Author name: Don Gray

“A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.” -Proverbs 21:22

Our society has embraced devilish ideas that undermine the life and blessing of God. It has become the norm of our culture to call what was once commonly known as “evil’ good and “good” evil. These ideas and attitudes crept in as an anemic Church watched from the sidelines in silence. To some extent we were guilty of hypocrisy and loveless judgement. Satan took advantage and here we are.

This cultural deception is so entrenched that it is difficult to see the possibility of it changing. Portland, once the home of revival, now proudly boasts itself a bastion of “weirdness” where anything goes. Our culture trusts in deception. It trusts that it’s good to kill a baby in the womb; it trusts that gay marriage is normal; it trusts that any mention or acknowledgment of God in public life is bad. The depth of these deceptions is so deep, so pervasive that it appears impenetrable, like a wall.

Satan uses this wall to surround and imprison the people God loves. Our mandate is to scale those walls and pull down deceptions of counterfeit trust. It’s our job to release the Light and expose darkness. Ephesians teaches that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.

When God speaks His voice causes a shaking. He is speaking today and He is shaking those strongholds to pieces, tearing down the high places so the only remaining place of trust is in Him. “He shakes not only the earth but the heavens also” (Hebrews 12:26). Rulers of darkness are losing grip on territories they once owned. They see what is coming and are fighting back fearfully, savagely. Instead of giving place to fear, the Church needs to stand and enforce what God is speaking, making His enemies a footstool for His feet. If we want to take cities then we must tear down the spiritual constructs, the high places, satan has built up over our cities and regions.

So we pray especially in this time of elections, Lord God, that Your voice be heard from heaven and shake our land to set us free from the devilish lies that have enslaved our culture, our people, our nation. We plead the Blood of Jesus over Central Oregon, over Oregon, and over the United States. Forgive our sin and heal our land. Pull down every stronghold of bondage and replace it with the truth of your Word and invade us with Heaven. You said, “By the transgression of a land many are it’s princes but by a man of understanding and knowledge so it endures.” We pray for men and women of understanding to be brought into power and authority over our land. People who will lead in righteousness and justice. People not afraid to call “evil” evil and “good” good. People whom You will use to restore Your favor and blessing and the promise of Your Kingdom on earth.

(originally published 10/30/14)

“In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.” -Proverbs 14:23 (NASB)

Wanting not to be poor I decided I’d better study this verse. I found something interesting. The word for “labor” in the Hebrew is ‘etseb‘ (Strong’s 6089); it means “a thing formed or shaped; toil; the pain of childbirth.”  This hit home with me. Lately, I’ve been trying to write and one of the most daunting things about writing is staring at a blank page trying to find the impetus to start typing the first words. Trust me, a blank page can be a most humbling thing. It stares at you mockingly. It takes a lot of effort to get past it. Seeing what the word “labor” means helps me. I see that labor, like childbirth, is a painful, creative effort. And there is a promise that this effort isn’t futile, it leads to profit (Mowthar – abundance, plenty). So if I were asked to rewrite the Bible (which, by the way, I’ve never been asked), I would write the first part of this verse like this:

“In the painful effort of creation there is abundance!”

There are things that God has called us to form and shape and give birth to. If we pour ourselves into the process and see it through to the end we will find abundant reward. And what’s even better, He cheats for us; He gives us both the desire AND the ability through grace to do it!

(originally published 10/20/14)

“He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.” –Isaiah 50:4b

The Holy Spirit is calling us to listen as disciples. At the beginning of the day the Spirit of God awakens me and beckons me, “Listen.” We need to become more sensitive to this beckoning, this drawing of the Spirit into the secret place (Ps. 91:1) for the intimate embrace of His holy presence. We are being called to a deeper relationship and understanding of our God. Far too long we have taken for granted the One who is above all.

The other day I heard a quote from Bobby Conner, “We’ve become way too familiar with a God we hardly know.” It’s not that God doesn’t want us to have a familiar relationship with Him. To have that we need to know Him, not be flippant and apathetic to His nature and character. There’s a worship song with a line that says, “I don’t want to talk about You like you’re not in the room.” (You Won’t Relent – Jesus Culture) We honor Him by being aware of His constant presence and acknowledging it. We woo Him with our attention.

With abandon and passion the Bride yearns for her Groom. We must be desperate for Him. Where nothing else matters. If we had an inkling of His heart toward us we would never stop pursuing Him. We would lay down our lives and never look back in the passionate pursuit of Jesus, the Christ, Lord of all.

(originally published 11/5/13)

 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” —Jude 1:24-25

In our walk in this world many things can cause us to stumble–circumstances, people’s actions and words, attacks of the enemy, and our own old fleshly nature. In these moments of vulnerability and hurt when we feel alone, forsaken and hope diminishing, our God is at the ready to reach out and catch us and put our feet once again on solid ground. Jesus is the “Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2); “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me” (Psalms 138:8); “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

In other words, God ain’t done with you! He is bigger than whatever circumstances have caused you to stumble and most importantly it says He will “make you to stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy!” Hallelujah! I believe that the presence of His glory isn’t just about the “sweet by-and-by” but a tangible benefit of His kingdom in the now. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Dwell in the secret place of the Most High, abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalms 91:1). “Have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). These are just a few of the many scriptures that speak of us being in His presence here on earth.

I heard a preacher say, “Five minutes in the presence of God can undo twenty years of pain and grief.” I’ve found this to be true. Basking in the glory of His presence undoes us. All the darkness, hurt, pain, doubt…flee from that glory. The Greek word for “glory” is doxa, it means the revelation of what a person or thing is. It is His substance and nature expressed outwardly. I John 3:2 says that when we see Him we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. We will see the fullness of His glory and be changed in an instance. We are changed whenever we spend time in that glorious presence. It is a tangible, real thing…His glory…and it is worth pursuing. He’s worth pursuing and the reward is great.

How do we enter His presence? First, as mentioned in James 4:8 above we need to draw near to Him. We need to ask Him to help us come close. It’s His grace that makes this possible, not something we earn. The Father longs to be close to His children and will gladly open that door when we come to Him in faith through grace. Second, Psalms 100:4 says to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.” Worship ushers us into His presence. Also, building ourselves up on our most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20) propels us into that spiritual place of His presence.

In the meantime, here is a link to some powerful praise and worship music to help usher us into His presence…

EDIT (11-16-13): Unfortunately the video referenced has been removed from YouTube. My apologies…

(originally published 6/27/13)

“…for God is love.” –1 John 4:8b

If we knew nothing at all about God, these four words would tell us everything we would ever need to know. It was for Love that He said “Light Be!” It was for love He formed Adam from the mud and breathed life into him.and it was love that clothed Adam and promised him a Savior after he had sinned.

Love spoke to Noah to build an ark of salvation. Love lit the lamp of faith in Abraham’s heart to believe God’s promise of a Seed that would bless many nations. Love anointed Moses to foreshadow the Deliverer that would come. Love inspired the prophets to declare the coming of a Redeemer.

Love was born in the flesh in a manger and Love hung on a cross on a hillside. Love rolled away the grave stone and Love lives on forever as the Resurrected One. Love welcomes us into the Kingdom with open arms, forgiven and redeemed. Love brings us back to our Father where we sit on His lap and cry, “Abba, Father! [Daddy, God!](Romans 8:15). Love never ends and it never fails (I Corinthians 13:8).

Why is it that with everything He has done to demonstrate His love toward us we still don’t believe it? We may acknowledge the words are true in our heads but in our hearts we doubt His love for us individually. At least I have anyway.

The truth is even when we don’t feel loveable and we know we don’t deserve it, there God is loving us anyway. Doesn’t He know what worthless, useless sinners we are? I guess He’s forgotten. Maybe we should too. Because if we start believing it, the Love that changed the world will change us also.

(originally published 5/30/13)

“A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.” —Proverbs 20:5

The Hebrew word for plan in the above verse is etseh, it means “a God-placed purpose, design.” Every person has this God-placed purpose buried deep in their heart. Psalm 139 says that God knew us before we were even conceived and our days were ordained (planned). We aren’t random. No matter what the circumstances of our birth and conception, each one of us is a pre-planned creation of God with purpose and destiny written in our hearts.

Proverbs 20:5 says that if we want to discover that plan WE have to draw it out. The Hebrew word for draw in this verse is also used for drawing water out of a well.

Now compare Proverbs 20:5 to Proverbs 19:21:

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.”

Here, the word for plans is machashabah; it means “thoughts, imaginations, and intentions.” These are also in a man’s heart but are the thoughts and plans of man. The word for counsel in the above verse is the same word etseh in Proverbs 20:5. In other words, man’s own thoughts and plans are many but it is the “God-placed purpose and design” in the heart of man that will stand (Hebrew word quwm – to arise, come on the scene, endure, be fulfilled, established).

God’s plan is in our heart but we have to go in there and draw it out. God wouldn’t tell us to do it if it couldn’t be done.  The way to discover that plan is spend time with the plan maker. Meditating on His Word (it is the plan book after all) and in what Jesus called “the prayer closet,” that place where just you and God hang out together. It’s His intention that we actually figure this out but like a treasure, He expects us to dig for it. Start digging!

(originally published 4/26/13)

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.” —Proverbs 19:24

 Ouch! I didn’t understand that one at first so I asked God what He meant by that. His answer smacked me right upside the head! I saw a picture of someone who started reaching for the provision of God, got right in the midst of it but was too lazy to even pull his hand back and receive the blessing he had within his grasp. Then my mind jumped to all the ideas God had given me to prosper over the years that I dabbled my toes in but didn’t commit myself to.

” But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” —Deuteronomy 8:18

The blessing of God gives US the power to get wealth. We have to walk in it. It says in Proverbs 8:12 that He gives us “witty inventions.” Other translations call it “knowledge of devices” and “ingenious contrivances.”

Have you ever had an idea that you just knew was God-inspired but for some reason you didn’t follow through with it? I know I have. These are the things God wants to release in us for the betterment of us and those around us. He made us to be creative, to be overcomers, to walk in His blessing on this earth and with that blessing change the world around us.

I’ve determined to be more careful to nurture those ideas with prayer and meditation on God’s word so they will grow into what they were meant to be. Then exercise faith through action knowing God’s hand is on it.

“Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” —Proverbs 10:4

(originally published 4/19/13)

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.” —Proverbs 18:10

Safety. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what that feels like. The storms of life rage against us and often we put up a brave front but inside we are trembling, just hoping it will all go away before we are consumed by the crashing waves of chaotic destruction.

For those with a happy childhood, we may remember a time when our parents shielded us from such storms. We carried on in blissful ignorance, covered by their protective presence and reassurance while the perils of life churned on around us.

Something changed when we became adults. No longer under our parents protective covering we faced the storms and trials on our own. Even the most stalwart of us eventually succumb to the unending maelstrom and the tormenting fear it can bring.

Verse 10 above tells us of a refuge from these storms. In Jesus there is a place of safety. God gives us that shelter now as adults we used to blindly enjoy as children. He is our “safety,” our “fortress,” our “refuge,” a “strong tower” and “deliverer.”

The word “safe” in the verse above can also be translated “set on high.” We are lifted up above the problem, above the attack, above the confusion, hurt, and disaster. When trouble comes we can call on the name of JESUS and find the safety, protection, and peace we knew as children under our parents protective mantle. For those that never knew that peace from their parents, the Lord has unending compassion and faithfulness for you. Peace and safety await. Just call on Him who is faithful and true. He is the One who never fails and never lets us down.

(originally published 4/11/13)

“I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,”  —Revelation 1:9-10

I’ve always liked John. If we are allowed to have a favorite apostle I would pick him. In his gospel and letters he always kept things pretty simple, mostly I think because God meant for it to be simple. John returned to the same theme over and over again throughout his writings…love. It was John who wrote, “God is love,” he was the one who told us that “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son,” and he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  That’s a pretty important awareness, something that took the others a while to understand. I know I’m still working on that one. John was one of Jesus’ “inner circle” and was very close to the Lord throughout His ministry. Of all the apostles I think John knew the Lord the most intimately. Jesus even entrusted the care of his own mother to him while hanging on the cross.

So here we find John banished to the island of Patmos in trouble for preaching the gospel. On the Lord’s day, Sunday, the day of the week Jesus rose from the dead, John was “in the spirit” (more on that in another post) and heard a loud voice. Turning around to see who was speaking he saw an amazing sight.

“and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.” —Revelation 1:13-16

And John, the disciple who probably knew Jesus better than any other, who spent 3-1/2 years walking with Him daily, hearing His words, eating with Him, talking with Him daily, reacted how?

“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.”  —Revelation 1:17

The glory of the risen Son of God, shining brighter than the sun, manifesting His radiant splendor knocked John right off his feet. We don’t follow a Savior still hanging from a cross; that event was a moment in space and time, a very important moment grant you but a singular moment that has passed. We serve the living, risen Savior, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords seated for eternity in all His glory, power, honor, and might at the right hand of the Father. All His enemies are vanquished, placed under His feet which we, the body of Christ–the Church, are.

And how did Jesus respond to John at His feet?

“And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”” —Revelation 1:17b-18

We all have an image of who we think Jesus is. Even John, as close as he was to Jesus, was amazed at the sight of the glorious Lord, the Son of God, eternal risen Savior. And in all His might and glory Jesus reached out His hand and laid it on John and told him, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus wants to reveal Himself to us in the same way. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. So come into His presence and bask in the light of His love. He has already won the victory for us.

(originally published 4/6/13)

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again” —Proverbs 24:16

Falling. I hate it. Whether you trip yourself up or something else pushes you down, every man, woman, and child knows what it is like to fall…and it sucks. Sometimes we fall and scrape our knees or bruise our egos, then there are other times when a fall can break bones and crush our soul. This scripture from Proverbs doesn’t differentiate between the two, fortunately for us; but it does promise that the righteous will rise from it again and again and again.

In his last movie, “Rocky Balboa,” we find a wiser, more circumspect Rocky. In it he has a conversation with his grown son about the hardships of life:

“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward.”

It’s as true a statement as I’ve ever heard. We live on Earth, a fallen world, and bad stuff happens here–stuff you don’t deserve, stuff that’s been designed to beat you down and kill you, stuff God never meant to happen. Yet as human beings we have to deal with it. In the end it doesn’t matter how we fell, what matters is how we respond to it. WE have to decide to get up. WE have to decide to move forward. WE have to make that choice every day. And it is GOD who gives us the grace and empowerment to do this.

God has our backs. He hasn’t left us alone to find our own way to get back up. When we give our lives to Him it is He who upholds us.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.” —Psalms 37:23-24

Like a Father holding a child’s hand, God holds our hand and when we fall He keeps us from being destroyed. Grab His hand tightly and if you fall, decide to get back up and keep going on and let Him help you on your way. And expect the future to be better.

(originally published 3/26/13)