John 2 recorded Jesus’ first miracle. They were at a wedding but there was no wine. Six waterpots of stone were sitting empty. Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. Verse 2 says that they filled them to the brim. In verse 3 Jesus said, “…Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast…”

The master of the feast tasted the water that was made into wine. He called it good. What ‘empty pot-circumstance’ is in your life? Fill it with Scripture about God’s ability. Don’t get sidetracked by the emptiness. See yourself on the edge of an opportunity. Attentively watch for Him to fill it with His good.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Your empty pot-circumstance is poised for the manifestation of His fullness.

I just love Luke 1:37. It says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Here is a new song. You can move the mountains. You can calm the sea. You can split the skies and rescue me. Nothing is impossible, no nothing at all. You created everything before man’s fall. Though it seems impossible to me. I must remember Who You are as my Savior and King.

You rule in my heart through Your word supreme. I just have to believe-trust for You will faithful be. Nothing is too hard for You, no nothing at all. You delight to strengthen me through trials that reveal Yourself to me.

Your character is forged in me. Your anvil strong and true. You bring me through the fiery trials—my faith refined-secured. Your will is accomplished as I yield to Your hand. My thoughts are united with Your purpose and plans. As I walk in the path You choose You establish my heart. I serve You with thanksgiving and praise. You alone are worthy, O my Lord.

Colossians 1:16-17 says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” All means without exception.

Ephesians 1:4 says, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Proverbs 8 was written about wisdom. 

Verse 22-23 says, “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.” I encourage you to read the whole chapter. I coupled these two verses. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word…” Psalm 119:89 says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.”

I started reading the gospel of John last night. I only got to the first three verses. I stopped to savor my roots. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Psalm 119 is a kaleidoscope of verses that display many names for His word. Here are a few of my favorite anchoring verses. Verse 1 says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the  law of the Lord!” Verse 15 says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.”

Please read this ‘root’ verse carefully. Verse 89 says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” Titus 1:2 says, “In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” 

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Back to John 1:3. It says, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Ephesians 3:19 indicates that it is far more than a mere knowledge of God. It is total immersion through our being a partaker of His nature. Our experiential knowledge conforms our thoughts, purpose, and actions to His will and ways  ~ producing inner transformation.

Romans 1:21 says that they knew God, but they did not glorify Him as God. John 15:1-8 was written about abiding. Verse 5 in the Amplified says, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me (cut off from vital union with Me) you can do nothing.”

Verse 8 says that the result of living in His abundance, bears much fruit that will glorify Him. Intimate communion is drinking in His abundance, dwelling vitally united to Him, so that we can reflect His character to others.

John 10:10 is a verse of contrasts. The thief: comes to destroy. Jesus came to give us abundant life. After reading Luke 24:16 I wrote questions down in my journal. You might ask them of yourself. 

God Himself prevented the two disciples from recognizing Jesus. What restrains me? What blocks me from knowing You? What keeps me from experiencing the abundant life You came to give me?

Abundant life is not circumstances, opportunities, favor, or anything to do with material goods. Immersed means to involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest. Abundant life ~ immersion through our intimate communion with the Lord. It is an essential avenue to knowing Him.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding…” Ephesians 1:18 was part of Paul’s prayer for the church of Ephesus. It says, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know…” Hebrews 5:14 says, “…who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Deception deadens our senses. The Giver of discernment is restrained. 1 Corinthians 12:10 says that the discerning of spirits is a gift from the Holy Spirit given in the moment it is needed.

Therefore, in order to be freed from the chains we have put around our heart, we have to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the root. He will do that when we have a foundation of truth to anchor us ~ as He takes us from our Valley of Trouble, into the wide open door of hope.

It is so easy to blame our shortcomings onto others. We do that when we don’t want to face the truth about our heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” 

Hebrews 3:13 says, “…lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” A deceived person does not know, recognize, and acknowledge that they are deceived. Last night I started to read Luke 24. I only got to verse 16 when the words arrested me.

Jesus had come up to join two of His disciples. They were discussing His death and burial. It says, “But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” What blocks us from knowing the Lord? 2 Peter 1:3-4 says that He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. 

Nothing in our past can hold us captive, except in our thoughts! Nothing. WE chain our own heart to our past through our thoughts. Prisoner’s are chained as they are transported from one location to another.

Jesus’ ministry was stated clearly in Luke 4:18. Here is one part of it ~ He came to set the captives free. What recurring thoughts have chained your heart to your past? Do you have a record of wrongs that play over and over in your mind?

Though this verse was written about Gomer, you can apply this to the troubles from your past. Please read it carefully. Hosea 2:15 says, “…the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there…” The Valley of Achor was a place of trouble for Achan and his family because of his sin. Joshua 7:10-26. Breaking self-chains is all about inner transformation.

Springing ‘Trap-Thoughts’ Part Two

Let me take you back to a startling verse in Acts 8:22 that says, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” The next verse expressed his heart’s captivity. It says, “For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Our thoughts either bind us or free us. Binding thoughts come from inside the snare. Freeing thoughts come from our intimate communion with the Lord. Knowing about the Lord versus experiential knowledge.

Ephesians 3:19 Amplified gives us an excellent template. It says, “(That you may really come) to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)!”