"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards" – Proverbs 29.11 (Webster)

The scripture designates that only a fool speaks all his mind.  The Scripture also says 'in the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise' (Proverbs 10.19).  A wise man has the ability to control his lips and the words that he speaks.  Our words can build up and edify but they can also destroy and condemn.  We need to learn to control our mouths and the words that we speak.  We need to be extra careful when we find ourselves in the position where we want to retaliate and respond to someone who may have said something.  There is a fleshly desire to 'give them a piece of our minds' but only a fool will do that.  Learn to control the tongue, James 3 particularly has some instruction for us regarding our tongues.  Don't make the mistake of speaking all your mind, but be wise keep it to yourself until the appropriate time, as the Spirit leads you.  Those who speak what is on their mind without restraining his lips, almost always regret some of the things they say and very often find that they are in sin and need to repent.  So learn this secret today and meditate on this thought, that by speaking less you'll be saying much more.

Suggested Additional Reading:  James 3.1-12

"And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" – Numbers 13.33 (AV)

One of the root reasons why many people have a hard time receiving anything from God, isn't so much to do with a lack of faith on their part or that they ask amiss. Their difficulty is how they view themselves, they have a very low opinion of themselves - I'm so unworthy; I'm just a rotten old sinner, I know I don't deserve it....and that low opinion leads on to a lack of faith and will cloud the way we ask God for things. One thing that's notable in the Scriptures about Jesus is that he always spoke well of Himself. You never hear Him saying how unworthy He was or how He didn't deserve anything that the Father did for Him. "But Brother Peter, He was Jesus, the Son of God" you say, Yes He was, but He was here on earth not as the Son of God but as a man, just like you and me. He was subject to the same fleshly limitations, suffered the same temptations and had the same emotions that we all have. If you are going to receive from God or be used of God you need to change the image that you have of yourself. The Israelites refused to enter Canaan and missed out on their greatest blessing because of unbelief which was a result of how they viewed themselves - "we were in our own sight like grasshoppers". In actuality the Canaanites were fearful of them, they had heard of the many wonders that God had done in bringing them up out of Egypt, and here the Israelites were at their borders waiting to enter the land. You are not a rotten old sinner, you need to erase that from your vocabulary, you have been born again, that old sinner is dead and Christ is now living in you, you are a NEW CREATION. You are not unworthy, you are an heir of God, a joint-heir with Jesus, a son/daughter of the living God. Begin to see yourself how God sees you, talk well of yourself, it won't be too long before you start receiving things from God.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Numbers 13.1-33

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living" – Psalm 27.13 (NKJV)

David the psalmist says that he would have lost heart, given up, quit if he hadn't believed.  He was one who certainly had opportunity to give up, quit and throw in the towel.  Saul hunted him down like a fox, his own men ganged up on him on occasion, the Philistines came against him time and again and all that before he became king.  Neither were things that easy for him afterwards. He had the opportunity to lose heart many times but he never did.  Many Christians face similar opportunities every day that cause them to finally lose heart, quit, or give up.  Maybe today you're facing one of those occasions - well keep on believing!  But what was it that David believed, and what is it that we should believe: That we will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.  Believe it today that God is good to you.  Don't do as many people do, they push off all the blessings into heaven. They say, "I know it will be worth it all when we get to heaven" or "My reward is waiting for me there".  Listen friend, brother, sister, David said that he believed he would see the goodness of God in the land of the living, let me repeat that last phrase because you didn't hear it first time, '.. in the land of the living'.  Not when we die and get to heaven, now while we are still here.  God wants you to enjoy His goodness now, he wants you to have healing now, he wants you prospered and rich now.  If you think about it seriously you will soon realise that those things are no use to you in heaven.  There is no sickness in heaven so why do you need his healing there, there is no poverty and lack in heaven so why would you need the blessing of prosperity.  These blessings are for now, in the land of living.  Rise up in faith, believe that you will see the goodness of God in the land of the living and go on, pressing forward, not losing heart.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Psalm 27.1-14

"So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him..." – Joel 2.13-14 (NKJV)

There are many times in the Scripture where it is recorded that men tore their garments when they found themselves sorrowing or remorseful, or in great distress.  The renting of clothes and garments was just an external symbol of what should have been happening in the heart, it was an outward sign of repentance.   Why does God want us to rend our hearts, because anybody can rend their garments and not really mean what they do.  Our relationship with God is one of a heart relationship, we do not serve God externally but internally, even though the external is affected to some degree.  God works with us from the inside out, not the other way round.   That's where grace steps in, when we return to the Lord in repentance we immediately find that He is gracious and merciful.  If you know things are not right, don't look for something to do to try and justify your actions, don't make some sacrifice to try and appease God, don't rend your garments rather rend your heart, come back to Him and repent.  You will find his grace will be sufficient for you, you will be forgiven and then you will see the blessing of God.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Joel 2.11-21

"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church" – Acts 12.5 (NKJV)

Here's the scene that is set in Acts - James the brother of John had been killed by Herod; now Peter had been arrested. A great public execution had been planned for him by Herod. The Bible says that constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Paul writes to the Thessalonian church that we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5.17); to the Ephesians he writes that we should pray always with all kinds of prayer (Eph 6.18). Constant prayer is the way of life for the Christian, but not just praying for the sake of praying. Too many times we can find ourselves just going through the motions of praying because many people ask us for prayer. Our prayers must be prayers of faith, that's the only way we will get our prayers answered. What's the point of praying a prayer and then walking away not expecting the situation to change. Pray, believe and then act as though the prayer has already been answered. When you walk into a room and flick on the light switch are you surprised when the light comes on? No of course not - you're surprised if the light doesn't come on. So why do we act like that with God when He answers our prayer. That's what happened to the disciples, let's look further into this little prayer meeting that we read about in this chapter: the church were praying for Peter's release constantly, with fervency. Peter is released miraculously from prison, straightaway he goes to the house where the church were gathered and praying. Look at verses 12-16, when Rhoda hears Peter's voice at the gate, she is so thrilled and excited that God had answered their prayers that she forgets to open the door but runs back inside to tell the others. Look at what they say to her: (My paraphrase) 'Don't be stupid girl, you're beside yourself, Herod must have already killed him and it is his angel." When they eventually opened the door it says that they were astonished. Before we get too hard on the disciples, let us take a good look in the mirror, Do we act like that? Even the best of us do at times. How should we act: Pray, believe and then act as though the prayer has already been answered. 

Suggested Additional Reading:  Acts 12.1-17

"Have You not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have conferred prosperity and happiness upon him in the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land." – Job 1.10 (Amplified)

God has a hedge of  blessing around His children, He confers prosperity and blessing upon those that walk uprightly.  This hedge protects us from the devourer by preventing him stealing what you have, but unfortunately we are so intent on making holes in the hedge and giving the devil an entrance into our lives, that he robs us blind.  In this chapter you will see that God Himself testifies of Job saying that he is 'a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil'.  What a testimony that is and it comes from God, my servant is blameless and upright, he fears God and turns his back on evil - no wonder he was such a blessed man.  Yes, he was the wealthiest man in the East (see verse 3) and that came from God.  God prospered the man greatly not because he was favoured but rather because he was blameless, walked uprightly, feared God and shunned evil.  Well wouldn't you bless your children if they were like that?   Prosperity comes from God, and He commands the blessing to come on all that will be obedient to Him.  Even when it was all taken from Him, Job kept his integrity, he did not sin nor charge God with wrong, and then - God restored double to him, that prosperity blessing was at work for him and it will work for you too, but integrity before God is vital.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Job 1.1-22

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" – Psalm 16.11 (NKJV)

There is something about being in the presence of the Lord that does far more the spirit than any earthly thing can do.  David was one of those people who spent many many hours in God's presence.  While out keeping the sheep in the fields around Bethlehem, David would sit with an instrument in hand and pen some of these great songs and psalms.   Have you noticed from reading the biography of David in the Scriptures that he appeared not to spend too much time at home.  He spent time in the fields, later on he spent time in Saul's palace.  In fact when you look at his life there is not much there that caused him great joy.  No wonder he would escape to the place where he could get alone with God.  In His presence is fullness of joy, if your joy is not at its fullest, steal away into the presence of God.  Get alone with God and just spend some time with Him.  There have been many occasions where I have had to do just that.  One time when I was in my early teens, about 12 or 13 years, for some reason (which I never did find out why) I was not allowed to go to the evening service that night, my Dad had left the house and wouldn't let me go.  I was so wanting to go that night and felt completely low after Dad had left the house, but rather than dwell on the fact that I had been left behind, I decided to have church myself in my own bedroom.  I put on a music tape and listened to a sermon from a well known preacher that I had on tape.  I spent time in the presence of God and soon I had forgotten the pain of being left at home and was rejoicing - my joy was made full.   I'm not surprised that in another psalm the writer could pen 'For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness' (Psalm 84.10).  In His presence is fullness of joy, at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Psalm 16.1-11

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— For your love is better than wine" – Song of Solomon 1.2 (NKJV)

Love is the superior force, it is pre-eminent, everything works by love.  Our faith works by love, giving works by love, praise works by love.  Without love, Paul writes, we are nothing, when we walk in love everything fits into place.  In this great song, Solomon says 'Your love is better than wine';  Just take a few minutes to think about some of the qualities of wine: it lasts, once made and bottled in lasts and in some cases gets better when it's aged. It preserves, fruit can be kept in it a long time; it has healing qualities in that it settles the stomach, Paul wrote that we should take a little wine for our stomach. It is enjoyed, many people enjoy a glass of wine, the problems associated with it are because of an excess.  It is intoxicating, too much wine causes men to lose their sobriety.  But here in this great song we are told that His love is better than wine; the love of God lasts, it doesn't fade over time but rather grows and gets stronger.  Love preserves, protects and keeps; It heals, love covers many a sin and heals wrongs.  We can enjoy the love of God because it is intoxicating, you can never have enough of love, however love doesn't cause men to lose their sobriety.  Your love is better than wine.  Desire love - God's love, seek it out, wait on Him, we always have God's love but we need to grow and develop in it.  The greatest of all virtues is love.

Suggested Additional Reading:  1 Corinthians 13.1-13

"And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.  So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD" – 2 Chronicles 20.3-4  (NKJV)

A great army was coming up against Jehoshaphat, an army greater and mightier than his.  Jehoshaphat didn't know what to do; it says so lateron in the chapter, verse 12, "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You".  At least Jehoshaphat had the sense to look to God, his eyes were on the Lord.  God had given His people their land, it was the Promised Land that He swore to give Abraham and his descendents after him.  Now this army of Ammonites and Moabites were coming to attack God's people and remove them from the land that God had given them.  In the natural it seemed that there was nothing possible that they could do to stop them, but God had it in order.  He told Jehoshaphat the strategic battle plan that would save the day.  When we find ourselves in a seemingly impossible situation there are two things we must do above all else, it is a simple instruction yet so many fail to do it - Look and Listen.  We look to God, we come to Him in prayer; 'but we always do that Brother Peter' I hear you say.  Yes that's right, many people pray, and pray and pray again, bringing the need to God but that's all they do, they pray and go away saying 'God will sort it out'.  The second thing we must do after we have prayed is Listen.  God wants to speak into your life and give you the strategy that will bring you through and out.  God will sort the situation out, He will resolve the problem and difficulty, but He does it very often through you.  You need to hear Him speak, you need to hear the strategy.  Jehoshaphat waited until he had heard the plan, then He put it into operation and God wrought them a mighty victory over this large enemy.  Look and Listen, two keys that will bring you through any situation, it goes without saying that you need to be obedient to the instruction that God gives.  We will come back to Jehosphaphat in a few days and see what the instruction was.

Suggested Additional Reading:  2 Chronicles 20.1-17

"Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day" – Luke 24.46  (NKJV)

Why did Jesus have to die to procure salvation for all men?, and why is the day we remember the death of Jesus called Good Friday?   The Scripture records that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die.  As the payment for sin, an animal had to be offered to God as an offering and its blood spilt.  This meant the death of the said animal.  We see that put into practice right back in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned by disobedience and ate of the fruit of the tree.  They tried to cover up their own sin by making clothes from fig leaves, this attempt to hide the sin they had committed was not good enough. So God clothed them with animal skins, again this meant that an animal had to be killed.  When the Law was introduced, God gave commandments concerning the sin offering; each time sin needed to be atoned for, an offering was brought.  The animal was killed, normally a lamb or bull, the blood of the animal was spilt and applied to the altar and the animal was offered to God.   This atonement was only temporary, it had to be repeated time and again, whenever their was a need for a sin offering.  To effectively deal with the sins of man forever, God Himself came down to earth, in the form of a man (Jesus the Messiah).  He was nailed to a cross and His blood was spilt upon it, He was then lifted up on the cross to hang there until He died, this was symbolic of being offered up to God.  He died, His blood atoned for the sins of the world once for all.  No more was there a need to sacrifice another animal, Jesus the Lamb of God was offered as the payment for sin for you and me.  Rejoice today, you are free because Jesus died for you, that's why it is called Good Friday - we see in Jesus death the goodness and love of God for each one of us.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Hebrews 9.1-17

"He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed" – 1 Peter 2.24  (Amplified)

Over these few days we are considering the death and resurrection of Jesus, at the time of writing it is Easter weekend.  We said yesterday that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and die and rise again the third day, and thought about why Jesus died.  This verse from Peter gives us another angle on the cross, Jesus bore all our sins and iniquities in His own body on the cross, so that we might cease to live to sin but live righteously before God.  However if we do sin, the apostle John also tells us that the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin.   This verse tells us something else, it says 'by His wounds you have been healed'.  This word healed means to make whole and includes the forgiveness of sins.  Sin separates us from God, so in order to have access and fellowship with God we need our sins healed, we need to be made whole.  It includes sickness and disease which are results of sin, they are part of the curse that came into the world when Adam sinned.  If we get sick, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from every sickness, disease, pain and germ.  Jesus paid the price for our sickness and pains too.  It includes our relationships with others, the blood of Jesus makes us whole, we can live in harmony with each other, the blood of Jesus can break the power and grip of racism and sectarianism.  It includes wholeness in the area of prosperity, poverty is a curse which needs to be healed.  Jesus paid the price through His death on the cross so that we can be made whole in every area of our life - in the spirit, soul and body.  Receive His healing today for whatever you need - sin, sickness, poverty, emotions or your relationships.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Isaiah 53.1-12;  1 John 1.5-10

"And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded)" – 1 Corinthians 15.14  (Amplified)

Over the last two days we have considered the death of Jesus and what that has accomplished for us.  Today we turn our focus to the resurrection; Jesus is alive, He is risen, Hallelujah.  Here is a thought for your meditation today - the resurrection guarantees your faith; it is your guarantee that God will save you, heal you, set you free and give you victory.  Paul writes to the Corinthian church that if Christ is not risen then your faith is in vain and without effect.  Selwyn Hughes, a Bible teacher and author of many books including the popular series of daily readings 'Every Day with Jesus', wrote once 'the cross was the victory won and the resurrection the victory endorsed'.   The fact that Jesus came out of the grave shows us that He surely can take care of all our problems.  Every word of Scripture is true and is backed up by the power of God - resurrection power.  Paul also writes to the Romans 'But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you' (Romans 8.11).  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will quicken and give life to your mortal bodies, that's the same life that Jesus spoke of in John 10.10, the zoe life of God, and we have it by the power of the resurrection.  I want to wrap up this short devotion today by quoting one more verse, 2 Timothy 2.8, 'Constantly keep in mind Jesus Christ, the Messiah [as] risen from the dead.." (Amplified).  If there is one image the devil hates more than any other, and one he would like to forget - it's the image of Jesus rising from the dead, stripping him forever of his power and authority, and openly displaying his defeat to all of heaven and hell.  Constantly keep in mind the resurrection - it's your guarantee of victory.

Suggested Additional Reading:  1 Corinthians 15.12-28

"Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated" – 2 Chronicles 20.22  (NKJV)

A few days ago we meditated on the thought about waiting on God and listening to His voice and drew an example from the life of King Jehoshaphat.  I want to come back to that thought today and see what instruction God gave him as the strategy to win the battle on this occasion.  You may recall that the army coming against him was mightier in strength and numbers than he was.  But God told him that he would not have to fight in the battle for the Lord was with him.  What a strange strategy it was - God told Jehoshaphat to position himself against them, then to just watch as the Lord delivered them into his hands.  Part of the 'battle plan' was to surround the army as they came up the valley, notice that God told him how the enemy were planning their attack.  Then at the front of the battle line Jehoshaphat appointed the choirs and those who could sing.  As they began to sing and praise the Lord, the Lord set ambushes against these enemies of God's people, believing each had betrayed the other, they turned on each other until they were left dead in the valley.  Praise stills the enemy in his advances, the psalmist says 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger' (Psalm 8.2).  It was the shout of praise that brought the walls of Jericho down.  The devil cannot handle it when you praise God, so go ahead and ruin his day; Cry out and shout in praise to God and see the enemy defeated before you.

Suggested Additional Reading:  2 Chronicles 20.18-29

"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke" – Isaiah 6.3-4 (AV)

Look what happened when God came into town. An angelic being came singing 'Holy holy holy is the Lord'.  His praise ascended to God and His glory filled the temple.  His glory came with such power that the whole sanctuary was filled with it in the visible form of smoke, remember that in other Scriptures it says that the cloud came down, but not only that, it also says that the very doorposts moved at the voice of the angel that sang - That's power!  In the Living Bible it says: 'Such singing it was! It shook the temple to its foundations, and suddenly the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke'.  At the manifestation of the glory, unexpected things happen and we shouldn't be surprised when they do.  Remember what happened at the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts - there was a sudden sound that came from heaven, likened to that of a mighty wind rushing through the entire house.  Then there appeared what looked like tongues of fire - the Holy Spirit came, the glory of God filled the house.  When God comes to town, He comes with power and great glory, that's what it says in Luke 21.27: 'And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory'.  When God comes to town the sick are healed, the poor are prospered, the dead are raised.  His glory will shake the very fabric of society as He is manifest.  Are you expecting manifestations of the glory today?

Suggested Additional Reading:  Acts 2.1-21

"What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference" – 2 Corinthians 10.18 (The Message)

It's good to speak well of yourself, as you trace through the Gospels you'll find that Jesus did that. As you speak good things about yourself, there will be those people that think you're arrogant.  I found this verse in The Message a few years ago now, I had set myself the task of reading through this 'new' translation highlighting those Scriptures that the Lord impressed on me.  The translation of this verse says that what you say about yourself means nothing, but what God says about you makes the difference.  When you start speaking what God says about you - that becomes a different ball game.  We can with complete confidence and faith speak what God says about us, as recorded in His Word.  When we do that there will still be those who think that we are arrogant, but we are in fact only repeating what God says in His Word about us.  It is a hard thing but if they don't agree with what the Word says, they are calling God a liar.  God's Word in our mouths will begin working for us, creating in us what we say.  So find out what God says about you, one revelatory way of doing that is to substitute your name in the Scripture.  Look at these examples, substituting your own name for the underlined words: 
'Therefore if any man [YOUR NAME] be in Christ, he [YOUR NAME] is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new' (2 Corinthians 5.17)
'For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us [YOUR NAME], that we [YOUR NAME] might become the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Corinthians 5.21)
'Christ has redeemed us [YOUR NAME] from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us [YOUR NAME] (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles [YOUR NAME] in Christ Jesus, that we [YOUR NAME] might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith' (Galatians 3.13-14)

Suggested Additional Reading:  2 Corinthians 10.7-18

"Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you" – Deuteronomy 16.16-17 (NKJV)

God's people were commanded to keep certain feasts to the Lord every year.  Three times in the year they were to gather together in the presence of the Lord.  There was one important directive attached to these gatherings, they were not to appear before God empty-handed.  In other words they were not to come without an offering.  Every man was to give as he was able, in accordance to how they had been blessed.  If they had a bumper harvest then they were to bring an offering in proportion to how they had been blessed.  God doesn't expect any more 'than you are able', but we should not appear before Him empty and with nothing to give.  It was at these feast times that the tithe was brought, as well as other offerings on top.  When we appear before God let us bring an offering, if we haven't got any money to give, then bring praise, sacrifice some time but don't appear empty-handed.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Deuteronomy 16.1-22

"And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty..." – Exodus 34.6-7 (AV)

What is the biggest thing about God?  Well, some would say it is His power, others might say it's His glory, and yet others might say it has to be His love.  The biggest thing about God is not His power or glory, although they are big things with Him.  As for love, the Scripture says that God is love so it cannot be that.  However the biggest thing is something that flows out of love.  At the end of chapter 33, Moses asks God to reveal His glory to him, in response to that request, God says that He will show him all His glory and pass before Him, but He would hide him in the cleft of the rock until He had passed by.  In chapter 34 God does that, He passes before him proclaiming or revealing to Moses what He is about.  The first thing God says, and as it is first in a list we can assume that this is the biggest thing about Him, He says He is a God of mercy.  Mercy is the biggest thing about God, it is because of His mercy that we have been saved, mercy forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. The moment Adam sinned, mercy went into operation to forgive and provide a means of salvation.  It was the mercy of God that brought Jesus to earth. It wasn't the Jewish religious leaders or the Roman soldiers that led Jesus to the cross to die, it was the mercy of God.  Where you are today in your walk with God has nothing to do with you - if you are going on great with God, it is because of the mercy of God that has brought you thus far.  If you are not in the place where you should be, it is the mercy of God that has spared you and will bring you back.  Thank God that He keeps mercy for thousands, and that includes you.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Exodus 34.1-8

"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" – Proverbs 9.1 (AV)

Wisdom should be the framework and hallmark of our lives.  The phrase here 'seven pillars' might refer to seven individual graces of wisdom, and I do believe Proverbs reveals seven things about how we are to live, but is generally understood to mean complete and perfection.  Wisdom, you realise I'm not talking about so called earthly wisdom but the wisdom that comes from God, makes us complete.  When we live our lives according to the wisdom of God we are complete and lacking nothing.   Wisdom begins with fearing God, verse 10 says 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'.  When it comes to building our lives, we begin with the foundation, the Scripture says that Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone.  We build on that foundation then as God leads us and directs us from His Word so we build.  This is wisdom: acting on God's Word, to some it may be foolish, that's because they don't have a correct understanding of wisdom.  They are governed by the world's understanding of wisdom, for example worldly wisdom says that in times of financial hardship you should save, cut back and store up, Godly wisdom says give.  The world will say 'Don't be foolish, how can you give in times of financial pressure', but the Word says 'Give and it shall be given unto you'.  Wisdom builds the house, it hews seven pillars, in other words wisdom will make the house strong and stable, able to withstand the storms of life.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Proverbs 9.1-18

"And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint" – Galatians 6.9 (Amplified)

The watchword for today is 'Keep on Keeping On'.  Don't lose heart, don't quit, don't loosen, relax or faint, keep on keeping on and you'll make it.  You will reap in due season if you just keep on going - stay in faith.  There are too many pressures these days for folks to quit and give up, but the word promises that if you don't lose heart you will make it.  The devil knows what is at stake and that's why he does his utmost to get you to quit believing, to stop praying, give up on church, to relax in your giving, because he doesn't want you to get your harvest.  Somebody needs to hear this today - Keep on brother, Keep going sister, you're going to make it through, you're going to come out victorious.  Stand strong today, times may be tough but hang in there just a while longer, your answer is on the way.  Stay in the word, stay focused and you will come through.  There are no prizes for athletes that drop out of the race.  In these 'fun marathons' such as the London Marathon, everybody that crosses the line gets a medal of achievement irrespective of whether you come first or last.  If you complete the course you get rewarded, but you must complete the course, you cannot drop out.  Don't be moved by the things that are going on around you, run the race, keep on keeping on, the finishing line is in sight.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Acts 20.24; 1 Corinthians 9.24-27

"His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it.'" – John 2.5 (NKJV)

This miracle recorded in John is reported to be the first miracle Jesus did, because of the statement made in verse 11 that it was the 'beginning of signs Jesus did'.  Verse 11 also tells us that Jesus 'manifested His glory' on this occasion.  The glory of God was revealed at this wedding feast in Cana, Jesus performed a miracle, where He turned ordinary water into the very best quality wine.  The key on this occasion for the people seeing a manifestation of the glory was obedience.   'Whatever He says to you, do it' - one of the main reasons that folk don't see the miraculous take place, manifestations of the glory isn't because they don't believe they can happen but they are not prepared to do what God tells them.  The servants at the wedding must have thought this was stupid, filling water pots with water.  Then after filling them to draw a little from them and hand it the governor of the feast.  They knew what went in to the water pots, they put it in.  I have no scriptural evidence other than the consistency of Scripture to back up what I'm about to say.  I believe that the water was not made wine in the water pots but rather in the goblet after it was drawn.  Their obedience resulted in the glory of God being revealed, the water in the pot became quality wine in the goblet.  The meal never ran out for the widow of Zarephath in Elijah's time, it increased as she used it.  The oil for the widow in debt in Elisha's time never ran dry, the miracle occurred as she poured it out.  The bread and fish increased as the disciples handed it out to the multitude.  For all of them it was obedience to God that resulted in manifestations of the glory.  What is God saying to you today, you may think it foolish, but obedience will result in the glory.

"For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind" – Ecclesiastes 2.26 (NKJV)

God blesses the righteous with wisdom, knowledge and joy among other things.  But the sinner has the work of gathering, collecting and harvesting so that the righteous can be prospered and blessed.   Have you ever wondered why it seems that the wicked always seem to do so well in business.  Well for a start they don't live and operate in righteousness so they lie and cheat their way through.  There are a few sinners that have good morals and run their businesses in a good way.  But these prospering wicked are being prospered and are gathering wealth and riches so that they can give it to the righteous.  The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.  This verse tells us that the sinner works, gathers and collects to give to him who is good before God.  Don't get envious or jealous of the wealth of these wicked men, because that will attack your love walk.  Why not rejoice, soon it will come to you, it is being stored up for you, a supernatural transfer of wealth is about to take place.  The wicked think they are storing it up for themselves, but God is going to get it to you, not so you can gloat or brag on the wealth but so the Gospel can be funded and taken further.  These are the last days and to reach the world we'll need a lot of money.  Praise God He's already got that in mind - the wicked are storing it up ready for the church.

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" – Romans 5.20 (AV)

This chapter of Romans deals with the manifestation of love grace.  Grace is a free gift from God, it cannot be earned or bought, even though there are still some that try to obtain it by their good works.  Sin and death came as a result of Adam's offence but Grace came through Jesus Christ the Anointed One.  The grace of God is enough to overcome any sin, 'Oh but you don't know what I have done Brother Peter', I don't need to know the sin you've committed.  The Bible says 'where sin abounded, grace did much more abound'; Grace is greater than your sin, however big your sin is you'll find grace is much greater.  Adam's offence brought sin, death and condemnation into the world but the grace of God brought righteousness, life and freedom.  No more need you feel guilty about something you did in the past - grace has set you free.  The next time the devil tries to take you on a guilt trip just tell him that grace has covered it.  If he tries to tell you that you haven't been good enough, or you don't deserve it, tell him that it's a free gift from God through Jesus Christ the Anointed One.  Grace came through Jesus Christ (John 1.14), He is full of it, and He gives it to you freely.  Receive the grace of God by faith today, receive the forgiveness of God, be loosed from the guilt and condemnation of the past.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" – Philippians 4.6 (NKJV)

We all know the importance of prayer but how many of us have really grasped the secrets of prayer.  James  tells us that a possible reason for us not getting our prayers answered is that we ask amiss.  We often think that asking amiss is having wrong motives, and it is,  but we can also be asking amiss by being anxious.  A lot of praying is done out of anxiety, many people just keep rehearsing the problem again and again as part of the prayers.  This Scripture tells us that when we pray we must be anxious for nothing but rather be in thanksgiving.  We cannot be truly thankful and anxious at the same time.  Jesus commanded us not to be anxious, fretful or worried, this means that we do not even give it any thought time.  So much of our praying is need orientated, when it should be God orientated.  Yes indeed bring the need to the Father in prayer but then thank Him for the answer, thank Him that He is God and has your best at heart, thank Him that out of the abundant riches in glory the need is supplied.  Then when you've finished praying, don't pick up the care of the problem again, leave it with the Lord, He has taken the care of it so you've no business picking it up again -  instead you should think on the things that verse 8 lists.

"So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord" – Acts 3.19 (Amplified)

The Scripture says that 'times of refreshing' come from the presence of the Lord.  This refreshing literally mean to cool off, to recover from the effects of heat; it also means to revive.  So from the presence of the Lord come times of revival and times of recovery.  The heat can make you very weary and run down and it can be like that in life as well.  The effects of sickness, debt, troubles and other such problems can leave you in such a state that you do just about anything out of the desperation.  Are you struggling with some difficulty? Yes, then I have some good news for you - it's only a difficulty, it's not impossible.  When you turn to the Lord not only are your sins forgiven and blotted out, but you can receive those times of refreshing that Peter spoke of in this verse, times of recovery from the effects of the heat of those problems.  Even if you feel it's too late for you, let me encourage you that it's not, it's never too late.  "But you don't know what's going on Brother Peter" you might say, well you don't know my big God.  These times of refreshing don't just bring recovery from the effects of the heat but they also bring revival, that means to bring back to life.  The presence of the Lord will breathe new life into your circumstances.  No matter how bad things are they can change for you, they will get better, but you cannot do it on your own, you have got to repent and turn to the Lord.  Do it today, do it now, ask God for those times of refreshing.

".. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" – Isaiah 59.19b (AV)

Over thirty years ago I heard a preacher quote this verse and what he said in his message was a great revelation to me.  As you may be aware, when the Bible was written down it did not include chapter and verse breaks,  it was penned as an entire work.  This is important to realise because we very often read the Scriptures between certain verses and very often finish reading at the end of chapters.  To do this may mean that we miss an important truth that the writer was conveying, he didn't write it in the next chapter, he just continued his train of thought.  We can miss that teaching if we stop at the end of a chapter.  Also we must understand that the original languages of the Bible contained no punctuation, so where we may see a period may not always suggest the end of a thought.  Chapters, verses and punctuation were added by the translators to give some sense of understanding and to make it grammatically correct, and they have done an excellent job.  This verse is one where we are told that the comma is in the wrong place.  We always read it as it is printed above but this preacher remarked that we should read it as "when the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him".  Notice how moving the comma changes the understanding of the verse.  This preacher said that if there's going to be a flood then let's have it on our side.  When the enemy comes in to lie, steal and cheat us.  The Spirit of God quickly comes, like a flood, and raises a standard against him, this is a military term and means 'to go to war'.  When the enemy comes in, the Spirit of God is provoked to go to war against him - He gives you the ammunition you need from the Word to launch an attack against him.  So don't worry or fear when the enemy comes in, the Spirit of God is with you, fighting the battle, listen to His direction and be obedient to what He says.

Love is the greatest force there is.  If we are in Christ, that is Christ is in our hearts through faith we are meant to be rooted and grounded in love.  The ideas conveyed in this verse are that of being established.  We are not to be moved from love, we are to be rooted like a mighty oak tree.  I am told, although I've never actually checked it out, that the roots of a tree are as deep in the ground as the crown is as high above the ground.  Whether that is the case, I do not know, but what I do know is that the roots do go deep and draw on the earth's supplies of minerals and nutrients for healthy growth.  Even in the driest weather the roots are able to tap into underground water which lies deep beneath the earth's surface.   When we are rooted in love we tap into the supply of God Himself, He is Love (1 John 4.8), we draw on the love of God for growth.  The roots also give the tree stability through some of the fiercest storms.  Love will strengthen us and give us stability, no matter what the devil throws at us we will stand strong because of love.  The other idea conveyed in this verse is that of being grounded, that is like a building built on a firm foundation.  Love provides a strong foundation on which we can build, that foundation also gives stability.  We often use the word grounded to describe a ship that is stuck fast in mud or sand and unable to move.  We are to be stuck fast in the love of God, stable and strong.  Pursue love (1 Corinthians 14.1) and you will not go wrong.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Ephesians 3.14-21

Yesterday we thought about verse 17 of this chapter which says about us being rooted and grounded in love.  At the end of this chapter we read a very well known and often quoted verse.  However most people quote it as '[God] is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think' and that's where they stop.  Whilst this is true, the verse goes on to say that He does those exceeding abundant above things according to the power that works in us.  Consider those words 'according to', what these words mean is 'in proportion to'.  These exceeding abundant above things are done to us in proportion to the power that works in us.  That power is what this chapter is talking about - the power of love.   Love works our faith, and God works in our lives in proportion to the love that we walk in.  If we don't walk in love then things don't work for us, our faith doesn't work, our prayers are hindered and the manifestations of the blessing will not be evident in our lives.  Can you see how important love is to your life - the measure that you use it will be measured back to you.  In  Luke 6, part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is speaking about love.  Showing mercy and forgiveness, giving, not judging or condemning, going the extra mile - these are all to do with love, and Jesus says that in proportion to the measure of love we walk in things are measured back to us.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Luke 6.27-38

Jesus taught us in this verse that we are to get our priorities right.   Above and before anything else we are to seek His kingdom and His righteousness.  In the Amplified Bible this tells us that we are to seek God's way of doing and being right, that is we are to seek how God does the things that He does.  In the context of the Scripture, Jesus was addressing all those things that folk are often concerned about - what they are going to eat or drink, what they're going to wear, where they are to live.   Today we could put it this way - how we going to be able to afford the high rising prices of groceries or energy; how can we afford another baby to feed and clothe; I've lost my job so where's the money coming from to pay the mortgage or rent.  Above all those things we are told to seek God's ways, and God will reveal His ways to His people.  God showed His ways to Moses, He revealed His acts to His children and He'll do the same for us. He teaches us how to profit; He will give us insight and wisdom to deal prudently; He will tell us when to buy or sell and what prices to fix; He will give us ideas that will prosper us; He will lead us as to which work we should do.   Seek Him first and all these things will be added unto you.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Psalm 103.1-7

What great words from one of the best loved Psalms -  Bless the Lord.  We have an awesome responsibility to give praise to God.  These three words are echoed time and again through the psalms.  We are to give Him praise in all things and in every situation.  We used to sing a small song in church, "There's never a reason strong enough for not praising the Lord".  There is no reason big enough to ever stop giving Him praise, He is worthy to receive it. 'O my soul', the next phrase in this verse reminds us that it is up to us to praise Him.  I have always liked the Scripture, which is often overlooked in the Gospel narratives, where Jesus told the High Priest that the stones would cry out if the people were quiet (Luke 19.40).  Don't ever let a stone take your place. Next in this psalm, David writes, 'and all that is within me', from the depths of our innermost being.  Jesus said that those who worship God must worship in Spirit and in truth, and God is seeking such to worship Him (John 4.23).   That worship comes from deep within, it is not just something that we acknowledge with our minds, worship should come from the heart of man. Finally we should 'bless His holy name',  Give Him praise, not just for what He has done but also for who He is.  In Psalm 99.3 we are told to 'confess and praise Your great name, awesome and reverence inspiring! It is holy, and holy is He!' (Amp). Bless the Lord, Give Him praise, He is worthy of it .  

Suggested Additional Reading:  Psalm 103.1-22

There was an occasion in the Gospels where the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith. I have no doubt that they had been watching some of the things Jesus did and inside perhaps felt a bit inadequate. 'What are we doing wrong?' they may have asked themselves.  No doubt they had had heard Jesus say to folk like the nobleman and the woman that pushed her way through the crowd, 'Your faith has made you whole'.  So they ask Jesus to increase their faith.  Faith cannot be increased by someone praying for you.  God has already given you enough faith to get you going, you used that faith when you got born again, you believed and received God's salvation.  The Bible clearly tells us where faith comes from - in our verse today it says, 'faith cometh' so we need to listen to what it says, it tells us that faith comes from something.  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  If your faith doesn't appear to be as strong as it should then you need to do two things. (1) You need to hear the Word of God, take time out to hear what God is saying to you,  read it out aloud so that you listen to it.  Meditate on it, ponder it, read it again over and over and keep on meditating on it.  Some time ago the Lord showed me the secret as I was meditating this verse.  The verse says (ignoring the punctuation) 'faith cometh by hearing and hearing...'. The secret is to keep on hearing over and over again until you have a revelation of it, that is, until it becomes more real to you than the circumstance.  (2) Next we need to put our faith to work.  Faith is like a muscle, it is strengthened and grows with use.  Did you know that Jesus responded to the disciples request to increase their faith by telling them to use it.  He told them that faith was like a seed which needed to be planted.  Seeds only grow when they're put in the ground, they need to be used in order to produce a crop.  Faith is just the same, as it is used it grows - the way you sow faith seeds is by speaking the words that have come to you from hearing the Word of God.

Suggested Additional Reading:  Luke 17.5-6; Mark 11.22-23