Trusting in Mortality?

Trusting in Mortality?

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

The political and moral chaos which whirls around us promises half-truths, fabrications, discord, disunity, confusion and fear.  Where can we go to learn of that truth that brings clarity from the chaos?

Several days ago, I felt an urging in my spirit to open my Bible, seemingly at random, and simply read where it fell open.  However, nothing orchestrated by the Holy Spirit is random. I found myself at Psalm 146.  If you think the Bible is not relevant for today, please read with me through this Psalm.

Psalm 146:1-2 (NKJV)
^“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!  While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”

The passage begins with an exhortation for us to praise the Lord in our souls.  Our souls are our minds, will and emotions.  It is in the soul that we make choices.  In these verses, we are encouraged to make the choice of praising God.  In English grammar, “I shall” is declarative.  “I will” is emphatic.  We are to make a determination to praise in all  our situations and in spite of our circumstances. We must remember that God enthrones Himself in our praise (Psalm 22:3).

Psalm 146:3-4 (NKJV)
^“Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.”

Even those who have the most power in the earth are mortal, subject to death.  Their plans, likewise, are mortal.  The older and wiser we become, the more we consider the history of our own lives, the more we will understand the ephemeral nature of mortal man and mortal thoughts.  Do we even remember the slogans of the past:  The New Deal, The New Frontier, The War on Poverty, and It’s the Economy, Stupid.  While we endured the hype, many bought into the programs with their votes and the results were negligible.

Psalm 146:5-6 (NKJV)
^“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever.”

We are nearly always disappointed in our elected officials.  Much of the fault lies in us.  We want and expect politicians to meet our needs and insure our happiness.  Even the best governmental programs can meet our needs only on a superficial level.  The programs cannot touch the deeper needs, the needs of our hearts.  Our happiness is in the One who made heaven and earth, the One who made us in His own image. 

He is the one Who executes justice, without bribery, for the oppressed, Who gives both spiritual and physical food to the hungry and freedom to the prisoners trapped in the bondage of sin, hopelessness and negativity.  It is the LORD Who opens the eyes of those who have been blinded by deceit and their own desires. 

Praise the LORD.  He raises those who are bowed down; He loves the righteous because He loves righteousness and not self-righteousness.

The LORD watches over the strangers without pandering for votes; He relieves the fatherless and widow and does not seek to enslave them in hopelessness; But the way of the wicked, He turns upside down (based on Psalm 146:7-9 NKJV).

Just sayin’.

The Warrior Bride

The Warrior Bride

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Judges 4:4-9 (NKJV):  “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand'?"
And Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!"
So she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman."                     Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.”

And together they routed the enemy and sent the enemy captain, Sisera on the run.  Later in Judges 4, we learn the story of Jael.  She invited Sisera into her tent, lulled him to sleep with warm milk and drove a tent peg through his head.

The stories of Deborah and Jael cause me to paraphrase an old song by Nancy Sinatra.  My version:                

"These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do.
Devil, these boots are gonna walk all over you.”

Deborah, a mother in Israel, a judge and a prophetess, and Jael, a nomadic housewife, picture the Church, the Bride of Christ, willing to go into battle to defeat the enemy of our souls.   

Revelation 19:6-8 (NKJV) pictures the Bride of Christ, the Church:
^“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

Notice that the Bride has made herself ready.  Too many of us are sitting on our blessed assurances, whining and waiting to be raptured into glory.  However, we are to engage in His business until He comes. (Luke 13.)  That business includes standing up, speaking out, rebuking the enemy and declaring victory in the name of Jesus.

Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
"Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

The armies of heaven, clothed in righteous, follow the Lord into battle.  The weapon of the Lord is the Word of God.

Church, arise like Deborah and Jael.  Behave righteously, speak the Word of God that declares victory to those who love Him.  Think about this:  If God inhabits the praises of His people, then who inhabits our fearful whining and complaining?

Devil, listen carefully, these boots, these people of God, are gonna walk all over you and your deceit.

Habakkuk--a Voice for Today

Habakkuk--a Voice for Today

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Although the prophet Habakkuk wrote more than 2,600 years ago, his message is pertinent today.  In that day, Israel faced the peril of the Babylonian empire which occupied much of the same area that the terrorist organizations occupy today.  Today, Israel, the United States, and the world face the peril of the terrorism.  Habakkuk’s message should resonate with us in this difficult time.

First, Habakkuk speaks out and questions God.  Habakkuk 1:3-4 (NKJV) “Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”

Habakkuk, like many today, asks why evil seems to be triumphing over good.

God answers.  Habakkuk 1:5 (NKJV) "Look among the nations and watch-- Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

God continues to outline His plan for the defeat of Israel’s enemies. All the powerful nations in that area of the world would fall. History records that Babylon later fell to the Greeks.  God allowed Babylon to rule for only a period of time.

Allow yourself to be encouraged.  The book of Revelation prophesies that in the end times, Babylon, the great harlot representing the worldly, humanistic, secular society will again fall through the intervention of God.

In chapter two, God encourages His people. Habakkuk 2:4 (NKJV) "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

The just shall live by faith, not by fear, whining and complaining.

In the last chapter of the book, Habakkuk describes his vision of the Lord and worships. Habakkuk 3:4-6 (NKJV) “His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden. Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet. He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.”

Because he had come to realize the nature, the majesty, power, authority and faithfulness of God, the prophet declares, Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV) “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls-- Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.”

Is your faith in the One who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and omnibenevolent strong enough to do the same?  

Declaring and Decreeing God’s Protection of and Provision for His People

Declaring and Decreeing God’s Protection of and Provision for His People

Based on Exodus 15:1-21

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

To help us more fully understand declaring and decreeing scripture, I have borrowed liberally from an article by Elizabeth A. Nixon an attorney, author and speaker.  Ms Dixon writes, “The word declare comes from the Hebrew achvah, meaning “to make known” or “to set forth an accounting.” 

“As it pertains to us spiritually, declarations are what we speak into the atmosphere, making known what we already have possession of. We can declare our righteousness, our salvation, our eternal victory and our friendship with God.

“By contrast, decrees are a tool by which we cause the truths of the heavenly realm to be manifest into the natural realm so they become our daily reality. We decree healing when we are sick. We decree provision and abundance when we are lacking. We decree peace when there is turmoil. Decrees are a tool to fulfill Matthew 6:10: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (KJV). Decrees manifest heaven on earth.  

“The English definition of decree is "a statement of truth that carries the authority of a court order…The same is true with decrees in the spiritual realm. When we decree God’s provision and blessings over our lives, then anything purposed against our provision and blessing can have no further say in the matter. When we decree God’s peace and unity in our family, then anything purposed against peace and unity has no valid objection or standing to come against us.

“The biblical context of decrees is that they are the same as the will and purposes of God. Given that serious weight in the spirit, I use only Scriptures as the basis for decrees. Often we can get our own idea of how things could or should be, but it is not uncommon for the way God unfolds His plans to look different than what we expect.

“ Decreeing our own vision can create confusion. Decreeing His will establishes His purpose. … Decreeing Scripture releases God’s purposes into our lives without creating confusion or blinding us to His ways. 

“The spiritual ramifications are stunning. We see here that when we decree, we:

1. speak God’s blessings upon our lives,

2. institute the very will and purposes of God,

3. separate and destroy the plans of the enemy,

4. impose a judgment the enemy cannot oppose. 

That is the power of decrees![i]”

Moses and the children sang a song of declaration and decree after their miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea. Their song becomes our example. We declare the victories of the past and the truth that God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Therefore, we decree that even in this world of chaos and terror, He is our Deliverer.

Our declaration and decree based on Exodus 15:1-21:

I sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!

The LORD is our strength and song.   He is our salvation; He is our God, and we praise Him; our fathers God, and we exalt Him.
Adonai is a man of war; The LORD is His name.
Your right hand, O LORD, is glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, will break the enemy into pieces.

In the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You;

Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.
The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the enemies who dwell among us.
Then the chiefs of terrorism will be dismayed; the mighty men of Isis, trembling will take hold of them; they will melt away.
Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as a stone, until Your people pass over, O LORD, untill the people pass over whom You have purchased.
You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made for Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established.
 "The LORD shall reign forever and ever."

We will sing to the LORD, “For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!"  Those who created terror and chaos will trembled before our God.

---

[i] http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/prayer/19877-are-you-decreeing-and-declaring-in-your-prayers

Jesus, Beautiful Redeemer

Jesus, Beautiful Redeemer
By Lonnie C. Crowe

Jesus, beautiful Redeemer, 
You who bore the agony of Calvary,
Pierced by the thorns,
Scourged,
Wounded,
Forsaken,
Reviled.

Your passion paid sin’s price.
Your death opened the veil.
Your tomb is the key to freedom
From death and the grave.
Your resurrection sealed our covenant
with the Father.

Your return will be the culmination of creation,
The restoration of Eden,
The doorway to eternity.
You are the way, the truth and the life.

Contending Earnestly for the Faith

Contending Earnestly for the Faith

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Jude 1:1-2 (NKJV):  “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”

Jude was living in a time much like our own time, a time much like every other time.  He brings a message of hope to all those who have answered the call of God, have accepted sanctification and know that they are secure in the covenant sealed by Jesus on Calvary. 

Jude 1:3-4 (NKJV) “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As it was in the first century, so it is in the twenty-first.  Wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing have crept into the Church bringing humanistic doctrines that seek to obfuscate the purity of the gospel with humanistic philosophies and secular psychologies that place man as the supreme authority over himself and that declare the Word of God as out of date and out of step.

Continuing in Jude:  Jude 1:8 (NKJV) “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.”   Jude could have come the same conclusion while watching all the political falderal on a television news show, any television news show.

Furthermore: Jude 1:16-19 (NKJV) “These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”

Therefore, we must contend for the faith without walking in condemnation. Jude 1:20-23 (MSG) “But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven. “ 

 Christians must repent of individual sin and then for the sins of the previous generations in their families.  American cannot be healed until individuals are healed.  Healing will come as more  people trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.

It seems to me that  time and again when we confess our sins, we confess only the behaviors associated with the sin.  We are not aware that sin is rooted in our mindsets and our attitudes.  We must ask God to reveal to us the sinful root of our behaviors.  Many times that root is fear.  Fear leads to doubt and doubt to mistrusting the guidance of the Lord and settling for the guidance of the secular world.

Unfortunately, many times only questionable people are willing to run for office.  We should vote even when we don’t like any of the candidates.  We must ask the Lord for guidance and vote for those who are most likely to stand for Christian values. Moreover, we need born again, Bible believing Christians in every level of government. 

 

It is the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that will lead believers into repentance and  then into actions that will deliver the fruit of the spirit into our culture.  The first fruit of spirit is love that transcends our situation.

 Jude 1:24-25 (NKJV) “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” 

Dancing in the Rain

Dancing in the Rain

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Someone posted the following on Facebook, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass.  It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” 

In the midst of the deepest storms of our lives, often the most comfort and peace arise from the joy that emerges in remembering the good times, the times of building relationships, of filling our arms and our hearts with new life, of recognizing the artistry of our Creator in the sunrise, the gathering clouds, and the changing of the seasons.  The rain of sorrow is lessened in the moments of sunshine that peep through.  In those moments, even though our hearts are breaking, our spirits dance in the rhythm with the joy of our Lord.

He is Lord in the valleys as well as on the mountain tops.  He dances with us in the slow, intimate waltz that comforts and heals.  It is in the “slow dance” that we fall in love.  It is in the “fast dance” that we celebrate that love. 

We are the Bride of Christ.  In our dance with him, the Bridegroom leads and we, the Bride, must learn to follow His every movement.   As we dance, our intimacy grows and our broken hearts find His healing and His joy.  In His joy, we find our strength to continue. (Nehemiah 8:10)

The Bible speaks much about dancing in celebration of our Lord:  Psalm 149:2-3 (NKJV)

“²  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. ³  Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.”

Psalm 150:4 (NKJV):  “⁴  Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!”

Because of the vicissitudes of life, we experience all the times Solomon beautifully described in Ecclesiastes 3.  When we allow Him to, God brings us through those seasons of life.  While we experience seasons of weeping, we are to experience also seasons of laughter.  When we follow our Lord in the dance, a time of mourning will lead into times of dancing, both the dance of intimacy and the dance of celebration.

From my play Dancing in the Cosmos:

“CHORUS ONE: Truth Seeker took the hand of Eternal Hope and moved with Him to the music of the worshipers.  The sensation in her heart found fulfillment in the dance of her Beloved. She moved with Him across the valleys and above the mountain tops. 

CHORUS TWO:  The music became the music of the galaxies.  The stars sang with them as they danced within the Milky Way, out beyond the evening star, beyond the Pleiades and the might hunter, Orion.

TRUTH SEEKER:    Eternal Hope, are there pathways and journeys beyond this one? Will there be other rivers to cross? Others to whom I will be vessel of Your love?  Will there be other dances?

ETERNAL HOPE:  Yes, My seeker of truth, there will be other journeys and other rivers.  Each one you overcome will bring you higher and deeper into Me.  Your destiny, and the destiny of all others, is to climb higher and higher, to cross over and over, to find greater and greater Joy, to come to know Me even as I know you.

TRUTH SEEKER:    How many journeys?  How many conquests?  For how long?

ETERNAL HOPE:  As many as will fit into eternity.  Are you willing still to journey with Me?”

We receive comfort and healing in the knowledge that as the storm continues, so does the dance. In spite of our tears, we can choose to dance in the rain.