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FORTRESS ZION---Michael Biggs |
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MICHAEL BIGGS
LINKS
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1/28/06
Dear friends, God bless and keep you. Dear friends,
1/30/06
Dear friends,
In response to a fellow saints request for prayer for a loved one in Iraq, I
felt moved to share from Psalm 91. May it be the prayer for all our troops
who serve, and their families and friends.
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who
abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and
my fortress; my God in whom I trust.'
For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from deadly pestilence; He will cover you with his pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at you side, ten thousand at you right hand; but it will not come near you. You will only look with you eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD you refuge, the Most High you habitation." - (Psalm 91:1-9)
Lord, may each of us make You our dwelling place; and by our faith and trust
in You, be an encouragement to those around us, that would cause them to
grasp hold of You and Your promises.
May each of my friends sense Your blessings upon them this week. Dear friends, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing - life forever." - (Psalm 133) Brother and sisters, may we strive for the peace and unity among His people that the Lord desires, that He may pour out like oil upon us, His Spirit. Dear friends, (Abraham) "looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." - (Hebrews 11:10) Like Abraham, often called the Father of Faith, we too "have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come." - (Hebrews 13:14) As Christians, that is the hope we have, the vision we look forward to. Our God is Faithful and True, and we stand on His Holy Word - "Then I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." - (Revevelation 21:1-4) Friends, may we firmly hold on to His promises with all confidence, and "set our minds on things above." Dear friends, "Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion... Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD." - (Proverbs 8:11-12, 34-35) We all wish we had the wisdom and foresight as we walk through this life, to make the right decisions, take the right paths. Dear friends, the Lord Jesus, Himself encourages us to seek after His wisdom, which He desires to give us. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." - (James 1:5) When Solomon asked of the Lord, wisdom and understanding to have discernment; we are told that it "pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this" (1Kings 3:10). May each of us, as we face life's decisions each day, look to the Lord, and ask for the wisdom which He possesses, that He might impart it to us. Wherein we are pleasing Him and coming to know His ways more and more. God Bless and guide you all. Dear friends, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the Divine nature. For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." - (2 Peter 1:2-8) May each of us be partakers of His Divine nature this coming week, that our lives would bear fruit for His kingdom, bringing life to those around us, and glory to His Name. Dear friends, Another promise from our Lord and Savior... "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength; but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - (1Corinthians 10:13) Temptation is not a sin. We are all tempted. What matters is how we react. When we are wronged, we often are angered, and tempted to retaliate. God tells us - "Be angry, and sin not." (Ephesians 4:26) Even Jesus was tempted for forty days by the enemy (Luke 4:1-14), and He withstood by the word of God, and was victorious. Now through Him, we too can overcome the temptations, and pass the tests that come our way in this life. May we all, when tempted, turn our hearts to Jesus, and submit our desires and emotions to Him, knowing that He will give us the strength to stand. Brothers and sisters, Dear saints, Sometimes our jobs can be frustrating, our tasks go unnoticed, our efforts seemingly unappreciated. But God sees all that we do, and knows the intentions of our hearts. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - (Colossians 3:23-24) So be encouraged, friends. There is One who notices and is pleased when we give our best, with integrity and honesty, to accomplish a task before us. God Bless and guide each of you. Dear saints, Sometimes our jobs can be frustrating, our tasks go unnoticed, our efforts seemingly unappreciated. But God sees all that we do, and knows the intentions of our hearts. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - (Colossians 3:23-24) So be encouraged, friends. There is One who notices and is pleased when we give our best, with integrity and honesty, to accomplish a task before us. God bless and guide each of you. Brothers and sisters, Another passage from Paul's letter to the Colossians that has been a blessing to me, with its words of hope and message of Truth. So, I, along with Paul, would pray for you, my friends, and all the saints, that - "your hearts may be encouraged, as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, of Christ, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." and "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." - (Colossians 2:2-3,6-7) May these words of Life become more real to us this day. God bless and guide you. Dear friends, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - (Matthew 5:14-16) The Lord has called us, blessed us, and given us His light that we may share it with those around us. It is through His body that His Light, His Love, and His Life is manifest to the world. May each of us be walking according to His Spirit, and living our lives in ways that are pleasing to God, thereby allowing Him to touch the lives of those we meet and turn their hearts to seek after the Truth; to seek after Jesus. Dear friends, In John's Gospel, we have the shortest, yet one of the most powerful verses in Scripture - "Jesus Wept." - (John 11:35) It shows our Lords heart for us. The letter to the Hebrews says Jesus is One who is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb 4:15). When we go through trials or suffering, especially when a loved one suffers, we can wonder where God is, or if He cares. Friends, He does care and His heart is filled with compassion for us. Through difficult situations, He is calling us to keep our eyes fixed on Him; trusting Him, and holding firmly on to His promises. "You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." - (James 5:11) When a man suffering from leprosy turned to Jesus - " Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man." - Mark 1:41 As we go through times of pain, uncertainty or testing, know that He is near, reaching out to touch us. May we grasp hold of His hand, and allow His peace and understanding to rest upon us. God bless and guide you all. Fellow saints, May this psalm of Asaph, a musician and friend of King David, be our prayer and our confidence in the Lord. "I am always with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And the earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You. As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds." - (Psalm 73:24-28) God bless and keep you all. Dear friends, May we, His people, be united in our faith and hope and trust in Him; and may we together say - "I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His Name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears." - (Psalm 34:1-4) God bless each of you and your families, this weekend and always. Dear friends, Jesus has told us - "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6). And He encouraged us to "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Mattthew 11:29-30). Brothers & sisters, may we not struggle in trying to do things our own way, but look unto Him who IS the Way, learn of Him, and allow Him to guide our steps. May we see His Light shining in the midst of the darkness around us, and follow it, unto Life. "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." - (John 8:12) God bless and guide you. Good morning friends, I pray that you sense the presence of the Lord about you as you begin another week, and - "May the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will; working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever." - (Hebrews 13:20) Let us look to Him in every situation, and allow Him to guide our steps and actions, that our lives would be pleasing to Him, and bring glory to His Name. God bless. Dear friends, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me will live because of Me." - (John 6:56-57) In the Old Testament, the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel were directed to eat God's words, and Jeremiah declared - "Thy words were found, and I ate them, and Thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart..." - (Jeremiah 15:16) Today, we are called to eat The Word, who is Jesus. We eat Him, partaking of His flesh and blood, by spending time with Him daily. As we seek Him; worshipping, praying, meditating on His word, and listening for His still, small voice, He comes to dwell in us more each day, even as we find Him becoming more and more our strong tower, our refuge. In this abode we find Life. May we be found receiving His life this day, walking with Jesus, encouraging others and imparting this Life to those around us. God bless and guide you all. Dear friends, "Come, let us walk in the light of the LORD." - (Isaiah 2:5) "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - (Psalm 119:105) Jesus promised, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - (John 8:12) In His word there is understanding, direction, light. As we read and study His written word, His Spirit will open our eyes and reveal His heart and The Truth to us. And as we follow our Lord Jesus, who IS the Living Word and the True Light, He will guide our steps, that we will be walking in the Fathers will. God bless and guide each of you. Brothers and sisters, As Christians we often experience problems and pain. This does not mean the Jesus has forsaken us, or left us to do things on our own. Rather He is perfecting us. He tells us, "I am the true vine, and My Father in the vinedresser. Every branch of Mine that bears no fruit, He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." - (John 15:1,2) The areas in our life where He is not present, He wants to take away. Our activities, and even our attitudes, that do not bear fruit for His kingdom, He wants to remove from us, that He may fill us instead with His Life. Other areas of our life that are a blessing to others and pleasing to Him, even those He will prune; fine tuning them, cutting out any self pride or self will that is present. "Remember, dear friends, that our Lord and Saviour Jesus "learned obedience through what He suffered; and being made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (Hebrews 5:8,9) May our problems and suffering not be due to our clinging on to that which God desires to take away from us, but rather may we learn to seek His will in all circumstances, and gladly obey Him as His Spirit guides us. Then we will see the glory of God at work in our lives and the bearing of much fruit. God's wisdom and understanding to all. Dear friends, May we continue seeking the Lord each day, reading His word, and listening to the Holy Spirit as He guides, teaches and convicts us, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, who are zealous for good works." - (Titus 2:11-14) May His grace be evident in our lives this day and always. Brothers and sisters, Each one of us is important to the body of Christ. We all have a part to play, a role to fill. We need not be a pastor, teacher or worship leader to have an impact on others in His body, and bear fruit for the strengthening of the saints. God has a plan for each of us, as His people, and He makes it possible for us to fulfill, or walk out that plan. "To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." - (Ephesians 4:7) He will provide sufficient grace for us to fulfill our role in His body. We need only to seek Him and His will. And as He reveals to us His Truth, and we obey, the body is encouraged and built up. "Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and kint together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love." - (Ephesians 4:15-16) May each of our lives be a blessing, and our words edifying, to those around us. God bless you and your families this Sunday, and the coming week. Friends, "In Thee, O LORD, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame; in Thy righteousness deliver me! Incline Thy ear to me, rescue me speedily! Be Thou a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!" - (Psalm 31:1-2) Dear friends, in our walk with the Lord, we experience times of great peace and strong confidence in Him, and other times, when we are beset with problems and life's concern's, we may feel as though He has left it up to us to solve our problems on our own, and fear replaces our peace, and discouragement overtakes our confidence. As Christians, we know we will face problems, pain, and persecution (John 15:20, John 16:33, 1Peter 4:12). Know that Jesus has NOT forsaken you. Let us not take our eyes off of Him. May we, like David when he was discouraged, turn unto the Lord, and cry out to Him. "Blessed be the LORD, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was beset as in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, 'I am driven far from Thy sight'. But Thou didst hear my supplications, when I cried to Thee for help. Love the LORD, all you His saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!" - (Psalm 31:21-24) God bless and keep you all. Dear friends, Yesterday we read of the cry of one of God's servants (David), in his time of trouble. And how he sought refuge in the Lord, and placed his trust in Him. A good friend of mine shared with me another Psalm, in which David sings praise when the Lord delivered him from a time of hardship. "I praise You, Lord, for you raised me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried out to You and You healed me. Lord, You brought me up from Sheol; You kept me from going down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful; give thanks to God's Holy Name. For divine anger lasts but a moment; divine favor lasts a lifetime. At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is rejoicing." - (Psalm 30:1-5) Let us stand firm on the promises of our God, to deliver us from the hands of the enemy, to heal our broken hearts and to turn our dismay into rejoicing. The Lord desires that we turn to Him and cry out to Him in times of trouble, and He desires that we acknowledge Him with praise and thanksgiving as He sets us free. May His peace rest upon you and your families this week and always. God bless and guide you. Brothers and sisters, Let us take time to wait upon the Lord, meditate on His words, and listen for His voice daily, to hear what He would say to us. Proclaiming, with confidence, as Peter did - "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." - (John 6:68) The words He impresses upon our hearts, through the Scriptures and in prayer are designed to bring us Life. Jesus tells us - "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." - (John 6:63) May we have ears to hear, the wisdom to discern, and the heart to accept what He is saying to us each day. That we may be found walking in His ways, on the path to Eternal Life. God bless and guide you. Dear friends, Let us rejoice this day in our God. May we rise in the morning, with a song of praise for the Lord on our lips. "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. For Thy steadfast love is great, reaching the heavens, Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Thy glory be over all the earth! - (Psalm 57:7-11) May His peace and blessings be upon you and your families. Brothers and sisters, May we be grasping hold of the promises of our God this week, even as we are looking to Him in all we do, and ever acknowledging and praising His Holy Name. "The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to Thee, and Thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest Thy hand, Thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The LORD is just in all His doings. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He fulfils the desire of all who fear Him, He also hears their cry, and saves them. The LORD preserves all who love Him; but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever." - (Psalm 145:14-21) God bless you and yours. Dear friends, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - (Hebrews 10:23-25) Brothers and sisters, the Scriptures often speak of the importance of fellowship, in which we exhort, lift up and help one another. And even as it serves to bless those around us, as we fellowship in obedience to God, it allows Him touch the lives of many who do not yet know the Lord. "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved." - (Acts 2:46-47) As we follow Jesus and walk humbly after the Spirit, we become living testimonies, through which the Lord can touch others, bringing them to the knowledge of His saving grace. God bless you and be your guide this week and always. Friends and family, When it seems as though many around us have it better or easier than us, or that the "grass is greener...", it may not be so. Let us remember - "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." - (Proverbs 15:16-17) "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." - (Proverbs 17:1) God is our provider. He will grant us all we need as we seek Him and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). God bless and guide you. Brothers and sisters, May we have the strength and the confidence each day, regardless of our circumstances, to say - "I walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I kept my faith, even when I said, 'I am greatly afflicted'." - (Psalm 116:9-10) The Apostle Paul, in the midst of his many tribulations and persecutions, stood with that confidence, and encouraged fellow Christians who were going through trials and growing pains - "Do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things which are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are unseen are eternal." - (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." - (Colossians 3:2) Friends, I pray that each of us will have our hearts set toward the Lord, and our eyes fixed upon Him, as He guides us in His way. His way that leads to Eternal Life. His peace on you and your families. Dear friends, When in the midst of severe troubles and even accusations from those around him, Job did not lose his faith in God, or turn his back on his Creator; his Redeemer. "But as for me, I would seek God, and I would place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. He gives rain on the earth and sends water on the fields. So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety." - (Job 5:8-11) As we face problems in this life, let us remember how great is our God, how He is able to lift us up even as we walk through difficult situations. Let us hold on to our faith, seeking and trusting the Lord, showing forth our love for God, and being an example to those close to us. "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of Life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." - (James 1:12) God bless and guide each of you. Dear saints, "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." - (Romans 5:1-5) What an incredible promise from our God!! To share in His glory! Friends let us have find peace in our Lord Jesus throughout each day, as we partake of His grace; and as we walk after the Holy Spirit as He guides, convicts and directs. Brothers and sisters, When the Lord puts His hand upon us, and calls us into a personal relationship with Him, and we turn our hearts to Him, we are set free from our old life. He desires us to walk in "newness of life" (Romans 6:4), forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13) "Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. - (Isaiah 43:18-19) Friends, let us not dwell on the things in our past which we have been forgiven of and freed from, but fix our eyes on the Lord as He leads us along His paths, into His Life. His blessings on you and your families. Dear friends, Another promise from our Lord - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" - (Matthew 5:6) The Lord desires that we know of His ways, His will. May we yearn after His righteousness, His holiness. May the Lord Himself be the desire of our heart. "You open Your Hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing" - (Psalm 145:16) God Bless you and your loved ones this week. Dear brothers and sisters, "For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." - (Romans 12:4-8) The Lord would that each and every one of us be partakers of these gifts. And they are used for the building up of His body. We may not have all of them, or the same amount as another, but God gives us according to what He knows we can handle. He desires that we seek out what our gifts are, and use them, thereby helping us, as individuals and as His body, to come to maturity. The Apostle Paul tells us to "earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy... For he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation." (1Corinthians 14:1, 3). Not meaning that we are called to be a Prophet (although some are), but that as we seek our Lord in prayer, and listen for His still, small voice, that He will reveal to us in His Word scriptures He would have us to speak to individuals or a congregation, for their encouragement and comfort. May each of us devote more time to prayer, seeking the Lord, and to the studying of His Word; to find our place in His body, where we can bear fruit and be a blessing to those around us. God bless and guide you.
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