Month: December 2013

And The Government . . .

Iris Godfrey

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

“And the government will rest on His shoulders…” That phrase simply means everything about the government will be supported by Him, led by Him, kept by Him and determined by Him. Nothing outside of Him will be responsible for anything. 

The government of the Kingdom of God rests on our Lord Jesus Christ. In truth, according to Romans 13:1 “every” authority is from Him. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” This Scripture is true wherever one lives on this globe. Whether in the US where a democracy is the form of government, or in Cuba where a dictator is seemingly responsible for all. 

If the government is really on His shoulders, then much of what we concern ourselves with is irrelevant. Whether it is the government of the land where we live, or whether it is our own personal lives, His is the government. 

This is amazing when we begin to consider what He allows and expects from us in using our free-will. He seems to incorporate our choices into His governing as we move forward in time, call, vision and purpose. He does not over ride us, nor does He leave it all up to us. Yet in this boundless inclusion, we are asked to move in harmony with His governing choices. 

We are given hints as the needs we have to come into this awareness  in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 where the Holy Spirit lets us know we will judge the world and angels. So He has an expectation of us that we have not often understood. We need to know the Book, Beloved, and not just to right our behavior, but to be able to inter-act with His heart in this government, now in this life. It is a call to a supernatural awareness of His love and HIs purposes, so we can relate to Him in ways of honor and friendship in co-operation. Such is the Vision in HIs heart. 

Guess we better move our thought patterns to the Spirit world. Let’s see Colossians 3:1-2 says this, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” 

Thank you Lord, for lifting us out of our mire and grime into the glorious realms where worlds are governed. We are yours. 

 

 

That Child of Hope!

Iris Godfrey

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

“For a child will be born to us,…” oh yes, the hope of all hopes. In any family when a child is born there is an automatic rejoicing deep within the hearts of family members, regardless of the circumstances of that birth. Why? Simply because now the family line will proceed. Now there is the hope of life. Now there is the hope of moving forward in time with the family name, characteristics and many more very obvious things.

Now when we understanding this passage, it was not just any child, but the Child who had been promised with the first words spoken by Almighty God, “Light be!” (Literal rendering from Genesis 1:3) I am aware that we are taught in Bible School that the first prophecy about this Child was in Genesis 3:15, but when we take a look at the entire revelation of God in the Scriptures, we find that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12) and He says we are the light of the world also (Matthew 5:14). Then we add to that the description in Revelation 21:22-23, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it for the gory of God has illumined it, and it lamp is the Lamb,” we are aware that the first recorded words from our Father were deeply prophetic regarding this Child as well as all who would call on His name. (Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have been included in the first recorded words from our Father!)

So this Child of all children has brought the hope of eternal light and understanding of our Father and all he is about. The light that enlightens all who will allow has come and is illuminating any and all who will. This is hope beyond hope. This is hope that lifts us and thrusts us into a realm of believing and existing that we have not know previously. It is the hope of the ages. 

Here we are in this season, once again, wrapped in His joy, hope, promise and glory celebrating Him and the light He has brought to us. Rejoice this day and season that we know Him – that Child of hope!

For To Us. . .

Iris Godfrey

2 The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
3 You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2-7 NASB

I have included the entire section of this prophecy so we could begin to understand the setting of these beautiful words. The Israelites in Judah would have thought these words meant that they would be delivered from what they were afraid would happen. They saw a much more immediate “child king” rescue. While that was true in a very limited way – much more victory was envisioned by the Holy Spirit. 

My mind goes to Hebrews 11:39-40, “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” The total prophetic utterance was about what our Lord Jesus Christ would be in the hearts of His own and deliver into their hands. So these folk received the blessing of the promise, but not the reality of its total fulfillment – until in Jesus Christ.  

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” There are believers all over the world being and bringing light to dark places and dark lands because they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

“You shall multiply the nation, you shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” The word used here in Hebrew for “nation” literally means all nations – the Gentiles. The prophecy was saying that all would receive this increase and gladness of great joy – as when it is harvest time, or time to divide the great riches of a conquest. This happens every time a human opens their heart and allows the love of Jesus to flood them. It also happens in all believers as they worship and allow the focus of the Lord Jesus to become their dwelling place. 

“For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor as at the battle of Midian.” Oh yes! He breaks every yoke, eliminates the stress of every burden and puts our enemy under our feet. My, what a beautiful present day fulfillment of this prophecy and it continues to unfold until the day of His return to receive us unto Himself in the resurrection. 

“For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.” As we embrace the overabundant work of Jesus delivered into our beings, then we begin to understand we have the victory purchased in His blood, and that has supplied us with the fire of burning of the Holy Spirit, for unto us a Child is born. 

 

A Virgin Will Be With Child

Iris Godfrey
 

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 NASB

Almost 700 years before the event of His birth, this prophecy was spoken through Isaiah the prophet to Ahaz the King of the country of Judah. Most of our conservative versions translate the word almah from the Hebrew as what is printed above, “virgin.” However, the word in Hebrew simply means a young maiden, which in ancient times automatically meant “a virgin.”

The prophecy would have been thought to have been fulfilled in the chapter that follows (Isaiah 8) as that passage tells us about how Isaiah and his wife had a son and he was the sign that God was with them; the name Emanuel being used several times.

It is not until Matthew 1:23 that we discover the correct translation of the passage in Isaiah. They thought God through Isaiah was speaking about their immediate situation, and instead He was using words with dimensional emphasis.

The Lord is like that. His word is eternal, so it has dimensions of now and forever – always. As we journey in His heart through His word, the Holy Spirit illuminates for us the hidden manna. So as we continually seek His heart, more and more can be revealed to us.

The New Testament is the revealing of things hidden from all until the coming of Emmanuel! He has come and now we are seeing and understanding things in the Old with the light of Christ upon them. Amazing, simply amazing! Enjoy Him in Your heart as He is revealed in His Word today!

“Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel…”

 

Love Brought Him!

Iris Godfrey

“He was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16b HCSB

This passage from 1 Timothy is the Good News of Jesus in a very few words. His entire earth time summarized. I love the way Paul in writing this seems to get caught up in the Spirit and just rejoices in this marvelous truth. 

As we begin the Christmas season, I will be posting about our Lord – mostly about His birth. To begin those posts, I wanted to use this summary. 

This season is very special to most of us. For me, it is about our Father’s great love for us in sending us the treasure of Heaven itself in order to provide a way for all to come to Him through love. The Word willingly became that expression of love – the manifest presence of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Hebrews 1:3 “He is the radiance of His glory, the exact expression of His nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” His purpose in coming was not to give us a holiday in the celebration of His birth, but to purify all from sin, and exemplify all our Father is in HIs love for us and toward us. 

The love of the Father brought Him, gave Him and empowered Him to become all that was needed in every way for life and godliness for any and all who would receive Him and what He did. So as we turn our thoughts and lives to the celebration of His coming in this season, let us remember it is about love. It is not about humans loving humans with human love. It is about the Father of all loving all with a love that knows no bounds and never ends. It is a love that satisfies all longings and needs. So as we open to Him in that love reception, then we are empowered to give that kind of love away. 

Human love is faulty at its very busy. We are creatures who fail even when we try very hard not to do so. Yet, His forgiveness is sufficient, and he empowers us to love as He loves. May we begin to reach for that as we express Him in this season of blessing! Allow it to be so in you and in yours.