Called, Appointed, And Eternally Fruitful

A while back God used a very powerful Scripture to speak to me. The Scripture says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you." (John 15:16) These words were spoken by Jesus as He was teaching. Through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit God affirmed the significance of His call upon my life with this Scripture. I meditated on this verse as I memorized it. By the process I realized that John 15:16 not only affirmed Jesus' call upon my life, but on anyone who would receive this verse for themselves, by faith.

According to Jesus Himself, He has chosen you! You didn't choose Him. He chose you! What a powerful, encouraging truth! I'll say it again. He chose you. Not only did Jesus choose you, He appointed you! This means His choice (not yours) was you. It also means He selected you. Did you realize that? The Lord and Creator of the universe selected you. The fact that it had nothing to do with anything you (or I) did, He still chose and selected you and me. Never forget, you are chosen!

It didn't stop there though. He chose you and has appointed you. This means (from the original language) Jesus has ordained you and given you purpose. Jesus has placed His hand on you by choosing you, ordaining you, and giving you purpose, as you live your life for Him.

You may ask "What is my purpose?" It's quite clear. "That you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain." Yes, Jesus has a specific destiny for you. Your specific destiny will become clear when you first believe that He has chosen you and appointed for the purpose of bearing fruit that has eternal significance.

When I realized, by the Holy Spirit that Jesus had actually called me by name, and that He has appointed me to bear fruit for His glory, I immediately saw my purpose for Him on this planet. The things that I deeply desired to do for Him since the day of my salvation became abundantly clear to me. I became convinced of my calling!

Many followers of Jesus struggle with the truth that Jesus would call them to do anything. But this thinking is based on what you think of yourself, not on what He knows about you. It may be based on what others may think about you. It can also be the result of comparing yourself to others who do what you desire to do. But you be encouraged, because you didn't choose Him, He chose you and appointed you. I'm sure you will agree that Jesus knows much more about you than you do.

And finally, the fruit that remains has eternal significance. It is fruit that remains throughout days, weeks, months, years, decades, and more. It's the kind of fruit that prompts folks in heaven to walk up to you and thank you for the answering the call upon your life. It then is no surprise that whatever you ask Father God in Jesus name (the One who chose and appointed you), He will give to you abundantly. What He gives lasts eternally.

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2023...Here I Come!

 

There is something special about the beginning of a new year. I don't know about you but as the current year nears its end, and the beginning of the new year draws closer, I get very excited. The beginning of a new year is like the beginning of a new day. Everything is fresh. Multiple opportunities lay ahead. It seems that anything is possible. Even as a new day brings fresh mercies from God (Lamentations 3:23), the new year brings not only new opportunities, but God's abundant mercy in the form of 2nd chances (and beyond)!

The beginning of the new year is like the turning of a page. Ideas dreamed up in 2022 can be implemented in 2023. New ideas for the future can be conceived in 2023.

One of the most exciting traits of the beginning of a fresh, new year is that fact that much of what God has spoken to me could very well become a reality in the year ahead. I pray that you've been seeking Him as the year nears its end, and that you are hearing new stuff for your life, family, and ministry. I have no doubt that God will speak incredible things about our future if we will just look to Him, and listen to Him in the next few days. Even as we enter into the first few days and weeks of 2023, seek Him, and expect to hear from Him. He is even more excited that we are!

I have to say what I'm about to say because it needs to be said! As you seek Him, heading into the new year, He will not only prepare us for the good, but the not so good as well. That's simply His nature! God is good, and takes care of those who wholly put their trust in Him!

So let me encourage you to look up, listen, and look ahead. Allow God to speak to you about the new year. There are exciting things ahead for you and yours! Allow Him to bring these things into reality in 2023 as you enter by faith with great expectations!

Happy Blessed New Year to you!

God, Are You Not.......?

To me, one of the most powerful occurrences in the entire Bible can be found in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20. This incident involved King Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah. What's so powerful about this event is what could've happened; what should've happened, but didn't happen! Judah was surrounded by a coalition of enemies. Annihilation was imminent; destruction was unavoidable! However, instead of Judah being obliterated by this coalition of enemies, the coalition of enemies destroyed itself. It took Judah three days to gather the spoils of the victory!

How did this happen? God intervened. But why did God intervene? Because Judah sought the face of God, instead of being motivated by fear to run for the hills. King Jehoshaphat, a Godly king, turned his, and all of the nation of Judah's attention to seek the Lord. "Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi)." Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD." (2 Chronicles 20:2-4) 

Jehoshaphat was afraid AND turned his attention to seek the Lord. He didn't react to the fear. Instead, he responded to the fear by setting his full attention on God, not on what could have appeared as imminent destruction! When fear motivates you and me, we tend to imagine every possible tragic scenario. But (like Jehoshaphat), when we know our God, and His promises, we respond to the sudden onslaught of fear by focusing, not on the circumstances, but on God, who He is, what He has done, and what He said.

It is not only the fact that King Jehoshaphat and the entire nation of Judah fasted and prayed that brought victory, it is how they prayed that also made the difference. I like to call it the prayer of faith. The prayer led by Jehoshaphat started like this: "God, are you not...?" Are you not what? "God, are you not God in the heavens?" "And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You." (2 Chronicles 20:6) These questions were actually very powerful declarations of faith and truth in question form! "God, YOU ARE God in the heavens! And YOU ARE ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations! Power and might are in Your hands so that no one can stand against you."

Then King Jehoshaphat directed this prayer of faith from "Are You not...?" to "Did You not...?" Did you not what? "Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?" (2 Chronicles 20:7) This powerful declaration was actually... "God, YOU DID!"

The essence of the prayer of faith is: "God, You are!" "God, You Did!" And I like this one, "God, You will!" "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12) Again, this statement, in question form, was actually a powerful declaration of faith. "God, YOU WILL judge our enemies!" Today, from a New Covenant perspective we can add, "God...YOU SAID!"

Instead of preparing for imminent physical war, King Jehoshaphat and the whole nation of Judah were fasting and seeking the face of God Almighty. It's true, they were powerless in this confrontation, nor did they know what to do (in a physical war-type manner). But their eyes were fastened on Jehovah God! The result was miraculous. God required them to go out and see the salvation of God, on their behalf. On the way out, they sang songs of praise, worship, and victory.

As a result of seeking God, fasting and praying the prayer of faith, God spoke through the profit and made it clear to King Jehoshaphat and Judah that He would fight this battle for them. They went out at God's direction, and saw first-hand what God will do to His enemies! As they were going to meet the enemy, God caused massive confusion to fall on their enemies. They destroyed each other. When Judah arrived at the battle scene, their enemies were dead. Again, it took three days to gather and bring back the spoils of the victory!

If you know Jesus, you are His. As you seek to know Him more, to learn His Word and apply it, your prayer will be transformed from powerless to powerful. Never forget, He IS, He DID, He WILL, and He SAID! Trust His Word as you declare it from your mouth! Expect the miraculous!

 

The Sower, The Seed, And The Soil (6)

In this episode I talk about the 4th condition of the soil (from Mark, Chapter 4) Jesus referred to as "The Good Soil". All four soils represent the human heart. But only the good soil, correlating to the "honest and good" heart, accepted and held fast to the seed of the Word, and bore fruit. Be blessed and encouraged! Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thank you!