Month: November 2017

“…perfect with the LORD thy God.” – Deut. 18:13

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“Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.” (Deut. 18:13)         

What a seemingly impossible statement, yet one that should characterize the life of every born again man or woman of God. The word ‘perfect’ here is not insinuating a life of moral and spiritual perfection. While we remain in these tents of flesh, we are still in the second stage of God’s great saving work – “sanctification” – that great process by which God the Master Builder works alongside His Architect, Jesus Christ, funneling those grand plans to His Contractor, the Holy Spirit, for the demolition of the old heart and the reconstruction of the new. “Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God” in that we have separated ourselves unto Him to listen and respond to His voice alone. We no longer allow the present cultural dictates of this age to shape and conform our lives and actions. We are single-minded, hating every false way. We don’t live by ‘group think,’ but Bible truth. Our hearts are in one mind with the Father in His saving and sanctifying plan for mankind – Christ and Him crucified – and we herald no other message. We are ‘perfect’ before the LORD our God when it is He alone who occupies the throne of our hearts as King. We should never underestimate the ease with which our flesh would again seek to erect another – be it person, position, or power – to sit on His rightful seat. Should this be the case for any one of us, oh God, reveal it that we may repent and look to You alone.

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

 

 

“Come let us return…” – Hosea 6:1-3

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(1) Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. (2) After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.            – Hosea 6:1-2

–> “Come, let us return…” There is sure to come a time in the life of every born again believer when we will have to go back and re-establish the process of grace and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ wherewith we were first set free from the sin nature. If He has torn us, it is because He loves us and has allowed – at no small cost to His heart – the ravages of sin to run their course that the lamp of faith hung up in our hearts might not be thrust out forever.  No matter how far we have strayed, it is never too late to return to Calvary’s hillside, looking again upon that blood-stained tree, and reckoning ourselves dead indeed unto sin, co-crucified, buried, and resurrected with Christ. The darkness of your Friday may be threatening a tale of heartache and hopelessness, but don’t give up . . . your victory has already been secured and your glad Sunday is a mere two days away.

Having turned back to Him in faith, let us be vigilant that none of the pursuits of this life stand equal to the pursuit of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. In just a little while, He will come and establish His Kingdom, ruling and reigning in perfect peace, justice, and righteousness – but before that glad and fateful day let us see to it that He has established His rule and reign in the Kingdoms of our hearts and that His dominion of light is rooting out every enemy of darkness.

And as the gaze of our heart is fixed squarely in Christ and Him crucified, may there ever be a continual flow of the oil of His Spirit upon the embers of our faith that the lamps of our lives might be beacons in the night for other wayward souls traversing this pilgrim way.

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

 

 

“…for they are stronger than we.” – Num. 13:31

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“…We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” – Num. 13:31

There will always be enemies of God left lingering in the Land of Promise to test our faith that look far greater and stronger than we. Will we continue to believe God and see every enemy routed out before us or will we believe the report of the naysayers – those loud unbelievers hiding out in the camp of God’s people who proclaim that victory is not possible? Or, if it is they say, it surely won’t come about by ‘simply believing!’ To these, bondage is better than belief; backwards in cowardice to Egypt is easier than forwards in faith to Canaan.

If we will but we still, we’ll hear that resounding voice of truth crying out like Caleb’s, “We are well able to overcome it.” Don’t be discouraged if those around you concede to the lie that victory is not possible, the enemies too many, or sin too great; are faith and truth ever popular? But to every Caleb God will provide a Joshua, a stalwart of faith standing next to you with heart rent over the plight of God’s people.

When everyone around you decides to lock arms and head back to Egypt, don’t be fooled. Egypt was the physical representation of life without God; life in chains to sin – the world, the flesh, and the devil. You have an appointment in the Promised Land – a land where, spiritually speaking, you will be long satified with the ‘milk and honey’ of peace, rest, and a sound mind. The way there runs along the narrow path of “belief”; not works, good deeds, social followings, bestsellers, or new ideologies.

You’ll fight along the way, just as all those who have gone before you, but it’s a good fight. It’s the only fight the Lord requires of you – the ‘fight of faith’ – to believe and keep believing that Who Jesus is and What He has accomplished on Calvary’s Cross is enough to overcome every adversary in your way – be it addiction, sickness, depression, religion, pride . . . you name it, He has conquered it. The Holy Spirit has but one direction . . . always and only forwards, and if you’ll follow Him, He’ll lead the charge with Calvary’s blood stained victory banner conquering every foe left living in the good land prepared for you in Christ Jesus. 

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

For by Thee I can… – 2 Sam. 22:30

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“For by Thee I can run upon a troop; by my God I can leap over a wall.”

– 2 Samuel 22:30

For by Thee I can! What is this impassable circumstance before me? Who are these marauding bands of enemy raiders that have forged in-roads into my heart and mind? Why have I allowed the enemy of my soul to send me running in cowardice, waiting for the final waves of life’s destruction to compass me about? Child of God, GET UP! May the Lord Jesus Christ stir up the very Spirit of the Living God that lives inside of you and remind you of Who it is that you serve! Repentance and faith in Who He is and What He has done at Calvary’s Cross washes past failures, provides for present mercies, and makes way for future victories . . . get up! All of those walls – those boundary markers that Satan has set up as the perimeter of your ‘lot in life’ – they don’t exist in the mind of God. God’s plans are to give you a hope and a future, and by virtue of your faith being fixed in Christ and Him crucified, all of the resources of Heaven can be allocated on your behalf to take and appropriate to every enemy and obstacle as they come . . .  for by Thee I can!