Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 153

Day 153

Psalm 60:12

 "Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. "

It is through God that we can do all things. Through God we overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy and accomplish every impossible task. Paul said in Philippians 4:13 (J.B.Phillips translation), "I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me." That is why we must develop a God consciousness. When we are constantly aware of God's presence, we are invincible. As we set out to fulfill His  will for our lives, He provides the tools necessary to accomplish every task.

The Psalmist said, "For it is he that shall tread down our enemies." Paul said in I Corinthians 3:9, "For we are laborers together with God." This is not our show. We are performers  in a drama written and directed by someone else. It is not up to us to provide the props or other necessary things or even to determine the outcome. We simply need to read our lines and follow the instructions of the director, who knows the end from the beginning. Our Father does not produce failures. We can  only fail if we write our own lines and choose our own plan of action.

So, let us stay with God. It is through Him that we shall do valiantly. For as we labor with Him, He will tread down our enemies, as He goes before us and prepares the way for His plan to be accomplished.

I am a laborer with God. I will cooperate with His plan and follow the script  He has  written for me. Through my God, I shall do valiantly. It is He who will tread down my enemies. I see nothing but victory ahead.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 152

Day 152

Matthew 2:2

"Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

Nearly 2,000 years ago, some men who studied the stars (possibly astronomers and astrologers) came to Jerusalem in search of a king they believed was born there. They were led in their earch by an unusual star in the east. We cannot be certain how far they came from, but we know they traveled for some time, because their journey began about two years before they arrived in Jerusalem. If they began following the star several months after it had appeared, they would still have  been traveling for several months. According to Matthew's account, these men were so confident they would find the young  king, that they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and asked, "Where is he?" They did not ask if a king had been born. They asked where he was.

This story is a lesson to us about faith. To what extreme will, we go if we really believe what we say we believe?  Because the seekers from the east were so confident, they left their homes and traveled for a long time to discover what they were sure-they would find. People sometimes make sacrifices for things they are not sure of. Hope alone drives people to  extremes.

How, then, do we explain the faith of those who say they are convinced and make no effort to find or accomplish anything?

The confident expectation of the woman with the abnormal bleeding condition caused her to ignore the rules of society and press through a crowd to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. Four men believed Jesus could raise up their friend. Their belief caused them to climb a roof and let him down through the tiling where the Master could get to him.

It is important that we realize the need to increase our faith by hearing God's Word and acting on it on a consistent basis. As James said, faith is demonstrated by works, not just words. When our faith is strong, we will not just talk about  it, but we will also show it. Until we can "put our money where our mouths are," let us be slow to speak around others about what we believe, and speak mostly to God and ourselves, as we build real faith.

I will measure my faith by my works. I will hear and act on God's Word and build strong faith continually. My faith will be seen by my performance.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 151

Day 151

Proverbs 12:13

"The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips; but the just shall come out of trouble."

Some of us, or maybe all of us, have had a particular spiritual test more than once. We have failed miserably in the way we handled it, and before too  long, we got another  chance to see how we would fare. Solomon said in  Proverbs  12:13, "The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips." It is not just because of his wickedness that a person  gets  into trouble, but his wickedness comes through his mouth and causes the trouble. If he would say the right things, he could save himself. The same is true for us, the righteous. The verse above states, "the just shall come out of trouble." It is not only because he is just that he is delivered, but his righteousness comes from his  lips and saves him. Either he speaks out of his faith toward God, or he calls on God for help.

In times past, we have been trapped in the same way the wicked have brought hurt to themselves - by wrong reactions to our trouble. We have uttered the wrong words. Our self control was overridden by our desire to serve our flesh for a moment. Our behavior exemplified that of someone who has no hope, or no God. Our test grade was 'F' that time. If we are realistic, we know another opportunity will come to pass the same test again. So, we need to make preparations. We need to study and condition ourselves to prepare for success. We have what  it takes. God will not allow us to experience a test that is too difficult for us to pass. However, He will not do our homework for us or guarantee our success, without our having to do our part.

As we study, let us meditate on how we should have responded. How would Jesus have responded? If we already knew the right response, we must question why the wrong reaction was manifested. If our flesh was dominating at the time, we need to restructure our time to feed our spirits more than our flesh. We may need to allocate more time to prayer, Bible study or declarations of God's word. Or, perhaps we only need to give one area in particular more attention. Whatever the case, may we be better prepared when the test comes around again.

I will fortify myself to be able to pass the tests I have failed. By the help of God, I will overcome and glorify my Lord by the manner in which I conduct myself.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 150

Day 150

Numbers 23:24

 "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain."

Look at how God not only declared victory for His people, but how he also bragged on them. Numbers 23:24 expresses the way God looks at us and expects us to act.

We must rise up with confidence like great lions. We must pick ourselves up on the inside, like young  lions who do not intend to stop their fight until they have conquered. We should envision victory before we get started. Let us see the end from the beginning, realizing our victory before the fight begins. When we do this, we will not quit until  we are finished -  until we taste the victory.

I will not fight with "maybes" in my mind. I will win, and I will win big. I will not quit until I experience the victory paid for by God, my father. I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 149

Day 149

Numbers 23:23

 "Surely there is no enchantment  against  Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!"

During the time when Baalam was asked to curse Israel, the world was full of all kinds of idol worship. Witchcraft and other forms of the occult were common. When the king of Moab asked Baalam to curse the children of Israel, he did not understand that he had not only come against Israel, but also the Almighty God. There was no enchantment against God,  who was on their side.

We must stay in fellowship with God and walk in confidence, free from fear of any contrary powers. Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." If God has all power, then there is none left for anyone else,  including Satan. Any power that Satan or any human being has is null and void in the presence of God. If we ever think someone is attempting to harm us in any way, including using witchcraft, we should boldly declare our protection from all power that is not of God. Isaiah 54:17 declares that the servants of God have victory over every weapon formed against them. It says they have the right to condemn every word spoken against them. Our enemy has already been conquered for us. We are responsible to enforce that defeat. Just like it happened with Israel, after all the enemy's attempts, people will be able to look at us and say, "Look at what the Lord has done!"

No evil can work against me. I am eternally victorious. I stand firm in my freedom from the powers of darkness.  God is on my side, and others will look at me and say, "Look what the Lord has done!"

Come Up Higher, Vol.2 | Day 148

Day 148

Numbers 23:22

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

Egypt, which was a type of the kingdom of darkness, was a place the Israelites were never to return to. Numbers 23:22 says, "God brought them out of Egypt."  Israel's  deliverance from their place of slavery was a very significant event. It is mentioned in this prophetic passage, because it represented the supreme, unmatchable power of the Almighty God.

We must meditate on our deliverance from the kingdom of darkness, until we appreciate just how dynamic an event it was. It was a demonstration of God's sharing with us His power to overcome. He enabled us to defy all the power of our enemy and come through unharmed.

We must meditate on our deliverance from Satan's kingdom, until we would never be foolish enough to return to it or even look back. By a mighty hand, God has brought us out. The power He gave us to leave the kingdom of darkness is the power we have to remain in the Kingdom of Light.

God brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light. I appreciate that. The power of the Holy Spirit that has brought me out will keep me strong and firmly planted in the Kingdom of Light.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 147

Day 147

Numbers 23:21

 “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”

By the time this prophecy was spoken, the children of Israel had provoked God to anger many times. It is amazing that He found no fault with them. What a merciful, gracious and forgiving God we serve! He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. He remembers them no more. Once Israel had repented and followed God's requirements to cover their sin, it was over. All they had was the blood of cattle and types of shadows of Jesus, yet God beheld them blameless. How much more, then, will He see us faultless who have been washed in the blood of His son! When we obey God and repent of our sins, we must accept God's forgiveness and restoration to right standing. As we see in Numbers 23:21, the way God sees us spiritually affects our victory. Because He did not find fault with Israel at that time, He was ready to fight for them, and there was no chance they would lose."The shout of a king," the verse said, "is among them." That meant victory in this case, because the context is war, and God was on their side. A king never shouts  meaninglessly. When a king shouts, there is either reason to celebrate, or something else is about to change. According to Revelation 1:6, Jesus has made us kings unto God. Since He is on our side, guaranteeing us victory, from time to time we ought to hear ourselves shout the victory.Let us rejoice in our great salvation. Let us show gratitude and appreciation to our Heavenly Father, who has shown such great loving kindness and tender mercies toward us. Jude 24 and 25 says, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God and Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

I will appreciate and be grateful to God for His great mercy and grace. I will celebrate the guaranteed victory He has given me and shout like a king.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 146

Day 146

Numbers 23:20

"Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it."

God gave the commandment to bless, and then He performed the blessing. In his prophecy concerning Israel, Balaam spoke forth what God had done. There was  no way out of it. The Lord initiated it and then confirmed it. He  is determined to bless His people. The prophet said, "I cannot reverse it."

Once again, the scripture is clear about God's attitude toward His own. We are the only ones who can reverse our blessings, because we are the recipients. We can  receive  or reject them. We can cooperate with God and walk in what  He has provided, or we can rebel and hence, remove ourselves from the path of blessing.

One way we can reverse our blessing is  by attributing the work of Satan to God. When the enemy attacks and we receive it as punishment, God's teaching or working our ultimate good, we blaspheme against God and deny His blessing. When we resist the enemy, God's blessing produces victory over him. However, when we do not realize who our enemy is, we cannot resist him. Instead, we assist him.

No one, not even Satan, can reverse our blessing. Once God has blessed, it is final with Him. Our failure to receive it does not change anything from God's end. Knowing this can deliver us, because if we wake up to truth, we can reverse the curse we may have opened the door to in our lives. We can do this, because the blessing is still in effect. We can rise up, resist the devil, and he will flee from us. Then, with the words of our mouths, we can declare that we receive the blessings of God that belong to us.

I reverse the curse and receive the irreversible blessing God has pronounced on me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 145

Day 145

Numbers 23:19

"God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son  of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall  he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

In Numbers 23, Balaam prophesied, as God directed him. As he spoke, he declared a difference between God and man. Man can lie, but God cannot. That is an extremely important fact.

Sometimes people, in an attempt to explain what they do not understand, blame everything on God. They may say God is sovereign and He has a purpose for everything. These people generally do not recognize the authority God gave man, or the activity of Satan. They also do not recognize God's integrity. Whether good or evil, pleasant or unpleasant,  the responsibility is usually placed on God for all of it.

We should be glad that God is sovereign. This means He is supreme in power and authority. We should also be glad He has given His Word and cannot lie. That is the only way we can know what is of God and what is not. He said in Psalm  89:34 that He will not alter what He has said. So we can trust Him.

If God was totally mysterious and we never knew what He was going to do, it would be difficult to know Him or trust Him. Trust is based on a knowledge of current facts. Thank God He does not change. The facts about Him are always current. What He said, He will do. What He spoke, He will make good. How comforting it is to be able to go to His Word in a time of need, knowing that it is always dependable. Our faith can grow exceedingly, as we meditate the Word with this understanding.

I will remind myself of God's integrity and build my faith with His Word daily.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 Day 144

Day 144

Numbers 23:3

"And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the Lord will come  to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me, I will tell thee ..."

One important lesson we must learn is that of strict obedience. Balaam said he would report precisely what he was shown. Because we do not understand all God tells us, we can always be tempted to alter the instructions we receive from Him. Sometimes our disobedience can be the result of pride or fear. We can also attempt to adjust what we have heard so  it will make sense to us. In whatever way the temptation may come to alter God's Word, we must resist it. If we were following  a recipe, assembly instructions, or directions to a particular location, one modification could cause a small problem, or it could mean disaster.

Let us think for a moment about the kind of relationship we would want to have with a person who, from time to time, without notice, alters our instructions. Although we may be merciful and patient, we would not look to give them an assignment of great importance. We would only try to use them on minor projects.

Strict obedience comes through spiritual growth and practice. We must dictate to our flesh and not vice versa. The next time God instructs us, let us remember  the words of Mary in John 2:5, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

I will, with God's help, practice and walk in strict obedience to God's instructions. I am obedient.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 143

Day 143

Judges 6:17

"And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me."

In Judges 6, Gideon communicated with an angel who came on God's behalf to inform him of a divine assignment. Gideon was not accustomed to hearing from God, and therefore needed a sign to help him believe. In that chapter, Gideon received three signs to reassure him that God had spoken to him and would help him with his assignment.

Like Gideon, all of us had to begin somewhere in our relationship with God. The less we knew Him, the more we needed signs. As we grow in our personal relationship with the Lord, we will need signs less frequently to perform His will.

Gideon said, "If now I have found grace." He was not sure of God's favor (His willingness to use His power on Gideon's behalf) towards him. Asking for signs and waiting for confirmations exposes our level of relationship. Regardless of where we are, we should strive to grow closer to God by spending more time with him, so our confidence can increase.

Paul said, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him." He also said, "That I may know Him." He had increased in knowing God, which increased his confidence, but he realized there was still room to grow.

God can use all of us. However, the more  our confidence in Him increases, the more useful we will be to the kingdom of God. We can be available to do more things on short notice when we do not need a sign for every instruction. We can go places others are afraid to go, because of our assurance that God's grace is with us.

I will draw closer to God and increase  my confidence in His favor toward me. I will need signs or confirmation less and less, as I know Him more and more.

Come Up Higher. Vol. 2 | Day 142

Day 142

Romans 8:12

 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors? not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. "

It can be a relief to us if we comprehend what Paul is saying in Romans 8:12. It may come as a surprise to most Christians that we do not owe our flesh anything. The only thing we can be sure it has done for us is cause trouble. So, why do we struggle when our flesh is tempted to do wrong?

If someone who has been nothing but a "pain" asks us to do something out of order, we probably would not struggle over whether or not we will cooperate. If they beg and plead, we may not feel we owe it to them to respond affirmatively, especially when it will probably get us in trouble. So why do we struggle with, and sometimes give in to the flesh, when it will hurt us?

The struggle is mainly a result of misunderstanding. We are three-part beings. We are spirits that have souls and live in bodies. Our spirits are supposed to be in charge. We need our souls and bodies to function on our planet. They assist the spirit. Some people do not know the distinction between the  three parts. They have become confused at times about who is in charge and have responded without a clear understanding  of what they were doing. Others are aware of the difference, but have not allowed the Word of God to saturate their hearts and minds to a point of a clear separation. They have responded to the flesh out of habit before they were fully aware of their illogical behavior.

If we will strengthen our spirits and train our souls (mind, will and emotion) with the Word of God on a consistent basis, we will be better able to stand up to our flesh when temptation arises. Romans 8:12 helps us understand the attitude we should take when dealing with the flesh. With this attitude, we should speak aloud to our flesh and  "straighten  it out." The more we grow close to God and desire to please Him totally, the easier it will be to speak up to  the  flesh  and  say,  "It  doesn't matter to me how you feel or how bad  you  want  to  do  that.  I don't owe you anything. You serve me. I don't serve you.  I  am under authority, and I take orders from Heaven. You will  take orders from me! Now here's what we will do."

I do not owe my flesh anything. I will not serve it. It will serve me. We will glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 141

Day 141

John 15:14

 "You are my friends if you do what I command"

Jesus wants us to be His friends. He said His friends are those who obey His commands. Since He gives commands, He must want us to obey them. Since He wants obedience, and obedience creates friendship, He must want friends.

Are we His friends? How intimate is our friendship? Are we casual friends, who are occasionally obedient or are we close friends who are always obedient? Can He always depend on us? It is up to us how deep our friendship will go. He has given us His commands in the Bible and continues to speak to us by His Spirit. We choose how much we want to obey.

Let us examine where we are and how far we want to go and behave ourselves accordingly. It is amazing how much more fulfilling our lives can be when we become consumed with  doing the Master's will. It will become impossible to be depressed and give up. Though it may present itself, we will not have enough idle time to allow depression to get a grip. We become people of purpose and destiny. Better than that, we become His friends.

I will increase in my obedience to Christ. I will become a close friend of His.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 140

Day 140

Hebrews 4:16

 "Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. "

Hebrews 4:16 lets us know the kind of attitude we  should have when we approach God in a time of need. We should come expecting to obtain mercy and find grace to help  us. Our degree of hesitancy or confidence reveals the state of our relationship with God and the level of our faith in His Word.

Our goal is to come boldly. When we come boldly, we have confidence and are not afraid of being rebuked or denied. The verse said we should come boldly to obtain something. So, we must release faith. Faith is based upon a knowing. That knowing comes from an understanding of the Word of God and a relationship with God that gives us confidence in His integrity.

We can monitor how we are growing in our relationship with the Father, as we see how bold we are before the throne of grace. Let us press toward the mark of knowing Him so well that it does not ever occur to us that we might not get what we need when we approach Him. Let us grow to the place where we go with excitement, knowing that He knows what our need is and looks forward to meeting it. At that point, we will probably find ourselves bypassing asking and just thanking Him in advance, knowing that He takes pleasure in giving us what we need and more.

I will grow in my relationship with God, until I have such confidence in Him, that I approach Him boldly, thanking Him in advance for all I know He will do.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 139

Day 139

Daniel 4:36,37 NIV

 "At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisors and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."

In Daniel 4, the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's humiliation is a reminder to us that our high estate can  be reduced to nothing in a moment, if we forget our source. The king was extremely proud of his accomplishments and boasted about them as though he, by his own might and intelligence, had brought about all his success. Daniel told him that for seven years, he would look and act like an animal, until he acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over  the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.

Such humiliation was not necessary, except that it was the only way Nebuchadnezzar would recognize that he was nothing without God. He had to realize that God allowed his success and could end it at anytime. What a pity it would  be if we had to endure extreme humiliation as Christians because of not realizing who we are and who we are not, or what we do or do not control. After all, as children of God, we can boast of nothing outside of Christ. We are who we are in Him. We can do all things through Him. In Him we live and move and have our being.

Let us humble ourselves before God daily, especially when we are praised for "our" accomplishments. We have nothing of real value that we did not receive. There can  be no big fall, if we never climb a high wall.

I will daily humble myself before God. When others give me praise for the things I do, I will return the praise to Him, because He is the source of my supply.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 138

Day 138

Proverbs 3:8

"It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."

The book of Proverbs contains wise sayings for many areas of life. One of the areas covered is physical  health. Because we see this book as a spiritual book, we have not recognized the medical value in it. Many statements in this collection of wise sayings give us a connection between spiritual and physical well-being. • Proverbs 3:8 reveals the natural, physical effect verses one through seven have on our body.

The verses preceding the eighth verse in the  third chapter of Proverbs are not just for spiritual benefit.  They literally affect our physical well-being. Verses one and two encourage us to be faithful to God's Word and receive  long life as a result. We will live longer, with less stress,  if  we continually remember and keep the Word of God. The third and fourth verses tell  us the results of operating  in mercy and truth. If we live closely with mercy and truth, our lives would be less stressful, because we will be highly favored and esteemed by God and man.

Verses five and six advise us to put God first in our decision making. When we trust and are confident in God, leaning and relying fully on Him, instead of our own understanding, we will make better decisions. As we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will direct our steps. Again, we will relieve ourselves of stress, which has a negative affect on our physical health.

The seventh verse tells us not to think we are smarter than we really are. It admonishes us to reverently fear and worship the Lord. If we follow that advice, we will stay away from evil and experience positive results in our entire body.

Let us realize that spiritual things affect our physical health. Let us use that knowledge to motivate us to be more diligent to live reverently in respect to God and His Word.

I will increase my reverence for God and His Word. I will be healthier.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 137

Day 137

John 10:10

 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. "

How do we feel about living today? Does it correspond to Jesus' intentions for us? If we are not  enjoying  an overflowing life, then we are disconnected, at least in part, from the plan of God through Jesus Christ. If He came to provide abundant living, He did not fail. There is no failure in Christ.

There are many facets to our abundant life. We can see them like the many gadgets in our houses that make  them modern dwellings. There is an object we operate to  cause running water to come out. There is another that causes lights to come on, and another that starts the central air climate control system. All these systems are connected to sources outside the home. If something does not work, we do not automatically assume the fault is with the source. We examine the machinery that makes the connection. Although natural sources can malfunction, nothing is ever wrong with our spiritual  source. God does not fail. The fault is always in our connections. It is important that we know what to expect, so we can know  when we need to check our connections. Jesus has provided a full, enjoyable life. Of course, that is not to be interpreted in worldly terms. The world cannot understand a man in a  developed society who would happily give his life to minister to primitive people who have no modem  conveniences.  Enjoying a full  life in Christ is an inner satisfaction and fulfillment. It is lacking nothing necessary to fulfill our divine purpose with joy.

As we examine our lives, if something is missing,  we can check our manual, the Bible, and make sure our connections are right. One thing we must examine is our words. The Bible indicates that two people cannot walk together in disagreement. So, we must be sure we are saying what God says and not contradicting Him.

Another point of examination is our actions. Jesus said the doer of the Word is blessed. God told Joshua that as he did what he meditated on in the Word, he would be successful and prosperous.

We need to check our status today. If abundant  life  is not in any facet of our existence, then we must adjust our connections and let the life of Christ flow in.

I will have abundant life in every area of my existence. I will adjust all connections in every area where God's life is not evident. My life will be full.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 136

Day 136

Romans 4:16

 "Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, hut to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,"

Paul noted in Romans 4 that God's promise to Abraham was made to his seed through the righteousness of faith, so we could all benefit. In other words, since we are Abraham's seed by faith, we are included with the natural seed, when it comes to Abraham's blessing.

Romans 4:16 said the promise depends on faith, so it could be sure to us who are Abraham's seed by faith. When something is sure, it is guaranteed. There is no risk involved. A guaranteed promise gives us security. We do not need to wonder about whether or not we are entitled to it. No discussion is necessary. All we need to do is accept it.

I accept Abraham’s blessings as mine.  I  am Abraham’s seed by faith and, therefore, an heir of the promise to him.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 135

Day 135

Zechariah 12:10

 "And I will pour upon the House of David, and  upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is  in bitterness for his firstborn."

Zechariah prophesied about Israel's future.  In  the twelfth verse, he said the day would come when the Jews would mourn for Jesus, whom they pierced. Hundreds of years would pass before He was pierced, and thousands of years before they would mourn for Him. Prophecy is a remarkable thing. This prophecy shows us that God is fully aware of the future.

If we know that it is going to rain today, we will plan accordingly. We would probably carry our umbrellas and raincoats with us. We would be sure our car windows are rolled up. We would probably plan indoor  activities  whenever possible. Our Father knows when it will rain or shine in our  lives, and He has made preparations for us. Whenever we are taken by surprise, let us remember two things. First, God is not surprised, and He has a plan we can get in on, if we connect to Him. So, we can remain calm and in control. Secondly, may we be reminded that our walk with Him needs to get closer and closer, so we are not surprised as much.

Three Hebrew men were once placed in a fiery furnace (Daniel 3), but they were not afraid, They were confident that their future was secure, because they had committed it to God. God showed up because of their faith, but He did not come up with a plan on the spot. He knew long before then  how  He would deliver them.

Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to show us things to come. As we fellowship with Him more, we will be taken by surprise less and less. Let us allow Him to increase our sense of security. Even when we do not know what the future holds, we can rest, knowing that He plans only good for our future.

I will fellowship more with the Holy Spirit. I will he surprised less and less. I will. remain calm and in control, knowing that God has a good plan for me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 134

Day 134

Psalm 16:8

"I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

There is a sure way for us to move with confidence. It is to know that the Lord is at our right hand, that He supports what we are doing. The psalmist said he set the Lord always before him. He did not allow the Lord to get out of his sight. To do that, he had to meditate God's Word continually, since he could not always physically see God. That caused him to make godly decisions. When he made godly decisions, he was confident that God was with him.

If we go our own way without consulting God or choose to go against the Bible, we cannot have full assurance of victory when we are challenged. It is best for us to do as Solomon  said in Proverbs 3:5 and 6. He advised us to rely on God and not our own understanding, and to acknowledge Him so we can receive direction.

Let us pause and examine how much we keep the Lord before us. Have we gotten so busy doing things our own way, because we are very intelligent and know quite well how to run our affairs alone? Are we seeking God only when we have  a need and do not know how to get it met? The Lord should be always before us. Sometimes, when we think we need Him the least is when we need Him most.

I will keep the Lord always before me. He will remain at my right hand and my confidence will be strong.