The Midnight Dance

Text: Psalm 23; 139:7-12

For quite some time now the Lord has been dealing with me to “enter into His rest.” In the Old Testament, the high priest was not allowed to sweat when he entered the Holy of Holies. Sweat is a sign of work and God wants us to enter into His rest. What does this mean? In simple terms, it means to never worry about anything! This is the rest of God.

You can reach a point where you trust Him so much that you know that you know everything in your life is going to be okay. Yes, hardships will come but what does Psalm 23 say? “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” That verse describes the rest of God. Even though we are all in circumstances we’d rather not be in, we can still have peace and joy and enter into the rest of God.

This place of rest has become my dwelling place. I trust God and I have entered into His rest. We must all reach a point where we realize we can’t make it on our own. An old saying goes like this: “God helps those who help themselves.” Wrong! If you can help yourself then what do you need God for? The truth is, God helps those who can’t help themselves. This is why Jesus is called “Savior.” He is here to save us when we can’t save ourselves. Once we realize that, we are free to enter His rest.

Too often we want to help ourselves or get help from our spouse, our friends, the church, or the government. But what does the Bible say? “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though it’s waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with it’s swelling” (Ps. 46:1-3).

Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. When we trust Him completely we have entered into the rest of God. We no longer worry about anything. And then, in the midst of our darkest hour, God will reach down and bless us with a blessing that I call the “Midnight Dance.” Just what is the “Midnight Dance”? Glad you asked. Read on…

My wife is one remarkable woman. Anne Marie is the type of individual that only comes around once in a lifetime. You can never tell by looking at her all that she’s been through. She is so full of life and the joy of the Lord radiates out of her. She makes all those who come in contact with her believe that life isn’t so bad. You just feel better about yourself by being with her but for a few moments. There are times when Anne gets so outgoing happy that it flows out of her like a rushing river. There’s a bounce in her step and the sound of her voice is a merry melody. She can be super exuberant even during the darkest of times and this blesses me so much.

Last Friday she was like this and when I called her on my break at work she talked my head off. She was so outgoing I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Later that night as I was leaving work at a little after 11PM my cell phone rang and Anne informed me that she was going to walk and meet me at the highway which is about a mile and a half from our house. She stayed on the line and I talked to her - or should I say I listened to her? - all during the half hour ride home. I would interrupt her from time to time to let her know where I was and she’d do the same. It was turning out to be a fun filled ride. Better than I ever imagined.

As I approached the turn-off to our little village, a car in front of me turned down the same road and Anne said she could see me. I said, “No! That’s not me! I’m the next car!” I could only imagine what awaited the driver of that car had I not warned Anne that it was not me. I laughed at the thought. Anne was on a stretch of road with no lights or houses nearby and it was pitch black outside. I told her, “Get ready. Here I come. I’m about to make the turn.” When I did she confirmed that she saw me.

Out in front of me was total darkness and I asked, “Where are you?” She said, “I’m right in front of you! Can’t you see me?” Just then my headlights caught sight of her and there she was in the center of the road at midnight waving her arms in the air dancing just for me!! Here she was, in the darkest hour of the night, dancing in the middle of the road without a care in the world. All I could do was stop the car and laugh.

As she approached the car the sound of laughter broke through the stillness of the dark night. This is how it is with God. You may not always see Him in your circumstances but He is always there. During your darkest hour He can give you joy unspeakable. When you trust Jesus you can enter His rest and dance the “Midnight Dance.” Jesus is not the light at the end of the tunnel. No, He’s the light “in” the tunnel. No matter how dark your circumstances may be, you can still rejoice in the Lord and dance the “Midnight Dance.” For sure, this is the rest of God.

*** Written by Randall Brewer ***

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A Little Scratch

Text: Romans 8:37; Isaiah 41: 10

The Lord spoke a word to me about you today and He told me to stop what I was doing and share it with you. So, here I am.

We're in a war! You know that, don't you? The good news is that only strong warriors get to enlist in the army of the Lord. That's you, my friend.

I once saw a movie where a handful of Spartan warriors stood up to the entire Persian army. When one of the good guys got sliced up real bad with an enemy sword the captain said to him, "You're not going to let that little scratch stop you, are ya?"

Ha! Ha! I like that. My friend, when the devil attacks you that's all it is...a little scratch. I ask you, "You're not going to let a little scratch stop you, are ya?" Of course not because you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!

The Lord would have me tell you to stand strong and to assure you that you are not alone. I am by your side, and most important, Jesus is by your side. Yes, the victory is yours.

On a more personal note, there is nothing more important to me than the fulfillment of the call of God that is on my life. My dream is to encourage and exhort my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord with anointed messages that come straight from the throne room of God.

I've worked long and hard on this assignment from God and I've got the scars to prove it. For sure, I have shed gallons and gallons of blood, sweat, and tears. The fact that you are reading this letter today is the result of years and years of hard work and toil. However, I didn't let a "little scratch" stop me.

As I was meditating on all the Lord and I have been through together He brought to my attention the verse that says, "Your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men." He then said to me, "Randall, the people who read your messages are the 'great men' this verse is talking about. Your gift has come before them, thus they are great."

I'm telling you, thousands of people, Christians mind you, have rejected these messages. They've written me cruel and nasty letters and one person even called me "Satan in email clothing" (that's a new one). Why do they do this?  Apparently they are not great.

But you are different and that is the message the Lord wanted me to share with you today. The great God of the universe thinks you're great. So do I. And it's the great men of God who are in the league of the "chosen few", those born again believers who are willing to pick up their sword and march headfirst into battle, those who won't be stopped by a "little scratch." That's you, my friend. That's what being a "great warrior" is all about.

The Lord loves you and so do I. We both think you're great. God bless.

*** Written by Randall Brewer ***

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Jesus Is Coming Again

Text: Matthew 24:44; Revelations 22:12

Marvelous message we bring,

Glorious carol we sing,

Wonderful word of the King:

Jesus is coming again!...

Coming again, coming again;

May be morning, may be noon,

May be evening and may be soon!

Coming again, coming again;

O what a wonderful day it will be!

Jesus is coming again!

Forest and flower exclaim,

Mountain and meadow the same,

All earth and heaven proclaim:

Jesus is coming again!...

Standing before Him at last,

Trail and trouble all past,

Crowns at His feet we will cast:

Jesus is coming again!...

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Hurt By Friend

Text: Genesis 4:7; Galatians 5:16

When the eight plotters surrounded Julius Caesar and began to attack him with their daggers, the stab of Brutus was the most brutal and the most painful. "Et Tu, Brute?" ("Even you, Brutus?"), lamented Caesar. He was heart-broken. Brutus was his closest and trusted friend.

Have you ever been hurt or betrayed by a close friend? It is painful. King David suffered the same fate at the hands of his trusted friend and counsellor, Ahitophel, who sided with Absalom, David's son to wage war against his father; so did our Lord Jesus Christ at the hands of Judas Iscariot.

Do you know that any sin by a Christian is like a stab in the heart of Jesus? It is like crucifying afresh the son of God and putting him to an open shame. When Peter openly denied Jesus, He gave him a knowing look in pain and pity. The secret sin of a Christian is an open scandal in heaven. Always live holy to give Christ joy, and strive to be a trustworthy friend.

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You Don't Need God?

Text: Ruth 1:1-5; Isaiah 40:31; Proverbs 16:9, 19:16

Key Verse: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12)

The times were tough. Famine dawned on the land and the people had very little to survive on. They were perturbed by their present circumstance and saw no rays of hope in sight, but hardly could they forget that “they that know their God shall be strong and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32).

The people of Bethlehemjudah waited on the Lord for succor but among them was one so unfortunate who took not counsel from the Lord and felt he didn’t need God to tell him what to do with his life. He chose the path that pleased him only that it led to his death and destruction.

The story of Elimelech often reminds me of man’s weakness, naivety and folly to think we can live our lives without God (Proverbs 19:3a). We feel we own our lives and can do whatever pleases us forgetting that “many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the will and counsel of the Lord that shall prevail.”

Elimelech and his family chose the way of pride by leaving the tabernacle of the Lord in Bethlehemjudah to seek refuge in a foreign land of Moab where its people neither revered nor obeyed the commandments of God. This teaches a lesson that no matter how awful our predicaments in life may be, forsaking the Lord and choosing our own path will always turn out to be a grave mistake.

Our resolve to stick with God should be on the basis of “for better or worse”, “in good times and bad times”, till thy kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in heaven. We must put God first in everything we do, trusting Him with all of our hearts and leaning not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

If only had Elimelech sought the face of the Lord before making the move to Moab, his death and that of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, would have been averted. Naomi, his wife and mother of his sons, wouldn’t have turned out a helpless widow.

I believe God wants us to learn and understand that decisions made without His acknowledgement doesn’t end well. He wants us to have at the back of our minds that without Him we can do nothing on our own.

We shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the gains of pride and get to the point we feel we do not need God in our lives (Proverbs 16:18a). Elimelech thought he had escaped the burdens of famine and delighted is soul with the fleeting abundance of an ungodly city as Moab. Sadly, he never for once thought of going back to where he came from.

Folly is what makes a man think he can find happiness and fulfillment on his own terms without God. But hear the words of wisdom: “Man’s going are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil (Proverbs 19:23; 20:24).”

When Naomi realized her mistakes with tears and sorrow in her heart (Ruth 1:19-22), she returned to the Lord and look what happened to her in the succeeding chapters of the book of Ruth. She found favour and grace from God. Even Ruth, her daughter in law wasn’t exempted from this favour because she decided to worship and service the living God of Israel (Ruth 1:14-18).

Haven’t you suffered enough to still think you do not need God in your life? Now is the acceptable time to return to the Lord. “Seek Him while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near…return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon you; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

*** Written by Jacobs Adewale (Admin) ***

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RSVP

Text: John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Ecclesiates 12:13-14

***Excerpt from a conversation between Robert Leslie Holmes and his uncle Sam Heslip from the book: The Breath of Abundant Life.***

“Leslie, have you reached that point in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you died today you would spend eternity with God in His heaven?” Uncle Sam’s words gripped me because they were direct and because I felt they begged for only one acceptable answer. For me that answer was “No.” It seemed to me that for anyone to “know for certain” was presumptuous and egotistical.

I replied, “I don’t think anybody can know that for sure.”

GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW

“Really?” Uncle Sam opined, “Suppose I could show you that God actually wants you to know? What would you say?”

I said, “If that was the case, I’d say that I need to know.” Without saying a word, he opened one of his Bible on his desk and pointed out these words: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

Uncle Sam continued, “If God wants you to know that you have eternal life, shouldn’t pursuing that become one of your life’s main goals?” His words made sense. Somewhere within me there was a rapidly growing desire to listen carefully. It was God’s Holy Spirit prompting me to take careful stock of what I was being told.

Uncle Sam asked me another question, “Suppose you were to die today and God asked you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’ What would you say to Him?”

VIRTUE IS A BAD THING!

I do not recall the exact words of my answer, but something about this question brought me face to face with the reality of mortality. I knew that I could die today. None of us will leave this world alive and most of us will have no control of when we do die. I was at the same time realizing that I could die at any moment and recognizing that it was clearly foolish for me not to have made preparation for that possibility and trying to frame what would be my best answer in words God might find acceptable. What would I say to God? What could I say to God?

To the best of my recollection, my answer went something like this: “I would say that I had not committed any big sins like murder or adultery and I had attended church and I pray sometimes.”

I was caught! The twinkle in my Uncle Sam’s eyes told me he knew already exactly where I was with God. He said, “Leslie, there is nothing worse than good works that think they can satisfy a sinner’s need of God!”

He proceeded at that point to tell me his own story of coming to faith. He began with a reassurance that there was a time in his own life when he would have answered as I had just done. “I needed to learn,” he said, “that all my good works together could never save my soul. One day I read in Isaiah, ‘We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags” (64:6).’” Then, he said, “I made the most amazingly wonderful discovery of my entire life. I learned that heaven is a free gift. Would you like to learn what I did?” I said I would and he invited me to draw my chair to his desk where we could look together at his Bible.

WAGES AND GIFTS

He pointed out these words: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). I had seen these words before. I remembered that they were painted on the side of a barn along the coast near where I had grown up.

“Do you realize what this tells us?” he asked. Quickly he added, “What, in your opinion, is the difference between wages and gift?” “The difference between wages and a gift”, I answered, “is that wages are something we earn and a gift is something someone gives us for nothing.”

“Exactly”, he said. “Now think about your answer a moment ago when I asked what you would tell God if you were asked why you should get into heaven. Were you describing wages or a gift?”

I realized immediately that my answer was all about wages. It spoke about what I might have earned by what I had done and not done. I had done what I considered to be some commendable things and I had not committed what I called “big sins.” Here was God’s own Word telling me that all the wages I had ever earned could never total enough to make me fit for heaven. I thought of that barn sign again and realized that as many times as I had read it I had never thought about what it was telling me.

Uncle Sam said, “Let me show you something else.” Opening his Bible at another place, he pointed out these words: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:8-10).

I knew these words too. I remembered preachers reciting them in sermons. I had read them in the Bible previously, but they seemed to have no particular meaning to me. “It’s not that works are a bad thing,” Uncle Sam said, “It is just that works by themselves cannot earn heaven. It takes something more. That something more is called grace. ‘For by grace are ye saved.’”

SINNERS UNANIMOUS

He opened his Bible at another place and showed me these words, “There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:10-12). “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“Do you see our human predicament?” he asked me. “All of us are stained by the same thing; you and me and everybody else in the world. We have all fallen short of God’s glory. We are unanimous in our guilt.”

He paused again before adding, “God, however, is holy. Look at what the Bible says here, ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy’ (1 Peter 1:16)… ‘The Lord our God is righteous in all His works’ (Daniel 9:14). He always does the right things. Because God is holy and righteous, He must keep His Word and His Word says, ‘the soul that sinneth, it shall die; and this, of course, ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). This means that we have an impossible predicament. We have sinned and our death sentence has already been pronounced.

…Uncle Sam added, “what is more, we cannot save ourselves.” I knew that, for already I had resolved more times than I could remember to do better than I had done and I had failed every time. Like a kite on a windless day, I kept falling. I lacked the necessary power.

Truly, we all lack the necessary power to save ourselves. “Not the labours of your hands can fulfill the Lords demands…” There is salvation in no one else other than in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). And God has commandeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Love has paid the prize for our death, and none other can equal the sacrifice Jesus made for you and I on the Cross. “There is no love greater than this, for someone (Jesus Christ) to die for His friends, for you and I” (John 15:12-13).

Finally, the whole essence of this piece is to reveal God’s will and desire for your life, to help you search deep into your soul and discover where you stand spiritually, and to help you determine your end when the roll is called up yonder. However, just re-echoing Uncle Sam's pertinent and profound question begging an answer, “Suppose you were to die today and God asked you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’ What would you say to Him?” RSVP

*** Slightly edited by Jacobs Adewale (Admin) ***

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Take Time To Be Holy

Text: Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word;

Make friends of God’s children help those who are weak;

Forgetting in nothing, His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;

Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone-

By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;

And run not before Him, whatever betide;

In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord,

And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul;

Each thought and each temper beneath His control:

Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,

Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

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Needed Works Of Faith

Text: JAMES 2:10-26

An unsparing holiness preacher concerning whom little is known of his domestic life lived down town in a Council flat. He told his staff and congregation never to visit him at home without an appointment.

An usher living close by frequently flouted this rule preferring to come to the pastor’s house to submit reports without prior notice. The pastor desiring to know the reason asked the young man: “Did you realize you are disobedient by coming to my house without inviting you?” The usher answered: “I am sorry, but I did it that I might, by some chance, come to discover how you react to the provocations of belligerent neighbours, the disturbing noises of infant wards and mischief of domestic staff in your home. This I hoped, would help me beyond lessons from your sermons.”

Our profession may be great, but our conduct and attitude both in good and bad times are the real proofs of our hearts and the evidence of our faith.

In the text above, high premium is placed on faith evidenced by works. The faith that shows no corresponding positive traits is dead, and to say the least, worthless. True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ works out positive changes in the believer. If these desirable changes are not in our lives, it is doubtful whether we have been united with Christ.

Works of faith are the fruits of our Christian life made possible because of our living union with Christ. Those who are destitute of them have never known the Saviour including others who made only superficial commitment to follow Him.

We cannot produce this fruits on our own efforts outside of Christ. Even though we try to do what is good and right, staying close to Jesus and being obedient to His word is the only way to live a fruitful Christian life. We must determine to quit superficial Christianity and show evidence of our walk with God by bearing fruits of the Spirit.

Thought for you: A tree is known not by the leaves but by the fruits.

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Don't Forget The Mirror

Text: James 1:16-27

Key Verse: “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:23, 24)

Imagine yourself standing before your mirror in the morning dressed to go out. As you look at the mirror, you observed your hair is not combed, your clothes not well adjusted and everything just looked rough and disheveled. What would you do?

Would you ignore what you saw in the mirror and feel it is not important? Would you think it would be okay to go out all the same and manage that shameful look? Do you think you would be able to carry on with an air of confidence all through the day if you went out the way you looked without making every necessary adjustment? Certainly not. When you take a look at the mirror each day, it is not just for the fun of it. It is to ensure you are looking good enough and well suited for the day.

This is the same thing we do each time we look at the Word of God. The Word of God is the divine mirror that tells us exactly how we look. It reveals our true spiritual state to us and tells what we need to add on or put away in order to have a perfect day. In our text today, we are admonished to receive the Word of God with meekness. As we read the Word, we are to adjust our lives by it. This is what it means to be doers of the word.

We cannot really tell our true spiritual state until we take a deep and sincere look at the Bible. While it is possible for some mirror to give us a distorted impression of ourselves, the Word of God shows us exactly how we look. There is no defect in God’s Word.

More than showing us how we look, the Word of God has the power to set our lives right if we allow it. This is why we must make it a daily practice to take a look at the mirror of the Word of God before we set out each day. This gives us the confidence we need and guarantees our success in all that we do.

Thought for you: You are not ready for the day without a look at God’s Word

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The Cross, Stark And Still

Text: Isaiah 55:6; John 3:16

Into the depths of untold depravity,

A perfect creation had fallen away;

Unimagined grace poured out from our God above -

As His Hand of wrath was firmly stayed.

The Cross, stark and still, standing upon a naked hill…

Subtly calls for the World’s attention.

Since the dawn of everlasting time,

Our Savior awaited His appointed day;

Despite humanity’s race to certain doom –

His Hand of wrath was intentionally stayed.

The Cross, stark and still, standing upon a naked hill…

Continues to demonstrate His gift of Salvation.

The twinkling stars danced across the midnight blue

As songs arose from the angelic array;

Quietly the Messianic babe in a manger lay –

As His Hand of wrath was lovingly stayed.

The Cross, stark and still, standing upon a naked hill…

Serves as a testament of Love’s perfection.

A carpenter's son? He’s just a man!

His godly claim on earth displayed

Had believers searching for purest faith –

His Hand of wrath was securely stayed.

The Cross, stark and still, standing upon a naked hill…

Reminds that our debt was paid for sin’s violation.

In the face of false accusations,

Christ held His tongue to Pilate’s dismay,

For God’s plan played out for all to see –

As His Hand of wrath was purposely stayed.

The Cross, stark and still, standing upon a naked hill…

Is a backdrop for a risen Lord calling us with adoration.

*** Author's Notes ***

This is a collaboration piece with Mr. Jeffrey Jordan of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Learn more about me and my poetry at:

http://amzn.to/1ffo9YZ

By Joseph J. Breunig 3rd, © 2012, All rights reserved.

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