He Did Not Look Up

Operation Deliverance. When Moses was forty years old it "came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel" (Acts 7:23; NKJV). Problem was, the I AM had not put this on His heart. It was GOD'S will for the Israelites to be freed from Egyptian slavery, but it was not GOD'S time. Moses was dedicated to the will of GOD, but not to the GOD whose will it was. In Exodus 2:12, Moses"looked this way and that way," but Moses failed to look up! Operation Deliverance was energized by the flesh and therefore it failed.

I try, I fail. For forty years Moses reflected on his thinking that led to his action. The Spirit tells us that Moses "supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand" (Acts 7:25; NKJV). Moses learned a valuable lesson about doing GOD'S will without GOD'S help - I try, I fail.

I trust, He succeeds. Forty years later it is GOD'S time. He calls Moses "to be a ruler and a deliverer" (Acts 7:35; NKJV). Moses is broken from the Operation Deliverance experience, but it is GOD'S time and it is GOD who gives Moses the strength to do His will. At the burning bush, in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and at Mount Sinai Moses learns a second valuable lesson - I trust, He succeeds!

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13; NKJV)

Jason Cicero

Is the Bible Relevant to Me?

Perhaps the single greatest challenge GOD'S people have today is to take GOD'S book, the Bible, and help people to see the relevance of it to their lives. GOD'S word is practical. It speaks to the issues of everyone's life.

The Bible is relevant to you because of what the Bible is - The Word of GOD. Scripture is "inspired by God" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible did not originate in the mind of man. Scripture originated in the mind of GOD. Men"moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" and were guided to put His word in written form (2 Peter 1:21). "For the word of God" is from Heaven, not from Earth (Hebrews 4:12). Written by our Creator, Sustainer, and Savior, the Bible is relevant to us!

The Bible is relevant to you because of the nature of the Word of GOD -Living, Powerful, Piercing, and Discerning. Nature is a thing's essential qualities or character. "For the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12; NKJV). The Word of GOD speaks to the heart of man about the issues of the heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Is the Bible relevant to me? Read it and see!

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

John "was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" when He saw Him...

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." (Revelation 1:12-18; NKJV)

Will you see Him tomorrow?

Jason Cicero

And They Ridiculed Him

The folks at Jairus' house were in an uproar. There was weeping and wailing. Jairus' daughter was dead.

Jesus came into the house. He asked a question: "Why make this commotion and weep?" He made an observation: "The child is not dead, but sleeping."

The folks at Jairus' house "ridiculed Him." They literally"laughed Him to scorn." Because of their response to Him, He put them all outside.

Face to face with God, they mourned as those who have no hope. Face to face with God, they did not believe His word. Face to face with God, they laughed in His face.

See Him. Hear Him. Believe Him. Be amazed by Him:"Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement" (Mark 5:43; NKJV).

Jason Cicero

Who Then Is This?

Jesus and the twelve were in a boat on an evening after a long day of teaching. A wind storm came upon them and the boat began filling with water. Jesus was in the stern. Asleep. On a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said,"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"(Mark 4:38; NASBU).

Jesus got up. He rebuked the wind. He said to the sea,"Hush, be still" (Mark 4:39; NASBU). The wind died down. The sea "became perfectly calm" (Mark 4:39; NASBU).

Jesus then spoke to the twelve. He asked two, what must have been, confusing questions. "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40; NASBU). As the boat filled with water the hearts of the disciples filled with fear. Fear for their lives. Now Jesus is asking them why. And He is asking them about their faith.

All of this served to unnerve them even more: "They became very much afraid..." (Mark 4:41; NASBU). In response to Jesus' two questions they raise one among themselves: "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (Mark 4:41; NASBU).

Who then indeed. That seems to be the question of questions. Once the twelve answered this question everything else fell into place for them.

By the way...The more I come to know Him...the more my fear is replaced with faith.

Jason Cicero

With Him

Jesus set apart twelve men for a number of reasons. I am most envious of the one I read about in Mark 3:14. He chose these men to "be with Him."

What I do by faith, they did in the flesh. They saw Him with their eyes. They heard His voice with their ears. Their hands touched Him. They walked with Him. They worked with Him. They played with Him. They were"with Him."

Oh, how I want to be with Him! My joy is full knowing what awaits. "They shall see His face..." (Revelation 22:4).

Jason Cicero