Archbishop Gregory Holley

The Joseph Identification

There was a Bible man named Joseph born to a faithful man who loved him very much. His brothers disliked him from the beginning but around the house could say nothing. Dad was listening and would not stand for any talk about Joseph. But one day Joseph went to visit them at the work location.

In Joseph's excitement he began to tell them of the fantastic things that God was going to do and they could all be a part of it. But they were already doing okay by the standards of the day and he was just a dreamer anyway. They took one look at the beautiful coat of many colors that his Daddy had bought him and jealousy took control. 

The tongues wagged behind the poor boy's back and he knew nothing.  But it was decided that he was not their speed.  He could not run with them.  He had nothing to offer.  After all something must be wrong with him for his Daddy to love him so much.

So the plot was laid. They would silence his voice. See him no more.  Have no awkward moments when he came into their presence.  And the house would be the same again, like before he was born!

Springing on him like a cheetah on zebra, they stripped him of his beautiful earthly assets.  They flung him in a pit.  They killed a goat.  Dipped his coat in the blood.  That's it.  We will call him dead.

Yes, Daddy would sorrow for awhile but after a while the killing by an animal story would stick. They would be through with him.  No more dreams.  No more Joseph. But what do we do with him?

Now they were not murderers of flesh.  Just assassins of character, intelligence and good works.  They had to get rid of him.  Down the dusty road came their answer.

Slave traders.  Sure, why did they not think of it before? Let's make some money off of him. Take him for what he's worth. No one will ever know.

Sunlight flooded into the pit where Joseph had been cast.  Drug by ropes up the side until feet landed upon the ground.  Bound hand and foot his fearful eyes took one last, longing look at those he loved and those he thought loved him and then it was over.  He was gone.  Gone to a place called Egypt to be a slave!

Money exchanged over and over for this intelligent, sharp favored son until he landed in the house of a ruler.  He began to do well.  He began to make friends. He began to find favor again.  Wealth reappeared and he was making do.

I don't how often he thought of his brothers and their deeds but I am sure he thought of his dear old dad and how he must miss him! But can't go there too much. Got to keep thinking his way out and moving up where he was enslaved. And then it happened again.

The old gal who he worked for desired him.  He had far too much integrity to fall for the soft words again and he fled.  She lied. Her husband believed her. Joseph had tried to rape her and now he was headed to another prison to pay for someone else's ladder climbing, backstabbing, ungrateful ways.

Down in the jail house he started moving up again. Made some good friends. When they dreamed he told them what it meant. The favor was still on him and he was accurate so he was gaining ground when somebody told somebody who told somebody that he was good at what he did.  That somebody happened to be the King or the Pharaoh as he was called.

Out of prison. Into the Palace. Moving on up.  Now he's over the national warehouse and because of his way with dreams he knew the famine was coming and had stocked up so good that the Pharaoh could feed all of his people pretty good and then it happened.

Back at home Daddy could not supply food for his sons and daughters and their wives and children and so he made a decision.  Calling them in, he told them to get their trucks and trailers and go to Egypt and buy some food.  Off they went and when they got there they showed up at the Pharaoh's warehouse.  And guess who was there?

Well, they did not remember him. It was so long ago.  We have no more obligation.  But Joseph remembered.  Cried a bit. And sold them food.  But he had to find out about Daddy and is this a brother he had never seen before?

What a heartache. What a sadness.  But to see Daddy again he had to put up with the boys.  What would Daddy want him to do? 

I can identify with Joseph...

A Fresh Look at the Lord's Prayer

Luke writes again in chapter 11. “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.

9 "This, then, is how you should pray:

"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13

The Lord’s Prayer as it is called is not the answer to the question the disciples posed. What Jesus would teach them was not the Prayer of John the Baptist but the prayer that unlocks Heaven’s door.

Here is what He said, When you pray start with proclaiming the Character of God. Then began to proclaim His Kingdom and will to be the kingdom on earth just like it is in heaven. This brings about Provision or daily bread for the prosperity of the believer. Jesus proclaimed that we should not worry about tomorrow as each day has enough trouble of its own. My supposition is that if there is enough trouble there is enough provision. Prosperity is important for the welfare of the beleiver mentally, physically, financially and spiritually.

Now that provision is coming the believer is ready for the spirit of Forgiveness to come over them forgiving and receiving forgiveness. Guidance is now ready to be understood and adhered to. The guidance of the Holy Spirit becomes a coveted asset in the believers life. At the end of the Lord’s prayer is the prayer of Protection from the evil one.

Proclaim the character, the kingdom, the provision, the forgiveness, the guidance and the protection as a part of your faith talk and walk!

So how does faith talk empower our daily walk? By doing so you bring a Saturation of specific situations through intercession. Then a Renovation of our hearts through introspection begats a clean vessel prepared for infilling. That Infiltration of our lives through strategic distribution of God’s provision throughout each day will bring about the character of God’s kingdom in our life through prayer.

But, the “proof” of prayer is in praying.

A Lonely Place

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go. —Abraham Lincoln

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? —Corrie Ten Boom

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan —John Bunyan

When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy. —Corrie Ten Boom

There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. —Brother Lawrence

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work. —Oswald Chambers

Luke writes, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” I often read the scriptures wondering what was going on in the process of the writing. Luke is recording a sequence of events when suddenly he makes this confession of the pattern of prayer in the life of Jesus. Here was what was occurring:

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

On reading fully it seems Jesus was in one of the towns on his way someplace when a leper fell on his face in front of him and ask if he would heal him. Jesus said he would. He did. He then ordered the man to take care of it in the usual way by going to the priest and being declared clean and to tell no one. But the news was so good that an ordinary day turned into an extra ordinary day with Jesus being drained by the prayer lines. His soul was ready for the Father’s touch and he withdrew, as he often did, prayed and Luke noted it.

Do you have time for a divine interruption today? Do you have that lonely place within that can only be filled by time with the Father? Do you know that a ‘pouring out’ of your life requires a filling of the supernatural of your soul? If you are ready for a miracle, be ready for an emptying, followed by the filling of your soul with ‘something.’ So declare what that ‘something’ will be and spend time in prayer refilling!

Tomorrow:  A Fresh Look at the Lord’s Prayer

Abraham, Seeker of Destiny (2)

Continued from yesterday...you may find the first of this in the category "Seeker of Destiny"

Lot's faith had been quenched and the darkness of Sodom overtook him. There was no faith in Sodom but because of Lot Abraham prayed for mercy on the city. Because of Abraham the Lord God Jehovah sent angels to hasten Lot from sudden destruction. Lot's faith did not save him, rather the prayers of a loving uncle who desired to see him return to the search of eternal life.

Of what promise was given to Lot? Did not wickedness follow him the rest of the days of his life? Standing at the doorway of repentance he fell not to his soul's own cry and delivered himself into the lazy spirit of the Gomorrans. No longer did this place look as the garden of the Lord. It was the place of death.

Did not the Apostle speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost and bring words of wisdom as He proclaimed sin's joy for a season and it's reward of death? Did not all of the faithful refuse sin's seasonal pleasure in return for eternal life?

What promises did Abraham receive? Were not all committed unto him? Does not the Apostle write again unto you showing that all these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth? Did not these leave their countries desiring a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God was not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared them a city!

Bring forth the report of the Apostle of those whom the world was not worthy, having been stoned, beaten, jailed, destitute, afflicted, living in dens and caves on the earth. Did not all of these obtain the eternal destiny they desired?

And what of this unrepentant generation who visit mausoleums of rituals of worship and walk out unchanged into a changing world swallowed up by pride and unbelief? Who will cry out for the door of repentance? In this generation it is believed that God grows weary of the multiple repentings without change. As Jeremiah spoke the words of God it is still spoken today.  Seek while the door may be open for shortly it is believed that God will speak and salvations gate will close as saints are lifted up from the earth in the final call.

Who will call out for repentance today? Who will call out for change in their life? Who has strayed from their way? Who has stood time and again at the door of repentance without entering salvation? Come, the door is open and the Holy Spirit says, "Come!"

Abraham, Seeker of Destiny (1)

Today we return to the historical rendition of the Biblical records of Abraham and Lot. These two men began their journey in search of a city made without hands whose builder and maker was God. They trekked across lands of unbelief in search of the one true God and His abode. Abraham, a seeker of destiny, was desirous of eternal life and is known until this day as father of the faithful.

Driven by intensity and hunger for his creator Abraham encouraged all who traveled with him by his dedication and victorious lifestyle. This in itself is not enough for humanity to continue on. Good patterns of living are often found in men and women who are seekers of destiny, seekers of eternal life. These patterns are but molds of victory formed by dedication.

These patterns of lifestyle were formed after much entrance at the door of faith and repentance. Scheduled appearing of their faith would not have accomplished their desires. These brought salvation day and night, with fear and trembling. Soon to grow lax and cold will be those of you who follow Calvary's desire because of another's desire.

The Lord Jesus is seeking to draw mankind past the experience of Lot who after arriving at new city was enamored by the forward thinking of its residents.  This story is relived time and again as those of you come to the door of repentance      yet return to the streets of cities that parallel Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham's displeasure at Lot's decision to stay is not recorded. This wroth spirit of lust, greed, success, ease of living and dishonoring of his God had enticed Lot to stay.

Lot argued with Abraham that the city was as he garden of the Lord and surely he could keep his commitment of faith there. Coming to separate you from fellowship are these same wroth spirits, angry at your knocking on the door of eternal life and these seek to distract you. Enticing you with the desires of your carnality Satan seeks to throw numerous Sodoms and multiple Gomorrahs in your path.

For this cause Abraham and Lot separated themselves one from another. Light cannot fellowship darkness without changing the atmosphere. Take careful note of the demise of Sodom and Gomorrah. Did fire fall because of Abraham's prayer?  No, God shared Abraham's desire to see this attraction to the seeker of destiny annihilated.

In this sphere of time Jehovah God is still calling you, the seeker of destiny  to continue your travel toward the eternal city. Your faith is a precious commodity and is designed to fulfill this destiny, prospering you along the way as Abraham. The easy way of enticement seems to produce the prosperity of strength but destroys the deposit of faith leaving the seeker destitute of strength with which to continue the journey.

Continued tomorrow....

Door of Eternal Destiny (2)

This is a continuation of yesterday's post. You can find the beginning in the category "Seeker of Destiny."

Do you seek heaven's favor in your lifestyle? Have you knocked upon heaven's door and refused to go away until filled with eternal life? The sessions of religious activities in this day have led you to believe that momentary meetings with the savior will change all the desires of humanity and sin within you.

Receive this word of the Lord Jesus today. Momentary meetings of salvation bring unsatisfied Christian lives. Those who would place you at the door of salvation and leave you standing there, alone, cold, and unfulfilled do not do you well. Those who pat you on the back and encourage you to come to church meetings do you not well.

Those who weep for your soul and it's entrance into the Holy place of God do you well. For of what use is it to plant a field of corn and never harvest it? Yet multitudes are left upon the doorstep of repentance without further knowledge or instruction as an orphan child left at the doorway of the orphanage.

The House of the Lord, your God, is not an orphanage for unwanted children. This House of salvation is home to the soul for the prodigal, the hospital for the wounded, the resting place for the weary. Who would seek to know only the doorway of their home, a restaurant, a department store?

Is there not a desire to go in and be warmed, fed or clothed. Who will come to the doorway of repentance this hour and desire fruit of their coming. Choosing your own way you will go and come, time and again. When will you stay in prayer long enough for the precious Holy Spirit to bathe wounds of sin's battles and restore you to spiritual health?

None may be healed on various trips to the doorway. None may be healed on the run of social encounters, business activities and future plans. All may be healed that come to Calvary's flow and still themselves in the presence of Jehovah God.  He has spoken to your heart many times and many times you have come to the doorway of true repentance and fellowship. Will you go in?

Has He not said, "Be still and know that I am God"? Has He not said, "The way of the transgressor is hard"? This is not to your disadvantage. When life's worries have trodden you underfoot refuse to lay under Satanic force and untruth. Jesus is calling you unto repentance. Come through the doorway today and enjoy eternal life!

Door of Eternal Destiny (1)

Who knocks at the door of eternal destiny? When turned away by your desires from the door of repentance when will you come again? Do you seek destiny daily? Do you seek salvation's victory daily? Of what intense desire overflows you to come to your Lord and Savior?

What of the seeking of eternal life? Does man feel satisfied upon attending church and going away full of songs, words and good tidings? Should not man go away from this house in search of an eternal tomorrow instead of looking to his daily duties with an intense desire to succeed upon this earth alone? Is there not a drawing upon your soul to come to the door of repentance and knock again?

Each time you knock the Lord Jesus hears.  Each time you come seeking, heaven responds to  your search. Who will receive the response of heaven? When you have finished knocking at the door why turn away and walk from that which you have desired?

Are your prayers to be answered instantly? Do you not desire the investigation of heaven into the matters you describe? Sin is forgiven upon repentance and acceptance of forgiveness. Praise is received from hearts of accepted  repentance. So why linger at the doorway of repentance only to leave unfulfilled?

Multitudes live in the doorway of salvation. The Lord Jesus has opened the door to your search and beckons you on. Is not time spent upon the search of education and higher learning? Is not this seeking the living among the dead?

You cannot find God in the busy hallways of mental powers. Do you think that God is an instrument in your walk of life?  He is the breath and strength of all mankind. In the living soul Jehovah God breathed life everlastingly only to be robbed by the waywardness of the desires of man. For this cause Jesus Christ came to cruel Calvary that you might seek eternal life.

Destiny awaits those who seek and those who do not. Who has what they wish in this life? Who has what knowledge they wish of the eternal life? Only those who seek heaven's favor in their life have these things.

to be continued tomorrow...

Looking for Grace

After long patience and many warnings God at last had come to the place where he could not, in righteousness, any longer recognize Israel as His own. Such has been their condition for the last twenty-five hundred years, and such it will be until that great day when they shall look upon Him whom they have pierce. Till this day the Jew looks for the Messiah yet their hearts were so hard and their persistence in sin so great that He came and went and will have to come back again for their desires to be met. Searching for a Messiah, looking for grace, Israel stumbles on. [Zechariah 12:10 /Romans 11:5-6]

When the twelve tribes first entered the land of Canaan God promised temporal blessings of every kind so long as they walked in obedience to His Word. The land itself was to give every evidence of His good pleasure. It would be fruitful, abundantly so, and as a result their flocks and herds would multiply; and they, themselves, would be preserved in health. They would be so strong that no enemy would be able to stand against them. But now all that has changed. They had sinned until there was no remedy, and so God commanded Ezekiel to set his face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy unto or against them. [Dueteronomy 28: 1-19 / Ezekiel 6: 1-7]

Though judgment was thus to be meted out, God could not forget His covenant with Abraham no matter how wicked the people had become or how utterly degenerate and ungrateful. He had promised that Abraham’s seed should inherit the land, and His word must stand; therefore, He speaks next of a remnant which would eventually be brought back from the sword. [Ezekiel 6:8-10]

This remnant appears in many places in the prophetic scriptures. Even at the present time Paul tells us there is a remnant that will remain by the emergence of God’s grace. All down through Christian dispensation there have been many Jews who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and borne witness to their faith by godly and devoted lives. It is true that so far as the great mass is concerned, blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. But when God’s present work of grace among the nations in consummated and the Church has finished its testimony in this scene then God will again turn to Israel, and out of them will save a remnant who shall become the nucleus of the new regenerated Israel in the 1000 years of peace. [Romans 11:5-6]

The remnant referred to here, however, has to do with those in Israel who, during the years between the dispersion and the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, turned to God in repentance and sought to honor and glorify him, even during the time His judgment was being meted out to the nation. These hidden ones would still maintain a testimony for God. This remnant would be among the nations where they should be carried captive, and they would realize that judgment had fallen upon Israel because of their departure from God and because of their tolerance for idols in their personal and national lives. They would loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils, which have been committed, taking the place of repentance toward God on behalf of themselves and their people. Of such we read, “ They shall know I am Jehovah!” Ezekiel himself was called upon to take an active stand in opposition to the evil in the land. [Ezekiel 6:8]

With great sorrow Ezekiel cried, “Alas!” on account of the sins of Israel. The true servant God regards the character and conduct of sinners with true sorrow. He knows the grace they are looking for and cries aloud at the ignoring of the remedy. The true servant of God regards the judgments that come as a result of this searching with deep sorrow. It is no easy thing to speak plainly about painful issues of disobedience and would be devastating to the man of God such as Ezekiel. Were he here to cry out today He might cry out the words of Jesus, “ Come ye that are weary and heavy laden, I will give you rest!” Grace is here to satisfy judgment! [Ezekiel 6:11/ Matthew 11:28]

Mind Games in Israel

Israel, betwixt and between the plans of God and the passions of mankind, sought for spiritual existence. The mind of man had become the taunting playground of spiritual mind games. More than met the natural eye was occurring as Jesus began for Jerusalem moving into formation with his family to attend the Passover festival. Questions along the way were turned toward Jehovah God and the answers came easily to the mind of Jesus! The young Jesus spoke fluently with his elders along the way and their hearts burned with zealous fire. Oh, how powerful the Word of God was in a nation devoid of power. [Isaiah 14:1-4]

Hell trembled for they knew that this voice would be heralded through regions beyond. As a major movement and discussion was held in the temple Jesus found the questions of the elders there intriguing and the lack of answers almost senseless. It all seemed so simple to the Spirit filled mind of Jesus, yet they scattered around the questions like hens around corn in the yard. [Luke 2: 21-51]

Isaiah had prophesied such an event in which the enemy of the soul and mind would be unseated and the Spirit of God would fill the mind of the House of Jacob. A few choice words and the questions of the elders became focused upon Jesus. Hard questions to these religious rulers became astounding truth as Jesus fought and won this first great battle of the religious mind. Seemingly to these just a wise boy of 12 but to hell it recognized and trembled. The whispers of hell were, ‘When will he strike, What will he do first, What must we do to destroy this voice?’ To think that a boy would be able to take that which had been lost for centuries was the nervous laughingstock of hell! [Isaiah 14: 12-17]

In the midst of this seemingly theological debate Jesus found the questioning exciting and overstayed his time with which his earthly family was quite disturbed. This endless wisdom they had grow accustomed to. This voice was strange in Jerusalem and like the fragrance of pomegranate it sifted through the air and men remembered the words and answers long after His return to Nazareth. Some of these men would forget the voice of God as they returned to their passions and existence and would question, “What has this to do with redemption?” The voice would be heard and questioned in their latter years as once again Jesus graced the temple. [John 7:43-52]

Losing what is yours to your own plan is not always the sweetest victory. Knowing that mankind was to serve God and fellowship with Him caused Satan to disembowel man’s search for redemption. Sacrifice for sins committed had ceased and man no longer desired to be at one with God. The world was devoid of the fellowship between God and man. The suffering was not one of physical pain but one of children being born into the world with no pure witness. Religious arguments flourished as Satan played mind games with the unrenewed mind. Generations had passed and stories of a powerful Jehovah God became diluted and none sought that place of worship. Few there were who achieved Simeon and Anna’s place of watchful waiting. Few hearts burned with the talk of a Messiah and although the story had long been told fewer watched. Not knowing the day or the hour caused man to turn to his own thoughts and devices. Who among us watches for redemption? Who watches for His return? [Luke 2: 25-38]

Why believe? History repeatedly has shown that people hunger for something larger than themselves. Higher purpose is such a vital ingredient to the human psyche that there must be vision in your life. Jesus called to the fisherman as they dropped their nets and followed Him. Others played mind games, ‘Will he, won’t he? While these followed the voice! Come! Follow me!

What Shoes Do I Wear to Break the Slump?

The Master called Peter to come to Him across the water and Peter came! At least he made a start. As long as he looked at the Master, he walked upon the water, but the moment he looked down, he sank. In spite of the fact that he had actually walked several steps he still could not believe it, and the seeming impossibility of what he was doing caused him to look down, and to go down. Looking away from the spiritual law, he accepted the material law and sank into a slump of faith. [Matthew 14:24-32]

We are all as the Apostle Peter some time. We have all had answers to prayer – marvelous answers – yet many of us come to a place where we slump. We look down and say, “I wonder if I can have the same power again, or have I lost it?” Am I worthy to use it? Now why is it that we slump? It is because we look down! Had the Apostle kept his eyes on the Master he would have gone all the way to Him. He had actually performed the miracle. He had walked on water. But the old habit was stronger than the new experience. [Isaiah 43:18-19]

We have also witnessed the power enabling us to do the seemingly impossible thing, then we have taken our eyes away from the spiritual law to behold the thing we have seen done from the material angle. We relinquish the power momentarily when we fail to keep our eyes upon the Master. But that which we have gained we cannot lose; it is always there waiting to be recaptured when you lift your eyes and keep the focus single. [Romans 11:29-31]

One of the great weaknesses of our Christian world today is the attitude so often expressed. Jesus must have known what we would accomplish as called for an ascent into perfection by the believer. His call for us to be ‘perfect’ was a call to completeness. Completeness in actions of our labor, our growth and our mental character was the goal. He desired that we became of ‘full age’ as a Christian. [Matthew 5:48]

If we feel it is impossible for us to attain that state promised in John’s Revelation, where we shall become a pillar in the temple and go no more out, then we are not likely to make the necessary effort to attain it or remain in it. We will give in more readily to the negative thoughts and habits which drag us down. When we wonder if we have the will power to live up to this emotional, miracle walk on water we must make firm the decision, ‘Do I want to live up to it?’ There may be a sneaking kind of feeling that we want to bad once in a while. It seems so much more wonderful to give up and slump into the weakness. But do we need to do it? It is an element in human nature common to all, but we do not need to do it. It is not perversity. It is a tremendous downward pull from earth and habit. [Revelation 3:12]

We must keep an open and sensitive spirit to the spiritual power to draw it to us. We want to be porous to the divine flow of Jesus Christ. Doubt, fear and negative attitudes make us impermeable. Permeable is a good word. In a physics laboratory osmosis is sampled by a water bath being constructed divided into two compartments. The division is made with animal membrane, like a pig’s bladder. Clear water is put into one side and salt water in the opposite side. Because the animal membrane is permeable the heavier salt solution will be forced through the pores, and soon salt water and fresh water are mixed, there is salt water on both sides of the membrane. That is permeability and the law of osmosis. We need spiritual osmosis. We need to be porous, to be permeable; to be able to soak up, absorb and let God’s will unit with our will until we are blended into one. As His faith permeates ours we feel as Peter felt when the hand of Jesus reached down and lifted him to continue walking upon the water back to the boat. It is in this we discover our real selves and the need to rectify the slump by keeping our will permeable to His and our reliance upon the strength of Him who walks upon every water! [Hebrews 7:19]