Don't Forget to Put Your Clothes On!

Today I was just thinking about how important it is for us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ in order to prepare for the days demands. And while I was in thought, I was reminded about an awful dream that I had when I was a school-aged girl.

In my dream, I was standing in front of my house waiting for the school bus.  I saw the bus round the corner and head straight down my street to pick me up.  As the bus pulled up and came to a stop, the driver opened the door for me to get on.  And that’s when I realized that I totally forgot to put my clothes on!  I was standing there stark naked with all the kids on the bus staring at me.  Talk about humiliating!  My goodness, it was horrible!  I remember thinking “how in the world could you have forgotten to put your clothes on?”

Have you ever seen that commercial with the slogan “wanna get away?”  Well that was definitely my “wanna get away” moment.  Let me tell you, I was so thankful for the dawning of a new day and the opportunity to put my clothes on before I stood in front of that bus again! 

Many times, just like my dream, I have gone about my day without being purposeful and intentional about clothing myself with the Truth of God’s Word.  And it wasn’t long before the enemy of my soul seized the opportunity to attack when I my guard was down.

The Word of God (Ephesians 6) says that we are to “put on the full armor of God…so you will be able to resist the enemy…so that you will be fully prepared.”  That means we are to clothe ourselves with the Truth of God’s Word.  His Word is the sword we use to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy of our soul.  It doesn’t do us any good to just carry our sword around.  We must take it out of its sheath and use it!  Our Commander-In-Chief has provided all the resources, protection and ammunition that we need.  It is our responsibility to suit-up and fight.

So today (and every day), when we head out to catch the bus called life, for heaven’s sake and ours, let’s make sure that we put our spiritual clothes on!  We don’t want to be caught stark naked and exposed!

Jesus' Power over the Unclean

In the ancient world, leprosy was the most feared disease among the people.  If a person had a serious form of the disease, the Bible says they were to: “Tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed.  They must cover their mouth and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’   As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp.” (Le. 13:45-46)

Can you even imagine being the one to contract this disease?  Talk about horrifying and humiliating.  L.S. Huizenga describes some of the nightmares of leprosy in his book Unclean! Unclean!  He writes: “leprosy generally begins with pain in certain areas of the body.  Numbness follows.  Soon the skin in such spots loses its original color.  It gets to be thick, glossy, and scaly…..As the sickness progresses, the thickened spots become dirty sores and ulcers due to poor blood supply.  The skin, especially around the eyes and ears, begins to bunch, with deep furrows between the swellings, so that the face of the afflicted individual begins to resemble that of a lion.  Fingers drop off or are absorbed; toes are affected similarly.  Eyebrows and eyelashes drop out.”  He also says that the “leper emits a very unpleasant odor.” 

As you can imagine, no one wanted to be near someone with leprosy.  They were diseased, unclean and physically frightening.  And as a result, they were all sentenced to live in isolation outside the camp away from everyone else.

Today, however, we will meet a certain leper who is about to encounter something different; Someone different.  Someone who wasn’t afraid of the disease, who wouldn’t stone the leper for coming near Him.  Someone who wasn’t ashamed of him and someone who exhibited love and compassion.  Read with me:

Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”  Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. (Mat. 8:2-3 NLT)

Several remarkable things stand out to me.  First, the one thing this leper desired was to be clean, and he knew that Jesus was the One who could do it.  It is also interesting to note that the leper sensed something uniquely different in Jesus because he approached Him directly without hesitation or having to cry out “unclean! unclean!”  And when he approached Jesus, he did so in a posture of humility, worship and adoration.

Second, the Jews were forbidden to even touch a leper because he was considered unclean.  So when Jesus “reached out and touched him” He did so to demonstrate His love for mankind and the authority He has over disease.  In reality, all Jesus had to do was speak the word and the leper would have been healed, but He didn’t.  He lovingly touched the leper when no one else would even come near. 

Lastly, Jesus said “I am willing…be healed!”  And instantly the leprosy disappeared!

Today, just allow those words of Jesus to minister to you.  Don’t try to figure out all the how’s, why’s and when’s.  Be comforted by the fact that all power and authority belongs to Him and we belong to Him too! 

Plugged Into the Source of Life

"The Father is the Source of Life, and He has enabled the Son to be the Source of Life too." (Jn. 5:26 NLT)

We are like this electrical cord.  We have been created on purpose and for a purpose.  We are a product of the Manufacturer's heart - not of His head.  His desire is that we would choose to be plugged into Him, thus completing the circuit.  If we do not plug ourselves into our Source of Power, then we remain on the floor lifeless.  There is no hope for the "appliance" on the other end of the cord to ever function as the Manufacturer intended it to - vibrant and full of life.

"My heart has heard You say, 'Come and talk with Me.'  And my heart responds 'Lord, I am coming.'" (Ps. 27:8 NLT)

The Lord desires our fellowship and our communion.  So today, let's plug in to our Source of Power and complete the circuit.  We in Him and He in us.  Together.  One.  

The Response Prayer Gathering

Our Praise is a Weapon

Are you in the midst of a battle?  Are you troubled by a war that is raging around you?  Has the fight been long and exhausting?  Are you growing weary about a situation that you’ve been praying and seeking and standing in faith believing God to come through for you? 

One of our Pastors said something very profound last Sunday.  He said, “The enemy already knows he’s defeated.  God already knows he’s defeated.  But we seem to forget that he is already defeated.”  Listen, the enemy is ALREADY DEFEATED.  And today, you and I can walk in victory over any situation that we face!  Now, I didn't say the problem would be solved today; I said that we can walk victorious today!  

Here is the kicker….it’s going to cost us something.  But don’t worry; this will not involve opening our wallet.  No, this is a different kind of cost; and it involves us opening our mouth!  That’s right!  We will have to open our mouth in the midst of our battle and offer up a sacrifice of praise to our God, because our praise is a mighty weapon against the enemy of our soul.

Maybe right now you’re thinking “Okie-dokie, that’s quite ridiculous!  I mean how in the world will singing a song give me victory today?”  Oh listen, something powerful happens when we lift up our voice to God and begin to praise His name in the middle of our difficult circumstance. 

Look at what happened to Paul when he was thrown into prison by his enemy.  “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. (Ac. 16:25-26)

Do you think Paul and Silas FELT LIKE singing praises to God in their midnight hour?  I bet not.  But by faith, they began to lift their voice and sing unto the One who could deliver them out of all their troubles. And deliver them He did!

“Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.  They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.” (Ps. 89:15-16)

Paul and Silas heard the call to worship in the middle of a difficult circumstance.  They experienced God’s presence and power.  And finally, they rejoiced in God’s wonderful reputation!  And it’s the same for us.  When we begin to worship God, our praise acts as a highway for Him to come and dwell in our midst.  And once He is in our midst, His presence brings us joy and we will know that He has a wonderful reputation and that He is perfecting everything that concerns us!

So I want to encourage you today.  Get out your praise/worship music and take some time to praise your God in the middle of your situation…and praise Him loud!  You may have to do it by faith.  But just do it.  God will come and strengthen and refresh you.  He will give you victory today!

If you don’t have a good praise and worship CD, I would like to recommend “Moving Forward” by Free Chapel.