Are you right now searching for something deep down? Do you feel there’s no hope? You are looking for answers and a glisten of hope. You see no relief, no “light at the end of the tunnel.” You feel like there is a void inside of you but you believe there’s more. You say to yourself, “Is this what it’s all about?” “Is this what I came here for?” “Is this why I am here?” You lay in bed at night and ask why? Why me, Lord? I don’t understand. You feel lonely and lost. You feel no one cares. You search out the inward most parts of your being trying to find answers but you find nothing. You cry out in the mid-night hours. You feel deep down you were created for a purpose, for a reason. You hope there is more. Everything you have dreamed about has come to nothing. You have always had to settle. You feel dead inside. Beat down. You do things just to get someone to notice you, to reach down and pull you up. You hate yourself for what you have become or are becoming. You cry out for someone to rescue you and show you the way out. Every relationship you have been in has failed. You have done unbelievable things to yourself and to others and you think there’s no hope.
GOOD NEWS! There is always hope. There is always a way out. There is one crying out to you now, saying, “Come unto me all you who are heavy laden and down trodden. For I will come and lift you up and comfort you.” But you say, “I have done this and I have done that. How can anyone love me and care for me?” “But I tell you the truth, I the Lord have known you since before the beginning of time; before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I was with you. I knew your name. You are no accident; you are not a mistake. I have a plan and purpose for you. I love you and I desire to spend time with you. You are the apple of my eye. I have poured out my heart and my life for you. I have already shown you how much I love you and why I created you. You see I am God. I am the creator of the universe – creator of all things – and I loved you so much that I came to earth in human form by the work of the Holy Spirit who formed me in Mary. I was birthed and came into existence. What you call Christmas is the celebration of my birth. I walked on earth. I gave up my Godly rights to come and walk with you; to be tempted and tested, just as you but I sinned not because I had a greater purpose. I came to show you the way to holiness. My sole purpose was to come and be offered up as a sin offering; to take all the sins of the world – yes, all the sins of the world – upon myself; even yours. My whole purpose was to die. Yes, I was created to die. Sounds awful, doesn’t it? But it’s not; not in my eyes. It is the most wonderful thing in the world; that I would die for my people – YOU. I love you so much that I who knew no sin would receive all the sin that was in the world upon myself. Whether you accept it or not, I have already paid the price for you. Now I wait for you to accept it.”
“Oh, by the way, remember all the sins we were talking about before. I have forgiven them all. You see, in my eyes there is no sin greater than another. Well, there is one and that is blaspheming the Holy Spirit. That is the greatest sin of all and the only way you can do that is by accrediting the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. So a word of advice is, if you don’t understand it or can explain it keep silent cause the very thing you think is of Satan could be me. So be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove.”
“So if you come to the realization that you are seeking something and have tried and tried to do right to no avail, accept my gift of the Cross. Salvation is a free gift to you. You can never earn your way into Heaven. It is a free gift. All you need to do is accept me.”
Pray this prayer: Jesus, I ask you now to forgive my sins and I accept you as my Savior, my Redeemer, as my Lord. Come and mark me with your promise, the Holy Spirit.
If you prayed this prayer then now I speak over you that you are forgiven. All of your sins are forgiven – past, present and future. It is done. And now the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and all the angels in heaven are singing and rejoicing over you.
The Lord says, “Yes, I have created you for a purpose. You see a lot of people know I died for them, but very few in return commit themselves to me so I can use them to touch others. You see I created you so I could use you to touch all those people around you; so I can minister to all those in your life through you. I want you to be my ambassador on earth. Everyone that I have created has a purpose and that is to allow me to use them as I see fit. I want to come and spend time with you, my people, and comfort you and be Your God and you to be my people.”
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The psalmist proclaims:
"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands"; "when I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?"; "for You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well." Ps. 19:1; Ps.8:3-4; Ps. 139:13-14
Friday, December 18, 2009
GOOD & EVIL
What is the difference? Well, it depends on which view we take. The world's view or God's view. The world's view says anything that hurts us or makes us feel bad or even hurts others is evil. The world's view also says good is whatever makes us feel good or happy or lets us get our way, and so on.
Let's look at what God calls good and evil. We must start at the beginning when man was created. God created male and female and called them Adam. They were one! And then he pulled woman out of man by taking a rib and creating woman. That is when He separated them. We all remember the fall -- when they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They did not know the difference but once their eyes were opened they saw everything differently and they started feeling things they never felt before -- like fear and shame. If you remember, Adam heard God coming and hid himself because he was naked. The Lord asked where he was and why he was hiding. Adam said he was afraid because he was naked. Before this, they did not know they were naked and there was no problem.
After knowing this, when we look at life we should look at it through the eyes of the Spirit and not of the world. Let's look at what the Lord said to Moses when He sent him to set His people free. He said Pharaoh was created to show the Glory “Hand” of God. God allows everything to take place for His glory to be seen on earth; to bring all men/women to Himself, to the knowledge of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
So if a child dies in any form -- I mean any, too -- that child is with the Father in heaven with no care in the world. That child will never hunger or thirst again; never be in want. If He allows things to happen to draw all men unto Him, how can that be bad? Everything is created for a reason and purpose. We cannot see the whole picture and game plan the Father has.
Just imagine everything going on around you is the Lord trying to get your attention. He is trying to speak to you through what is going on in and around you right at this moment. Sit back and ask the Lord to speak to you and reveal Himself to you. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see and to open your ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and doing. Can you imagine that the Lord cares that much for you?
He gave up his Godly throne and came to earth in human form just for you. He walked on earth as a human being for 33 years and was tempted just like us, but sinned not. He was perfect and then, to top it all off, He went to the Cross -- was tortured and beaten and then was crucified for your sins. He paid the price for the sins of the world.
Look at what the Lord suffered for our sins. Do you think it was good or evil? It is good the Lord loves you and me so much that He would die for us and bring us back into the relationship He created us for in the beginning. Let’s change our mindset and start looking at every situation as a God-ordained opportunity to bring us into a closer relationship with Him. Let’s let God be God and allow him to do whatever he wants in us, to us and through us. God says; “I AM THE GREAT I AM. I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHO I HAVE MERCY.”
Let's look at what God calls good and evil. We must start at the beginning when man was created. God created male and female and called them Adam. They were one! And then he pulled woman out of man by taking a rib and creating woman. That is when He separated them. We all remember the fall -- when they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They did not know the difference but once their eyes were opened they saw everything differently and they started feeling things they never felt before -- like fear and shame. If you remember, Adam heard God coming and hid himself because he was naked. The Lord asked where he was and why he was hiding. Adam said he was afraid because he was naked. Before this, they did not know they were naked and there was no problem.
After knowing this, when we look at life we should look at it through the eyes of the Spirit and not of the world. Let's look at what the Lord said to Moses when He sent him to set His people free. He said Pharaoh was created to show the Glory “Hand” of God. God allows everything to take place for His glory to be seen on earth; to bring all men/women to Himself, to the knowledge of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
So if a child dies in any form -- I mean any, too -- that child is with the Father in heaven with no care in the world. That child will never hunger or thirst again; never be in want. If He allows things to happen to draw all men unto Him, how can that be bad? Everything is created for a reason and purpose. We cannot see the whole picture and game plan the Father has.
Just imagine everything going on around you is the Lord trying to get your attention. He is trying to speak to you through what is going on in and around you right at this moment. Sit back and ask the Lord to speak to you and reveal Himself to you. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see and to open your ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and doing. Can you imagine that the Lord cares that much for you?
He gave up his Godly throne and came to earth in human form just for you. He walked on earth as a human being for 33 years and was tempted just like us, but sinned not. He was perfect and then, to top it all off, He went to the Cross -- was tortured and beaten and then was crucified for your sins. He paid the price for the sins of the world.
Look at what the Lord suffered for our sins. Do you think it was good or evil? It is good the Lord loves you and me so much that He would die for us and bring us back into the relationship He created us for in the beginning. Let’s change our mindset and start looking at every situation as a God-ordained opportunity to bring us into a closer relationship with Him. Let’s let God be God and allow him to do whatever he wants in us, to us and through us. God says; “I AM THE GREAT I AM. I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHO I HAVE MERCY.”
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
MORE THAN CONQUERORS
December 1, 2009
More Than Conquerors
We are living in the greatest time in the world; when everything is okay except for anything that has to do with Christ. We have a generation that is watching and wondering why everyone is against these Christ followers. They are trying to take Him out of everything. There must be something there then if they keep trying to remove Hm. This is just what will draw them to Christ when they try to remove Him.
People’s faith is starting to rise up in them and they are starting to take a stand. It is great to see the Spirit of the living God moving in his people with boldness to stand and speak up when there once was silence. But now they are saying enough; we will not be pushed anymore; that is wrong and we won’ t put up with it any more.
It is time for the Worship Warriors to come forth in battle. Give no sleep to your eyes until he makes Jerusalem His praise. “Do you feel that little nudge prompting you to come with me. Spend time with me in the secret place. Come unto me,” says the Lord, “and I will strengthen you. I will fill you and give you rest. Come unto me and I will heal you. Take my yoke upon you for it is light. Come unto me and feed. Come into my presence and soak in the Most Holy Place. Come unto me,” says the Lord. “Come.”
Arise, spirit of the living God. I say, arise.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,j whok have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,m neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28-39.
More Than Conquerors
We are living in the greatest time in the world; when everything is okay except for anything that has to do with Christ. We have a generation that is watching and wondering why everyone is against these Christ followers. They are trying to take Him out of everything. There must be something there then if they keep trying to remove Hm. This is just what will draw them to Christ when they try to remove Him.
People’s faith is starting to rise up in them and they are starting to take a stand. It is great to see the Spirit of the living God moving in his people with boldness to stand and speak up when there once was silence. But now they are saying enough; we will not be pushed anymore; that is wrong and we won’ t put up with it any more.
It is time for the Worship Warriors to come forth in battle. Give no sleep to your eyes until he makes Jerusalem His praise. “Do you feel that little nudge prompting you to come with me. Spend time with me in the secret place. Come unto me,” says the Lord, “and I will strengthen you. I will fill you and give you rest. Come unto me and I will heal you. Take my yoke upon you for it is light. Come unto me and feed. Come into my presence and soak in the Most Holy Place. Come unto me,” says the Lord. “Come.”
Arise, spirit of the living God. I say, arise.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,j whok have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,m neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28-39.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
BEING TRUTHFUL
Why can’t people be honest? Is it because they don’t want people to get upset with them? It amazes me that people will tell you one thing and then never follow through with it. Why? Do you think they mean well? Do they intend to do what they say, or did they not intend to do it at all. I have a problem with this! It really bugs me because I do not live this way. When I say I am going to do something, I do it. I don’t just blow it off; my conscious would never let me rest. I guess when you are walking in the presence of God you really watch what you say. Maybe it is also how people are brought up. I guess that is why they have to have contracts because a person’s word doesn’t mean anything anymore. This is a big subject in the eyes of God because if you cannot make a commitment with people you are around then how can you commit to someone you cannot see? I also know that people get busy in their day to day lives; probably too busy than they should.
Something else that bothers me is when someone sets an appointment and then waits until the last minute to cancel. Yes, I know things come up occasionally but not all the time; not every other week. That is a lack of displine. People over extend themselves and then certain things get pushed away. People don’t like to tell people no, so they just don’t tell them anything at all. This also opens up another point that when you do say no people try to make you feel guilty (which is witchcraft) or they badmouth you when you say no. That is why in America every one throws money at everything. It is easier. They don’t have to deal with anything. Just throw money that way and go on and then they say, "my part is done." Most of the time, people think doing certain things are beneath them so if they throw money at it then they can find someone else to actually do the job. Many times, we just need to roll up our sleeves and get dirty no matter what it is. A little humility goes along way.
However, saying no or saying yes and then if you make a commitment following through with your commitment is very healthy for all parties involved. By doing this if you say no then you allow them enough time to make arrangements to accomplish what they need to do. This is why the Lord said: Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. Stop beating around the bush; be straight forward with people; tell them the truth at all cost. If you don’t, it’s a lie! Yes, some people might get a little offended by your sincerity.
We don’t know what tomorrow holds so saying if the Lord wills I will do that or this then. I thought for a long time that is a easy way out but it is not we don’t know his plans for our life so if we are a people who are walking in the Spirit of the Lord then we will not know our distant future, we will barely know the here and now.
Now let us talk about correction. We are to correct with love and be led by love. Do not come across with a condemning spirit that is not of the Lord but of the evil one. That is why Jesus always told parables when he corrected. When you tell stories about your life or events from other people’s lives it will give them hope and a way out and if they are judgmental they will not even hear what you are saying because they are not walking in the Spirit of the Lord.
Something else that bothers me is when someone sets an appointment and then waits until the last minute to cancel. Yes, I know things come up occasionally but not all the time; not every other week. That is a lack of displine. People over extend themselves and then certain things get pushed away. People don’t like to tell people no, so they just don’t tell them anything at all. This also opens up another point that when you do say no people try to make you feel guilty (which is witchcraft) or they badmouth you when you say no. That is why in America every one throws money at everything. It is easier. They don’t have to deal with anything. Just throw money that way and go on and then they say, "my part is done." Most of the time, people think doing certain things are beneath them so if they throw money at it then they can find someone else to actually do the job. Many times, we just need to roll up our sleeves and get dirty no matter what it is. A little humility goes along way.
However, saying no or saying yes and then if you make a commitment following through with your commitment is very healthy for all parties involved. By doing this if you say no then you allow them enough time to make arrangements to accomplish what they need to do. This is why the Lord said: Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. Stop beating around the bush; be straight forward with people; tell them the truth at all cost. If you don’t, it’s a lie! Yes, some people might get a little offended by your sincerity.
We don’t know what tomorrow holds so saying if the Lord wills I will do that or this then. I thought for a long time that is a easy way out but it is not we don’t know his plans for our life so if we are a people who are walking in the Spirit of the Lord then we will not know our distant future, we will barely know the here and now.
Now let us talk about correction. We are to correct with love and be led by love. Do not come across with a condemning spirit that is not of the Lord but of the evil one. That is why Jesus always told parables when he corrected. When you tell stories about your life or events from other people’s lives it will give them hope and a way out and if they are judgmental they will not even hear what you are saying because they are not walking in the Spirit of the Lord.
CHURCH
What is church?
The Lord says if you acknowledge Me with your mouth and believe in your heart that I am Lord then you will be saved. He also says all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That is the church. Jesus also says those who follow me, who hear my voice and walk therein. You see the church (the body of believers) that is the church. It can consist of all kinds of denominations and those who are not associated with a church but believe and walk in the ways of the Lord.
One thing that scares me more than anything is when I hear leaders say well without a vision the people perish. Each person should have their own vision for their life or they will fall away or back. It’s not healthy to have a set man with a vision of his own and everyone else takes that vision for their own, and then they don’t dream for themselves and seek the Lord for their purpose in life. What God has designed them for. So many people are deceived and manipulated into fulfilling someone else’s plan than the Lord’s. Why/how is this happening you ask. We are not nourishing them in the knowledge of the Lord. We are pushing them into a work and service mentality. This is unhealthy for the body of Christ. We should be encouraging one another in the ways of the Lord and encouraging them to step out into the ways of the Lord. That means to help them hear the Lord and understand the ways of the Lord. We should never encourage them to serve or minister out of need. When we minister out of need, we are ministering out of man not the Spirit of the Lord.
This is one of my favorite subjects. Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn’t heal every one and provide food for everyone when he walked on earth? We too often try to have answers for everything and provide for everyone. We see a need and then we convince others that we need to do something to help. We can’t believe that something like this is going on and no one is helping. If you start feeling guilt or condemnation coming on you then you know it’s not of the Lord. This is one of the first signs that something is wrong. This is twofold sometimes the Lord puts burdens on people’s hearts to help. We need to learn to walk in the Spirit of the Lord. Walking in the Spirit means to walk with God. Do you know God wants to walk you through life; He has a wonderful plan/path that you can walk together. He will even walk with you through your bad decisions He loves being with you. Back on subject. Then there are those who should not be helping because they know they have a desire or task from the Lord. However, they allow themselves to get talked into doing something they don’t feel called to do. Nevertheless, to help and it is for a good cause. When you start telling yourself that you should put the brakes on and say something is not right. That is not of the Lord I am sorry but I cannot help. No matter what is said and/or what persecution you suffer for taking a stand for what is in your heart. We all have done this. Some of us even get so frustrated and hurt that we don’t even continue in what the Lord has called us to do because we are afraid of failure. Sometimes the better it sounds the bigger the red flag should be.
You are accountable only to the Lord. My whole outlook on everything has been challenged by what the Lord is doing in us. It’s like some of the thing I have been thought the Lord has gutted them out of me. The Lord keeps asking me questions and then he answers them with scripture it’s as if a puzzle is coming together. It’s as everything is opening up in front of me. It’s like when you gut an animal when you slice its belly open, everything is exposed, and you have access to everything all I can do is just soak in it and take in all the knowledge and allow the Holy Spirit to teach me and fill me with wisdom. It’s amazing all you have to do is ask for wisdom and you shall receive from the father. However, when you ask it never comes the way you expect it to. He has His own way of teaching us we have to learn to hear God and how He is speaking to us individually.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SAYS I AM BREAKING DOWN THE RELIGIOUS BARRIERS OF THIS DAY. I AM CROSSING ALL BOUNDRIES THAT MAN HAS SET. COME TO ME SAYS THE LORD COME AND SEE I AM GOOD. I LONG TO BE WITH YOU AND SUP WITH YOU. COME AND RECEIVE ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. RECEIVE OF ME AND KNOW I AM THE LORD GOD. I AM WHO I AM. I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I PLEASE. DO NOT QUESTION ME. MY WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS. WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION ME, SAYS THE LORD. I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU. TRUST IN ME AND ME ALONE SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT PUT YOUR TRUST IN MAN HE WILL ALWAYS FAIEL YOU. I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. LET MY SPIRIT COMFORT YOU AND LEAD YOU IN ALL TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE.
The Lord says if you acknowledge Me with your mouth and believe in your heart that I am Lord then you will be saved. He also says all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That is the church. Jesus also says those who follow me, who hear my voice and walk therein. You see the church (the body of believers) that is the church. It can consist of all kinds of denominations and those who are not associated with a church but believe and walk in the ways of the Lord.
One thing that scares me more than anything is when I hear leaders say well without a vision the people perish. Each person should have their own vision for their life or they will fall away or back. It’s not healthy to have a set man with a vision of his own and everyone else takes that vision for their own, and then they don’t dream for themselves and seek the Lord for their purpose in life. What God has designed them for. So many people are deceived and manipulated into fulfilling someone else’s plan than the Lord’s. Why/how is this happening you ask. We are not nourishing them in the knowledge of the Lord. We are pushing them into a work and service mentality. This is unhealthy for the body of Christ. We should be encouraging one another in the ways of the Lord and encouraging them to step out into the ways of the Lord. That means to help them hear the Lord and understand the ways of the Lord. We should never encourage them to serve or minister out of need. When we minister out of need, we are ministering out of man not the Spirit of the Lord.
This is one of my favorite subjects. Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn’t heal every one and provide food for everyone when he walked on earth? We too often try to have answers for everything and provide for everyone. We see a need and then we convince others that we need to do something to help. We can’t believe that something like this is going on and no one is helping. If you start feeling guilt or condemnation coming on you then you know it’s not of the Lord. This is one of the first signs that something is wrong. This is twofold sometimes the Lord puts burdens on people’s hearts to help. We need to learn to walk in the Spirit of the Lord. Walking in the Spirit means to walk with God. Do you know God wants to walk you through life; He has a wonderful plan/path that you can walk together. He will even walk with you through your bad decisions He loves being with you. Back on subject. Then there are those who should not be helping because they know they have a desire or task from the Lord. However, they allow themselves to get talked into doing something they don’t feel called to do. Nevertheless, to help and it is for a good cause. When you start telling yourself that you should put the brakes on and say something is not right. That is not of the Lord I am sorry but I cannot help. No matter what is said and/or what persecution you suffer for taking a stand for what is in your heart. We all have done this. Some of us even get so frustrated and hurt that we don’t even continue in what the Lord has called us to do because we are afraid of failure. Sometimes the better it sounds the bigger the red flag should be.
You are accountable only to the Lord. My whole outlook on everything has been challenged by what the Lord is doing in us. It’s like some of the thing I have been thought the Lord has gutted them out of me. The Lord keeps asking me questions and then he answers them with scripture it’s as if a puzzle is coming together. It’s as everything is opening up in front of me. It’s like when you gut an animal when you slice its belly open, everything is exposed, and you have access to everything all I can do is just soak in it and take in all the knowledge and allow the Holy Spirit to teach me and fill me with wisdom. It’s amazing all you have to do is ask for wisdom and you shall receive from the father. However, when you ask it never comes the way you expect it to. He has His own way of teaching us we have to learn to hear God and how He is speaking to us individually.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SAYS I AM BREAKING DOWN THE RELIGIOUS BARRIERS OF THIS DAY. I AM CROSSING ALL BOUNDRIES THAT MAN HAS SET. COME TO ME SAYS THE LORD COME AND SEE I AM GOOD. I LONG TO BE WITH YOU AND SUP WITH YOU. COME AND RECEIVE ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. RECEIVE OF ME AND KNOW I AM THE LORD GOD. I AM WHO I AM. I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I PLEASE. DO NOT QUESTION ME. MY WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS. WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION ME, SAYS THE LORD. I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU. TRUST IN ME AND ME ALONE SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT PUT YOUR TRUST IN MAN HE WILL ALWAYS FAIEL YOU. I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. LET MY SPIRIT COMFORT YOU AND LEAD YOU IN ALL TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE.
DISCIPLING A GENERATION AFTER GOD'S HEART
In the book of Matthew, chapter 28:19, the Lord gives the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples. This is a great responsibility; this is our sole purpose -- to disciple those whom God has chosen and predestined to fulfill His purposes on earth. We are to encourage, uplift and help those whom God brings into our lives. We are to help them recognize and hear and interpret God's way and walk in it. We are not here to be God’s voice to those chosen by God, but to help them walk with the Lord. We do this by helping turn their attention to the spiritual realm. We also are here to help them allow the Spirit of the Lord to lead them in all His ways as they walk through their daily lives.
I remember when I first came to realize what the Lord did for me and I received the gift of salvation. It was very hard to believe the Lord was interested in my daily life -- I mean every little detail of my life. At the time I was working in a motor rewind shop repairing and rebuilding circuit breakers. I would be struggling with little things like putting bolts in places you could barely reach and couldn’t see. I would struggle for awhile. Then I would pray and ask the Lord to help. It never failed. Every time He would intervene and I would have no problems. I know the Lord was teaching me to seek Him in the smallest details of my life. We sometimes think we have a responsibility to do things ourself without asking for assistance from the Lord. That is a wrong mindset. The Lord delights in assisting us in all aspects of our daily lives. His whole purpose is to be our sole provider and to lead us in all our ways. I believe that these little tests from the Lord lead to bigger things. When we let him guide us in the little things we are allowing ourselves to become solely dependent on Him. Eventually, He will be able to trust us with the bigger things of the kingdom.
We are here to guide people and to be a sounding board. We allow them to bounce their desires off us to help them see whether what they are hearing and feeling is truly of the Lord. The Lord brought a young lady into our life. She made us a cross and wrote a thank you note for helping her on her way with the Lord. While she was with us we loved her and showed the love of the Lord and accepted her for who she was. I watched other people try to force their own perspective on her. As I talked to the Lord, he said, "let me finish the work inside her and it will be perfect." He said, "don’t look at the outward appearance. Look inward and see what I see." I realized the problem with most of us is we want to see the change on the outside. We don’t trust and allow the Lord to do the work on the inside. The Lord said we are to preach the word of God and, by doing so, plant the seeds or water or feed; but, whatever we do, we do not bring the increase. The Lord brings the increase. Trust in the Lord and do as He commands and believe. "When my spirit enters a person," says the Lord, "I will change that person. They will not be able to stay in that life style any longer. They will change but it will be in my time not yours. Just believe and pray. Let My will be done." I believe we can interfere with the work of the Lord. When this happens, He will either remove us from that person's life or remove that person from ours to protect His will and purpose.
A wise man is slow to speak. Do you know why this is? A wise man can control his tongue. He will listen and then inquire of the Lord for the answer. He will also meditate on the answer before speaking. When counseling, I find most people will come to a conclusion on their own because as they talk about the issues they see and hear it differently. They can hear the counsel of the Lord for themselves. This is why being a sounding board for people is so crucial in the kingdom of God. All people hear God. Most people don’t want to hear God because that means they will be responsible for their own actions and they cannot blame anyone else for their mistakes. It is amazing that people still want a human mediator between them and God. This mindset comes from a lie of the deceiver. Because we don’t feel worthy, we don't believe God can talk with us directly. This mindset says Jesus’s death on the Cross was not sufficient. You always have those who say, "Pastor, you don’t know what I have done." Brothers and Sisters, there is nothing in the world that the Lord can’t forgive if you can receive His love for you. Yes, it will be a test. You will be tested. When you hear from the Lord and start on your journey you will fall and run into all kinds of problems. The test is to continue on the journey and believe and stand on the word of God.
I have a friend who told me that he didn’t understand why the Lord had impressed him to go and apply for a job at this place and that place. He got turned down over and over again for a solid year. Then someone approached him and asked if he ever thought about doing just what he had been applying for. This opened a door for him and he was able to fulfill his purpose. I have also have gone through this test. I truly believe it is a test of one's will. Can you believe that you heard from the Lord and stand on his promises to you? Can you pay money only to cancel on the event that you looked so forward to and still believe it is the will of the Lord? I do. I don’t think anything is chance. I believe everything in life can be used as a learning experience if we will eat our pride and step back and say, "Lord, what is it you want to teach me in this storm?" So often, I have heard the Lord tell me not to look at this or that, but look unto Him. "Don’t look at the money. Look at Me. Don’t look at who you hurt. Look at Me. Don’t look at how bad you feel. Look at Me." He wants us to look to Him and Him alone. We do not know His ways or what He is teaching us. Even when starting a church -- can you go a month or even two months without anybody coming and still believe the word of the Lord was true and you heard and acted in the timing of the Lord? The Lord wants us to press in and trust him. As I read the word of God that is what I hear over and over again. "I will take you down to the wire just so My name may be glorified and they may know that I am your God and no other." The reason He waits until the last minute is so all human logic and reasoning have been exhausted and there is nothing left for us to give credit to except Him. He is building up our most holy faith.
Written on February 24 2008
I remember when I first came to realize what the Lord did for me and I received the gift of salvation. It was very hard to believe the Lord was interested in my daily life -- I mean every little detail of my life. At the time I was working in a motor rewind shop repairing and rebuilding circuit breakers. I would be struggling with little things like putting bolts in places you could barely reach and couldn’t see. I would struggle for awhile. Then I would pray and ask the Lord to help. It never failed. Every time He would intervene and I would have no problems. I know the Lord was teaching me to seek Him in the smallest details of my life. We sometimes think we have a responsibility to do things ourself without asking for assistance from the Lord. That is a wrong mindset. The Lord delights in assisting us in all aspects of our daily lives. His whole purpose is to be our sole provider and to lead us in all our ways. I believe that these little tests from the Lord lead to bigger things. When we let him guide us in the little things we are allowing ourselves to become solely dependent on Him. Eventually, He will be able to trust us with the bigger things of the kingdom.
We are here to guide people and to be a sounding board. We allow them to bounce their desires off us to help them see whether what they are hearing and feeling is truly of the Lord. The Lord brought a young lady into our life. She made us a cross and wrote a thank you note for helping her on her way with the Lord. While she was with us we loved her and showed the love of the Lord and accepted her for who she was. I watched other people try to force their own perspective on her. As I talked to the Lord, he said, "let me finish the work inside her and it will be perfect." He said, "don’t look at the outward appearance. Look inward and see what I see." I realized the problem with most of us is we want to see the change on the outside. We don’t trust and allow the Lord to do the work on the inside. The Lord said we are to preach the word of God and, by doing so, plant the seeds or water or feed; but, whatever we do, we do not bring the increase. The Lord brings the increase. Trust in the Lord and do as He commands and believe. "When my spirit enters a person," says the Lord, "I will change that person. They will not be able to stay in that life style any longer. They will change but it will be in my time not yours. Just believe and pray. Let My will be done." I believe we can interfere with the work of the Lord. When this happens, He will either remove us from that person's life or remove that person from ours to protect His will and purpose.
A wise man is slow to speak. Do you know why this is? A wise man can control his tongue. He will listen and then inquire of the Lord for the answer. He will also meditate on the answer before speaking. When counseling, I find most people will come to a conclusion on their own because as they talk about the issues they see and hear it differently. They can hear the counsel of the Lord for themselves. This is why being a sounding board for people is so crucial in the kingdom of God. All people hear God. Most people don’t want to hear God because that means they will be responsible for their own actions and they cannot blame anyone else for their mistakes. It is amazing that people still want a human mediator between them and God. This mindset comes from a lie of the deceiver. Because we don’t feel worthy, we don't believe God can talk with us directly. This mindset says Jesus’s death on the Cross was not sufficient. You always have those who say, "Pastor, you don’t know what I have done." Brothers and Sisters, there is nothing in the world that the Lord can’t forgive if you can receive His love for you. Yes, it will be a test. You will be tested. When you hear from the Lord and start on your journey you will fall and run into all kinds of problems. The test is to continue on the journey and believe and stand on the word of God.
I have a friend who told me that he didn’t understand why the Lord had impressed him to go and apply for a job at this place and that place. He got turned down over and over again for a solid year. Then someone approached him and asked if he ever thought about doing just what he had been applying for. This opened a door for him and he was able to fulfill his purpose. I have also have gone through this test. I truly believe it is a test of one's will. Can you believe that you heard from the Lord and stand on his promises to you? Can you pay money only to cancel on the event that you looked so forward to and still believe it is the will of the Lord? I do. I don’t think anything is chance. I believe everything in life can be used as a learning experience if we will eat our pride and step back and say, "Lord, what is it you want to teach me in this storm?" So often, I have heard the Lord tell me not to look at this or that, but look unto Him. "Don’t look at the money. Look at Me. Don’t look at who you hurt. Look at Me. Don’t look at how bad you feel. Look at Me." He wants us to look to Him and Him alone. We do not know His ways or what He is teaching us. Even when starting a church -- can you go a month or even two months without anybody coming and still believe the word of the Lord was true and you heard and acted in the timing of the Lord? The Lord wants us to press in and trust him. As I read the word of God that is what I hear over and over again. "I will take you down to the wire just so My name may be glorified and they may know that I am your God and no other." The reason He waits until the last minute is so all human logic and reasoning have been exhausted and there is nothing left for us to give credit to except Him. He is building up our most holy faith.
Written on February 24 2008
LIFE
Can you believe that your whole life is in control by God? For those who are children of God who are called by God and chosen for a time as this. Do you believe God can let you go through the trials of life, and the heart ache of this world? Do you believe that God has accounted for and knows you are going to miss the mark and fall and just right mess up? Or are you like most of us who think that God is surprised that you missed it. That you just weren’t quite strong enough and gave in to the temptation. Do you think God can still rejoice over you with singing and dancing? Or do you think when you mess up that God frowns and is sad. Do you think he is surprised that you messed up?
What is the Heart of God? God’s heart is first and foremost love! (John 3:16) For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Romans 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He did this at just the right time. See, God has a plan. You might be sitting there saying, “He might have had a plan but it didn’t include me.” I am here to tell you it did. You see everything depends on God’s grace and mercy. From the beginning, God had the plan laid out. It might shock some of you but God knew about the fall before it happened. You see God knew your name before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. Get this he knew your name. Wow, he knew what my parents were going to name me. Yes, but my parents weren’t even saved then or I was born out of wedlock. That is okay. God knows all things. That is why He is God. He knows your thoughts. He knows what you think about at night. He knows what you do in secret. He knows what you are about to do. Do you know he even tries to warn you before you do bad things or things that will hurt you or others? He tries to warn us all the time. Do you have an ear to hear? Or better yet, He tries to stop you from doing things out of His will (Gods will). And, yes, there is opposition that we are fighting against. The opposition includes our own desires, others desires, Satan, evil principalities and the world. You say, “Wow, that is a battle.” Yes, it is a constant battle. I will tell you with each stage in life the battles get easier to overcome. It also becomes easier to see the battles coming. We will be persecuted, and we will go through trials and tribulations. But as you study Paul's life you will see how he flowed right through them. Do you know why? Paul had an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior. You say, “What does that mean?” It means that Paul didn’t care what happened to him or anything about what was going on around him. Above all else, Paul was sold out to Jesus. Paul knew that what Jesus did on the Cross was enough. Jesus paid the ultimate price. He gave His life for Paul’s sin in his life. (Our sin, too) Paul says that he counts it as joy that Christ deems him worthy to suffer for the gospel’s sake. Paul said, “My chains advance the Kingdom.” Imagine, Paul even thought the shackles he had on were advancing the kingdom. So what things in your life are advancing the kingdom? Remember God can turn all things into good for those who love the Lord. He can turn the things you have done in the past before you came to the knowledge of Christ into good. You say, “How?” Let me tell you my story. I grew up in the country. I grew up on a farm raising cattle and livestock. My dad was an alcoholic. He drank all the time, so I did most of the work around the farm. I would get up before school and do the feeding. After school, I would do the same. Often, my dad would reward me with a can of beer for all of my hard work. When I was about three years old, my dad shot my mom through both arms. I still vaguely remember him telling me to stay with my mom while he went to get help. I remember crying and my mom tried to walk me to my grandma’s house because we were in the woods cutting fire wood. They came over the hill to help us. They say it was an accident. My dad was very abusive when he was drunk until my sister and I were old enough to take up for my mom. We used to beat up my dad when he got drunk. He did get some broken bones from our little scraps. There was a time when he was sober for about three to four years. Those were the best years. My dad would do anything for any one. But he fell and started drinking again. When my dad drank he stayed drunk all day long -- he lived off beer. So whenever he tried to stop he would have seizures and black out. The last time he stopped drinking and went to work, he had a seizure on the way home late one night and he hit a tree and was killed. I knew when the phone rang early that morning that dad had been in a car wreck. I told my sister that before my mom got off the phone. My sister was a senior in high school. She was five years older than me. When she graduated she moved out. Within about a year and a half, when I was thirteen years old, my mom moved out too. We sat down and talked about it. She had met a man and he wanted us to move in with him and she wanted to move in, but she wasn’t going to force me. I was thirteen and partying then. I was hard core partying – mainly alcohol. There were always people staying with me. The party was always at my house. I remember I would come home and I hated my life. I hated myself. I used to cut my arms and burn myself. I would torture myself. I liked to inflict pain on myself because I had no one else to do it for me. My idol at the time was Mel Gibson. I liked the part in Lethal Weapon where he was acting crazy and suicidal. I believe even when you drink and drive that is a form of suicide attempt. You don’t care about your life or other lives. I always thought suicide was a chicken’s way out. I did it though. I would get downright drunk and drive home. It is amazing that I made it home. Sometimes I didn’t know how I made it. I would wake up in the driveway with the truck still running. One time I woke up in the passenger seat. I would run off the road and wake up driving through the fields or even run over the banks of the road and there would only be one set of tracks. I look back now and see the hand of God was on me then. God has a purpose for me in this life and I am going to full fill it. These were some of the things he brought me out of. A couple of years after graduating from high school, I joined the Marines. I was in the Marines from December 1994 to December 1999. I was even worse during that time. While I was in the Marines I met my loving wife, Rebecca. We got married in May 1998. I changed a little then -- if you know what I mean. I settled down. I got out of the Marines in December 1999. We had been looking for a church but I couldn’t find one that I liked. I was not going to go to a church that was of the world. I would walk into a church and see people and they were just like me in some aspects. But in March 2000, I walked into a church in North Charleston, South Carolina. I said to myself, these people have what I want. I even believe the Lord removed the veil from my eyes. It was all alive to me – everything, the word of God, life itself. It was like a raging furnace came on inside of me. I finally found what I was created for: TO SERVE THE LORD WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY. There is nothing else to live for other than God -- the three-in-one God -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each time I read the word of God, it becomes more personal to me. The lives of everyone in the Bible feel like they are becoming a part of me. I feel like I am eating the words. I finally have a passion. It is great when you find out what you have been created for -- to have an intimate relationship with the Creator first and foremost. You shall have no other god above me says the Lord.
I believe that my whole life was planned out by God. He didn’t miss a point. I believe he knew where I was all along the way. Now I can use everything I have been through to help others and to minister with compassion -- just a Paul did. Our stories and walks are all different to a point. But if you let the spirit of God guide you and speak to you through others and your own life He can turn it all into good. I am not saying it is okay to do ungodly things but I am saying that God wants us to touch others. I would not do any of the things I did in my days before Christ now, but I was in the world just as all of you are and were in the world. If you press into the Lord, He will press into you. If you seek Him you shall find him. Most people know that when we come to the kingdom of God and accept the free gift of salvation (Jesus) all heaven rejoices and that is true. But after we are saved for a time we believe the things we do changes God's opinion of us. It doesn’t. He still rejoices over us with singing and dancing. He longs to have fellowship with you. He knows when you don’t spend time with Him you are vulnerable to the adversary (self, world, Satan, opposing forces). The more time you spend with Him and others who are in Christ your faith will be built up. When we are together we encourage each other’s faith and build each other up in the most holy faith. God knows where you are in your walk with him. He wants to take you to the next level but each level requires you to give up more of this life (the life of the world) for His life (the life of the Spirit). Most people don’t realize the greatness of the life of the spirit: joy, peace, longsuffering, patience, kindness, honesty, mercy, fulfillment; knowing the one and true God, full of mercy and kindness, the giver of life and life more abundantly. He is the giver of all things. Receive from the Lord all He has for you. The Lord has before you blessing and curses. When you walk in the Spirit of the Lord you will be blessed. When you walk in the spirit of the world your inheritance is curses because your motives are wrong. To know God is to be intimate with him. We are the Bride of Christ. Rebecca will be doing a study on the Bride of Christ! Coming soon.
What is the Heart of God? God’s heart is first and foremost love! (John 3:16) For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Romans 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He did this at just the right time. See, God has a plan. You might be sitting there saying, “He might have had a plan but it didn’t include me.” I am here to tell you it did. You see everything depends on God’s grace and mercy. From the beginning, God had the plan laid out. It might shock some of you but God knew about the fall before it happened. You see God knew your name before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. Get this he knew your name. Wow, he knew what my parents were going to name me. Yes, but my parents weren’t even saved then or I was born out of wedlock. That is okay. God knows all things. That is why He is God. He knows your thoughts. He knows what you think about at night. He knows what you do in secret. He knows what you are about to do. Do you know he even tries to warn you before you do bad things or things that will hurt you or others? He tries to warn us all the time. Do you have an ear to hear? Or better yet, He tries to stop you from doing things out of His will (Gods will). And, yes, there is opposition that we are fighting against. The opposition includes our own desires, others desires, Satan, evil principalities and the world. You say, “Wow, that is a battle.” Yes, it is a constant battle. I will tell you with each stage in life the battles get easier to overcome. It also becomes easier to see the battles coming. We will be persecuted, and we will go through trials and tribulations. But as you study Paul's life you will see how he flowed right through them. Do you know why? Paul had an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior. You say, “What does that mean?” It means that Paul didn’t care what happened to him or anything about what was going on around him. Above all else, Paul was sold out to Jesus. Paul knew that what Jesus did on the Cross was enough. Jesus paid the ultimate price. He gave His life for Paul’s sin in his life. (Our sin, too) Paul says that he counts it as joy that Christ deems him worthy to suffer for the gospel’s sake. Paul said, “My chains advance the Kingdom.” Imagine, Paul even thought the shackles he had on were advancing the kingdom. So what things in your life are advancing the kingdom? Remember God can turn all things into good for those who love the Lord. He can turn the things you have done in the past before you came to the knowledge of Christ into good. You say, “How?” Let me tell you my story. I grew up in the country. I grew up on a farm raising cattle and livestock. My dad was an alcoholic. He drank all the time, so I did most of the work around the farm. I would get up before school and do the feeding. After school, I would do the same. Often, my dad would reward me with a can of beer for all of my hard work. When I was about three years old, my dad shot my mom through both arms. I still vaguely remember him telling me to stay with my mom while he went to get help. I remember crying and my mom tried to walk me to my grandma’s house because we were in the woods cutting fire wood. They came over the hill to help us. They say it was an accident. My dad was very abusive when he was drunk until my sister and I were old enough to take up for my mom. We used to beat up my dad when he got drunk. He did get some broken bones from our little scraps. There was a time when he was sober for about three to four years. Those were the best years. My dad would do anything for any one. But he fell and started drinking again. When my dad drank he stayed drunk all day long -- he lived off beer. So whenever he tried to stop he would have seizures and black out. The last time he stopped drinking and went to work, he had a seizure on the way home late one night and he hit a tree and was killed. I knew when the phone rang early that morning that dad had been in a car wreck. I told my sister that before my mom got off the phone. My sister was a senior in high school. She was five years older than me. When she graduated she moved out. Within about a year and a half, when I was thirteen years old, my mom moved out too. We sat down and talked about it. She had met a man and he wanted us to move in with him and she wanted to move in, but she wasn’t going to force me. I was thirteen and partying then. I was hard core partying – mainly alcohol. There were always people staying with me. The party was always at my house. I remember I would come home and I hated my life. I hated myself. I used to cut my arms and burn myself. I would torture myself. I liked to inflict pain on myself because I had no one else to do it for me. My idol at the time was Mel Gibson. I liked the part in Lethal Weapon where he was acting crazy and suicidal. I believe even when you drink and drive that is a form of suicide attempt. You don’t care about your life or other lives. I always thought suicide was a chicken’s way out. I did it though. I would get downright drunk and drive home. It is amazing that I made it home. Sometimes I didn’t know how I made it. I would wake up in the driveway with the truck still running. One time I woke up in the passenger seat. I would run off the road and wake up driving through the fields or even run over the banks of the road and there would only be one set of tracks. I look back now and see the hand of God was on me then. God has a purpose for me in this life and I am going to full fill it. These were some of the things he brought me out of. A couple of years after graduating from high school, I joined the Marines. I was in the Marines from December 1994 to December 1999. I was even worse during that time. While I was in the Marines I met my loving wife, Rebecca. We got married in May 1998. I changed a little then -- if you know what I mean. I settled down. I got out of the Marines in December 1999. We had been looking for a church but I couldn’t find one that I liked. I was not going to go to a church that was of the world. I would walk into a church and see people and they were just like me in some aspects. But in March 2000, I walked into a church in North Charleston, South Carolina. I said to myself, these people have what I want. I even believe the Lord removed the veil from my eyes. It was all alive to me – everything, the word of God, life itself. It was like a raging furnace came on inside of me. I finally found what I was created for: TO SERVE THE LORD WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY. There is nothing else to live for other than God -- the three-in-one God -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each time I read the word of God, it becomes more personal to me. The lives of everyone in the Bible feel like they are becoming a part of me. I feel like I am eating the words. I finally have a passion. It is great when you find out what you have been created for -- to have an intimate relationship with the Creator first and foremost. You shall have no other god above me says the Lord.
I believe that my whole life was planned out by God. He didn’t miss a point. I believe he knew where I was all along the way. Now I can use everything I have been through to help others and to minister with compassion -- just a Paul did. Our stories and walks are all different to a point. But if you let the spirit of God guide you and speak to you through others and your own life He can turn it all into good. I am not saying it is okay to do ungodly things but I am saying that God wants us to touch others. I would not do any of the things I did in my days before Christ now, but I was in the world just as all of you are and were in the world. If you press into the Lord, He will press into you. If you seek Him you shall find him. Most people know that when we come to the kingdom of God and accept the free gift of salvation (Jesus) all heaven rejoices and that is true. But after we are saved for a time we believe the things we do changes God's opinion of us. It doesn’t. He still rejoices over us with singing and dancing. He longs to have fellowship with you. He knows when you don’t spend time with Him you are vulnerable to the adversary (self, world, Satan, opposing forces). The more time you spend with Him and others who are in Christ your faith will be built up. When we are together we encourage each other’s faith and build each other up in the most holy faith. God knows where you are in your walk with him. He wants to take you to the next level but each level requires you to give up more of this life (the life of the world) for His life (the life of the Spirit). Most people don’t realize the greatness of the life of the spirit: joy, peace, longsuffering, patience, kindness, honesty, mercy, fulfillment; knowing the one and true God, full of mercy and kindness, the giver of life and life more abundantly. He is the giver of all things. Receive from the Lord all He has for you. The Lord has before you blessing and curses. When you walk in the Spirit of the Lord you will be blessed. When you walk in the spirit of the world your inheritance is curses because your motives are wrong. To know God is to be intimate with him. We are the Bride of Christ. Rebecca will be doing a study on the Bride of Christ! Coming soon.
LIVING IN THE SPIRIT
How are we called to live? We are called to live a righteous life through the power of the Living God. What is righteousness? Righteousness is living in right standing before the Lord. Only you know if you are in a right standing with the Lord. God puts His laws in our hearts and minds. We are responsible to be obedient to that law, to do what is right and good in the eyes of God and man. Being a righteous Christian is a lot harder than most people think. Most people try to be good and righteous before man. However, there is no fear of God. The Lord says, “Fear Me and obey My Commandments.” This is what is pleasing to the Lord. Well that doesn’t mean in front of man. That means when you are not around Godly people. That is in your quiet time and the time when you are alone at home on the computer, watching TV, when no one is watching he is there. Let me let you in on a secret – God is always watching. He is with you always wherever you are. He is with His people. When you go to those places you know you shouldn’t go, He is there. You know what I mean – when you feel that little nudge in your conscious that what are doing isn’t right but everyone else is doing it and nothing is wrong with them. Each time you ignore that nudge, doing the wrong thing gets easier because the Holy Spirit has to remove himself from those things that are not of God (ungodly acts). No, He hasn’t left you but the power of the Holy Spirit working in you surrenders to your desire to be worldly, to live in sin, to desire the things of this world. Many people have laid down the call of God on their lives and don’t even know it. The power of God can only flow through His righteous servants – those who have surrendered to the ways of God and given up the ways of the world. Yes, that means being righteous when no one will find out, because God always knows. I think it is great when people say, “I went to do this or that, and something inside of me rose up and I felt uncomfortable doing it.” That is the Holy Spirit leading his people. What you do in those situations is what matters. It is a fight between God’s will and your will. Who will win? The stronger one will win. You say that in that situation God always wins. No, I mean which spirit is stronger in you. I remember a story a pastor told. An old man had two fighting dogs -- one black, one white and he would fight these dogs. He always knew which one would win. After the guy quit fighting them a young man went to the old man and asked how he knew which one would win? The old man said it was simple. He would feed the one he wanted to win. He would tie up the other one and not feed it. The stronger dog – the one he had fed – would always win. (THE STRONGER ONE WILL ALWAYS WIN.) So, what are you feeding yourself? Are you eating from the world or from the Lord? Are you feeding off the Word of the Lord? Are you having fellowship with other believers? What you surround yourself with will eventually overcome you. Yes, God will anoint you to go into bad places, but you need to be filled spiritually to go into those places on behalf of the Lord. If you are not walking with the Lord and go into those places to “win souls” you could easily fall into temptation. You need to be grounded in the Word of God. You definitely need to be in prayer and have others praying for you. You need the covering of the Lord for protection. Always walk with someone; don’t walk alone. I believe the Lord is building teams of ministers to bring together his purposes on earth. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying stop doing everything and become a hermit. I am saying each one of us has an accountability to which the Lord has called us. You have to be obedient to what the Lord puts in your heart. You will be accountable for your own actions before the Lord. (Rom 14:11-12, TNIV: "It is written: "'As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'") So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God. You will be responsible for you own actions and for every word that comes out of your mouth. It is time to be accountable for our actions. If there is no accountability to the Lord, then there is no accountability to each other. If you are not responsible for your own actions, how can someone else be? God is looking for a covenant people.
I remember when I went to a service and the pastor was so caught up in receiving the blessing of the Lord and the whole church was to. They were missing what the spirit was saying I was so disturbed about the whole thing. I know the Lord was but he would not let me leave the service I sat through the whole service and from when I walked in they were speaking curses on whoever was holding up their blessing and the Lord said plainly that he had not released it yet so they were cursing him, but they did not know that. We are to curse no man. He continued and preached a good message but to a degree, they didn’t hear what the Lord was saying. Guess who was to go and say something, I have been given a wonderful responsibility to carry words of correction from the Lord. I do not take it lightly when I give correction I will pray about it for hours until I feel the lord has purged all of myself out of my action and I am truly walking in his counsel. This only took about eight hours of prayer and seeking the Lords face in this issue. Finally, I felt a release to go and give a word of encouragement. I know you are saying but you said correction: “Yes but we are to be encouragers so if you go in with the mind set of encouragement that is the fathers heart encourage them in the ways of the Lord. When we first set down to talk I started out with the Lord said he has not released your blessing yet. I did not confront them about cursing God that is his job. That should resonate with them that is left for the Spirit of the Lord to convict of sin not my place. I also said that the Lord is still purifying their hearts that is why because the Lord said the blessing of the Lord is upon the pure at heart. That was one of the scriptures that he preached on. The whole time I was pushing him to press into the Lord and the Lord was the answer that nothing else mattered It was a great meeting and I heard him quote our conversation many times latter now everything didn’t change over night because it was a process and it still is a process. We are to be encouragers in the faith not condemners, pointing them in the way of truth and life and they have to walk there on walk we cannot walk it for them and tell them what steps to take but we can help turn them back onto the right path of the Lord.
I remember when I went to a service and the pastor was so caught up in receiving the blessing of the Lord and the whole church was to. They were missing what the spirit was saying I was so disturbed about the whole thing. I know the Lord was but he would not let me leave the service I sat through the whole service and from when I walked in they were speaking curses on whoever was holding up their blessing and the Lord said plainly that he had not released it yet so they were cursing him, but they did not know that. We are to curse no man. He continued and preached a good message but to a degree, they didn’t hear what the Lord was saying. Guess who was to go and say something, I have been given a wonderful responsibility to carry words of correction from the Lord. I do not take it lightly when I give correction I will pray about it for hours until I feel the lord has purged all of myself out of my action and I am truly walking in his counsel. This only took about eight hours of prayer and seeking the Lords face in this issue. Finally, I felt a release to go and give a word of encouragement. I know you are saying but you said correction: “Yes but we are to be encouragers so if you go in with the mind set of encouragement that is the fathers heart encourage them in the ways of the Lord. When we first set down to talk I started out with the Lord said he has not released your blessing yet. I did not confront them about cursing God that is his job. That should resonate with them that is left for the Spirit of the Lord to convict of sin not my place. I also said that the Lord is still purifying their hearts that is why because the Lord said the blessing of the Lord is upon the pure at heart. That was one of the scriptures that he preached on. The whole time I was pushing him to press into the Lord and the Lord was the answer that nothing else mattered It was a great meeting and I heard him quote our conversation many times latter now everything didn’t change over night because it was a process and it still is a process. We are to be encouragers in the faith not condemners, pointing them in the way of truth and life and they have to walk there on walk we cannot walk it for them and tell them what steps to take but we can help turn them back onto the right path of the Lord.
MY DESIRE
I wrote this in February 18 2008.
Since I have been out of work for six months, I have really slowed down in the way I do things. But it seems time has speeded up. I have stopped doing some things but started doing others: like writing. I have finally started to write and let out all the stuff that is in me. At times I will write a couple pages of “downloads” from the Lord. I didn’t know I had it in me. I am sure that a lot of people didn’t’ know I had it in me. But those close to me knew I had it in me, because I have been talking about this all the time. It is amazing to me! I just sit down and start with a subject the Lord gives me and off He goes. I just write what comes to my mind. I do that when I get around people, too. I say whatever the Lord allows me to say. I see a lot more than He allows me to say. Some people are not ready to hear about what they are feeling inside. This is discernment or revelation. If you have the gift of discernment and don’t walk in mercy you could really crush someone. You can see that in all aspects of life. God really is in everything. When you really get quiet with the Lord, you can almost sense creation crying out to the Lord. When I take my dogs out at night, I can’t help but reach up to the heavens and just worship Him, “the creator of all things.” THE ONE WHO IS AND IS TO COME!
As I think about from where the Lord has brought me, I am just amazed at what He can do. I am just a country boy from West Virginia who grew up on a farm. I always had big dreams about doing great things for people. I never told anyone about my dreams because I have had no one in my life that I could trust enough to share my heart with. I finally have someone I can trust enough to tell everything to: Jesus. It is kind of unfair because He already knows my dreams because He put those dreams in me. Other than Jesus there is no one with whom I have a strong enough relationship to share everything that is inside of me. Maybe that is the Lord protecting His purpose, or me. I do not know the answer to that question yet. Hopefully, it’s just not time yet. I truly desire to have a friend who can be like a brother; closer than a brother. I know Jesus is that person, but I would like someone here in flesh with whom I can have fellowship. It is godly to have someone to walk with. I have been searching for this all my life. That is why I joined the Marines: the Band of Brothers. It was great! Our shop was like that; we would do anything for each other but it still had its faults because we all were worldly. But we would have died for each other. I believe that is why so many go into the military; to have someone by their side. We go through life searching for this. When someone uses us or hurts us, we tend to pull away from true fellowship because we don’t want to be vulnerable. We were created to have fellowship with others and to have dominion over the earth.
The Body of Christ is to be one body united by the Lord. When the unity of believers happens that will be the Church’s greatest hour; when we all come together for the Glory of the Lord. No matter what nationality, race, and ethnic background, we are all made in the image of God (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We will be working together as one in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God -- who was and is and is to come.
The other night Rebecca and I were talking. I was telling her about my passions and desires. This is my cry: “Yes, to know Christ and to know the power of His resurrection, and somehow partake in His death, burial, and resurrection. Unto you, O Lord, I commit my Spirit, all that is within me I commit unto you, O Lord!” Sometimes I feel like I could explode; like there is so much in me, I just want to let it all out. I don’t understand it sometimes. I feel like a volcano -- like I am building pressure up until the Lord removes the stopper. It’s funny, when I was a kid I always thought that I had a power inside that I could let out and it would flow through my hands. Do you know when we are born we have the gift of God? When I lay hands on people and the power from the Holy Spirit flows through me, I am reminded of when I was a child and would dream about it. I also know that satan comes and tries to kill, steal and destroy the passion and desire the Lord gives us. When I see those who are tormented by the devil and the demonic forces I can also see the plans the Lord has for their lives. We have come to set the captives free so the Glory of the Lord may be seen through all the earth. That is why we are here on earth -- for the Glory of the Lord to be seen. That they may know that He is our God. At the beginning of the New Year, I heard a Pastor whom I love dearly say that his cry is to see God face to face. I too desire the Lord to speak with me face to face. My prayer is that the Lord speak face to face with his servants, as he did with Moses.
Since I have been out of work for six months, I have really slowed down in the way I do things. But it seems time has speeded up. I have stopped doing some things but started doing others: like writing. I have finally started to write and let out all the stuff that is in me. At times I will write a couple pages of “downloads” from the Lord. I didn’t know I had it in me. I am sure that a lot of people didn’t’ know I had it in me. But those close to me knew I had it in me, because I have been talking about this all the time. It is amazing to me! I just sit down and start with a subject the Lord gives me and off He goes. I just write what comes to my mind. I do that when I get around people, too. I say whatever the Lord allows me to say. I see a lot more than He allows me to say. Some people are not ready to hear about what they are feeling inside. This is discernment or revelation. If you have the gift of discernment and don’t walk in mercy you could really crush someone. You can see that in all aspects of life. God really is in everything. When you really get quiet with the Lord, you can almost sense creation crying out to the Lord. When I take my dogs out at night, I can’t help but reach up to the heavens and just worship Him, “the creator of all things.” THE ONE WHO IS AND IS TO COME!
As I think about from where the Lord has brought me, I am just amazed at what He can do. I am just a country boy from West Virginia who grew up on a farm. I always had big dreams about doing great things for people. I never told anyone about my dreams because I have had no one in my life that I could trust enough to share my heart with. I finally have someone I can trust enough to tell everything to: Jesus. It is kind of unfair because He already knows my dreams because He put those dreams in me. Other than Jesus there is no one with whom I have a strong enough relationship to share everything that is inside of me. Maybe that is the Lord protecting His purpose, or me. I do not know the answer to that question yet. Hopefully, it’s just not time yet. I truly desire to have a friend who can be like a brother; closer than a brother. I know Jesus is that person, but I would like someone here in flesh with whom I can have fellowship. It is godly to have someone to walk with. I have been searching for this all my life. That is why I joined the Marines: the Band of Brothers. It was great! Our shop was like that; we would do anything for each other but it still had its faults because we all were worldly. But we would have died for each other. I believe that is why so many go into the military; to have someone by their side. We go through life searching for this. When someone uses us or hurts us, we tend to pull away from true fellowship because we don’t want to be vulnerable. We were created to have fellowship with others and to have dominion over the earth.
The Body of Christ is to be one body united by the Lord. When the unity of believers happens that will be the Church’s greatest hour; when we all come together for the Glory of the Lord. No matter what nationality, race, and ethnic background, we are all made in the image of God (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We will be working together as one in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God -- who was and is and is to come.
The other night Rebecca and I were talking. I was telling her about my passions and desires. This is my cry: “Yes, to know Christ and to know the power of His resurrection, and somehow partake in His death, burial, and resurrection. Unto you, O Lord, I commit my Spirit, all that is within me I commit unto you, O Lord!” Sometimes I feel like I could explode; like there is so much in me, I just want to let it all out. I don’t understand it sometimes. I feel like a volcano -- like I am building pressure up until the Lord removes the stopper. It’s funny, when I was a kid I always thought that I had a power inside that I could let out and it would flow through my hands. Do you know when we are born we have the gift of God? When I lay hands on people and the power from the Holy Spirit flows through me, I am reminded of when I was a child and would dream about it. I also know that satan comes and tries to kill, steal and destroy the passion and desire the Lord gives us. When I see those who are tormented by the devil and the demonic forces I can also see the plans the Lord has for their lives. We have come to set the captives free so the Glory of the Lord may be seen through all the earth. That is why we are here on earth -- for the Glory of the Lord to be seen. That they may know that He is our God. At the beginning of the New Year, I heard a Pastor whom I love dearly say that his cry is to see God face to face. I too desire the Lord to speak with me face to face. My prayer is that the Lord speak face to face with his servants, as he did with Moses.
NETWORKING
March 7, 2008
This morning, I was doing my devotion from Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest,” A great devotional to help someone to grow spiritually. The scriptural basis was Romans 8:37. This is the one chapter in the Bible I have read over my life since I was saved. “A long time” but it says, “Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” As Mr. Chambers explains it, Paul is talking about the trials in our life we feel drives a wedge between God and us.
I have discovered that the trials separate us from God but not God from us. As I read this, I thought about all those who come to the knowledge of Christ as their savior. They are still in their old life. Yes, we are a new creation but we still have old tendencies in our life. Yes, you will stumble and fall into sin. The church is supposed to be there with open arms to receive you back. Nothing can stop the love of God for you -- nothing. Our love waivers but not the Lord's. As I read this, I remember watching "Cold Case" on television. It was about a community of people who allowed the young adults to go off and experience life. Well, one young man went off and got wrapped up in drugs and alcohol. He tried to come back many of times but he could not break the addiction he had formed. The community shunned him. Though his parents loved him very much they were afraid he would come back and affect all the others in the community. Sounds to me like a lot of churches. We want people to come but we don’t want their problems to come with them. We should be grounded in our faith enough to help them overcome their addictions. The problem is we ignore the issues already in the church. We don’t deal with our own issues. We just cover them up and when people come and they don’t cover up their issues or addictions, we see our sins revealed through their sins. We don’t want to deal with our own demons, so we push those other people away.
There is a surface level kind of show. Let’s put on a show so no one knows the real hell we are going through because they will not accept us for who we are. We try to be someone we are not and fake our way through life. God forbid if someone really found out how we really are, they might be able to help us and bring life in. As I was still pondering in my devotion, I saw the young Christians as the prodigal son and the church as the Father. The church is suppose to be there waiting for all those children to come back and love them. You see the Father's love never dies. We should always be there with open arms running when the young Christians and our unsaved friends and family come to our gatherings -- no matter what issues they have. We are to be ambassadors of God. Do you know what authority and power the ambassador has for the country or the people they represent? The Character of God never changes. He loves unconditionally so as ambassadors of God, our love should be unconditional. I know it is hard for you to believe God could love some people especially after they have hurt “you.”
As an illustration, let's say the power company is GOD. The power company provides electricity through power lines to our homes (our bodies). Only only see the lines, not the power itself. As believers, our purpose is to connect with God and then raise a family up for God. That is the nature of family. I see people being plugged in to God as a house is connected with the power plant. Both have power as a result of being plugged in. That power is to run all things and to do all things. As we raise our families, they eventually have their own house connected to the power source. Eventually, they will go to the source on their own. They will no longer need a mediator. We need to encourage people to walk with God, to help them hear God for themselves. They in turn are to help others to walk with God. This would be true kingdom networking amongst the saints of the Lord. Just as Jesus appointed people over the crowds, you will always have someone to go to bounce things off to make sure you are hearing correctly and you are not moving in self-motivated desires.
A good way to check your motive is to lay the issue down and give it to the Lord. I do it all the time. I tell the Lord it will happen only if He wants it to happen. I commit whatever it is unto the Lord. I always tell the Lord everything. "I will serve You no matter what it is."
I had a dream the other night about a track meet. All my high school teammates and my football coach were in the dream. I had a pastor tell me the Lord will use people you know to speak to you. In the dream, we were at the track meet and there was a lot of teams there. Our team was just blowing the other teams away. In most events we were lapping them. I asked the coach if I could get into an event -- maybe the two mile or one mile race -- because I wanted to win some medals. He turned to me and said, "I need you rested. You need to be fresh." I told my coach, "This sucks. You just don’t have any faith in me!” Upon saying this, I knew right away the Lord speaking to me. So I got up and went into prayer over the dream. The Lord revealed to me the dream was about our ministry. Although we are ready and prepared, the time (season) was not at hand. It was very encouraging to come to this realization, because it gets frustrating sitting on the bench and I have seldom sat on the bench. I am learning that there is a lot to learn by sitting back, waiting and watching. We can force issues and go off on rabbit trails. But anything we do will be of us. It will be man-made. I want it to be God-made, God-ordained, and God-filled. Into thy hands, I commit my spirit; into Thy hands I commit my time.
This morning, I was doing my devotion from Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest,” A great devotional to help someone to grow spiritually. The scriptural basis was Romans 8:37. This is the one chapter in the Bible I have read over my life since I was saved. “A long time” but it says, “Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” As Mr. Chambers explains it, Paul is talking about the trials in our life we feel drives a wedge between God and us.
I have discovered that the trials separate us from God but not God from us. As I read this, I thought about all those who come to the knowledge of Christ as their savior. They are still in their old life. Yes, we are a new creation but we still have old tendencies in our life. Yes, you will stumble and fall into sin. The church is supposed to be there with open arms to receive you back. Nothing can stop the love of God for you -- nothing. Our love waivers but not the Lord's. As I read this, I remember watching "Cold Case" on television. It was about a community of people who allowed the young adults to go off and experience life. Well, one young man went off and got wrapped up in drugs and alcohol. He tried to come back many of times but he could not break the addiction he had formed. The community shunned him. Though his parents loved him very much they were afraid he would come back and affect all the others in the community. Sounds to me like a lot of churches. We want people to come but we don’t want their problems to come with them. We should be grounded in our faith enough to help them overcome their addictions. The problem is we ignore the issues already in the church. We don’t deal with our own issues. We just cover them up and when people come and they don’t cover up their issues or addictions, we see our sins revealed through their sins. We don’t want to deal with our own demons, so we push those other people away.
There is a surface level kind of show. Let’s put on a show so no one knows the real hell we are going through because they will not accept us for who we are. We try to be someone we are not and fake our way through life. God forbid if someone really found out how we really are, they might be able to help us and bring life in. As I was still pondering in my devotion, I saw the young Christians as the prodigal son and the church as the Father. The church is suppose to be there waiting for all those children to come back and love them. You see the Father's love never dies. We should always be there with open arms running when the young Christians and our unsaved friends and family come to our gatherings -- no matter what issues they have. We are to be ambassadors of God. Do you know what authority and power the ambassador has for the country or the people they represent? The Character of God never changes. He loves unconditionally so as ambassadors of God, our love should be unconditional. I know it is hard for you to believe God could love some people especially after they have hurt “you.”
As an illustration, let's say the power company is GOD. The power company provides electricity through power lines to our homes (our bodies). Only only see the lines, not the power itself. As believers, our purpose is to connect with God and then raise a family up for God. That is the nature of family. I see people being plugged in to God as a house is connected with the power plant. Both have power as a result of being plugged in. That power is to run all things and to do all things. As we raise our families, they eventually have their own house connected to the power source. Eventually, they will go to the source on their own. They will no longer need a mediator. We need to encourage people to walk with God, to help them hear God for themselves. They in turn are to help others to walk with God. This would be true kingdom networking amongst the saints of the Lord. Just as Jesus appointed people over the crowds, you will always have someone to go to bounce things off to make sure you are hearing correctly and you are not moving in self-motivated desires.
A good way to check your motive is to lay the issue down and give it to the Lord. I do it all the time. I tell the Lord it will happen only if He wants it to happen. I commit whatever it is unto the Lord. I always tell the Lord everything. "I will serve You no matter what it is."
I had a dream the other night about a track meet. All my high school teammates and my football coach were in the dream. I had a pastor tell me the Lord will use people you know to speak to you. In the dream, we were at the track meet and there was a lot of teams there. Our team was just blowing the other teams away. In most events we were lapping them. I asked the coach if I could get into an event -- maybe the two mile or one mile race -- because I wanted to win some medals. He turned to me and said, "I need you rested. You need to be fresh." I told my coach, "This sucks. You just don’t have any faith in me!” Upon saying this, I knew right away the Lord speaking to me. So I got up and went into prayer over the dream. The Lord revealed to me the dream was about our ministry. Although we are ready and prepared, the time (season) was not at hand. It was very encouraging to come to this realization, because it gets frustrating sitting on the bench and I have seldom sat on the bench. I am learning that there is a lot to learn by sitting back, waiting and watching. We can force issues and go off on rabbit trails. But anything we do will be of us. It will be man-made. I want it to be God-made, God-ordained, and God-filled. Into thy hands, I commit my spirit; into Thy hands I commit my time.
WAITING ON GOD
I feel like we are sitting in the lake waiting on the Lord to blow the sails on the boat to propel us into action. What I mean is we are waiting on the Lord to commission us as he did his disciples in the days of old. I sense it is just around the corner that the Lord is going to breathe on us, lay his hands on us, and send us out. This has been a test to see if we will build it or let the Lord build it. Can we wait on the Lord at all cost? I know we can go and serve at churches around the area, but I do not feel the leading of the Lord. I feel this is very vital in obeying the Lord in all we do. If he is not leading then how can we go? I hear all the time just do what you know to do and it will be all right. I don’t believe that. I believe we can be so wrapped up in doing that we miss what the Lord wants to teach us and show us. Sometimes we need to just be still and know He is God. I see so many people who put timetables on the Lord and when He does not show up in their timing then they think it is not meant to be. That is not the case. The Lord wants us to tune our ears to Him, and when we hear Him to trust Him and not waiver. I will not be the one the Lord rebukes for no faith.
The other day as I was praying, I said, “Lord, I have stepped out of the boat,” and He said, “Are you going to look at your surroundings or are you going to look upon me?” That was a very humbling experience. I fear God so much that I trust Him with my whole life. Into Your hands, I commit my spirit. My times I commit unto You, O Lord. This morning my lovely wife looked at me and said, “Do you know what principle tithing is supposed to instill in us?” I gave her the dead stare and said what any studious man of God would say – “Give unto God what is God’s.” She said it says it right here in Deuteronomy, Chapter 15, Verse 23(c) (NLT): “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the Lord your God.” How about that! We should fear the Lord in all we do even when we walk through our daily lives and do our daily routines. The Lord wants to be our all in all. He wants people to know that He is our God and we are His children (people). How does He prove this to people by providing for our every need?
What the Lord is doing with Rebecca and me is awesome. I see it but it but it is hard to believe. We are truly walking out our testimony right before our very eyes. This will not be a little testimony. There is getting ready to be overwhelming blessing and favor of the Lord that neither one of us can imagine. We will be awestruck with wonder above our wildest dreams. You know the Lord wants to give us more then we can imagine for ourselves. I know the Lord is still removing things of this world from me.
The Lord is looking for those who will give themselves whole-heartedly to him and allow his Spirit to work through them –with no self-doubt or self-limitations; truly giving the Lord their completely being unconditionally.
The other day as I was praying, I said, “Lord, I have stepped out of the boat,” and He said, “Are you going to look at your surroundings or are you going to look upon me?” That was a very humbling experience. I fear God so much that I trust Him with my whole life. Into Your hands, I commit my spirit. My times I commit unto You, O Lord. This morning my lovely wife looked at me and said, “Do you know what principle tithing is supposed to instill in us?” I gave her the dead stare and said what any studious man of God would say – “Give unto God what is God’s.” She said it says it right here in Deuteronomy, Chapter 15, Verse 23(c) (NLT): “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the Lord your God.” How about that! We should fear the Lord in all we do even when we walk through our daily lives and do our daily routines. The Lord wants to be our all in all. He wants people to know that He is our God and we are His children (people). How does He prove this to people by providing for our every need?
What the Lord is doing with Rebecca and me is awesome. I see it but it but it is hard to believe. We are truly walking out our testimony right before our very eyes. This will not be a little testimony. There is getting ready to be overwhelming blessing and favor of the Lord that neither one of us can imagine. We will be awestruck with wonder above our wildest dreams. You know the Lord wants to give us more then we can imagine for ourselves. I know the Lord is still removing things of this world from me.
The Lord is looking for those who will give themselves whole-heartedly to him and allow his Spirit to work through them –with no self-doubt or self-limitations; truly giving the Lord their completely being unconditionally.
WAITING ON THE POWER OF THE LORD
I feel like just laying everything down and leaving it in the Lords hands. I mean everything; just laying everything down and waiting on the Lord to manifest himself in it before moving forward. Sometimes we can be so wrapped up in seeking and pressing forward that we can be out of the timing or even the will of the Father.
I have been pondering on the lives of men of God of the past. All of them came to the knowledge of being used by God and an awareness of this purpose. Each one of them at some point of their journey had to lay it down until the Spirit of the Lord came in power and equipped them for their work. The resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the apostles did this, they went back to their professions (fishing) and the Lord came to them where they were. I too am at this point in my journey I will continue on the journey before me until there is a sign from the Lord Jesus Christ that will put me on another course.
Don’t get me wrong my life is fully in his hands. I am still committed to His word and prayer as always but I am laying down all my own desires and works for a time -- only the Lord knows how long. I am truly committed to being lead by the Lord and no one else. If he is not leading then I wait and I mean I wait patiently for him alone.
There has been a shift in the in the Spiritual realm around us. I can sense something has changed but I cannot put my finger on what has happened right yet. I just know something is different in the heavenly realm. Power is coming, Power is coming from the Most High, and He is equipping His saints with power from on high. Compassion will be a significant gift coming on the saints of the Lord. This gift of compassion is truly God's heart. You hear all throughout scripture about how the Lord had compassion and healed, feed, and moved in this gift. We in a whole have turned this compassion into money; it is more than that it is compassion to touch them in a way that they have never been touched before. Do you know what I mean? Littler, where you can feel there pain and you embrace that pain, still bring them in close, and not push them away. We have become a people of standoffish position. We let people get close but we don’t let the junk come in. We should be on a level spiritually that we could bring them in and have their stuff not affect our spiritual growth. We are not to be tossed around by every wind or wave but to be grounded in Christ. The Spirit of God flows freely through compassion; the compassion of the Lord is not the compassion of this world. I mean a higher level of compassion than any we have seen before. There is another gift that walks hand in hand with the gift of compassion and that is the gift of discernment. Discernment is a vital gift. To be able to discern what the real need is, not what people say -- to hear what the Spirit is saying. I know I need to stop waiting on people to say what they need and start telling them what they need. To many times I know what is going on in people’s lives and I wait for them to ask for help before I say anything. I rationalize this with the excuse that I have to wait until people are ready and open. Maybe we just need to speak what the Spirit is saying and let the seeds fall where they may and leave it to God and not worry about where they are and just believe that the Spirit know what is best and trust Him.
I have been pondering on the lives of men of God of the past. All of them came to the knowledge of being used by God and an awareness of this purpose. Each one of them at some point of their journey had to lay it down until the Spirit of the Lord came in power and equipped them for their work. The resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the apostles did this, they went back to their professions (fishing) and the Lord came to them where they were. I too am at this point in my journey I will continue on the journey before me until there is a sign from the Lord Jesus Christ that will put me on another course.
Don’t get me wrong my life is fully in his hands. I am still committed to His word and prayer as always but I am laying down all my own desires and works for a time -- only the Lord knows how long. I am truly committed to being lead by the Lord and no one else. If he is not leading then I wait and I mean I wait patiently for him alone.
There has been a shift in the in the Spiritual realm around us. I can sense something has changed but I cannot put my finger on what has happened right yet. I just know something is different in the heavenly realm. Power is coming, Power is coming from the Most High, and He is equipping His saints with power from on high. Compassion will be a significant gift coming on the saints of the Lord. This gift of compassion is truly God's heart. You hear all throughout scripture about how the Lord had compassion and healed, feed, and moved in this gift. We in a whole have turned this compassion into money; it is more than that it is compassion to touch them in a way that they have never been touched before. Do you know what I mean? Littler, where you can feel there pain and you embrace that pain, still bring them in close, and not push them away. We have become a people of standoffish position. We let people get close but we don’t let the junk come in. We should be on a level spiritually that we could bring them in and have their stuff not affect our spiritual growth. We are not to be tossed around by every wind or wave but to be grounded in Christ. The Spirit of God flows freely through compassion; the compassion of the Lord is not the compassion of this world. I mean a higher level of compassion than any we have seen before. There is another gift that walks hand in hand with the gift of compassion and that is the gift of discernment. Discernment is a vital gift. To be able to discern what the real need is, not what people say -- to hear what the Spirit is saying. I know I need to stop waiting on people to say what they need and start telling them what they need. To many times I know what is going on in people’s lives and I wait for them to ask for help before I say anything. I rationalize this with the excuse that I have to wait until people are ready and open. Maybe we just need to speak what the Spirit is saying and let the seeds fall where they may and leave it to God and not worry about where they are and just believe that the Spirit know what is best and trust Him.
THE WAYS OF THE LORD
February 19 2008
Do you feel the presence of the Lord? I feel like something is inside of me greater than I can imagine, something that is drawing me closer to the Lord. The presence is so powerful. I can’t express the desire. I can feel the Spirit of the Lord inside of me. It’s like it is going to explode or it is coming out. I know I was created for a time as this. Everything has come to this point. Now we are waiting on the Lord to move. It is almost like a chess match. God can’t do anything until we hear Him from heaven and we move in response to His direction; then he steps in and brings His promises to pass. There are so many who are waiting on the Lord to move first and He is waiting on them to step out into the things of the Lord.
It's funny. I would not consider myself a studious person. In the past six months I have been through two courses for licensing in North Carolina. One was for life and health. I really didn’t want to sell life and health insurance but I felt I should go through and get my license. I did that one and then the Lord prompted me to go into real estate school. So off to real estate school I went. It was a 75 hour course. I took my final exam test six days ago and just received my certificate of completion. I wasn’t sure if I passed. Sometimes you have to step out to find the place the Lord has for you. Now I still have to take the state exam once I file the appropriate papers with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. No matter what it looks like the Lord always has a way out no matter how bad it is nothing is imposable for the Lord. I have truly submitted all my ways to the Lord. I will proceed on this path until the Lord directs me on another path. If we submit all our way to the Lord, He will lead us down the right path but we need to position ourself before Him every day and let Him lead us; not our own desires, wills, emotions and understandings. Only then will we truly be led of the Spirit of the Lord. I truly believe He enjoys being our guide in life but we need to heed the words and direction of the Lord. When we step out in our own understanding, we will fall and there will be disappointments along the way. There will be disappointments with the Lord because His ways are not our way and His desires are not our desires. Sometimes we will have our own expectations and they will not line up with the Lord's and other times He will blow our own expectations out of the water. So goes the roller coaster ride of our lives. We need to learn to trust Him and Him alone and be content with what He is doing and trust Him in His ways. Sometimes we don’t know what He has before us. We are blind.
I remember when we first went on an aircraft carrier, we had to blind fold each other and try to walk through the passageways so we could get around in case of an emergency. We would lead each other around and you had to trust your partner or you could fall down a couple flight of stairs. You had to put your life in someone elses hands. Walking with the Lord is the same thing. Most of the time, we can’t see the future or what is going to happen down the road but He knows. I had a friend, who had a second business and was suppose to go pick up his supplies on Thursday, but there was a meeting where we worked together and he ended up being in that meeting all day. A day or so later, he came to me and said I wouldn’t believe him. He told me if he had gone to pick up his supplies he would have been shot. Some guy had gone into the warehouse at the time he would have been there and shot everyone there. My friend is a pastor. I said wouldn’t it be great if we would be so tuned into God that when He told us not to go somewhere we would listen so He wouldn’t have to put obstacles in our way. Sometime we are so caught up with doing things and keeping our agendas that it might in the long run cost us our lives. Can you obey the Lord at all costs no matter what might be said about you? Can you put up with people making fun of you and insulting you? I keep hearing the words of the Lord: Who are you to say you will go here and there today and tomorrow; you do not know the will of the Lord. But we should say if the Lord wills us we will go here and there.
Let me tell you, we will go through things while learning the ways of the Lord, learning how to listen and hear the Lord. He speaks through everything. We just have to tune our spiritual ears to hear Him. He is always is always speaking. We need to slow down so we can hear.
Creation hears and responds to the word of the Lord. Everything was created for a purpose: to glorify the one and only God, the creator of the universe. Did you know that if there is no wind trees will not grow. The wind helps make them strong and sturdy. As the wind blows it makes them grow straight up. They tried to grow trees in a no wind environment and the trees didn’t grow. Isn't that something? How about the tsunami? When the wave was coming in, the animals were heading to high ground but the people were so caught up in what they were doing that they didn’t read the signs of nature. Sometimes when you get that feeling that something is not right you need to take a step back and make sure what is going on -- it could be a life saving event. You hear testimony after testimony about people saying, "I don’t know why but I just didn’t want to go to work," or "I didn’t want to go and there," and then something catastrophic happened and that is the only reason why they are alive. Each and every one of us has instinctive feelings we need to listen to sometimes.
Another bad trait we have is we are creatures of habit. I don’t know too many people who like to have their world turned upside down. I like it every once in a while. Change keeps you on your toes. I think it makes life fun. I really don’t like the same old, same old. Now I like a little bit of routine but not a lot of routine. I like spontaneous. I expect the Lord is getting ready to shake things up. We get too complacent in our lives and we quit looking to the Lord for direction and help and He enjoys helping and providing for His children. So are you going to be one who sees the signs of the times or are you going to be the one who will be caught by surprise when the plow comes?
Do you feel the presence of the Lord? I feel like something is inside of me greater than I can imagine, something that is drawing me closer to the Lord. The presence is so powerful. I can’t express the desire. I can feel the Spirit of the Lord inside of me. It’s like it is going to explode or it is coming out. I know I was created for a time as this. Everything has come to this point. Now we are waiting on the Lord to move. It is almost like a chess match. God can’t do anything until we hear Him from heaven and we move in response to His direction; then he steps in and brings His promises to pass. There are so many who are waiting on the Lord to move first and He is waiting on them to step out into the things of the Lord.
It's funny. I would not consider myself a studious person. In the past six months I have been through two courses for licensing in North Carolina. One was for life and health. I really didn’t want to sell life and health insurance but I felt I should go through and get my license. I did that one and then the Lord prompted me to go into real estate school. So off to real estate school I went. It was a 75 hour course. I took my final exam test six days ago and just received my certificate of completion. I wasn’t sure if I passed. Sometimes you have to step out to find the place the Lord has for you. Now I still have to take the state exam once I file the appropriate papers with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. No matter what it looks like the Lord always has a way out no matter how bad it is nothing is imposable for the Lord. I have truly submitted all my ways to the Lord. I will proceed on this path until the Lord directs me on another path. If we submit all our way to the Lord, He will lead us down the right path but we need to position ourself before Him every day and let Him lead us; not our own desires, wills, emotions and understandings. Only then will we truly be led of the Spirit of the Lord. I truly believe He enjoys being our guide in life but we need to heed the words and direction of the Lord. When we step out in our own understanding, we will fall and there will be disappointments along the way. There will be disappointments with the Lord because His ways are not our way and His desires are not our desires. Sometimes we will have our own expectations and they will not line up with the Lord's and other times He will blow our own expectations out of the water. So goes the roller coaster ride of our lives. We need to learn to trust Him and Him alone and be content with what He is doing and trust Him in His ways. Sometimes we don’t know what He has before us. We are blind.
I remember when we first went on an aircraft carrier, we had to blind fold each other and try to walk through the passageways so we could get around in case of an emergency. We would lead each other around and you had to trust your partner or you could fall down a couple flight of stairs. You had to put your life in someone elses hands. Walking with the Lord is the same thing. Most of the time, we can’t see the future or what is going to happen down the road but He knows. I had a friend, who had a second business and was suppose to go pick up his supplies on Thursday, but there was a meeting where we worked together and he ended up being in that meeting all day. A day or so later, he came to me and said I wouldn’t believe him. He told me if he had gone to pick up his supplies he would have been shot. Some guy had gone into the warehouse at the time he would have been there and shot everyone there. My friend is a pastor. I said wouldn’t it be great if we would be so tuned into God that when He told us not to go somewhere we would listen so He wouldn’t have to put obstacles in our way. Sometime we are so caught up with doing things and keeping our agendas that it might in the long run cost us our lives. Can you obey the Lord at all costs no matter what might be said about you? Can you put up with people making fun of you and insulting you? I keep hearing the words of the Lord: Who are you to say you will go here and there today and tomorrow; you do not know the will of the Lord. But we should say if the Lord wills us we will go here and there.
Let me tell you, we will go through things while learning the ways of the Lord, learning how to listen and hear the Lord. He speaks through everything. We just have to tune our spiritual ears to hear Him. He is always is always speaking. We need to slow down so we can hear.
Creation hears and responds to the word of the Lord. Everything was created for a purpose: to glorify the one and only God, the creator of the universe. Did you know that if there is no wind trees will not grow. The wind helps make them strong and sturdy. As the wind blows it makes them grow straight up. They tried to grow trees in a no wind environment and the trees didn’t grow. Isn't that something? How about the tsunami? When the wave was coming in, the animals were heading to high ground but the people were so caught up in what they were doing that they didn’t read the signs of nature. Sometimes when you get that feeling that something is not right you need to take a step back and make sure what is going on -- it could be a life saving event. You hear testimony after testimony about people saying, "I don’t know why but I just didn’t want to go to work," or "I didn’t want to go and there," and then something catastrophic happened and that is the only reason why they are alive. Each and every one of us has instinctive feelings we need to listen to sometimes.
Another bad trait we have is we are creatures of habit. I don’t know too many people who like to have their world turned upside down. I like it every once in a while. Change keeps you on your toes. I think it makes life fun. I really don’t like the same old, same old. Now I like a little bit of routine but not a lot of routine. I like spontaneous. I expect the Lord is getting ready to shake things up. We get too complacent in our lives and we quit looking to the Lord for direction and help and He enjoys helping and providing for His children. So are you going to be one who sees the signs of the times or are you going to be the one who will be caught by surprise when the plow comes?
THE PROMISE OR THE LAW: TO WHICH ARE YOU SUBMITTED?
May 9, 2008
The promises of God are yes and amen. What happens when you don’t see the promises come to pass in near future? Do we just give up or do we by faith hold on to the promises of God like there is no tomorrow?
We will look at one who took hold of this concept and prevailed with God. Abraham is the father of faith because he believed God and stood his ground no matter what it looked like. His faith was accredited to him as righteousness. He received the promises of God and walked in them. Even though he did not see all of them happen in the natural, he saw them in the spiritual and that was good enough for him.
This brings up a point. There are two different realms that co-exist: “the natural and the spiritual.” When people talk about déjà-vu, they have seen into the spiritual realm and were carried into the future and saw what was about to happen. Some people have this experience on a small scale and some on a much greater scale. You know when you go somewhere and you think to yourself: “I have been here before,” or “I have seen this before” and you can’t explain it so you pass it off as a fluke. A lot more people have had spiritual encounters than they realize. This is the Lord trying to show us greater things and giving us insight into His ways. Nevertheless, we just dismiss those experiences and forget about them. God communicates with each of us in a particular way. We need to lay down our traditional ways of thinking and open ourselves up to how the Lord speaks to us.
David was a man after God’s own heart. He saw our day and rejoiced in it. He saw the day when the Lord would pour out His Spirit on His people and receive a special anointing to carry out the plans of God. He saw that there would be a great awakening in the kingdom of God. There have been and are now saints of God just waiting for the presence and power of the resurrected Lord. This resurrection power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and it manifests itself in men and women who belong to the Most High God (Jesus Christ), the great I Am. This is the promise of God to those whom he has called and whom he predestined and set a part for such a time as this. Rejoice for the time is at hand.
The law, however, came after the promise to Abraham. The Lord gave the law to Moses to give the people a guideline on how to live until the promise came forth. No one can live by the whole law. If you break one law, you have broken them all. God gave the law to show how much we needed a savior because no matter how hard we tried we could not obey all the laws. The law points out sin and makes us feel condemned because no matter how hard we try we cannot follow and keep all the laws. That is where grace comes in. Jesus comes on the scene and says, "I have a better way. Though you are yet sinners, I will die for you and pay for your sins." He paid for the past, present, and future sins for all. He said, "I know your struggles to keep all the law and I will take that upon myself." One of my foundational scriptures is Romans 8:1, “for there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” What does this mean?
This means we are free from condemnation. We are free from the law because of the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). Yes, we mess up; we do and say things we know we should not do. All we have to do is repent (meaning turning from these ways). Yes we might fall every once in a while but we get up, dust ourselves off and try again. Because of the blood we do not accept defeat. Let me tell you, you will fall and mess up but don’t let that stop you. Condemnation is nothing but bondage that will hinder your walk with the Lord.
Fear is another great bondage that hinders men and women of God. God wants us to receive his vision for our lives and pray them into existence. You know which ones I am talking about – the ones you know you cannot do. You say if I know I cannot do them, why would I entertain them and waste my time. You might not be able to do them but God can if you will submit all your ways to Him and let Him lead you with the Holy Spirit. Too many of us will let God lead us only so long as we are comfortable. Once we reach the precipice we say enough and we walk in our own understanding. We need to be reminded of Abraham, David and Moses. We need to remember what they did and how they positioned themselves before God. One big thing that I have noticed is that God sought them out. Let us go back further – to Adam in the garden after the fall when God was walking through the garden looking for Adam. Adam hid from God. Are you hiding from God? Are you running from God? Let me encourage you. God will not hurt you. He only wants you to do something you will not be comfortable with so His glory will be seen throughout all the earth.
Blessings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
The promises of God are yes and amen. What happens when you don’t see the promises come to pass in near future? Do we just give up or do we by faith hold on to the promises of God like there is no tomorrow?
We will look at one who took hold of this concept and prevailed with God. Abraham is the father of faith because he believed God and stood his ground no matter what it looked like. His faith was accredited to him as righteousness. He received the promises of God and walked in them. Even though he did not see all of them happen in the natural, he saw them in the spiritual and that was good enough for him.
This brings up a point. There are two different realms that co-exist: “the natural and the spiritual.” When people talk about déjà-vu, they have seen into the spiritual realm and were carried into the future and saw what was about to happen. Some people have this experience on a small scale and some on a much greater scale. You know when you go somewhere and you think to yourself: “I have been here before,” or “I have seen this before” and you can’t explain it so you pass it off as a fluke. A lot more people have had spiritual encounters than they realize. This is the Lord trying to show us greater things and giving us insight into His ways. Nevertheless, we just dismiss those experiences and forget about them. God communicates with each of us in a particular way. We need to lay down our traditional ways of thinking and open ourselves up to how the Lord speaks to us.
David was a man after God’s own heart. He saw our day and rejoiced in it. He saw the day when the Lord would pour out His Spirit on His people and receive a special anointing to carry out the plans of God. He saw that there would be a great awakening in the kingdom of God. There have been and are now saints of God just waiting for the presence and power of the resurrected Lord. This resurrection power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and it manifests itself in men and women who belong to the Most High God (Jesus Christ), the great I Am. This is the promise of God to those whom he has called and whom he predestined and set a part for such a time as this. Rejoice for the time is at hand.
The law, however, came after the promise to Abraham. The Lord gave the law to Moses to give the people a guideline on how to live until the promise came forth. No one can live by the whole law. If you break one law, you have broken them all. God gave the law to show how much we needed a savior because no matter how hard we tried we could not obey all the laws. The law points out sin and makes us feel condemned because no matter how hard we try we cannot follow and keep all the laws. That is where grace comes in. Jesus comes on the scene and says, "I have a better way. Though you are yet sinners, I will die for you and pay for your sins." He paid for the past, present, and future sins for all. He said, "I know your struggles to keep all the law and I will take that upon myself." One of my foundational scriptures is Romans 8:1, “for there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” What does this mean?
This means we are free from condemnation. We are free from the law because of the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). Yes, we mess up; we do and say things we know we should not do. All we have to do is repent (meaning turning from these ways). Yes we might fall every once in a while but we get up, dust ourselves off and try again. Because of the blood we do not accept defeat. Let me tell you, you will fall and mess up but don’t let that stop you. Condemnation is nothing but bondage that will hinder your walk with the Lord.
Fear is another great bondage that hinders men and women of God. God wants us to receive his vision for our lives and pray them into existence. You know which ones I am talking about – the ones you know you cannot do. You say if I know I cannot do them, why would I entertain them and waste my time. You might not be able to do them but God can if you will submit all your ways to Him and let Him lead you with the Holy Spirit. Too many of us will let God lead us only so long as we are comfortable. Once we reach the precipice we say enough and we walk in our own understanding. We need to be reminded of Abraham, David and Moses. We need to remember what they did and how they positioned themselves before God. One big thing that I have noticed is that God sought them out. Let us go back further – to Adam in the garden after the fall when God was walking through the garden looking for Adam. Adam hid from God. Are you hiding from God? Are you running from God? Let me encourage you. God will not hurt you. He only wants you to do something you will not be comfortable with so His glory will be seen throughout all the earth.
Blessings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
RELATIONSHIP
Over the past year, the Lord has been opening our eyes to what the true heart of the Father is. The whole reason we were created was to have fellowship with the Father. It delights the Father to be in relationship with his people. It is not how much you can do for him or what services you are doing. Unless your relationship with the Father is right, all your service is in vain. You hear people all the time say you must serve somewhere. This is not true. Too many people are out there serving and they think that service is their relationship with Father. They are to busy serving to have their own personal relationship with Father. They are also too busy to have relationships with other people whom the Father has brought in contact with them. This relationship is to help people not only grow closer to each other but closer to the Father; to help them hear the Father for themselves and walk in his ways. Religion has become god to most people and it is the same thing Jesus came to do away with.
Jesus came to set us free over two thousand years ago. The scriptures say the law does not bind us. So why do we go to church? The established church tells us we cannot do this or that, and you should not act like that because Christians need to set good examples. This mindset is putting yokes on people and making laws for people to live by. We can do nothing without a relationship with the Father. Without that relationship with the Father, people just act righteous when in church or when around the church crowd. The sin just eats away at them. They cannot go to the church crowd with their issues because of fear of being judged and considered an outcast. We point out faults in others to make us feel better. This is not healthy.
Let us look at the Life of Jesus and see how we are to live our lives here on earth. Jesus is all God. When he came in human form, it did not change who he was. He was still God and in unity with the Father and the Spirit. Jesus laid down his power (his Godly right) and walked on earth. He continued his fellowship with the Father and Spirit throughout his ministry. He would always go off and spend time alone with the Father and the Spirit. The signs and wonders (casting out demons, healing the sick, etc.) were not performed by Jesus but by the Father flowing through Jesus to do his will. Jesus was in such close fellowship with the Father that he was aware when the Father wanted to touch others. In addition, when they even tapped into the life of the Father flowing through the Spirit that was in him. We are to let the life changing power flow through us the same way Jesus did. How does this happen? First, we need to be in a relationship with the Father and allow our needs to be met by him and him alone. Then we have to believe that the power can flow through us to touch others. We are to make ourselves available for the Father to use in any way he chooses without limits and boundaries.
The Father has revealed to us that the relationship He desires cannot be found in institutional religion. The path the Lord has set before us is to walk with him and him alone. He will bring others along on this journey for a season. They will come and go. We feel commitments are also a form of bondage that we cannot impose on others. We truly seek fellowship with others in the body of Christ but with no strings attached. We all can come and go as the Father leads. The Father will bring people into our lives just for his will to be done and nothing else. We have held and tried to hold onto relationships only to hurt each other in the end. We have come to see the grace of God in others just as he is in us. We know people will fail us and disappoint us. However, there is only one who will never leave us or forsake us. His name is Jesus. We are available to get together upon request. Do not ever let guilt or condemnation run your life. This is what Jesus came to set us free from. LIVE FREE WITH OUT BONDAGE.
Jesus came to set us free over two thousand years ago. The scriptures say the law does not bind us. So why do we go to church? The established church tells us we cannot do this or that, and you should not act like that because Christians need to set good examples. This mindset is putting yokes on people and making laws for people to live by. We can do nothing without a relationship with the Father. Without that relationship with the Father, people just act righteous when in church or when around the church crowd. The sin just eats away at them. They cannot go to the church crowd with their issues because of fear of being judged and considered an outcast. We point out faults in others to make us feel better. This is not healthy.
Let us look at the Life of Jesus and see how we are to live our lives here on earth. Jesus is all God. When he came in human form, it did not change who he was. He was still God and in unity with the Father and the Spirit. Jesus laid down his power (his Godly right) and walked on earth. He continued his fellowship with the Father and Spirit throughout his ministry. He would always go off and spend time alone with the Father and the Spirit. The signs and wonders (casting out demons, healing the sick, etc.) were not performed by Jesus but by the Father flowing through Jesus to do his will. Jesus was in such close fellowship with the Father that he was aware when the Father wanted to touch others. In addition, when they even tapped into the life of the Father flowing through the Spirit that was in him. We are to let the life changing power flow through us the same way Jesus did. How does this happen? First, we need to be in a relationship with the Father and allow our needs to be met by him and him alone. Then we have to believe that the power can flow through us to touch others. We are to make ourselves available for the Father to use in any way he chooses without limits and boundaries.
The Father has revealed to us that the relationship He desires cannot be found in institutional religion. The path the Lord has set before us is to walk with him and him alone. He will bring others along on this journey for a season. They will come and go. We feel commitments are also a form of bondage that we cannot impose on others. We truly seek fellowship with others in the body of Christ but with no strings attached. We all can come and go as the Father leads. The Father will bring people into our lives just for his will to be done and nothing else. We have held and tried to hold onto relationships only to hurt each other in the end. We have come to see the grace of God in others just as he is in us. We know people will fail us and disappoint us. However, there is only one who will never leave us or forsake us. His name is Jesus. We are available to get together upon request. Do not ever let guilt or condemnation run your life. This is what Jesus came to set us free from. LIVE FREE WITH OUT BONDAGE.
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