At The Name Of Jesus!

Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The demoniac recognized Jesus when he saw Him coming from a distance. Mark 5:6, “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” Jesus’ presence demands the reverence and fear of Almighty God. Satan and his demons cower in the presence of Jesus Christ. And there will come a time when all creation will bow at the feet of Jesus. All creation will declare true reverence to Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Christ Jesus wants to move through the Body of Christ presently to manifest His miraculous power. His desire through the Holy Spirit is to bestow His power upon believers to carry on and finish the work that He began. Jesus spoke clearly in Mark 16:17, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” There is no obstruction to deter us from our assignment and message if we will put our total trust in Jesus.

And again, He spoke to clarify our mission in John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” It is clear that Jesus meant for us to do what He did and more. The Lord Jesus wants to use the Body of Christ to march into Satan's domain and rescue perishing souls. He has provided the resources to do so!

Isaiah foretold the mission of Christ and the Church in Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;” Will YOU take His hand and go into the deep dark crevices of life and lead to freedom the poor lost souls of mankind? At The Name Of Jesus, the darkness must give way to His Light! “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” At The Name Of Jesus!

Where Are You? by Myra Boozer

Many times during the day when our little grandson is here, we hear the words, “where are you Papa?” Or, “where are you Nana?” This is an important question for a young child. When this question is asked, we don't hesitate. We respond quickly!

I want to ask you that question today. Where are you? You may say I am at home, or I am on the job. Maybe you are in school or in the Military. You could even be on vacation, seeing the many beautiful sights in our world. This is what we think of when the question is asked. We respond as to where we are physically.

In Genesis 3, God asks Adam that question, "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" This is the response that Adam gave, "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" The answer Adam gives has stuck with us down thru the ages. "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, SHE gave me of the tree, and I did eat." It is the transfer of accountability to someone other than ourselves. We have a very hard time accepting responsibility for our actions. So, we blame someone else for where we actually are in our lives.

I truly understand about disappointment, heartbreak, broken homes, verbal abuse, lack of security, and unworthy condemnation. But with all of that, we are still responsible for our reaction to life and all it brings. We alone are responsible for the choices we make. Adam could have answered, “NO” to Eve. He could have reminded her of the command that God gave them about not eating of that one tree. Only one tree was forbidden. Of course in the next verse, God asked Eve, "What is this thou has done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I DID eat."

I do not read any more of God communing with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. However, I did read where "...God sent them forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken, So he drove out the man;" Genesis chapter 3. There are definitely consequences to all our decisions!

My question is Where Are You? Are you living in the garden with constant communion and fellowship with the LORD your God? Or, do you feel you're across the tracks just struggling on your own? Are you in a place of no hope, no relief from the push and shove of this sinful world? Are you always feeling blamed or giving blame to someone you love because of the pressure that is increasing in your life? Are you living a life of defeat in the midst of constant confusion as to the choices you are making? Do you stumble at the simple things in life because you don't know the direction to take? Are you feeling helpless and hopeless with every decision you need to make for your very survival? Where Are You?

Some may feel they are making it just fine. Jesus said in Revelation 3:17, "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods and need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" The good news is found in the fact that SOMEONE has the answer. Someone knows just where you are and He can rescue you. He can pull you out of the darkness, the confusion, the helpless situation. You don't have to remain where you are. The choice is yours and yours alone. No one can make you look up! Or reach up! Or call out to God but YOU!

When the loud, wailing, sound of disaster strikes, even those who have pushed God aside, those who have tried to hide their "nakedness" from him, will cry out. Come and save me, Jesus! He knows just where you are and will come immediately. He will cover your nakedness with His robe of righteousness. Where Are You? 

What Are Your Priorities?

Matthew 6:19, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

If you were to make a list of what is most important to you, what would that list look like? What is the driving force for your goals and accomplishments? It is very important that we can answer this question clearly and precisely. Our future and the future of those we influence is depending upon our response.

It is expedient that our focus is on the important things in life. At this late hour, we cannot afford to be distracted by the minor issues. “Keep the main thing, the main thing.” The attention, time, and effort we invest will impact greatly the result we experience.

In Romans 14, Paul wrote to address the significance of the church’s relationship with God as opposed to the external issues. Matters of the heart will rule the day, therefore, we must keep our hearts right with God! The Roman church had failed to keep their relationship with God as the main thing. Subsequently, external matters became divisive in their attempt to serve God as a church. Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God...” God’s kingdom is the main thing and is not centered on external matters. The visible testimony of the Church will be pleasing to God only if we are in right relationship with Him.

Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

We make mistakes and experience unnecessary heartaches when our priorities are not in sync with God’s will and purpose for our lives. God should always come first. Our relationship with God is the priority over everyone and everything. It is the foundation for everything else! Our relationship will directly affect our obedience to God’s direction in our lives. Our obedience is essential for our deliverance and ultimate victory! What Are Your Priorities?

Matthew 7:24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Time To Stop The Busyness! by Myra Boozer

Satan, the prince of this world has a plan! He is seeking after all those that he can destroy. 1Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Satan is working and controlling every person who will listen to him. But, God has given a window to the Child of God, an opportunity to PRAY, a time to sound the alarm before GOD releases judgment on Satan and all those who have obeyed the voice of the evil one. God is giving us time to warn people, a time to pray and seek Him, a time to come close to Him and gain strength for the days ahead.

Don't become so busy with plans and programs that you forget the DAY we are living in. Know that after we pray, we will still be living in the scheme (an orderly combination of things on a definite plan) for the last days. We can't change the times and seasons that God has ordained, but we can be filled with strength and hope and know that King Jesus will have the final say in this battle.

The days of Judgment are coming and only those held in Jesus’ hands will be over-comers. Death has no sting for the child of God. Death is not the end but the door to Eternal Life thru Jesus Christ. Seek Him while He may be found!

Let him that has ears to hear, HEAR! Why? "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated KNOWLEDGE, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil," Proverbs 1: 24-33. Seek the Lord while He can be found! 

Daniel Did As Before!

The prophet Daniel was not so different from you and me. He lived in a time of displacement and captivity for his people. He struggled to remain at peace with his captors and remain true to the Lord God Jehovah. But, when he was forced to make a choice, he always chose God.

When Daniel knew that the decree was signed forbidding anyone to pray to any other god except King Darius, Daniel made an open show of his allegiance to God (Daniel 6:10). He went into his house, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, knelt down and prayed. He did so three times each day and gave thanks to God as he had done before. He was persecuted by his captors for his disobedience but God protected Him. It was during this time of intense trial that God revealed prophecies of the future for the nation of Israel. The most relevant to his time is chapter 9:2 revealing the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years of captivity were almost complete. One principle that we can take away from Daniel's experience is that God reveals Himself and our future in Him during times of our intense trial. It is during those times that we seek guidance and rely so heavily upon Him. He uses our faith and dependence to lead us into our future.

Daniel prayed as before! His prayer life was the foundation for his existence both present and future. When the enemy tested his love and loyalty to God, Daniel continued doing what he did every day. The die was cast and the pattern was established. Therefore, Daniel held to his faith in God and God delivered him.

The substance of our life in Christ must be established before the storm comes. We must know that the foundation of our life is built upon Jesus Christ and all other ground is sinking sand. Therefore, when the trials of life test us, we continue doing what we have always done. We pray and trust God as we always have done and God will deliver us once again!

Lord Jesus, help us to pray like Daniel prayed. Help us to trust like Daniel trusted. Help us to be delivered like Daniel was delivered. Thank you Lord for the power of your promises. Direct our steps to walk in your word and experience the power of your promises. Order our steps so that we may walk in your perfect peace. In Jesus' name! Amen 

Awake You That Sleep! by Myra Boozer

Ephesians 5:14, “...Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

America, my heart is grieved for you! You are going down a slippery slope with no ropes to pull you back. You have chosen this path. You have made your bed, now you will lie in it. You have turned away from God and the principles that you were founded upon.

You have allowed your children to become prideful and full of envy. You have allowed your leaders to lead in error. You have allowed your teachers to teach without authority (to teach things unfounded in the Word of God). You have allowed the egotistical (those of self-interest) to become your heroes. You have given the stage to the revolting and the limelight to the contemptuous (manifesting, feeling, or expressing deep hatred or disapproval). You have fallen asleep and the innocent are being murdered in front of your face. You are in the miry clay and you cannot get out. You have a voice but it is speaking perverse things.

What shall become of you, America? You will go down in a great fall until you repent and turn from your wicked way. Those in you who are godly, righteous people will be removed. At what point, I do not know but the clock is ticking and the midnight hour is almost here. The call today is for those who love God, Truth, and mankind, to Pray as never before. Prayer is our weapon against the evil that is sweeping over this land like a tsunami, destroying every good and decent thing in its path.

It is vital that we stay in the pavilion (presence) of the Lord Jesus. He is Our Refuge, Our Strong Tower, Our Hiding Place, Our Covering and Protection until He comes to take us away in the Rapture. America, you will all bow one day. Don't let it be too late! Philippians 2:10, "That at the name of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Awake, You That Sleep!

Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay? Conclusion

God will put people of like character into the same lot together and bring them into judgment. In Luke’s version of Jesus’ ministry, he accounts for numerous parables that Jesus used to illustrate Divine principles. It is interesting how Jesus used the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to characterize the life of a believer and an unbeliever.

Luke 16:19, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day...”

The rich man represents an unbeliever. Not that a person has to be poor or lack possessions and money to be a believer but that the rich man allowed his possessions to stand between himself and God. The rich man had fine things IE…purple and fine linen, and a lavish lifestyle (fared sumptuously). However, it was not the things that he possessed that hindered his relationship with God but the mindset that possessed him. For him, life was one continual party and evidently, he gave no thought to the needs of others.

What is the mindset of a rich man? Jesus gives us an example in Luke 12:16, “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Life, at its best, is short. Our focus should be on completing the assignment God has given to us as His servants.

And there was a beggar named Lazarus. Luke 16:20, “And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores...” Now we see the other side of the coin. Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s porch or front gate every day. The need was obvious. There was no avoiding the dilemma of this poor man. He was really sick with sores all over his body (probably leprosy). He had to be carried not being able to walk alone. He was probably poor because he was sick. His sickness led to his total deprivation. So, why was he sick? Could it be so that God might touch the lives of the people around him? Could it be so that God might challenge every person that crossed his path? Here was a hungry, homeless, sick brother, and how many people stopped to give him aid?

Then comes the final hour! Luke 16:21, “And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Lazarus died and was carried by angels to Heaven. The rich man died but his outcome was much different. “And in hell...” (Hades-Greek) Parallels with the Hebrew Sheol both meaning “realm of the dead.”  The implication is the eternally dead without hope or deliverance.

The two people in this parable represent two different lives, two different deaths, and two different eternities. Both individuals had a choice. Though Lazarus had a life of struggle, he chose to believe in his creator. The rich man, however, chose to follow his own selfish desires avoiding the needs of those around him. Lazarus sacrificed his mortal life to inherit his eternal life with Christ. The rich man sacrificed his eternal life with Christ for his mortal life. What will be your choice? Only you can determine your destiny!

Hebrews 9:26, “...but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Getting Ready To Leave? Or, Getting Ready To Stay?