Choices are for the Living

Choices are for the Living

Ignorance is running rampant in the body of Christ.  I believe many of Christians have patterned themselves after the world.  What is the typical pattern of the world?  Get up, get dressed, get a bite to eat, get coffee, and get going.  There is not enough desire to get Jesus.  The pattern of this world, and many Christians who live in it, just do not make Jesus a priority in their lives.  I watched an Oprah show several years ago.  A man came on her show to reveal the truth about why men act the way they act when it came to dating.  He deflated all the myths of the social scene by letting the women ask him questions as he openly and honestly answered them and who better to do this than a man who proclaimed to be womanizer at one time in his life.  One of the ladies from the audience asked "at the end of the date why do men say they will call you but never do?"   Another lady asked, “Why is it after dating a man for three years he is still not ready for a commitment?”  "How come my boyfriend never takes me out in public?" Several more questions were asked, but they all received the same answer, plain and simple -- the men aren’t into you that much.  Readers, Can I say here lies the problem with some of us, we are just not into Jesus that much not unless we need something. Isn’t that how some men act towards women or women act towards men?  Have we become God-izers? We turn to God only if we want something.  Joshua 7: 10, “The Lord said to Joshua, Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?”  He was on his face because he had lost a sure win do to sin in the camp.  Achan had sinned he kept some of the devoted things after God had told him not to. Achan had stolen and lied and God needed Joshua to stand up and deal with it instead of tearing his clothes face down in the dirt whining.   Readers, “Stand up” and do the work the Lord has told you to do if there is sin in the camp deal with.  Stop making excuses, stop tearing your clothes and throwing dirt in your face begging God to help you. Stop being drug around like a rag doll, pick yourself up and stand naked before your God and let Him clothe you with His Glory, wisdom, mercy and love. God’s answer is to stand when you have done all you can do, stand according to Ephesians 6:13-14.  
Colossians 2:15, “and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”  I would like for us to pay close attention to the word “spoiled” This word is taken from the Greek word apekdusamenos, and it is referring to the act of stripping off your garments down to bare nakedness.  The Holy Spirit is saying I have stripped the principalities and powers of Satan down to nakedness there is nothing hidden in the darkness; all his tricks can be seen.  What is not hidden is revealed and what is revealed can be conquered. Bear in mind being in the dark activates all your other senses, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. 

There will be times when you are in a war that you may feel like you’re in darkness, but that’s when you’ll be able to smell the frank sense of victory, taste the myrrh of forgiveness, hear the sounds of the trumpet blow, and feel the presence of Jesus.  Remember you are not alone even if the darkness tries to hold you captive; it’s in that moment when the light invades the darkness you’ll realize Jesus was standing beside you all along. Are you a God-izer? Are you into Him enough to get the sin out of your camp and stand? Choices are for living - smell the victory

Michele Davenport

For prayer or questions please feel free to email me at my new address fbmin02@gmail.com

To order my book “Ripened on the Vine”, a true story about my one girls journey to find Vertical Faith in the midst of abuse. 

choices are for the Living

Choices are for the Living

2 Corinthians 5:11-14 (Message Bible), “That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure.  It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in the place of Judgment.  That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God.  God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and how deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you.  We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you.  Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes.  His love has the first and last word in everything we do.”

Wow! Readers, What an awesome statement of truth; “If I acted crazy I did it for God, if I acted overly serious I did it for you.  Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes.”  I do believe this is what we need in the body of Christ, a move of extreme love, a crazy kind of love that moves us to be as serious about death as we are about life.  We spend much time preparing to live, planning, doing, and going, but what about death?  I  can hear some of you now getting all theological on me,” Michele you know as believers we really don’t ever die.” What I mean about death is the transition from this life to the next. Do we really care about the people who might not be going vertical?  Love must compel us it must move us to extremes.  When was the last time you told someone about Christ that was not already attending church?  When was the last time you acted crazy for your God? I don’t mean straight jacket crazy I mean out of your comfort level crazy. What might be crazy for me might not be crazy for you.  For an example I just finished teaching a bible study, “Outlive your Life,” by Max Lucado, the main focused was on the footprints we’re  leaving behind, and doing all things unto God. The point of our life is to point to His.  One of the examples in the book was; go to your local laundry mat and pay for people’s laundry, and fellowship with those we call strangers but whom the Lord calls His children. The mission is called, “Laundry Love.” “If I acted crazy, I did it for God.”  Church, isn’t it time we get a little crazy for Christ? Isn’t it time we get serious about Heaven?  You might be saying I am serious about heaven.  I have been serving God most of my life.  I mean get serious about other people going to heaven.  I mean letting Christ’s love move you to extremes.   

photo credit storypoint.info

Some of you are waiting on a word from God before you step a foot in the Jordan. Joshua 3:8 "When you reach the edge of the waters, "GO" and stand in the river." According to the NKJV God has told you 1487 times to "GO"!! What are you waiting on? When you start to "GO" the waters will stand in a heap. You don’t think this was crazy?  It was the rainy season, the Jordan was swelled high above the normal river size, but the priest obeyed. As they stuck one foot in the water the water stood up on its head. Wow!  What a great example of what God will do if we will pick up the ark of the covenant, which represented God’s presence and ,”GO”.  Love crazy for God, get serious about Vertical faith, and let Christ’s love move you to the extremes. Choices are for the living.

Michele Davenport

Dipping my toe in the Jordan expecting a miracle.

For prayer or praise reports please email me at my new email fbmin02@gmail.com

To order my book, “Ripened on the Vine,” true stories of my life or to listen to my teaching on, “Vertical Faith,” go to our web page www.fbministries.com

Choices are for the Living

Choices are for the Living

Luke 8:22-25, “One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into the boat and set out.  As they sailed, he fell asleep.  A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.  The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”  He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked His disciples.  In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this?” He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.”

As I was pondering the scriptures above I noticed some obvious facts. The first fact I noticed was Jesus gave the disciples a word in verse 22, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” The second fact that caught my eye was, they obeyed. “So they got into the boat and set out.”  But it was when they got into the boat their faith was challenged, “As they sailed He (Jesus) fell asleep.  A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.”  Readers, sometimes its right after we make a decision to obey we find our greatest challenge.  After they were in great danger I noticed in verse 24, their faith was perishing, “The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Master, Master we’re going to drown.” Wow!  In the middle of their challenge they panic.  Jesus got up rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm fell asleep and all was calm according to verse 25.  Then Jesus looked at them and asked, “Where is your faith?” Still in verse 25, “In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the wind and the water, and they obey Him.”

photo credit - deafministries.com

 “Who is this?”  Remember they said this after Jesus had cast out a demon, heals Peter’s mother in law, provides a miraculous catch of fish, heals a man of leprosy, heals a paralyzed man, and heals a man’s hand that was shriveled up.  I know that Jesus didn’t pick the twelve until Luke 6 but they were certainly a witness to the astonishing acts of Jesus.  Then Jesus teaches about loving your enemies, criticizing others, fruit, and building your house.  Now I could leave it at this and it would be enough but there is more. After Jesus’ incredible teaching He raised a widow’s son from the dead, eases John’s doubt, teaches about the four soils, describes His true family, which is those who hear God’s Word and puts it to practice.  Lastly, Jesus calms the storm and its right after this when our eyes fall upon those famous words, “Who is this?”

  I remember a time when the doctors came to my husband and I and told us our oldest daughter had a rare blood disorder, that her blood was the blood of a dying child.  The Lord gave us a word through the prophet Isaiah, “And by His wounds we are healed.”  Then we stepped into the boat.  But as life would have it our faith was challenged, the doctors kept performing one test after another, but we refused to panic because our mentality was not “Who is this?”   Our mentality was we know who our God is He is Johavoah Jirah; my provider, Johovah Rapha; the Lord that heals, El Elyon; the most high, Johovah Shalom; the Lord is peace, Johovah Mekoddishkem;  the Lord who sanctifies you and Johovah Shammah; the Lord is there.   Listen Readers, we better know who God is and the power He carries through His name.  Many of you are going through your own trails even as your reading my column, but may I say to you; “Get a word from God, get in the boat, refuse to waiver, don’t panic, and watch your God calm the storm".

 Choices are for the Living

Hanging my red cord out the window so others can be saved

Michele Davenport

If you have a prayer request or questions please go to my new email fbmin02@gmail.com if you want to order my books “Ripened on the Vine”, a true story about my life, or “From My Heart to Yours Devotional” go to www.fbministries.com