Category: Mourning

How to Have a Heart for Jesus (Insights in NT)

6/9/2013

In order to have a heart for Jesus, mourn Him as the Almighty ruler who freed you from sins, respond to His testimony in your life, hear His word and take seriously the events written in Revelation.

Mourn Jesus as Almighty Ruler Who Freed You from Sins to Serve God
John received a revelation of Jesus through God's word and Christ's testimony concerning what would take place. Blessed was the one who read, heard and took to heart what was written. The seven churches in Asia received grace and peace from Him who is, who was and who is to come, and from Jesus Christ, faithful witness, first-born from the dead and ruler of the earth's kings. He loved, freed them from their sins by His blood and were made into a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father. Every eye saw and mourned Jesus who is, who was, and who is to come in the clouds as the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty (Rev. 1:1-8). Mourn Jesus as the Almighty ruler who freed you from sins to serve God and will come back in the clouds.

Respond to Jesus' Testimony After Seeing His Eyes Like a Blazing Fire
John endured suffering on the island of Patmos because of the word of God the and testimony of Jesus. He wrote on a scroll what he saw and sent it to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. John saw seven golden lampstands and among them was someone like a son of man dressed in a robe with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool and snow. His eyes were like blazing fire (Rev. 1:9-14). Respond to Jesus' testimony after seeing His robe, head, hair and eyes like a blazing fire.

Hear Jesus' Word as Double-Edged Sword
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. He held seven stars in his right hand and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (Rev. 1:15-16). Hear Jesus' word as double-edged sword seeing His feet and face along with hearing His voice like the sound of rushing waters.

Take to Heart Jesus as Living One in Past, Present and Future Events
John fell at His feet as though dead and Jesus placed his right hand on him. He said to not fear as He was the First and the Last, the Living One, was dead, now alive eternally and held the keys of death and Hades. Jesus said to write what he saw, what was now and what will take place later. The seven stars were the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands were the seven churches (Rev. 1:17-20). Take to heart Jesus as Living One who holds the keys of death and Hades in past, present and future events.

Take time to mourn Jesus who freed you from sin. Consider how Jesus made Himself known in your life. Listen to His word in Scripture. Take to heart the events revealed in the book of Revelation.

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Equip Spiritually Healthy People to Disciple the Needy (Insights in Prophets)

4/28/2013

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In order to equip spiritually healthy people to disciple the needy, grow nations with inter-generational mentoring by encouraging families to mourn over sin that motivates prayer, transform young people into spiritual jewels who attract others through family and friend accountability for character development, and develop model cities so other nations seek God as king over every area of life.

Develop Model Cities So Other Nations Seek God
God told Zechariah He was jealous and dwelt in Jerusalem, called the City of Truth and Holy Mountain. Both old and young people sat in the streets enjoying themselves. God would bring people from various nations to live, build the temple in Jerusalem and be a blessing as they experienced fruitfulness. Instead of fear, they loved truth and experienced peace with one another and in the courts. The inhabitants of many cities came to Jerusalem to seek God. Ten men from all languages and nations would say to one Jew, "Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you" (Zech. 8:1-23). Develop model cities so other nations seek God and His truth.

Transform Young People Into Spiritual Jewels Who Attract Others
The word of the Lord was against Hadrach and His eye was on all mankind. He would remove Tyre's possessions and destroy her power on the seas causing surrounding nations to fear. Foreigners occupied Ashdod and God destroyed the Philistines' pride. Those left became Judah's leaders and He defended His house against enemy oppression. Zechariah prophesied that Jesus would come on a donkey bringing righteousness and salvation. God destroyed Ephraim's chariots and Jerusalem's war-horses. He proclaimed peace, extended His rule and freed prisoners across the world.
God saved them as His flock to sparkle like jewels in a crown, being attractive and beautiful. Grain and new wine made young men and women thrive, respectively (Zech. 9:1-17). Transform young people into thriving spiritual jewels attracting others as you proclaim Christ.

Grow Nations with Inter-Generational Mentoring
Zechariah said to ask God for rain in springtime to grow plants. Idols spoke deceit and diviners told false dreams that gave vain comfort. People wandered like sheep and were oppressed without a shepherd. God's anger burned against the shepherds. He cared for Judah to make them like a proud horse in battle. Judah brought the cornerstone, tent peg, battle bow and every ruler to be like mighty men trampling the muddy streets in battle. God strengthened, saved and restored Judah with compassion. The Ephraimites became like mighty men with glad hearts influencing their children to rejoice in God. He strengthened them in the Lord to walk in His name (Zech. 10:1-12). Grow nations in Christ with inter-generational mentoring.

Equip Spiritually Healthy People to Disciple the Needy
Zechariah said to hear the shepherds wailing because the lack of spiritually mature people led to the destruction of rich pastures. He handed them over to his neighbor and king who pastured the flock marked for slaughter hoping to become rich. He shepherded the oppressed of the flock with two staffs called Favor and Union. In one month he got rid of three shepherds. He broke the staff called Favor revoking the covenant made with the nations. The afflicted of the flock paid him 30 pieces of silver and he threw it into the house of the Lord to the potter. He then broke his second staff called Union breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The took again the foolish shepherd's equipment who did not care for the lost, seek the young, heal the injured or feed the healthy but ate the choice sheep. He pronounced woe to render the worthless shepherd powerless because he deserted the flock (Zech. 11:1-17). Equip spiritually healthy people to disciple the needy with compassion and unity.

Encourage Families Mourning Over Sin to Motivate Prayer
God was going to make Jerusalem an immovable rock before all nations. He would make Judah's leaders like a firepot in a woodpile and flaming torch among sheaves to destroy all nations that attacked them. God poured out on the house of David and Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They would look, mourn and grieve bitterly over the one they pierced. Great weeping in Jerusalem occurred clan by clan with their wives (Zech. 12:1-14). Encourage families to mourn their sin so God can pour out grace and intercession.

Design Family and Friend Accountability for Character Development
On that day, a fountain was opened to the house of David and Jerusalem that cleansed them from sin and banished idols from the land. God removed the prophets and spirit of impurity from the land with accountability to parents. Every false prophet admitted he deceived others and received wounds from his friends. God purified the one-third left as a remnant through fire. He refined them like silver and tested them like gold. They called on His name and He answered them as His people (Zech. 13:1-9). Design family and friend accountability for character development.

Worship God as King Over Every Area of Life for Fruitfulness
Plunder was divided in the day of the Lord. Nations fought and captured Jerusalem with half going into exile and the rest remaining. The Lord fought against those nations and His feet stood on the Mount of Olives splitting it in two from east to west, forming a great valley. They would flee without daytime or nighttime. Living water would flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea in summer and winter. The Lord would be king over the whole earth. Jerusalem would be inhabited, never again destroyed. The nations who fought against Jerusalem would have their flesh, eyes and tongue rot. They had great panic and attacked each other. The nations collected their wealth, worshiped the King yearly in Jerusalem and celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles to prevent the plague of no rain. Every person and article would be holy to the Lord (Zech. 14:1-21). Worship God as king over every area of life for fruitfulness.

In order to equip spiritually healthy people to disciple the needy, do the following:
1. Grow nations in Christ with inter-generational mentoring
2. Encourage families to mourn over sin that motivates prayer
3. Transform young people into spiritual jewels who attract others
4. Design family and friend accountability for character development
5. Develop  model cities so other nations seek God and His truth
6. Worship God as king over every area of life

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Steps to Bringing Life to Your City (Insights in Prophets)

4/12/2013

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To bring life to your city, sound the alarm for a sacred assembly so the body of Christ mourns and prays as it returns to a loving God who removes the world's scorn, provides provision to restore life and removes shame. Expect God to pour out His Spirit through prophesies, dreams and visions bringing deliverance, judgment, freedom and life in your city among those who call upon Him.

Declare a Sacred Assembly To Mourn and Cry Out to God
God told Joel to have various generations share what the locusts ate. He asked the drunkards to wake up and weep because of the wine. A powerful nation invaded God's land with teeth of a lion to ruin vines and fig trees. They mourned like a virgin grieving for her husband. Priests mourned since grain and drink offerings were cut off. Because the fields were ruined and harvest destroyed, farmers and vine growers grieved. The joy of people withered away. Joel commanded those who ministered before God to spend the night in sackcloth because offerings were withheld from the house of God. Priests were to declare a fast and sacred assembly for elders and everyone to cry out to the Lord. The day of the Lord grew near like destruction from the Almighty. Food and granaries dried up, fire devoured the open pastures and burned the trees (Joel 1:1-20). Declare a sacred assembly for everyone to mourn and cry out to God since the economy was destroyed.

Sound the Alarm to Pray Before Destruction
Joel said to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm since the day of the Lord was close. It was a day of darkness and gloom like dawn spreading across the mountains. Before the massive army, fire devoured the land into a desert waste. Nations were in anguish when the army plunged through defenses without breaking ranks as it rushed upon the city. The sun and moon were darkened. The day of the Lord was great and dreadful. Who could endure it? (Joel 2:1-11). Sound the alarm to pray before destruction comes upon your land.

Return To a Loving God to Stop the World's Scorn of the Church
God said to return to Him with all their heart in fasting, weeping and mourning. God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He could leave a blessing with grain and drink offerings offered to Him. Blow a trumpet, declare a holy fast and call a sacred assembly to bring elders, people and children together. Priests were to weep between the temple porch and altar to prevent God from making His inheritance an object of scorn among the nations asking, "Where is their God?" (Joel 2:12-17). Return to a loving God with weeping, fasting and prayer to stop the world's scorn of the church.

Praise God for Provision to Restore Life and Remove Shame
The Lord was jealous for His land, took pity on His people and sent grain and riches to satisfy them. In not making them an object of scorn to the nations again, He drove the northern army far from them. God told them to not fear, but rejoice in Him who did great things. He gave them a teacher for righteousness, sent abundant showers, filled the threshing floors with grain and overflowed their vats with new wine and oil. He repaid them for the years the locusts ate. They had plenty to eat and praised God who worked wonders for them. His people would never again be shamed knowing God was in Israel as their Lord (Joel 2:18-27). Praise God for His generous provision to restore life and remove shame.

Expect God to Pour Out His Spirit and Multiply Deliverance
Afterward, God would pour out His Spirit on everyone so sons and daughters prophesied, old men dreamt dreams and young men saw visions. He even poured out His Spirit on male and female servants. God showed wonders in the heavens and earth with blood, fire, sun turned to darkness and moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Everyone who called on the Lord would be saved. Deliverance came in Mount Zion and Jerusalem among whom God called (Joel 2:28-32). Expect God to pour out His Spirit through prophesies, dreams and visions bringing deliverance among those who call upon Him.

Expect God's Judgment to Free People From the World
In those days, God restored the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem when He gathered and judged all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. They scattered His people among the nations, divided up His land, casted lots for His people, traded boys for prostitutes and sold girls for wine so they might drink. Were Tyre, Sidon and Philistia repaying God for something He did? If so, God would return it back on their heads since they carried His silver, gold and finest treasures to their temples. They sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks where they were sent far from their homeland. God roused them from the places they were sold and returned on their heads what they did. He sold their children to Judah who sold them to the Sabeans (Joel 3:1-8). Expect God to judge the nations so He could free His people from the world system.

Trust God as Refuge and Stronghold to Bring Life to Your City
Joel told the nations to prepare for war, rouse the warriors for battle, beat plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears. God judged the wicked nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The day of the Lord was near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon were darkened and stars no longer shined. The Lord would roar from Zion as a refuge and stronghold for Israel. God dwelled in His holy hill with foreigners never invading Jerusalem again. In that day, mountains dripped new wine, hills flowed with milk and Judah's ravines ran with water. A fountain flowed out of the Lord's house and watered the valley of acacias. Egypt and Edom were desolate because they shed innocent blood in Judah. Judah and Jerusalem would be inhabited forever. God pardoned their bloodguilt (Joel 3:9-21). Trust God as a refuge and stronghold to bring life to your city.

Will you sound the alarm for a sacred assembly in your city?
Are you mourning, fasting and calling upon a loving God?
Do you desire to see God stop the world's scorn of the church?
Are you calling upon God for provision to restore life and remove shame in your life and the church?
Are you calling upon God to pour out His Spirit through increased prophesies, dreams and visions?
Are you calling upon God to bring deliverance and life into your city?

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Mourn Over Your City (Insights in Prophets)

12/7/2012

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What can you do when families, churches and cities are breaking apart? It begins with mourning over your situation. Mourn until you love your family, church and city like a nursing child does with his mother. Remember that God continually reveals Himself even when you are pursuing your own thing. Pursue the cultural mandate in seeking God's blessings in practical areas of life (health, housing, work, economy and family life) and the spiritual mandate to make disciples in all the nations realizing that those without Christ will go to a place where the "worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched."

The preparation for this work is seen in Isaiah 61-64 where it instructs you to preach good news to heal captives and pray intensely day and night laying hold of God’s name in asking for His help to transform your family, church and city.

God Continually Reveals Himself
God revealed Himself to those who did not seek Him. He held out His hands to a people who pursued their own imaginations, burned incense on altars of brick, ate unclean meat and asked God to stay away. He punished them for their sin and their fathers' sin. He brought descendants from Jacob and Judah who sought Him so they could possess and inherit His mountains. He killed those who forsook the Lord when they spread a table for Fortune and filled bowls of mixed wine for Destiny (Is. 65:1-12). God continually reveals Himself to you but judges those who forsake Him,

Seek God's Blessing (Cultural Mandate)
God said His servants ate, drank, rejoiced and sang but they went hungry with anguish of heart and broken in spirit. He gave His servants another name. They invoked a blessing in the land by the God of truth who forgot past troubles. He created a new heavens and new earth where former things were not remembered. God created Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. He rejoiced over Jerusalem and delighted in His people who no longer wept. Infants did not die and the elderly lived to an old age. They built and lived in houses while planting and eating the fruit of vineyards so they enjoyed the works of their hands instead of others. They did not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune but became a people blessed by God. The wolf and lamb fed together, the lion ate straw like the ox and the serpent ate dust (Is. 65:13-25). Seek God's blessing in all practical areas of life to transform the environment.

Respond to God's Word Humbly
The Lord said heaven was His throne and the earth His footstool, but asked where they would build His house and resting place since He made everything. God esteemed the humble in spirit who trembled at His word. Those who worshiped an idol chose and delighted in their own ways leading to harsh treatment and dread. When He called no one answered and when He spoke no one listened (Is. 66:1-4). Respond to God's word with a humble heart.

Mourn Over Your City
Those who trembled at His word were hated and excluded by their brothers because of His name. They were put to shame when God repaid His enemies. While Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children like a country born in a day. Those who mourned over Jerusalem should rejoice and love her. They nursed and were satisfied at her comforting breasts while delighting in her overflowing abundance (Is. 66:5-11). Mourn over your city until you love her like a nursing child.

Receive Peace, Wealth and Comfort
God extended peace to Jerusalem like a river and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream. He comforted them over Jerusalem like a mother with her child. God revealed Himself to His servants and judged His enemies with flames of fire (Is. 66:12-16). Receive peace, wealth and comfort when God reveals Himself and judges your enemies.

Make Disciples in All Nations (Spiritual Mandate)

All nations and tongues saw His glory. God sent some to the nations of Tarshish, Libya, Lydia, Tubal, Greece and distant islands who had not heard of His fame or seen His glory. They proclaimed His glory among the nations. They brought all their brothers from all nations to His holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to Him like grain offerings. God selected some as priests and Levites (Is. 66:12-21). Make disciples in all nations by proclaiming His glory and equipping disciplemakers.

Consider Eternal Outcome
Their name endured like the new heavens and new earth. All mankind bowed down to God in every season. They looked upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Him. Their worm did not die and their fire was not quenched so all mankind would be disgusted (Is. 66:22-24). Consider the eternal outcome of those who rebel against God.

Do you believe that people are eternally separated from God if they don't have Jesus Christ? Are you grieving over the devastation you see in families, churches and cities? Then mourn until it motivates you to pray. Gather others to pray with you. Then watch what God will do in raising up disciples among various niches and cultural spheres!

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How to Respond to Great Personal or Family Loss (Insights in Psalms)

9/9/2012

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Bitterness is a habit that can seriously hinder our spiritual journey. When life becomes difficult, when it doesn't seem as if God is providing for our needs, when we're not getting what we want when we want it, we have a decision to make. We can hold onto our faith and trust that God has an answer in mind, or we can gripe and moan and complain and let our souls become embittered. Expecting an oasis, but finding a bitter stream? Don't lose sight of the grace of God." - (Beside A Quiet Stream by Penelope J. Stokes)

God is involved in the bitter reality of life. We learn much from Job on how to respond to great personal or family loss such as death, divorce, sickness, rebellion, unemployment, etc.

Job was blameless, feared God and turned away from evil in the land of Uz. As the greatest man of the east, he had seven sons, three daughters, many animals and servants. His sons held a feast regularly in each of their houses where they invited their sisters. After each feast, Job rose up early to offer burnt offering to purify them in case his sons sinned and cursed God in their hearts. One day Satan came with the angels to present themselves before God. Satan told God he was roaming through the earth going back and forth. God boasted about Job's righteousness and Satan replied that God put a hedge around his household and possessions while blessing the work of his hands. Job would curse God if He struck all that he had. God said everything Job had was in Satan's power but could not put forth his hand upon him (Job 1:1-12). Pray for purity in your children's lives while recognizing God's sovereignty over Satan's activities.

On the day when his children were feasting in their oldest brother's house, Job learned in succession that his servants were killed by the Sabeans, fire from heaven burned up the sheep and consumed his servants, Chaldeans carried off the camels, and great wind struck the house and killed all his children. Job arose, fell to the ground and worshiped saying, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job did not sin or blame God (Job 1:13-22). Accept prosperity and adversity from God without blaming Him.

On another day the angels came with Satan to present themselves before the Lord. The Lord said his servant Job was a blameless man who feared God and maintained his integrity even though Satan tried to ruin him without cause. Satan said Job would curse God if He touched his bone and flesh. The Lord said Satan could do anything except kill Job (Job 2:1-6). Maintain integrity in every circumstance even when it makes no sense.

Satan afflicted Job with painful sores over his whole body. His wife said that God should curse God and die instead of holding fast to his integrity. Job told his "foolish" wife, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:7-10). Do not blame God during great trials.

When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite heard about Job's troubles, they agreed to come and comfort him. They wept when they saw Job from a distance. They sat down on the ground and mourned with Job for seven days with no one speaking after seeing his great pain (Job 2:11-13). Accept comfort from others if they mourn without speaking.

Afterward Job cursed the day of his birth wishing he had not been born. He wished that day had turned to darkness with blackness overwhelming its light. Job would be hidden from trouble if God shut his mother's womb. He considered that dying at birth would bring peace and rest. Captives who died were at ease and free from hearing the slave driver's shout (Job 3:1-19). Express transparently your feelings and thoughts of what it would be like if you had not been born.

Job asked why light was given to those in misery who longed for death. Why was life given to the bitter of soul who rejoiced when they died or those God hedged in without revealing His purpose. Job's groans poured out like water. What he feared and dreaded came upon him. He had no peace, quietness or rest but only turmoil (Job 3:20-26). Groan freely about your bitter feelings and turmoil.

Consider the following actions when you experience great personal and family loss in your life:
1. Pray for purity in your children's lives while recognizing God's sovereignty over Satan's activities
2. Accept prosperity and adversity from God without blaming Him
3. Maintain integrity in every circumstance even when it makes no sense
4. Do not blame God during great trials
5. Accept comfort from others if they mourn without speaking
6. Express transparently your feelings and thoughts of what it would be like if you had not been born
7. Groan freely about your bitter feelings and turmoil

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From Mourning to Significance (insights in Law)

10/21/2010

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When my mother and father died within five months of each other in Aug. 2006 and Jan. 2007, I mourned deeply over the loss. I still remember them everyday. The grieving process reminded me the brevity of life and greater realization to be about our Father's business. Time is short. Only what's done for Christ will last (John 9:4). Is anything more significant than that?

Abraham provides a great example of mourning loss through the death of his wife, Sarah. After she died, Abraham wept and mourned for her (Gen. 23:2).

Once Abraham acknowledged he was a stranger and sojourner, he then asked for a burial site to bury his wife out of sight. God gives you time for mourning as you process the truth that earth is not your true home. There's a time to mourn and weep over death of loved ones and a time to move forward with life. This applies not only to death of loved ones, but your heart surrender to God of what's most precious to you like Abraham's with Isaac (Gen. 22:2; 23:4).

Because sons of Heth respected Abraham, they allowed him to bury Sarah in a choice grave, which included a field and cave. Abraham paid the full price of 400 shekels of silver after negotiations. Paying market price for needed services provides a good testimony of your Christian faith. Two-way respectful relationships of mutual give-and-take with community leaders allows you to accomplish kingdom of God objectives (Gen. 23:5-16).

God provides the time to weep, time to laugh, time to mourn and time to dance (Eccl. 3:4). Abraham illustrated the truth of 1 Peter 2:11-12 as he saw himself as an alien and stranger on earth and abstained from fleshly lusts to keep his behavior excellent among the Gentiles so God could be glorified.

Memorize and mediate on 1 Peter 2:11-12. What loss or sin must you mourn and then surrender to God so He can be glorified in your life?

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How to Have a Heart for Jesus (Insights in NT)

Equip Spiritually Healthy People to Disciple the Needy (Insights in Prophets)

Steps to Bringing Life to Your City (Insights in Prophets)

Mourn Over Your City (Insights in Prophets)

How to Respond to Great Personal or Family Loss (Insights in Psalms)

From Mourning to Significance (insights in Law)

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