Fire in His Eyes ~ Pentecost Sunday

The other night I couldn't sleep - it was around 1-3am in the morning.  First, I felt thoughts of fear bombarding me and then I heard songs of worship over me.  I could choose what to focus on - what to turn my heart to in that moment.  It was a struggle, I can't lie.  The enemy trying to hit me while i sleep - not cool.

But I began to sing... and the songs that I was hearing over me were a call from Holy Spirit to go deeper with Him and to set my gaze on Him and worship Him in the midst of the 'battle'.

Here's one of the songs I heard and then joined in singing... yup turning my room into a sanctuary - a place of worship for my King.

"There's fire in His eyes and a sword in His hand.  He is riding on white horse all across the land.  And He's calling out to you and me... will you ride with Me?"

So YES Jesus I will ride with You.  And as I remember today being Pentecost Sunday (Acts 1:8...)- what perfect timing to remember that it is Your Spirit in me - poured out upon Your Church - Your Bride - filling us, cleansing us, and empowering us to live out our destiny in You and ride with You wherever You want us to.  Set apart, bringing Heaven to Earth... Your Kingdom come - Your will be done.  Greater things Jesus.  Greater things!

Traits of a Godly Man

The Traits of a Godly Man
Matthew 26: 36-45

(Written by Bob and Cheryl Moeller)

An Unusual Question
Did you ever stop to ask why did God choose Joseph to be the earthly father of His Son Jesus?

My Unusual Answer
Because Joseph more than anyone else on earth had the all the traits of a godly husband and father.

An Unusual Offer
God is willing to develop all those same traits in you.
Baker's Dictionary
"Godliness is the reverent awareness of God's sovereignty over every aspect of life, and the attendant determination to honor Him in all one's conduct."

Three Things to Remember About the life of Joseph
1.         He wasn't divine rather he was a man just like all of us.
2.         He didn't live a sinless life, just an obedient one.
3.         Every thing we know about him is from what he did, not what he said.

Matthew 1:18
"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph..."

First Godly Trait
1.         Joseph was willing to make commitments.

The Nature of Commitment
1.         It is based on the conviction that God make promises and keeps all His promises.
2.         It is based on the faith that good will come from keeping our word.
3.         It is a covenant that we choose to enter into with another person.

So how does a godly man learn to make commitments?
1.         It starts by making small promises and keeping them.
2.         It grows by experiencing the consistent faithful love of God in our daily difficulties.
3.         Finally, God may give us the opportunity to enter into a covenantal relationships, the most important called marriage.

Second Godly Trait
2.         Joseph was a man of sexual integrity.

The Nature of Sexual Integrity
1.         It grows out of the fear of God.
2.         It is based on a proper understanding of our value and the value of others to God.
3.         It is our honorable response to the trust God has placed in us.

So how does a godly man learn to practice sexual integrity?
1.         It starts as he daily hides God's Word in his heart.
2.         It increases as he realizes a life of purity allows him to know God intimately.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to give value to others in relationships, often with a particular woman.

Third Godly Trait
3.       Joseph was a man who did what was right.
Matthew 1:19
"Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly."

The Nature of Righteousness
1.         It grows out of a belief that God has established a moral universe with moral laws.
2.         It based on the conviction that God has revealed to us what is right and what is wrong.
3.         It is our decision to treat others as we would have them treat us.

So how does a godly man learn to do what is right?
1.         It dawns on us that we cannot do the right thing and have it turn out wrong, and we
            cannot do the wrong thing and have turn out right (E. Stanley Jones).
2.         It grows as we see the daily benefits of right living - a clear conscience, the trust of others, and the smile of God on our lives.
3.         Finally, God gives us the opportunity to do what is right, regardless of the cost, particularly with the love of a woman.

Fourth Godly Trait
4.        Joseph was a considerate man.
Matthew 1:20
"But after he (Joseph) had considered this..."

The Nature of Consideration
1.         It is based on the conviction that God thinks about what is best for us.
2.         It is stopping to evaluate our actions or words to determine whether they will help or hurt others.
3.         It is our deliberate decision to bless the life of another person to the extent we can.

So how does a godly man learn to be considerate?
1.         He rejoices in the fact that he is always on God's mind.
2.         He grows by intentionally focusing on the needs and desires of others rather than himself.
3.         Finally, God gives him a big opportunity to stop and consider how he can put the welfare
            of someone before his own, particularly that of a woman.

Fifth Godly Trait
5.         Joseph was a spiritual man.

Matthew 1:20-21
"...An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

Matthew 1:22-23
"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: `The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel' - which means, `God with us.'"

The Nature of Spirituality
1.         It is based on the conviction that God is Spirit and that He has revealed Himself to us
            through His divine Word.
2.         It is living in accordance with this divine reality that is far beyond our natural senses.
3.         It is our decision to daily seek, know and obey this God that dwells in the supernatural realm.
So how does a godly man learn to be spiritual?
1.         He believes God's Word that boldly claims God is Spirit and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth.
2.         He begins by placing his faith in Jesus Christ and the finished work of the Cross for his salvation then grows by practicing the daily disciplines of prayer, study of God's Word, and worship.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to share the fruit of his spiritual walk with others, often a woman he loves.

The Sixth Godly Trait
6.         Joseph was a trustworthy man.

Matthew 1:24-25
"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the Name Jesus."
The Nature of Trustworthiness
1.         It is based on the conviction that God will always do what He has promised to do for us.
2.         It is keeping faith with those who have put their possessions, welfare and lives in our hands.
3.         It is our decision to consistently follow-through on our promises and faithfully care for what has been entrusted to us.
So does a godly man learn to become trustworthy?
1.         He believes that one day he will have to give an account to God Himself for the life he  lived.
2.         He grows by taking stock each day of the promises he made and his management of the possessions, opportunities and people put in his care.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to prove his faithfulness and reliability in truly important matters, such as loving and caring for a woman.                
How important is godliness?
1.         Because Joseph was a godly man both a woman's life and baby's life were saved.
2.         Because Joseph was a godly man God's Old Testament promises of future Savior were fulfilled.
3.         Because Joseph was a godly man Jesus grew up with in a home with a role model to imitate.
4.         Because Joseph was a godly man God could entrust Him with heaven's most precious gift -- His only begotten Son.
5.         Because Joseph was a godly man you and I can now hear and believe the Gospel.

Women, would a godly man catch your interest?
1.         One who makes promises and keeps promises?
2.         One who lives a life of purity each day?
3.         One who always tries do you right as he understands the right?
4.         One who does his best to take your needs into consideration?
5.         One who has a close personal walk with Jesus?
6.         One who you can trust when you're not looking?

Be a Prophetic Voice. Live a Prophetic Life.

I'm driving home this afternoon and the Lord drops into my spirit.  "Be a prophetic voice. Live a prophetic life."  Quickly my mind thinks of Rev. 19:12 - "Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  John 8:12 ~ That if we follow Jesus we won't walk in darkness but we will have the light of life and Romans 8:19-22 ~ How creation groans waiting for the sons of God to be revealed...

Today especially my heart is heavy and a bit weary I must confess... i guess i'm realizing that our President deciding to be for gay marriage has begun to spiritually grieve me... especially since our President had said at some point that he is a Christian... feeling and seeing the moral decay of our country and how evil is becoming good and good is becoming evil... brings me to my knees in prayer and a cry to God for His Church - His Bride to stand - in love, in truth, and in Christ.

God's view - design of marriage - His heart has been to show the picture of Christ and His Church through an earthly example of a Godly marriage.  His Word that begins with a marriage and ends with a marriage.  His design and gift of sexual intimacy to be for marriage - for oneness (intimacy), joining hearts and bodies, for pleasure, and for having children... is still His idea.  For His character of faithfulness, fidelity, love, sacrifice, intimacy, sharing, giving, creating, etc.. to be part of and demonstrated through that sacred union is still His idea.

In writing this... please know that my heart also believes and understands His mercy, His grace to cover us - the Cross and work of the Holy Spirit to redeem and restore us... that He forgives us when we repent and by His grace and His Spirit gives us a new heart and helps us to cling to what is good and hate what is evil.  We fail as humans - missing and misunderstanding His love for us - taking our lives in our own hands  - living for ourselves and worshipping other 'gods'... yet how He still pursues us and loves us and cleanses us.  Loves us enough to change us from the inside out. Making all things new.

Erwin Lutzer's words are ringing in my head... "If we as the Church no longer call sin - sin - than why did Christ die?"  Sin isn't a 'bad word' - knowledge of our sin - leads us to the cross.  His Kindness that draws us to repentance.

Lord, how do you want us to love? how do you want us to re-present You in these times?  Draw us closer to Your heart - to Your Presence so that you can burn away more of the darkness in our own hearts so that we can shine Your light more and more... Teach us again - what You hate and what You love.  Keep our hearts from compromise.  Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep our hearts and spirits awake to You.  Help us keep Your Word hidden in our hearts as David in the Psalms prayed.  Keep us set apart.  Teach us how to use the weapon of LOVE to speak life and your heart in the darkness.

Today and all this week - I had the privilege to teach 8th graders about relationships, the Christian and Biblical view of sex and marriage, and their value and worth to God, and the grace of God to enable us to live as Christians in this world - to let Him and His Word renew our mind and to not be 'conformed - or squeezed into the mold' of this world... Psalm 139. Jeremiah 29:11-13. I Corinthians 6:19.  Romans 12:1-2. For this I am more than thankful - to be able to show the Lord's grace in my own life and to share His heart with these precious ones is a gift.  To plant seeds of His truth into the hearts of the next generation is an honor and a way to be a prophetic voice - sharing His heart & His ways - to the culture that we live in.

It's time to shine!  And it's time to pray and press into the heart of God!  Will you join me?