The tallest of mountains do not rise to infinity, the darkened ocean depths are never fathomless, and grief is never inconsolable. 

God is always infinitely higher, His knowledge is always fathomless, and He is always our consolation!

A Believer's Declaration:

God is always Greater and He is my Father. 

Jesus Christ is my Redeemer and my Lord, in Him I am always more than a conqueror.


Job 11:7-9
7 “Can you solve the mysteries of God?
    Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
8 Such knowledge is higher than the heavens--
    and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld -
    what do you know?
9 It is broader than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

​Pastor Jonathan and I attended the CUFI (Christians United For Israel) Summit in Washington D.C. this week.  Among the many wonderful speakers was Vice President Mike Pence.  The thing that struck me was His obvious armor bearing spirit as he serves with President Trump.

This is not about a political tact or allegiance, but character.  

People of character genuinely honor those they serve and with whom they serve, even in the face of possible ideological or personal differences. People of such character do not take advantage of the personal differences with or perceived vulnerabilities of those with whom they serve in order to advance a personal agenda.  Vice President Pence laid down any personal agendas or ambitions that would conflict with his ability to serve (with) President Trump.  There have been obvious opportunities for a person of lesser character to subtly or overtly seize upon these moments to promote himself or his own agenda.  He has demonstrated integrity and a true grasp of loyalty.  Given the environment and the controversies that have permeated Washington VP Pence is a standout!!

This is a not a promotion of a political personality or party, it is simply an observation of how an individual of faith maintains personal honor and integrity in the service of a greater cause.

Having said all of this, it is my desire to serve our Father with Christ-like character, that I might honor those with whom I serve as we all may Honor our one Lord whom we serve together.  I pray that my involvement in a work that goes far beyond Bethel will never become about me or mine! 

Love my Bethel family!  Let's together get after the heart of the Father so that He can truly have ours!


Jonathan entered into a covenant commitment with David and he honored that to the point of divesting himself, and conferring upon Him, the recognition of His authority and leadership.

1 Samuel 18:3
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

The place that God desires to be seated is not in the places made by human hands but rather in the tabernacle of the soul - the heart. There is a throne centered in each heart and there is only room for one to be seated upon it.  It cannot be shared. God declares that He will not share it, and it is claimed falsely by anyone or anything else that would dare vie to be seated there.
 
Isaiah 42:8
I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another

​The shoes that best fit are the ones that the Lord has designed for the feet that He created.
 
In a different context, and yet demonstrating the same line of meditation, we can consider David.
 
David was offered Saul’s armor when he prepared to face Goliath.  It would seem to be an honor that it was offered to him to wear the King’s armor into this battle.  Added to his confidence and valiance it would seem to make for a more compelling visual of the young warrior as He advanced toward this showdown albeit in the shadow of a menacing giant.
 
There were several inherent problems with the proposal that David wear Saul’s armor. 
 
Among them:
 
     1.  It did not fit David as it was tailored for Saul.
 
David, as perhaps all of us have done, tried on something that he already knew would not fit and, after having tried it on, his assessments were confirmed.
 
As King, Saul would have been presented with armor that was fitted to his body type and that would allow for the necessary movement on the battlefield.  Saul was a tall man and David, being a youth, most likely would have been shorter than Saul.  As such, David quickly realized that this armor would hinder rather than make him more effective.
 
May the knowledge of who we are as believers liberate each one from trying to fit a role not purposed or designed for us by our Father.

     2.  It was foreign to David, untested.
 
There are those things which become our “old reliables,” things which are time tested and have proven instrumentally effective.  In David’s case, this would include the things which he carried into the hills and pastures as a shepherd. He would ultimately set aside Saul’s armor in favor of his weapon of choice, a sling and stones. To David, Saul’s armor was foreign and awkward. Nothing about it was compelling enough for him to abandon the things that he had used daily as a young shepherd protecting his flocks from formidable threats in the field.
 
When we try to walk in those things which are not part of God’s individual design for us, they too are awkward and cumbersome.  For anyone who is aware of his or her identity and calling in Christ, it is always a hindrance and never useful to walk outside of God’s personal design for his or her life. We are only to put on Christ.
 
     3.  It was emblematic of a fearful king who was rejected by God because of prior disobedience. 

The offer of Saul’s armor was an extension of the King’s fear. The royal armor would have been distinct and, in this case, even more so for all of the wrong reasons. It would be a representation of fear and dereliction at the highest level. It would have signified the absenteeism of the one to whom the nation would have looked for an example of courageous leadership at a most critical time. David would not walk in this symbol of virtual abdication, fear, disobedience and defeat. 
 
As believers we do not choose to walk in the molds of conformity to those things which represent fear and defeat. The armor of God is a heavenly provision for His anointed warriors who, by faith, advance in victory toward victory.
 
     4.  David was already anointed by Samuel to succeed Saul as King.
 
David’s anointing assured that He would indeed bear the royal armor and shield. But this was not the time for him to wear the king’s armor. God had rejected Saul. Samuel had anointed David as Israel’s future King. The idea of walking in a symbol of power onto the battlefield would have been intoxicating to someone whose heart and actions were not in alignment with God’s greater purposes. The armor would not bring promotion and David did not seek such in it. It was God’s anointing upon David and it was his heart for God that would advance God’s will in his life. David was not seeking personal advancement, He was hot after the Will and Honor of God.  God always blesses those things which are focused on bringing glory to His Name.

Our calling is not to accommodate or to reciprocate bad behavior but rather to welcome the inner workmanship of the Holy Spirit that we might bear the fruit of His planting when dealing with provocative personalities. Nothing draws out of a believer that which is within, or presents greater growth opportunities, as when dealing with difficult circumstances and difficult people.
 
We don’t choose our mission field, it calls out to us. There are many heavenly opportunities in the thorny places and interactions that we experience each day. 
 
The fruit of the Spirit being produced in the lives of the redeemed makes the bitter sweet and the difficult a place for grace’s artistry. A taste of the heavenly fruit sweetens everything.
 
Without the Fruit of the Spirit manifest in our interactions, our interactions with others would be one continuous train wreck.  Christ in us is essential among:
 
     -  those who make insatiable demands of others, establishing unattainable standards while offering no grace to those who do not and cannot measure up. 
 
     -  those who pride themselves in being the abrasive presence that assumes the duty of wearing the shine off of others.
 
    -  those who must be in control and when that is not possible, see it as priority one to make sure that those who are, be kept humble. These are not team contributors but rather prideful saboteurs.
 
     -  those who must be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. This would be identified as a narcissist.

   - those who perceive themselves to be superior to all others intellectually, spiritually and by any other conceivable standards of measurement. Great personal pleasure is experienced in making others feel small. This disposition stands tallest upon the backs of others.
 
    - those who are masters of manipulation, whose chief aims are to exploit and to use others for personal gratification or gain.
 
     -  those who have no desire to be liberated from the bondage of perceived victimization, as it takes one to center stage and it becomes the daily fare for that which takes delight in the crippling excuses and accusations which feed the god of self-pity. (May we never be dismissive of those who are painfully victimized in what is often a very hurtful world. But it is ultimately the will of God that every person experience healing and restoration, and discover his or her victorious identity in God’s love in Christ.)
 
God positions us in a world where we are immersed in drama and pain, laughter and sorrow, among provocative personalities (of which we may at times be counted.) We are called and anointed by God to encourage one another to walk in the health that His Truth and Grace offer. We are equipped by the Holy Spirit to help people come to faith and to discover who they are in Christ when they get there.
 
If not for the grace of God at work within us, bringing forth personal transformation and spiritual fruit, we all have the capacity to be that difficult personality.
 
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.