THE WALK OF THE CROSS III

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 22

God is calling for his true followers to step up to a higher level. It is time to graduate from “middle” school and go on to high school and college. To be an overcomer in any period of the past or future it has – and will, require a spiritual maturity that goes far beyond religion and the occasional thought of being raptured. We like the idea of reaching out to touch the hem of His garment not because we want to obey – but because He has blessings for us. This is not the WALK of the cross. Through uninspired teaching, much of the church has watered down the cross into a pleasant but deceptive idea. We have focused on good works and everything else religious under the sun to please Him except the very thing that He has always wanted. His highest desire is that we might build our life on the SOLID ROCK of His cross because it is the only way to truly KNOW HIM. “Not all who sound religious are really Godly people. They may refer to Me as “Lord”, but still will not make it into heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey My Father in heaven. At the judgment many will tell Me, Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and do many other great miracles. But, I will reply, You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil.” (Mathew 7: 21-23 TLB) To live independently WITHOUT the awareness of the cross of Christ cannot be substituted with a church service or giving offerings. The crucified life is breathing, thinking, talking and acting within the eternal truth of His cross. When this becomes our determination, His cross becomes our cross – our entire purpose and destiny. We have an open invitation to the crucified life and it will “only” cost us the will of our flesh! “One thing you lack: go your way, sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

The cross is an offence to many because it reveals the agony and blood that seems barbaric and cruel to our socially acceptable culture. The same concept of being offended with our feelings being hurt is the same Greek word “skandelon” that actually causes people to avoid, hide and run from the gospel of the cross. The message of the cross is too closely associated with pain, torture, humiliation, loss, violence and the deep fear that whoever embraces it will also have to suffer. Most of the religious world would be content to be “rocked to sleep” with going to church and living a moral life without even getting their hands dirty. If you notice the beautiful and expensive clothes and jewelry that is worn to church it is obvious that no one is planning on kneeling, lying prostrate, laying on hands, foot washing, casting out devils, dancing in worship, weeping, cleaning, cooking or working in any shape, form or fashion. The true reality of the cross is spiritual warfare that is found in the trenches of deliverance, anointing the sick, fasting, the prayer closet of intercession, bible study, loving people, having the character of Christ, confessing God’s Word, meditating and sacrificial giving. Many will follow the fishes but who will take up their accountability of the cross? We love to sing the music and listen to a pleasant sermon but then leave and forget about it until the next “show”. If church is no more than entertainment, then how is it any different from any other venue of paying to see a production? The church is filled with spectators but the cross is for participators. Selah. Everybody wants to go to heaven – but nobody wants to carry his or her cross! Each disciple may have a unique cross to bear but ALL will be transformed by its power. If we are not being CHANGED by His cross then we are not carrying our cross! “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

It is like putting the cart before the horse if we pray for the fullness of the Spirit but have not first placed ourselves under the divine power of the cross! Selah. This why the majority of the church is not filled with God! If the mind has not been renewed and the old nature is still in control, how can we also be overflowing with the character of Christ? We can obtain as much of Him as we desire but it is that very desire which is in question. Selah. Just think of the one hundred and twenty disciples. The crucifixion of Christ had touched, broken, and taken possession of their entire hearts. They could speak or think of nothing else, and when the crucified one had shown them his hands and his feet, he said unto them, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20.22). And so, with their hearts full of the crucified Christ, now received up into heaven, they were prepared to be filled with the Spirit. They proclaimed to the people to repent and believe in the crucified one and they also received the Holy Spirit. Christ gave Himself up entirely to the cross. The disciples also did the same. The cross demands this also from us – it would have our ENTIRE life. To comply with this demand requires nothing less than a powerful act of our will for which we cannot boast, and a powerful act of God of which the disciple may be assured who casts himself helpless but confidently on God. All glory to the King of Kings!

Let us read an Excerpt from A. W. Tozer. “The cross of Christ is the most revolutionary thing ever to appear among men. The cross of the Roman times knew no compromise; it never made concessions. It won all its arguments by killing its opponent and silencing him for good. It spared not Christ but slew Him the same as the rest. He was alive when they hung Him on that cross and completely dead when they took him down six hours later. That was the cross as the first time it appeared in Christian history. After Christ was raised from the dead the apostles went out to preach His message, and what they preached was the cross. Wherever they went into the wide world they carried the cross, and the same revolutionary power went with them. The radical message of the cross transformed Saul of Tarsus and changed him from a persecutor of Christians to a tender believer and an apostle of the faith. Its power changed bad men into good ones. It shook off the long bondage of paganism and altered completely the entire moral and mental outlook of the Western world. All this it did and continued to do as long as it was permitted to remain what it had been originally, a cross. Its power departed when it was changed from a thing of death to a thing of beauty. When men made of it a symbol, hung it around their necks as an ornament or made its outline before their faces as a magic sign to ward off evil, then it became at best a weak emblem, at worst a positive fetish. As such, it is revered today by millions who know absolutely nothing about its power.
The cross affects its ends by destroying one established pattern, the victim’s, and creating another pattern, its own. Thus, it always has its way. It wins by defeating its opponent and imposing its will upon him. It always dominates. It never compromises, never dickers nor confers, never surrenders a point for the sake of peace. It cares not for peace; it cares only to end its opposition as fast as possible. With perfect knowledge of all this Christ said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NIV) So the cross not only brings Christ’s life to an end, it ends also the first life, the old life, of every one of His true followers. It destroys the old pattern, the Adam pattern, in the believer’s life, and brings it to an end. Then the God who raised Christ from the dead raises the believer and a new life begins. This, and nothing less, is true Christianity, though we cannot but recognize the sharp divergence of this conception from that held by the rank and file of evangelicals today. However, we dare not qualify our position. The cross stands high above the opinions of men and to that cross all opinions must come at last for judgment. A shallow and worldly leadership would modify the cross to please the entertainment-mad saintlings who will have their fun even within the very sanctuary; but to do so is to court spiritual disaster and risk the anger of the Lamb turned Lion.
We must do something about the cross and one of two things only we can do–flee it or die upon it. And, if we should be so foolhardy as to flee, we shall by that act put away the faith of our fathers and make of Christianity something other than it is. Then we shall have left only the empty language of salvation; the power will depart with our departure from the true cross. If we are wise, we will do what Jesus did: endure the cross and despise its shame for the joy that is set before us. To do this is to submit the whole pattern of our lives to be destroyed and built again in the power of an endless life. And we shall find that it is more than poetry, more than sweet hymnody and elevated feeling. The cross will cut into where it hurts worst, sparing neither us nor our carefully cultivated reputations. It will defeat us and bring our selfish lives to an end. Only then can we rise in fullness of life to establish a pattern of living wholly new and free and full of good works. The changed attitude toward the cross that we see in modern orthodoxy proves not that God has changed, nor that Christ has eased up on His demand that we carry the cross; it means rather that current Christianity has moved away from the standards of the New Testament. So far have we moved indeed that it may take nothing short of a new reformation to restore the cross to its right place in the theology and life of the Church.”
“Those who let themselves be controlled by their lower nature live only to please themselves, but those who follow after the Holy Spirit find themselves doing those things that please God. Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death, because the old sinful nature within us is against God. It never did obey God’s laws and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God.” (Romans 8:5-8 TLB)

THE WALK OF THE CROSS II

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 21

THE WALK OF THE CROSS II

I think about spiritual things throughout every day but I cannot seem to “brand” the awareness of His presence into my mind. I realize it takes a strong determination to stay focused on Him but my mind automatically pushes Him out and replaces Him with things of no value. Do you feel that your mind is being attacked lately with worry and fear? I have always been interested in God’s miracle power and the realm of the Spirit and I am always ready to discuss the Bible and the spiritual mysteries that are exciting and hopeful. However, the more that time goes on, the less people seem interested in these areas. In fact, just because a considerable percentage attends church, it does not mean they enjoy thinking about God or even talking about Him. Recently it is estimated that up to seventy percent of church members have never been truly born-again. It is sad to think of such a tragedy. This explains the lack of interest and spiritual blindness that seems to be everywhere. What else can it be? How long can a saved person ignore the calling of God? Year after year, some Christians do not feel the need to pray or study the Word. If you start talking about the call to take up our cross and follow Jesus, they roll their eyes and say they do not want to discuss it or that all theological ideas are subject to personal interpretation. Thank God, you are not like that! (?)

I have been told lately to my face that I really need to start practicing what I preach. I do feel the “sting” of this suggestion but I can take it because I know it is true. I admit that I have a long way to go and it does seem the more we learn and get excited about – the more challenges and opportunities we will have to “demonstrate” our newfound revelation. The devil quietly listens when we are praising God for His blessings and revealing His revelations. However, do not think for a moment that Satan is not also waiting for the perfect moment when he can at least “test the waters” to see if we really “get it”. If we succeed we can give God all the glory for moving through us but if we blow it, we can know that it was our fault and that we need to repent and go back to the drawing board. I have known people that constantly preached physical healing and would be the first in line to lay hands on the sick, nevertheless, when they were struck down with a physical infirmity they had no faith and gave up all hope. Why? The truth was in their spirit but their mind betrayed them. This is how we all are to some extent. Our spirit man ONLY accepts divine truth from God because that is the way we are spiritually wired. The “sheep” listening to the Shepherd is our spirit – but just because our spirit knows perfect truth and will only respond to God’s voice, it does not mean that we cannot totally mess everything up! This is because our MIND and SPIRIT can work “independently” (but is supposed to work in unity). For example, how many people who live by faith falter when stricken by saying, “Please Lord let me die”, instead of praying, “Lord please heal me!” This reminds me of so many people who ask constantly, “Lord, rapture me tonight that I might escape what is to come”, instead of praying, “Father, give me strength to do what you need me to do in these last days”. Selah. Let me say this again and I will use myself as an example, if I speak the truth of God and yet I cannot live it – it is not God that is failing in me – it is MY DOUBT and SIN that is NOT obeying Him and my lack of determination to obey His Word! If I make so many mistakes that I ruin my life, it does not mean that what I BELIEVED and SPOKE was not true. If the person who preached healing for 30 years dies of cancer, it does not mean that God does not heal! Amen? It just means there were several possibilities that happened within that particular circumstance that had a direct influence on the outcome. His Word is true whether we can live it or not! Praise God! If an alcoholic preacher delivers God’s Word, the divine power is in the Word – NOT the broken vessel. What we all need to do is start putting less faith in humans and more time in our prayer closets so that God can change us into what He has called us to be. People spend more time watching others stumble than they do examining their own heart. Selah.

Actually, the fact of not being able to live what we know is not a new problem. The Apostle Paul, a very knowledgeable and spiritual man of the time reveals his frustration in Romans chapter eight. He’s trying to live out what he knows is right and to stop doing what he knows is wrong. Allow me to use the Living Translation to make it easier for us to follow. “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I DON’T want to do – what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my old conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But, I can’t help myself, because I am no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.” (Verses: 15-17) I know we are to have more willpower and discipline. I know we are to go and sin no more, but this is why the CROSS is so important in our battle with sin. As you have noticed, the influence of our flesh is strong and we must embrace His cross in order to harness its control. This includes even the smallest details of our thinking. If we cannot resist our urges in the tiny things, how can we be a spiritual overcomer that will cast out demons or lay hands on the sick? If we cannot fight the temptation to eat a cupcake, how will we ever become a faithful frontline warrior? Let us go deeper and look at this scripture. “I AM crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ who lives in me: and the life which I now live in the FLESH I live by the FAITH of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Here it appears that we have been redeemed by His grace and are secure with HIS righteousness that was activated by our faith within His BLOOD covenant. In this light, when Father sees us – He sees the righteousness of Jesus! He does not see our righteousness because even in our good times, our goodness is not good enough! Does this excuse us when we fail? Of course not! We are still accountable to Him when we sin and are required to be transformed into His image as our highest priority, but that is what HIS forgiveness is all about! Thank you Jesus! Yes, sanctification is a conscious, determined effort to be holy and is not to be ignored but our salvation does not fluctuate from moment to moment. The grace of the cross does not excuse our lack of effort as God knows our heart and mind, and if we are trying to get away with something behind His back, we are just fooling ourselves. But this is the beauty of His love in that we are not saved by how good we can LIVE – because if that were true, salvation would be based on a list of laws, which in turn would “turn the tables” making us worthy and DESERVING. Everything would boil down to how good we lived and would fall into the mindset of the self-righteous Pharisee. We are not playing a game to see who has the highest batting average. Yes, we are to pray, fast, study and be determined to WALK in His Divine Reality with all of our mind and strength but also to remember that His GRACE opened the door of opportunity for us to KNOW HIM! The thought finishes in the next verse, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the LAW – then Christ is dead in vain.”

I have been listening to many different opinions about politics and social issues lately. Some are saying that we must choose what is best for our families or the lesser of the many evils. Some are saying that morals do not trump the practical everyday life challenges of surviving with things like providing and making a living. It seems the more social subjects are brought into law, the more “numb” the masses become because all they are really wanting is money to be able to buy what they need. I believe when it is “boiled down” that most people do not really care about what is right or wrong because they do not live for God that much anyway. The only people who are truly offended with laws that endorse sin are the ones who have the revelation that God is holy and they in turn try to live holy also. As our laws continue to embrace humanism it is clear the anti-christ will continue dangling the carrot of money in front of the mule as he allows everyone to keep “enjoying their toys”. This will include participating in the mark of the beast and being counted within the New World Order. This will not fly with the remnant of God that is being prepared to face whatever persecution is on the horizon. I believe taking up our cross includes standing up for God’s truth no matter what the cost. If Christians are afraid of the consequences of being exposed as followers of Jesus, this reveals they need more faith that God will take care of them. If Christians are afraid of being persecuted this means they need to devote more time in spiritual fellowship with Him to build their confidence in Him.

Our life should be filled with wisdom and doing all that we can but at the same time we do NOT compromise or bargain with the devil in anything. Most people visit God on Sunday and try to figure out how to live on their own the rest of the week. This is NOT taking up our cross! Do HIS WILL and you will not have time to worry about the difficulties. If we OBEY His voice – He will provide the miracle power! Those that allow themselves to be deceived with the “fluffy” gospel will not want to fast and pray because their flesh knows that what God has to say is difficult and it would “interrupt” their carnal lifestyle. They will refuse to confess and meditate on God’s Word because they are so busy with their plans, ideas, and distractions of their own making. These are the ones who will be deceived. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they will turn away their ears from the truth, and will be turned unto fables.” (II Timothy 4:3-4) Father we cry out to you, we need you desperately. Help us prioritize and “screen” everything we are involved in – through your CROSS. It is time for us to let go of things that have no meaning. It is time to put away our toys. Today is the day to KNOW YOU and your WORD and to TRUST you completely. In Jesus Name, amen.

THE WALK OF THE CROSS

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 20

THE WALK OF THE CROSS

What do scriptures like Mathew 10:38 really mean when it say’s, “And he that takes NOT his cross, and does NOT follow after me, is NOT worthy of me”? First, we need to read this verse in context with the flow of thought in the entire passage. According to historians, a person condemned to death by crucifixion had to carry his own crossbeam to the execution site as was within the law of capitol punishment. The cross was an instrument of death and Jesus used this parallel for us to see the cross as a place for our carnality to die and a bridge to heavens grace all at the same time! Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us and we likewise sacrifice our will through the same concept so the world can see Him in us. Going back to the collective thought of the section in Mathew chapter 10 we see verses 34-39 explaining that walking with Jesus is not for the faint of heart. Jesus is talking about priorities and how nothing can be exalted above living (and dying if need be) for Him. Even when it comes to family, He is saying there can be NO compromise. Any tolerance of sin leads to backsliding and the danger of a lukewarm attitude toward the red-hot – on fire “passion” of our calling. The walk of the cross is humility that is under girded with Holy strength. It is truly the meaning of life.

Taking up our cross creates the difference between the sheep and goats, the wheat and tares and the spiritual from the religious. It is the definition and foundation of salvation because of the miraculous power of love that it contains. It is the denial of sin and yet also the honor of obedience. It is the suffering of discipline and the source of faith for us to yield our will to Him. It empowers us to choose the narrow path of this life while securing our future with Him in the next life. The cross is NOT an END but an exciting beginning of glory and triumph because of HIS resurrection! It represents THE WAY – the only way into a personal, intimate relationship with God and the guaranteed validity of the promises of His Word. In other words, our entire life as a Christian must be melted down and poured into what the cross represents as the bond of our holy union with Christ. His cross was erected on Golgotha (the place of the scull) and likewise it is there in the deepest recesses of our mind that we must become transformed into His image. We must choose the cross in response to the cross choosing us. Selah. The revelation is learning about what is in His cross – and the responsibilities of our cross. Our heart “chooses” the painful, agonizing transferring of control from us to “His will be done”.

The cross is identification with him and this in turn causes us to become representatives for him. Therefore, we can say it is an example and a descriptive parallel of the requirements of all Christians to surrender everything they are and everything they have to the divine reality of the cross. That message is about the endless love of God to save many from an eternal torment. It is about the endless mercy and compassion on the hopeless condition of lost sinners and how he gave his life to purchase them with his blood. It is more than a piece of jewelry and more than an ornament on top of a steeple, it is a life of suffering persecution, Godly sorrow, sacrificing and denying to live according to our own plans and dreams. It is also the gateway to living in the glory of His presence, being saturated in His love and living in the blessings of His revelations of truth that change us from the inside out – while being a constant reminder that we are NOT our own. “For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”. (I Corinthians 6:20) “For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant is the Lord’s slave: Likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.” (I Corinthians 7:22)

For Jesus, going to the cross was a mission that was done willingly and likewise it must be with us. Following Him is more than just reading about his adventures; it is actually doing and living just as He lived. The reason why Jesus was so serious and intense all the time is because the cross was always in His heart. This is a revelation for us that can only come from spending time in God’s Word and praying for this revelation.
Jesus embraced the cross as His destiny and “chose” to suffer so that many could be ransomed. He realized how His Father was to use Him as the perfect lamb and that He would become the “bridge” between heaven and earth so that Man could once again crawl into the bosom of God as a little child. We also have the free-will to obey this heavenly invitation so that through our willingness to “walk the walk” many people can hear God’s Word, be convicted by His Holy Spirit and give their hearts to Him. He was filled with genuine agape love, which is the only way He could have endured the assignment – as the same also applies to us in that agape love can be the only reason and motive for our deeds. He walked in humility and was filled with the infinite power of the Holy Spirit the same way we are to walk and live in the divine reality of the miraculous. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For who ever will save his life will lose it: and who ever will lose his life for my sake will find it.” (Mathew 16:24-25) We have been called to lay aside our custom blueprints, our selfish dreams, our independence and carnal nature so that God can be seen in us. Our cross is the daily journey of being like Jesus. Our cross is walking in the divine reality of His Spirit and not giving in to the lust of the flesh.

Do you desire to draw closer to God and bring the power of His cross closer to your heart? Fasting sobers us and is a key to drawing close to Him as it helps us to hear His still small voice so that we can understand the mysteries of His Word. Our conscience can become dull and cluttered with everyday chaos but fasting will bring much needed clarity and quiet to the worldly noise so we can focus on His person. When we just know “about” the cross, it is not the same as KNOWING Him. We can actually become comfortable to its historical image and at the same time become desensitized to its seriousness. Similar to portraying Christ as a baby in the manger, we can mentally reduce Him to a helpless infant while distracting our conscience away from His convicting power as the King of Kings. It is not the cross itself that is the power – it is falling upon it in complete surrender and trust that activates the life-changing power of Christ into our heart. Only when man falls on His face in the humility of repentance can he begin to take baby steps toward his destiny. Sadly, much of our theology has replaced humility with arrogance and the cross with enjoying pleasure. There is a balance, a time for sorrow in the prayer closet and a time to live the abundant life. Jesus was always AWARE of His destiny and he is trying to reveal the revelation of this hidden mystery that we also might be constantly AWARE of who we are and who He is. If we can become focused on the cross that stands before us – it will increase our burden for lost souls. This will happen when we accept these difficult facts.

Number one: the world will hate you and desire to kill you because they hate truth. “Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus WILL suffer persecution.” (II Timothy 3:12) This is not a sermon that will have them dancing in the isles – but it is truth. The farther we go toward the future the more this will become evident. “Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you: and you will be hated of all nations for my name sake. And then will many be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.” (Mathew 24:9-10).

Number two: The cross is not an “option” for the overcomer. “If any man comes to me, and hates not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple, And who ever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27) It is all about priorities. Our motives and intentions produce attitudes whether good or bad. If we are playing a religious game of church, then we will be more concerned with who is singing out of key and where we are going to eat after the service than interceding on our face before God for others to experience salvation, healing and deliverance. If my prayers are centered on making me rich more than making me a soul winner then I am living on the level of a spiritual toddler. If I believe that Jesus is going to rapture me without me having to suffer any persecution then no wonder I am not concerned with being a living sacrifice. How many brothers and sisters have tasted the martyr’s death? How many are suffering now? Why are we not hearing the sermons warning of the coming persecution that could prepare the saints to stand in the coming days of affliction and trouble? Because, the cross is a message for those who desire spiritual reality – not for the ones that love to live in a fantasy world of relaxation, comfort and pleasure. The cross would rather be seen as a golden ticket to eternal life – not as the refining FIRE that purges our carnality.

If we are in the cross – the cross will be in us and this is the only power in heaven and earth that can transform our mind. His cross bears the fruit of His character and blossoms within the crucified life of the believer. If we surrender to His cross in the inner chambers of our heart – our life will be a reflection of His perfect will. The amount of “work” we allow His cross to do in our life – the more He can accomplish within us. Selah. Let us not be like the hypocritical Pharisee that worships a legalistic, empty religion. If we embrace the truth of the cross and allow it to purify us into pure, transparent gold – all that can be seen will be the presence of Christ. All of me – none of Him, less of me – more of Him, none of me – all of Him. “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up your sword into the sheath: the CUP, which my Father has given me, shall I not DRINK it? (John 18:10-11) Are you drinking this bittersweet cup?

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS IV

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 19

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS IV

Some might say, now brother, I am not offended at anyone and neither do I have any unforgiveness so all of this does not really apply to me. Well, if you have a clean heart toward all people then I rejoice with you and your victory over these snare traps of sin. But noticing the response these articles have been receiving, evidently there are many who live with a “deceptive” type of unforgiveness where they do not even realize they have “issues” buried deep within their conscience. If we do a biblical research of God’s holiness we will see that He never overlooks even the tiniest transgression. We will notice the common expression called, “sin in the camp” and how the hidden iniquities hinder the entire atmosphere and everything that is attactched to it. Likewise we are reminded that just a fraction of leaven has a huge impact on the entire lump. In this light we cannot spiritually “afford” to discard even the possibility of buried anger or hard feelings. Here are a few examples:

Have you been offended at pastors, deacons, church members, song leaders or teachers? Has the church disappointed you to the point of holding a grudge? This is unforgiveness.

Those who have fought in war may still hate the enemy and hate is a very serious emotional cancer that can eat you alive. Forgive them, and give it over to God. Allow Him to wash your mind and cleanse your heart. Counseling might help.

Those who have been the victim of a crime or had family members that were victims may hate the ones who committed the acts against them including anyone they believe were connected or could have prevented it.

Everyone that has had a divorce must be careful not to secretly hate or resent the ex-spouse. The “blame game” can plant deep seeds of hate. Realize that carnal humans are destructive.

Some who are married now may have deep, hidden resentment toward their spouse for things they do – or refuse to do. On the outside we can smile but what is churning on the inside? Talk with your spouse and spill everything out. If two people love each other they will really want to please the other one.

Many children grow up harboring hatred against their parents, siblings or family members which has a huge effect on their adult lives. When you release them – God will release you.

Most everyone criticizes the government everyday and many are planting seeds of hate within their heart against those in authority. Where does this constant anger and negativity go? Directly into our subconscience and into our body.

Some people hate violent terrorist and all those connected to certain religions that celebrate violence. Are we to hate them as they kill us? No. Persecution is simply a result of people hating God and those who love Him. Love keeps us pure and innocent.

Many people even Christians have been raised in ignorant predjudice and have incorporated hatred within their conscience disguised as justified racial supremacy. This is a deadly sin. The transformation of our mind is evidence of genuine salvation.

Some people are so politically stimulated they hate all other representations of world views except their own group. This is also true of those who hate all other religious groups except those who agree with their own theology. Do you love and pray for those who do not believe exactly like you? Why not?

Being treated unfaily at work causes deep wounds. This pain can lead to unforgiveness which leads to living in a bad mood. If we are not careful unforgiveness can change who we are, the way we think, what we say and how we view everything.

Childhood situations are very real and the hurt goes very deep. Those who have experienced adolescent family dysfunctions have the freewill to hold tightly to these memories. This agony can “infect” our emotions and lead to serious adult problems.

What about all the people who have failed in life or at least believe they have. These thoughts of guilt bring depression and this leads to being angry at oneself. If this negativity is allowed to grow it can result in unforgiveness toward ourself. We can try to hide it or ignore it – but we need to forgive our own heart.

Of course one of the most serious areas of unforgiveness is toward God. No matter what happens in this life we cannot afford to have “hard feelings” toward the Lord. He has been blamed for committing acts, allowing them or NOT stopping them. But we must forgive Him so that He can forgive us.

We have been referring to everyday life crisis but let’s consider some more common examples of people who have felt the deep pain of personal hurt and how they must fight a very strong internal war against the demons that desire to keep them spiritually bound with a root of bitterness. For example take three specific groups of peoples; The American Indians, the Negros and the holocaust Jews. All are familiar with unforgiveness and we can clearly see these “real life” stories as examples we can understand. The younger generations have heard the horror stories and (with Satan instigating and provoking them to anger) have had time to “meditate” about what was done to their families and how their own lives have been influenced and changed because of the hate and violence against their loved ones. And true, it would be very difficult to not have hatred in our heart, in fact – so hard that they (and us) definately cannot do it without God’s strength. But, if anyone chooses to forgive and sincerely cries out for God’s assistance, He will be more than willing to bring healing in such a powerful emotional – spiritual crisis. In one of the most awesome illustrations of pure love, Jesus leads by example as he was being tortured by crying out to God the Father, “Please forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. Jesus knew there was no place in His character for resentment or bitterness and that we would have to learn this crucial lesson if we desired to become like him in every way. Actually the closer we walk with Him the more we will be rejected which means love and forgiveness must be at the forefront if we are to WALK the Christian path. This is exactly why the dark side works overtime trying to get us twisted up and tied up in knots because He knows that unforgiveness can literally hinder the progression and effectiveness of the entire kingdom of light. Selah.

Father, we are aware of your holiness. We realize you desire for us to be pure vessels of honor so that we can serve you and bring glory to you. Forgive us now, for all unforgiveness in Jesus Name. Purify our heart and refine us as pure gold. Forgive us for being offended in any way toward another person – especially you. Please forgive us for any resentment, hatred, or harsh feelings we have kept in our heart. We release these irritations and frustrations to you. We lay down our burdens and these problems to you in Jesus Name. We know you are listening to our sincere repentence and we believe you are washing us clean right now with your blood. We pray for those who have hurt us and ask that you would open their eyes that they might see your love and accept you as their Lord. Love them and forgive them for they do not understand your word or your ways. Father, give them the revelation of your love. Thank you for revealing your will, setting us free, restoring our joy and our closeness to you and re-filling us with your Holy Spirit. We worship you and in you we place ALL our love and trust, amen.

“Therefore, I say unto you, whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (I John 5:14)

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:15)

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)

“If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)

“The Lord is near unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desires of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.” (Psalm 145:18-19)

“When you lie down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” (Proverbs 3:24)

“As a person thinks and believes in their heart – so are they.” (Proverbs 23:7)

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS III

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 18

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS III

We asked the question in part seventeen; “could unforgiveness be at the core of the church’s spiritual “heart disease”? And I believe we are seeing how this deception is truly causing many of God’s people to be lethargic to His presence and live in a dangerous lukewarm condition. Could this be the reason that many have lost interest in the things of God? Could this be a cause of the love of many to “wax” or become cold toward everyone and everything? “And then shall many be OFFENDED and shall betray one another and shall HATE one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that endures to the end, the same will be saved.” (Mathew 24:10-13) I believe the spiritual life can be compared to a flame of fire that when someone makes the choice to be close to God it burns the brightest and when we allow ourself to drift away from Him we grow dim. The Lord does not move away from us – it is the sin in our life that causes the distance. Jesus died to become the bridge to connect God and man and His great love is always trying to reach out toward us. But it is the free-will of our mind that decides our level of commitment and how much we love Him.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, (The day of Christ coming) except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” (II Thessalonians 2:3) So, what does it mean to fall away and how far can we fall? This particular “falling away” means that what you have always believed and trusted in, no longer convicts you or stirs you like it used to. It is re-arranging our world-views under the inspiration and deception that God has not always come through and that His Word is filled with exceptions and broken promises. This is not a spiritually healthy place to live because becoming indifferent to God and His Word (for whatever reason) is actually being offended which of course leads to resentment. When people think a certain way and their dreams do not become fulfilled it can cause us to believe that justice was NOT served by God. If anyone chooses to dwell about how unfair something is and makes a conscious decision to blame God – I promise it will not end up on a good note. But just exactly whose standard of justice are we comparing it to? Did we create the perfect measuring system for good and evil? When we are offended at God are we saying that we know more than Him? Some might have waited for a miracle or for their visions to be manifested and when things did not turn out they lost their cozy, fuzzy feeling they were having in their relationship with Christ, (which is losing faith, hope and love). In these last days I believe discouragement will cause people to fall away and will come from a root of bitterness toward Him.

We can say so far that unforgiveness causes people to have a cold-hearted lack of love and to lose an interest in God Himself which leads to being back-slidden and lukewarm. Seeing the world as a place that is growing darker and more distant from God especially with all of these people that are turning away from Him is somewhat unsettling but we also cannot live in a mentality of denial. The facts are that as time goes on, the Word of God and we as His faithful disciples will be more hated than ever. Our faith will be challenged everytime we speak and in everything we do because the offense, hatred and bitterness is increasing! This is the word of the hour; Let us stay alert and guard against the temptations to become depressed. It is time to stop “mourning” over our emotions and transfer this energy into praying for the burden for lost souls. Selah. Unforgiveness centers its attention on our feelings and closes everything else out until we can somehow “win” our case. Without finding our justification these personal wounds become internal contention, dissention and discord within the conscience that can grow and last a lifetime. Today is the day to repent for any ill feelings toward anyone especially the Lord! Could this be an example of the spots and wrinkles of the brides wedding gown that Christ said would be “cleaned” before His return? I believe so.

Love is the indentification of the Christian because we should be filled with God’s love. If we have no love – we have no God! And, we will not trust someone we do not know which means that faith comes from developing an intimate relationship with Him. Loving Him with all our heart and trusting that He loves us is the bond of our relationship. But yet there are many that have looked around at life and are convinced that God is NOT loving or intervening like He should and so they are upset. Maybe it is because they are more focused on what He can give (or what they want Him to do) instead of who He is! Selah. Let me say this, if something has gone wrong there is a good chance that it was our fault to begin with or we have not handled it the right way. If something did not go right in our life it was NOT that God failed because that is impossible! It is time for all people to be accountable for their own failures and it is time to admit that if anyone failed it was us! Sin closes doors and prevents people to achieve what God wanted them to do. He can only advance someone if they are in the spiritual “position” to receive the mantle of wisdom, anointing, maturity and responsibility to handle their calling. How can God invite someone into the holy of holies and be a front line warrior for His Kingdom if their heart is filled with unforgiveness? What about getting angry with other people’s driving, a neighbor that aggravates you or someone has borrowed something and has not returned it? These seeds can grow into resentment and needs to be dealt with immediately. It is time to stop fighting against the devil with carnal weapons. Attempting to prove that we are right or trying to “make” things right will wear us out and cause us yet more misery. We can paint it, patch it and spit shine it, but it is still the sin of resentment and it can build a brick wall between us and the peace that passes all understanding. It is time to bring in the wrecking ball and demolish this wall of being offended by falling at Jesus feet in Godly sorrow so that we can ABIDE in His peace and freedom. The ways of God are usually the opposite from the way we think. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the MERCIFUL: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the PURE in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men shall REVILE and PERSECUTE you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Mathew 5:3-12)

Let us go on and identify other examples of how unforgiveness can be planted in our mind. For instance; someone very close is taken away, we are rejected by someone we love, a boss or a family member backstabs us or tries to ruin our reputation, a betrayal in a business deal or our marriage, being abused in any way, being robbed, violated or someone destroyed something of yours very precious, being disrespected or someone has hurt you so bad that you wince in pain everytime it crosses your mind. Maybe someone you looked up to failed miserably and you cannot get over it. The list could go on, but the point is that in your conscience you have been inocently wounded and now you honestly believe that justice must be served – and you may be correct. But we must let them go by handing them over to God and trusting that He will deal with them in HIS way. Unforgiveness can cause us to go through life believing the ones who have offended our heart need to “settle the score” with us so that we can find the deep comfort and justice we are desperately trying to find. But is revenge ok in God’s eyes? Capitol punishment believes that since we have been violated it is our right to see them suffer. Can we sincerely forgive and still desire to see them pay? Let us see that the principal of sowing and reaping means so much more than we think. “As you would that men should do to you, do also to them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what have you accomplished? For sinners also love those who love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have you? For sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? For sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again. But LOVE your enemies and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not and you shall not be judged: Condemn not and you shall not be condemned: FORGIVE AND YOU SHALL BE FORGIVEN. Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over shall men give unto your bosom. FOR WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU USE IN MEASURING ANYTHING IT SHALL BE MEASURED TO YOU AGAIN.” (Luke 6: 31 -38)

How we react to the way people treat us has everything to do with how close we are to God and how well we will “run the race” to our destiny. Could there be hidden in the deep recesses of our heart a bad attitude of pride or rebellion from being hurt and we can’t understand why God seems so far away? These are places we do not want to deal with but He cannot overlook sin because He is so HOLY and is waiting for us to make the first move. Take the time today to go to a private place with Jesus and pour out your heart to Him. Take a walk and talk to Him about it – He will tell you what to do. Ask Him to help you completely forgive and allow Him to lead you into His perfect love, peace, wisdom and restoration. He is El Nose’ our God of forgiveness and Jehovah Rapha who can heal all things. Amen.

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS II

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 17

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS II

The deadly spiritual disease of unforgiveness is highly contagious among those who live in this fallen default system – and yes, Christians are only immune if they “choose” to abide at the feet of Jesus. It is not uncommon for resentment to dress in the camoflage of “our rights” and thoughts of “justification” but for those who choose to do battle with “carnal” weapons, it can be like a tablepoon of strychnine in a pan of delicious brownies. No matter how spiritual we think we are (or try to be) – we must guard against a contention ambush, especially if our emotional “guns” have always had a hair-trigger for revenge. For those who sincerely desire to follow God’s perfect will, it is crucial to not allow our “feelings” to be offended, as these wounds can drain our anointing, diminish our love, alter our attitude and most importantly dissolve our intimate relationship with God. Unforgiveness can wear us down and cause spiritual deterioration because it builds a barrier that prevents the fresh, cool waters of The Holy Spirit from constantly washing over us so we can stay refreshed, cleansed and focused on Jesus. This “heart infection” may go undetected for a while but like a cancer that eats its way from the inside out, the symptoms will eventually become more noticeable in our spiritual, mental and physical existence. We were made to flow in harmony with God but when sin penetrates our conscience we become out of sync like an engine that has burned spark plugs. The reason why a correct diagnosis is so important is because unless we know this “strife virus” exist, we will not be able to recognize it within our own spirit or trace the “root” of its origin so we can deal with it. And if we do recognize the problem yet choose to stay in rebellion then our arrogance will prevent us from falling on our face before God and be delivered from its bondage. Sadly, many who suffer from unforgiveness in their own life cannot see the denial in themselves but are always ready to pity, gossip, counsel and pray for everyone else to be set free.

I have personally observed what resentment can do within the life of a believer and it does not resemble God’s character. When people hurt us it causes a legitimate wound and I am definately saying the damage IS real. It is no secret that life is not a “rose garden”, especially in relationships with others and we endure hurt feelings constantly. We’ve all at one time or another felt mistreated, used, ignored, disrespected and disappointed and it is all because this world is broken and needs Christ! It is a world of cold-hearted individuals that are calloused, unfair, have a hardened conscience, walk in the flesh and basically are void of God’s love and mercy. BUT – always remember, we are not defeated with what happens to us – but rather how we REACT to what happens to us! We can CHOOSE to not allow anger, hatred and unforgiveness to ruin what Jesus died for us to be – or we can swallow the bait and allow Satan to add us to his “trophy” collection of those who “could have” helped God’s Kingdom but were not useable. If we constantly live in the dark clouds of complaining, regretting and harboring bitterness we will never find the peace and joy in life that we so desperately long for! Do you want a clear conscience and to live in a state of emotional health and spiritual happiness? Of course we do! Then, it is imperative that we learn how to forgive quickly and LET IT GO. How do we do this? Are you ready for this “deep” revelation? Stop thinking about it and stop talking about it!

I realize that many of us have endured some terrible things but it IS necessary through the power of God to completely wash the slate clean. You see, unforgiveness reinforces the “power” of the situation and enables the negative effects to grow stronger. It is the “letting go” that disarms the sin and carnal forces that hold us hostage. Yes, That’s right – I know it seems unfair that we not only have the original pain of being hurt – but also are faced with repenting for being offended as a “double agony”. The person or people we are offended with (that dominates our thoughts) is NOT the one that is being tormented by our mental “incarceration” – we are! Those who have hurt us are not even thinking about how wrong they were (remember they are cold and insensitive), so all of our frustration and strife is grinding OUR stomach and leading US to a nervous breakdown. If we will surrender our will and the way we FEEL, this forgiveness will release the floodgates of God’s peace and unlock our torture chamber. “And you shall KNOW the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. Notice this next verse, we see that many times we are too weak to be able to forgive and this is where we cry out to God in faith and HE empowers us with HIS strength and does a deep cleansing and healing within our soul. (John 8:32) “If the SON therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed”. (John 8:36) We desperately need Him to help us forgive and love because we are so weak and carnal minded.

We can counsel and give advice to one another but humans cannot actually heal each other. We can go to counselors or psychiatrist but each individual must get their healing directly from God and allow His Divine “soul surgery” (no matter how painful) to deliver them from the bondage of their own twisted thinking. This will require a face to face meeting with God where we fall at His feet and pour out our heart in complete submission to His will. What does this mean? This means we believe He can do it, we want Him to do it and are ready to allow Him to do it! Whether in a church service or under a shade tree, those who have “ears” to hear, possess a spiritual antenna, a brand new created spirit, and are tuned in to an HG frequency (Holy Ghost) that was impossible to understand before they were born again. Now they are capable of receiving God’s heavenly message and can be super-naturally enlightened by the revelation of His Holy Word. “So faith comes by hearing (what is told), what is heard comes by the preaching (of the message that came from the lips) of Christ (the Messiah Himself)”. (Rom. 10:17AMP.) God is THE WORD and if we are not ready to deal with it – we will remain in the shackles of torment – the opposite of His peace.

Let us begin with a very simple form of unforgiveness. You are trying to park at a department store and discover that a car is ready to pull out of a parking place. You sit, put on your signal and wait for the car to leave and just as it drives away, before you can turn, another car suddenly darts in your place. Now, you become furious and offended at the action of this person – you sit there staring with hatred in your eyes, as your blood boils to an extreme pressure, you slowly begin searching for another spot. Ok, this situation seems harmless but the real damage is being done in the area of our mind, heart and spirit at the moment we responded with carnal anger. We have just swallowed a small amount of unforgiveness and eventually will forget it, but does this mean that unforgiveness is not there or is it just “stored” away like we would put away our socks in a drawer? I believe that sin does not just evaporate like water on a sidewalk in the summer. When we do not repent of resentment – even if someone does legitimally provoke us, our sin of “omission” (not doing what we need to do) becomes like leaven in the dough. Sin becomes not just a dirty stain but also like a weight that drags our entire being down and negativly effects our anointing, joy, attitude and peace. It makes us depressed while it dulls the sharp edges of our discernment and sensitivity. And it decreases our internal level of God’s presence which chain reacts into preventing us from projecting His image as pure and holy as it needs to be. The sad but true reality of us being offended can come from being continually insulted, criticized, abused, disappointed, disrespected, rejected, neglected or in some way being made to feel angry against another person. How do we find the cure for this emotional “merry-go-round and prevent it from holding us in bondage? First, we must understand that it is a serious problem and is not acceptable with God. Second, we must really desire to deal with this problem and realize that continuing in denial makes our life more miserable. Being aware that our weakness comes from OUR SIN is a great place to start our healing process.

We must know that our vulnerability to be offended does not go away on it’s own no more than the tendency to overeat but rather must be dealt with by asking God to forgive US for harboring unforgiveness, then also making the “choice” to forgive EACH person in our heart (and in many circumstances to their face). We cannot bypass dealing with our “people problems” by just quickly asking God to help us forget them. Taking a pain killer does not HEAL the infirmity! Sincere, holy forgiveness is NOT just sweeping the dirt under the carpet. If we choose to ignore this “heart surgery” the enemy will keep pushing the same buttons because…you got it – it works! This is not a “patty cake” battle, it is a very dangerous, matter of life and death that can literally DESTROY us! The subtle “layering” of unforgiveness is similar to coats of polyurethane being applied to a table, it causes our heart to become hardened and with each situation we become more spiritually de-sensitized. You would not think that a seasoned, “well read” Christian would suffer with this disease but actually sometimes the more “conviction” is presented the more stubborn one becomes. You can see how many years of bitterness is like drifting out to sea on the deceiving current of life’s Ocean, farther away from God’s glorious security and rest. A Christian CANNOT be filled with mountain moving faith AND unrepented sin as James 3:11 say’s, “Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” Maybe this is why true faith is becoming rare while fear, apathy and depression is spreading everywhere. Is unforgiveness the reason why God’s people are NOT walking in His Kingdom Authority? Is this one of the sins that has slipped in and bound the strong man of the house? “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the SIN which does so easily beset (hinder) us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

THE WALK OF CLARITY

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 16

THE WALK OF CLARITY

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to not only diagnose someone else’s problems but to (secretly) be convinced of what they should do to correct them? Some might argue that casting judgment is wrong because the idea is that God is the only one who really knows the motives and reasons behind everyone’s actions. But, in the spiritual realm we cannot deny an extension of a holy sensitivity called discernment. While the bible reminds us to pull the beam from our own eye, it also includes the reality of having the mind of Christ, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 2:5) So if we allowed God to transform our mind into His view then we could begin to see our own heart and judge ourselves with HIS wisdom “before” we try to fix everyone else. This thought dawned on me at 4:00 am as I was on the way to work the other day. I was talking to God and just thinking about how it seemed that all problems could be corrected if we could truly SEE OURSELVES. For most of us, we take on the role of psychiatrist except when it comes to us. Why is that? Because we are not listening or watching our actions through the ears and eyes of God, but rather are seeing what we “want” to see.

Stepping outside our self and closely observing who we really are can help us see our self the way God sees us. We have heard of self-examination but most have never understood HOW to do this. When we are looking out of our eyes we see others and imagine how everyone else needs to change. But we must embrace the revelation that it is crucial to “step out” of ourselves and actually watch how we live. In this level of sensitivity we can begin to critique and judge our self with the same standards that we diagnose everyone else. We know that God will judge everyone but if we cannot judge our own life then we must not consider judging anyone else as the Word say’s, “Judge not lest you be judged. For with what judgment (criticism) you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you give out, it shall be measured back to you.” (Mathew 7:1-2) It is time to understand how to “spiritually see” and what the request, “open the eyes of my heart” really means. Is that what you really desire in life? If we do not have a burning passion to change into His image and live HIS destiny – it will not happen! I have always believed that it meant to allow us to see more of Jesus but maybe we can only see as much of Him as we have advanced in our spiritual relationship with Him. Moses wanted to see more of God and I believe because of His faith and humility he was allowed to see more than the average follower. Again, if we are only looking “out” from our eyes we may miss the most important “inward” miracle that needs to be manifested and that is Christ in US the hope of glory. Let us step away from our self to “see” if we can notice Christ in us. Since we are so sharp in discerning and deciding on how people are, why would we not be excellent at knowing what our faults are and how to correct them? Isn’t this what “change” is all about? If we could develop a higher level of awareness with what we say and do, maybe we would be disgusted to the point of not wanting to be that person anymore. If there is even a spark of Jesus in us, then it would give us and those who see Him the blessing of God’s glory and presence. Just because we are saved and have His Spirit within us does not mean that we will automatically shine with His glory. Jesus is “revealed” when we make a conscious effort to be like Him! This will only happen when the passion to change becomes greater than the desire to remain the same. Selah.

One major reason why people have never truly seen themselves is because they have never really seen or known Jesus. I am not referring to the natural eyes but the eyes of the spirit. Do you ever meditate about Him and try to focus your attention on Him with your spirit? It is difficult to concentrate on someone we have never seen or audibly spoken with but that is exactly what is necessary if we are to grow strong in our intimate relationship with Him. What is all the hype about “vision” in the Christian vocabulary? And just what are we trying to have a vision of? Well, the idea of vision might be packed with many things that we dream about doing or would like to see accomplished but allow me to say; if our vision and spiritual expectation is not to “see” Jesus with our heart and learn how to be like Him, then our vision has fallen into a lower place of significance. If we continue to climb upward on the steps to heaven and continue to grow and build on who He is, we will by His gracious love be transformed into His image.

“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. (Mathew 3:16-17) Why was Father pleased? Because Jesus did everything according to God’s will! Not as a robot – but as someone who’s eyes and heart were fixed on God. He was all man – all God, and as a man He had choices to make, He had emotions and a free–will just like you and I. He was not on vacation, visiting earth and showing off His miracle power just so He could be popular! He was demonstrating as an example to us how to live and what was also “required” of everyone that professed to be a follower of His Kingdom. He kept His spiritual eyes on the prize of the high calling and did not allow His flesh gain the dominant control. Our un-renewed mind is the carnal control center that gives the orders unless there is a change in command. Selah. As a person looks deeply “into” Christ (which is The Word) they will see how the purity of His brightness reflects not only how we are – but how He dies for us to be. Is this why most everyone does not want to seek His face? Now we know why religion is so much more popular than being a disciple. Oh, we don’t mind to do things for the “cause” or give an offering but that is not the same as “pursuing” Him. It is very sad that most Christians are not really interested in seeing God at all or even thinking about Him because they do not want to change. Most people want to live life exactly like they are and then add a little religious morality to it. This is a great way to customize our own version of what we feel good about but it is a far cry from surrendering our will and following God’s planned destiny for us. When we “create” our own little world of comfort and security we fall into a deceptive role reversal. He is supposed to be the potter and we are to be the clay but if we make all the decisions and build Him the way we want to imagine Him then we have made Him in OUR image. When He has been reduced to look like us and accept our choices, we can now understand how the masses are “blind” to their need for personal change. “Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I (Jesus) will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity (sin).” (Mathew 7:22-23) What happened? How can this be? The following passages talk about how crucial it is to build our life on the foundation of God’s truth but these people believe they did! So, what or who were they focused on? Obviously they were not looking to Jesus and consequently could not or refused to see their own reflection in Him. They did not know who they were IN CHRIST because they did not know Christ! It is time to take a personal inventory and make sure we are WALKING in His Divine reality. Selah.

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS I

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 15

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS I

LAY IT AT THE ALTER – AND LEAVE IT

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered”. (Psalm 32:1) Forgiveness is NOT an option for the Christian. I along with many others in the Christian faith believe that harboring a root of bitterness is like a “cancer” that infects our conscience and shatters our relationship with Christ. We may deny that we actually have hatred because it is such a serious accusation – but that is exactly what it is. We may daydream about executing vengeance and retaliation and even enjoy the “visions” of seeing someone get what they deserve but this just multiplies our anxiety. We may convince our “religious piety” that we can pray one minute and hate the next minute but we are only deceiving ourselves. Walking in God’s divine reality is abiding in love toward Him and toward all people. Since hatred for people is SIN and the opposite of God’s character, we can be assured that being offended separates us from His presence and paralyzes our spiritual anointing and development. “If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (I John 4:20) We also must guard our mouth from spewing criticism because this is “dangerous” negative confession that confirms and establishes our hostility not to mention a sinful witness and testimony. If we really desire to do a serious inventory of our “vital signs”, let us simply think about those whom we are offended with and those “feelings” will expose us. Psychiatry may be convinced that love and forgiveness cannot be a determined act, but they are wrong! Optimism, joy, happiness, love, freedom, purity and forgiveness are CHOICES that each person makes everyday. And if we do not have the strength to WALK in God’s character, then He is more than willing to empower us with whatever we need to live in His will. Of course our old nature wants to fight against our humility because we see the ones who have hurt us as our evil enemy. We must transfer this negative energy into sincere prayers of forgiveness toward those who are blind and repent for our bad attitudes. When we are honest about our hate then we can begin to restructure our thinking and eventually rest in the peace and comfort of knowing that all is well with our soul. We must yield the temptation to avenge in the flesh and this will bring a freedom that will open the door for Jesus to return to our table and fellowship with us. Our war is against the evil influences that are trying to destroy our relationships, our health and happiness, “through” the coldness of others. It is never easy to “let it go” but it is HIS way to joy and freedom. “He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor. Whoever restrains his mouth and his tongue, keeps his soul from troubles”. (Proverbs 21:21, 23) Give God your burdens, repent and fall at the feet of Jesus; He will show us when, where and how to deal with every situation.

TWO WRONGS WILL NEVER JUSTIFY OUR FAILURE

Don’t try to turn the situation around on someone else when you share the blame. If it is your fault, stand up and take the consequence. We can become so involved and consumed with proving that others are just as (or more) guilty as us (but are receiving no punishment) that we begin to believe we have no blame at all. Two wrongs do not make a right and this train of thought is necessary to WALK in the courage that it takes to be a disciple of Christ. We do not like to stand alone because it takes faith and is uncomfortable but we must learn that it is a huge part of abiding in the vine. Usually we try to argue and prove that others have abused us, tortured us, took advantage of us, attacked us, lied and deceived us or were just flat out mean to us, while we were innocent. Sometimes this may actually be the case but the point is not how we were treated – but how we REACTED to how we were treated! This victim mentality can become a shield that we hide behind providing a false shelter that “enables” us to live in our den of sin. You see, Jesus never said that if the offense was committed on a higher level that it could justify holding a grudge. That’s because He knew how much spiritual, mental and physical damage resentment can bring. It begins as a child when we cry to mommy that “he’s doing it too”. We fall into a habit and pattern of never taking responsibility for our own actions and no matter how beautiful you paint it – this is still just plain old immaturity. In Christ we must put away childish attitudes and learn how to become diligent, strong and wise having the courage to stand in honor even when it is uncomfortable. If we had a part in the problem then we need to reach out and not only ask God to forgive us but also reach out to the other party in the spirit of humility and restoration. If we were innocent in the entire matter we not take the attitude of waiting for them to apologize but attempt to extend God’s love. If we do our part, we can rest in the assurance that God will take over to bring the healing miracle. When we declare Jesus as the Lord of our life, we submit to His authority as the private does not argue with the sergeant and the sergeant does not argue with the general. We must lay down our arguments and put our faith in the super-natural power of the Holy Spirit. God changes the hearts of people, it is God that makes the crooked places straight and it is God who makes a way when there is no other way. Selah.

Our court system has become filled with the demonic spirits of justification. Defense attorneys are allowed to argue in behalf of the guilty and are given the right to ridicule the innocent in the name of confusion. Our carnal nature does not want to admit our guilt or face the responsibility of TRUTH and since our legal system is built upon this distortion, it produces the twisted abuse of our laws. In this “upside down world” the battle-cry has become, “two wrongs make a right’ but that is not true; two wrongs make two wrongs. Our system has become a reflection of mans attempt to deceive everyone into believing that the guilty do not deserve to be punished for doing wrong. They try to prove that everyone has a justified reason for doing wrong but this is not the way it should be! And just because people are forgiven, it does not mean they are excused! When people do wrong they should be held accountable. All sin has consequences – even if we ask everyone involved including God to forgive us, it does not change the facts or the damage that has been done. Many people are sitting in prison right now because of the horrible crimes they have committed – and rightly so. Just because God has forgiven them and even if the victims have forgiven them, it does not mean they should be set free. What good would it do to be “legally” released from guilt yet having to live with knowing we betrayed the spiritual truth in our conscience…unless that also has turned to stone?

KILL THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS

“Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently (watching carefully) lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many are defiled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15) If someone is targeting you to ruin your reputation and you are dreaming of revenge, give it completely over to God. If people disrespect you, talk bad about you or plan to destroy you, it is to say the least, in your best interest to stay in prayer. I never said this was easy – it takes faith to believe that God is aware of the situation and that He is actively working on our behalf to take care of it His way. Listen to the Words of God, “It is GOD that AVENGES me and SUBDUES the people under me. He delivers me from my enemies: yes, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord among the heathen and sing praises unto thy name”. (Psalm 18:47-49) Our anger will never have the power to “fix” our situation but these battles must be fought in the spirit realm where God’s Word, his angels and his Holy Spirit can get involved. For the sake of love we must “go to war” on our knees and sincerely desire to see it work out for God’s glory – not our selfish revenge. The amount of assistance we receive depends on the condition of our attitude. If we truly love God then we are promised that all things (even bad) will work together for the GOOD, and that “good” is opening the eyes of everyone to the beauty of His truth. We cannot afford to hate anyone. This hatred for your enemy is a wound that becomes gangrene very quickly and while we watch our enemy walk off laughing we can become tightly bound in a spiritual straightjacket. This can grow into a crippling “disease” that can definitely cause physical illness to our body. If left unrestrained the nervous pressure and anxiety will increase along with the ever-present satanic “whispers” that can drive us to the next level of rage. Hatred is a destructive force that can rapidly spin out of control unless we willingly fall at Jesus feet and cry out to him for help. We must force our flesh to obey God’s word to love and forgive those who trespass against us. This is one of the most difficult acts of obedience we can follow in our Christian walk. The Greek definition of the word “offence” is skandalon which means “snare trap”. The idea is where a young tree is bent over and secured while a rope is tied to the top. The other end has a noose and is hidden under the leaves. When a person steps into the noose a trigger releases the tree and the rope snares the foot. The person ends up hanging upside down, dangling helplessly because they cannot reach the ground or the rope. This is a perfect example of the spiritual condition of those who have ALLOWED themselves to be caught in the snare trap of being offended. Unforgiveness shuts down our relationship with God and can turn our river of living water into a literal Death Valley. We can clearly see how joy and freedom are closely related. The more we forgive the more free we are and this contentment of His peace helps us “fly” into His presence.

THE WALK OF DISCERNMENT

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 14

THE WALK OF DISCERNMENT

This week I received the sad news of our former pastor Denny Strickland going to be with the Lord. He was so gentle, kind and filled with love and compassion. He drew everyone around him like a magnet because he was such a spiritually wise “Grandfatherly” figure. As a mentor he demonstrated how to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and I will never forget the times with him and all that I learned through watching him WALK the life of a disciple. One example of his discernment is how he could sense the corporate environment when he as the leader needed to make a decision of “direction” for the meeting. When he did not have clarity with the Lord leading in a specific way, instead of trying to force an agenda or panicking with the need to do “something”, he would gently and confidently say, “Let’s just wait on the Lord”. In that time of seeking, praying and worship there would always be a move of God that was so powerful and profound. I learned that as we allow God to do what HE wants to do, it is always wonderful and exactly what we need.

I have a mental image of our heart or “conscience” having a door, with Christ many times desiring deeper access to our will.
Everything that wants our attention stands on the outside and knocks because it wants our attention. It is a simple picture of how the most intimate recesses of our inner being is aware and vulnerable to outside influence. We choose each day whom we “invite” into our secret chambers. “Our heart is a garden, our thoughts are the seeds – we can grow flowers, or we can grow weeds”. The handle to the door is always on the inside which reveals that it is our responsibility to WHOM and WHAT we entertain. One area of discernment is recognizing this constant spiritual reality as the Christian learns the only way to WALK in the awareness of God’s holiness is to keep the door locked to sin and only open it to Christ. There is a large crowd of shady characters that hang around outside our door for the purpose of corrupting our innocence and bringing negative influence. Our eyes and ears are portals to our soul and the devil works overtime to poison our conscience. It is very difficult to avoid being dragged down into a negative state of mind when we willingly allow our heart to be pounded with the corruption of this world. This repeated exposure to negativity, perversion, strife, chaos, violence and foolishness can callous the mind and bring apathy to our state of being. Satan’s strategy is to infect us with depression, anxiety, discouragement, anger, envy, arrogance and many other negative character traits. These bad attitudes pull us down into lukewarmness because they remove us from God’s presence. These symptoms conclude with the heart-breaking diagnosis of the early stages of spiritual “heart disease”. To WALK in God with a pure conscience is to not only be aware – but to obey with joy and peace. We are like a child playing on a sunny day as we are so secure and our outlook is so happy. But the opposite is true when we allow our heart to become dirty with sin and the heaviness that brings sadness and guilt. Those who have the Holy Spirit within them know when they are in God’s presence and when they are taking a wrong exit from the “holy” highway. This built-in alarm system was intended to help us stay on the right track and to warn us of danger. But most of the time, even God’s merciful influence and loving persuasion will not stop us from making wicked decisions. Our freewill can shut off the alarms and ignore His still small voice. It is dangerous to intentionally sin after we have been convicted over and over because it can separate us from His protection. Our tenderness to hear Him and our sincere willingness to respond to Him reveals our level of love for Him.

As we mentioned in the walk of effectiveness, our motives and availability is what Father is searching for and that includes not only our listening but being in the sanctified “position” to be used. He mentions the word “weights” when referring to being hindered or bogged down while trying to run. We realize that we cannot run fast or be free with the heaviness of sin strapped to our ankles. Sin can grow and accumulate if we do not make it a point to (seriously) repent on a regular basis. Actually, it is possible for our sin to become so oppressive and severe that we do not even feel like doing anything for God. If left unchecked we can become so cold and dull that we slide into a dangerous state of needing to be chastised for our rebellion. It is true our new spirit is very sensitive to everything that is connected to God but our carnality can drown out it’s pleading to repent. Do you remember when you were born again? We only desired to be in God’s presence and everything that was offensive to His holiness was extremely noticeable. It would be awesome if we could stay in that bubble of His glory but our flesh is weak to temptation as we hear our favorite sin ringing our doorbell. Those who do not have the reverential fear of God are definitely not concerned with developing their spiritual discernment!

There are many different thoughts that come to mind when people hear the term “discernment” in the world of religious jargon. The dictionary say’s, “to recognize, to perceive, make out clearly, keenly perceptive, shrewd, astute, keen judgment and insight”. We think of being sensitive to hear God’s voice and that is at the heart of the issue, but there is more. Being under the control of God’s influence is the focal point of being a disciple and to WALKING in the Holy Spirit. This is not just in areas we feel comfortable with because “selective hearing” is a trait of being religious without being spiritual. Selah. Along with listening for God’s direction we have the responsibility (the command actually) of being “aware” of our thoughts, words and actions as well. The weaknesses we struggle with are the very places that need the most discernment but are usually the first to be avoided. It is easy to put on a show in front of our peers but discernment is the love of God to help us SENSE what is happening around us and how we deal with situations when no one is watching. The problem with trying to understand about what God is trying to do IN US is that usually most of our problems are “protected” by the will of our flesh. If we enjoy our sin and have no intention of letting it go, then Father will go to the drawing board and begin working on a plan to get our attention (and it will not be pretty). Just because we do not desire for Him to intervene does not mean that He will oblige. If we are truly born again, He WILL bring discipline because He loves us enough to rescue us. As far as making us study, read, write, love, give and live as a shining light of purity, He can only do with what we give Him to work with. Selah. In order for discernment to become activated we must first have a desire to lay down our life to Jesus. Then we must go to the next step of desiring to be filled with His presence so that we can WALK in His Word. This will generate an enthusiasm about allowing His purging fire to cleanse our mind and heart, which will enable us to be willing to walk away from our sin and NOT return! These faith decisions are not done easily but He is more than ready to help us when we take an earnest “baby step” in His direction. Deliverance is the spiritual rescue for those who sincerely call out for freedom and discernment and are only developed in those who really want to be a sold-out follower of Jesus Christ.

So we see that discernment is a spiritual sensitivity to be aware of God’s presence and to help us resist our carnality. Let us stretch our perception to include the negative spiritual forces that are constantly trying to influence our flesh. Advertisement is based on the fact that our ears and eyes are receptors to the brain and are the stimulation and motivation to our thoughts. The devil is not ignorant and his strategies always include the enticement of our emotions. Our old dark nature has “built-in” radar when it comes to things like envy, lust, pride, jealousy, strife, greed and when these “attractions” are dangled in front of us, we naturally reach out to fulfill our desire whatever it may be. Christians who have not realized the reality of how this works are unlearned which is why spiritual discernment is a learned truth that is developed in serious PRAYER. If we have sincerely sought the Lord and allowed Him to do an extensive work in our heart – we will have the opportunity to be tested to see if we are MATURE to obey His will. It is easy to brag about faith and our knowledge when everything is going good but the enemy is always planning a surprise attack and discernment will be a shield of protection and a battle plan for success. How important would it be for the soldiers on a battlefield to be able to hear their orders? In this light we can see clearly just how crucial discernment is for those who desire to WALK with God.
“Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first BIND the strong man? And then he will spoil (rob) his house. He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters abroad.” (Mathew 12:29-30) The idea behind the attempt to enter into someone’s home while they are there and steal from them is to either do it without them knowing or to over-power them. In this particular scripture we read that Jesus is using the scenario of a thief being able to tie-up the owner while he takes what he wants and leaves without being chased. A security system is for the purpose of warning us when someone is trying to break-in and steal or harm. It is fine to use them on our homes and vehicles but we have spiritual protection that has been provided for us. We have been given angels to watch over us wherever we go and to keep an eye on our possessions. The Lord Himself also guards our life and has given us His blood covenant of protection and His promises connected with our obedience that are constantly saving us from harm. And we have been given a brand new spirit that is in perfect tune with God’s voice and along with The Holy Spirit, we can discern His truth which is our total salvation. This revelation knowledge is very crucial in our decision making abilities because if the enemy CANNOT get in – we can rest in safety. Discernment is the awareness of right and wrong and our will always chooses to obey what we desire. Lord, give us the desire to love you more. The closer we are to you – the more sensitive we will be.

THE WALK OF TRUTH III

October 28, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

THE WALK
PART 13

THE WALK OF TRUTH III

How can we pursue truth without comprehending that it is not left up to human ability alone to know what it is? Selah. When man believes he can disregard the wisdom of God he has already missed his destiny. How can we find absolute truth without first finding the only one who IS absolute truth? Those who do not believe that God and His Word is infinite, divine, the ultimate authority, never failing and the highest supernatural wisdom in the universe will never know the spiritual reality of truth! “But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him: for He that comes to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently SEEK HIM.” (Hebrews 11:6) God’s treasure map is given to all who believe that He is who He say’s He is – it is our responsibility to use the shovel. Man can do many things to enhance his chances to discern truth but we cannot substitute intelligence or imagination for listening to the Holy Spirit. Even those that have the Holy Spirit can experience error if they allow carnality to cloud and distort their thinking. God will not force His truth upon anyone because it is a “seeker” gift similar to developing a personal relationship with Him. God seeks man first as our faith comes by hearing God’s Word (which is God’s love reaching out to us) – but revelation comes through our faith by SEEKING God’s Word (which is our love reaching out to God). Selah. Those who diligently obey the Lord and surrender their will to His will profess to the Lord, “not my will but THY will be done”. But for those who reject God’s Word and build their house (life) on the sands of flesh, the Lord will respond, “not MY will but thy will be done” as He allows them to choose their own destiny. He is not pleased with anything that is not saturated in faith because that is the spiritual principal He moves through. Man can boast of his human ability but the author of truth is never impressed with diplomas, awards, medals or trophies? He desires our heart.

Listen to these modern worldviews concerning the differences in God’s truth and social opinion. “Moral relativism is more easily understood in comparison to moral absolutism. Absolutism claims that morality relies on universal principles (natural law, conscience). Christian absolutists believe that God is the ultimate source of our common morality, and that it is, therefore, as unchanging as He is. Moral relativism asserts that morality is not based on any absolute standard. Rather, ethical “truths” depend on variables such as the situation, culture, one’s feelings, etc. Several things can be said of the arguments for moral relativism which demonstrate their dubious nature. First, while many of the arguments used in the attempt to support relativism might sound good at first, there is a logical contradiction inherent in all of them because they all propose the “right” moral scheme—the one we all SHOULD follow. But this in itself is absolutism. Second, even so-called relativists reject relativism in most cases. They would not say that a murderer or rapist is free from guilt so long as he did not violate his own standards. Relativists may argue that different values among different cultures show that morals are relative to different people. But this argument confuses the actions of individuals (what they do) with absolute standards (whether they should do it). If culture determines right and wrong, how could we have judged the Nazis? After all, they were only following their culture’s morality. Only if murder is universally wrong were the Nazis wrong. The fact that they had “their morality” does not change that. Further, although many people have different practices of morality, they still share a common morality. For instance, abortionists and anti-abortionists agree that murder is wrong, but they disagree on whether abortion is murder. So, even here, absolute universal morality is shown to be true.

Some claim that changing situations make for changing morality—in different situations different acts are called for that might not be right in other situations. But there are three things by which we must judge an act: the situation, the act, and the intention. For example, we can convict someone of attempted murder (intent) even if they fail (act). So situations are part of the moral decision, for they set the context for choosing the specific moral act (the application of universal principles).

The main argument relativists appeal to is that of tolerance. They claim that telling someone their morality is wrong is intolerant, and relativism tolerates all views. But this is misleading. First of all, evil should never be tolerated. Should we tolerate a rapist’s view that women and children are objects of gratification to be abused? Second, it is self-defeating because relativists do not tolerate intolerance or absolutism. Third, relativism cannot explain why anyone should be tolerant in the first place. The very fact that we should tolerate people (even when we disagree) is based on the absolute moral rule that we should always treat people fairly—but that is absolutism again! In fact, without universal moral principles there can be no goodness. The fact is that all people are born with a conscience, and we all instinctively know when we have been wronged or when we have wronged others. We act as though we expect others to recognize this as well. Even as children we knew the difference between “fair” and “unfair.” It takes bad philosophy to convince us that we are wrong (for believing that God is right) and that moral relativism is true”.

Is there anything that could cause you to abandon your convictions? There have been many brave soldiers since the beginning of time to walk out on a battlefield and declare to heaven and earth, that they are willing to die for what they know to be true. Having faith in a false god or a false belief system does not earn favor with THE GOD of the heaven and earth. Sincerity does not earn special credit because His perfection would never allow Him to bend His own character of absolute truth which in the end will expose many who were SINCERELY wrong. I am not saying that He requires us to be perfect in order to inherit heaven because no one has it all correct. “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (I Corinthians 13:12) But, I believe that knowing truth makes a huge difference in us receiving the abundant life on earth that God wants us to have. It is our love for Him and our personal relationship with Him that is our highest purpose! We can study and learn His truth gradually as we dedicate our attention to learning directly from Him. There is a huge difference between possessing the knowledge of it and rightly dividing (interpreting) it! We can memorize information but His truth is more than just words on a page. “For the Word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

A “worldview” refers to a comprehensive conception of the world from a specific standpoint. A “Christian worldview,” then, is a comprehensive conception of the world from a Christian standpoint. An individual’s worldview is his “big picture,” a harmony of all his beliefs about the world. It is his way of understanding reality. One’s worldview is the basis for making daily decisions and is therefore extremely important.

An apple sitting on a table is seen by several people. A botanist looking at the apple classifies it. An artist sees a still-life and draws it. A grocer sees an asset and inventories it. A child sees lunch and eats it. How we look at any situation is influenced by how we look at the world at large. Every worldview, Christian and non-Christian, deals with at least these three questions:

1) Where did we come from and why are we here?
2) What is wrong with the world?
3) How can we fix it?

A prevalent worldview today is naturalism, which answers these three questions like this: 1) we are the product of random acts of nature with no real purpose. 2) We do not respect nature as we should. 3) We can save the world through ecology and conservation. A naturalistic worldview generates many related philosophies such as moral relativism, existentialism, pragmatism, and utopianism. A Christian worldview, on the other hand, answers the three questions biblically: 1) We are God’s creation, designed to govern the world and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15). 2) We sinned against God and subjected the whole world to a curse (Genesis 3). 3) God Himself has redeemed the world through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15; Luke 19:10), and will one day restore creation to its former perfect state (Isaiah 65:17-25). A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption.

True Christianity is more than a set of ideas to use at church. Christianity as taught in the Bible is itself a worldview that is a foundation for a lifestyle. The Bible never distinguishes between a “religious” and a “secular” life; the Christian life is the ONLY divine reality while the default life is automatic in the absence of God. Jesus proclaimed Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) and, in doing so, became the worldview of His disciples. True Christians are dogmatic because God is not tolerant of any other idol or view besides His own that tries to compete for His glory. He certainly is not humored with the “puppet” thinking that he is smarter than the one who made him. It is the same attitude that Lucifer had in heaven as pride blinds the eyes and hardens the heart from truth. God is not elected with popular or electoral votes! He is God. He created everything including the perfect way to think, believe, act and live. The standards of living are never up for debate because how could anyone sane ever question God? “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare (speak up) if you have understanding. Who calculated the measurements, do you know? Or who stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations fastened? And who laid the cornerstone?” (Job 38: 4-6) When God speaks it always becomes extremely quiet.

In Victor E. Frankl’s book, “Mans Search for Meaning”, we are given a glimpse of how depraved humans can disconnect their conscience and at the same time how God can bring revelation truth to the sensitive ones in the most difficult situations. Words cannot describe the cruel torture of a concentration camp prisoner. At Auschwitz, each morning he would march with a work party for miles to dig ditches in snow and freezing wind and at night receive one cup of watery soup. With unlaced shoes and no socks he would receive beatings with sticks and gun butts until he reached the work area where he would dig all day with a pick in the frozen ground. He learned to walk in this “valley of death” and go deeper into the spiritual realm in order to survive as he resisted the urge to give up and be thrown into the furnace. Listen to his words, “For the first time in my life I saw the TRUTH as it is set into song by so many poets and proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The TRUTH – that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way – an honorable way – in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, the angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory.” The TRUTH will be a martyr’s “beloved” in the time of persecution. Selah.
“My son, if thou wilt receive my Words and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge and lift up thy voice for understanding; if thou seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5) “Sanctify them through thy TRUTH: Thy Word is TRUTH.” (John 17:17)

BILLY HOLLAND MINISTRIES

CONVICTIONS and CONSIDERATIONS

Category: The Walk

THE WALK OF THE CROSS III

THE WALK OF THE CROSS II

THE WALK OF THE CROSS

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS IV

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS III

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS II

THE WALK OF CLARITY

THE WALK OF FORGIVENESS I

THE WALK OF DISCERNMENT

THE WALK OF TRUTH III

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: