New Beginnings

Today’s Reading: Psalm 87-88, Romans 13

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 87:5   And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

God Almighty has chosen for Himself mount Zion in which and from which to glorify His name and His fame throughout the earth!   So significant is this location to Him that in verse one, it is referred to as “His foundation…”.  

Much is to be said about foundational works in the earth.  In fact, specifically looking at mount Zion, we know that King David took it when it was known as the strong hold of an enemy who boasted of its impenetrability (see 2 Sam. 5:6).  But as my Bible so eloquently states, “Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion…”

Could it be that David’s passion for God’s heart may have influenced God’s decision in selecting mount Zion as His foundational location for His works in the earth?  I’m simply asking the question.  One thing is sure; foundations, birth places, first happenings, breakthroughs, etc. all have one thing in common… they are noteworthy for both God and mankind.

Who doesn’t commemorate such occasions?  In most all significant relationships, moves, decisions, etc., we often cherish the beginnings of all such meaningful happenings in our lives.

I said all that to say this; just as this principle is illustrated in the heart and mind of God in our passage, so you should anticipate seeing God’s Divine hand involved in the new things of your life.  Learn to look for the significance of what new works God is beginning for you, as they will inevitably lead to some of the most impactful, memorable, and life-altering days of your life.  Who knows; the new place in which you find yourself may be, in the mind of God, YOUR “mount Zion”!  Trust Him!


When Weeping Turns to Winning

Today’s Reading: Psalm 84-86, Romans 12

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 84:5-6   Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.  Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

The psalmist seems to be saying that when the strength upon which we rely comes from our Lord, it is only then that we are blessed.  Furthermore, when “the ways” (that is, the HIGH ways of life which are elevated above the trenches and ditches of sin) are in our hearts, they too are a source of blessing.  So take heed, traveler, how you travel, and with whom you travel!  Your blessing relies upon both!  

Now, let us look at verse six.  Remember that it is a continuation of the state of blessedness in which we find ourselves after having traveled the high ways with our Lord in verse five.  Watch it now, “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well…”  In other words, those who are blessed make the valley of Baca (that is, the valley of weeping) a well!  Even the valley becomes “higher ground” for those who are blessed by God.  But it is not enough here to simply say that we ARE blessed, but the text implies that we BLESS the valleys we walk through.  

Do you understand the significance of this passage?  You who ARE blessed are also a BLESSING, because God’s blessings are too big for you to absorb all for yourself.  You are not meant to simply absorb; you are meant to overflow, so that even your tears make well springs of blessings.  Nothing that God blesses shall ever be cursed!  So as you walk through your valley of weeping, one day you will see that what looked like pain in the rain shall soon be seen as showers in the sunshine.

What is my assurance?  Why, just look at the remaining portion of verse six.  “The rain also filleth the pools.”  This implies Heaven’s aid in the filling of the wells you dug while in your valley, so that the valley which was meant for harm becomes a harbor of God’s richest blessings.  Glory! 

~ Pastor Gary Caudill


Are the poor...OUR responsibility?


Today’s Reading: Psalm 81-83, Romans 11:19-36

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 82:4-5   Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.  They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness:  all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

Because “the foundations of the earth are out of course”, or shaken, or you might say out of order…the wicked rise to power and crush those standing in their way or subservient to them.  The most tragic manifestation of this kind of suppression is the poor and needy among us.  In a perfect world, the rich would always help the poor; in a sinful world, the rich often purposely use, suppress, and in some cases, discard the poor.  

Here's my point; we are commanded to DELIVER the poor and needy.  We are commanded to rid them out of the hand of the wicked.  We are told that the poor “know not” and that they will not understand.  We are told that, if they are not delivered, they will walk on in darkness.  

Our culture often thinks about the poor as if that’s their problem or someone else’s problem, but here, God instructs His people essentially to have pity on the poor and needy.  If we don’t, they will go right on to their own demise.

Perhaps you are as challenged with this thought as I am.  We often want people to “help themselves”, but God tells us to help those who cannot help themselves! If God tells us to deliver them, then that means, if we do not deliver them, they won’t be delivered…by themselves, or anyone else.  This is a God-given assignment. This places the responsibility on God’s people to do something about it.  So may we pray today and every day that we will learn to have compassion on those who are less fortunate than us, instead of trying to criticize or compete with them!


The Kingdom Within


Today’s Reading: Psalm 79-80, Romans 11:1-18

Today’s Reflection:  Romans 11:7   What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

What exactly is it that those of us who have received Christ by faith have obtained, the which Israel “hath not obtained”?  Consider the following scriptures:  Speaking of Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel, it was said in Hebrews 11:10, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”  Then verse 13 says of the multitudes following him, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  

Who could agree with me that it would appear they were looking for not JUST a city, but a Kingdom?  Dear reader, I propose to you that, in fact, Abraham and his descendants were looking for the Kingdom of God while here on Earth.  Not convinced?  Consider this; when John the Baptist came to introduce Jesus Christ to His people Israel, he preached “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Furthermore, Jesus picked right up where John left off, preaching the exact same message; “Repent:  for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus further explained in Luke 17, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”  You see, Israel was looking for a brick and mortar, Earthly kingdom with a King sitting on the Earthly throne, not realizing that God’s Kingdom is delivered inwardly, then manifested outwardly through faith and obedience to His Word!

Here’s my final thoughts on this; we have within us the very Kingdom of God, if we have received Christ as Savior.  In short, it is now our time to seek God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness through faith and obedience, so that HIS will is done on Earth as in Heaven!  We have all of Heaven’s authority and resources at our disposal; so let’s build!


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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill

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A Prince Picked from the Sheep Pens!


Today’s Reading: Psalm 77-78, Romans 10

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 78:70   He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

What a glorious site we behold here; a prince picked from the sheep pens!  Look with me at his low estate.  A servant; a slave, if you will.  A subject and a worshipper of God Jehovah, who finds himself serving in the lowest places for the Most High God!  David made God his Lord, and God made David His servant!  They had a unique relationship; a rare find among the children of men, in that David would do ANYTHING for his Lord, and in process of time would discover that his God would have done almost ANYTHING for him (see 2 Sam. 12:8 & Psalm 2:8)!  

What made this dynamic union between God and man possible?  The key, I believe, is found in the first two words; “He chose…”  This means that God not only elected or picked David out for Himself, but it also means that God “chose for” David; that is, He chose David’s destiny for him.  You see, we love God because He FIRST loved (or you might say chose) us!  Think of that!  The God of Heaven picking you out of the crowd to save YOU! And make no doubt but that He desires that you be saved and serving Him, for it is just as personal to Him as it is to you!

Furthermore, it is not just enough to be chosen, or spoken for, but there must at some point come the time where he who has been chosen is also sent for.  Hence, the Bible says that God “took him” from the sheepfolds.  That is, He “fetched” or “snatched” or “took away” David from his lowly estate.  

Isn’t this just like our Lord Jesus, who made himself a little lower than the angels, and became a servant Himself, so that He could come after us and “snatch” us from our sinful state?  “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunjghill; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. (Ps. 113:7-8)” 

Know this; He has chosen you, and He is coming for you, wherever you are!  There is a place in His Kingdom palace with your name on it!!


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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill

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Ask God to Respect His Own Covenant!



Today’s Reading: Psalm 74-76, Romans 9:16-33

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 74:20   Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

In this passage, David is praying to God about the spiritual state of his beloved nation.  The sanctuary, once magnificent and glorious, lay waste, as the enemies came in and destroyed what once was held as a national treasure.  David heard and saw first hand the devastating effects that sin had brought into his homeland, and how it gave way to the power of the enemy to destroy what at one point was the epicenter of Jewish culture and life.  

There is even now a striking parallel between what David was concerned about, and what we as Americans are concerned about today.  A nation once built upon Judeo-Christian values, has essentially seen the “burning down” of what once was the epicenter of American culture and life; namely, the church.  What houses of worship have not been literally burned down, in many cases, have been burned down in practice and principle.

Will we like David see what a great loss this is to our nation, and ask God to remember His covenant that He has made with His people?  David is asking God to ACT against the enemies who have blasphemed His name and profaned His holy temple.  Furthermore, he points out in our text that the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

In short, he is saying to God that unless HE moves, the darkness will continue to prevail over the light.  And yet, David’s only hope (and ours too) is that God will “have respect” (or look to and consider) unto His covenant (aka His Word).  David says to God in verse 22, “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause…”

Dear friends, let us declare God’s promises of answering our prayers, and then hold Him to His word.  If not for our sake, for His own He will move to do mighty things among us, because He cannot lie!

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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill

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Kings with the Poor


Today’s Reading: Psalm 72-73, Romans 9:1-15

Today’s Reflection:  Psalm 72:4   He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

King David is praying prophetically for the future reign of his son Solomon.  In so doing, he is asking God to give his son the ability to judge righteously in the land.  After asking God to give his son righteousness, he then exclaims in prayer what the results of that righteousness will produce; “He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.”  

David understands that to judge righteously is to judge rightly.  That is, to be equal in the enforcement of the law, and in the benefits of citizenship.  Here in America, we may call it liberty and justice for all.  Regardless, the point is this; righteous judgment gives everyone a voice in society, but makes a special point not to neglect the most vulnerable among us.

What business does a KING have with the POOR of the people?  Of what benefit is there in helping those who cannot help the king?  If truth be known, many governments, dictators, kings, & princes throughout world history have focused their energies on increasing their own strength and power by building alliances with other strong leaders, and by suppressing the weak to keep them weak.

But look at THIS King, praying for his son to judge with the righteousness of God.  Where did King David learn what righteous judgement looked like?  Why, from the heart of God…of course! 
 
And it is to this end that we are reminded of just how strong and powerful our God (King of Kings and Lord of Lords) is, to humble Himself to the poorest of the poor, and the lowest of the low, not to increase His own strength (for He is already all powerful), but to lift us up and to bless us with His greatness!  Oh the wonder of His Majesty!

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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill

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"Forever Faith" & "Perpetual Praise"





Today’s Reflection: Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

David’s warfare mode was a “Forever Faith” and a “Perpetual Praise”! In spite of the fact that he was getting older and feeling more vulnerable to the elements of war, he chose to never let his hope or his praise die.

David was trained that these were his true weapons and his true strength. If you read verses 13-18, you will see more of this context, and you will see where he said in verse 16, “I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD…” In fact, David had most always gone in the strength of his God, even when he was young; and yet, when old age started talking to him, he had to remind himself of that very truth.

Oh, what a wonder it is to know that according to 2 Cor. 4:16, though this outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed (to be changed into a new kind of life, given new strength and vigor) day by day. May this serve as a reminder to all of us that our true strength is not in our flesh, but in our spirit. When we realize this, we can then focus most of our energy on feeding our inner man, who can serve the strength we need to overcome any obstacle or enemy standing in our way.

I would like to encourage each of you to not allow the ever-changing and ever-eroding external conditions around you cause you to lose faith or stop praising God for His greatness and His goodness. You can be more feeble that you’ve ever been in your life externally, circumstantially, and physically, but if you go into “Forever Faith” and “Perpetual Praise” mode, you will never be disappointed with the results of God’s response in coming to your aid.

That’s why we must learn that spiritual warfare can only be fought and won in the spiritual realm. Remember that our weapons are not carnal (fleshly, physical, tangible, weak), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds! So, in short, you can believe and praise your way through any season in life that creates chaos and destruction around you!


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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill

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