Category: The Walk

THE WALK OF TRUTH II

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THE WALK
PART 12

THE WALK OF TRUTH II

“Sanctify them through your truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH.” (John 17:17) In the first section of the WALK OF TRUTH, I was not writing to – or expecting the lost world to approve and embrace God’s Word. I realize that abortion is not specifically detailed in the Bible and the battle for justification of the rights of people will continue until Jesus comes. I know the laws in this country allow abortion and that popular opinion supports the pro choice philosophy that women have the legal right to terminate their pregnancy. The right to live a gay lifestyle and same sex marriage is also advancing toward becoming legal and I know these laws are being created and enforced by those who disregard God’s Word. It is a situation where God’s Word is set aside in order for mankind to build the perfect world. I understand the lost do not live by God’s Word and cannot comprehend the fullness of His truth because they are not equipped with the “receiver” that is required to receive His frequency. Only when a spirit and mind is transformed can someone interpret God’s spiritual language and the holy wisdom that is necessary to understand His will. What is confusing is when “Christians” question why abortion and/or homosexuality are wrong. Followers of Christ who believe that destroying the unborn child and/or marriage between the same sex is acceptable to God, should take heed to this advice; find a quiet place away from the distractions of this world, set aside all of the arguments and voices that you have considered in building your worldviews and simply ask the Lord how He feels toward these issues. The Holy Spirit will not tell some individuals that sin is wrong and another person that it is acceptable. This is why moral relativism is wrong. If we admit that something is wrong and say that we would never participate yet still believe it is a legal right for people to do whatever they want, our tolerance will become a stepping stone to compromise which is another step toward acceptance.

The voice of humanism say’s that doctors and pregnant women many times do not believe the unborn is a person. And since they believe that what is growing and developing inside the womb is no more than a kidney or spleen, then they cannot be held accountable of “knowingly” and intentionally killing an innocent child. It is a fact that many people are uneducated and simple minded – but they are not stupid. Everyone understands what happens when a human egg is fertilized and (unless something prevents it) that it will develop into a human being. It is not to be compared to an organ because an organ is not and never will become a person. Also abortion cannot be compared to “accidentally” shooting someone on a hunting expedition because people go to clinics to “intentionally” destroy what is growing inside of them. When people are guilty they naturally think of everything they can to justify their actions but I have never heard one person say that God told them to do it. And if they did – it would be a lie. “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11) It is no secret, the flesh is selfish and cries to get whatever it wants and until the spirit and mind bring discipline to the body it will continue being spoiled. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (I Corinthians 13:11)

I would not spend this much time on these social issues if I did not feel that it was important for us as Christians to not be afraid to stand against sin. The topic is to establish what truth is – and how to walk in it. Please hear me out and give me a chance to explain further. I understand there are many people that see life in a much broader spectrum than those who keep their head stuck in the Bible. Tolerance preaches that everyone needs to be respected for what they believe and those who go a step further proclaim that morality is relative to the individual – not someone’s opinion. I am aware of the opposition to merge the church and state together because of the smothering confinement of religious law that could turn a free nation into a dictatorship similar to communism. I also realize the masses believe a spectrum of different views about religion and that all are convinced they have the correct interpretation of truth. Of course, there is a fear that if one group became the dominant “iron fist” of government, it would force all the other religions underground and deny the rights and choices of the individual. We desire to have church and state separate so we can enjoy our own personal freedom to live and worship as we please. So, we can say the legal freedom that gives our society the right to sin – is the same freedom that gives the Christians the liberty to serve God! How then do we approach the political system? Are we just trying to maintain a balance until Jesus comes or are we to become aggressive in our faith based political activism to change the way things are? And if this is true, just what exactly are we as Christians trying to change the government and laws into? We believe that Christ will reign as the King of the future holy city during the 1000 years of perfect peace. This is why we are not laughing about the idea of a world dominated by the laws of God now. There will be no tolerance for perversion or corruption in that Kingdom. There will be no political races or smear campaigns. A negative media that tries to distort the facts will not be allowed. There will be no evil influence where philosophers can teach alternative world views. It will be ALL of God! The purity of perfection and the truth of His divine reality will control every thought and deed.

Yes, I am a Christian and I believe that Jesus Christ and God’s Word is the one and only absolute truth in heaven and earth. But what the world cannot see is that – it really is! You see, God IS the Father of truth and Satan IS the father of lies, which is why true followers of Jesus must be dogmatic and not tolerant. “Why do you not understand my speech? Because, you cannot comprehend my Word. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and lived not in the truth, because THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth you CHOOSE not to believe me.” (John 8: 43-45) I realize I am naïve because it is difficult for me to understand how anyone could NOT believe that! The reason why Christians rally for conservative flavored topics (are you ready?) is because they want Christian representation in the legal system! Why? So that Christian morals and principals can become law. We have a vision to see all of the humanist thrown out and Godly men and women seated in authority. We believe the world would be a better place if all of the crooks and bad politicians were chased out of town and our government operated under the presence of God and His absolute truth. Why else would Christians vote other than to preserve and protect the biblical standards of a Christian worldview to produce a Christlike culture? Because Jesus Christ IS THE way, THE truth and THE life! Am I afraid of persecution and criticism? Are you kidding me? We are standing at the edge of eternity and we are afraid to stand for what is right and wrong? Where are the front line warriors? Are God’s people hiding in the bushes or too busy worrying about the economy they have forgotten about why they are here? This is why we are in the mess we are in! Fifty years ago the social heresies against God’s Word and those who aggressively promoted blatant sin were afraid to come out of the closets with their dark agenda because the majority of “God fearing” people would not tolerate blasphemy. But as the masses that support sin increased, the majority changed sides and gave confidence to those who operated in the dark and the acceptance of liberalism was born. The New thinkers came out of hiding and now prance upon the brightly lit stage of arrogance because they know a large part of mainstream society is behind them. They listened to Satan’s strategy about how to influence the blind and confuse the minds of the youth with poisonous lies. God’s truth sheds divine light on those who are in error but when the voice of God’s people becomes weak, the enemy becomes encouraged to increase its assault against God and His mindset. Even the hearts of the religious world have become even more “numb” to the default system and are calloused to the presence of sin. They have slowly let down their shields to preserve God’s moral and holy standards.

Modern society is increasingly accepting of behaviors that the Bible declares to be sinful, immoral, and unnatural. I know that Jesus ate with sinners and was not ashamed to function with them – but He did NOT embrace their lifestyle or support their views. He would never pat them on the back and say it’s ok to sin or compromise and agree with their choices to live their own way. He loved them so much that His thoughts were directed to waiting patiently for the appointed time when He could minister to them. That means CHANGING them from going in a wrong direction and converting them to His truth. We are to love ALL people, but not respect, condone, admire or encourage them in their carnality. “For they that are after the flesh do mind (obey) the things of the flesh; but they that are after (seek) the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the CARNAL mind is ENMITY against God: for it is NOT subject to the LAW of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the FLESH – CANNOT please God.” (Romans 8: 5-8) “You adulterers and adulteresses, (unfaithful people) know ye not that the friendship of the world is ENMITY with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) We are anointed to PREACH the GOSPEL, the good news that Jesus has brought DELIVERANCE to the captives and salvation to the lost. Jesus gives us our mission, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 418-19) While there is a significant difference between child molestation and homosexuality involving consenting adults, the fact that society accepts such unnatural behavior allows people to consider even worse perversions of what God intended sex to be. And that leads to another question: why is society increasingly tolerant of aberrant behavior? Child molestation, bestiality, homosexuality, and other perversions are becoming increasingly accepted because society has, for the most part, rejected the Christian worldview. The conventional wisdom is that humanity is NOT created in the image of God. Rather, humanity is the result of billions of years of the random processes of evolution. Postmodernism says that God is NOT the objective standard of morality. Rather, God is the invention of weak-minded people who are unable to accept the fact that everything in this world is meaningless. The world at large says the Bible is NOT the inspired and infallible Word of God. Rather, it is a record of the primitive mythologies held by ancient people who had no knowledge of science. The rejection of the Christian worldview and the acceptance of a secular, naturalistic worldview have left us with absolutely no objective standard by which to declare child molestation to be evil. After all, according to an atheistic worldview, child molestation is simply an older blob of random and meaningless chemical processes using a younger blob of random and meaningless chemical processes for pleasure. For generations, professors have told people they are nothing but animals, so we should not be surprised if they begin to act like animals. If there is no absolute moral standard, then the “boundaries” people push are imaginary ones. So, ultimately, child molestation and all perversion is a result of people denying God and living their lives however they want.

The Bible speaks of godless individuals who “suppress” the truth. “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God-head; so that they (the lost) are WITHOUT EXCUSE. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him NOT as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the LUST of their own hearts, to DISHONOR their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the TRUTH of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed forever amen.” (Romans 1:20-22, 24, 25). “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom.3:18)

THE WALK OF TRUTH I

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THE WALK
PART 11

THE WALK OF TRUTH I

The worldviews of religious truth always have a fence down the middle. In a very simple way, it can be explained like this; those who believe that God’s Word is the highest authority and absolute truth are on one side – and everyone else is on the other side! Now brother, the world is much too complex to be brought down to a grade school level. Well, I am sure you would love to entangle the beauty of simplicity into a complex free-for-all but for arguments sake, let us just leave it there for now. Truth is not a “personal” interpretation – it is learning and accepting God’s divine reality. The truth is directly connected to God’s thinking which is absolute purity and justice and it is of no personal opinion. It does not matter what anyone believes is the truth for them, if it does not line up with THE TRUTH – it is error! It is true that God’s Word can minister to many different people many different ways – but it will never contradict itself. It is my turn at the podium and I am not ashamed to declare that God’s Word IS the absolute truth and Jesus Christ IS the only way of spiritual salvation! You see, when anyone does not believe God’s Word is the complete, one hundred percent, absolute truth, they cannot fully respect what God say’s because of the possibility that He might be wrong. This lowers the reverential fear of God into the mix of every other philosopher and theologian of all time. And if we have NO FEAR of what God say’s, then in turn we will have NO RESPECT for who He is (or for that matter those who stand for His Word).

Christians in this country have had over 200 years to proclaim God’s Word, to WALK IT, talk it, and demonstrate it – but not many have. There have been a lot of preaching “about” truth but not a whole lot of living it! For example, one reason why God’s people do not have authority and respect in Washington is because they do not have the backbone to stand up for it! Christians have enjoyed the pleasures of God’s blessings and in their fat and lazy state of apathy, allowed the “dark side” to dominate and control our government. Another reason is because we have been so busy fighting each other, we failed to see the humanist walk right past us on their way to implement their Godless ideas into law. The atheist, agnostic and humanist cry out against the view that God’s Word is the absolute truth and are doing everything they can to destroy it. The weak masses that have not built a strong personal spiritual foundation are willingly accepting the convictions of the highly intelligent trend setters. This is because we do NOT want to sacrifice our carnal will or be governed by the spiritual monarchy Kingdom of King Jesus. The flesh desires to live in pleasure without responsibility and is always rebellious against authority. It’s obvious that Satan has used our carnality against us in our legal and political system which has hypnotized the masses to accept the philosophies of the devil’s New World Order. I realize there is a “new – modern thinking” society that has created a disastrous, “politically correct” socially acceptable agenda, but it does NOT change the fact that God’s Word is THE TRUTH. Even if every human on earth believed a lie – God’s Word would still be perfect because He is eternally omniscient.

Thank God for those who have taken a stand for His Word and for the martyrs that have given everything for His absolute truth. The American people love their freedom and it is a blessing from Father but it seems that many never considered the consequences that could come from the freedom to deny God and challenge His authority? It seems the devil is always trying to distort and confuse what God gives as good – into an ugly, twisted manifestation of pride and rebellion. There is no way I can talk about truth without taking a stand for two subjects that have always been important to God and has become a huge issue in our society. Of course all sin is deadly and severs our personal relationship with Jesus but these two are very much in the news and constantly being debated. I will begin with abortion and without regret stand against this act of destruction. It is true that humans have a free will to choose anything they want to do but that does NOT make abortion acceptable in God’s eyes. Women want complete control of their bodies including the right to kill an unborn person but in God’s eyes it is WRONG. It does not matter if every court and legal authority in the land gives “permission” – it is still against God’s truth. It does not matter how many doctors agree that life does not begin at conception or within an embryo – they are wrong and are deceived. It makes no difference if the entire world believes that a fetus is not a human until it breathes air on its own – it is still intentional manslaughter. When a woman receives the seed of life she has made the choice to surrender her power to control the gift of life. Selah. Abortion is not freedom – it is rebellion which produces bondage. If she does not want the gift of life she should not receive the seed. Every child is innocent and should be given the right to live. If the woman does receive the seed but does not want the child – it should be delivered and given to someone who will love it and raise it. Disposing of the unborn like an empty milk carton is a selfish act of sacrifice to the enemy of our soul. We read about the ancient civilizations throwing their children into the burning fires of giant stone idols and we shudder at the barbarianism of who could do that. But, what is the difference? If abortion was not an abomination then why would everyone that has had one feel the deep need to repent? Why is every Mother who has done this been sorry and grieved over their heartless decision? Of course there have been mistakes by young people and many difficult situations that did not have easy answers but excuses are not reasons. Selah. How could anyone justify a decision that leads to the destruction of an innocent human being? There is much controversy about whether rape and incest should be considered an exception and if God would sympathize, but when we follow God’s Word as our ONLY standard of measure – we must agree that it is still wrong. Now brother, what if this was one of your family members? And of course the old saying comes up; well, it’s easy to say what you would do until it happens to you or someone close to you. But, when you base your research on God’s Word about these “soul searching” questions, we will still see the same eternal standards of right and wrong and in His light – it is still wrong to Him. Secular humanism can write libraries of opinions about why it is alright to live the way you want but it will never convince God to change His divine order. We were never created to become defense attorneys for the sins of mankind. Amen. The Lord of heaven and earth is the eternal judge who writes every spiritual law and our purpose and meaning in life is our obedience to these truths. Selah. It is pride that believes man can create his own laws and throw God’s Word out the back door. And it is pride that will destroy the mind, body and soul of those who will refuse to bow their knee in submission to His truth!

To realize that this nation has destroyed over 50 million babies since Roe vs. Wade, (3000 per day) is a sickening reminder of man’s interpretation of freedom. What kind of freedom is this? Freedom to be promiscuous? Freedom from being responsible? Freedom to do whatever we want and not have to answer to God for it? This is not spiritual freedom – it is a devastating example of how filthy humans are without God. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be HATED of all nations for my names sake. 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 shall be saved.” (Mathew 24: 9-13) As the world becomes stronger and more aggressive to solidify their philosophies into law and establish their own system of debauchery, we will continue to see the deterioration of life. Humans are nothing more than educated zombies without being filled with the presence of God which gives the only wisdom of TRUTH and the holy understanding of knowledge. “For the time will come when they will not endure (accept) sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the TRUTH, and shall be turned unto fables.” (II Timothy 4:3-4) The lost world tries to eliminate all reminders of conviction so they can live without a troubled conscience. Recently a female college graduate complained about how expensive contraceptives were while she was a student. She was making a case for the government to pay for her birth control pills and condoms so that she could have as much sex as she wanted without the cost. Her case brought much public support as it was noted that in California condoms were being passed out to 12 year old school children. So what kind of message is this sending to the next generation? Why is morality being driven out of our society? If cleanness and decently continues to be chipped away, where will this moral collapse take us? When a nation of spiritually calloused hearts become determined crush purity, it is easy to identify the power behind it! Depravity has no intention to stop until humans are ruled by Satan and his New World Order. Unless God’s people intervene in prayer, the world of tomorrow will be a free-for-all culture of Pharisees, demons and zombies. We have already seen a perfect example of a world without divine law and in Genesis we are reminded of a society that slid into a deep pit of lawlessness that worshipped the flesh and opposed God’s Spirit. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and , behold , it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” (Genesis 6:5,11,12) The creator of the universe destroyed the world because of man’s hatred for His truth and King Jesus is preparing to come very soon to do likewise. Do not be intimidated by those who do not know God. Selah. By FAITH WE WILL STAND for God’s TRUTH!

THE WALK OF ENCOURAGEMENT

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THE WALK

PART 10

THE WALK OF ENCOURAGEMENT

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42:11) I was talking with a Christian brother the other day about how many people seem to be living in sadness and something very profound came out of his mouth. He said that it was impossible to be discouraged if we are WALKING in God’s presence. After our conversation I began to think about this statement and I must say that I agree with this view. Do you believe we can be depressed and be living in God’s perfect will? Can we be sad and discouraged yet walk in the fullness of presence? I am not saying this is an easy revelation but I believe it is worth researching and seeking God’s face about. Being joyful in the Lord and being encouraged with our personal relationship with Him go hand in hand as it is an encouragement to be filled with joy and it is a joy to be encouraged! I believe the reason why our human feelings are so unstable and double-minded is because the flesh is builds its “house” (life) on the temporal. But our spirit is connected to the Holy Spirit and is always focused on the eternal. Glory to God! If we are walking in the default system of the world, we are “happy” when the lawnmower starts but are sad when it doesn’t. We are in a good mood when our electric bill is lower but depressed when it is extremely high. Even the word “emotion” contains the word, “motion” which reveals the idea of something moving or changing constantly. If we are walking in the divine reality of His presence, we are on fire with excitement, interceding for others, worshipping Him and thanking Him for His love – no matter how fierce the storms of life are raging! We KNOW that God is solid, stable, perfect, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and NEVER CHANGES! Praise Him! Darkness CANNOT chase away the light! It is the light that always overcomes the darkness! God is waiting for His people to flip the switch and want the full wattage of His glory in their life – and be determined to LEAVE IT ON! So can we establish and say with confidence that If anyone lives in a valley of sadness, it is because they have taken their eyes and thoughts away from Jesus? I realize we all go through times of feeling down and are tempted to feel sorry for ourselves. I have invited myself to many pity parties where I arrived early and stayed late – but this is NOT WALKING in the destiny that He died for us to live in! I am not handing out condemnation – I am presenting a revelation of spiritual truth! Depression is darkness and God’s people are not to be walking in the opposite of what God’s Word say’s they should be! “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and DO NOT the TRUTH.” (I John 1:6)

Now brother, you cannot just lump everyone into the same category straight across the board. Well, it depends on your view of the default system of this world and the perfect will of His divine reality. I realize we are flesh and spirit at the same time but I also know that God’s Word is true and cannot be blended with man’s psychology or philosophies. Humanism is convinced there is a carnal explanation and answer for everything – but (hello) the world cannot “see” because – they are blind. The world does not have the answer for discouragement because they do not teach God’s Word! Yes, we might feel these negative attacks every now and then but the good news of the GOSPEL reminds us that no one needs to live in agony. God’s Word is the only “prescription” that can heal ANYTHING! It is the cure for our spiritual condition, our mental problems and our physical infirmities – Praise God! “The Lord is my ROCK, and my FORTRESS, and my DELIVERER; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. It is God that supports (maintains, sustains) me with STRENGTH and makes my way perfect.” (Psalm 18: 2, 29, 32)

The pride of humans can boast of their power to heal but they are deceived in believing their own carnal fantasy. God can heal “through” people but miracles can only come from Him. There is a great need for healing in this world. Think about how many lost souls are out there. Then think about how many need healing in their bodies and many more need a miracle in their mind. For example, it is estimated that between 24 and 28 million Americans are dependent on anti-depressants. People are sad for many different reasons with everything from spiritual warfare to hormone imbalances and I am not taking any of these reasons lightly. I do know that Jesus has come to restore the dominion and authority that Adam lost in the garden and that now through His blood covenant we can live in His miracle power and walk as overcomers in His Name! “He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29) I confess that I have taken anti-depressants in my life and I might add that I found them not helpful at all. If you have ever been on them or are currently taking them, I am not criticizing you but rather sympathizing with you. The reasons we take them are simple: there are times in our life when we know something is wrong and we feel as with any sickness or pain that we need some medicine. We desire to be healed and it is normal to proceed and follow the advice of those we trust with our health. There is nothing wrong with taking prescriptions if that is where we are in our faith. We all take medicine, but I personally believe it would be better to be delivered from these mind altering drugs and with God’s help and our determination we can be set free! It is not that the drugs are really helping our problems; they are just altering our perception of life so that we can deal with them differently. Some pharmaceuticals produce an artificial state of euphoria that is not much different from alcohol or marijuana. We go to the doctors and talk to counselors and do whatever it takes to ease the misery but their advice is not always God’s “perfect” will for us. Why? Because He desires that all of His children NOT lean on anything except HIM! Jesus is the great physician, our healer, our comforter and miracle maker. “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge IS IN GOD.” (Psalm 62: 2, 7)

Why do I allow sadness to drive me down the road of discouragement? Because sometimes I am NOT determined to get serious with God and find refuge under the shadow of His wings! Sometimes I let my fire die down and allow my circumstances to bring fear and worry upon me. When I’ve been too busy to pray, study or worship Him, I find myself not standing in faith that He will take care of my problems and needs. I have also felt discouragement in my life from mistakes and sins that I have committed. The enemy will sniff out our failures and bring guilt and condemnation to remind us of WHAT WE COULD AND SHOULD HAVE DONE INSTEAD. Satan tries to make us sad at what we have wasted and the missed opportunities we have blown and wrong decisions we have made. I know there are many faithful workers in the Kingdom of God that are tired and sometimes they do not feel appreciated in their calling, but the Lord sees your labor and His definition of success is not the same as the world. The name “Barnabas” means son of prophecy; son of consolation.” “Consolation” means a person or thing that is a source of comfort in a time of suffering, grief, disappointment, etc. (Collins Dictionary). The Bible describes him as: “And they sent out Barnabas to go as far as to Antioch. Who when he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and exhorted (suggested, urged, encouraged) them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: And a great many people were added to the Lord” (Acts 11:22-24). Barnabas was an encourager. He saw the good and the potential in others and encouraged them accordingly. The ministry of encouragement is one that every Christian has been called to. Everywhere one looks today people need encouraging. You need encouraging – and I need encouraging! The word “encourage” means: To inspire (someone) with the courage or confidence (to do something). Stimulate, motivate, support, advise or urge by approval or help. When was the last time you and I encouraged someone? Tragically it seems that few Christians consciously go out of their way to encourage others. Why not? Is it because we are so focused on seeking it for ourselves that we forget to give it to others? What a difference it makes when someone comes alongside and tells you they believe in you, in your calling, that you are anointed and that God is pleased with you? There is power in your words when you obey Jesus and speak out positive encouragement to others, and there is a blessing that will come back to us according to the spiritual principals, laws and divine order of God’s Word. “Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the SAME MEASURE that you mete (use to measure anything) it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38)

In the 30 years that I have been involved with ministry I
have seen people rise up with a great call of God on their lives and they were sincerely excited and God was using them. But after a time they “disappear” and are never heard of again. What
happened? Discouragement attacked them and caused them to doubt their divine purpose. The emotional decisions made in those times of discouragement opened negative doors that “robbed” them of their destiny and anointed ministry. If only there were those who could have discerned what was happening and could have strengthened them with bold words of encouragement, then God’s called men and women would not have “fallen by the wayside”, back into the mediocre, normal, unfulfilling life of despair. I say this because there is nothing more wonderful than to know the call and will of God – and to be walking in it! Let me say, if there is ANYTHING that can deter you from following Jesus as a sold-out disciple for Him – IT WILL! Selah. “For the Lord God can help me; therefore shall I not be confounded (confused): therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I KNOW that I shall not be ashamed”. (Isaiah 50:7) Setting our face like flint is conveying the message of complete dedication. Flint is a very hard substance and in the time of “standing strong” there is no room for doubt or fear. Father is waiting to give us the stability and perseverance we need to accomplish the great task he has planned. May we all make a conscious effort to be more aware of the importance of the ministry of encouragement. As the world continues to reject the risen Christ Jesus and spirals on it downwards path, Christians everywhere will need to be more and more encouraged to “stand firm in the faith” and not to be side-tracked by the temptations of the world. Make no mistake about it: we are in a war, and the battle is raging! That means the ministry of encouragement is urgently needed to be spoken out to others. It needs an audible voice. It needs more than a silent prayer! It needs you and me to be aware of situations that people are in, and to come alongside and speak sincerely the words of edification they need to hear! We can do that! We need to do that! Be sensitive for opportunities and divine appointments. Your encouragement may be a matter of life or death for someone! Why would we hold back what could help others grow closer to God? Selah. We do not know if our next word of encouragement for someone might make the difference that will change the rest of their lives!
God’s river of JOY is available anytime we want to submerge our heart and mind into His presence. We can swim in His Spirit all we want and get as close to Him as we desire. The problem is that many of God’s warriors are relaxing in their lounge chairs at “poolside” and only stick their toes in the water occasionally when the stress and pressures of life become uncomfortable. Then they wonder how a religious person can be discouraged. Religion and being Spirit filled is not exactly the same thing! He is saying it is time to arise in confidence and faith! It is time to be FILLED with His Spirit which will saturate us with His THOUGHTS, NATURE and CHARACTER. Is God discouraged? Has He ever been depressed? No! AND – He is the vine and we are the branches, which reveal that who He is – flows within us. “And the Lord shall deliver me from EVERY EVIL WORK, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” (II Timothy 4:18)

THE WALK OF FAITH

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THE WALK
PART 9
THE WALK OF FAITH

Do you believe that God has the desire to intervene and change things not only the way people believe but also inanimate objects? Do you believe that God can and will release His super-natural power just like He did in the Bible? I hope you are a spiritual dreamer and still cling to your child-like faith. I am amazed at how many Christians deny the power of faith to move God and do not believe that He will perform miracles that have no limit to size or difficulty. I was listening to a Christian carry on a conversation the other day about their views about physical healing and the gifts of the Spirit. They calmly explained that Jesus performed miracles in His ministry for the purpose of building His credibility and to establish Christianity. They went on to say that miracles are no longer needed because now we have the Bible and the abundant life that is mentioned in the scriptures only pertains to the spiritual realm. Allow me to say, this doctrine is the most depressing outlook of faith and one of the very reasons that many churches are cold and lifeless. When man begins to carve out the all the thoughts and ways that are higher than his own – all that is left are ceremonies, programs and philosophies. Imagine how you would feel if you created the universe and yet your own children doubted that you could answer their prayers.

God is the authority of all things. He is the Lord of the impossible and has never failed in anything. His words produce life and His will creates what He imagines. There is no higher power and He has always been who He is. He has no beginning and He will reign as an omnipotent, Majestic King forever. When He created people He gave them a free-will and an extra dose of “spunk” that generates their motivation to think and stimulates their energy to pursue. The problem comes when man forgets who made him and why he is here. It does not take humans very long to develop a blinding attitude of pride and even when they receive Christ into their hearts this dark side must be “cleaned out” and destroyed or it will keep them crying in the bassinet for their pacifier. How deceived people become when they think they have “outgrown” God and are convinced they know more than Him. They can see the scriptures are written very plainly with ink on paper, but they do not have a clue as to what they mean. They sing songs of victory but do not experience it. They speak of God’s presence but are too dignified to reach out for Him. They pray long dignified prayers about things they do not even believe and yet somehow all of this is considered living for God. On the subject of praying, I cannot understand why we would pray and ask God for help if we did not believe He will do it. Allow me to connect with my opening question and present a specific example. If your car was not running very well and you were in a tight financial condition where you were unable to pay for repairs, do you believe you could pray over your car and ask God to “heal” it? Now brother, that is weird! You cannot just go around and ask The Lord to fix things that are broken. Are you saying that you believe He CAN do it – but that He DOES NOT do it? You don’t believe He can repair washing machines, charge batteries, multiply food or stop roofs from leaking? Ok – what about praying over your bank account and asking God to stretch your money so that you will have enough resources to meet your needs? No way! God gives us a brain to figure things out and a strong back to work for what we need! Ok – I was just checking where you stand with miracles and it is obvious that your prayers are powerless to bring change. But, let’s keep going.

Allow me to say that being sent a comforter in the person of the Holy Spirit – was not just to wipe the mud and blood from our face as the devil stomps us. God lives inside the heart and spirit of the believer and He longs to be released in His FULL POWER and GLORY! Our prayers were designed to be sown as seeds and faith was given to ACTIVATE these visions. They are not limited to just the spiritual world because we do live in the earth and the material, physical realm is a vital part of our existence. If we lose our foundation of seeing Him and knowing Him as our FATHER that longs to provide for us, then what kind of personal relationship do we have. The enemy is the lord of religion and is an excellent teacher of lies that portray God as a stone sculpture that sits on the top of a mountain where no one can approach Him. This “long distance” view of God has been digested by the false church and the absence of God’s presence is felt in their midst as, “having a “form” of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such TURN AWAY”! (II Timothy 3:5) “Ever learning and never able to come to the KNOWLEDGE of the TRUTH”! (Verse 7) This is the exact same spirit of the Pharisees. They only possessed the intelligence level of knowing ABOUT God but never knew Him personally.
You see, if we cannot allow our heart to accept the truth that God can and WILL do anything we can believe Him for – then how can we have the faith to be saved? If we cannot believe Him for a new kitchen table how can we believe that He can resurrect us from the dead and reunite our spirit and body to live forever in heaven? We read in the Bible where Jesus raised the dead but why would any Christian scoff at the idea that Jesus can heal them of cancer? I am so glad you asked that question. Since, “Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8), we can definitely rule out that He has changed His mind about releasing His power. Where does it say in God’s Word, that He stopped performing miracles and stopped releasing His super-natural power through the prayers and faith of His saints? NO WHERE! The problem has always been with man and His lack of spiritual development. God is ready to move the mountains but He is waiting for man to develop and believe! It is the IMMATURITY of His people that are holding back much of His ability to change situations and their laziness, doubt, fear and disobedience is to blame! When people are not spiritual they will always try to whitewash their carnality with legalistic, manmade doctrines and a blind arrogance that would rather argue and tear down than express love and unity. The false church is led by the dark influence of pride whose conscience is seared as they hide behind their stained glass windows. My heart breaks for all those who are hypnotized under its spell as it could be they have never been born again. The reason why many do not have faith is because they do not have the NEW BIRTH. May the coming judgment of God shake the foundations of the earth and may His grace awaken those who are asleep.

As we grow deeper in our personal intimacy with Father, we begin to enjoy His presence. The more we drink in His promises, the more we obtain His revelations that change us. As the eyes of our heart gains a “higher” and a clearer, mature vision, we begin to see WHO HE IS and what He desires for us. We discover that we can WALK with Him and pour out our problems and literally BELIEVE that He will help us. Let us look once again to the often used scripture that explains what faith is. I’ve seen this passage hundreds of times brother; don’t you have something new to show us? Well, I have also read this many times but I know that I have not received the revelation from it yet. God’s Word comes in layers of revelation. It is like each phrase is a phone book of insight that can only be processed as our spirit and mind can handle the higher wisdom. The anointing in His Word is far above our ability to comprehend and is absorbed at the level of our development. The reason why this passage is presented again is because we need to see it again. When the seeds of our understanding begin to take root and bear fruit then our impatience and frustration will grow into wisdom and worship. “NOW FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) This seems like such a simple explanation but its truth is hidden like a treasure that is buried in the ground. It is not hidden FROM those who seek its beauty but rather it is kept FOR them. The mystery and wonder of this revelation is another example of an Almighty God trying to relay His thoughts past the “dark glass” of mortal perception and into the renewed conscience. Revelation is in the context of God “revealing” Himself to those who seek Him. The reason why most Christians do not understand scripture or cannot hear the whisper of His voice is because they have not been seeking “first” the Kingdom of God or His righteousness. We can have all we want if we are willing to sacrifice our time to dig for it. It is something to consider how easy it is for people to believe in the super-natural belief of a bodily resurrection from the dead and the eternal heaven of perfection, but roll their eyes in mockery at the idea of believing God for healing or prosperity.

God has faith. The “evidence” is whatever He envisions. He believes and knows that what He says will appear and whatever is manifested when He speaks IS the “substance” that He has created with the power of His belief! The same is true with our evidence of “THINGS” not seen. These visions, desires and prayer petitions are waiting in the incubation chambers of our patience and His timing. His covenant oath is a bond that promises our faith connection to Him and it is our pledge to commit our heart and mind to Him. This relationship is the ultimate revelation of spiritual intimacy between man and God and is the heartbeat of understanding His divine reality. He is not the one holding us back from doing His will! Our refusal to dedicate our life to Him hinders the inferno of Holy Ghost power and the release of His glory in our life. The bride of Christ will overcome and the remnant seed will follow Him to the end with their last breath. Selah. How can something that has not been manifest yet be something that we can see and feel? The petition that we are interceding about must become so real in our spirit and mind that it becomes more than just a whim or a passing thought – it must become a tangible “consistency” that is as REAL as the literal touch of a tree or stone. This type of hope is not a wish or a dream but a KNOWING along with an aggressive embrace that will NOT fall prey to doubt or fear. Our faith cannot be anything less than a complete CONFIDENCE that He has heard us, that He will respond through us and that He is in the process of making it come to pass! This type of relationship is developed through presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, confessing His Word, fasting, praying and ABIDING in His divine reality. This is the reason why true faith is nearly extinct – very few are committed to reaching this level of love and devotion to Father. It is much easier to spend an hour in church each week than to actually WALK with Him. It is much easier to believe that whatever happens will happen than to be used as a catalyst of change. It is much easier to read the paper and shake your head about how bad it is than to get off the couch and actually help someone. “What does it profit, my brothers, though a man say he has faith and has not works? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say’s to them. Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; but you do not give them what they need; what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Yes, if anyone would say, you have faith and I have works: show me your faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:14-18)

Knowledge without faith explains why when troubles come people turn to every practical, logical, human idea they think of without ever considering turning to God until they are completely out of ideas. Desperation will usually not work because true faith can rarely be planted, watered, developed or harvested – overnight. Father is not looking for us to call on Him as a last resort but rather to be built up in Him strong so that when we need faith it will already be available for us to release with the assurance that victory is on the way! This is why the Lord is angry with religion. It is not real! It looks good on the surface but is not genuine. It is like a cardboard town, fools gold or a diamond ring in a bubble gum machine. There is also a difference between positive thinking and living in faith. It is wonderful to be an optimist but to have FAITH is to have the attention of God. The lost can be positive minded but they cannot have faith because they do not have the spiritual connection. The unsaved do not have the legal, spiritual privileges of God’s Kingdom because they are not a part of that realm. God is not necessarily moved and is not obligated to act just because someone has a need. We can see the vast amount of suffering and dying in the world with people crying out for help. But His will is established by His own perfect divine order and the truth of His Word is the foundation of His integrity. He waits for us to see the evidence and receive His substance.

LEARNING HOW TO WALK V

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THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

PART 8
LEARNING HOW TO WALK V

THE WALK OF MINISTRY: If you have been involved with any kind of ministry for the Lord, I know you have wondered at times why things have not turned out like you thought they would. It is true, there are many different “conditions” associated with our destiny just like with everything else that is connected to the will of God – and the will of man. There are people who have been blessed with amazing talents and have been given gifts that are nothing less than miracles but He is not always necessarily searching for ability – He is seeking availability. Christianity is not a talent show – it is all about attitude! It is not about who can do the most but rather who has the pure heart, the holy motive and intention that only has God’s will as their purpose. Let us take another look at what Jesus was saying when He was watching people give their offerings. “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing (2 cents). And He called His disciples, and said unto them, verily I say unto you, that this poor widow has put in more than all the others which have given into the treasury. For they all did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:41-44)

Do we actually believe that we can impress the one who created everything? When God calls someone to do something, He has a complete understanding that we cannot do it on our own. If we had the wisdom, power and spiritual perception to be self sufficient, we would not need to worry about the indwelling Holy Spirit, the revelation of His Word, His super-natural anointing, or the privilege of prayer. And even if we did accomplish some things in our own power, it would be noted that WE received the commendation, honor and glory. Those who pull themselves up by their own boot straps and have the single vision of their own imagination often forget that even the blood racing through our veins and the air we so freely breathe is a gracious gift of mercy and grace from our loving heavenly Father. I know people who think they have the world by the tail but will never give The Lord any acknowledgement. I have seen people receive awards of great accomplishment and never even mention God’s Name. If anyone has an ability to do anything – it is because our loving Father has placed His gift within them! This anointing was never intended to be abused or used selfishly to bring us all the attention. The ability was given that we might be used as a special instrument to bring Him ALL the glory and that He might “USE US” to execute His vision!

I am convinced that in the spiritual journey of following Christ, that EACH person is so complex and unique that Father must consider them an individual “world” within the universe of mankind. The depth of His infinite power to create so many different people as they connect with and influence each other AND be able to monitor each one – every second, is mind boggling. He has mapped out a specific destiny for every person. He watches and knows if they will eventually choose to follow Him or follow their own ideas in EVERY decision they make. Those who DO make the commitment to trust Him as their Lord and to WALK in His ways will discover that He carefully draws an exciting blueprint of divine appointments that is completely original and unprecedented. This divine path is called “His perfect will” and it is similar to when He created the earth and released His dream of how everything would exist simultaneously. He has created each person to follow a certain mission and be used as a “tool” to accomplish His plans, but what happens when the tool is broken or needs to be adjusted? They are placed into “patience” mode until they receive the revelation of what He desires from them. Many “tools” are so busy trying to work on projects that have nothing to do with God’s plans and this is called, “leaning on our own understanding”. Of course, He can use another tool that is ready and “available” to get the job done, while He lays the other ones on His workbench to receive His attention. Are you a usable tool today in the hands of the Master or is there something wrong within your heart that is preventing you from being used? Do you need a maintenance check and a cleaning?

If we are willing to allow Him to do whatever He wants to make us useable, then we are destined to please Him. If we disagree with His ideas and refuse to submit, then we are put on a shelf until we can gain more MATURITY. This could be the reason that many in the body of Christ have not reached their full potential in their calling. It is not God’s fault and He is not trying to deny our success, it is that we have not received the revelation of divine order that opens the doors to His miracle power. This divine order is the revelation of spiritual priorities that we must understand because it is the spiritual “LAW” by which the Father operates. For example, if someone is infected with the sin of “gossip” and is out of control with no sense of discernment then it would be completely understood why Father would NOT allow them to prosper or succeed. To Him this is envy, instigating and strife and His Word says, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and EVERY EVIL WORK.” (James 3:16) Since they have not repented and do not even see their transgressions, it is not difficult to see how they CANNOT be used in areas of crucial responsibility. They actually become an enemy to the cross and a hindrance to the plans of God. This ongoing, unrepented SIN can actually keep the person out of the holy of holies and sever their intimate relationship with God. They have created a distance between them and God and have come to place of being confused as to why they do not feel Him anymore. Sometimes those who have become deceived in their sin blame the pastor, the church, their family, other Christians and the entire world for their failure and disappointment. The truth is that our effectiveness is based on our pure heart, our attitude, obedience and God’s timing. If we are not advancing in our ministry and we do not sense His presence or anointing, then maybe we have been taken out of commission BY HIM because pride has distracted our focus.

Many times we do not realize where we are in God’s process. If we have lost the connection or our tuner has drifted off the station, we might be going one way while God is going in the opposite direction. These are times when fasting and fervent prayer is needed for us to “re-connect” with Him and to KNOW what is going on. The Lord will always do things His way because He can see the big picture and we cannot. If there is a character flaw that we have not learned to control, then we are a target for the enemy and destined for another problem. Much of what we learn about spiritual warfare is revealed as a FLESH problem and the big question is always whether or not we choose to deal with it. If we have a weakness that we have not conquered, then it would only make sense that God desires to see us OVERCOME it so we will not REPEAT our failures. It could be a strong probability that our inability to overcome sin – is the very thing that is closing the door to our advancement. For example, why would God allow a man with a sexual addiction to become a summer camp leader for teenage girls? Or why would the Lord allow a person that is vulnerable to pride, control and politics become a pastor? Maybe the reason why many have never reached the true potential of their destiny is because God is waiting for them to say goodbye to their old nature and bury their carnality deep in the grave. How can we grow stronger and continue to advance in our learning if we have never passed the basic tests? It would be like progressing to algebra when we cannot even add and subtract.

When we abandon our carnality the enemy cannot push our old “buttons” and get the same old results. Cutting the wires makes our buttons useless and allowing ourselves to be melted into His image is the ONLY THING that can give us His strength to cut them. We are not strong enough in our own resolutions but we can do ALL things THROUGH Him and His supernatural power! He can bring the “180 change” if we become determined to let Him flood our senses! WE built the damn and we are the only one that can tear it down! He can take away our sinful desires if we ask Him to fill us with His REFINING FIRE! He can clean up our messes and cleanse us from the filth and darkness we try to hide, but He waits for us to SERIOUSLY repent and that means to STOP doing what we are doing – forever! We can go as far with God as we want and we can have as much of Him as we desire – but these decisions must come from the fervent zeal to love Him with ALL our heart.

Religious spirits love to play games and ACT like an overcomer but it is only mimicking the genuine. Hypocrisy is saying all the right things but NOT doing them. It is time to realize that our words are seeds and all the words we have spoken have grown and are growing to produce a harvest whether good or bad. When these “seeds” begin to produce fruit they can change the course of our destiny. Today is the day to repent of every negative word and every sin of our flesh. Spending more time confessing God’s Word will increase our “planting” which will generate a spiritual renewal of our mind. Many have missed God’s purpose by saying, “I am just leaving everything up to God” but if you have ever raised a garden you know that is not the best idea. If you turn your garden over to whatever comes up in it, you will be disappointed because it will be full of weeds. Not because it is God’s will – but because the earth is under a curse. Living in the “default” is automatically receiving what the world has. We have been called to live in God’s divine reality and that is what makes us EFFECTIVE ambassadors for His Name. Watering His Word develops our faith harvest! Selah.

LEARNING HOW TO WALK IV

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THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

PART 7

LEARNING HOW TO WALK IV

THE WALK OF LOVE: “Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children. And WALK in love, as Christ also has loved us and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.” (Ephesians 5:1-2) We can do a lot of things in the Name of Jesus but we cannot “work” our way into God’s favor. There are many reasons why people labor for the cause of God’s Kingdom but unless the motive is genuine love for God and love for people – we have drifted into the tainted area of personal politics. Love is the nature of God and everything we are and all the “branches” of our abilities and intentions must sprout from Him as He is the Divine Vine. Growing as a Christian means that we are slowly transforming into His image and this awareness of compassion for others comes from the same love that was in Jesus when He willingly suffered on the cross for us. The idea is for the branch to receive nourishment from the vine and allow the beautiful fruit of God’s presence to be seen and tasted. When we stop trying to be our own vine and begin submitting to His divine order, we can begin to grow correctly and blossom into His perfect will. This process of learning how to WALK in the Father’s divine reality separates the religious imposters that have a form of Godliness from the serious minded disciples that weep over the souls of others. “He that loves not does not know God; for God is love. In this was manifested (revealed) the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (I John 4:8-9) “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him.” (Verse 16) Walking with God – is walking IN God’s love!

We see throughout God’s Word how high on the list He has placed love. Godly love is not an option or a religious formula – it is a mandatory requirement that reveals just how much of God we have “allowed” to be manifested in our life! It does not matter what we do – it is all about who He is IN US! Selah. “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not CHARITY, it profits me nothing!” I Corinthians 13:3) Not only are we to love God and people with all of our heart, mind and strength, but we must be careful to not fall in love with the “things” of the world. This attraction to the pleasures of this life is directly connected to satisfying the lust of our flesh. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust thereof: but he that will do the will of God abides forever.” (I John 2:15-17) We want to please ourselves and this comes from our old carnal nature. If we allow our old way of thinking to control us, we are no different from the unsaved that are led by their emotions and demonic influences. When we become born-again, Jesus helps us move everything out of our heart so that He can fill us with His new way of seeing and thinking. When our mind begins the renewal process and the eyes of our heart are opened to His will, we begin to desire to please Him and not our flesh. So we can understand the reason why people struggle with being led by the Holy Spirit is because they actually love their self too much with the wrong type of love. This is the “phileo” or lower love of the flesh that is stimulated within our emotions. The agape love is the “higher” spiritual love that comes from God and is ministered through our spirit into our mind. Spiritual love goes far beyond how we would handle situations because it is a deep commitment to the principals of God’s Word and His character. It has nothing to do with our “feelings” but has everything to do with our submission and obedience to Him. As we allow Him to become the LORD of our life, His agape love will grow stronger within our conscience. Our love will be the light and salt of our testimony and will reveal to the world that Christ is the Savior and King of glory.

Godly love is not just an emotion but the character that is imbedded in the nature of His divine person. We know we are IN HIM and He is IN US when we desire to constantly know Him, serve Him, please Him and abide in His presence. Natural love is a fleshly attraction that is based on emotional feelings and carnal thinking (what can you do for me). God loves people even when they spit on Him and curse Him because He loves them “spiritually” unconditionally. We also are to look beyond what is causing people to be blind and lost and love them with a vision to see them delivered and saved. If we spend all of our time lusting and chasing the pleasures of this world we will ignore the real purpose of our mission and fail in the intended destiny of our life. The devil’s strategy is to distract us with pleasure so that we will not care about pleading with Father to give us the revelation of love. When we pray for God to open the eyes of our heart we are asking Him to show us the “spiritual” condition of those who need Him. This discernment is for the purpose of becoming more sensitive to others. The point is for us to look beyond people’s flesh and listen to what Father is telling us to do. Agape love is a Godly REACTION to how others treat us and this DEMONSTRATION of His nature will always open the door to conviction which gives the Holy Spirit the ministry opportunity God is looking for. When we walk in agape love we are a USABLE candidate for a holy, divine appointment. Those who walk in the emotional, flesh realm cannot be used at all because they will react in the default system of flesh which is the complete opposite of God and totally ineffective for His kingdom. Let us go a little deeper and look at these verses. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love) I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” In other words God is saying that we might be an impressive speaker with bold flattering words but if we do not genuinely love people, it is all just a bunch of bologna! People will not believe we are sincere and our lectures and speeches will be annoying and irritating. “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity – I am nothing.” Many in the faith will focus on prophecy and everything connected with eschatology and that is fine. But I have personally known those who could talk with you all day long about the spiritual “mysteries” and yet be mean, harsh and nasty to everyone all around them. How can that be? It seems something is out of order and I believe that is the interpretation of these verses. How can a Christian go to church and proclaim to know all about the Bible and yet have hostility and hatred toward other races? The Lord is saying that some people will be deceived by thinking they are closer to God than everyone else when in reality God does not even consider them His children. “Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name have cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” (Mathew 7:21-23)

That might sound a little rough but I believe the point is very clear, that developing agape love is not an option! I use the word “developing” because we do not automatically have this deep spiritual compassion when we become born-again. When the Lord talks about our mind needing to be “renewed” He is not just reminding us of another free gift that comes with salvation. Along with everything else that is “offered” in His redemptive grace and mercy, the concept of sacrificing in order to receive is crucial to understand if we really desire to grow. The Christian life is filled with “conditions” which means that God is waiting for us to take the initiative to grab hold of His promises and to follow through with our responsibility to cooperate with Him. If we do not “invest” our time and our energy into His divine reality we will not receive the empowerment that we must have to know Him and to live for Him. If we do not absorb His revelations of wisdom and the mysteries of His faith, we will not mature into the overcomer He has destined for us to become. Learning HOW to love will take personal study and fervent prayer because we must transfer our focus from the old self into God’s perspective. We cannot react like we used to or would like to because we have submitted that old nature and will to the grave. We now need to see people the way God sees them and that will take a consecrated life of learning to live in the awareness of His presence.

We all hear the word “love” used but much of what we say and hear from others is but only a well-intended, surface gesture. We all must look beyond the charismatic personalities and on into the depths of God’s Word to find what true love really is. The house that was built on the sand did not have love as it’s foundation and was washed away. If we have not been shown love in our childhood or if we have been treated badly, we will have a tendency to not be as close to people or be willing to trust them. Family problems especially with Fathers create a barrier of bitterness and can require counseling to help reveal what is holding us back from reaching out in love. At the bottom of our Christian foundation is where all of us must begin to fully comprehend the meaning of spiritual love – and that is learning how to love God just for who He is. It’s our relationship WITH HIM that creates His love within us! Selah. When we are filled with His Spirit we are filled with His love. When we take the time to worship Him and tell Him how much we truly adore Him – then He can begin to give us the passion to love others. So, our love for others is measured by our love for Him. Selah.

LEARNING HOW TO WALK III

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THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

PART 6

LEARNING HOW TO WALK III

THE WALK OF VISION: I have read how most cultures consider the elderly as having gained more wisdom and are admired as being more intelligent. But I must add – this is not necessarily true straight across the board with everyone that has accumulated a substantial number of “miles” I mean years. I personally know older people that are just as unlearned now as they were fifty years ago because they have made the CHOICE to remain the same. Yes, we can all draw from our experiences and learn from our mistakes but not everyone cares to advance in their understanding of absolute truth. Most people take the easy path with forming opinions and developing attitudes about them. These ideas (wherever they come from) solidifies their personal worldviews and it does not really matter to them “why” they believe it – they just accept that it is true. I have come to the conclusion that very few people have ever actually prayed for God to give them the vision of wisdom and this statement proves itself everyday by just talking with those we meet. I do not claim to have arrived at a know-it-all stage; on the contrary – I am almost considered elderly and just now beginning to see a glimmer of perception about why I turned out the way I am. I realize many of my thoughts and decisions were not God’s will and my lack of vision is a result of the absence of spiritual revelation. There is a world of difference between knowing bible stories and learning spiritual principals. When anyone lacks Godly wisdom they automatically (and with pride) fall prey to the default system of BLIND ignorance.

Would you agree there are more people that watch television than individuals who read, write and study on a daily basis for the purpose of seeking spiritual wisdom? I am not being critical or judgmental or talking down to anyone, I am just asking a question. Do you believe that according to people’s actions, they have all of the spiritual vision and wisdom they want? Only those who have been truly born-again in Christ have the correct “tuner” that can dial into the redemption frequency. Christians are the only people in the world that have been transformed in their spirit and have God Himself dwelling inside of their conscience. This brand new spirit cries out to God for more wisdom like a baby cries for their formula. If a Christian allows Jesus to be the Lord of their heart, they will surrender their will and submit to what God desires to do in their life. What Father is most interested in is developing His nature and character in our mind and this is done by the absorption of His Word. The way we become saturated with His Word is to spend time reading, meditating, writing, worshiping, praying and learning how to apply all of this into a LIFESTYLE. So we see a definite process and until we can subdue our flesh while developing a strong desire and a disciplined work ethic, our VISION to see Godly wisdom will NOT just automatically happen. Selah.

Let us consider the word “vision” for a moment. The Bible say’s, “Where there is no VISION, the people perish: but he that keeps the law (God’s Word), happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) What is God talking about in this statement? I believe He is using this word as a foundational platform for SPIRITUAL wisdom along with our natural levels of intelligent insight. We cannot ignore His gift of common sense and the ability to learn all that we can in this world. But the Christian must filter everything through the Holy Spirit in order to obtain spiritual revelation and be led in the perfect direction of God’s will. He is saying how those who will SEEK and receive the illumination of holy truth will understand what an important part Godly wisdom plays in the disciple’s life. This “vision” of Godly truth is Jesus Himself! His Word declares our redemption from the darkness of ignorance and His wisdom reveals His love which is our salvation. This “deliverance” rescues us from sin and the danger of not knowing God’s Word that can further enhance our abundant life. Those who are not enlightened with the vision of Christ and what He offers through His covenant are plagued with misery, emptiness and hopelessness. Nothing they can accomplish in their own strength can satisfy because it is all based on the false trust of humanism – the vision of self.

The Webster’s New World Dictionary explains the word “vision” like this; the act or power of seeing. Something supposedly seen by other than normal sight, as in a dream or trance. The ability to foresee or perceive something not actually visible. We can now also incorporate and connect faith into our platform of “vision” because God’s thoughts are “seen” and developed within the spirit and the fruit or “birthing” is the manifestation of Jesus ministering through us. To claim to be born-again yet not having the vision of Christ being formed “in us” is to be in danger of religious deception. The definition of “perish” is; to be ruined, destroyed. To die an untimely death. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you, that you will be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6) The knowledge of what? The revelation of knowing God and how to live for Him!

I was raised by good parents who were clean, decent with generally good morals. My dad worked hard in his own construction business and my mom was a stay at home housewife. They provided a loving environment for us kids and we all lived a good life and enjoyed the blessings of what I would call the “normal” middle class, American family. I was raised in a traditional church, went to Sunday school and was born-again as a young teenager. I heard lots of salvation messages and thank God for that, but I do not remember receiving spiritual instruction at home. In fact I cannot recall much in the way of teaching me about anything pertaining to the lessons of life or how to WALK as a Christian. I do not intend to be critical; rather I am actually sympathetic because I believe I finally understand how the LACK of spiritual insight can be a generational cycle. If one has not been personally instructed in spiritual wisdom – they will not be sensitive or aware to teach and pass on the “visions” of God’s divine reality. Since I was not taught the spiritual knowledge and wisdom about how to live in God’s presence, I did not pass these specific instructions on to my children like I should have. My wife and I did join a spirit-filled group of serious believers and did pray and lay hands on them at bedtime and this was an improvement. But I still feel that I failed as the head of the home to plant the seeds of vision and wisdom that could have increased their awareness of God and would have given the Holy Spirit a greater opportunity to influence them even more.

Years ago, my wife Cheryl and I became friends with a Mormon family when our children played sports together. We had read about the Mormons but had never been around them personally and what we learned was very “eye opening”. I do not agree with Mormonism doctrine and this is not the place or time to discuss it but rather I want to share with you how they have discovered the importance of the cycle of passing on the “vision” of Christ to their children. Mormons take every aspect of family VERY seriously. Their dedication and commitment to their church and their family would put the average Christian to shame. Mormons believe in the unity of their faith and are closely connected with each other in everything they do. Education is one of their highest priorities and you will seldom find a Mormon that does not graduate college. It is very common to find Mormons at the top of their field in business and most of them enjoy financial success which enables them to abundantly provide for their children and church. Their Sunday school classes are not babysitting situations but rather are led by qualified teachers (most of the time actual public school teachers and professional leaders). They teach little girls how to cook, clean, sew, wash, iron, changing diapers and every other possible domestic responsibility connected with taking care of a home. Many of their classrooms have complete kitchens as these teachings are presented as serious “seeds” that are planted into impressionable minds that produce a rich harvest of blessings. Little boys begin boy scouts when they are tiny as the boy scouts have a long tradition of being partnered and supported with the Mormon Church. Boys are not only taken out on regular field trips to learn about nature but also instructed on HOW to act and interrelate with others in a Godly attitude. They are shown how to respect authority and the elderly. They receive personal instruction on how to treat other people with incorporating the character, nature and attributes of Jesus. They learn the value of money, the responsibility of working and the awareness of being business minded. As they progress through the scouts they grow more mature about life to the point they can handle a two year mission experience after high school so they can put into practice all of the “life skills” they have learned.

There is usually no question as to whether Mormon children will go to college or not. It is expected, planned and provided as a normal part of life. There is a high rate of success in their work and usually marry within their faith as husband and wife are comfortable in their spiritual values and can share their passion for God and family. On top of being trained by the tight knit community of church friends and mentors, each Mormon family (especially when starting to raise children) is committed to what they call “family alter” each evening. This is a time where the father leads a spiritual teaching along with having special prayer for each person and a time of sharing personal experiences, questions and just having honest discussions about life. We have had the honor to be a guest at these family gatherings and were very impressed with how close this bonds the family as a whole. You can feel the closeness and the joy that is felt in this caring atmosphere. If you have ever really paid any attention to the “Walton’s” you will notice how their family dinner table was the place of unifying and focusing on “each other” and how this genuineness and transparency builds the bonds of love. In today’s world it is not difficult to see how the devil has broken up these bonds of affection and scattered the families with electronic distractions and worldly attitudes. The television, computers and cell phones have replaced the vital “human” connection and consequently have brought a distance and a weakness in the strength of CARING within the family. Sensitivity and tenderness has been replaced with harshness and resentment. Loyalty, respect and honor have now become embarrassing and its cruelty breeds backstabbing even within the sacred presence of family. Husbands and wives easily drift apart from each other and lose their vital spiritual and physical connection. When couples do not pray together they lose their spiritual adhesiveness. They actually drift so far apart they do not even really know each other anymore. Parents forget about their children and are satisfied with allowing them to make their own life as long as they leave them alone. Parents expect the public school system to teach them everything they need to know but have become so busy they do not care about the lies and poison their children are absorbing. It is easy to see how the average family has become a victim of sin and has suffered from the lack of making Christ and His Word the CENTER of the family. I am not saying that Mormon families are perfect and I’m only using them as an example of those who are grounded and committed to living and leading in their faith. And I am sure there are many good Christian parents that have “walked” and taught their children in the same path. The point is the LACK of personal instruction is why people do not know how to live in Christ. And when they grow up they in turn do not “pass on” the crucial truth of what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus. When the principals of God are not planted deep within the heart of a CHILD it is difficult for that person to find the buried treasures of God’s divine reality. This glance at understanding why people do not know how to live for God is not meant to be condemning neither am I offended by not receiving instruction from my family. I am blessed to have been given what I received. I simply recognize why things are the way they are and pray this developing Christian generation will plant spiritual seeds and build their “vision” within God’s Word as their highest priority. “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.” (Proverbs 8:10)

LEARNING HOW TO WALK II

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THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

PART 5

LEARNING HOW TO WALK II

THE WALK OF HONESTY: “But that (seed which fell) on the good ground are they, which in an HONEST and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15) Have you ever heard the saying that a man is only as good as his word? It does make sense that if we cannot trust someone to tell the truth that maybe there is an even deeper problem of deception lurking within their character. As Christians in today’s world where everything is analyzed under the microscope of “intelligent fact finding” it is crucial that we not only tell the truth – but that we WALK it! Our word is our “witness” because every eye is watching and every ear is listening! Our life is on constant display as a “mission” that is based on producing the good news of the gospel. Those who commit to living in honesty, realize their actions ARE their testimony and will give Christ a reliable “golden” vessel to work through. If we talk it but choose NOT to WALK it out, then we are living in hypocrisy and in danger of chastisement. If we just “act” out our knowledge in front of others but “secretly” disobey what we know is true, we have betrayed our own conscience and are living in deception. Those who choose to play religious “games” are actually a stumbling block to the ones who desperately need to see that Jesus is real. No one is standing in line waiting to watch a sanctimonious parade.

The Lord is not just talking about stealing supplies from work or exaggerating on tax returns, He is talking about hiding behind an outward “facade” that is not genuinely who we are. This fraudulent lifestyle is preventing us from maintaining our intimacy with God and could be exactly what is holding back the powerful anointing that Father is waiting to pour into us so that we can accomplish His mission. Wearing a mask is NOT being HONEST whether it is with our spouse, our parents, our children, our family, our job, our church or even ourselves and especially with God! It is miserable to live a double life and to always be on guard with what we say in fear of exposing our true identity. Now wait a minute brother, what people don’t know about my privacy won’t hurt them, besides I do not like being transparent. Well, it is one thing to keep your thoughts to your self but many people tend to share their feelings about others to everyone except the person they are talking about. If we want to be truly honest we can wait until God tells us to deliver a message to someone and not confide with anyone else. The best policy is to NOT criticize others in secret because we hate it when people do this to us. Honesty is closely connected to DISCIPLINE which is directly linked to SPIRITUAL MATURITY. Selah. We must embrace a plan of action that begins with repentance to God, then we can ask Him for a brand new mind to WALK in His truth and finally on to being genuine with others under the influence of God’s grace and wisdom. No wonder anxiety is a modern day plague – because the conscience is filled with strife. The normal church is filled with those who think they are Bible scholars and will fight over their legalistic creeds but are actually spiritually blind in their understanding of what it means to know God! Many in today’s religious society look good and sound good but are hurting, wounded, confused and lost. Sadly, most are so stubborn about their doctrines and so busy arguing like a court appointed attorney, they ignore the awareness of WALKING in God’s presence. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is WITHIN the cup and of the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unto white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and sin.” (Mathew 23: 25-28) Be someone you would want to be friends with. Selah.

Premeditated sin is a severe type of dishonesty and causes a distance in our relationship with Father as He knows we are fraudulent, unfaithful, corrupt and two-faced. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that says, I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (I John 2:3-4) When we make a mistake and slip-up in sin, it is still a serious offense toward God but if we repent and try not to do it again we can learn and continue the process of advancing in our sanctification. Sin is sin and all sin should make us sorrowful. Our new spirit and our new nature should grieve because we have turned against the One who died to set us free from sin. But when we intentionally sin, this means we take the time to plan it and meditate on it. We know all about it and are perfectly awake and aware of what we are doing. This type of sin is very serious and is in direct contrast to way we should be thinking and living. If we say we are sorry but commit the same sin over and over everyday, it would seem something is very wrong. Only the Lord knows how many times He will forgive but it appears the deciding factor would be the sincerity of our repentance and just how serious we are to STOP! The mercy of the Father endures forever but He is also not mocked. In John chapter 8, we see a young woman who was brought to Jesus. She is accused of committing adultery and in the Law of Moses this trespass was to a sin unto death. Jesus bends down and writes something in the dirt with his finger and makes the comment, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (Verse 7) Her accusers become convicted in their conscience, dropped their stones and walked away leaving only the woman and Jesus. He say’s in verse 10 and 11, “Woman, where are your accusers? Hath no man condemned you? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn you: go and sin no more.” He is not saying that we will all live perfect without ever making a mistake but if we are determined to live HONESTLY in our personal relationship with Him, it will include inviting Him to purge out our desires that are enmity against Him. Turning away from whatever we lust after is a 180 degree turn. The idea is that we are going full speed ahead in one direction and by the grace of God we turn around and go completely away from it in the opposite way!

We have been called to the highest responsibility in the universe – to be the mouth, hands and feet of Jesus which is a reflection of the Fathers image. If no one trusts us or believes that we are telling the truth then we do not have much left to offer anyone. Being rich, famous, educated or successful does not really say anything about how HONEST we are. Would you take advice from someone that does live what they say? Why not? Do you admire and respect those who blatantly live in sin? No, because we cannot trust DECEPTION. The lost world might be impressed with human achievements but God is more concerned about the spiritual “state of the heart”! “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us WALK honestly, as in the day; not in rioting (reveling, carousing) and drunkenness, not in chambering (rebellion against authority) and wantonness (morally unrestrained, debauchery), not in strife and envying. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:12-14) We have all seen what dishonesty looks like and it is always dark and hideous. I work for a large corporation and have seen things that would stagger the imagination. There are so many dirty deeds that are done “under the table” everyday that always make room for “exceptions” to the rules. Those that have traded their integrity for money, favor and authority are very dangerous and ruthless when it comes to playing social politics and can cause much damage because they do not care who it negatively affects. We as Christians are faced with having to function in a world where the majority is usually non-Christian and in this regard, operate without a conscience that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of Jesus dwelling in the heart, there cannot be spiritual love, wisdom or the concern to live honestly. When carnal nature rules the conscience, there will be deception, dishonesty, backbiting, envy, strife, jealousy, hatred, and every other opposition to what is right, especially toward those who in the family of God. Birds of a feather flock together and the spirits of darkness and light do not agree on anything. What we need to remember is that we are not to battle in our flesh against our enemies but to work hard, do a good job, stay pure and take ALL our problems to Father in the secret place of prayer. Even when our trials are breaking our heart, making us angry and tempting us to be offended, we must stand firm in our faith that KNOWS God has a plan. Dishonesty is a branch on the liar tree and is always unfair, unjust, deceptive and hurtful. Our ACTIONS against this dark spirit is not what can make things right – but God through our REACTION will settle the issue His “perfect” way.

Honesty is one of our spiritual identifications! Let us be a peculiar people who are known for being reliable, trustworthy, credible, fair, wise, pure, respected, dependable, and who cannot be persuaded to compromise their integrity – no matter the pressure. “Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is MISCHEIF and their right hand is full of BRIBES. But as for me, I will walk in mine INTEGRITY: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.” (Psalm 26:9-11) If we have lived a Godly life and gained the respect from those who know us, we will not need to push our opinions or chase people with our bibles. They will come to us for advice and direction because they TRUST us and believe we will be HONEST in God. We can work around the clock but unless our character is built on the complete surrender to Christ, our labor is in vain. Selah.

THE WALK OF EFFECTIVENESS

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THE WALK

PART 4

THE WALK OF EFFECTIVENESS

“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits (proud notions).” (Romans 12:16) Where there is contention, (arguing, controversy, disputing, contesting, quarrelsome) there is the spirit of PRIDE! This is a very important revelation to absorb into our character so that every time we are being drawn into conflict, we can examine our intention and ask Jesus to check our attitude. The proud are convinced that they know more, are smarter and can do everything much more effectively than the ones they are attacking. Webster’s New World Dictionary describes it as: “an overly high opinion of oneself. Exaggerated self-esteem, haughtiness; arrogance; inflated dignity”. I do not believe that any of us have conquered every fault or can “walk on the water” so to speak with having “arrived” at total perfection. We all have certain problems that we must battle more than others and sometimes these trouble areas can grow more severe like a wound that becomes infected. I personally believe when someone gives these bad habits free reign, they can expand into an open spiritual door with a warm invitation to demonic influence which can establish the bondage of control. Pride was the deception that caused Lucifer to fall and be cast out of heaven and I am convinced it is his number one device for stirring up every type of evil on earth. For example, when someone has an aggressive personality that instigates and is contentious, they would definitely be vulnerable to being oppressed with spirits of MANIPULATION, STRIFE, ENVY and CONTROL. There is a difference between standing against something that is wrong – and being used as a “wrecking ball” under the spirit of rebellion. The awareness of God’s presence includes the sensitivity of our own level of humility. Selah. “For I say, though the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more HIGHLY than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

How eager and excited we are to devote so much of our time to the reform and “education” of others. Those who are held captive by this dark power are convinced the masses of the world are waiting for them to correct and “set them straight”. Judging others comes naturally to those who spend their time thinking about how wonderful, intelligent and spiritual they are. These individuals can do wonderful things for the Kingdom of God and at the same time be at odds with those they are working with. They have no problem rising to positions of authority but have not learned the responsibility of watching their words that creates controversy and division. I would love to say that I personally do not know anything about this character flaw but I must be honest. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and was just as deceived when the bridges were burning as I was during the conflict. I have asking the Lord to reveal to me why I have had so many problems over the years and why things have not “blossomed” like I had envisioned. I have been having some serious heart to heart talks with Him lately and I have pleaded with Him to “give it to me straight”. It has been difficult for me to watch as He turns the pages of my blindness, slowly revealing to me the way I look through His eyes. Selah. It has not been pretty. I have wept and been humbled in His presence. Yes, another crucial revelation of how to WALK as His disciple and just like all the other ones, it is my decision whether to ignore it or – absorb it. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear – slow to speak slow to wrath: for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19)

Our personal interpretation of someone’s character is dangerous because usually we are looking through the eyes of the flesh instead of the eyes of His Spirit. Which is a good indicator that we are more FULL of ourselves than the holy spirit. We convince ourselves and justify our confrontations with those who are in authority but most of the time our instructions are to sit down – be quiet – and pray! Yes, there are times when God might choose to use us in a divine appointment to “enlighten” someone about something but with those who are led by their emotions it is usually – trouble. Talking negatively about people behind their back and rebelling against their decisions is strife. If we are committed to serving under someone’s leadership then we are obligated as a Christian to operate under the influence of LOVE! Constantly fighting, disagreeing, railing and undermining against those we have been called to support are the attributes of the dark side and a terrible witness to those who are observing the character of those representing Christ. It is prayer that can change circumstances if they need to be changed and what if we are wrong in our opinions and God desires for things to go in another direction? Just because we are persuaded by our own understanding about certain decisions does not mean we are WALKING in God’s Spirit or have heard His specific will. “

We carry around all this strife and chaos and wonder why Father seems so distant. “For in many things we offend all. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect (complete) man, and able also to bridle (control) the whole body. Behold we put bits in the horses mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, wherever the helmsman desires. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a FIRE, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set of fire of hell.” (James 3:2-6) No matter what we are facing, talking about or thinking about, the two principals we will always face in the crossroad of spiritual growth are; we must see our need to change and we must have the desire to change. Selah. Our sin nature is very strong because it is governed by our will which is the king on the throne of our heart. It is easy to live independently because it is the default system within our soul. Change occurs when we ask Christ to become the Lord of our entire LIFE and He takes His place in our heart as our new King. His divine reality is the new “operating system” that governs our thoughts, our words and our deeds. We cannot manage our old habits and character faults because doing things our way is a part of the old system! Jesus needs to be the MONARCH of our physical, mental and spiritual life that transforms us from the inside out because when He is in control – We are WALKING in Him! A huge part of abiding in His Spirit is allowing the Holy Spirit to help us watch what we say. “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can NO MAN TAME; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:7-8)

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging her clothes outside on the clothesline. “That laundry is not very clean”, she said. “She obviously does not know anything about how to wash clothes correctly. Perhaps she needs instruction!” Her husband looked on but remained silent. Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same critical comments. About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, “Look she has finally learned how to wash correctly, I wonder who taught her this?” The husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.” And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the windows through which we look. Selah. Most of us are always more deeply concerned over the reform of others – but hardly concerned at all over the reform of ourselves.

Recently I was praying on the way to work and was thinking about how I measure people and how quick we can form a thorough opinion about people we do not even know. With as much experience we have in psychoanalyzing others, we seem to be not only experts in human behavior but judges as to the motives of everyone’s heart. I had read a quote from Napoleon recently and he had mentioned about “those in the struggle of life” and when I heard this phrase I was reminded how there could be more conflict than we could ever imagine going on inside other people’s lives that we meet everyday. I do not usually even consider that my fellow laborers in the Kingdom of God are “struggling” with serious issues. My brothers and sisters in the Lord are trying to put on a happy face and attempting to work through the pain of problems that maybe no one but God knows and here I am being critical or feeling disappointed in them because they did not seem “nice” enough to me. And what about my lack of sensitivity to the lost who are looking for answers and stumbling around in the dark? I have the solution – it’s Jesus! I know the one who has all the answers – Jesus! Yet, I am more worried about how people treat me and how well they “perform” in my self-designed method of acceptable standards, that I am completely missing the opportunity for God to use me in His divine appointments.

For an old nature that is supposed to be dead, I am amazed at how influential a corpse can be! He is making demands from the grave and for some reason I am listening. I am still trying to establish my own identity and instead of becoming LESS OF ME and MORE OF GOD – I have become spoiled, comfortable and satisfied to live with SOME of me – and SOME of GOD! I have come to the conclusion that I love myself way too much. If we are not being as effective for God as we think we should be, it is NOT His fault. He can only rule our life when He is our King.

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WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE III

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THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

PART 3

WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE III

Dear Father, we feel the conviction of your Holy Spirit to re-examine our life. We sense that you are knocking on our hearts door to convict us, to provoke us and motivate us to a higher enthusiasm to WALK as Christians. Dear God, we ask for more of your FIRE! More of your PASSION to live what we believe! We repent of our sins of laziness, of being lukewarm, too comfortable, not caring, being judgmental, critical and arrogant. Open the eyes of our heart that we might see how you feel and how you think. Give us wisdom and maturity that we might become more serious about love and compassion. Put a guard on our mouth and do a work of patience in our heart. Today is the day to CHANGE the way we talk, the way we think and the way we act. Take our hand and lead us out into the deep waters of your perfect will. Give us the desire to pray for more ZEAL! For your glory and in your holy name we pray, amen.

THE WALK OF PASSION: Our Lord is presenting a challenge to us this day. He is saying that if we really desire to go to the next level with Him, we must have a burning PASSION for Him! How can we generate this spiritual craving to go all the way with Him? We cannot! We can become extremely emotional but that is all we can create. The same way that humans must be drawn unto the Father to be born-again under the convicting power of the Word and the Holy Spirit – we also must have the super-natural revelation gift of PASSION! If we really want to completely be sold-out to everything God has planned for our life, then it is time to ASK HIM to do a deep work in our heart so that He can be the Lord of our life. Are we AFRAID to ask Him because of what He might call us to do? Selah. If we surrender our will and pray with a sincere, fervent intensity, I believe that Father will begin to pour out His power which will renew our mind and strengthen our faith to a place we have never experienced before. The reason why many have never had spiritual doors open for them in the ministry is because they have not had enough PASSION to support their calling. Some of you that are reading this have been waiting for answers and miracles to bless and confirm the direction you have been seeking but Father has been waiting on you to be consumed with His passion so that He can release His anointing within you. If we are serious about seeing our ministry bloom then we must get off the couch and fall on our knees pleading with God to give us His passion that will fill us with courage, strength, faith and confidence until we explode with the brightness of His glory. A zealot is one who is FULL (in this case filled with God) – showing a fervent enthusiasm to an EXTREME or EXCESSIVE degree! Are you saying that we are to be a fanatic and even a militant? Yes, exactly! Many have forgotten but we are soldiers that should be interceding in spiritual warfare against the dark spirits that hinder the advancement of the Kingdom of God. If we are not fanatics for Jesus Christ we will never be a sold-out, faithful follower. Selah. If we become nothing more than a religious spectator we will fail in our mission, our calling and our responsibility as a Christian. If we never become light or salt, if we are not obedient and our mind is not renewed, then what are we? If we have no attributes of Jesus and do not feel the haunting of His conviction to change – then it is evident that we are either severely backslidden or we need to be born again.

What makes our faith worth dying for? How far and how long are you willing to stand for what you believe? Are you positive that Jesus is your Lord and that you personally and intimately know God? Is there anything that could cause you to abandon your convictions? Of course not! What about your love for comfort and pleasures? If today is not the day to re-evaluate your spiritual attitude and position with the Lord, then is there a day in the future that would be better? There is a huge difference between possessing the knowledge of it – and being a disciple for it! There is another crucial difference between rightly dividing (interpreting) the Word of God – and conveniently ignoring it! Selah. The church is filled with knowledge and the average pew sitter has heard many sermons and teachings about what the Father expects from us, but unless the passion “wires” are connected, the words will fall by the side of the road and the distractions (birds) will eat the seed before it has a chance to grow. All of this talk about how we are to WALK is just “words” unless we obtain the revelation of what it means to be PASSIONATE for Christ! Well brother, I go to church. That is wonderful but that does not automatically place you in an elevated status of higher spirituality. I am not referring to what we “say” we are – I am talking about what we “really” are! Christianity is not a fan club and does not give exclusive memberships to be a religious spectator. This type of attitude is what makes religion an enemy of the cross! Why do you think Jesus came against the church of His day? Because they had twisted God’s Word into a legalistic, shallow system of do’s and don’ts until they had pushed the presence of God completely out the door! It is easy to see why every church fights against each other because they are operating under the influence of the same spirit. They are only looking to the differences in their doctrines instead of seeing each other through the eyes of love and unity. Jesus was trying to explain to them about a personal relationship with Father and they were correcting Him about how to live the religious law. They were blind to the truth then and are still blind today. Christianity is being a follower and a vessel that Jesus Christ can flow through which includes obeying and demonstrating His character and all that His Word demands. Yea, yea brother we know all of that. Well, ok that’s great but maybe the reason you keep HEARING it is because God is still waiting for you to PRACTISE it! I am not talking about selling everything you have and moving to Africa, I’m talking about demonstrating the character of Christ in the grocery store! How about not back-stabbing everyone you know at work and at church because they are not doing what you think they should do! Ouch!

It has been said that if we are truly born again, there is no possible way we can keep Jesus a secret. What is our new mission in life after we receive the God of the universe into our conscience? Well, to put the Christian objective in everyday language, “we are to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”. Some may want to know what this means and then again maybe there are those who do not really care to hear about it at all. I am sad that some would desire to exercise their religious politics but avoid dwelling on their ultimate spiritual responsibility. And, of course there are those who do not want to talk about Christ at all, like it is every man for his own self. I remember my Mother in-law telling me about her friend who would become anxious and offended every time a discussion would take place about the Lord. She believed religion should be a private, personal subject which everyone should keep to themselves. It seems the point of being a light holder would be for allowing the world to SEE the light of God. Could it be that in their shame, they realize how embarrassing it is to not possess what they profess? Or are they afraid of being criticized for being a fanatic from the humanistic world of scoffers? How can we keep the fruit of the Holy Spirit a secret? And how can we screw a lid on the jar (us) which contains the presence and power of God? The Holy Spirit in us should be an automatic comforter to those whom we come in contact with and who need to feel the encouragement of His compassion and joy. And those who avoid His spiritual peace, hope and happiness, should also feel their need for Him when we are around them because of Fathers convicting presence in us. WALKING in His Spirit is the constant awareness of Him being in us and all around us and the lack of understanding about this is one of the hidden mysteries of spiritual development. Sadly, most Christians are generally not aware of God or His divine appointments as they live their own busy lives. The revelation of awareness can only be realized through an “enlightenment” of spiritual truth. This gift can be received through prayer but until we see how crucial this “ingredient” is to being a true Christian we will never incorporate it into our life. Everyday we make an impact or impression on everyone we meet whether favorable or negative which is exactly why we should be constantly sensitive to His voice. Spending time with God will sharpen our sensitivity and increase our PASSION. This is why there is such a war against us to steal our time away from Father. When we become filled with His presence – He can use us! Faith is learning to follow and trust His plans and will grow stronger when our obedience becomes more IMPORTANT to us than living our own destiny! We are NOT called to “blend in” or compromise – we are called to WALK holy and produce an awareness of JESUS with everyone. If we are not making an impact we are backslidden and need to sincerely repent for not asking God for more FIRE! The world is asleep, spiritually dead and we have been called to wake them, but we need to WAKE UP first! If our neighbor’s house was on fire in the middle of the night would we feel the responsibility to wake them and try to help them out? Is not their eternal soul more important than what we fear they may think about us “disturbing them”? If we had the vaccine to cure a deadly plague, would we not give it to the world? People are convicted of their spiritual condition when their conscience is pricked by the light of God’s truth and who do you think is holding the light! Jesus wants to be released as the TRUTH that can change everyone – everywhere. He is the “Christ in YOU” the hope of glory! The reason why He is not overflowing and “spilling out” constantly is because we are not filled with Him to capacity! WE ARE WHAT WE CHOOSE TO BE! Selah. Will we ask God to give us His PASSION that will increase our love, zeal and devotion or will we “remain the same” and enjoy the level of comfort and security we now live?