Love your Neighbor as Yourself
My friend said, "The Christian life is not that complicated; you just love God with all your being, love yourself, and love your neighbor." Something about the way he said it, did not ring true. I had never heard it said like that. For most of my life I had heard the verse love your neighbor as yourself, but truly I had never really thought about the fact that if I didn't love myself, then how could I love my neighbor? I have written about this before, but as I was listening to the Lord this morning I realized there are still areas of struggle in my life and I am sure I am not the only one.
In religious thinking we are taught to hate ourselves. We draw errant conclusions about who we are. We think self-deprecation is an act of humility. We constantly focus on our insufficiencies and think we are spiritual in our self-loathing. We beg and plead with God to make us something He says we already are. We set standards for ourselves and others that neither us nor them can achieve.
This morning, I felt the Lord was speaking to me and I felt this wrestling in my soul and spirit. The things I was hearing were things that God had said in the past and I had not seen them fulfilled. It was like the Lord was saying to me I am going to restore and fulfill dreams that I have given you in the past. My soulish thinking was, "Lord, I'm old"; "Lord, I don't have the strength or energy anymore"; "It's too late", etc. You get the idea. What I realized was deep down inside there were doubts that I was worthy of such a blessing. I'd rather be known as a man of faith and power for the hour, but I'm trying to be real here because someone needs to hear this. Let me express a few thoughts that came to mind this morning:
1. Self-deprecation is not humility. Tearing oneself down does not build you up. False humility is a coverup for pride. Humility is not weakness. It is the recognition that apart from Him we can do nothing.
2. Self-exaltation is not loving oneself. Exalting oneself is often a compensation for one's perceived lack or attitude about themselves. Pride is not loving oneself. That kind of love is destructive. God resists the proud. Pride goeth before a fall. Pride keeps us from grace.
3. If I don't know who I am, then I will be who I think myself to be. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.
4. If I cannot receive myself then I cannot receive others.
5. Self-hatred and self-rejection leads to rejection by others. That which I project upon myself will be projected to others. Not only will I minister rejection, but in the principle of sowing and reaping, I will reap it in greater measure than I sow.
So what is loving oneself? It is not the "all about me" syndrome; it is the ability to receive myself as God has created me. Accepting myself just as I have been accepted in the beloved. If I can receive myself I can receive others. If I accept myself, I can accept others. What you see in the mirror does not determine your acceptance. It is the heart. Remember little David. God looks at the heart. Paul said that we regard no man according to the flesh.
I am having difficulty expressing what is on my heart today, but there is something I saw in my own life that I need to express. I saw that if I cannot receive myself; I cannot receive the promises of God. Unworthiness will keep you from receiving the blessing of the Lord. I know that apart from God none of us are worthy of God's blessing, but it is not about you; it is about the Father and the Father loves His children and desires to bless them. As parents, you know your children are not perfect, so do you choose to do them harm or do you desire to bless them?
Guilt, condemnation, self-hatred, rejection, and pride are very destructive forces in the lives of a Christian. They keep people from their potential in God. They keep you from God's best. Self-rejection rejects the grace of God.
So often people come to God like the man whose son was demonized and said to Jesus "If You can". God says that is not the right question. The leper came to Jesus and said "If you are willing You can make me clean." Jesus said, "I am willing, be cleansed." I know there are areas in my life that unwittingly by doubting God's ability to do it in me, I have said, "can you?" I must get past the question "Can?" and even the question of "Are You willing?" to the place of hearing Jesus say, "I am willing, be released into your destiny."
I am thankful for a Father who is infinitely patient with me and is still teaching me and bringing things to mind that I had forgotten. God loves you so much. Be blessed today.
In His love,
Herb Dean
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
You Shall be Called by a New Name
Dear friends,
I trust you are well. I have been teaching out of Acts for several months now and I haven't quite finished chapter 4. I was reading about the apostles giving Joseph a new name, Barnabas, which is often translated "son of encouragement or consolation". Bar means son and nabas means encouragement, consolation, or prophecy. I personally believe he was given that name because he was operating prophetically, but that's another message. I want to talk about name changes today. I believe this will encourage you.
You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. Isaiah 62:2b
Back in the 90's I heard that Paul Yongi Cho had changed his name to David because the Lord told him to. As has happened to me a few times over the years my religious perceptions were disturbed. I was familiar with the success of his ministry and that he was a man of prayer, but this just didn't seem right. Over the next few years I would discover that God was in the name changing business. In the mid nineties I heard Jack Taylor do a teaching on destiny names which impacted my life. Jack had first heard the teaching from a young man pastoring in Vermont, Jim Sneyder. I preached at a campmeeting sometime later with Jim and heard him do the teaching and God confirmed some things for me. You don't have to search the scriptures long to find that God changing one's name was not too uncommon. In Genesis we see Abram's name changed to Abraham, meaning "father of multitudes" and Sarai to Sarah meaning "princess".
Then we see Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord. Jacob refused to let go (even in great pain) until he was blessed.
And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me." So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Genesis 32:26-28
Jacob's name meant "heel grabber, supplanter" and the Lord changed his name to Israel meaning "the prince that prevails with God." God's names are prophetic; they speak to our destiny. God changed Abram's name to Abraham before Isaac was born. Our parents may have named us according to a name in the family, or a whim, or a name that was popular. I'm sure some people really pray and listen to God concerning their children's names, but that is probably the exception rather than the rule. In Hebrew culture children were usually named according to some circumstance regarding their birth or the time of their birth. I've come to believe that the most impactful name is not the name given at our birth, but the names and labels, put on us by those close to us, the world, and yes, even ourselves. Let me give you a few examples:
Some people wear the name "Rejected" like a banner. What does this name do? It just sets them up for further rejection. Some people have the name "Stupid", some "You never do anything right", "You'll never amount to anything". They really become ungodly mindsets that destroy your faith and your destiny in God.
In Isaiah 62 God is speaking to His people and telling them that He is changing their name. In the eyes of the world and even in their own eyes they had been named "Forsaken" and their country "Desolate". The Lord says I'm taking that name away and giving you the name Hephzibah, "The Lord delights in you" and your land will be called Beulah, "Married." The Lord delights in you and your country is His bride. He dances over you with joy. You know it is hard for so many to think that God feels that way about them. I just thought about Luke 10 where the 70 returned so excited because demons fled in the name of Jesus. In verse 21 it says, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.... The word rejoiced there is much more graphic in the Greek. It is the word, "agalliao" which means," To exult, leap for joy, to show one's joy by leaping and skipping denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight." He got excited and when you walk in truth He gets excited about you!
I believe the Lord wants to give some of you a new name today. It maybe that we have to recognize what we have been named so we can renounce it and receive our new name. I don't think the angel of the Lord , believed to be the preincarnate Christ didn't know what Jacob's name was. He came to ambush Jacob. The Lord is asking you, "What is your name?" He's not asking for Tim or Jim, but what is that name that's been put on you which keeps you from your destiny in God. Be honest. Renounce it and ask God for the name He wants to give you. Hephzibah, "my delight is in you". There is so much more we could say about names, labels, and ungodly beliefs, but I am sure you see what I am saying. God wants you to have a new name. He talks in Revelation about us being given a new name which no one know except to whom it is given. God is into names. His name represents His character and there is a name for you that speaks destiny and potential. Be blessed today.
In His love,
Herb Dean
I trust you are well. I have been teaching out of Acts for several months now and I haven't quite finished chapter 4. I was reading about the apostles giving Joseph a new name, Barnabas, which is often translated "son of encouragement or consolation". Bar means son and nabas means encouragement, consolation, or prophecy. I personally believe he was given that name because he was operating prophetically, but that's another message. I want to talk about name changes today. I believe this will encourage you.
You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. Isaiah 62:2b
Back in the 90's I heard that Paul Yongi Cho had changed his name to David because the Lord told him to. As has happened to me a few times over the years my religious perceptions were disturbed. I was familiar with the success of his ministry and that he was a man of prayer, but this just didn't seem right. Over the next few years I would discover that God was in the name changing business. In the mid nineties I heard Jack Taylor do a teaching on destiny names which impacted my life. Jack had first heard the teaching from a young man pastoring in Vermont, Jim Sneyder. I preached at a campmeeting sometime later with Jim and heard him do the teaching and God confirmed some things for me. You don't have to search the scriptures long to find that God changing one's name was not too uncommon. In Genesis we see Abram's name changed to Abraham, meaning "father of multitudes" and Sarai to Sarah meaning "princess".
Then we see Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord. Jacob refused to let go (even in great pain) until he was blessed.
And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me." So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Genesis 32:26-28
Jacob's name meant "heel grabber, supplanter" and the Lord changed his name to Israel meaning "the prince that prevails with God." God's names are prophetic; they speak to our destiny. God changed Abram's name to Abraham before Isaac was born. Our parents may have named us according to a name in the family, or a whim, or a name that was popular. I'm sure some people really pray and listen to God concerning their children's names, but that is probably the exception rather than the rule. In Hebrew culture children were usually named according to some circumstance regarding their birth or the time of their birth. I've come to believe that the most impactful name is not the name given at our birth, but the names and labels, put on us by those close to us, the world, and yes, even ourselves. Let me give you a few examples:
Some people wear the name "Rejected" like a banner. What does this name do? It just sets them up for further rejection. Some people have the name "Stupid", some "You never do anything right", "You'll never amount to anything". They really become ungodly mindsets that destroy your faith and your destiny in God.
In Isaiah 62 God is speaking to His people and telling them that He is changing their name. In the eyes of the world and even in their own eyes they had been named "Forsaken" and their country "Desolate". The Lord says I'm taking that name away and giving you the name Hephzibah, "The Lord delights in you" and your land will be called Beulah, "Married." The Lord delights in you and your country is His bride. He dances over you with joy. You know it is hard for so many to think that God feels that way about them. I just thought about Luke 10 where the 70 returned so excited because demons fled in the name of Jesus. In verse 21 it says, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.... The word rejoiced there is much more graphic in the Greek. It is the word, "agalliao" which means," To exult, leap for joy, to show one's joy by leaping and skipping denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight." He got excited and when you walk in truth He gets excited about you!
I believe the Lord wants to give some of you a new name today. It maybe that we have to recognize what we have been named so we can renounce it and receive our new name. I don't think the angel of the Lord , believed to be the preincarnate Christ didn't know what Jacob's name was. He came to ambush Jacob. The Lord is asking you, "What is your name?" He's not asking for Tim or Jim, but what is that name that's been put on you which keeps you from your destiny in God. Be honest. Renounce it and ask God for the name He wants to give you. Hephzibah, "my delight is in you". There is so much more we could say about names, labels, and ungodly beliefs, but I am sure you see what I am saying. God wants you to have a new name. He talks in Revelation about us being given a new name which no one know except to whom it is given. God is into names. His name represents His character and there is a name for you that speaks destiny and potential. Be blessed today.
In His love,
Herb Dean
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Before they call, I will answer
Dear friends,
I pray you are well. God is calling us to war. There is a mighty prayer movement taking place across our nation. It is yet behind the scenes, but like the kingdom of God it is growing in scope and measure and the results will soon be evident. I want to encourage you today with some scriptures and a thought or two that the Lord is giving me.
It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking I will hear. Is. 65:24 God knows your prayer before you pray it.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things we you do not know. Jer. 33:3
So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 The verbs here are present imperative so ask and keep on asking.
If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:14
If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14
Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea' and does not doubt in His heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. Mark11:22-25
We would all agree that those are wonderful promises, but we could probably agree as well that has not been our experience. Are there conditions to answered prayer? There are some things we see here in these scriptures directly or indirectly. I'll list the things I see.
1. We must ask. James said you have not because you ask not.
2. You must believe. I confess I have prayed many faithless prayers over the years and I have also found myself begging for things He has already given me.
3. Forgiveness. Unforgiveness is rejecting God's grace. I personally believe unforgiveness is the one of the most or possibly the most common reason for unanswered prayer.
4. Obedience
5. Persistence
6. Praying His will
7. Abiding in His word
You may say, I have walked in those things and I still don't see my prayers answered. It could be a matter of timing. It maybe that God is developing something in you and He knows the time for what you have asked is not yet.
What I am sensing in my heart is that there is a dynamic tension right now in the earth. Wickedness is being exposed; the assault of the enemy has intensified, yet the kingdom of God like the leaven in the lump is expanding and beginning to become more evident. There is a greater sense of God's presence and we are about to see many of the promises that God has given personally and corporately fulfilled. Prayers that have been prayed for years will be answered and you will begin to see answers to prayer that you have just prayed. There will be those that before they finish voicing their prayer, there will be a phone call revealing that the prayer has already been answered. There will be those who have prayed for a financial need and after praying they will find a check in the mailbox. The answer was dispatched before it was even voiced. There is coming a quick turn around in prayer. We are entering a season of acceleration and especially in the area of prayer.
Spring is a time when I usually clean out the gutters on my house. If the gutters get full of leaves and trash the water does not flow and it can cause leaks and water damage. I think of our spiritual lives that way that the heavenly conduit needs to be kept clean for the Spirit to flow. I believe the Lord is saying that it's time for spring cleaning, because there is the sound of the abundance of rain.
Be encouraged, our Father is attentive to our prayer and He will answer. He is always with us, He is not distant or aloof and He will answer our prayers. The psalmist said,"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Be blessed of the Lord, my friend.
In His love,
Herb Dean
I pray you are well. God is calling us to war. There is a mighty prayer movement taking place across our nation. It is yet behind the scenes, but like the kingdom of God it is growing in scope and measure and the results will soon be evident. I want to encourage you today with some scriptures and a thought or two that the Lord is giving me.
It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking I will hear. Is. 65:24 God knows your prayer before you pray it.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things we you do not know. Jer. 33:3
So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 The verbs here are present imperative so ask and keep on asking.
If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:14
If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14
Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea' and does not doubt in His heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. Mark11:22-25
We would all agree that those are wonderful promises, but we could probably agree as well that has not been our experience. Are there conditions to answered prayer? There are some things we see here in these scriptures directly or indirectly. I'll list the things I see.
1. We must ask. James said you have not because you ask not.
2. You must believe. I confess I have prayed many faithless prayers over the years and I have also found myself begging for things He has already given me.
3. Forgiveness. Unforgiveness is rejecting God's grace. I personally believe unforgiveness is the one of the most or possibly the most common reason for unanswered prayer.
4. Obedience
5. Persistence
6. Praying His will
7. Abiding in His word
You may say, I have walked in those things and I still don't see my prayers answered. It could be a matter of timing. It maybe that God is developing something in you and He knows the time for what you have asked is not yet.
What I am sensing in my heart is that there is a dynamic tension right now in the earth. Wickedness is being exposed; the assault of the enemy has intensified, yet the kingdom of God like the leaven in the lump is expanding and beginning to become more evident. There is a greater sense of God's presence and we are about to see many of the promises that God has given personally and corporately fulfilled. Prayers that have been prayed for years will be answered and you will begin to see answers to prayer that you have just prayed. There will be those that before they finish voicing their prayer, there will be a phone call revealing that the prayer has already been answered. There will be those who have prayed for a financial need and after praying they will find a check in the mailbox. The answer was dispatched before it was even voiced. There is coming a quick turn around in prayer. We are entering a season of acceleration and especially in the area of prayer.
Spring is a time when I usually clean out the gutters on my house. If the gutters get full of leaves and trash the water does not flow and it can cause leaks and water damage. I think of our spiritual lives that way that the heavenly conduit needs to be kept clean for the Spirit to flow. I believe the Lord is saying that it's time for spring cleaning, because there is the sound of the abundance of rain.
Be encouraged, our Father is attentive to our prayer and He will answer. He is always with us, He is not distant or aloof and He will answer our prayers. The psalmist said,"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Be blessed of the Lord, my friend.
In His love,
Herb Dean
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
God is Our Refuge and Strength
Dear friends,
I pray that you are well. These are challenging days in our nation and the world. Someone after hearing about another powerful earthquake in a month or so, asked,"What in the world is going on?" Some would answer using their eschatological beliefs. I am not going there; my desire is to offer hope to the fearful. In these difficult times we are being summoned into the presence of Father God. As I was praying this morning Psalms 46 came to mind. I sent out a devotional from Psalms 46 a few weeks ago so I wondered was the Lord laying this on my heart or was it in my mind because it was familiar. I picked up my Bible and read Psalms 46 again and it so spoke about the present situation in the world that I felt the need to share it.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Psalms 46:1-3
As I read this I thought of earthquakes and tsunamis. The scripture was so timely for what is going on now in Haiti and Chile. A leading seismologist said that in the U.S., it is not a matter of if but when. The psalmists says that though these things happen we will not be afraid. Why? Because God is our refuge and strength. A refuge is a place of safety and protection, a shelter, security. God is our place of protection. Our security is in Him. Strength is power and might. As we said a while back there is nothing outside of us that is greater than He Who is in us.
A very present help in trouble. Where is God when trouble comes? Did He leave you by yourself? No, He is very present. Did He not say that He would never leave or forsake and He is with us always? Is not His Spirit in us? He is very present; He's more than just present, He's very present. We have discussed before, the difference between omnipresence and manifest presence. Very present is like manifest presence; He is present to do something. God does not promise that we won't have trouble. If the apostles had been a little more mature in their faith they probably would have let Jesus sleep when the storm really got bad. Some think that if we walk in obedience we won't have trouble. The night Jesus walked on water they were doing exactly as they were told, but there was a contrary wind. You will encounter resistance. Those who live godly lives will suffer tribulation. It is through much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God. You will have trouble but you have a helper who is along side.
Both of the earthquakes were devastating. In Haiti over 200,000 people died. Many were left homeless. The earthquake in Haiti registered 7.0 on the Richter scale. The earthquake in Chile measured 8.8 on the scale. You may or may not know that on the Richter scale as the number goes higher the amount of power registered increases exponentially so that the earthquake in Chile was over 500 times more powerful than the one in Haiti. It was deeper in the ground and the epicenter was further from the population but it was still much more powerful. Yet in Chile less than 800 have died. What made the difference. In Chile they had much stricter building codes. They knew there was a threat of earthquakes and they built their buildings accordingly. I am reminded of Luke 6 when Jesus said,"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and it immediately fell. And the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:47-49.
I am not drawing a conclusion about the spirituality of either nation and I am not using either man to represent one of those nations. I am just using the example to make a point. Let's look at the two men:
1. They both heard the word.
2. They both built a house.
3. They both encountered a storm.
The difference was what they did with the word. One laid a foundation in obedience. The other did not act upon the word and had no foundation. Our foundation for whatever we build in our lives must be laid in obedience. Yes we have a very present help in trouble. As I looked at those scriptures again I saw that not only does He take us through the storm, but prepares us in advance for it. However when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and he will tell you things to come. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit is in you. That is about as present as you can get. He is our helper, the paraclete, the one along side.
In closing I would like to encourage you with some good news. For over a month millions have bombarded heaven on behalf of the nation of Haiti. Apart from this terrible catastrophe Haiti would probably not have been on many of their minds. I read a report this morning that there have been over 40,000 recorded decisions for Christ and I suspect the numbers are much higher. There has been a cry of repentance coming from that nation and I believe God is rebuilding it. Continue to pray for them and for Chile. There are over one half million whose homes were destroyed in Chile. We pray that God will move mightily there as well and that redemption will come out of this tragedy.
I pray that these letters encourage you. I always get something in the writing of them. Thank you for allowing me to invade your computer space. Be blessed of the Lord.
In His love,
Herb Dean
I pray that you are well. These are challenging days in our nation and the world. Someone after hearing about another powerful earthquake in a month or so, asked,"What in the world is going on?" Some would answer using their eschatological beliefs. I am not going there; my desire is to offer hope to the fearful. In these difficult times we are being summoned into the presence of Father God. As I was praying this morning Psalms 46 came to mind. I sent out a devotional from Psalms 46 a few weeks ago so I wondered was the Lord laying this on my heart or was it in my mind because it was familiar. I picked up my Bible and read Psalms 46 again and it so spoke about the present situation in the world that I felt the need to share it.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Psalms 46:1-3
As I read this I thought of earthquakes and tsunamis. The scripture was so timely for what is going on now in Haiti and Chile. A leading seismologist said that in the U.S., it is not a matter of if but when. The psalmists says that though these things happen we will not be afraid. Why? Because God is our refuge and strength. A refuge is a place of safety and protection, a shelter, security. God is our place of protection. Our security is in Him. Strength is power and might. As we said a while back there is nothing outside of us that is greater than He Who is in us.
A very present help in trouble. Where is God when trouble comes? Did He leave you by yourself? No, He is very present. Did He not say that He would never leave or forsake and He is with us always? Is not His Spirit in us? He is very present; He's more than just present, He's very present. We have discussed before, the difference between omnipresence and manifest presence. Very present is like manifest presence; He is present to do something. God does not promise that we won't have trouble. If the apostles had been a little more mature in their faith they probably would have let Jesus sleep when the storm really got bad. Some think that if we walk in obedience we won't have trouble. The night Jesus walked on water they were doing exactly as they were told, but there was a contrary wind. You will encounter resistance. Those who live godly lives will suffer tribulation. It is through much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God. You will have trouble but you have a helper who is along side.
Both of the earthquakes were devastating. In Haiti over 200,000 people died. Many were left homeless. The earthquake in Haiti registered 7.0 on the Richter scale. The earthquake in Chile measured 8.8 on the scale. You may or may not know that on the Richter scale as the number goes higher the amount of power registered increases exponentially so that the earthquake in Chile was over 500 times more powerful than the one in Haiti. It was deeper in the ground and the epicenter was further from the population but it was still much more powerful. Yet in Chile less than 800 have died. What made the difference. In Chile they had much stricter building codes. They knew there was a threat of earthquakes and they built their buildings accordingly. I am reminded of Luke 6 when Jesus said,"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and it immediately fell. And the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:47-49.
I am not drawing a conclusion about the spirituality of either nation and I am not using either man to represent one of those nations. I am just using the example to make a point. Let's look at the two men:
1. They both heard the word.
2. They both built a house.
3. They both encountered a storm.
The difference was what they did with the word. One laid a foundation in obedience. The other did not act upon the word and had no foundation. Our foundation for whatever we build in our lives must be laid in obedience. Yes we have a very present help in trouble. As I looked at those scriptures again I saw that not only does He take us through the storm, but prepares us in advance for it. However when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and he will tell you things to come. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit is in you. That is about as present as you can get. He is our helper, the paraclete, the one along side.
In closing I would like to encourage you with some good news. For over a month millions have bombarded heaven on behalf of the nation of Haiti. Apart from this terrible catastrophe Haiti would probably not have been on many of their minds. I read a report this morning that there have been over 40,000 recorded decisions for Christ and I suspect the numbers are much higher. There has been a cry of repentance coming from that nation and I believe God is rebuilding it. Continue to pray for them and for Chile. There are over one half million whose homes were destroyed in Chile. We pray that God will move mightily there as well and that redemption will come out of this tragedy.
I pray that these letters encourage you. I always get something in the writing of them. Thank you for allowing me to invade your computer space. Be blessed of the Lord.
In His love,
Herb Dean
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