Has the American Church Heard the Cock Crow?

By Janice Bowman
December 2011

Recently, while I was in prayer for our nation, the Lord vividly brought to my mind a story from the scriptures that hurt my heart. He showed me our nation was a nation of people who have promised, as the apostle Peter, to never deny Jesus. Jesus looked at his friend and told him he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning. Is the American church looking into the suffering face of Jesus Christ as He is being betrayed by world political and religious systems and hearing, as Peter did, the rooster crow?  Has the church become so engulfed in political and religious systems that she shrinks back in denial of Him for fear of opposition, suffering and pain? Many of us called by His name in this nation today are in the same situation as Peter. The vow was made, but untested. The tests have come and the rooster now crows an indictment against us, calling the church to repentance. Saints, that’s exactly what Peter did. He looked full into the face of the one he had denied and went away to weep bitterly, coming to a deep repentance and remorse over what he had done.

Soon after his repentance, Peter had such a magnificent anointing on him that when folks were touched by his shadow they were healed. In order to obtain the same kind of anointing as Peter, we must walk in the full strength of the sun that caused that shadow. In Peter’s case he not only walked in the full strength of the natural sun but he walked in the full strength of the Son of God. The natural shadow that was cast by the full strength of the sun was only a type of what was inside of the apostle. God is pure light and there is no darkness in Him. Not even a shadow, when made by the shining of His glory on us and in us, has any darkness in it. Prior to that kind of anointing on Peter’s life, he had not been willing to fully identify with the cross of Jesus. Peter loved the Jesus that healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the poor, forgave sinners, and stood up to religious hypocrisy. But when it was time to fully identify with the sufferings of Jesus, three times Peter flatly refused to acknowledge that he even knew Jesus. After the cock crowed, Peter went off to weep bitterly. That weeping and repentance was the key to Peter’s later anointing and ministry after the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost.

Could it be that our lack of anointing and power in the church, even the Pentecostal/Charismatic church, comes because of lack of repentance and failure to fully identify with Jesus? When it comes to fully identifying with the cross of Jesus and being willing to suffer with him, many who claim His name high-tail it and run off to hide. Peter was very ashamed that he had taken the coward’s way out, refusing to put himself in harm’s way. He then became a martyr in many ways, not counting the cost of obedience, and finding it even more a privilege to suffer because of his testimony in the face of great opposition. In that hour, Peter drew from the very same strength that the martyr Stephen drew from after he had delivered a very scathing rebuke to the self- righteous religious hypocrites of his day, including Saul of Tarsus. 

And in our day we will be required by God to do no less in the face of the religious hypocrisy within the church and the secular onslaught from the world around us. The majority of God’s people in this nation refuse to identify with a Jesus they might have to suffer for, avoiding the persecution and refusing to hear the cock crow. But at what price?  The cost of compromising the truth is never a bargain in the long run. The concept of losing our lives to find them has never been farther from American church and culture.

In the church’s history, God has always increased her more when His bride was willing to suffer for His name sake, not hiding like a coward behind a rock trying to save her life. God expects his bride to be a warrior, not a wimp. She must hold the sword of truth at any cost, even the cost of death. We, like Peter, have saved our lives in the face of the real opposition and we have called this our freedom, when in reality it is nothing but betrayal against our Lord and Savior. Our freedom will truly come when we lay down our lives for the sake of the gospel. God still has a portion of His people in this nation that have heard the cock crow and are finding their places to weep and repent. But others are willing to live only part of the truth, the part that will not get them into trouble at their jobs, in the marketplace, and in their churches.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(Rom 12:1-2)

Saints, this passage of scripture tells us it is our reasonable service to lay down our lives for the sake of the gospel, not our unreasonable service. Who is hearing the cock crow in this nation and repenting, looking back at what they now need to fix by a willingness to go to the cross with their Lord and suffer with him? Have we forgotten He will give us all that we need to endure and overcome should we decide it’s worth it? Or will we ignore the rooster’s crow while the sound of it enters our church doors, condemning our politically correct and religiously accepted ways of life? In this nation we call the land of the free and the home of the brave we find more people in churches seeking to save their lives than willing to lose them for His sake. It is time to stop denying the deeper truths of the gospel in the face of opposition and get rid of our pretty little sermons that don’t convict anyone.  Scores of churches have striven for empty numbers, not people serious about their faith with resolve to walk out the gospel and change the world around them, in spite of the persecution that may come. The three Hebrew children who were destined for the fiery furnace, “whether He delivers us or not”, refused to bow the knee to the world system. It is time to hear, repent, and act as God directs us. It’s not too late to turn the life of our nation around, just as Peter did.

An Apostolic Message for 2012

By Rev. J. Patrick Bowman
December 25, 2011

As we look to 2012, the Lord has directed me to speak into those with ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. The coming year will be a season of unprecedented activity in the heavenly realms and therefore we will feel the results of that activity like never before. “Heavenquakes” that are unseen by the natural eye will cause spiritual tsunamis in our world of the seen, where we will experience the results, much like an earthquake causes the waters to roll in the natural. This cause and effect will at times surprise us, excite us, and confound us, as the heavenly hosts of God’s angelic army work to carry out their part of His plan of realignment. Our part in this awesome hour is to be spiritually aware, agree with God concerning ourselves, and be obediently active in His process.

Spiritual Awareness
Spiritual awareness comes by spending time with God. There are no shortcuts or easy way around it. He is speaking, but we must slow down in the natural to hear His voice. Without this first step, we will fail to hear His voice and not be prepared for what is happening. It will overtake us unawares, and we will find ourselves scratching our heads and reeling at the way things in the natural and the spiritual are being moved around. High people not operating in the will of God will be brought low, and will be replaced with those walking in God’s love, power, and humility. Dead organizational structures in the church and in society that are counterproductive to God’s kingdom mandates in the earth will be replaced with new living, organic ways of thinking and operation that will further the purposes of God in the earth. Do just what is necessary in the natural and redirect your time to position yourself at His feet. Spend the time needed to have an open ear.

Agree with God Concerning Ourselves
If we don’t believe what God says concerning us, we won’t be positioned to carry out what He wants to accomplish through us. We so easily accept the word of the world and reject the Word of God. The promises of God are yea and Amen to those who believe. Our confession must change before our circumstances will change. We spend a lot of time arguing with God by our negative confession. We need repentance, a change of mind, which will change our mind! Let this be a year of renewal and transformation in our thoughts, attitudes, and confession. Only then can we be obedient.

Be Obediently Active in His Process
Once we are in a position to hear and agreeing with God about what He has said our part is in His plan, we must be obedient to do what He says. If we fall short here, we lose out on the blessing that is available to those who overcome.  We must overcome our passivity in both natural and spiritual matters and function however God directs us. As we step out in faith, He will give us the Grace to accomplish our assigned tasks.

An epic year awaits us. I pray we accept God’s challenge to us and be ready to partner with Him in 2012.

God's Supernatural Disaster

As a society and a world community, we have a good idea of what a natural disaster can do. Even if we’ve never experienced one ourselves, we perhaps know somebody who has, or we have watched the scenes of devastation on television or the internet. We classify a natural disaster as having to do with the forces of nature: tornados, hurricanes, floods, drought, famine, fire, etc.

The effects associated with natural disasters can range from inconvenience to loss of life. We might lose power for a few days, but although inconvenient we can readily recover from it. (It was probably time to clean out the refrigerator anyway.) But when we think of long term displacement, loss of a home or employment, or physical injury, the bar is suddenly raised to heights far above a mere inconvenience. People are still trying to recover in the gulf coast from Hurricane Katrina.

We have also become quite good at responding to natural disasters. Relief agencies around the world can now mobilize within hours and begin the process of water and food distribution, emergency housing, cleanup, and the long process of helping people put their lives back together. These agencies stand ready to respond because of the preparation that has gone on before a disaster hits. It’s this idea of preparation that I want to touch on tonight. Not preparation for a natural disaster, but preparation for a supernatural disaster.

Being prepared for what’s coming

I was awakened one morning a couple of weeks ago with the voice of God within my spirit saying, “Supernatural disaster.” For the next several days I pondered what that phrase might mean for Jan and I and those we pastor. A shepherd’s heart is turned toward the sheep of his flock in a degree that is sometimes hard to articulate. It’s more than a natural concern for their safety. It’s a supernatural concern for their physical, emotional, and spiritual condition. It is the True Shepherd’s own burden for His people that He places on pastors, to direct them in their relationships with those whom they care for. So my burden has been directed to speak into you about being prepared for what’s coming.

I’m sure you are already asking yourself, “What’s coming? What’s this supernatural disaster he keeps talking about? What does it look like?” I wish it were that easy. I feel a bit like the Apostle John, John the Revelator, in that I see it but it’s sure hard to describe. All I can do is try my best to relate to you what the Lord is showing me.

Two nights after I was awakened with the ominous words “supernatural disaster”, I was given a glimpse of the effects that might come with such an occurrence. I was sitting in my living room thinking about nothing in particular when I felt a shift in my emotions. Over the next hour, I felt fear, despair and hopelessness to the point that I almost found it hard to breath. It was a suffocating heaviness that shook me to the depths of my being. I was in a hole and there was no light to be found. Christian mystics, particularly St. John of the Cross, experienced such darkness sometimes for extended periods of time. In fact, St. John called it The Dark Night of the Soul. I was very glad that exactly an hour later, the pain lifted as quickly as it had come.

As I asked God about my experience, He let me know that what I felt was the despair that was coming for some people as a flood of His glory is about to break forth in the Columbia Gorge. It will be an awesome move of God. For some, joy unspeakable. For others a time of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The glory of God will bring a separation. Preparedness of our hearts will be the key to how we receive and react to such an invasion of Divine Presence in our land.

The Lord further developed my thoughts along these lines of preparedness with a scripture I’ve not been able to get away from for the last year or so. It keeps popping up to the top of my consciousness.

Eph 5:15-17

(15)  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

(16)  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

(17)  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

I’ve taught and preached on this scripture repeatedly and now know why the Lord has impressed me with it. We must walk very carefully in these coming days, preparing ourselves to buy this time with wholehearted abandonment. We must know individually and collectively, as the body of Christ, what the will of the Lord is for us now, in this hour of opportunity. We must take care of business in our own hearts first, so that we are ready and prepared to reach out to those who are caught in darkness. The fields will be ripe for harvest. Their despair will cause them to seek the light. We must be prepared.

How do we Prepare?

How do we prepare ourselves? Earlier verses in Ephesians 5 give us some sound advise as we purpose to get our own house in order so we can be a blessing to others.

Eph 5:1-2

(1)  Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

(2)  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

We must follow God as dear children. Jesus said He did only what He saw the Father doing. It worked for Him and it will certainly work for us. And walk in love. Not just any love, but the sacrificial love Jesus exhibited for us. The fruit of the Spirit will naturally ripen on a tree planted in this love. The same sweet aroma that pleased the Father in Jesus will please the Father in us, as we walk with Him in love.

How do we prepare for the harvest that is coming on the heels of this Supernatural Disaster? Effective relief agencies respond to natural disasters first of all with supplies they have on hand. This means having an inventory of what’s available to work with. Some focus on food and water, others work on needs of housing. There are particular ministries in the body of Christ that have expertise in certain arenas of ministry. Some are called out as counselors to a particular need in people, say abuse issues. Others may have a ministry to people with addictions, or family and marriage concerns. To some in the body God has given the specific gift of healing, or deliverance,  or discernment, or intercession. Get to know who these ‘specialists’ are. Use the resources God has placed among His people.

Although there are special ministries in the body, God’s love is the catalyst for all ministry within the body. God’s love is like water; it’s essential for life. Even if you have not been developed in a particular ministry yet, we should all be prepared to give God’s love in whatever capacity we can. Every joint supplies something unique. As we take down the man made walls between us, recognize the gifting and calling that we and those around us walk in, we will be effective in our response to God’s coming supernatural disaster.

Four Keys to a Fruitful Future

By Rev. J. Patrick Bowman

The Apostle Paul, writing in Philippians chapter 3, makes a statement that I consider a cornerstone for anyone wanting to build a bright and fruitful future in God.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

(Php 3:13-14 KJV)

In my own life experience and in counseling others over the years, I have found four keys presented by Paul in this passage to be essential for Christian growth.

The first of these keys is humility. Paul spends the verses leading up to verse 13 painting a picture of what he had once put confidence in by the flesh. He had birth right privileges as a native Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, the favored tribe where the temple stood, the tribe who did not revolt against Judah. Benjamin, Jacob’s love. Paul’s father and mother were both pure Jews. No mixing of the bloodline in his family tree. His pedigree was sure. His covenant relationship was ratified by circumcision on the eighth day, as God commanded. His education was at the feet of the honored Gamaliel. Paul, the Pharisee, whose lack of breach in word and deed left him blameless before men, and as a zealot, persecuting those whom he saw as enemies of the faith of his fathers. To all this Paul said “If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more (verse 4)”

But in verses 7 and 8, we see Paul’s humility before the living God.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

(Php 3:7-8 KJV)

A proud heritage, a good upbringing, an excellent education, a position of prestige, an impeccable work ethic, all counted as dung by a humbled man before his God. According to the prophet Micah, humility is a requirement of walking right with God:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

(Mic 6:8 KJV)

In the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus shared the parable about the man who takes the high seat at the wedding feast and is later asked to move, He said:

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

(Luk 14:11 KJV)

Church father, St. Augustine said, “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues; hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” Humility, of course, is the hallmark of Jesus’ life. His story of coming to us as a man, becoming sin for us, and taking the death penalty for our sin is the most complete picture of humility to ever be presented.

The second key is forgetting the past. Paul said this was the first half of the one, or essential thing he continually did. Many people tend to hang their hats on past successes or degrade themselves for past failures. A man or woman eager to move on with God must let go of both. Remember, this great son of Israel was also a murderer of those of “The Way,” and a persecutor of God himself. The realization of his failures could have held Paul in as much bondage as a prideful attachment to his successes. I have counseled people who were crippled in their ability to move on in life because of past failures; a divorce or other failed relationship, loss of a job, or bad financial decisions, just to name a few. On the other hand, I have worked with people so attached to “the glory days” behind them that they were ineffective in the present and showed little interest in their future. They parked their identity at a successful past and have set the emergency brake, unable to move forward. We are to learn from our failures and successes, they are both a part of who we are. But we should never let the past dictate our present or future potential.

Hurt associated with both past mistakes or the inability to hold on to a glorious past can keep us in bondage. And sometimes the hurts come from outside us, inflicted by others either purposefully or in ignorance. These “soul wounds,” are an opening for Satan to hook us in our minds and emotions. He will try to use these hurts as anchors to try and keep us focused on what was. Much illness, or “dis-ease,” comes into our lives as the enemy exploits these hurts to his advantage. Seeking God earnestly for the healing of these wounds and then allowing His healing to do its work is the only way to break free. The pain of recognition of these hurts is often uncomfortable to us. Forgiveness is often a major factor in our healing- not only forgiving others, but forgiving ourselves. The process of reconciliation with ourselves over mistakes made, opportunities lost, and relationships torn apart is essential if we are to move forward. The hard part is surrendering it all to Him. Know that the same Holy Spirit that brings these hurts to the surface is also able to see us through to complete health and wholeness.

The third key is akin to the second: reaching forward. God is a God of now. His kingdom is here and now, with an intimacy and immediacy build into it. His mercies are renewed each morning. Each new day is an opportunity to partner with the Holy Spirit to accomplish what He wants to do in us and through us. Reaching forward is not fueled by presumption but built on faith. Paul speaks to us again in Ephesians chapter 5 with these words:

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

(Eph 5:15-17 KJV)

Wise people walk circumspectly, that is diligently with exactness. That is a narrow path. I often picture this as hiking on a mountain trail. There is little room for error with a 300 foot ravine on one side of you and an unmovable rock wall on the other. Missteps are costly and sometimes fatal, so we best know where our steps are taking us. We must buy back, or redeem the time. This is forward motion, reaching for the future God has envisioned for us in faith. These are evil days that can be walked through in victory as we understand what the will of the Lord is for our lives and carry it out.

Having the right goal is the fourth key to Christian growth and a bright future. All of Paul’s efforts were focused on one thing: to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Christ was his prize, Christ was his goal. No other goal is worthy of our efforts. Paul was not about to get sidetracked in the race. His desire was to finish well, to get the prize. The world will offer us its own prizes along the way; fame, fortune, power, money. Many things will try to distract our focus and rule our affections. Running the race to win will cost us everything in the flesh. Take the high road. Don’t let others pull you down to their level. Lift them up to yours. Run hard, run strong. To conform to the image of Jesus, we must not get off the path. Study the Word. Pray. Stay close to the Guide. He will light your path, guide your steps, and lead you to the finish line.

Are We Full of Junk Food?

While I was on the Mobile Prayer Chapel the other day, I began to look at the people coming and going out of the Safeway parking lot. I wondered about the state of their lives. It reminded me of the verses in Matthew 24 where Jesus is talking about the state of the world until the very day Noah entered the ark and the flood came. Business as usual, doing the things that people do, without regard to the judgment that Noah said was eminent. I suddenly felt very sad in my spirit and asked God, “Why aren’t people hungry for You?” God told me, “Hunger comes from not being full. People are full of things that don’t really benefit them, but they are full nonetheless. Not until these things are taken away will they consider their lack and turn to me.” I began to consider what the Lord had spoken to my spirit. The problem isn’t in what people have or how they spend their time. The problem is in allowing those things to fill us. When the hunger of our flesh and soul is met with the things of the world, the hunger for God that is alive in our spirit is covered over. The junk food has made us think we are being nourished, while in reality we are starving.

The book of Revelation, chapter 3, contains letters written by God to the churches. In His letter to the church of the Laodiceans, God says, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

This was a letter to the church. The problem exists not just with those people outside the household of faith. It’s is a problem inside the church, as well. Because we have allowed ourselves to be filled in the natural, our confession is one of delusion and our knowledge of our own state is unenlightened. Has business as usual in the church, because we think it’s working, caused us to fill up on our own accomplishments and leave little room for God’s agenda? Has the church in America ignored the call of repentance and therefore failed to see the ark of God’s safety so prominent in our midst?

Judgment starts in the house of the Lord. We are living in a small window of opportunity to judge ourselves, lest we be judged. All things will be tried in the fire and the fire is near. Can you feel the heat? All hidden sin will be exposed. All our self-righteousness will be laid bare. Let’s be reasonable and heed God’s gracious offer to come clean now and offer ourselves a living sacrifice as Romans 12 instructs us to do. We can be clothed with the white raiment. Our shamefulness can be covered. Our blindness can be healed. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The Almost Lost Ministry of Mentoring in the Church

By Janice Bowman

What exactly is a personal mentor some might want to know? The apostle Barnabas became a personal mentor to the younger less experienced apostle Mark. In other words Mark became Barnabas' student. The apostle Paul had some contention with Barnabas for wanting to take Mark with them on a missionary trip. Paul felt Mark wasn't ready to go with them because of an earlier act of immaturity by Mark. Paul wasn't called upon by GOD to personally mentor the young inexperienced Mark, but Barnabas was called upon to do that. Mentoring Mark was just as important to GOD as what PAUL had to do. There didn't need to be any contention between Barnabas or Paul concerning Mark; they just needed the understanding that one was to mentor Mark and one was to do something else. So Barnabas became a father in the LORD for the younger apostle Mark to learn from. There is nothing at all shameful about needing a mentor and teacher who will draw out from you the very best in you and Barnabas became that personal trainer for Mark as the apostle Paul became that personal trainer for Timothy. A personal mentor that is matched to you by the plan of GOD is meant to keep you accountable until that mentor is no longer needed. I believe the reason personal mentoring is almost non-existent in the church theses days is because many people do not want to be accountable to a personal trainer and a personal trainer must have the time and desire to take on the responsibility required to mentor someone. The match has to be made by GOD between two willing parties.

I had a personal mentor for many years and at times she had to correct me and keep me accountable. One day my personal mentor had a dream about me and in the dream she saw me wearing a wedding dress and she was putting the final touches on my dress. She was ironing out the wrinkles and seeing to all the fine details and making sure the dress was perfect on me. Soon after she had the dream she called me and said soon you will not need me any more and about six months later she died. She had spent over 20 years preparing me to fly on my own without her assistance. She was my closet friend, my own personal trainer, my mother in the spiritual realm and my closest confidant.

In other words, she had groomed me for over 20 years and then it was time for her to go home and be with Jesus. I knew the exact day she passed away and nobody told me of it. I felt her saying all is well, all is well with you now Jan. I cried, of course, because no one had invested more time in me than Pearl Meeks, who spent hours in prayer for me and counseling me and teaching me the word one on one. She was a treasure to me and made many deposits in me and many investments and I know today she is proud of me whether she lives on this earth or not. A part of her is in me. Her soul was knit with mine in the same way the soul of David was knit with Jonathan’s . A mentor is priceless; a mentor is a rare gift from God. Mark became all he was meant to be because a man called Barnabas stepped up to the plate and said son I am at your service. Watch me, learn from me. The result was what Paul once called unprofitable to him became a joy for him in his last days of life as he sent for Mark to come to him.

A Crosswalk

By definition, a crosswalk is a path where something (such as a street) can be crossed to get from one side to the other. If we take this definition and broaden it a bit, a crosswalk could be seen as a path across anything to the other side of that anything. For some people the thing they need to cross is the pain of abuse or divorce. For others it might be addictions. For others it might be counterproductive thinking that has become counterproductive attitudes that have produced counterproductive actions. You might know what things are holding you back from experiencing life in a fuller and more rewarding dimension. Or maybe you have no clue to why you are separated from the life you really want.

There is a better life on the other side of where you currently find yourself. But to get to the other side you need a crosswalk. Trying to cross your street (you put a name on it) in the wrong way can be dangerous. You may get away with jaywalking on your city’s streets, but on the streets of your life, you can get hurt. The Bible has some rich insights into crossing from your darkness into a place of light and peace.

Have you ever felt like maybe you were cursed? Have so many things gone bad for you that you wonder if there will ever be light at the end of your tunnel? Does ‘turmoil’ describe your life to a tee? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Many people feel like they are not living up to their full potential. Could it be you found yourself heading down a path and just lacked the wisdom to know how to get off?

Certain books of the Bible are termed wisdom literature, and for good reason. These include the Psalms and the book of Proverbs. The book of Psalms begins with a great crosswalk that is full of insight into crossing your street of current circumstances and finding a much better place on the other side. It reads:

¹ Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

First of all we notice the first four very important words- Blessed is the man (or woman). Blessed, in this context, means happy. Do you want more happiness in your life? Has your life become a battle, void of joy and peace? Well the psalm next tells us three places we need to avoid to be happy.

The first is to avoid walking in the counsel of the ungodly. Ungodly here means morally wrong. To walk in the counsel of such a person means to follow their example. It is more than just hearing their opinions; it is embracing what they say and following through with their advice. This will not lead to blessing.

Secondly, we need to avoid standing in the path of sinners. To stand is to abide, confirm, or establish. Sinners are those accounted guilty; criminals. This is akin to walking in the counsel of the ungodly, but in a deeper commitment to doing wrong. This is making a firm stand for evil. It, too, shall not lead to blessing.

Thirdly, we are not to sit in the seat of the scornful. To sit in the seat is to assume a position of judgment. Scornful people are scoffers and mockers. This is to become so arrogant in wrong doing that no one can reason with us. We see a negative progression here that leads one far away from blessing.

Next, we are given good news about what to do! Blessing comes by delighting in the law of the Lord. It is the exact opposite of that which we were told to avoid. When we delight in the law of the Lord, we accept the counsel that God gives us in the Bible. When we delight in the law of the Lord, we abide, confirm, and establish His godly counsel in our hearts by making a stand for what is right. When we delight in the law of the Lord, we become humble before God and affirm His way as the right way. It is making a good judgment about life based on God’s principles. To meditate in God’s law day and night is to make the truths that you learn in God’s word a major part of your thought process. Thoughts turn into attitudes, which become actions. As our minds become renewed, some amazing things will happen.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a tree? Well, maybe not, but you can be a fruitful tree when you avoid what God says to avoid and embrace what God says to embrace. A tree planted by the rivers of water speaks of a person close to God’s life and provision. You shall be fruitful in your own season. That means things will happen when they are supposed to happen in your life with good results; seasons of blessing will come. And you won’t wither. A tree’s leaves wither when there is too hot a sun and too little water. God will provide all you need to be fruitful. The right conditions will be there for you; whatever you do will prosper. You will be happy!

The psalmist then describes the plight of the ungodly. They are like the chaff of wheat or a dry, fallen withered leaf that the wind blows away. They will be put down in judgment and not be able to stand with the blessed (the congregation of the righteous). We want God to know our way, to recognize and include us with the righteous. We want our way to be a way of blessing. The consequence of not following God’s way is to perish; to be consumed by those things that separate us from God. The Bible calls those things sin.

But sin is much more than the actions we do. It is a nature we possess. Our sinful nature keeps us from God. But God made provision for our sin in His son, Jesus Christ. In the gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 16 and 17 say:

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The best example of a crosswalk is Jesus, himself. He provides the way for us to cross the street of sin and go to the other side where God is eagerly waiting. This is the first step and the most important crossing we will ever make.

Good Tree, Good Fruit

I was recently pondering on the fact that it is sometimes hard to measure our effectiveness as leaders. We are often involved in a wide variety of activities: counseling, preaching, teaching, serving those in our families and communities, etc. We may spend a lot of time with some people or situations while with others it seems we function more out of pure duty. We may be more emotionally involved with some people or projects than others. Some things almost demand our attention while we willingly put some things on the back burner. How do we know, with all that is going on, if we are "successful"?

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luk 6:43-45 KJV)

A tree brings forth its own fruit. The good fruit produced from our lives is a matter of our being, not our doing. If we are not a good tree in the first place, it matters not what we do for we will not bring forth good fruit. A heart full of good treasure produces good. A heart full of bad treasure produces bad. God works with us by pruning (the word means training, not punishing) so that we can be more fruitful. He wants the good fruit from us.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psa 1:1-6 KJV)

Blessedness, being the good tree with the good fruit, comes by not following the counsel of the ungodly, nor taking a stand with sinners, nor moving to a set place of opposition against God. Then we bring forth our own good fruit in our right season.

So maybe the best way to measure our effectiveness as leaders is to ponder how "fruity" we are. Pick the fruit, every now and then as well. Taste it. Is it ripe, is it sweet, is it good fruit? And then as we mix our good fruit together, a wonderful salad comes forth that nourishes the souls of others.

How God Speaks

God is so awesome. He is continually speaking to His people in such a great variety of ways. Prayer, of course, is a primary way, if we are still enough in our conversation with Him to hear what He is saying! The Bible, God's own word is another primary way He speaks to us. When the logos becomes rhema for us as we read, it is a marvelous moment for sure. Circumstances are another way He directs us. We just have to have discernment as to what we accept as God's direction and what we stand against as the enemy's work. God uses books so much to speak to me, and its usually a book that has been on my shelf for years sometimes. I bought it with intentions of reading it "someday" and sure enough, He brings up those somedays when the book says what I need to hear. My current read is just such a book, "What on Earth is the Church For?" by David Devenish. The subtitle is, "A blueprint for the future for church-based missions and social action." If you want to read something that will shake up your theology a bit and inspire you to move in new directions, I'd recommend it to you.

A Word for 2011

God woke Janice up about a month ago with this message and told her to speak it into many of God's people this year:

I require these things this year and all who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying will be obedient.
I require first a sacrifice of something you must let go of. It will challenge your faith.
When I see the sacrifice, next you must be willing to take a risk on the next thing I offer. Faith without works is dead. You must be willing, against all the odds, even as my servants Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing when they made a stand and told the King whether God delivers us or not, we will not bow the knee to an image or a system. Pay attention to the "whether or not he will deliver us."
Next, step into that fire, that challenge. Some who will offer that which does not please the Lord there God will find themselves burning on the holy fires of purging and cleansing and those who offer unto the Lord a pure sacrifice will be delivered in the fire and prosper in there spirits, souls and physical realm. They will prosper financially and advance my kingdom in the earth as principalities in the high places see I am the Lord their God who delivers his people, and the glory will be mine. All the gold tried in the fire is mine. All the crushed oil is mine, and all the perfume is mine. Unto this one will I look, he that is of a humble and contrite spirit who trembles at my Word.