Grace and Good News

BEHOLD HIM

2011-04-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

When you LOOK at our Divine Creator, which is your act of faith, what do you SEE? Tozer referred to this as, "The gaze of our soul." Looking (beholding) Him, what do you see? What do you believe? You say, I believe in the "Truth." Ah, yes, the "Truth." Everyones has their personal version that they place their trust in. Jesus proclaimed that He IS the Truth. The Truth is not a concept or theory, but Divine flesh and blood...a living message, or profile, of the Creator. He is God's Profile. How does Jesus personify the Creator, His Father? His indelible, birth, life, perfect performance, death and resurrection is a brilliant Light and the Truth. So...what do you SEE? What you see, is what you believe. Jesus wants us to see His mercy, His Grace, His Love and Compassion and His complete and finished Work on our behalf. And then, to trust in them all...keeping our focus and the gaze of our hearts continually, firmly, believing. I love what David Wilkerson says below:

THE MERCY OF GOD

In Acts 9 we learn of a man called Saul of Tarsus, one of the most religious
men who ever lived. He could boast, “I have lived in all good conscience
before God until this day.” But what was this pious man doing?

Saul is so full of hatred toward Jesus that he determinedly persecuted the
church of God, even outside Jewish territory. In Acts 9 he is on his way to
Damascus, seeking to destroy the Lord’s people.

Consider God’s action toward this man who became the greatest Christian
evangelist who ever lived.

Suddenly there shines round about him a light from heaven. What for? To
confound him? To put him under guilt and condemnation? To destroy him? To
pronounce wrath and judgment on him? No—but to announce that his iniquity is
forgiven and his sins covered.

Picture Saul lying prostrate before the shining light and hearing the voice of
Jesus, instead of hearing denunciation of a holy God for the path he was on.
The words he heard are, “I am Jesus!” There was not a word of the
wickedness of what he was doing. Why this? The one he persecuted was his
greatest friend.

Beloved, this same Jesus offers us the same mercy. Deserving judgment and
denunciation, we hear him say, “I am Jesus, your Redeemer.”

Thank him this day for the mercy he has shown you.

God's Fierce Mercy

2010-06-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm contemplating this statement, "God's Fierce Mercy," that I just recently came across.

Fierce. . .God is strenuously active and resolute. Strenuous . . . He is vigorously active; energetic and zealous. Resolute . . . God is firm and determined; unwavering regarding His mercy toward us.

God's mercy toward us is vigorously active, zealous, firm, determined and unwavering. It is fiercely intense and strong.

God's mercy is passionate -- emotional, excited, eager, enthusiastic, animated, strong, warm, wild, intense, flaming, fierce, frenzied, ardent, fervent, heartfelt, impassioned, zealous, impulsive, vehement, impetuous, and fervid. It can be wild and frantic, even uncontrollable. Can you imagine? It is ardent and fiery and extremely hot! He is filled with and inspired by intense enthusiasm toward us.
He is eager, having or showing a keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy, to cover us with a high wave of this mercy, which is caused by a tidal flow (colliding tidal currents) of His Love and Grace.

It can come from Him suddenly, even impulsive, on a whim without careful thought, spontaneously as a lover's impulsive kiss! Ahhh! Just the thought!

God's mercy toward us can be militant, agressive as in the service of a cause. . .showing His determination and energetic pursuit of His ends on our behalf.

He is a "heavyweight", impressive in the size, strength and quality of His mercy. He's our Chamption, our Gladiator, a warrior Who is heavily armed with unconditional love.

With this fierce and impulsive, eager and passionate Champion on our side, WHO can be against us? His mercy TRIUMPHS over His judgment!!

His mercy travels directly to us through only one Connection or Way: His Son. We connect and are permanently and securely sealed on our part through faith in this Gift.

And when we believe and receive His ardent and fierce mercy, our hearts are tenderized and respond with mercy to others. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." (Luke 6:37) Actually, because grace abounds first . . .we will not judge, because we have not been judged; and we will not condemn, because we were not condemned; we will pardon and forgive, because we have been pardoned and forgiven.

We will love others as fiercely as He has loved us. If we really knew His Fierce Mercy personally, we will reflect it unto our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, foreigners, strangers, the alienated, rejected, the lowliest, the least of these . . . and even our enemies.

With this in mind, I consider what Jesus highlighted in His message to us: Luke 6:27 ~ "But I tell you who hear Me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [29] If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. [30] Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. [31] Do to others as you would have them do to you. [32] "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. [35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, BECAUSE He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] BE MERCIFUL, JUST AS YOUR FATHER IS MERCIFUL."

Is there anyone who doesn't need this mercy?

The Pear Tree

2010-03-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at
a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever
seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with
fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that
come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons
are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the
beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come sometime.

Christ In Us!

2009-12-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Contentment. Resting. Peace in knowing that all is well with your soul. Assurance of everlasting bliss. God wants each one of us to possess these gifts from Him. The Good News is we are not alone. God is with us and not against us. His deepest desire is to GIVE us the Kingdom of Heaven. He has provided the Way through His Son, Jesus precious Christ.

Comfort and Joy! Good Will toward men! God REST ye merry gentlemen, all you triumphant ones, all ye faithful ones. These are the products of the right Gospel. The Good News...the lighter yoke of Christ. Religion would make you perform and promotes conditions and fear. To be faithful is to turn your ear and heart from this false gospel. Stay convinced of the Good News of redemption. You have been accepted into the Beloved of Christ. You are not condemned nor rejected. YOU ARE DEEPLY LOVED AND HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BY THE PERFECT BLOOD OF CHRIST. Nothing is left for you to "do," except rest. . in peace. . .knowing all is well. Believe and stay convinced of His mighty Grace and Love and let us build one another up in our most holy faith. That's my Christmas prayer for us all.

CHRIST IN ME
by Max Lucado

Like Mary, you and I are indwelt by Christ.

Find that hard to believe? How much more did Mary? No one was more surprised by this miracle than she was. And no one more passive than she was. God did everything. Mary didn't volunteer to help. What did she have to offer? She offered no assistance.

And she offered no resistance. Instead she said, "Behold, the bond- slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to Your word" (Luke 1:38).

Unlike Mary, we tend to assist God, assuming our part is as important as his. Or we resist, thinking we are too bad or too busy. Yet when we assist or resist, we miss God's great grace. We miss out on the reason we were placed on earth-to be so pregnant with Heaven's Child that He lives through us. To be so full of Him that we could say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)

What would that be like? To have a child within is a miracle, but to have Christ within?

To have my voice, but Him speaking.
My steps, but Christ leading.
My heart, but His Love beating
in me, through me, with me.
What's it like to have Christ on the inside?

To tap His Strength when mine expires
or feel the force of Heaven's fires
raging, purging wrong desires.
Could Christ become my self entire?

So much Him, so little me
That in my eyes it's Him they see.
What's it like to a Mary be?
No longer I, but Christ in me.

These days are filled with so much right now and coming from all directions. Everyone is affected. Let us encourage one another daily to remember that we are not alone....that there is a GREAT AND LOVING GOD WHO WILL NEVER LEAVE NOR FORSAKE US. Herein is the Good News! Merry Christmas!

And Again I Say, "Rejoice!"

2009-10-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

Rejoicing Always!
By: Graham Cooke

Living in Christ makes us vulnerable to laughter. Laughter is more than a choice; it’s a requirement for us that we be happy. God’s highest plan for our lives includes a desire for us to find, live in, and love the joy that is in Christ. God is good news! His love and presence is an absolute tonic for us.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full,” Jesus said in John 15:11. Every time God speaks to us, or reveals more of His nature to us, joy is part of that equation. Beholding Him and becoming like Him is an invitation to party and celebrate with Him. Everything God says to us is designed to bring us into joy. Everything in the Kingdom of Heaven is about gladness, joy, happiness, and laughter. God wants to bring a smile to our faces.

God is joyful because He knows what’s coming next. He knows the final score. When you know the end from the beginning, you can’t help but laugh at all of evil’s schemes and tricks. They become irrelevant when you know that you win. There is a continuous joy in Christ that runs so deep that no one else can even touch it. But to access it, we need to learn how to rejoice in all things.

For me, joy is a safeguard. It’s a shield against the enemy. When the enemy comes, we can laugh in his face—because God laughs at him first.

I once had a dream where I was on a battlefield. We had just fought off the enemy, but we had lost a lot of good people. There weren’t many of us left; we were small and pitiful, to be honest. Every one of us was wounded. I myself had at least a dozen sword gashes on my arms. I was bleeding badly, and was absolutely exhausted.

Suddenly, a trumpet blew, and I saw another enemy army take the field in front of us. I looked around but saw no reinforcements for our battered side. The enemy was powering up. Their ranks were swelling with every passing moment. It was a hopeless fight, but our ragtag band of survivors gathered close together and got ready.

As I set my feet and gritted my teeth in preparation for the enemy’s charge, I noticed a man next to me was dressed as a restaurant waiter. Perfectly-pressed black trousers, a bowtie, a crisp, white shirt, and a white towel slung over his arm.

“What are you doing?” I asked incredulously.

“Would you like the melon or the soup?” he replied.

“What?” I asked.

“Melon or soup?” he said.

“How can you talk about food at a time like this?” I demanded.

The waiter ignored me and went from person to person, asking, “Melon or soup?”

“Are you mad?” I said. “Don’t you see what’s happening? Don’t you see the blood all over the ground? Don’t you see the enemy over there? How can you talk about lunch at a time like this?”

“Mmm-hmm,” he answered. “Melon or soup?”

I lost my temper completely. “Are you stupid or something?” I screamed. “You want to talk about food at a time like this?”

Suddenly, I woke up to find myself shouting, “Talk about food!” in my bedroom. In that instant, I received a powerful revelation, found in Psalm 23:5—“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

When we’re on the battlefield just trying to survive the next wave of the enemy, God is thinking about menus. He looks around and says, “What a great place for a picnic! We can have sausage rolls, meat pies, cheese sandwiches. This will be perfect.” He is so secure in who He is and in His power to defeat any enemy that He can feed us in the middle of the worst battle of our lives. And that confidence should be a source of pure joy in our lives.

All Men Have Clay Feet

2009-10-07T13:48:00.001-07:00

We have not chosen God, He has chosen us (John 15:16).

It is God Who wills in us to do His good pleasure (Phillipians 2:13).

It is God Who gives to every man his measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

It is God Who orders the thoughts of a righteous man (Proverbs 16:3).

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23).

The Holy Spirit gives gifts to men as He chooses (I Corinthians 12:11).

God has mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy (Romans 9:15).

Anything and everything that a Christian might accomplish is by grace, and God's Holy Spirit. It is not of works that any should boast.

No one should inflate themselves, have confidence in self, or think highly of himself. All of this is pride and pride blinds us to the truth. When the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the ditch (Luke 6:39).

Be wary of following men, the doctrines of men and denominations. There is but ONE ROLE MODEL, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will lead each of us into all truth.

All men have clay feet.

God's Good Will For You!

2009-09-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

Don't go to the city of Morality and TRY to become a good person . . . you can never learn to be a moral person and earn Heaven. Anyone who tells you that is a liar and deceiver. It is another gospel. Performance teaching will crush you,it is a HEAVY YOKE. Rather, listen to Evangelist and to the message of Redemption . . . good deeds are the effect, not the cause. They are the response to Grace.

It is God's Good Will and pleasure to GIVE you His Kingdom! And once you are on the other side of the Gate, you are perfectly safe! But stick to the true path of God's Grace and Redemption. . . .

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He is the ONLY Person that God ever gave authority to to be our Guide . . . Remember this well, for others have made false claims to speak for God . . .BUT THEIR WAYS ALWAYS LEAD TO DEATH.

You can't cleanse your dusty heart on your own . . .you need the water, which is the Gospel of Christ. Your heart is cleansed only by the Gospel of Christ.

Jesus is feeding the fire of God within you and it will never go out! Religion will try to put it out, and you may weaken, but God will not allow it to go out. Good News!

The self-righteous man was so satisfied with himself. I've been there. And as soon as you fall, you are in despair and doubting castle. Christ gives you HIS righteousness through faith . . your saving faith. It is a Gift of the Father's Grace. It's all about GRACE! Grace is a Holy Thing! Legalism will kill your joy!! As you received Christ, so walk in Him. :) You bear the mark of Christ. Go in peace!

New Wine in New Wineskins

2009-09-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

New Wine in New Wineskins

By Fred Pruitt

All my Christian life I've heard people say, and I would often be in agreement, that we should do our best to do things like the "early" or "primitive" church. One of the first things I heard from someone close to me was that at His church, "We do things like the Bible."

And interestingly, just like every car dealer who advertises on TV has the "LOWEST PRICES -- GUARANTEED" (something which can't be true for every one of them), most churches will make that claim or at least admit to that as their goal.

I've become convinced that is a completely wrong focus. We cannot reproduce the early church, and though some may claim it, I do not believe the New Testament lays out "how to do church" in the same way Moses was given the pattern for the tabernacle on the mount. That temporary tent gave way to Solomon's Temple, which was destroyed, and then subsequently rebuilt here and there until the time of Jesus of Nazareth when it was updated by King Herod, and then completely destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

As the book of Hebrews states, that institution, which always was meant to be symbolic and representative of the true temple which is the body of Christ, has been overridden in the once for all sacrifice of Jesus our great High Priest, who interecedes eternally for us in the heavens, thus abolishing any need for the earthly temple and its rites for all time.

The new temple of God is we ourselves, humanity brought back through the Cross into the paradise of God, where the New Testament is fulfilled in us by the Spirit of God who dwells in us, where Ezekiel's word is fulfilled:

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." (Ezek 36:26-28)

He has given us a new heart because the heart of man, previously given only to wickedness because of our old master and indweller, has been cleansed and made new since Christ has come into our hearts and now dwells there. And further He has given us His Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead which now enlivens our bodies and souls. He has taken away our hearts of stone, hearts which had no regard nor compassion for anyone else and sought only to lift ourselves up and feed ourselves at the expense of everyone around us, and replaced them with His own Heart of flesh, which suffers with those who suffer, weeps with those who weep, mourns with those who mourn, and also rejoices with tears at the overwhelming boundlessness of the love and grace of God, which manifests out of our lives not in judgment and criticism of others, but in all things having only one desire and goal: to lift others into the love of God.

And even further, in filling us with His Spirit, He has promised something much more than we can think or imagine or scarcely believe ( because it is so WONDERFUL), because He (GOD) has said He will CAUSE us to walk in His statutes and to keep His judgments and do them. This flies into the face of everything we've ever learned or been taught our whole lives, and shatters into pieces the hundred-foot thick wall of self-pride that guards us all which says, "I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14), which is self-idolatry at its core, and throws our precious imaginary self-responsibility (which is also known as "our righteousness") into the stinking cesspool where it belongs, so that God may be All in all IN US!

In so doing, He has brought us back into the land of our fathers, the land of Promise, and gives us rest from our labors even while we take up His easy yoke and carry His light burden. Again, we find ourselves incredulous because this stirring in our bellies we have felt for so long but have been afraid to let go, has finally erupted into an outflowing river which we know we were promised in the beginning but we had no way to believe -- for how could we have known? It is exceedingly above all we dared to ask or think!

And here we have come home again, because the Lover of our Souls has taken us into His bosom. We have been made one with the Father even as Jesus is one with the Father. (Jn 17:20-21). THE GOD has become OUR GOD, which means our whole spirit, soul and body vibrates and resonates at every level, from the subatomic particles that vibrate in all the atoms of our physical beings to the intangible thoughts that shoot through our consciousness like the wind -- we don't know where they come from nor do we know where they go. Since He is now OUR GOD, meaning our All in all, our hope, our life, our faith, our desire, our heart, our goings out and our comings in, the government has now been eternally established on HIS shoulders, and we need no more temple, no more sun, no more moon (light from outside us to guide us -- Rev 21:22-23) because now the true Inner Light has come, the Daystar from on High, and has permeated every fiber of every part of us, whether we have realized it or believe it -- or not.

And that is the New Covenant!

This is not some refurbished old covenant, where we are always trying to recreate something which went on in the past. New wine has to be put into NEW WINESKINS -- i.e. new forms to hold and express it. That is why it is impossible to take this move of the Spirit of our time, Christ living in us AS US, and put it into the old forms and traditions of the past. It will only burst and destroy them.

This is a new time and this is the wave of God's spirit for our time. God's people are being raised up to know who they are in a living and conscious way. Not in rigid dogma and complicated theology. Not in more seminars and programs. Not in bigger and more modern buildings. Not in further and further separating ourselves from the hurting people of the world by having a sickening proliferation of more and more "Christian" things, things by which we testify to the world not that we love it as the Father loved it and sent His only Son into it that He might reconcile all things to Himself, but things which testify to the people of the world that we have only disdain for them and we are better and more moral and more righteous than they are and we reject them and all that they do.

This is the time that we throw away the old forms if they have no life in them. This is the time when we dare to believe that we are HE living in the world, and that in all that we do there is a living river of living water flowing out of our midst. We dare to believe that that river waters all the world around us with blessing and with grace and joy. We dare to believe that we are those who lift others up. We dare to believe we are sent not to condemn and put down, but to bring life and to save. We dare to believe we make plants grow in a dry desert -- where it has been impossible for them to grow. We dare to believe that we have no more need for the religious traditions of the past and break out into new ways and new forms which have never been heard or seen before.

What made the "early church" vital and electric and spread like wildfire weren't sets of techniques we can figure out and emulate. It wasn't because they in their time were so close to the original Apostles and Paul. It was because it was a new thing GOD was doing. It was God, living and vital in the PRESENT MOMENT. They had no traditions from the past to draw from, so they dared to believe that like Abraham, everywhere they put their foot God was doing that new thing, that it was their land to possess, and they were free to develop it as the Spirit moved in them.

We don't recreate the early church by trying to figure out how they did what they did and then trying to copy that. We have no need to do that, because God is in us NOW -- TODAY -- to will and to do of His Good Pleasure.

The NEW covenant has no form except that which we give it in the living out of our lives. Now that He has come to make US His dwelling place forever, and to walk in us and be our God, He TRUSTS US -- YES US! -- to put on any skin we please, any dress, any suit will do, and we thus possess the land, and it even now is flowing with the milk and honey of the Lord.

We are walking in the living fulfillment before our eyes of God's promises, that we have been made absolutely, completely, totally NEW CREATIONS, and that now ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD. He has given us a ministry of reconciliation, where we declare to the world that which God has sent us to say, that because of Christ Jesus he imputes no more sins unto men, we say again -- HE IS NOT IMPUTING TO MEN THEIR TRESPASSES (and we dare not hold them in their sins if God does not). This is THE WORD of reconciliation he has sent us to say and to live. (2 Cor 5:17-20) We are the living forgiveness and reconciliation of God in the world. We only open our eyes and our hearts and believe, speaking it out with our mouths and pens.

This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty. Heaven and earth are full of THEE!

The Truth and Good News About Curses

2009-09-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Okay...it's been a long time coming, but the truth must be proclaimed and Jesus must be glorified.

So many "Christians" are living scared, and are hiding, isolating themselves (bunker mentality) avoiding contact . . afraid of one another. Lies are told by leadership in order to induce fear. Wrong doctrines and mind sets are taught. Why? Because that's one way to control. Legalism + fear = control!

It becomes the "Salem Witch trials" all over again! They would judge, try and convict innocents based upon false teachings about "curses." Whenever something BAD happened to someone within the village, they would point fingers to anyone they could convince others that that person is to blame for their trial or misfortune. Stay away from that person! WATCH YOUR BACK! The SCARLET LETTER system was enforced, along with shunning, discrediting, slandering and burning at the stake! Superstition, elitism, unbelief, wrong teaching, fear and lack of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ were, and still are, behind these evil acts. (And these definitely are not the "Acts" of the Holy Spirit!)

Here's the Good News people of God: "Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified)." ~ Galatians 3:13 Jesus not only removed the power of sin over and within us, but also the system of curses that was behind the Law that He fulfilled for us. In Christ, we become a NEW Creation . . ALL THINGS PASS AWAY, BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE NEW! This includes not only the dominion of sin, but any curses that come from living a broken law.

Unless, of course, you follow another "gospel." Then, out of your own choice and unbelief, you are "accursed." The Apostle Paul warned in strongest possible way about the attitude of God toward those who would pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can understand this, as it cost God His only Son, and Jesus a horrible death by crucifixion. He stated:"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8, 9

Okay, so if you feel you are being "cursed," and you are a believer in Christ, I would first look at your beliefs. Is your Christianity based and maintained on your performance? Or is it a Gift from God, rooted and maintained on Jesus' performance? Do you believe in the "If . . then" doctrine of the Law or are you in the liberty of Christ's "Yeah . . .and Amen?" Is it Good News, or fearful existence? ARE YOU UNDER A HEAVY YOKE, OR CHRIST'S EASY YOKE?

Once you've established and walking in the Grace and Truth of Christ's salvation, you will have to then realize that He is ADEQUATE and SUFFICIENT! He is ENOUGH! He covers you, keeps you and you are under His inheritance of blessings, not curses. Our identities must be IN Him and based upon HIS OBEDIENCE and HIS PERFECTION, we have the favor of God, and are blessed, and kept blessed and sin no longer is our master. Therefore, curses cannot "alight" upon you because IN CHRIST you are hidden and there is no cause, no more legal right. You are COVERED by the Blood!

If Christians believe that anyone (believers or unbelievers) can send curses to them, then I would challenge their gospel.

Why do you fear? Why are you so afraid? Is your God not strong enough? Is Jesus IMPOTENT? Is He not your Shepherd?. . . He Who never sleeps nor slumbers? Is He a weak Savior? Your fears mark your blasphemous unbelief in an all-sufficient Christ!! You do not glorify Him. You glorify the Law and your glorify darkness and satan. Hello! You do not have the love of the Father in you as you self-righteously accuse, marking others as "witch" (just as in the Salem era) and believe that they have more power over your life than Christ. Do not follow these doctrines and false teachings that cause such fear and unbelief to rule and control. But, rather, allow the love of God to be shed abroad in your heart. What happened to love your enemies? But you run from each other! . . . and from brothers and sisters in the Lord. So many act like the Pharisees, who avoided defilement by contact. And so many of you try to prevent the powers of slander, but you have already allowed it and have become proponents of the worst kind of slander by listening to leaders who lie and teach this heresy.

Now as far as the cursed doctrine of "Generational Curses" . . . consider and believe this truth that "God shows mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep my commandments (which Christ did for you!)" ~ Deut. 5:10 The GC doctrine may sound good on the surface to some Christians but this is a heretical doctrine that suggests that salvation through Jesus Christ is NOT ENOUGH and that somewhere, the born again believer needs deliverance from the generational curses based upon the iniquities of their ancestors. So many are falsely taught that receiving Jesus is NOT ENOUGH to be free from the curses and penalties for iniquities of ages past. THIS IS BLASPHEMY! There is no such thing as a generational curse for the believer in Christ Jesus! Never does Paul or any of the disciples or apostles in the New Testament describe the activity of "breaking generational curses" or even "soul ties" for that matter. It is a false teaching that one must dig and go back into their ancestory "work on" iniquities they have inherited and could "pass on" to their children . . .IN THE LIGHT OF the truth of Deuteronomy 5:10. Here's the truth: PASSING THROUGH THE DOOR OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE GATE AND THE WAY, IS OUR ESCAPE FROM ALL PENALTY OF SIN OR CURSE OR BROKEN LAW AND ALL THINGS BECOME NEW AND YOU BECOME A NEW CREATION . . .ALL THE OLD THINGS IN YOUR LINEAGE, ALL THE GENERATIONAL INIQUITIES PASS AWAY. You are in the NEWNESS of CHRIST! You know OWN HIS lineage. And this why Paul commands us to rejoice!

Hebrews 2:14-15 ~~ "that through death He (Jesus) might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil;"

Romans 8:2 ~~ For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 3:26 ~~ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:27 ~~ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ Jesus have put on Christ.

Colossians 1:12-14 ~~ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath DELIVERED us from the POWER OF DARKNESS, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, IN WHOM we have redemption through HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sin.

Now as a side note: Anything is possible with nonbelievers . . . curses, demon possession, etc. The Bible says the unbeliever serves the devil and is a servant to sin. The devil has ownership of them because they have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. BUT believers in Jesus cannot have generational curses. Surely only goodness and mercy follow them all their life. Believers in Jesus cannot BE cursed, either, and do not have the power to curse other believers. Christians have authority over the darkness . . the power to bind and to loose. But they do not have power over one another. The Lord is our song and our SHIELD, our HIGH TOWER, and our REFUGE.

We have been bought with a price! ISN'T THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ENOUGH COVER FOR YOU? Do you need to add along with it your fears and cold love? Jesus never feared and He loved even His enemies. Why? Because He knew WHO covered Him. He didn't panic in the boat during the storm. He slept. In faith. . knowing. And then He asked the disciples, "Where is your faith!"

If you are a believer in Christ, no CURSE, no POWER OF DARKNESS can come near you without first receiving permission from the Father. It is impossible. Unless, of course, you are under another gospel. . . the old system of accountability to the Law. That gospel denies the FINISHED WORK Jesus did on the cross. That doctrine instills fear into the believer, making him believe in all kinds of worldly superstition. The devil wants the Christian to live in fear of him and to walk defeated.

Well, all I can tell you is there is a better place . . .called GRACE! And we are MORE THAN conquerors because of what Jesus did for us at the cross. We are not to live in fear of anything or anyone! The Lord protects us and KEEPS US. We are not subject to a curse from any individual or from something in our family 200 years ago. We are new creatures in Christ . . old things have passed away and are now new!

John 8:36 ~~ "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

2 Thess. 3:3 ~~ But the Lord IS FAITHFUL, Who shall STABLISH you, and KEEP YOU FROM EVIL!

Galatians 3:10 ~~ "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Gal. 1:8 ~~ "But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach ANY OTHER Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Thank God, Jesus Christ has REDEEMED us from the curse of the an unfulfilled law as well as from the power of darkness. If you think anyone has more power than your Savior, I would reconsider which Gospel you follow and repent of unbelief and in an ALL-POWERFUL GOD!

OBLITERATE! Obliterate means to destroy every trace of; wipe out completely . . .mark for deletion, rub off, or erase . . .take out or remove . . .cause to change; make different; cause a transformation . . .remove completely from recognition or memory . . .do away with completely, without leaving a trace!

This is exactly what Jesus Christ has done for us! OBLITERATED all the works of evil and all darkness in and around our lives! That's Good News! What a relief! Be courageous . . fear"less", and full of His Faith and His LOVE. Be radiant and confidently shine His Light! And may Jesus Christ be glorified! Amen

Our Redeemer Lives!

2009-08-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

GOOD NEWS!! There is a Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Who lives and loves us. To know this truth is very freeing from the pressure that can come through various ways. The pressure to live up to someone else's standards. The pressure to do everything right! The pressure and heavy load and yoke from those who have no faith in the redeeming power and love of Jesus. Many spiritual performers would enforce upon you their yokes. They want you to believe that whatever decisions you make are final and you must live with the consequences of any wrong decisions. This is not true. In Jesus, He lives and can and WILL redeem any wrong decisions or choices in life. We have a Redeemer! He will fix anything we break. He will make right, anything we made wrong. He knows that we are but dust, and as we look to Him for the answers, sometimes wrong decisions are made, but the Good News is: Our Redeemer lives! The pressure is off! His yoke is easy! And His burden is light! Only unbelieving spiritual performers will put that kind of pressure on you.

Let me give the definition for redeem . . .

1: to buy back : repurchase : to get or win back

2: to free from what distresses or harms: to free from captivity by payment of ransom: to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental : to release from blame or debt : clear : to free from the consequences of sin

3: to change for the better : reform

4 : repair, restore

5: to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby : to remove the obligation of by payment: to exchange for something of value: to make good : fulfill.

6: to atone for: expiate: to offset the bad effect of: to make worthwhile : retrieve.

Before I became a Christian, when I was very young and impulsive, I made a poor decision. I was foolish and wrong. I decided to have plastic surgery -- breast implants! I wanted to please my fiance'. I had insecurity and I thought the surgery would give me more confidence as a woman.

A few years later, Jesus saved me! He gave me His Light and Life and a New Heart! I believed and I received His freedom, fruit and righteousness. I could SEE! Amazing Grace! Once I was blind, but now I could see! :) And then it hit me! OH MY GOSH! I realized what a mistake I had made having the surgery. I realized that it wasn't God's Will for me. (Please realize that having breast implants is not a sin in itself . . .but for me, I knew in an instant that I made a wrong decision.)

I cried out to the Lord to forgive me. I realized that I was perfect just the way He created me . . and I didn't need to add a thing to His work. :) I asked Him to forgive me. I felt terrible. Now, I will have to live with this decision the rest of my life!

BUT!! THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SPOKE TO ME . . ."Holly, do NOT look back with REMORSE! But, look forward to My REDEMPTION!"

Yes! He didn't shove my face in the error I had made. He didn't even click His beloved tongue at me! He promised me that He would fix it. . . HE WILL REDEEM THE ERROR! And no condenmation . . only tender mercy was felt in His promise. This is Jesus!

It wasn't long after that, and it is a long testimony of a series of events which included a car accident and then surgery to remove the implants . . . as well as perfect precision of the right doctors and hospitals, including the $18,000 paid by insurance! (I would have had to pay for it myself due to the fact that it would have been a cosmetic choice.)

He delivered me! He redeemed me! He removed all remorse . . . all consequences . . even the cost! He repaired! He restored! He triumphed over the decision . . . and even made it better!

If this wrong decision, this error, is redeemable by Jesus before I knew Him, HOW MUCH MORE now, as I walk and follow Him, responding to His Grace and leading, will He cover me from any mis-steps. The pressure is off folks! Look up! Relax! Follow Jesus! And believe, that your Redeemer lives and knows you and will cover you!

Holy Spirit Protection

2009-08-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Spiritual Virus Protection ~ by Steve McVey

I have a subscription to a Broadband ISP for my computer, so that I can use the Internet without tying up my phone line at home. One day recently, I accidently left home without logging off. When I came home at the end of the day, I discovered that my computer had been online all day. My first thought was concern about the many hackers who attempt to access computers these days.

I immediately went to my Firewall Protection program to see what, if anything, had happened during my absence. I was shocked to discover that during the time I had been gone from home, there had been 488 intrusion attempts on my computer. Most of the attempts were of the same type. It was an attempt to introduce a virus called the Backdoor/Subseven Virus, one that allows someone else to secretly gain complete access to your computer, as if they were sitting at your desk in control of your keyboard.

At first, a sense of horror came over me as I thought about someone being able to steal my banking information, personal letters and other data on my computer. Then I saw a statement that gave me an instant sigh of relief. On the status page of my firewall program, it said, “Norton Personal Firewall is protecting your system.” As I explored further, I learned that this program running in the background had protected my computer all day from what might have been a cyber-disaster for me. It had prevented all 488 attacks from being successful!

As I thought about what had happened, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me that He works in my life in the same way. As Christians, we are targets in the spiritual battle which exists in this world. There are countless times when we would be destroyed – were it not for one simple truth: The Holy Spirit dwells within us and protects us from being destroyed.

As we move about our daily routine, He faithfully works in the background guarding us against the evil intent of the Enemy. There is no way that we could anticipate and be prepared for the great number of attacks that would destroy us if it weren’t for His continuous protection. We could drive ourselves to exhaustion and debilitating anxiety if it were up to us to fight our own battles against the “intruders of this word,” which the Bible calls “powers and principalities, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Thank God, we don’t have to worry. We can just go about our daily lives, resting in the confidence that the Spirit of the indwelling Christ is doing what only He can do. He is lovingly caring for our needs to ensure that we are kept safe from spiritual destruction. There is indeed a battle going on around us, but the battle is the Lord’s. Our part is to simply rest in Him, knowing that He has already conquered death and hell and that the victory is always ours in Christ.

A sovereign Father loves you passionately. A compassionate Son guards you jealously. And an omnipotent Spirit protects you continuously. There may be 488 attempted attacks against you in a day, but don’t worry. Divine Life runs through you, always operating in the background of your daily affairs to ensure that you won’t ever be fatally infected.

Hallelujah! Good News!

The Weak Are FIT for the Holy Spirit

2009-08-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

The glorious Good News and Truth below by Reinhard Bonnke helps revive what religion kills....

THE WEAK ARE FIT (THEY ALREADY QUALIFY) FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT!!

Being filled with the Spirit doesn’t mean being super holy, and it does not mean you have to spend years becoming very holy and fit for God’s Spirit. If you are weak then you are fit – because the power of God is for the weak. His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9).

You need the fullness of the Holy Spirit. If you are saved, born again, and washed in the Blood of Jesus, you have everything that makes you fit to be filled with the Spirit. The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Do not be misled: “All” does not mean “some,” but every bit, every smear, and every dirty mark, leaving our robes glistening pure and white. We are righteous in Christ, and you can never be more righteous, more sanctified, or more holy than that. In Christ we stand complete and ready.

The power of the Spirit cannot be worked up, pulled down, manufactured, or generated by hard work and much praying. The Holy Spirit does not wait till you sweat before giving you His power. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you ... Everyone who asks receives” (Mt 7:7-8). Nothing could be simpler!

God only has GIFTS! He has nothing for sale. He has no bargains, and you can forget all about negotiation, haggling, and compromise agreements. He is absolutely unilateral, one-sided; He just gives, and we can only do one thing – receive. He wants nothing from us by way of payment. If you are a dead coal, become a living coal. Now – just ask and receive. Are you ready?

Love, REINHARD

Discerning Teachers, Pastors, Prophets, Preachers

2009-06-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been easily directed by the Holy Spirit to some wonderful teachers and preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord is giving me clear discernment lately between "performance" preachers (spiritual performers = legalism) and redemption preachers (grace and faith and Good News).

The performance preacher will stress what YOU HAVE TO DO. . .always making YOU the object of your faith. With little help from God, YOU are expected to tow the line and walk that narrow road. Their topics are always about cleaning up your act, "ruthless" repentance, etc. and never focus on the FREE GIFT of Jesus Christ and what has already been DONE on your behalf. One is about YOUR performance. . . the correct one is about JESUS' performance. One has a heavy yoke . . the latter has the easy, light yoke that we are instructed to REST in it's RELIEF.

The Scriptures explain what's behind these false "performance-you-gotta-get-circumsized-preachers". . .the Bible says, the following is their MOTIVATION:

Galatians 6:12 says, "Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 )And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples."

Performance, legalistic, teachers always want YOU to make THEM look good. They may not even be conscious of this, but it is a mark of a false leader and all of God's people need to beware and alert. Jesus even said to watch out for these leaders who preach another gospel. This false

gospel sounds humbly spiritual. Nevertheless, it's wickedness is revealed in it's lack of fruit and even spiritual death. God is blasphemed so often by these false teachers, as they paint Him as an austere, quick to punish, banish, destroy, reprove kind of God. Not at all the truth about Him. They slander His very character and break the third commandment . . . they blaspheme His Holy Name. And they want to make you IMPOTENT, weak, powerless, ineffective and worse of all . . . completely DEPENDANT on them!! Rather than abiding in the Vine (Christ), their teachings and agendas and twistedness cause you to abide in them!

(Look in my earlier posts for "God Is Easy To Live With" with quotes from A.W. Tozer)

But a Redemption preacher/teacher will always point out the Gift of God, Jesus Christ. He will remind you of what has been done, what has been given and what is promised. He will reassure your faith in a loving and gracious God. There will be no more morbid introspections. No more Old Testament Covenant living, but rather New Testament New Creations! Hallelujah!

Reinhard Bonnke is one of the Redemption preachers I have lately been indulging in . . . Here is a sampling of what he SINGS to all who'll hear:

"THE WILL OF GOD - Christ’s Lordship is not a dictatorship"

Holy Spirit-baptised believers hear God for themselves. Some try resorting to prophecy as a means of telling others what God wants. If God has not fallen out with me, why should He tell somebody else prophetically what I should do? That approach conflicts with what the Bible says: “No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord’, because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Before Christ there was no open vision. Prophets were anointed to hear God and to pass on what he had to say. Now, since Pentecost, Holy Spirit-baptised believers hear God for themselves. Many people prophesied, telling Paul what was going to happen to him, but he was not impressed. “None of these things move me,” he said, for he was “bound in the Spirit” (Acts 20:24, 22 NKJV).

Christ’s Lordship is not a dictatorship and the kingdom of God is not totalitarian. Christ emphasised this in John 8:35: “A slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” In his letter to the Galatians, Paul similarly lays tremendous stress on the freedom of sons in the household of God.

~~ WOW!

Legalism endorses unbelief and it minimizes the mercy of God!
The Old Covenant falls short in glorifying the merciful God we really do have! BUT, Jesus IS HIS GlORY!

Legalism is like constantly trying to "get into a room" that you are already in. That's why it seems so hard. Have you ever seen someone trying really hard to get into a room he's already in? What freedom comes when that person realizes that he's already in! Then he can REST and RECEIVE and I know, as a recovering legalist, that person will never want to leave that glorious room. No teaching or mindset or scripture or anything will draw a recovering legalist out of the room of relief and grace . . . he/she is firmly planted. The Truth of God's Grace has set us free from that heavy yoke of OT spiritual performance, requirements and qualifications! YAHOO!

We have the Spirit of God within us (greater is He!) so that we may discern between true and false teaching. True shepherds point to the Chief Shepherd! False teachers are preoccupied with performance. . . using OT Scriptures most of the time. Works righteousness glorifies man! Grace righteousness glorifies God! Grace eliminates boasting ("I have a big ministry because I pray 5 hours every day!" or "God gave me this great job and/or money because I tithe." or "God answered my prayer because I fasted." How 'bout God takes care of me in all ways because of Jesus!

Here's a simple rule of thumb I've learned for discerning teaching: The actual source of all teaching and doctrine is revealed in whom it glorifies. In other words, teaching that emphasizes success through YOUR great discipline or even success through YOUR great faith also tends to aim the glory at YOU. Thus, it is frequently true that faith in faith glorifies your faith, and faith in self-discipline glorifies your self-discipline. BUT faith in God's grace and in the gift of His righteousness glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received.

Thank you, Reinhard, for pointing to the Good News and the Good Shepherd!

Here's one more "sample" from Reinhard's "Table" . . . .

"The Will Of God - Puppets on a string?"

We have to admit that our own desires do get in the way. We often pray in the hope that what we want turns out to be what God wants, too. If we pray long and hard enough, it will ultimately look as if God complies with our wishes. Some pray for direction until they feel they have it – the direction they had always wanted. Actually, God may have no change of direction for them.Suppose God is silent. What is wrong? Usually nothing! God is silent because he has nothing to say. God does not chatter 24 hours a day. He may be perfectly happy with what we are doing. He does not issue new plans daily and have us all scurrying back and forth like rabbits. It is very important to grasp one particular aspect of this matter – God respects decisions that we make with the intention of glorifying him. God made man in his own image – with a sovereign will. Broadly speaking, he allows us freedom. We are not God’s puppets. Nor do we serve God as slaves, constantly anxious in case we have slipped up somewhere. The Lord makes us an amazing promise: “I will do whatever you ask in my name” (John 14:13).We can see the pattern in Christ’s relations with his disciples. He did not order them about, lording it over them, dictating their daily lives, what to do, where to live or what to buy. He treated them as responsible enfranchised adults, not commanding them to come to heel like unthinking animals. Their status was not one of employees, and he was not their boss or managing director. What boss would wash his employees’ feet? His fundamental contract is to be with us wherever we go and bless the work of our hands. As Jesus did not lord it over his followers, Christian leaders have no mandate to exert Lordship authority over anyone. In fact, Christ explicitly forbade such behaviour, saying, “One is your Master, even Christ” (Matthew 23:8 KJV)."

My Eyes Are On YOU, Jesus!

2009-06-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

God has shown Himself true by telling the future before it came to pass. He has promised us that Christ Jesus will return and will gather those who are Born of and Sealed by the Holy Spirit and are New creatures . . . Believers in Christ Jesus as their Righteousness and their Covering. Who have put their hope and trust in His perfect performance. . . His perfect Life and sacrificial death.

LOOK UP! Your Redemption is nigh. . . .even at the Door!

Mark 13:29 ~ "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door."

VICTORY IS YOURS, JESUS!

We Were Bought With An Unspeakable Price!

2009-05-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

ALL THAT MATTERS . . . .JESUS!!

Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. (1Timothy 6:17b)~~

"Our Lord Jesus is ever giving, and does not for a solitary instant withdraw his hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be stayed.

He is a Sun ever-shining; He is Manna always falling round the camp; He is a Rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from His smitten side; the rain of His grace is always dropping; the River of His bounty is ever-flowing, and the well-spring of His Love is constantly overflowing.

As the King can never die, SO HIS GRACE CAN NEVER FAIL.

Daily we pluck His Fruit, and daily His branches bend down to our hand with a fresh store of Mercy. There are seven feast-days in His weeks, and as many as are the days, so many are the banquets in His years.

Who has ever returned from His door unblessed?

Who has ever risen from His table unsatisfied, or from His bosom un-emparadised?

His mercies are NEW every morning and fresh every evening. Who can know the number of His benefits, or recount the list of His bounties? Every sand which drops from the glass of time is but the tardy follower of a myriad of mercies. The wings of our hours are covered with the silver of His kindness, and with the yellow gold of His affection. The river of time bears from the mountains of eternity the golden sands of His Favour. The countless stars are but as the standard bearers of a more innumerable host of blessings.

Who can count the dust of the benefits which He bestows on Jacob, or tell the number of the fourth part of His mercies towards Israel? How shall my soul extol Him who daily loadeth us with benefits, and who crowneth us with loving-kindness?

O that my praise could be as ceaseless as His bounty! O miserable tongue, how canst thou be silent? Wake up, I pray thee, lest I call thee no more my glory, but my shame. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake right early."

~~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Believing and Resting in Jesus

2009-04-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

John G. Patton was a Bible translator in the South Sea Islands.

While translating, he came to the word “believe” and searched for a word that the native people could truly understand. He wanted something that meant commitment and trust, but he couldn’t think of a word.

Then one day, a messenger rushed into Mr. Patton’s room out of breath. Needing to rest, he flung himself into a big chair and leaned back in complete relaxation.

Patton asked the native for a word to describe what he did when he sat down and completely trusted in the chair to hold him so he could relax. That’s the word he used for “believe.”

When a person quits trying and begins to trust the Lord Jesus, that’s “belief.” ~~ Adrian Rogers (Love Worth Finding)

Quit trying? Yes. When we give up and rest from our own attempts at righteousness and fully rely on Christ's Performance, then we are resting in saving faith.

Isaiah 30:15 ~~ This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to Me (repentance) and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength . . . "

But don't we need to work? Build? DO? Yes. Our faith, as James the Apostle wrote, is dead without good works. However . . .

PSALM 127:1 ~~~

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. 2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Many Christians spend their time involved in "religious" activities—prayer groups, Bible studies, outreach ministries— sometimes hyperactively running the "hamster wheel" of what they believe are good and commendable deeds. However, according to Psalm 127:1-2, they are useless and wasted energy if the Lord did not initiate them.

So HOW do we not "do" but live out a "live" faith? Simple. . . so simple. . . we RESPOND."For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." ~~ Romans 8:14

All religious and spiritual performers can think up wonderful projects and good, commendable things to "do". . . but if the Lord is not the initiator through a new and regenerate heart, guiding and prompting and inspiring, it is worth nothing. If you see one family adopt an orphan and you think to yourself, that would be a "good" thing to do, but the Lord didn't direct you . . .you are following your own heart, not His. He may want you to do something different. Jesus said to Peter, "You follow Me." (John 21:22)

We may hear a preacher's message suggesting good things to "do" for God, but they are usless and a waste of lots of time and energy if it isn't Jesus leading you to do and act and be. We must simply REST, ENJOY GOD, RECEIVE FROM HIM AND RESPOND AS HE LEADS US (and He will) DOWN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Take off the heavy yoke of "I should." And trust in His leading as you follow His desires. His yoke is easy. His burden is light.

One of the greatest benefits of our redemption is the privilege of being led by the Spirit of God. Children of God can be expected to be led by the Spirit of God. One of the greatest needs is to have the wisdom of God to make the right decisions. This comes through being led by the Spirit of God.

I'll never forget the first days of my New Birth experience. It was cold outside and my husband and I were driving in the city and I noticed an old, homeless woman not wearing a coat. The Holy Spirit instantly directed me to give her my coat. We were in a warm car and I had more coats at home. . . I KNEW what He wanted me to do. Being led of the Spirit is an exciting adventure through the Personality and Heart of God. We learn more about Him as we respond to Him. You know it isn't your idea and you take no glory. Following His Heart and doing His Will has been one of the most blessed components of being His child.

It is not the mind, which gives man understanding. It is the spirit in a man. You see, Job’s friends used their minds to try to enlighten them regarding Job’s sufferings. They were dead wrong. In this passage Elihu explains the reason they were wrong. He says, "It is the spirit in a man…that gives him understanding." Not your mind, but your spirit. This is why Solomon wrote, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Prov 3:5).

When we are born again, our spirits are saved. Our spirit is the part of us that has been saved. So becoming a child of God enables the Holy Spirit to testify with our spirit that we are God’s children. The Spirit does not testify to our minds. Our minds may not receive this testimony, but our spirits can.

Resting in His finished work is our strength. I highly recommend a little book by Max Lucado called, "Safe in the Shepherd's Arms". . .here is a quote from the book that really blessed me recently and gave me such relief. (As a recovering legalist, I want to be alert to His Relief. To me, His relief is the Good News and Grace He purchased for me on Calvary.) So here is some relief:

"Sheep cannot find pasture or food. They need help. They need a shepherd to "lead them" and help them "lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2)." Without a shepherd they cannot rest. WITHOUT A SHEPHERD, NEITHER CAN WE. He leads me . . . He makes me. Notice the two pronouns. Who is the active one? Who is in charge? The shepherd. The shepherd selects the trail and prepares the pasture. The sheep's job -- our job -- is to watch the shepherd. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You." (Isaiah 26:3)

For you to be healthy, you must rest. Slow down and God will heal you. He will bring rest to your mind, to your body, and most of all to your soul. He will lead you to green pastures.

Green pastures were not natural terrain of Judea. The hills around Bethlehem where David kept his flock were not lush and green. Even today they are white and parched. Any green pasture in Judea is the work of some shepherd. He has cleared the rough, rocky land. Stumps have been torn out, and brush has been burned. Irrigation. Cultivation. Such are the work of a shepherd.

Hence, when David says, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures," he is saying, "My Shepherd makes me lie down IN HIS FINISHED WORK." With His own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He tore out the thorny underbrush of condemnation. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place, He planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy. ("It is Finished!") And He invites us to rest there.

Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of the shepherd when, with work completed, he sees his sheep rest in the tender grass? Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we do the same? His pasture is His GIFT to us! This is not a pasture that you have made. Nor is it a pasture that you deserve. It is a GIFT of God."

False shepherds/hirelings will drive the sheep and make the sheep work. True shepherds will encourage the sheep to rest, receive, respond and enjoy the Chief Shepherd. . . . listen to His Voice...get to KNOW HIM as a Friend and Follow Him.

The Lord is my Shepherd . . . I shall not want! It's time to nestle in His finished work, His lush and green pasture, His light and easy yoke. . . Delight yourself in the RELIEF of God.

He Stands By Me and It Is Well

2009-04-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship out on the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water
Stand by me

When I'm growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When I'm growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When I do the best I can
And my friends misunderstand
Thou who never lost a battle
Stand by me
Thou who never lost a battle
Stand by me ~~ hymn

A friend is someone who stays with you in the bad weather of life, guards you when you are off your guard, restrains your inpetuosity, delights in your wholeness, forgives your failures, does not forsake you when others let you down . . . . Jesus is my Best Friend Forever. He stands by me. He will never leave me, remove me, forsake me, block me from His Presence or Friendship. Anyone who comes to Him, He will in no wise cast us away. Even when our faith seems a little "shipwrecked" by circumstances and life, we are not cast away from Him. He is our Anchor of Hope. He is steady and firm in His unwavering Love. He is faithful, even when we are not. He is immutable . . .unchangeable in His love and devotion as Savior toward us.

My God and Friend
By Bob Gotti

He’s my God, my Lord, and a friend, who sticks closer than a brother,
He is one in whom you can depend, for comfort, more than any other,
He is a friend through thick and thin, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Who saved us from all of our sin, by becoming for us God’s sacrifice.

And for this, He became our Savior, but my friend He’s so much more,
As Christ my friend, He’s our Creator; one good reason He is our Lord.
However, Jesus lords not over us, and by God’s Grace we understand,
That all of those who in Him trust, He guides them with His gentle hand.

Dear friend, as our Creator God, there’s not one thing He doesn’t know,
And knowing all this earth we trod, Christ directs us in which way to go.
And Christ knows just how He will, provide for us each and every need,
And every need for our Lord to fill, is for our Creator a tiny task indeed.

The Lord God does all of this in love, from His Glorious Eternal Throne,
Reaching down from Heaven above, to care for those He calls His own.
But dear friend, before any of this, I stood all alone, lost and depraved,
I then received Christ’s Righteousness, when by His Grace I was saved.

It was on that day, which I believed, by faith in Christ Jesus as my Lord,
And from God the Father I received, new life through Christ forevermore.
So now He is my God and my friend, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
In a relationship, which has no end, as through Jesus I enter Eternal Life.

Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, but I don't like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."

What a strange breed of Christianity the Law has ushered in! What little resemblance it bears to the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Personally, right now, I would rather spend five hours in a bar sharing a drink with a pre-Christian, than 5 minutes in "fellowship" at any church.

Jesus is my all-sufficient Friend Who sticks closer than any brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, pastor, or fellow believer. There is NONE like Him. No, not one. When everyone else is friendless and cold, He is warm and inviting.

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

By Horatio Spafford and Phillip Bliss

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

JUST THE WAY I AM

2009-04-07T03:50:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned a few times that I am a recovering legalist. Many times it takes just one "drink," and my walk in Liberty wavers. Especially after a few bad days. Legalism makes you feel distant to the Lord whenever your "performance" doesn't seem to you (or to others) to have "cut it." Words, like "struggle," "standards," "hard heart," "stiff necked" and "backslider," ring mercilessly in your head. Shame becomes your heavy robe. Legalism makes you "feel" you need to work back into His graces some how (as if that's what got you there in the first place)!

We start believing, legalistically, that WE have to maintain and stay in the love of God, stay in His good graces. . . rather than the truth . . . He maintains us and keeps us. The mindset of the law is probation. The mindset of grace is complete unconditional pardon! The Lord's Salvation has nothing to do with our performance. He already "performed" on our behalf. Now it's by faith in His performance that we stand in God's Grace.

The battle some times is just in staying convinced and knowing His heart and grace when you feel faithless. The battle is His, however, and when He breaks through . . . WOW! The depth of the Savior's heart and love is AMAZING! It takes all the weight of shame and standard and conditions off and your exalted response is "I am Yours forever!" He has won my heart by His great mercy. And it's that same great Mercy that keeps me convinced and relieved. It makes me want to be like Him. . . rather than have to be like Him.

About 3 a.m. this morning, I was calling out to the Shepherd of the Hills. Some times the only word left you can say is just, "HELP!" He knows that code word for a crisis moment. . . of unbelief, troubled times, and the prison of legalism. Then I went back to bed. I want to share this because I know that I'm not the only one in Christiandom who is in this battle to stay convinced of the Good News of the Gospel.

A little while later, after falling back to sleep, the Lord of Love and Life, "Great Heart," straightened out my helmet of the hope of salvation by singing this Billy Joel song to me . . . .

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE ~~

Don't go changing, to try and please Me,
You never let me down before,
Don't imagine, you're too familiar,
And I don't see you anymore.

I would not leave you, in times of trouble,
We never could have come this far,
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times,
I'll take you just the way you are.

Don't go trying, some new fashion,
Don't change the colour of your hair,
You always have my, unspoken passion,
Although I might not seem to care.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew,
What will it take till you believe in Me,
The way that I believe in you?

I said I love you, and that's forever,
And this I promise from the heart,
I couldn't love you, any better,
I love you just the way you are.

I don't want clever, conversation,
I never want to work that hard,
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

Ahhhhh, back to the Relief of God and resting in His acceptance . . . not based on performance . . .not conditional. . . .no strings are attached . . . there is no "small print" to surprise me. . . just the Gift of Salvation purchased by The Lord of Love, Jesus Christ.

You might want to grab a kleenex, enjoy the video and take hold of this Word for yourself. . . that the Lord Loves you just the way you are! He just wants someone that He can talk to. He'll never leave you even in times of trouble. He takes the good times with the bad. You don't need to "try" or "change." You'll always have His undying passion. His love is forever, that's a promise from His heart. And He can't love you any better than He loves you right now!

May our response be the same as the great hymn by Charles Elliot (1841), "Just as I Am, Without One Plea" . . . .

Just as I am,
Without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, Whose Blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive;
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe!
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am,
Of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above:
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

I'm here, Lord! Fully-accepted, fully-convinced, and fully-kept! Amen!

Blessed Holy Spirit

2009-03-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

I love the Third Person of the Holy Trinity . . .the Blessed Spirit of God. He always points me to Jesus. He fills me with His fruit. He teaches me. He guides and directs me. He loves me. He communicates and influences me. He is my Helper and Comforter. He opens my eyes and heart to hear and know the Truth. He gives me discernment. He convicts me lovingly if I sin. He speaks to me and communicates the Father's mercy and comforts me. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that I stay faithful to God.

He is a Gift from God to me. He is the Promise of the Father, paid for by the Blood Atonement of the Son. Jesus said in John 16:7, "However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]."

Verse 13 & 14, "But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].
He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you."

He is the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) and Jesus Himself had to leave and go back to the Father in order for the Holy Spirit to come. It is because of Jesus alone and His perfection and Atoning Sacrifice on the Cross that we can be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, Moses had to instruct the children of Israel NOT to touch the mountain upon which the Spirit of God was resting. They would die if they did. Why? Because He is Holy and we are not. But now, because of the Blood of Christ we are made holy receivers of a Gift of this same Spirit of God . . . not only to recreate a new heart, imparting the Divine Nature within us, but also to become a Temple for His Spirit to rest within us. And we do not die!! His Spirit can rest within us without killing us because Jesus makes us Holy with His Blood. That is how wonderful the Blood and Life of Jesus is!

And then, on top of all this wonderful Good News, Jesus BAPTIZES us with the Holy Spirit. "For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." ~~ Acts 1:5 He recreates and gives us a New Heart within by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (the anointing within) and then, Jesus baptizes us with the Holy (Fire) Spirit of God (which is the anointing upon). The anointing within is for our personal walk with God . . .and our relationship with others. We watch His fruit (joy, peace, love, faith, etc) growing within and being produced by the Holy Spirit. The anointing upon is for laboring in the harvestfield of this world, proclaiming His glorious Gospel (And God confirms this Gospel with miracles, signs, and wonders. He gives us boldness . . . and powerclothes); and for the building up of the Body of Christ (for the edification, exhortation and comfort of His saints). Both "anointings" are a GIFT from His majesty, King Jesus and our Father in Heaven.

I cringe whenever I hear a cheap interpretation of something so Holy and wonderful and so FREE! It is a great sin to the Blood of Christ to think that we can earn or qualify in any way to receive either one of these anointings. Jesus paid the price so that the Father could send the Promised Comforter to us. So He could indwell us and make us holy Temples.

"You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? . . . . God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple." ~~ 1 Corinthians 3:16

How can you receive the Holy Spirit in your life? Only one way. . .ASK! and believe that it is the delight of the Father to give you the Kingdom. Jesus said in Luke 9:11-13,“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”

We are incredibly proud and selfish people if we even begin to believe that we receive the Holy Spirit on any merits of our own. Jesus has fully qualified us to receive . . . Hebrews 1 says about the Son of God, Jesus Christ:

1) In many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,
2) But in the last of these days, He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].
3) He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the Divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] Nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on High,
4) Taking a place and rank by which He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs.
5) For to which of the angels did [God] ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You [established You in an official Sonship relation, with kingly dignity]? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son? [II Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7.]
6) Moreover, when He brings the firstborn Son again into the habitable world, He says, Let all the angels of God worship Him.
7) Referring to the angels He says, [God] Who makes His angels winds and His ministering servants flames of fire;
8) But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your Kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness).
9)You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions."

God is speaking to His Son in Hebrews 1:9 -- because of Jesus' uprightness, because HE hated lawlessness, God has anointed HIM. And those who rest in Him, receive the same inheritance {freely} for that which he wrought.

John 7:38-39 Jesus says, "Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39) (When He said “living water,” He was speaking of the Spirit, Who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)"

The Holy Spirit is a Gift and Promise from the Father and released by the glorification of Jesus. Anyone who believes in Jesus and asks may receive the Blessed Holy Spirit . . . both within and upon. Anyone can be a living Temple of the Holy Spirit, have the Divine Nature and Living Water flowing out as well as be an instrument in the Hands of the Redeemer for His glory. Amen.

Give Me Jesus

2009-03-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

"Religion will put a new suit on your back
But a relationship with Him will put a new man in that suit" ~~ Jeremy Camp

The Holy Spirit reminds me daily, as I recover from legalism, to look at Jesus! And I am reminded what A.W. Tozer said . . . "that looking IS believing." And in the age-old battle of sin-consciousness vs God-consciousness, Tozer has hit the nail right on the head. This is very helpful to me and would be to anyone who would like some freedom from their religion. . . . Here is some of the best of Tozer:

"In the New Testament an important bit of history is interpreted for us by no less an authority than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is explaining to His hearers how they may be saved. HE TELLS THEM THAT IT IS BY BELIEVING. Then to make it clear, He refers to this incident in the Book of Numbers. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14, 15). . . .one would notice that "look" and "believe" were synonymous terms. "Looking" on the Old Testament serpent is identical with "believing" on the New Testament Christ. That is, the looking and the believing are the same thing. And he would understand that while Israel looked with their external eyes, believing is done with the heart. I think he would conclude that faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God. BELIEVING, THEN, IS DIRECTING THE HEART'S ATTENTION TO JESUS. It is lifting the mind to "behold the Lamb of God," and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives.

At first this may be difficult, but it becomes easier as we look steadily at His wondrous Person, quietly and without strain. Distractions (especially religion) may hinder, but after each brief excursion away from Him the attention will return again and rest upon Him like a wandering bird coming back to its window.

~~~Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves---blessed riddance! The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience REAL RELIEF when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do. ~~

Faith is a redirecting of our sight, a getting out of the focus of our own vision and getting God into focus. Sin has twisted our vision inward and made it self-regarding. Unbelief has put self where God should be . . .Faith looks out instead of in and the whole life falls into line.

Since believing is looking, it can be done without special equipment or religious paraphernalia. God has seen to it that the one life-and death essential can never be subject to the caprice of accident. Equipment can break down or get lost, water can leak away, records can be destroyed by fire, the minister can be delayed or the church burn down. All these are external to the soul and are subject to accident or mechanical failure: but looking is of the heart and can be done successfully by any man, woman or child standing up or kneeling down or lying in his last agony a thousand miles from any church.

~~Since believing is looking it can be done any time! No season is superior to another season for this sweetest of all acts. God never made salvation depend upon new moons nor holy days or sabbaths. A man is not nearer to Christ on Easter Sunday than he is, say, on Saturday, August 3, or Monday, October 4. As long as Christ sits on the mediatorial throne every day is a good day and all days are days of salvation.

Neither does place matter in this blessed work of believing God. Lift your heart and let it rest upon Jesus and you are INSTANTLY IN A SANCTUARY though it be at home or at work or on vacation. You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.

Ransomed people need no longer pause in fear to enter the Holy of Holies. God wills that we should push on into His Presence and live our whole life there. This is to be known to us in conscious experience. It is more than a doctrine to be held, it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day.Wherever we turn in the church of God, there is Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end of everything to us .... There is nothing good, nothing holy, nothing beautiful, nothing joyous which He is not to all His servants. No one need be poor, because, if he chooses, he can have Jesus for his own property and possession. No one need be downcast, for Jesus is the joy of heaven, and it is His joy to enter into sorrowful hearts. We can exaggerate about many things; but we can never exaggerate our obligation to Jesus, or the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus to us.

All our lives long we might talk of Jesus, and yet we should never come to an end of the sweet things that might be said of Him. Eternity will not be long enough to learn all He is, or to praise Him for all He has done, but then, that matters not; for we shall be always with Him, and we desire nothing more.

Between the scribe who has read and the prophet who has seen there is a difference as wide as the sea. We are today overrun with orthodox scribes, but the prophets, where are they? The hard voice of the scribe sounds over evangelicalism, but the Church waits for the tender voice of the saint who has penetrated the veil and has gazed with inward eye upon the Wonder that is God. And yet, thus to penetrate, to push in sensitive living experience into the holy Presence, is a privilege open to every child of God."

"They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed" (Psa. 34:5).

"I lift my eyes to you,O God, enthroned in heaven.We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal." (Psalm 123:1-2)

Believing, then, is directing the heart's attention to Jesus.. . .looking at Him. It is lifting the mind to "behold the Lamb of God," and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives.

My Chains Are Gone!

2009-02-20T22:32:00.000-08:00

"Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)"

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

Romans 5:9 in the Amplified Bible says, "Therefore, since we are now justified (ACQUITTED, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's Blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God."

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia states: "In criminal law, an ACQUITTAL is a verdict of not guilty, or some similar end of the proceeding that terminates it with prejudice without a verdict of guilty being entered against the accused."Christians, therefore, are fully pardoned. They have not only escaped penalty, but have been declared "Not Guilty!" Also according to the Wikipedia: In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the innocence of the accused, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi. Under the rules of double jeopardy and autrefois acquit, an acquittal operates to bar the retrial of the accused for the same offense, even if new evidence surfaces that further implicates the accused."

What does all this mean? It means Grace is greater than all our sin! Romans 5:15-20 (Amp) explains more: 15) But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

16) Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man's] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness).

17) For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

18) Well then, as one man's trespass [one man's false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man's act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.

19) For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him).

20) But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded!"SUPERABOUNDED! Grace superabounds all our sin. We have been completely and fully pardoned. And now that we are pardoned, His grace rules our hearts and sin no longer has dominion. Grace superabounds within the heart of the Believer! It has increased and surpassed the dominion of sin in our hearts.

Believers who feel that they are "on parole," are being effected by legalism, by religion that is a cruel dictator and places the heavy yoke and burdon of their salvation upon themself. Salvation is a Gift and a Gift cannot be earned. Justification is a Gift, and cannot be revoked. Sanctification is a Gift of Grace working in your heart. It is a Gift and is indelible! Your callings, destiny, giftings and Salvation itself are all irreversible and completely maintained by Grace. When a prisoner is pardoned, he is free, unconditionally, no strings or red tape attached. But when a man is paroled, there are conditions. We are fully pardoned, even our guilt is gone. We are not "on parole." earning or maintaining our freedom, and/or continuing to pay the debts for our crimes.

When we do occasionally sin, we have a Holy Resource offered to us by Grace . . . . the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son (which) cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [and keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].(1 John 1:7) I remember years ago watching Benny Hinn on TV. And I remember him "warning" people who had just had marvelous healing experiences that they better not sin, "or they would lose their healing!" He would adivise them to go to church, read the Bible, do this and do that or else! Or else they would lose their healing. What blasphemy! What slander to the Character of God and His loving and kind heart. I remember there being no light, only fear, in my heart after hearing that. This is an example of toxic and abusive legalism. The healing was a Gift from God. And the Word of God says in Romans 11:29, "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." You can contemplate for days on just the "gifts of God's Grace" . . .there are so many. . . but let's focus on healing, deliverance, and salvation! and what IRREVOCABLE really means. Irrevocable means: "that cannot be revoked, recalled, or undone; unalterable." Some synonyms for irrevocable are: permanent, unalterable, irreversible, indelible! I like indelible myself! :) The Gifts and the callings of God are permanent . . are unalterable . . .are irreversible . . . and are indelible! This is Good News. Yes, I believe now more than ever, as a recovering legalist, that "once saved, always saved."

Why? Because of the above. His grace is greater than all my sin. He has removed the dominion of sin from my heart and His Grace SUPERABOUNDS in it's place. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20) and His Gifts and callings are irrevocable.

No, He will never revoke your healings, your deliverances or your salvation. You have been fully pardoned and fully acquitted. . . .no penalty, no guilt, you are completely justified and you have the blessed assurance that His grace will lead you Home. No longer are we to be cringing, fearful slaves, but free children who have nothing left against us for Him to even chide us for (Colossians 1:22b - LBV).

The Good News of the Gospel is simply, good news and brings relief to the sinner. John Newton wrote "Amazing Grace." Newton celebrated the greatness of God’s grace because it replaced the dominion of sin in his heart.

"Thru many dangers, toils and snaresI have already come.
‘Tis grace hath bro’t me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home."

No roadblock, no obstacle of Satan, no mountain of struggle is too big, too powerful, too overwhelming to counter the reconstructing character of God’s grace. Those who stand in it cannot be overcome or snatched away from the Father’s hand. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a). Furthermore, what this grace has done for us in the past, we can count on it to do for us during the remaining part of the journey until we safely arrive at home in our Father’s House. Amen!

"Neither Do I Condemn You"

2009-02-10T00:56:00.000-08:00

The Legalists thought they had Jesus pinned in a corner the day they brought the woman who was caught in the act of adultery to Him. According to the Law, she had to be stoned.

John 8:3-11: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

There is only One Who has never sinned and He is the only One Who can condemn us. But He does not, rather He came to save us. "For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him." (John 3:17)

And here is an awesome truth . . . "Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son" (John 5:22) The only One the Father has judged was His Son while He took our place on the cross. Therefore, Jesus is the only One who can condemn us . . . yet according to Romans 8:1 -- "there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

The legalists thought they had trapped Jesus. They didn't know that He was the Second Adam, the One who fulfilled all righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf. As God's Son, He had the authority to negate the letter of the Law in order to expose the Heart of God.

I believe the interpretation of all Scripture needs to pass through Jesus. He told the Legalists that they search for eternal life in them, but they really speak of Him! John 5:39 . . . "You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!" In Christianity today, there is sometimes a tendency to view Scripture as God and ultimate Truth, rather than something pointing to God and ultimate Truth (Jesus). In other words, we start to worship, idolize Scripture... and that is precisely what Jesus was critical of.

Legalism is a TRAP! Legalists want to trap everyone. They want to keep you from entering into the rest of Christ. Matthew 23:13 -- "For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either."

Another time the Law of God went through a "revision," was when Peter was hungry (in a trance) on his roof and had a vision of defiled animals and was told by the Lord to "eat." Acts 10:11-15 -- He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”
14) “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.” And basically God said, “What I call holy is holy." Mark 2:27, Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. . . He's the Lord of the Law. He "broke" the law continually and frustrated the legalists. He wanted them to see, but they were blind.

I don't know which way I'm going here. I seem to be trying to convey two things at once:

1) the Law was meant to serve man, not man to serve the Law. This applies to the Scriptures, as well. They were meant to serve us, to point us to God's plan of Salvation through His Son. . .they were not meant for us to serve them. We serve Christ.

2) Jesus is the only One Who can condemn or judge us and He's the One Who came to save us. That, to me, is such a relief.

I've been on the end of a stone throwing and I can relate with the woman's experience of Jesus' heart of compassion. Stones were thrown and landed hard. Would they have been able to throw them if they heard the Master say, "You without sin, cast the first one?" Absolutely not. After they left . . . after they all walked away . . . One was still standing with me. I asked Jesus, "Your still here?" And He told me, "I will NEVER leave you NOR FORSAKE YOU. You are Mine." I am so grateful to have found my True Friend. I would go through it all again, just to have what I have in Christ so solidly now. I am fully convinced . . . .Thank you Jesus. I love you!

2/14/09 -- Adding this complementary and recently found video:

God's Love Expels All Fear

2009-02-08T12:15:00.001-08:00

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]. —1 John 4:18 You don't believe how much God loves you, if you are afraid of judgment, punishment or even afraid of Him. Fear comes from unbelief. Faith believes in the Good News that it is finished!

There is so much joy and peace in believing in the Love of God through His Son, Jesus. Incredible relief is found in the Good News (Gospel). The love and mercy of God in Jesus washes away all fear of judgment and punishment. Knowing Him and the love that Paul describes in Ephesians 3:17-19 erases all torments and every trace of terror.

Some legalists/spiritual performers will quote scriptures from the Bible in order to control. Fear mixed with legalism will control. Scriptures like "working out your salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil. 2:12) and the story of Ananias and Saphira (in Acts 5) are used often by abusers to manipulate and support their own agendas and feed their desire for power. But we must remember that the Holy Spirit within every believer promises to give clarity and interpretation (the anointing within us so that no man may teach us -- (1 John 2:27). . . and Wisdom (James 1:5). He will faithfully and generously supply it so that we don't have to rely on another man's interpretation alone. We can easily go to the Writer and hear clearly what His heart and mind (the Mind of Christ) and intentions are conveying in His Holy Word.

Recently I asked the Lord regarding Philippians 2:12 and His first response to me was the Scripture quoted above . . 1John 4:18. And He also reminded me to read everything within it's context. The 13th verse of Philippians 12 states: "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." What, at first (v 12 alone), would seem to be a heavy yoke of personal performance and standards that need to be met, is actually (v13) a promise that this is not required to be done in your own strength. He gives us both the desire and the will to work for His good pleasure, satisfaction and delight . . . what a relief!

I let the peace of God . . . what I refer to as the RELIEF OF GOD . . . rule (or govern) my heart. Colossians 3:15 --And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (govern, control . . .act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which . . .you were called to live." When I feel His relief, I know I am standing in the grace, love and Good News of Jesus Christ. . . the easy yoke of the Gift of Eternal Life. This is the message of God given to us by His Son.

All Scripture must be interpreted through Jesus and by the Holy Spirit. Too many have indulged in abusive interpretations, including satan himself in the desert of Christ's temptations.

I end this entry with two blessed verses that I hope and believe will give us all relief and encouragement as well as strenthen our faith:

Romans 8:15 -- "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16) For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17) And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.

v26)" And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. . . . 28) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. v 31)What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32) Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else? 33) Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one—for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. 34) Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35) Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?. . . 37) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Epeshians 3:16-20 --"May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17)May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18)That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19[That you may really come] to know [practically], through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20)Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--"

May this perfect love of God remove all fear, condemnation and every trace of torment as you walk in faith and the blessed assurance that is ours in Christ Jesus. Amen.

His Fruit . . .Not Mine

2009-02-03T04:49:00.001-08:00

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is: Love, Peace, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22)

What did God do for us? In the Old Testament, He sent the Jews His Law, His Covenant with them. . . a list of "dos and don'ts," a schoolmaster enforcing external control for a time. The Law was meant to show us that we are sinners. Apart from the Law, we wouldn't know our sin. The function of the Law of God is a holy function. It brings conviction and wisdom . . . knowing right from wrong. But it cannot save us! God's better plan for the salvation of fallen man was not to be in His Law -- external control, but rather thru His Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit -- internal control. In many ways, we raise our children in this way. We instruct them and through love and discipline focus on the external behavior while waiting for the promise of the salvation through their personal faith and then the best thing that could happen to any of our children . . . the Holy Spirit born in their hearts, bringing them freedom and internal control. The Holy Spirit becomes their internal parent. Not only that, He brings the anointing of God that breaks every yoke! He illuminates everything from the inside! The personality of God, the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, begins to flow from the inside out, freely.

It's the difference between incarceration (external control) and transformation (internal control). It is prison vs. freedom. The external control was needed for a time . . . just until the Deliverer came. Then the freedom just flows, without striving or struggling, but rather by faith through grace. This is Good News! This is the Relief of God!

Jesus describes this new way and life in John 15. It's called, "Abiding." He describes Himself as the Vine and His Father is the Vinedresser (the Gardener). He teaches us that we are just the branch; and that apart from Him, we can do nothing. Verse 4, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." Verse 5, "I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

HOW do we abide? The very same way we came to Christ, Paul says in Galatians.

Galatians 5:5 -- "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision (what we do externally or not do externally); but faith which worketh by love. . . But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law."

He bemoans the Galatians in chapter 3, verse 2: "Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3) How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4) Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
5) I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ."

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, our Callings and ministries and the miracles of God are a gift to us by faith through the Father's Grace and Mercy in His Son Jesus. We can never earn them or achieve them through our own striving or performance. If we try, Paul says in Galatians we will fall from Grace and even live under a curse . . . v10) "But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, 'Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.' 11) So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life.' 12) This way of faith is very different from the way of law. . .

HOW do we abide? We plug into the Vine by faith. The same way we received this Life, we abide. Much like plugging into an outlet. You must plug into, by faith, the source of Life, fruit and power.

Faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to live the Chrisitan life.

"The Vine is Christ. I am the branch. The Holy Spirit is the "sap" that runs through the Vine (Jesus) and into the branch (me). The branch lives, grows and bears fruit NOT BY STRUGGLES and EFFORT . . .but simply by abiding." (Charles Stanley) "We are the BEARERS of His fruit, not the PRODUCERS."

"How does the branch bear fruit? NOT by incessant effort for sunshine and air; NOT by vain struggles for those vivifying influences which give beauty to the blossom, and verdue to the leaf; it simply abides in the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, (rest) and (I love this) SPONTANEOUS GROWTH. How, then, shall a Christian bear fruit? By efforts and struggles to obtain that which is freely given? By meditations on watchfulness, on prayer, on action, on temptation (accountability), and on dangers? NO: THERE MUST BE A FULL CONCENTRATION OF THE THOUGHTS AND AFFECTIONS ON CHRIST (set your full concentration on Him); a COMPLETE surrender of the your own works; a CONSTANT LOOKING AT HIM FOR GRACE."

(Hudson Taylor)

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is spontaneous! Sometimes it even surprises us. "That wasn't me! That was Someone living inside of me!" :)

"It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives IN ME!" (Gal. 2:20) It is no longer I who is expected to produce patience, self-control and love in my life. This is the job of the Holy Spirit! It is NO LONGER I who is expected to produce joy in the midst of stress. That, too, is the Holy Spirit's responsibility. It is no longer I who is expected to produce anything in the way of character. It is Christ (the Vine), working through the Holy Spirit (the Sap), producing character (blossoms and fruit) in me (the branch). WHAT A RELIEF!

His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If you think about it, branches were not designed to produce fruit -- they were designed to have fruit produced through them (to bear the fruit only). And by faith, I have accepted the relationship of abiding. To abide by faith is simply to live in Christ -- from Him every need is supplied! He is my Shepherd and I shall not want of anything. His is the all-sufficient Christ. . . and firmly adequate to carry me, keep me unto that Day and make me fruitful. Yes, He prunes, that too is His job . . . not mine. And it's not my job to prune others, either. We are all His work, His creation and work . . .hands off ourselves . . .hands off others. Eyes on Christ! Hearts fixed for the second coming! Ears open for His Voice and Song!

The Futility of Legalism

2009-01-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

(revision)

Jesus came to lift from the backs of tired people the burden, trying to do everything right. The Spirit-filled life is not a formula; it is a relationship . . . a relationship with a Person -- the Holy Spirit.

If you examine what exactly religion is and what it does and doesn't do, you will see what Jesus saw. Clean on the outside, but inside full of corruption, and emptiness. Many religions, such as Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, FLDS, Muslim, Jewish Pharisees, and many denominational Christian churches emphasize duty, devotion, commitment, "faithfulness"in order to succeed or be fruitful. They promote what I like to call "spiritual technologies.". . some steps to take. Just master the mechanics and the directions of what to do and your problems will be solved and you'll be fruitful.

Paul said he could boast of being a "Pharisee of all Pharisees!" He was very faithful in tithing, reading the Scriptures, praying, fasting, worshipping in the temple . . . "covering all the bases." But in all this "activity," in all this "devotion and duty," there was no fruit. In fact, he was a murderer and persecuter of Jesus' followers. The spirit behind religion, all religions. . . what drives it, I believe, is the spirit of anti-Christ. Religion is what tortured and killed the Lord of Glory. Legalists are provoked by the preaching of the cross. In Galatians, Paul states that "as the natural son (Ishmael) persecuted the spiritual son (Isaac), so it is today." He says in Galatians 4, "Have I now become your enemy because I continue to tell you the truth?" The truth that the way to live in freedom is by the Spirit through your faith?

Legalists get no closer to God and do not "achieve" God's fruit by "doing their best" or meeting some requirements of the religion. The basic tenet of this mindset is that confidence before God and rewards from God result from "piety and blameless ways." (Job 4:6) Titus 3:5, 6 -- He saved us NOT because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." God deals with us today, not on the basis of our ways, works, or even behaviors/performance, but on the basis of His Grace, appropriated by us through our personal faith in Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection Life and indwelling Spirit. True "spiritual warfare" and the actual battlepoint is this: It is easy for one to be self-righteous and believe that if life "seems to be working" for us, it is because we are "doing things right." The TRUTH is, it is Grace --- all Grace! Jesus does not give us a list of behaviors to perform or a catalog of answers; rather, HE GIVES US HIMSELF.

This leads me, then, to the question . . . THE FRUIT OF THE WHAT?

Slumdog Millionaires

2009-01-26T02:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the "equation" for God's "economy" . . .

JESUS PLUS NOTHING = EVERYTHING!

In these economic times, one may be tempted to believe, or hear, that God will take care of their needs (financial, emotional even physical) IF they tithe faithfully their 10% or beef up their offerings. You can watch testimony after testimony on the television (right before they ask you to join their ministry, of course) of people who made great financial "choices," giving their last dollar to the church and THEN . . .God paid all their bills off, or their failing business excelled, or their sicknesses went away. I don't doubt God did these things for them. But I do doubt that He did these things for them BECAUSE they did something first, because Salvation (eternal, financial, physical, emotional . . . ) is a GIFT AND A GIFT CANNOT BE EARNED.

Every spiritual first-grader knows that we cannot merit God's favor. God is not for sale to the highest bidder nor can we earn His favor by our own effort or works.

We cannot "buy" God's protection and help. If you give, or tithe, because you believe you'll earn a reward or out of fear that God won't take care of you. . . . this = legalism. It's the "If . . . then" vs "Yea and Amen" never-ending battle.

In any teaching or testimony, if your presented with the idea or notion that emphasizes success through YOUR tithe, offering, "seed money," great discipline and/or devotion . . . even success through YOUR great faith, it aims the glory at YOU. BUT, faith in God's grace and in the gift of His Righteousness and Divine Providence and Protection glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received. Our pride always wants to make this all about "us," but it's not.

I have Good News! Jesus fulfilled the Law and all the Old Testament promises, qualifications and requirements. And now, because "It is finished", all we can do is ASK! As a Believer in Christ, a Child of God, you are automatically covered. And Jesus said so many times and in so many ways through the Gospel (the Good News) that if we ask IN HIS NAME, it will be given to us. What child asks for a piece of bread and has to earn it first for his father to feed him? Or protect him? If we, who are evil, do not place these heavy yokes and requirements upon our own children, who are we to believe God is this way? How many times, in the midst of rebellion and doubt, has the Lord's loving kindness overwhelmed you. His undeserved mercy endures forever. And it's because of the mercy of God alone, that we have air to breathe. It's because of the mercy of God in His Son that we have such a RICH INHERITANCE! It's all been GIVEN TO US. All we "do" is believe.

Obeying the Holy Spirit, we give as led, out of joy because He let's us see who He is. If you have two coats and the Lord tells you to give one to someone who has none . . . WOW! how this glorifies Him. But we don't give the coat because we hope the Lord is watching and He will now take care of our needs. This is offensive to the Spirit of Grace.

You can't bribe God. During the time of Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic Church was notorious for its widespread practice of selling indulgences. The people were taught to believe that by giving to the church, they could obtain God's favor. Teaching that God gives special attention or favor because of anything YOU do, is false teaching. God is completely satisfied with Jesus and now, through Christ, we are highly favored.

This global financial crisis will hit the structured church as well. It may even re-shape it. It could tear down the many religious addends and do a major mega shift back to the early home churches of the New Testament. No longer will the tithe be required to maintain the building, pave a parking lot, pay salaries or sponsor missionaries. Re-structured, if every member of the church started their own neighborhood house church and became lighthouses for their neighborhood . . . the ten to 15 Believers gathering in each home could take a free-will collection and use it ALL on benevolence! "Church" and the church structure as we know it today may change too because of the crisis God is allowing on the earth.

When Paul addressed the stoic philosophers on Mars Hill and sought to describe the difference between the true God and their many idols, he told them this about God: "He gives to all life, breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). What sets God apart from all other gods is that He is a Giver. What utter blasphemy, then, to suggest that God can be bribed to favor us by our giving to Him! Ministers who teach this "give-to-get" doctrine and TV hosts who invite them on their telethons need to heed the warning of the apostle James, "Let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment" (James 3:1). We have freedom to exhort teachers to be accountable, because many spoon-feed the sheep high toxic levels of legalsim. Better for a millstone to be tied around their necks, than to let even one of God's little ones' faith be damaged.

Please allow me to glorify this good news and the mercy of God a step further. . . Scripture and experience reveal to us all that God even takes care of the wicked . . . His Love is unconditional.

James 5:45 says, "for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." He tells us to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us because that's how He is. He sent His Son, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS. While we were in enmity and hostile toward God, he sent His one and only beloved and perfect Son to GIVE US THE KINGDOM AND ALL IT'S RICHES. How much more, now being justified, will He give us all things.

I guess what's on my heart is for His people to know the Good News, the Truth, and find relief . . . especially now during great economic trials and hardships. Your walk with the Lord, your faith, is intensely personal. Stay convinced that His love, salvation, provision, protection, His constant care of you is free because of Jesus. . . paid in full. Just ask Him. Don't come under any "doctrine of demons" and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Just give as the Holy Spirit directs, walk by faith, and remember that the only Christian "duty" assigned to us by Christ Himself is to LOVE.

Words from two hymns come to my heart regarding these times. . .

'TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS

Just to rest upon His promise,

O for grace to trust Him more!

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest, and joy and peace.

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth,

Will grow strangely dim,

In the Light of His Glory and Grace!

Just recently I got to see the movie, "Slumdog Millionaire." I want to indulge in an allegory. . . . THE TRUTH IS, WE ARE ALL SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRES! WE ALL COME FROM THE SLUM OF OUR SIN AND SELF, FROM THE SLUM OF THIS FALLEN NATURE AND WORLD. BUT, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE ONE AND ONLY ANSWER! AND AT THE NAME OF JESUS, WE ARE ETERNAL MILLIONAIRES!

He Lifts Us Up!

2009-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

I want to share something the Lord showed me last night at a Believer's meeting. At this meeting, there were some who felt the need go to the "altar" . . . .

While witnessing this, first I saw a blanket of shame spread across their backs. And then, I saw the Lord Jesus ever so gently with great compassion, lifting that shame off of them. He was gathering the shame upon Himself. He removed their shame. And then He told me that He will tighten His grip (of grace) on each one of us. . . holding us up . . . He will keep us . . . and in our weaknesses, He gives His Strength. He will hold us up and prevent us from falling. He also told me that He is the One who covers our nakedness and our shame. He removes all shame.

I also saw a picture of the Lord's cupped hands together and everyone was in the palm of His Hands. And He told me that no one can snatch us from the Palm of His Hands. He promised the Father that He would never lose even one of us. He holds us dear to Himself.

This is Good News! And such a relief!

Sometimes, we get the "message" either from a word or from a teaching, or a book, that God is angry with us or disappointed with us. . .or that we are failing somehow. Most of the time we feel like we're constantly striving to GET INTO A ROOM, THAT WE ARE ALREADY "IN." :) This is why it is good for each one of us get to KNOW HIM better. Each of us must, individually, hear His Voice and Know His Character. Because then, when we hear those "sifting sand" messages, or prophecies, we can be secure in the knowing of His character. Sometimes He's misrepresented . . . sometimes He's outlandishly slandered and blasphemed. But if we remember that the Wisdom that comes from Above is full of Tender Mercies, then the fearful warnings and Mount Sinaii-type blasts will not shake us. (Hebrews 12:18-24 --"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast . . .The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in Heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled Blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.) They will only remind us to Know the Lord ourself . . . personally. And in His Character, we are safe and sound. Jesus said He is the Perfect Representative of the Father. And actually, He's our Perfect Advocate and representative for us. :)

Psalm 103:10-14 says . . . God "does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a Father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For he knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust."

FORGIVEN --

My Beloved One,

How can you be depressed by your own sinfulness when the

wonders and joys of My mercy are freely available?

Dear One, why be nailed by the enemy when the keys of My

unfettered grace can open every prison in your life?

Why be subject to the relentless condemnation of the evil one

when the love of the One Who is Almighty is yours to delight in?

Do you not know that the enemy is defeated?

Do you not appreciate that you are endlessly forgiven?

I am going to peel away this part of your life and expose the grace

that is freely available. I am not obsessed by sin, I have dealt

with it by judging Christ.

I am obsessed by you loving My grace, and experiencing the joy of

My Life within your heart.

You have always been forgiven. You must learn to forgive yourself.

Become as gracious as your God. Do not nail other people (even if

you legitimately can) but be endlessly forgiving. They who are

forgiven much also love much.

ENJOY FORGIVENESS; REVEL IN IT! I am not disillusioned with you for I

never had any illusions about you. :)

I have always understood who you are and the struggles you face.

Why would I not love you, since I Am Love Itself?

Love as one not condemned, but released.

Then take the key of My Grace, and unlock the prison door of as

many captives as you can find.

Forgiveness grows as it is employed.

(Graham Cooke)

God's GRACE! God's MERCY! God's LOVE! These mighty things have overcome our shame, washed away our guilt and brought us into a place of honour, accept it, allow it to wash you and cleanse you of feelings of shame and love Him, praise Him, serve Him! Stay hidden in Christ.

Walk in His acceptance of you. Accept His Acceptance! :) And do not serve Him motivated out of fear of punishment OR desire for reward. (Which is legalism.) We worship Him out of our gratitude and faith. He loves our faith. :) :)

Do Not Be Impressed . . .

2009-01-20T03:57:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 16:7 says, "But God told Samuel, 'Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. . . God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.'" -- The Message

I don't know what to say. To me, this is an unhappy day. My guess is, to alot of US citizens, who voted with moral consciences, it's not a day to celebrate either. I don't like the overindulgence regarding Barack Obama's outward appearance. I'm all for "Black American History." He will be, afterall, the first Bi-racial president. Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Indian . . . .it should make no difference what the outward appearance and stature represent. What should matter is what is in the heart of the man . . .not the color of his skin, the articulate speeches, nor the great political promises for future prosperity and peace.

I fear what this man, and the people working behind this man, will do to unborn children, the sanctity of marriage, and the religious freedoms we now rest in. Tomorrow is the 36th anniversary for Roe v. Wade and newsarticles have suggested that on the second day of office, President Obama is planning on quickly reversing President Bush's pro-life policies. If he does, the door of murder will again be opened wide for international and domestic abortions and infanticides and we will be paying for this with our taxes. See this CNN article dated just yesterday . . . http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/19/obama.abortion/ for more details.

I will be watching and praying for Divine protection. Dear Lord, please keep us alert and far away from acquiesence. Keep us from passively accepting something, without necessarily consenting to it . . . compromising. Forgive us and keep us from wanting a "King," more than a God. . . for suppressing the Truth, worshipping the created more than the Creator and for betraying the multitude of innocent unborn . . . betraying them for pieces of "economic recovery," the god of money and self-preservation. . . betraying them for the sake of history.

Let us not trust in "chariots or horses," but remember and trust in the Name of our God. (Psalm 20:7) Let Jesus be our King!

I want to share this poem, written by Chief Justice of The Alabama Supreme Court, Judge Roy E. Moore, July 1998 entitled:

OUR AMERCIAN BIRTHRIGHT

One nation under God was their cry and declaration.

Upon the law of Nature's God they built a mighty Nation.

For unlike mankind before them who had walked upon this earthen sod,

These men would never question the Sovereignty of God.

That all men were "created" was "self-evident,"

To secure the rights God gave us was the role of government.

And if any form of government became destructive of this end,

It was their right, their duty, a new one to begin.

So with a firm reliance on Divine Providence for protection,

They pledged their sacred honor and sought His wise direction.

They lifted an appeal to God for all the world to see,

And declared their independence forever to be free.

I'am glad they're not here with us to see the mess we're in,

How we've given up our righteousness for a life of indulgent sin.

For when abortion isn't called murder and sodomy is deemed a right,

Then evil is now called good and darkness is now called light.

While truth and law were founded on the God of all Creation,

Man now, through law, denies the truth and call it "seperation."

No longer does man see a need for God when he's in full control,

For the only truth self-evident is the latest poll.

But with man as his own master we fail to count the cost,

Our precious freedoms vanish and our liberty is lost.

Children are told they can't pray and they teach them evolution.

When will they learn the fear of God is the only true solution.

Our schools have become battlegrounds while all across the land,

Christians shrug their shoulders afraid to take a stand.

According to a US Casualties report 4,156 humans lost their lives in Iraq in almost six years. Compare this to the daily total of over 3500 innocent lives lost to abortion and infanticide. There have been demonstrations and outrage galore over the war in the Middleast. . . . where are they for the war against the sanctity of life?

After watching the following video, I would hope everyone will agree with me in prayer for God's mercy and protection to be over the innocents who have no voice . . . .

Don't be impressed by the outward appearance and stature, don't be impressed by cheering crowds, elated news commentators, or image-printed coins. Don't be impressed by the outside appearance. But watch what is within. Pray, of course, and hope for the best alway, but don't "fall" for the illusion . . . stand for the Truth and let Jesus be your King!

JESUS, PLUS NOTHING

2009-01-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

Recently I received the following "devotional" thought and/or teaching from Rick Warren in my e-mail. And I have to address and protest it as a freedom writer and lover of the grace and good news of the Gospel. Here is what Rick Warren believes and teaches regarding individual spiritual growth:

Spiritual Growth Is Not a Private Matter
by Rick Warren

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***Some of us hesitate to commit ourselves to developing an intentional plan of growth that requires accountability or relationship with others because we believe spiritual growth is a personal and private matter. We choose to believe each person develops in his or her own way at his or her own rate. This is an aberration from the truth. The idolatry of individualism has influenced even the way we think about spiritual growth. So much of the teaching on spiritual formation is self-centered and self-focused without any reference to our relationship to other Christians. This is completely unbiblical and ignores much of the New Testament. The truth is that Christians need relationships to grow. We don’t grow in isolation from others. We develop in the context of fellowship. Over and over again in the New Testament we find this basic truth: Believers need relationships with each other to grow! Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another …” (NIV). God intends for us to grow up in a family.

This is what I believe and proclaim:

Rick Warren is modeling what the "Shepherding Movement" heretics tried to promote . . .only in a different "frame." Beware of false teaching. He took one scripture verse and says that anyone believing that spiritual growth is a private matter is aberrant and idolatrous. This is called "proof texting." Actually, the verse says "we are to motivate one another to good works" . . .not to growth.

In this false teaching he is usurping the Holy Spirit's job in each individual's life. Faith IS extremely personal. That is why we call it a "personal relationship with the Lord!"

Accountability, discipleship programs, putting man in the Holy Spirit's place is what's aberrant and idolatrous. We are making man and his get-better programs, his diagnosis and prognosis of our spiritual condition the "god" in our life, rather than the Lord. Instead of pointing one another to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, we are pointing one another to a person or a program.

THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD AND WE SHALL NOT WANT . . . .

We grow in grace thru faith, not thru relationships. Accountability is only necessary in a church where there are big problems or decadent behavior.

Please consider this verse . . .I Corinthians 3:6 & 7 (AMP) says, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase.
7So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater.

Relationship doesn't cause the growth. God causes the growth. He gives the increase and the measure in His timing and He is the Producer of the fruit (60 fold, 100 fold) . . . we just "bear" it.

Actually, we should have relationships not only within our our own church, but within other churches lest we become exclusive and elitists.

But the subject of church growth is another subject altogether . . . .

In the end, I need to quote again Dave Johnson, author of "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse": TRUE SHEPHERDS POINT TO THE CHIEF SHEPHERD. Here's a simple rule of thumb I've learned recently for discerning teaching: The actual source of all teaching and doctrine is revealed in whom it glorifies. In other words, teaching that emphasizes success through YOUR great discipline or even success through YOUR great faith also tends to aim the glory at YOU. Thus, it is frequently true that faith in faith glorifies your faith, and faith in self-discipline glorifies your self-discipline. BUT faith in God's grace and in the gift of His righteousness glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received."

Rick Warren, in this case, is pointing to relationships and assembling with one another as your source of growth . . . he fails to point to the Truth -- Jesus Christ -- as our Source of growth. And Jesus, our Shepherd, uses whatever vehicle He decides for our growth. It may be relationships . . . it may be isolation (as with the apostle John on the island of Patmos). He is our Source for growth. . . . nothing else.

Rick Warren is making up a false spiritual "requirement" outside of the work and performance of Christ. . . emphasizing man's work and performance.

Growth is a GIFT FROM GOD. This is the Good News! Relationships are important for growth, but it must be voluntary, not prescribed. Otherwise, it becomes a heavy yoke, a "work" of the flesh. We can have relationship with one another thru the internet, thru groups on-line, Bible studies, going to the movies, within our own family units, etc., our work places, telephone calls. God uses every one and everthing for our individual growth.

And emphasizing "success" and/or growth thru relationships is aiming the glory at us, . . . not at God WHO GIVES THE GROWTH. Then we can boast that WE are causing our own growth thru our attendance and thru our activities within the assembly of members. We begin to believe and proclaim to ourselves and one another that WE ARE THE SOURCE OF OUR OWN GROWTH. And this also sets up the judging of one another. Those who aren't as "committed" to those who are "committed" by showing up all the time. This, to me, is the aberrant and idolatrous belief. This is religion. This is legalism. And it's toxic to growth. Legalism kills. Liberty gives life. As a recovering legalist, I can testify to this.

It's good to "revelate" and protest when we don't agree or believe something a teacher . . .even a well-known teacher, tries to send out to the Body.

Frankly, I believe that "WE" are the church, not some building. That WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit, not a certain room or building. But that, again, is another discussion. :) :) Take care and Believe the Good News! His Yoke is easy and His burden is light. Hallelujah!

So . . . .God may have you stay in bed with your spouse and have some "fellowship" or have a great breakfast and fun with your children on some Sundays. So, don't come under the bondage or religious burden of having to have to go to church in order to be a "good" or "growing" Christian." Be free . . . and don't come under any condemnation or petty religious yokes. God is with you and in you and you can even have "church" at home with your family! It's fun! Go to your local church or visit another church as you are LED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Be at peace. Jesus is Lord! :)

Jesus, plus NOTHING else!

Jesus Is The Winna Man!

2009-01-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

The "Golden Globe" awards were on TV last night. I'm a sucker for these shows. I know, I know . . . . "vanity, oh vanity." But, before we get all "religious" let's consider all in the light of His Grace. He loves everyone in Hollywood. God sent His Son to them as well. They are not the enemy and celebrities can be wonderful witnesses for Jesus! I appreciate good acting and I have a wonderful Friend and Guide, the Holy Spirit, Who is very efficient in guiding me through this world while not being "of the world." As I "watch" and pray :) , the Holy Spirit gives me great prayers and compassionate thoughts of hope for each and every one. This is part of the fun!

I didn't get to watch last night's show, but I did utilize the "DVR" and I'm looking forward to watching and fast-forwarding all the commercials tonight with Doug. :) So . . . don't tell me who won! I am having a hard time as it is avoiding news and talk shows so that it won't be spoiled for me. However, I LOVE to tell all Who the ultimate "winner" is!

I just want to share with you what the Holy Spirit communicated to me yesterday morning. I saw a man standing on a stage with the same type of envelopes the awards shows use. The man said as he was opening the envelope . . . "And the Winner is . . ." He then opened and read, "JESUS!" :)

This is, of course, the Good News! Jesus IS the Winna Man! He Won! It is Finished. And, in Christ, we win too!

It's a BINGO! moment all the time with Jesus!

He has run and won the race for us. He shares His prize with us. In Jesus, we all get to hold our "golden globes" as overcomers! We get crowns to cast at His feet We get to eat of the Tree of Life in Paradise. We get to eat of the hidden manna and we get a new name written on a white stone. We get to rule nations and we get the morning star! How's that for a prize! We get to wear garments of white and be pillars in His house and sit on His throne. Revelations tells us all this. If we stay fully convinced of the Good News, relying on His performance alone, He leads us to be Overcomers and Winners!

John 16:33, Jesus says, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” And I thank God, that abiding in Jesus . . . resting in Him . . . makes me an overcomer, too! Jesus IS the Winna Man!

I "Smell" a Fish! (vs) The Fish are Jumping!

2009-01-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

New Year's resolutions . . . .

New Year's commitments to try harder . . .

Good intentions . . . .to right the wrongs . . . . change habits . . . .

The truth is, we can NEVER walk it out right on our own. To try . . .to even think that we can . . .is lethal, and "smelly" and we fall from the Grace of God.

Today, the Lord showed me a picture of a "Flounder." (the fish) And He said to me, those who attempt to resolute themselves to Me in their flesh (in their own strength) will flounder --"

Now the definition of flounder is: to flap, splash through mire, flounce . . . . To fling the limbs and body, as in making efforts to move; to struggle, as a horse in the mire, or as a fish on land; to roll, toss, and tumble; to flounce.

HOWEVER! The GOOD NEWS IS: He has sent us a HELPER, the precious Holy Spirit. Who gives us His fruit and His liberty from the flesh by faith, thru grace.
The "just" shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11)

Jesus said it was "expedient" that He went Home to the Father, because then the Helper could come and freely change us from glory to glory . . . without our own striving . . . by faith alone.
Why is it we forget and neglect the One Who is here now. . . the Holy Spirit. He is God. Jesus paid a high price for the Holy Spirit to come and indwell believers. In the Old Testiment, when our Holy God was on top of the mountain and told Moses NOT to let the people or even their animals touch that mountain or they would die . . .is because He's holy and we're not. On our own, we can never be holy. But, because of the Blood of Jesus, because of His perfect life lived here and His redeeming sacrifice that same Holy Spirit that was dangerous and even deadly for us to go near, can now reside within us when we are born again. Then, it is Christ IN you living thru the power of the Holy Spirit that changes you from the inside out.

In the book of Acts, the believers were told to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them to empower them to witness and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can do nothing without the Holy Spirit's help. He gives us the personal power (fruit) to live the Christian life, He gives us the ministering power to proclaim liberty to the captives AND He gives us the power to do signs and wonders . . . miracles. These supernatural acts of God, the greater works Christ said Believers would do, are our tools and implements for the building up of the Body of Christ and for the unbeliever to come to Christ. Jesus said, some won't believe except they see miracles. And God knows each individual heart and what needs to be done and said in order to deliver salvation to them. We NEED the Holy Spirit . . . the Helper!

Jesus' whole life here was lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave Jesus the ability from His birth (the incarnation) to the miracles and deliverances and healings, to His Death (Hebrew 9:14) and Resurrection.

Who changed Peter? He really "floundered." Who changed him from a fearful, intimidated man into the bold, passionate man on Pentecost? The Holy Spirit. Even after living with Jesus for three years, Peter fearfully denied Christ . . . BUT after the Holy Spirit came upon him, he was a NEW CREATURE from within. No resoluting or committing can ever do this work.

Jeremiah 13:23 says, "23 Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil."

But herein lies the Good News as presented by Matthew Henry, commentator:
"We cannot alter the natural colour of the skin; and so is it morally impossible to reclaim and reform these people. Sin is the blackness of the soul; it is the discolouring of it; we were shapen in it, so that we cannot get clear of it by any power of our own. But Almighty grace is able to change the Ethiopian's skin. Neither natural depravity, nor strong habits of sin, form an obstacle to the working of God, the new-creating Spirit. The Lord asks of Jerusalem, whether she is determined not be made clean. If any poor slave of sin feels that he could as soon change his nature as master his headstrong lusts, let him not despair; for things impossible to men are possible with God. Let us then seek help from Him who is mighty to save."

This leads me back to the "flounder" the Lord showed me today. We will struggle, we will flounder, we will be stuck in the mire whenever we attempt to remove our own "spots" or blemishes. NOW, by the power of the precious Holy Spirit, as we believe in His ability, we can and will become THE KING'S SALMON! Able to leap and swim against great obstacles, able to miraculously fly in beauty and freedom and "multiplication" . . .some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some 100 fold! to the Glory and Honor of God. Here's an encouraging video of a salmon who is supernaturally going against all odds because the Creator has given him the ability . . . .

NOW . . ."The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." (2 Cor. 13:14)

"VISION" for 2009

2009-01-01T16:50:00.000-08:00

A 15 year old boy from Great Britain produced that video. I'm hoping he'll make more. The lyrics are outstanding and had to be included in my entry for the New Year. In Christ alone!

Last night the Lord gave me a vision for the coming year. I saw a picture of a seeing-eye dog. A German Shepherd seeing-eye dog with it's working harness on. And I heard the Lord say, "I can see everything clearly for you."

I saw bumps, or ridges, in the road ahead, but the Lord reassured me that He can see past those bumps in the road and He sees everything clearly. I can only see so far and maybe a little of what's right in front of me. But He sees it all. So He told me to "take hold" of the harness and let Him guide me. "This world can get pretty dark, but I see all things clearly and I will lead you and guide you safely just where I want you to be. Just hang on and rely on to My lead." He will protect, guide and keep me as I trust in Him. That's a good and comforting Word. And He is the Good Shepherd, my Shepherd. :)

This world will be getting darker, but Jesus is the Light of the world. Once, He showed me a picture of a "night light." And He said to me: "When the torrents of ungodliness surround you, look up to Me and I will be your Night Light." Torrents of ungodliness . . . . the definition for torrents is:
A turbulent, swift-flowing stream.
A heavy downpour; a deluge.
A heavy, uncontrolled outpouring: as in, a torrent of insults, etc.

So, my Word from the Lord for 2009 would be to keep my eyes on Him, the Light of the World. To take hold of Him and rely upon Him completely. . . in Christ alone, that Solid Rock.

A friend and sister in the Lord (Kathie Walters http://www.kathiewaltersministry.com/) shared a vision she had had of Christ and I have her permission to reprint it . . . . I want to look at Jesus more in 2009.

"I was thinking this morning about where my real TREASURE IS -
Well here it is to share with you: print it out and take some time to read over it, it's worth it. It's the best message on the internet.

In New England, when I was speaking at a Women's conference - I had a vision of Jesus - He was running toward us with His arms outstretched - then I started to speak and this came tumbling out of my mouth:

'Jesus is altogether lovely. He saves us and keeps us by His power, from sin and death. He has given to us His Robe of Righteousness.

He extends his mercy, longsuffering, loving kindness, tenderness, healing, compassion. He is our Shield, our Defender, our Rock, our Hiding Place. He is our Provider, Counselor, Great Shepherd, our Friend Who is closer than a brother, our Love. He is the Husbandman, the Keeper of the vineyard. He is the Source of all blessing.

He restores, rescues, forgives and redeems. He is our Victor, the Captain of hosts. He is our Banner, and our Standard, mighty in battle, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus is crowned with glory and honor. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Redeemer, merciful and faithful High Priest.

He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He was dead, but now He is ALIVE forevermore and He is seated at the right Hand of God (seated - it's finished). He destroyed death, and led captivity captive. He is the great Apostle of our faith. He is the Supreme Sacrifice, the spotless and blameless Lamb.

He is our Anchor, our Strong Tower, our Shield, our Defender, and He was the Ancient of Days before the first day began. He is the Forerunner, the Firstborn among many brethren. He is the surety of a better testament and He comes from the unchangeable priesthood.

He is able to save to the uttermost.

His presence doesn't cast any shadow because He is the light that lights the Heavenly City. He is the Light of the world. and the Giver of life. He is the Door, the Way and the Truth. He is the Treasure, the Pearl of great price, more precious than the finest gold.

He was the Rock of Ages before any mountain peaks were formed. He was the Bread of Life before there was any grain. He was the Lily of the Valley before there were any flowers on the earth. He is the Eternal Intercessor and He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens.

He makes His enemies His footstool and laughs at His adversaries. He came from eternal glory to the depths of humiliation. He abdicated heavens throne for a pile of straw in a manger. He sacrificed infinite riches to embrace poverty. He bade farewell to Heaven's love to receive men's hatred and shame. He surrendered Heaven's adoration to suffer scorn, and He turned from celestial bliss and life with cherubims and seraphim to die between two thieves on a cross.

He is the Tree of life. He is consecrated for ever and makes us sanctified forever by His Precious Blood. He is the Minister of the Sanctuary. He is the Mediator the New covenant. He is the High Priest of GOOD THINGS to come. He's the Lion of Judah, and the Lamb, slain. He is the New and living Way.

He was born contrary to the laws of birth. He lived contrary to the laws of life. He healed, contrary to he laws of medicine. He was tried and condemned contrary to the laws of justice and He arose, contrary to the laws of death and the grave. He ascended, contrary to the laws of gravity and He is coming back again contrary to the expectation of the world.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the Great Shepherd of ALL THE SHEEP HE IS THE HOLDER OF THE KEYS. HE IS THE AMEN. HE IS THE FINAL WORD... He is qualified to open the Book.

He is the expression of the heart of the Father. His love has no limits. His grace has no measure. His power has no boundaries known unto men. Out of His infinite riches, He gives and gives and gives again. He is our nearest Kinsman, and is qualified to redeem us. He is THE WORD MADE FLESH, the Honey in the rock. He is high and lifted up. He is the Lily of the valley, the Bright and Morning Star, the Fairest of 10,000. He is more precious than gold. He's the glory and lifter of our heads. He is the Righteous Judge.

He is a Refuge for the oppressed. He doesn't forget the cry of the humble. He bore our sorrows and our griefs. He was despised and rejected of men and now He controls the destiny of the nations-The kingdoms of this world are going to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and for ever. He is our portion and our Inheritance. His garments smell of sweet myrrh and His breath is as sweet as apples. He is a very present help in trouble. He hides us under the shadow His wings, and keeps us as the apple of His eye. He is our high tower.

He makes the hills shake, the mountains melt, the heavens bow. He pulled back the curtain of eternity and stepped out on the stage of time for one brief moment, and then stepped back again into eternity, but in that one bridge moment of time He sealed the fate of every man and fixed the destiny of every man and woman. He will light my candle because He is the light of life. He is the Branch, and the Root of Jesse. HE IS THE GREAT WAVE-MAKER FROM GALILEE. He makes the crooked paths straight and the rough places plain.

He split history, and divided the ages.

He is the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. He is the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost. He preserves the faithful. He is the Resurrection and the Life. He spoke and framed the world. He makes our way perfect and makes our feet like hinds feet. He causes us to walk in high places.

He is able to comfort, guide and bless. He spoke and the heavens unrolled themselves and the galaxies were born. He spoke and the streams and rivers wound their way across the earth. The rose began to blush, and the violets cast their fragrance, and the birds began to sing. Colors wove themselves into a rainbow. He spoke and a handful of dust became a living soul. He turns our mourning into dancing and, girds us with gladness.

Let me tell you about His Voice. His Voice is powerful upon the waters, full of majesty, like thunder, it breaks the cedars, divides the flames, shakes the wilderness, makes the hinds to calve, discovers the forests, sets the mountains in their place. It stills the seas. His Voice shook the earth and melted the hills. His Voice is as the sound of many waters. He spoke and calmed the storm. He spoke and gave life to the dead, brought healing to the sick, strength to the weak, and forgiveness to the sinner.

Herod could not kill him. The Pharisees could not confound him. Satan could not trick Him. Sickness could not withstand him. Devils could not stay near Him. The waves could not drown Him. The rabble could not disturb Him. Death could not corrupt Him. Hell could not keep Him. The grave could not contain Him. Gravitation could not restrain Him and God has highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every name and at His Name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord of all.

He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. He brought a stream out of a rock, and fed the people in the wilderness. He fed 5000 with two loaves and a few fishes. He is Savior to the lost. Healing to the sick. He is hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind. He is cleansing to the leper, and strength to the weak. He is comfort to the oppressed, hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless.

He is a Brother to the friendless and a Friend to the brotherless and He is LIFE to the dead.

He is infinite, eternal, glorious and full of majesty. One day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. Wouldn't you rather be a doorkeeper in His house than dwell in the tents of the world..? He is the Covenant Keeper keeping- covenant with covenant breakers. He is sweeter than all the flowers. He is the Lover of our soul and the Keeper of our hearts. He is music to the poet, and a song to the worshiper. His Name has been whispered by thousands upon thousands of dying soldiers on the battlefields of the ages. His Name has been the battle cry of those who fought for righteousness and truth. HE IS THE KING OF ALL KINGS AND ALL RULERS AND EVERY NATION WILL BOW TO HIM, HIS NAME IS JESUS....'"

MAY OUR VISION BE JESUS IN 2009 AND FOR ALL ETERNITY! AMEN! He is our "seeing-eye" Good Shepherd and our Bright and Eternal "night Light!"

Christmas Letter -- 2008

2008-12-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hark the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!"

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I never really heard the lyrics before I had faith in

Christ. After October 25th, 1987, Christmas meant more to me than ever. The meaning changed from gifts, family, parties and all the trimmings -- to the awe and wonder of Jesus! I had heard the Nativity story all my life and understood that Jesus was God's Son Who came as a little baby to save the world. It was a fantastic story! However, the reality of this Nativity story became mine that day in October when I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I told Him that I had known about Him, but that now I needed Him to become real in my life. I knew about the Savior, but now I NEEDED a Savior.

Romans 10:11-13, says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." That was one Bible version of that verse. Sometimes when I look up the same verse in different versions, I can better "fit" the meaning to what I want to convey. For instance, in The Message Bible, this verse says simply, "the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. "Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help."

"Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help" . . . incredibly simple and incredibly accurate. If we call upon His Name and believe we shall be saved. Simple. I LOVE what Max Lucado, author, calls John 3:16. He says that John 3:16 is the "Hope Diamond" of the Bible. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." This is Good News and this gives us all great HOPE.

And what is saving faith? What is the difference between just knowing about someone and really BELIEVING IN THEM? This is my best demonstration on what saving faith is: Take a chair. Stand next to that chair. Look at the chair. Do you believe that that chair exists? Most would say, "yes." That is where I was before October 25th, 1987. I knew that Jesus existed. I believed that much. But that wasn't enough faith to be converted, inwardly changed by the Holy Spirit, or born again. Let me go back to the existing chair standing beside you. You believe that the chair is there. You might even believe that that chair can hold you if you chose to sit in it. But true saving faith, real faith, the "believe" that John 3:16 is referring to is this -- sit down in the chair and COMPLETELY RELY UPON IT TO HOLD YOU UP.

When we completely rely upon Jesus as our only way to eternal life. When we rely upon His finished work, His righteousness, knowing that we can never "do good enough" to earn our way to Heaven . . . when we call upon His Name as the answer to our "dilemma," then we receive all that the angels heralded that night . . . reconciliation with God, healing, deliverence, death holding no sting, peace and good will, and . . . a second birth.

"Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

The Gospel is Good News. It brings relief to our souls. We need help. And God offers it thru His Son, Jesus. He is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life.

Quoting Max Lucado, "YOUR GOODNESS CAN'T WIN GOD'S LOVE. NOR CAN YOUR BADNESS LOSE IT. BUT YOU CAN RESIST IT." Let's not resist so great a Gift and so great a love.

Merry Christmas, from our house to yours. And may we all stay fully convinced of this Good News and believe, relying on Christ alone. Amen.

You Are Special!

2008-12-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

I'm grateful that Max Lucado wrote this book. In it, he successfully presents similar experiences we all have. Unfortunately, in this imperfect world, elitism and exclusivity flourishes. You're not "good enough," is the message. You're not "qualified," "desirable," "stable," "a winner like us," or the "cream of the crop."

Even Rudolph the reindeer had to deal with this! :) Because of his shiney nose, he was not allowed to play in any of the "reindeer games." Poor Rudolph! (I always hated that part of the show!)

But who are these elitists who are giving us "dots" and making us feel "sub"-everything and inferior? They are "wemmicks" just like us! Every time they get stars they feel so much better. They even feel better when they give you dots.

But in Max's story, we are lovingly reminded and encouraged that God knows our name! He made us. If you've been given alot of "bad marks", don't worry! God doesn't care what others think about you. And neither should you. Who are they to give you "stars and dots?" WHAT THEY THINK DOESN'T MATTER!. Only what God thinks is important and He thinks you're pretty special . . . because you are His!

Punchinello ran into someone who had neither dots or stars. Her name was Lucia. Stickers wouldn't stick on her . . .dots or stars. This is our example. We shouldn't want anyone's marks! (anyone's approval or disapproval)

So why don't the stickers stay on Lucia? Because she has decided that what God thinks is more important than what they think. THE STICKERS WILL ONLY STICK IF YOU LET THEM! . . . If they matter to you. BUT,the more you trust His love . . . the less you care about their stickers.

Remember, you are Special because God made you and He doesn't make mistakes! And He sent His one and only Son for YOU . . . for our freedom and for our way Home. Many tried to put their "dots" on the Savior while he walked this earth. He was despised by many and counted among the sinners. He ate and drank with sinners. He loves sinners! He is a Friend to the sinner! He didn't care what the elite thought. He didn't seek out the elitists! He exposed them. He drapes his arm with a serving cloth and serves us, washing our feet, to lift us up! He sings over us with songs of deliverance and we are touched by the Master's Hand.

Jesus took the marks on His back for us. And He gives us the "stars" of God's approval. He exchanged our "dots" with His "stars." He laid His life down completely so that we might be Born Again into His Kingdom of Love. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Father God and thank you, Holy Spirit, that You are not a respecter of people.

In Christ, we are all the same. Galatians 3:26 - 28 says, "26)You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27)for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28)There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

There is neither Jew nor Greek, etc. In Christ the old, worldly lines of separation are all blotted out.

All are one in Christ Jesus. One person, as it were, one new man of which Christ is the head (Eph 2:15). All, without regard to race, or position, or title, blended into one whole.

Romans 2 describes the Impartiality of God, and in Galatians 2:6, Paul testifies that "(By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)" So don't believe the lies that you're not important to God, or to the Body of Christ. Each part is important and very essential. And we all play different roles to the edification of one another.

"Here we learn that the gospel is not ours, but God's; and that men are but the keepers of it; for this we are to praise God." (Matthew Henry)

So, let us all sit in the "woodshop with our beloved Eli" every day and believe what He says about us and rest. And let us encourage one another daily that what He thinks matters most. Reminding one another that we are all "wemmicks" and fall short of the Glory of our Maker. But in Christ, we are all one Body and He is our Head and there is no partiality with God. And . . .

WE ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT! :)

In The Name Of Jesus

2008-12-15T10:29:00.000-08:00

On October 3, 2007, while resting in Him, I heard Jesus say the following:

MY NAME . . .

MY NAME . . .

MY Name is ALL you need!

You don't need buildings, or programs, or teams, or meetings.

All you need is MY NAME!

My Name will do it ALL!

In My Name, you are free!

In My Name, others will and can be free.

n My Name is SATISFACTION.

And PURPOSE REVEALED.

My Name PROVIDES all your needs!

My Name scatters your enemies.

My Name is your high tower and fortress!

Christian -- Little Christs!

In Christ and thru Christ alone --

In My Name, you are ESTABLISHED as a Heavenly agent --

Sent out in My Name.

My Name is given to you as a Gift.

Wear My Name over your heart

Like a name tag, an identity badge.

Your identity is in My Name alone.

All you need or could ever want or would ever accomplish,

All your glory,

Is in My Name.

Resist all other "attachments.

Man-made attachments and/or ways.

You say a mouthful of love and power

When you say My Name!

My Name is the pathway to God's Heart.

In My Name is healing,

Wholeness,

Redemption,

And complete deliverance!

Fragrant -- Flowing -- Free!

You do not need restraints.

You need release.

Man restrains.

I release.

When you strain gnats,

You swallow camels!

In My Name alone is your Holiness.

In My Name alone is all your sanctification.

In My Name is all your glory, all your purposes, and destinations.

HERE I AM . . . I HAVE COME TO GIVE YOU MY LIFE . . . AND . . .

MY NAME!

It's All A Gift!!

2008-12-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 14:18 . . . I, too, thank God for the Gift of speaking in Tongues! Because, my prayer language is a continual reminder to me that from beginning to end and all in between this salvation journey is all a gift. It has zero to do with any of my own abilities. Actually, I, like Paul, glory in my weaknesses. Why? Because His Grace and power shows up best in my weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 & 10 -- I am glad to boast at how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ's power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities.

It's all a Gift! All of it. 1 Corinthians 1:19 for God says, "I will destroy all human plans of salvation no matter how wise they seem to be, and ignore the best ideas of men, even the most brilliant of them." v24) God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ Himself is the center of God's wise plan for their salvation. v)25 This so-called "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in His weakness -- Christ dying on the cross -- is far stronger than any man. v26) Notice, among yourselves, dear brothers, that few of you who follow Christ have big names or power or wealth. v27) Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use ideas the world considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame those people considered by the world as wise and great. v28) He has chosen a plan despised by the world, counted nothing at all, and used it to bring down to nothing those the world considers great, v29) so that no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God.

v30) For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God's plan of salvation; He was the One Who made us acceptable to God; He made us pure and holy and gave Himself to purchase our salvation. v31) As it says in the Scriptures, "If anyone is going to boast, let him boast only of what the Lord has done."

It's all a Gift! Salvation, justification, sanctification, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the blessed Fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, walking in the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and even the Callings are a Gift. Whatever measure of faith and grace He assigns us, whatever process of growth . . .to be content to just be His and trust His heart for you is a Gift.

1 Corinthians 12:4 -- Now God GIVES us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit Who is the Source of them all. v5) There are different kinds of services to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. v6) There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God's power through each of us as a means of helping the entire Body.

It's all a Gift! And the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one Body . . . we have all been given the same Spirit. v15) If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body." . . . God has put each part, each one of us, where He wants us. v21) The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." v22) And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. . . .So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important. v25) This makes for happiness among the parts, so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves.

I'm a big believer in "Body ministry."

It's a Gift! Each one of us is a separate and necessary part! And it's His decision which part we are. Herein lies contentment! This puts the "cabash" on that worldly spirit that promotes hierarchical authority, selfish ambition and the human pride that revels in it.

It's all a Gift! There is no more boasting or confidence in the flesh. We rest, contented to be whatever part He makes us, knowing that His love is unconditional and His Friendship the apex.

We rest in the fact that it's really all about Him, and never can be about us. :)

As Kathryn Kuhlman once said, "It isn't golden vessels He needs. It isn't silver that He's asking for. He just needs yielded vessels." He is not a respecter of persons. He'll use every and any yielded vessel. And in case we think we are "it," let's not forget He ANOINTED a donkey to see a Heavenly angel and to speak! We are but dust . . insignificant dust . . yet, HE HAS CHOSEN US TO SHOW FORTH HIS GLORY AND TO REFLECT HIS IMAGE AND TO BE RECIPIENTS OF HIS GREAT LOVE . . . therein lies our significance.

He wants us to know that we can do nothing, but He also wants us to know that He can do everything.

So . . . back to the "tongues." I didn't read a book,or take a class,earn or do anything to speak in the Heavenly language He chose for me. And that same power that freely gives me the ability to pray in the Spirit, gives me the fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit and the Callings of the Spirit. All because of Jesus, and Jesus alone.

TRUE SHEPHERDS POINT TO THE CHIEF SHEPHERD. Here's a simple rule of thumb I've learned recently for discerning teaching: The actual source of all teaching and doctrine is revealed in whom it glorifies. In other words, teaching that emphasizes success through YOUR great discipline or even success through YOUR great faith also tends to aim the glory at YOU. Thus, it is frequently true that faith in faith glorifies your faith, and faith in self-discipline glorifies your self-discipline. BUT faith in God's grace and in the gift of His righteousness glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received.

Freely we receive . . . freely we give.

God's Works Are Perfect In Every Stage of Their Growth

2008-12-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt like you were being pressured to grow up in the Lord? That levels of maturity were more righteous than the newborn babe in Christ? I have. As a recovering legalist, I have laid aside other's expectations and assessments and now rest in the truth that I am His workmanship and I am right where He wants me to be and He is happy with me in whatever stage of the process I'm in.

From a parent's viewpoint I consider the difference in ages of all my children . . .23 years down to 5 years. Does my 23 year old bless me more than my 5 year old? NO! Should my 8 year old compare herself with her 21 year old brother? NO! At each stage of their growth, they are right where they should be and are such pleasure to me.

I think of the thief on the cross alot. He had such a short time between saving faith to Paradise with the Savior. Did he have time to mature? NO! He was perfect right then. This should bring us relief and rest from striving to appear mature and realize that it's His work in us as we trust in Him and we are right on schedule and pleasing just where He has us. There is no "place" we need to strive to get to. We are His beloved and we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus.

One of my favorite authors, Hannah Whitall Smith, wrote "THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET TO A HAPPY LIFE." In Chapter 2 (God's Side and Man's Side), she clearly describes accurately what I'm trying to convey above . . .

She defines man's part is to trust, and God's part is to work. "Plainly the believer can do nothing but trust," she writes. "The Lord, in whom he trusts, actually does the work entrusted to Him."

In essence she writes: "The Potter And The Clay --

Sanctification is both a step of faith and a profit in the oven, and finally turns it out of his workshop, a vessel to his honour, and fit for his use."
Before, I was speaking of the clay's part in the matter. I am now speaking of the potter's part. These two are necessarily contrasted, but are not in the least contradictory. The clay is not expected to do the potter's work. It only yields itself to his working. It seems to me that nothing could be clearer than the perfect harmony between these two apparently contradictory sorts of teaching.
What can be said about man's part in this great work is that he must continually surrender himself and continually trust. But when we come to God's side of the question, much can be said about the many wonderful ways in which He accomplishes the work entrusted to Him. It is here that growing is important. The lump of clay could never grow into a beautiful vessel if it stayed in the claypit for thousands of years. But when it is put into the hands of a skilful potter it grows rapidly under his fashioning into the vessel he intends it to be. In the same way the soul, abandoned to the working of the Heavenly Potter, is made into a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use.

The Maturing Process
Having, therefore, taken the step of faith by which you have put yourself completely and absolutely into His hands, you must now expect Him to begin work. His way of accomplishing that which you have entrusted to Him, may be different from your way. But He knows, and you must be satisfied. . . .

It is the result of the work of God's Holy Spirit, who, by His energizing and transforming power, causes us to "grow up into (Christ) in all things" (Ephesians 4:15). We cannot hope to reach this maturity in any other way than by yielding ourselves completely and willingly to His mighty working. However, the sanctification the Scriptures encourage, as a present experience upon all believers, does not consist in maturity of growth, but in purity of heart.

From the moment the lump of clay comes under the transforming hand of the potter, it is, during each day and hour of the process, just what the potter wants it to be at that hour or on that day. Therefore, it pleases him, but it is far from being the vessel he intends it to be in the future.

A little baby may be all that he or she could be or ought to be, and may perfectly please its mother. Yet it is very far from being what that mother would wish it to be when it reaches maturity.

The apple in June is a perfect apple for June. It is the best apple that June can produce. But it is very different from the apple in October, which is a perfected apple.

God's works are perfect in every stage of their growth. Man's works are never perfect until they are in every respect complete. In this life of sanctification, all we can claim is that by an act of faith we put ourselves into the hands of the Lord for Him to work in us all the good pleasure of His will. Then, by a continuous exercise of faith, keep ourselves there. This is our part in the matter. And when we do it we are truly pleasing to God.

It may require years of training and discipline to mature us into a vessel that will be in all respects to His honour and fitted to every good work. Our part is the trusting. His part is to accomplish the results. Trust is the beginning and the continuing foundation. When we trust, the Lord works, and His work is the important part of the whole matter. . . "

Here is the link if you want to read this entire classic . . .for which I highly recommend because it brings such relief and it has Good News!

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/hwsmith/haplife/content.htm

What is the Good News today? THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION IN IMMATURITY! God is the potter and you are the clay and His work in you is PERFECT in every stage of your growth in maturity. You don't have to fret or worry or strive to get into a "place" or "position" . . . you do not have to qualify. Jesus has qualified you already.

One of my all-time favorite verses is this: HEBREWS 10:14 (LBV) FOR BY THAT ONE OFFERING HE FOREVER MADE PERFECT THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY.

Amen! I am always at the perfect stage . . . where He wants me while He sanctifies me and makes me a holy vessel unto His honor and glory.

In John 17:19, Jesus consecrated Himself towards this work . . "on their behalf I consecrate myself, in order that they may become perfectly consecrated in truth." Wow, what a promise!

Matthew Henry's Commentary explains:
Jesus entirely devoted himself to his undertaking, and all the parts of it, especially the offering up himself without spot unto God, by the eternal Spirit. The real holiness of all true Christians is the fruit of Christ's death, by which the gift of the Holy Ghost was purchased . . . .

So let us be relieved, resting and trusting Him. Amen.

God Is Easy To Live With

2008-12-07T05:59:00.001-08:00

"Satan's first attack upon the human race was his sly effort to destroy Eve's confidence in the kindness of God. Unfortunately for her and for us he succeeded too well. From that day, men have had a false conception of God," . . . ." A.W. Tozer thus begins his relieving message to all of us who are in Christ.

Jesus said in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." He tells us in Matthew 11:29, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS."

Jesus told us if we've seen Him, we've seen the Father. John 14:8-11 -- 8) Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9) Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11) Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do."

And Ephesians 1:17 says, "asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

All He wants is for us to KNOW Him. To become acquainted and know and believe in WHO HE IS. And then rest in that. Take His easy yoke and rest. The Pharisees, and legalists everywhere, want to paint a different picture. They want you to see God in their "light of leaven." They preach forgiveness, yes, but they also preach another gospel . . . the one with a heavy yoke and a heavy burden of "assembling" yourselves for God. (As if this has anything at all to do with us.)

"Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God," A. W. Tozer says. The legalists hold that "God is stern and austere, yet they manage to maintain a fairly high level (standard) of external morality; but their righteousness is only outward. Inwardly, Jesus said, they are "whited sepulchres" (tombs). Their wrong conception of God even results in a wrong idea of worship and devotion."

A. W. Tozer states, "To a Pharisee, the service of God was a bondage which he did not love but from which he could not escape without a loss too great to bear." The God of the legalist is not a God easy to live with, so his religion is grim and hard and loveless. "It has to be so, for our notion of God must always determine the quality of our religion." Grim and severe "Christianity" is the effect of an inadequate view of God. Instinctively, we try to be like our God, and if He is conceived to be stern and exacting, so will we ourselves be! From this failure to properly understand God comes a world of unhappiness among good Christians. The Christian life is thought to be glum, UNRELIEVED cross-carrying under the eye of a stern Father who expects much and excuses nothing. He is austere, highly tempermental and extremely hard to please. THE KIND OF LIFE THAT SPRINGS OUT OF SUCH LIBELOUS NOTIONS IS BUT A MOCKERY OF THE TRUE LIFE IN CHRIST."

I agree with Tozer that to paint such a picture of God is libelous, slanderous, even blasphemous. It is exactly what satan did in the garden.

Tozer goes on to say, "It is most important to our spiritual welfare that we hold in our minds always a right conception of God. If we think of Him as COLD and EXACTING, we shall find it impossible to love Him, and our lives will be ridden with SERVILE FEAR. If, again, we hold Him to be KIND and UNDERSTANDING (He knows our frame is but dust.) our whole inner life will mirror that idea."

"The TRUTH is that God is the MOST WINSOME OF ALL BEINGS AND HIS SERVICE ONE OF UNSPEAKABLE PLEASURE. HE IS ALL LOVE, AND THOSE WHO TRUST HIM NEED NEVER KNOW ANYTHING BUT THAT LOVE. HE IS JUST, INDEED, AND HE WILL NOT CONDONE SIN; BUT THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT HE IS ABLE TO ACT TOWARD US EXACTLY AS IF WE HAD NEVER SINNED. TOWARD THE TRUSTING SONS OF MEN HIS MERCY WILL ALWAYS TRIUMPH OVER JUSTICE."

"The fellowship of God is DELIGHTFUL BEYOND ALL TELLING. He communes with His redeemed ones in an easy, uninhibited fellowship that is RESTFUL and healing to the soul. HE IS NOT HARD TO PLEASE . . .HE EXPECTS OF US ONLY WHAT HE HAS HIMSELF FIRST SUPPLIED!!!! HE IS QUICK TO MARK TO OVERLOOK IMPERFECTIONS WHEN HE KNOWS WE MEANT TO DO HIS WILL. HE LOVES US FOR OURSELVES AND VALUES OUR LOVE MORE THAN GALAXIES OF NEW CREATED WORLDS."

"Unfortunately, many Christians cannot get free from their PERVERTED notions of God, and these notions poison their hearts and DESTROY THEIR INWARD FREEDOM. These people serve God grimly, as the elder brother did, doing what is right and without enthusiasm (PERFUNCTORY = this is a key word) and without joy, and seem altogether unable to understand the buoyant, spirited celebration when the prodigal comes home. Their idea of God rules out the possibility of His being happy in His people, and they attribute displays of unbridled love and worship as sheer fanatacism. Unhappy souls, these, doomed to go heavily on their melancholy way, grimly determined to do right if the heavens fall and to be on the winning side in the day of judgment."

Many who do not rest in Christ alone have forgotten Isaiah 53:11! "As a result of the anguish of His (Jesus) soul, He (God the Father) will see it AND BE SATISFIED." (my emphasis) It is finished. Completed. Accomplished. Jesus (God's second Adam and beloved Son) lived the perfect life for us, fulfilled the law, and has thus SATISFIED GOD. Now, those who are in Christ alone, can abide and believe . . .NOT strive and try to satisfy God on their own. If God is satisfied with Jesus, why can't we be satisfied with Jesus alone? Why do we feel the driving force to add to what Jesus did. I believe it appeals to our pride. We want to get our hands in this equation somehow. But, this work of God is just that . . .a work of God, not man.

Tozer says, "How good it would be if we could learn that GOD IS EASY TO LIVE WITH. He remembers our frame and knows that we are dust. He may sometimes chasten us, it is true, but even this he does with a smile, the proud, tender smile of a Father, who is bursting with pleasure over an imperfect but promising son who is coming every day to look more and more like the One whose child he is. Some of us are religiously jumpy and self-conscious because we know that God sees our every thought and is acquainted with all our ways. We need not be!! GOD IS THE SUM OF ALL PATIENCE AND THE ESSENCE OF KINDLY GOOD WILL. WE PLEASE HIM MOST, NOT BY FRANTICALLY TRYING TO MAKE OURSELVES GOOD, BUT BY THROWING OURSELVES INTO HIS ARMS WITH ALL OUR IMPERFECTIONS, AND BELIEVEING THAT HE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING AND LOVES US STILL."

Thank you, Jesus, for drinking to the dregs our cup of wrath and exchanging with us your cup of blessing. May we, by faith, drink this cup to it's dregs, glorifying You. May we KNOW YOU, our King eternal and God our Father, more and more with the help of the Helper. Holy precious Spirit, HELP US TO KNOW HIM and BELIEVE. AMEN

Herein is the Good News . . . God is mad about you, not mad at you! :) What a relief.

Stay Thawed in the Gulf-Stream of God's Infinite Love

2008-12-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Psalm 147:16-18 --""He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them; he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."

Below is an article I read today. You should be able to click below and witness some spectacular pictures:

(Greenland)—Award winning photographers Bryan and Cherry Alexander have worked in the Arctic for 37 years and have taken their share of amazing pictures during that time, but a recent sunrise over Inglefield Bay was so unusually spectacular—with clouds described as terrifyingly beautiful by Daily Mail reporters Caroline Graham and Claire Bates—that Bryan Alexander says he couldn't believe his eyes. "It was just before dawn," explained Mr. Alexander, when "I went outside and was immediately stunned by the beautiful and dramatic cloud formation...I have worked in the Arctic regularly for the past 37 years and I had never seen the sky like it. It looked apocalyptic and like a scene from one of the Lord of the Rings movies." (Photo: Barcroft Media/Bryan & Cherry Alexander)
According to a report in The Telegraph, he called it a once-in-a-lifetime photographic event. "It was an incredible experience and one which I describe it to my friends as a 'once in a lifetime sky'. It wasn't just me that was amazed, just about everybody in the village was, including an elderly Inuit hunter who told me that he had never seen anything like that before in his life."
That, and other pictures can be viewed by CLICKING HERE. (The photo they are describing is in the second row, middle.)
Source: Staff - The Telegraph U.K.

After seeing these pictures, and being in awe of my King, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the verse that says, "who can stand before the cold of the Lord?" (referenced above) I searched for that Scripture on line and I came upon a teaching from Charles Spurgeon. It is long, but a very good read. I have to read Spurgeon outloud because it just "works" better that way. :) Anyways, here's the link to the whole teaching and then following are some of my favorite excerpts:

Frost and Thaw by C.H. Spurgeon -- http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/frost.htm

"Your heavenly Father is as able to deliver you as he is to melt the snow, and he will deliver you in as simple a manner if you rest upon him. He openeth his hand, and supplies the want of every living thing as readily as he works in nature. Mark the ease of God's working,—he does but open his hand."

"So in providence the Lord has a thousand forms of frosty trials with which to try his people, and he has ten thousand beams of mercy with which to cheer and comfort them. He can afflict you with the snow trial, or with the hoarfrost trial, or with the ice-trial if he will; and anon he can with his word relax the bonds of adversity, and that in countless ways. Whereas men are tied to two or three methods in accomplishing their will, God is infinite in understanding, and worketh as he wills by ways unguessed of mortal mind."

"Let the south wind blow and the snow he melted": lo, it disappeared at the voice of his word. Believer, you cannot tell how soon God may come to your help. "He rode upon a cherub and did fly," says David; "yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind." He will come from above to rescue his beloved. He will rend the heavens and come down; with such speed will he descend, that he will not stay to draw the curtains of heaven, but he will rend them in his haste, and make the mountains to flow down at his feet, that he may deliver those who cry unto him in the hour of trouble. That mighty God who can melt the ice so speedily can take to himself the same eagle wings, and haste to your deliverance. Arise, O God! And let thy children be helped, and that right early."

""Who can stand before his cold?" For cold has a degree of omnipotence in it when God is pleased to let it loose. Let us thank God for the restraining mercy by which he holds the cold in check."

"Certainly there is much mercy in the frost, for pestilence might run a far longer race if it were not that the frost cries to it."

"Noxious insects would multiply until they devoured the precious fruits of the earth, if sharp nights did not destroy millions of them, so that these pests are swept from off the earth. Though man may think himself a loser by the cold, he is a great ultimate gainer by the decree of Providence which ordains winter. "

"Christian, remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity. Rest assured that when God is pleased to send out the biting winds of affliction he is in them, and he is always love, as much love in sorrow as when he breathes upon you the soft south wind of joy. See the lovingkindness of God in every work of his hand! Praise him—he maketh summer and winter—let your song go round the year! Praise him—he giveth day and sendeth night—thank him at all hours! Cast not away your confidence, it hath great recompense of reward. As David wove the snow, and rain, and stormy wind into a song, even so combine your trials, your tribulations, your difficulties and adversities into a sweet psalm of praise."

"THOSE OPERATIONS OF GRACE, OF WHICH FROST AND THAW ARE THE OUTWARD SYMBOLS.There is a period with God's own people when he comes to deal with them by the frost of the law. The law is to the soul as the cutting north wind. Faith can see love in it, but the carnal eye of sense cannot. It is a cold, terrible, comfortless blast. To be exposed to the full force of the law of God would be to be frost-bitten with everlasting destruction; and even to feel it for a season would congeal the marrow of one's bones, and make one's whole being stiff with affright. "Who can stand before his cold?" When the law comes forth thundering from its treasuries, who can stand before it? The effect of law-work upon the soul is to bind up the rivers of human delight. No man can rejoice when the terrors of conscience are upon him. When the law of God is sweeping through the soul, music and dancing lose their joy . . .Every promising hope is frost-bitten, and the spirit is winter-bound in despair. This cold makes the sinner feel how ragged his garments are. He could strut about, when it was summer weather, and think his rags right royal robes, but now the cold frost finds out every rent in his garment, and in the hands of the terrible law he shivers like the leaves upon the aspen. The north wind of judgment searches the man through and through. He did not know what was in him, but now he sees his inward parts to be filled with corruption and rottenness. These are some of the terrors of the wintry breath of the law."

"This frost of law and terrors only tends to harden. Nothing splits the rock or makes the cliff tumble like frost when succeeded by thaw, but frost alone makes the earth like a mass of iron, breaking the ploughshare which would seek to pierce it. A sinner under the influence of the law of God, apart from the gospel, is hardened by despair, and cries, "There is no hope, and therefore after my lusts will I go. Whereas there is no heaven for me after this life, I will make a heaven out of this earth; and since hell awaits me, I will at least enjoy such sweets as sin may afford me here."

"When the Lord has wrought by the frost of the law, he sends the thaw of the gospel. When the south wind blows from the land of promise, bringing precious remembrances of God's fatherly pity and tender lovingkindness, then straightway the heart begins to soften, and a sense of blood-bought pardon speedily dissolves it. The eyes fill with tears, the heart melts in tenderness, rivers of pleasure flow freely, and buds of hope open in the cheerful air. A heavenly spring whispers to the flowers that were sleeping in the cold earth; they hear its voice, and lift up their heads, for "the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." God sendeth his Word, saying, "Thy warfare is accomplished, and thy sin is pardoned;" and when that blessedly cheering word comes with power to the soul, and the sweet breath of the Holy Spirit acts like the warm south wind upon the heart, then the waters flow, and the mind is filled with holy joy, and light, and liberty."

"All departures from sound doctrine on the point of conversion arise from forgetfulness that it is a divine work from first to last; that the faintest desire after Christ is as much the work of God as the gift of his dear Son; and that our whole spiritual history through, from the Alpha to the Omega, the Holy Spirit works in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure."

"The second thought upon nature was the ease with which the Lord worked. There was no effort or disturbance. Transfer that to the work of grace. How easy it is for God to send law-work into the soul. You stubborn sinner, you cannot touch him, and even providence has failed to awaken him. He is dead—altogether dead in trespasses and sins. But if the glorious Lord will graciously send forth the wind of his Spirit, that will melt him. The swearing reprobate, whose mouth is blackened with profanity, if the Lord doth but look upon him and make bare his arm of irresistible grace, shall yet praise God, and bless his name, and live to his honour. Do not limit the Holy One of Israel. Persecuting Saul became loving Paul, and why should not that person be saved of whose case you almost despair? Your husband may have many points which make his case difficult, but no case is desperate with God. Your son may have offended both against heaven and against you, but God can save the most hardened. The sharpest frost of obstinate sin must yield to the thaw of grace. Even huge icebergs of crime must melt in the Gulf-stream of infinite love."

"All obstacles which hindered our pardon were removed by Jesus when he died upon the tree, and if you believe in him you will find that he has cast your sins into the depths of the sea. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

"If the Spirit enables you to trust in the finished work of Christ, you may go out of this house rejoicing that every sin is forgiven. Poor soul, do not think that the way from the horrible pit is to climb, step by step, to the top. Oh no; Jesus can set your feet upon a rock ere the clock shall have gone round the dial. He can in an instant bring you from death to life, from condemnation to justification. "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise," was spoken to a dying thief, black and defiled with sin. Only believe in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

"But how shall we thank him sufficiently for the thaw of his lovingkindness? How great the change which his mercy made in us as soon as its beams had reached our soul!"

"Believe in the Lord, ye who shiver in the frost of the law, and the law of love shall soon bring you warm days of joy and peace. So be it. Amen."

SO BE IT . . .AMEN! :) I hope you were able to see the pictures! And I hope you found RELIEF in this writing. May we all rest in the relief of the Good News today! Bless you.

Thank You President Bush!

2008-11-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

I want to share Steven Curtis Chapman's new song written as a thank you for our President Bush's eight years of devoted service to us and our country. I, too, am so grateful for him. Our family has embraced him both in prayer and in our hearts. He will be sorely missed, but kept close always. We love you President Bush. Thank you! God bless you and give you rest now. :)

And thank you, Steven Curtis Chapman, for putting to words and music what we feel. And thank you for sharing your life and the mighty grace of God with us. We love you, too! :)

Good Bye. Mr. President.
Whether you voted for him & love him, or you’ve disagreed with all his policies and dislike him... Could we all agree on this? We owe President Bush a sincere thank you. As the historic Inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama approaches, StevenCurtisChapman.com pauses to thank our outgoing President for his service to our great country. This Thanksgiving weekend, we hope you’ll enjoy a new song by Steven written in President Bush’s honor.

http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/?roi=farm-16269486-120012-7f2c9970d8819b8ed95362990addf9e0&

The Double Message -- Part 2

2008-11-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

What is the issue Paul is speaking to when he starts talking about freedom and standing firm in that freedom? The issue is -- Salvation is by grace thru faith alone. You cannot earn it. You cannot deserve it. You cannot accomplish it in the flesh. It is a work of the Spirit. That is all. Any adding of the flesh. Any adding of your works to that process, will negate it. No one would argue with that. Now, Paul takes another step into an arena where people might disagree and certainly where many people misunderstand.

He says, the way you came to faith. The same way you came to freedom. . . that is the way you have to live. "It was for freedom" = that's how you came and "keep standing firm" = that's how you're going to have to live. Galatians 3:2 & 3 says, "Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" Answer that. Was it by your striving that you were born again? NO. What happened? The Spirit of God "blasted" you. You received Jesus Christ. There was a sense of freedom and joy. "Are you so foolish that having begun by the Spirit . . .are you now being perfected by the flesh?" THAT'S THE DOUBLE MESSAGE! They had received the Spirit by faith thru grace, and now they were working like crazy in their flesh to be perfected . . . to receive their sanctification with their own effort. Guess what? This explains frustrated Christians!

Whenever freedom is discussed . . . whenever we talk about it . . . the discussion that it is not being up to you, the question always comes, "This freedom from the law is great. What? I can do anything I want to do? And I can be free to sin and get into all sorts of garbage?" THAT ISN'T TRUE! That isn't true. We are not set free to ignore God's moral law. God's moral law is still the standard. That isn't what we are talking about. The law we are speaking of is the law that we would use to try to get me to be holy. God's moral law is still the standard, e.g. "love one another." "Love the Lord . . . and love your neighbor as yourself." That moral standard is the standard that we would move to. The question is not do I keep God's moral law or not. The question is this -- what is the dynamic in some one's life that would move him into obedience to God's moral law? What is the dynamic in some one's life that would really produce holy, godly living? There's two answers to that question: 1) Put him in prison. Put him under the law. I can get people to behave a certain way by putting him in prison. By putting walls around him. Give him rules to follow. Tell him what to do and what not to do. . . how to act, and how not to act. . . what to care about and what not to care about. Put him in prison. Put little walls around him. And I can get him to "act" just exactly the way I want him to act. That's called EXTERNAL CONTROL. There's another way. It's a bizarre way. It's God's idea and it's really great! But, it's very, very hard to grasp sometimes. And many of us even after coming to know Jesus as our Savior, reject it. It's this -- 2) The other way to get people to live a holy life is to set them free.

But first, before you set someone free, if I set someone free who hasn't ever been changed INSIDE, I'm just going to have ANARCHY. He's going to go off and do whatever he wants to do. And it won't be anything about the Spirit of God. What I'm gonna do first, Jesus said, before the foundations of the world, is I'm gonna take these people and I'm gonna make them brand new people. Ill give them a new heart. I'm gonna make a brand new creature in Christ. I'm gonna implant the Holy Spirit of God in them. And then, I'm going to set them free. Think on this. . . How do I get people to live a holy life? Put 'em in prison? That's one way. Keep the rules there. Keep all the little boundaries there. Another way is to implant in him the Holy Spirit. Give him a new heart. Give him a new life. Make him a new creature in Christ and set him free. (Free to respond himself to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within him by grace, thru faith.)

Do you think that someone in whom the Spirit of God is dwelling is just going to go off and do whatever it is he feels like doing? I don't believe it. Unless the Spirit of God is NOT in him. And the problem for us is that most churches do not function that way. Most of the time we are not committed to setting people free, we are committed to putting them in prison. Because we are so scared (and unbelieving) that if we set them free, they're just going to go off and "run-a-muck."

And so, we tell them the rules and tell them how to act and we tell what to care about and what not to care about (the "build-a-Christian" factory) . . .we tell them when to do it and when not to do it. We put them under a legalistic bondage and we just put them back in prison.

Basically, there's two reasons why we do that -- 1) I don't think we (pastors) really trust the Spirit. Not enough to believe that He's really "at work" within you. Paul said, "it's God Who is at work within you (Philippians 2:13); both to will and to work to His good pleasure."
Philippians 1:6 -- "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

I (Pastor Dave) have NO confidence that God is going to continue in you a good work if you are an "Ishmael" (a natural born son-of-God). If the Spirit of God is NOT born in you, I have no confidence that anything holy is going to come from your life. However, I have every confidence that if the Spirit of God is in your life, having set you free, it will lead to holiness. Absolutely! I've gotta believe that.

But we take people and we put them back in prison and Paul says "don't you dare do that!" If you do that, you will have DEFILED the Gospel. It is no longer the Gospel. It is no longer the Good News! We don't trust the Spirit. We take over His job by putting people back in prison.

Who is Paul speaking to in Galatians? This is vital. From here on in . . . he is speaking to "Isaac's" (these are Dave's buzz words -- an "Isaac" is someone who is supernaturally born of the Spirit of God. . . they are re-born. . . new creature in Christ. An "Ishmael" is someone who is naturally born. . . talks like a Christian. . . acts like a Christian. . . joined a church. . . has been in alliance all their life . . .maybe been on the Board. . . .probably taught Sunday school. . . but they are naturally-born, illegitimate sons of Abraham. . . there never was the implanting of the Holy Spirit (a false convert). Who Paul is speaking to here (in Galatians) are only those to whom the Spirit of God has been implanted -- supernaturally born. Ishmael's, no matter how religious they are or how spiritual they sound, Ishmael's are absolutely incapable of the freedom we are speaking of. They are absolutely incapable of having freedom produce holiness. For an Ishmael, freedom will produce godlessness. . . every time. . . guaranteed. Why? There's nothing left to control them.

Ishmael's get terrified when you start talking about setting people free. Why? An Ishmael wouldn't even understand that there can be another control, because they don't have one! No internal control. . . no presence of the Holy Spirit.
But now in Galatians, Paul is speaking to the dimension that this life inside of us is the work of the Spirit. Internally, indwelling, the life of a true "Isaac."

Here is the "theme" of Galatians: Your striving did not bring salvation. Your striving will not bring sanctification. It is all a work of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:5, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith." Galatians 5:15, (amp) "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)." It DOES NOT say, "Try hard not to carry out the desires of the flesh. It says, "If you walk by the Spirit, you won't. . . " Galatians 5:18, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law." You are no longer in prison. You don't need the rules. You don't need the external control. You've got internal control (unless you are an "Ishmael"). Galatians 5:25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." And all God's people say, "Amen!" And some of God's people say, "What does that mean?"

Control of the Spirit . . .Spirit-Control . . . has to do with internal transformation. Law, rules, flesh have to do with external pressure. Both of them are designed to produce the same thing. The laws, rules everybody coming down on everybody is designed to produce holy living. Every body's got a good motive. Right? The most legalistic church you could possibly imagine has a good motive and that's holy living. That's what they want. They have opted for external control, tho. A controlling pastor says, "If I can make them feel guilty enough, (and put the fear of God in them) I can get them to do whatever I want them to do or think they should be doing." I can motivate them to do right by external pressure.

Internal transformation requires a work of the Spirit that produces Holy living. When a person is full of the Holy Spirit, wrapped around in Christ, he is set free from that prison. He is set free from the law. If you are led by the Spirit, you are free from the flesh.

In our society, when people break the law, we put them in prison. right? The reason we put them in prison is because the ones who have broken the law, for one reason or another, do not have enough internal control to keep the law on their own. So what they need, in order for them to keep the law, I've go to give them an external control. What we do is "institutionalize" them. We put them in an institution. What does that mean? It means that we need to put that guy in a box that he cannot get out of, so that he keeps the rules or holds to the moral law. Again, everybody wants the same thing. They want to have holy living. This guy has no internal control. So I gotta put him in prison. I gotta give him structure. I've gotta give him walls. I've gotta give him restrictions. I've gotta dump a lot of guilt on him to keep him in line. That's exactly what the law does. It give you external control.

As a believer, having been given internal control, having been given the transformation work of the Spirit of God, what I did when I got saved was I walked out of that prison. Do you remember the day you got saved? The joy? Do you remember the joy, the exhilaration of knowing that you were saved and it wasn't up to you? Knowing that you were accepted and all you had to do was receive it by faith? Knowing that the Spirit of God had come and taken His residence in you and you couldn't explain it, but, you could "feel it?" How long has it been since you "felt it?" And you walked out of prison a free man. Free to break the law, right? No. When we think that it just betrays that we don't have any idea what we're talking about. You are not free to break the law. You're not free to just go and do any thing you want. You are free to fulfill it. Not because some body's pounding on your head. Not because your mommy and your daddy are on your case if you don't. Not because your pastor is yelling and screaming at you. (Not so you can get your pastor's approval!) Not cuz your church pressures you too. But because you've got a NEW HEART from Jesus and you hunger and thirst for His righteousness.

Now, if you take an "Isaac" and you put him back in a legal system to control his behavior, you have just put him back into prison. You have put him back into his cell. When you do that, you have absolutely eliminated the need for the Holy Spirit in his life! As an externally-controlled believer, you've got all this external control . . .what do you need God for? You've got all the rules (spoken and non-spoken), telling you how to behave. . . why would you even be prompted to seek out what it means to be led of the Spirit? Why would you even consider that? You've got all these external things and your pastor telling you what to think, telling you what not to think . . . what to do and what not to do. . . what God likes and what God doesn't like.

I could give you the testimony of Christian after Christian who describes their salvation experience in glowing terms and then they got involved in a controlling church. And all of a sudden it became "external control." (How you looked and how you dressed and how you talked, whether you could date or not date, what college you could go to or not got to, what job you should do, whether you should have 3 children or 5 children . . homeschool or not homeschool. No longer are you Spirit-led but rather "pastor-led.") Whether or not you are circumcised. In a controlling church this is what really matters. You have been "incarcerated" by man. . . not transformed by God. '

By the way, it is much easier to live in a cell than it is to make the right use of my freedom! Isn't that right? That's another reason why Christians just prefer to live under control and a legalistic structure. It's easier. "I don't have to learn to be sensitive to the Spirit. I just obey the rules. Just do it. I don't ever have to DISCERN. I don't ever have to think. I don't ever have to pray. It's all cut and dried. It's all real clear. I don't have to learn to hear the Spirit. SOMEONE ELSE DOES ALL THAT FOR ME. Call the pastor, or elder board, mother or father or someone else does all that praying and that deciding for me. . . ALL THAT DISCERNING FOR ME and they tell me how much to serve, where I should serve, how much is too much and how much is too little. They'll even come to my house and tell me how to raise my children and how to keep my home. They'll tell me what I should be involved in and what I shouldn't be involved in. It's all wonderful! And we'll make these the marks of what a true Christian is. They'll tell me what I should do and what I shouldn't do. They'll tell me what is right and what is wrong. And I'll just keep following along, and if they say give 10% to the Lord then I'll give 10%. And if they say 12%, then I'll give 12% and if they say give it all, then fine, here's the whole bank account. That's fine, BUT DON'T CALL THIS "SPIRIT CONTROL." DON'T CALL THAT THE CONTROL OF THE SPIRIT.

The Double Message -- Part 1

2008-11-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

It's really on my heart to begin sharing something of Dave Johnson's (co-author of "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse" and pastor at Church of the Open Door in Minnesota). This church has a ministry of a "lending library" that has really been instrumental towards my recovery from legalism and growth in God's grace. I met Dave's dad, Bill Johnson, long ago at a Christian camp called, Silver Birch, up in northern Wisconsin. Bill Johnson and his wife and I became friends and started corresponding while they were retired in Florida. I was also able to participate in Bill's conference on Job and have loved his audios and book on Job called, "Friendly Fire." God has used both Bill (who is now in Heaven) and his son, Dave, to present to me the clear Gospel.

Dave's teaching on "The Double Message" is powerful and valuable and that's why I'm quoting most of it and for the sake of time, breaking it down into parts. May God bring all of us into total trust in Christ, having no confidence in our flesh, but be completely led by the Spirit. Amen.

Galatians 5:1-6 (Walk by the Spirit)
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Fallen from Grace. You were running so well. Who hindered you? Satan would just as soon leave Christians living their Christian life in their Christian flesh; working as hard as they can, and never breaking thru in the Spirit.

The definition of a double message is: while in a conversation, there are two things being said at the same time. There are two things involved. While one thing is being communicated, another thing is being felt. For instance, someone may say the words, "I love you," but with an angry, indifferent tone. There are two messages at the same time. You're hearing the words, "I love you," but the feeling is the opposite. When we get double messages, what it does is it causes confusion. You can't always sort it out. And the characteristic of a double message is that the two things being said contradict each other. The irony is for us is when we get a double message from someone, instead of taking the time and sorting it out by asking them, "what do you mean." Generally, what we do is we live trying like crazy to reconcile the tension in the double message almost as if they can live together as equal and it can really be okay. You're left living in a limbo -- between what is said and what you are really feeling is being said (the opposite).

The Galatians had received and fallen prey to a double message. They had been wonderfully saved. They had received the Holy Spirit of God. You could see the work of the Holy Spirit thru them as God was demonstrating thru their lives and He transformed them with love and patience and joy and peace. The internal work of the Holy Spirit had begun for these people. And it was characterized by freedom and joy.

Then the "Judy-izers" came and they said, "Praise the Lord! You're saved. I'm really glad that that happened. It's wonderful. Isn't God good? That's just great. Ah, yes, BUT NOW that you're in, now that you've passed the salvation test and you know that it's all by faith, what you NEED TO KNOW NOW my dear friend, is that now that you're in, here are some rules that you need to keep, and here are some little rituals that you need to observe. If you really want to be a Christian of course you'll have to be circumcised. If you really want to be a Christian, of course, you have to join the church. If you really want to be a Christian, you have to give more money. If you really want to be a good Christian, you have to get a little more involved; you need to do this external thing that will prove to everyone else around you that you really are in. You gotta come not only to the morning service, but all the other services as well, and participate in as much as you can."

There's nothing wrong will all these things . . . .UNLESS that activity that you do is done because you think that somehow by doing it you can get God to like you more, to love you more, to accept you more, to be a really "good" Christian, I'll do this external thing.

The result of this kind of mindset is a double message. The double message is this: the Christian life, dear friend, is lived by faith. It is lived by the Holy Spirit of God coming into you taking His residence in you and beginning to express Himself out. . . BUT REALLY YOU LIVE BY THE LAW. The double message is this: The Christian life is a life of God's gracious giving and the Holy Spirit's empowering . . .BUT THE REAL TRUTH IS THIS -- IT'S UP TO YOU, BUDDY. IT'S UP TO YOU.

So, we'll "talk" about grace and we'll "talk" about faith and we'll "talk" about the Holy Spirit (some times) of God in you moving thru you, producing fruit and freedom and producing holiness, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS ALL THOSE THINGS REALLY MEAN IT'S UP TO YOU. YOU GOTTA DO IT. WORK REAL HARD.

You felt set free when you first got saved. You felt excited. You felt full of Jesus. This can even be illustrated with a worship service. During praise, my heart gets so lifted, I see Jesus real clear. And I think all the things I'm worried about and all the things I'm consumed in are just trivial things, they're external things that I've allowed myself to get bogged down in and my freedom is gone. I see Jesus real clear sometimes and I feel real sensitive to Him and I feel real free and real alive. BUT then there's that "double message" that comes flying right behind you.

We'll "talk" of grace and Spirit, but the truth is "you better do it right." It's not up to the Spirit at all, it's up to you. It's up to you. "You own it." The result: While you know you are a Christian and there's nothing in the world to convince you otherwise . . .while you are a Christian, in your life, there is no joy . . .there is no joy. Paul's greatest concern for the them was "what happened to that sense of blessing you had?" There's no joy, no life, no freedom and there is no victory, even tho you seek after it with tears and try as hard as you can to be a good Christian . . . you just work so hard and you begin to think, "something's missing. Something's off! Is this all there is?" We just keep on striving and keep on working, hoping nobody will notice you are living a totally defeated Christian life. You're even wondering if this is real?!

And then to that Paul says this . . . (into that double message) Paul says: "It was for freedom that Christ set you free. Keep standing firm in that freedom." Don't you "buy" the double message. Get on one track. You can't have it both ways. It is either Spirit, or it is flesh. It is either law or it is grace. It is either external control (as a Pastor, getting people to do things you want them to do) or it is internal control (the Spirit of God getting them to do what He wants them to do.) You can't have both. And if you mix them at all, it's OVER. It's over.

In fact, Paul says if you try to mix law and grace, if you come at people with this double message ("Oh, yes, it's Spirit, but it's really you.") if you come at people with this double message you have not just confused the Gospel, you have DESTROYED the Gospel. It is NO LONGER the Gospel. Paul called it a different Gospel. The double message may sound just like Christianity . . . but it isn't. Galatians 5:2-6 says if you start living this double message, Christ is of no benefit to you . . .you are under obligation to keep the whole law . . . you are severed from Christ . . .you are fallen from Grace. Pretty heavy stuff.

Favorite YouTube Clips

2008-11-23T19:22:00.001-08:00

Some favorite YouTube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-N_HueFxMI -- Charles Stanley (10 min) teaching on "Legalism." Clip from the preaching of Dr Charles Stanley. Many churches become legalistic when they attribute the keeping of rules to salvation, if a christian fails to perform the standards they are taught they have failed to keep saved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h91guqkL2xM -- Charles Stanley (3:25 min) "Our Position
In Christ."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1kjb_QY8_o -- What is Spiritual Abuse? (10 min) This video isn't only about the pain & harm caused by heresy. It's also about inappropriate & harmful *methods* of ministry taking place at doctrinally orthodox assemblies.

Earnestly Contend . . .

2008-11-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

Jude 1:3 (NIV) says, "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

Contend? Is Jude actually promoting contentiousness?

Definition:
con·ten·tious (kən ten′s̸həs) adjective = always ready to argue; quarrelsome; of or marked by contention; provoking or likely to provoke controversey; militant

I heard a good teaching today at church about our attitudes and not being quarrelsome. And I agree. We should suffer default (I Corinthians 6:5-8) rather than participate in PETTY arguments and issues. Yet, in keeping the doctrine of grace uncorrupted, and the purity of the Good News, we are also called to contention. We are called to expose the toxic leaven that kills our joy and renders us powerless and offends the Spirit of Grace. We are accountable one to another "not to turn traitor to Him Who has called us by the Grace of Christ by embracing a variant message! It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God," (Gal. 1:6 -- The Message).

Galatians 1:6-9 (LBV) says: "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed."

Paul says that we are not to be fooled by anyone, no matter who it is, even if it were an angel, that promotes any other way of salvation other than by the Grace and Gift of God. This is a legitamate cause for contention.

Matthew Henry's Commentary:
1:6-9 Those who would establish any other way to heaven than what the gospel of Christ reveals, will find themselves wretchedly mistaken. The apostle presses upon the Galatians a due sense of their guilt in forsaking the gospel way of justification; yet he reproves with tenderness, and represents them as drawn into it by the arts of some that troubled them. In reproving others, we should be faithful, and yet endeavour to restore them in the spirit of meekness.(I want this, Lord.) Some would set up the works of the law in the place of Christ's righteousness, and thus they corrupted Christianity. The apostle solemnly denounces, as accursed, every one who attempts to lay so false a foundation. All other gospels than that of the grace of Christ, whether more flattering to self-righteous pride, or more favourable to worldly lusts, are devices of Satan. And while we declare that to reject the moral law as a rule of life, tends to dishonour Christ, and destroy true religion, we must also declare, that all dependence for justification on good works, whether real or supposed, is as fatal to those who persist in it. While we are zealous for good works, let us be careful not to put them in the place of Christ's righteousness, and not to advance any thing which may betray others into so dreadful a delusion."

We need to have the freedom to "revelate" with one another, to debate in a normal dialogue if we disagree or have any questions regarding doctrine. Fellow believers should never question loyalty, respect, spirituality, maturity, because we contend for the Good News. Our questions or statements, what a good friend of mine calls "revelating," is actually healthy and can be used for an interdependant system of checks and balances. It takes secure people, whose identities are not tied up in anything but Christ. In fact, this would be a sign of a healthy, non-abusive church . . .the ability to disagree respectfully and encourage dialogue that would support an uncorrupted Gospel.

I love Martin Luther and his contention for the Gospel of Grace. He nailed his objections soundly to the door of his mother church. HE PROTESTED! I think of Acts 15:1, which says, "It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved. Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest." What's that? FIERCE PROTEST? In other versions, it says, "no small disputation." (Oh, they must have been "wounded, or carrying baggage -- or some other 'write-off') And Jesus Himself, confronted this poison, calling men "vipers!" When it comes to the truth, the Truth Himself, contended. In fact, this is the very cause for persecution -- preaching Christ Crucified alone. The natural man hates it. The Spirit of Anti-Christ campaigns against it daily. . . in the world and . . in our churches.

So I say, if you get a "red flag" concerning doctrine, please don't come under any "no talk rule." Don't come under any control, but be compelled for His Glory and His Truth and His Good News! We must earnestly contend for the Good News Gospel concerning which we read in the New Testament, the only gospel that has the power to save (Rom. 1: 16).

My First Love

2008-11-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

I am so "blasted" right now in God because Doug is playing "My First Love" sung by Jeremy Sinnott . . . I LOVE this song . . .and God's Love is all over our house! YEAH!!! Here are the blessed lyrics (just add a flute and guitar):

My first Love is a blazing fire,
I feel His powerful Love in me.
For He has kindled a flame of passion,
AND I WILL LET IT GLOW IN ME;
And in the night I will sing Your praise; My Love.

AND LIKE A CHILD I WILL DANCE IN YOUR PRESENCE
Oh, let the joy of Heaven pour down on me.
I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY I MET YOU,
AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO LOSE THAT FIRE!
MY FIRST LOVE!

My first love is rushing river,
A waterfall that will never cease;
And in the torrent of tears and laughter,
I feel a healing power released.
AND I WILL DRAW FROM YOUR WELL OF LIFE, MY LOVE.
AND IN YOUR GRACE I'LL BE SATISFIED, MY LOVE.
(cuz it's sufficient, Lord!)

Restore the years of the church's slumber,
Revive the fire that has grown so dim;
Renew the love of those first encounters,
That we may come alive again;
And we will rise like the dawn throughout the earth!
Announcing Your Return!!!

(Revelations 2:4 -- this was a "stellar" [outstanding in performance] church as far as works were concerned, but they placed their emphasis in their missions, programs and behavior (spiritual performances) over their intimacy and relationship with their Savior -- it started to become about them. But it's about Jesus and our extremely personal and passionate walk with Him. I like verse 2, where Jesus commended them for exposing false apostles . . .so we CAN disagree with leaders and make them accountable for their teachings and doctrines, huh? :) Noticing a problem, shouldn't make you" the problem.")

"If . . . .Then" Versus "Yeah and Amen!"

2008-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

Joy!!! There is such joy in knowing the Truth of the Grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings such RELIEF! An oasis from the FUTILITY of religiousity and "spiritual performance."
I get so tired of the same 'ole, same 'ole messages that reflect the Old Covenant of "trying hard to do what God commands." As a recovering legalist, I turn off now to messages of any kind that endorses this sometimes subtle, yet damaging deception, and very popular form of legalism -- a PERFORMANCE-BASED Christianity.

A legalist = a "spiritual performer"

The Old Covenant was full of "if . . . then" promises. An "if . . . then" promise means that God was saying, "If you will do this, then I will do that." The people had to fulfill the "ifs" before God would fulfill the "thens." For example, "if you commit your house or possession to the Lord, He will then protect them." The New Covenant in Christ has "ifs and thens" also, but under this New Covenant ALL THE "IFS" HAVE BEEN FULFILLED AND COMPLETED IN JESUS CHRIST so that the "thens" can be fulfilled and completed in us!

I love 2 Corinthians 1:20! It gave me such revelation and joy not long ago. . .
2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV) says,"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."

(LBV) says, "For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

When I finally received this understanding, I couldn't wait to go thru all the "Ifs" everywhere in the Bible, and I read the Promises of God books in a new "light" -- the Light of Christ, because it was such a joy to know that Jesus has fulfilled them all and I, a believer, get to reap all the "thens!" THIS IS GOOD NEWS!!! Clearly, this verse says that ALL the promises of God are fulfilled -- they are "yea and amen" -- in Jesus Christ. Jesus IS the "yeah and amen," having fulfilled all the "if . . . then" requirements to all the promises of God. Now THIS would make for a great message to edify and build up the Body of Christ, wouldn't it? It brings hope and joy and celebration and awe in the gifts and MERCY of God.

Legalism endorses unbelief and the minimizes the mercy of God!

The Old Covenant falls short in glorifying the merciful God we really do have! Jeus IS HIS GlORY! Now, because of Jesus, we can see the Perfection of God as noted in Matthew 5:45: "For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." (He can do this now because of Jesus!) And here's the Good News . . . one of the NT "Ifs . . . thens" . . . .If you are IN CHRIST, everything is already given to you as a Gift of His Grace and Mercy. "For if, while we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, how much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10) We shall be saved, kept saved, and kept safe! We've inherited all the promises of God thru Jesus! Now the Father is our Father and He watches all things concerning our lives. We never have to bargain or do anything to get Him to respond to us. Jesus has already done did it all!! If you are In Christ, are are IN!!!

Where are you placing your faith and hope? In your performance ("If . . . Then)? Or in the Grace of God (the Yeah and Amen) IN Jesus Christ? Jeff Harkin, author of "Grace Plus Nothing" says it has been his observation that many of the most committed believers in the Body of Christ are under PILES of "if . . . then" teaching. And I agree. He asks this question, "Are you being vexed by the ever-growing list of "ifs" that you are being taught you must perform in order to obtain the blessings of God upon your life? The vexation is there to bring you back to simple grace. The Holy Spirit is allowing you to feel vexed in order to tell you something is wrong."

Legalism tries to "obligate God," which is in fact nothing short of a veiled attempt to manipulate God or to rule and therefore BE GOD. It has inferior motives: Fear of punishment and desire for reward. . . . to mature in grace is to be freed from REWARD as a Primary Motivation to obey God. This is why legalism can never break the mastery of sin.

Grace renders these inferior motives of fear of punishment and desire for reward either impotent or irrelevant. And Grace says, "We love, because He first loved us" (john 4:19) Thus love as a response to grace. The UNCONDITIONAL (no strings attached, no hidden agendas) Love of God IN Jesus Christ is the ONLY Place where worldly motives (fear of punishment and desire for reward) can be superseded by Godly motivation.

We have the Spirit of God within us (greater is He!) so that we may discern between true and false teaching. True shepherds point to the Chief Shepherd! False teachers are preoccupied with performance. . . using OT Scriptures most of the time. Works righteousness glorifies man! Grace righteousness glorifies God! Grace eliminates boasting ("I have a big ministry because I pray 5 hours every day!" or "God gave me this great job and/or money because I tithe." or "God answered my prayer because I fasted." How 'bout God takes care of me in all ways because of Jesus!

Here's a simple rule of thumb I've learned recently for discerning teaching: The actual source of all teaching and doctrine is revealed in whom it glorifies. In other words, teaching that emphasizes success through YOUR great discipline or even success through YOUR great faith also tends to aim the glory at YOU. Thus, it is frequently true that faith in faith glorifies your faith, and faith in self-discipline glorifies your self-discipline. BUT faith in God's grace and in the gift of His righteousness glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received.

All the above has come from my heart, notes from my journal, and highlighted notes from Jeff Harkin's book, "Grace Plus Nothing;" and notes from Dave Johnson's book, "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse."

Spiritual abuse? Yes, that's why legalism is so dangerous. There's an equation that abusers use . . .legalism + fear = control. True shepherds point to the Chief Shepherd. They do not yell at you, or cause you to feel like you're not "doing enough." They should never condescend or treat you like a sub-Christian and/or children. There are no levels. (You are either IN Christ or not. You either have the Son or not.) When they speak of levels or higher places, we are being lied to. You are complete in Christ! You have the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you and teach you and give you clear discernment. You have all the promises in God fulfilled by Christ!

Where are all the edifying messages about the Holy Spirit and His power in this Life in Christ? Where are all the faith-building message about what we have in Christ? The adequacy of Jesus!? His grace being sufficient for us? Anti-legalism messages? Jesus said many times, "beware, of the leaven of the pharisees." Why put so much emphasis on the outword (as in any religion: buddhist, islam, hindu, jewish, and cults like mormonism, jehovah witnesses, FLDS, etc.)? Where is Christianity any different? According to Jesus, we can all clean up the outside, but what about mercy, justice and faith? Why work so hard for what is so freely given? The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is given to us! We have something all the "religions" do not -- The New Life in Christ delivered and maintained by the precious Holy Spirit as a Gift of the Mercy of God the Father.

We lack NOTHING in Christ!! Legalism replaces rest in God. Therefore, resting in God recovers me from legalism. And let us now rest in, "If Jesus . . . then Fulfillment." :)

2008-11-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last night, the Lord changed my "blog" name to: Freedom Writer. I like that. :)

I want to share a Word from the Lord given to me while I was "soaking" to some worship music, being still and "knowing He is God." :)

Breaking free! Into the fires of My love!

From the coldness of religion

Break thru into ME

Come and dance in My Light . . .

And revel in My Love

Religion is dead.

It's cold and exacting

It crushes, by it's heavy yoke

The Life of God out of My people

I paid a high price for your freedom.

Freedom to enjoy Me and My Love!

To revelate

To celebrate

To embrace Me

Feel Me

Know Me

To welcome Me into every part of your lives.

Religion wants you to "Do."

I want you to just "Be."

Be Mine alone . . .

WATCH OUT! A little leaven can do so much damage to the sweet Bread of Life.

ENJOY ME!

Rest in Me!

Rest from all the deadness of your own "doings."

Relax and let Me carry you into unchartered waters of My love.

Do you hear Me?

Can you feel My heart?

I am calling you forth

Out of the harbors of man-made "dockings" and "traditions!"

I have a harvest coming

Will you follow Me and My ways?

I need all hands of love for harvesting!

Awaken, hearts!

I am safer than your traditions.

Do not fear the unchartered waters.

You will not sink,

But be standing firm

Breaking Free From Legalism

2008-11-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

A great book . . ."When Trying Hard Isn't Enough." (By Neil Anderson) I wanted to share a few insights and quotes from this book, but first I feel like sharing what's happening in my walk with God. Doug and I aren't able to commit to any "cell groups" right now, and I guess I kind of use the tool of the internet as an inter-net cell group. ;) :) This is my way of getting to know others better as well as letting myself be known.

I have to say the more I look at Christ and His Performance, His Sacrifice, His Life and not my own, the freer I've become. Jesus says, "learn of Me . . .know Me." The less introspection of self and the more looking upon Jesus, looking at the Light, the brighter and clearer the freedom that He has purchased for me is and it becomes a reality that I can rest in. . . and abide in this Everlasting, Abundant Life freely given and flowing from His Throne of Grace.

I delight in Him even more, because even more I see how futile my own efforts of trying to please God are and how wonderfully satisfied the Father is with His Son's Life and that Life is now mine to rest in. Resting from my own works. He is my Sabbath.

I have found myself becoming a proclaimer of Christ Alone. I am waking up to His Supremacy and Adequacy. I am waking up to Him, and re-discovering hope in Him and am a captive only to His victorious purposes. No longer a yoke of slavery -- trying to please God myself, because "apart from Christ" I can and am nothing. I reckon myself dead. And I fully trust in Him to keep me, guide me and continually create in me His clean Heart!

I am praying for a spiritual awakening to Jesus . . .and a campaign of Hope! I want to be infected and infect others with the hope that is in Christ (our Hope of Glory)!

Have you ever heard of "Fresnel's Fascination?" I recently learned that he was a french scientist (1822) who revolutionized the impact of lighthouses all over the world. "For 2500 years, attempts to improve safety for ships at sea focused on increasing fire-power to intensify lighthouse beams. But Fresnel TOOK A DIFFERENT TACTIC. He studied the characteristics of light itself. It wasn't long before he discovered light waves. Subsequently, he manufactured glass domes that incorporated several prisms compatible with these waves, refracting them with incomparable brilliance. Known as the Fresnel lens, for the next two centuries his invention was used in lighthouses on every ocean!"

"What better strategy for the Church in this hour? It's about us Christians giving priority to the study of the Light-of-the-world as our Light. It's about ceasing exhausting efforts to fuel spiritual fire in our churches with home-made plans and programs and personalities -- ceasing long enough to take stock of the Glory of the One we're called to share with the nations. Instead of focusing so much of our attention on Christian revival and missions, Fresnel's fascination with light itself encourages us to work, first of all, at enlarging our VISION of the REVIVE-ER and SENDER HIMSELF." (Christ Is All! by David Bryant -- another excellent and uplifting book)

I have lived the first 20 years of my Christian life morbidly introspecting and living a campaign of "death to self" and "discipleship" (self-sanctification). Trying to improve and "die daily" to different areas of my life, not realizing that the "death to self and dying daily" really meant dying to my self-righteous efforts to improve myself and the dying daily of my own attempts to satisfy God's Law and "cleaning up my act." As Paul said, to count all these and any efforts apart from faith in Christ is dung.

This sounds heretically dangerous, doesn't it? No, it's infinitely safe! It's complete
trust in an adequate Savior and a wonderful Holy Spirit Who are so good at what They do! Apart from this trust, this convinced faith, that you received when you first believed, and any attempts of self-"circumcised" living . . .you dangerously fall from grace. Because if you attempt to please the Father on your own, you are then required to satisfy the entire Law and you never can. Thus . . . ON CHRIST THAT SOLID ROCK I STAND . . ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND!

God, our Merciful and Faithful Father says He has given to those who are born-again (born of the Spirit) a New Heart with His laws written in our hearts. He has changed our natures, Himself, by exchanging our corrupt nature with that of His Beloved Son -- the Divine Nature. And as "partakers of this Divine Nature" we now, without even trying "love the good and hate the evil rather than loving the evil and hating the good." He has circumcised our hearts! It was an inside job! Transformation freely from the Father as we responded to His invitation and Grace, paid for by the Son and executed by the Holy Spirit. And THIS is how the walk continues . . . in the same way. A walk of continued response to that on-going blessing of His Grace and Mercy, and is executed thru the Resurrection Power of Christ and delivered to us wholly by the Holy Spirit. That walk of response removes all self-boasting and unrighteous judgments of others. . . giving us a complete hope and loving forbearance for others.

His rod and staff is my delight because it confirms my sonship. Blessed conviction and sweet, comforting forgiveness and restoration -- continually, on-going and blessed fellowship with a personal God. Walking in faith, an extremely personal faith. No longer attempting self-perfection but rather abiding in the Perfect One, believing in His constant care and maintenance of His Salvation in me. I am learning to stop "trying" and have begun just "being" His. And when the walk and life slip because I took my eyes off of Him and looked at the wind and the waves of this world -- rather than diving into self-disappointment (which is just my pride) and condemnation, I look UP and receive His Hand of Restoration and look into His eyes of Redeeming Love and begin again that "supernatural" walk on the waters of His Life. For it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me.

I have found that heeding to the Savior's warning regarding the "leaven of the pharisees" and receiving a continual feed of the antidote of His Grace has helped me de-tox from a toxic faith and another Gospel. Living in the freedom and liberty of the Spirit of Christ vs the slavery and yoke of bondage to the law and the letter of that law. For the Law brings death, but the Spirit brings Life Eternal.

So . . . WHAT IS LEGALISM? Well, I used to have a more surface-type definition. It was and it is the following of very strict religious rules and regulations and man-made traditions in order to satisfy God (usually portrayed as very strict and angry). . . . these are the more "obvious" manifestations of legalism. Since learning to rest in Him, and backing away from self-attempts of pleasing God, I'm seeing the more subtle forms of this deception and have come to realize and agree with the Word that really, this is where the anti-Christ spirit really inhabits and empowers itself.

I have found out the "hard way" that just as in prisons of any control (communism, prisons, etc -- any incarcerations of mind and spirit) can be cruel and heartless physical bondages . . . spiritual bondage is worse. . . and deadly. There is a "camp" where joy is stolen, faith is sometimes killed and hope is often destroyed. It is called LEGALISM.

Trying Hard . . . the question we need to ask ourselves (a safe introspection) should be 1) Do you sum up the Christian life as "trying hard to do what God commands?" And when you fall short, do you come under condemnation and guilt and shame? Do you frequently live in the grip of guilt? Do you feel like you "don't measure up" to God's expectations? In your striving to measure up, do you struggle with a concept of God that He is scrutinizing your every move with a constant scowl of disapproval and thinking, "when will they ever get their act together?"

2) Do you think rigid rules and strict standards are an important part of the life and teaching in your church? Do you often wonder, "Where's the Good News?" Do you come away feeling that there's no hope for you? Do you come under the self-assessment that you're never going to "make it?" Do fear, doubt and unbelief rule in your heart and walk?

If your answer is "yes," you are living a very popular form of legalism -- A performance-based Christianity that opposes the truth that apart from Christ we can do nothing. (john 15:5) This bondage (heavy yoke) involves a striving to avoid sin and do right more than pursuing an intimate, personal relationship with God.

I got GOOD NEWS! God has already cleared the path for us! It is finished! The path is clear! Jesus cleared it. And He maintains it and keeps it clear for us. Its His work as we walk out our personal faith-relationship with God the Father, through abiding in His Son, and walking in loving obedience through the Person and Power of the Holy Spirit. Legalism, on the other hand, is a spiritual wasteland. It robs the joy of His Salvation. It's fruit is fear, unbelief and pride. It is an enemy of our LIberty and freedom Christ died for.

It is my prayer that while decrying the sin of self-righteousness, I won't become self-righteous . . . I already know in my heart how easy it is to "cross the line" and become judgmental while exposing judgmentalism. But I so much want more of this liberty and freedom . . . this easier yoke of Christ alone. I want to focus on Him and be Christ-conscious rather than focusing on myself and being "sin-conscious." I'll just leave all that up to the Potter and relax in His capable hands, letting Him mold me and make me whatever and whenever and however He desires.

What a relief . . . .

I am a recovering legalist!

Freedom in Christ

2008-11-18T10:12:00.000-08:00

This is an adventure of freedom. I advise you to take off all "restraints" and soar with me as we explore the SUPREMACY OF CHRIST THE LORD! As we let go of all human speculations, traditions and religion we can travel far above and high into the reality of freedom in Christ. Now this will be detrimental to our own desires of self-anything: self-achievement, self-perfection, self-improvement, self-glorification, self-righteousness, etc. For we must "reckon ourselves completely dead" before taking off. But we have a sure and holy promise of a Kingdom full of joy, peace, liberty, awesome wonder and freedom from all darkness. This is a free ride . . . if we believe (john 3:16) and it is maintained by the King (psalm 23), Who will never leave us nor forsake us. Let's get on board . . . that Gospel Train is coming! :)