God Speaks, Are We Hearing?

This morning I fumbled around a bit in the scriptures, and finally settled on reading from Ezekiel 12:21-28 NIV:

[21] "The word of the Lord came to me: [22] “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’? [23] Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. [24] For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel. [25] But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord. ’ ” [26] The word of the Lord came to me: [27] “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’ [28] “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”

I find this warning of the Lord to the people of Israel very interesting. In essence they had stopped listening to the Word of the Lord, given to them through prophetic visions, because they said it was always for some future date, and didn't really concern them. The Lord then promised a day when visions and prophecy would be fulfilled without delay. I believe Ezekiel was seeing the last days and the new dispensation that we are all living under. Peter said that we entered the last days on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41). Later in the book of Acts we see the Word come forth from Peter concerning Ananias and Sapphira and it is fulfilled immediately (Acts 5) and both fall dead at his feet. There is clearly a prophetic quickening and new effectiveness that was demonstrated in the early church, and the same holds true for us today, as we are still in those "last days" and the Lord is constantly speaking to those that will hear.

That being said, I think there is still a common thought among people, that the Word of the Lord is not for them, or not concerned with them. Many of us do not believe the Lord would speak to us individually, or concern Himself with our lives. We think that the Lord might speak to those holy special people, but not to us. We live our lives unconcerned and unaware of the Word of the Lord going forth to all in His Body. The truth is that the Lord wants to speak to each of us, wants to communicate with us all. An author I am reading presently, Kris Vallaton, says that God is always speaking, but His first language is not English. He continues on saying that we need to learn to hear how the Lord speaks in our lives. Citing scripture, Kris speaks of dreams, visions, words of knowledge, prophecy, discernment and trances as some of the ways the Lord speaks, in addition to using His Word - the scriptures. What we need to cultivate in our own lives is a desire to hear God and a sensitivity to His speaking. We need to learn to expect that He will speak to us individually, for He promised that His sheep (we are all His flock) hear and know His voice (John 10:1-18).

Finally Jesus speaks about our hearing in Mark 4:23-25, "If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” [24] “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Jesus is speaking of hearing, active listening in the last two verses. It could be rewritten as follows - With the measure we use to listen, His word will be spoken to us. Whoever has heard, has listened attentively, will be given more to hear....

Lord, help us to hear Your voice in our lives, believing that You will speak, and act. You desire to impart more and more to us, but require a people willing to listen and obey. Help us to be such a people!

Faith and Love, Not Works

This morning I am continuing my reading of Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:1-6 NIV:

[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [2] Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. [3] Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. [4] You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

As I read through these verses, verse 4 really stood out as a significant truth. Those who are trying to be justified by the law, is the same as having a works mentality. It has to do with adhering to set of rules that are supposed to make us righteous and justified to stand before God. This is such an attractive message to us, because we like things in black and white. We like a simple plan with a list of do's and don'ts. If you do this its wrong and sinning, but if you do this then you are righteous. It is simple for us to track our own progress against a set of rules, and easy to judge others as well.

Paul says that if we give ourselves over to that (justified by our own works) mindset, we have been alienated from Christ! That is a hugely significant message! The word Paul uses, that is translated in the NIV as alienated, actually has a much more significant meaning. Alienated, speaks to me of a separation in relationship, but the Greek word is Katargeo and the definition follows:

1. to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative
a. to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency
b. to deprive of force, influence, power

2. to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish
a. to cease, to pass away, be done away
b. to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one
c. to terminate all communication with one

Pretty much any of the definitions or sub-definitions above seems to me to be more significant and permanent than alienated. We must look very closely at the message we follow and the way it is worked out in our lives, as we want to remain in loving relationship with Jesus.

Paul goes on to say that these people, who are pursuing righteousness through there own works, have fallen away from Grace, which certainly makes sense. Grace is not necessary, if works can attain the same result, for it is the Grace of God that is applied through faith, that brings us to salvation. It is the works of Jesus, His sacrifice alone that makes us righteous. Nothing we do, nothing we say, can justify us enough to enter into relationship with God or our own, nor keep us in that place. It is the unmerited favor of God - His grace that brings us to Him. Unmerited means that there are no actions we can do to earn this favor.

Paul speaks of all this in his letter to the Romans 3:21-25, 28 NIV:

[21] "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, ...

[28] For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."

Paul is clearly speaking about the very same issue in these verses. It is not our works, not our activity, not our purity that brings us to salvation, but rather the grace of God. As Paul says at the end of the verses I quoted from Galatians, " The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." We are called to relationship wit God, and there is no simple list of things to do, or not to do that will enable us to grow in relationship and love. We are called to interact, to spend time, to get to know, to listen, to embrace the Lord. For each of us, this can look different, for we are al unique and treasured by the Lord. God doesn't want us to be pursuing works apart from relationship, for that is what can happen when we create our list of actions and behaviors that will justify us, we can accomplish them in a relationship vacuum. However, we will, out of affection and interaction with Jesus, desire to please Him and become more like Him, but that comes after relationship is established and is not the way to get into relationship wth the Lord.

Let us examine our lives, and live a life of faith expressing itself through love. We want to remain connected with the Lord, fully receiving all the grace that He has for us.

Spiritual Fruit Stands

This morning I am reading from Galatians 5:22-26 NIV:

[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

I love these verses, as they are so rich in meaning and encouragement. I realty like what David Guzick writes about the first two verses here:

5. (22-23) Examples of the fruit of the Spirit that walking in the Spirit produces in our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

a. But the fruit of the Spirit: The works of the flesh seem overwhelming – both in us and around us. God is good enough, and big enough, to change everything with but (only) the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit can always conquer the works of the flesh.

i. Significantly, it is the fruit of the Spirit set across from the works of the flesh. Works are works, and fruit is fruit. Fruit has several important characteristics.
· Fruit isn't achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding.

· Fruit is fragile.

· Fruit reproduces itself.

· Fruit is attractive.

· Fruit nourishes.

b. Fruit of the Spirit: Paul used the plural is describing life after the flesh (works of the flesh), but he uses the singular (fruit, not fruits, of the Spirit). In the big picture, the Spirit has one work to do in all of us. These aren't the gifts of the Spirit, which are distributed on an individual basis by the will of the Spirit; this is something for every Christian.

i. "It may be significant that the word fruit is singular; Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits that would be shared around, so that one believer has one, another another. Rather he is referring to a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each believer." (Morris)

As Paul continues the discourse, he speaks of those who walk in the Spirit as having crucified the flesh. That is a very severe image, but in reality it is true, as we have been crucified with Christ, our old man and sin, nailed to the cross with Jesus (Romans 6:6). On this side of the cross, we are set free from those things, becoming a new creation.

Paul then encourages us to stay in step with the Spirit, to walk in unison with Him. Walking this way requires a continual connection and listening and seeing. When I used to march with a marching band, we were supposed to stay in step with our line, and one did this by adapting ones walk to match the steps of the others. We listened to the cadence, and watched the line making sure our steps matched the steps of others. In the same way, we need to stay in step, listening, looking at what the Spirit is doing and adjusting our steps, our walk to stay in step with Him.

Finally we should not become conceited if we have fruit present in our lives. We all should have fruit, as it comes from abiding in Him. We are not the source, we merely reflect externally what He is establishing internally. We are not to be envious of other's fruit, but rather encouraged that other levels of fruitfulness are available.

Let us learn to abide in the Spirit, allowing our lives to resonate with what the Spirit brings, namely, His fruit. As David Guzick says, fruit is attractive, and meant to be one of things that draw others to Christ. As I was thinking about that, I had the image of a road-side fruit stand pop into my mind. What a great image, we are supposed to live in such a way that the Spirit's fruit in us is visible to all, and attracts people to him. We are called to be Spiritual Fruit Stands.

Unity and Dying to Ourselves

Last evening I was reading from Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:.."

As I was rereading through these same verses this morning I was immediately struck by how counter-cultural these encouragements are for those that live in this western culture. We value independence, individualism, pride, and pursuing the American dream. At first blush these encouragements from Paul seem the opposite - be like-minded, humble, putting others first, etc. I believe Paul is talking about one of the great challenges for any Christian, namely the dying to oneself.

The idea that we become a new creation in Christ, have an old self that we must put-off and a new-self, that we must choose to put on, is quite radical. This is not just another club we join with some new rules, but a literal transformation of our whole being. Our thought process, how we see ourselves, the value of our relationships, how e interact with others are all supposed to be changing, as we become more and more like Christ, and join ourselves to the Body of Christ.

Living our lives for the purpose of fulfilling someone else's (the Lord Jesus) will, is counter to our normal mode of thought and perspective. Understanding the importance and value of unity within the Body of Christ, and how unity trumps individualism without taking away the unique value we all have, is a fine balance. We really are part of something new, and each of us are absolutely essential, but we cannot attain our destiny as a spotless Bride of Christ, if we can't learn to think and act as one.

Learning to look st someone else's interests before our own, seems self-defeating, and that is the point. There is room for each of us, and who we are is of supreme value to the Lord, but He calls to lay down our will (our self interest), and find our place within His. He loves us and created each of us uniquely, and is not asking for a bunch of vanilla Christians, who all look and act alike, but rather a rich and diverse people who willingly lay down their will, not their personality, to join themselves to His Body.

As I was thinking about this, I had two images pop into my mind, the first being blended wine, the second a rich and awesome mix of spices. In both scenarios, the flavors and uniqueness of each is added to the whole, and affect the flavor of the whole mixture. It seems that there would be a loss of value for the individual flavor, but in reality, when blended, the other flavors enhance each other, as they work together in unison. When you sip a great blended wine, you can still pick out all the original flavors, if you pay attention, but the experience of this great blended wine is far better than any one wine that is used in the blend. In the same way, when you taste a spice mixture, you can pick out the individual spices, but it is the mixture that brings greater experience.

In the same way, we are all great and unique, but without the uniqueness of all the other members of the Body of Christ, we are just a single person, a single good flavor. The Lord calls us to learn how to join ourselves to others in a way that enhances everyone, seeing the value is each other and calling it forth. Allowing someone else to be the 'flavor of the month' requires us to be willing to put them before ourselves. He is the master blender and is calling us to join ourselves to Him, to allow Him to exert His will in our lives, to call out the uniqueness in each of us, at just the right moment to enhance all. As an example, as much as like garlic, there are just times that I need to leave the garlic in the spice rack - banana-cream pie would be ruined by garlic.

Lord, help us to learn to become this new creation, dying to our own will and joining ourselves to You and allowing Your will to become our's. We desire to fulfill our purpose as critical members in the Body of Christ.

A Song of Restoration - Zeph 3

This morning I am reading from the prophet Zephaniah, not one of my normal choices. However at the end of the book is this great set of verses, where the Lord promises restoration to Israel:

Zephaniah 3:14-20 NIV
[14] "Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
[15] The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. [16] On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.
[17] The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
[18] “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.
[19] At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.
[20] At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.
-
These are awesome promises for some day in the future for Israel, but the reality is that we live in that day now.

He has taken away our punishment, by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
Jesus rose from the dead and is alive and present to those that believe. The Holy Spirit lives within us.
Fear is driven away by perfect love, and the Lord has expressed that perfect love in our lives.
The Lord is present and able to save all that come to Him.
The Lord rejoices over us!
He sings over us - His Body, His Bride, His sons, His daughters.

As I wrote that sentence I saw a picture of a father singing lullabies over his baby, that he was holding in His arms. That is how the Lord feels about us, totally in love, totally protective!

He does fight for us, as He has already destroyed the power of the enemy, sin and death.
He does gather us! He calls us by our names!
He is releasing healing and restoration in our midst!
He is restoring His Glory to us, His presence which is our real fortune, our real treasure!

Amen Lord, open my eyes to Your working all around me, and that which You are already doing in my life!

A Prophetic Dream and Related Word - Restoration and Acceleration

Yesterday I had a dream, which seemed to last much of the night, it was a multiple phase dream that had to do with renovating a building and then we were preparing for a wedding there. Everything went faster than we planned and grew bigger than we planned. In one day all the major work on this building, which was an old service station was completed, including reworking plumbing, sewer, electricity, cement, etc. The guy I was working with was amazingly fast. I would be looking at something, talking about it, turn around and come back and he had finished it already, better than I would have imagined. As we built the building we decided to have a small wedding there. We gathered the people for a rehearsal, and there were at least twice as many people as I anticipated. Next we gathered for the final planning session and we separated out the children, so the adults could talk about the final plans. When I went to the back room where we were gathering, what should have been 1/3 full was completely full, and there were several young people, as in 10-11 year old, but after thinking about it, I thought it was appropriate to have them there too. We bought some BBQ for food and by the time we got back the numbers had at least tripled. We went to the back room to finish preparations, and someone said the wedding was starting. We went back to the main area, and it had grown in size to a giant auditorium that was packed with people, and a huge stage where the whole wedding party was gathered and they were just about to start. The funny thing was that I knew I was supposed to officiate, so I was running hard to get ready, and that is when I woke up.

I think in general this has to do with times of increase and acceleration happening all around us. There will be a quickening in the Spirit, where things that should take days and weeks are taking hours, deep works, and restorative works almost immediately. The thoughts we have about how big, or what our role will be are not big enough, we need to expand our visions, expand our thinking. The will be plenty for us to do, and we will be working with the Lord, for our efforts will have far more effectiveness than planned - we will be filled with grace, the power of God

Word:


This morning I woke up at 4:02 wide awake, thinking my alarm had just gone off. I was all ready to roll out of bed when I looked at the clock - and realized my mistake. I was able to go back to sleep. However, after I woke up for the day, I realized that the Lord might have been speaking to me and gave me 402 as a number to guide me in His word.

A quick survey of my Bible for page 402 and chapter 40:2 has some awesome things.

Page 402 is Ezra 5:2 where Zerrubabel and Jeshua start to work on rebuilding the house of God in Jerusalem!

Ezra 5:2 NIV
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Exodus 40:1-5, 33-35 NIV
'Then the Lord said to Moses: [2] “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. [3] Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. [4] Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. [5] Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

[33] Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. [34] Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

Psalm 40 has the following verses:

Psalm 40:1-11 NIV
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. [2] He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. [3] He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. [4] Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. [5] Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. [6] Sacrifice and offering you did not desire---but my ears you have opened---burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. [7] Then I said, “Here I am, I have come---it is written about me in the scroll. [8] I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” [9] I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. [10] I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly. [11] Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. [2] Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. [3] A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. [5] And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Jeremiah 40:2-4 NIV
"When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place. [3] And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. [4] But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”

Ezekiel 40:1-4 NIV
"In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city---on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there. [2] In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. [3] He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. [4] The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see. ”

So if I fit these verses together - there is a prophetic theme of restoration and building of the temple starting. The first set of verses from Exodus 40, are the setting up of the tabernacle, the very first place God chose to inhabit. The verses from Ezra are the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and Ezekiel is the vision of the future temple. If we look at the verses from Jeremiah and Ps 40 and Isaiah, we are being released, given a new song, and we are to prepare for the coming of the Glory of the Lord.

I feel that we are being invited to join with the Lord in rebuilding, restoring and renewing His House - the Body of Christ, the Church. If I combine this with my recent dream, I would say it will happen much faster than we can imagine, and with much greater effect, and better results than we could ever imagine.

Amen Lord! Let this future begin!

The War In Our Minds

Last night I was reading through Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth, and ran across these verses, which are directly related to what the Lord has been speaking in my life lately:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV:
[3] "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

The context of these verses, is a conversation Paul is having with the Corinthians because they are judging his ministry by outward appearances, and his unwillingness to appear to them as one of the "super-apostles". He was talking about the way we can establish in our minds and communities, strongholds of thought and ideas that are wrong. His statement about waging war not as the world wages war, appears to relate to his unwillingness to attack other ministries and ministers openly, criticizing them, their methods, or any such thing, which is so different than the norm.

That being said, what He is also talking about is the internal struggle of our thought life. Taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ is absolutely a critical skill we must learn, in our life with Christ. In Revelations 12:10, it speaks of the enemy as the accuser of our brothers and sisters. Jesus calls satan "a liar and the father of all lies." (John 8:44). God does not accuse us, does not condemn us, does not think negatively about us, those are all from the enemy. We all must learn to distinguish our thought origins, and identify those that are in alignment with what God says about us, and those that do not, and reject those that are not from God.

Pastor Bill Johnson says that he can't afford to have any thought in His mind that is not in God's mind first. He is expressing this idea of owning one's thoughts, discerning their origin and rejecting any that do not originate with God, or are in line with His will. This is the same thing Paul is speaking about - taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ.

The issue for many of us is that we have strongholds of belief and thought about ourselves, about others and about God. How we think about ourselves, others and God will significantly impact who we are and what we do with our lives. A common saying these days is that "you are what you eat", but its even more true that "we are what we think".

Here is an excerpt from a sports journal speaking about self-thought: ( http://www.theextragear.com/self-talk-and-thought-control-strategies )

What we think has an effect on how we feel, which, in turn, has an effect on what we do. In sports, negative thinking has been shown to have a negative effect on performance. When self-talk is negative, it produces both negative feelings, like anxiety, as well as physical tension, which leads to decreased motor coordination and speed. It also takes your focus away from what you should be doing, which makes it more likely that you will miss something important or make a mistake. So, when we talk negatively to ourselves, it affects other important mental skills such as intensity regulation, confidence, and concentration. When these mental skills deteriorate, performance is likely to suffer, which serves to reinforce the self-talk, (e.g., you prove to yourself that, “I really do stink at this”) creating a vicious cycle.

Many times we are unaware of our self-talk; therefore, it can sabotage our performance without our even realizing it. At its worst, our self-fulfilling prophesies of poor performances in certain situations lead us to label ourselves negatively (e.g., “loser”) which makes it even more difficult to break the negative cycle.


What I find amazing is that many of us, apply these types of techniques to other areas of our life, but not to our walk with Christ. There are many voices out there that influence what we think, and how we think. Companies spend Billions of dollars marketing, which is all about gaining mind-share, or getting people to think about their products. The media works ever day to try and influence the way we think, spinning stories to reflect their opinions, while ignoring other opinions or stories that would provide an alternative perspective. There is a stronghold of thought developing in America these days that is against Christianity, and that stronghold has been carefully nurtured and cultivated by the media over many years.

In the same way, the enemy is constantly bombarding us with thoughts and ideas that are against the will of God. They are thoughts related to temptation and sin, thoughts related to those we are in relationship with, trying to cause distrust, division and separation. The enemy is trying to undermine our identity in God, for we are God's adopted Sons and Daughters, whom He loved so much that He sent His Son to save, but the enemy wants us to think that God is angry with us, thinks we are sinners and is just waiting to punish us. The enemy has been at work in all our lives for many years trying to develop strongholds of thought about ourselves and others and especially God.

Make no mistake, there is a war being waged, and this is what Paul was speaking about in his letter. We MUST learn to hear God! We must learn to listen to our thoughts and reject those that are not from God. We must learn to hear and believe what God says about us, what He thinks about us. We must learn what God thinks about others too. As we learn to listen to God, we will find that He will destroy the strongholds of thought and ideas in our lives, that do not line up with His word and will. As we start to speak the thoughts that are from God, we will help those around us do the same, destroying the strongholds and arguments that set themselves against God. As we learn to do all this we will see a transformation of our lives. Paul speaks about this in Romans 12:2 NIV: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.". We must allow our minds to be renewed, and our lives transformed. This how we fight this war!

In John 10:3-4, Jesus says that we know and can follow His voice. We need to learn to hear it. For many of us that means stopping the noise around us, and learning to listen to God. That is one of the reasons I take time to sit quietly before Him in the mornings, I am actively listening. I read my Bible, listen to Christian teachers through the day, listen to Christian music, anything that helps me to sensitize myself to God's voice. I read scripture and identify areas where how I think does not line up with God's revelation in His Word, and change the way I think. I am learning to take my thoughts captive throughout the day and rejecting those that are not from Him. As I do so, I find myself thinking differently about myself and others. My heart is filled with compassion and mercy for the downtrodden and poor, rather than judgement. I find myself thinking more positively about those around me, at home and at work, seeing them as God sees them, and recognizing the gift that they are in my life.

Lord help me to continue to wage war in my mind, and see myself transformed as my mind is renewed and I listen to Your voice.

We Are Foreigners Whose Citizenship Is In Heaven!

This morning I have been reading Peter's first letter. A couple of related verses caught my eye, here they are:

1 Peter 1:17 NIV
'Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."

1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV
[11] "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. [12] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

This idea that Peter expresses in these two verses, is that as Christians, we are foreigners on the earth. The reason this is the case is that our home, our nation is not found on earth, but rather in Heaven. As Peter says, [9] "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Pete 2:9-10

Paul says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,..." Phil 3:20

This is such an interesting concept and idea, and something we must embrace. So many of us just want to fit in, be like everyone else, but we are encouraged to consider ourselves foreigners, understanding we have a different home, a different culture, a different nation. We are not supposed to embrace the culture of those around us, but rather the culture of our home. We should think and act differently than those around us who are in the world, not in pride, but as Peter says, "...in reverent fear". We should "live such good lives among the pagans", that our lives become a light that guides them to the Lord. As Jesus said, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt 5:16

Yes Lord, help us to embrace our citizenship in Heaven, and live our lives here based on this fact.

Feasting On Romans 12

I opened up my Bible this morning and started reading from Romans 12:1-16 NIV:

[[1] "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will."

[3] "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

[9] "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

What a good word for this day!

A reminder to worship, with our lives,
Called to be renewed in the way we think,
Encouraged to fulfill our calling within the Body of Christ,
Finally a quick checklist of actions and attitudes we should cultivate:

Love people sincerely
Hate evil
Cling to goodness
Love and honor others
Be zealous in your pursuit of the Lord
Be joyful
Be patient
Pray faithfully
Be hospitable
Be there for one another
Rid yourself of pride and conceit
Love and accept all

That is some serious spiritual food, and encouragement. Lord, help me to feast on Your word this day, enjoying and meditating on what You are saying to me with this word.

He Rended The Heavens And Came Down

This morning I am reading out of a couple of places, that at first blush don't seem connected, but there seems to be some parallels. The first set of verses is from

Isaiah 64:1-5 NIV

[1] "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! [2] As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! [3] For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. [4] Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?"

- And -

Jeremiah 5:30-31 NIV:
[30] “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: [31] The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?"

- And finally -

John 3:16-17 NIV:
[16] "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

I was meditating on the first two verses - seemingly unrelated but they both have to do with the number 643 in my bible - for the first verse that is the chapter and verse and for the second verse it is the page number. I asked the Lord where I should read this morning and I thought I heard 643 - this is one of the ways the Lord directs me. Anyway, as I was meditating it was apparent to me that both verses have to do with a falling away from God, a leaving of God's ways and embracing something other than Him, in spite of God's awesome works on Israel's behalf.

Both verses end with a question of God - what will You do in the end? How then can we be saved? It would seem from reading the old testament that God's answer is continued judgment and punishment of Israel, and although they reap the consequences of their infidelity, God's ultimate answer to these questions and to the nation of Israel was seen in the person of Jesus Christ! It was never God's desire to smite His people, rather to save them, love them and bless them. God did rend the heavens and come down, in the form of a man, and did mighty things. His enemies were defeated and despoiled. He has established an everlasting Kingdom that is both present here and now and in the age to come. Our choice in all this is whether or not we will live in agreement with God, and under His Kingdom, or reject Him and operate in our own power, listening to empty words of empty men.

Make no mistake, God will not allow His name to be maligned and rejected. However, He is also present to save, redeem and forgive. He chooses to extend mercy, postponing His judgements that all might be saved (2 Peter 3:9). His judgments will be perfect, and He will have a day where He judges all, according to Jesus - Matt 25:31-46.

Let us pray that the Lord would call all, show His Glory to all and win all to Him, for that is His desire. Let us examine our lives, and throw off false teaching or false gods, and pursue Him, the only God who has loved us, given Himself for us, and made a way for us all to be in relationship with Him. “He himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:24-25.

Amen!

Eternity And Doing Good

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 6:7-10, 14-16 NIV

[7] "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. [9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

[14] May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. [15] Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. [16] Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule---to the Israel of God.

Two very different themes from the final chapter, the first set of verses having to do with the consequences of our actions. Sowing and reaping is the simplest way to explain how our actions result in consequences. The ultimate end to the two different paths, the flesh or the Spirit, are the opposite with one leading ultimately to destruction the other to eternal life.

In a very real way, those two results are easily discerned, for flesh is of this world, and will pass away with our death. Anything that is Spiritual will benefit us in eternity. This is the perspective that the early church lived under, and one we would be well served to cultivate in our own lives. This focus would help us prioritize our actions and what we were sowing into with our lives. Do we want to invest in things that will pass away, or things that benefit us eternally? Those of us in the western church have limited understanding or focus on things eternal, yet that is what should have the most importance in our lives. We have a hard time looking past the here and now, and so much of the culture all around us is hyper-focused on that as well. We need to cultivate a culture that puts value on eternal life, and those Spiritual things that benefit us in this eternal reality.

The second set of verses also address similar things, but from a slightly different angle - namely external versus internal conversion. Paul is once again talking about the new creation - this being the understanding that in Christ we are born again into a new creation. This is an internal work at present, which will have eternal expression, but which is for more important than any external change. Paul speaks of being crucified to the world through the Cross, and that is precisely the idea - when we unite ourselves to Christ, our old man is put to death with Him, and a new man is created. It is this new man that must be seen and embraced by us. This requires us to sow into this new life, feeding and nourishing ourselves with Spiritual food, which brings us back to the first verses. If we are sowing into the Spiritual, or in other words our new creation in Christ, we will reap eternal benefits.

Finally, we are encouraged to do good to those around us, especially those who are members of the Body of Christ. This also flies in the face of the prevalent culture which is focused on ourselves and what we get. Rather than worrying about ourselves, let us not grow weary in blessing, building up, encouraging, supporting, and helping all those around us. As Jesus said, we are to love one another, and by this over set ourselves apart (John 13:343-35). If we follow the logic of Paul's writing this "doing good" is exactly the type of sowing into the Spiritual which has eternal rewards. Let us learn to love and do good, and see our lives as much more than this temporary existence.

Amen, Lord. Help us to change the way we think, and see things from Your perspective. Help us to value the eternal, the Spiritual, and doing good.

We Are A New Creation In Christ

One of the things that Bill Johnson was speaking about on one of the teachings I was listening to, was that we are a new creation in Christ, literally a new race, or new species. I was familiar with some of that idea, but not to the depth that he was expressing, so I wanted to do some research this morning. The formative verse comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!". The New King James Version reads, " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Which conveys the message a bit better.

David Guzman has a helpful commentary on this verse:

Jesus resurrection life gives us new life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

a. If anyone: This is a promise for anyone. Anyone! It doesn't matter what class, what race, what nationality, what language, or what level of intelligence. Anyone can be a new creation in Jesus Christ!

b. Is in Christ: This is a promise for anyone who is in Christ. This is not a promise for those who are in themselves, or in the religion of men, or in someone or something else. This is for those in Christ!

c. He is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Paul here teaches the great principle of regeneration. Jesus Christ changes those who come to Him by faith, and who are in Christ. The saved are not "just forgiven." They are changed into a new creation.

This is an incredible thought, and one that is hard to fully comprehend. We are, according to Paul who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, made into new creatures when we unite ourselves to Jesus through repentance and confession of faith. We become like Christ, after His resurrection and like Christ, are something new, that only is possible in God. Guzman continues:

i. It is unfair for us to expect those who are not in Christ to live as if they were a new creation. However, it is not unfair to expect a changed life from people who say they are Christians! "I know no language, I believe there is none, that can express a greater or more thorough and more radical renewal, than that which is expressed in the term, 'a new creature.'" (Spurgeon)

ii. However, being a new creation doesn't mean that we are perfect. It means that we are changed, and that we are being changed.

d. Who makes us a new creation? This is something God alone can do in us. This isn't just "turning over a new leaf" or "getting your act together." But the life of a new creation is not something God does for us, but in us. So, we are told to put off . . . the old man, and to put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

i. Being a new creation is a gift from God received by faith. "God is surely the author of the second creation as he was of the first." (Harris) "A phrase which argueth the greatest change imaginable, and such a one as can be wrought in the soul by no other power than the power of God." (Poole)

Lord, help us to comprehend and embrace this incredible truth in our lives. We desire to experience the fullness of all that You have for us. Help us to change and become like You, constantly deciding to put off the old, and put on the new, embracing the regeneration that You made possible.

Jesus and Sinners

This morning I am reading out of John's Gospel. Here is an excerpt from the 4th chapter, dealing with Jesus and the women at the well:

John 4:15-26, 39-41 NIV
[15] The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
[16] He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
[17] “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. [18] The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
[19] “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
[21] “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
[25] The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
[26] Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you---I am he.”

[39] Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” [40] So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. [41] And because of his words many more became believers.

I am always amazed when I read this story, and I think sometimes we overlook some pretty astounding things. First Jews and Samaritans did not interact. The Samaritans were a foreign people who were planted in the land, and told to worship the God of the land (2 Kings 17:24-28) - the same God as the Jews, but were not of Jewish decent. The whole land was generally off limits, and all good Jews knew this, yet Jesus is walking right through with His disciples, and I am sure many of them were more than uncomfortable with the idea.

Secondly, Jesus was having along conversation with an adulteress! He knew her living situation, knew the kind of women that she was, yet had a long conversation with her - one of the longest described in the Gospels - and at the end revealed He was the Messiah to her, a full blown sinner! Wow!

If we ever think we are too far immersed in sin for the Lord to be able to break into our lives, or care for us, this story is a great example of Him doing just that! The women had a bad reputation. The town people didn't want to interact with her, which is why she was out in the heat of the day. We could say she had made her own bed and was now having to sleep in it - in other words her reputation was the result of her bad choices and sin, and she had no real way to change either. Jesus seemed unconcerned with her sin, and her sin did not keep Jesus from breaking in. We have been taught that sin separates us from God, but that is clearly not the case here, as Jesus, even after telling her He knows about her sin continues the conversation. What a great truth - Jesus is not afraid of our sin, is not repulsed by our confession, does not see us as our sin, but as people whom He was sent to love and save. It was AFTER she confessed her sin that He told her He was the messiah.

I am reminded of Paul's statement in 1 Timothy 1:15: ..."Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst.". In this story of the women at the well, we see Jesus doing exactly that, saving a sinner. This is the heart of the Gospel, and true for us all. We must not lose touch with this fact, and separate ourselves from those the Lord came to save.

My final reflection this morning is that Jesus stayed two full days in that town - a Samaritan village - and many were saved. This women, a confessed sinner, became one of the first Christian evangelists to her own people, and many came to know Jesus because of her testimony, and their desire to hear more from this man. We have heard how sin can open a door, and in this case Jesus walked through that door, and into the lives of all the people in that village. Talk about poetic justice. Taking a little literary license - the woman was trying to find a love that would fulfill her, and had swung wide the door and all sorts of bad things had happened, yet in walks the only One who could love her perfectly, and He redeems her from her life of shame, guilt and separation! Not only that but He walks into the life of all her neighbors and family and friends, and redeems them as well! It was clearly a great few days for the Kingdom of God!

So as we encounter sinners in our lives, walking as Jesus' representatives, let us be aware that any one of them could become the doorway to all their people, who are equally needy of the Lord's salvation! Let us lean on the Lord and let Him lead us to those He came to save.

The Gospel and Doctrine

Recently I have been thinking about the Gospel. I came across those verses from Paul's first letter to Timothy - 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV:

[12] "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. [13] Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. [14] The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. [15] Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst. [16] But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. [17] Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

I think sometimes we forget the reality of the Gospel, and get all caught up in discussions of doctrine and belief. What we think about God is so important. We still need to understand doctrine, and the truths about the Lord, but our first call is to introduce people to the Lord. The Gospel is first and foremost about relationship with the Lord.

Continuing on with this thought, doctrine arises out of our understanding of who God is, from our interactions with Him, and those that are described in the Bible. Pastor Bill Johnson says it well, "Jesus is perfect theology". In other words as we come to know Him, our understanding of who He is, how He thinks, and how He acts is clarified. Our doctrine needs to flow out of and agree with the revelation of God, and this needs to come within relationship.

Josh McDowell said that rules without relationship leads to rebellion. He was talking about parenting, but that same thought applies here. If we confront people with doctrine, before they have a relationship with the Lord, they will misunderstand the motivation of the doctrine, and often times be driven away. It is important to have doctrine, and it establishes how to think correctly, but it must flow out of, and be communicated through the Gospel, the good news that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to pay for our sins, so that we might be forgiven and able to enter fully into relationship as adopted sons and daughters. Paul was very much on that page when he wrote the following verses, speaking of doctrine that conforms to the Gospel and is used properly:

1 Timothy 1:8-11 NIV
We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. [9] We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, [10] for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers---and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine [11] that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

The other morning when I woke up, I had this thought - we must preach the Gospel and teach doctrine, not the other way around. I think that summarizes the issue nicely. Lord, help us to hold onto the truth, proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, and teach those that desire discipleship the doctrine of the Church. Help us to be balanced and appropriate, and above all, loving.

Gifts Reflect The Giver

This morning I am reading out of Matthew 7:7-11 NIV:

[7] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Yesterday, at church and in my prayer time I was thinking about how the things that Jesus said, came directly from the Father (John 12:49), and how we can understand the Father's heart by listening to Jesus words. As I apply this reality to the promises Jesus spoke about, I encouraged, for these are not just the Words of Jesus, but they originate in the heart of the Father as well.

So looking at these verses, we see the promise of answered prayers, the promise of found answers and opened doors. This verse can sometimes be focused on by those who preach the prosperity Gospel, and I think other than the motive of the peoples hearts, they do correctly portray the Heart of the Father. He is so good, so faithful, so merciful, so compassionate, so loving, and so perfect compared to us. I know that I love to bless my children and my wife with good gifts. In comparison to God, I am pathetic and evil, yet the comparison Jesus speaks of here, indicates that the enjoyment I get out of giving good gifts to my children is similar to God's heart for me. God the Father loves to give good gifts to us. He is waiting for our heart cries, waiting to answer prayers, waiting to provide open doors, waiting to help us find answers.

In the last verse quoted above, the word that is translated ask, is the Greek word - Aiteo - whose definition is as follows: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require. The word generally does not relate to our wants, but our needs. This does not negate the gift, but again speaks of the motivation of the one who receives. We are often times unaware of our real needs, and focused on the things we want. God is totally aware of all things. He gives us good things - here the Greek word translated good is Agathos and the definition is as follows: 1. of good constitution or nature 2. useful, salutary 3. good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy 4. excellent, distinguished 5. upright, honourable. In other words, good! Things that are useful, pleasant and agreeable to us, bring us joy and happiness, are excellent, and honourable, things that reflect the heart of the giver.

Sometimes we are so focused on our need we are willing to accept anything more than what we have presently. God, won't give us a stone if we really need bread, or a snake if we really need a fish, but sometimes we would settle for these things, just because they are different than our present situation. I believe the Lord desires us to learn to look deeper, to ask rightly, to see our lives as He sees them, and to pursue and ask for the things that are the best for us, and those things He wants to give us. He wants us to learn what He is like, to learn to ask and trust that when He answers it will be good, very good, for the Father is perfectly good, and His gifts will reflect His nature and character.

So let us be encouraged by this promise of the Father, through Jesus' words, to ask, to seek, to knock. "For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Praying For Unity

This morning I felt like I should read John 17. This chapter is the record of Jesus last words at the Last Supper, where He is praying for His followers, disciples and apostles. I was especially taken by the prayer for unity, that we all might be one. He replete that same basic prayer three times in the last 7 verses.

John 17:20-26 NIV
[20] “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

[24] “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

[25] “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. [26] I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus prayed the same basic phrase in verse 21, 23 and with a slight change again in verse 26 - that we might be in God and God would be in us, with the same type of unity the Godhead experiences. This is an incredible prayer! This is something we could never accomplish through our own efforts to establish unity, but rather must come from God, be established by God, and protected by God.

In bible studies and commentaries, they talk about the significance of something being mentioned three times, and how that adds extreme significance. Here Jesus is praying three times, about unity for the Body of Christ, so its very important because it was mentioned these three times, and also because Jesus prayed it!

Matthew Henry has this to say about these prayers for unity, believing there are three dimensions to this prayer:

1. "That they might all be incorporated in one body. "Father, look upon them all as one, and ratify that great charter by which they are embodied as one church. Though they live in distant places, from one end of heaven to the other, and in several ages, from the beginning to the close of time, and so cannot have any personal acquaintance or correspondence with each other, yet let them be united in me their common head." As Christ died, so he prayed, to gather them all in one, John 11:52,Eph+1:10.

2. That they might all be animated by one Spirit. This is plainly implied in this--that they may be one in us. Union with the Father and Son is obtained and kept up only by the Holy Ghost. He that is joined to the Lord in one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17. Let them all be stamped with the same image and superscription, and influenced by the same power.

3. That they might all be knit together in the bond of love and charity, all of one heart. That they all may be one, (1.) In judgment and sentiment; not in every little thing--this is neither possible nor needful, but in the great things of God, and in them, by the virtue of this prayer, they are all agreed--that God's favour is better than life--that sin is the worst of evils, Christ the best of friends--that there is another life after this, and the like. (2.) In disposition and inclination. All that are sanctified have the same divine nature and image; they have all a new heart, and it is one heart. (3.) They are all one in their designs and aims. Every true Christian, as far as he is so, eyes the glory of God as his highest end, and the glory of heaven as his chief good. (4.) They are all one in their desires and prayers; though they differ in words and the manner of expressions, yet, having received the same spirit of adoption, and observing the same rule, they pray for the same things in effect. (5.) All one in love and affection. Every true Christian has that in him which inclines him to love all true Christians as such. That which Christ here prays for is that communion of saints which we profess to believe; the fellowship which all believers have with God, and their intimate union with all the saints in heaven and earth, 1 John 1:3."

I think the final focus is that this is possible, because it is in the Father's heart, He had Jesus pray it, which means it is His will. He plans on causing this unity in the Body of Christ. We should join ourselves to praying the prayer, and look in eager anticipation for the coming day, when this will be our reality! That God will be in us, and we in Him, that we will be joined into the Trinity! That will blow our minds!

Amen, Jesus, we join You in praying this prayer.

Reflections on John 3:34-36

Last night I read John 3, and was just thinking about the wonder of God's love in sending His Son. As Graham Cooke says, the Good News, is almost to good to be true, but it is!

I was struck by the three last verses of the their chapter of John: John 3:34-36 NIV
'For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. [35] The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them."

Breaking these three verses down - in verse 34, we see the focus is on the words that Jesus speaks, being the very words of the Father, and the Father pouring forth the Spirit without limit, or more accurately - no end to the measure He uses in pouring out the Spirit. This really looks forward to several topics that are covered in much greater detail within John's Gospel, the obedience of Jesus to His Father's will, saying and doing only what the Father is saying and doing (John 5:19, John 8:28) and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, given to guide, direct, be our advocate, and teacher (John 14-16).

Verse 35 speaks of the authority that is given to Jesus by the Father. In Matt 28:18, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..."
In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he writes - ..."he (the Father) exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, [21] far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. [22] And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Eph 1:21-23). We have in Jesus one who is capable, powerful, loving and forgiving. God sent Jesus for our salvation, and really did place this whole plan of salvation into His hands. It took His constant choice to follow the Father perfectly, to become that sinless, perfect sacrifice, that He might meet the requirements of the law, and fulfill it perfectly, setting us free.

Finally in verse 36, the simplicity of the Gospel, and our choice. We choose to believe or not, and our choice brings with it consequences. If we choose to believe in Jesus, we inherit eternal life. If we choose to deny Him, rejecting the Gospel, we remain under the wrath, or previously existing judgement of God. The choice is ours, for our debts and sins have already been paid for, its just whether or not we apply the payment to our lives, which we do by believing in Jesus, as our savior and Lord. This is not based on our good works, our being nice, friendly, or good, but simply by the choice we make to believe, or have faith in Jesus. Once we step into that place of belief, we restore ourselves to relationship wth God, and He invites us into His Eternal life. What an awesome deal!

Lord, that the fullness of Your promises and the reality of the Gospel might firmly be established in all our lives. We thank You for Your amazing love, and the good news, that is indeed good, beyond our wildest imaginations.

Basics of the Kingdom - Part 3

I felt like I should continue my review of the Kingdom, and the look st the parables that Jesus told to explain what the Kingdom is like. He speaks about it so many times, it is clearly one of His most significant messages. In Matthew, the phrase is translated the Kingdom of Heaven, in the other Gospels, we find the same parables using the term the Kingdom of God. The two terms are equivalent, and I use the Kingdom of God - as it avoids confusion over the location of the Kingdom.

1. Matthew 13:24-26 NIV: "Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. [25] But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. [26] When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared."

This parable makes it very clear that the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is on the earth, and is made up of people. Jesus explanation of the parable in verse 37-43, He says that the grain is people, and the enemy is Satan. He also describes clearly that there will be a day of judgment for all people. Jesus often compared life following Him to grain, how our response to the Word, would determine our fruitfulness. He likened our following Him to grain that must die to its present form, to bear fruit. In the me way we are called to respond to the Gospel, and to change our lives, that we might bear fruit - namely the multiplication of the Kingdom into other's lives around us.


2. Matthew 13:44-46 NIV: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

In case anyone missed the value of the Kingdom of God to them personally, Jesus told these two parables. The Kingdom of God is not something we can take lightly, it is more valuable than anything we have ever encountered, and requires all that we have and are. The reward is beyond understanding. The Kingdom is something that we look for, and something we all long for, whether we know it or not. We have a deep longing for God, for His ways, for relationship with Him, and to see Him work in and through us. Being found in the Kingdom, has eternal consequences, and rewards even here on earth.

3. Matthew 13:47-50 NIV: “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. [48] When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. [49] This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous [50] and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Once again Jesus is speaking about a day of judgement that will affect all people. We will all be judged, between the righteous and the wicked. The good news for those of us that follow Jesus, and have faith, is that Jesus righteousness is applied to us, and we will be judged righteous because of Him (Romans 3 & 4).


4. Matthew 18:1-4 NIV: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [2] He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. [3] And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

The Kingdom of God is unlike any other kingdom. All other kingdoms have greatness and position based on authority and power as their structure. In the Kingdom of God, it is based on humility and service, lowliness over pride. Children were the lowest level of the social strata during Jesus time, and He is making a significant statement here. He said they must change, and become like a child, clearly not indicating in thought or action, but rather in position. Jesus demonstrated this truth again at the Last Supper, where He washed the feet of His disciples, which was one of the responsibilities of the lowliest servants. If we want to be great in the Kingdom, than we must become servants to all. This never changes, we don't serve in this role for so many years and then get moved higher up so we don't have to serve any more. We don't put in our time as servants in the hopes of getting promoted, this IS the position of the greatest.


5. Matthew 18:21-27 NIV: "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” [22] Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. [23] “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. [25] Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [26] “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ [27] The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go."

In these verses Jesus is describing the forgiveness as it relates to the Kingdom of God. He uses numbers that are beyond reason to describe the reality of the situation. When asked how often we should forgive, He says seventy-seven times, in other Gospels its conveyed as 70 x 7 times, regardless its more than most of us would ever have the heart or patience to go to. He is describing His heart towards us as well, for the rules in the Kingdom flow from the King. He then describes man's debt of sin, in using the 10,000 bags or talents of gold. A talent was equal to 20 years wags for a laborer, so He was saying the man owed him 200,000 years of labor to pay off the debt. In other words, something that was absolutely unpayable. Yet, when asked for mercy, the King extended mercy and completely forgave the debt, completely cancelling it. The story continued on with the servant then going out and collecting debt from another, but treating him harshly. The King heard about it and threw the original man into prison, to be tortured, for his refusal to forgive others, and extend mercy. Clearly forgiveness and mercy are key components of the Kingdom of God. As members of the Kingdom, we are called to represent the heart of the King in all our ways, and forgiveness and mercy are at the top of the list.

Lord, help us to understand how to walk in the fullness of our position in Your Kingdom!

The Church and Judgement

This morning I have been reading through Paul's first letter to the Church in Corinth. I am interested in his perspective on the churches role in judgement. In chapter four he is writing about not wanting to judge himself. Here are the verses:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 NIV:
[1] "This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. [2] Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. [3] I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. [4] My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. [5] Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God."

I think the key statement is in verse 5, where he talks about the Lord judging and exposing the motive of our hearts. He says to judge nothing before the appointed time, that time being the day of judgement when the Lord comes. Then in the next chapter he talks about the church judging its members.

1 Corinthians 5:2-5, 9-13 NIV
[2] "And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? [3] For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. [4] So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, [5] hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

[9] I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--- [10] not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. [11] But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. [12] What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? [13] God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

Here is an interesting case concerning the body, knowing about the sin of one of the members, and doing nothing about it. He calls the church to judge those inside the church, having nothing to do with those who say they are brothers, but remain in sinful lifestyles. As we were talking yesterday in church, it clearly has to do with the heart attitude, the pursuit of God, the working in our lives of God's mercy and grace, helping us to get free of sin in our lives. If there re those that are in the Church, who are not repentant, not pursuing God, than its clear they are not pursuing a relationship with the Lord, and becoming more like Him.

This is where we step onto a slippery slope of judgement, or trying to judge others motive's of their hearts, trying to give people grace to grow in holiness, without casting them out of the church for their sins. If a person comes out of the world, into the church, often times they have many sinful lifestyles. I have seen the Lord graciously lead these people to wholeness and purity, gently walking them away from their previous choices, and enabling them to step free. I have seen Him work this way in my life as well, not requiring purity and perfect obedience from day one, but rather guiding me through areas, one at a time, sometimes two, and helping me to recognize my sin, repent of it, and choosing to follow Him. I am also aware of others who the Lord, changes radically in a day - those who were addicted to drugs who are set free in a moment, never even going through withdrawl.

It seems to me that Lord leads each of us individually, and that we need to give the Lord room to do so. At the same time we need to encourage all to purity, and holiness in relationship with Jesus. We need to preach Godliness, identify sin as sin, recognize that we are all sinners, and encourage all to move forward in the Lord. When there are those who are clearly not pursuing the Lord, not living lives that embrace repentance, and doing so while maintaining that they are part of the Body of Christ, then we need address those situations, and encourage them to step into right relationship with Jesus. It is apparent that in these situations they are not really walking in relationship, or do not have a right attitude about their relationship wth God. We are supposed to be transformed through the renewing of our mind, becoming like Him, in all ways.

As the church, we must represent Christ, preaching the Gospel of salvation and forgiveness of sins. We must call people out of the world into the Kingdom of God, and help them to grow in holiness and Christ-likeness. We must accurately preach the Gospel, and correctly demonstrate and guard the fundamental truths of our faith and beliefs. We must remain balanced in our pursuit of God and our message, not giving way to 'religion' and a works mentality, at the same time not preaching some sort of free grace message that lacks any conversation of repentance and pursuit of relationship with the Lord. We must hold out the message of life to those that are deceived and on the path of destruction.

Amen Lord! help Your Church to grasp the truth, and accurately communicate this to the world.

Basics of the Kingdom - Part 2

I was rereading my last entry, and in it I was looking at the basics of the Kingdom of God, and some of the foundational principles concerning the kingdom. Today I wanted to look at some of the things Jesus said about the Kingdom He established.


1. Matthew 4:17, 23 NIV: [17] "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."

The Kingdom reality was the core of Jesus message. It is Good News, and its reality is demonstrable. Jesus didn't just preach about it coming soon, like John the Baptist did, but He demonstrated it.


2. Matthew 6:9-10 NIV: “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The Kingdom on earth is an extension of the Kingdom in Heaven, and the same basic rules apply here as there in Heaven. Jesus is teaching us to pray for this unity of domains, that what happens in Heaven is what happens here in earth. For example, if there is no sickness in Heaven, then we can expect God to deal with sickness here, and as He extends His dominion here, people, when they come in contact with it, are healed - which is exactly what Jesus demonstrated.


3. Matthew 6:33 NIV: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Our participation in the Kingdom of God is more important than anything, and should be the primary goal of our lives. If we come into His Kingdom, then God, as our King will provide everything we need.


4. Matthew 7:21-23 NIV: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ [23] Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

There is an obedience required in the Kingdom of God, and it is related to the will of the Father. We are supposed to be in active relationship with the Lord, that we might understand His will, and do it. This is not some religious requirement, it is rather an obedience that comes out of a loving relationship. I has to do with knowing and being known - in other words - relationship.


5. Matthew 10:1, 7-8 NIV: [1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

We are called to both proclaim the Kingdom, but to demonstrate the Kingdom realities as well. These are the same works that Jesus did, so He is calling us to continue His ministry. The Kingdom of God is in expansion mode, and it expanded by our witness and representation.


6. Matthew 12:28 NIV: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

When the Kingdom of God is proclaimed and demonstrated and established, it drives out the present kingdom of the enemy, or Satan. Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8), and He did this by establishing His new Kingdom.


7. Matthew 13:11-12 NIV: "He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. [12] Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

These verses followed the parable of the sower and the seed and Jesus is talking about listening and understanding. The Kingdom of God is established in our lives and entered into through our choices, and our decisions. If we reject the Kingdom, when it is demonstrated in our midst, it is not established in our life. The Kingdom of God will not be forced upon us, as in all things with God, we have a free-will to choose what to listen to, and want to follow. If we choose to follow Him, and enter the Kingdom, there will be blessing and provision and we will expand the Kingdom.


8. Matthew 13:31-33 NIV: "He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. [32] Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” [33] He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

The Kingdom of God, is expanding, is growing, and though unseen, or given significant notice by world, it is fulfilling its purpose. Both yeast and the mustard seed are very small, almost unnoticed, yet both can expand greatly. Its not through grand pomp and circumstance that the Kingdom is expanded, but rather through individual conversion and transformation, as shown by the yeast example. Although each person may seem to have little effect in the Kingdom, our actions and obedience can cause our effect to be great.


9. Matthew 16:19 NIV: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

There is some disagreement about this passage, as Jesus appeared to be addressing Peter specifically, but many commentators believe the original Greek indicates a broader audience than just Peter. Regardless, the earlier verses where Jesus sent out the apostles to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and demonstrate the Kingdom realities includes the command to cast out demons, etc. and the passing of authority, which is what this verse makes very clear. We are commissioned to do the same works as Jesus, and here says that we can extend Heaven's reality here on earth, and we have real authority!


10. Matthew 24:14 NIV:..."And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

The proclamation of the Kingdom is one of the cores expectations of the Lord, and the timeline of the last days is interwoven with the proclamation of the Kingdom. The Gospel, or good news of the Kingdom, is simply that there is new King, who is all powerful, all knowing, compassionate, merciful, faithful and good, and He wants to demonstrate His love and reality to us all, and we all have access through Jesus Christ.

Amen Lord, such fundamental and helpful truths. Help me to live as a representative of Your enduring love, and Kingdom.

Basics of the Kingdom

I was just thinking back over the last few days, and was thinking it might be good to look briefly at the Kingdom realities, as Jesus demonstrated them. He came to establish His Kingdom on earth and it is expanding to this day. We are called to become members of this Kingdom, and His representatives as we go out into the world. So some basic truths about the Kingdom of God are good to meditate on. They are relatively simple, yet rich in deep meaning and purpose:

1. If a Kingdom has been established then there is a King - Acts 17:7

2. King..dom means the Kings dominion, or the area over which He has authority, and power - Eph 1:20-23

3. In a Kingdom, the King lays down the laws of the Kingdom, the rules flow out of His character - Prov 29:2,4,14

4. Jesus is our King, He sits on the throne in Heaven, but His Kingdom exists on the earth as it does in Heaven - Matt 6:10

5. The Church, the Body of Christ is the physical representative of the King, here on the earth, and as such is able to walk in His authority and power, as we faithfully represent Him - 1 Cor 12:12-14,27

6. Jesus told His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom, then to demonstrate the Kingdom - Matt 10:7-8

7. Healing, miracles, signs and wonders, authority over demons, raising people from the dead, restoring people to wholeness, authority over nature, are all signs of the Kingdom of God present - Matt 10:7-8, Matt 11:4-6, Luke 10:18-20, Mark 16:15-18

We are all called to be active members of this Kingdom, and our lives demonstrating the reality of the Kingdom to those around us. Let us pursue God, represent His kingdom, and live our lives in such a way that we are giving all the glory to the King. If nothing is impossible for the King, than nothing is impossible for us, His body here on earth.

He Welcomed Them All

This morning I am reading from Luke 9:10-11 NIV:

[10] "When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, [11] but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing."

I was reading through this chapter in Luke, looking for something else, when these verses caught my eye. The context is that Apostles, those sent by Jesus, came back from their ministry trips. Jesus wanted to take some time them privately to hear more about their experiences, (at least that is how it seems to me). Anyway, crowds find out where He is, and flock to him.

I love the Lord's response, it says He welcomed them.

He had a different agenda which they interrupted, but He welcomed them!

He needed time alone with His Apostles, yet He welcomed them!

He was probably tired and needed some down time, yet He welcomed them!

They demanded His attention, yet He welcomed them!

The were very inconvenient, yet He welcomed them!

Finally after speaking to them about the kingdom of God, he demonstrated this reality by healing the sick, all the sick. From the next few verses, we know that the crowd was huge, so this no small undertaking. Jesus didn't hold back, didn't give them less than His best, and He met their needs.

I am encouraged and called on by this all. I am encouraged, because I know that He has the same heart for me, if I come to Him, He will welcome me. Secondly, I am called on to be more kike Him. I don't like interruptions, inconvenience or having my agenda changed, especially if I am tired. I need to change my heart and learn to welcome all that come, needing Jesus. I know that the Holy Spirit will fill up in me anything I am lacking. Lord, please help me to be more like You

Beliefs Affect Our Actions

I spent yesterday morning outlining some of the basic truths concerning the Good News, sin and punishment. Hopefully it was helpful to some, it was certainly helpful to me to think through and write down in a concise manner. I think for me that is all in place, and I need to continue to focus on the kingdom lifestyle that such thoughts and beliefs demand. Its not enough to belief these things in our hearts and minds, but they must show themselves in our lives.

James has it right in his letter, stating - [14] "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith (belief} but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith (belief) by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14-17 NIV. I inserted belief in the text in parentheses because the original Greek word 'pistis', here translated faith can also be translated belief. The definition of the word is given as follows: n 1. conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things.

So, what we believe must influence our actions and be seen in our actions. A.W. Tozer says the most important thing is what we believe deep in our heart about God. Thus, its not just important to get these basic truths into our mind, but they must penetrate to our very souls, deep into our hearts and become the motivation for our actions. It is essential that I think about my beliefs, and choose to act upon them. In our world today, we spend to little time thinking about our actions, as we are to busy to even stop for a moment. We have a huge deficit of integrity of belief and action in the church - for we say we believe things, but our actions say otherwise, and as James says, that means those beliefs are actually dead.

So for me, this leads me to reflect on my life and what I show I believe by my actions, for those are the beliefs that are actually alive in my life. I must look at my life and take a real inventory of my actions, and choose to change my actions if they do not align wth my core beliefs. This is the heart of repentance, changing the way we think, and then changing our actions to line up with this new way of thinking. Its not enough to think about turning around (one defintion of repentance), we must actually do so.

As I reflect on my life as a follower of Christ, an adopted son of God, and a representative of Him in His Kingdom, I should see that my belief and actions are in line with His beliefs and actions, as demonstrated by Jesus. The bracelets that were in style in the church a few years back had WWJD on them - which was supposed to cause us to reflect on what Jesus would do, and then endeavor to do the same thing. This is exactly right. We are called to be His representatives, so we should be representing Him to those we meet. We have, through Jesus, been restored to right relationship with the Father, and have been clothed in His (Jesus) righteousness. We are God's adopted sons and daughters and Jesus showed us what the Son of God acted like and valued when He was on the earth.