Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 177

Day 177

II Chronicles 16:12-13

“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with this fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.”

What an indictment against a king of Israel! He relied totally on physicians, instead of God. God is not against medical professionals who use the talents He gave them to help hurting human beings. He is however, against our using them as substitutes for Him.

Doctors should be viewed as people to whom God has given skills to help humanity. We should never choose between God or doctors. Our total reliance must be in the Lord, and we should see the doctor as a vessel Our Father can use to help us. All our help comes from the Lord, whether natural or supernatural. It is obvious that supernatural power to help comes from God, but all natural talents and abilities also come from Him.

I will rely on God as the source of my total supply. Whether my help comes from natural or supernatural means, I will thank God, who gives every good and perfect gift.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 176

Day 176

Deuteronomy 7:9

“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.”

What a comfort to know we have a God we can trust fully, His Word is eternally dependable.

Deuteronomy 7:9 shows us that God’s mercy can be extended to someone a thousand years after His Word has been spoken. That explains His mercy and favor upon the modern descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, despite the fact that many of them are not serving Him. Proverbs 11:21 says the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. No matter how Satan has tried to wipe out Israel, it has been impossible, because of a covenant God made with their forefathers thousands of years ago. The suffering they have experienced is a result of their own wrongdoing, but the mighty deliverance that has come to them is not to their credit. The supernatural has taken place to bring them victory, all because of a faithful God.

Sometimes we look at people and wonder why they are still alive, or why they seem to have so many chances. We think maybe someone is praying for them. That is possible. It is also possible that they are reaping the rewards of a great great great great grandparent who had a covenant relationship with God.

David once searched for a descendant of his deceased friend, Jonathan, to show favor to because of a covenant they had between each other. When he found Jonathan’s descendant, he did not check to see if he was good enough. The only qualification the man had was that he was a descendant of Jonathan. That caused David to show him special favor. That gives us insight into the power of a covenant, the way God’s people understood it.

We can experience divine favor through utterly no credit of our own. (We can also establish a flow of divine favor for our descendants, because of our relationship with God.) Apart from our natural bloodline, we have a spiritual blood line that constantly causes us favor. The Bible says in Galatians 3 that we are Abraham’s seed through Jesus Christ. Romans 8 says we are children of God and therefore heirs and joint-heirs with Christ.

That should bring us to a point of great humility. If we have ever thought we must be all right because God has shown us favor, we may want to think again.We may need to correct many areas, but we can still experience the favor of God, because of His faithfulness.

I humble myself before God, who has shown me undeserved favor. I am more thankful for His grace. I will endeavor to live in such a way that my children will also be blessed through my obedience.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 175

Day 175

Jude 20

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost”

Praying in the Holy Ghost, or praying in other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gives the utterance, charges us up. It strengthens our spirits and helps us resist temptation. It produces boldness and enables us to do things that will amaze us.

Speaking in other tongues, according to some former Satan worshipers, is terrifying to the enemy. The devil fights against the manifestation of being baptized with the Holy Spirit, because it confuses him, and he hates what it does for us. When in communist countries where they have tolerated churches to a small extent, those who spoke with other tongues were absolutely forbidden. Even the godless knew that the Christians who were baptized with the Holy Spirit were more powerful than those who were not. They knew what Jesus prophesied in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you”.

When we receive the ability to pray in a heavenly language, Satan fights to stop us from using it. He finds candidates who will try to convince us that the whole business is crazy, or those who will degrade it in some other way. Just because someone is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaks with tongues does not make them perfect. It is up to each of us to take advantage of, and use properly, everything God gives us. Speaking with tongues is one of many things God has made available to us to help us win in the game of life. When used in conjunction with other things, such as walking in eh fruit of the spirit, regular praying in the spirit can make us powerful and effective ambassadors of Christ. Among other benefits, it increases our ability to hear from God accurately.

Let us stir up the gift within us and begin now, this moment, to pray in the spirit. Jude tells that we build up ourselves on our faith. It takes faith to pray in a language we have not learned. We must lift up our voices and trust the Holy Spirit for each word. This is a way we exercise our faith. Exercising faith is good, because it is practicing dependence on God.

I will stir up the gift in me and pray in other tongues more, I will build myself up on my faith, praying with the Holy Spirit’s help.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 174

Day 174

Micah 7:7

“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

What a beautiful statement in Micah 7:7. The prophet speaks of the confidence God’s people can have in Him. It does not matter what the circumstances appear to be. We can exercise patience, because God hears and responds to all His children who call on Him in faith. That is absolutely special.

A songwriter wrote, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.” The key is not just the fact that Jesus is alive, but that He also loves us and is actively involved in our lives. If He would give His life for us, what will He not do for our benefit while we serve Him? Paul said in Romans 8:32,”He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

It is essential that we remain aware of our divine connection. It will bring us peace and comfort in pleasant and unpleasant times. Let us thank the Lord today for the blessed assurance that He never leaves or forsakes us, and always listens to and responds to us.

I will look to God, my salvation. I will wait for Him. He always hears me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 173

Day 173

Romans 14:12

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

In Romans 14, Paul gave instructions to the church about how to get along with each other and be respectful of the conscience of other believers. He encouraged them to be humble about their convictions on various issues, realizing that a man has to ultimately answer to God, and not his brother. He urged them to refrain from being a stumbling block to other believers, who were uncomfortable doing what they felt freedom to do.

It is important that we remind ourselves of our accountability to God. Our behavior should constantly reflect that awareness. Sometimes, we are tempted to make decisions that will make relatives or friends happy, even though we are uncomfortable in our hearts. It is possible to act in a way we feel will bring us favor with someone who can help us get ahead in some way, although it goes against our conscience. Not only are we tempted to do what pleases others, but in a society that is flooded with humanism, it is possible to struggle with self satisfaction. In other words, we can become selfish and think only of what makes us happy, regardless of what God thinks about it.

Let us be quick to remind ourselves that it is before God, and not a mirror, that we will stand in judgement. We will not only face God in the end, but every day as well, as He hears our prayers and determines our promotions or demotions. Our Father resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. If our good works will stand the fiery test, they must be God’s works, and not just things we did for God.

I will examine and adjust my attitude about accountability regularly. I repent of all deeds I have done to please myself or anyone else above God. I will live in such a way that I will always be unashamed to stand before God.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 172

Day 172

Micah 7:8

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”

The prophet, Micah, was called by God to prophesy against people who had gone astray from the will of God. He also had a message of hope for the oppressed. He is the one who told of the birthplace of the Messiah, who would bring peace to His people. In Micah 7:8, the prophet tells the enemy not to get thrilled over the downfall of the people of God, because God will never leave His own in that .

The apostle Paul referred to God as the God of hope. One reason is because of His faithfulness. As long as we trust in Him, there is hope that no matter what has befallen us, we will rise again. Proverbs 24:16 tells us that a just man gets back up up after falling seven times. Micah said, “When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” The context in which this verse is found indicates that even when the dilemma was the fault of the people of God, they still had hope. Hope remains alive for us, even when we fail because of our sin, because God has made a way for us to be cleansed. Once we repent, we are placed in right standing with God again, and He would not appreciate our enemies mocking us.

Sometimes, unbelievers make mockery of the church, pointing to Christians who are weak and seem to be less “righteous” than some “good” sinners. However, an imperfect Christian is in better shape than a good person who has no relationship with God. It is not our good works that make the difference. It is the faithfulness of God to care for His own. When we stand before God, the question is not, “How good have you been?” The question is, “What have you done with Jesus?” God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Let us never be dismayed when the world laughs over the state of the church. We will arise. Even when it seems dark because we have gone astray, God will shine the light of His Word upon us and guide us back to the right place. We must never give up.

I will look to God for encouragement if I stumble or fall, because He loves me and His mercy endures forever. I will be encouraged when I see failure in the church, remembering that God will never leave us. We are His people, and He will rebuke, chasten, and restore.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 171

Day 171

Matthew 13:37

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;”

The scripture above was taken from Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the wheat and tares. The good seed, which grew up toe be wheat, represented the children of the kingdom. The bad seeds were look-alike implants, who were inspired by the devil to dwell among true children of God and cause problems,

It is not God’s will that we go on a mission to get rid of the tares. We must follow scriptural patterns and examples. In the gospels, Jesus warned His disciples about imitations of the real thing. In the epistles to the churches, we see leaders warning the flock about false brethren. However, we see no one going on a rampage and developing a ministry that was consumed with getting rid of those in the Body of Christ who were not right.

In an effort to expose and do away with who they supposed to be bad seed, some who have been relentless in attacking ministers have hurt young, or immature believers. They have maybe even hindered some from coming into the Kingdom of God. It may be that even these are evil implants.

We need to be too busy doing our Father’s business to have time for a search and destroy mission. Jesus said the servants have been instructed not to attempt to separate the tares and wheat. The removal of the tares will take place at the end of the world, and the job will be given to angels, not to men. With that knowledge, we can relieve ourselves of the burden of what we should do about people in the church who seem to complete hypocrites. It is necessary that we teach people to recognize false brethren and warn them, as the apostles did, of those who can harm them or threaten their faith. We must not, however, go further than the examples set before us.

Our Lord Jesus has planted us, the good seed in the world. Let us realize that it is an honor that he has planted us here. It should not be taken lightly. The main purpose of a seed is to reproduce and bring forth fruit. May we be about our master’s business today.

I will relieve myself of any burden about false brethren, who have been planted to cause trouble. I will do what I have been taught to do in the Word bout that and move right along, reproducing and bearing fruit. I will give thanks today for the honor of being planted by the Lord Jesus Christ in this world. I will endeavor to show my gratitude by doing His will today.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 170

Day 170

Matthew 7:20

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Jesus taught His disciples to recognize false prophets. He told them they could examine the fruit being produced and determine who was real, and who was false, who was of God, and who was not of God. We need to use the same rule, as we judge ourselves. What is the fruit of our doings? There is a difference between having trouble because an evil spirit is opposing us and having trouble because we are causing it. We must be honest and humble, if we are going to stay free of ungodly habits.

Although it can apply to anyone, it is important to note that Jesus was referring to ministers in Matthew 7:20. He said false prophets come in sheep’s clothing. That means all appears well. He added, however, that they are like ravening wolves inwardly. In other words, they have ulterior motives, or they minister for their own benefit. He said their fruit will eventually reveal the truth. It is important to note that Jesus is talking about ministers, because we can sometimes justify wrong behavior or attitudes by claiming we are helping others or accomplishing good.Whenever ministry goes forth, people can receive by helping others or accomplishing good. They can receive by faith and be blessed, as God looks upon the heart of those being ministered to. Positive results are not an endorsement of the person or the ministry by God. Jesus once noted that a woman was healed, because of her faith. The anointing of God that was in Him went into the woman, and he did not even know she was there, until He felt the power leave Him. Her receiving was based upon her faith. If He was a prophet who was out of God’s will at eh time, the woman would still have received her healing.

We must never use positive results to justify ourselves. Let us examine the overall effect of what we are doing. God does not need our help to fulfill His ministry. He needs our cooperation. We should not come up with a plan and ask God’s blessing upon it. It is better to wait on God’s plan, because it is already blessed. Then, when we think we have His plan, it is important to be open to our having missed it partially or totally. Sometimes, our emotional state at the time can lead us to think we heard from God, when in fact we were led by a desire to fulfill a personal need.

I will be open and honest before God. I will be humble and receive correction relative to teh direction I take in my life, especially concerning ministry. I will always be a sheep in sheep’s clothing. I will produce only good fruit.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 169

Day 169

Ephesians 6:4

“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”

Jesus had strong exhortations for us about using our mouths. The apostle Paul also made statements, indicating that we should be responsible when it comes to our conversation. In Ephesians 6:4. he puts a priority on thanksgiving, as he commanded the church at Ephesus to refrain from ungodly speech.

There should be no filthy talk among us. Christians should not participate in foolish discussions that are unprofitable, or in vulgar and inappropriate humor that is degrading. We must value our words and use them wisely.

Our speech should give evidence that we are very grateful people. The rule of putting a priority on thanksgiving will eliminate murmuring and complaining. When we focus on giving thanks, realizing we do not do enough of it, it will cause us to humbly show gratitude for the good, instead of emphasizing what is wrong. If we are having difficulty putting up with someone, rather than talking negatively about them, we can be grateful for those who put up with us, including God. Rather than pointing out the faults of those we see, as though we ourselves are free of flaws, we should be grateful that all our shortcomings are not public knowledge.

Gratitude will produce humility. Humility will produce gratitude. They go together. Let us practice including thanksgiving in our speech today. That would include not just saying we are thankful, but demonstrating kindness, as we talk about those we would like to complain about.

An attitude of thanksgiving will dominate my speech. I will increase in humility and gratitude. I am thankful for all God has done for me, directly, and through others.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 168

Day 168

Psalm 138:8

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me; thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”

Sometimes it is so easy for us to run our own lives, instead of allowing God to be in control. After all, we manage most of it okay. Without God, of course we would be a successful mess. He causes the sun to shine on the just and the unjust, and were it not for His mercy and loving kindness, all saints and sinners alike would be in a horrible condition. However, because we cannot see Him, we forget that He is responsible for every good and perfect gift in our lives. It may never be revealed in this lifetime how many times he was involved in our accomplishments in inconspicuous ways.

When we understand better how much we need the Lord, we will say what the psalmist David, said in Psalm 138:8. God’s faithfulness to work in our lives is a confession of faith. It is a wonderful reminder to us of how much more progress we can make if we acknowledge Him more. When the full burden for success is on our shoulders, it slows us down and makes us less productive. If, however, we would confess what the psalmist said when it seems we are making no progress, we would see more of the power of God at work in our lives. This applies to changing habits and improving attitudes and character, as well as accomplishing goals.

Let us make David’s confession our daily confession, and see how much easier life can be when God is given more control. If we look back and think about some serious improvements that have been made in our lives, we would probably have to say God had obviously helped us. This help could have come through His Word, a chose vessel, the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit or by some other means.

The Lord is perfecting everything that concerns me. I will remind myself of who is in charge of my life by regularly confessing that the Lord is perfecting whatever concerns me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 167

Day 167

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.”

In the second chapter of Mathew, wise men came from the east to see Jesus. They claimed to have seen a star that indicated a king had been born, and they had come to worship him. They came to worship a baby, because of what they saw.

This story helps us understand why we should have no difficulty in worshiping Jesus. It all depends on our vision, or level of understanding. Do we see Him as someone who built us a fire escape to give us an alternative to going to Hell? Do we see a nice, benevolent character, who helps us get our needs met and even gives us what we want sometimes? If that is the extent of what we see when we see Jesus, we will find it difficult to really worship Him. On the other hand, if we see Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, it will be much easier.

Just think about how naturally men react to a high-level dignitary who comes into their presence. Their reaction is different than that to an ordinary citizen, unless they have absolutely no respect for that leader. In some cultures, people stand when a dignitary enters an area. In other places, they bow before the high officials. In any case, there is a reaction, because they recognize the greatness of the person.

God the Father is the Almighty, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was made flesh. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity, who reveals to us the mind of God. By God, manifested in three persons, all creation came in to existence. Genesis 1 and John 1 reveal that the creation of everything on the earth and the creation of mankind was the work of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is the greatest and highest dignitary in the universe. He is worthy to be worshiped. However, this is not something we understand just by hearing about it. We must have a divine revelation of who He is. A revelation of who God is comes by hearing and understanding . Understanding will come from anointed teaching and personal revelation, as we meditate upon God’s Word an fellowship with Him.

May the eyes of our spiritual understanding be enlightened, that we may see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit properly. Then, we will not have to be told to worship Him. Like the wise men from the east, worship will be a reaction to what we see.

I will hear and understand who God is. I will meditate on God’s Word and fellowship with Him and thereby know Him more and more. I will worship Him intelligently.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 166

Day 166

Deuteronomy 7:15

“And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.”

In this passage, God was speaking to the nation of Israel through Moses, to inform them of what they were to expect when they walked in their covenant. As a part of this covenant, God would permit diseases to come upon their enemies and would remove all diseases from them.

This is a very important lesson for us. We see that God’s will is for us relative to our health. As we walk in the way He has ordained for us, we are supposed to walk free of malfunctions in our bodies. When we see sickness or disease come upon our bodies, our attitude should be alarm. Our question should be, “What is the disease of the ungodly doing on my body?” It should be our aim to get rid of the curse that God did not ordain for His people.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

The above Scriptures let us know that there are times when we need understanding and insight that can help us. We should seek God, not in fear, but in faith. God can answer us in different ways, so we may sometimes need to wait a while for our response. We must, however, expect an answer. Until we see the desired result, our attitude should be positive. We should go about our Father’s business cheerfully, believing that every wrong thing will be made right. In other words, we must wait in faith.

It is very important that we see things the way God sees them. If we do not, we can suffer unnecessarily. God sees sickness and disease as something that should not be on His people. Regardless of what we see, let us agree with God and work to help ourselves and our brothers experience the perfect will of God - freedom from sickness and disease.

I reject sickness and disease. I trust God for understanding and insight that will help me and others. Sickness and disease do not belong among God’s people. I belong to God, and I claim the health He has provided for me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 165

Day 165

Psalm 33:18,19

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

Do we hear the Word of the Lord through the psalmist? If we listen carefully and allow our spirit and minds to absorb what the Spirit of God is saying, our faith will be boosted, and our fears will scatter.

The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him. God’s eye does not miss anything. It is constantly on those who fear Him and hope in His mercy. All who reverence God and realize the need for His mercy and depend on it will not be disappointed. God not only watches them, but He also watches them to deliver them. He delivers them from death and enables them to survive in the midst of famine. Our Father makes a way for us all the time. He sees everything and watches wit ha purpose. He takes excellent care of what belongs to Him.

Let us make sure we stay in a position to receive God’s deliverance and care. We must continually reverence Him, meaning we should be obedient with a positive attitude. Then, we must believe in His mercy and look for it.

I will reverence the Lord at all times. I will believe in and look for His mercy.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 164

Day 164

Psalm 33:1

“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.”

The psalmist encouraged joyful singing to the Lord as an appropriate thing for the ones who served God. He said, “It is fitting for the upright to praise him.” There have probably been times when we were arranging items or matching an outfit, and something did not look right. When we made a substitution we were pleased with, we felt relief and satisfaction, as we viewed the situation and saw that everything was perfect. The changes we made were appropriate. The new item or arrangement, was fitting.

Our times of praise to God should increase, because it is fitting. It just looks right. If we see someone outside a church service praising God, our first thought would probably be that God had done something for them. We would assume they are a believer. But, if we found that person was wicked, (not a wicked person who was repenting), we would possibly be annoyed, thinking they were mocking God. Praising God does not fit the ungodly, although there are occasions when they may do so sincerely. We may even react in disgust in church to see an obvious hypocrite praising God, if we thought they were not sincere. It just seems that people praising God should be sincere persons who are living upright or, at least experiencing a change in their lives that would cause them to do so.

Psalm 107:1-2 NIV says, “Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this - those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.” It just seems to be the appropriate thing to do. When we have hone a long time without praising God, we just do not look right. Let us check up on our praise life the next time it seems that something is out of order. It may be the very adjustment we need to make.

I will check up on myself and make the praise adjustment when necessary. I will practice praising God more and more, until I always look right.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 163

Day 163

Colossians 4:13 NIV

“I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”

Paul wrote to the saints at Colossee about a man named Epaphras. He told them Epaphras prayed fervently for them to become stable and fully matured. Paul confirmed that this intercessor was sincere. For Paul to vouch for him, he had to have evidence of Epaphras’ zeal.

What will our husbands, wives, children or other family members say, as they affirm things about us that are undeniable? Will our coworkers vouch for us about things we will be proud of? How about those we work for, or work with in ministry? May our lives today add to a reputation we can be proud of. When they say, “One thing for sure I can tell you about him or her is…,” may we be able to hold our heads up and smile. May we be able to give God the glory, because of what we have allowed Him to do through us.

Father, In Jesus name, help me today to be aware that all I do will add to what is said about me. What is said can give me an opportunity to give you glory, when this day is done. I will lift up my head in praise to you, because of what I have allowed you to do through me, Amen.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 162

Day 162

Psalm 97:1

“ The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof.”

The psalmist announced that the multitude of the islands can be glad, because the Lord reigns. When God is in control, there is cause to rejoice. He does all things well.

There is not evil in Heaven, and none will ever be tolerated. God controls Heaven. When Lucifer rebelled, he was immediately kicked out of Heaven. He fell from heaven like lightning.

Man was given dominion over the earth. As long as he submitted to God, everything was perfect. It was when he submitted to Satan that all the ills and woes in this world began. When the period of man’s rule on earth is over, the Lord will reign on the earth for one thousand years, and there will be peace and a wonderful life for all.

When God is in control of our lives, everything turns out right. It is easy to tell when we have taken over. Chaos and frustration fills our atmosphere, and we feel like climbing the walls after a while. Then we cry out to God and surrender to Him. When we do this, He brings order and peace, and we are so glad He was there to take over.

We can understand why the psalmist said, “The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.” Let us work today through every means we have to support His taking over our neighborhoods, cities, states, countries and world. May we allow Him to take charge of our lives also. When God is in control, everyone can be happy, for that is His goal. He wants mankind to serve Him with gladness and joy.

I will contribute to God’s running the entire world. I will begin by giving Him charge of my life everyday.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 161

Day 161

Hosea 6:3 Amplified Version

“Yes, let us know - recognize, be acquainted with and understand him; let us be zealous to know the Lord - to appreciate, give heed to and cherish him. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rains, as the latter rain that waters the earth.”

God already knows everything about us. As the prophet Hosea said, we need to know Him. The exhortation in Hosea 6:3 encourages us to get acquainted with God and be zealous about it, because we need to appreciate and cherish Him. It is to our advantage to follow Him in strict obedience, and the more we know and understand Him, the easier it will be to obey Him.

The scripture said, “His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn.” It may be surprising to us as humans to find that someone we thought we knew has changed. We should not be concerned, however, that God will change. We will never experience getting to know Him, and then one day discover He has suddenly changed. He never changes. He said He will never desert us and He never will. He said He is our Healer. He always will be. When things are not going the way they should, there is no need to see if God has changed His mind. He never does. We should just examine ourselves and press on for more understanding.

When we begin to feel that God is not as close to us as He once was, He has not moved.We need to make the adjustment, if one needs to be made, or accept by faith that all is well. If we are not enjoying the peace Jesus said He left for us, He has not taken it back. We must find out what we did with it.

Let us examine ourselves today to see where we are with God. Our state of mind can help us determine if we need to pursue Him a little harder. We should pursue not as if we are running after someone, but rather to close the distance between us and someone we have strayed away from, or want to be closer to.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 160

Day 160

Ezra 6:8

“Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.”

Ezra recorded the story of how the temple of God was rebuilt after the children of Israel were taken into captivity. The Lord moved upon the heart of King Cyrus to make sure the temple was constructed. The king provided all that was needed to get the job done. He gave specific instructions, so everyone would understand that he sanctioned the project and no one would hinder them.

God is awesome. This story shows us how God possesses the wealth of the world and hs the power to distribute it as He pleases. However, we see that He works through people. Someone from among His people had to have a desire to see teh job done. So, God found someone to work through to supply teh need. It did not matter if the person He found was a king who did not have a covenant with God. All King Cyrus had belonged to God anyway.

We should never be envious of the wicked or of unbelievers who have great possessions. When we are faithful over little, God will make us ruler over much, even if he has to stir up the ungodly to give it to us. The Lord gives seed to the sowers. The faithful man abounds with blessings. As we do teh things necessary to possess the wealth of the world, including getting our words and actions in line with God’s will, we will take what belongs to us for the glory of God.

I will do what is necessary, as the Holy Spirit guides me, to possess the wealth God wants to give me to make me a greater blessing. This is my Father’s world. I will not live in lack while I am here.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 159

Day 159

Isaiah 60:2

“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

God never promised that darkness would leave the earth and remain absent until the end of time. As long as man has the ability to choose and evil is available, there will be darkness. Jesus warned us that wickedness would increase towards the end of the age. The apostle Paul spoke of evil men becoming worse and worse during the last days. However, as Isaiah prophesied, there is a bright side for God’s people. No matter how dark it is, there is victory for us. We are the light of the world.

It is difficult to tell that a flashlight is shining outdoors at high noon. The darker it gets however, the easier it is to see light. Light is more powerful than than darkness. Light can always expel darkness. Darkness cannot overpower light. Light has to be turned off for it to become so bright that darkness disappears.

So, on one hand, we can be saddened, as we see such darkness covering our land. On the other hand, we can realize that there has never been a better time to invade the darkness, because light shows up better in darkness. Isaiah 60:3 says, “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to teh brightness of thy rising”. As we allow the glory of God to be seen upon us, the lost who want help will not be able to miss us. Wherever we shine, we will be seen, and they shall come to Christ.

Let us take advantage today of opportunities to promote the light of the gospel of Christ. We can shine by our words and actions. We can give financial and physical support to those who are using various means to spread the gospel. Our prayers can make a difference. The opportunity to reach the lost is great. The darkness should not discourage us, but rather move us to action.

I will be encouraged today by opportunities to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will take advantage of whatever means I find to help light the way for those in darkness who desire freedom.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 2 | Day 158

Day 158

Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

From time to time, it is important that we remind ourselves of some basic things about God. One of those things is that He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He owns it all. He was big enough to do it alone. He is that intelligent. His creativity is awesome. His desire for beauty and his ability to produce it is obvious.

As we meditate on the attributes of God which are revealed through His creation and remind ourselves that He is our Father, who is willing to be actively involved in our lives, it can affect our productivity. We can have a more positive outlook. Sometimes, we allow fear and helplessness to overtake us, as we limit ourselves to our natural resources. The more we meditate on God through the Word and praise and worship him, the less we will find ourselves limited by fear or a sense of helplessness.

Let us take time to notice creation today and respond to God, based on what we see. AS a result of what we see, we can praise and worship Him and thank Him for being our Help everyday.

I will observe creation today and remind myself about who God is. My Father created Heaven and earth. He is great, and He is my God. I will praise and worship.