm or adamant in requesting assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth. The petitioner is so sure that his request is correct that he asks boldly and with an expectation to receive what he is firmly requesting. This depicts a person who speaks up, speaks out, and prays boldly and authoritatively.

Second, James said that we must ask “in faith.” The Greek lays emphasis on the word “in” — as something that the person is locked into or as something that is immovable. In other words, this person is praying for a stable, immovable, decided position. He knows what he wants and isn’t going to budge. Faith knows what it wants, and faith stands still. Faith doesn’t waver.

Third, the verse says that we must ask in faith and not “doubt.” The word “doubt” in Greek is diakrinomai, which means to differ or to be at variance with one’s self. In other words, your mouth may be saying all the right words, but your heart is not really in agreement. It’s just a mouthful of correct, empty words. Until your heart and mouth get into agreement, you are not really asking in faith, so James told us that we must ask with hearts that are in agreement with our mouths.

Fourth, James said that if we are not asking in faith — that is, if we are not standing firm in our position of faith — we are like unto a “wave” of the sea. The word “wave” is the Greek word kludunai, and it describes the billowing sea, or one roll of waves after another, or the ever-changing sea. Waves may look impressive, but they don’t last long. And likewise, a person who doesn’t stand firm in faith may temporarily look or sound impressive when he prays, but like a wave of the sea, his prayers and desires are ever-changing; and therefore he is not standing firm in a position where he can be blessed. Faith stands still.

In verse 7, James continued to say, “Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” It’s not that God doesn’t want to bless this man; He can’t bless this man, because the man doesn’t stay in a position of faith long enough to receive an answer to his prayers. Like the waves of the sea, he is shifting all the time from one request to another about the same issue — and then when a little pressure is applied and he doubts, he shifts again.

Consider your own walk with God. Perhaps this is one reason a prayer request of yours hasn’t been answered. Maybe you’ve never locked in with your faith on that particular need. Regarding what you’ve asked God for, do you change your mind or waver in doubt every few days — or even every year? Sometimes it does take years for certain answers for prayer to manifest. That’s why it’s so important to focus and lock in with your faith. You have to say, “This is it!” and stand still.

I suggest you say out loud: “Faith stands still.” Say it again and again until that truth gets planted firmly in your heart. If you’re moving around and wavering in your faith all the time, you make it difficult for God to bless you. But when you determine, “I’m believing God for this answer to come to pass, and I’m not moving in my stance of faith about it!” — then you position yourself as someone God can bless.

So decide today what you want and need based on what God promises in His Word. Then pray a prayer of faith, and determine that you’re not going to move until you see that answer come into manifestation. Regardless of how long it takes or how difficult the process is, you are not moving again — because faith stands still !

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I repent for the times I have made a declaration of sincere faith, but then allowed myself to waver because of something I saw or felt. I acknowledge that such vacillating is to be double-minded, and the double-minded person will not receive anything from the Lord. I acknowledge that without faith it impossible to please You. And I choose to please You, Father! Therefore, because I believe that You reward those who diligently seek You, I purpose in my heart to remain fixed and stable in my position of faith until Your reward is fully manifested in my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that this is IT — today I focus, and I boldly REFUSE to move from my stance in faith! I let patience have its perfect work, and I do not vacillate! I am not tossed like a wave to and fro, but I stand firm in one spot — fixed, immovable, and determined. I am confident that I will see what I have believed because my faith is based upon God’s Word, and His Word is His will. Therefore, this day I confess that the will of God shall be manifested in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Is it possible that your prayers haven’t been answered because you’ve changed your prayer request so many times? Be honest with yourself. If faith stands still until it receives what it has requested, has your behavior met the description of how faith behaves?
2. What scriptures are you standing on for the things you are requesting from God? I advise you to write down the scripture references that back up what you are requesting from God. When the devil tempts you to back off or to think that God won’t answer, this will give you a foundation to stand on and repel his attacks.
3. Have you ever known anyone who habitually changes his or her prayer requests, as James says, like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed? What would you advise that person after reading today’s Sparkling Gem?

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.
— Ephesians 3:17

From time to time, many of us get caught up in the challenges of life and sometimes fail to notice all that God is accomplishing in our midst. As we go through each day, we can become so fixated on our daily challenges and trials that we lose sight not only of what God has done, but also of what He is doing on our behalf.

Truly life can be overwhelming at times. But we need to remember that although we may experience momentary afflictions, our overwhelming victory in Christ is permanent and eternal. It’s during those times when the shifting tides of life threaten to unnerve us or to displace our footing that we need to recognize the permanent stability of our True Foundation, Jesus Christ. He is our Strong Tower, our Shelter, and our Dwelling Place. We can count on that! But even more important is the fact that He has chosen to make our hearts HIS permanent dwelling place.

The apostle Paul emphatically declares this truth in Ephesians 3:17, saying, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.” That word “dwell” is the Greek word katoikeo, a compound of the words kata and oikos. The word kata means down, and the word oikos is the Greek word for a house. The word oikos could also be used in a larger sense to describe a family clan or a larger social unit, such as the house of David, or it could depict a local community. In the New Testament, the primary meaning of the word oikos is a house or location where an individual, entity, family, or community permanently dwells.

When kata and oikos are compounded, the new word katoikeo (“dwell”) carries the idea of one who permanently resides at a specific location. Thus, Paul’s use of this word implies not only that Christ establishes His physical residence in a faith-filled heart by the Holy Spirit, but also that He is at home and permanently settled there. That location has become His dwelling place, His temple, His property, His place of permanent residence — and He has become a perpetual, never- to-move-out Occupant!

Isn’t that good to know? Christ’s dwelling is permanently fixed within our hearts, and He has no intention of ever leaving us or abandoning us for another place of residence! That means He knows what we face every day, and He faces it with us. It is impossible for us to live without Jesus’ attention to every detail in our lives, because He perpetually dwells inside us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. This also means there is no place to run or hide from Christ, because He literally goes where we go and is always present wherever we are. We are His permanent earthly residence, not merely a stop on His way to somewhere else!

Christ Himself is in every challenge we face, so we can rest assured that God is always with and in us. He is always present to sustain us, strengthen us, and guide us through this life. He never leaves or forsakes us. We are His permanent dwelling place.

It’s no wonder that First John 4:4 declares, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!” Jesus Christ lives inside you! Think of that as you get started today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I am so grateful that by Your great love and kindness, in Christ I am Your temple, Your sanctuary. Your Spirit has His permanent dwelling in me individually and in Your Church collectively. From this day forward, I will make it a practice to remind myself that Christ in me is my Hope of Glory. As Your permanent dwelling place, I know I carry You into every situation I face, so I thank You that You empower me to walk honorably in all I do to the glory of Jesus Christ.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that when the shifting tides of life threaten to unnerve me, I remain stable and unmoved because I am anchored in the solid Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my permanent stability and my true foundation; therefore, my steps do not slide. The name of the Lord is my strong tower and my shelter. My life is hidden in Christ in God. And not only do I abide in Him, but He also dwells in me! I am the living temple of the Most High God. He has chosen to make my heart HIS permanent dwelling place. Knowing that He will never leave me or forsake me, I boldly proclaim: Victory is mine because greater is He that is in me than he that is in this world!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought about the fact that your heart is Christ’s home in your life and that you are His permanent place of residency? Since that is the case, how should it affect the way you live?
2. Just think of the fact that you cannot run or hide from Christ, because everywhere you go, He goes with you. That means you never face anything alone or without Him facing it with you. Knowing that Christ is in you, what kind of affect does that have on you as you face different circumstances in life?
3. If you really believe that Jesus is greater in you than anything you’ll ever face, then ponder what a victorious position this puts you in your life. Why don’t you take a few minutes to meditate on Christ being in you and do it before you let any time lapse after reading this Sparkling Gem today.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
— 1 Corinthians 12:21

Have you ever wondered why people are the way they are?

We all come from different backgrounds, and to a certain degree, these backgrounds determine who we are, what we believe, how we think, and how we respond to any given situation. For example, a farmer from rural Arkansas will have a different outlook on life than a man who grew up in New York City. A boy who grew up on the inner-city streets of Baltimore is going to see life differently than a boy who grew up in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Or a girl who grew up with her poor grandmother and whose mother had five husbands is going to view some things differently than a girl who grew up in a white-collar home and never knew anything but financial security and a solid home life.

Likewise, a believer’s background in church will often have a strong influence on how he or she views different church issues, such as doctrinal debates, how worship should be conducted, or the proper roles of church government. For instance, if you grew up a Baptist like I did, you might see the Catholic Church as very formal. If you grew up as a Methodist, the Assemblies of God might seem radical to you. Or if you were raised in a Charismatic church, the Assemblies of God may seem too “denominational” to you. How we respond to these different spiritual environments largely depends on the spiritual environment we are most familiar with.

A person’s background is not an excuse for his or her behavior, but sometimes it is an explanation. Take your family background, for example. If you grew up in a home filled with love — where you were freely hugged, given kisses, and told, “I love you” — it undoubtedly affected the way you conduct your own household now that you’re an adult with a family.

Personally, I was raised in such a home. My parents loved me, and I knew it. Even when they disciplined me, I was aware of their love. When I was in college and came home to see my parents on the weekends, I kissed my mom and dad when I arrived and before I returned to school. I even kissed them each night on the cheek before I went to bed. And today, decades later, I still kiss my mom before I leave her to return home. The way I was raised has impacted the way I raised my own children and the way I treat my wife. My family represents the most precious relationships I have in this world — and I believe they should be treated as such.

However, if a person grew up in a home where no one was touched, no one was kissed, and the words “I love you” were never heard, he may have a difficult time later on in life expressing affection toward his loved ones. Or if a person grew up with an abusive, alcoholic parent in a home riddled with strife and neglect, he might struggle with significant emotional obstacles, such as residual anger issues and a fear of rejection. Furthermore, a person’s background colors his or her perception of the world. For example, a Christian who has been through divorce will have a different view of marital failure than a believer who is happily married, and a believer who was involved in drugs or crime before he or she received Christ might have a more tolerant view of people involved in those sins than a Christian who was raised in the Church and never dabbled in such destructive behaviors.

When we consider the fact that these factors are multiplied by millions of people and then mixed together in the Church, it is easy to see why conflict occurs. We get frustrated and lose our patience with others because we tend to think they should feel, see, and do things exactly like we do — but the truth is, they do not.

However, we must always remember that this diversity is not bad. On the contrary, it adds variety and spice to the Church! As members of the Body of Christ, we each have unique and important roles to play, and we must learn to appreciate and respect the views and opinions of others in the Church. Learning to deal successfully with other believers — to cope with their differences and learn to appreciate them — is one of the greatest achievements we can reach in life. We don’t have to agree with every believer on every issue in order to be good Christians. A difference of opinion isn’t always bad; in fact, sometimes it’s healthy. A disagreement only becomes bad if we take it personally and become offended or hurt by it. Unity doesn’t mean we blindly agree with each other like mindless robots, and silence and compliance don’t necessarily spell unity.

In my own ministry, I sense great unity when our staff meets together to strongly discuss issues about which we all have different opinions. The energy and teamwork put forth as we each discuss a different point of view brings a tremendous sense of unity to our team. Even though we may not agree on every detail, we are unified in our attempts to find the right answer or solution.

As long as we live in imperfect human bodies, we can be sure that we will occasionally hit bumps in our relationships at home, at work, and at church. Those bumps are not disastrous unless we take them too close to our hearts and get hurt or bruised by them.

Many times relationships are difficult simply because of a difference in personality. Your personality is unique to you. Since there are so many different kinds of personalities, you will find that you may mix well with some but not as easily with others.

Until we learn to understand each other better, these differences become hindrances — points of conflict. What a pity to let our differences go on separating us when the things that distinguish us from each other could be helping us! The apostle Paul used the parts of a human body to demonstrate how each part is vital in order for a person to perform at his fullest potential. A body without all of its parts would be deformed. Imagine a body without a nose or a body without feet.

Speaking to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote in First Corinthians 12:21, “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” That phrase “no need of you” is the Greek phrase chreian sou ouk, which implies the thought, I have no occasion to employ your services. You have nothing that is of any use to me. Paul was stressing, “You cannot say you have no use for others in the Body of Christ. Paul’s illustration is very plain to understand: A body must have all of the parts in order to be complete. A body without hands can think, but it can’t touch. A body without eyes can smell, but it can’t see where to walk. A body without feet may see where it needs to go, but it cannot walk because it has no feet to carry it. Every part is necessary for the human body to function normally.

It is the same concerning our relationships in the Church. We need a whole spectrum of personalities in order for us to be complete and to successfully perform in life.

What would life be like if everyone was exactly like you? There would be gaping holes and terrible deficiencies all around us. Rather than allow differences in personalities to rub us the wrong way, we need to let the Holy Spirit teach us to see the benefit that each person we meet has to offer!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear Heavenly Father, You are so wise. You have placed every member in the body as it pleases You. According to Your divine plan, our differences are designed to complement and complete each other. Thank You for the relationships you have given me that are like iron sharpening iron. Holy Spirit, I receive Your wisdom and counsel on how to interact with others who are completely unlike me — and how not to allow differences in people to divide and separate me from them. Instead, I choose to yield to Your work by the Holy Spirit to allow our differences to produce a sanctifying experience in my life to conform me into the image of Christ for Your glory.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am positioned in the Body of Christ according to divine design. God is working through my unique gifts, talents, experiences, and personality to make me a blessing to people and to His Kingdom. I will not judge others for not thinking or acting in a way that I would prefer. The only standard of measure is the Word of God. Upon that common foundation, God Himself is building His Body with great diversity and distinction. Instead of comparing myself with others, which is not wise, I will develop the fruit of godly character and diligently apply my efforts to increasing in understanding and skillfulness in all I do so that I can be a valuable member in the Body of Christ.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you find that you are impatient with others who are different from you? Have you ever considered what life would be like if everyone was like you? Imagine how boring everything would be!
2. Is it possible that you need to loosen up a bit and quit being judgmental of others for doing things differently than you would do them? Is it possible that they have a piece of the puzzle that is different from yours and that without them, you would have a gaping hole in your life? Who is that person you’re thinking about while you’re reading this question?
3. What about your own background has made you see life a little differently than how others around you see it? Is it possible that some of your struggles originate because of how YOU view life differently than others?