Come Alive

We have passed from death to life through the work of Christ.  We must begin to view the commodities of the Kingdom of God as our birthright and no longer identify ourselves with the limited blessings of the world. God is limitless and in Him we are stretched and expanded to greatness. We must up our believing to a place of faith that releases the realities of Heaven into the Earth. We are born again from above and no longer should live as those subjected to the laws of nature, we are supernatural. The beauty of it all is that this is who God created you to be. He wants you so very much and wants to give you a trust in His Kingdom. He calls us out of sin into righteousness. This is more than just a positional statement. This is truth, in Christ we cannot sin. Let us cease from selling the gospel short by judging according to human standards; fix your eyes on what is unseen. If you have not yet seen a man walk without sin then set Your gaze onto Christ Jesus, the forerunner of faith, and allow Him to be your leader. Will He lead you into sin? No!! He is the way out. It’s is time to come alive in Christ. For the gospel is not just good words but power; it is the power that transforms your life into the image of Christ.

Proverbs 29:18 and the Testimony of Jesus

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. - Pro 29:18 NASB

To be unrestrained is essentially to have no boundaries. We all have self defined boundaries, but in this case we must view this boundary line as the will of God, or the God defined boundary. God’s boundary lines can be best understood in the context of the law of God. When the people are unaware of the fixed law of God then we exercise our own will over and against the will of God and set ourselves as enemies of the prophetic revelation, the Divine utterance. It is said on many occasions in the writings of Moses that the people of Israel are to obey the Voice of God, or that which has been spoken. What makes the Scripture so very powerful is it is the voice of God written down, meaning that it cannot be broken, changed or altered on any point because God is unchanging. It is the equivalent of actually hearing His voice. The only thing that can happen is a deeper or clearer understanding of what is written can be revealed as we receive the testimony and the Spirit into our being and become born again. For it is written that God would put His law into our heart through the filling of the Spirit or implanted Word.

What shall we say then? We must hold fast to God’s will. The power of Divine revelation is a holy life, while the power of the law was only the knowledge of sin that needs cleansing. The more revelation the greater the holiness (or cleansing), for as we see God as He is we become like Him. And He has chosen to perfectly reveal Himself in the person of Jesus. In other words, as we look at Jesus we are transformed by the Spirit that testifies of Jesus, as He alone is the atoning sacrifice that makes us clean. We become new in every way. The written testimony of the law and prophets declare the coming Messiah and it is Jesus who fulfills that testimony. We must receive Him or be cut off. We find that there has been a cutting off of many already, and a grafting in as well. The good news is that which has been cut off can also be grafted in again, and the fearful thing is that which has been grafted in can be cut off. This is why we need desperately to stay very near to the prophetic vision of God found in Jesus, and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The Greatest Command

Then one of the scribes ... asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments [is]: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment. "And the second, like [it, is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." - Mar 12:28-31 NKJV

One of the “scribes” asked this question after hearing Jesus reason with the Sadducees about the resurrection of the dead. A scribe is morre than just a person who wrote things down but iin Jesus’ day they were the lawyers, who dtermined the meaning of Scripture (Law) and set the acceptable course of life for an observant Jew. In other words this person was no novice.

In Jesus answer we find the first, or greatest) command includes two parts; the first is to hear and the second is to love. From other Scripture we can ascertain that to obey God is the expression of love (Jhn 14:15,21,23; 15:10; 1 Jhn 2:3,5:3; 2 Jhn 1:6). We also cannot gain a faith in Him if we haven’t heard Him (Rom 10:17). So then it is reasonable to expect that hearing unto faith leads to obedience or it is not faith (Jam 1:22).

So then what are we to hear? That the Lord our God is one. This is the first step of hearing correctly. Now I ask you this; why would we need to hear that God is one? I believe this is a set-up for the understanding that Jesus is God (Jhn 5:17-18,23, 8:24,58, 10:30-33; 14:9-11). Think about the word the Jesus gave to the rich young ruler (Mat 19:16-22; Luk 18:18-23). After confessing adherance to many of the commands from youth, he still feels he is lacking something. Jesus answers by telling him to sell his possessions, give to the poor (in order to have treasure in heaven) and then follow Him. What right did Jesus have to demand this of anyone asking about eternal life?

The commands Jesus first asked the youn ruler about would be the final 6 of the 10 commandments given to Moses. He left out the first four which are, have no other god’s before Me, do not make any graven images to bow down to, keep the sabbath, and do not use the Lord’s name in vain. What all of these commands have in common is that they pertain to loving God (while the final 6 pertain to loving your neighbor). Jesus equates forsaking all and following Him with these first four. In other words forsaking all and following Jesus equal having no other gods, making no idols, keeping the sabbath and not using the Lord’s name in vain. The only way that could be true is if Jesus is both Lord and God. This agrees with Thomas’ testimony upon seeing the resurrected Jesus (Jhn 20:28).

The writer of the book of Hebrews testifies at the very beginning that previously God spoke to the fathers through the prophets (including Moses) now speaks to us all through His Son. (Heb 1:1-4). Scripture also tells us that Jesus is greater than the angels (Heb 1:4), greater than Moses (Heb 3:3-6),greater than the sabbath (Luk 6:50), greater than Solomon (Mat 12:42), greater than the temple (Mat 12:6), greater than the Levitical priesthood (Heb 7) and Jesus received worship (Mat 2:11,8:2,9:18,14:33,15:25,28:9,17;Jhn 9:38).

In all of this we can begin to hear that the Lord and God are one as the testimony of Isaiah agrees with in chapter 9 verse 6 when he prophesies the coming of Jesus “...And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This is how the Father wants to be worshiped; through His Son.

The lesson from the rich young ruler is that it is not enough to love our neighbor, we must forsake everything and follow Jesus. The Father is drawing you right now into the revelation of His Son Jesus through the Spirit. If you could only turn and receive it you would be saved. In this you will fulfill all the law and the prophets.

A Kingdom of Priests

A priest in the generic sense is one who offers service and sacrifice to god on behalf of another. In Judaism the true priests were sons of Levi and were set in  office by God. Even within the sons of Levi were certain divisions and only the sons of Aaron could hold the office of high priest. Yet even in such a rigid priestly systems of \sacrifice and worship we read that Israel was a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6). A clue into God’s desire to be near all of His people. We also find this inclusiveness in the response to the two elders who were prophesying within the camp of Israel in the desert when it is said “I wish all my people would prophets and that God would put His Spirit upon all of them.” (Num 11:29) And in the very beginning God walked with Adam in the garden, even bringing the animals to him to see what he would name them. Bottom line, God is a Father who desires nearness to His children, and we are all His children in the sense that we are of His creation.

Now a strange thing has happened. We have changed the desire of God and set our minds against Him. All of God’s reaching back toward His people has been met with resistance and is still met with resistance today. How so today? Our institutional systems of religion reserve the power, presence and love of God to a select few who mediate on behalf of the people. The people then are lulled to sleep, only aroused enough to periodically offer a monetary gift or good deed to satisfy their conscience, all the while living as strangers to a God who desires to be their Father. Your Father. One of the greatest detriments to our relationship with God is the clergy/layman mentality. No individual is closer to God than another by position or birthright, it is only by faith in the work of Christ. No other way is provided to enter into the presence of God, and no other way is needed. There is to be no separation between man and God and there is to be no priesthood offering sacrifices on our behalf. The only sacrifice is the body and blood of Jesus and the only priest is also Jesus, who mediates a glorious covenant that allows the believer to receive the very Spirit of God, the thing Moses desired in Numbers 11:29.

We have all agreed that the “church” is not the building, and many have agreed for the death of the “one man show” we call a church service, but we need the release of revelation and power within the church to set at liberty all those who name the name of Christ. Every voice is important to God, every person is a priest. We must reject the confining and controlling systems of “religion” that constrict and confine through fear those who desire to enter in. We are shutting up the way for ourselves and others who desire to come in. All who are thirsty come and drink of the waters of life, God is not far off nor is He holding you back, He is calling you near and if you caught a glimpse of Him you would repent.

Resting in the Poewer of God

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1Co 2:3-5 NKJV

It is very easy to communicate with people who agree with you already. No matter what you are saying, when your audience is a friendly group of peers that share your convictions and beliefs it is a great strength and comfort. However, when you move outside of that safe place and expose your convictions and beliefs in the marketplace it becomes a fearful thing and the gospel of Jesus is far more divisive than most anything else you can share. The Jesus presented in the bible cuts through our inner being and dices up much of our cultural norms. I am now in weakness, fear and much trembling, for I have chosen to live for God in such a way I am considered foolish by many. Yet I do not boast in my “courage” to push forward, for if it were by my own power then I might have a boast, but it is solely because of the revelation of Jesus Christ. My hope is in the reward of the gospel that is stored up in heaven for me, and the glory of the Kingdom of God, for it is God who chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. In other words, I am on display, living counter to the American wisdom, believing that my life is truly hidden with Christ in God. My own heart attempts to defraud me, saying what are you doing, what are you accomplishing? Even though I continue in faith that what Jesus said is true. What many of you may be unaware of is that my “blind faith” is not blind or misguided, but it stands upon the power of God. Jesus revealed himself to me through visions and acts of power. I was not persuaded to become a “Christian” by a convincing presentation of the gospel, but direct communication from the Lord. So now, after 20+ years it appears the silence of heaven has grown loud, but I stand firm on the power of God. 

Now to you I say if you claim to have faith, what is it built upon; reason, arguments, wisdom of men, science, history, logic, etc. If your faith is built upon any of these things then you are in danger because they are not enough to preserve you. We will continue to work, toil, spin and otherwise wear ourselves out to gain prominence, security and peace in this age when all the while we are called to rest. We work our fingers to the bone to have a good retirement and then have it snatched away by some type of difficulty and are left wondering, “What was the point”. It has been sung that everybody’s working for the weekend, and I know what it is like, but this is not the life God has planned for us. All we want is to be happy and yet we sacrifice our happiness in order to get it and wonder why we are bitter, angry and selfish. Let your faith be in God and the work He accomplished through His Son Christ Jesus our Lord. Rest in Him, for He is returning to gather His beloved to Himself to lavish His love upon you who believe. Outlandish and foolish but the only rock solid hope there is.

The Who Cares Christian

The bottom line is “who cares!!’. This is what we have become, a bunch of self-centered, spoiled brats who barely have a minute to care for another human being with no strings attached. I do not understand the lack of compassion and love that the “so-called” church exhibits. We want to be relevant and identify with “sinners” but there is no real expectation of transformation. We love to speak and think about Jesus, but in reality we have no faith and are just the new gnostics looking for the latest and greatest revelation, technique or teaching. Knowledge puffs up, I’m sick of heaping it up to myself. It has no power to overcome sinful passions. I want change! I am not satisfied with the working of the gospel in my life and I am not willing to buy the mantra that I am just a sinner saved by grace. You cannot be both a sinner and saved, you either were a sinner and have been saved by grace or you are a sinner not yet saved. Yet still another teaching, who cares. We seem to think that there is no obligation to be transformed into the image of Christ while still in this body. We are called to walk as Jesus walked (before His resurrection) and He had the same flesh, the same temptations and the same Holy Spirit as we do. There is far more available to us now than we are willing to believe. We have not even settled for crumbs at the master’s table, no we are feasting in the wrong house and have been put to sleep by the empty foods of western culture. In the last days the love of many will grow cold, many means many and I am leaning toward most. Even the most dedicated Christian seems no different than the world in anything other than word. We have all sorts of ministries and churches who are fervently pursuing converts that will diligently follow their particular flavor of the gospel and yet no one actually expects transformation. I want transformation and I want to live and work alongside believers who hold transformation soberly and with the intent of hearing God and obeying Him. I am simply not satisfied with hearing or preaching messages, praying and getting “revelation’ and then no change in me or anyone else. I don’t care if I preach another “good message” if your life is not transformed by the power of God it was uneffective no matter how many compliments are handed out. If you really needed to hear it then you really need to live it.

The Womb of the World

For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. - 1Ti 6:7 NKJV

I was born naked, ignorant and helpless. There was nothing that I brought with me from the womb into the world. Now I am called to be born again. This second transition will also forbid me from bringing anything that I possess in this womb into the Kingdom of God.

When in our mothers womb we had no reference point or knowledge of what was to come. There was not even any light. Our only contact with the coming life was through the actions of our mother; we could taste what she tasted, smell what she smelled, we could feel her touch and movement, we could hear the sounds she heard, and even see up to 10% of the light she saw. But we had no direct contact with the outside world. Hearing is the closest a fetus can come to perceiving life outside the womb. Isn’t it interesting that hearing is the primary way we are to receive from God? Although we are able to interact with other senses (taste and see that the Lord is good, see the goodness of God) hearing is the chief way to receive.

Jesus told Nicodemus that if he could not understand earthly things, how would he be able to understand heavenly things. We need to grow familiar with God’s voice before we can understand God’s ways.

I long to enter my true home, to put off this current tent and enter into the fullness of life. Right now though I am permitted to experience great things. I only need to remember that my nutrition and health comes from what God puts into His body and not what I put into my own. There is no take-out food in the womb, we can only receive what is put before us with thanksgiving.

In The Beginning

A Short Commentary on Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning (re'shiyth) God ('elohiym) created (bara') the heavens (shamayim) and the earth ('erets). The earth was formless (ohuw) and void (bohuw), and darkness (choshek) was over the surface (paniym) of the deep (tĕhowm), and the Spirit of God (ruwach 'elohiym) was moving (rachaph) over the surface (paniym) of the waters (mayim). - Gen 1:1-2 NASB

The beautiful symphony begins with a tap upon the podium. Our creator and narrator demands us to stand at attention to receive the account of how He alone placed everything in its place and produced its form and stature from not nothing per se, but from the eternal expanse and power of His being. All things are birthed out of Himself and for Himself for this creation is the correct result of a being known as love, for love will never fail to produce offspring.

Now consider the joy of emptiness; a blank canvas, an empty room, an uncultivated plot of land, an unheard song. A future masterpiece is the vision of love upon emptiness, it rises to fill everything in every way. It is the anticipation of what light will reveal in dark places and how life can truly swallow up death; how joy can overcome all sorrow and where comfort blankets the uncomfortable with peace.

It is with great anticipation, a self-contained dynamite stick of joy, that the Spirit of love broods over the darkness; a darkness not of wickedness nor a formless void of chaos, but the womb of expectation, a seed deep in the being of God yearning to sprout in praise of her creator. Just as the Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Word became flesh, so the Spirit awaits the word to come forth with a hopeful expectation of good. The darkness awaits to be commanded.

The Message of Christ

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus [as] the Christ. - Act 5:42 NKJV

Jesus is the long awaited Messiah that the law and the prophets spoke about. He is raised from the dead, He has forgiven your sins through His blood, He lives to make intercession for you, and He is returning. I am convinced that there is really no other message to be preached or taught. He loves you enough to die in your place. The message of the cross of Christ is and always will be foolishness to those who are perishing, and we must not succumb to the temptation of attempting to make the message “relevant” to our culture, but plainly declare Christ (the anointed One) as savior. The message is always relevant; science doesn’t change it, education does not alter it, culture does not mold it, morality does not drive it, politics does not sway it and men cannot control it. No matter what we have become individually or as a society, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He takes what is broken and fixes it, and all of us are broken. We all have a nature that desires to follow our own way, and that way is always opposed to the rule of God over our lives. We are all born this way, we have no control to change it, but we can believe that Christ died for us and will change us into the image of God again. I invite you to believe in Jesus as the Christ. Lay down your definition of good and evil, right and wrong, and receive with meekness the word of God. He will not turn away any who come to Him. I tell you the truth, if you turn from your own desire and cal upon the Name of the Lord, you will be saved and filled with His Holy Spirit and transformed.

Chicken & Apple Pie

Today has been a good day. I had a hankering for some lunch so I decided instead of just getting something for myself I would make hot chicken breast sandwiches with grilled red bell peppers and onions for my fellow missionaries at Macon House of Prayer. I only had four takers but the result was delicious. I would recommend that when the idea hits that you always do something for others. 

The best part came while I was finishing cooking when Vivian (one of our precious missionaries)said she had a homemade apple pie at home that she could run and get. Oh boy, what a great addition, that girl makes a great apple pie.

  

One thing that I have learned about serving God is that He loves to bring desert. As you give yourself in service to Him in whatever capacity that is on your heart, you can always count on Him to bring the sweetness to the work. He covers you with His Presence and you become satisfied in the goodness of God. He is always good.