Higher Perspective That Takes Some Work

-->

A “positive” perspective takes effort.  There are so many things that want to draw our attention to the negatives- from social apps, mainstream media, people we come in contact with but negativity can   come from us as well.

While growing up I dreaded school more then most.  Anxiety would race through my body even before my ear piercing alarm would go off.  No amount of studying seemed to calm the apprehension of a test or quiz day.  Change brought nervousness and queasiness.  Failure brought depression and frustration. 

I preferred solitude.  I still prefer a quiet place where I can “gather my thoughts”. 

Today I have to make an effort to be sociable with large groups of people.  I seem to be an observer of people.  I often pay close attention to people’s verbal tones and actions.  I still collect people’s actions like data- especially where I sense tension or some kind of judgment towards me. 

In these cases I have to fight the urge to withdraw.  I have to fight sinking into the quicksand condemnation.   I have to let go of “feeling less” then….

I always felt different and to this day I still sometimes feel awkward around others.  My mind at times seems to fail me -shutting my access off to its’ vocabulary banks where I easily forget people’s names and words causing conversation blunders.

Assessing these matters, I have pondered if these insufficiencies and failures have strengthened me in a strange way- where I have had to yield myself to God’s abounding grace instead of what wants to impede and deter from “higher/constructive” perspectives.    

It takes work to not fall into the habitual practices of the past.  It is probably one of the most difficult things we can do- to learn to submit, let go and accept God’s authority over our life so we can walk in the resilient buoyancy of God.     

Paul wrote, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of the faith with power.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11 NASB

 

We often look at out our calling in a broad sense but our calling is also “intimate” and “eternal”.  If you are a Christian, your calling is being a child of God.  There is no higher calling.  It is allowing to God to empower you in all things great and small in the day… no matter in success or failure, sickness or good health, richer or poorer, older for older and so on… 

Our calling is believing that God is the author and finisher of our faith…  He helps us become conquers over the old habits of self and the hindrances of this world.  We put our hard “investment/effort/work/” into trusting that the LORD is LORD of our life.

And in return for our hard mental work: Life has… goodness because He is LIFE, which is our higher perspective/power amongst everything else. 

Think of all the benefits there are to your soul, mind and body in living in our calling.

  

Kingdoms

As bro Taylor gave us a message this morning…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We “are” because of Him. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

          

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 CHILDLIKE

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.  My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11

Is it you or is it God?

Are you actually ceasing from “your” labors and entering “his” rest? Are you allowing God to keep you in all things?

At different times in our life- heartache and heaviness can come… in those difficult times we need to be careful not to stay in that fishnet of despair but direct that heartache and heaviness to Jesus so that we may swim free.

A piece of Raku pottery

Jesus can take our brokenness and turns it into something hopeful and beautiful - where there is healing for our scared hearts.  (When I wrote this I saw a picture of a beautiful piece of Raku pottery.)

In our daily life we can bring heaviness to our life through just our thoughts.

We can intentionally or inadvertently add weight by holding on to life too tightly and forgetting to live in God where there is renewing health and vitality for our soul.

Instead of experiencing life in the moment we mentally live in the previous or racing ahead….

There are responsibilities in our daily lives that need to get done but at what cost to our health and faith are they being done in?  Thoughts can be powerful things and adverse affects happen when we only think  in regimented and self-sufficient premises or outlooks and attitudes.  We are not keepers of ourselves.  We are not a slave to “unleashed” feelings… we are children of God and what He said our life is suppose to be set upon.  Our sufficiency, capability, adequacy comes from God… We are to cast all your cares upon who?

You know what will absolutely mess up your day?  It is thinking only in your own understanding. 

When I start thinking in a regimented way, I am mentally putting on the blinders on and closing God off.   Life becomes mundane and joyless because I am not being built up on the prosperous things of God but reverting to my own faulty understandings.  I am not thankful and the world becomes my taskmaster. 
 

 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

In June, of last year, I had a dream about being at camp.  After camp we loaded an enormous bus.  For some reason, I ended up sitting on the top deck of bus that was open to the sky.   

The bus traveled up this steep, narrow swerving one-way road.  On one side of the road was a sharp slope of hillside and the other- a steep drop off.   

As the bus went up this road, it began to sway and tilt in the uncomfortable direction toward the steep drop off side of the road.  I felt as if the driver of the bus was taking the curves too fast.  It was even more bothersome because the top deck had no rails to keep people from accidentally falling off of the bus. I held a little boy sitting next to me tightly concerned he might slip off the top of the bus.  But as we came off the hillside without incident I saw all my concerns were unwarranted as we came to a white city that had these glimmering pools of water that rose ever so slight and then lowered again never over flowing their confinements.

When I had a chance to retell this dream to a friend recently, it dawned on me that the little boy I held on tightly to was a symbol.

As we travel on this narrow and difficult and perplexing road of life (Matthew 7:14) we need to hold tightly to our “childlike faith” that God will get us safely through the hazards of life. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 

Childlike faith looks foolish to the world because it is not self-sufficient; all figured out, planned out but is a surrendered, reliant and entrusted in God. (1 Corinthians 1:27)

 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.  Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.  Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil.  Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.” Proverbs 3:5-8

Spiritual Attacks

If you are anything like me... your shoulders sink a little at the subject matter of spiritual warfare.   You are tired of the dreaded topic that seems to never go away.   We don't just see and hear the evidence of spiritual warfare on television and radio but we see it in our lives and people's lives around us.  It is prevalent or common everywhere... even in the church.   So you can imagine my hesitation in addressing this topic... but after I posted I heard Dr. David Jeremiah and Dr. Charles Stanley) speak of spiritual warfare as well.   This not only confirmed but encouraged my soul.  
 
In my experience and reading the bible, Christians will experience spiritual attacks from the enemy who will use just about anyone or any situation to discourage and hurt us.  We must not only realize the source of these attacks but where our life needs to be securely fastened to so that we may stand as children of God against the wiles of the Devil. 

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers  and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirit in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The Very Real Unseen Enemy to Humanity
I once shared with you a time when I asked God if the devil was indeed real and that very night the spiritual veil was taken down to reveal our adversary.  Like a figure of a human- he has no horns, tail, or pitch fork.  He is no longer the once beautiful angel he once was.  He had no wings.  He had no armor. His outer appearance is scared and blotchy and it is reasonable to imagine this was caused when he was thrown from heaven.

 "He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven." Luke 10:18

Satan's penetrating evil eyes seemed to look straight into my soul.  He was in this dark vertical channel of a chamber that had an orange flickering glow below him.  When I could not stand to look at him anymore (which wasn't long) I turned my head away and that is when I heard a blood curdling scream that startled me awake.  The scream seemed like it was right by my bed side.  I sat straight up in bed and listened but no other scream came.  The tortured scream no doubt came from one of his deceived victims.

Needless to say I told God, " I know the devil is real now."  I didn't need any other further proof then what I saw and witnessed.  Don't make the mistake of thinking the devil is some folktale, myth, joke or some poetic symbolic illustration of evil.  He is very real.  His deception is making people think he doesn't exist or he is some friend of the rebellious.  

Satan has been deceiving many since the very beginning.  His warfare seems to be increasing, probably because he senses his time is short.  Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy but Christ came to give life and life more abundantly.  Satan wants to persuade humanity to put their hopes in material possessions and riches, power and popularity or even health -that way when he takes those things away they see no value or hope in what they perceive as life.  But LIFE isn't what the world believes is life.  Life is GOD who gives of himself.   God gives ensuring love, sustaining hope, lasting peace, abounding joy, undeserved mercy and grace. Things the Devil doesn't want us to know or understand.  In fact he rather deceive in order to steal the reality of those things in our life and he works hard at it.
      

 "Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and declared war against the rest of her children- all who keep God's commandments and confess that they belong to Jesus." Revelation 12:17                 

 
We find out a lot about ourselves in spiritual attacks.  We find out how far from God we are or how close we are to God.  We also find out a lot about God and his ability to keep us calm as we allow him his rightful place on the throne of our heart. 

Dream of a Spiritual Attack

In the dream a man brought a white horse into the front of sanctuary of our church building.  The horse got spooked and ran to the back of the sanctuary where I was sitting.  I calmly put out my right hand knowing somehow it would come to me.  When it came to my hand it transformed into furious white hound and took my right hand into its mouth to bite it.  I was not afraid or even surprised by this sight.    I might have been had the bite actually been a bite but the hound couldn’t harm me.  When the master retrieved the dog, I could see into the animal's mouth.  Around the inside of hound’s teeth was a blue substance that prohibited the hound’s teeth from biting down onto my hand. 

I admit the subject matter somewhat troubled me ... but instead of letting it get the best of me I sought God and after a few weeks these images were revealed one by one. 

Spiritual Attacks

 "Dear Friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.   Instead, be very glad- for these trials make you partners with Christ in his sufferings, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." 1 Peter 4:12-13

"God blesses those are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."  Matthew 5:10

We will all experience as Christians spiritual attacks in one form or another but thank God he has warned us of these attacks in His word and by His Holy Spirit.

Keep These Things in Mind.

1.      Be thankful for the warning from God.  Thank Him for his protection. Psalm91:10-11

2.      Don’t become preoccupied with potential attacks. John10:10

3.      Seek discernment from God concerning those individuals and situations that come across your path. James 1:5

4.     Stay Alert. 1 Peter 5:8

5.     Draw close to God. Humble yourself before God. Stay submitted and reliant on God for understanding especially in the midst of an attack.  God will keep you calm.  James4:7-8

6.     Remember God is on sentinel duty in your life. Psalm27:1-5

7.     Thank Him again knowing you have put your life in His hands. He is your peace. John 14:27
Remember our brothers and sisters who are suffering much more-even at the cost of their own life. 1 Peter 5:9-10 

Consistency of GOD

The consistency of God must not be determined in the substrates of human understanding, which might be prejudice and carried in the matters of indecision. 

The consistency/faithfulness of God is proven when God imprints himself on the individual regardless of earthly circumstances. 

For the sky is veiled by blue in the day and only reveals the stars at night.  

When one insists on the consistency of God and/or questions the consistency of God I wonder from what they are referencing.

I am not saying GOD is unfaithful but I am saying to really understand the consistency of God we must trust beyond the confines of the human conditions and mindsets that trip us up.  Let us take comforts for example.  American Christians wouldn't say creature comforts determine the faithfulness of God but if certain circumstances came upon them, would they question God's faithfulness?  Would they remember Job from the bible?  Would they remember all Jesus suffered and spoke?

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

One who reads Ecclesiastes finds everything in this life is meaningless without God.  I do wonder if the American ideals of comfort have mixed into the American church, causing a weakness in the understanding the consistency of God.

And like Pastor Charles Stanley spoke this morning, sometimes God allows certain uncomfortable situations to occur in our life to get our attention, that he might benefit our soul.    I know that is true when it came to me coming to Jesus.  God had to get my attention- so I would not just drift along in the affairs of the world and life. 

The proven consistency of GOD … needs to go beyond ourselves.  It needs to go beyond what we consider faithful in the faithful sense.  Is this not true... good as well as bad can be used for our good? 

God touched on this last time.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.…” Romans 8:35-37  

Sense GOD is Spirit, his faithfulness does not just stop with the physical but through the Spirit, moves in us effecting our "mental/emotional state as an individual.  It causes a "self-control" that is not dependent on the faulty wiring within us.  We have peace though we should not have peace.  We are merciful in situations that could be unmerciful.  We are unforgiving in situations that seem unforgivable... and so on.

God's consistency is answering the spiritual need not just the physical need. 

It is humbling to visit a 3rd world country and see people with hardly anything yet God is their strength.  And they know, regardless of what they have or not have, they are children of the Most High.    

God allowed nearly everyone of his faithful disciples to be slaughtered except John who was boiled alive and survived? But did their faith in God break? Of course not! Jesus even told Peter how he would die. 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" John 21:18-19

But how did God empower them?

God had to become BIGGER then the physical.  God had to become BIGGER then death.  The faith and consistency of God had to become known in the spiritual not the material or physical sense.

And throughout the centuries many Christians have been murdered and martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ but only stood to face the darkness because they saw WHO was mightier then the darkness. 

God does care about our physical everyday needs to sustain this mortal body of ours, which is His temple. (John 2:20-22 Reference of Jesus speaking of His body has the temple)

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16

In many cases God’s temples has been trampled, ripped apart, shot, burned, beheaded, hung, crucified... hence not respected.

This temporal body, a temple, isn’t to last, it is only a vessel that holds our soul, our soul that is to be imprinted upon by God as we trust and submit in Him.  The soul is what matters most!  It is what will last forever! Not this body which will return to the ground.      

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

We must recognize that our trust in God needs to go beyond confines of the human condition.   The human condition will be broken someday and the soul will be whatever God has made with it through our relationship with Him. 

The Christian soul thrives when it seeks, looks and resigns itself to God in whatever comes but it suffers when it does not.

Jesus said he came to give life and life more abundantly.  In many aspects we must think of LIFE as not us having life but LIFE possessing us for GOD is LIFE.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Johns 14:6

How many times have you seen a person’s faith grow stronger not dimmer in stimuli and circumstances that have brought about certain finalities?  What is supernaturally happening in those individuals?

Have you ever watched a Christian who is dying?  Have you ever heard the conversations and sentences they speak when they sleep?  Profound…

Their soul is being prepared to leave its dying and broken confines, in fact their soul even seems to come in and out of this reality, to where God is. 

Their dying body struggles but beyond the body is a soul at peace and rest.  (Not so for the soul that is not a Christian.)

Then after all has been accomplished in the soul, God lifts the soul out the body like taking a long sleeve shirt off over someone’s head.   The hands go up and the head lifts, the eyes open briefly and then they are gone.   All that is left is a broken shell that was once animated by the soul.

The soul that was not made for this world but made for God, to glorify God on this earth in the body which is was given.

God DOES heal.  God DOES rescue.  God DOES restore.  God DOES provide.   I have experienced these things but but let's not the circumstances in life short change us in getting a fuller deeper understanding of the faithfulness of God.

“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:3-5

 

Dream

-->

On November 1 of 2015 I had a dream. 

In the dream other members of other congregations join a congregation but the congregation remains the same size.

The number people always remained the same.  Is the body of Christ like a string of individual threads?  We may go to separate faculties, building, homes, services, groups but we belong to the one string, the one Vine, the LORD who is Jesus Christ.    

 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

I was attending a service in the dream.  People were working on homework.  Some were lying down on the pews as if they were beds where they snuggled in with their pillows and blankets.   I told one by me,  “This isn’t an appropriate time to sleep”.  People sang the songs but didn’t know the words of the song.

“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” 1 Corinthians 11:30.

What is to separate the church from the world? 

Once I shared this dream with a couple brothers in Christ who attend different churches I heard several familiar themes.

One. People in the church can read the Bible but they can’t seem to carry out/live out what the words says in their life.

Two.  People do not know who walks with them.  It’s if they are walking this Emmaus walk in life but don’t realize it’s the LORD who is walking beside them.

Ask yourselves these questions?

IS it like the words in Isaiah?  “Oh how deaf and blind you are toward me!  Why won’t you listen?  Why do you refuse to see?  Who is in all the world is as blind as my own people, my servant?  Who is as deaf as my messengers?  Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD?  You see and understand what is right but refuse to act on it.  You hear, but you don’t really listen.  The LORD has magnified his law and made it truly glorious.  Through it he had planned to show the world that he is righteous.   But what sight his people are, for they have been robbed, enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped.  They are fair game for all and have not one to protect them.   Will not even one of you apply these lessons from the past and see the ruin that awaits you?” Isaiah 42:1-23

IS it like the words of Matthew 15:8?  “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

In the dream the pastor/clergy is frustrated as if nothing is getting through to his people.  I walk outside of the church to get some fresh air, as I too am discouraged.

I look to the sky and see the sun and a cloud of vapor before it that is imitating the sun’s shape.

It reminds me of the scriptures that say that people are but a vapor and though he/she is a vapor, they are to be imitators of Christ.

“Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Ephesians 5:1      

The word Saba is then mentioned in the dream.  I don’t know this word yet it is spelled out for me in my mind.  Who or what is Saba?  Does it pertain to the congregation or me?  Is it some kind of influence?

Saba, in the Hebrew, means “Seven” or “An oath.”  It is the number of completeness and perfection of wholeness.  It is God and man working together in God’s divine intention in our daily lives.

In the dream I walk on a street with older people.  They smile, as I pass by them.   Then with great fire and vigor I start to proclaim, "God lives in me and who is greater then He!”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1

The dream then turns and I am suddenly standing in front of a congregation encouraging others in Christ.

The dream ends and I wake with the song, “Raging Fire” by Phillip Phillips playing in my head.

KNOW GOD is INFINITE

-->

On the way home, driving in the evening sun, I flipped on the radio to hear a pastor speaking… but what he was speaking made the Spirit rise up inside of me.   He was speaking that manifestations in the book of Acts don’t happen anymore.   I should have just turned the radio off but I thought what if people who were listening didn’t know those manifestations, that he openly denies, do still happen today.  God is not a god of religion and dry bones but a GOD of faith, who makes those dry bones come ALIVE.

He is God who puts muscle and flesh over those bones and gives us a new heart and Spirit.  He is one who feeds us, encourages us, establishes us and empowers us.   

How could he, a pastor… a man of God, not experience the manifestations of the Holy Spirit?  One might ask, “Does he really know God or has he just accepted an aspect of God? 

Knowing he doesn’t believe in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, who then leads him in what to preach to his congregation?  Is it by his mere thinking, wisdom and reasoning?   

“But He (Jesus) answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.  Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:13

Seminary taught or not… Who is to be our TEACHER?  God is to be our teacher who knows what HIS children need to hear and see. 

“For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.”      1 Corinthians 4:20

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 1 Thessalonians 1:5

Is it not God who removes the veil? Is it not God is who infinite? 

I do wonder how a person can speak of God’s life changing power and then flat out deny the gifts and manifestation of God’s presence.  Does that not seem strange?  Are we not a manifestation of His transforming love? 

I am sure everyone has an aspect of ignorance when it comes to God but I am thankful God helps us overcome that ignorance as we allow Him to reveal the wonderful things of Himself.  

We must not deny something in the bible just because we have never experienced it or told by mere men it doesn’t exist anymore? 

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:5-8

   We know the Old Testament is the New Testament revealed.   And is God not the same God as in the Old Testament?   So why would God change from what we see in the New Testament to now? 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”   Hebrews 13:8

God is same yesterday and today and forever… He is infinite.  He is unorthodox- granted but this doesn’t mean He doesn’t bestow the gifts of the Spirit and manifest Himself anymore….  God is ALIVE not dead!  And He does not conform to the ideals of men, no matter what their title may have. 

“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power, His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5

“God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has He ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19

Can you think of what God knows?  Here is just a tiny list.

He knows our hearts.

“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."  Jeremiah 17:10

He knows every detail of our bodies.

 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

He knows how long we will live here on this earth.

“You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” Job 14:5

He knows when we are tried, tested and tempted.  He knows when we turn our back on Him.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.  But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail.  So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

He knows when we will fail.

But Jesus said, "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." Luke 22:34

He knows where every resource is to help His people.

“However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us." Matthew 17:27

He knows where we are and where we will be.

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” Acts 9:10-12

UNDERSTANDING

And how often does God tell us and show us in various ways to not depend on our own understanding? 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

“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

For the word of God will never fail. Luke 1:37

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

“These people come near to me with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
    is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Isaiah 29:13

Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26

We are talking about our infinite God that is beyond the understanding and complacencies of men taught and untaught.  

God touch those who teach such falsies and believe in such falsies.  If I were to share with these men right now, the miracles I have experienced they would call me a liar and yet call God a liar.

I have seen Jesus.  I have experienced the varied presences of God.  I have experienced things as the prophets of old.  I have experienced heaven.  I have spoke and sung in tongues.  I have heard and told people things that only God knew.  Things I without a doubt spoke because God’s Spirit assured them to me in my soul that they were true.  Strongly directed by God, I have prayed over the sick and they have been healed.  This is not to boost about me for I know one of reasons I have been shown these things is due to of my lack of faith and ignorance.   I have been doubting Thomas, questioning Philip, hypocrite Peter, and religious prideful Saul who became the Apostle Paul.  I speak my testimony.  I speak of these wonders of God to only speak the truth about GOD.  I feel if I don’t many will not know the wonders that are revealed through Christ Jesus.  They might feel God is unreachable and unknowable.  It is God not me who has done and shown me these things and he has no favorites.      

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness, And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.  Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3

God had only to speak and the universe and the earth came into existence.   God had only to speak light over the earth and there was light.

And how we too were much like the earth.   How we were clothed and blinded in darkness until we surrendered to God and He breathed light into our life changing us from the inside out.  And He awoke us to the reality of Himself.  The same Holy Spirit that hovered over the earth testified mightily to our soul that Jesus is LORD over our soul.  How we need to remember that, how we need to remember our first love everyday of our lives.  How we need to remember our need for Him and how far He has brought us.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.   We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing great treasure.  This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”  2 Corinthians 4:6-7

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me.” John 15:26

This same infinite Spirit, this Great Teacher, that people of this world aren’t even aware lives in us thanks to Christ Jesus. 

“that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:17

"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16:13

When I think of God being infinite I think of this verse in Ephesians,

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” Ephesians 3:8-9

Think about it… the boundless riches of Christ. 

“KNOW GOD is LOVE.  KNOW GOD is Infinite,” flashed on the screen of my mind a few days back and now I am starting to understand why.

His infinite understanding is much higher then our ways and thoughts.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Where we might think appearance, human power, strength and some level of higher intelligence or education are necessary but God says, “No. It’s the heart and my Spirit that are important.”

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Zachariah 4:6

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”  Matthew 5:8

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” 1 Corinthians 1:27

Think of David, a young shepherd boy who is anointed as king of Israel.  Do you remember what happened after he was anointed as king?

“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:13

For David to be king of Israel he needed to be anointed by the Holy Spirit and David knew nothing else could sustain him to go into the role and do that role without the Holy Spirit in his life.

I love you, Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:1-2

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” Psalm 73:25

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 54:4

It is no different for us as Christians.  The Holy Spirit needs to be active in our lives to sustain us to walk out our faith.    

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

No wonder why John reads,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  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 1:1-5

Note: John is speaking of Jesus –the Word.

God is LIGHT.  Light that is never overcome by darkness.  Light that is infinite.  Light that wraps/clothes our eternal soul for eternity.

Why is it important to know God is infinite?

God wants us to rely and live in Him who infinite, so that we might live beyond our sometimes often burdening, shortsighted, limited understanding and circumstances.  God wants us to learn to continually abide in Him who gives us daily refreshment for our soul. Through Him come the companions of peace, joy, love, mercy grace, hope, and an empowering faith.

 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

Think to know Him and experience Him… is walk the road less traveled (mentally/ physically and of course spiritually).  It is to see life in a whole different way/light.   It is to have manifesting presence active in our life by looking and submitting to God who is INFINITE.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

Know God is Infinite.