Holy! Holy! You Are Lord!

Isaiah 6:1-3 NASB says, 1 In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”

What that verse just told us is what the atmosphere of heaven is like. It is an atmosphere of worship. Why worship God? The first thing that comes to my mind is we worship God because He first loved us! But the second thing that this truth brings to my mind is this: God’s love is perfect in every way. His love is holy!
God is holy. He is perfectly pure. Out of His holiness…His purity…flows everything about Him…flows the reality of Who He really is! He is love – but He is pure love. He is righteous – and cannot tolerate sin. We must continually lay down our lives that we might be alive to His holiness.
To be confronted with sin hurts our flesh – but gives life to our spirit! When we allow the Holy God to prune our flesh today, the good fruit of righteousness is born and new life always begets more new life! I don’t know about you, but knowing this about the perfect holy love of God makes me want to say, “Let Your light shine in me Lord that I might know You more every day! I love You!”

1 Peter 1:14-16 NASB says, 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts [which were yours] in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all [your] behavior; 16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

Our God is holy and because we are new creations in Christ, we are holy, too! Even when we fall, the blood of Jesus seals our holiness. Being holy is part of your true nature in Christ…in spite of your failures…in spite of your temptations…in spite of your circumstances…in spite of momentary lapses in our memory of who and Whose we are! Holy is who we are. It’s in our spiritual DNA. If you fall in sin, seek God’s forgiveness, receive it, forgive yourself and move on down the road toward Jesus!
How can we practically walk in holiness in a world that is vile and dark and evil - the opposite of all God calls holy:

Mattew 5:44-48 NASB says, 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on [the] evil and [the] good, and sends rain on [the] righteous and [the] unrighteous. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing [than others?] Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

The holiness of God is manifest in an outpouring of His love on us…and as joint-heirs with Christ - as ambassadors of the kingdom of Christ - we can bring a bit of holiness into the world around us simply by walking in love. It’s easy to love those who return our love…but what about loving those who profess to be our enemies or those who persecute us due to our faith? Can you love them? Will you love them? It is a holy thing to do…and you, as a new creation in Christ, ARE holy by virtue of the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Now go out and be conduits of God’s holy love to a lost and dying world!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject and to hear a song inspired by the holiness of God, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/holy-holy-you-are-lord/

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Let the Church Now Rise

We live in dark times. At times the church doesn’t seem to know its own power…or even see the need to use it.  God is calling us to rise up and be what He has called us to be!  What we need to realize is that the keys of His Kingdom, the weapons of our warfare, are prayer and praise!  In fact, prayer is praise and praise is prayer!  If we truly believed this we would be on our faces continually……day in and day out crying out to God and standing against the enemy!  Rise up church and be the church! Let’s run TO the battle rather than away from it. Why should we run toward the battle? Why should we storm the very gates of hell? Because we follow the One Who has Defeated both death and hell.

Revelation 1:17-18 NASB says, 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

What areas of darkness do you need to do spiritual battle against today? Let’s face it right now with the faith of spiritual warriors who know the end of the story. Guys, We win! We’ve been talking about this for several weeks now, but it bears reminding:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB says, 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 [We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…

Guys, what this means is quite simple. We have no reason to fear the enemy. God has given us the tools necessary to defeat him and his lies…but it is up to us to put them into practice.

19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19 NASB

When we band together as the body of Christ, we become formidable. Just think about what God promised the children of Israel in Leviticus 26:7-8 NASB

7 'But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8 five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

In addition to that truth of spiritual warfare, we, as the body of Christ, are joined by the Lord Himself and are not easily defeated. This is a spiritual principle found in Ecclesiastes 4:12 NASB, which says, 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three [strands] is not quickly torn apart.

Let’s rise up and be the church and let’s face the enemy head on - together. We are assured the victory because Jesus has sealed the deal for us on the cross. If you still don’t know what to do, just begin to speak the name of Jesus into the dark areas of your life. The demons will flee. It really is that simple. And let’s have one another’s backs while we’re at it. I’ve got yours covered in prayer. Do you have mine? We are in this together so let’s storm the gates of hell with the truth of God’s Word! Let’s be the overcomers God says we are!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject and to hear a song of the same title, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/let-the-church-now-rise/

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We Are the Army

Whether we like it or not, we are in some kind of battle each and every day of our lives…especially those of the spiritual kind. The enemy of God - the liar - goes around seeking to destroy us. The battleground which he launches his attacks? Our mind. His only power is that of deception and we fight deception with the Truth of God’s Word.

1 Peter 5:8-9 NASB says, 8 Be of sober [spirit,] be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in [your] faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Not only is he seeking to devour us - consume us in our thoughts - but we tend to do most of his work for him. Whenever he plants a negative thought in our minds that is contrary to who we are in Christ and we choose to believe it, he has won. But never fear. God has made a way for us to overcome the liar:

Revelation 12:11 NASB says, 11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

One of the ways I put off the lies of the enemy and replace it with the Word of God is through worship. Worship is one of the most effective weapons in our spiritual arsenal. I want to share two songs that I have sung for years that I have found personally helpful. They are the songs The World’s Mistaken and We Are the Army. I will share the lyrics at the end of this blog.

These songs came as a reminder of who and Whose I am…and that I am an overcomer because of the overcoming work of Jesus Christ when He defeated sin, death, and the grave! He bore all our burdens on the cross and gives us the power to share those burdens with Him. His shoulders are much broader and stronger than mine, how about yours?

Is He strong enough to bear the burden of what we are presently experiencing due to the spread of the coronavirus? Is He strong enough to bear the burden of my battle with Parkinson’s? Is He strong enough to bear the burden of financial difficulties or relational issues? We will never know until we share them in honest confession to Him! And we will never walk in victory over our circumstances until we believe we are who our Father says we are! Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. Guys, we are victors! We are not victims!

These songs came as one song…but came to be used as two separate songs! Part of realizing who we are in Christ is to realize our priestly and royal function as warriors! For Paul to say “We wrestle not…” indicates that we are in battle! This song was birthed as a call to arms to the church. We must stand and fight! Our main problem is following the commands of the Lord of Hosts, our Captain, Jesus! We can save ourselves a lot of heartache by simply warring against the things He is calling us to war against…WHEN He says to do it! We must be wise as serpents and as blameless as doves. Again, transparency/intimacy is the key. Here’s another way to think about it: How can the enemy harm what can be seen right through?!? He can’t!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB says, 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 [We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…

Let us not shy away from spiritual battles, brothers and sisters! Let us run to the battle rather than cower in fear from it…rather than run away from it. Let us take up the weapons of our warfare and use them against the liar and the lies he spews out into the world. Let us put on the garment - or the armor - of praise today. Let me remind you of the words of Paul to the church in Ephesus:

Let me remind you what God’s Word tells us about our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-17 NASB:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places.] 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil [one.] 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Regardless of what the world believes, the world is mistaken. Regardless of the fact that the enemy wants you to feel powerless today, remember you are part of the army of God…and best of all…read the end of the book. We win!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to the songs in today’s teaching, listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast at http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/the-worlds-mistaken-we-are-the-army/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2010/12/06/22/soldiers-1002_1280.jpg

The World’s Mistaken
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
June 27, 1987

The world’s mistaken but we must stand
By the Spirit drive the enemy from the land
For Satan’s seeking the Kingdom land
But he is defeated by the Lord’s own mighty hand

We Are the Army
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
June 27, 1987

We are the army shielded in the blood
And we are crushing the enemy like a mighty flood
Oh, Lord of Hosts strong in victory
Oh, Lord of Hosts, rise up, Oh God, in me

For it is by the blood of the Lamb that we will stand
By the blood of the Lamb we will stand
For it is by the blood of the Lamb that we will stand
By the blood of the Lamb we will stand

You Are The Strength Of My Life

It took seven years from the time the Lord set me free from sin to the moment I felt strong enough in my faith to share it. Sharing publicly was something I never planned on doing, but God had me do just that. Before I shared, two good friends told me how foolish I was to do such a thing…that I would lose everything…my family…my future…my ministry.

But according to God’s Word in 1 Corinthians 1:27, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He has chosen the weak things of this world to show forth His great strength! Bless the Lord! As I learn more about laying down my life for the sake of others, I know I must become more and more transparent. It is through a transparent life that His light is free to shine. And when His light is allowed to shine through freely, His power is released to do far more than we ever imagined. No other god could ever do what my God does! No other god can take a homosexual and make him a new person with new desires. No other god could take a prostitute and make her a completely new person with new desires. No other god has the answers for the questions and problems of today like our God…..Lord Jesus!

I will never forget the first time I shared my story publicly. Expecting to be humiliated, I came away feeling…honored! How great is a God Who could do that for someone? After I shared, I stood at the altar for almost 2 hours as person after person came to me and thanked me for sharing my story…because the grace God had given me to be honest had given them the faith to believe for that same grace. Many told me of heart-wrenching hurts and failures in their lives and how God had healed them simply by getting honest about their hurts and failures!

It may seem foolish to the world to say that God has changed my identity, but the truth is that He has! It may seem weak to admit I could not rescue myself or that I was a complete and utter failure or that I was trapped without hope in my depravity…but the moment I got honest with God about my need…about my weakness…I was set free and given a brand new identity in Christ…and what seemed foolish has been shown to bring eternal wisdom because I see what God sees rather than what the enemy wants me to see.

I glory in my weakness, because it gives me a better view of my need for a Savior. I glory in my physical weakness of Parkinson’s because it gives me a better view of how God wastes nothing in my life. I glory in the times of mental anguish and temptation because it helps me focus on my absolute and utter need for rescue and redemption. I glory in my weakness because God’s grace really is sufficient to meet me at the point of my need and His strength.

God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NASB:

7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

I will never forget the freedom I found in finally going public with my testimony the first time in July of 1988. As I look back I easily see the simplicity of the wisdom found in John 8:32 which says…“…and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

I never got free until I took the first step truth requires…and that was my own honest confession of my need for Jesus. He had the power to change me. I did not. He had the power to love me. I did not. He had the power to restore me. I did not. He had the power to heal me of my sin and rid me of my shame. I did not!

Let’s purpose to walk in God’s grace in the coming days. As long as the world has sin in it, there is need for God’s grace. As long as the world brings temptation our way, there is a need for grace. As long as we exist, there is a need for God’s grace…and the best part of all? He offers it freely…so get yourself some grace today and walk in victory…by allowing the Lord to be the strength of your life!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject and to hear a song inspired by what he has learned about God being the strength of his life, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/you-are-the-strength-of-my-life/

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But As For Me

The psalmist, David, wrote the following words while hiding from the men King Saul had sent to kill him. In spite of all the stress and terror and fiery trials David was facing, his faith remained centered on God. He could either respond in despair or he could respond in hope. It is no different for us. We can choose our response to each and every circumstance of our lives. What would you choose if you were David? Read this passage and see what you think David chose as his response:

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold
And a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
Psalm 59:16-17

David had been running from Saul yet maintained his focus on God. He turned his fear into courage. He exchanged the stronghold of the lies of the enemy for the stronghold of God’s truth and presence and power! When we walk in God’s love it is like walking inside an impenetrable fortress. When we declare the names of God - Who He calls Himself - we are reminded of this truth:

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10 NASB

When facing the choice between fear and courage, we need but look no further than the fact that God loves us with perfect love…and perfect love casts out fear! The love of God is like a mighty fortress of safety I run to often. He is my Refuse and Jesus is my Refuge and my Comforter, but He is Almighty God! And because of Who He is, I will sing and praise His name, especially in the midst of adverse circumstances! You see, Satan had me bound in strongholds once, but I now have the Perfect Stronghold, the Perfect Fortress – Jesus Christ. I cannot be shaken. And I will praise Him when things are going well…and I will praise Him when things are going badly. I have a hiding place where I can sing and be sung to – no matter what! Thank You, Jesus!

Of course, God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow so He was not caught by surprise with the diagnosis of Parkinson’s I received on January 28, 2019. He has proven to be with me through the battles I have had to fight due to my testimony and is proving Himself to be faithful once again as I battle this disease. No matter what, I will praise my God..because He loves me…no matter what…

You are my hiding place;
You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah.
Psalm 32:7 NASB

I urge you to stand firm in your faith and I urge you to praise God no matter what you’re facing in your life. We can either respond as victims or we can respond as victors. I choose to stand as victor over Parkinson’s rather than allowing it to cause me to cower in defeat as a victim.

God’s grace is sufficient. Period. No matter how much pain or sorrow or suffering or fiery trial I must endure, He is faithful. We are at war. We are at war with our own flesh but we have learned to deny ourselves - our flesh - and take up the cross of Christ…and remember: the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are of the Spirit and are mighty to the pulling down of the enemy’s strongholds - his lies. I cling to this passage from God’s Word:

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 NASB is empowering and faith-building for every person who puts their faith in the mighty stronghold, Jesus Christ. It says:

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 [we are] afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.

I want the life of Jesus to be manifested in my mortal flesh…so I allow Him to use my flesh and its weaknesses to further the kingdom of God. Remember, God wastes nothing! And that’s a kingdom perspective and a way to live in reality and find joy even in the midst of suffering. Let’s just decide to get up each and every day and thank God for Who He is and for being with us through this life. But as for me, that’s what I plan to do. How about you?
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject and to hear a song inspired by Psalm 59, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/but-as-for-me-1583854060/

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Not Even Death

With the advent of the COVID-19 crisis coupled with the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, I cannot help but have moments where death comes to mind. I know that every person born will one day die. That is why faith in Christ has become my bedrock. In Christ I have come to the realization there is nothing that can ever separate me from His love - even death.

36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:36-39 NASB

The basic reality of the life of a new creation in Christ as that we die to ourselves daily!

The Apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:31 NASB, “I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

Jesus put it much simpler terms in Mattew 16:24 NASB. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

We are putting to death the old things we used to think defined us - a sort of death - and replacing them with the truth of who our Father says we are…which leads to life…abundant life!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [he is] a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

On November 7, 1981, I was born again. All the old me was crucified with Christ and buried with Him in the grave…and I arose with the Risen Savior calling me forth from the grave and into the identity and life of being a new creation in Christ.

God did a mighty work in my life…and continues to do so. It seems like I get saved from myself more every day! I know this is the truth because God desires to conform me to the image of Jesus! During the years following my deliverance, God has not ceased to reveal to me who I am because of Who He is! Isn’t that wonderful?!?

As I came to realize more and more just how much God loves me…no matter what my past may have been….I was overwhelmed to think that there is absolutely nothing that can separate me from His great love for me. And you know what else? That only makes me love Him more and makes me hate the old life even more. I really am a new person…the person I used to be is dead!

Now that I am getting up there in years - as of this writing I am 61 years old - this song has taken on a whole new meaning…especially in regard to my diagnosis of Parkinson’s. I am reminded daily of the reality of the fact that I will die a physical death some day…but even physical death cannot separate me from the magnitude and massiveness of God’s love for me. I find great solace in that truth.

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 NASB says it like this: 1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this [house] we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Let us proclaim and receive this truth today: Nothing can separate us from the love of God…not even death…

Romans 8:35-39 NASB says, 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That declaration of God’s love for us should bring peace in the midst of any storm we encounter in life. Even though the weakness of my body reminds me daily of what I will one day face, I do not dwell on death. I dwell on the life I have with Father God in the here and now and I rest in knowing that when the time comes for me to step across death’s door into eternity, God will be with me dispensing grace through the process. Even though my body is daily attacked by disease, I hold on to the truth that my God wastes nothing. How do I know this?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB

Do you love God? Are you called according to His purpose? Then you have no reason to fear! WE have no reason to fear! Not even death! Let’s live like we believe that today!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and a song relevant to this teaching, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/not-eveb-death/

Spiritual Warfare

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing songs from my live worship recording called We Are the Army. This project was born during the early days of my ministry as a means of teaching the body of Christ how to use worship as a weapon of spiritual warfare…how to engage the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s Word in song…how to run to the battle with an attitude of victory. In order to illustrate what I am talking about, I encourage you to listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and the stories being three specific songs that God gave me to use in spiritual warfare against the lies of the enemy. You can find the link to that podcast at the end of this teaching and will be able to actually listen to the songs I am writing about today. I call this three song series The Spiritual Warfare Medley.

The first song in the medley is called Servants Of The Most High God and is based partially on the life of Daniel as portrayed in Daniel 3. This song was born on October 15, 1987. What follows are the circumstances that led to the birth of Servants of the Most High God.

On Sunday, October 11, 1987, our church - Western Hills Church in Oklahoma City - was set on fire during one of our regular services. Although the building was not destroyed, (only a few rooms in the basement were directly affected) the entire church was heavily damaged by the smoke. As a result, we had to re-locate for several months. Church on the Rock of Oklahoma City was gracious enough to allow us the use of its building on Sunday afternoons. It was because of this and other “inconveniences” that we began to see an exodus from our body. But what God was really doing was pruning us once again. And what Satan meant as an attack on our church God used for the good of His Kingdom. We really had no idea of the prophetic nature of this song. It soon became apparent what Satan was up to…..and this song became our battle cry! It is also inspired by the life of the prophet Daniel who endured so much for the sake of the kingdom of God. Just as Daniel saw himself as a servant of the Most High God, so we should see ourselves!

The next song in the medley is called Some Trust In Chariots. On August 17, 1986, this song was born during a time of intense warfare in our body. We were relatively new to this aspect of God’s Kingdom work and were beginning to come under some public criticism and attack. It was during this time that God began to reveal our hearts to us…began to show us that we feared man more than we feared Him. Yes, there is a time to show deference to others…but not if it means disobedience to God. You see, God still speaks to us and still desires to bless His children with good gifts. And yes, He is still God! Almighty God! If we are going to boast in anything let us boast in God Almighty! Let us stop trusting our own flesh and our own desire and fall completely on Him and His desires and rest completely in His power! The song was based on Psalm 20:7 NASB which says:

Some [boast] in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.

The next song in the medley is called The Lion Comes and was inspired by an episode from the life of David when he told King Saul he - David - would go out and face Goliath. King Saul questioned David’s youth and ability, but David responded in faith. [1Samuel 17:34-36 NASB] says,

34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued [it] from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized [him] by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.”

This song came to me during the early hours in the night of August 17, 1987. God had been speaking to my heart concerning the life of King David. In fact, He was having me write these meditations in the form of a book. As I contemplated David’s communion with God I was overwhelmed with David’s great boldness. Even though He must have been only a teenager when He confronted Goliath, he had a great confidence, not in his own abilities, but in the abilities and greatness and power of His God!

As I thought upon these things, the words and music to this song came simultaneously…and though it didn’t seem to fit the ‘rules’ of ‘good’ song writing, it struck a deep chord of boldness and praise to God in my heart. This song quickly became a bold declaration of our body. As we face the various directions during corporate prayer or praise (turning to face the north, south, east, and west with our physical bodies…looked crazy but was actually pretty awesome and powerful!), God brings to mind many situations we need to be standing against…and many people we need to be standing in the gap for! Thank You, Jesus, for giving us your Spirit and for releasing Your power in our hearts and lives that we might see Your Kingdom advance against the ruler of ‘this present darkness’!

Be of sober [spirit,] be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NASB

That’s a very important nugget of truth. Satan is a roaring lion. All bark and no bite! His only power is deception and we defeat deception with the truth of God’s Word. Let me remind you what that truth is.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 [We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NASB

Let’s overcome the enemy with the truth of God’s Word today by proclaiming that truth to our own souls and in praise to our God.

Let’s listen to this warfare medley and let’s make it personal. What areas of your life do you need to see spiritual victory today? What loved ones are you doing spiritual battle for today? Let’s be who our God says we are and storm the gates of hell with the truth of God’s Word! Are you ready? Here we go!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on Spiritual Warfare, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/spiritual-warfare-medley/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/05/31/00/02/sword-790815_1280.jpg

Worship Session - April 15, 2020

You can take part in last night’s online worship session at the link below! Just copy the link and paste it into your search bar! Enjoy and be encouraged!

Blessings,

Dennis Jernigan

https://www.facebook.com/official.dennisjernigan/videos/248970226255740/

Praise Him In The Heavens

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing songs from my live worship recording called We Are the Army. This project was born during the early days of my ministry as a means of teaching the body of Christ how to use worship as a weapon of spiritual warfare…how to engage the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s Word in song…how to run to the battle with an attitude of victory.

Have you ever thought about what effects worship and praise has upon the atmosphere around you? Worship is the atmosphere of heaven…and we can bring that atmosphere to earth whenever and wherever we worship our God!

That also means that worship - since it declares the truth of God’s Word - is a mighty instrument of spiritual warfare against the darkness of the enemy’s lies! Here’s what God’s Word has to say about it:

1 Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
[And] His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
3 Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
5 Let the godly ones exult in glory;
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 [Let] the high praises of God [be] in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute on them the judgment written;
This is an honor for all His godly ones.
Praise the LORD!
[Psalm 149:1-9 NASB]

When we worship God, we are effectively coming against the lies - the strongholds - of the enemy in our lives! That is basic Scriptural truth! But God is so big and He is so capable of doing far beyond what our simple minds can conceive. Songs of worship and praise become a declaration of Who God is as well as an encouragement to our soul. With the high praises of God in our mouths through songs of spiritual warfare takes on a new dimension…and continues to do so…as we worship God with our entire being! I could never give God all the glory due His name. Let’s do what the Word of God says as we worship the Lord. Let me remind you what happens when we worship God with our entire being:

Psalm 149:6-9
[Let] the high praises of God [be] in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute on them the judgment written;
This is an honor for all His godly ones.
Praise the LORD!

Let’s take it to the enemy and stand against his lies by declaring this simple Truth: Jesus Christ is Lord! We have been uniquely equipped as new creations in Christ with mighty weapons of spiritual warfare…and we need not fear, because at the mere mention of the name of Jesus the enemy shudders and flees!

[2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NASB says]
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 [We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

Praising God is such a vital tool in the arsenal of spiritual weapons of our spiritual warfare. I mean, think about it. To praise God, we must focus our entire being on Him. Our thoughts are turned toward Him. Our emotions are turned toward Him. Our physical bodies and all our senses are turned toward Him. When our entire being is engaged in praising God…when we exalt the name of Jesus…the enemy and his lies are no longer the focus of our being. As we praise God, the enemy flees from our midst because the truth of God’s Word scatters the enemy. Praising God outwardly from our innermost being brings the glory of God into our thoughts…onto the battlegrounds of our minds…and right thinking is replaced with wrong thinking…or stinking thinking as I like to say.

Need victory in your thought life today? Praise God. Need victory in a relationship today? Praise God. Need to experience the love of God today? Praise God. After all, we know that God inhabits the praises of His people. He is literally enthroned upon our hearts when we praise Him. Let’s create the atmosphere of heaven here on this earth. Let’s walk in victory today and put the enemy to flight by simply praising our God!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to a song to use for this purpose, listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast at http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/praise-him-in-the-heavens/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/08/05/20/48/boy-1573211_1280.jpg

Worship Session - April 8, 2020

Here is a link to watch and take part in the worship session for All In All Church on Wednesday evening, April 8, 2020. Enjoy!

DJ

https://www.facebook.com/official.dennisjernigan/videos/645552032671378/

He Will Reign Forever and Ever

God’s Word is clear in Exodus 15:18 NASB - “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

I believe it is vital for every believer to allow that truth to be bedrock solid ground in their faith - especially when the world around us seems to be losing its collective mind. The world has a man-centered point of view. Man’s feeble attempts at power and control always fail. We need to view the world from the Christ-centered point of view. It’s all about the kingdom and it’s all about the King. We can always count on God being in control - reigning as King and Lord over everything in our lives. That is our hope and the point of grace to see us through the chaos and confusion of the world.

Our faith is always tested whenever we are faced with crisis…like COVID-19. Either God is still in control or He isn’t. We can’t have it both ways. To believe God is not in control is to cede control of our thoughts to the lies of the enemy…and that always leads to doubt and fear. Who wants to live like that?

During the time of quarantine, our family has lost two family members to sudden death. A very-much-loved sister-in-law was taken from us suddenly at the age of 57. A cousin a grew up with died suddenly at age 61 - and we have never been able to gather to memorialize his life or grieve our loss as a family. Yet, as a family, we are choosing to believe God is in control…and that He wastes nothing!

As I deal with Parkinson’s, I basically have to anchor or park my mind on this truth that God is in control…and that He uses even the tragic things we must face in life for our good and for the Kingdom. Remember what I just said? Our God wastes nothing.

What can we do to use as a catalyst to see this truth manifest in our lives as we go through the many times of crisis? We can rise up and bless God and the One who reigns through any tragedy – through any trial. He is the Giver of Life, even in death, and He rules and reigns over it all…forever.

We all face hard times in our lives. We all experience sorrow and disappointment and emotional and physical wounding. We all face temptations and lies of the enemy each and every day. We can either see life from God’s point of view or we can see it from man’s point of view. Here’s what God’s Word has to say about seeing life from the enemy’s point of view:

[1 Timothy 6:11-16 NASB] 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance [and] gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time--He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him [be] honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Let us fight the good fight regardless of our circumstances today…and let us find joy and comfort in knowing that the sovereign God of the universe is right here with us through whatever life brings our way. And remember this:

[Romans 8:28 NASB] And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.

Let’s live like we believe that today!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/he-will-reign-forever-and-ever-1582046362/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2019/06/11/01/24/thorn-4265860_1280.jpg

Worship Sessions

For those of you who were not aware, we are still having online worship each Wednesday night due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Below are the links to two of the most recent worship sessions. May they bring comfort and joy to your heart, mind, and soul.

Blessings,

Dennis & Melinda

March 25 worship - https://www.facebook.com/official.dennisjernigan/videos/1003360493398424/

April 1st worship - https://www.facebook.com/official.dennisjernigan/videos/152783372704168/

Shout to the Lord

There are many opportunities I have had throughout my life to shout. I find a good shout exhilarating and liberating! I shout when my favorite team scores! I shout when one of my grandchildren does something wonderful! I shout when I feel overwhelmed with God’s goodness. I shout for the sheer joy of emotional release. Shouting is good for the soul!
Of course, there are other reasons a person would need to shout. I shout when I need someone’s attention. I shout warning out when I see someone headed for danger. I shout when I am angry at the enemy by shouting praises to my God - like a war-cry meant to intimidate and end cause the enemy to flee. The word - the name - I shout most often? Jesus!
When I shout out the name of Jesus, even the demons shudder and flee. When I shout out the name of Jesus I instantly change the atmosphere of my situation. When I shout the name of Jesus I immediately change my thoughts…and this causes a chain reaction in my soul. My thoughts are focused on Jesus. My feelings are changed from fear to safety. My attitude becomes right with God. My behavior changes as well. When I shout out the name of Jesus, everything changes. Walls fall down. Right thinking overtakes my mind. Shouting changes everything and brings attention to those around me - especially the enemy - that God is in control and I am on the winning side!
Remember when Jesus came into Jerusalem the Sunday before his crucifixion? The children of Israel were expecting the Messiah to be the physical king or ruler and to deliver them from the Roman oppression of the day. Here’s the actual account from Matthew 21:8-9:

Matthew 21:8-9 NASB 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:8-9 NASB

We know hosanna literally means to save us now! Just like those people who loved the streets that day in Jerusalem, we all have areas of our lives in which we need to see God’s salvation right now. We all have walls of deception surrounding us from the constant onslaught of the lies of the enemy we all need to see come down just like the walls of Jericho did way back when. Walls come down when we shout.
I have a friend who often says it’s hard to doubt when you shout…and she’s right. We shout when we are angry. We shout when we are frustrated. We shout when we need help. We shout for our favorite sports teams. Why not shout to the God of our salvation?
Remember when Joshua was led to lead the children of Israel to take the walled, fortified city of Jericho? They - led by the priests and worship leaders - marched around the city for seven days, seven times a day…but on the seventh day, they were commanded to shout after the seventh time around the city. Here’s what happened:

Joshua 6:20 NASB 20 So the people shouted, and [priests] blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 NASB

What fortified cities has the enemy built in your life? Are their fortresses of troubled relationships? Are their strongholds of financial difficulties? Are their walled places of sin keeping you from pursuing wholeness in God? Have you considered shouting over this situations as a priest (every believer is in the priesthood!) or as a worship leader (every believer is called to worship and praise God…to make Him known)?
Let’s find a place to shout to the Lord today. I have a song that I designed to help you bring down the walls of the enemy in your life. It is called, fittingly, Shout to the Lord and can be heard here: http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/shout-to-the-lord-1580830918/ Play this song today and shout in your living room…or shout in your car…or shout out in the back yard! The walls of doubt will begin to crumble and you will see hope and salvation as you shout the name of God over your own life and the lives of those around you.
Shouting to God tears down the lies of the enemy. Shouting to God tears down our own fear of what others think of us. Shouting glorifies God and brings joy and cleansing to our own souls. Let’s find time to shout to our God today. You can do this…and so what if someone catches you shouting…they probably think you’re crazy for following Jesus anyway…so why not give ‘em something to talk about! You know what I mean…
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and the song Shout to the Lord, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/shout-to-the-lord-1580830918/

Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/brick-brickwork-ruin-broken-decay-2205882/

A Mystery of Majesty

1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves.
4 More than the sounds of many waters,
[Than] the mighty breakers of the sea,
The LORD on high is mighty.
5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed;
Holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore.
Psalm 93:1-5 nASB

Do you ever have periods in your life when you feel alone, times when you feel poured out and used up, times when you wonder if you’re even necessary? We all go through such times and we can lay the creation of those thoughts right at the feet of the enemy, the Liar, whose only power over us is that of deception.

I have come to recognize many of the patterns the enemy uses to try and get me to fall. That recognition does not necessarily make facing the lies any easier. What does amaze me, though, is the way in which my father always, always comes through in my weakest times with showers and showers of grace!

As of this writing, the world is facing the pandemic of Covid 19 - the coronavirus - and the feelings of helplessness and confusion and fear are palpable every where we turn. The circumstances of our lives may be out of our control, but the way in which we choose to view those circumstances is not. In spite of the pandemic, life goes on…and God is still with us!

In the life of my family this has proven to be true in a huge way over the past two weeks. Here is a brief rundown of what my family has had to endure concerning circumstances. We lost a sister-in-law who was only 57. One son was in a car accident with his new fiancee. That same son lost his job due to the onset of the pandemic. A cousin I grew up with passed away at 61 years of age (my same age!). His memorial service is postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic. One daughter-in-law faces layoff from her job due to the coronavirus. One of my brothers required laser surgery for kidney stones. And to top it all off, our daughter Hannah, her husband, Ash, and their daughters Elliott and Matilda were supposed to fly to the US for a three week visit…and that visit has been scrapped because of the pandemic. So what do we do when faced with such overwhelming circumstances? Where is the majesty of God in times such as these?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB

There is no other God Who can take our most dire of circumstances and bring good to us and glory to His name than our God - the God Who wastes NOTHING! The little bit I know of God is truly the tip of the iceberg of Who He is, and only makes me want to go deeper and deeper into that precious relationship I have with Him. How can words adequately describe how He makes me feel? They cannot! Walk about the majesty of God! The Himalayas pale in comparison to the majesty and magnitude of God’s love and power!

I am overcome with emotion each time I meditate on what He has done for me and in me – the Creator God of the universe living His life through me? My mind can’t begin to fully contain the glory of that revelation. When I realize my smallness and His greatness…His glory and my significance to Him…this truly is a mystery of majesty….a mystery I will spend eternality trying to unravel…our God truly is amazing in the massive extent of Who He is…amazing in the massive extent of His great love for us…

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present [you] faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, [Be] glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 NASB

Getting to know my wife is a mystery I have spent, as of this writing, over 40 years now trying to unravel…and have only scratched the tip of the iceberg of who she is! But that makes me want to know her all the more! That is the way I see my relationship with my God! I have only touched the tip of the iceberg of Who He is and of what that means to my life. Thank God we have eternity to seek to know Him!

Let’s make this week all about getting to know our God even more intimately…and let it be about honoring His majesty and the great mystery of how awesome He is in that majesty. Let us be in awe that such a massive God would want to know the comparatively smaller us in an intimate way. That is mind-blowing stuff right there!
Dennis Jernigan

3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 NASB

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and to hear the song A Mystery of Majesty, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/a-mystery-of-majesty/

Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/langtang-mountains-himalayas-4134408/

I Will Praise You

We were created by God for His good pleasure. We were created to walk in relationship with Him. He loves being in our presence. He enjoys being with us and walking through life with us…yet we - even believers in and followers of Jesus Christ sometimes have a difficult time believing this most basic truth. That is why we must constantly be about the renewing of our minds…the putting off of the lies of the enemy and the putting on of the truth of God’s Word cornering our core identity! This is why worshiping and praising God is so vital. It helps us focus our entire being on that relationship!

The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD,
A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
Psalm 89:5-8 NASB

Very often, the enemy tries to drag me down through deception – through lies. Most generally the enemy attacks my identity and worth. When those lies come, I simply remind my soul of the truth. Yes, at one point I was unworthy and a sinful wretch, but the redeeming blood of Jesus has cleansed me and made me righteous by His righteousness. At one point in my life I was hopelessly lost, yet the Good Shepherd had searched for me and found me and rescued my life.

When I began to focus on these truths rather than upon the enemy’s lies, gratitude began to fill my heart. As I released the gratitude to Christ, the enemy had to flee from the presence of my Redeemer and praising God became a natural part of my true identity and a natural way to walk in intimacy with my God!

When I remember how lost I was and how much Jesus had to pay for me, my heart is filled with an awesome awareness of His mighty, loving presence. I simply begin doing what I know to do…approaching my Father in gratitude for all He has done. He who has been forgiven much, loves much.

I am reminded that I was once an outcast, like the leperous group of men described in Luke 17…and how Jesus touched me in my unclean state with His pure, cleansing, healing, forgiving love and I was never the same. Let us have the same attitude as the leper Jesus healed in [Luke 17:15-16 NASB which says this: 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him.

When I think of all the ways in which God has displayed His love toward me, I get overwhelmed with the thought that He created me just for Himself. In other words, I was literally created to love Him, to be with Him and to know Him intimately. Sometimes my feeble little mind can only contain so much of this truth without feeling totally dumbfounded and incapable of rational thought. His thoughts are so much higher than mine…His ways so much higher than mine…His love for me so much higher than my love for Him. Let’s bathe in that thought - daily!

Colossians 1:16 NASB says 16 For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him.

We were created to love Him! What does that thought do for your soul? For your emotions? For your mental awareness? For the way you think about yourself? Such thoughts help me renew my mind and put down the lies of the enemy that tell me I am unlovable. God created me for His good pleasure…and He takes pleasure in my presence…whether or not I take pleasure in His. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to love Him and thank Him even more!

In Ephesians 2:10 NASB we find this treasure trove of truth about who we are: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Make this week about praising God and let’s give Him thanks as we allow His great and magnificent love for us to permeate our entire being. Talk about an abundant life! We can have that abundant life any time, anywhere, under any circumstances simply by relating to Him through our worship and praise. That is how much He loves us!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/i-will-praise-you/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/08/07/03/59/people-2599550__480.jpg

Crown Him

God’s Word says in Psalm 93:1-2 NASB:

1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.

When we are born again, we are born into the kingdom of God. In that very moment, we are granted citizenship in the realm of the King of Kings! As subjects of the King, we are called to bestow honor and majesty and glory and reverence to Him. As subjects of the most high King, we are welcomed into the royal family as joint-heirs with Christ…called to rule and reign with Him…called to be vessels of and conduits of His love to the world around us. We are called to be ambassadors of the King of Kings! How do we do that? How do we crown Him King in our lives so that others might see and desire what we have?

God has called us to be as a Body – worshipers – and what He has called us to do – crown Jesus Christ a King of our lives! We crown Him King every time we serve another human being in His name…every time we minister His love to another in His name…every time we worship Him with the way we live our lives in such a way as to bring glory and honor and focus to our King!

[Hebrews 2:7-9 NASB] 7 "YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 8 YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Whether we see it or not…Jesus is still on the throne! Even when it seems and feels like the world is literally falling apart all around us, Jesus us still seated on the throne, ruling and reigning and causing all things to work together for our good and for His glory! How do I know this?

This is what God’s Word says in Psalm 22:3 NASB:

3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

We crown Him every time we exalt and worship Him whether in corporate gatherings or in our times of private worship. Crowning Jesus as King of Kings in our lives is an attitude…and attitude of worship! Are you living with an attitude of worship? Do you actively walk relationally with Jesus in worship? Then God in still on the throne - regardless of what the world around us is doing! He is enthroned upon our hearts…He sits down in power on the thrones we give Him in our hearts as we worship Him.

Is your life in chaos and in need of God’s rule and reign? Worship Jesus! Is your life in upheaval and full of uncertainty? Worship Jesus! Don’t know what the next step is? Worship Jesus! He is enthroned on - inhabits - the praises of His people. Bring the rule and reign of Christ into your own realm - your own heart - today and crown Him with honor and glory…and watch His peace and comfort permeate your entire life.

1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB says 9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Let us crown Him King in our lives by simply walking and living like we believe we are citizens of His realm and ambassadors of His love to the world around us. In other words, live life with an attitude of worship that testifies to the fact that Jesus Christ rules and reigns! We can all do that - regardless of our circumstances.
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and hear the song, Crown Him, simply go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/crown-him/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/05/09/05/27/crown-759296__480.jpg

Crown Him
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
December 16, 1995

Verse
There is only One Who will never leave you
There is only One who can really redeem
There is only One God who is a Savior
There is only One who can make a heart clean
There is only One who shines through the darkness
Only One risen to reign!
There is only One who has crushed sin’s hardness
Jesus is His name!

Chorus
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Jesus Christ is King!
Reigning in power!
Reigning in glory!
Reign in majesty!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Jesus Christ is King!
Reigning in power!
Reigning in glory!
Reign in me! Reign in me!
Reign in me!

Verse
There is only One Who could be so holy
There is only One Who can set a heart free
There is only One Who can really know me
There is only One Who can make the blind see
There is only One that I bow down to
Holy and Righteous is He
There is only One Who bore the cross, shed His blood
He is King of Kings!

You Alone Are King

Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Psalm 22:3 NASB

Today I am going to tell you how a song about Jesus being King of my life was born. That song - You Alone Are King - is one of my favorites I still sing to this day. For so long, my life seemed worthless to me. That way of thinking changed as I focused on how much worth God’s redemption has bestowed upon my life. The paradox here is that my sin did make me unworthy, yet God deemed my life worth the life of His Son, Jesus, and Jesus felt I was worth giving up the glories and riches of heaven for.

Worship is relationship. Relationship begins in the heart. God’s Word says that He inhabits the praises of His people. As I meditated on this truth, I saw my heart as His throne – a place reserved for only one King, Jesus Christ. As the music began to flow from these thoughts, I realized that God was truly the Author of my faith, singing His love over me. In that instant I sincerely felt the embrace of God and bowed in worship to my heart’s true King. No other had ever met my needs like Jesus. No one else could cleanse and heal as He can. He alone is my heart’s deepest desire and He alone is the Ruler – the King of my heart. Following are the lyrics to the song:

You Alone Are King
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
July 24, 1990

Verse
Lord of the heavens
Lord of the earth
You alone give my life its worth
Here is my heart, Lord
For You a throne
Reserved for one King Alone

Chorus
Mighty God!
The Ruler of my heart!
Mighty God! 
My heart’s true King
You alone reign in majesty!
You alone reign in glory!
You alone! You alone!
You along are King!

Verse
Maker of music
Make melody
Hold me and sing over me
Sing me Your love song
Fill me with grace
I long to know Your embrace!

Even though we live an a dark and unbelieving world, we can hold on to this truth: [Rom 14:11 NASB] 11 For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”

Jesus alone is King - even if the world refuses to acknowledge that fact. He rules and reigns and uses even what the enemy means for evil against us for our good and His glory.

Revelations 19:11-16 in the NASB say it like this: 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it [is] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes [are] a flame of fire, and on His head [are] many diadems; and He has a name written [on Him] which no one knows except Himself. 13 [He is] clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white [and] clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Jesus is still, always has been, and always will be the King of Kings - King alone. Let us not lose heart when faced with darkness or pain or sorrow or suffering. He wastes nothing. We but have to worship Him, praise Him, and He is enthroned upon our hearts enjoying sweet fellowship with us! We can do this anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstances. That’s how far-reaching the reign of King Jesus is! What a great King!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to a podcast containing the song, You Alone Are King, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/you-alone-are-king/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/04/27/01/31/good-friday-2264164_1280.jpg

I Glory in the Wonder and the Majesty

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established,
It will not be moved.
Psalm 93:1 NASB

Have you ever wondered about the bigness - the majesty - of God? Since I was a child, I have been absolutely intrigued by the wonder of God’s creation. I suppose that is why I love sitting outside in the hot tub and watching for shooting stars. I suppose that is why I was drawn to skydive and to snow ski and to scuba dive. When I take myself out of my normal every day existence and see the world from a different point of view I cannot help but stand in awe of the grandeur of Who God is to me!

I see a meteor zoom across the sky at night and I cannot help but wonder where it came from and where it is headed and how fast it is traveling! I jump out of a perfectly good airplane on purpose and laugh all the way to the ground beneath the canopy of a parachute out of sheer joy of how amazingly wonderful God is to me! I glide down a 12,000 foot mountain and cannot help but feel the grandness of freedom in God’s bigness! I dive beneath the ocean and discover an whole new world that gives me the sense of flying!

I enjoy meditating on such things. As I meditated upon some of the most wondrous things I could contemplate in this life: a dark evening sky made bright by one small shooting star; the way I felt when I first saw Melinda and was swept away by her beauty; the way it feels to meet someone you have looked up to and longed to meet for a very long time; like the way it must feel for a blind man, once healed, to see the faces of those he has only heard before; to hold my sons and daughters for the very first time; to hold my grandchildren and to take them on grand adventures in the forest…I guess I’m just a big child because I feel a sense of wonder and adventure even in my old age…and I enjoy creating a sense of wonder for others to enjoy.

I always meditate on the lives of my children around their birthdays. My oldest son, Israel, celebrates his birthday on July 22. I will never forget how precious it was to hold my very first child for the very first time. What an awesome and overwhelming feeling that was. All of these things fill my heart with wonder and really do take my breath away. Yet each one really does pale in comparison to knowing God. To know that my God - the God of the universe - desires an intimate relationship with me really leaves me feeling inadequate to describe how I feel. Almighty God is alive in me. What glory! What majesty! What a blessing!

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 NASB

We talk about the grandeur and majesty of God in terms of how massive and immense He is, but the greater majesty can be found in our relationship with the One Who clothes Himself with majesty. Relationship is everything…so isn’t relationship with our Maker worth everything to us? In the most simple of terms, God uses that sense of wonder to draw me into an ever-deepening relationship with Himself…and that fills me with even more wonder!

Here are the lyrics to a song I received many years ago that expresses what I am trying to say today:

I Glory In the Wonder and the Majesty
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
July 24, 1991


Verse
You move across the strings of my heart
Like the darkest evening sky pierced by a shooting star
You move across the strings of my heart
Like when meeting face to face a King 
You’ve known just from afar
Your majesty is awesome and piercing to my heart
I glory in the wonder and the majesty of Who You are

Chorus
Your majesty and glory I proclaim
The wonder and the power in Jesus’ name
In glory and in wonder I proclaim
The majesty and glory of Your name
Your majesty is awesome 
In wonder I proclaim
I glory in the wonder and the majesty in Jesus’ name

Verse
To feel your presence takes my breath away
Like to hold your child the first time 
And not quite know what to say
To feel your presence takes my breath away
Like a man blind from his birth who finally sees his father’s face
Your majesty is awesome and full of love and grace
I glory in the wonder and the majesty of Your embrace

It’s all about relationship. I believe God gave us all a sense of wonder - wondering about how things work…how the planets stay in orbit…how vast the universe is…how to know when you’re in love…how to live life as an adventure rather than a drudgery. The answer to all our wonderings can be summed up in one name. Jesus. He is the answer to the things that fill our hearts with wonder and the things that take our breath away. He is worth the twists and turns of life to know…and He wastes nothing. Doesn’t that fill your heart with a sense of wonder?!

Philippians 3:7-14 in the NASB says, 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from [the] Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which [comes] from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained [it] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of [it] yet; but one thing [I do:] forgetting what [lies] behind and reaching forward to what [lies] ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:7-14 NASB

Let’s keep pressing on toward the goal of knowing Jesus even more intimately. It is worth everything it costs…even times of sorrow and suffering make knowing Jesus worth knowing. Just lean into the heart of Jesus today and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Just meditate on the wonder and grandeur of Who He is…and do not be afraid to let a little child-like wonder lead the way…
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to a podcast on this subject and to hear the song from today’s message, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/i-glory-in-the-wonder-and-the-majesty/

Picture courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/09/10/22/30/fantasy-3668208_1280.jpg

The Rhythm of Life

Today’s thoughts are born out of my own experiences of God’s ability to take the chaos of my life and bring it into a semblance of order and beauty. The result for me was the birth of a song called The Rhythm of Life. Read on to find out how the Lord brought my life into sync with the beat of His heart…

In Matthew 11:28-30 NASB, Jesus says, 28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Here’s that same passage in another translation:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll live freely and lightly” The Message (a translation of the Bible by Eugene H. Peterson).

It seems I often go through trying times before a song is given. What is so awesome about God is the way in which He ties seemingly unrelated issues and episodes into one seamless act of love and nurturing - much like an orchestra conductor taking all the various instruments in the orchestra and, by his guidance, leads them all into perfect synchronization!

Many years ago, after a period of back to back ministry times, I began feeling used up and poured out – empty. Of course, the enemy tries to throw all kinds of lies our way during those times of weakness in an effort to get us to fall. On top of my weariness, came the lie that I was not needed. Another lie that soon followed was that no one appreciated me. Of course, those are lies, but Father God used them to reveal my self-pity and pride….and the fact that I need His grace more than ever. The above passage from The Message was the catalyst for the phrase in the song ‘rhythm of grace’. As I meditated on my need for God’s grace in the musical context of rhythm, this song was born! You can listen to it here: http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/the-rhythm-of-life/

I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:7-11 NASB

Life is not easy at times. We all experience pain and sorrow from time to time. We all experience discouragement and loneliness from time to time. We all tend to take on and carry burdens we were never intended to carry from time to time. Due to my health crisis, I am having to learn all over again - every day it seems - how to release those cares of the world - the burdens of life - to Him. I often begin the day by doing that very thing.

“Lord, today I give you the burden of Parkinson’s Disease and trust You to carry me through.”

“Lord, right now I give the worries I have for my children and grandchildren to you and trust You to get them through.”

I am learning to see my life, in all of its facets, much like an orchestral symphony that has many different parts and instruments - sorrow, joy, suffering, ecstasy, pain, healing, temptation, and grace. From my human point of view it looks and sounds like chaos. It is when I allow Him to be the conductor that it all comes into sync, each part a facet of the bigger picture - the symphony called life. It is when we allow Him to show us His point of view we are able to see the symphony of our life and how He has used even the messy parts of our life and used them for our good and His glory. This is learning to live in the flow of the rhythm of God’s grace and life.

Rhythm can be syncopated and brisk, feeling out of control. Rhythm can be slow and steady, feeling peace and tranquility. Rhythm can be disrupted when we try to do our own thing while God is at work to bring the beat of our hearts into alignment with the beats - the rhythm - of His heart. Life is best lived to the beat of God’s heart…to the rhythm of life and grace as He sees it.

We really do have to let go of our burdens and let God have them or we will not survive. On the days when I am feeling the effects of Parkinson’s on my body, I let go and get in the flow of God’s grace and I am able to make it through even the times of suffering. God uses it for my good and for His glory…and the burden is shared.

Let me repeat the Message translation of Matthew 11:28-30 one more time just to encourage you with the need to share your burdens with Him…and then do what the verse suggests: let us learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace…let us allow Him to conduct the many facets of our life and create something beautiful of the chaos.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll live freely and lightly”

Dennis Jernigan

Picture courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/concert-band-orchestra-conductor-662851/

I Like It That Way

O sing to the LORD a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
Psalm 98:1 NASB

During the 1990s and well into the early 2000s, a friend and I were co-worship leaders at our church. We often had long conversations about what God was doing in our lives and in the life of our church body during those days. During one of our conversations about all God is doing in us and in our church, my friend confessed that he struggled at times with “feeling needed”. I felt impressed to simply begin listing all the ways I could see of how vital his life was to the Body of Christ, and we basically began to exhort one another and build up each other.

When we walk in relationship with others, we tend to want to protect them and serve them…to encourage them. The more I thought about my friend feeling “unneeded”, the more I began to recognize the subtle lies of the enemy that we all tend to believe from time to time in our own lives. During such times, we need to recognize our stinking thinking and kick it to the curb while simultaneously replacing that stinking thinking with the truth of God’s Word.

Here is the truth regarding my friend - and I’ll go out on a limb here and add this: Here is the truth regarding each of us: God has gifted us deeply and the enemy tries to mislead us. God showed me that with my friend, He wanted to take even the hard times and surprise him with His presence.

As I look back upon my life, I can easily see many times when God surprised me with His presence. Like the time in college when a friend threw me a surprise birthday party - something that I had never experienced before - and it took my heart such a deep grip of love I could not help but sob uncontrollably for several minutes. I felt loved. Surprised!

Then there was the time about three years ago when I began experiencing frequent panic attacks. During one such attack, I happened to be driving home at night when my mind began to race with uncontrollable fear and panic. I felt so overwhelmed that I thought I needed to pull over to the side of the road and call for help. As I cried out to God, I simply said, “Father, I need You to help me.”

In that very moment, my phone rang. On the other end was a voice I had not heard from in a few years…a friend who happened to be a Christian counselor. Before I could even tell him what was going on he asked, “When’s the last time someone asked Dennis Jernigan if he was alright?” He went on to say that he assumed everyone thought I was always OK because of who I was. He said, “The Lord just now impressed upon me to give you a call and ask if everything is OK with you.” Of course, I was immediately surprised to find the fear and panic were suddenly being alleviated as I poured out my heart to him. He talked me home and encouraged me to just keep breathing. Talk about being surprised by the Lord’s presence!

Recently, my wife, Melinda, was presenting her jewelry line at a women’s expo. Although she did well in sales, she felt that perhaps the setting was not the best for presentation of her line of jewelry and she wondered why the Lord had her there. During the course of the day, she began a conversation with another woman. After several minutes of conversation, the woman recognized Melinda and told her she had first heard of us when our children attended a camp she was helping direct back in the day.

Melinda shared with her how our children had been ministered to at that camp…that the older children were attending the camp when the twins came 9 weeks early and we almost lost Melinda and how grateful she was for the way the camp and camp counselors had taken care of our children through that week of fiery trial. Melinda was able to express gratitude for all this woman had done for her 25 years ago! A surprise of God’s presence at just the right moment!

During that same women’s expo, Melinda met a young wife and mother who came by her booth. Although Melinda did not recognize her at first, this young beautiful mom told her of the many times, as a teenager, she had spent the night in our home with our daughters (who are still her friends to this day) and how she always felt so loved…felt such peace…felt so safe…and how grateful she was for Melinda’s example of the love of God to her during such formative years. A beautiful surprise blessing from God spoken to my wife at just the right moment! Melinda feels that both these encounters were the reason she was to be a part of this expo…and both came as precious surprises of God’s presence unwrapped like a gift on one’s birthday! We should expect nothing less from such an amazing God. This may sound crazy, but we shouldn’t be surprised at all by the fact that our God loves to surprise His children!

….but just as it is written,
“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

Let’s be honest. Who doesn’t like to be surprised by unexpected blessings? I love a surprise visit from one of my children or one of my grandchildren. I love when an old friend calls out of the blue and we take up right where we left off from years before.

In our relationship with God, why should we not expect Him to surprise us with His presence in ways we had never expected? Even though God is always with me, I still find myself being surprised by just how much He loves me and lavishes that love on me. Still surprised at how awesome He is at taking any circumstance - be it good or bad - and using it for my good and His glory. I love those kinds of surprises. Even though it shouldn’t surprise us at all that our God is like that, I still love this little unexpected moments of being surprised by His presence. Here’s a thought: Let’s live our lives like that…expecting to be surprised by ever-deepening expressions of God’s love for us and presence with us. I kinda like it that way…just saying!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/i-like-it-that-way/

Picture courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/03/09/10/30/girl-3211146_1280.jpg