Lift Up You Gates!

Photo by Jeff Johnson

Is it true that when we close off God we close off “Life”?

We often get confused with the “fleshly” term life, what we see and perceive in our own understanding as being “life” when “LIFE” is really about living in the spiritual mindset of God which allows God to manifest and shape His perfect, pleasing and good will in our life.

Someone might say, “Look at the house and car that guy has, he must be living the life!” In fact the very opposite might true... He may be the most miserable guy on the planet.

Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart.” Luke 6:45

Everyone agrees that the thoughts and contents of our heart shape our actions. But what is shaping your thoughts to stir your heart? Is it God or is it your own understanding? And WHO or who are you opening the gates for? Who was shaping the thoughts of that man who killed those police officers? Definitely not God. We know examples of people who opened the gate to all the wrong influences and others have paid dearly.

Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

I have found we can accept God’s words to different degrees in our life. Some just become head knowledge but not heart knowledge. And then there are those same words that actually “live” in the heart such as hope and joy and love and peace. They live in the heart because the Spirit of God is allowed to live in them. He brings them to life, points them out, highlights and uses them to empower His children.

So here’s the question, “Are we accepting the words of Life in the Spirit so we may have Life more abundantly? (Note John 10:10)

It all sounds good but are we allowing the Spirit of God to put them into practice in our day-to-day lives? I mean... there actually is a difference between “existing” and actually living what is truly LIFE isn’t there?

What would the benefit of being a Christian if you didn’t allow the Spirit of God to be living and active in your life? There would be NONE! That is religion not faith.

Psalm 24:7 says, “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.”

Jesus is the King of glory. It’s by His Spirit being allowed to work in us that we are lifted up and encouraged and empowered.

Isaiah 58:11 says "And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”

Notice the LORD is the source.

Jesus says, “But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:14

God wants us to live and drink deeply from His water. He wants us to live in that understanding that is beyond us. That understanding that gives us peace, joy, hope, love, grace, etc…

This is why the Apostle Paul wrote: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:17-20

For Jesus to dwell/live in our hearts we all must open up the gates of our thinking “daily” for a gated soul to the Lord is like a putrid, foul dark dungeon with no air flow and no so-called life but all the attributes of death such as hopeless, fear, dread, the mundane, and so on.

God says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my ways higher then your ways and my thoughts then your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s words are LIFE… BUT there is no LIFE in wisdom unless the Spirit is making that wisdom come alive. Solomon one of the wisest people who ever lived missed this point. He started living by his own understanding and living became meaningless because He started living without the counsel
of God. (Note: Ecclesiastes 1)  Alters were built to the so-call gods of his wives who followed the practices of human sacrifice and the sacrifice of babies to appease their gods.  How did this ever happen?  It happened because Solomon ignored God.  

Life is living in the Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Strengthener who is the Spirit of God. (Note: John 14:16)

And without opening the gates to Him we would not experience the things we now know or imagined.

It is just as the word of God says, “Things which eye has not seen or ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolish to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ?” 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

I was reminded of a vision I had sometime ago. Though I was physically sitting in a chair at the time, in the experience I was actually hunched over in this kneeling position on the floor when a figure walked before me wearing this long golden glimmering gown. Ever time the figure took a step this kind of smoke or fog came out from under the gown until it filled the entire floor. When I looked up at the figure, I saw a man with long shoulder length white hair and white hair on his chin. I looked into his eyes and when I did I was drawn into them. I was seeing the complexity and depths of the endless universe. I then looked at his face and in an involuntary way I uttered, “Father” and like a super beam of light His presence shot upward and disappeared into the depths of space above. And I was back sitting in my chair. (Now I think: Perhaps He didn’t shoot into space at all- but it was I coming back here.)

Experiences like these would not happen to us if we did lift up our gates. This should EXCITE YOU… for the bible says “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” Note 2 Chronicles 16:9

God is actively looking for those who are fully committed to Him- that they have their gates lifted up and are seeking Him. I can’t even imagine or think what God can accomplish in us if we surrender, stay “grounded” and rooted to Him in faith, and allow Him to “live” in and build us up.

So lift up your gates and let the glory of the King come in. Amen!

Desires We know As LIFE

My thoughts…

I was thinking about us… humanity… God’s chosen creation… And how He created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27).  How that image is to reflect God… I then thought of what we all desire as humanity.

We all desire hope… joy… peace… grace… what is faithful… righteousness… morality… justice… love… acceptance… courage… humility… self-control… purpose… security… and eternal life in Heaven. 

And it is clear when we read God’s word… these desires have not only been put in us by God our Creator but can only be had, satisfied and answered and given by God our Creator.

But by denying God in our daily life, we deny and deprive ourselves of what we desire most (what we somehow know as “Life”).  And nowhere else to turn we turn to the substitutes of the world that fail, never satisfy and destroy our soul.

When we deny God we reflect the fallen and hungry world BUT when we take hold of God’s hand like a little child- LIFE comes…  For we were made by Jesus Christ.  

“He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made and without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of men…” John 1:3

(Take your hands and lock your fingers together.  One of your hands illustrates your soul and the other illustrates God who is Life.)  God created our soul to yoke “perfectly” with His Spirit just like our hands fit together perfectly. Note: Matthew 11:30

Several verses in the bible say, “Clothe yourself with Jesus Christ.” This would also illustrate how the Spirit of God perfectly fits our soul.   

Allowing our soul to be yoked, calibrated, receptive, obedient, abided in the Spirit of God manifests His good, perfect satisfying will in our life (Romans‬ ‭12:2‬)‬‬ and produce what is says below. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no Law.”  Galatians 5:22-23

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

The Spirit alone gives eternal life.  Human effort accomplishes nothing.  And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63   Note: Galatians 3:3

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life... (John 14:6) It makes perfect sense then if He created us then He is the source of what we desire to fulfill and define as LIFE.  But in order to experience and have what our soul desires, we have to come to Jesus the source of LIFE.  We have to surrender our life to Him and make Him Lord and Savior over our soul. He is the only way we will ever experience LIFE and LIGHT for our soul on a daily basis. 

“For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled it with what is good.” Psalm 107:9

Come and experience the way, the truth and the life in your soul!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus I know by the way I have been living I have not only failed to experience LIFE in you but have looked to other things to try to satisfy my soul and in doing so have sinned against you - for I have looked upon them as if they were gods.  Forgive me.

In my faulty human understanding I have also sinned against you and others as well.  In this I ask humbly for your forgiveness.  I have heard that you created me and my rightful place is with you.  You are the LIFE and LIGHT in which I have sought for so long.  Jesus I surrender my life to you.  Be my LORD and Savior and fill me with your glorious Spirit that I may not strive in the ways and understandings of men but in your perfect will for my life. 

Thank you Jesus for laying down your life for mine that I may have life and life more abundantly in you.   Help me to know you and grow in you according to your word.  Help me find a spirit filled bible believing church that I can grow and be part of.  Help me as I read your word to understand it and have it enrich my soul as you guide me in reading it.  Enrich the soil of my soul that the roots of my faith will grow deep in your love.  In the measure of faith you have given me- I pray this in your wonderful name- In Jesus name Amen.

*May the Spirit of God be poured out upon you according to your honest words of faith in Jesus Name, Amen.

God's Love Operating In Us

There is no doubt that God has been enriching and building within us lately.  He reminded us that JESUS is our LIFE Coach and the importance of holding onto Childlike Faith. 

Now He is continuing with this verse that encompasses those things.

 Jesus said: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.   For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

Take up your cross… do you know what that means? It is to live a “sacrificial” life.  Some may wonder what does “a sacrificial life” mean?  It means you no longer live or practice the former sinful and selfish passions and desires but giving your life to God to guide as it was intended and made for.

Who better to make the soul all it is to be then God!

And “For whoever saves his life will lose it,” means to resist and not give your life fully to God/Jesus Christ.   It is continuing down in that same old and returning to the same old understanding, never growing and maturing in God.   It is to never know God and be saved from our understanding, this world- that is based on the fallen understanding, and if that wasn’t enough- saved from the tortures of hell.

“But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”  There again we see Jesus being our “LIFE Coach”. He is the one who helps us overcome and live this life successfully in God’s perfect will that is pleasing to the soul. 

Many men and women have tried to turn Christianity into a religion and tried to pass these religious ideals on to others but Christianity is a honest to goodness relationship with God.  It’s about Him doing the doing in us.

God is forever- this world… not so much, in fact the bible says this world is going to burn one day.  Jesus is saying you want to invest your life, your soul, in something that is going to disappear- and mean nothing?

God wants us to look at the big picture and get a glimpse into eternity.  See LIFE through His perfect “eyes” and perspective.  “You lose your life” to God -you let go of your grasp and let God take hold of it, you will find LIFE but if you try to keep it you will find only misery for first I find the human understanding is not kind and loves to be entangled and enslaved to thinking that is unsatisfying for the soul.  It is like a type of religion.  It is unsatisfying and a burden.  Second without God there isn’t anything to satisfy and encourage our soul for He is the rightful provider and sustainer of our soul in all instances and circumstances that come in this life. 

There in God we do find gratification and purpose when God’s love is operating “in” our life but again few consider “living in” and “finding it” because they choose to ignore, deny, and refuse to surrender to God who made the soul and knows what the soul needs… hence they lose their soul and the benefits of God in their life.  

Think… the world would be a totally different place if everyone had a relationship with Jesus Christ- the Creator of Life.  

God says, “Love me and find LIFE for your soul”. God says, “Love me and find what means to live in love”.

THE COACH

Who is the coach of your soul? Who inspires you? Who challenges you? Who disciplines your ways of understanding? 

 

I think we all have had moments in life where we get tested, tired… weary… fail… doubt, want to presume, want to become indifferent, want to not care or even want to throw a temper tantrum like that 3 year old in Walmart.

 

But who brings you out of those moments?

 

Jesus… says to His bride (His church), “Hey love, who do you love? You know who you want to be looking at? Let me take your burden. Let me erase your doldrums. I will answer your need. I will be your cheer squad. I will give you reason to smile and help you overcome the cares of this life. I will give you “living” purpose and reason. I am all you need.”

 

Sounds like some love song, but is it SO true when it comes to Jesus? Jesus is the lover of our soul.

 

But to go about life as “usual” and to “ignore” God is to lose… lose… lose.

 

Some may say, “I want to go to heaven but I don’t care to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.”

 

Let’s challenge that thinking for moment: You would never tell the coach of the team you want to be on, “I am going to be on the team coach but I don’t want you coaching me.” We know it doesn’t work that way… so why would we think that would work with God?

 

Jesus is our LIFE COACH. He is the Sustainer. He IS the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. (John 14:6) No one gets into heaven without Him and no one succeeds in the things that truly matter in life without Him.

 

From His unlimited resources at His grasp Jesus is about us learning to live in Him… His reality from start to finish...

 

Hebrew 12:1-2 which says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish…”

 

What is the reality of our day… how is our outlook? Is our perspective skewed by monotony, apprehension, dread, doubt, worry, fear, hopelessness, cares of tomorrow, cares of yesterday, or the cares of what the world says are important?

 

This is what Jesus said about this kind of thinking: “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark 4:19

 

No wonder why the word of God ALSO says:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

 

And

 

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2

 

There is NoTHING routine about the WAYS of God but how often have we gone about our day, taken the bait, and swallowed or surrendered to ROUTINE thinking instead of newest of God who lifts up our soul? How many times have we allowed “baited thinking” to put up it’s umbrella to divert that living water of God from pouring in our cup? If you find yourself there ask yourself: Where is the newest of this day? Where is the Spirit to stir up a fire in my soul?

 

Spiritual athletes just as athletes, to accomplish the feats in their path, must not yield to "baited thinking" but look beyond themselves.

 

* We most love God MORE then the things that add no COLOR to our day .

*To thrive… to endure… God’s breathed renewing Spirit must guide us in all things.

*God’s living word most be protected in our hearts and minds and not get choked out.

 

Jesus is our LIFE COACH. He must be given access, to teach, counsel, instruct, heal, inspire and to drive us to greater lasting and satisfying things.

 

That we may be spiritually equipped for what only God knows and awaits us.

 

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

 

Good way to start, is to lay down the oldness of yesterday. Look to what God has for today. Surrender your thoughts and seek living words that God is going to point out and drop into your heart and mind and let them manifest Him in us through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in the course, court, trail, and field of life.

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

 

Just as a coach has plans for his players, God has a plan everyday for us but it’s our choice to listen to the LIFE coach of LIFE or not.

 

“From one man he (Jesus) made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts 17:26-28

 

Are you ready for the LIFE coach to move you? Are you ready to win with the one who has already experienced victory? Pretty awesome to think that God the Father sent His Son to make sure we would not only make it to heaven, for those who believe, but we would have life and have life to the fullest.

 

... Jesus is the answer.

 

Thanks for reading.

THE TREE

I was shown a vision.   There was this dark gray forest, a forest I thought at first were hairs on a dog in the moonlight.  But as I looked more closely I realized these were no hairs of a dog at all but trees.  They were trees without any limbs or branches.  There were thousands of tree trunks and they were all leaning like a great wind at blown them in all the same direction but within this sea of grey slivers I was guided to a single warm yellow light.  I looked closer and realized it was a tree, a tree of light.   It was small and I would had probably missed it if it hadn't been pointed out to me.  It had branches and leaves and it was standing upright.  A tree of light.... in a "barren" wilderness.

It does remind me of dream I had of a ocean and a forest.  A ocean that was pouring onto the land stripping the trees of their bark and laying their fruit to waste.   The trees were no longer getting their water from the mountain but the poisoning ocean.

If you have the Spirit of God living in you, you know the ocean is the sea of immoral humanity.  It poisoned the trees with it's sinful values, rules, mandates, human understanding and so called "improvements".  You can also figure the mountain is God, the source of life.      

The forest in this vision also had been stripped.... and a darkness had come upon it.

When you think of the word “gray” what does it mean to you? 

Gray isn’t black and white.  When things are not black or white, then there is no real sense of right and wrong.  When these things become gray how do we define things like justice, morals, sin, love...? 

When people do not stand on what is right or wrong or know right from wrong then they are blown this way and that way like grass in the wind.  They can believe anything is right and true even though it is not.   Truth is not a matter of opinion.  Truth comes from God, what is written in His word.  When you have no REAL truth living in your soul then you just have a "barren" existence.

Think how those trees were stripped... why were they stripped?

Existing isn’t life but “Life” happens when God (TRUTH) is allowed to be engaged in a person’s soul.  JESUS made this possible.  

Christians, God wants us to be that tree of light in a gray world.  He wants to sing in our branches-so to speak.

Yes Jesus said.... “Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”  But He ALSO continued with: “ But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.  And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come…” Matthew 23:12-14

Has the end come? No! Of course not, so why act as if it is so…  Our true HOPE is Alive and Well. And that hope in us is contagious because God, unlimited in encouraging resources and trustworthy promises, is OUR SOURCE!

  

Jesus spoke and there was light.  Jesus came into our life and a newness beyond our imagination came into our life.  We were transformed were we not? Light had come into our life! Truth had come into our life.

Jesus said “I am truth, the way, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me.”

John said "God is light" (1 John 1:5) and if you have Jesus then His light is to shine in you for He is the light of mankind. (John 1:4)

Jesus said to those who believe in him, “You are light of the world- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead put it on a stand and let it shine for all.”

Let the goodness of God flow through you!  TRUST and call upon His goodness with expectation… and in this, the calm peaceful pleasant perfect centering will of God will be manifested in your life! Yes Joy!  And the dark things of this world will become POWERLESS in your life... as the saying goes.. "This too shall pass..."

Do you remember what Psalm 1 says?

"Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. 
 But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law.   They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.
  Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.  But this is not true with the wicked.  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.  They will be condemned at the time of judgment.  Sinners will have no place among the godly.  For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”  

Be that tree of light! No matter how small a tree you might think you are- God notices and points you out.
  

Jesus Rising from the Dead (Easter)

Here are some things I was reminded of by the Spirit when it comes to Easter.

·      Jesus saying he had the power to lay down his life and the power to pick it up again.  John 10:18

·      Jesus telling Martha, Lazarus’s sister, “I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25

·      And he/she that believes in him and dies in him (they trust in Jesus) shall live- have eternal life in heaven.  John 11:25

·      When Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day." And they were deeply grieved.  Matthew 17:23 

·      From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  Matthew 16:21 

·      When Jesus said tear down this temple (meaning Himself) and I will rebuild it in three days.  John 2:19

·      When Jesus appeared to the Mary and Mary in the Garden after they went to the empty tomb and saw the two angels who told them to tell the disciples what they saw and to remind them to meet Jesus in Galilee.  John 20, Luke 24, Mark 16, Matthew 28

·      There would be no Christianity today if Jesus did not rise from the dead.  Jesus would had just been another good godly man who died on the cross. My life and countless other lives would had not changed and the Holy Spirit would not be ministering to me and to you right now.  God's amazing transforming love would not have been manifested in our life. Because of Christ's resurrection, we have God's Spirit- The Holy Spirit.  We have been given spiritual gifts from the victor over death- Jesus Christ.  We have been given a seal of redemption because of Jesus' death and resurrection. (Who is shouting now!)      

·      AND the disciples... They and others saw Jesus resurrected and spoke to him and touched him, and this propelled them and encouraged them greatly to share and do what Jesus asked them to do which changed their life and other peoples life with the life changing and saving news of Jesus. God's Spirit guided them and they had power to heal, cast out demons, minister in power beyond their understanding, and even suffer and die for this good news. Death was not the end of life but a door to eternity in heaven.  And Jesus now propels us to be salt and light to the world and share what JESUS has personally done in our life.         

Who Do You Want Sup With?

The last post, we spoke about communion.  How it reminds us of the everlasting covenant we have with God because what Jesus Christ has done for us (Hebrews 12:24).  Through this covenant we can have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).  We do not just have salvation (eternal life in heaven) but as children of God we can accept the gifts, blessings, promises and miracles of God.  We can even bestow those blessings on others through prayer, word and action. 

 ^“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:17-18

We can accept God’s authority over our life in faith- not the lies and deception of the devil. We can see in the NEW as HIS new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).         

And since we have crossed the line to have allegiance with God, we need to be more aware of the thief/Satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy.  Be aware of the cunning serpent who is sometimes very subtle with his suggestions, only for the unexpecting individual to find themselves in a swift current moving away from godly thoughts and actions. No matter how unpleasant this may sound we are in a war. Seduction and intimidation and manipulation are not off limits to Satan who unleashes these fiery of flaming arrows to see if he can swallow/devour and/or overwhelm us. He knows what buttons to try.  So be careful of what thoughts come to seed worry, anxiety, presumption, pride, lust, legalism, depression and so on... Careful of what might be trying to entice and influence your flesh.  Be careful of what is trying to divide.  Satan knows what happens to our assurance as a witness for God when we see ourselves guilty and lacking in the sight of God.  We become ineffective and those we could help spiritually fall asleep, become spiritually sick and even lose faith. Our tendency is to look inwardly to self in the midst of spiritual conflict but we are to look outwardly to God who quenches the evil tactics of the devil. We are to submit and humble ourselves before God and the evil will subside and cease and He will lift us up. (James 5:7). 

And if we do sin. Ask for forgiveness and turn away from sin.

"For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself.  That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way, but when we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:29-32 

We must be cognizant of WHO (God) or who (Satan) is trying to feed us spiritually? Is the spiritual food LIFE or is it death?

As I was thinking about all this and how it relates to communion and God’s covenant I was reminded of a section in Revelation. 

“I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.  I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.  Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:19-22

You see this church Jesus was speaking to had become lukewarm.  They had gotten used to and comfortable with sin and in so doing acted and behaved much like people lost in the sinful appetites of world. They had become “indifferent” and spiritually dull.  They were no longer living and dependent on the spiritual riches of God. They had disregarded their covenant with God for the temporary things of this world. Their spiritual tastebuds had forgotten what REAL food tasted like.  In fact Jesus says to them, “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”  They had allowed themselves to be deceived. 

They were not eating from God’s LIFE giving covenant but death.  In love, Jesus rebukes them that they may turn from their foolish and blind ways.  That they may come to their senses and partake of covenant of the LORD who is LIFE not the false empty temporary things of this world that don't last or satisfy.   

And who doesn’t want the lasting and eternal things of God which are joy, peace, love, hope, mercy, grace, truth, faith…..

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.  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 really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-21

The Age of You

My wife and I watched the Age of Adaline.  It is about a woman who, after a car accident, never ages.  Being a secular movie, it takes on mostly a worldly morality but several things struck me while I watched this film.

The first is Adaline’s tells her boy friend, “Tell me something I can hold onto forever and never let go.”
And her boyfriend replies, “Let go.”

Reminds me of the verse Jesus says to us, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it, but if you let it go you will save it.” Matthew 10:39

It’s human nature to hold onto things of this life and connect our lives with the things of this life.  They give us meaning, comfort, purpose, a sense of reality of who we are- no matter if they are true or false.  

Have you ever allowed people and/or circumstances tell you who you are?  Have you ever lost a sense of meaning in life when you lost someone special in your life?

Have you ever invested time, energy, money, heart into something that failed and since it failed- it soured you from putting in that much effort into something ever again?  

Thank God, He doesn’t do that to us.

How about when you fail you?  What happens then?  What happens when your body or mind starts to fail you? 

What happens when we hold onto and put our hopes in people and things that are not going to be here forever?
  

Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Don't get me wrong here... It is good to invest our lives into other people’s lives, it is good to love others and pray for them and see them as gifts from God.  But when people and ourselves out rank God in telling us who we are, then that is a problem.  We can’t assume since people think of us in a certain way that God thinks of us in the same way. That goes for both the positive and/or negative.
 

It does not matter if we are loved or hated by the world- what matters is are we for God.  Are we being influenced by the world or by God?  What context are we living in, seeking, trusting in?  The temporal or God the eternal?  This determines how the heart will be guided.
  

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

What gives light to your soul -regardless to the difficult circumstances in this life?

LIVING VERSES LIFE

Harrison Ford’s character, in the same movie says, “How is this possible? For all those years you’ve lived, you’ve never had a life.”

How true it is that people “live” but have never had a “life”?  They seek “life” but it only in the these temporal forms and way but they never find LIFE.  Think of the richest people who have ever lived but have never found LIFE.  

People instinctively seek what God gives such as joy, peace, love, goodness, and so on but they don’t look to Him.

Even intelligence and wisdom of God's word won't get us there!  

Jesus said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4:23

Adam and Eve decided on the “temporal” in the Garden of Eden instead of God who is eternal and always and they lost what was essential, the Spirit of God, in their life.  They may have had the wisdom and knowledge and truth but the Spirit of God was not there to help them live in that wisdom, knowledge and truth.  So they lived but did not have life.

God not only creates the living and provides for the living but also gives LIFE to the living. 

Jesus says, “I am the truth, the way and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.” John 14:6

John says, “In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:4

Life is through the Holy Spirit -which God gives through His Son, Jesus Christ.

“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Here there is not conflict with the law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” Romans 8:2

How our heart sinks and goes to dark places when we trust in and look to the temporal things of this life.

The last thing that struck me in the movie, was when Adaline finally decides to stop running from the truth and.... she receives her life back. (Sorry spoiler coming!)  She ceases from just living and begins to have life she never thought would be possible.

Is this not true of our spiritual life as well?  It’s only when we “stop running” from God and turn to God in whatever condition we are in- that we realize and grow in Jesus who is the truth, the way and life.  We find LIFE and value, freedom is in Him not the temporal things of this world.

Yep... "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

For each of us has an eternal soul that God has created.  A soul that is to live forever.   God has set eternity in our hearts, which is LIFE, and we only discover this LIFE and find and get to experience it in Him.  That we don’t have to continue make the same mistakes as Adam and Eve by seeking life in the temporal but instead -the eternal.  God is to be the author and finisher of our faith/life but in order for that to happen we must surrender and continually surrender to Him.  And in doing so we discover and experience what God has planned for us from beginning to end in Him.

In a manner of speaking this is the age of you.  Jesus came to... what did he say, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Note John 10:10
 
We all have decide is if we only want to just live or if we want LIFE.

    

Something NEW

In learning to drive a stick shift, there can be a lot of jerking and grinding.  It can be pretty frustrating...  Maybe learning to drive a stick shift was at first a frustrating process … because we presumed it would be easier or maybe because we are.... perfectionists.... but how can learning to drive a stick shift pertain to daily life and how we look at life?

If we don't look to God first thing in the morning... our morning can start off jerking and grinding...   and we might not even get out of park or even first gear.  Forget coffee... without God you might as well had stayed in bed because coffee doesn't restrain what comes out of your mouth.  

Some people wake up and turn on the radio or television filling their heads with garbage first... how do you think that effects your thoughts?

And they wonder why they feel so negative about life.... without God -looking at the world our righteous anger might turn to hate, revenge, slander, bias, cursing, and violence.  God says to be angry but do not sin.  Looking at the world our feelings of oppression might turn to depression, hopelessness, self-pity, and loss of self worth.

Even our uncanny trait to presume something of the day can hinder us like a curse.  Have you ever heard someone say, “I dread Mondays”?  Why do they dread Mondays?  Are they looking only to their own understanding?  Where is their mindset?   Presumption is assumption by us not God and certainly not God living through us?  Might as well put blinders on and not even consider what God has for you on Mondays.

We live in a world where there is little or no certainty.  The only certainty people have is in God but what certainty do you have if you don’t have God?  Where are your hopes and dreams if you don’t have God? Can you make a positive difference if you don’t have your eyes on God?

The world jerks and grinds enough but our soul doesn’t need to jerk and grind with it. 

God’s word says…

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and prefect will.” Romans 12:2

We might live in this disturbing world and clamors for our attention but we need to have a spiritual disconnect from the world because if we are Christian then our real life is hidden in Christ. 

“For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

Stability doesn’t come from the world but God.  Why do you think the founding fathers of the United States based our country on the principles of God? They knew God gave them stability even in uncertain times.

We can see and hear and experience the murders and the injustices to Jews and Christians around the world but for us to function, as God wants us to we must keep our hearts in Godly perspective where God is to sit on the throne of our hearts.  Time is growing short for Satan so he is pulling out all he can to corrupt the world and turn against God’s own… to steal our rights- forget the constitution, kill the innocent and destroy what is right.  But for those saved in Jesus name… we have already WON.  And we must stand in our position Jesus Christ has WON for us. 

Jesus said…

 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:9-10

God says, “For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” Jeremiah 3:25

David says, “He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3

God says, “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”  Reference: Isaiah 49:23

We have WON in our INFINITE GOD. 

God being Infinite is about making things new in our life.  He isn’t stuck in thoughts of yesterday.  His mind isn’t seasoned by days of the past.  Nothing is routine or mundane with God.  He isn’t even surprised by the happenings of the day.  In our living, active, all knowing God we are not to go around and around- like some religious merry-go-round or listening to the enticing forked tongue earworm that works hard at trying to taint our thoughts.

We are striving to be and do what God wants us to be and do.   Seek He who is infinite, abide in He who is infinite and FIND.   Find the CHANGE of our lookout and in the CHANGE we CAN touch those around us.

The word says the uncompromising, the righteous are as bold as lions. [Reference: Proverbs 28:1] So do we believe it?   

God who makes a NEW DAY also makes us NEW… changing us from glory from glory. He does not save us and leave us but has given us Himself that we might turn away from the old and be renewed and empowered!

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

He isn’t about religion but a faith that is living in the here and now.   He is about speaking to the here and now.  He is about making things fresh in the here and now.  He is the FIRE to makes the lasting flame not some flame that goes dim in the night!

Example: If a church stays in the past, it is the same as a mind that stays in the past- it isn’t living in the Spirit and truth for the Spirit makes the truth come ALIVE! The truth of word of God will always remain but the Spirit causes the truth to LIVE in US!    

ALIVE IS CHANGE… it isn’t a stagnate pond that collects blood sucking mosquitoes.  It is a river that supports life and brings life.

Our Infinite God is about NEW. 

“For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!! Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

No one wants to live in the dry wasteland of ourselves, looking for something to satisfy our souls… no one want to live off the scraps of this world that acts like a bunch of vultures huddled around some smelly decomposing road kill.  Nor can anyone live off yesterday.  No one in their right mind says, “let’s eat that yesterday’s manna that now has maggots gathered on it.”  Does a fresh mountain stream come back the same way it came?   No! Only the decaying and dying do that.  God’s rivers bring refreshing, nourishment and LIFE! Forests and green pastures…

When we don’t seek God we end up flapping our wings wildly trying to get somewhere like a mad bee trapped in a clear vase.  We think we see clearly but we are stuck behind glass of our own understanding only wasting time and energy.  God says seek me and I will make you soar!

“Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:30-31

There is only ONE remedy to all this…. there is only ONE remedy to see and experience and live all the plans and possibilities God has in store for each one of us.  There is only ONE remedy that will make us prosperous and will be feed, sustained and cause our souls to flourish.

"Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.” Deuteronomy 30:9

Living, heart and soul, in God’s Spirit is our remedy to living life FRESH and NEW.

Here are some notes I have jotted down in my quiet time with the LORD.  Some these things say the same thing but that isn’t bad… sometimes it helps us think of the same content in a different manner.

-Ask God to refresh your soul and mind daily. Cleanse you the grit and dirt of yesterday and the past.

-Submit to God in living in Spirit and truth.

-Let God give you the spirit you need for the task- Any task.

-Be Spirit guided not flesh guided.

-Go at the speed of the Spirit not the speed of your want or presumption.

-Do not try to predict or control.

-Know God will provide in what you need and in your call.

-Know there are eternal ramifications in your actions.

-Be in one accord in Spirit for a task to be accomplished successfully.

-Know God wants do something new everyday of your life.

-Know God wants us to come to the knowledge of the truth and live in the knowledge of the truth as Christ is our mediator, teacher and guide.

-Liberty comes with us letting go and letting God do through us.

Did you notice all these things speak of God doing something new in our life?

God is not about putting you in park.  God is not about you grinding and jerking your way through life.  God is not about putting you in first gear where you hold up a line of traffic behind you for miles.  God is about letting you find the hope, peace, joy, love and wisdom of driving with Him- where the drive is refreshing and new and encouraging. 

God we ask that you refresh our souls… guide and direct our lives, empower us to see life not through our own limited understanding but through your enriching infinite Spirit that causes us live this life you have promised in abundance and boldly in you.  In Jesus name Amen.