As I start this New Year, new decade the Lord has put so many things on my heart for the year. I really haven’t had the opportunity to really sit down and digest all I am hearing but I know this is an exciting time to be a part of His powerful ministry. So many things are happening as we all know. Our country and the world are in need of so much prayer but then if you are like us we even have so much happening in our families and close relationships. As Pastors, we are seeing so much hurt, sickness, confusion, devastation in just our church family besides all we minister in the community. It’s more than usual but we know that there will be victory in Jesus.
I have shared before that last September the Lord put on my heart to do communion every day. I have done that and have also read some awesome books that have opened my eyes to the power and truth of communion. Like many, I didn’t understand communion and it seemed to always be a time of condemnation by the preacher as you were to focus on your sins. I have learned much since then. I have seen and heard amazing things after taking communion. It has changed my life.
This past week I was reading form Joseph Prince’s book – Eat Your Way to Life and Health. It has been such a wealth of wisdom and understanding for me. As I was reading I read about when the children of Israel were dying in the wilderness from snakebites. The people asked Moses to pray to God to take away the serpents. But instead this was the answer from the Lord.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9
What I learned from these verses was that God was telling the people to get the focus off their bites and look at the serpent on the pole. He was saying not to remember the pain but to look away to Him. The serpent was a picture of Christ being raised up on the cross. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” John 3:14 When things are going on we can’t look at the problem but we must look to Him. This is actually part of the 2020 vision of this year 2020. When we look to Him our vision cannot be blurry. But it’s definitely blurry and not 2020 vision when we look at the circumstances and issues.
“The same night in which he was handed over, he took bread and gave thanks. Then he distributed it to the disciples and said, “Take it and eat your fill. It is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” He did the same with the cup of wine after supper and said, “This cup seals the new covenant with my blood. Drink it—and whenever you drink this, do it to remember me. Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are retelling the story, proclaiming our Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
As we partake of holy communion we are taking our eyes and our focus off the situation, pain, sickness, problem, hurt and looking up to Him as He was lifted up on the cross. It says to take communion to remember Him and what He did for us at the cross. We are remembering His love and sacrifice for us. It’s such a powerful time with Him. As I was listening to the Lord speak to me about Him being lifted up as the serpent was on the pole it reminded me of one of my favorite stories in the Word. I shared this story last summer but it’s very vital to share it now. As I was talking about at the beginning of this devotional that there are so many people who are struggling and hurting. Myself, I have had some fears on if I can do what I am called to do and do it as He is showing me to. Sometimes I just need someone to come beside me and encourage me.
Moses was fighting a battle and losing. It wasn’t looking good. The Lord had told him as long as he raised his hands in praise he would win and when he dropped his hands he would lose. We don’t know how long he had raised hands but they were growing weary. That’s when two great friends came in to help. They held his hands up for him! What an amazing story that is.
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”” Exodus 17:8-16
Moses went up to the hillside with his rod and watched the battle. Here is another place he had a rod that he lifted up like the serpent rod. When his hands were lifted up – he had victory in the battle. When his arms fell down – the battle was being lost. Lifted up. Those words hit me. When our hands are lifted up to Him – our focus is on Him and we are not focusing on our issues. When FRIENDS come along and left up your hands for when you are growing weary it is so incredible. “I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me.” Psalm 116:13 “Lifting up your hands in holy worship; come and bless the Lord!” Psalm 134:2
My heart right now is for each of us to minister to others by raising their hands when they are weary. As we are lifting up others we are lifting up Him and have our focus on Him. As you are looking up to Him and all He did for you at the cross, lift up the hands of someone close to you whose hands are getting heavy. This may not be a literal lifting of hands but it should be if possible. Keep your eyes, focus and heart looking to Him. It’s your choice to choose where your eyes focus and Who you serve. “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…..But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 Choose to take communion and focus on what He did for you. Choose to lift up the hands of someone who is struggling and weary. Choose to lift your hands to Him and serve Him. This is how the battle is one – keeping your vision, your eyes, your focus on Him and not the hurts and pain in your life. One day when I took communion and went back to get more bread, this is what I saw. It was HIs promise of love to me.
I have shared before that last September the Lord put on my heart to do communion every day. I have done that and have also read some awesome books that have opened my eyes to the power and truth of communion. Like many, I didn’t understand communion and it seemed to always be a time of condemnation by the preacher as you were to focus on your sins. I have learned much since then. I have seen and heard amazing things after taking communion. It has changed my life.
This past week I was reading form Joseph Prince’s book – Eat Your Way to Life and Health. It has been such a wealth of wisdom and understanding for me. As I was reading I read about when the children of Israel were dying in the wilderness from snakebites. The people asked Moses to pray to God to take away the serpents. But instead this was the answer from the Lord.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9
What I learned from these verses was that God was telling the people to get the focus off their bites and look at the serpent on the pole. He was saying not to remember the pain but to look away to Him. The serpent was a picture of Christ being raised up on the cross. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” John 3:14 When things are going on we can’t look at the problem but we must look to Him. This is actually part of the 2020 vision of this year 2020. When we look to Him our vision cannot be blurry. But it’s definitely blurry and not 2020 vision when we look at the circumstances and issues.
“The same night in which he was handed over, he took bread and gave thanks. Then he distributed it to the disciples and said, “Take it and eat your fill. It is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” He did the same with the cup of wine after supper and said, “This cup seals the new covenant with my blood. Drink it—and whenever you drink this, do it to remember me. Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are retelling the story, proclaiming our Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
As we partake of holy communion we are taking our eyes and our focus off the situation, pain, sickness, problem, hurt and looking up to Him as He was lifted up on the cross. It says to take communion to remember Him and what He did for us at the cross. We are remembering His love and sacrifice for us. It’s such a powerful time with Him. As I was listening to the Lord speak to me about Him being lifted up as the serpent was on the pole it reminded me of one of my favorite stories in the Word. I shared this story last summer but it’s very vital to share it now. As I was talking about at the beginning of this devotional that there are so many people who are struggling and hurting. Myself, I have had some fears on if I can do what I am called to do and do it as He is showing me to. Sometimes I just need someone to come beside me and encourage me.
Moses was fighting a battle and losing. It wasn’t looking good. The Lord had told him as long as he raised his hands in praise he would win and when he dropped his hands he would lose. We don’t know how long he had raised hands but they were growing weary. That’s when two great friends came in to help. They held his hands up for him! What an amazing story that is.
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”” Exodus 17:8-16
Moses went up to the hillside with his rod and watched the battle. Here is another place he had a rod that he lifted up like the serpent rod. When his hands were lifted up – he had victory in the battle. When his arms fell down – the battle was being lost. Lifted up. Those words hit me. When our hands are lifted up to Him – our focus is on Him and we are not focusing on our issues. When FRIENDS come along and left up your hands for when you are growing weary it is so incredible. “I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me.” Psalm 116:13 “Lifting up your hands in holy worship; come and bless the Lord!” Psalm 134:2
My heart right now is for each of us to minister to others by raising their hands when they are weary. As we are lifting up others we are lifting up Him and have our focus on Him. As you are looking up to Him and all He did for you at the cross, lift up the hands of someone close to you whose hands are getting heavy. This may not be a literal lifting of hands but it should be if possible. Keep your eyes, focus and heart looking to Him. It’s your choice to choose where your eyes focus and Who you serve. “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…..But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 Choose to take communion and focus on what He did for you. Choose to lift up the hands of someone who is struggling and weary. Choose to lift your hands to Him and serve Him. This is how the battle is one – keeping your vision, your eyes, your focus on Him and not the hurts and pain in your life. One day when I took communion and went back to get more bread, this is what I saw. It was HIs promise of love to me.
