Real Life

Angels in Heaven Long To See What God Has Done For Us

2012-02-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

You may recall what the Word of God says about the fall of the angels who rebelled, along with Lucifer, against the Almighty God.

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.1 Peter 1: 10-12

Grace is a deep fascination and mystery to the angels. The only thing that the angles have seen is that wrath of our God toward those who rebel. The mystery deepens with the totality of what our God has done for us. It is wildly out of every expectation in the heavenly realms.

God bridged such a huge gulf in His gift to mankind.

Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalm 85:10

The bare truth is that we too have rebelled. The gulf between our rebellion and God's love is astronomical. Scripture compares our righteousness or filth, stinky rages yet God has joined together righteousness and His peace. He has connected, in the heavenly realms, truth and His love.

Things so foreign to each other yet God found a way to meld the disparity together. This mystery is confounding to the created beings that surround God's throne.

But Jesus said, “ The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” Luke 18:27

Jesus told us that God does impossible things. We just fail to believe Him!

Sunday after Sunday, week after week, year after year God's redeemed gather together each week for what we call "worship services". Do you think, from what you experience each week, that God's people really understand the deep, deep mystery of what even the angels long to understand?

Our worship should be wild! We should be blown away about our God to the point that we couldn't stand sterile singing called "worship" and passionless messages called the "good news"!

We have little control over others but we do have control over ourselves. Allow God to open up His marvelous mysteries to you and prepare yourself to go before His throne!

Kingdom of Heaven is Not What Many Suppose

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Jesus never said, "someday when you leave this earth you have heaven waiting for you". Contrary, He painted quite another picture:

He (Jesus) presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.”

He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Matthew 13-31-35

Heaven is pictured as a growing or expanding thing for each individual. Further, He directly addressed the issue of heaven when religious leader tried the challenge Him.

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21

I am currently reading a book by A.W. Tozer title "Knowledge of the Holy". He makes the following statement that I can't get off of my mind. "the true God is everywhere and He is nowhere".

Omnipresent is a word that has been used to illustrate the everywhere present concept. Unfortunately the message delivered with the modern day message of omnipresence is that God is in our "everywhere". This world is not His. This world has yet to be redeemed and, therefore, is unholy. Furthermore, this world and this universe is His creation and like a carpenter creating a bench to sit on that carpenter is never a part of that bench (his creation). He remains above and separate form his creation. Likewise, our God is above and separate from His creation.

It is critical for us to link these thought together at this point. Jesus said, heaven is in your midst. God is everywhere present in heaven and heaven is everywhere that the created universe is not! Like the carpenter, He has effect and influence on His creation but is not influenced or bound by it!

If you are redeemed, it is now your choice where you choose to dwell. You may continue to dwell within His creation and be pressed upon on every side or you may choose to live, by faith, within His kingdom. The blood of Jesus qualifies us for citizenship. As a matter of fact, scripture tell us that we have been (past tense) with Jesus in the heavenly places. It is now simply left for us to choose where we will live!

When a cup is more than a simple cup.

2012-01-30T05:00:00.001-08:00

Something has been a question for quite some time forme. It was never a serious question, justone that was “there” and left unanswered until last week.

You will remember the scene. It was the night before the crucifixion of Jesus and He was in theGarden of Gethsemane praying: “My Father, if it is possible, letthis cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

So my question was this: “what cup”? Whywould Jesus use the word “cup” in describing what lay before Him that night? The scourging; the questioning; the carryingof the cross; the nails; the spear in the side? The pain of the cross? Allhorribly significant but none could be thought of as a “cup”.

If anyone worships the beast and his image,and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath ofGod, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will betormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in thepresence of the Lamb. Revelation 14:10

The great city was split into threeparts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was rememberedbefore God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.Revelation 16:19

A “cup” of God’s wrath is impossible to imagine.

Jesus knew the price for my sin! That night in the garden He repulsed againstthe high cost that He was about to pay.

The next day His repulsion was realized: “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKENME?” Matthew 27:47

How do Christians simply siton their chairs and feebly sing on Sundays? Why has the message of the high price of their sin not gottenthrough? Our worship should be liftingthe roof every day and much more on Sundays when we come together!

Take a few moment every daythis week to reflect on the gift of Jesus and thank Him for taking on your “cup”.

The Kindness of God Leads!

2012-01-23T05:00:00.001-08:00

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4

As I was seeking God out today about what He wanted me to know this scripture was the one that grabbed me.

Why is it that most sermons and teachings we hear are centered around us making a decision to change?

What scripture seems to state emphatically is that change does not come through determination or effort. We are dysfunctional and will lose those battles continually.

Truly knowing the richness of God's mercy and His unfathomable love for each of us is what "leads us" to change. Nothing else will ever work!

Fall in love with Jesus! Allow Him to show You His great love for you and that love will create a hunger and thirst for righteousness that will dissolve your conflicting desires! There is simply no other way to freedom!

Cease striving and know I am God! Psalm 46:10

He will change what you can't!

Trust the Trustworthy! It Ain't You!

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Butnow, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!

What more noble name can you becalled except “little Christ”, Christian? Our gracious God claims you as His own. How is it possible to be down or have a “bad day” when He not only hasredeemed us but proudly claims us as His own?

Just in case you don’t quite get ityet:

“Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,

You are precious and honored byGod! Is that not totally unbelievable?He treasures you, He celebrates you, He brags about you and it is your pictureon His desk!

I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchangefor your life.
“Do not fear, for I am with you;

He is willing the throw everything andeverybody else away to save you!

How is it that you do not trust Him?

- we don’t trust Him with our finances

- we don’t rust Hi with our families

- we don’t trust Him with our careers

- we don’t trust Him is His ability tokeep all of His promises to us!

- The list goes on and on

Thereis yet hope for even us who don’t totally trust!

Bringout the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
And the deaf, even though they have ears.
All the nations have gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
“You are My witnesses,” declares theLORD,
“And My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me

“Even from eternity I am He,
And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
I act and who can reverse it?”

Is that a guarantee that you can live with? What else could He do to convince you totrust Him?

Thus says the LORD,

Who makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
Who brings forth the chariot and the horse,
The army and the mighty man
(They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):

There isabsolutely nothing that can deter Him from coming to your rescue and yourprotection.

Okay, here is His offer to youtoday:

“Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
“The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
“The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise.

Will you now lay your trust fully on Him and desertyour ideas, your agendas and your plans?

We must live by faith if we are to meet Him where Hestands at the ready to redeem us from this fallen world and its false wisdom!

Surrender Brings Freedom

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Notice that this scripture uses the past tense in referring to the redeemed as having been raised up with Jesus. We needn't needn't wait for our earthly deaths to find the kingdom of heaven. Jesus already did that for us. We must now only die to ourselves and be born again to enter His kingdom.

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Once again the text uses the past tense is stating that we have "laid aside the old self and have put on a new self". It is this "new self" that seeks righteousness and see then worldly things as insignificant and valueless.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

We now turn to a couple of things what fall to us and our faith. "put on a heart of compassion" and "put on love" are our responsibility. We can only approach this responsibility by faith and allow the Holy Spirit to create the urge within us to be compassionate and loving.

Finally, we are next instructed to get ourselves and our life-learned desires out of the way to make room for the "peace of God" and the "word of God" to infuse our hearts. We will know when this happens because no circumstance, no problem, no challenge will ever effect our hearts that sing out to our God continually.

Surrender to know the fullness of His release of the captives!

Enough Church! Enough self-interest and pride.

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. ~ Ezekiel 36:22-23

How has the great name of our God been profaned among the nations due to the powerless church of Jesus today? When the world looks at a Christian today what does it see? The answer to that question is too frustrating to even consider. It is a long way away from God proving His holiness through our actions and demeanor!

I have yet to hear anyone call the church and Christians to repentance over profaning God's name. You see, here is where we miss the boat on what God sees. It isn't about you and me! The whole message of good news is that what we do, what we have done, what we will ever do will never amount to anything of worth. We are lost in our own self importance!

We have been redeemed to bring glory to our God and to remind the lost of God's holiness! Our God keeps calling to us to wake up to our own self-induced pride and self-interest.

We haven't simply ignored Him; we have profaned His holy name!

A Wide and A Strong River

2011-12-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

By God's mercy He caused us to be born again! Did we choose Him or did He choose us? A discussion for anther time perhaps but today we look at the benefits. What is the living hope that comes with this being born again? God calls it an inheritance. It is something that someone else earned that we receive! The text says that it is imperishable, undefiled and will not fade away. Unlike other inheritances we may receive in our lifetimes this one will never run out! Beyond the promise that it will not run out it is also guaranteed by heaven itself.

The last portion of this sentence is the primary point to discuss here. The born again are "protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed".

God has caused our rebirth, has secured our inheritance, has guaranteed it and preserves and protects us to get from here to there.

Peter goes on:

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

"In this you greatly rejoice" Really? It seems to me that the last thought that the general population would have about Christians is "rejoicing".

From the beginning of time God's people and even the angels in heaven have longed to see what we experience every day. Unfortunately, most Christians today miss this entirely. How could anyone understanding this great wealth given to us not rejoice?

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

God used the thousands, no the hundreds of thousands of people that we read about in what we now call the old testament. to display His magnificent grace to us. They never saw the end of the story like we now see. All of the laws, all of the sacrifices, all of the legal priesthood, all of the battles and the victories are all wrapped up and completed in Jesus!

Most Christians stand on the banks of the great river of grace that runs through eternity. We see it clearly as it begins in our world within the Garden of Eden and flows powerfully through the events recorded in the old testament. The river continues through the life of Jesus and through the beginning of the church. We can also look into the future and see in the Book of Revelation it continuing flow.

Heer we stand, the river flowing strong and wide and we stand thirsty and waiting on banks of the river!

Jump in! It only takes a small step of faith. He will do the rest!

(Scripture in from 1 Peter chapter 1)

Missing Person?

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you heard a message on the Holy Spirit? Jesus said, "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit will come upon you". Where exactly is that power within the church or within Christians today?

The Holy Spirit is fully God, you know, and He chooses to dwell within believers in Jesus making them His temple! With Him, he brings love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Our gauge fo the Holy Spirit's presence is not some mysterious power that flows though as as believers. It is, instead, the attending fruit that comes with His presence. How are you doing on this list? These are not options and its not multiple choice it is an all or nothing proposition.

So why is the Church reluctant to talk about Him? Have we bought into another lie out of the depths of hell or are we just plain ignorant of this gift?

Invest some time in getting to know Him. He has been calling you into relationship with Him have you heard His soft voice?

Hidden Faults and Presumptions

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm19

The heavens are telling of the gloryof God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

So begins David’s consideration of thegrandeur of His God! He continues tobuild a strong case for the wonder of a God who we will never understand; Hislaw, His restoration, His encouragement, His enlightening, Hisrighteousness. Overwhelmed would not beto strong of a word to describe David’s attitude as he writes Psalm 19.

But right in the midst of his wonderhe comes to this: “and then there is me”.

Who can discern his errors?Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

When the truth is known, it is nolonger the outright sin that messes up our walk with our God it is the hiddenfaults and the presumptuous sins that trip us up.

The hidden faults are those that liedeep within our personalities. We gettired, stressed, over-worked, under appreciated and those hidden faults begin to emerge. Back biting, criticism, lust, self-adulation,fits of anger, depression and on and on are the things we have learned overtime to keep under wraps.

Presumptuous sins are so easy toslip into that we are, in the most part, totally unaware to them. Jesus counseled us about “worrying abouttomorrow”. As I sit writing this today Iam remembering the previous night as I contemplated not only “tomorrow” but fartoo many tomorrows to even remember. I didn’t intentionally seek to have all ofthe “what if’s” run through my mind particularly at the cost of neededsleep.

Presumptuous sins are not just aboutworrying things that will probably never happen anyway. Other types of presumptuous sins are when wepresume we know the intentions of others. That person driving erratically, what do you presume, rudeness or stressor emergency? The person who walked byyou without saying anything, what do you presume? Your spouse is abrupt of just plainly rude toyou, what do you presume?

Can you see why David is brought soshort by this issue?

Contemplating thegreat goodness of our God and His grand design for our liberty and provision while knowing how quickly we sell out to these hidden faults and presumptuous sins. They are enmeshed within our personalitiesand are difficult to weed out!

It is simply impossible for us eradicatethese things our of our lives. Davidunderstands his great need for God’s help. “Acquit me” of my faults and pull me back from my tendency to presume!

Liberty, including the joy and thepeace that fills our thirsty souls is at stake. Bring your faults and your presumptions to Him!

Two Laws!

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

But one wholooks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it,not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessedin what he does. James 1:25

The perfectlaw; few things within God’s creation remain “perfect” due to mankind’ssin. But the law of liberty is one ofthose things having been bought back from its demise by the blood of Jesus andHis subsequent resurrection.

The nextword that we must understand is the word “abide”. It is far more personal and just understandinga concept, or just giving a mental agreement to a thought. It is parallel to how you occupy yourhome. You abide or live there! Such is the case with abiding in the perfectlaw. We must totally immerse ourselveswithin the law of liberty for us to gain the real life that is “blessed in whatwe do”.

God neverintended for man to live independently from Him. God’s intention was to stay close to man inorder to protect and to bless him. Readthe first chapters of Genesis to discover God’s original design for Hisrelationship with His creation.

Within thelaw of liberty, we see things differently. We see people, we see events and circumstances and we see our own livesdifferently.

There is oneprimary problem for the people of Jesus in today’s churches in understandingthis concept. It is always easier toteach the law of death than the law of liberty.

Let’s readwhat the Apostle Paul wrote the Roman church:

For the lawof the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin andof death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offeringfor sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Lawmight be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but accordingto the Spirit. Romans 8

Why is itthat as soon as anyone approaches the topic of grace and liberty we hear wordslike: bible study, discipleship, accountability, daily devotions, financialstewardship and on and on and on?

There aremany things that will eventually come forth as fruit from someone who choosesto abide in liberty. One will never findthe life of liberty attempting to orchestrate it by things and acts no matterhow well intentioned.

Refuse to sell your birthright! Too often the measly price that is offered is testimony to how little regard the church has for liberty. Be different!

Joy and Peace in True Believing

2011-11-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

Now may the God of hope fill you withall joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power ofthe Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Believing is a difficult subject to discuss and not onlythis scripture but the whole good news message is based upon believing.

There is a short story that may help to display what theword “believe” really means.

One day on the wayhome from work I drove past a home that was having a garage sale. Display amongst all of the stuff was and oldrickety chair.

I bought the chair for a buck thinking that it would be aperfect picture story from my weekly Bible study.

I carried the chair to my study and placed it gently in thecenter of the group. I then asked eachmember of the study to give me their opinions n the chair. As the words “old”, “unique”, ugly” as wellas many others were thrown out I wrote the list of words down. After the discussion faded I repeated the list of words and summed upthe discussion. I then turned theirattention to the purpose for which the chair had been built. “Do you think that the chair would hold youif you were to sit on it”?

There, again, were various opinions on the question. After a few minutes I turned to one of thosewho had stated his confidence in the chair’s structure. “Will you take a walk over to the chair andsit on it now”?

See, we don’t really believe that the chair will hold us offof the floor if unless we are willing to sit on the chair. All of the discussion and all of thetheorizing didn’t change the fact that the chair was either sufficient or itwas not.

The amplified Bible uses the following descriptors wheneverthe word faith or belief is used: “ trusts in, clings to, relies on”

It is this type of believing that the above scriptureapplies.

How do you know if you have thattype of belief? Let’s look again at thescripture. Joy and peace are wrapped upwith the believing. One cannot separatethe three. Joy and peace always go withbelieving.

It is within truly believing,including the deep joy and peace, that we begin to experience the real personalpower of the Holy Spirit. As thisconnection is made the world and the worldly powers arrayed against us begin tocrumble!

Truth is not always what we believe

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a statement directly from Jesus that might upset your theology initially:

And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.     You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. (John 5:35-40)

Perhaps the greatest challenge in this statement is that many of us think we have the best life available in our circumstances so we don't even search the scriptures looking for life. We do tend to place our dependence upon weekly or occasional messages preached on Sundays or other days of the week on the radio or television.

Jesus told us that if we have God's word hidden within us that we will find true life. What he doesn't invite us to is to study the scriptures every day or to memorize a certain number of scriptures daily or monthly. What He said is "Come to Me".   Elsewhere He said without any hesitation or any exception: "My sheep hear My voice".

The church today, in large part, is spiritually bankrupt because we have injected all types of formulas and programs for fulfilling the "needs" of its members. We have failed to under-gird the members with a clear message of the good news of Jesus! "Come unto Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".

There simply is no true life outside of Jesus! What we have imagined to this point is that if we do the "right" things and work hard life will work itself out. Is there anything in your experience that confirms this convoluted thinking? Do you see crowds of people who are a little farther down that familiar path that have found real life?   The lies have been hoisted upon mankind to lead us to the miserable end of disappointment, frustration and poverty.

Here is God's challenge to us today: (2 Corinthians 13:4-6)

For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
Is Jesus in you? This is a simple pass/fail test!

Convoluted Thinking

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am far from an expert in the scriptures so I need your help. Can you tell me about the time where one of the disciples of Jesus made a statement and Jesus responded, "wow so true, you got that one perfect"?

Of course its not there is it? So why do we think we are so much smarter than them? Don't we tend to think we are unique and, except for those few dysfunctional types of thoughts, are pretty much in line with God?

Here is a scripture that is a little too familiar so don't read over it too quickly:

So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:4-6

Truthfully, how often to you depend upon your own understanding of the issues around you? Could it at all be possible that your perceptions are askew? I know that this is a hard thing to grasp because we have lived a lot of years depending upon our individual evaluations and decisions.

Once again you will notice that this is another one of those sticky "heart" issues. Our minds wish to control our thoughts and our actions but God tells us that life dwells within the heart. "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart". Honestly, this seems a task totally impossible doesn't it?

This has been an issue from the beginning. Whether it is Adam and Eve in the Garden or any of the thousands of individuals that we read about in our Bibles it remains the single most important principle in the Kingdom of God! "You shall have no other gods before Me"! Jesus said that this is the first and the greatest commandment.

Let's agree together that we are going to abdicate the tattered thrones in our lives and allow God to take His rightful place. Having favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man is a pretty incredible benefit!

Life or Dread!

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

Do you really trust the Lord? Why do we worry so much. Surely, worry and trust are distant places! Maybe it is because we have never "waited patiently for the Lord". Our tendency is to see the problem and figure out how to deal with it. The psalm writer had one distinct advantage toward the end of waiting on the Lord. He was evidently in over his head. The "pit of destruction" must be pretty deep.

A point worth considering is, how did he get into that pit? Just perhaps the psalmist is much like us in that we leave God until the last choice. Maybe the pit wouldn't have been quite so deep had he turned to God earlier? Let's see what else he had to say:

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Evidently the writer discovered the emptiness in seeking counsel from the wrong places. The proud, the brash, the self-confident appear to be people with answers. Actually, "puffery" is not a very good recommendation at all.

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

Without a doubt one of our biggest problems is our ability to understand our God's attention toward us. He is never burdened by the things that weigh upon our minds! His track record is 100% yet we are slow to turn to Him when stress and worry beging to move in.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”

O LORD, You know.
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

Here is an opportunity to analyze the problem here. Did you notice what was lying within his heart? "Your law is within my heart" is his statement. There is much that I could say here about the purpose of the law but that is for another time. What we need to see here is that the psalmist discovered was not within his heart: "I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart".

Invest some time in the eighth chapter of the book of Romans if you would like to know more about what the law versus the freedom of the gift of righteousness brings.

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.
You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

Continually, since the psalmist doesn't know the freedom of righteousness, he is brought back to his iniquities and gets lost in the troubles to the point of weariness.

“The LORD be magnified!”
Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

How much has the Church of Jesus missed? Most of Christianity today would read these words and nod in agreement. This is how Christians live today but we don't see anything like this kind of attitude within the First Century Church! We do we struggle so much? Let's go back to the what the psalmist had stored away in his heart. The Law always brings death; grace always brings life! If we are living like we are dying what do you suspect resides within our hearts today?

Scripture says that "we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus"!

Isn't it time you exchanged the contents in your heart? Live the life that Jesus died to give you!

Joy to Peace to Miracles As An Undeniable Witness

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am not one who practices new years resolutions. My simple mind tends to think that if something is really worth changing, starting or quitting now is a better time than waiting for a new year to start.

There is something that I would like to challenge you to this new year however. Recently, God showed me this simple plan to an incredible life in faith.

This very first qualification is that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is at that time that each of us is give the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future.

Galatians 5:22&23 tells us what comes to us with the Holy Spirits presence:

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I invite you discover the connection between two of the Holy Spirit's gifts.

From Isaiah 55: 12;13 (God is speaking to His people)

"For you will go out with joy
And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

"Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,
And it will be a memorial to the LORD,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."

Could it be as simple as that? Begin each day with joy and we will not only find true peace but all of creation has been set up to respond to us. Together, the joy, the peace and the miraculous events surrounding us will testify to Jesus and an eternal sign!

He said it. Will you put it to the test?

Come back and let us all know what you find.

Will We Not Learn the Lessons Offered?

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Solomon has a unique opportunity. He had ultimate wealth and total authority at his disposal. There was absolutely nothing out his ability to have.

We turn the the second chapter of Ecclesiastes:

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasure"

He explored fun, pleasure, possessions, accomplishments, renown and found the pursuit "vanity" and "chasing after the wind".

We simply are too dense to learn from someone that had a gift of wisdom for our God which was beyond any normal human intellect.

God has expanded our resources far beyond that of most of the world and, in many cases, beyond what our own parents live with. Was His purpose for expanding our borders for us to expand our possessions in the pursuit of pleasure?

Today, our churches, our neighbors and our brothers and sisters are struggling because we have grabbed possession onto what God has placed in our hands to manage. We could consider a couple of parables that Jesus told about unfaithful stewards (servants).

We hear or read the weekly deficit of our own place of worship and think what? "It is terrible that so many people only tip or God when will they finally get it?" We sit justified because we "tithe" or we "more than tithe".

I tell you that no servant is justified in what he does if it is not in direct instruction of his master.

We have stolen what is not ours to have.

I know that this is a tough message to read but if we seek true freedom we must address this issue. Our wold is rapidly unraveling and the sooner we pick up our opportunities the sooner God will open new doors of opportunity to us!

Seeing The Unseen

2011-10-17T05:00:00.002-07:00

SHOUT joyfully to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who made us and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100

Joy and gladness is a BIG thing to our God! It is a sincere expression of faith, and faith is music to God’s ear.

As a matter of fact joy and gladness insulate us from so pretty ugly things.

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies…Deuteronomy 28:47&48

Are you weary yet with serving your enemies? Give a joyful life a try!

The Book of Philippians is an amazing book. The Apostle Paul is sitting in a prison cell and writing a letter of thanksgiving to the church in Philippi. To understand this situation it is important that we understand the setting. The prisons of that era were not like our prisons of today or even recent history. No, these were typically dungeons of filth and disease. Absolutely no care was provided to prisoners. The only food or clothing that they had was that which came from the outside world. This where the church at Philippi comes into the picture. They sent not only food and clothing but attendants as well.

There were no laws regarding false imprisonment, unfair terms of imprisonment or even the condition of the imprisonment. Paul had no idea when, if ever, he would get out!

This same Paul had left his entire family, his vaulted position and his society. He had traveled the known world to spread the good news of Jesus. He had been shipwrecked, stoned, whipped, stranded and alone and run out of town.

His recent life had been totally dedicated to the service of his God. Now we find him in the dregs of a filthy jail cell.

Paul, in writing his personal note of thanks to the Philippians makes this statement: …I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly so that I may also be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. Philippians 2:19&20

I’m not certain how I would react to this situation if I were up to my knees in filth, death and waste and I looked around and could find no one other than one single person that was trustworthy. Years of ministry, years of service, years of self-sacrifice had brought him to this.

His response?

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write these things again is no trouble to me and it is a safeguard to you.” (3:1)

And

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. (4:4&5)

There is his secret. It didn’t make any difference to Paul where he was; the Lord was always there with him. So, whether imprisoned or whether free, he was with his Lord.

The importance of rejoicing is that it keeps us in the presence of the Lord. He may be with us; it is rejoicing that places us with Him.

It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing, choose to rejoice and be glad. Stand back and see how God will respond!

For Freedom's sake!

2011-10-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

I have been hesitating to post this message. It is not one that delights my heart but I post it only out of obedience. Jim

Realize this, that in the last days…men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Quite a list, isn’t it? As you read many of the descriptions what came to your mind?

Sounds a lot like the society that we live in doesn’t it? Everywhere we turn we see one or more of the traits described above displayed openly.

However, before we go too far down this road, we must read the rest of the scripture:

holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power… 3:5a

So, evidently, the descriptions above aren’t addressing the society’s issues. Those issues have always belonged to society. What is new is that these traits have seeped into the Church. It is only the Church that has the position to “hold to a form of godliness”; the world has never been interested.

Too easy it is to think of examples of the above traits within the Church. The music is too loud, it is too hot, the message was too long, church isn’t fun/friendly/applicable anymore and on and on.

Lost within the ugliness is the “power”. Long ago the manifest power of the gospel message has been buried under the self-interest and self-promotion. Each weekend we see displayed only the “form of godliness” while privately God’s people carry on the sickness.

Hear the Word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer; incense is an abomination to Me. I am weary of hearing them.”

“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen.”

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease evil, learn to do good, seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:10-17

As the Nation of Israel was equated to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah perhaps today’s church is not far from the equation as well.

We are well aware of who makes up today’s Church. Individuals like you and me are responsible for the loss of power. Jesus is inviting us to “wash yourselves, make yourselves clean”.

Let’s agree together to quit “trampling His courts” with our worthless prayers and come into agreement with how He sees us. It is only then that we can once again discover the power!

Our God desires our freedom and it is our freedom that glorifies Him!

There is a River!

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the morntains slip into the heart of the sea; though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at is selling pride. Selah

Our world is indeed changing rapidly. Perhaps you have been caught up in the web of change in your personal or your family position. Whatever is our state, God has not changed! He is, and has always been, the refuge and the strength for those who have discovered the wonderful life of faith! While others may fret over circumstances or possible anticipated circumstances, the individual who lives by faith trusts and resides in deep peace and rest withing the refuge of our God!

This next part of the Psalm is very important. Don't skip by too quickly.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy places of the Most High! God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered: He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold! Selah

"There is a river whose streams" meander throughout the churches in this world. It is a stream of true believers who "make glad the city of our God". These believers have sold out to the good news of Jesus. They overflow with "streams of living waters".

Remember the stark statement that Jesus said, "broad is the path that that leads to destruction but narrow is the path that leads to life and few find it".

Are you part of that stream? Does flow from your very being regardless of the day and regardless of circumstances? Too many Christians are compromised! Jesus told us that it is absolutely impossible to love both God and mammon yet far too many continue to attempt to do both to their own spiritual demise!

Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.

Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

One final invitation as we close, God invites us to cease our vain efforts and really, really get to know Him! It really makes no difference to Him, He will continue to be exalted regardless of your choices. Surrender! Life awaits!

The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Stronghold! Selah

Light That Brings Life

2011-09-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and void and darkness was over the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. God was that the light was good' and He separated the light from the darkness.

In the beginning we were all spiritually formless and void and the Spirit of God moved over the surface. Yet, God said, "Let there be light" and separate the light from the darkness and saw that it was good.

Have you noticed that most Christians today like there remains "darkness over the surface of the deep"? When we allow the Spirit to only "move over the surface" we can only live ordinary lives. We aren't much different from =non-Christians and, therefore, are very poor witnesses for our God.

God calls out to His church, "Let there be light".

Open up your heart, the very deepest recesses, to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to separate the light from the darkness that is hidden there.

Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control are what the Holy Spirit releases when He brings the true light. Measure yourself against this list of fruit of the Hly Spirit as described in Galatians chapter 5 and it will be a indication to you of any hidden heart issues still restricted to the Holy Spirit's fire.

The light is good! Isn't it time you agreed with God?

Sanctuary!

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

The psalmist (psalm 73) begins:

Surely god is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!

A pretty good start, focusing up on God's goodness is a wonderful way to start our day and even each prayer.

But there is something else going on there as he quickly shifts his focus.

But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace; the garment of violence covers them.
Their eye bulges from fatness; the imaginations of their heart run riot.
They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; they speak from on high.
They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue parades through the earth.

The words seem to just pour out of him as he lets loose is pent up thoughts. It is very easy for us to envy the wealthy. It is even easy to envy those who are seemingly free from moral and ethical restraints.

Before we are too harsh on the writer let us first consider the honesty of his message. It does no good for us to keep the poison inside. As we will see as we proceed through this Psalm, releasing our troubled thoughts toward God is often the beginning point for true healing.

let's continue his travail:

Therefore his people return to this place, and waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?"

"They don't even know you God! How can you allow such injustice". It is so easy to identify with the "justice" issue. You know, kind of like, "God, I've been living my life for You and what good has it brought me"?

Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and washed my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long
and chastened every morning.

If I had said, “I will speak thus,” behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight

Can you sense his angst? He is struggling greatly with the concept of God's justice but the real weight of the issue is that he must not let down the whole group of people who are depending upon him!

I hope that you can identify with the heavy load he is carrying. His consideration of the wealthy and the unjust has dropped him into despondency but the greater load is the guilt he carries about having the thoughts and how it might effect the other people in his life.

What is he to do with all of this? He found the answer:

Until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.

Everything became clear for him "in the sanctuary".

We live in a busy culture! As a matter of fact, we often view those who are not busy as lazy.

This busyness carries over into every area of our lives.

Sanctuary is a word that we may know about but one we are not quite in tune with. Sanctuary is vital part of a spiritual life and that is why the Church in America is so bankrupt today! We have lost the message of Sanctuary.

This is not about finding a "quiet time" or a "devotion time". No, this is about investing some time simply in the presence of the One who is called the Great Lover of our souls. There is no book you can read, no guide other than the capable guidance of the Holy Spirit that is required!

Find Sanctuary regularly but particularly when you are burdened or when you are struggling with the heaviness of your perceptions! God will meet you there; that is where He dwells!

How do You Walk?

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I found this note written in response to a person who used the Bible to condemn homosexuality. It makes a point far better than I can:

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

Romans 8:2-4

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

What are you doing that is trying to maintain the law? Many times we hold certain things or thoughts that we don't easily recognize as legalistic; "quiet time", Sunday church attendance, Bible reading or study, smoking, drinking....the list goes on. Oftentimes we even hold others actions to our dysfunctional ideals!

Surrender once and for all. "do not walk according to the flesh"! Choose, in faith, to walk (skip joyfully?) according to the Spirit!

The Fable of the Oppressor

2011-09-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 51:12-16

I, even I, am He who comforts you. And the son of man who is made like grass, who are you that you are afraid of man who dies that you have forgotten the Lord your Maker Who stretched our the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor?

So how would you answer God's question? Why are you concerned about the opinions of man? What gives them a right to even have an opinion about you, a child of the living God; a joint heir with Jesus?

They criticize what they do not know!The exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”

God even puts His name and reputation on the line saying He will provide the words, the sustenance and the protection for you. His desire is for the captives to be set free and He has designed His plan to set them free around us. For the most part, we have abandoned our part of that plan due to the fear of man's opinions.

Isn't it time to take God at His word and step through the fragile wall of fear ("where is the fury of the oppressor?")? Remember that courage is not the absence of fear but of action in the face of fear! That is also the definition of faith! Only the initial step of faith is hard. The second and third steps come much easier after the first one!

Your Turn: Here is the scripture, you leave the comments about it!

2011-08-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 10:14

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified

You may wish to review the whole chapter of Hebrews 10 to get the context:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2010&version=NASB

I'm sorry about the way this blog is being displayed. I may have to find another way to post these messages.

2011-08-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Faith that bring Peace

2011-08-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

From Matthew 6:25-34

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on, I not life more than food, and the body more that clothing?

Most Christians live and look much like the world around them. Honestly, what do you go to work for? Is it to pay the bills, to invest for your future, to put food on the table. It was never intended for us to settle for such drudgery. If we were to look back at Adam and Eve the design was for them to have absolutely everything that they needed and more and to "tend the garden". Not for needs of the flesh but for personal value!

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

It is a known fact that worrying actually decreases the hours of our lives. The deal with worry is it is a direct indication of how much we believe our God!

why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow and is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?

You of little faith!

So there it is in a nutshell. We have too little faith. The difficult thing about this diagnosis, however, is that the littleness of our faith can only be fixed by pushing through the false fears that our enemy places before us. Fearful? Do it anyway!

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This is the real deadly issue. We worry about "tomorrow" most of all. And you know most of what we worry about will never happen anyway. Beyond that, even the things that do happen are never made easier by our worry.

Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations;
You established the earth, and it stands. Psalm 119:90

He is trustworthy! He never plays games with us! He never deserts us! He never leaves us nor will He forsake us! Trust the ultimate in trustworthiness! You will not be disappointed.

How Can You Believe?

2011-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Jesus had many thing to say about faith. Things like moving mountains, seeing the unseen, living a life worth meaning. He also contemplated to his followers whether He would be able find any faith on earth when He comes back!

So how is your faith? Is it the backbone of your life or an appendage?

Jesus made a statement to a group of religious people one day about faith:

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? John 5:44

Most of us have the tendency of flowing with the tide. We take our lead from the people around us and adapt our behavior to our perceived expectation of these people. This is not a bad thing for the world's values but God has designed a life far higher for His people.

The roller-coaster existence of adapting to people's expectations has become almost natural due to years of practice under this system.

Jesus asked, "How can you believe?" when you live like this!

It is a scary thing to live by faith. It requires that we break from our "normal" and comfortable and accept the unknown. We simply cannot perceive all of the things that God has in store for us when we take the bold step of living by faith.

We will know we have begun to move toward living by faith when we adjust from seeking approval from others to seeking approval from our God!

The Kingdom is wide open for those who will choose to live by faith!

Knowledge or Wisdom?

2011-08-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Before I begin let me tell you that I am not nagging you. The first part of the scripture deals with what we talked about last week. I guess we can begin to accept that God is serious about this subject since the scripture that He led me to this week was preceded by these words:

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

Did you get that last few words? Real life deals in the truth that God has given us the resources that we have to share with others. Maybe that is why the church today is devoid of joy, peace, contentment, and true love! Instead of sharing our resources we hoard them in new clothes, bigger houses, 401-k's, new cars, entertainment and on and on! Life is calling!

The final words of a mentor to his child in the faith, Timothy are those that are close to the heart of the mentor, Paul. Before he concludes his letter he desires to give a final piece of advice. The last advice has the best chance of being remembered so Paul was strategic in in final words:

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. 1 Timothy 6:17-20

This world is comfortable with empty chatter. Chatter about other people, chatter about sports, chatter about the weather but avoiding at all-costs any discussion about anything of value. Try to bring up something of substance and you will discover how unprepared most people are.

Paul had personal experience with people at all levels and wanted to prepare his friend and child in the faith. Opposing arguments and worldly knowledge are a defense against truth and difficult life giving discussions. These lead away from the very things that they are defensive about, truth and understanding.. It is important for us to understand that we, as His witnesses, are not sent to debate or argue with people. The only thing that our efforts accomplish is driving them further into their "knowledge".

Why is earthly knowledge called false? Wisdom is God's gift to mankind and knowledge is the world's imitation. Proverbs states that the "fear of God is the beginning of wisdom"! Without an understanding and a faith in God mankind has no hope of discussing truth!

We are left to a couple of choices when we encounter individuals who chatters incessantly, we can smile and listen thereby supporting the person or we can begin to bend the discussion toward truthful things. Understand that you are never alone in turning a discussion from the inane toward truth. The Holy Spirit partners with you as you take the first step.

Paul said to avoid the empty chatter because it is worthless are best and destructive to our witness at the worst! As you bend the discussion, the Holy Spirit will make you aware when the discussion slips into a discussion of "false knowledge". It is at this point it is best for us to walk away on good terms and leave future encounters and results to the Holy Spirit! Remember God cares far more about the lost than we could ever care!

Life Beyond Normal

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Do you wonder what life is really all about? Routine after routine, day after day suddenly you look up and realize that the month or the year is disappearing and you wonder where it has gone?

We've all had big dreams, some bigger than others. What has happened to those dreams?

Let's take a quick look at what Jesus said about life:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Let's start at the core of things. Where is your heart?

Be careful with this one. Scripture tells us that the heart is deceitful above all other things! We can easily be fooled thinking our heart is okay. Jesus invites us to examine our hearts by evaluating our possessions.

Where does your security lie, where does your joy come from, what is the reason that you do what you do everyday?

Here is the really tough issue: Is what you are today a sum total of your efforts to be your idea of a good person?

This is not a bad thing for the world but is far below what God designed for His people.

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:19-21,24

See the problem? It is an impossibility to serve more than one master! It simply can't be done yet we have been trying to to just that!

This is precisely why we often wonder what is this life all about.

The Apostle Paul knew about our struggles in this area and encourages us to reconsider our thinking:

Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. Colossians 3:22-24

I was first going to include the last part of this passage to make the point of this message. So let's start there. The strong term "whatever you do" is all inclusive isn't it? Do you work a job or career? Do you parent? So you live with your spouse? Do you mow the lawn, do the laundry, wash the car, cook the meals.....?

How would these activities and responsibilities be different for you if Jesus were to object of the tasks?

Let's no move on too fast here. Sure we can pretend that it is Jesus that we are doing what we do for but pretending isn't effective; it just doesn't last. Paul tells us that it is not a make-believe thing but and actual thing. Jesus sees that what we do for others we have done for Him! Don't miss this point; it is critical!

Finally, the first part of the previous package address "slaves" and their situation. Paul gave them no room for excuse. It is not out of hardness that Paul addresses this issue to slaves. No, anyone can be bitter or angry or resentful. What Paul was saying to the slaves and now to us is that God has such a higher plane for us to live on and the normal patterns of life are anchors holding us down.

The world has no choice in how they will live every day. God has given us a clear and free choice to live the adventure that He has designed for us or for us to continue to follow the worlds standards and practices and get their results.

It remains your choice. Choose wisely!

The Kingdom of God!

2011-07-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21

The Kingdom of God was the subject that was on the mind of Jesus and the early church continually. As you read the gospels or the Book of Acts the word Kingdom is everywhere. Jesus sent His disciples out to tell people about the "kingdom ofGod" not as a witness to Himself. The kingdom was the primary focus and Jesus as the only access to the kingdom was the common message. Look through the Book of Acts and notice the phrase "kingdom of God and (Jesus)"

Here is a link to help you in your study:

http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/index.php?search=%22the+kingdom+of%22&searchtype=all&version1=49&spanbegin=1&spanend=73&startnumber=26

When was the last time you heard a church leader discuss the Kingdom of God? Why would it be so important to the early church and to Jesus Himself but totally disregarded in today's church?

Why is this an important issue? Let's see what the Apostle Paul had to say about this:

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. Romans 14:16-18

The kingdom of God is "righteousness and peace and joy"! If Christians were living within the kingdom today do you think that the world would take notice?

Certainly the first century Christians has a clear and a bold witness. How much of that clarity and boldness was due to their understanding of the kingdom and their choosing to live within it?

Jesus warned us that the Kingdom is not hard to find but it isn't a group activity. We cannot expect a church to lead us there it is a solitary journey!

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Matthew 23:13

So here we are today! We have been given another chance to understand that the gospel (or good news) of Jesus is that He brought the Kingdom of God for His people. It is in no way good news, as today's Christianity seems to teach, to have to labor and struggle the rest of our lives for someday earning a place in the Kingdom of God when we die! Doesn't this sound much like the Islam religion?

Take some time with the link above as your guide into what the Word of God says about the Kingdom. Leave a comment or email me:

jim_sorensen_80233@yahoo.com

if you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss.

Reign In Life

2011-07-18T05:00:00.001-07:00

This week's message might be shocking and very challenging. For too long, Christians have had the wrong view of who we really are. I suggest you read the Book of Romans in its entirety. Today's thoughts come from the marvelous fifth chapter. The fifth chapter is only second to the eighth chapter of the same book in how it paints the picture of God's total gift of grace.

Let's start:

For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Paul begins this section with simple logic. Since "this" then "that". One broght many into sin and one brought many into righteousness.

The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgressionresulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free giftarose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

Judgment entered the world of mankind due to the single "transgression". From that single transgression the plague spread resulting in "many transgressions".

It is because of the "many transgressions" that were beyond any other remedy that God chose to give us a free gift: justification. Justification: made right!

The news is even more grandiose; hang on!

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15-17

The words "much more" are an understatement. Re-read that last sentence again.

Do you actually know any Christian who is "reigning in life"? What has happened?

We have been given the position but we have surrendered it because we choose to believe the lies of the enemy. Many of these lies are filtered through the current church! I would list a few of such teachings here but it is impossible to dissect the subtleties of the lies from the truth when a teacher uses scripture but pushes it out of the context of the whole message of grace!

Invest some time with God this week and begin by asking Him to show you what it means to "reign in life"!

When Christians return to their designed place the world will notice and the world will change! Don't expect that to happen; the message of grace has been diluted beyond recognition in most churches.

What is left, then?

What is left is for you personally to begin to reign! Time is short.

Revisit The Garden

2011-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

God created man (in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.

Imagine this setting from the first chapter of Genesis. God had created everything for the joy and the benefit of the choicest of His creation.

The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Genesis 2:16

The vast forest of trees were give to man with only one single tree being set aside as unavailable to them.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

In addition to all of man's physical needs being met, God's presence was consistent and obviously available.

How is it that our world has ended up where is has when so much was provided to the advantage of maintaining the spiritual nature of mankind?

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" Genesis 3:1

OK, so here is the real question. Adam personally knew his Creator; had an intimate relationship with his God but, nevertheless, listened to the liar!

How did this happen?

A better question perhaps is: if Adam couldn't resist what chance do I have?

It is vitally important for us to see the entire picture painted in the beginning chapters of the history of God's dealing with man.

What do you think enabled Satan to "get a word in edgewise" with one so aware of God's presence and provision?

What more could Adam have wanted if totally left by himself, with no outside influence?

Allow me to bring this home personally.

Adam had acres and acres of provision.

How often do you thank God for the things and the people he has given you? Adam had lost his gratitude for the things and the people that he had had. This left a huge opening for the enemy to present additional options.

Adam had immediate and real access to the Living God on a current basis. He grew in-sensitized to the ready presence.

When was the last time you treated your God like He was treasured and that His current presence made a difference for you?

Adam listened to the enticing discussion.

What do you listen to the most? Do you ever hear from Him? Are the enticing invitations of fame, wealth, success, happiness, security louder than the sweet, soft voice of the Great Lover of your soul?

Adam choose to try the tree!

What is your tree? God has given you acres and acres of permissible "trees" but there is always that one!

I encourage you to hear His voice, walk with Him continually and offer to Him the thanksgiving due!

Names That Mean Something

2011-07-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Names always meant something in the nation of Israel. Names of individuals and names of places carried a meaning of an event or a vision.

As I was reading the Word this week it occurred to me that it was not insignificant that God chose Zebulun and Naphtali as the beginning point for the earthly ministry of Jesus. As I checked the underlying name meanings of Zebulun and Naphtali I discovered something interesting.

Zebulun (dwelling) and Naphtali (wrestling) were an area of Israel that was unremarkable except for is distance from Jerusalem, the political capital of the region. With recent events regarding John the Baptist's arrest, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to this region to launch His three year ministry.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

"THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—
“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:12-17

Today we still live in a land of wrestling, wrestling with problems, with financial issues, with people issues, with decisions of every type and substance, but we have in recent years put the great light "under a bushel basket". As our world and our society spin wildly out of control heading toward the abyss the churches remain unconcerned and oblivious to their part in the morass.

Jesus said, " “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ Matthew 11:16-17

"Children who call out to other children" is a statement about "this generation" regarding their maturity and purpose. The message is of a young child who tries many things to achieve acceptance with little in the way of permanent results. Such defines today's churches as week after week they pattern their approaches toward acceptability.

The very same description could be applied to each of us individual Christians. Do we live radical lives of faith or have we been molded into an acceptable image of a dying world?

The message that Jesus brings to each of us today is a simple one: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Remaining where you are is easy. It is a giant step to accept the invitation into the Kingdom! The difference is remarkable but the world may not appreciate the new you! But then you would be in good company!

The Name of God!

2011-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

This thought came to to me yesterday while I was asking God to show me what He wanted me to know:

Psalm 79 :8-10

Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us;
Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,
For we are brought very low.

For generations, now, the "forefathers" of our faith have let us down. Once there was a bold and faithful church that, even with all of its problems, held the line against moral decline in our country. We haven't gotten here overnight.

There was a time when difficult times like we are going through would bring our society back to God. Today, we simply brace ourselves against the wind and press on with our dysfunctional lifestyles.

The psalmist realized that the current state of God's people was not simply a casual drift to worldliness but, rather, an accumulation of sins that started long ago and built one on top of the other until God was not to be found.

He also realized that the people had left God so far behind that it was not longer and option for God to restore His people. He asked, rather, that God's compassion" would be aligned to meet up with His people as they were walking their own direction.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Here is where we find the tender heart of the psalmist. He was no longer willing to excuse the people; no longer willing to strike a bargain with God!

No, his heart was after protecting God's name! The pathetic record of the people had brought scorn upon their God and the psalmist appealed to God about protecting His name. Not for the people; not for the "church" leaders; not for restoring their relationship! Just for God's name alone!

Has God's name ever been in less regard than in our current society? Perhaps it is time that we turn our attention toward God's name and to begin asking for Him to protect and exalt His own name!

Tough Times Bring New Opportunities

2011-06-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Many of our friends and family members, even many of us, are dealing with some pretty difficult situations right now. Last week I was reading in the Book of James and a couple of scriptures jumped out to me:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12

The crown of life comes to those who know the deep, deep rest and security by a tested faith.

But the one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, having not been a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be bless in all that he does. James 2:25

Read this scripture a couple of times!

The "perfect" law is the law of liberty. Scripture says, "It is for freedom that Jesus you free". Galatians 5:1

Our greatest stress and our heaviest burdens come out of false expectations and self delusions. The law of rules brings its ugly results of death and drudgery. The perfect law of liberty brings life that flows from within like streams of living water.

The choice lies before you; enter His rest or logic your way into continued frustration and misery.

Promised But Seldom Entered

2011-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

The story of the nation of Israel’s release from years of captivity in Egypt begins in Exodus 4. The final act that “buys” their release, the blood of the lamb, is in chapter 11.

To assure that this freed people would not lose their way to God's blessings and provision, a pillar of fire in the night and a cloud during the day wold guide them every step of the way on their journey (Exodus 13:21-22)

For several generations, God had promised a specific land to Israel. Not only did He promise the land, but He released them from their captors and guided them directly to the place of entrance into the promised land.

Israel balked. They came right up to the point of decision and they chose not to enter the land. ( Numbers 13). God’s reaction to Israel’s balking?:

Surely, all the men who have seen My glory and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. Numbers 14:22-23

After the "balking" generation passed away the Nation of Israel is again at the entry point of the promised land.

Deuteronomy 12:8-12 is the key section for us to understand clearly what the new terms of their entrance would be: It explicitly states that "tomorrow" everything changes. “you shall not do all that we are doing here today…” All of the do's and don'ts of the law were being left on the wilderness side to the border.

The promise is that Israel will live in rest and security provided they enter the land of promise as God intended.

Unfortunately, Hebrews 4 states that Israel NEVER entered the promised rest and security and continues on warning us that we also might miss it if we respond to God the way Israel did. The crowning statement is verse 19: ..they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

The bottom line is that the people of Israel never entered the land of security and rest because every step of the way they “Logic-ed” their way through the enemies and issues. God required that they enter the land knowing the He had given it to them and that it was He who would clear the way and fight their enemies.

The invitation to us is the same. Cross the Jordan that separates the dominion of this world from the kingdom of God; the world from the promised land; drudgery and toil from rest and security. It is only by faith that we can enter the promised land!

Values in Question

2011-06-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today we take a look at a difficult issue. This comes from the book of 2 Timothy chapter 4.

Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica... (v 9&10)

So here is the tough question for you: What evidence is there that you don't love "this present world" more than Jesus?

Where do you spend your time and energy? Where is your "treasure"? Jesus said it plainly enough, it is impossible to love both God and mammon.

Look at your past week. Except for an hour or two on Sunday, how much attention did you give toward our gracious God?

(On a personal note, I am not certain if this blog makes any difference. I am thinking of discontinuing the blog and figuring our another way to communicate more effectively what God is telling me.)

Jesus talked about a church (Book of Revelation) that had "lost its first love". Has your passion for Jesus abated or diminished from the past? Do what Jesus told the church "repent" and return to the lover of your soul.

Opportunity Awaits!

2011-05-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;

and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."

Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Matthew 4:8-10

This interaction between Jesus and Satan takes place toward the latter stages of four different temptations that Jesus was sent out by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to experience.

The fascinating thing about this brief encounter is that Jesus did not argue the “ownership” issue with Satan. He clearly knew “all the kingdoms of the world” were Satan’s to keep or to give away as he chose.

So why are we, as Christians, so comfortable in this world which is clearly the lair of the enemy? We have compromised over and over again until we fit pretty naturally now in ‘the kingdoms of this world”.

We are strangers in a foreign land but we look pretty much like its citizens.

This world is not our home. Higher than we can ask or even imagine is the place that Jesus has prepared for us and has ready and waiting of us.

We are called to be a unique people. Unique people tend to get noticed for their uniqueness don’t they?

How are we going to bring others along with us to meet our Father and to see our future home if we are nothing more or nothing different that all of other ordinary citizens of this world?

God has invited you to the greatest adventure ever considered! We have been appointed as His ambassadors charged with the opportunity of reconciling people to our God! An ambassador does not entangle himself in the customs and the political issues of the country he is in because his loyalty lies with his home country.

Pick up the mantle and kill the oxen! Your opportunity awaits!

God's Righteous Judgment

2011-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today we will take a look at Psalm 9:7-10

But the LORD abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.

For too long God's people have been under the misconception that the throne of God is for judgment (partly right/partly wrong). His throne of judgment is described "righteous". But the last part of this section is reason to celebrate His righteous judgment.

You see, He doesn't say that the throne of righteous judgment is "against" His people? NO, He states otherwise; the throne is "for" His people

God's purpose of judgment is to bring everything back into "equity". The righteous judgment is solely designed and targeted toward Satan and his emissaries.

Equity requires that a price be paid by the one who has caused all of the misery and ugliness brought into God's beautiful, peaceful world. Equity will not be met until the putrid results of satan's works in the lives of God's people is paid for!

Marriages, families, relationships, church leaders, fathers, mothers and all of the rest of God's perfect design has been debased due to an enemy so vile and so wicked. This is the target of God's righteous judgment.

The psalm goes on to make the case that God is so much for us that:

The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Shout to the Lord! His goodness toward us is absolutely worth shouting about!

Rejoice in His righteous judgment. The enemy's time is near!

Playground Supervisor?

2011-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just how big is your God? Is he like a playground supervisor that mediates scuffles or answers your complaints and questions? Is he like a grouchy next door neighbor that you just approach only when you have to?

We have all shrunken God down to the size of our problems. Isn't it convenient to have a pocket-sized God; there when you need him?

The problem with these customized sized gods is that they just are too easy. They don't expect much but they don't accomplish much either.

It is time to let God out of the box inside of our minds. You see, our lives are shrunken down in the same ratio that our God has been shrunken within our minds.

Expand your God and expand your life!

The big, big, very big God is also there when you need Him but this God makes a big, big, very big difference.

Are you seeing miracles in your life? If not why not? It is simply because you do not need a miracle to do what you do! It is no more complicated that that. God is the same God that we read about in every book of the Bible! He is a miracle working God!

Does you mind have room for that God?

First Love Reconsidered?

2011-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered about what has happened to the Body of Jesus that we liberally call "the church'? I'm not saying that I have all of the answers but just perhaps scripture can give us some insight.

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lamp-stands, says this:

I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lamp-stand out of its place--unless you repent. Revelation 2:1-5

First love? What is first love and how has the church of Jesus left it behind?

Perhaps you have experienced a new believer that is so excited about his new faith that he is giddy and wants to tell everybody about it? Maybe you were once there yourself. Certainly, there was an overwhelming dose of this kind of experience for all of those in the first days after the church was born.

The amazing thing about that "first love" was that it came with little burden for the facts or responsibility for "defending" their new faith. It just simply didn't matter!

So what has happened? Week after week, and sometimes day after day, we listen to teaching about what the Bible has to say about every topic known to mankind. The problem is not in the learning of facts but that the learning of facts seems to divert our attention from our "first love".

One glaring example of this diagnosis is this. (And here I will do a little ranting for a moment).

Why, oh why, oh why does most of Christendom continue use the title for who Jesus was rather than His actual name? Over and over again I hear Christians teach about some great spiritual lesson and they automatically default to the title of Christ rather than the name of Jesus.

but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31

True life is in His Name; not in His title!

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

With God placing such emphasis in the Name of Jesus why is the title of Christ or preeminent in Christian teaching today? It seems to me to be preferred to use the title over the name. So much so is the overuse of the term Christ that it now rankles me just to hear it used.

Yes the Church of Jesus, universal, has left its first love!

How about you? Are you more in love with Him than yesterday? Relationships are delicate creations. They can not simply roll along without attention!

Jesus is worth the attention! Jesus is worth being recommended! He is the Christ but His name is Jesus!

As Clear as Day and Night

2011-05-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

"But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." John 11:9&10

As I was re-reading the story of the raising Lazarus from the dead, there was a brief statement by Jesus that stopped me in my tracks.

What did He say? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, yea, that much makes sense but the next part because he sees the light of this world was eye-opening for me. I was fully expecting Jesus to say "because he sees the obstacles in his path".

See that is the difference between God's truth and earthly wisdom. We tend to approach God's word and His message from an earthly wisdom standpoint. That is why we so often just miss His true message and His real identity.

I will keep from stumbling by seeing the true light of the world not by looking for the stumbling blocks in my path. Jesus underlines His point by stating it again in a conversely positioned statement.

Him who walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him Is it becoming clear yet? Walking the narrow path requires that there be a light within us. It is not about knowing more about God; it is entirely about us actually knowing God!

Too many teachers will try to tell us that obstacle identification and avoidance are critical to our spiritual well being. This couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus says that if we see the light the obstacles well not longer be attractive.

Remember the first sin? Do you recall that there simply was not sin until God identified and obstacle and Satan then pointed it out over and over again. Contrast the "before" and the "after" of Adam and Eve's relationship with God. The before is the intimate relationship of knowing one another as they walked daily together. The after is a broken relationship of hiding and blame and fear!

Take a look at today's Church of Jesus. Is there more of the "before" or the "after" picture that you see? Our society is decaying solely because the Church of Jesus has left the "before" an bought into the "after".

How about you? Are you ready to return to the truth that brings true freedom?

Sold a Bill of Goods Again?

2011-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Religion is both an attractive and a reprehensible thing. The flesh of human kind is greatly attracted to religion. As a matter of fact, religion is the lowest denominator in life. It is far too easy to drop to the the very base of spirituality and quickly substitute religion for what originally began as a spiritual search.

The Apostle Paul dealt with this tendency when he wrote his letter to the church in Colossae.

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

Fraud is a strong charge! Fraud is an outright lie meant to deceive. Being defrauded from a prize means that something of value has been stolen from you.

Paul now seeks to set things straight:

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,

"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"

(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?

These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. Colossians 2:18ff

My frustration continues to grow when I hear Christian teachers drone on and on about the frailties of today's Christians with the heavy message of more and more rule and prescriptions that have "the appearance of wisdom" and exhort people to "turn way" from sin. Paul says all of these messages are of "no value against fleshly indulgence".

The whole Bible is filled with people who have been radically saved by God only to desert Him months or weeks later in their pursuit of fleshly indulgences. It simply was not for lack of instruction, threats or warnings that the people strayed. It was simply because religion just doesn't make any positive difference in a life or in a culture.

Run from these types of teachers. They disguise captivity and frustration in silky words that appeal to the flesh. Self-abasement and severe treatment of the body makes sense to the flesh since it is our fleshly lusts that seem to plague us the most. Paul states, however, the diagnosis may be correct but the prescription delivered by some is bankrupt.

We have been set free for freedoms sake and the more we opt to live in the liberty of Jesus the more we fall i love with Him. The more we fall in love with Him, the less attractive are the things that formerly attracted us in the flesh.

FREEDOM!

Alive But Held Captive

2011-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." John 11:44

This scripture really hit me this week and my mind had been spinning with the real good news! How this illustrates what Jesus did for us is absolutely stunning.

You were once dead in your sins, Paul says to the Ephesians (2:1) and God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ. (v 4-6)

Notice that the Ephesians quote talks about what our God has already done! This is the finished work of the good news of Jesus. He, raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ.

Here is where we need to turn back to the first scripture, the account of Lazarus being raised from the dead. Jesus instructed those attending: "Unbind him, and let him go."

Many of us have been made alive like Lazarus in the story but many of us are still bound up in restraints.

Read the Book of Acts about the actions of the first Christians and you can't help but discover a disparity between what you see there and what you see in today's churches.

What kinds of things keep Christians bound up? You could list hundreds, I am sure,but suffice it to say the values and wants of the world have transfixed the people of God so much that we look just like those who not yet "seated with Him in the heavenly places".

The Holy Spirit will open up the bondages that are holding you captive if you just ask Him. He will also give you the strength and the drive to loose them.

Jesus is saying, "Unbind him, and let him go." Will you be set free?

Entry to the Kingdom of Heaven

2011-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have an almost four year old granddaughter who has taught me much. Just today, as I dropped her and her mother off at the airport to head to Disneyland, I was hit with the reality of what Jesus had to say in Matthew 18

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,

and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (verses 1-4)

As we were on the way to the airport we told her: "today you will be going on an airplane, a train and a bus". Her response "a slow train or a fast train". See she has never been on an airplane, a train or a bus yet she accepted the premise of being on each one without question.

The "faith" of a child is that kind of trust that Jesus said we must have to "enter the kingdom of heaven". A child doesn't need to ask for proof that airplanes exist or that heavy metal can indeed fly. A bus? So many questions could have been asked. Children just simply believe.

Yes, we are eternally saved by faith and we will all, those who have placed their total trust in the blood of Jesus, will one day enter the eternal kingdom when Jesus comes for us or we leave here and go to Him.

The invitation that Jesus offers us to to enter His kingdom now! It doesn't come without a serious cost. We must surrender our right to control our own lives and choose to live by childlike faith. It is a choice!

Will you choose to live in the kingdom or will you choose to stumble along in the dark by pretending that you have control?

Dry Bones With No Hope

2011-04-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.

He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.

He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.'

"Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.

'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'"

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'"

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished We are completely cut off.'

"Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.

"Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.

"I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD.'" Ezekiel 37:1-14

A strange story to begin this message with isn't it. This was the message the God place on my heart last week. There is a scriptural connection with the historical nation of Israel and the current church. I believe that the message to Ezekiel regarding the state of Israel is appropriate for today's U.S. church as well.

Walk through a store or a local shopping mall and attempt to pick out the Christians from the non-Christians. How accurate do you think you would be. It is amazing to me that two Christians can work in the same place for months or for years and not know that they are not alone.

The visible witness for today's church is gone. Here is where we return to the text.

"these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished We are completely cut off.'"

"Our hope has perished" is a description of today's Church. Joy? Not so much! We are buried under our circumstances and have lost the vibrancy of our lives in Jesus.

What is the answer? The text seems to indicate that there is a two step process to returning the dry bones to an exceedingly great army.

Step one is for a few of God's anointed to begin to pray that the dry bones will begin to hear the Word of the Lord. Step two is for God's anointed and for the "hopeless" bones to begin to pray for the breath of the Spirit of God to come from the four corners to do is life giving work.

Are you one of God's anointed for this purpose? If so, begin to pray and suggest this blog to others who might pick up the mantle. If you are not prepared to stand in the gap for His church simply consider passing this blog on to someone else who might enjoy the challenge.

Rest in Peace

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

You've heard it, I have too. Just recently I was it again as someone wish the departed "rest in peace". I immediately began to remember the words of Jeremiah which say:

They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,Saying, "Peace, peace, But there is no peace". Jeremiah 6:14.

No there is no peace outside of Jesus the "Prince of Peace". As a matter of fact most Christians fail to dwell in peace in spite of peace being one of the specific named fruits that the Holy Spirit brings with Him when He takes up residence in a new believer.

That discussion I will keep for another time however. Today to focus is on the empty wish of peace for the recently departed.

There will be anything BUT peace for those who die without Jesus! We too easily forget the horrific future of the damned! If we properly understood the ugliness or the horror awaiting our family and friends our prayers and our witness would take on a whole other dimension.

Nor will peace be an issue for the redeemed. The radiating joy and fullness will overwhelm every other sense. Gone are all weeping. Gone are all troubles. Gone are all concerns. Only jubilant celebration and overriding sense of wonder!

No there is no peace except for those who fully understand what Jesus did for us. It is coming to grips with the "desparate-ness" of who we really are and the grandeur of who Jesus is and what He has done that fully sets us free from worry and fret.

Consider an invitation to fall in love with Jesus! He been calling you into the love relationship that He did all of the work for. The only thing that stands in your way are religion and your preconceived conception about God! Flee from these shackles and run to Jesus!

What Do You Want Jesus To Do For You?

2011-03-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Gathered together in the Prayer Room at our church during the ongoing services and praying as the Holy Spirit leads us a guy walked into the room for prayer. After he sat down and we concluded the current train of prayer, I looked at this guy that I have known for some time and asked, did you come in here for prayer?

He responded with the great physical ordeal that he was facing along with all of the possible negative outcomes. After he went on about his issues for a few minutes, I asked him directly; "What do you want Jesus to do for you"

He responded to my direct question by returning to his list of dim possibilities as if I had not heard them the first time.

This told me much. He came in not for real prayer but as a good-luck charm that he could add to his charm bracelet. He was so immersed in his "death spiral" that he couldn't even hear my question. What religious teaching had instructed him to was to wallow in his tough situation.

Jesus simply doesn't care to hear all of the aches and moans. He already knows our troubles far better and we do ourselves. Jesus lamented, one day, "will the Son of Man find faith on the Earth when he returns?" Faith an endangered species today. Far preferable to faith is the certainty of a paycheck, a mortgage payment, dependable car and even a terrible illness.

So let me ask you, "what do you want Jesus to do for you?"

Oh, don't tell me, I can do nothing that you yourself can't to. Just tell Him?

Open For Business

2011-03-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Revelation 3:18

For Sale: Pure gold, crystal white garments and precious healing eye salve.

There is only one place where these items can be purchased and the price for each is impossibly high. these will not be found at the local mall or, even, online. They can be purchased from only a single source.

We live in a filthy world. We are surrounded by filth and, unfortunately, the filth doesn't remain on the outside as only someone else's problem. We easily and quickly exchange the things of exquisite value for shiny trinkets of momentary pleasure and fleeting happiness.

Oh, the things our eyes behold. We are flooded with input but seldom do we really see.

Yes, we could use a little updating of our possessions. A taste of true riches perhaps; a brand new "outfit" to dazzle the crowds and/or renewed eyes that see the unseen!

Don't get your checkbook out just yet for, you see, the cost to buy these clarifying and life changing things goes far beyond the mundane of a paltry checkbook. It will cost you absolutely everything! Oh, you certainly can choose to hold onto the things that you think are not worth surrendering for the prize offered. No one will force you to make such a wild and reckless decision. It is only true faith that will compel you to open the door to the wild and recklessness of walking in wealth beyond measure, righteousness overflowing and an insight to a world beyond ordinary vision.

There exists one singular merchant for these fine goods. He has sufficient inventory to meet any request.

Jesus calls: I advise you to buy from Me...

Blessing and Vindication

2011-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty‑‑ he is the King of glory. Selah” (Psalm 24:3‑10).

We fight so many battles; we carry such heavy loads and, day after day, we seem to get nowhere. Wouldn't a little "vindication" be nice?

“Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?" is the question. Surely not me who is so terribly dysfunctional most of the time. Worse, because dysfunction can be excused, I purposely and stubbornly choose my own way most of the time.

"Who may stand in his holy place?" Surely not me?! Nothing as unholy as me and my mind could qualify!

'He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false'

There it is; clean hands, nope. Pure heart; not even close. Let's not even open the "searing by what is false" issue.

Does any of this surprise or disappoint God? No, He is pretty much fully aware of all my issues. He knows!

Hence: Jesus!

If I wasn't so messed up; Jesus would have been unnecessary! If the gulf between the requirements for he who could ascend God's hill and me was not so vast a simple bridge might be constructed.

No, it took Jesus and only Jesus.

On my very best days my hands are not clean and my heart is not pure. But even on my very worst days Jesus is still Jesus and His blood is still pure!

Therefore, the psalmist can encourage us to "Lift up your heads" If we would just simply understand that Jesus and His blood is enough, all of our battles would become His! "He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior".

Agree with Him! Agree with Him about who you really are and agree with Him about who He is and all that He has done to qualify you to walk up that hill.

Worship

2011-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've had it! I am so irritated over most of the current wave of "worship" songs. Have you ever noticed how many of them come from a personal direction? "I will follow..." "As You respond to me..." The "I" , the "me" and the "us" is just another example of the sickness that is effecting the current church. Listen to current Christian with a critical ear for a couple of days.

As much as this irritates me the continued connection between music and singing and worship is an assault to our God. Almost each week as the musicians "dismiss" the church they make a statement to the effect that the team will continue to "worship" as the people leave. Really?

We have dumbed down the term of worship to the point of it not even being an issue anymore. Where are the protests, does no one care?

One simply can not worship in mass on Sunday if he hasn't personally worshiped the prior days leading up to the gathering. The lack of worship, although a major issue, is not the issue here however. The issue is how the church continues to propagate the "worship is music" message.

My rant is over!

Don't allowt the malaise that is currently going on on Christian radio or in your church deflect your true worship. He is indeed worthy!!!!1

Live Beyond Your Circumstances

2011-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

For several months now, I have been telling people a brief story:

If, on that day when God came to the Garden of Eden, instead of saying, "Adam, where are you?" he said, "Adam, I know where you are." and He turned His back on mankind and walked away, still:

He would be worthy of all praise

He would be worthy of all honor

He would be worthy of everything that we could offer!

But the truth is, He did seek Adam! How could we give Him less!

This last weekend, God completed the story:

"Adam, where are you?" God inquired.

"My God, why have you forsaken Me? ( "My Father, where are you?")" Jesus pleaded

God did not turn His back on Adam. Instead, He turned His back on Jesus so that He could turn His face toward me!

Still He calls out: "____________, where are you?"

What are you still hiding from Him?

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (surrender) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". Philippians 4:4-7

Too often we hear the last part of the passage regarding "the peace that surpasses comprehension but we fail to realize that there is a precondition.

Rejoice ALWAYS; in EVERYTHING...with thanksgiving; these are the things that guard our hearts and minds which lead to the peace that doesn't make sense!

Rejoice, the Lord is near!

"It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for others, He'll do for you..."

These beginning words to an old Christian song present a wonderful message.

It is no secret for many reasons not the least of which is Jesus told us! "The things that I do you shall do also and greater things shall you do because I go to the Father..." God has chosen to do much of His work through us. Somehow we must re-awaken to the truth that God desires to pour His power out through us!

Seek all that God desires for you in faith!

Don't settle for less.

The Power of the Word

2011-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Many are very familiar with this scripture. Knowing about this scripture is far different from knowing the scripture. There exists a serious lack, in terms of time invested, in the Bible by Christians today. This lack has brought sever consequences. Fear, stress, relationship troubles, pornography, impatience, debt, mistrust, insomnia are commonplace in the lives of Christians in current times.

Jesus prayed the following words: "They (the followers of Jesus) are not of this world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:16&17

We are “sanctified”(set apart for God’s purposes) by God’s word. There is no other method available. Jesus knew that living in this world dilutes are strongest resolutions. The “truths” of this world begin to take on an air of acceptability over time. The only antidote for the “truths” of this world are the real truths of God’s world and the only place that we experience God’s world is through His word.

Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is living and active. Clearly then, scripture is not a stagnant document. This is an important distinction because, unlike every other book or document, the Bible reveals its truths in levels.

…the natural man does not accept the things of God; for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. I Corinthians 2:14

The closer we are to our “natural man” the less likely we are to read the scriptures because we do not “understand them”. The amazing resilience of scripture provides that, even if we begin close to our “natural man” state, the “sharp, two-edged sword begins to speak to our spiritual man.

As our spiritual nature feeds on God’s word, our spiritual nature grows stronger and stronger. As our spiritual nature (faith) grows new levels of scriptural truth open up to us.

It is time to begin again. Pick up God’s word and ask the Holy Spirit to direct your thoughts and reveal His truth.

Forgotten Authority

2011-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Authority; there are so many different thoughts and ideas about what this word means. Depending upon one’s personal experiences and/or educational or societal background the weight, the power or the rights that this word carries will vary. The principle of authority, as might be guessed, is seen and understood significantly different in God’s kingdom.

Before we look further into the issue of authority, it is important that we first understand that there is a wide separation between how matters work within God’s kingdom and how they work within the realm of this world’s structures and priorities. Scripture helps us to understand these differences by giving them different names. As we have already recognized, the realm of God’s influence is termed the Kingdom of God. The realm of this world’s systems influence is termed the dominion.

As you may recall, God did not give Adam ownership in the Garden of Eden. What He did give to Adam was dominion over the Garden and its produce and its inhabitants.

It is so plainly simple, but we make it so complicated by attempting ownership with the things that were never ours to own. We will develop this thought in another chapter but for now we must return to the idea of this world was created for mankind to have dominion (subdue and rule).

This dominion, which was ordained for mankind, was surrendered when Adam chose to subject himself to another god (Satan).

Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread till you return to the ground because from it you were taken; for you are dust and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:17-19

LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. Genesis 3:23

From this time on to the present day, mankind has been a laborer within the domain that was surrendered on that day. We must understand that man could not surrender that which was not his. The ownership of everything remained with Almighty God, the Creator. All that mankind surrendered was the subduing and the ruling of Gods’ creation (domain).

Jesus addressed the clear distinction between the two positions or realms:

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm." John 18:36

Here is where things become incredibly interesting. In referring to Jesus, scripture says:

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (Colossians 1:13)

There several important truths presented here that we must see before we move on in our understanding. First, this scripture talks about an event that has already happened; it is in the “past-sense” that we (the redeemed) have been transferred from one realm into the other.

The second truth is that we were “rescued” from the domain of darkness. We were entirely captive and helpless in the very realm that we was designed for us to subdue and rule. Instead, for most of our lives we have been subdued and ruled by that realm.

The third truth is that we have been transferred into God’s kingdom the very place where it all began.

Live a life of confident authority! Jesus deserves it!

A Message To The Church

2011-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Week after week, pulpits are filled with noble people who have been deceived. Each week a preacher is put in a position between humble, obedient service and pride. Ego is a demanding ogre!

I am not here accusing any preacher of wanton exhibitionism or purposeful attention seeking. What I am saying is that we have gotten the weekly meeting of the church ting totally wrong for so long that it is no longer relevant to our society.

Before we go too far here let’s look at what the Apostle Paul said about his approach to ministry at the Corinthian church.

"And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling," I Corinthians 2:1-3

It would see that our teachers are no longer satisfied with the simple clean message and must dazzle us with words from the Greek or a treatise of some theological issue. All the time the congregation sits in a well practiced trance; hearing little, thinking much. The problem is that their thoughts are not toward the wonderful grace of our God but run the gambit of every mundane thing that is going on in their miserable lives.

Judge for yourself. Is the church more healthy today than in the past? Are we heading in a better or worse direction?

I know very well that this is a harsh and radical statement. It would seem that few care to listen to one who issues such condemning accusations. But the cost of eternal lives is in the balance. Last week I heard a new, to me anyway, term that is funny but shocking.

The conversation was centered around evangelism and the discussion mentioned three spiritual states of man: believer, unbeliever and make-believer. This “make-believer” thing is a huge change in thought for me. How many people sit in our churches as “make-believers” because we have gotten the Sunday morning thing wrong?

Jesus told His followers a story one day about some sheep and some goats. The startling thing to me is that the goats, who would not inherit eternal life were shocked at the news. They thought that they were sheep and no one told them differently until it was too late.

I don’t know your personal contribution or participation in today’s sham each of us must examine our own view of the message that we deliver with our own witness. Is the message convoluted and defensive or is it simple and clean?

Desperation or Wonder

2011-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

I call out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depths and You heard my voice…Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.

While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple…I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. Jonah 2:2-9

By the reference you most likely know that the author of the text placed himself in a pretty precarious position due to his own choices and decisions. I’m quite certain that you haven’t encountered the wrong side of a big fish but, undoubtedly, you have placed yourself in your own precarious situations due to some less that stellar decisions of your own. So how did you feel when the weeds were wrapped around your head?

A flood of feelings come to mind but a desire to pray isn’t likely one of those. Desperation oftentimes compels us to "cry out" to the Lord. This type of desperate prayer is absolutely valid and necessary from time to time. We see another example of this when Peter jumped out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the surface of the lake only to begin to sink. Peter discovered that he had few options and he "cried out" "save me Lord". Of course Jesus did rescue Peter from his decision in spite of the weakness of his faith. Likewise, Jonah found himself in a desperate situation due to decisions that he had made and had few options available to him therefore he "cried out" to God for help.

Although valid and acceptable because of Jesus, desperation prayer is not a prayer of faith. A prayer of faith accomplishes things beyond our ability to comprehend and oftentimes beyond our ability to see. After all, that is what faith is all about.

The pathway from the prayer of desperation to the prayer of faith is illustrated in Jonah’s text: I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving.

Oh, how easy it is to express our thankfulness when things are going well. It is a different matter entirely when we are wrapped in seaweed at the bottom of the ocean. This is the type of sacrifice that reaches the very heart of God. This is the sacrifice that is modeled after Jesus when in agony caused by his physical pain magnified beyond all reason by my sin on His back He ask the Father to "forgive them".

Today, right this moment, there are things or people or situations that are not to you liking. You have been burdened by this thing for some time. Now would be a good time to offer Jesus a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" as you throw yourself upon His mighty shoulders.

Rejoice and Persevere

2011-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Romans 12:12 says:

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer"

How easy it is to "rejoice" in hope. I know that we sometimes lose focus on the "hope that is within us" but we nevertheless know deep within who wins!

Being patient in suffering is a bit more difficult. Perhaps we easily fall into impatient frustration over our suffering at times but eventually we have no choice but to be patient or to be continually frustrated.

The last part of this phrase is intriguing don't you agree? "Persevere" in prayer? Does God know us intimately, or what? Prayer is tough; no not the simple act of praying, that's not what is tough. What is tough is to remember to pray, desire to pray, and to effectively pray.

Perseverance is "hanging in there" in spite of everything else. Do you think we would have an issue with praying if God immediately granted our every request? If we could simply make our request and turn around at see that it had happened, surely we would find praying easy and desirable.

It is the faith component that makes praying difficult and makes staying faithful to prayer a matter of perseverance.

Don't be discouraged when your prayer life seems cold. That happens to all of us. If it were easy anybody could do it; it isn't easy that's why God has called you to do it. It's not about us being perfectly faithful; it's about a team that God has brought together to see that prayer is a constant in and in behalf of His Church and His world!

A Home in the Kingdom of Peace

2011-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Our society is spinning out of control; contentious politics, terrorism and war around the world, partisan news agencies, incessant unemployment, angry drivers...the list goes on and on. Pressures mount around us and before long we begin to internalize our surroundings.

Life was never meant to be this way. Remember the setting of the Garden of Eden? A garden with plentiful food and comfort all around. A man and a woman with an appointment every day to take a casual walk in the garden with their Creator.

Jesus came came to restore the balance surrendered by Adam. He has completed His task but it is up to us to accept His gift. Too many of us turn to so many other things to placate our stress. Some turn to alcohol, some to pornography, some to movies or television, others to music or literature. Each of these has its own traps hidden within them that lead to only temporary relief from our issues.

Isaiah 9:6 And He shall be called...Prince of Peace...

Sure we've heard the words many times before but have they taken root in your spirit? Jesus is the Prince we are His subjects, the land that we are offered is the kingdom of peace.

Don't forsake the gift of peace; deep, deep peace. Regardless of any circumstances God's peace is stronger still!

So important was our ability to dwell in peace that God guaranteed it be providing it as a trait and a gift of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

Galatians 5:22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...

Does this sound like your life? Why not? It is a gift that is waiting for you!

Surrender and become a subject to the kingdom of peace!

Will You Be One?

2011-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to Your and eagerly watch Psalm 5:3

Here is a radical thought. Why not take God at His word?

And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. Matthew 21:22

Do we think that we need to be something more than we are to get results through our prayer? Jesus had not preconditions on His promise other than to simply believe. Like the psalmist "eagerly"watching for the results is what believing is about.

but he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

Faith is important to our God. It is the language of heaven that brings results.

Why not use the Psalmists method: In the morning, I will bring my prayer to You! and then, I will earerly watch!

He promised, He is faithful, He is capeable, He is searching for people of faith to do mighty things through. Will you be one of them?

What is Wrong With God's People?

2010-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that there is a spirit of malaise or a spirit of stupor over God's people. If someone were to walk into church one weekend and offer to give someone $1 million, I expect that there would be an atmosphere of excitement and expectation.

It is far, far more that one million dollars that is offered every week but is ignored or unheard! There is something going on in the spiritual realm.

For several weeks the Holy Spirit has been percolating a message that He has asked me to send you. In no way is this message intended to accuse you or lay any responsibility, other than that brought by the Holy Spirit, upon you.

Here is the message that has been on my mind that may or may not be applicable to you. Please precede your time reading this message with prayer.

Days drew on into months, then into years. What started as a mild seduction pulled God’s people into a complex web. So intertwined, into the culture of Ezekiel, was the web of sin that God would no longer tolerate the duplicity. See the people never outright rejected the God of Israel they simply broadened their prospects. The problem was not a common problem therefore the solution would not be the common solution.

Chapter 9 of Ezekiel:

Then He cried our in my hearing with a loud voice saying, “O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand”. And behold, six men cam from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold or the temple. And He called the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.

And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in their midst.” But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare, utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark…”

Take a few moments some time to see the results of this process. It is shocking! Apparently the only one that qualified for the mark was Ezekiel himself.

Society had regressed to the point that there was only one individual who cared about the state of the sin around him.

The journey continued so that Ezekiel could see the underlying cause, indication or effect of the degradation.

Chapter 3:16-21

Now it came about at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman over the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you shall have delivered yourself. Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.”

God had done His part in establishing “watchmen” over the house. The watchmen drifted away:

Ezekiel 8:7-12

Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. And He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. And He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.”

So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. And standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel…each man with a censer in his hand, and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising. And He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images?’”

It didn’t happened suddenly. Each of those in positions of influence and leadership had the boldest ideals but, over time, the ideals were reduced to the very lowest of common denominators. Not in the open light of day, but in the dark recesses of their lives, they built their idols.

What idols were so tempting to them?

Perhaps they were not much different that our own:

A job or career?

A car or house?

A position?

Your 401-k?

Your family?

Your personal goals?

Your heath or fitness?

The list goes on and on.

Television, movies, novels, recreation in place of the bible and prayer

Pornography, alcohol, escapes of any kind….

What, if anything, have you carved on your walls?

God invites you back.

Consecrate yourself to the Living God!

Freedom That Brings Righteousness

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

For far too many years now Christians have been buying into lies. Not just lies but damned lies. "Got to have a quite time every day", "must be baptized", "got to quit (select one: eating so much, watching so much TV, smoking, drinking, pornography, getting angry)" and on and on...

The gospel, which defined is "good news" is pure and undefiled good news. Many church leaders have gotten off course and sold us a lie. Listen to the Word of God!

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
"BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
"BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT."
Romans 5:4-8

The cart before the horse teaching of trying to be "good enough" to be a "good Christian" has dampened that lives and the witness of Christians for too many years now!

Accept, if you have accepted Jesus as your personal savior, that you are seen as holy by our God! If you will surrender your "works" and pick up His gift, your life will respond with overwhelming joy. Once the joy moves in, the desires for the aberrant things that were so very attractive to us disappear.

The more we try to defeat the wrong desires the more they will create deeper longing for those desires. We can not slay the evil that is within us it is only the indwelling Holy Spirit that can override our desires. We must quit quenching the Holy Spirit's fruitfulness in our lives by our "works" mentality. Your commitment to be more holy has gotten you what?

Surrender to grace! There is no other way!

Jesus Paid It ALL!!!!!

2010-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Jesus paid it all! Why do we think that we have to "be better", "quit something", "start doing something" to be acceptable to our God?

The writer of Hebrews deals with this issue: Hebrews 10

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

We have confidence because He is faithful! No where does scripture indicate that the redeamed need to clean-up their lives or begin to be more faithful do be more acceptable. As a matter of fact scripture indicates quite the opposite. God sees our self earned righteousness as nothing more that filthy, stinky rags.

Hebrews drives this point painfuly home with these comments:

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

The bottom line is this. If the blood of Jesus is not enough, there is no hope for you! Jesus paid it all! God sees our efforts to add to what Jesus did as an afront. It is simply another example of Adam's original sin of attempting to place himself in God's position! You don't want to go there!

He Became; We Might Be!

2010-12-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

What did Jesus do for you? If you are like most Christians you would say something along the lines of, "He died on the cross for my sins". There is nothing wrong with that answer although it is only a partial answer.

It is because Christians have settled for the partial answer that the visible and the verbal witness of the Church cowers in the corner of our society rather than boldly attacking the gates of hell around us.

So what is the complete answer?

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Corinthians 5:21

Read that scripture one more time!

Do get it? I mean, do you really, really get it?

Jesus not only died on the cross, He actually became "sin" so that "sin" would die on that cross and be judged and sentenced to hell! The penalty for my sin, yesterday's, today's and all of my tomorrows sins, have already been judged and sentenced! It is a done deal!

As absolutely unbelievable as that is the second part is beyond grasp. Christians are now the "righteousness of God!" Just as my sin was planted on Jesus, His righteousness was planted on me!

on't miss this and don't pass it off too quickly. Jesus did not actually become a sinner when He became and I didn't actually become sinless when I became righteous!

When God sees a Christian He first sees the blood of Jesus covering His life and He need look no further. The blood of Jesus equals righteousness!

So why do we live lives of desperation? We are loaded down by circumstances because we fail to realize our position in Jesus! Read the Book of Acts to see what lives are lived by those who really "get it"!

Faith! Not a wistful hope but a "conviction of things not seen" Hebrew 11:1 Take a stand on God's truth! Accept your righteousness and begin to live like it!

A Heart Issue

2010-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Holy Spirit is such a wonderful teacher!

This week’s thoughts were centered around the Book of Ezekiel.

First let me explain how the Holy Spirit has shown me not only the message but has punctuated the message with the deep feelings of the message.

Do you remember a time when your heart hurt?

Some time ago Sheryl and I went to the shopping mall to do a little shopping. As we walked down the mall she decided she wanted to stop at a particular store to buy a gift for a friend. The store is a small, busy store so I decided that I didn’t need to join her in the store but, instead, would stand guard outside doing a little people watching.

Little did I know that this was the time that the Holy Spirit had in mind to show me the depth of God’s love. As I was scanning the crowd, down the mall walking in my direction was a father and his young daughter. My attention was immediately drawn to them. The father was a youngish, tall man and the girl was somewhere in the elementary school years age. She was looking a bit unkempt; her hair was straggled and her coat was half on and half off.

As they approached my post, the father was looking straight ahead while his daughter bounced around him trying to earn his attention. The best way that I can describe her actions to you, and every unfitting, is of a young puppy jumping around trying to get the attention of its master. She skipped and hopped around on one side of him; then quickly darted to the other side to do the same, jabbering all of the time. NOT ONCE, did the father even look down, smile or, in any way, acknowledge her.

My heart ached for that young girl. As I write this, my heart still aches!

There was a time in history when God specifically identified individuals with hurt hearts: Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in hand.” And behold, six men came from the district of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen at whose loins was a writing case. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in lined at whose loins was the writing case.

And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare…but do not touch any man on whom is the mark…” Ezekiel 9:1-6

Perhaps the saddest thing about this history is that it only took one person to mark those whose hearts hurt but it required six to lay out the judgment upon those whose hearts were cold.

Has there ever been a time when we substitute judgment for hurt hearts? To hear us talk about the state of our society one could quickly get the idea that we might be a tad judgmental. God looks for sighing and groaning and we give him gripes and disgust. The one dressed in linen looks for the troubled; the six with weapons look for the comfortable.

Jesus, displayed the depths of His heart one day, And when He approached the city (Jerusalem), He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! Luke 19:41&42

He said, further, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Matthew 23:37

I can’t tell you how much I wanted to hug that young, hungry for attention girl; or to grab the father and shake him out of his coma!

Surely you have experienced the hurt of a heart.

There is no place for judgment in the hearts of those whose hearts ache! There is only a longing for things to be set right; for peace!

Jesus, Isaiah states is the, Prince of Peace! 8:6

Do you know; I mean really know that in this day, even you, the things which make for peace are contained in HIM?

Ask our God to give you a new heart; a heart that is tender rather than judgemental; a heart that hurts rather than condemns.

Consider leaving a comment ot encourage others.

The Battle of Faith and Circumstances

2010-11-22T05:00:00.001-08:00

Difficult times continue on and on for those who have been struggling due to the economy or difficult job or family issues. This is not the first challenging time in the world's history.

Jeremiah 33:10-12

"Thus says the LORD, 'Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, "It is a waste, without man and without beast," that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,
"Give thanks to the LORD of hosts,
For the LORD is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting";
and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,' says the LORD.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'There will again be in this place which is waste, without man or beast, and in all its cities, a habitation of shepherds who rest their flocks.

Hear the word of the Lord. Circumstances do not determine the results in God's kingdom. Faith is the currency of the kingdom and faith is best expressed in words of thanksgiving to Jehovah Jireah, the God who provides.

Whenever your spirits begin to drag over circumstances there is a moment of choice. The world does not have this choice and Christians who do not avail themselves of the choices are subject to the whims of circumstances.

The choices: 1) circumstances determine my faith or 2) faith determines my circumstances.

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His lovingkindness is everlasting!"

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other

2010-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm 85

O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored the captivity of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin. Selah.

The word "selah" means a significant pause to consider what was just said. The greatest that God's people could hope for was that God would "cover" their sin. How can we remain silent, those of us how have been redeemed, because our sin is not simply covered up be totally erased. Jesus became sin that we might be the righteousness of God.

You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned away from Your burning anger.
Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.

Romans 8:1 "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Notice that this statement is in no way conditional. Our righteousness is but filthy rags in God's sight. The righteousness of Jesus that is accounted to us absolute!

Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?

This is my biggest frustration with the people of Jesus. Do we not realize what has been done for us? How can we not rejoice in every circumstance? God's mercies are new every morning for His people it just remains for us to find them.

Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.

Their prayerful longing is the very thing that we take for granted. Our lives display our level gratitude and our level of understanding our position in Jesus.

I will hear what God the LORD will say;
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
But let them not turn back to folly.

Do you hear his voice? He is speaking constantly. Please realize that this part opens up with the statement: "I will hear". We live in a noisy world. Everywhere we go there is noise and distraction. This noise has been put their for the very purpose of clogging our ears so we can not hear out God. To hear Him we must purpose to hear Him!

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.

Salvation = glory in the land. The church has fallen asleep. The world is the worse for the lack of glory that we openly display.

Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

This portion of this psalm has rocked me to the core. To my mind, love and godly truth seem to be separated. Either God can choose to love us or He can continue to stand for truth but God had found the only way, Jesus, to allow the two to meet.

Righteousness and peace are strained in today's world. We see many examples of angry "righteousness" in many of the religions of the world, including the Christian religion. God's righteousness in impeccable. His standards are beyond excellent yet He found the only way, Jesus, to find peace by accounting righteousness to those who don't deserve it.

Truth springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.

The first four chapters of Proverbs displays how available wisdom is for those who seek it. We have been "sold a bill of goods" that possessions and positions are more valuable that simple wisdom. The false god of financial "security" has diverted us from truth.

Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.

The simple design of God's creation is the provision for His creation. We hoard but don't have, we gather but still we lack, we chase but never catch and wonder why our lives are so empty. Are hope is in the getting to the next weekend, our relief is looking toward our next vacation. All empty shells!

Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

The "way" has been set as a path before us. Choose this day which path you shall trod. Choose carefully for the easy one, the broad one, leads to destruction. It is the narrow way that leads to life!

Please consider leaving a comment to challenge or encourage others.

A New World

2010-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

The deal of a lifetime; no. The deal of an eternity!

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

When I ask a Christian, "What did Jesus do for you?" The common answer is that "He died for me". Although that is true, it is so very far short to the total picture.

Too many Christians fail to understand their true position in Jesus. We have, indeed, become the righteousness of God unless we continue to labor under the opinion that we are simply "redeemed sinners". Scripture indicates that we are so much more than that!

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

What old things, that have spiritually "passed away" are you still cultivating. Isn't it time to agree with God and let go? Allow the "new things" to come. There is a whole new world designed for "new creations". Why not join us?

Courage cancels faith

2010-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

What is it that God could ask you to do that would cross the line of your faith? Be honest now!

Now large crowds were going along with Him (Jesus); and He turned and said to them,
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:25-27

I had the opportunity this week to pray for a christian brother who need courage to do something. It struck me how often we expect that we need courage when what we really need is faith. Courage is a false substitute for faith.

We have been "sold a bill of goods" about courage. Faith is diametrically opposed to courage. Faith is not having the courage but doing the thing that you should do anyway.

We simply want to pursue comfort and it has cost us everything God values. It costs us our freedom.

Allow God to expand your faith at the very risk of your comfort.

A Challenge to Hear

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is something that I would like to challenge with. Recently, God showed me this simple plan to an incredible life in faith.

This very first qualification is that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is at that time that each of us is given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future.

Galatians 5:22&23 tells us what comes to us with the Holy Spirits presence:

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I invite you discover the connection between two of the Holy Spirit's gifts.

From Isaiah 55: 12&13 (God is speaking to His people)

"For you will go out with joy

And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

"Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,

And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,

And it will be a memorial to the LORD,

For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."

Could it be as simple as that? Begin each day with joy and we will not only find true peace but all of creation has been set up to respond to us. Together, the joy, the peace and the miraculous events surrounding us will testify to Jesus as an eternal sign!

He said it. Will you put it to the test?

Come back and let us all know what you find.

Four Hundred Years

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. And Zaharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear gripped him.

So opens the communication, once again between the Creator and His creation!

400 years; that’s a long, long time.

400 years had been how long it had been since God had spoken to mankind. No prophets, no angelic appearances, no visions, no dreams; absolutely no communication whatsoever!

Silence, how does that make sense. Mankind left to himself leads only to degradation; nothing good comes from this type of silence.

"Do not be afraid” were the first words from God in over 400 years. “Do not be afraid” four words that speak volumes.

-God chose to open is communications once again with one single man.

-God did not allow the urgency of the message to be delivered to override His care for the individual.

-God chose to speak to an individual who was available; just doing his assigned duties.

-God re-opened communications with the physical presence of an angel to confirm the message.

So, how long has it been since you have heard from Him? The good news is that, at least, it couldn’t have been 400 years.

Perhaps He will choose to speak to you today during the course of your "assigned duty".

Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" John 10:27

Do you have ears to hear? He said if you are His you WILL hear his voice.

When Did We?

2010-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;

naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?

'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the (AO)eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;

I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'

"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'

"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46

When did we....? The significant question. For the one it was used to deflect the problem by saying when did we see something and not do it? When did we not do? For the other it was a declaration of concern as in: when did we do such things?

See true faith does things that are significant to Jesus without realizing that it is doing anything important at all.

James sums it up this way:

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26

As surely as there are things like, a beating heart and taking a breath, that take place in the body simply because it is alive so, a reborn individual will do things to serve others simply because it is an out-flowing of the love within him/her.

Does your heart lean toward the plight and the needs of others? Do you see a hurt and want to comfort? Do you see a struggling family and run away or run toward the need?

The single marker of how our hearts respond to need and hurt is the most dependable indicator of our security in Jesus!

If you look at your life and see mostly a life of working and living for yourself or our own family and you claim to be a follower of Jesus you must revisit what He has to say to you right now.

The True Gift of Manna

2010-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Manna is a gift of God to His people and like so many of His generous gifts it just keep giving and giving. Let's take a brief look at one of the gifts of manna.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

"On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily."

So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, "At evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt;

and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, for He hears your grumblings against the LORD; and what are we, that you grumble against us?" Exodus 16:4-7

Manna was given to His people with restrictions. They could collect as much as they could eat in one day and one day only, except for Fridays which preceded the Sabbath. Any excess gathered would rot and be worse that worthless to the possessors.

The gift accepted would rebound to gratitude. The memory of how God delivered them from captivity and the magnificent glory of the God who provided their base needs.

Let's see how Jesus applied that to Himself and to us.

Jesus said to them, " I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:35

Jesus is our manna. We can not stock up on Him on Sundays and think that it will carry us through the week. As a matter of fact, any excess taken in on Sunday will rot before the sun comes up on Monday. Is it any wonder that the church of Jesus is so weak and timid today. We are under-nourished and sickly because we have accepted the generous gift of God but don't understand the conditions.

Stop right now and think about your week for the last 7 days. Have you skipped a meal or two? We all know what crises would arise if we actually missed a physical meal or two but we don't connect the crisis in our spiritual health when we miss the manna.

He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3

The gift of daily manna is not about nourishment alone, but is also a gift to keep us humble. We simply can not build a life in Jesus without clinging to the source.

He humbled us and let us be hungry. He then fed us that we might understand how desperately we need Him. We then would seek after Him like a starving child.

We have dropped the ball. We are indeed hungry but we seek to fill ourselves with television, food, alcohol, movies, sex and a myriad of other temporary fixes for our desperate hunger.

Return to the Bread of Life and return daily. Experience real life!