The word of the Lord for today is : “STAND!”

Romans 15:13  I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Last evening our North Texas Director and I met on Zoom with a group working through probation.  During the course work, we ask each to identify goals in four areas of biological, psychological, relational, and spiritual.  Pressures of pandemic cause us to question our goals. But the core of goals resists pressure to persist.  Maybe it takes a new form, but a true goal persists through pressure.

Yesterday morning I met with a group on fathering and grand-parenting.  Resources are greatly restricted for us and limit our impact.  But limitations do not stop deep goals birthed of prayerful vision.

As I went through these conversations and thought about not being able to be in person with my grandchildren and children over Easter something of my deep vision and goals rose from within.  It seems as if all the shaking is taking me to what is unshakable. I have a deep and embedded destiny that says, “Fix fractured families”.  No pressure is able to shake it.  I have a solid call to prayer and prophetic and preaching.  No pressure is able to shake it.  What is unshakable in you?  Maybe you have not faced the unshakable in a while because the push and pressures of everyday have shadowed your soul.  What is unshakable in you?

When the God of Restoration and Healing spoke to Abraham, the father of faith, something powerful was written for us to remember.

Deuteronomy 18:17  “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. ¹⁸ “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. ¹⁹ I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

There was a deep promise and vision for Abraham and the Lord told him to STAND and see it through.  He speaks the same to us.

When a crisis attacks sensibilities be sensible.  “Stand!”

This worldwide pandemic sears into the soul.  Sight, Sound, Smell ,Taste and Touch break boundaries into the soul.  Heart and mind lose connection with hope and faith.  It happens.  How do you respond? “Stand!”

The God of Restoration and Healing Speaks. “Stand!”

Do you stare at the wall and cry? Do you moan and relax into defeatism?  Do you rant and rave with paranoia?  How do you respond? “Stand!”

Dr. Daniel Amen, one of my favorite health and healing specialists, talked live last evening about using the same sensory elements to combat the fatigue of isolation as have been assaulted. Boost your brain.  Battle the depressive effects of isolation. “Stand!”

The situation shows ugly realities of people without food.  Friends in other nations send me pictures of hundreds at their doors every day begging.  In their nation Christians are not allowed access to government supplies.  It is a nation of Islam and the pain is huge.  The sight brings fright. “Stand!”

The situation speaks endlessly from the mouths of doctors and business professionals and government leaders talking of death and pandemic.  Fear endlessly streams from their words with no credible end in sight.  “Stand!”

The situation smells of restriction and blockage.  Day after day, the same smells block us into a captured state. We miss the mixed perfumes of variety and crowd. “Stand!”

The tension trys to take our touch.  Handshakes and hugs are limited to a few.  High-signs and elbow bumps replace the common holding of friends. “Stand!”

The tension trys to test our taste.  Favorite restaurants are shuttered.  The bustle of a busy night is gone.  Take out just isn’t the same. “Stand!”

The God of Restoration and Healing Speaks. “Stand!”

This morning as I rise, the God of Restoration and Healing Speaks.  He points to powers beyond taste and touch and sight and sound and smell.  He points to hope and healing and faith and love and joy and peace.  He calls us to fight with weapons of our warfare far beyond the five senses. “Stand!”

Sing His praise and change the sounds of silence into joy. “Stand!”

Read His words and stories of rescued saints and allow the inner vision of supply according to His riches in glory to fill your inner mind with hope. “Stand!”

Smell the incense of prayer outside your home in a wood or a park and all His healing to enter deep and stir faith in goodness. “Stand!”

Touch your hands in a clap of praise and a clasp of gratefulness and let His Spirit pull love from deep inside. “Stand!”

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Savor every simple bite of food and give thanks with a thankful heart as joy and peace flood. “Stand!”

Take those same assaulted senses and turn them to good.  Turn them to see and touch the Savior of Our Soul.  Listen for His inner voice.  Let the two edged sword of praise power your insight.  Let the shield of faith clash against the dark arrows of loss.  Let the fastened helmet of salvation bounce off hard thoughts.  Let the belt of truth tighten and sustain you in a hope of tomorrow that always comes.  Let the boots of the good news get you into ready position of peace that cannot be shaken.  Let the breastplate of right standing in Him assure you that your purpose and place is secure against noise of the days.  Let the sword of the Spirit inspire prayers according to His words that light the path of restoration and healing. “Stand!”

The God of Restoration and Healing Speaks. “Stand!”

“Stand!” in the unshakable goodness of a God, who has not forgotten what He has determined to do.

Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.