Kingdoms

As bro Taylor gave us a message this morning…

I thought about certain moments in my favorite movies where the master, king, teacher, leader, lord confides in those he considers a true friend, brother, son.

Jesus says in John 8:35 “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.”

When we give our lives to Jesus we become a son/daughter to God.  We became family members to an everlasting kingdom.

Jesus also uttered these words, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15

Our Lord and Savior Jesus confides in us does He not?  He shares with us the mysteries of God to encourage and elevate our thinking/understanding beyond the pretenses of this world’s ideologies-walls that surround us.

We become ambassadors of Christ.  Our authority, rights, desires, needs come from God who is the source of all good things- His good, pleasing and perfect will.  We desire joy, peace, God’s gracious and merciful love, wisdom and we receive without limit as we yield everything - soul, heart, mind over to Him.

We are God’s domain after all… for He has translated us by His Spirit and blood.

The kingdom of God (not always ushered in with visible signs) comes in the knowing He has changed us supernaturally inwardly.   And with our continual hope and trust in Him we will be continually established in what God has intended in Himself.

Think about that last phrase for a second… “And with our continual hope and trust in Him we will be continually established in what God has intended in Himself”.

We “are” because of Him. 

For in us Jesus Christ’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit that reveals the deep things of God) lives in us…. We get to everyday by our choice to participate in the everlasting, renewing, strengthening things of God or not.

Robin Longstride, in the 2010 Robin Hood movie, speaks….

“If you're building for the future, you need to keep your foundations strong, laws of the land enslave the people to a king who demands loyalty but offers nothing in return, I've been to the South of France, Palestine and back, you build a kingdom the same way you build a cathedral from the ground up!”      

We used to serve the kingdom of darkness.  We used to serve the prince of darkness- Satan.   We willing participated in darkness and even let the tormentors of fear, hatred, lust and depression come sit at our table.  That kingdom never offered us peace. That kingdom never offered us peace.   That kingdom never offered us grace, mercy and undeserved love and privilege.  It was weak and faulty and always making us thirsty and hungry.  And we know that dark kingdom will be destroyed with time itself when the everlasting kingdom comes and takes its place.  A kingdom without time. 

A kingdom whose foundations are strong because they are set on God himself- Jesus Christ.

“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.” 1 Peter 2:5

God is saying,  “Come…. mediate, confide and trust in Me.  Trust in my Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior.  The one who opens our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and sets us free from those things that want offer us nothing but enslavement.   And as we yield, trust, confide in God and His word- He gives us thought provoking, encouraging and elevating things of Himself…

Things that enrich, revive, liberate and last forever for the child, friend, priest of God.

Things that we can pass on and share with others- others who are endangered of an eternal doom because they are serve a kingdom of darkness instead of Jesus Christ who is the truth, the way and the life.  John 14:6

          

To WHOM Do I Belong?

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There is a children’s book about a little bird that cracked open his egg and fell out of the nest and goes looking for his mother who he has never seen.   The little bird asks a cat, a dog, a cow, and even a car and a dirt scoop…. if they are his mother. 

We think this is silly and illogical but isn’t that precisely what people do with… God?

We can plainly see through history and artifacts of people worshipping the creation and not the living true God- the Creator.  The Egyptians worshipped the gods of Ra, Isis, Horus, and many more.  The Israelites made a golden calf to worship instead of worshiping the true living God who miraculously gave them freedom from slavery in Egypt.  We see and hear about ancient Greek and Roman gods like Apollo, Cupid, Hercules, Zeus, Hades, Diana, and Aphrodite.  We see in certain Catholic churches Mary and the saints are worshipped as gods.  We see in the Native American culture that creation is worshipped not the Creator.  In Mexico and sad to say, here in America there are shrines and statues to Satan, the one who seeks to destroy all those created in the image of God. 

People ask… sciences are you my God?

Money are you my God?

Circumstances are you my God?

Job is it my God?

Doctors, professors, clergy, therapist are they my God?

Husband, wife, girl friend, boy friend are you my God?

Me, my feelings, my thoughts are they my God?

How many people do you know who have been cursed/controlled by their lifestyle of tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs which is causing them not only to make bad decisions, but destroying their body and life? These substances have become a god to them. 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by divorce and adulterous relationships?  It’s not just the spouse that pays but the children as well.

How many people do you know who have been cursed by sexual sin? 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by trusting in money?

How many people do you know who have been cursed by hatred?

How many people do you know who trust in only what they see and they are cursed by it?  How many people do you see deeply hurt by the actions of others and they can’t get past those hurtful actions?

How many people do you see cursed and blinded because they don’t trust God?

These are examples of false gods/idols in people’s lives.  They are saying, “These are my gods.  I trust, use, follow, listen to these things more then God.  These things are what I allow to rule over my life… if they fail me I am without hope because I choose to trust in mere idols and circumstances then the true living God.”

Let’s read Romans 1.

“Yes they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  The result was that their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.  And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols make to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.  So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.  As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.  Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies.  So they worshipped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.  That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.  Even women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.  And men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other.  Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.  When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.  Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent proud, and boastful.  They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.  They refuse to understand, break promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.  They are fully aware of God’s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway.  And worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”  Romans 1:21-32

Look at the ROOT issue… The root issue is making other things gods instead of the living true God
be God of their life.

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Proverbs 25:28

Ever been hurt by someone or a group of people?  Ever been greatly discouraged because of a situation?  What is your tendency to do when hurt or discouraged?  Is it finding a way to get even, quitting, withdrawing, indulging in ways of temporary escape and/or believing in the lies and so on and so forth?  God knows our tendencies so he says in His word….  

“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, and turn their hearts away from the LORD.  They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.”

Is this not true or what?  We allow hurt or loss or the betrayal of a situation to become our poison.  We become stunted, feel hopeless and feel justified to throw a little pity part.  We start living in this bleak mindset where it seems no one can help us.  But look at the contrast of these following these verses…

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8

So we must ask ourselves what do we allow to be above God in our life?  What is going to be our deep and growing and strengthening resolve in life? Are we going to allow circumstances and situations cause us to turn our hearts away from the LORD? And if we do turn our hearts away from the LORD, what are we saying is our god?  What God/or god is over this situation?” we must ask ourselves. 

Who am I going to turn to, turn the situation over to, and trust? 

Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God; He created him, male and female he created them.”

Three times in the same sentence it says is “God created”.  If you are created by God, then you belong to that HIM.   Knowing we belong to the LORD will make a big difference in our life.  We can turn our life over to Him our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ.  Instead of destructive ways of living, God will guide us to constructive ways of overcoming.  We will grow to know WHO is our strength and shield and He will bless us because we know we are in need of Him.

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10

From the Beginning Even to the End

 The Journey, the Road, the Path, We Were Not Created to Go It Alone.

“He has made everything appropriate in it’s time.  He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

 J.R.R. Tolkien wrote for one of his characters these words…

“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”

This life is a mystery… but ever think why it’s such a mystery?

Wouldn’t it be great to know someone who knew all the mysteries of life? Who knew which path we were to take and what we were suppose to do?

Oh but WAIT… GOD DOES!

I don’t know about you but if I saw all what God wanted to do in my life from beginning to end, I would probably become overwhelmed and want to give up.
 
For those who like to be controlling over their life…  (Does anyone have any real control over his or her life?)  We find the more we try to control the more messy life gets.

Others only considering the mortal sense of life become a killjoy or a cynic, thinking they know all there is to life.
  

“’Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.
‘Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.’
 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 

Solomon was only looking at things horizontally- in his human understanding.

  
The truth is LIFE is MEANINGLESS without God in it.  Life is pretty stale without God in it.

Every once in a while I get a good dose of what that feels like.   They are usually days, that in my haste to get things done, I don’t seek God’s guidance.  Not only do the tasks take LONGER but also there is no pleasure in the tasks of life.  It is just lonely work.  The challenges that arise only make the work more burdensome and the energy level within me weakens.

That is same for all the aspects and facets of life when we don’t walk with Jesus.  For us as Christians, we must not just have a horizontal perspective on life but a vertical perspective as well. 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

God wants us to seek him.  He is the only one who knows what we are going to face each day and how to handle each situation.  Being receptive to God’s direction improves our life even with challenges.   Life is not always rosy but with a bit perspective and insight from above, we can appreciate this temporary life a bit more.

We can find the joy of what it means to walk with God and grow in that life changing perspective and be light to others - without that perspective we are just as hopeless as everyone else in this world.

The Good work of God…
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

I am reminded of a mountain river with stones and how the stones have all been rounded by the life of the river.  In a symbolic way we are stones in a river of life.   We all experience stormy days, difficult days and days of bliss but don’t think God doesn’t know where each of those stones are in the river of life.

 “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5

 As I thought about the verse from Ecclesiastes…
”…  yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end,”

 I was reminded of another verse.  “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”  David wasn't looking horizontally but vertically.  

Let’s look at this verse in Psalm 139:1-6. David says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.   You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.   You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.  You go before me and follow me.  You place your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 139:1-6

The mystery of life and how God uses that mystery to transform our life - is too great for us to understand.

How God knows exactly where we are and what we are thinking, does that sound like a God that doesn’t want anything to do with his creation? Does that sound like a God that doesn’t want to work in our lives?

David says God places a hand of blessing on his head, is the same true for us?

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-21

Ephesians 1:3-5 says,  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—“
 
I know I need to consider more that its God’s will to take pleasure in us and our lives - just as we find hope, peace and encouragement in Him.   

David continues with, “You watch me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.  Everyday of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  How precious are your thoughts about me O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can’t count them: They outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me.”  Psalm 139:15-18

God’s precious thoughts for us outnumber the grains of sand.  Ever go to the beach and pick up a hand full of sand? Just in my hand there are more grains of sand than I can count.   Ever pick up a bag of sand from the hardware store?  If you were to transfer God’s love into sand bags, the weight and size would be more then enormous.

The Spirit said, “Longsuffering”.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 KJV

We will never love God more then he loves us but God wants us to have a relationship with Him.  A relationship, that grows into a deep love, trust and unyielding acceptance of his guidance for our life.   A relationship, with Him knowing he has planned the best pathway for our life. 

We can’t have this unless we ask God to forgive us for all our wrongs (sins) and ask Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our life and fill us with His Spirit. 

This goes for professing Christians as well… we can’t have the best path or have a maturing relationship with Christ unless we humble ourselves and let God guide us each and everyday.  We must look upward instead of just horizontally.
 
 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

David ends the Psalm with: “Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24

Are you asking him to search you? Are you looking for his daily fellowship?

Only God knows the path from beginning to end and he made it so both you could walk this life together into eternity.   Again, there is no way to make it into eternity in heaven without Him- Jesus Christ.

The question is do we see that?  Do we realize our daily need to take hold of his hand as his children and have him lead us to what is a mystery- from the beginning to the end?

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:1-2
 
May God help us to look vertically to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.  

Up Holding the Faith. Disciple 2

We take a lot of things for granted.   We take electricity for granted.   Imagine getting up in the morning on your trip to the bathroom and flipping on the light and have no electricity for that light.  Imagine turning on the water faucet and having no water come out?  We take those things for granted.  We even take God for granted.  

God is the source of our faith.  If we aren’t seeking and plugged into him we aren’t living by faith.    We might as well have stayed in bed if we haven’t sought and placed ourselves in his hands that morning.   A person cannot uphold the faith and stand in the faith unless they are earnestly, sincerely, seriously contending, asserting, and maintaining in the faith.   God doesn’t have an off and on switch but we do (it’s called choice).  We have a choice to seek God or not seek God. 

You and I have been chosen and entrusted by our Holy Father to live and carry out in the faith in obedience, submission, and holy reverence towards God and in God.   Only in the holy faith of our God do we not fall into compromise of others or ourselves and lose the holy convictions God has given us.  We were created and chosen to glorify God and things don’t go so well for others or us if we don’t plug into God.  Instead of God’s goodness and godliness coming out something that should had stayed out of view and out sight comes out instead (your flesh).   If we aren’t focused, plugged into God, our flesh can be manipulated by those around us and situations around us.  That is why is so important to be mindful of God and have a heart full of God. 

Jude 1:3-25

“Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share.  But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.  I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.   The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.  I want to remind you, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful.  And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged.   God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.  And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion.   Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.  In the same way, these people- who claim authority from their dreams- live immoral lives, defying authority and scoff at supernatural beings.  But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said,  “The Lord rebuke you!”  (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) But these people scoff at things they do not understand.  Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.  What sorrow awaits them!  For they follow the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother.   Like Balaam, they deceive people for money.  And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. (Numbers 16:19-49, 26:9-10)  When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.   They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.   They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.  They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.  They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds.  They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to the blackest darkness.”

“These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires.  They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. But you, dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said.  They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers who purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.  These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you.  They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.    But you, dear friends must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life.  In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.   And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.  Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.   Now all glory to God, who is able keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.  All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.  All glory, majesty, power and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.”  Jude 1

We aren’t to make excuses.  We have either sought God or haven’t sought God. 

“No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good and this is what he requires: “to do what is right, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8

 Proverbs 6:16-19

“There are six things that LORD hates- no seven things he detests: haughty eyes, (stuck up, lofty, exalt, magnify oneself, to think of ones self to be too highly to humble and help someone else.) a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among believers.” 

A person who sows discord among believers are conspirators, gossipers, grumblers and complainers.  They are also those who are stuck up and think too highly of themselves.  They are on the same list as murders and thieves and whatever else is defined as feet that race to do wrong.

We have to understand that the reason God hates those things because he knows it’s not just the big things that destroy but the small things as well.

James says, “In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.  But a tiny spark can set a great forest fire.” James 3:5

1 John 5:4-5

“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.   And who can win this battle against the world?   Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Why do I mention this?  I mention all this to stimulate and warn you and to build a fortress of God words in your heart and mind.   So when the savages and pirates and slaves and beasts of compromise and temptation come to raid and pillage they will find an invincible, impregnable fortress of conviction built by God’s everlasting wisdom and love.   You will be able to stand without fear for the source of your strength will be God himself.   You will be a beacon of light; you will glorify Him and uphold the faith God has entrusted.  You will then pass this on (in action and word) to others to build up their faith in Jesus Christ.

Why do I mention this?  I mention all this to stimulate, remind and warn you and to build a fortress of God's words in your heart and mind.  So when the savages and pirates and slaves and beasts of compromise and temptation come to raid and pillage they will find an invincible impregnable fortress of conviction built by God's everlasting wisdom and love.  We will be able to stand without fear for the source of our strength will be God himself.  You will be a beacon of light of God's goodness; you will glorify Him and uphold the faith God has entrusted.  You will then pass this on (in action and word) to others to build up their faith in Jesus Christ. 

God is our source.  We are to be hooked to him and he empowers what comes out.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch can not produce fruit if is served from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.  Yes I am the vine; you are the branches.   Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.  Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.  But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask of any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit.  This brings great glory to my Father.”  John 15:1-8 

Addressing Hurt

Hurt that is not dealt with properly can solidify into a wedge.   It then can be driven downward by the splitting maul of our emotions and divide.

I believe the best comforter in hurt is God for no one understands you better then he does.  He can minister to you in ways people just can’t minister to you.

I believe hurt heals with the “choice” to forgive.  That choice to forgive puts us in a position to draw from Christ to forgive others and even ourselves.

Forgiveness starts with a “choice”.   This choice then manifests through God into forgiveness.  You and I have heard some horrible stories of victims forgiving those who hurt them and the world can’t understand this because forgiveness doesn’t come from the world’s point of view who screams out for revenge and continues the cycle of hate but this understanding comes from God who manifests that forgiveness in the person who chooses to forgive. 

I believe one of the reasons people don’t forgive is because they don’t know whom to go to help them forgive – who is God.

I believe another the reason people don’t forgive is because of pride.   They are afraid if they forgive someone they will look weak in their own eyes and other peoples.   Pride is the same reason why people don’t come to Christ.  Pride is why they will continue to hurt … because they won’t give it up for the power of forgiveness.   Hurt that isn’t given to Christ turns into something much worse in a person’s soul.   It turns to all kinds of hate, resentment and even guilt. 

People in this world think it looks “tougher, bolder, deserved,” to hold onto hate but in truth hate the easy way out.   Think if God used that excuse and justification on us… none of us would be going to heaven because He would not had sent Jesus Christ for our sake. 

 “For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty.   He had done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us…..”  Romans 3:23-25

People’s pride makes it so they love the sin of hatred more then coming to God to manifest the power of forgiveness in their life.  They love the sin more then they love God.  They love the approval of people more then the approval of God. 

I can’t help but think of Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian, who is thrown into a dirty dismal Nazi concentration camp where her beloved father and sister die in the hands of the Nazis.   She later encounters a few of those former Nazis in her older age and she chooses to forgive them. And the choice to forgive manifests forgiveness in her in an instant and both are healed of those past evils and injustices.   

I think of the victim of rap that forgives her rapist.

I think of the parent who forgives the drunk driver for killing their child.

I think of the child who forgives the parent for being absent or abusive.

I think of the husband or wife who forgives the cheating spouse.

I think of Stephen who while he was being stoned prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” and then he died.  Acts 7:59

Then I think of God who has forgiven our sins because his son’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins which made it possible to come to God, become a child of God, and learn to live “in” God’s love and Spirit.

When we don’t give our hurt to God but carry it, what does hurt turn into?  What is produced?

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. “ Matthew 6:14-15

Hurt that is not dealt with properly will turn into something that will torture and torment you.  It will stick you in invisible self-created prison.  Your body will be free to roam but your mind and heart will be chained… stuck in that prison cell you created by not dealing with your hurt properly.  Some of the obvious chains of the mind and heart are the want to withdraw, to go some place not be hurt anymore, a low self-esteem, denial, depression, anxiety, fear, anguish, being continually defensive and so on.     

People try to cover up hurt with sexual immorality, drugs, impure thoughts, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, out bursts of anger, self-ambition, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, division, and other kinds of sin. 

Hurt - if not dealt with properly will not allow you to function properly and will not allow you to draw from God’s goodness. 

Christ Jesus is our comforter when it comes to hurt.  He is our burden bearer.   He is our source of comfort and where we can appropriately work through the hurt with him.  In Christ he reminds us of what we should do and the proper mindset we should have so when it is time to address the person who has hurt us, we can do it in a godly manner.

Sometimes just addressing the situation with Jesus we get over the hurt or offense like a little child who so easily forgives.

Through Jesus we may see our fault in the situation.   We may see where we might have jumped to presumption and conclusions of our own.   We may see the reason we were hurt was because we didn’t mind our own business and got involved in the affairs of others, which only added fuel to the hot flames, which were then spewed onto us.   We maybe able see something from that person’s point of view and understand why they acted the way they did.   (It wasn’t us but something affecting their mind and heart which caused them to suddenly act so grossly and ungodly.  Hurt people hurt people.)  Sometimes we may never understand why people act the way they do.   We could kick the bushes to find what spills out but why?   Sometimes it better we don’t know and just continue to live our life in a godly manner regardless of what goes on around us.

We find we have to love people who hurt us again and again like pagan or corrupt tax collectors or else that hurt will eat away at us and make us hateful and resentful towards them.    They won’t admit fault.   They won’t admit speaking negatives behind our back to others.  They won’t admit thinking the worse of you.  They won’t admit they did this or that.   We love them, forgive them but there is some restraint from now on when it comes to those individuals.  We don’t allow them in that tender sensitive place in our heart and instead we place Jesus there- where he should have been from the very start. 

I guess we wouldn’t see where we need Jesus in all the different places in our heart if the hurts never came.  So in a strange way we can be grateful to those who have hurt us because they have made us stronger in Christ Jesus.

When someone’s trash falls out of his or her garbage truck and lands in our driveway you and I have a choice in how we are going to deal with it.   We can either make that trash our own or give it Christ.

You can't be given authority over your hurt unless you submit and give the authority you think you have for your hurt to Christ.   Jesus says, "And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them.   Nothing will injure you." Luke 10:19

Hurt heals with the choice to forgive.  That choice to forgive puts us in a position to draw from Christ to forgive others and even ourselves.

The Best Pathway For Our Life 1

I would love to just break free of this life and go supersonic any direction I thought looked good like a kid running ahead of his parents at amusement park.   I notice when those kids do that however, their Mom and Dad says, "Where are you going? We aren't going over there.  We are going over here first and then we will do that."

I believe God sometimes does that to us.  God brings us to this amusement park of life and says, "Where are you going? or "No you aren't going over there" or "No we aren't going over there just yet, we are going to do this stuff first."  I think that is good that God does that - I mean can you imagine all the parents at the amusement park just letting their kids go running off where ever they wanted and doing whatever they wanted?  Life is strange enough thank God he has some of us paying attention- well some of the time.   

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life and I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

God knows this amusement park of life, he knows the best pathway and the best times to get on certain rides - and the rides we just need to stay away from.       

I remember before I gave my life to Christ, thinking "Why would I give my life to God?"

I thought if I gave my life to God I wouldn't live a satisfying life.  My life in this amusement park of life would be no fun.  What God wanted was WAY different than what I wanted from life and that was true BUT looking back - if my life didn't change and I continued down that road I was on I would have been still a very unsatisfied person.  I would still be seeking to replace the things that were no longer satisfying me.  Looking for the next greatest thing, and in the end... it would have not only been a never ending fruitless quest in life- but if I didn't see my need for God in my life I would spent eternity in hell not heaven.

"Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." Gal 6:8

I wanted to be the one in control of my life but looking back I think that was pretty naive.   Is anyone really in control of their life?  Does anyone have any guarantees that they will live their life to a ripe old age?  No.... Does anyone have any guarantees that their ventures in life will be successful? No...  Life is short no matter what our age.

It is a comfort to know as a Christian that if we trust and seek God- he promises to guide us along the best pathway of our life and he will advise us and watch over us no matter how long or short this life on earth might be.

Imagine the God who created you and I, the God who created the universe has not just a plan and will for us but wants to take us along the BEST pathway for our life and advise and watch over us as we go along this temporary experience we call life which is nothing compared to eternity.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "they are plans for good not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when seek me.  I will be found by you," says the LORD."  Jeremiah 29:11-14  
 
The question we need to really consider is: "Do we really earnestly seek Him?  Do we believe and trust God will guide us along the best pathway for this temporary experience we call life?"

Most of us Christians would say, "Yes" at first but after considering some of our actions we would have to honestly say, "Not to the depth we wish to trust God."   Life throws a lot of things at us but I believe in the depth we look at God's word will determine how we look at life.  It will determine how we perceive our life and react to life - not only that but it will determine how we respond, understand value our relationship with God.

I believe God will give us nothing but the best if we just believe it.   He will give us something more then sufficient to brighten even our darkest days.  Why do I believe this?  I believe this because IF God, WHO IS THE BEST, became flesh in Jesus Christ, died for us, rose again and gave us the Holy Spirit then He has to have the BEST pathway for our life as well.   

Jesus said "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly. " John 10:9-10

Mediate on these truths as you seek God's path for your life.  Amen

Commiting to the Will of the Lord.

SEEK & REMOVE
Proverbs 16:3
"Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established."

The word "commit" stuck out to me as I read this scripture.  The context of the word "commit" comes from the word "galal" which also is a place in the bible that you can find in Joshua 5:9.

As a way to show their commitment to the Lord, all the males that were camped in Jericho waiting to enter the the Promise Land were circumcised.  "Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.'  So that place has been called Gilgal to this day."

Hope I don't lose you here.  We too can be slaves to "Egypt"  Egypt can be used as an illustration of the world.   We can be a slave to the world.  We can become a slave to the ideals and social norms of this world.  Do as the world does.   Egypt was full of false gods, was rich with resources, and used it's influence to manipulate and enslave people.

Before we came to Christ we were slaves to this world BUT when we "commited" ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ our sins that were counted against us were "rolled" away.   They were removed.
  
This might help us see the context of the word "galal" better.

The Hebrew context of "galal is to: "roll, seek, wallow, trust, commit, remove, run down."

This context of "galal" we see in proverbs 16:3 and Joshua 5 really has two meanings that come together as one if we look carefully.  "God removes your shame/guilt/sin with your seeking, trust and commitment to him (Our Heavenly Father, Son -Jesus Christ- Holy Spirit)."

TRUE COMMITMENT
The Holy Spirit reminded me of what Paul wrote in Romans:  "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision.  No,  a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God.  And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit.   Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people."  Romans 2:28-29

That goes the same for Christians.  God knows if our conviction is in Him, if we are devoted to Him, if we are sincerely seeking Him,  and if we are truly trusting Him.  Just because you were born of Christian parents and because you go to church doesn't make you a true Christian.  Just because you are standing in a parking lot or a library doesn't make you a car or book.   A true Christian is one whose heart is right with God.  It is a change of heart produced by the Holy Spirit when you committed and continued to trust and seek the Lord.  That is faith.  You walk with God.  You can not please God without faith.  "So it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

We have to seriously consider, again and again, are we truly continuing to walking that path God has for us or have we snatched our life back from God where we lose the life God has desired for us.

You seek God's will and you will find yourself living in the desires of God for your life.   There will be a departure from your wants to God's wants.  He will give you the strength to do his will for what is required for the tasks he wants you to do.  You will not be seeking praise from people but God.

So one might say, "Lord what is your will for my life?  What is your will for this day?"

I believe God can do that but my tendency is when I do ask those questions and God answers- I become so narrow minded I don't see the little or big things God is bringing up to help me become more like Christ because I am I so focused on a particular aspect of what I think is the conclusion or major point or the climax to the crescendo.  And because I get so narrow minded I miss out on the building lessons of the Holy Spirit and the instruction and direction in those life changing lessons.

When I do that I am no longer working in the Spirit but in this task oriented mode which can easily be distracted by how things are are or are not getting down in the way I think they should be done - which drives me to unsound thoughts or actions in the flesh or just plain and simple wears me out.  

Sometimes I feel a little bit like I am experiencing a preview to a movie and if it looks like a good movie I want to not just see the preview but the entire movie especially if it has a good ending.  (Knowing God wants the best for His children we know life is going to have it fair share of ups and downs but in the end it is going to be GOOD!) 

We want the big picture of what God is doing and when we don't get the big picture we lose patience and jump the gun.  We can go an entirely different direction than God wants us to go because we become impatient and then we wonder why we aren't satisfied and confident in that task or direction we chose.  Then that leads to inner conflict- BUT hopefully with repentance, learned lessons, we get back on the path and plan God wants us to be on too.

Seeking God with patience God will give us direction and with that direction, He gives us the confidence and gumption to do what He has asked and has directed us to do.

Now I could manipulate God's words to make them sound like what I want them to say.  For example a person could say the bible says, "There is no God" because they only chose only to hear what you wanted to hear.  And in reality the bible says, "Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" Psalm 53:1

You can say "I will commit this or that plan 'I' have to the Lord and it will succeed and it will be established."  And I know people do that and sometimes that turns out good and sometimes it turns out not so good.  But the question is- "Is that really God's plan for your life?"  Ask and follow God's plan not your plan.

I could run this race of life and win and come to find out as I stand before the Lord that I really won the wrong race.  I could have done many good things and lived what I thought was a good life but the Lord say to me, "I never you."  I don't know about you but I want to be sure I'm doing the Lord's will in my life, don't you?  The only way to do that is to follow the Holy Spirit's counsel and direction and that only happens if we take time to each day and throughout the day to listen and read God's word. 

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws." Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Matthew 7:21-24

Notice he says, "the will of my Father".

Doing the will of the Father is learning to trust Him in all things in life even in the plans He has for our life.  God knows exactly what is inside of you and me that He can use for His glory and you and I know- He knows what is good and still needs more work.  His plan/will- will get us to the full stature or measure of Christ Jesus- not our plan.  My plan may look and sound good, it may even earn me a bunch of money and benefits and lots of nice things but I would be chasing the wind and life would be meaningless in the end because I chose to the dollar and material things instead of Almighty God who gives me everything I need and a life full of thanksgiving.  I want my life to be secure and built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Again it would be easy after reading this to point your finger and say "well so and so doesn't do this and that".   Please don't do that.  That is something else at work and only tears down and does not build up.  Keep your heart and thoughts diligent on the Lord.  Be mindful of your relationship with the Lord - not anyone else and you will make a greater difference then if you pointed your finger and grumbled about others who you considered superficial in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Seek and pray to God with me as we seek the Lord's will and plan for our life.  In Jesus Name Amen.  

Content in the Lord 4

Make a list of what you put your confidence in and sooner or later that list will diminish into nothing. Make a list of people and things that you put your confidence in and you will see nothing and no one compares to God, who we should put our sole confidence in.

Does that mean since we put our sole confidence in God does that mean we are to be negative about everything else in life? No.

Life is full of negatives but seeing the negatives might just help us see the source of our positives.

We, who were once far from God in actions and thought, God forgave us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

We now Christians, still on occasion waver and fall in trial and circumstance… yet God still encourages us.

God who sees our failures saw the potential that would come when we put our trust, obedience, contentment and confidence in him. These things of submission would allow His Spirit to do wonderful works within us that would overflow in godly actions towards others regardless of the situation or circumstance. We are found in Christ not the situation and circumstance. Our situation and circumstance should not define who we are but "who" we are found in.

Peter wrote: “As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share his divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

We cannot bring glory to God and receive Jesus’ glory and goodness if we aren’t obedient, don’t trust and don’t put our contentment and confidence in Him first.

Remember contentment “solely” in Lord brings about purity in our thinking and doing. “You shall not want.” And He will lead you on paths of righteousness because the Spirit of God will be free to work within you -bringing forth fruits of the Spirit.

“But when the Holy Spirit controls your lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law” Galatians 5:22-23

The law in which Paul is referring to is: Love your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

Which goes right along with what the Spirit has speaking to us about living in the contentment in the Lord.

We limit ourselves in living in Jesus’ divine nature in our own thinking, our own understanding, and committing to those things in which we experience and see instead committing everything to the Lord.

There is no magic formula. It is a choice. You trust the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul and all your strength or you don’t. God does the rest just as you did when you gave your life to God and He gave it to Christ and you were “born again”.

It is not by human strength or power but by God’s Spirit who does the work in us as we submit everything to him.

Zechariah 4:6 says: Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

I encourage you to find contentment in the Lord. We should find contentment in the Lord every moment of every day. We should seek it knowing it brings clarity, discernment and direction from the Lord for our life.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand." (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world.) Zechariah 4:10

And when you start living in contentment in the Lord don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others and your spiritual walk with others. All that does is cause division and quarreling. “Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.” (Galatians 5:26) Instead of comparing, seek counsel from the Lord, stay mindful of him and he will direct you. Remember we are all responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:5) And… “gently” and “humbly” help that person back onto the right path if they have been overcome by some sin, understanding or thinking.

Don’t commit yourself to that person who makes you upset, irritated, or be belittled or ignored because that builds up resentment and resentment shows that you have not put your contentment in the Lord but in the person who has wronged you. Don’t put such a heavy emphasis on anyone that it actually lightens your emphasis on the Lord.

And in the same manner but the other end of the spectrum don’t commit yourself to a person who makes you have the warm fuzzes and makes you forget your commitment of purity in the Lord and, if your married, to your spouse (husband and wife).

“Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for you will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (Galatians 6:7-9)

There are people we know, love and appreciate that tell themselves that are content just believing in some higher power but that type of contentment only makes them slaves to the ideals of this world. You don’t have to observe their life too long to see these precious souls being tossed about in the cares of life. Their situations, circumstances and understandings rule their life. So I ask that you pray for those people that God has let you put eyes on. I ask that you ask the Lord to open their eyes to the true source of contentment (God himself). Do this while you continue to live as an example of contentment in the Lord to them and others around you as you share and minister the love of God with them as directed.

If God Made Peace Why a Cursed World?

If God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth, why do we live in a cursed world?

I was asked this by a spirit this week- along with assortment of other questions such as:

“Why do some Christians die before a ripe old age?”

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

“Can God speak light into non-believer’s light?”

“How has the reality in the Spirit helped me?

These questions were all good and made me think more deeply into the truths and wisdom of God.

So if God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth, why do we live in a cursed world?

The short deep answer: Choice.

We instinctively know it is wrong to lie, cheat, and kill just as we instinctively know there is a God. It is has been inserted inside our very fiber and make up by our Creator himself- God. (Romans 1:18)

We as his choice creation have been given a choice to do what is right or not do what is right. People have a choice to accept God and his peace or wage war against God and others. (Romans 11:30)

The best way to say this is: People have a choice to trust God and do what is right or... deny/ turn from Him and do what their sinful nature/ flesh craves. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Choices have consequences and the consequences don’t just affect themselves but others as well. (Proverbs 18:21, Galatians 6:7-9, James 3:18)

Let say you and your family and friends were all standing around in a closed in space in your bare feet and you or someone else dropped a platter of glasses onto the floor and they shattered into tiny pieces. You and your friends would get some tiny shards of glass in your bare feet from the incident. Sin can work the same way.

When you or someone else has a rough morning or day and you or they don’t brush it off by giving it to God but instead carry it around in frustration, anger, anxiety, fear and dread you or they are not just affecting yourself or themselves but others around you as well.

Governments go to war out of greed, power, wealth, pride, fear- causing men and women to go to war.

You light a match and stick it under some paper and kindle wood and it will make a fire.

You knowing this must see how we bring curses upon the earth by our choices and actions.

It is our lack of focus on God, which always brings our soul to suffer and sorrow to the Holy Spirit.

The Law of Sin

You sin and you will reap the consequences of that sin.

You say a harsh word -not out of love- what is reaped from that action?

Sin can be like a rock thrown into a lake. It will make ripples and sink into darkness.

The Choice

God has made peace with the world and just as you make peace with someone in your mind and heart doesn’t mean that person has made peace with you.

God didn’t make peace with us to lower his standards so we could continue to sin – His standards were never lowered but I would say lifted higher. Remember his own blood paid for our sins on the cross and without it none of us could come to Him freely.

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (Johns 14:6)

Remember God himself replaced the priesthood that was to illustrate the true sacrifice and priesthood. The Son (Jesus Christ) who glorifies God the Father is the priesthood. For Jesus Christ was not just the Holy sacrifice for our sins but is our High Priest. He intercedes on our behalf to the Father, without Jesus there is no forgiveness of our sins.

God through Jesus Christ made peace with everything in heaven and on earth so we could freely come to Him. So when we finally did come to God and surrender our lives to him we could become children of God. Understanding what Jesus has done, God put us in the care of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Then he said, "That is why I said that people can't come to me unless the Father gives them to me." John 6:65

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” John 6:37

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.” Johns 10:28-29

You are only a child of God through Jesus Christ who is Lord and Savior.

Jesus is the narrow gate. "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

So though we might experience the cursed actions of others, we don’t have to live as the rest of the cursed world does - for by the work of the Holy Spirit in us who gives us God's peace, we can not only live physically in world but be at peace with it. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Peace doesn't mean we have to agree with the cursed ways and understandings of this world but in not agreeing we (by our humble dependence and trust and peace in God) the Holy Spirit can enable us by His grace to give respect, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to those we disagree with.

Understand a Christian is called to be a vessel of light and peace for God.

"But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for you will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." (Galatians 6:9)