admin – Page 17 – Jackie Calhoun

The Rock, the Prophet, and the Praying Man

God chose a despised-by-his-brothers boy with a rock to take out a threatening giant who was oppressing the nation of God’s people. Jesus is the Rock. The praying church of true believers is the modern day David. The sling is faith-inspired Spirit-propelled prayer according to the Word of God. A body of praying people, believers in Jesus Christ allegiant to the ways and principles of God’s Word, is the David who will deliver this nation from Goliath (1 Samuel 17).

A lone prophet stood up against an Ahab/Jezebel political system and 450 violent prophets who were against the ways of God. A famine was in the land and God’s people were being corrupted with false gods and false worship. When the prophet built an altar of true worship to God, and called upon the name of God Almighty, the fire fell and consumed the water soaked alter. The people saw what God did and they fell on their faces and declared “The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God”. The false prophets were slain (1 Kings 18). The Elijah prophet today is the believing, praying church who can move under God’s direction in the power of the Word and Spirit of God to deal with the spiritual wickedness in high places. Prayer might have been taken out of schools, but true prayer cannot be taken out of the hearts and mouths of true believers.

Daniel was told to shut up from praying to his God. Laws were conspired and passed making it illegal to pray to God. He just opened the window and kept praying as always. He ended up in the lion’s den, but the same lion’s den designed to take him out, instead, consumed his crooked enemies (Daniel 6).

With the forces that are in place today, it is not a time for business as usual. True believers and followers of Jesus Christ must take their place in the calling of God as salt of the earth and light of the world in Christ. We must take the overall perspective, stand tall in our position with God, and believe and pray big on the Word of God. If God says it, it is so. We must pray and act on that basis with all boldness without apology. No believer is insignificant or to be despised in God’s kingdom. Your power with God is the righteousness and faith of Jesus Christ. You are just the voice in the wilderness of this world, to proclaim God’s Word and God’s Way into the world. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life – period. It is not about political parties or personalities or empty promises. It is about the Lord himself changing minds, hearts, and lives to line up to his agenda and his way of doing things. These are radical days requiring radical action. Pray big. Live justly and truly in following Jesus. Be the vessel to reflect God into our society today.

Let God Orchestrate Your Life

A new year is upon us. There is one tidbit left over from last year that I want us to munch on. We should all be in the process of setting goals and making plans and affirmations for the coming year. It is this little tidbit that I think would be well for us all to insert into our future.

I have always considered that Jesus was wrapped in a blanket when he was born. In my mind I translated “swaddling clothes” into a “blanket”. I learned in this past Christmas season that the sign of him being laid in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes carries special significance. There were ceremonially clean shepherds in Jesus’ day who watched over flocks that were raised for the express purpose of being a lamb to be sacrificed in the temple. One of the qualifications for a lamb to be a sacrificial lamb in the temple was that it be without blemish. These temple flock shepherds would wrap newly born lambs in strips of clean cloth called swaddling clothes to protect them and keep them free of blemishes. With no room found in a Bethlehem inn during the busy tax season, Mary and Joseph ended up in what we would call the barn for the flocks of temple sheep, which was also the birthing area for the sheep. Swaddling clothes were definitely in this place, so the clear sign and direction given by the angels to the shepherds was that they would find the babe in a manger wrapped in these clean swaddling clothes used for the sacrificial lambs.What a divinely orchestrated series of events – tax season, crowded inns, Mary and Joseph ending up at the place where sacrificial lambs were born, and the angelic word given to the shepherds about the sign of swaddling clothes with the babe lying in a manger. They knew right where to go to find the Savior Babe.

Wow! This awesome God is the one who we want to have our destiny! What a clear sign that shows the redemption that has been birthed into the world for all people’s deliverance! Jesus, the Lamb of God, wrapped in the same swaddling clothes as the sacrificial lambs for the temple. Even in his birth, every detail is pointing to him being the Savior of mankind from sin, disease, death, and hell. If you have not truly called upon his name and yielded your life to him for cleansing from sin and eternal life, then I urge you to start your new year taking Jesus as your Lord and King. Through him, in all the details of life, you can realize the peace, joy, and power that is now available to you through his Word and Spirit. The babe has grown up to be the King. We can bow our knee to him now and realize his goodness and blessings. Let’s start the New Year with the King of all kings orchestrating our life as never before.

The Greatest Gift – Part Two

“For God so loved the world that he gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The all-sufficient gift embodied in the person of Jesus is more than forgiveness. Included in this gift is a principle in life called cleansing and renewal. In our bodies wastes and toxins are being washed out on a cellular level and fresh nutrients and fluids moved in to rebuild, restore, heal, and strengthen. In business inefficient workers are let go and new eager workers brought in. In a city garbage is moved out making room for new food and stuff to be brought in. A healthy mental lifestyle is a lifestyle of laying aside negative attitudes and emotions and embracing and maintaining positive ways of thinking and expression. Forgiveness in the kingdom of God is cleansing from sin. When Jesus died for us, that sacrifice before God secured our cleansing from sin. He was laid in a tomb of death, but on the third day he came out of that tomb, having conquered sin and death. He rose up in the power of the Spirit of God with all authority in the spirit realm. Now, he is alive forevermore to impart that same Spirit to those who embrace and believe on him committing their lives to him. Renewal is experienced as we yield our lives to the Spirit of God who makes the Word of God real to us with spiritual understanding. Having everlasting life is having his Spirit which is a life-giving Spirit that enlightens and leads us in the truth that sets us free. The Spirit of God “quickens” or “makes alive” our mortal bodies with this everlasting life here and now. Healing comes from a touch of everlasting life, just like a touch of electricity gives us a jolt, or lights up a string of Christmas lights (Romans 8:11). In the gift of everlasting life in Christ Jesus, there is the cleansing of forgiveness and the renewing operation of the Spirit of God in our life for healing, strengthening, and empowering in a supernatural way. Jesus taught that out of our innermost being, by the Spirit of God, as we believe on him, we would have “rivers” of living water to flow out to quench the thirst of whatever we need in our life or the lives of others (John 7:37-39). In this gift of Jesus there are rivers of forgiveness, empowerment, healing, miracles, wisdom, understanding, direction, sound judgment, common sense, boldness, and so much more. All this is embodied in Jesus and in everlasting life, alive and operating now, ready to go into effect in our lives and in the lives of others through the exercise of faith in him. Faith is embracing, believing, speaking, and acting on his Word above all we see, think, feel, taste, or hear. It is not a religious thing. It is receiving the gift and utilizing it with praise and thanksgiving to God.

The Greatest Gift – Part One

“For God so loved the world that he gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Embodied in the person of Jesus is God’s gift to the world, which is provision to help mankind meet every possible need with all sufficiency and abundance. God’s provisions are conceived in his love, and birthed by the operation of his faith imparted into and through mankind. The supernatural virgin born Son came in the flesh for total identification with us in the flesh, yet without sin. He broke the power of sin and death, thus qualifying him to break every bondage known to man. All bondage has its root in sin somewhere down the line. Jesus, in love for the world of mankind, stayed the course to defeat sin, flesh, death, and hell for us. When we embrace what he did for us with a committal of our life to him, we receive his victory into our life, our sins are forgiven. With this same faith, we can apply that victory in our everyday life for every day directions and situations. It is not a religious thing. It is a Spirit directed business transaction. It is a fact of what he did for us. It is a fact that God’s love, like a dynamo generating electricity, is continually operating on our behalf. It is a fact that faith connects our life to the life of God and his operation in every day events. It is a fact that as we give ourselves to his direction the wires are connected and as we keep the switch of faith turned on, we receive his operation and power. When you see the beautiful Christmas lights in this season, remember that as we are plugged in to Him, understanding and embracing the promises of his Word for ourselves, then the beauty of his Light of forgiveness shines through each vessel no matter what the shape or color. The diversity of color is grouped each to its own color, or, it is blended with all colors. Either way, it all shines with beauty to the glory of God through Jesus, and his gift of forgiveness. Without this gift, mankind is left in the eternal darkness of sin, separated from the life of God. Though a person perhaps is good, moral, having integrity, and having good and proper motives, still, God’s provision of everlasting life is only through Jesus given for man and man believing in him. As the gift is offered, if we just take the gift, then the gift is ours. Sin is a fact. It is a fact that forgiveness through Jesus is offered. It is a fact that when we take his provision, it becomes ours. He said in his word, “Come now, let us reason together…though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). It is the reasonable thing to do. What a wonderful gift!

APPS To Live By

In today’s electronic, digital world, “applications”, or “apps” typically refers to small, specialized programs downloaded onto a phone or some other type mobile device that enables that device to do things that it could not do before. You can download all kinds of apps to enhance your phone. You can put games on your phone so you have a diversion for idle moments. There are Covid management apps, dog training apps, apps to watch movies, apps to help you shop, and apps to help you get organized. The list is endless because they are always coming out with new apps. One time I downloaded a pool game app and was able to play pool on my phone. That got old after a while and when I got a new phone, I never bothered to get that app again. My wife and I enjoy a little word game that you have to unscramble the given letters to make words that fit in a crossword puzzle format. It is fun and challenging to do that together. We have both downloaded a Bible with Strong’s Concordance so that we always have a Word reference source on the go. It comes in handy quite often. The GPS apps are great to give you turn-by-turn traveling directions. It sure beats the old map study method, although there are times when it is good to look at a physical map laid out before you.

An acronym occurred to me the other day using the letters APPS – Active Passionate Pursuit of Souls. In the kingdom of God, Jesus led in being the example of reaching out to others to administer healing, forgiveness, supernatural empowerment, comfort, guidance, building self-worth and many more helps in life. He lived a life of Active Passionate Pursuit of Souls. This is a group of APPS that every believer today needs to download into their lives to fulfill a life of following Jesus. In a hurting, violent world, by downloading the APPS, by applying commitment, self denial, believing the Word, and choosing to reach out and share that Word with others, change is brought about. All our lives need to be changed in some way. God has the power to change us for the good, whether for healing, strengthening, forgiveness, empowerment, or whatever we need. If who God is and what he has in place for us is never applied, it does us no good, nor does it any good for those around us. If there is Active Passionate Pursuit of Souls, the world can be changed – one soul at a time. We might be a device in ourselves who is alive and functioning, but by downloading APPS, so much more can be accomplished. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We come to the Father through him to receive and to give out all that God has for us. Through Jesus our life can be more abundant if we will download the APPS.

Words to Live By

With your words you can make a person mad, sad, or glad. Intelligent conversation is a careful choice of words to accomplish a desired end. We are not a stranger to the power of words. We use them every day to obtain what we want to know and they are steps in the accomplishment of that desired end. Sales people use words to distribute merchandise and services. Religion, politics, education, business – on we could go and relate how in every realm of life we use words to bring about change. With this in mind, we should not think it strange that Jesus gave example and teaching on how we can use words to effect change in our lives and in others lives. First we need to consider that God spoke and the stages of creation were manifested (Genesis 1). The people of the earth were of one language and speech and became corrupt. God knew that because they were of one language “nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (Genesis 11). He confounded their language and scattered them to slow their evil accomplishment. David affirmed his trust in God to keep him from deadly disease and destruction –-“I will say of the Lord…surely he shall deliver…from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence” (Psalms 91:1-3). Wise Solomon stated the power of life and death is in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Jesus comes along and sees a woman bowed together with a spirit of infirmity 18 years, and she could not straighten up. When he saw her he called her over to himself and spoke to her saying to her that she was loosed from her infirmity. He laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God (Luke 13:11). Jesus taught that if we will have faith in God, doubting not, and speak to the mountain of adversity and impossibility that looms before us, and believe that when we pray we receive our request, then we shall have what we request. For this, he said to make sure we have no unforgiveness in our heart (Mark 11:22-26). The Word of the gospel can be spoken and heard and lives be eternally changed for the good.

Knowing the power of words, and seeing how we use them every day, it is good news to know that we can line our words up to the Word of God, and speak to our minds, our bodies, and our situations and circumstances and bring about change. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Follow the precedent set forth in God’s Word, If you are sick, speak God’s word of healing to your body. Jesus spoke to a fruitless fig tree and it dried up at the roots (Matthew 21:19). With thanksgiving, speak to your body, to that disease, to that situation, the abundant life that Jesus came to give, and live (John 10:10). That is God’s way!

Light the Bonfire

With government permits in hand and with signed agreements with the adjoining neighbors, we are scheduled to have our creek on the west side of our property widened. With each large rain, due to a concrete wall that fell in years ago, our lawn area has been being eaten away by erosion. In the process of preparing for the renovation along the creek bank, I cut an area of very large cane along the creek about 10 feet wide by about 80 feet long, which produced a lot of cane to deal with in some way. Some of it I stripped and stacked for whatever, some is cut and just laying there in a pile at this time, and some was old and dead and I piled it up for a bonfire. When cane burns, since it is made up of hollow enclosed cylinders all joined together, pressure builds with the heat and it explodes. It makes for a noisy fire, even sounding like a 22 rifle or the larger cane sounding like a handgun going off. We have joked saying the best time to burn cane in town is July 4 and nobody will think a thing about it.

The Bible says Jesus came to take away the sin of the world and baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (John 1:29,33; Luke 3:16). In the operation of fire, things that burn are done away with, and things that won’t burn remain and are sterilized. Some things burn with a little crackling sound and some things, like cane, burns with a loud report. In cane (some of this we have is 4 inches across at the base), the larger the chamber, the bigger the bang. On the day of Pentecost, all were filled with the Holy Spirit, all spoke with new tongues, but Peter was the “big bang” who was the spokesman for the group. He sounded out loud and clear and 3,000 people were converted to believe on Jesus Christ (Acts 3). Later he boomed the message out again by the power of the Spirit that was within and upon him, and 5,000 people became believers in Jesus. As the fire continued to burn in him “multitudes” came to where they were gathered bringing “a multitude” of sick folks, so many they had to lay them in the streets, and as Peter’s shadow passed over them they were all healed (Acts 5:12-16). This was a spiritual bonfire of magnificent proportions, burning for all to see and hear, booming out the word and demonstration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that God raise up some bamboo cane believers on fire for Jesus that as fires of evil and ungodly ways sweep across the land, we will fight fire with fire, the fire of God in all love, truth, and holiness, proclaiming and demonstrating the all powerful gospel of Jesus Christ. The time has come to light the bonfire and keep it stoked up to burn.

Light the Bonfire

Make It Count With God

I am writing this article on Election Day, November 3, 2020. I just heard an account on the radio about a mother and her toddler early this morning in another state standing in a long line in 30 degree weather to vote. Finally, with this record voter turnout, after being there for about 45 minutes, the toddler was crying constantly. A stranger, just about to enter the building, aware of what was going on in the back of the line, checked with other line-standers behind him and made his way back to the mother. With the consent of the other line-standers, the mother was allowed to “break line” and get into the building to vote.

These are the values, and the people, that make America great. These are the freedoms and rights that brave men and women gave their lives to establish and protect. This is the basic decency, kindness, and consideration that maintains a strong society and nation. God is having his way in this election today. A vote is a signed contract that places a person in agreement with the policies, practices, and provisions of a governing administration. It also places you in agreement with the rewards or punishments reaped. It is a seed sown in the field of life that produces a harvest that is for the good of all or for the detriment of all. We will give an account for the seeds sown. Any time we stray from Biblical directions and values, we are sowing bad seed. We just need to read the Bible to see what happens.

The great red wave for America is not that of a political party. The great red wave for America is a tsunami of the cleansing blood of Jesus to wash our sins away for how we have strayed from the Bible way of doing things and from following the ways of Jesus Christ. Education is vital to all, but education alone is not the answer. There are highly educated people who are leading opponents to the God way of life. To get back to the founding principles of our country, we are to mix good education with godly consecration to what God has shown us in his word as our guide to life. We have been seeing what happens when God is taken out of society. Now, it is up to each of us to cast our vote with Jesus Christ, to personally consecrate ourselves to him in a fresh and new way, and ask him to indeed be the Lord of our lives. This is the great red wave of the cleansing blood of Jesus that will enliven our spirits and renew our minds to the counsel of God for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren and for generations to come. Because of what Jesus did for us, we have an opportunity to “break line” and get ahead with God. Let us not miss this golden opportunity to make it count with God.

What Is Your Windmill?

About forty years ago my Mom and Dad collected white, crystalline rocks and Dad built an ornamental windmill on the home place. It measured about five and a half feet across at the base and about nine feet tall. When we moved to Benton, it became a desire of ours to move the windmill to our new place in Benton. People said it could not be done, that it would fall apart. But, we did get it moved without it coming apart because my Dad built things well. Since the lattice blades had finally been broken off or had just been removed, it became my task to build new blades. I had three pieces of the blades about eight inches long from the hub of the sealed bearing shaft that showed me the angle my Dad had built the original blades, plus, I found some pictures stored in our computers that had the windmill in them. By studying these pieces and the pictures, I was able to duplicate what my Father had done. Now, the next step is to restore the little wooden split rail fence around the edge of the concrete deck that encircles the rock tower, then replace the little wooden door and window, and the stairs that goes from the deck to the ground. It will all be built from Arkansas Red Cedar and varnished with clear exterior varnish, to match the hand-crafted lattice blades. My wife and I installed the varnished blades today, at this writing, and the rest is yet to come. Today, after careful balancing of the lattice blades, the gift of a light steady breeze put the blades into a gentle, quiet, rotation adding life to the unique heirloom yard ornament. We can enjoy that piece every day as we look out across our yard.

Good things come to us in life as we desire them, plan for them, work hard to get them, and by sometimes attempting what others say cannot be done. Then, to put the finishing touches on things, we must study diligently what the Father does and do just what he did. That is what Jesus did and his life is still blessing millions today. Like Jesus, if we will give ourselves to just do what the Father is doing, then we, too, will know the fruit of life that comes only from Father God. Jesus made the way for us to do this, but if we just let the windmill sit there and don’t go for it, we miss the daily blessing that could be ours. If you have a desire in your life that is good and righteous, whatever your windmill is, take the proper steps and go for it. Get it, enjoy it, and give praise to God for it. In everything his name is to be exalted and glorified, and as you enjoy life as it comes from following Him, so can your neighbors enjoy it as they drive by and observe.