Do Not Fear (Do not worry or be anxious.)
Isaiah 43:1-2
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”
The call of God today in the uncertain world we live in and the challenges of life that often seem to overwhelm us is to “fear not!” When Joshua was called to lead Israel into the land of promise, a land of giants and walled cities that seemed overwhelming and insurmountable, the word of the Lord to him was to fear not, but be strong and courageous, because the Lord God was with him. Over and over when Israel faced insurmountable enemies, the command of the Lord was not to fear. When the tempest on Lake Galilee seemed about to swamp the disciples’ boat, the word of Jesus was, “Do not be afraid.”
In the portion we read today, God gives three reasons why we should not fear. We have been redeemed. Redeemed means to buy back something that belonged to you. I’m reminded of a story of a young boy who built a beautiful sail boat. He took it down to the river to play with it, the current caught it, and it disappeared down the river. One day, the boy passed a pawn shop, and there was his boat in the window. He went in and told the owner that it was his boat and even showed him his initials on the bottom of the boat. The owner said, “Sorry, boy, it is my boat now, and you are going to have to buy it from me.” So the boy went out and worked hard at odd jobs until he saved enough money to buy the boat. As he walked out of the pawn shop the owner overheard him say, “Little boat, you belong to me twice. First I made you, and then I bought you.” We should not worry or fear because we were created by God’s own hands and have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. You are highly favored by God.
God continues by saying “I have called you by my name.” Jesus said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” (John 15:16) God Almighty, the Creator of the universe who holds all power in His hand, has called you and chosen you by your name. Jesus goes on to say that “no one can snatch you out of my hand.” (John 10:28) Why? Because you belong to God! God goes on to say in Isaiah 43:4, “Since you are precious and honored and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you.”
Because of God’s great love for you and the price He paid to redeem you, you are extremely precious to Him, and He is honored by your presence. God is proud of you. You have His favor. Like Israel, who were in captivity in Babylon, when we are overwhelmed by what we face and the currents of life seem to be washing us away, we forget that we have been redeemed and we are now His. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:31-32, 37)
Andy Clark
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
United We Stand
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Psalms 34:3
It is through togetherness that we magnify and exalt the name of the Lord. Jesus prayed in John 17:21-23, “That all of them (referring to us) may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.” Jesus is calling us into the same oneness as He has with the Father. This is achieved because He has placed His glory or very nature in us. The result of this unity with Christ and with each other is that the world will see Jesus in us.
This unity was demonstrated in the early church. Acts 2:44 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” The results were signs and wonders, they enjoyed the favor of all the people, and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47) When Peter and John were threatened by the religious leadership, then released, Acts 4:24 and 31 says, “When they (the church) heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God…. After they prayed, the place they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
The early church’s ability not only to stand but also to prosper in the midst of adversity was born out of their relationship with the Father and each other. With the growing opposition we are facing in the world today, we cannot afford to walk and minister in isolation. We need to take heed to the example of Christ himself and the early church, which grew in the midst of intense persecution. Our ability to penetrate the darkness relies on our relationship with Christ and each other. Together we need to take on the forces of darkness. When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer, and when one part rejoices, we all rejoice. We need to pray for one another, encourage one another, and work together.
In Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, the first prophetic word was that the bones were to come together so that flesh could come on to the bones. The second prophetic word was for breath to come into the bodies that they might live and become a vast army. I believe the prophetic word at this hour is that we come together in a greater way, believer with believer, church with church, until we impact our communities with the Gospel of Christ. It is only as a united body that we will stand and the glory of the Lord can be revealed through us to the nations.
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
Andy Clark
avclark@juno.com
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
It is through togetherness that we magnify and exalt the name of the Lord. Jesus prayed in John 17:21-23, “That all of them (referring to us) may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.” Jesus is calling us into the same oneness as He has with the Father. This is achieved because He has placed His glory or very nature in us. The result of this unity with Christ and with each other is that the world will see Jesus in us.
This unity was demonstrated in the early church. Acts 2:44 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” The results were signs and wonders, they enjoyed the favor of all the people, and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47) When Peter and John were threatened by the religious leadership, then released, Acts 4:24 and 31 says, “When they (the church) heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God…. After they prayed, the place they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
The early church’s ability not only to stand but also to prosper in the midst of adversity was born out of their relationship with the Father and each other. With the growing opposition we are facing in the world today, we cannot afford to walk and minister in isolation. We need to take heed to the example of Christ himself and the early church, which grew in the midst of intense persecution. Our ability to penetrate the darkness relies on our relationship with Christ and each other. Together we need to take on the forces of darkness. When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer, and when one part rejoices, we all rejoice. We need to pray for one another, encourage one another, and work together.
In Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, the first prophetic word was that the bones were to come together so that flesh could come on to the bones. The second prophetic word was for breath to come into the bodies that they might live and become a vast army. I believe the prophetic word at this hour is that we come together in a greater way, believer with believer, church with church, until we impact our communities with the Gospel of Christ. It is only as a united body that we will stand and the glory of the Lord can be revealed through us to the nations.
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
Andy Clark
avclark@juno.com
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
Monday, November 15, 2010
Building a Life of Influence
Proverbs 3:3-6
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”
Influence is birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything.
Influence is evidenced in mercy and truth (NKJ), love and faithfulness (NIV).
The results are divine guidance, favor with God and man, health, and prosperity.
Peter gives this epitaph of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38:
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
We see here that the evidence of God’s favor and anointing power in the life of Jesus was His acts of mercy. These were acts that were born out of the will of God and fulfilled by God’s power. They were evidences to the world of God’s character and His favor.
This favor and influence in the early church was demonstrated through their lives of mercy. Acts 2:46-47 says, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 4:32 goes on to say, “Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
Mercy is one of the key elements in God’s judgment of mankind. Matt 25:34-39 says,
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me….. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
This kind of unabandoned mercy can only be birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything. The results are divine guidance, enablement, favor with God and man, health and prosperity of body, soul and spirit.
Andy Clark
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”
Influence is birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything.
Influence is evidenced in mercy and truth (NKJ), love and faithfulness (NIV).
The results are divine guidance, favor with God and man, health, and prosperity.
Peter gives this epitaph of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38:
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
We see here that the evidence of God’s favor and anointing power in the life of Jesus was His acts of mercy. These were acts that were born out of the will of God and fulfilled by God’s power. They were evidences to the world of God’s character and His favor.
This favor and influence in the early church was demonstrated through their lives of mercy. Acts 2:46-47 says, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 4:32 goes on to say, “Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
Mercy is one of the key elements in God’s judgment of mankind. Matt 25:34-39 says,
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me….. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
This kind of unabandoned mercy can only be birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything. The results are divine guidance, enablement, favor with God and man, health and prosperity of body, soul and spirit.
Andy Clark
Monday, November 8, 2010
Seeing Jesus
Luke 24:13-16
“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.” (The Message)
Jesus had been crucified and the lives of his disciples were shattered. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, it did not compute with their theology of the Messiah who was coming to deliver Israel. To them all hope was gone. But along with all the confusing events of the crucifixion of Christ, just that morning some women who had gone to the tomb came back and reported that the tomb was empty and they had seen Jesus. Luke 24:11 says “But they (the disciples) did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Peter and John went down to the tomb and found it was empty “and wondered what had happened.” So the two disciples on the way to Emmaus “were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened” when Jesus comes alongside and begins explaining from Scripture all that had happened. But in the King James it says “their eyes were holden,” so they didn’t recognize Him.
What an amazing thing that they did not recognize the face or the voice of the one that they had walked with for three and a half years! Even after Jesus in detail shows them from Scripture that He was to die and rise again, they did not understand the marvelous revelation teaching that only the Master Teacher could give. What kept the disciples from seeing Jesus and understanding the Scriptures that He so wonderfully opened up to them? I would like to look at two reasons they did not see Jesus.
They did not see Jesus because of their crisis. In their minds, Jesus was dead and gone. All hope had been taken away from them. Because of their circumstances, it was impossible for them to even imagine that it was Jesus walking beside them. Secondly, they could not see Jesus because of their beliefs based on their theology and experience. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, they could not believe that the Messiah would die such a horrible death and then rise from the dead. It did not conform to their understanding of Messiah.
We too often fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and crisis. We pray and read the Scriptures, but we do not see Jesus in the Scripture or how the Scripture applies to our situation. The Holy Spirit, the great teacher, is walking right beside us trying to give us a God perspective for our situation, but we cannot see how Jesus could be in what we are going through. We are busy blaming ourselves, blaming others, or trying to figure out in our finite minds why we are going through what we are going through. We may even be reasoning among ourselves trying to figure it out. Sometimes our theology and experience stand right in our way. The promises of God and the answers are in the Scripture, but it does not line up with what we believe. So we fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and gain His perspective and solution to what we are facing.
Today, I want to encourage you that Jesus is walking right beside you in whatever challenge you are facing. He has a word for you if you will set aside your thoughts and emotions and listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit speaking to you.
Andy Clark
“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.” (The Message)
Jesus had been crucified and the lives of his disciples were shattered. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, it did not compute with their theology of the Messiah who was coming to deliver Israel. To them all hope was gone. But along with all the confusing events of the crucifixion of Christ, just that morning some women who had gone to the tomb came back and reported that the tomb was empty and they had seen Jesus. Luke 24:11 says “But they (the disciples) did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Peter and John went down to the tomb and found it was empty “and wondered what had happened.” So the two disciples on the way to Emmaus “were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened” when Jesus comes alongside and begins explaining from Scripture all that had happened. But in the King James it says “their eyes were holden,” so they didn’t recognize Him.
What an amazing thing that they did not recognize the face or the voice of the one that they had walked with for three and a half years! Even after Jesus in detail shows them from Scripture that He was to die and rise again, they did not understand the marvelous revelation teaching that only the Master Teacher could give. What kept the disciples from seeing Jesus and understanding the Scriptures that He so wonderfully opened up to them? I would like to look at two reasons they did not see Jesus.
They did not see Jesus because of their crisis. In their minds, Jesus was dead and gone. All hope had been taken away from them. Because of their circumstances, it was impossible for them to even imagine that it was Jesus walking beside them. Secondly, they could not see Jesus because of their beliefs based on their theology and experience. Even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, they could not believe that the Messiah would die such a horrible death and then rise from the dead. It did not conform to their understanding of Messiah.
We too often fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and crisis. We pray and read the Scriptures, but we do not see Jesus in the Scripture or how the Scripture applies to our situation. The Holy Spirit, the great teacher, is walking right beside us trying to give us a God perspective for our situation, but we cannot see how Jesus could be in what we are going through. We are busy blaming ourselves, blaming others, or trying to figure out in our finite minds why we are going through what we are going through. We may even be reasoning among ourselves trying to figure it out. Sometimes our theology and experience stand right in our way. The promises of God and the answers are in the Scripture, but it does not line up with what we believe. So we fail to see Jesus in our circumstances and gain His perspective and solution to what we are facing.
Today, I want to encourage you that Jesus is walking right beside you in whatever challenge you are facing. He has a word for you if you will set aside your thoughts and emotions and listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit speaking to you.
Andy Clark
Monday, November 1, 2010
New Wine
I Kings 17:2-10
“Then the word of the LORD came to him (Elijah), saying, "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
“Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." So he arose and went to Zarephath.”
In the above story, Israel is in the midst of seven years of drought that is so severe that people are dying of famine. Elijah himself is not only caught in the drought, but King Ahab and Jezebel are after his life for pronouncing the drought. But God has already prepared a place of security and provision for Elijah. Notice the past tense. “I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. --- I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” Also notice the world “there.” This was the place of provision. Both the place and means of provision were not normal but unique to God.
The God of the universe wants to do something unique in our lives. Something beyond our capacity to perceive or understand. In Luke 5:4-5, Jesus commands Peter to cast out his nets. “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” When he did the nets, became so full that Peter had to call for help to bring them in. Peter was an experienced fisherman, but obedience to the word of Jesus produced what Peter could not do himself.
At times our training and experience actually work against us. God wants to do something outside the box of our understanding, ability, and provision. God is calling us to a simple act of faith and obedience to His word. In John 2 we see the miracle of the wine at the marriage feast at Cana of Galilee. In verse five, the mother of Jesus tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." What a simple piece of advice that is often so hard for us to do.
It is time to act on what God has spoken to us, no matter how illogical it may seem. It may be something as simple as throwing your net out on the other side. It is out of simple obedience that we move from the toil of our labors into the refreshing new wine that He has prepared for us.
Andy Clark
Associate Director
World Horizons US Office
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
“Then the word of the LORD came to him (Elijah), saying, "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
“Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." So he arose and went to Zarephath.”
In the above story, Israel is in the midst of seven years of drought that is so severe that people are dying of famine. Elijah himself is not only caught in the drought, but King Ahab and Jezebel are after his life for pronouncing the drought. But God has already prepared a place of security and provision for Elijah. Notice the past tense. “I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. --- I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” Also notice the world “there.” This was the place of provision. Both the place and means of provision were not normal but unique to God.
The God of the universe wants to do something unique in our lives. Something beyond our capacity to perceive or understand. In Luke 5:4-5, Jesus commands Peter to cast out his nets. “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” When he did the nets, became so full that Peter had to call for help to bring them in. Peter was an experienced fisherman, but obedience to the word of Jesus produced what Peter could not do himself.
At times our training and experience actually work against us. God wants to do something outside the box of our understanding, ability, and provision. God is calling us to a simple act of faith and obedience to His word. In John 2 we see the miracle of the wine at the marriage feast at Cana of Galilee. In verse five, the mother of Jesus tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." What a simple piece of advice that is often so hard for us to do.
It is time to act on what God has spoken to us, no matter how illogical it may seem. It may be something as simple as throwing your net out on the other side. It is out of simple obedience that we move from the toil of our labors into the refreshing new wine that He has prepared for us.
Andy Clark
Associate Director
World Horizons US Office
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
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