January 8th daily blog devotional
Read:
Hebrews 12:26-28
26And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
27This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
We are living in a time and season when our economy is collapsing right before our eyes. In 2008 I was praying about our economy and nation. I was very discouraged in what has already been happening and was meditating on the scriptures in psalms to find strength in what is about to take place. I don’t have any direct answers to what is going to come about, but I do have a word that I feel God gave me to strengthen us in the shaking that is going on in our nation. I heard the word “Be Not Shaken In The Shaking” The Lord is doing a shaking in the motives of the hearts of his people, and the Lord is allowing some shaking to take place in the stock market and deceptions of the Kings and leaders that are leading us. God is unveiling some things, and it is a shaking that is very scary but needful. I asked the Lord, “What do we do in this time?” I felt like the Lord told me that He is doing a shaking in not only the world but his people. If you look at the whole book of Hebrews chapter 12, you will see that God wants us to run the race with endurance, put our total focus on Christ every day through our devotion, and receive His discipline. The Greek word for discipline is paideia, and the definition is to cultivate the soul by correcting mistakes and curbing passions. God wants our spirit, soul, and body to be in balance. It also says in Hebrews chapter 12 that without holiness no one will see the Lord. The greek word for see here in this verse is harao, and it means to become acquainted with by experience. This pertains to a sanctifying growth of grace mixed with God's discipline. Ouch! and man that discipline can hurt at times but it will make us trained to follow the Lord each and everyday shining the light of Jesus before the world. So we see that God wants us to endure, focus on Christ, and receive His discipline in the shaking that flows through His body of believers. One of the greatest revelations that we need in our Christian walk with the Lord is realizing that God's Kingdom is a Kingdom that absolutely cannot be shaken, but the Kingdom of God that is connected to the body of believers will shake lazy traditions and man made laws that have become toxic to the church. When we place our faith in that foundation, it will set our mind, will, and emotions in alignment with the things of God. It will also put this crazy flesh under subjection. Can I just be transparent with you right now? There are days that I just want to "flesh out" so to speak. But I have found that each and every day is such a special day with the Lord, and we don't want to miss a day without seeing and experiencing a growth with the Lord. You can make it today by focusing on the one that can lift you up by His grace and set you in that place with Him. You may feel like throwing in the towel, but don't do it. Focus on the one that loves you and cares for you. Don't grow weary in well doing. It gets exhausting at times, but those times are the times where we need to fall down at the the feet of Jesus and let him share with us that drink of living waters that quenches the very thirst we feel at times in this race we run. As I was praying about the upcoming years, I feel like the Lord is in the process of getting anything out of His body that would harm us in the days ahead, getting our steps firm in His strength and direction, firm in understanding His Kingdom to the fullest degree, and firm in His love. He’s rooting out all of the weeds and rocks out of our soul, and He’s making us strong in His word placing our soul firm upon His foundation. This is what the Lord is doing to those who are of His kingdom. Then I heard the word “THRIVE” I felt like the Lord wants us to thrive no matter what is going on around the world. However, God wants us to be careful with our finances, and concentrate on things that don’t have the value of money, but rather the value of time with the family, home church, and friends. The Lord wants us to spend quality time with our family. The Lord also wants us to remember that America was founded upon Christian principles, and that should never be forgotten. Those principles still live on today. Many will shed tears upon the mighty dollar and that’s as far as those tears will drop, but many will look to God in the shaking and will cry out to Him tears that are needful. I believe that some leaders will soon look to Christian leaders whom have stood the test in moral character, and they will ask for advice in the tragedy that we are facing. The Lord doesn’t want us to let up on doing the things of His Kingdom, but plug in greater than ever in our home church. God can bring forth a great revival in our land, but before great revival can begin, great repentance needs to be born from within His people. He’s judging the intents and the motives of His people greater than He has have ever judged them, and He doesn’t want greed to be in His people. This year and the upcoming years need to be a year of repentance and order in our Christian walk. As the world gets hit with earthquakes, fires, and other disasters, we need to live like the days of Joseph in the seven year famine, but what we need for the current dark ages that we are facing concerning the sound word of God is the word of God in our hearts as foundation. We also need to pray for Jerusalem like never before, and pray that the United States will stand behind Jerusalem as the state capitol. Many want to destroy and divide Jerusalem, but God is for Jerusalem. If we let up on support and prayer for Israel, then that will make Israel vulnerable from other countries. Are you tired today and feel like there is no hope in sight? There is hope, and that hope is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I also heard the words “GO TO THE ROCK” from the book of psalms.
Psalms 62:6
6He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
Psalms 27:5
5For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
prayer:
Lord we get at your feet right now in prayer. We need you to show us a fresh anointing of your love in this time that we are in. We repent Lord for any weights or sins we shouldn't be carrying upon our back, and we give you our whole life in Jesus name, Amen.