“You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor” Dt 5:20

I learned the Ten Commandments when I was very young. The image of Moses angrily demolishing the tablets when he discovered Israel had grievously sinned against the Lord—worshiping the golden calf while Moses lingered upon the mountain—left a deep, restraining impression on me.

The Commandments written by the very Finger of God were daunting: Thou shalt not murder, steal, commit adultery. But I didn’t understand how the command not to bear false witness against my neighbor could be put into the same category with these “weighty” sin. Time and many life experiences, and most notably this US presidential election cycle, have taught me just how ignorant I was!

Several years ago I was shocked by a revelation of just how chilling breaking the ninth commandment can be. False rumors were being spread about one of my closest ministry partners. His work, that was impacting tens of thousands of people, nearly ground to a halt as a result. The risk, expense, and effort to advocate for his protection and then recovery was an intense battle. He had even contemplated giving up, but by the grace of God he was restored and the Lord proved Himself a Redeemer to him through it all. Looking back, I can see how these attempts to destroy him only made him stronger.

This week I read these clearly prophetic verses from Proverbs:

“There is a generation rising that uses their words like swords
to cut and slash those who are different.
They devour the poor, the needy, and the afflicted
from off the face of the earth” v. 30:14 TPT

By the Spirit, Solomon may have been given a peek into our present. For there has very likely never been a time in the history of the world when this proverb was more true than it is today. Social media has been weaponized (often abetted by traditional media) to “cut and slash” people’s reputations to pieces. Often people’s worlds are turned upside down overnight when they are shamed and cancelled by the mobs who fight in Twitter’s trenches, who type FaceBook posts like grenades to destroy the careers of “those who are different”, resulting in countless lives being torched upon the hungry ash-heaps of our fractured generation. We must be vigilant. The force of this evil is an out-of-the-bottle genie in our day. To be ignorant or passive as it carnivorously lurks for prey is to be vulnerable.

The unleashing of these tools of destruction should not only warn us to defend ourselves from becoming targets of aggressive word-bombs. Some have unwittingly joined the mob. How, you ask? By crossing precariously over onto the side of those who are “devouring” the weak. Beloved, it is not only the progenitor of these cruel, virtual takedowns whose hands are bloodied. The one who carelessly forwards lies, rumors, slander—fake news—in the form of emails, posts, or tweets is also liable before God. This commandment is not directed only to those who initiate false testimonies against another; it implicates those who pass them along as well. Jesus spoke ominously that we would be held to account for every “idle word” (Mt 12:36). The days when this sin was confined to the habitat of gossiping ladies at quilting clubs are long spent. The fake news that now floods and pollutes our airwaves have dire consequences right now, during the perverse days in which we live, and for the Day when all their murderous effects will be “laid open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13).

If Moses came down from the Mount of God in 2020, the commandment that would most vehemently incite his fury may not be the prohibition against graven images, but the dissemination of baseless and scandalous tales being spread to destroy our neighbors.

“May the words of my mouth and
the texts of my fingers
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and My Redeemer.”
PS 19:14

“When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon…it took her breath away.” I KG 10:4-5

When David raised Solomon to succeed him to the throne, he knew what his most critical asset would be, so he grilled it into him from his youth. Not mincing words, he exhorted him:
“Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget my words or turn from them…
Wisdom is supreme! So acquire wisdom.
And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding!” PR 4:5,7

Therefore, when the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him, “What shall I give you?”, he knew exactly what to ask for. I’d love to think that I wouldn’t ask for wealth or power or fame. How about you?

Truth is, God’s impartation of supernatural wisdom to Solomon was not a historical one-off. The Father is quite willing to do it again, and again, and again. That he gifted Solomon with this depths of understanding merely shows that God can, and will; it also shows He waits for those who will pursue it lock, stock, and barrel, in the same way Solomon was reared to. The testimony of Solomon’s wisdom is not meant to enamor us; rather, it is meant to stir us—to make us hungry, vigilant, tenacious.

The liberal outpouring of wisdom is also on God’s End Time Agenda (ETA). If it was not so, he would not have spoken of a day when He would “turn the hearts of the…disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (LK 1:17), an omen He places alongside of the Last Days turning of the children of Israel back to the Lord their God. These are striking words. The wisdom that God is about to release to His people will be so attractive, so compelling, that even rebellious people will be cranked open like a can. If self-absorbed, power-struck men in the mold of King Nebuchadnezzar could be convicted to “praise and honor Him who lives forever” (Dan 4:34) due to Daniel’s ability to unlock mysteries, so shall people we consider the least likely candidates in our day bow the knee to Jesus, the Fountain of wisdom. If the mighty Pharaoh could promote Joseph to the role of Prime Minister after witnessing the Spirit of God on full display in his wise counsel, so shall God raise up Spirit-empowered people like unto Joseph to solve complex and destructive crises which inflict our world in these dark times.

When Sheba heard about the wisdom of Solomon, it’s estimated she walked two thousand miles, laden with gold, spices, and other gifts to present to the son of David in return for nuggets of wisdom she could absorb sitting at his feet. Scripture says, what she heard and saw took her breath away. Beloved, these are all prophetic pictures of what God has prepared for us in this generation. How many Queen Shebas are desperate to acquire the kind of answers we are uniquely anointed to give? So you know what I say? Let’s get wisdom! It’s supreme! Whatever we may acquire in this hour, let us press in, and get understanding.

In our schools, workplaces, and communities, in times of emergencies and conflict, may we—the people of God—access pure, heaven-born wisdom, and lead the hearts of a crooked, perverse, and confused generation back to the Lord our God. Amen.

Does the Bible address the issue of bullies and mobs such as we are seeing on full display in our day? Was there ever a time when these two evil forces worked in tandem to strike targets who would not conform to their demands?

This morning I read the story of Naboth from 1 Kings 21. We know very little about Naboth, though we know he was a responsible farmer whose vineyard must have been something to behold. Oh yes, we also know that he had the misfortune of being the neighbor of the wicked king Ahab, who cast his greedy eyes on his vineyard often enough to decide he wanted it for himself.

Naboth would not deal. Yes, vineyards require a lot of work. From planting your vineyard until you are able to get your first bottles of wine, it is a four to five year wait on average. The Father compares Himself to a Vinedresser as a way to illustrate the personal attention that a man in this profession gives to each and every plant, each and every branch, in order that they might bear as much fruit as possible.

But more than the vineyard, it is that plot of land for which Naboth was willing to contend at all cost. Ahab had offered him good money, and an even better vineyard (if you can believe him). But Ahab was an unprincipled rascal. A man with his complete lack of moral background could never understand the real reason why Naboth would not even consider to give up his piece of land. For the last and most important thing we know about Naboth is based upon the only words that scripture ascribe to him. 1 Kings 21:3 says:

“But Naboth said to Ahab, ‘The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!’”

It took a lot of courage to stand up to this bully, Ahab! I suppose most would have just thrown in the towel, content to be a conformer and a coward. Bullies, after all, almost always get their way. If pressure doesn’t work, they threaten. If threatening doesn’t yield results, they resort to violence. Sound familiar?

Indeed, Ahab did resort to violence. Since he could not get his way through legal channels, he rounded up a mob. He gets some of the “men of his city” (v. 21:11), a few of them leaders, and then either pays off or convinces “scoundrels” to bear false witness against Naboth, saying he had “blasphemed God and the king!” (v. 21:13) By this time the core of committed rabble rousers has incited a crowd into blind rage. Stones are lifted and hurled at this innocent and righteous man, burying him under a large pile and silencing his voice of dissent forever.

Or did it?

You may be wondering why—given the fact that Ahab reigned as king in Israel for twenty-two years—such a random story was selected and highlighted by the Holy Spirit out of all the treachery that may have been alluded to from Ahab’s life? I believe it is because God loved Naboth, and wanted this act of courage in the face of bullies and the mob to be remembered from generation to generation.

Indeed, I see people caving and cowering all the time to the lunacy that is being advocated across our nation in this hour. Have you asked yourself, what if my restaurant was surrounded by an angry mob demanding me to raise my fist? What would I do? How about all those 280 pound muscle-ripped athletes, how could it be that they plow down the opposing team’s players but have, in just a matter of months, found fear in the face of the Almighty Twitter? I cannot help but wonder, where are the Naboth’s?!

Naboth was not just courageous. We have to see the parallel to our day of what he was taking a stand for: the inheritance of my fathers. This, friends, was a battle that was worth fighting. Naboth not only considered his own loss; he was going to stick his neck out because this land was not his alone. His ancestors had taken possession of it at great cost, and loss of life. Blood had been spilt. And if that was not enough, Naboth’s acknowledgement that it would be forbidden by God Himself reveals yet another thing about him that we would be foolish to overlook: Naboth feared the Lord His God. It is Jehovah, after all, Who had determined the boundaries of each tribe in Israel. The land was not just nice, it was holy.

Ahab the bully thought that he had silenced this man who had dared to defy him. The mob surely imagined Naboth’s voice would never be heard again buried under their rocks of judgment. But they were all wrong. Naboth is still speaking today, and I am hearing his voice loud and clear. Don’t give in to their threats, and don’t shrink back when they come at you with violence. For God Himself will honor the man who will never surrender the ground, the traditions and sacrifices, that have been bequeathed to us by our fathers. Yes, Naboth’s voice can still be heard; I can hear him say, “The Lord forbid that we should give over the inheritance, history, traditions, and values of our great land to bullies and an angry mob”.

“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” Acts 13:22

I can think of no greater epitaph than to be known as a man after God’s own heart. This was God’s accolade of David, not just man’s. Wow! There are many reasons why David fits this description, but the one I would like to share with you is this: David lived by a Code of Honor. Let me explain.

Perhaps the first thing that came to your mind was the fact that David had refused to exact retribution on King Saul. After all, this is the very person who had attempted to skewer him with a spear and who had relentlessly pursued David in order to snuff out his life. David felt horrible just for cutting off the skirt of Saul’s robe! Because of honor, he dared not stretch forth his hand against God’s anointed.

Or perhaps you thought of 1 Samuel 30 when David’s family and all his possessions had been taken away by the marauding Amelikites. David’s men found a sickly Egyptian slave in the field as they were in hot pursuit. These same men knew David honored outcasts, for he had taken them into his cave when they were a mess (in debt, in distress, and discontented, 1 Sam 22:2) and had turned them into true warriors. So they “brought him to David” (v.11). David took the time to stop for this foreigner, giving an unvalued man bread, water, a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. What was David’s reward for showing this slave honor? The Egyptian showed David the way so that he was able to recover every member of his family and his army’s as well, not to mention all that had been plundered.

The story continues. David originally had 600 soldiers, but 200 of them were too exhausted to fight. The 400 strong ones felt justified in demanding full rights to the spoil. They had, after all, risked their lives while the others probably had a grand picnic and a nice long snooze. David would hear none of it. The strong and the weak would share alike in the spoils. Sounds to me like the same spirit which inspired the Apostle Paul to write these poignant words about the Body of Christ:

“Those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think are less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor.” 1 Cor 12:22,23

David, like Paul, knew that showing honor to everyone is the heart of God.

This morning I read two successive stories from David’s life that magnify his honoring ethic. In 2 Samuel 9, David woke up one day, then probably after a sweet time of worship in the presence of God, decided he wanted to show the kindness of God to a survivor from the household of Saul. Remember, this is the man who had sought David like a flea and hunted for him like a partridge (1 Sam 26:21). He found one. Mephibosheth was crippled. He had been five years old when he father and grandfather had died in battle on the same day. This was also when the accident that left him disabled occurred—his nurse dropping him as they fled upon hearing the crushing news. So what does David do to this one at a time when disabled people were stigmatized, and kept secret? He brought Mephibosheth to the palace and gave him a permanent seat at his own table, next to the princes and princesses of the Kingdom. David showered him with honor.

Even the rulers of rival nations could qualify as objects of honor in David’s eyes. In the next chapter, 2 Samuel 10, David recalls a time when the King of Ammon had been gracious to him. So he sends an entourage to show kindness to his son Hanum after his dad died. Though the show of honor was repelled, David did not show honor only when honor was appreciated, rewarded, or returned. He honored because he was a man after God’s own heart. It was natural, spontaneous for David. I pray it would be so for me!

Beloved, we live at a time and in an hour when honor is under pernicious attack. Honor for our institutions, honor for our leaders, honor for our traditions and for our laws. Honor is a part of the everlasting song of heaven (Rev 4:11). Honor is the way of the Kingdom. Let it be the code by which we, His subjects, live our lives and bring Him glory…and honor. Amen.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes…” Matt 24:7

Are we really entering the “Last Days” this time? Over the years, signs and omens, prophesies fulfilled, God’s “time-clock” (Israel) have alerted the church to ask this vital question. The uptick in destabilizing and frightening trends worldwide, especially the deadly pandemic, have sounded an alarm: is this the beginning of the End? Many of us are feeling the urgency to be better prepared. Rightly so! But how?

Many Bible teachers are digging into Daniel and Revelation. Calendars and charts are being drafted to interpret modern events in light of prophesy. Newspapers and social media are being scoured. We’ve all noticed an increase in dreams and prophesies being circulated. While these are all valid responses, the question I am asking is more basic: Are we prepared to suffer?

Persecution is one of those subjects that is hard to talk about. Sermons on the subject don’t get many “likes”! Who wouldn’t rather hear messages about revival?! Peter didn’t agree. Much of 1 Peter is about suffering. He literally exhorts us to “arm yourselves” with the thought of suffering (4:1). This is one of those things for which we do not want to be ill-prepared! If we are caught off guard, we may well compromise, capitulate, or crumble.

I believe one of the keys to you and I standing firm in the face of intense pressure is to learn from those who have endured great hardships for the sake of the gospel. I for one have been blessed to know many who have been persecuted. This includes more than 50 pastors who suffered for more than 20 years prisons for their faith. I also served as a Romanian pastor’s interpreter and co-laborer for hundreds of sermons and thousands of miles on the road over a four year period. Pastor Daniel had burn marks and scars all over his body from the tortures he had received. And yet he was joyful and showed no bitterness. Let me pass on a few things I have gleaned from these courageous forerunners.

First, I learned that there is a special grace and favor available to those who suffer for His Name. Paul wrote this to the church in Philippi, where he had been flogged and put in a dungeon with his feet fastened in stocks: “that it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Ph 1:29). The word granted in Greek is charizomai, from which we get the words grace and gift. The persecuted have latched on to an extraordinary truth that I believe God wants to us to shout from the rooftops in these Last Days: Rather than shrink in fear in the face of suffering and increasing turmoil, let us lift up our heads in anticipation of a manifestation of God’s grace and glory like we have never seen before. God’s gifts often come wrapped in packages we least expect.

Based on his experience as one who had been tortured, Peter wrote to encourage the Christians that suffering can be a blessing in disguise. He exhorted them: “Rejoice to the extent that you partake (Gr. koinoneo) of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Pt 4:12-14.

It’s remarkable that Peter used the word koinoneo here. This exquisite Greek word speaks of deep fellowship and communion. I used to read the phrase, when his glory is revealed to mean at The Second Coming. While Jesus most definitely will bestow all manner of rewards and blessings upon us when He returns, Peter assures us that intimacy and glory are for the present, i.e. in the midst of suffering. Paul sang as he was bound and bloodied in prison. Peter speaks of inexpressible joy in trials. No wonder the father of China’s House Church, Wang Mingdao, described his 23 years and 10 months in prison to as a honeymoon with Jesus!

I’ve thought long about Stephen’s example in suffering. After declaring the works of God boldly to the Sanhedrin, even as they were picking up stones to kill him, the Bible says he saw the heavens opened before him and Jesus was standing at the right hand of the throne of God (Acts 7:56). We know the Bible clearly says that Jesus is supposed to be sitting while God makes all His enemies to become His footstool (Ps 110:1). And yet, He stood up for Stephen.

After all these years, I can say with much assurance that if you are granted to suffer or be persecuted for His sake, He will stand up for you, too. His grace will sustain you, and His glory will rest upon you. The heavens will be opened to you, and His presence will be tangible. You may even find yourself bubbling over with inexplicable joy. Although we can never be fully “armed” to suffer, I pray the testimonies of those who have gone before us as shining examples will give you confidence to endure whatever may come your way as we enter the “Last Days.”

“It is time to seek the Lord” Hos 10:12

In one sense, we are all responsive to the call to seek the Lord. If we get a message about some important event on the horizon, or a gathering or need that piques our interests, we are inclined towards dedicating some time to pray and give it our support. This is true because the Holy Spirit in us draws us and burdens us with things that pertain to His Kingdom’s advance.

That is not what this verse is about. Hosea is not suggesting something happened that we ought to be concerned about, or pray about. God was speaking through His servant to prophesy a decree of supreme importance. Trust me, there is a world of difference in saying it is a good time to seek the Lord and this is God’s appointed hour to seek Him. It is one thing for a friend or trusted co-worker to highlight important dates to us on his or her calendar. But what if God Himself is calling our attention to dates He has circled in red, penned with ink obtained from Calvary’s spill?

Consider the verse, “Seek the Lord while He may be found” (Is 55:6). Now, as a preacher I would never tell people that the Father is tied up with other things, so it would be better that they check back next month to see if He is available then. No church would hire me to be their pastor, that’s for sure! So what did Isaiah mean exactly? What does it mean to say God can’t be found? Does He wander off some times?

Of course we know God is available 24/7. We know He does not get distracted or overtaxed by the enormity and complexity of problems that arise in your life or mine…or on our planet…or in a hundred billion galaxies. And yet, like the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do (1 Chr 12:32), we have to grasp this truth: Not every day is the same with the Lord. It is not that He is sometimes not available; it is that there are some times when He is more available. There are seasons when He leaves the door ajar. There are times when He has set the table of plenty before us and not just assured us with the promise that He will provide.

There are many ways scripture identifies this: there is the fullness of time (Gal 4:4), a set time (Mt 24:36), and an appointed time (Hab 2:3). Greek even has a word that distinguishes between calendar time (chronos) and a designated and special time (kairos). So the question that follows is: What kind of a time is this? Are we in one of those appointed times, a season when God is unusually and tangibly available to us?

Obviously, I cannot prove to you that this is a day of visitation. But I can appeal to you. I have spoken with several of God’s servants in recent weeks who have said that we have entered such a time as this (Es 4:14). They have exhorted me to press in and stay vigilant so as not to miss this moment in eternity. These words have strongly resonated with me because I feel a divine pull, a drawing—or to put it more colloquially, a suctioning. If Spurgeon, who coined the famous “hound of heaven” phrase, lived today, he might speak of the turning on of “the Dyson of Heaven” or of a “Kirby moment”.

These men have also admonished me to get clean. The follow up to Isaiah’s while He may be found prophesy is: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous his thoughts” (Is 55:7). Wouldn’t you know, I got a message from my pastor this week telling me he had a dream about me. I was surrounded by filth, standing in line to take a bath. Ha! Not a very subtle message here!

That brings me back to where we started, in Hosea. The whole verse reads:

Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. (v. 10:12)


Unlike precipitation in nature, where rain falls indiscriminately on the ground, God reveals a distinction in the Spirit. In the natural, the earth merely responds to the falling of rain. But in the Spirit, the ground attracts rain. In one, the condition of the soil is a non-factor. Dirt is passive. But in the other, what comes down out of Heaven is in direct response and proportion to the ground’s need and cry. The more we sow righteousness in our day to day affairs, the more righteousness will on that day be showered down upon us. The more we break up the hardened conditions of our hearts, the more a deluge of the grace and mercy of God will be abundantly poured out over us.

Beloved, if there has ever been a time to seek the Lord, it’s now.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come!” IS 60:1

I have been hearing numerous people I respect say the same thing: a glorious shift is taking place in the spirit. From a purely scriptural standpoint, this should be expected—or to put it another way, we should be expecting it. Please note there is a subtle yet important difference between these two responses. The first is passive; the second active. When two people get married, it is expected they will have babies some day. When they are pregnant, we say they are expecting. Ask them if there is a difference!

Isaiah illustrated this shift when he prophesied darkness would cover the earth and thick darkness the people. He continues…at the very same time the Lord will arise over us and His glory will be seen upon us. I think it is without a doubt that a significant blanket of darkness has begun to cover the earth. I interpret the first darkness reference to be external—in the world stuff. It could be COVID, riots, locusts, increased warmongering, intrigue or scandal, etc. Although it is common to interpret thick darkness as poetic, I believe it refers to the internal world—darkened understanding and/or blackened hearts which are falling prey to deceptive forces, becoming incapable of discerning truth or justice. Even blind Bartimaeus could see this is happening all around us!

We shouldn’t be alarmed and we certainly should not be caught unawares by this sudden turn of events. When darkness increases around us the Hound in our spirit picks up a scent. We apprehend glory can’t be far away. This is why these two months I keep coming back to the story of the wise and foolish virgins. According to the parable, the foolish virgins weren’t ungodly or corrupt. They were a part of the wedding party. They were virgins! Everything had been rehearsed. They were clear about what they were supposed to do, but they took too much for granted. They procrastinated. They had lost a sense of urgency and therefore lacked preparedness.

The wise virgins had oil—lots of it. Despite the late hour, when the Bridegroom arrived the “oil shops” seemed to be open 24/7. How else could the foolish virgins go out and buy in the middle of the night?! Jesus is revealing End-time truth: Holy Spirit is more available, more accessible now than He has ever been at any time in history. If glory came down in sprinkles in the past, the Spirit is saying get ready for the rain. The foolish virgins did not suffer from a lack of supply; they suffered because they were simply too casual and content with what they had.

As a pandemic and chaos highlight our news cycles, it is imperative we don’t miss the real story of what is happening in this hour. As usual, Satan doesn’t get it. He thought when the church’s doors closed we’d become vulnerable and weak. But something spontaneous and global is surging tsunami-like behind the scenes. If you have not seen it or learned of it yet, mark my words—you will! Trust me. I know people all over this planet are experiencing a marked increase in grace, Presence, intimacy, revelation—yes, in light and in glory.

Me too. I do not recall a time when I have had such rich and sustained morning devotions. The time just flies by, and I wake early because I look forward to get to the secret place. I am also waking each morning having spent my nights dreaming. This is new. Over my lifetime, I have always been one who hardly ever remembers his dreams. When others have talked about their dreams, I have always felt like an outsider. My curiosity led me to specifically seek God to grant me dreams on many, many occasions. Then something extraordinary happened. I went to minister at Heidi Baker’s Harvest School in Mozambique and had dreams every night. That was so cool!

Since then, I have dreamt more than I used to but still nothing too get excited about. But for the past two months I have been dreaming every night. I am discovering patterns and messages. Nearly all of my dreams have a China theme, for instance, and definitely includes me having conversations in Chinese.

Beloved, portals of power are being opened. The plumb line which we are seeing drop will divide people. What kind of virgin will you be? I for one do not want to be numbered among the foolish ones who were passive and ill-prepared. As thick darkness moves in to intimidate and distract, we will all be rewarded with more access to light and more manifestations of glory if we follow the example of the wise virgins—pressing in to God with sober, tender, and expecting hearts.

“For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” Zech 4:10

As a young boy, I was around a lot of building projects. Though I couldn’t do much, I would carry things around the site, help hold a board, or a tool, or take measurements. Occasionally I got to pound some nails.

Sometimes I’d get to hold or check the plumb line. This simple yet remarkable instrument was used to make sure a vertical line was “true” or plumb. It was employed to make sure what you build up isn’t crooked: That as the structure grows taller it won’t topple, or resemble a Tower of Pizza (oops, Pisa).

The Holy Spirit inspired Zechariah (and Haggai, his contemporary) to prophesy to the children of Israel to take courage and rebuild the temple after they returned from the Babylonian captivity. As he does, his vision grows beyond their present predicament. He has much to say about the coming of the Messiah, and the End Times. Although Zerubbabel was the actual governor of Judah in Zechariah’s day, this reference clearly is a type of Jesus who famously had said “I will build my church”.

As Jesus builds up, He drops the plumb line. He is testing us. Are we well aligned? Can we bear weight? Will the floors above us stay straight, or lean, or worse yet, come crashing down?

As I was praying about the coronavirus, the Holy Spirit showed me that this is a separator, a plumb line. It is a test. God is watching, eyes scanning to and fro, to see who will respond in such a way that He can use them to continue to build His house to the next level. That some will not pass the test is becoming clearer by the day. For instance, if we are among those who are responding to this outbreak with fear, we are disqualifying ourselves. God is looking for faith (Lk 18:8). Some will be found to have had no oil in their lamps. We would all do well to “buy for yourselves” while we still can (Mt 25:9)!

As the plumb line drops, a separation occurs. Some will respond only by making God their refuge, appealing to Him for shelter, protection, and salvation. This is a DEFENSIVE posture. It may qualify people for Heaven, but it is not the high calling the Father has for His church, the Bride He is preparing for His Son. Every one of the seven churches of Revelation, even the weakest among them, was told the same thing: “To him that overcomes…” The Overcomer paradigm is OFFENSIVE in nature. This is the character of the church tried in the fires of persecution and tribulation. Jesus spoke about this separation many times, stating he who seeks to save his life (only), will lose it (Lk 17:33). But if you take a stand through trouble (lose your life) you are put into the camp of those who will not just make it into Heaven; you will qualify to battle for the King as an overcomer.

Many Christians have inherited a weak disposition because the emphasis of the message of the Church has been on what we are being saved from (Hell) rather than what we are being saved for (Kingdom). We have worked hard to get people saved, then fed them milk week after week. We’ve raised toddlers when God has been looking for warriors. If we are going to conform to the will of the King, we have to change our mindsets to be like Abraham’s. Though he had never seen warfare, in times of peace he trained all three hundred and eighteen servants in his household to fight (Gen 14:14). Though unlikely champions, these herders, gardeners, cooks and dishwashers defeated four fierce and experienced foreign armies in order to rescue Lot and his family.

God will have an End Time army. As the plumb line is dropped, a people through whom, upon whom He can build His Kingdom are arising. May we all be numbered among the Overcomers. Amen.

“David…escaped to the cave of Adullam” 1 Sam 22:1

Having to stay home for a few weeks isn’t so bad. 3,000 years ago David was involuntarily quarantined in a cave called Adullam. Now, a cave is not a very inviting or desirous habitation. The indoor plumbing is horrendous. The beds are rock hard. Even a 2-watt bulb would be cause for celebration. And your wife is definitely not going to like the kitchen. No Netflix.

Still, if you plan to be there for long, you ought to get over to Walmart to pick up a broom and a mop and a few supplies to make your cave a bit more homey. Put a few pictures up on the walls (if you can figure out how!). You shouldn’t have to walk far to pick a bouquet of wild flowers to cheer up a dark corner here or there. Make the best of it!

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention. David also made the cave a place of hope. The stronghold he had run to for refuge was soon transformed into a spot where others sought refuge. This place where wandering travelers would duck in to relieve themselves (Saul!) quickly became a haven of relief. From the outside, David appeared as though he was a captive. In truth, he was being promoted to the rank of captain. Though stone pillows must have made sleep a struggle, his dreams carried him to a time when he would do great exploits through His God. The very same address you would never want to visit began taking in visitors—lots of them:

“Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became their captain.” 1 Sam 22:2

Before long, David had 400 roommates being trained to become a mighty fighting force. They came into the cave wounded. Healed, they left as warriors. They had encountered a man who had learned to rise above his circumstances, never be subject to them. When they entered the “halls” of this future king’s cliffside palace, they must have thought it cruelly dark and damp. But they soon discovered at least the acoustics were awesome!

How often did songs of praise and exalted worship dance off those walls and burst holes through the craggy ceilings right straight to the Heavens? We can’t say for sure, but at least we know morning after morning David would lead his motley congregation in worship. The title of Psalm 57 says David had penned these words from Adullam:

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.” vs. 7-8

It’s all a matter of perspective. David’s cave was a place of hope because he had made it a hall of worship. Men who were broken and bound found grace holed up in this grotto as they gleaned from this man whose heart was steadfastly fixed upon His Father and Friend. Their lockdown was the door to their future. Having conquered the cave, they emerged ready to stare down bigger enemies brandishing sword and spear.

God can use the cave if we will let Him. To many, the thought of being quarantined is depressing. But when you invite the God of David into your cave, picking up your lute and harp (or put on your iTunes) at the dawning of your day, it matters not what you are like when you come in; you will not be the same when you come out. Brothers and sisters, don’t struggle. Embrace your Adullam. Turn it into a place of worship. Recast it into a sanctuary of hope. As you awaken your song, God will awaken the warrior within. He is raising an army ready to take on darker days ahead. Our Captain is with us.

“Boaz went up to the gate and sat down.” Ruth 4:1

Cities don’t have walls anymore. We don’t have to pass through massive, guarded gates which are impenetrably barred at night, or in times of danger. People come and go at will, bringing with them their wares and their cares. There is no inspection, no questions asked. There may even be a big “welcome” sign.

We’d have to project ourselves back in time a millennia or more to fully grasp the importance of the gates of the city to the people in Bible times. That does not make the scriptures which mention gates irrelevant; it means we have to have comprehend their purpose then and apply it to our lives today. It also means if we fail to understand their meaning, we may inadvertently be making ourselves vulnerable—as vulnerable as a city in ancient times was if they had no walls or gates, leaving her citizens subject to attack, to their possessions being plundered, even to being forced into slavery be an evil power.

The first mention of possessing the gates of our enemies came as a promise to our father Abraham. The timing is important. As Abraham obeyed the Lord, the benefits of God’s covenant with him were progressively unlocked. First he was promised land. Then he was promised progeny. But here, after he had willingly offered his son Isaac, he is going to yarash (Heb), or occupy, seize that gates of his enemies (Gen 22:17). Abraham was being alerted that he would face conflict, and the result was he would not be ruled, rather he would exert power and influence over those who stood in his way.

So in a general sense, we see the direction God wants to take us in. He wants to bless us. He wants to multiply us. Then he wants to work through us to increase influence, to be in a position to make judgments and exercise leadership. But it is still not real clear who or what our enemies are. We don’t have Hittites or Philistines occupying the plains around us. There are no Jebusites entrenched for hundreds of years in our mountains. So what, or who are our enemies? And what are these so-called gates we are told to take possession of?

When we think of Biblical power, the image of a throne comes to mind. This was the age of kings. Their words became law. Their judgments were uncontested. They were worshiped. Taxes were levied to pay for the dreams they wanted fulfilled, and men were conscripted to fight their battles. Rivals were executed. For context, place King Ahasuerus on the throne reigning sovereign over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. Do you see a man standing next to him? His name is Haman, and he was like the Prime Minister.

As the story of Esther unfolds, another figure comes into focus. He has no position. He wears the cloak of a commoner. He comes from a minority, and persecuted class. And yet, he has power. You see, “Mordecai sat within the king’s gate” (Es 2:19). Every day. The longer he sat there, the more he heard, and his power grew. Even the king’s eunuch came out to meet him in front of the king’s gate (v.4:6). One day, the king sent Haman out to parade him through the streets adorned in his royal robes, and sitting upon the king’s steed. In time, Mordecai would influence the laws in the land. He even became Prime Minister.

Mordecai represents those of every generation who have learned the secret of possessing the gates of their enemies. He did not aspire to usurp the throne. He knew that thrones are in palaces, insulated from people, falsely elevating its occupants, poisoning their minds to exalted opinions of themselves and their powers. He understood that gates, when occupied, were powerful too. From there, he came to know the secrets of the palace, all while feeling the pain and concerns of the people—something the king never knew. He learned that decisions were a form of power; but he discovered intercession was every bit as powerful. Kings assume that people are ruled by laws and systems; Mordecai’s brilliance lay in that he understood people are even more impacted by ideas, and culture, and faith.

This brings us back to the question: What, or who are our enemies? Consider the example of Haman. Did he kill anybody? No. It was his ideas, his twisted, envious ideas which were being unleashed in an attempt to slaughter innocent Jews. Beloved, our battle is NOT with flesh and blood. Haman was only a puppet. Satan works not just to occupy thrones. He is after our gates. When the “gates of our city” are open to every kind of filth, perversion and darkness that proceeds from pernicious, greedy, and hate-filled people, when our values, faith and traditions are maligned and undermined, we are in fact under siege. If we do not rightly discern our enemies, how are we going to disarm them?

Beloved, God is speaking to us. As sons and daughters of Abraham, we have been called to possess the gates to which the enemy has falsely laid claim. If God had wanted Abraham’s descendants to occupy thrones, He would have said so. Instead, He said take your seats at the gates of every city. Rule from the place of superior ideas, of redemptive and compassionate culture, and by the influence of faith through which even mountains are rooted up and cast into the sea. I’ve never heard of a king who could do that!