Splash Zone - A Throwback Episode

This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture that rejects fear and champions faith in God. It emphasizes the power of God's blessing and the importance of obedience and repentance. It encourages believers to renew their minds, trust in God, and put Him first in their lives. The presence of a single obedient believer can change the atmosphere and bless those around them. God's love is unconditional and endless. Welcome to Fear No Fear. Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit embrace you today. This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture. We reject fear in any and all forms. Fear is a spiritual force, the currency of darkness and ignorance. It's what we inherited when Adam gave up his faith and Satan uses it to keep people down. His only weapon is words. If he can get you believing or looking at words of fear, he's got you. Instead, we champion faith as an allegiance to God, as a belief and trust and loyalty to the Lord God Almighty. We accept the evidence of his word as unvarnished truth, as is, just as it's written. We get close to his perfect love through the word, and perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4.18 All scripture is taken from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Visit eBible.org Joel 2.21-22 Land, don't be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things. Don't be afraid, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the trees bear its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Have you ever been near a waterfall? Water pours down and hits a spot, and everything nearby gets wet. Sometimes the spot is a very large area. Other times, it's a smaller one. But every time, everything nearby gets wet. The Lord is a God of blessing. He likes to bless us. He enjoys it. It makes Him happy. The Lord is also a God of growth. Almost everything on our planet starts out one size and grows. Look at the universe. Science tells us through observation that it's expanding all the time. God likes growth. When He blesses, He doesn't do it with an eyedropper. He isn't measuring our deeds, our actions, or our anything, and giving out in proportion to ourselves. God doesn't measure blessing. He opens the floodgates and dumps it on our heads. It gets us, and it gets what is around us. If you're a believer, and you're walking in obedience, His blessing will be on you. Do not be surprised to notice that your workplace is doing better than it was before, that your neighborhood is a little nicer or calmer or safer, that the people you commute beside are a little happier. The blessing of the Lord that rides on us does not ride like a well-fitted coat. It's like a sloshing waterfall or a huge bucket without a lid. It splashes those around us. It creates a splash zone that can't be escaped or avoided. They don't even know why it's happening, but it is happening. You may not notice. It might be in ways you can't see, but it's happening. I've seen it. I've seen the evidence of it. All of creation was placed under the curse. Everything fell because the authority we had, the dominion we had over everything in creation was given away. As God broke the curse, Jesus took back that authority, and by faith, through grace, we have permission to wield it. We've always had dominion in relation to our own will, but in Jesus, we have dominion over us and authority on the earth again too. And there's more than just us involved in that. The command, Genesis 128, was to steward the whole earth. In Jesus, that command stands. So when we are blessed, the Lord also blesses the land around us, the animals around us. By the blood of Jesus, the curse is broken. We can walk in the blessing, and those things around us can walk in it too, especially those things that belong to us. Why shouldn't they? I mean, I'm not talking about things doing well because we're actively praying or doing anything. I'm talking about things doing well because the blessing of God falls on us, and it's falling because we're there, and Jesus is right there with us. Now, there's nothing wrong with speaking to the natural and believing for things according to the Word, but notice that the land around us, be it actual land or city real estate, and the animals and nature around it, be it actual pastures or houseplants, will tend to do well because the presence of the Lord God creates growth. When we get close to God, when we bring heaven into our homes through praise, things happen. Changes in the atmosphere happen. Get into the Word and have it before your eyes on a daily basis as an instruction, not just a novel to read for entertainment or study notes in preparation to speak. It will change what you see, what you think, and how you react to the world around you. Proverbs 4, 20-24. Make praise a part of your day every day, and the atmosphere of heaven can get quite thick around you. Now, there's another aspect to today's verse. God is a God of restoration. You see, the Israelites had not been following the Lord quite the opposite, and despite warning after warning, they would not turn. They had removed themselves from the blessing. They had bound God's ability to function around them with their disobedience. Remember, because of dominion, we have a say in what happens to us. We are either giving permission to God to work in our lives, not work the way we want, but to operate the way He wants, or we are denying Him permission. Oh, that's ridiculous, you say. If that was true, none of us would be saved, because sinners don't want God operating around them. Well, maybe, but you know, there's always someone giving permission for God to move. Read the Bible. God seeks out those who will do His will. Who will I send is quite a theme. So, Israel had decided to deny Him. By not choosing life, they chose, yep, death. God does give us a choice. Deuteronomy 30, 15 to 20, and Proverbs 18, 21. And death came. Hear this, you elders, and listen all you inhabitants of the land. Has this ever happened in your days or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children about it, and have your children tell their children and their children another generation. What the swarming locust has left, the great locust has eaten. What the great locust has left, the grasshopper has eaten. What the grasshopper has left, the caterpillar has eaten. Wake up, you drunkards, and weep. Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. Joel 1, 2 to 5. The nation was in serious danger, and here was the prophet Joel calling for them to repent. All of them, men, women, children, everyone and everything. The Lord God promising that if they did, He would once again be able to bless them. He would be able to drive off what was brought down on them and restore them. Yet even now, says Yahweh, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Joel 2, 12. In verse 13, it's revealed that the Lord isn't after sackcloth, ashes, and torn clothes. He's looking for torn hearts, brokenness, true repentance. Nothing has changed. He's looking for the same from us today. We are believers in Jesus, and in Jesus we are called to renewal of ourselves and denial of our fleshly desires. We are to have our minds on the things of heaven, not of earth. Put to death, therefore, your members which are on the earth, sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For these things' sake, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. You also once walked in those when you lived in them, but now you must put them all away. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth. Don't lie to one another, saying that you have put off the old man with his doings and have put on the new man who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator. Colossians 3, 5-10 When we turn to the Lord, He turns to us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1, 9 We're called to renew our minds. Romans 12, 2 We're called to walk in the Spirit so that we don't walk according to the old person that we were. Galatians 5, 16 But we all miss it. We all mess up. And God promises to renew us, to forgive us when we are truly repentant, to honor our brokenness before Him, just like He promised the people of Israel so long ago. Joel 2, 12-17 And He did. Then Yahweh was jealous for His land and had pity on His people. Yahweh answered His people, Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them, and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. Joel 2, 18-19 And the Lord removed the threats to the land. He was able to dramatically work in their lives and restore what they had because they were obedient. The same works for us. What is the principle at work here? First and foremost, serving the Lord your God and putting Him first above all else. Matthew 22, 37-40 Another principle is simply this. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy even as your soul prospers. 3 John 1, 2 Our souls prospering, enabling the rest of us to prosper too. The Word is a key part of the rest of us, by the way. Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh and depart from evil. It will be health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3, 5-8 Now, depending on your translation, the word is health to the body, nourishment to bones. Or health to nerves, marrow to bones. Healing to body, strengthening to bones. Refreshing drink, medicine. Health to the navel, moistening to the bones. Or healing for your flesh, refreshment for your body. Prosper your soul, prosper your life. When we lack, the things around us lack. We can't afford to have nicer things around us. We don't have money for flowers or treats. We cut back to the basics. And sometimes not even that. Sometimes we decide that we can only afford the absolute bare minimum. Or our circumstances decide that for us. It's so easy to go from prudent financial stewardship and enter a land of poor words. Words that feed a spirit of poverty. Words that feed a fear of lack, loss, or want. When we're not prospered spiritually, we're malnourished spiritually. And that malnourishment spreads until it is financial leprosy preventing us from experiencing any blessing. Because instead of being prudent, we're living in a fear of not. Not having, not getting, not able to, not, not, not, not, not. We're sinking in the storms because our eyes are off Jesus. It isn't even about money in the bank prosperity. This is about true prosperity. When we're blessed, we prosper. When we nourish our spirit, prosperity rises up inside us. Sometimes we simply notice beauty that we didn't see before. Sometimes it's an ease when looking at the bills in the bank balance. Whether the circumstances have changed or not. Sometimes it's seeing the thankfulness that inhabits our lives. Sometimes it's a smile on a rainy day. But the Lord does much with little. He's a God who can stretch in amazing ways. Think of the feeding of the multitudes, Matthew 15, 35-39. Think of the walls of Jericho coming down from a shout of praise, Joshua 6. Think of the widow's oil and flour, 1 Kings 17-16. Think of the water into wine, John 2, 1-11. You know, a common theme of all those blessings is they affected more than one person. Regardless of the target of the Lord, there was not a laser beam of blessing. There was a dump. There was a serious splash zone. The same is true today. He is a God who takes care of our needs, Matthew 6, 27-33. He throws blessing at us and is thrilled to do it because by blessing us, he's able to bless those around us. You know, that's the real goal of prosperity. To bless his people so his people can bless others so that he can bless us so that we can bless more. The presence of a single obedient believer can change the atmosphere of a stadium crowd just because of our blessing splash zone. It is almost unbelievable what can happen when you let the Lord be actively present in your life. Test it. Test him. He's not afraid of it. Malachi 3, 10-12. When the Lord says something, he will back it up. When he makes a promise, he will keep it. Approach the Lord in obedience, with brokenness, with praise and thanksgiving for the goodness and mercy of your good God. Let him work in your life. Look at the Word. Read the Gospels. Read the New Testament. And then read the rest. See the promises that Jesus makes. See the promises the Holy Spirit makes. See the promises the Heavenly Father makes. They will not let you down. Ever. Our daily affirmation of God's love is Psalm 36, 5-7. The shadow of the Lord's wings are a wonderful place to dwell. There is the shadow of his protection. The closeness of his presence. There is healing in his wings. Malachi 4, 2. His righteousness spreads everywhere. Everywhere we go and everything we do, we are one step away from his wings. And if we're abiding in him, we never leave the wings in the first place. They are a wonderful promise. They are a wonderful gift. They are a wonderful blessing. Get underneath them today and never leave them. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever. It is the best place to be. As we close, remember that you have worth. You are precious and valuable. Declare this. Today, God loves that I, now you, fill in the blank. Was it a meal you made? A smile you gave? Did you get out of bed? Read? Put on socks? There's no wrong answers here. There is no end to God's love. And no end to the things about you that he loves each and every day. Pick one. And remember, the Lord loves you just because you're you. 1 John 4, 9-10 tells us, By this, God's love was revealed in us. That God has sent his only born son into the world. That we might live through him. And this is love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us. And sent his son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. His perfect love turned away God's wrath because of sin. And it casts out our fear too. See verses 18 and 19. We love because he first loved us. He just loves us. Can't get enough of us. And that is wonderful. See you next time.