Keith J. Ratzken

Prophecy? When is it false.

2012-02-08T20:34:00.000-05:00

O my God, can you sort out the thoughts of my mind. They are many and diverse. I am not so much confused by my thoughts as by what I see. Many false prophets have gone out into the world to deceive many. Things have been made so strange. You are my Hope and strength.

When a man speaks a word from the Lord and it does not come to pass, was that word he spoke really from the Lord? Do not muddle the question with your many doctrines. Let me ask another, simpler question. If a man says he is telling you the truth and it turns out to be a lie, was what he told you the truth? Why do we make things more complicated than they need to be!

Is God ever caught by surprise or unaware? NO. Does He know the end from the beginning? YES. Can God lie? NO. The answers to these questions are not debatable, they do not have an exception, nor can they change. Why then is there so much debate and confusion across the Christian religion.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. - Jhn 1:12-13 NKJV

I’ve heard it said that God is releasing a “new breed”, the best of all the bloodlines, and this is the last generation who will usher in the Lord’s return. This is a false word and should not be listened to. The above Scripture says it is not by blood (or genealogy). Being descendent of one of the apostles does not give you any advantage. All have sinned, all have fallen short. No man on the entire earth has ever been preferred by God because of genealogy (bloodline). It has been said that since the legalizing of abortion after Roe v Wade in 1973 that this “new breed” will begin to be born. This uses the 1973 date as the earliest time for a “new breed” Christian to be born, with the legalization of abortion being Satan’s attempt to stop such a plan. The problem here is that abortion has been around and legal at much earlier times in history across the globe.

Before 1803 British Common Law allowed abortion before “quickening” (the time it was then widely thought the soul entered the body—approximately 20-24 weeks.) Abortions after “quickening” were considered an offense but there were no fixed penalties and the woman was not always held responsible. However in 1803 the Lord Ellenborough Act made abortion at any time in the pregnancy a felony under English statute punishable by death.

The Offenses Against the Person Act of 1861 softened this, making abortion punishable by imprisonment of three years to life, even when done for medical reasons. 1929 saw the introduction of the Infant Life Preservation Act, which amended the 1861 law saying abortion was no longer a felony so long as it was in good faith for the sole purpose of preserving the mother’s life. The new law made it illegal to kill a baby “capable of being born live.” It also said the child should be presumed viable at 28 weeks, but gave doctors the power to decide the legality when the mother’s health in danger.

The article “A Global History of Abortion” on the Life.org.nz website in New Zealand reports that “In 1920 the Soviet Union legalized abortion on demand and the World League for Sexual Reform began in Berlin. The influential 1929 London Congress of the World League for Sexual Reform promoted the Soviet abortion law as an ideal for its pioneering secular ideology,” and that “By 1932, supporters in the medical profession were lobbying the British Medical Association and in 1936, the Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) was established.”

Then in 1938 Dr. Alec Bourne challenged the law with a test case. He aborted a 14-year-old girl who had been raped by four soldiers, and turned himself in to the authorities. He gained great publicity and public sympathy and was acquitted. Life.org.nz reports, “Justice McNaughten told the jury that if Bourne believed that continuation of the pregnancy ‘would make the woman a physical or a mental wreck,’ then he operated for the purpose only of preserving the life of the woman.”

The article continues, “As a result of the Bourne case, more and more abortions began to be practised in Britain in cases where the woman’s physical or mental health was thought to be in danger, a loophole in the law that was interpreted increasingly loosely. This ambiguous legal precedent was adopted by other Commonwealth nations.” (http://www.hli.org/files/sr_jan_08.pdf)

With these above examples, it is very presumptuous to decide that America’s legalizing of abortion indicates the beginning of God’s plan. He is not working solely on the scale of America but he has died for the sin of the world. Exactly what plan of God is this belief playing into? I’ll allow you to seek the Lord.

Well, anyway, it is the year 2012 and the generation of the “new breed” is coming to a close by those who spoke it defining a generation as 40yrs in the context of this word. There has been almost no change in the body of Christ. We pump each other up with the “latest” word while so many go unnoticed through our midst just needing a friend. I want to love and be loved. Let us quite chasing something and be someone.

All Things New!!

2012-01-31T09:16:00.000-05:00

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." - Rev 21:1-5 NLT

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. - Rev 22:1-5 NLT

What a glorious future we have in Christ!! As I sit in mourning for the arrival of His beautiful city, I trust in His love and power to make all things new. All the wickedness, all the evil is to be done away with. Can you imagine it? Oh how He loves us, patiently waiting for all to come to the knowledge of His son. What is your hope in?

Pursue Love

2012-01-30T10:14:00.000-05:00

Today my heart is stirred. The commandment of God to love one another has been resonating in my spirit for some time now. It seems so very hard to carry this out. Not always because I do not possess the desire but I seem to lack opportunity. How do we begin to truly love one another? I was reading today in 1 Cor and was struck by verse 14:1 where it says to pursue love and desire spiritual gifts. To pursue is to literally run after while desire is to burn passionately for and can entail a pursuit. I got the sense that we must really go after love with all we have but never stop desiring the spiritual gifts, but only as they can aid us in loving. Basically I think we should focus all our energy upon the love part but at the same time keep our eye open and ready for the gift part. If we look back to chapter 13 we see plainly that Paul instructed that gifts without love are totally and utterly worthless. Yet we clamor around for opportunity to exercise gifts instead of exercising love. We spend hours in devotion and prayer to God many times with the sole intent of seeing His power manifested; healing, deliverance, resurrection, overcoming etc. The power of God is good, but the love of God is better. We could say that power will always follow love but love never follows power. Think about this in the natural, someone who loves will always exert more power than someone who does not. This is why you do more for your own children than for the children of other people, because you love your own children more. We must learn how to pursue love!! Jesus said it is by our love for one another that the world will know we are His disciples. Let us begin to go out of our way for one another, to seek out and pursue opportunities to love.

Hophni, Phenehas, and the Ark of God

2012-01-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

In the time of the Judges in Israel, Eli was the high priest at Shiloh, where the Ark of God was. He had two sons; Hophni and Phinehas. They served as priests before God, but they did so wickedly, having neither regard for the law of God nor any love for the people. They took food from the offerings by force that was not meant for the priests and also had their way with the women. Eli did not rebuke his sons, nor did they respect their father and God pronounced a severe judgment on the house of Eli. Now Israel was at war with the Philistines at this time, and the Philistines were winning. The men of Israel had the idea to bring the ark of God into the battle, so they sent to Hophni and Phinehas to bring it, and they did. Both sons of Eli were killed during the battle and the Ark of God was captured, and Eli fell and died when he heard the news. It was at this time that it was said that the glory of God had departed from Israel.

Well the Philistines did not have a good experience with the Ark of God and sent it back to Israel and it ended up in the city of Kirjath Jearim for twenty years. It was actually not until the reign of David that the Ark of God was brought up.

The reason I mention this story is I want to look at the way God was being treated. You see God is alive, and is a being who desires friendship and companionship. Yet the priests were not treating Him that way. They did not take God’s presence seriously. They used their position as a means for personal gain. Their attitude must have spread through Israel because the men of Israel saw the Ark of God as a good luck charm. As if God was a puppet or tool to be used by man to gain an advantage. But God has His own agenda and it cannot be set for Him. God was present at the battle but it wasn’t to help Israel but to harm them. Why? They did not rightly present Him to the nations.

How is God being treated at your church? Or by you? Is he a good luck charm you pull out in times of danger to get you out of trouble? You see, if the glory of God is not present it is because we don’t fear or revere God. Like the children of Eli were more interested in what they could get away with because of their position as priests, we use our so-called freedom in Christ to continue in sin asking forgiveness as it seems necessary. Jesus has become more like a lucky rabbits foot than the risen King of the universe.

I do not know how much time this nation has left, but we have been playing games with God for far too long. He is real and He is alive and He is holy. It is time to turn our hearts in reverence to Him. I encourage you all to search your hearts and really turn to God. I love you all.

Giving Is Living

2012-01-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

As I look out upon the horizon of life, I see that things come and go. There is no point in holding on tightly to much of anything because it could easily be gone in an instant. Life is so very precious and yet so very fragile. When we are holding on we are hoarding and fearing loss, but loss cannot ever be avoided. We must live in a state of constant letting go to have peace. It is in letting go that we find true joy and freedom. By not holding on to people or things we relinquish control and it allows room for both us and them to reach our potential. When we hold back others or ourselves we are like standing water, we become stagnant and full of disease, but moving water gives life. We must live to give to others. Not just the tangible things but the immeasurable things as well. It is good to give possessions but it is better to give love and possessions. Jesus gave His life upon the cross for men who hated Him. He did not count His life as something that needed to be held on to. What are you holding on to? It’s time we let go of our attachment to this world and set our eyes on eternity where there is no lack of any good thing. Bless you all. Learn to love.

Psalm 22:22-31

2012-01-22T15:09:00.002-05:00

I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. My praise [shall be] of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. For the kingdom [is] the LORD's, And He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the [next] generation, They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done [this]. - Psa 22:22-31 NKJV

Love One Another

2012-01-21T13:56:00.002-05:00

In my pursuit after God I find what look like constant setbacks, you know things to do that make it difficult to spend time reading, praying, writing etc. Right now I am getting ready to head to the grocery store, a necessity I cannot avoid; we need food. There is work, caring for my son, spending time with my wife, friends, things that need to be done around the house and the list goes on. We could take the stance that all these things are opposed to our developing a friendship with God, but are they really? I am learning that loving God is putting others ahead of yourself, and in most cases, my desire to read, write, pray, study and so on are rooted in my desire to serve myself, not others. God knows how busy life is and He gives us these relationships to bring joy into the lives of our family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. These things to do are not intrusions into our Christianity but what God uses to test and prove it. As we look not only to our own interests but the interests of others we will find our lives being enriched and the depth of our relationships bringing rewards that separation will never bring. I want to see God move by His Spirit as much as anyone else, but when we consider what that would look like we must see beyond the miracles and the glory into loving one another. So in our pursuit to love God with all our heart let us remember it is our love for our neighbor that proves it out.

God is my Refuge.

2012-01-20T08:16:00.000-05:00

God is my refuge and my strength (Psa 46:1). Do we really understand this? Is it true in our hearts or just a title we offer up to our creator without knowing the reality? What is a refuge? It is defined as shelter or protection from danger or distress; a place that provides shelter or protection; and something to which one has recourse in times of difficulty. God is our recourse, our safe and secure place when danger or distress comes into our lives. We must truly believe this or it won’t work. He is love. Sometimes my son cries for unknown reasons, and being only 3mos old he cannot do much to communicate what is going on, why he is distressed. We can eliminate a few things early, is he uncomfortable or gassy, does his diaper need to be changed or is he hungry. Usually one of these three items solves the problem but once in awhile he still needs more, he is distressed. Many times in these situations all he needs is to be held tightly. His crying is his running to us as his refuge, and we then take care of him and make him safe and comfortable in every way possible. He knows that he cannot solve his problems in his own strength but needs the strength of another to aid him. Our heavenly Father desires to help you. It is time to recognize our weakness and come to Him to receive His strength. Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." - Mat 11:28-30 NLT Come to Him today, cast all of your cares and worries and fears on Him. Learn to trust.

Examining being born-again

2011-11-29T12:56:00.001-05:00

I wonder, what does it mean to be born-again? Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, had a great time grasping this concept declared by Jesus as a must for entering or even seeing the Kingdom of God in John chapter three. It is clear in this section that this second birth is in relation to being born of the Spirit. With this understanding we can infer that without the “born-again” experience we are spiritually dead and completely cut off from the Kingdom of God. Jesus said in John chapter four to the Samaritan woman that God is Spirit and that those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. If God is Spirit then it is no wonder that we must be born of Spirit to see His Kingdom, and it is no wonder that Scripture says that no man has seen God. We see in John chapter 2 when Jesus performed His first miracle that He was focused on His hour having not come. This phrase is used by Jesus to convey His death on the cross and the subsequent result of the Spirit being poured out. But what does it look like to be born-again? Back to John chapter three, Jesus gives us a wonderful description of one being born of the spirit by saying, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” By this description we can say that according to Jesus if you are born of the Spirit that you go where you wish and people can hear you but your origin and destination are unknown. It would probably be OK to say that this is referring to a set direction; in other words, just as the wind can change direction suddenly so can you. But this analogy puts the direction directly on the desire of the wind or the one born of the Spirit. Most people are waiting for some super natural direction, but in being born-again Jesus says we can see the Kingdom of God, and it could be that in this seeing is freedom of direction, as in seeing what the Father is doing like Jesus. Not so much a road map of go here and do this (although that is very legitimate) but more along the lines of seeing God’s ways and acting them out as circumstances demand. To be born-again is more about administering justice than defining God. Isaiah makes this case in point in the well know chapter about the true fast. God’s will is clear. All burdens, all bonds of wickedness (things people are trapped in), poverty, lack, fear, anything contrary to peace and love must be taken away. Then again we still have difficulty in defining (and we always will if we consider the world as a valid expression of goodness) spiritual birth. We have moral atheists, kind Buddhists, generous Muslims, and all kinds of cultural acts of kindness that have no roots in believing Jesus is the way. We have immoral people doing wonderful and generous things in the name of self, and then “Christians” exhibiting very sinful behaviors and very few works of faith of the Isaiah 58 kind. What are we to believe? How do we have fellowship in the Spirit and not just a spirit of good works? First John chapter four gives us a clue into this mystery. We are instructed not to believe every spirit but to test them all. What are we testing them for? To see whether or not they are of God. Why? Because many false prophets have gone out into the world. So we are testing spirits because of the actions and words of men. John gives us the test in verse 2 by saying every spirit (of a man) that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. But even historians can agree that Jesus was a real man, how is that a test? We must be very deliberate in our understanding here. To say that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh implies that this same Jesus had an existence before He was born as a man. Looking at the name Jesus Christ we learn that we are not dealing with just a first and last name but a savior (Jesus) anointed to save (Christ). As John the Baptist testified “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” The born-again person will have a speech consistent with the pre-existent nature of Jesus as God and proclaim Him as the sole means of deliverance from all bonds. Any person who does not receive this testimony does not know God. John takes this deeper by saying earlier in this work that if we hate our brother and yet claim to know God we are liars. It must be understood that our treatment of others cannot be separated from our standing as believers. It is by our love for one another (believers) that the world (unbelievers) will know that we are the disciples of Jesus. We have many ways that we have defined believers in the church that excuse many things, but when we get down to the brass tacks we cannot live without love. Much of the effort we put forth to prove the legitimacy of our belief to the world is a wasted effort. We have every right to compete in the intellectual circles concerning Jesus, but the reality is that if our lives do not reflect the love of God then we are just moving ourselves and others away from the truth while we are claiming to proclaim it. Now this will stir up some persecution, people will want to kill you if you truly hold to the Jesus line. Not in judgment, not in anger, not in debating but in simply stating it is Jesus or hell. No alternatives, no understanding, no other hope. It really is the choice of the ages, and God lays both His hands open before us and says choose this day; blessing or cursing. It is an amazing opportunity and one that I cannot pass up. It is seeing this unconditional love that is being born-again. It is the recognition of the gentle nature of a God who sees all the discrepancies in our life and invites us to the table anyway. He is quite all right with all the struggles we come to the table with He is just not content with leaving you in them. It is through His gentleness that we are made great, that we begin to truly reflect the image of Jesus. I began by talking about what it means to be born-again and I must end with the reality that you cannot understand it unless you experience it. We see through a glass dimly, and our Messiah is now seated on the right hand of the Father, but who we will become is yet to be fully revealed, but we can let the love of God move us, and this is what the Spirit says.

I Will Fight To The death For My Son

2011-11-08T10:49:00.000-05:00

The other night I had a dream. I was sitting in a fast food restaurant and my son, Levi, was present with me. There were dark and demonic spirits present, black and floating, kind of like Dementors from the Harry Potter stories. These evil spirits were trying to infect my son in some way and I was fully aware of it. I said in my mind “I will fight to the death for my son.” As I did this, these spirits changed their focus from Levi to me. I felt a cold hand on my back, yet inside my back, gently pushing me forward. I will fight to the death for my son was still repeating in my mind. I was unaware of the exact aim of these creatures but I knew it was evil. I was allowing myself to be manipulated by them waiting for just the right moment to spring out and utterly destroy them all. I was not angry or filled with any king of rage, but it was love for my son that drove me. I was then awakened by Levi’s crying and did not get to finish the dream.

I must tell you that my heart was greatly strengthened. I knew that nothing can come against my son that I am not fully willing to and fully capable to defeat. I only regret I woke up before administering my wrath against these dark forms. My love for my son is greater than death, and the anthem has not left my heart that I will fight to the death for my son.

Now my thoughts are turned to Jesus. He is fully God and as such all of creation is His, He is the everlasting Father. The Father’s heart toward His sons (us) is “I will fight to the death for my son.” In Jesus He did just that. The cross is God fighting to the death for us to be fully liberated from the darkness. What a glorious message!! That our Father, at just the right moment, endured the sting of death to set us free and then rose from the grave proclaiming I will have you for Myself….See how great My love for you is.

Revival?

2011-10-03T14:15:00.000-04:00

Many things in Christianity get a bad rap. Most judgment comes from within the church; ministry against ministry and minister against minister, conservative against liberal, charismatic against traditional; denomination against denomination. Why do we even need enemies outside the faith, we are just a bunch of backbiting slanderers. The only thing that I am 100% sure of is that we need a revelation of Jesus! He said it would be better for us if He goes away because if He goes away He would send the Comforter. Who is comforted? I long for a family of people that really love Jesus. It seems like everyone is clamoring for position, power and influence in the body of Christ and I just want to hug someone.

You are a God of love!! Where are Your people of love? You are a God of light!! Where are the sons of the light? Am I blind? I surely hope so; blind to evil. But I am afraid I am not blind, but because I say I can see my sin remains. I am a hopeless finger pointer. Right now I am pointing it at you, Mr. Christian. Are you pointing your finger at me? We must put away the pointing of the finger. Sometimes I think we need a good strong dose of persecution here in the U.S. of A. We have it too easy, way too easy for our own good. What will it take for us to cast aside our foolishness?

Now it feels like I am continually trapped in styles of ministry. Like I have to choose in what way I am to serve Jesus. How much water is in the wine? His glory is so watered down that it is barely recognizable. We get one hallelujah and we think that revival is about to break out, and yet everyone goes home to their secret lives virtually absent of God. There I go finger pointing again.

What is it though? Revival. Is it an animated preacher? Is it signs & wonders? Is it worship that really gets the crowd jumpin’? Seriously, what is it and why do we want it? Nobody likes walls (unless they are the kind of walls that keep out the enemy). Revival can destroy walls (lies). Everything is so twisted. Good is spoken evil of while evil is praised as good.

I want to take that word “revival” and hold it in my imagination, turn it around, examine it from the inside out and ask the Lord what it is we are all looking for. When the meetings are over and everyone goes back to their life, what does it look like? What is true cultural transformation? What does it mean to “shift spiritual atmospheres”, and what does it look like when it happens? I am dead serious folks!! Is it enough to have a few healings, a miracle and someone raised from the dead? Ouch!

When I examine revival what do I see? I see love. I see orphans and widows being fathered. I see real equality expressed from the hearts of men toward all. I see sin being repented of, for good, and righteousness prevailing, because people want to be righteous, not because they have had the hell scared out of them. I see joy in the eyes of all no matter what they are doing!! Happiness is I believe, the real mark of transformation. Happiness in the middle of anything.

Need of the Hour

2011-08-29T09:03:00.000-04:00

When trouble enters your life it is an opportunity to seek the Lord. We should prepare our hearts to seek the Lord when there is no trouble but if times of trouble come (and they will) we must gather together and seek the Lord with fasting and prayer. During these times we must refrain from action until the Lord releases a prophetic word for us to stand upon in faith. This is a much neglected step in our fasting and prayer, for we regularly look to the Scripture to obtain a word based upon similar situations, but we neglect that the Lord is alive and speaking today into our individual, corporate and governmental issues. We have no right to judge the righteousness of our own hearts to be able to ascertain what the Lord is doing. Who can know the mind of the Lord instinctively? No one, He must reveal it by His Spirit. To act otherwise is to prophesy out of our own imagination or to act presumptuously. Tarry until.

Now when the word of the Lord is truly revealed concerning a situation we then no longer need to pray but move into praise and then strict obedience. This is a great time of testing because outcomes may take more time then our hearts can bear, and troubles may not be abated but endured. We can only endure these times of testing when we have a current word to stand upon in faith otherwise we are on shaky ground that would require returning to the Lord. What I am saying is that if we have no word from the Lord we have no ground to stand on. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.

This time of waiting is the time of counting it all joy!! Until the outcome of a situation is revealed we must refrain from leaving the fasting and prayer stage. We are so deaf to the voice of the Lord that this process is almost unbearable causing us to listen to any voice that proclaims something favorable. We don’t test the word nor do we continue to stand on it in faith but we just cease from seeking the Lord and go about business as usual claiming the Lord has spoken. When the outcome does not pan out we are so hard hearted that we cannot seem to see or even care about our error. No wonder our lives never enter into the deliverance stage and even better the plundering stage when we abound in joy and abundance.

We are in trouble. So much sin and disobedience is in the land that we probably will not be able to avert judgment (See how God deals with the shedding of innocent blood 2 Kings 23:26). Yet God is still calling us to truly seek Him. This is no easy task and not for the fainthearted. This is not time to cling to your religious systems and traditions, honestly what have those things done for us? Right now I am listening to a prophetic worship set that is speaking that we are entering the time of singing, but what is the word of the Lord concerning our deliverance? We cannot pass by issues that are not dealt with; we cannot skip ahead to results without entering into the work of repentance and prayer and fasting. We need to do something differently! It doesn’t matter how “cool” or “prophetic” your ministry is, what matters is faith in God and love. It is high time we come together and wait for the release of a real prophetic word.

Overcoming Sorrow

2011-07-22T11:57:00.000-04:00

Sorrow is an indicator of a loss of confidence in God. Can this statement be absolutely true or are there circumstances that allow for sorrow that is not a result of a loss of confidence in God. The first question we must ask ourselves is “is there anything that God cannot handle?” Clearly we must conclude that nothing is impossible for God. But what about something that catches God unaware or that was unexpected, does that have the power to leave you without His protection? Beloved, there is nothing that can catch God unaware. For the God whom I serve is fully aware of all things both past, present and future. His eye is upon all things at all times all at once. With this knowledge, there is nothing God cannot handle and there is nothing that will catch Him unaware then there is only one reason left that could cause us to have sorrow: We do not believe God is good. Again, friends, I must announce to you now that God is perfectly good and there is no wickedness in Him. There is no occasion possible that can move God to wickedness. As a matter of fact we could logically reason that just as darkness is the absence of light, wickedness is the absence of good, and more still, since God is light then the presence of wickedness must mean that God is not present. As the wickedness of men is unleashed upon creation, God is not present. The very presence of God in any form and any amount would by the nature of God disrupt the wickedness at some level. Jesus said about Himself that as long as He was in the world He is the light of the world. The Lord of glory goes on to tell us that we are the light of the world. As children of God and the bride of Christ we carry a deposit of the divine nature in the Holy Spirit making us ones that disrupt wickedness. If we at any time find that we are not disrupting wickedness then we ought to reasonably conclude that God is not with us at that time, He has withdrawn Himself.

Now let us again consider our opening statement: Sorrow is an indicator of a loss of confidence in God. In serving the Lord is there room for sorrow if we believe? Does not the Scripture speak of mourning? Does not the Lord Himself grieve? Are not tears a weapon of intercession of an invaluable worth? Are not these things the substance of sorrow? Is it not godly sorrow that leads us to repentance? Yes, and Amen to all. But can we not see that this sorrow in all instances requires that we turn to God? Even in the case of Jesus, His sorrow was for the purpose of coming to joy, was for the purpose of overcoming the flesh, and was for overcoming the weakness of man while waiting for the strength of God to manifest. Remember it is not the sorrow but the joy of the Lord that is our strength. Sorrow is the product of living in a fallen world that lies under the sway or influence of the wicked manipulator who has only his own interests in mind; a world that at every turn is working ceaselessly and tirelessly to break the human spirit, a world that squashes attempts at good and generosity and righteousness.

But what is the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow? While the latter longs for position above men, the former is looking for the favor and rule of God over all life. Sorrow comes for the ungodly when they find their flesh and mind dissatisfied. Sorrow comes for the godly when they recognize that their lives fall short of the righteousness and glory of God. The ungodly restrain themselves from almost no ends to achieve their goal. While the righteous use great restraint in order to see the goodness of God manifest itself in the land of the living, in the hope of a righteous world coming under the rule of a righteous king, namely Jesus. Godly sorrow is a holy disconnect between what God says and what man sees. In this place of believing by faith, it becomes necessary to exercise our agreement with the prophetic promises of God daily or we will lose confidence. The enemy of our soul does not relent in his desire to deceive us concerning these prophetic promises. Likewise, our Bridegroom God does not relent in His intercession to God for revelation of His beautiful nature to be revealed to His own. Why does Satan directly attack while Jesus simply intercedes? It would seem a much more effective strategy to aggressively and relentlessly destroy Satan and all wickedness than to ever live to make intercession for us. Scripture says concerning Jesus that He is to sit at the right hand of the Father until His enemies are made His footstool. Who is making light of the enemies? The Father; to whom Jesus is making intercession. What does His intercession sound like? Oh that we could hear the glorious sounds of Jesus’ intercession to the Father concerning us; the heavenly words, the display of emotions, the desire of His soul lay bare. We cannot imagine the zeal and power and wisdom of His endless cry to His Father for a pure and spotless bride. Father, I desire…, the John 17 prayer continued in the very throne room of heaven from a man passionately in love. The world is dark, full of wickedness and cruelty, yet unlike Noah’s day, God has become an everlasting man who can sympathize with our infirmities and is waiting…waiting…waiting. Wrath is delayed against wickedness and mercy is poured out like blood. How long O Lord will the wicked prosper, how long will you keep back Your return? Vindicate me Lord, for my life is falling apart, the world sits in accusation against me, my own household counts me a dog, yet You are my Rock. You are the brightness of my countenance, the strength in my bones and the life of my blood. Apart from You I can do nothing. Let Your silence end, strengthen my soul to perform Your will for my life.

One day the sky is going to roll up like a scroll at the command of a king. One day Jesus is going to descend from His place in heaven with a shout, the voice of an archangel, the trumpet of God, and all the dead in Christ shall rise and we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them (the dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is what all our preparation in this life is about! We are not preparing ourselves just to endure hardships, but to receive and be received by our glorious bridegroom. “The Spirit and the bride say come…” (Rev 22:17). In longing for this day we enter into godly sorrow, mourning for the bridegroom, knowing that there is nothing we can either gain or lose in this life that can compare to the glory of the age to come.

Day of the Lord

2011-03-07T17:58:00.001-05:00

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. - 1Th 4:16-18 NKJV

Imagine what this day will look like!! O glorious savior I long for the day when You come and take me into Your arms forever.

Meditations on Ephesians 1:17-19

2011-01-25T16:21:00.002-05:00

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power - Eph 1:17-19 NKJV

You want to give to me. The king of the Universe desires to give to me. Gen 1:26 says “Let Us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness and give him dominion.” You have created me to be like You on three levels; image, likeness and dominion. You have desired to give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for knowing three things; the hope of Your calling, the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints and the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe. There are three manifestations of Your presence; Father, Son and Spirit. I am a three part being; spirit, soul and body. Psalm 27 tells us that David desired one thing; to dwell in the house of the Lord, behold His beauty and to inquire in His temple.

You are an amazing God, understanding the seen and unseen things in perfection. Nothing escapes Your knowledge, nothing extends beyond Your understanding, and You are calling us to be like You. Magnificent God, pour out Your love and grace upon me. I want to love like You love. I am not even going to attempt to break down these verses but instead I bask in the glory and goodness of Your person, Your presence. Strengthen our hands to do the work of the Lord and deliver us from the hand of the enemy. Your gentleness is making me great. Mold me, shape me, create me and make me like You in every way. I want all You have to give, for You desire to give to me.

A Tearing Heart

2010-12-27T11:39:00.002-05:00

My soul is torn, and the tear is growing worse. I have an affliction, a malady of the worst kind. For my desire is entirely for another world, another age, another kingdom, and another King, yet I am trapped in this present time with no escape except through visions, dreams, trances, death and the return of my King. You might say my life is a waste, to expend all my energy hoping for something yet unseen, but knowing that all this you see is coming to an end, how can I choose to live any other way. It is not as if I have hidden away and grown ignorant towards this world, on the contrary I am growing in concern, desiring greatly to warn and to teach every man the mystery of Christ. So few care, so few change; many respond, many proclaim Jesus is Lord, but so few actually live for the age to come. Where are the ones who can see, who are not overly pumped up with the hype of religion and movements, but steadfast and level headed in the faith. The plowers, the laborers, the pioneers who forsake everything in this age for Jesus, those who don’t look back. I have no fathers in the faith, many desire to teach, but few actually lead. My soul is torn and it is a wondrous thing. I hate this world and the things in it because they violently rip men’s hearts from experiencing the truth. We live in an age where faith equals foolishness; nothing can be taken at a word any longer. I believe in what is invisible, and many who are dying and deceived also believe in invisible things, but I have hope in a God, a God who became man and then suffered in my place, winning the ultimate victory over death, rising from the grave. O King Jesus come and visit me in your absence, awaken your people, give us times of refreshing in the Spirit until the Day of Your return. Strengthen us by Your Spirit, take us into truth and let our eyes behold Your glory. Come Lord Jesus.

Sometimes Truth Can Hurt

2010-12-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

We have lost some of the edge of the message of the Old Testament prophets. In a country plagued by a complacency spirit within the church, and myriads of self professing Christians hovering around their own version of truth and subscribing to whatever mix of beliefs suites their lifestyle; we could use a little dose of sobriety. Israel was repeatedly warned and judged for unrighteous behavior: mistreating the poor and widow, idol worship, sexual immorality, and wickedness. We flaunt our wickedness with great zeal in America in many of these (if not all) areas, while appeasing our consciences with a watered down notion of not being “judgmental”. Woe to you who call evil things and behaviors good, cool or tolerable. Have we forgotten that God is a righteous God who holds an absolute standard of what is right? Have we forgotten that the ways of God are not negotiable? Proverbs tell us that there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death (Prov 14:12). We have taken the saying “love the sinner, hate the sin” into the ridiculous realm of political correctness and have completely erased from our minds that there is a judgment of God against sin; there is a lake of fire and real people who choose unrighteousness as a lifestyle will spend eternity there (Rev 14:9-12). Paul tells us that we are not to judge in Romans 2:1 but then continue in the very next verse to say that we know the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things (see Rom 1:18-32 for definition of “such things”). So when you say I have no right to judge you are absolutely correct, but do not deny the standard of the judgment of God plainly revealed throughout Scripture. And if I repeat the warning of God’s judgment on wickedness why am I then judged as judgmental, it is not my judgments that you have a problem with but the Lords, and if you disagree with the Lord’s judgments then how can you be from the Lord. What is the bottom line? God in His mercy tells us very plainly what He disapproves of, and what things will reap His judgment and wrath. To pronounce to the unknowing what God will pour out His wrath upon is also an act of love and mercy giving them an opportunity to repent (change their mind) and turn to God with a whole heart. How many of you know the wonderful story of Jonah? This is a great example of God’s mercy. The reluctant prophet went to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh to proclaim their wickedness to them that they might repent or God would destroy the city. Assyria was Israel’s enemy over the years and yet God wanted to offer them an opportunity to turn from wickedness prior to bringing His judgment. Imagine if Jonahs message was according to our views of “not judging” today. Biblical writers had no problem defining behavior that brings wrath either. They actually gave us many comprehensive (but not all inclusive) lists to allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts. Let us look at a few of these lists:

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: - Rom 1:29-31 KJV

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1Cr 6:9-10 NKJV

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. - Gal 5:19-21 NKJV

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. - Eph 2:1-3 NKJV

18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame who set their mind on earthly things. - Phl 3:18-19 NKJV

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, - Col 3:5-9 NKJV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. - 1Th 4:3-8 NKJV

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, - 1Ti 1:9-10 NKJV

22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. - 2Ti 2:22-26 NKJV

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, - Tts 2:11-13 NKJV

3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, - Tts 3:3-5 NKJV

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." - 1Pe 1:13-16 NKJV

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, - 1Pe 2:1-4 NKJV

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. - 1Jo 2:3-6 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. - 1Jo 2:15-17 NKJV

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. - 1Jo 3:4-10 NKJV

I think it is time to rethink what our lives are supposed to look like in Him. The power is in Jesus to walk this way. If you have been either behaving or approving of these behaviors, God is merciful and calling you to repent and cry out now so you won’t suffer later when wrath is poured out. Remember He died for you, and He loves you with an everlasting love. Your condition does not cause Him to pause in His commitment towards you. I too am full of love and only desire to see us all walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Bless you.

An Issue of Blood: Pressing In

2010-12-11T11:51:00.002-05:00

To lay out the story very briefly, Jesus was traveling to Jarius’ home to heal his 12 year old daughter when a woman who had an “issue of blood” for 12 years touched the hem of His garment to receive healing from her reproach. This woman had tried everything to find her cure, spending her entire living on physicians and had only grown worse. Jesus was her only hope. When she heard He was passing by she said if only I could touch the hem of His garment I would be made well. What did she know about Jesus? What had she seen? What had she heard? His fame was great at this stage of His ministry and He could scarcely find any privacy except the wee hours of the morning before the sun even began to rise. A great multitude was always following Him seeking something. She was unclean according to the Torah and anything or anyone who touched her would be unclean according, (Lev 15:25-28) and yet she pressed through a crowd defiling not only all she came in contact with but also the one she was attempting to touch. This woman had no hope in Moses and was reduced to a life of isolation and ridicule. The religious would not be found near her nor would there be a place found for her in the Temple. She would have been closed off from all the devout and would only find community with those who were lawless or taking her money to treat her. After twelve years enough was enough. Here comes a man who had healed lepers. If He tolerated and healed the leprous then surely she could find her answer in this Man. For they too were unclean like her. Yet fear and partial understanding kept her from seeking a full encounter, but simply touching the Hem of His garment would be enough for her. But this was a man, a Rabbi, who healed the sick, who cast out demons and who silenced the Pharisees. A man who knew the Scripture. A man who would know that this hem of His garment represented keeping the law, honoring the Sabbath. He healed on the Sabbath in opposition to the zealous, surely He would remember her. So she pressed, surely defiling many, and she reached Him. Touching the hem of His garment she was immediately cleansed. She would have been overjoyed, instant relief for her body and nobody knew who she was or what she did, but Jesus also felt the power go out of Him. He stopped and scanned the crowd asking “Who touched me?” No one answered and Peter even questioned how He could possibly know in such a crowd, weren’t many touching Him? Jesus persisted, someone touched my clothes and I felt power leave me. He must have made eye contact with the woman because she perceived that she was not hidden. With fear and trembling she came forward and explained her situation for all to hear. Imagine the disgust of those who she brushed by knowing now they were unclean, surely there was some trouble coming for her. Jesus simply looks at her and tells her to be comforted; her faith has made her well, and dismisses her without any rebuke whatsoever.

What a beautiful story, but what about today? What can we learn from this woman in our approach to Jesus? This woman pressed in beyond reproach, beyond ridicule, and beyond fear to touch the garment of the Man we call Lord and God. Our lesson is in the pressing. We live in a world that is pressing in from all sides telling us what to do and how to do it. We cower to the opinions and ideas of men while staring at Jesus from afar. Maybe if we just imitate this action or that behavior we will see His power move in our lives and we call it faith. No!! We must press through the crowd without receiving their words and touch His garment. The healing was immediate upon touching Jesus, but the touching Him took time and effort. It took a revelation of who He is and of what He can do. Are we ever close enough? Not until we receive, have we drawn close enough. We must press through the crowds of naysayers, the crowds of religious people who mock our dependency on God, the satisfied who really just want to see something, we must press beyond friends, beyond family, beyond reason, beyond our reputation to the very feet of Jesus, and then we will experience Him! Your uncleanness is healed in touching Him, and you shall be set free. Press in.

He Strengthens My Weary Heart

2010-12-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

What is the LORD seeking? He has always had a people on the earth. In Elijah’s day as the prophet cried out that there were none left except him, the LORD responded that He had reserved 7000 who had not bowed their knee to Baal. There is a remnant. This is a remnant that refuses under any pressure to bow to any master other than One Master, God. So then, what is the LORD seeking except a people that will love Him more than life itself. Yet in this strange and varied world of religions and traditions how do we even begin to know who the LORD is. Confusion and pitfall abound as we repeatedly superimpose our weaknesses and desires onto a perfect and loving God. Sometimes it feels like serving God is the most arduous decision I have ever made, because whatever position I take there are still many that have arguments and debates that rival all things. Those outside the faith are much easier to deal with, but it is those who name the same LORD and yet slander and rage against each other with their various doctrines that prove to be the greatest trial. I almost hate to open my mouth because there is always an unlimited supply of those who disagree with such enthusiasm that it would seem that I just stuck my toe in the lake of fire while inviting everyone else to come and take a dip. Even silent opinions become difficult to bear as the world is ornate with venom that slanders my every thought leaving my head spinning and my heart crying out for the return of the LORD from heaven. But I cannot keep silent, it is like a fire in my bones, it is more painful to try and contain it.

So back to the question, what is the LORD seeking? A people or a family who love Him. How do we know if we are His people or just bowing down to any master (Baal) that pleasures our current desire? Oh my LORD, save me from this wicked and cruel age of men, I long for Your rule and Kingdom to come on the earth. Can I have the strength to love my friends and my enemies, the strength to turn the other cheek, the strength to show kindness to those who hate me and speak mean things about me simply because I trust in the resurrection from the dead.

Believing in Jesus is certainly the best and hardest thing. I have risked every opportunity in this life in the belief that He is the Son of God, the first born from the dead, and my soon returning King. I truly love Jesus, and all that I desire is to see Him and that you too experience the same love I have experienced. I’ve not always been kind, and I regularly struggle with feeling inadequate for the job He has entrusted me with, but He continues to strengthen me. Some might say I have a mental disorder, and my own delusions keep me from backing down, but He is truth and I honestly have nowhere else to turn. O Jesus you have both ruined me and made me in one sweep and I am so thankful, for if this pitiful age was all I had to hope in then my existence would be miserable indeed. I long.

Fascination: A Routine Love Affair

2010-11-30T07:22:00.002-05:00

Setting my mind. What is your mind set on? Fascination is the key to keeping your mind engaged on something. Fascination is the state of feeling an intense interest in something, when you are fascinated by something even those things that you are doing do not hold the power to distract your thoughts (3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. - Isa 26:3 NKJV). Yet many of us find ourselves spiritually bored, easily distracted or attracted by other things outside of Jesus.

We all have routines that we follow. You get up at a certain time, you leave the house at a certain time, you go to lunch at a certain time, you come home at a certain time, you put the kids to bed at a certain time, and then you go to bed at a certain time. Everything has a certain time to be done. Even actions and seasons have their time and place (Ecc 3:1). Then everyone looks forward to the weekends and holidays and vacations so we can break out of our routines and schedules. This is probably the cause of many generational issues, teen and early twenties generally have no patience for any schedule or routine while the older crowd tends to become enslaved to them, but no one is fascinated by routine. The one produces disorganization and the inability to achieve certain dreams and goals while the other produces bitterness and judgment toward any who try to live outside of their model. Yet if you can couple routine with fascination you have a powerful tool, a powerful and effective life. The younger generations can certainly do well to learn from the fathers, but likewise the older would do well if they could remember the fascination of youth and turn to the children (6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." - Mal 4:6 NKJK).

Let’s take a closer look at how fascination controls everything. Who can remember the very first time they fell in love? I was in the 5th grade. My heart would race and skip at the thought of this one girl. I could not pay attention in class because I only wanted to look at her, she was the one. I was captivated, overcome and fascinated. The problem was I was shy and we had never spoken, there was just some mystical connection awakened in my heart and I wanted to spend the rest of my life making her happy. My shyness was more powerful than my fascination, and I never did speak to her, but I used to cry myself to sleep looking at her picture in our yearbook at night, wishing that I could just speak to her. Somehow this feeling eventually just faded away. My fascination died because I did nothing to cultivate it. It could have blossomed into something, but with no direction and no plan that fascination did nothing but produce frustration. Sadly this is what happens too many who fall in love with Jesus.

Now, the question I pose is this; what fascinates you today? We are in a religious gathering right now so the temptation would be to say “God” or “Jesus” or something Christian because of course that is the right thing to be fascinated with. It would be of no value to any of us to lie to ourselves. If God is not your fascination the best thing you could do is tell yourself the truth. I guess we may need a few tools to help identify fascination. Probably the quickest way to identify your fascination would be to ask yourself “if I could be anywhere right now, where would it be?” Don’t be embarrassed by the answer, but I would be willing to say that most of you pictured somewhere other than here, somewhere other than a church type service, and doing something other than listening to someone else speak. Many people adhere to their religions as a type of duty that must be performed in order to be right with God, and it becomes just another part of that boring routine of getting up at a certain time and doing life. Truly, most church goers probably look forward to their lunch plans more than the message.

Remember the first time you fell in love again. Does your life with God have at least an equal level of fascination over you? Do you stay up late thinking about Him, miss meals because you were spending time with Jesus and just forgot to eat, stay distracted while doing other things because you just can’t take your mind off of Him? You cannot wait to break your routine in order to get to the One who fascinates you. We don’t put time limits or schedules on our fascination but try to squeeze the maximum amount of time into our fascination, forsaking many other duties in order to sate our desire. Has intimacy with Jesus become our primary desire?

If He has then people will begin to question your sanity, your zeal for God, and begin to make you an outcast, labeling you as a religious fanatic. You find yourself being avoided by even those who you call brother and sisters in the Lord. Family members shun you, and you hear people begin to tell you about balance. All things in moderation, you don’t want to go too far with this Jesus thing, while you’re thinking I want to forsake all to follow Jesus. Your life begins to be surrounded by pressure to compromise your zeal. Your faith is not producing peace but instead a sword, as your enemies becomes those of your own household and some of your closest friends turn on you. All those years you spent trying to fit in, all the social progress you have made, that good deal at work that just requires a little finagling are all on the line.

Through all this, life happens. Cares of this world begin to creep in; you start thinking about what you “need” to get done. Paying the bills, mowing the grass, and getting the oil changed. Though you hate the routine, though you despise that which pulls you away from Him, your sense of responsibility may cause you to begin to keep God at arm’s length and He becomes the thing that you get to if you can. After a short honeymoon with Jesus, many believers find themselves wondering “where am I” and “How did I get so far away”. All of this tends to be rooted in being more concerned with what people think about you, instead of pleasing God. Our preoccupation is this age instead of the age to come. Our minds become distracted and dull to the things of God because we have set our affection on the earth and this present age, forgetting our first love. We may continue to tip God at the end of a meal but scarcely remember Him once we get up from the table. Soon our lives barely resemble what we first experienced. (Parable of the sower) No root in ourselves, rocky soil, persecution; thorns, cares of this life, deceitfulness of wealth, choke out the word.

If we even remain concerned with Jesus, we become like one with an eating disorder. Trying to gorge ourselves on good meetings but vomiting it all out as soon as we are finished eating. Our spirits become thin and once heavyweight hopefuls become sick and weak and are dying. This is most likely the state of our mainstream American Christianity, except in our craftiness we have developed doctrines to help us remain comfortable in our destitution. We can continue in sin while being eternally secure hoping in the pre-trib rapture because after all Jesus did it all so I don’t have to. We then surround ourselves with teachers that scratch our itching ears to make us “feel” like everything is OK. We cast aside every form of routine as legalism and justify our fly by the seat of our pants Christianity as being led by the Spirit. We refuse to allow our hearts to be convicted, because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, all the while living like the world. We watch the same shows, listen to the same music, play the same games, and give in to the same pleasures, all the while calling ourselves “set-apart”. We have become like those Isaiah spoke of that honor God with their lips but our hearts are far from Him. We have homosexuality, sex before marriage, porn addiction, divorce, rebellious children, obsession with the occult, drunkenness, and much more at virtually the same levels as the “non-believing” world. Our righteousness is barely existent and we claim to be filled with the Spirit, while Buddhists, Muslims, Mormons and others are showing themselves to be morally superior. Oh, but don’t become legalistic. All things are permissible. Why is it the Spirit of God is leading more Christians into justified sin than those of more intolerant or stricter religions? We pray lead us not into temptation and yet chase after temptation, who are we being led by?

What am I getting at? The church is not fascinated with Jesus, but is in an adulterous relationship with the world, and at the end of the age no less!! We are truly ripe for a great falling away in the US, and if we don’t become fascinated with Jesus, we will be swept away by the seductive strong delusion of the Antichrist’s regime. It is time we fall in love with Jesus again. Remember the admonishment Jesus spoke to the church of Ephesus? Return to your first love. Remember the warning? Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly (suddenly) and remove your lamp stand from its place-unless you repent. What is this first works? Love the Lord your God with all your mind and soul and strength.

What does this mean to us? Getting saved when you were 10 does not secure your place in the Kingdom of God! Saying the sinner’s prayer and then continuing in the same lifestyles is not salvation. Walk out your salvation with fear and trembling. We have reduced God to the really nice old guy who lets you do whatever you want. You know he doesn’t approve of what you are doing but he doesn’t want any trouble so he lets everything slide. God loves us too much to let everything slide. When Kirk Bennet was here he told us that the Holy Spirit is not here to kind of work with you, He has not come to work with you but to kill you.

At the beginning of this message I mentioned the way we all hate routine, but that a routine that is fueled by fascination is a very powerful tool. We fall away because we do not make time with Jesus our priority, and the spirit of the age is crouching at the door. We don’t make time for Jesus because we are not fascinated with Him or by Him. Both God and the devil want to kill us; the devil to destroy, but God to resurrect and make new. We must become willing to die since it is appointed to man (Heb 9:27). This is really a message about laying down your life, it is the only way for the life of Jesus to become manifest through you. But you will never lay down your life for someone you are not enamored with. We have forgotten the cross, that it is how we know love: He first laid down His life for us.

It is time to rekindle the relationship, He is waiting. Whatever level you are walking at, there is more. Ask Jesus to fascinate your heart, to open the eyes of your understanding. It is this fascination that will cause you to change your routine to spend time with the One you love. A life ordered by our love for Jesus is an effective life. Without a revelation of His love we will not be fascinated by Him, and for this we must long and ask and believe.

God is calling out a people that do not call themselves holy but are holy, a people that rend their hearts and not just their garments. A church that walks in righteousness not just talks about righteousness. We need an awakening to forsaking the world and the things in the world (16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. - 1Jo 2:16 NKJV). We need to prepare ourselves for the wedding like an expectant bride. Business as usual will only produce results as usual. Come out from among her my people (17 Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." - 2Cr 6:17 NKJV).

We must begin to fight for our imagination and the imagination of a generation to be set on what is unseen, the coming age of Jesus. Set your mind on things above, and become fascinated. We are living in the camp of the enemy, and it is only going to become exceedingly more difficult as the transition from this age to the next manifests. A onetime fascination is not enough to sustain you. Puppy love, albeit extremely strong and all consuming, will fade. Marriages can begin on love at first site, but are only maintained by commitment. The enemy of your soul does not rest in his attempt to turn your fascination to other lovers; we must not relent in intentionally encountering Jesus with our time.

Your thoughts become consumed by the things you are fascinated with. Whatever consistently runs through your mind is what is in your heart. I’m not simply speaking of temptations or random thoughts, but the manifestation of consuming behaviors as consuming thoughts and vice versa. Ever gone to bed not being able to get your work off of your mind? Still trying to solve the problems of the day, you wrestle with your thoughts unable to become still and fix yourself on the Lord. This is where being intentional comes in. Just like you would schedule time with your girlfriend or set a date night with your wife, break-up your day with Jesus time. As you become fascinated with Him and by Him this will become the greatest time of your day. No one is ever accused of legalism when they schedule time to spend alone with someone they love, and yet when we become intentional about our time with Jesus, even the church, the bride of Christ, cries “legalism”. Let’s settle the issue now: lovers make time for the ones they love! You will never come to Jesus with a sincere heart and find out that He is busy right now because all of His time is set apart for you, how much of your time is set apart for Him.

A time is coming in the Earth when all other lover’s will be taken away, and if we are not fascinated with the God of creation we will be left empty and searching and the devil will be ready to snatch away your affections. Do not be mistaken, you will not stand when it gets tough if you refuse to stand while it is easy. Right now there are true lovers of God giving their very lives because they refuse to deny Jesus, and many of us will not even give a few hours but deny Him daily. Consumed by our fascination with movies and video games, clamoring for that very sacred “me” time that never satisfies; we are guilty of putting Jesus on hold while we get in bed with every other passion. Then when He makes a move, allowing a disturbance in our pleasure seeking, we accuse Him of wickedness, saying "how could this happen to me I’m a Christian". Woe to you, if you do not repent. The church is busy treating Jesus like something to add to their life, He is life!!

Resurrection!

2010-11-17T17:16:00.000-05:00

Everything we know in Christianity hinges on the resurrection! If Jesus did not get up from the grave on the third day as He predicted then the whole thing is a lie. He did get up from the grave. Even with all the doubts and arguments against the resurrection the fact still remains undisturbed; Jesus is alive. If His personal prediction of rising from the dead came to pass according to His word, then we would be right to expect every other word He spoke to be correct. Nothing that Jesus prophesies will fall to the ground, it all will happen! He said that He would return, He will. He said that He would set up His Kingdom on earth, He will. He said that all the dead in Him will rise at the end of the age at the sound of His voice, it will happen. He said we would be changed from corruptible to incorruptible, we will. He said that whoever believes in Him will not see death, we won’t. The resurrection is the proof! It is undeniable, and after 2000yrs no one with a heart after the truth has been able to refute His resurrection! Now the question is if we have as Lord and God a man who raised Himself from the grave by the power of the Spirit, how should we live? If death was not a strong enough enemy to hold Christ down, then what in your life is insurmountable for Him? Are you trapped in wrong behavior because God lacks something in delivering you? No. You serve a God who not only died for you, but rose from the grave for you, in order to bring you into His fellowship, and He can clean you up, we just need to allow Him to perform His work in us.

Getting Better

2010-11-03T21:48:00.000-04:00

I have been under the weather for the past couple of days. It has not been a fun time, but I am glad to be getting better. We have had this cold run through our house and I was last to get it. I don't get sick very often thank the Lord. I hopefully will back to posting tomorrow.

Let This Mind Be In You

2010-11-01T20:50:00.001-04:00

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Phil 2:5-7

Oh that I would live as if I have the mind of Christ Jesus. According to the Scripture I find that if I believe in Jesus I have the mind of Christ. Yet when I turn through the pages I find the actions of a man I am nothing like. He is marvelous in every way, and His love for me is perfect. I am going forward almost in a constant stumble, not as a man trapped in sin, but as a child learning to walk. I cast aside my reputation in this world and say “Come Lord Jesus!” I am sick with love for my Lord and my God. I have count everything loss that I might gain the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Jesus laid down the glory of God to take up the sin of men. He hung it on the back of His throne as He stepped out of heaven and into the visible realm. Coming as a baby, born of a virgin, this mystery is so profound that it causes many to stumble. How humble, to place Himself under the authority of a little Jewish girl and her husband a carpenter. He was born in a manger. Yet heaven could not keep silent. Angels announced His birth to the shepherds as a heavenly choir. Wise men followed His star from the east. And during His dedication service His majesty was recognized by Anna and Simeon.

Inwardly He possessed all of what it means to be God and yet He was contained in the likeness of human flesh. Tempted in every way, yet never giving in. Astounding the teachers of the law when He was only twelve, this boy was destined for greatness.

Beginning His ministry with His baptism by His cousin John (this was a baptism of repentance) when He arose from the water, praying, the heavens opened and the Spirit descended upon Him. A voice from heaven declared Him this day (as well as on two other occasions in His life in the flesh), and John announced His preeminence from this moment forward.

Paul now has the audacity to tell us that we ought to have the same mind as this man. Do you have the audacity to believe it? I do.

Guardians Of The Secrets Things

2010-10-29T13:10:00.000-04:00

I was reading “The Seven Longings Of The Human Heart” by Mike Bickle when I came across a statement that struck me. On page 98 he writes “Nothing hurts like intimacy exposed.” He is referring to when you share a very personal secret with another and then they betray your trust by sharing it with another who you did not want to know. Farther down on the same page he writes “…Intimacy with Jesus is not a one-sided discussion. Jesus has secrets of His own.”

I have never really considered that intimacy with Jesus is being included in His secrets. I believe it is in the secret place that He whispers His secrets to those whom He loves. Only those who love Him ever find this secret place. But the thing that gripped me is the hurt we cause by exposing His intimate secrets with others. We use the intimate love language we have with the Lord to try and bolster our ministries, making ourselves look spiritual. We don’t treat our friends or spouses this way saying “Hey everyone guess what I know about so and so”, yet we somehow think that everything He speaks in the secret place is for public consumption.

To become one who hears secrets we must become one who keeps secrets. We become the guardians of the secret things of God. There is a secret place Jesus desires to have only with you, and there are secret things He desires to whisper only to you in His still small voice. The invitation is open to all who believe on His name, but the experience is only given to those who come.

Intimacy is founded on time spent. The more time spent with someone the more you get to know each other and more is revealed. Deep secrets are not revealed in the first meeting, there are always deeper things and then deeper things after that. This continues forever. Let us not be satisfied with a surface meeting with the Lord, but answer His call into His deep heart of love.

Meditation on the parable of the woman and the lost coin

2010-10-28T09:16:00.000-04:00

"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10

Have you ever lost something of great value? This is how you are viewed by Jesus, one having great value. He searches with diligence, carefully seeking for someone who hears His voice. He values finding you, saving you, cleaning you up, and every other part of the process. There is not a single part of the process of redeeming you that He does not do willingly and with great joy. You are the joy set before Him. In His road from heaven to earth and back again, you are the only thing He came to get; He left heaven to perform a diligent and careful search for you. He knows exactly who is His and He will find them all. Your presence before Him causes great rejoicing in heaven. The Lord and all the host of heaven rejoice together in your salvation. I rejoice with Him when one comes to repentance and sees Jesus as the Lord of all. You are worthy of rejoicing over, you are worthy of the Lord of heaven and earth to throw a big party over, just like the prodigal son returning to the father, so the Lord rejoices over you. He has not found you in order to hire you as an employee or treat you as a servant but you are His friend, His son, His bride. Everything that belongs to Him is yours.

He continues His careful and diligent search in you to bring you to perfection, to create in you a pure and contrite heart. All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Count it all joy when you face trials. He is producing in you a crown of life. No matter how hard or unjust life may seem, God is fully using everything to make you like Himself, and He is always good. God is good and there is no wickedness in Him!

Read Psalm 139

I cannot run from You, for You pursue me with Your presence where ever I run. Thank you Lord for Your relentless pursuit of Me, that You are not satisfied to leave Me a wretch, You are not pleased in My destruction, nor do You discipline Me for joy but all things are done in hope; hope that I will turn and serve You with my whole heart.

I want to run only to You. Give me a heart to run only to You no matter how much it hurts.

Who Am I Lord?

2010-10-27T09:38:00.001-04:00

Who am I Lord that You would count me worthy to help build the House of Prayer? What is man that you are mindful of Him?

In all of our callings and dealings with Jesus we come across the question of worthiness, the question of who am I. The Lord calls you worthy simply in the fact that He took the time to form you, to fashion you in His very own image and according to His likeness. But I have dome so much wickedness you might say, how is it He would use me. You are not so wicked that God can not turn you around and use you. Remember the nations of Canaan, Israel had to go into captivity in Egypt for over 400yrs for the sins of those entire nations to reach their fullness before God was willing to destroy them. Do you think you are so wicked that in your 70 or 80 years you can heap up enough wickedness to cause God to shut you out for good? You can not! You are thinking too highly of yourself if you think your wickedness can shut out Gods goodness in your short life span. It takes generations of wickedness to bring the judgments of God upon a nation, and even in those judgments His hand is still stretched out to show you mercy.

Back to the question....Who am I? You are the love of His life, the apple of His eye, the object of all His affections! He is the Father who gives good gifts to His children. He is not looking for an excuse to destroy you, on the contrary He is doing everything to rescue you from this perverse generation. We must lift our chins up and remember who our daddy is! Let the world do what it may to us, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

We are like prisoners of war who have been beaten so much that we have forgotten out royal heritage. We wander around on this earth in this age scrambling for names and positions forgetting that we are fully in the enemies camp. The whole earth lies under the sway of the wicked one. He is doing everything he can to cause you to fall asleep and forget God, to stay numb to the presence of the Holy One, pursuing after worldly lusts. Turn your eyes to heaven and forsake all for Christ, this life is but a vapor and then we are with Jesus. When it is time to stand before Him, I want to already know Him, to be deep into our relationship, so that the transition from this age to the next is not a trial but a joy as I look to the Author and Finisher of my faith. He is highly exalted and He calls me His bride!

Who am I then? I am His beloved bride. I have been pursued and won by the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. Will you come? Come Lord Jesus!

Hear God

2010-10-26T12:55:00.000-04:00

The Lord is speaking now and always. He is not a silent and stoic God with nothing current to say to us. He is not off somewhere conducting business for a time, we are His business. Of everything created both visible and invisible we are the only ones created in His image and according to His likeness; we are His kind. Knowing about God is not enough in the same way just knowing about your spouse is not enough. Imagine if we treated one another in the way we assume that God is treating us. None of our relationships would last if we came to a place of saying it is now better if I go away but do not worry or be sad because I have a book about myself. Not only would my wife be very unhappy if I left her and said we will no longer have any communication, but I would likewise be unable to restrain myself from speaking to her. God will not restrain Himself from speaking to the very object of His greatest affection...His bride.
So take time to listen! The number one priority of a believers life ought to be listening to the voice of God. It is through the voice of God that everything happens. Nothing happens unless He first speaks, either in us or in the earth. Every response is a response to Gods voice. But don't stop with simple listening, allow Him to work in You, submit to the voice of God...obey His voice. As you obey His voice you will begin to know Him at a level far better than commandments, you will begin to know HIm and see Him as your bridegroom. His love for you is much more passionate than you have realized, much more consistant, and not very tame. Every longing, every desire contained in you has its true fulfillment in Him. Its time for the church to wake up to the voice of God.

He Is Our Only Hope

2010-10-25T15:29:00.002-04:00

If you could be godly, you wouldn’t need God. You do not have anything original. There is nothing new under the sun. But God is exalted high above the sun and He is doing a new thing. Do you want to know what it is? Me too. We only know about God what He has revealed about Himself. Jesus said that He is the exact representation of the Father, so we can see Jesus in the bible, what He is like. Whatever Jesus is like, the Father is like. Jesus also said that it is better for us if He returns to the Father because then He would send us another Comforter, Holy Spirit. Jesus said of Holy Spirit that He would guide us into all truth, He would tell us of things to come, and He would come in us and upon us. Just as Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing, the Holy Spirit will only speak what He has heard from the Father. God is revealing Himself from every direction; we must throw ourselves at His feet and worship.

He was in the beginning with God

2010-10-20T14:52:00.000-04:00

He was in the beginning with God. John 1:2

“Before the beginning began You where there with the plan, You knew what You were going to do before You did it.”

When the earth was formless and void, You were there. When darkness covered the deep, You were there. When the Spirit brooded over the waters, You were there. There is not a time when You were not. And the voice of the Lord thundered out of the darkness, “Let there be….” You were there; The Word of God. In the beginning, the beginning, You were there. You were, and You currently are, and You will forever be. There will never be a time when You are not. You are already in my tomorrow and You are still in my yesterday and today You make Yourself known to me. Before I was You are. After I am You are. Your thoughts are ever on me, what am I that You would look at me? What am I that You became like me that I might become like You? O great and incomprehensible God, glorious and true, full of beauty and wonder, power and dominion is Yours. Speak kindly to me lest I be consumed by Your fire, for my frail frame cannot contain a glimpse of Your glory, yet You love to reveal Yourself to me.

Things Pertaining To The Kingdom

2010-10-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

The book of Acts begins by telling us about a resurrected Jesus appearing to the apostles and speaking about things pertaining to the Kingdom of God for forty days. I would love to have heard these messages, what were they like? What would Jesus have spoken about? He would not have spent the entire forty days convincing them of His resurrection, which was taken care of quickly. What might these “things” be? Matthew 28 has the “great commission” which we have interpreted as getting people saved, but it appears that we have a “great omission”. We find that in making disciples of all nations, and baptizing them, that we ignore the teaching aspect of this commissioning. Jesus said to teach them to observe all things He commanded them.

On the road to Emmaus we know He expounded about Himself and how it was that He must suffer and rise again starting in Moses and going through all the prophets. The hearts of the disciples burned within them while He spoke.

He restored Peter on the shore of Galilee, calling him too feed the sheep, and to Mary, Thomas and the others He simply showed Himself alive.

His commandment just prior to His suffering was to love one another and believe that He was sent by God. His command after rising from the dead was to wait for the Holy Spirit and then be witnesses of His resurrection.

The message of the Kingdom is the King that was killed is now alive! The message of the Kingdom is that this King is in heaven right now, and is returning to take over the earth. It is the signs of power that accompany the message that prove the message.

Repentance is the automatic response of someone that believes. If you do not repent then you do not believe.

We have reduced the entire message of the Kingdom of God to the forgiveness of sins while eking out a pitiful existence. Repentance and forgiveness of sins is only the entranceway, the foyer so to speak. Hebrews tells us to not lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. It says we should leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ and move on to perfection. Yet we live as if these things are all there is, constantly living in the cycle of sin having dominion over us.

When He returns to the earth I wonder if we will have a clue as to who He is and how He does things or if we will be shocked and offended by what we see. Now is the season to learn of Him, who He is and what He is like so He can enjoy us and we can enjoy Him both now and in the ages to come.

Jesus is still alive, He is still speaking about the Kingdom, He is still returning. Give us ears to hear.

Sunday EGS

2010-10-17T17:03:00.001-04:00

This morning we had a great EGS(Encounter God Service) at IHOP-Macon!! Bryan Holder and his wife Racheal led us in worship. These two are amazing, they've been married a little over a year with their first child on the way and together they really brought the right atmosphere to encounter God. Rachael is a talented keyboardest while Bryan has a real knack for expressing the heart of God with spontanious choruses that penetrate the soul.
I had the great privelage of delivering the message. The Lord was gracious to open up some things about asking and receiving that really ministered to some. I am hoping to be able to link the messages to my blog soon. I am not a computer guy so bear with me in the wait.
Some of the highlights from the message:

-Everything you have or have experienced with Jesus is a result of your asking. How many of us became believers without first asking God? We are taught to “ask Jesus into our heart”, and even though that particular phrase is not evident in the Scripture the principle of handing over the governing authority of our life to another is. Jesus, I have completely messed my life up, I am not who you made me to be, so I ask you to take over. So if it began with asking, why doesn’t it continue by asking?

-It is as if we “ask” Jesus to take over and then at some point we say “I’ve got this one Lord” and He will let us have the reigns. We leave Jesus on the sidelines while we go and try to be the star of the game.

-So in thinking we perfectly understand God we begin to ask for others; friends, family, children, spouses, co-workers etc. We ask God to change this or that in these people so that they could know Jesus like we do, because of course God does not want any to perish. Really what we are doing is asking God to conform them into our image. We try to get God to change others so we wont be bothered by them instead of asking God to change us so that we can be a blessing to them.

In The Face of Jesus

2010-10-15T18:57:00.002-04:00

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 4:6

Are you in darkness? What an obscure term, darkness. How would you even know? Darkness cannot define darkness and neither can light define light, it is contrasts that bring definition. For good there must be evil, for right there must be wrong, for up there must be down, for right there must be left, for in there must be out, for truth there must be a lie.

Where does the definition come from? It is God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. He is commanding us to allow His light to shine out of our darkness. His glory becoming very apparent as His strength is perfected in our weakness.

A child is told to look both ways before crossing the street. Is this right or wrong? The child is not interested in the motive of their instructor; he obeys or disobeys according to his own thoughts. Something else must define the moral or ethical value of their instruction.

While we were yet sinners God sent His Son into the world. Jesus is the visible representation of the invisible God. Everything we know about God must be defined by who Jesus is. If what we know about God is not consistent with whom Jesus is then we must throw it out.

As you look into the face of Jesus you will see the Father and your darkness will be turned into light and you will shine as sons of God.

Free to love Him

2010-10-14T15:23:00.000-04:00

Father, I desire. These are the words of Jesus in John 17:24. He goes on to tell us that His desire is for us to be with Him and that we would behold His glory! This amazing statement comes at the end His prayer just prior to being betrayed by Judas. Right before Jesus is taken into custody, right before He is interrogated, mocked, beaten and crucified; His thoughts are on us being with Him. The Lord of all creation is about to face the cruelest suffering and all authority is at His disposal yet He meekly submits in order to secure the love of the very ones who kill Him.

We know that God never changes, if that was His desire at that moment, it is His desire now, and it was His desire in the very beginning; when He warned the man not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We can behold His glory, but we cannot take of His glory and call it ours; not then and not now. To eat of something you are taking it into yourself and it becomes a part of you, it nourishes you, sustains you and makes you grow; unless it is poison, then it will kill you.

Being able to freely eat is the crux of this command. God did not erect a fence around the tree, nor did He post a security guard, He even allowed His enemy to lurk in the tree that carried the deadly fruit. God does not change, look at Jesus, he had a thief holding the money bag during His earthly ministry and yet there is no record of a rebuke from Jesus toward Judas. We still have no fences guarding our behavior; if we want to do something He lets us. All things are permissible but not all things are profitable.

You are free, but don't use your freedom as an opportunity to disobey God! It led to death then...It leads to death now. His love is the power to keep you. As weak as you think you are, God is greater than your weakness, and His desire is you.

He created you, He died for you, and He is coming back....for YOU!

Life in the Garden

2010-10-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” Gen 2:15-17

We can readily understand the concept of keeping and tending a garden. You have weeds to contend with, making sure it is watered, protecting it from insects and other hungry critters, and making sure it gets the right amount of sun among other things. The interesting thing is man was placed here before the fall. There were no weeds, the earth watered itself from the ground up, animals were subject to man, and this garden was planted by God. What would it have been like?

If we allow our imaginations to soar in God here, we can begin to see how enjoyable work must have been. Some of you enjoy your work now, but most people seem to dislike it at some degree. You never have everything you need, deadlines and other pressures constantly pushing on you, other people getting in the way of what you need to get done, etc... Consider work with no hindrances. I think about when I was doing electrical work, if all my parts and tools were available, the temperature was always right, my thoughts were not cluttered, deadlines did not matter, everyone was joyful and easy to work with and I was not torn by other commitments then it would probably be very fun. Man was created with a work aspect, our work is meant to be enjoyable, tending and keeping the garden was fun.

Everyday man would walk with God in the cool of the day and discuss what was going on in the garden. Man having expanded it, and arranged it and then showing God excitedly what he had done. I picture God with His loving arm around the man, smiling, enjoying every word coming out of his mouth. I see the man running ahead here and there to say look at this and see what I did here, watch how this works, the giraffes really love this spot, and the butterflies swarm over here! God smiles and affirms the man, making small suggestions that go almost unnoticed but plant the seed for the man’s future ideas. A proud father watching his son grasp the family business, ready to make astounding changes and additions. Oh the glory of it all!!

The man was given only one rule. Do not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There were all kinds of fruit to eat, only one forbidden. I picture God placing the man in the garden and with a sweeping hand motion saying all of this belongs to you! God must have had great joy giving this to the man, showing him the ropes, and warning him of the one and only danger. Look at all of the trees, how beautiful and tasty the fruit is, but this one tree, do not eat it because it will cause you to die.

Why would God put this tree here? The garden was perfect, but why did God include something that could mess it all up, that would mess it all up? Love! He was saying to the man that there is no part of Himself that He would make inaccessible. I give you all of Myself Son, there is nothing that I will hold back from you, but this one area you are not able to take upon yourself, you can do whatever your heart desires, just do not eat this one fruit. It is the knowledge of good and evil that sets God apart as God. He is the only judge and if we try to take that into ourselves we become corrupted, evil and under the power of death. God has no obligation to come into agreement with our understanding of good and evil, but we have every obligation to submit to His if we desire life.

The stage is now set: God, the man, a garden and one command. There was no time frame set on the command, and at this point there was no woman present. All of history lay before the man. Would he remain faithful? He did not. The whole race is corrupted.

Now we have a similar choice to make. This first command was a warning about the entrance of death, but now we have a command that will encourage us into life. Now the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. The garden is desolate, and we are born under a curse, no matter what we do or “eat” we will die. Of all the trees in the garden of this fallen world you must not eat, but of the tree of My Son you may freely eat, for in the day that you eat of it you will live.

There is no greater day than when we realize that once again we have been given access to the tree of life. No greater moment than when we realize that ONE has taken the penalty of death for us. No greater time then when we say yes to Jesus and no to the world. If you’ve not eaten of the tree of life, today is that day. Jesus stands with life in His hand to give you; will you taste and see that the Lord is good?

Mystery of His Will

2010-10-12T14:18:00.001-04:00

“…having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation on the fullness of the times He might gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-in Him.” Eph 1:9-10

His desire is to bring us into intimate understanding of who He is. Not just a wish list item, but a thing that brings Him great pleasure. No one Has seen God, but that is not the plan, in Christ we are being made into those who can see God in every way possible. This hidden mystery is being revealed in Christ. In this He is deriving pleasure. Are you as pleased to be with Him like He is pleased to be with you? To what extent are you willing to go to receive His love? We should be at least as willing to go as far as He went, and He went all the way through death.

In Jesus, He gave up all of His splendor and majesty to take on the form of a man (our form) in order to fully redeem us from the power of death, the grip of sin and the curse of the law (the law being a curse because none could keep it). Now we are at the crossroads and we ask ourselves, do I live for myself or do I live for another; namely Him who died for us.

We fight and bicker over the nature and existence of God through our different religions and sciences and yet all these are founded upon our finite understanding. Whether or not we can prove God does nothing to add to or detract from the truth of His existence, any more that counting proves the validity of our mathematics. What we can prove by our own observation is only provable in our own imaginations and though we call it fact, it is only fact in the sense of our experience and knowledge but cannot be weighed against what is yet unknown.

The question is not whether or not God exists, but whether or not our observations are based on all knowledge. We can all readily admit that no man has attained to all knowledge and therefore we must agree that nothing we know by understanding can be considered absolute, but only clues, glimpses into what is. If we can agree that our knowledge is an imperfect foundation for our knowledge (just because something is our only tool does not make it the right tool) then we can allow ourselves to jump off of the “concrete” diving board into the vast realm of the unknown. This is the essence of mystery, and Paul is claiming that Jesus is the key to this mystery of God and a glimpse of His plan to bring the invisible unknowable into the realm of the observable natural elements.

We still don’t know how it all plays out, but we do know that in Christ we are safe, and this we know by faith and not by knowledge. It then becomes an issue of trust. Can we truly give ourselves to trust in the validity of a God that reveals Himself in pieces through broken people, a God who claims to have come in the form of a man as Jesus and rose from the dead, a God who is going to return to the earth a second time to set up His throne? I do. Faith is His marriage vow, I DO, LORD, And I DO!

Who am I?

2010-04-23T21:38:00.000-04:00

Do we really ever ask ourselves who we are? Not what we have accomplished, or what we want to do but who we are. Not a list of likes and dislikes or goals for the next 5 or 10 years but the deep down core of our being. How it is we desire to be in every situation, at every moment. Have you ever thought that you had wished you handled something differently? Which way is really you? The way you handled it or the way you wanted to handle it? Which person is more aligned with the reality of what God made you for? The person you encounter in the mirror or the person you imagine?
The Scripture tells us to bring all our thoughts into captivity to Christ. Do we include our thoughts of ourselves? Not in a narcisistic way of self worship, but a truthful expression of the man or woman God created. A friend has proposed an exercixe to me, to write down who I am. What I am. This is not so much a journey of self discovery as it will be a revelation of Christ in me. A setting down of who I am, and then being that person. Not a working up to it but letting it out. Think about how much you have held back, not fully "being" because of different types of fear. Remove all those fears from your mind, because in God they don't really exist anyway. That is who you are, what you would be if fear was non existant. Great news, fear is done with in Christ!!! So you are that person.
Join me in this exercise and find out who you really are.

Offense Is A Choice

2010-04-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

We are in the last day of our weekend conference with David Sliker from IHOP-KC. It has been a very interesting time in the presence of the Lord, a time of refreshing with times of testing mixed in. It seems that whenever the Spirit of God moves in a meeting everyone gets touched, either with a release from some bondage to greater freedom or a tightening of some religious ideas that could lead to offense. This will work in all of us at some level in different ways and at different times. The main question we must ask ourselves is "Do I want God?"
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"And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me." Luk 7:23

This was spoken to John's disciples by Jesus after mentioning the great miracles He was performing that announce who He is. When asked if He is the One Jesus basically said look at the power I'm moving in. When God moves in power, doubt and offense stand up as well. Jesus does what He wants to do and we must check our own hearts above anything else. We are not to judge another mans servant.

God is moving in power!!! Let us not stand on the sidelines harboring offense because we think we know the manner an ways in which God is supposed to do something. Are people set free? Is the ministry of Jesus magnified? Is this real? Does the deliverance last or is this a pattern? And so our questioning goes. Are you the one we are expecting or is there another? The questions of judgment always extend toward others while the questions of righteousness always extend toward God. Instead of asking "Is that really God over there?" maybe we can say "God do what You will in me."

You all have worth in the Kingdom of God because He fashioned You for His purposes. You exist for no other reason. He is setting You a place at the table and sending you an invitation to sup with Him, come and dine. His banner over us is love. Let's receive and give love in Jesus name and leave the rest alone. Offense is a choice, just say "NO!!!".

Bless you all. Amen.

A New Start

2010-04-08T04:54:00.004-04:00

I am up early this morning with a sense of great expectation. It didn't begin like that. I woke up around 2am and couldn't get back to sleep. At first it was no big deal, I just lay silently before the Lord, but then the weight of some things began to press on me and I was becoming discouraged and even fearful. I began to pray. Not a fancy or even fervent prayer but more like repeating back to God the "Lords Prayer" (Lk 11). I wish I could tell you that the presence of God swept into the room, a light shone from heaven with a booming voice or an angel came and visited me, but none of those things happened. I ended up getting out of bed and doing a crossword puzzle on Yahoo Daily games. After finishing I logged on to Facebook and began to read the "Most Recent" news. Someone had posted a very encouraging quote from Joyce Meyer. The basic idea is to follow what God has told you above your feelings! Many times we allow how something looks or feels to move us out of our purpose, usually if things become difficult and we can't see the way out, we must remember that God is the way out, and our situation is never so dire that He can not rescue us. Just as the three Hebrew boys said in Daniel 3:18 "...but if not...", no situation can be allowed to move us. Sometimes we simply have to activate our will to force ourselves into agreement with Gods will despite everything else. Our emotions as well as our thoughts will betray us because they can only process things out of this visible kingdom that is passing, yet our will can fixate on what is not yet seen and push through all contrary thoughts and emotions, this is faith in action.