Breaking Ranks 1

Just as there is a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones, there is a time to close ranks and a time to break ranks.

New Christian Jews grew up with the law and though they could not live up to them, they had a difficult time leaving them behind.  The law was what the Jews “knew”- this living by the grace of God through Jesus Christ was all new to them.  They were breaking ranks with the old ways.   No longer did they have to bring their sacrifices to the temple for their sins, which were “tangible”… and made them feel in this sort control but now they had to trust in the “intangible”. 

In all honesty, churches in this age have the same problem.  They want “comfort” that is controlled by them. 

This past December my wife and I walked into a young man's hospital room whom we loved and appreciated.  Just by looking at his body you would have thought he was just sleeping.  Even the monitors in the room recorded a steady heartbeat but upon closer examination all brain function had stopped.

A life support machine gave his body the appearance of "life" keeping his organs and tissue viable for transplant.  

The church can be on "life-support".  It can look alive but spiritually "dead".  It can have the appearance of "life" with programs, events, bible studies, teaching and so on but "activity" doesn't necessary mean it's spiritually" alive "

Jesus said to the church of Sardis, "I know all the things you do, and you have a reputation for being alive- but you are dead." Revelation 3:1

 … the intangible is unpredictable, challenging, unorthodox and at times irrational in our understanding.  I am sure when Jesus told the man to fill the containers with water and pour some for the master of ceremonies, he probably thought, "How can water be mistaken as wine?"     

I was given a picture once.  The Spirit of God was like a beautiful wild stallion and He comes when we are still.

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

The Spirit of God cannot be tamed.  He does not fit or can he be contained nor does he feel welcomed by wayward hearts, lip service, man made customs and rules learned by rote. (Isaiah 29:13)

 He is the Spirit of God that must be FREE not shackled and directed by unreliable men!

This same stirring and restless should live in the believer!
 

For a people to live as GOD intends us to live, we must not only break ranks with the unjust ungodly rules, social norms, and sinful ideals of this world but religious mindsets.  

Ever hear, “That is the way we have always done it”?   

How about thinking and living too much in the past? What does this mean to the new Christian?!!!    How about compromising the word of God to appease the views of the world? Who is the church to reflect? God or the world?
 

Look at the beautiful cathedrals and church buildings in Europe where God’s people used gather.  Do you wonder why some nearly stand as empty shrines for tourist to visit and held religious ceremony?   
Why did they become to be this way?  What became law in their hearts? What encroached and infringed? What became censored?  How were they scrutinized? Were they persecuted?  Were they tamed by society? Did they compromise the word of God and in doing so... God became no one to honor or fear? 

When churches become like tombs, God becomes an absent “god” in people’s minds.  He becomes that “unknown God” that people give little thought to even when they walk through shadows of steeples that hold up a cross.  And the signs are obvious... a rot and decay of society... the suffering and loss of souls for lack of knowledge of God (Hosea 4:6).  The church building soon becomes just a social gathering place, a club for “Christians”.

Do we see this happening in America?

Comforts

A Christian church will die if:
1. It compromises to the ungodly pressures or thinks it's doing the world a service by agreeing with it's sin.   This is dangerous, laws are made in people's hearts and legislation and soon "anything evil" goes.  (Sin separates us from God.)

2. If it thinks it has "arrived".   It has experienced worldly success and soon sees no need for workings of Spirit of God.  It does what it feels is best without consulting God.

And just as the" law" did nothing for the Jews except to show their guilt of sin so are these so-called “comforts” that are like a plague to a church.

For as children of God we have heard these words, “The law kills but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

The “comforts” of man do little to sustain our spiritual house in fact I have found they actually weaken and brings instability into our life and those around us- for sanity and peace are gifts from God to those who trust and are guided by Him. 

 Colossians says," Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." 2:8

Living in the Knowledge of the Truth

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As my mind became quiet these words came to mind.

“To come to the knowledge of the truth.”

So I looked up this verse:

“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

God doesn’t just want us to be saved but come to the knowledge of the truth- to live in it, understand it, and hence- be empowered by it!  God’s truth is not just some words on a page but guided empowered by the Holy Spirit liberate soul from all that is in the world, others, and ourselves. 

They usher us into a new way of seeing day to day.

In paraphrasing what Pastor Antonio recently shared with me from Mexico, “God is manifesting goodness in our life, not by the limitations and strings of our conscious mind, but beyond.”

For me I was presented with a picture.  Our understanding is a hallway of doors.  Doors we have opened, experienced and lived by.  But when we come to the end ourselves we are presented with a DOOR that surpasses all the others doors of our understanding.  And when this DOOR opens and by the grace of God- this magnificent light floods our soul. It takes the blinders off, cleans, clarifies, unshackles, and makes new what has been exposed to the elements of this corrupted world.  We desire not the old doors but the ONE in which the light is pouring forth, the DOOR that gave us something much more satisfying and liberating then all the other doors that are were futile and ineffective.  This is the DOOR in which we desire.

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut.  You have little strength, yet you have obeyed my word and did not deny me.” Revelation 3:8

I am reminded of this verse.

“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.” Ephesians 3:19

Just as the miracle of our salvation cannot be fully understood when we surrendered our life to Jesus Christ so it is when we continue to surrender to God daily (sanctification).  After all it is not we, (our strength, our might, or our intelligence that was so easily enticed by the flawed and fallen understanding) but the knowledge of truth working in our lives that comes only by surrendering to Christ.  It is God and in God alone.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

C. S. Lewis wrote:

Let us picture a woman thrown into a dungeon. There she bears and rears a son. He grows

up seeing nothing but the dungeon walls, the straw on the floor, and a little patch of the

sky seen through the grating, which is too high up to show anything except sky. This

unfortunate woman was an artist, and when they imprisoned her she managed to bring

with her a drawing pad and a box of pencils. As she never loses the hope of deliverance she

is constantly teaching her son about that outer world which he has never seen. She does

it very largely by drawing him pictures. With her pencil she attempts to show him what

fields, rivers, mountains, cities and waves on a beach are like. He is a dutiful boy and he

does his best to believe her when she tells him that that outer world is far more interesting

and glorious than anything in the dungeon. At times he succeeds. On the whole he gets on

tolerably well until, one day, he says something that gives his mother pause. For a minute

or two they are at cross-purposes. Finally it dawns on her that he has, all these years, lived

under a misconception. ‘But,’ she gasps, ‘you didn’t think that the real world was full of

lines drawn in lead pencil?’ ‘What?’ says the boy. ‘No pencil marks there?’ And instantly,

his whole notion of the outer world becomes a blank. For the lines, by which alone he was

imagining it, have now been denied of it. He has no idea of that which will exclude and

dispense with the lines, that of which the lines were merely a transposition—the waving

treetops, the light dancing on the weir, the colored three-dimensional realities which are

not enclosed in lines but define their own shapes at every moment with a delicacy and

multiplicity which no drawing could ever achieve. The child will get the idea that the real

world is somehow less visible than his mother’s pictures. In reality it lacks lines because it is

incomparably more visible….  Our natural experiences (sensory, emotional, imaginative) are

only like the drawing, like penciled lines on flat paper. If they vanish in the risen life, they

will vanish only as pencil lines vanish from the real landscape; not as a candle flame that is

put out but as a candle flame which becomes invisible because someone has pulled up the

blind, thrown open the shutters, and let in the blaze of the risen sun.

Living in the knowledge of the truth is living beyond the dungeon walls of what we know or understand.  What made sense in the dungeon walls no longer makes sense when we are exposed to the living knowledge of the truth.  Though we live in the walls of this world, our reality is no longer curtailed to the understanding of the world.

 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it’s own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19

Wisdom

“Happy is a person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.  For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold.  Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left.  She will guide you down delightful paths; happy are those who hold her tightly.   By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.   By his knowledge the deep fountains of earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.”  Proverbs 3:14-20

Wisdom, how opposite it is of what most of us think.  It is not some old hardened well- educated chap that has seen, heard, and experienced it all. 

For wisdom is a child, you come by her through the Gate (Jesus Christ), and she grabs your hand and pulls you in- to green hills and lush green forests to the left.  You discover as you step through the Gate, you are no longer your age but a child.  Energy and a gleeful delight fills your soul and bubbles up as you both run like the wind.  Oh the joy of those who find wisdom and take hold of her.  

Jesus said to his disciples,

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

I would say as we mature as children of God our reality has no place to sleep and rest on the things of this world but in God alone.  And there the banquets of fruit are produced and fill the tables of heaven.

The foxes that spoil the vine, the things of the fallen world and fallen understanding, are caught and they are seen/exposed for what they are- they are things that ruin what God wants to grow and prosper in our lives.

Every single day of this life we stand at a door, knowingly or unknowingly, where God asks, “Are you going to come in? Are you going to allow me to show you a better way to live?”

Jesus said,” The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

The thief is the master of trickery…

Who would think by letting go of your life you would save it or even find it but the thief wants you to keep it -that you might save it but you know what Jesus says,

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matthew 10:39

As I thought about this I wondered how often does our understandings often collides with God’s will in our life because we haven’t surrendered it to Him fully. 

Later I was reminded of a one of the books in my bed stand.  It’s a book written by Thomas a Kempis, called “The imitation of Christ”.

I looked at the table contents where I saw the title, “Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart”.

I turned there (page 98)

The Voice of Christ

My Child, renounce self and you shall find Me.  Give up your own self-will, your possessions, and you shall always gain.  For once you resign yourself irrevocably, greater grace will be given you.

The Disciple

How often, Lord, shall I resign myself? And in what shall I forsake myself?

The Voice of Christ

Always, at every hour, in small matters as well as great- I except nothing.  In all things I wish you be stripped of self.  How otherwise can you be mine or I be yours unless you be despoiled of (deprived/ relieved) of your own will (disposition, bias, preference, partiality) both inwardly and outwardly? The sooner you do this the better it will be for you, and the more fully and sincerely you do it the more you will please Me and the greater gain you will merit. Some there are who resign themselves, but with certain reservation; they do not trust fully in God and therefore they will try to provide for themselves.  Others, again, at first offer all, but afterward are assailed by temptation and return to what they have renounced, thereby making no progress in virtue (morality, integrity, righteousness, purity, goodness).  These will not reach the true liberty of a pure heart nor the grace of happy friendship with Me unless they first make a full resignation and daily sacrifice of themselves.  Without this no fruitful notion lasts nor will last.  I have said to you very often, and now I say again: forsake yourself, renounce yourself, and you shall enjoy great inward peace.  Give all for all.  Ask nothing, demand nothing in return.  Trust purely and without hesitation in Me, and you shall possess Me.  You will be free of heart and the darkness will not overwhelm you. Strive for this, pray for this, desire this- to be stripped of all selfishness and naked to follow the naked Jesus, to die to self and live forever for Me.   Then all vain imaginations, all wicked disturbances and superfluous cares will vanish.  Then also immoderate (heavy, unrestrained, reckless, unwarranted, unbridled) fear will leave you and inordinate (excessive care for self which causes unrestrained feelings or behavior) love will die.

To come/live in the knowledge of the truth we must let go/resign/surrender ourselves completely to the LORD in all matters in life that we might exist/abide/live- liberated in CHRIST JESUS (who is the way, the truth and the life) – John 14:6.

Nothing exists without Him, no power, no peace, no life, no knowledge of the truth, no liberation, no resurrection, no fullness of life, nothing satisfying exists without Him.

No wonder why John wrote;

^“ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ” John 1:4-5

Liberty in Christ

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

Liberty in Christ
What does that mean?

• Freedom from the Mosaic law which only tells us we are guilty of sin and blinds us to what Christ Jesus has accomplished for us with his life, sacrifice, resurrection, - as our Teacher, Shepherd, Savior, High Priest and Creator.
• Freedom from being dominated over by corrupt desires, which allows our soul to walk in the Spirit/ the will of God.
• Freedom from the restraints and miseries of the earthly frailty.  Our bodies may be dying but our Spirit is being refreshed, assured and matured in the love of our Lord.  We can have joy, peace, love, hope, and faith when outwardly there is no reason why we should have such wonderful things.
• We are Christ minded not worldly-minded. (Note: 1 Corinthians 2:16)
• This liberty has only been given to us as Christians because we have accepted the blood covenant with our Lord Jesus Christ, which paid the penalty for our sins.  This covenant made it possible to have a relationship with God.
• We are not self-assured by good deeds or works or even those we surround ourselves with, for these things can give us a false sense of security.  We are to be assured in our Lord Jesus Christ alone.

To Be Liberated
We can try to do many things to “change” -for what “we “ think is better but unless there is a heart and mind change nothing will change.

We are doomed to repeat the same things over and over again.  Ever hear people say they are going to do something to make their situation or life better but their “idea” of better is pitiful next to God’s plan.  Then you have those who like to TALK but don’t even follow through at all.  Maybe it’s because of fear, maybe it’s not sure how to pursue their objective, maybe it was a temporary desire, maybe the passion was snuffed out, maybe they didn’t seek God’s direction.

Ever give advice “inspired by the Holy Spirit” to someone and it sounds and looks like they were listening but in following up in conversation their situation and mindset is still much the same.

Jesus said, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  Our sheer “will” power of the flesh is weak, inconsistent, and easily distracted.   It wants to give in to the screams and naggings of the world.  The flesh has a difficult time getting out of mundane themes and feelings of yesterday to a fresh perspective on the here and now.  It is captured in the cocoon and familiarity of the days before.  The dust we have accumulated from yesterday’s life is never brushed off with the renewing assurance (hope) of the Lord.   And since it is transfixed on yesterday and it’s cloud, it finds it difficult to seek God’s face and partnership in the tasks at hand.  If finds it difficult to stand because it never considers who wants to stand with them.  It finds it difficult to see God’s mercies and grace are fresh and anew everyday.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23

The flesh finds it difficult to be humble and submit to God and not this life.  We forget who is our caretaker at times who makes all things new- including our perspective on day.

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Pslam 118:24

“Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.”  Psalm 54:4

Life without God is very lonely and trying and meaningless.

So what does a person need to be liberated?

• One: People need to give their life to the Lord Jesus Christ- EVERYDAY!  Don’t try to give him only parts because one part affects all the other parts.  I know this from experience.  Give him the entire engine- not just parts of the engine. Give him ALL you are able to give.
• Two goes with one: Admit you have been wrong in your thinking and understanding and you need God’s help.  Only a fool admits he/she doesn’t need God.  I need him everyday to keep a sound mind!  (Note Galatians 5:22-23)  Sound mind isn't our way but God's way.
• Three is very important: Submit to His Spirit and not our flesh.  For God changes our heart when we give our life to Him and He makes us want to please Him.   We no longer want to submit to our sinful and weak nature but walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8)
• Four goes with 1,2 & 3.  Read the Word of God for yourself.  Ask God to guide your reading and study and meditate on the words that seem to pop off the page.  God wants to liberate your life through His Spirit! (Holy Spirit)
• Five: Stop quickly when you feel you are being seduced into horizontal thinking… where it’s just you tackling the things in life and the world and God seems to be absent or at least very distant in your mindset and heart.

God says, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”  Ezekiel 36:26

“A heart of flesh” in this case is not talking about the sinful nature but a heart that is receptive to God and the things of God.  It is a heart of “moral” character, conscience, resolution, and determination.  And God is to be not just the compass of that heart but the strength of that heart.

“I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” Jeremiah 24:7

“This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

Have you ever tried to please God by your own “will” power or strength.   It is not just the most frustrating thing a person can go through but you feel like a complete failure as a Christian.

More then a decade ago, I remember being on the phone sharing my predicament to my grandmother.  I had just been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit weeks before.  Life had turned from night to day and I was trying to share this new reality with everyone I knew but as I started listening to the radio ministries and reading my bible I found myself off kilter, I knew I had been swept clean by the Holy Spirit.  I no longer had those resentful feelings I used to have.  I knew I could finally read God’s word to where it now made sense.  I was now enjoying church. I was like a spiritual sponge soaking all I could from the pastor’s sermons.  I even liked that “Christian” music.   I had become a new creature in Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

BUT when I compared my life to other Christians, I found I didn’t measure up.   I didn’t want to crawl, I wanted to walk and run like everyone else and that is where I inadvertently stepped into a hole.  Ever play out in a green field and step into a hole that was covered by some long blades of grass? What happens?  Well that is what I did.

In my haste to “catch up” (figuratively speaking) “I” was trying to please God with my own "will" power.  That was my first mistake.   Second mistake was not comprehending all the spiritual warfare I was now standing in.  No one told me once I became a Christian I would suddenly be a target on Satan's hit list.  I wondered why if I am a Christian why are these sinful thoughts popping into my head from no-where?   I didn't even give it the remote possibility it was Satan whispering in my ear to sabotage my faith.  I thought it was ALL me.   These thoughts really bothered me until I was thoroughly frustrated.  (Sinful thoughts would had not bothered me before but since my heart had changed, they bothered me now.  After all Jesus says if you even think it, you are guilty of sin.)  Was the thought something I conjured up and hunted down and sequestered OR did I put those "thoughts" into the production line?  I didn't... so what did?

Go tell those "thoughts" to go take a jump off a high high high cliff so when it hits the ground no one can tell what it originally looked like.    That is way the word says "stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil".  But I at the time did not know that.   And do to the confusion and junk thrown at me, and thinking - that  junk was my problem ... and thinking I had to be perfect by my own strength I was now stumbling over mere ideas that came into my mind.







Hebrews 12 calls this life “a race” but I find the only competitor in this race is MYSELF.  I am up against myself, my wandering mind, my feelings, my desires, my wants, my needs, my understandings, my perceptions, my lack knowledge when it comes to the word of God  and so on…  That is why it is important to be in the word of God so you can stay liberated in God.   Satan is the big bully on the sidelines- heckling you and throwing whatever he can in your path to try to stop you.     We "compete" against ourselves in all the different facets of this life.  And this race is “figuratively” more like a three-legged race where Jesus is to be our partner and we are depend on his leading not ours.  We move as he moves.  

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." Acts 17:28

Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our  faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

He is the author and finisher of our faith- not us. When we try to be the author and finisher of our faith we get all ensnared in life and live in disobedience.  

Let’s go back to the hole I was ensnared in …. And as I flipped through the pages of my bible and listened to my grandmother’s words of encouragement, my eyes directly fell upon this verse.

“….. It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.” Zechariah 4:6

Tears came from my eyes… all this time I had been trying to be “perfect” by my “own” strength when all I had to do was turn and ask for God’s help.  God is the one to aid us as we live this Christian life.  

I remember this relief came over me.  I spoke the verse's words out loud, my grandmother’s voice smiled on other end of the line. “That’s right!”  She replied.  “God loves us. He doesn’t want us to try living this life without Him.”  This revelation sank within me; God is going to assist me. God is going to help me.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Thank God for THE Shepherd who picks us out of all the different kinds of holes in life.

We are all like sailboats without wind for our sails when we try to go through this life without God’s help.  Yep- all kinds of dangers there.  Pirates, sharks, dehydration, the unpredicted squall- to name a few.  We are just aimlessly walking and groping through the darkness when we go it alone.  Yep- there too! Those left behind Legos, walls that come out of no where, the bed post that seems to find your toe every stink'n time, and the eluding light switch.

SO before we can be liberated we must see some of the symptoms of what we need to be liberated from.  Here are a few.

•      Legalism.
•      Counting your good deeds as a way to find favor with God.
•       Measuring your own goodness against other people's "lack of goodness".
•      You finding yourself closer to fears then to God.
•      Trusting yourself more then God.
•      Hypocrisy, holding to a doubt standard towards others, partiality.  
•      Lies, deceit and deception and slander.
•      Being conceited and prideful.
•      Jealousy, anger, hostility, foul abuse language.
•      Envy, coveting, greedy over what the world considers the “good things” in this life.
•       All the different forms of worldly addiction. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, immoral sex,    hording, gluttony, internet and video game addiction and so on.
•      Impure and/or lustful thoughts.
•      Idolatry.  The worship of things and people instead of God.
•      Not upholding truth, denying the truth.
•      Participation in demonic actives, witchcraft, fortune telling, mediums or spiritualist.
•      Accepting our circumstances in life as a measure of who we are in Christ.
•      Living in your own understanding and perception.
•      Thinking everyone is wrong except you and your own little group.

Quite a few are listed in Galatians 5:19-21. 

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13


“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-4

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

“Can anything separate us from the love of Christ?  Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?  It is exactly as the scriptures say, “For you we face death all day long.  We are like sheep on their way to be butchered.”  In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.  I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love- not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below.  Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:35-39

(God is the everlasting hand of friendship and faithfulness)

“You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side.  Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth. You died, which means that you life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God. Christ gives meaning to your life and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory” Colossians 3:1-4

(Set your heart on what is eternal not temporal.)

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8

In the liberty of Christ we find all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us.

The dark churning skies of "our" world are blown away by a refreshing wind which reveals calm clarity in the mind and heart as we humble ourselves before God.  His quiet compass of our soul keeps us away from the religious Bermuda Triangle.  His anchor for our soul keeps us from becoming estranged from his love.   We sadly see those who only live to serve this world and its always-unsatisfied appetite of meaningless.  We are reminded with His pure light, God gives our life meaning; he satisfies our eternal souls with his eternal constant love.  What more does the soul need but God?

Sin & Liberty Don’t Mix
Some even now think God’s liberty gives them the right to sin and live immoral lives but sin only brings you back under bondage.  It separates you from God.

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”  Galatians 5:13

God has no favorites.  God is not impartial.  God is not a hypocrite.

“But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.”  Colossians 3:25

Liberty & His Return
The good work happens when we trust in him and his liberty.  It won't matter when the day the Lord comes because you will be living and growing in his liberty.  You will be ready!
  
“God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that day that Christ Jesus returns. I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices.  Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ Jesus returns.  And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.” Philippians 1:6, 9-11

Wearing Liberty.
“Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.” 1 Samuel chapter 18

According to one of MANY Jewish customs this was one way to show a covenant.  Jonathan is saying to David, “Whatever is mine in yours.”

This covenant also illustrates the covenant we have with Jesus Christ- if we have made him Lord of our life.    Not having a robe of righteousness ourselves, Jesus has given us his robe of righteousness, which not only makes us holy and acceptable in the sight of our Heavenly Father, but it allows us live in God’s righteousness by his Holy Spirit.

Romans 13:14 “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 3:27  “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Ephesians 4:24  “and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Liberty is being clothed from head to foot in what God has given us. Think about the armor of God.

“A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power.   Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.  For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood but the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.  Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth, and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.  In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Think about the parable Jesus shares with us about the Story of the Lost Son. (Note Luke 15:11-32

The son has lost his entire inheritance. He has been living the way of the world and being used by the world.   He ends of in the lowest of low jobs - feeding the swine.  Seeing nothing to lose he decides to go and ask if he can be a servant in his father’s house but as he approaches the road to his father’s house a man, who recognized his saunter from the distance, comes running towards him.
As the man got closer, the son realized it was his father.  The father did not have rage or disbelief as he looked at his son standing there in soiled and tattered rags for clothes but one of tears and a smile.  The father embraced and kissed his son as if he had been waiting for this day for a long time.  Ashamed the son said to his father, “Father I have sinned against both you and heaven, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.”
The father wiped his son’s tears of repentance from his face.  It wasn’t long after when some servants approached.  The father said to his servants,  “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen.  We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but now he is found…”

The Father of Heaven has given us the best robe that His house can offer - the robe of HIS righteousness - a sign of a loving covenant with you as his child.  He has only offered it to you through Jesus Christ and Him alone.  You are accepted by God because of this covering of righteousness.  You can live in His liberty because of this covering.  Living according to the Holy Spirit not the flesh.  He has placed a ring on your finger - also a sign of a loving covenant with you through Christ.  This ring is also a sign of authority and “restored” relationship and “honored” position- for you are God’s child and you have authority over sin in your life and evil trying to smother your light.   He has given you sandals for your feet- which represent the peace that comes from the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Jesus has saved us.  We were once lost in sin and this world but now we are found.  We have been saved and restored and liberated in Christ.

The devil and sin have no power over us.  Evil has no power over us.  No wonder why the Devil and his evil forces want to destroy us.  Fortunately he can only kill our bodies not our souls and to be absent from the body for a Christian is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8

THINK ON THIS-
Are you liberated in Christ?  Have you accepted his liberty?  Are you assured in Him alone? ARE YOU A PRISONER SET FREE?  God wants you to be.  Have you been living as the rest of world does and used by the world and found yourself empty?  Come to Him just as the Lost Son did and find how much God loves you.  Come to Him.  He doesn’t want you to live this life without Him.

Jesus may those who read this take to heart your words and apply it to their lives.  In Jesus Name Amen.

Newsboys - Live With Abandon (Official Lyric Video) from newsboys.

 

For the Battle is Not Yours, But God's Pt.2

LIBERATED In GOD’S LOVE

JESUS said “So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” John 8:36

Remember when you were a child arriving at the ocean. Filling your senses would be the smell of salt air, the chants of seagulls, and white caped waves crashing on the mirroring sandy shores.  It intoxicated your soul like a marching drum of victory.  Anticipation flooded your blood stream with adrenaline, and once the car was parked you would rush through the station wagon door like a wild stallion unbridled and set free.  You would not stop running until your bare feet crossed that hot summer sand and your hooves reached the spilling tide where an explosion of water would ensue with your impact.  There was no aches or pains or sluggishness and certainly no…. fear.   God was giving you a taste of what it feels like to be liberated in his love.  

And he (Jesus) said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

God wants to LIBERATE us spiritually IN HIS LOVE.  

 He did that when he drew us to Himself so we might come to His Son, Jesus Christ to be saved and he continues to do so we might experience HIS love more profoundly and live our lives in that love so others might see the affects and effects of HIS LOVE in our life.

He wants to LIBERATE our ways of thinking and understanding. He wants us to know the CERTAINTY of HIS LOVE as his little children.
   

“What can we say about such wonderful things as these?  If God is for us; who can ever be against us?  Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32

The humble and grateful answer is yes.  

 2 Peter 1:3 “As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life.  He called us to receive his own glory and goodness!”

LIBERATED in HIS courage, grace, love, hope, strength, wisdom, ability, peace, certainty, boldness and capacity to escape the corruption and snares of this world.

IN OUR GROWING trusting loving relationship with God, we become liberated from our insecurities, doubts, fears, and selfishness - things that the enemy of our soul wants to exploit so we never live out our Godly purpose and experience our Spirit-filled potential in God’s assuring love.
 

The enemy wants to get your eyes off of God.   He wants us to question the certainty of God's love.  (Nothing has changed since the Garden of Eden.) 

Wess Stafford, President and CEO of Compassion International wrote,  "Satan messed with Eve's mind clear back in the Garden of Eden as his first tactic to separate people from their creator, and thus break God's heart.  Propaganda and mind control has long been the first wave of attack in historic warfare.  It has always proved more powerful then clubs, swords, guns, bombs, missiles or remote guided drone."  Just A Minute, page 139

Satan knows if we take our eyes off of God's love we will stop and become ensnared and enslaved by fear and uncertainty BUT if we looked as little children to the Lord- in whom our faith depends from start to finish, we can be liberated and inspired by God’s love and become the people God planned for us to become. (Note: Hebrews 12:2)

Man on Earth 2

"But the people's minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:14, 16, 17)

Mental Block
We don't understand because we stay in our own circumstances, experiences, understandings, and our ideals instead of coming to the Lord. We are hardened by what we see on this world not paying much attention of what is being orchestrated for our benefit from up above to wake us up, build us up and set us free. God has a PLAN for our life! That PLAN means changes. Sometimes small changes sometimes major changes.

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord- who is the Spirit- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Obviously this is not a thought by man- for man wants to work by the means he is familiar with as if he has some real control and is in-tuned to the very microscopic details of the present but in reality man is doing nothing lasting and spinning his wheels if not following the Spirit.

Most often I have found that those who follow the Spirit, may not even know what God is up to and is going or about to happen but because he/she has followed the Spirit, they were able to be a vessel of God just by following the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Sad but True
In man's ignorance, he acts as if his efforts somehow matter all by their lonesome but it is by the Spirit of God in which a person's actions truly matter and are lasting and where one truly reflects the Lord's glory. I can read God's word to anyone but it is the Spirit which gives its meaning and power. It is the Spirit who picks the scriptures for me to share and puts meaning and power behind them.

Go with the Flow
Again God's word is alive! The Spirit of God needs to direct and instruct a person in what to say and speak and act. That is where there is freedom. Freedom from the weight of holding up to some ideal (good or bad) we have lifted up within ourselves. Freedom from the human "what-if".  Freedom from the ticking minute.  Freedom from the opinions of others and ourselves.

Encouragement in the Spirit
There is also encouragement in both the parties giving and receiving in the Spirit- for God himself is the true encourager.

Men may have a lot to say to bring us up or down but God is the one that truly matters in the end for all men and women will let us down at some point in our lives but God will never let us down.

God makes us feel like our efforts are worthwhile even though no one else may see or hear of them and we are feed spiritually. The person in need receives and the person waiting and listening in the Spirit of God sees and hears fruitful results even if their superiors, equals and those under them see nothing- BUT all will be known in the end. Those qualified by the Spirit of God know it is only God not themselves who can and does "such" things. He (the vessel/ the servant) is content being carried on the Father's shoulders for he knows who should get all the credit and he/she is more then content to have the opportunity for God to work through them as a vessel.

OOPS!
I believe the only time we are NOT content is when we DO NOT work via the Spirit but by some man made means and/or putting too much emphasis on the present.

Again "man made means" are our own understandings, ideals, schedules, fear of man instead of God, and having to do things that don't address the immediate needs of those we are suppose to serve.

Food for Thought
Imagine being a nurse and having a specific treatment that would help your patient heal and get well faster but you were unable to administer that treatment because your supervisor told you to use something else. Imagine being a teacher that had a better learning method in helping students learn to read but you could not use that method because the school district didn't allow you to teach that technique. Imagine being a Spirit filled Sunday school teacher that wanted to address the needs of those in their class but was forced to always stay to a denominational nationwide curriculum which does not address those immediate needs of those attending that church class.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE! And it is by Him (The Spirit of God) that we reflect the Lord's glory.

INTENTIONS MATTERIf you came to church seeking God to fulfill a need or want (that you know falls within God's plan for your life) and you received nothing at all to answer or fulfill or address that need or matter- would you not feel discouraged? Sure you would! That is why it is important that seekers of God seek God's will for their life and leaders, vessels, and servants of Christ listen to the Spirit.

Those seeking God must keep their eyes, ears and heart (quietly and humbly) open knowing everything is in God's timing. We must not twist God's word to fulfill a need or want in our life but genuinely seek the Holy Spirit's guidance and direction and purpose for our life.

And when God does give you that guidance and direction it may not always be easy for those looking from the outside at your situation but God puts in us the gumption without hesitation to do what he directs. If it isn't in the Spirit of God's love then it isn't of God.

In the Spirit of God's Love
You ask what is the Spirit of God's love?

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love is does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The Spirit gives us the assurance that what we are doing is right and is in line with God's love.

The combination of God Spirit direction and God driven assurance gives us the gumption without hesitation, guilt or condemnation. Everything happens for a reason and sometimes we don't understand the reasoning until after the directive.

In God's love and in quiet humble belief- God works in some amazing ways. God may not answer that need or want right away for it may not be the time to answer that need or want but don't you think God will "address" that need in some way-shape-or form? He may say,  "be patient" or "wait on the Lord" or "I hear your case" or "I know more about "that" then you do."  Sure He will answer- if we are actively waiting for Him to answer.

Our Thinking?
Why do you come to church? Is it out of some human rational? It is because that is what you are suppose to do every Sunday? It is to punch some ticket with God or to look good to others? To follow some high philosophy or rational or legalism?  Please DON'T DO THAT!

We must come to church looking to receive from God. We go to praise His name - where we can enter His presence with other believers. We go to learn God's word and to learn to walk in the Spirit and be encouraged and be an encouragement to others as we walk on this earth.  We should go knowing God wants to move and do MORE in our life. (I am not just talking about gifts of the Spirit but moving us out of trappings of life and being tied up in the affairs of this life where we cannot satisfy the ONE who enlisted us into His army.  To not just do good works for sake of doing good works but do good works because we have that love for Jesus.  "That love" we first had when we discovered the reality of Him in our life.)  

We are only endanger of glorifying ourselves, encouraging, building up no one and possibly even doing the devils work if we do things in the flesh not the Spirit of God.

So let us encourage one another to live in the Spirit of God which is more satisfying in the end. Let us pay attention and take heed of what the Spirit of God is telling us. Let us meditate on the words of God that come to mind for they teach, encourage, bring peace and comfort and assurance that God is for us not against us. If you take a step- God will take a step and his step is deeper then we can imagine. In Jesus Name - Amen. Amen. Amen.