But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. (Acts 26:16)

Obviously, Paul’s ears were open to the voice of Jesus. He began to clearly hear the voice of Jesus. You know, God has some incredible things He wants to show each one of us. He has mysteries in His Word that He wants to share with you. It’s more than just getting information from the Word of God. There’s so much treasure locked up in the Word of God for you and for your life—treasures beyond measure, more precious than silver, more costly than gold and diamonds. There are precious treasures hidden away in the Word of God. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. (Rev. 2:11) He who has eyes to see, let him see what the Spirit of God is showing His Church. There are things He wants to show you in His Word, there are things He wants to speak to your heart, but some of us are dull of hearing. We can’t hear the voice of God because we are breathing in the wrong atmosphere.
This devotion comes from a sermon preached at Victory Fellowship several years ago. The first part was a teaching, the second part, a small prophetic word. Are you in touch with the spiritual world? Are you receiving input from The Lord? Jesus called that “having ears to hear”. Christianity is more than a belief system, its a living relationship with the Living God. Maybe He is speaking to you today, maybe He is speaking through the following word of prophesy.
If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink. Oh, if anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink. (John 7:37) I have things to pour into you and things to show you. In My presence, in My presence, in My presence, you’ll be made whole, you’ll be made whole. The thing, the damage that’s taken place in your past will be mended. I’ll pour the oil and the wine on you, and you’ll be washed and you’ll be purified, and your wounds, the wounds of past trauma, past rejection, and past disappointments in your life will be healed as you step into My presence. Allow me to wash you in My holy presence and I will begin to swallow up your past. It will be a distant memory like a shadow that can hardly be part of your consciousness. You’ll forget those days and they’ll be long gone as I wash you and swallow up your past. As you yield to me in sweet surrender, I’ll begin to consume you just as I consumed the lambs of sacrifice. I’ll begin to consume you, My son, My daughter—an acceptable sacrifice, reasonable service as you yield yourself, as you offer yourself.

Rom. 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Have you ever thought about what it means to be a son of God. Just as Jesus was clothed in humility when He walked among us, so are we in this present age. Jesus is no longer clothed in humility. Now don’t take me wrong, He is absolutely still a man. He is just quite a different kind of man. He is clothed in Glory, He is in His glorified, resurrected body. The day is coming when we will be like Him. We also will put off our mortal body and put on a different kind of body. The seeds of that person are in us now. Creation is groaning anticipating the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. C.S. Lewis said that we live among gods and monsters. Check out his powerful thoughts.

“The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

The point of Lewis’s teaching was this, if we saw who we lived among it would change the way we live. Concerning our fellow Christians, a glimpse of who they really are would give us an incredible respect for them. We might actually act as if Christ were among us.
As for the lost, seeing them in their horrible nightmare would cause a compassion and a fervency for the lost in us. It is devastating to think that any of God’s human creatures would face the horrors that awaits those who are not redeemed. I think it would awaken a fervency to do all within our power to reach the lost with the gospel.
So how is it with you? Are you a monster or one of God’s glorious creatures? Creation is calling, Jesus is waiting, call on The Lord. As you do He is fateful to forgive your sins and welcome you into His glorious family.

1Cor. 2:10 Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].

Our salvation is bigger than most of us could ever imagine. What He has done for us and given to us in Christ is past finding out. The realms of His blessing are like an ocean without an ocean floor, absolutely infinite upon infinite is God’s love for me. The exploration of this vast sea of God’s blessing demands exploration. We are like 15th century explorers launching out on journeys across the vast ocean not knowing where we are going or when (or if) we will return. Who would venture to embark on such an adventure ? Only those who have tasted the edge of His ways and long for more. Could that be you? Is there an excitement stirring in your heart as you think about the possibilities of what God has done for you in Christ. Let the journey begin! Here is something Charles Spurgeon, a nineteenth century traveler, said about the provision for us in Christ.

“The fathomless love of the Savior’s heart is every drop of it ours; every sinew in the arm of might, every jewel in the crown of majesty, the immensity of divine knowledge, and the sternness of divine justice, all are ours, and shall be employed for us. The whole of Christ, in his adorable character as the Son of God, is by himself made over to us most richly to enjoy. His wisdom is our direction, his knowledge our instruction, his power our protection, his justice our surety, his love our comfort, his mercy our solace, and his immutability our trust. He makes no reserve, but opens the recesses of the Mount of God and bids us dig in its mines for the hidden treasures. All, all, all are yours, saith he, be ye satisfied with favor and full of the goodness of the Lord. Oh! how sweet thus to behold Jesus, and to call upon him with the certain confidence that in seeking the interposition of his love or power, we are but asking for that which he has already faithfully promised.”

In my journeys to Australia I have been to a town called Bendigo several times. It is maybe a hundred miles or so north of Melbourne. A beautiful town, a perfect place to live and raise a family. Bendigo has an interesting history. Sometime in the 1800′s gold was discovered in what is now Bendigo. Adventurers came from all over the world in search of their fortune and of course a better life. As a result, Bendigo has descendants from all over the world calling this town their home. Some came from America, Canada, China, Europe; all in search of the adventure of their life. Is their an adventure stirring inside of you? You see there is another “gold rush” going on right now. The difference is this gold is supernatural and is actually priceless. Those who find it not only effect their own life but often effect the lives of generations to come. Let’s go! There’s gold in them there hills!!

MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY

“But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” Numbers 14:21

In some ways it was just another week on planet earth. I was still debriefing from our trip to Shanghai last Sunday when gun shots filled the air on yet ANOTHER SHOOTING in New Orleans on Mother’s Day no less. Between the Benghazi attack in Libya, the acting commissioner of IRS resigning for targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status and the Justice Dept. seizure of Associated Press phone records one can get dizzy on which scandal to get upset about. Then, buried underneath all that hoopla, we must and cannot forget the House of Horrors abortion clinic where they were killing and putting in the freezer precious babies without restraint for years. I was upset about the Christians in China being persecuted along with the babies that are abandoned because of the one child rule when in reality it’s just a world without Christ. To make us feel better the DALAI LAMA came to town and uptowners put up their Tibetan prayer banners to welcome him. Let us also not forget the ever constant tension with Israel. Yes, its another day on planet earth.
Isaiah must have faced similar issues when he cried out in the first verse of Is.64 these words: “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence.” We too make this cry-please come down!
Yet somehow in all of this madness, I feel destiny all around me. It was such a surreal feeling to be standing in a city of 23 million people (Shanghai with 1.5 billion population in China) and be told that we couldn’t have our conference. All it did was empower all of us to go “boldly where no man has gone”. I felt destiny calling me when I get up in the morning to start my daily run through Audubon Park and onto whatever happens to come my way. Paul always relived his Damascus road experience and considered his life a race, an offering well pleasing to God as his spiritual sacrifice. Last Friday I had the honor of seeing a church member’s mother go on to meet The Lord. My sister had the glory of God all over her face as she retold the precious last days she was able to spend with her mom. Once again I was meeting destiny face to face.
How are you responding to this changing world that to be honest is getting quite out of hand? Sometimes I too love to keep my head in the sand. But when the world goes mad, we better find our place and feel the taste of destiny. It’s all around you.

This is the second part of the incredible prophesy Jacob gave to his son Jacob.

BLESSING OF HEAVEN ABOVE

Gen. 49:25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

This is a very powerful part of the prophesy. This is talking about the power of God that falls upon us. Joseph experienced this anointing as a prophet of God. The average person in the Old Testament did not have the same privilege that Joseph had. The anointing was only for prophets, priests, and kings. Today, the Spirit is poured out on all flesh. This anointing, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is available to whosoever will. Call on The Lord, draw near to Him, suddenly, you too will begin to experience the blessing from above.

BLESSINGS OF THE DEEP

Gen. 49:25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
This part of the prophesy speaks of the Spirit within us. If you are a Christian, you have access to this promise. This is the life of intimacy we enjoy planted by the well.

BLESSINGS OF THE BREAST

Gen. 49:25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

The blessings of the breast speaks to us of one of our great privileges we have in Christ. We are all called to be nurturers. We have the God given ability and desire to pour the love of God into others. This is the blessed life of discipleship that we have been called to.

BLESSINGS OF THE WOMB

Gen. 49:25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

This prophesy can refer to nothing less than soul winning and supernatural harvest. This life by the well produces fruitfulness. This is where other plants will grow. As you plant yourself by Joseph’s well don’t be surprised if suddenly you are thrust into the world of supernatural evangelism.

BLESSING ON THOSE SET APART

Gen. 49:26 The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

There is something special about being set apart by God. Joseph was set apart. At first it was painful, but looking back over the lives of the sons of Jacob which life would you want? I think I’m going to hang out by this well.

Years ago I was given a word from The Lord that described the future of the ministry The Lord has blessed me with. Some people get nervous about personal words from The Lord. This one was pretty safe, it was entirely scripture. Here it is with a few comments from me.

PLANTED BY A FOUNTAIN

Gen. 49:22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.

This has been very precious to me over the years. I have enjoyed “drinking” from this spiritual fountain all throughout my ministry. This is the secret to having a fruitful life and ministry.

HARASSMENT AND PERSECUTION

Gen. 49:23 The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.

We have had our fair share of criticism over the years. I have come to the conclusion that if no one is speaking bad about me something is wrong. The anointing always brings persecution. Ask Joseph, it was just after he put on his Father’s coat (type of the anointing) that his brothers attacked him. Joseph was persecuted throughout his life.

STRENGTHENED BY GOD

Gen. 49:24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

The anointing also brings supernatural strength. All of us face various obstacles throughout our Christian walk. Often times, these problems intensify as we drink from the well and begin to walk in a fruitful life and ministry. As long as we stay close to the well and continue to drink we will be fine. The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel hangs out by that well. He becomes a very present help in our times of need.

THE SHEPHERD AND THE STONE

Gen. 49:24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

I love this reference to the Shepherd and the Stone. Immediately, all of us think the same thing. The Lord is my Shepherd. Even if I walk through the Valley of The Shadow of Death I will fear no evil because the Shepherd is with me. The Lord is my Rock. My shadow in the times of fiery trials and the very strength of my life.

SUPERNATURAL HELP

Gen. 49:25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

This is a promise of divine help. He provides all kinds of help and help at the right time. What kind of need do you have today? Stay close to the fountain, drink in His life. As you do, you are drinking in help itself. Maybe I should say help Himself. The living water that we drink from the well is God the Holy Spirit. He is more help than we could ever need and He is always on time.

PART 2 TOMORROW

GOD’S GRACE

Eph. 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

I am starting a study of the book of Ephesians and seem to be stuck in the opening verses of this majestic book. Paul is consumed with the grace of God. Ever since that first taste of God’s grace on the road to Damascus he has been hopelessly captured by the grace of God. Like he exclaimed in 1 Corinthians, “By the grace of God I am what I am”. God’s grace chased him down, converted him, transformed him into the foremost apostle and author of much of the New Testament, sustained him, empowered him, and helped him finish his race with joy. As I reflect on this verse in the beginning of Ephesians these are some of the thoughts I have racing through my head.

1. GRACE ATTRACTS US — THE LOST ARE UNINTERESTED IN GOD

Gal. 1:15 ¶ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,

It was the attraction of God’s grace that captured Paul. Actually, it is the grace of God that captures all of us. How else could I explain my sudden ravenous hunger for God that began at my conversion in the summer of 1973.

2. GRACE CONVERTS US — WE BECOME A NEW CREATURE – A NEW CREATION

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We are recreated by the grace of God. Salvation is more than a makeover. We are not the people we used to be. The old is gone and the new has come. We are born again.

3. GRACE TRANSFORMS US

2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

More than forgiveness happens when we become Christians, total transformation becomes our story. There is an instant, immediate change but that is not where it ends. We step into this grace upon grace life. We begin a life of continual, supernatural metamorphosis by the grace of God. This change will not be complete until we step into the life to come.

4. GRACE SATISFIES US — WE DRINK FROM THE CUP OF GRACE AND WE ARE FILLED

John 1:16 ¶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

All throughout our lives we look high and low for something to complete our life. Is it another person, a career, an accomplishment we need to complete our lives? Maybe it is a possession or winning the lottery. Actually none of these things will make us happy for very long. That is the final accomplishment of grace in our lives. Grace makes God and His goodness real to us. Drinking from this cup of grace will complete and satisfy you more than you can ever imagine.

GOD’S GRACE

Eph. 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

I am starting a study of the book of Ephesians and seem to be stuck in the opening verses of this majestic book. Paul is consumed with the grace of God. Ever since that first taste of God’s grace on the road to Damascus he has been hopelessly captured by the grace of God. Like he exclaimed in 1 Corinthians, “By the grace of God I am what I am”. God’s grace chased him down, converted him, transformed him into the foremost apostle and author of much of the New Testament, sustained him, empowered him, and helped him finish his race with joy. As I reflect on this verse in the beginning of Ephesians these are some of the thoughts I have racing through my head.

1. GRACE ATTRACTS US — THE LOST ARE UNINTERESTED IN GOD

Gal. 1:15 ¶ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,

It was the attraction of God’s grace that captured Paul. Actually, it is the grace of God that captures all of us. How else could I explain my sudden ravenous hunger for God that began at my conversion in the summer of 1973.

2. GRACE CONVERTS US — WE BECOME A NEW CREATURE – A NEW CREATION

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We are recreated by the grace of God. Salvation is more than a makeover. We are not the people we used to be. The old is gone and the new has come. We are born again.

3. GRACE TRANSFORMS US

2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

More than forgiveness happens when we become Christians, total transformation becomes our story. There is an instant, immediate change but that is not where it ends. We step into this grace upon grace life. We begin a life of continual, supernatural metamorphosis by the grace of God. This change will not be complete until we step into the life to come.

4. GRACE SATISFIES US — WE DRINK FROM THE CUP OF GRACE AND WE ARE FILLED

John 1:16 ¶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

All throughout our lives we look high and low for something to complete our life. Is it another person, a career, an accomplishment we need to complete our lives? Maybe it is a possession or winning the lottery. Actually none of these things will make us happy for very long. That is the final accomplishment of grace in our lives. Grace makes God and His goodness real to us. Drinking from this cup of grace will complete and satisfy you more than you can ever imagine.

Eph. 1:13 ¶ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

I love to read old books, especially old books about the Holy Spirit. One of those old treasures I return to often is A. B. Simpson’s book on the Holy Spirit. He has a powerful passage on christians being sealed by the Holy Spirit. I will give you a couple of those quotes today with a few words of my explanation.

“The seal is the token of ownership; and so the Holy Ghost sets us apart, stamping us as the property of God, and marking us as no longer our own, but the purchased possession of Jesus Christ, bought by His blood, bound to live for His service and glory.”

If you are a Christian, I mean a real Christian, you have been sealed or marked by the Spirit of God. The baptism with the Spirit clearly puts something on us that separates us from this world. We are marked by God, we belong to Him and it should be quite obvious.

“Again, the seal is the expression of reality. It cuts its impression in the wax and makes it real, tangible and enduring; and so the Holy Ghost makes the things that we have known, real, and turns into actual experience that which was before but theory. He makes truth real; He makes Christ real; He makes divine things facts in our consciousness and our blessed experience.”

Reality is definitely the work of the Spirit. Many nominal Christians have their beliefs all together like little ducks in a row. Christianity is more than just beliefs. The coming of the Spirit upon us makes spiritual things a reality to us. From that point on your life is quite different, Christ is alive and very real to you and in you.

“Finally, the seal transfers the image and the Holy Ghost imparts to our receptive hearts the very image of Jesus Christ, and leaves the stamp of His character upon our lives. You cannot, however, affix the seal to the hard and settled wax. It must be soft and melted; then the impression is easily made and becomes fixed and abiding; and so God has to soften our hearts before He can seal them. Oh, the blessedness of brokenness! The Holy Spirit is ever seeking to melt our rigidness into tenderness, so that He can impress upon us the stamp of His ownership and His image, and make us the representatives of Christ to all who see and know us.”

I love that, our hearts must be soft and melted. Is your heart soft and melted? That also is the work of the Spirit. His anointing softens us in preparation, He then infuses us with His life. Today, make room for the Holy Spirit. He will soften you, infuse Himself into you, and seal you for Himself.

Psa. 103:4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

I learned to do word studies in the early days of my ministry from one of my mentors, Dick Mills. Brother Mills had a love and an incredible hunger for God’s word which caused him to delve deeply into the study of Bible words. This scripture verse today has two powerful Hebrew words that bring to us a profound vision of God’s love for His people. The first word is lovingkindness which comes from the Hebrew word chesed. This word is very descriptive. Zodhiates word book says this about chesed. “The basic idea is that of an act of kindness, love or mercy shown to someone. The quality of the kindness shown is usually that reserved for close friends and family members.” I love that The Lord actually takes us into His family and begins to pour His family blessings on us. The greatest of these blessing is His love for us. Now that we are in Christ, He pours His love upon us. His lovingkindness truly lasts forever.
The second word that stands out to me in this verse is tender mercies. This comes from the Hebrew word racham. Strong’s word book brings out the shocking meaning of this word. rakh’-am; compassion; by extension the womb as cherishing the fetus. The Theological Word Book. Says “This root refers to deep love (usually of a “superior” for an “inferior”) rooted in some “natural” bond.” This is absolutely amazing to me. The deepest form of love David could imagine was the love a mother has for a child that begins in her womb. David says that this is like the love The Lord has for us. He crowns our life with the tenderest of mercies.
Now this brings us to the whole point of what this passage is all about. He crowns us, or even better, surrounds us with His lovingkindness and His tender mercies. Our lives, from before we were ever born, are surrounded by God with His lovingkindness and His tender mercies.
This is one of those passages in the Bible that reminds us of how practical God’s love is for us. His love is not just a doctrine to examine in church or Bible class. It is actually an experiential reality that keeps us in the darkest of times. For David, this love is what held him when he was in exile for years. This mercy kept him and restored him when he fell into sin with Bathsheba. This lovingkindness and tender mercies were his bread when his son Absalom tried to take over his father’s kingdom. Maybe you are in trouble today. Maybe depression has grabbed you and tried to choke the very life from you. If so, remember this family love God has for you. Even better, He has loved you from your mother’s womb. You are His. He is with you, watching, caring, and loving you all of your days. Bless The Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Don’t ever forget His benefits. He has crowned you with chesed and racham.