Do you have room for Jesus this Christmas?

Hope to see everyone this Sunday, Dec. 19th at 10a.m. as Pastor Mike preaches a message on this very subject.

A Powerful Devotional by David Wilkerson

FINISHING THE RACE

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after
he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it
begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish"
(Luke 14:28-30).

Jesus spoke these words near the close of his ministry on earth with the
purpose of warning followers that good intentions would not be enough to see
them through hard times. Many followers would not have what it took to finish
the race!

I believe the most tragic condition possible is starting out fully intending to
lay hold of Christ and grow into a mature disciple, and instead slowly drift
away, and become cold and indifferent to him. He laid a foundation but could
not finish, because he did not first count the cost. He ran out of resources;
he went so far and then quit.

God, wake us up and make us to understand that we are all changing. There is no
such thing as standing still; you are either changing daily into Christ's image
or you are changing back into your old carnal ways. For those who have
determined to lay hold of Christ at all cost, who are taking up their cross,
denying self, and going on with him, Paul said, "We are all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"' (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What a joy to meet these who are finishing the race. They are growing in the
wisdom and knowledge of Christ, becoming more distant from this world and its
pleasures, and becoming increasingly heavenly minded. Their spiritual senses
are highly exercised and their discernment of what is of God or the flesh is
ever increasing. The older they get, the hungrier they are for more of Christ.
They cut away all earthly attachments and with growing intensity, they long to
be with him in his glory. For them, to die is gain and the ultimate prize is to
be called into his presence to be at his side forever. It is not heaven they
seek but Christ in glory!

You can be sure that when Christ returns, he will have a glorious church eager
to be with him. It will consist of those who have become so unattached to this
world and so united with him that moving from the corruptible to the
incorruptible state will be but one last love step into his presence!

You may have fallen down in the Christian race, but you can get up and run
again. Jesus will not let you lie down by the track, exhausted, crippled. He
will lift up your weakened knees and give you supernatural strength to finish.

He will not fail you. By grace, you are going to finish the race and the Lord
will be at the finish line to say, “Well done!”

CHASTENING LOVE

Great devotional by David Wilkerson. (ENJOY!)

Because God loves you, he will work to cleanse you. But it is a loving
chastening upon those who repent and return to him. You may feel God’s arrows
in your soul because of your past and present sins, but if you have a repentant
heart and want to turn from error, you can call upon his chastening love. You
will be corrected—but with his great mercy and compassion. You will not feel
his wrath as the heathen do, but rather the rod of his discipline, applied by
his loving hand.

Perhaps your suffering comes from making wrong decisions. How many women are
suffering because they married men whom God warned them not to marry? How many
children are breaking their parents’ hearts, bringing them to the end of
their ropes? Yet many times this happens because of the parents’ own past
years of sin, neglect and compromise.

When you know you have arrived at your lowest point, it is time to seek the
Lord in brokenness, repentance and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion
of Holy Ghost strength. It is time to be renewed and refreshed, to have
spiritual strength overflow within you.

You see, when you cry out to God, he pours his strength into you: “In the day
when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my
soul…. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt
stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand
shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O
Lord, endureth for ever” (Psalm 138:3, 7–8).

One of the most difficult things for Christians to accept is the suffering of
the righteous. Up to the time of Christ, the Jews associated prosperity and
good health with godliness. They believed that if you were wealthy, in good
health or otherwise blessed, it was because God was showing that he was pleased
with you. This was why Jesus’ disciples had a hard time understanding his
statement that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). The
disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Likewise today, there is an erroneous doctrine that says if you are in
agreement with God you will never suffer; just call out to God and he will come
running and solve everything immediately. But this is not the gospel! The heroes
of faith listed in Hebrews 11 all walked in close relationship of faith with God
and they suffered stonings, mockings, torture and violent deaths (vv. 36–38).
Paul himself, who walked closely with God, was shipwrecked, stoned, whipped,
left for dead, robbed, jailed and persecuted. He suffered the loss of all
things. Why? These were all testings and purgings, the proving of his faith to
the glory of God.

God wants to plant something in our hearts through our testings and trials. He
wants us to be able to say, “Lord Jesus, you’re my Protector, and I believe
you rule over the events of my life. If anything happens to me, it’s only
because you allowed it, and I trust your purpose in doing it. Help me
understand the lesson you want me to learn from it. If I walk in righteousness
and have your joy in my heart, then my living and dying will bring glory to
you. I trust that you may have some prepared glory, some eternal purpose that
my finite mind doesn’t understand. But either way, I’ll say, ‘Jesus,
whether I live or die, I am yours!’”

DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS AND UNBELIEF

Israel had fallen into idolatry. But their root sin was still unbelief,

resulting in all kinds of fears! And God sent them a prophet to expose their

root sin.



The prophet told them in so many words, “Look at you—a bunch of wimps,

hiding out, afraid to stand up and fight. You’ve already given up. But you

have a history of God’s deliverance! He gave your fathers great victories

when they trusted him. And he has promised to deliver you too—yet you don’t

believe him!” (See Judges 6:7–10.)



Many Christians are terrified the devil is going to destroy them. They’re

afraid they’ll make a mistake or go back to their sin, and the devil will

have his way. But that’s a lie from the pit of hell! The Bible says you

don’t have to be terrified as you walk through this life!



When you hold on to fear, it becomes contagious. Everybody around you catches

it! When Gideon gathered his army, God told him to send home every fearful

soldier: “Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart…. And

there returned of the people twenty and two thousand” (Judges 7:3).



God is speaking the same word to his church today. He is asking, “Why do you

fear? Why do you sin by not trusting me to bring victory to your life? I have

promised to defeat every demonic power that comes against you!”



Gideon’s father, Joash, had erected statues of Baal and the goddess Asherah,

made from huge stones. His reasoning was, “Baal has given Midian power over

us, so maybe if we worship their god, he’ll give us power.” People came

from miles around to worship there, including Midianites and Moabites; it was a

powerful, demonic stronghold in Israel!



God told Gideon, “I’m not going to deliver Israel until you get rid of this

idol that stands between us. Lay it aside—cut it down!” So in the middle of

the night Gideon “took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said

unto him” (Judges 6:27). He took an ox and used ropes to pull down Baal and

Asherah!



God is giving his church today the same message he gave Gideon: “I want to

help you—but I can’t when you don’t trust me. You’re full of fear. And

before I bring deliverance, you’re going to have to pull down this

stronghold, this besetting sin!” “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which

doth so easily beset [you]” (Hebrews 12:1). We are to pull down all

strongholds of fear and sin!



Gideon pulled down demonic strongholds using a strong ox. But we have been

given weapons far more powerful than Gideon’s (see 2 Corinthians 10:4–5).



Victory comes by praying in faith. This doesn’t mean cold, empty prayer but

prayer in the Spirit, prayer that believes God to answer: “Praying always

with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

SOMETIMES WE GROW AND DON’T KNOW IT by David Wilkerson

Some believers can tell you all about their spiritual growth. And you can
clearly see the changes in their lives. They testify to you about how the Holy
Ghost has vanquished the enemy for them, and you rejoice with them in their
victory.

Yet these kinds of Christians are the exception. Most believers are totally
unaware of any spiritual progress in their lives. They pray, read the Bible and
seek the Lord with all their hearts. There's no obstruction to spiritual growth
in them.

But they can't discern any growth in themselves. I'm an example of this type of
believer. I know I walk in the righteousness of Christ, yet I never sense I'm
making progress. In fact, I occasionally get down on myself whenever I do or
say something un-Christlike. It causes me to wonder, "I've been a Christian for
years. Why don't I ever learn?"

I think the Thessalonian Christians were stunned when they heard Paul's glowing
assessment of them (see 2 Thessalonians 1:3). They probably thought, "Me,
growing exceedingly? Paul must be kidding."

Yet Paul knew that spiritual growth is a secret, hidden thing. Scripture likens
it to the unseen growth of flowers and trees: "I will be as the dew unto Israel:
he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches
shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as
Lebanon" (Hosea 14:5–6).

God is telling us, "Go to the lilies! Just try to watch them grow. I'm telling
you by day's end you won't see any growth whatsoever. But know this; I water
the lily every morning with the dew I send—and it's going to grow." The same
is true of most spiritual growth. It's imperceptible to the human eye!

When some people get saved, they never seem to struggle with a besetting sin.
They testify, "The moment I came to Jesus, the Lord took that temptation out of
me. And I've been free ever since." I know many former drug addicts who've had
this experience.

But for multitudes of Christians, it's a different story. Years after their
conversion, an old corruption has broken loose in them—something they hated
and never wanted to see again. Yet no matter how hard they struggle, that one
remaining lust simply won't let go. Over time they grow discouraged. Their soul
cries out, "How long, Lord? When will this chain ever be broken?" And eventually
the devil comes to them, saying, "You'll never make it. You know there's no way
you could grow spiritually in this kind of condition."

Take heart, friend—I've got good news for you. You are growing in the midst
of your struggle! In fact, you may be growing by leaps and bounds because of
your struggle.

Rest assured—if you have the fear of God in your heart, you're going to
emerge from the storm much stronger. You see, when you're doing battle with the
enemy, you're exercising and calling forth all the graces and powers of God. And
even though you may feel weakened, those graces and powers are strengthening
you. For one, you're becoming more urgent in your praying. And, second, you're
being stripped of all pride. So, the storm is actually putting you on
"spiritual guard" in every area of your life!

More Precious Than Gold

The story of Queen Esther is one of intense warfare, one of the greatest
spiritual battles in all of Scripture. The devil was trying to destroy God's
purpose on earth, this time through the evil Haman. This wealthy, influential
man persuaded the king of Persia to declare an edict calling for the death of
every Jew under his rule, from India to Ethiopia.

The first Jew in Haman's sight was righteous Mordecai, Esther's uncle. Haman
had a gallows built especially for Mordecai, but Esther intervened, calling
God's people to prayer and laying her life on the line to countermand Haman's
order. God exposed the wicked scheme, and Haman ended up hanging on his own
gallows. The king not only reversed the death order, but he gave Haman's house
to Esther, an estate worth millions by today's standards.

Yet Haman's mansion wasn't the only spoil taken in this story. Scripture tells
us, "The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour" (Esther 8:16).
These were the true spoils gained in battle with the enemy.

You see, our trials not only gain us spiritual riches, they keep us strong,
pure, under continual maintenance. As we put our trust in the Lord, he causes
our trials to produce in us a faith more precious than gold. "That the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7).

"Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).

Jesus plundered the devil at Calvary, stripping him of all power and authority.
When Christ rose victorious from the grave, he led an innumerable host of
redeemed captives out of Satan's grasp. And that blood-bought procession is
still marching on.

Amazingly, Christ's triumph at Calvary gave us even more than victory over
death. It gained for us incredible spoils in this life: grace, mercy, peace,
forgiveness, strength, faith, all the resources needed to lead an overcoming
life. He has made every provision for the maintaining of his temple: "Christ as
a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3:6).

The Holy Spirit is showing us a marvelous truth here: Jesus has supplied us
with all the resources we need, in his Holy Ghost. But we are responsible for
tapping into that treasury to maintain his temple. And the resources for
maintaining the temple have to come directly from the spoils of our warfare.

Christ has given us everything necessary for this maintenance to take place. He
has adopted us into his household. He stands as the cornerstone of the house and
he has cleaned the entire house. Finally, he has given us access to the very
Holy of Holies. So, by faith, we are now a fully established, complete temple.
Jesus didn't build a house that's only half finished. His temple is complete.

This temple has to be maintained. It must be kept in good repair at all times.
Of course, we know where the resources can be found: in the Spirit of Christ
himself. He is the treasurer of all spoils. Those resources are released when
we see our need and we cooperate with God.

That cooperation begins when we are in the midst of conflict. Our resources are
the Christlikeness we win while immersed in battle. They're the lessons, the
faith, the character we gain from warfare with the enemy. There is value in the
battle. And we can be confident that good will come out of it.

One Minute Before Midnight

ONE MINUTE BEFORE MIDNIGHT

We see in 1 Samuel 13 that Saul faced a crucial moment that every believer must
eventually confront. It is a time of crisis when we're forced to decide whether
we'll wait on God by faith, or get impatient and take matters into our own
hands.

Saul's pivotal moment came when ominous clouds of war were gathering over
Israel. The Philistines had amassed a huge army of horsemen, iron chariots and
legions of soldiers brandishing the latest weapons. By contrast, the Israelites
had only two swords in their entire army—one for Saul and one for his son,
Jonathan. Everyone else had to use makeshift weapons, such as wooden spears or
crude farm tools.

A week earlier Samuel had warned Saul to wait for him at Gilgal before going
into battle. The prophet had said he would arrive after seven days to make the
proper sacrifices to the Lord.

When the seventh day came and Samuel hadn't arrived, Saul's soldiers began to
scatter. Worse, the king didn't have God's direction for battle.

What approach did Saul take? Did he stand firm, declaring, "I don't care if it
takes Samuel eight days to arrive, I'm going to stand on God's Word to me. Live
or die, I will obey his command"? No—Saul panicked. He allowed himself to be
overwhelmed by his circumstances. And he ended up manipulating his way around
God's Word. He ordered the priest who was present to make the sacrifices
without Samuel and in so doing committed a grievous sin against the Lord (see 1
Samuel 13:11–12).

No—God is never too late. All along, the Lord knew each step Samuel was
taking toward Gilgal. He had set the prophet on a heavenly navigation system,
pinpointing his arrival to the very second. Samuel would be there by day seven,
even if it was one minute before midnight.

God has not changed throughout the ages. And he is still concerned with whether
his people obey this command: "Obey the voice of the Lord, and [do not] rebel
against the commandment of the Lord" (1 Samuel 12:15, paraphrased). It doesn't
matter if our lives are spinning out of control—we are to walk in total
confidence in the Lord. Even if things look hopeless, we are not to act in
fear. Rather, we are to wait patiently on him to deliver us, as his Word
promises.

The fact is, God stood right beside Saul as the massive Philistine army pressed
in. He knew the crisis Saul was in and his eye was on every detail.

Our God sees every detail of your crisis. He sees all the life-problems
pressing in on you. And he's fully aware your situation is getting worse daily.
Those who pray and wait on him with calm faith are never in any real danger.
Moreover, he knows all your panicky thoughts: "I don't see how I can ever repay
this debt…I don't have any hope for my marriage…I don't know how I can keep
my job…." Yet his command to you still holds true: "Don't panic or get ahead
of me. You are to do nothing but pray—and rely on me. I honor everyone who
puts his trust in me."

Consider these words God has given to his church: "Without faith it is
impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). "Trust in him at all times; ye
people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8).
"Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield"
(Psalm 115:11). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Unbelief is deadly, its consequences tragic. And we face dire consequences if
we try to extricate ourselves from our trials instead of trusting God to see us
through them.