When you choose to praise God in the midst of a storm, the storm loses its power and authority over you. When you focus on the storm you become part of it. It is obvious that this nation is in a storm right now, and our tenancy as humans is to try to identify and focus on all the problems. Like the disciples, we are very good at identifying the wind and the waves and all the reasons why things are bad, but there is so little focus on the one who is always good.
It amazes me that any one of the twelve disciples would have been trying to kill each other any given day before their encounter with Jesus because of the enormous differences in their backgrounds. Yet when Jesus, the REAL presence of God stepped on the scene, something became more important than their differences. When true prospect comes, we realize we were all made in his imagine, and we stop trying to make others in our image.
There is aligning force that takes place when you get your focus right. This is why Jesus was able to calm the storm. He was able to release peace from the abundance of peace that came from his relationship with his Father. Many of us see parts of our world seemingly spinning out of control around us, and yet, all we can release is more fear and anxiety because that is all we have in our hearts. Ultimately, this is because our focus is on the problems and not the answer. You can only release what you have. This is what Jesus meant when he said “If your eye is single, your whole body will be filled with light.”
I will not be impressed with the Devil’s work, because I have a book that says that he and his works were defeated 2000 years ago on a tree. He can’t undo that. The devil can make a lot of noise, and trick us into co-laboring with him by getting us to focus on him and the problems he is causing, but he can’t undo the Cross. Hate might be basking in the spot light we are currently giving it, but that doesn’t mean that it has defeated us or the blood of Christ. It just means it is a good lier, and we as a people are still falling for it.
Jesus said before he left that all authority had been handed back to him, but then he passed it on to us. When Jesus was here, he said he was the light of the world, but when he left he said you are the light of the world. The question is are you acting as light, or acting as darkness? We can only release what we are aware of, and we will become like what we behold. The enemy would like us to become more aware and focused on darkness rather than light so we will reproduce more darkness. I am not talking about being in denial about the problem, I am talking about becoming consumed by the answer. It is the love and presence of our daddy in heaven that is the answer.
I am not saying there are not things that need to change. What I am saying is when you try to change yourself and those around you in response to darkness, you usually end up with more darkness. When we respond to darkness with our own reasoning, it usually ends up in finger pointing. We become “experts” in knowing what is wrong with the world and how to fix it. The best the the flesh can produce is more flesh, and flesh is always carnal. Our response needs to be based off of his greatness and light. The only way we are going to produce the fruits of the spirit is by abiding in him. Jesus said apart from me you will produce nothing.
True peace and love grows from surrender to God and his goodness. Anyone with this surrender won’t be beating others down with their expertise, because surrender doesn’t produce pride or a know-it-all attitude. Surrender to God produces a humble attitude that washes the feet of those who are cursing you. Jeaus said bless those who curse you! Could you image what it would look like if that attitude caught on in the political realm of this country? Even if just the Christians would begin to live this way, the results would be unmeasurable.
My prayer is as that the people of God, we would learn to know who God really is. We show so often by the fruit of our lives that we don’t know Him or his ways, or the Covenant that we now live in. When we begin to be light, it will pave the way for our nation to come into light.
Heaven Come Now 