Acknowledge that Heaven Rules

'Acknowledge that "Heaven Rules!"' (Daniel 4:26)

I do not know how I never caught that phrase before, but yesterday it lept off the page at me. Daniel sure had gumption! 

Daniel interpreted his second dream for the volatile King of Babylon and then said, "Therefore, my king be pleased to accept my advice: renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be then that your prosperity will come." (Daniel 4:27)

This is worth repeating in my own words.

1. Repent

2. Do right

3. Be kind to the oppressed

Our greatest economy are our people. The LORD blesses through those around us.

God sure demonstrated patience with Nebuchadnezzar and blessed him with Daniel. I realize that Daniel might not have thought of his captivity as a blessing, but Daniel never stopped being a blessing. He understood the value of investing well in those around him. He spoke truth, gave God glory, and pressed on in serving as if he served God and not man. God used him over a very long period of time to be an instrument in King Nebuchadnezzar's life. 

Daniel 4 is the only chapter not written by Daniel. It is unique because it is the testimony of King Nebuchadnezzar sharing how he came to his senses and believed in the Most High God. 

He addresses all people every where in a letter so that they might hear about God's most miraculous signs and wonders and that the Most High God's kingdom is eternal with dominion over every generation. 

It wasn't until King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that HEAVEN RULES and he praised the Most High God as sovereign over all that his sanity, after seven years of acting like an animal, was restored. God never gave up on him. The moment he renounced and proclaimed God restored him.

It is important to note King Nebuchadnezzar's last documented words in the Bible, "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."

Do you need to acknowledge that "heaven rules"? The same rules apply today.

1. Repent

2. Do right

3. Be kind to the oppressed

Who might you need to be willing to speak with gumption to about the Lord?

Father, please restore our sanity across this land cause our leaders choose to acknowledge that heaven rules.

Pray for OPEN BIBLES

Open Bibles... last week one day God put it on my heart to pray for OPEN BIBLES. We faithfully pray for open hearts, open minds, open doors, and open heavens, but it occured to me that with Biblically illiteracy on the rise we do not know what is biblical truth anymore. In order for transformation to take place, it must come through the Truth. So, I started praying for OPEN BIBLES. 

OPEN BIBLES happens when we listen or read the WORD of GOD with the intent to listen, with the intent to hear, with respect and the intent to respond. 

It is crazy beautiful. At times, it is challenging because the Bible is a book that if you are in it to receive, you will be convicted of sin. Yes, sin. We all sin and fall short of God. But the beauty of it is the conviction is bathed in love. The love of God permeates the entire text. When you know His love you want to be set free.

Not long after I prayed this prayer for OPEN BIBLES, I just happen to open my door for a person that was delivering documents to us. This would be my third time to meet him. I had enough time to know pieces of his story because he allowed a few open doors as Greg and I met with him. There I stood at the threshold of my open door as God began to move. 

"Would you consider forgetting the past and opening the Bible to just read the book of Luke and ask God to show you He is real?"

"I think I could do that. I might have a Bible somewhere."

"Would you like me to give you one?"

"Yes. I would like that."

As I turned to go get a Bible. I heard in my heart, "This one," and then saw my Bible that Greg gave me two and a half years ago. It was my Bible that has all of my notes and prayers from the last two and half years of study and travel.

I literally said aloud, "Alrighty, then!" I went and grabbed it to give to him.

I handed it to him and said, "Here is my Bible. Greg gave it to me. In this Bible, I chose to focus on the character of God. I haven't finished it completely because God had me slow down to read through it, but it's almost done. You will be able to see how God is real to me by the things He taught me. It also has the teaching notes from my travels in it. So you will see in Acts what I taught in Asia. You will see in David's story what I taught in Kenya. You will see what I taught in Ethiopia through Joseph and through Ruth you will see how I taught in another Asian context. 

"Are you sure?" He asked multiple times.

"Yes," I said with great joy in my heart for I obeyed immediately and released it knowing that this would be one Bible that would continue to be opened. I had been praying for him. I couldn't believe how God worked it out for me to give him the Word of God.

"You have our number and our address. If you ever have a question just reach out. We are here for you."

"You have no idea how much this means to me!" 

I smiled and we said good bye. When I shut the door, I wept. I wept for his soul. I wept that God allowed me to to play a role in his life. I wept because I knew I was in a holy moment. My notes will mean more to his journey and I can look them up again if needed. God has already written them in my heart, but now GOD will sew them into his heart. 

Will you join me in praying for more open Bibles in our lives, in our homes, in our churches, and in our nations worldwide? And for our dear friend.

Paul and Timothy's Discipleship Phases

As I study Paul and Timothy's relationship, God put it on my heart to do a quick track of what each discipleship phase looked like for them. Here is my quick summary of Paul's discipleship phases with Timothy.

1. Meets a young believer.

2. Observed character and invited to tag-a-long.

3. Encouraged him to honor culture.

4. Invited him to stay with another disciple to continue the work.

5. Invited to go share the good news of Jesus

6. Proclaiming partner

7. Publicly praised

8. Co-author & brother

9. "And" phase... known as Paul, Silas and Timothy

10. "My" phase... True son in the faith

As I wrote this yesterday, so many of you that are my "friends" on Facebook came to mind. I smiled because some are my Pauls, some are my Silas, and some are my Timothys. I can't help but smile with deep joy because when true Discipleship happens the love is so deep and rich in the faith that time, distance, and/or circumstances cannot stop the deep love. I believe it is one of the great treasures of heaven we get to know and experience on this earth. 

Who might be your Paul? Who is your Silas? Who is your Timothy? We all should have them around us working in our lives. 

I love you.

Shalom y'all.

Have you read or listened to the whole Bible?

When I started seminary, I went to the bookstore to buy my books. A stranger came up to me as I was looking at the Bible section and asked me, "Have you ever read through the whole Bible?"

I am embarrassed to say that my answer was "No."

The kind person picked out the Chronological Bible and suggested that I read it. This Bible tells the story of good in order of time not by book, chapter or verse. So I bought it and began my journey of reading through the Bible. I read through it so many times that the binding was worn. 

I have been doing this for 33 years. I didn't always complete a Bible in a year. There came a time when God convicted me to slow down and take two. But, I have been faithfully reading His Word daily since 1992.

Did I miss days? Of course!

I discovered that God's Word nourished me in ways I had no clue were changing me. I was being fed mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. I felt it in my bones when I heard truths that changed me and grieved it when circumstances hindered my time in the Word of God.

I know God is real because He has proven Himself over and over through His text as I searched out His story written in the sacred book called the Bible.

GO... a powerful word

Ooooh the word "go" has such a rich place in the Bible. It is in all three key texts about reaching the nations for the LORD.

"Abram, GO from your country, your people, and your father's household to the land I will show you." Genesis 12:1

"GO make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19

"GO be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the outer most parts of the world." Acts 1:8

I had to look up various definitions of GO.

GO: to move from one place to another: to move or proceed. It implies movement of all kinds. It is physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual.

We can GO...

GO to

GO in

GO up

GO out

GO around

GO through

GO with

GO on

GO off

GO again

GO aside

GO away

GO over

GO beyond

GO about

GO above

GO forth

Such a tiny word with so much power. It can inspire us. It can freeze us. It can exvite us. It can fill us with dread. 

How many times would we rather walk away than go? 

Essentially, go requires change. Serious change. It takes the whole being to truly embrace GO. 

What go would it be to GO if we did let it do it's work in us in the many implied ways? 

Here is to GO in the New Year! Trust that GOD will show you like He did with Abram and the disciples. Know that God's GO blesses and bears good fruit.