Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 237

Day 237

I John 3:3

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

Referring to the appearance of Christ, John exhorts the believers to purify themselves. This is a process, not a one time deed. We have come a long way. God has done a great work in us, but He is not finished yet.

It is important that we understand that this purifying of ourselves is not a self-righteous act. It is our yielding to and cooperating with our Lord, who is actually doing the work in us.

In Philippians, Paul taught us to be confident that God, who has begun a good work in us, will perform it until the day of Christ. In Ephesians, he speaks of Christ sanctifying and cleansing the church with the Word. God does the work and gets the glory. Our part is to yield to and cooperate with His instructions.

We do not need to be unreasonably hard on ourselves, thinking we are so messed up and may never be pure. We cannot fear being unworthy at His appearing. As long as we are doing what we know to do and correcting those areas that need correcting as the Holy Spirit points them out to us, that is all God expects of us. He has given us his righteousness. That, and not our good works makes us worthy.

I will purify myself continually by cooperating with the spirit of God, as He instructs me in the way I ought to go. God will never give up on me, as I continue to depend on Him

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 236

Day  236

Titus 2:13

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ;"

As we look for Jesus' return, our lives should reflect this expectation. Paul told Titus that while we are looking for the blessed hope, Christians should be taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.

In Matthew 24:48-51, Jesus warned us against losing the expectation of His return. Using a parable, He said the servant who begins to live an ungodly life because he presumes his master would not come soon would experience the reward of hypocrites. Regardless of when Christ returns, we must live each day as though it could be the day. We do not know exactly when he will come, but we do not want to be taken by surprise.

My daily living will give testimony to the fact that I am looking for Christ's return for me. With God's help, I will be a faithful and wise servant of the Lord.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 235

Day  235

Hebrews 9:28 Amplified Version

"Even so it is that Christ, having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a burden the sins of many once and once for all, will appear a second time, not to carry any burden of sin nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation to those who are [eagerly, constantly, and patiently) waiting for and expecting Him."

With all the crazy cults in our world that are teaching things similar to Christianity, it can be a challenge to hold fast to the truth. Nobody wants to be accused of teaching the same doctrine taught by cults. (A cult is a group that is separate  from the mainstream, but claims to have the right or perfect way of salvation. They generally are relatively small communities. Most of the time they demand separation from the family and everybody who does not agree with the doctrine they teach.)

We must realize that the devil uses some type of bait to attract the simple. The bait has to be an established truth. Once the bait is bitten, Satan then pours in poison.

One doctrine that has been attacked by the devil is the second coming of Christ. The Bible teaches that Jesus will come again, and we will live in a new heaven and a new earth. Paul said in I Thessalonians 4:15-17 that Jesus will catch away the believing ones. Since then, many groups have taught false doctrines on the return of Christ and predicted when this great event will occur. Some have even quit their jobs, gone to particular places and waited for the Savior to come and get them. One small computer oriented group committed suicide and left their bodies, supposedly to graduate to a higher level and be picked up by UFO's. They had packed their suitcases, as if their luggage would also be picked up. This group taught some truth. They said we are spirits and our bodies are simply something we live in. II Corinthians 5:4-8 teaches that. However, the Bible does not teach that to leave, we must kill ourselves. Neither does it teach us that UFO's will pick us up to take us to a higher level. Yet, we do look for deliverance from this temporal body, and we do expect to be caught away, but by the Savior - not by UFO's.

When we hear foolishness that seems to mock our beliefs, it can be challenging to keep believing what is really true. Yet, it is so important that we do not allow our faith to die. As the scripture teaches, Jesus is returning for those who look for Him. If hearing false teaching makes us doubt the truth, we must go back to the Word and reaffirm our faith. It is important that we continue look for Jesus' return.

I affirm my faith in God's Word concerning the return of Chrisl No matter how many people are used to pervert the truth, I will hold fast to my convictions and expect the fulfillment of prophecy to take place. God is faithful He will do exactly as He said, just like He always has.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 234

Day  234

Colossians 3:24

 "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Christians are so used to human authority that they often forget about divine authority. It is obvious to the average child that he must obey his parents. The ordinary worker understands he must follow the instructions of his boss. Most women know they have to answer to their husbands about the majority of decisions they make. Good citizens realize that they should obey the laws of the government. People do not usually challenge a police officer when he gives orders. Colossians 3:24 tells us that we serve the Lord Christ. In other words, we should consider ourselves subject to Him and His commands to us.

It would be wonderful if God got at least as much cooperation from His church as the earthly leaders get from humans in general. However, because we do not see God, we have a tendency to think we can do what He says at our convenience, if at all. He seems far away, and we do not run into Him on a regular basis, like we do our earthly superiors. Our awareness of Him is not as strong until we grow so close to Him that we sense His presence continually. Until we get to the place spiritually where we are constantly aware of the Lord's presence, we need to discipline ourselves to act like we serve Him. Disciplined obedience, when practiced out of sincere reverence toward God, will actually help us get close to Him. As we continue to draw close to Him, He will become so real that we will feel just as obligated to follow His instructions as we would the officer who is standing in front of us directing traffic.

Let us apologize to God for taking Him lightly when He told us to go to church, to call a brother or sister, to give a certain amount of money to someone or some ministry, to write a letter to a friend or to visit a shut-in. May we begin to take our Lord and Master more seriously. His authority should mean more to us than the authority of any man.

I am sorry for my lack of cooperation with God. I am willing to obey Him strictly. With His help, I will do better.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 233

Day  233

Ephesians 3:14

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Paul had just finished explaining some of the divine plan of God for man, which was accomplished through Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 3:16, he began to express what he wanted God to do for the believers he was writing to. He realized that if he wanted anything significant for them, then prayer to the almighty God would be necessary. We are totally dependent on Him.

Paul said, "For this cause....." Do we have a cause or a reason to approach God today? What do we want Him to help us or someone else with? We have a cause to bow before God every day, if for no other reason, to thank Him for the privilege of being a part of His family. We should also keep in mind that He can do something about everything if we pray. Instead of complaining or magnifying the challenges we face in life, we should pray. God will respond to our prayers, as we approach Him in faith. God cannot always change a situation immediately, because He has given man authority over the earth, and He will allow men to make decisions of their own free will. However, God will deal with those we pray for and give them every opportunity to make the right choices. It seemed impossible for the Soviet Union to ever allow religious freedom in their domains, but there were people who prayed and never gave up. Finally, as leaders came and went, God found vessels who would cooperate with Him, and a change took place. Thank God for those who kept standing in faith. Our prayers are never in vain.

Regardless of what things look like, we must have the same response to every challenge - "For this cause, I tum to God." If He did not need our cooperation to make changes, He would not have asked us to pray.

When I see trouble or a need of any kind, I will turn my attention away from the challenge and turn to God for help. He always hears me. My prayers make a difference.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 232

Day 232

Ephesians 3:14

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, expressed his strong desire to see them grow spiritually. He told them some of the things he said in prayer for them. In Ephesians 3, as he shared a part of his prayer, he said He bowed his knees to God the Father. Because the gesture of kneeling is not uncommon, we can easily pass over these words, without pausing to notice their significance.

What does it mean to bow before God? This gesture is taken seriously by servants of God who refuse to allow humans to

. bow to them. They see it as an acknowledgement of the source of help and want the person being helped to recognize that God is the true source of help. He allows humans to deliver the goods.

Paul was bowing his knees before God, because He recognized that God was the only one who could produce the results he wanted. We can position ourselves different ways when we pray, but none of them makes our prayers more effective. When it comes to God hearing us, it does not matter what position we are in when we pray. From time to time, however, we should bow our knees to remind ourselves that God is our only source of help. He is not an alternative to some other power. He is almighty. We should not trust God because someone else cannot help us. We should trust God, because He is the source of our help, even if that help is delivered to us through a human vessel.

Another thing that bowing before God can help us remember is that He is not just a possible solution to our problems, but He is God, and there is no other being that is God. Therefore, we should worship, obey and serve Him, primarily because of who He is and not what He can do. Our devotion toward God should not vacillate, depending upon how we perceive He is performing for us. He is God, and we should serve Him regardless. Let us bow our knees in reverence to the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. In Him we live and move and have our being.

I will bow before God in reverence, because of who He is. I will ever keep before me that He is more than just someone who can help me. He is God.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 231

Day 231

John 9:5

" As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

The disciples of Christ questioned Him about the cause of a particular man's blindness. They thought the man or his parents had sinned and caused him to be born blind. Before Jesus ministered to the blind man, He explained that the issue was not one of sin, but of the need for a miracle which He was sent to perform. His statement in John 9:5 indicated that He would perform such miracles as long as He was on the earth.

Light represented all God had to offer mankind, and darkness represented the works of Satan. Since Jesus was the light of the world as long as He was in the world, is the world now without light because he left? Jesus told His followers in Matthew 5:14, "Ye are the light of the world." This is an important issue for us to study, because we are responsible for carrying on the works of Christ. As He did, we must go about doing good, bringing light to everyone in darkness. We are the light of the world today. We must reach out to meet all needs - spiritual, physical, emotional, material, etc.

Jesus goes where we go. The results of our having been to a particular place should be the same as if Jesus was there. If His works are never manifested, it is not because He did not want them manifested. It is up to us. As long as we are in this world, we are the light of the world.

I will be aware of the fact that as long as I am in this world, I am the light of the world. With the help of the Holy Spirit, as I go from place to place, I will leave evidence of who I am and who I represent.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 230

Day 230

Matthew 10:39

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

As Jesus taught his followers about the cost of discipleship, he explained that God must be first. The order of priorities must be very clear. It would be costly to get things out of order. To seek after one's carnal life will result in a loss of one's spiritual life. A loss of one's spiritual life can result  in an early loss of one's natural life. How frustrating it would be to deny our spiritual lives in favor of our natural Jives and then lose both. It would be better to lose our natural lives and keep our spiritual lives.

As we study the words of Jesus, it is clear that we need to ponder the path of our feet before we face challenges. The world makes decisions based on circumstances. They determine whether something is right or wrong based upon the possible consequences. If it will cause embarrassment, a loss of friends or a loss of something they value, they may resort to violating their moral standards to save themselves. This mode of operation is not applicable for us. We should make our decisions based upon what our Lord requires of us. We must follow His written Word, as well as the Holy Spirit, who has been sent to guide us.

These things needed to be stated as plainly as Jesus told them. To receive Jesus as Savior is one thing. To qualify for discipleship is another. It is not fair to choose Jesus as Savior and not as Lord and Master. What if Jesus chose to walk on the earth as our example but not die for our sin?

As we consider our current attitudes toward complete allegiance to Christ, let us remember that God only seeks to do us good. It may cost more to buy a new car than it does to buy an old bicycle, but you will get what you pay for. It costs more to be a disciple than a Christian in name only, but the benefits are far greater for disciples. As a matter of fact, the benefits are worth more than the price.

Jesus said in John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." In John 14:23, He said "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Let us ponder the benefits of total surrender to the Lord and change or reinforce our position. If we think the whole thing through, we have to admit that the deal God presents to  us  cannot  be beat. True discipleship is the only sensible way to go.

I am totally surrendered to Jesus ChrisL My position is nonnegotiable. My way will always be His way forever.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 229

Day 229

Judges 1:2

"And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand."

In response to the Israelites' question to God about who should fight against the Caananites, God instructed the tribe of Judah to go, because He had delivered the land to them. The fighting had not begun when the Lord said, "I have delivered the land into his hand." This illustrates how God sees the end from the beginning.

This passage, if we understand it, is all we need to have confidence to fulfill any task the Lord gives us. God never sends anyone out to accomplish anything on His behalf. If we are involved in a fight, He will secure the victory before we begin. We must simply possess what He has already done. If we are constructing a building, He will locate the supplies, secure the help and complete every detail of the plan before we start. All we have to do is walk it through. Our struggles come when we begin to do our own thing, or take over from God due to a lack of understanding.

When we comprehend God's process, life's challenges become so much Jess stressful. If we run into a crooked place, we must wait with confidence, because He goes before us and makes crooked places straight. If there seems to be no way out, we must smile confidently, as we stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He makes a way where there is no way. Nobody gets up early enough to get ahead of God. He is never surprised. When we walk with Him, we can remain cool. He never scratches His head.

Jesus invited us to take his yoke on us. He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. We can tell who is running our lives by examining our emotional states. If our way is hard and our burdens are heavy, we have taken too much upon ourselves or have become yoked together with the wrong person. Let us pause and do a yoke check and make sure we are connected, and connected to the right person, as we tackle our challenges.

I will cease from struggling and being burdened down. I will walk lightly, connected to Jesus Christ I will walk confidently, knowing God has already prepared the way before me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 228

Day 228

Matthew 23:12

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

We know it is important to avoid exalting ourselves. It is also important to watch what we do when someone else exalts us. We should be prepared for exaltation. Jesus said those who humble themselves will be exalted.

In John 17:I, Jesus said, "Father, the hour is come; glorify

Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee." For Jesus to glorify the Father, He had to receive glory. He could not give what He did not have. God exalts us so we may exalt Him. He gives us glory so we may give Him glory. If a man or woman receives high compliments on a hair style, they are exalted for looking good. When they give the name of the barber or hairdresser who fixed their hair, the one who did the styling is exalted. God makes us look good, so we can make Him look good.

We should not shy away from receiving glory or being honored or exalted. These things happen for a purpose. Jesus informed us that it would happen. The thing we must be careful about is doing the right thing with what we receive. We will be all right as long as we give honor to God for the gifts, talents or possessions He has given us. We should receive what is given, if it is appropriate, and say "Thank you." Then, in private, we must thank God for all He has done for us. Also, in public, we must tell others how we became . good enough to achieve our goals or whatever we received honor for.

I will be exalted when I humble myself. I will exalt the Lord when He exalts me. I will make Him look good when He makes me look good. All I have and can do is because of Him.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 227

Day 227

Matthew 23:12

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

Peter told us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God so He could exalt us in due time. Humbling ourselves is something we should be careful to do on a regular basis. Jesus gave us some insight that should be sufficient to help us stay humble. In Matthew 23:12, He revealed that the alternative to not humbling ourselves is suffering humiliation.

Pride can make us fail to humble ourselves, but it always backfires. When we think of protecting our pride, we must always remember that the very thing we are protecting is going to be hurt worse ifwe do not give priority to humility. Humbling ourselves is far less painful than suffering humiliation. When we humble ourselves, we step down and possibly conceal the fact that we were struggling with pride. When we are put down or abased, we are humiliated, and our pride is often exposed by that time.

Let us follow the example of Christ and walk in humility.

As He ministered on the earth for three and a half years, He did not hesitate to reveal who He really was. However, He only shared this insight with those who needed to know. He spoke  of  His relationship with God when it was necessary. Christ gave God the Father the glory for all that  was  accomplished  through  His ministry. Jesus pointed His followers to  God the Father, expressing a desire for them to know Hirn and to know how good He was. Our Savior and Lord did things He did not have to do to show us that greatness is not looking and acting  important,  but  rather  serving and being valuable to others by giving out of love.

With God's help, I will follow the example of Jesus and remain humble in the sight of God. My desire is to make God look good and cause people to want to know and serve Him.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 226

Day 226

II Chronicles 14:11

"And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, 0 Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. 0 Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee."

King Asa was faced with an impossible situation. He realized, however, that though the situation was impossible with man, it was an easy feat for God. He turned to the Lord for help and addressed Him as "our God." This approach suggested a relationship of mutual benefit. It assumed the powers of God would be enacted on their behalf. Asa went so far as to say, "Let not man prevail against Thee." Since the Lord was their God, he considered attacks against them to be attacks against Him.

It is vital to our success in life and in ministry to be on the Lord's side. If we are in harmony with Him, doing what He wants done, we can have the kind of boldness that will cause us to say, "Lord, they are coming against You!" There is a big difference  in  the level of courage that will come to us when we know we are on  the Lord's business, as opposed to following our own agendas. It is impossible to imagine God losing a battle against anyone or anything. So, if we can see the fight as His fight, all we will see is victory.

When we cannot boldly ask God to help us with something, perhaps it is not worth doing. So, let us examine our activities and plans today and filter out the things we cannot confidently expect God to support us in.

I will endeavor to only do those things I can confidently ask God for help with. When trouble comes, I will see my challenges as His challenges and look to Him, expecting His help.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 225

Day  225

Jeremiah 3:15

''And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."

As Jeremiah prophesies on behalf of God, he reveals that God desires for his people to have knowledge and understanding. The Lord said He would give us pastors. He said they would feed, and the meals would produce knowledge and understanding.

Because God has given man dominion in the earth, He works through us. Throughout Biblical history, we find God sending people to other people on His behalf. Sometimes they would go saying they were speaking for God when they really were not. God gave signs to His people, so they could know if the messenger was truly sent by Him. As Jesus put it in Matthew 12:33, "the tree is known by his fruit." In Jeremiah, the evidence that the pastor was sent by God was seen by the quality of the meals he served. If the person being ministered to received knowledge and understanding, the minister was probably representing God. Some people have been in church all their lives and have little or no knowledge of the scriptures. Others have a good basic knowledge, but little or no understanding. God wants us to have both.

Paul said, in I Corinthians 12:1, "I would not have you ignorant." Solomon said in Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." He also said in Proverbs 1:4 that his writings were intended to give young men knowledge and discretion.

Since it is obviously important to God that we be intelligent concerning spiritual things, our attitudes should be that we will pursue obtaining spiritual understanding. We must make certain that we are exposing ourselves to ministers who are after God's heart.

Then, we must listen attentively with an attitude of being a doer, not just a hearer. (Our attitudes about the Word will affect our ability to retain what is being taught.) Finally, we must follow up with actions and our own personal study, allowing the Holy Spirit to further illuminate our minds and hearts.

I will receive from ministers who are after God's own heart. I will listen attentively with a right attitude and follow up with actions and personal study, allowing the Holy Spirit to further illuminate my mind.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 224

Day 224

I      Thessalonians 3:16

"Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all"

As Paul concluded his second letter to the Thessalonian Christians, he expressed his desire for them to experience the peace of God continually. The peace of God is absolutely fascinating. It is apparent in the best and the worst of times. Worldly peace can only be felt when the circumstances are not troubling. God's peace surpasses human understanding. Even the person experiencing it can be amazed at the peace they are enjoying when "all Hell has broken loose."

It is hard to imagine being troubled and calm at the same time. However, it is possible when we have the peace of God. A disturbing situation may cause us to become upset mentally, while in our hearts the peace of God rules and helps bring our minds under control. We can experience this when we strengthen our spirits with the scriptures. When an unsettling situation arises and we begin to react frantically, the peace of God can rise from within and calm us down before we see any positive changes.

Paul expressed his desire for the people of God to experience peace all the time. This is quite possible. If we continually feed our spirits with God's Word, we will never run out of peace. We will never need to be concerned about a nervous breakdown. Isaiah said God would keep the person who trusts in Him in perfect peace, because he keeps his mind stayed on the Lord. The only way our minds can stay on the Lord is if we constantly feed ourselves the Word of God and practice fellowshipping with Him.

I will experience God's peace continually, as I feed upon His Word on a regular basis.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 223

Day 223

Psalm 46:1

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Who is God? In describing a few of the attributes of God, the psalmist said He is our refuge, our strength, and a very present help in trouble. It is beneficial for us to meditate on these things. It will help eliminate fear in our lives and increase our levels of confidence.

A refuge is a place we can go to escape harm. Strength means we are protected and can overcome the challenges we face. A very present help in trouble indicates there is no need to worry about how we will survive an attack. We are not waiting for help. Help is already there. Help is not just present, but very present - not passively involved, but actively involved.

Let us rehearse these attributes of God and celebrate the fact that since He is our God, we will benefit from all of it. We have a refuge, strength and real help in times of trouble.

God is my refuge and strength. He is actively involved in my affairs when trouble comes to me. I am free from fear and full of confidence.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 222

Day 222

Psalm 94:11

"For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance."

God is always faithful. It is utterly amazing to see how He stands by His people, regardless of what they do. The psalmist said He will not cast off or forsake His people. The people of God had to suffer for their evil ways, but He always made a way for them to return home. When we bum every bridge and disconnect all communication, He still keeps the bridge open, the communication lines operating, and even leaves the light on to help the wanderers find their way home. Furthermore, He continues to remind us that we are welcome to return.

Meditating on God's mercy and faithfulness should make us show our appreciation for Him more. It should motivate us to eliminate murmuring and complaining and express more gratitude. It should also make us more patient with others, when we see how patient He is with us.

The goodness and loving kindness of God should encourage us to never give up. As long as God does not say, "I have totally given up on you," we ought to get up and go for it. There is no reason to quit when He is still pulling for us.

Let us look up, get up, and go up, from glory to glory. The Lord will never forsake us.

I will show more appreciation to the Lord for His goodness. I will be more patient with others. I  will  be encouraged to press on toward the goal set before me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 221

Day 221

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you _and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

Jesus beckoned us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened. He asked that we take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This is a measuring tool for us to discern our spiritual states.

Where are we? With whom are we connected? From whom are we presently receiving instruction?. Those are the kinds of questions we must ask when we are heavily burdened and when the way we are traveling seems so hard. In His presence, there is fullness of joy. There is rest. When we are yoked together with Him, the way is easy and the load is light. When we are receiving instruction from Him, we find rest for our souls.

When times are very stressful and we are feeling unable to go on with joy and peace, there is no time to entertain pity, discouragement or depression. It is time for us to make adjustments. It is time to get away from our struggles and focus our attention on our loving Lord, who is waiting to refresh us. It is not at all complicated. Sometimes, we listen to all kinds of teaching on how to deal with stress, how to cope with discouragement, getting over hurts, etc., and we lose the simplicity of the ministry  of our Healer. All those teachings are good and beneficial, but if we attempt to apply them without the simple, personal relationship with Jesus, we may find ourselves going in circles. We will simply go round and round with our struggles, and they will bind us more and more. Principles are good and, when used properly, can tum our trials into stepping stones to a stronger spiritual life. However, when we attempt to use principles or formulas independent of direct, personal encounters with the Master, they become like temporary relief drugs. When the effects wear off, we are no healthier than we were before.

Let us make it a habit to run to God in the times of trouble.The Father wants to embrace and love on us. Jesus wants to bring healing to our hurts. The Holy Spirit desires to comfort us in our trouble and give us the right instructions on how to rise above the circumstances. Living a life of peace and joy does not come from just knowing things to do, but from making an intimate relationship with the Lord a consistent, practical reality.

When I am in trouble in any way or tired and burdened, I will turn my attention toward God. I will receive from Him directly and be restored and refreshed.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 220

Day 220

Psalm 121:2

"My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth."

The psalmist recognized who his help came from. He also knew something about the capabilities of the one who was  the source of his supply. His help came from God. God created heaven and earth.

In Isaiah 26:3, the Bible says "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Why would we have perfect peace when we keep our minds on God because of our trust in Him? When we never let our minds slip and never forget that God is our help, and when we know how mighty He is, we can rest. When we are truly depending on Him with an awareness of His power, we can be at peace. It is only when we depend on ourselves, other people or some other inferior power that we will be agitated, uneasy and fretful.           ·

Let us examine where our minds are today. If we are not in perfect peace, it is time to call time out. We must make the adjustments necessary to get our minds on God, His greatness and His relationship with us.

I will take notice of my state of mind. If I am troubled about anything, I will make an adjustment and begin to meditate on God, His greatness and His relationship with me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 219

Day 219

John 3:6

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Toe flesh, or the body, is strictly for planet earth. When our physical bodies cease to function, our spirits will be released to go to another place. As Christians, our spirits are born of the Holy Spirit and will be with God when we leave our bodies. Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." We are limited in understanding and ability when it comes to our flesh, because our bodies are designed to relate only to natural things. He went on to say, "That which is born of the spirit is spirit." Toe spirit of man is quite different. It is allowed to exist in this world because of the body in which it lives. However, it is not limited to contact with the natural realm.

Although people have used spiritual contact for evil and selfish purposes as they deal with demonic spirits, all contact with the spiritual realm is not wrong. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are there. The work of Christ is continued in the earth more effectively, as believers contact Heaven and receive insight and instruction from above.

We ought to constantly humble ourselves and practice walking in the love of God, so we will not be tempted to use spiritual power for the wrong reasons. At the same time, being aware of the fact that we are spirits and have contact with the supernatural realm, we should allow that insight to drastically affect our attitudes. Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." His attitude was affected by his awareness of his spiritual contact. He would have been totally discouraged during his trials had he only been aware of his flesh and fleshly contacts.

Our source of knowledge, wisdom, strength and anything else we might need is unlimited. We do not possess the source, but we are connected to Him and can draw from Him regularly. One songwriter wrote, "the sky is the limit." Our lives are much better when we realize our citizenship is in Heaven and we have a divine support system always available to us.

I will remind myself that I am a spirit and have a spiritual connection to the source of everything I need. I will lift up my head and rejoice, because I am never without help.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 218

Day 218

Psalm 3:2

"Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."

When the religious leaders complained about the children praising Jesus, He referred to Psalm 8:2. He brought to our attention that praise brings strength and stops the work of our enemy. When we praise God, it expresses our faith in who He is and what He can do. Praise confuses and terrifies our enemy and motivates God to act on our behalf.

The enemy is frightened by our praise, because what we say about God when we brag about Him in true. He is the greatest! There is no god beside Him! He cannot be stopped when He begins to move! That is why the psalmist said, "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before Him."

Praise is obviously one of the things that causes God to act on our behalf. Toe scripture has a number of examples of God manifesting His power as a result of people praising Him. We need to praise our God more. It will build our faith. It will save us from much stress and trouble.

I will praise God more and more. God will act on my behalf, and I will experience more and more victory and peace.