WHY BELIEVE GOD?

WHY BELIEVE GOD?

“As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.”     [Romans 4:17, KJV]

Why bother believing God—His words, His promises, covenants, Him—His Essence? 

Abraham was the father of faith. He believed God, when there was (seemingly) no reason to believe—yet, he still believed. He probably got laughed at, on occasion. Noah did (we can be certain that he was—and mocked, too), I’m guessing; out there building an ark to protect himself and his family from rain, when those of his generation had never seen rain (there are a few factors that suggest this)—including him, but he kept building and preaching—and believing God. When I look at these great biblical examples of faith in God and compare them to “faith” as we see and hear it preached today, I see a vastly different picture.

The men of old believed God because He IS God. Their belief wasn’t predicated on what He would do or even so much on what He had done (especially in Abraham’s case), but simply in God. In fact, God was a stranger to Abraham when he began to believe and obey God! On God’s Word (Whom Abraham was just meeting), Abraham left all that was familiar and departed to a new and strange land. He did this because God IS God, and Abraham trusted Him (even before he knew Him!) to provide for him, direct him and “make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].

 And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves].”   [Genesis 12:2-3, AMP]

If someone you didn’t know came to you and told you to leave everything you loved—and knew behind, and go to an unknown place with such lofty promises for your future, what would you do??? I would probably ask what other bridge they had to sell me—seriously. I am NOT the father of, or the mother of faith, either. Still, like Abraham, there is within every one of us in innate desire for God. We may never acknowledge it or recognize it, but there is a void that only God can fill. That is what drove Abraham to trust God, anyway. We need God—we need Something more than the temporal earthly existence that we have in this world—we have to have a hope for something more—otherwise we are “most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19] and “to be pitied” [Amplified Bible]. God made us this way—He made us to need Him; He put the open hole (or void) in the deepest part of us that would cause us to crave Him. Trying to fill it with other things leads to damnation, eternally, we all know; but even in this life, it causes cynicism, bitterness, negativity, wrath, lasciviousness, covetousness, discontent, sexual immorality, greed, and a whole lot more. It happens whenever we try to fill God’s space in us with earthly “idols”. We, as Christians, do it, too.

Christians have a partial space for God, but only let Him have a portion of the place He created in us for Himself, alone. Then we fill God’s space with our idols, and leave very little room for God and the things of God. Today’s Christian is way more concerned with acquiring the things that make for comfortable living than he is in acquiring more of God [Psalm 37:4]. The Spirit takes a backseat to “name it, and claim it!” “It” being whatever my earthly body desires—the lust of the flesh—the things that distract mankind from the things of the Spirit. While we are having “faith” for corruptible things, our faith in God and His Word, as a Sustainer, in the midst of a dark world becomes less valuable. Our faith in God when things aren’t comfortable is nearly non-existent, unless it’s applied to becoming comfortable and fulfilling my lusts; but almost never is it applied to being content in “whatsoever state I am in”. We only know how to abound. We are completely inept as being abased. Being abased, victoriously is a quality—a great spiritual one, that too many of us can’t relate to, and refuse to accept. Many deem this holy state as “weak in faith” and lacking trust in God—in fact, it’s easy to trust God when everything is going my way. Faith is tried when I am being abased and trouble is on every side, and the challenge is to rejoice, still. If it weren’t for the years that separated them, Habakkuk and Paul could have preached together, with Paul preaching to the Corinthian believers, “We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;

Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.”    [2 Corinthians 4:8-10, AMP]

But, we don’t care to know anything about non-blossoming fig trees, unfruitful vines, failing olive trees, unyielding fields and empty stalls—while the flock is cut off   [Habakkuk 3:17]. The prophet Habakkuk did—most of the great men and women of the Bible (who did any exploits, did), and they knew to trust God even when there seemed no reason to trust Him—and they knew how to rejoice in Him, not expecting perfection in their circumstances, but in the ability of God to sustain and provide. Habakkuk understood that there will always be “high places” in our lives, but the strength of God allows His people to “walk upon mine high places”. That’s the difference for the child of God—we have high places—or trials, even fiery ones, but we are not devastated by them, not when we have faith in God. He is our Strength and He prepares the way before us, so that in spite of the circumstances we can triumph, and be in victory. Horrible things happen to us, too—deaths, financial ruin, illness, loss of homes, fires, earthquakes, floods, and all of the things that happen to everyone else that lives in a sin-marred world is subject to happen to a man or woman of God; in fact, it’s par for the course. What’s different for us is that the faith that we exercise toward God, in the tragedy is first, a testimony to God, and secondly, insurance that God will keep us—no matter how bad things are. 

“ However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves…

 Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.”   [2 Corinthians 4:7,11, AMP]

That’s the great difference between those who have relationship with God—and those who do not. It isn’t that those who have relationship with God have whatever they want—it’s that we have the rich and precious treasure of victory, in spite of difficult, even tragic circumstances. We always have a blessed hope. Even if in this life there is constant struggle—we have the knowledge that even this is a “light affliction” compared to the “eternal weight of glory” that awaits us. It’s okay to “groan” now—it’s only temporary; it will pass, it’s simply death at work in us, and it serves an important purpose—to make us mature, perfect, spotless people ready to meet Christ in the air when He appears. 

For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.    [2 Corinthians 5:11, AMP]

Believe God. Believe God for Who He is and His power to change us from death to life—eternal. That’s what faith is all about, that’s what faith is for.

 “He’s Getting Us Ready For That Great Day!”

       

Spirit and Body or Body and Spirit?

“He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.

 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.” [Isaiah 53:3-5, AMPLIFIED]

It is extremely difficult to live in a physical world and see through spiritual eyes—even to see ourselves, spiritually. The temptation is always to apply spiritual rewards to physical and earthly situations. It’s human. What we see, feel and experience in a physical sense typically is what we are most familiar with, so we tend to attach spiritual truths even to the physical. Of course, spirit remains with spirit and physical with physical—that’s how it is in God’s Kingdom; they do not mix (“Flesh and blood give birth to flesh and blood, but the Spirit gives birth to things that are spiritual.” [John 3:6, God’s Word Translation]). His promises to us which are for our physical man can’t be applied spiritually (in truth). The promises He made to us for the spirit man must not be applied to the physical or earthy realm, either.

It is hard. It’s the reason Jesus used parables. Parables allegorically brought the point home to those who eyes had been “veiled” and whose hearts had been “hardened” by idolatry and all manner of wickedness. Parables worked. The hearers recognized themselves (see Matthew 21:45). There came a time when Jesus didn’t speak in parables—He didn’t speak to everyone in parables (see John 16:25-29). The veil was rent at the cross, but His disciples got a glimpse of the King even before the cross. Still, it took the cross and Pentecost to empower them and provide the authority necessary to act upon what was revealed to them by the Christ. Having revelatory knowledge is one thing, but if we are still unable to recognize the need to stay awake and pray at Gethsemane, or surrender control of our bodies to the Spirit when the enemy comes to us in the garden, (and so we react in wrath), or fear engulfs us to the point that we deny the Christ thrice then the revelation hasn’t done us all of the good it can, yet. Many people heard; but that is only the beginning. Jesus taught that in the Parable of the Sower. There are other variables that decide the outcome—hearing is only step one. And, that’s good because we often hear very selectively.

Isaiah 53:5 is one of the many passages of Scripture that we read “selectively”. It’s a verse where God is speaking to us of the spiritual things we reap as a result of the suffering of Jesus, at Calvary.

·         He was wounded—FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.

·         He was bruised—FOR OUR GUILT AND INIQUITIES.

·         He was chastised—FOR OUR PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

·         The stripes (that wounded Him for our transgressions)—HEALED US AND MADE US WHOLE.  

None of this relates to us physically. Do I believe that God heals physical bodies? Yes! Not for the primary reasons that most of us do, but I believe that He heals (physically) sometimes and with purpose. God is consistent, if nothing else. Calvary was for our spiritual reconciliation back to God. This healing was for our sin-sickness, not our physical illnesses. This is probably the most oft used verse to support the premise that God heals our bodies, and it is the wrong one. Isaiah saw the Christ, prophetically on the cross at Calvary pouring out Himself for mankind, not for our physical healing, but for our spiritual healing and regeneration. He “saw” the precious fount flowing for our dreadful sin that would once and for all remit every sin—healing our souls, forever. Isaiah saw the day of no more animal sacrifices for sin; because the Son came and gave Himself once and there was no longer a need for any other sacrifice, simply the choice to have Him reign.

Does God heal our physical bodies??? Yes, but it really isn’t about us. When God heals, it is always about the big picture—miracles are about the big picture. Remember when Jesus healed the man who was born blind? In John 9, Jesus was asked why this man had been born blind—had he sinned, or was it because of the sin of his parents. (We tend to think that when something bad happens to someone, they must have done something to bring that horrible thing upon themselves! Job’s friends thought that, too—God proved their theory wrong, and Jesus said to His disciples that it is wrong, too). Jesus’ answer was, it has nothing to do with sin; this is just an opportunity for God to show how great and powerful He is. He does that. He does it for a distinct reason, too. John 20:31 says this, “But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name [through Who He is].” (Amplified Bible)  

Miracles (of healing, or otherwise) are not primarily about the one being healed. It’s great for them to reap that awesome benefit when it happens, but it is really about unbelievers who need to see the power of God at work, so that their (saving) faith is raised to a level that they cannot deny His reality. When that happens, they have a decision to make. However, we have become the miracle-seeker’s, always searching for signs and wonders. If we already believe, there is no reason for us to be searching for that which we have already accepted and know, because “For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees?”    [Romans 8:24, Amplified Bible]  We already know the power and ability of God to save, heal and deliver. Why are we chasing signs and wonders? They should be happening through us, in full view of unbelievers, but not necessarily for us—or about us.

We must get beyond this self-soothing gospel and choose the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our watered-down version has created a bunch of wimps, who can’t serve God unless they have everything that is comfortable and pleasing to the flesh. We don’t even consider serving God when “…the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls.”

 But to proclaim like the prophet, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!  The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility] is far beyond most of us, today. [Habakkuk 3:17-19, Amplified Bible]

This (smooth, easy, have-whatever-I-desire) gospel is not the Gospel presented in the Word of God. What God has promised us is not a bed of roses or an earthly kingdom of our own choosing. His promises to us are that He will be with us—in everything. He told us that we will have trouble, suffer persecution, “take up our cross” and that there will even be suffering “according to the will of the Lord”. Our version of the Gospel leaves all of this out, and guarantees us the comforts of this world—that God has not promised us. He assures us that our NEEDS will be met. He vowed to give us the SPIRITUAL desires of our hearts, as we delight in Him. God purposely doesn’t guarantee those carnal (or tangible, earthy) things because they are distractions to His heavenly, eternal purposes in us. Remember, Jesus telling the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and give to the poor and come and follow Him. That was a hard saying for the young man. Commandments he could handle—he was used to those. And we are the same way. We are willing to live by rules and regulations, and all manner of legalities, but don’t touch our stuff. Our stuff is most sacred to us—our things are our idols. Our idols have put us in a very (eternally) precarious position, too. If it was simply placing them before God, as did Israel, time after time—that would be horrific enough; but our “idols”—or the substance that we cling to (selfishly) belongs to the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ emphatically taught—not in a parable—that we must provide for “the least of these” or face eternal damnation. Our choice to keep back “our” substance and live in super-comfort while others exist without their basic needs sets us up for eternal perdition; and our refusal to change or even acknowledge the error of our ways is no different from Israel and Judah. We have become “backslidden whores” who trample the poor under our feet, while heaping riches upon those who have no need.

Israel had the Law of Moses to make them aware of the danger of their ways and refused to repent over and over. We have more than an awareness, we have the power to change, and yet we continue to walk in our own way.

This world is not the place for us to set up house. We are pilgrims and nomads—tent-dwellers on this earth, now. If we want to enjoy the New Heaven and the New Earth, we will have to cease trying to create our own, here and now. It is His Kingdom come, not ours. God’s Kingdom looks very different from ours—His is spiritual and includes everyone. Ours is carnal, and selfish. His Kingdom has an everlasting reward for work done on earth. Our kingdom enjoys the pleasures of this world now—for a season, but then what shall it profit us if we gain this whole world—and lose our souls, in the process???

God’s gifts to us must be re-elevated in our hearts and minds to the spiritual realm—He offers us so much more than the tangible things that will pass away—even the things of the body, because after all even these earthly bodies have a time stamp. He has a better one full of glory, renewed and perfected awaiting us in eternity. I can handle this temporary stuff—as long as I’ve got King Jesus.

He’s more the Enough.  

FEED MY SHEEP

It seems that for the past couple of years, we have been “losing” church leaders at an alarming rate. Some have been lost in scandal, but many in death—not all have been sick, or elderly, either. It is mind-boggling to me just how often I hear of another death of pastors and leaders in the church—especially, the bishops. Somehow, I don’t think it’s coincidental or accidental. I don’t think there’s anything mystical about it; I think it’s all biblical.

It’s scary to me to see the learned men of God who know God’s Word, do the opposite thing that is taught in God’s Word, and seek to rationalize and justify it. There is a pervasive attitude in our churches among leaders that they must not be questioned and that they are in charge and have ownership of God’s people. Among God’s people, is an unwillingness to know God personally—through knowledge of His Word, prayer, study and meditation; choosing rather to be spoon-fed by men who are willing to tell you some Word, but omitting that which will jeopardize their pedestals. Our relationship with God must never be through any mediator—except Jesus Christ! Still, most of us, sadly, only know God as far as the pastor’s notepad and the pulpit. Too many of us cannot share the Word of God without parroting the words of pastors, rather than the words of Jesus, Himself.

The church—not the Church, has refused to hear the Voice of God’s prompting to repent and seek His face, and so correction is coming, now. If the Bishops want to continue with the traditions, legalism, respect of persons, rituals, and pharisaical behaviors, then God will remove them, because He will have His Church. His Church will not be devastated by divisions schisms, and contentions—His Church will be one, as Jesus prayed. His Church will know His Voice, and won’t follow the voice of manifold others who want to lord over His people and rule them by control and mind games. His Church will be led by humble shepherds who recognize that He is the Great Shepherd, and the people belong only to Him, and they are ALL precious and must be regarded as God’s best, not trash, easily disposed of, when it suits them. His Church will be marked by grace, mercy and truth, and known for love and compassion to all people regardless of their sins and failures. His Church won’t ever be known for big you’s and little I’s or the have’s and the have-not’s, but the New Testament way of giving and bearing the burdens of one another will prevail, rather than the bootstrap mentality that currently persists—and is anti-Christ. His Church will be led by preachers who preach the unadulterated truth of His Word, no matter how it affects attendance, the offering plate, or even their own skin. The Church of the True and Living God will have life-giving Word that sustains and teaches people how to live practically in a world marred irreparably by sin and its effects—and, be delivered safely Home.

The people of God cannot live on occasional prayer—even corporately. It’s time for prayer revivals—sackcloth and ashes! It is time for teaching people how to war effectively—which means they have to know God for themselves, and have to know the tactics of the enemy. It is time out for empty clichés and mindless hollering with no substance—we need the Word of God to survive. The needs of the whole man must be met in the Church, to keep us together—we must have true fellowship, regularly and on purpose. Everyone’s needs have to be addressed—not just one or two groups, but all—especially our youth—they will drown in this dastardly world that seeks to destroy them with illicit sex, the desire for excessive gain, without knowing contentment, witchcraft, New Age philosophies cleverly disguised as harmless. We all have to learn to delight in the Lord—not in things. The only time we should ever be discontented is in terms of having enough of God—then, we should never be satisfied.

The bishops. For too long, “the club” which now includes apostles and more, has missed the point. The problem isn’t with the office—the problem is with the things that man has added to the office. The office is godly, and right—and the Church needs the office. However, man has added the titles, and the pomp, prestige, and separation. The humility and servanthood towards God’s people (and the world) has disappeared (in lieu of being served), and it has made it easy for men in the office to live in sin and or offense without accountability or repentance, feeling as if they have to answer to no one other than God. Truthfully, if you don’t answer to those you offend (that you can see and touch) you haven’t begun to answer to God.  That spirit of offense is destroying us—from both sides. The greater responsibility has to begin with leadership.

Jesus said, “Feed MY sheep”. He never said, “Here, I am giving these sheep to you, to do with as you see fit”. He said, “Feed MY sheep”. He has not surrendered ownership to pastors and leaders, to treat God’s people however they choose or see fit. They have the same responsibility to God’s people that everyone else has—there is NO respect of persons in God’s Body.

It’s time for change.

Ezekiel 13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

13 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

² Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own mind and heart, Hear the word of the Lord!

³ Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit [and things they have not seen] and have seen nothing!

⁴ O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins and in waste places.

⁵ You have not gone up into the gaps or breeches, nor built up the wall for the house of Israel that it might stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.

⁶ They have seen falsehood and lying divination, saying, The Lord says; but the Lord has not sent them. Yet they have hoped and made men to hope for the confirmation of their word.

⁷ Have you not seen a false vision and have you not spoken a lying divination when you say, The Lord says, although I have not spoken?

⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have spoken empty, false, and delusive words and have seen lies, therefore behold, I am against you, says the Lord God.

⁹ And My hand shall be against the prophets who see empty, false, and delusive visions and who give lying prophecies. They shall not be in the secret council of My people, nor shall they be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord God.

¹⁰ Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace, when there is no peace, and because when one builds a [flimsy] wall, behold, [these prophets] daub it over with whitewash,

¹¹ Say to them who daub it with whitewash that it shall fall! There shall be a downpour of rain; and you, O great hailstones, shall fall, and a violent wind shall tear apart [the whitewashed, flimsy wall].

¹² Behold, when the wall is fallen, will you not be asked, Where is the coating with which you [prophets] daubed it?

¹³ Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will even rend it with a stormy wind in My wrath, and there shall be an overwhelming rain in My anger and great hailstones in wrath to destroy [that wall].

¹⁴ So will I break down the wall that you have daubed with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundations will be exposed; when it falls, you will perish and be consumed in the midst of it. And you will know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord.

¹⁵ Thus will I accomplish My wrath upon the wall and upon those who have daubed it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, neither are they who daubed it,

¹⁶ The [false] prophets of Israel who prophesied deceitfully about Jerusalem, seeing visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the Lord God.

¹⁷ And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of [the wishful thinking of] their own minds and hearts; prophesy against them,

¹⁸ And say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew pillows to all armholes and fasten magic, protective charms to all wrists, and deceptive veils upon the heads of those of every stature to hunt and capture human lives! Will you snare the lives of My people to keep your own selves alive?

¹⁹ You have profaned Me among My people [in payment] for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, slaying persons who should not die and giving [a guaranty of] life to those who should not live, by your lying to My people, who give heed to lies.

²⁰ Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your pillows and charms and veils with which you snare human lives like birds, and I will tear them from your arms and will let the lives you hunt go free, the lives you are snaring like birds.

²¹ Your [deceptive] veils also will I tear and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted and snared. Then you shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord.

²² Because with lies you have made the righteous sad and disheartened, whom I have not made sad or disheartened, and because you have encouraged and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way and be saved [in that you falsely promised him life],

²³ Therefore you will no more see false visions or practice divinations, and I will deliver My people out of your hand. Then you will know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord.

        

THE REAL BLING

Will the real and true treasure, please (for the life of us all!) stand up! I know the popular thought for this day is that God wants me to have it ALL now, in this life and I don't have to wait for an eternal reward. All that we need to do is "ask" or "speak" our desires into the atmosphere and God is obligated by His Word, to fulfil them--whatever they are. There are at least two major things wrong with this thinking (and teaching--the very popular Prosperity Movement, Word of Faith Movement both propagate this message, and many of us have embraced much of its message, too). The first problem is: it does NOT line up with God's Word; and the second is: it causes us to focus on distractions--earthly ones, rather than on God and His Kingdom.

"And he went on to say to them all,
         Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be." (Luke 12:15,GNT)

Those among us who advocate "Name it and claim it" have a tendency to leave out the fine print. Context is EVERYTHING" in God's Word. To read, teach or preach "And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." [1 John 5:15, KJV] without reading 1 John 5:14-16, would give the hearer an impression that is not accurate, of God's will for our lives. Alone, 1 John 5:15, says, if God hears us, whatever we ask Him, we KNOW that we will have it (period, and without question). In context, we understand that our asking must be according to His will, first and most importantly. Secondly, we see that the petition described in this passage has nothing to do with the earthly, temporal desires of our hearts, but seeking God on behalf of my brother who has fallen in sin--a spiritual, eternal desire. This is but one example. If we would go through the entire Bible and extract every Scripture passage used to propagate the message that God wants us to be healthy, wealthy and whole--in this life, we would be able to shoot a hole through each false message preached, taught and shared on all of them (including the greeting to Gaius--which many have misused to build the whole premise of the movements on. It is a simple greeting, much like our saying, "Be Blessed!". If I could, I would list every one of them, right here.

We know that God never meant for us to go through this life completely unmarred by trial and difficulty, because He told us so! Jesus told us, (as well as the disciples who were present) "take up the cross" [Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, 10:21, Luke 9:23]. In Matthew 16, Jesus is explaining to His closest followers how He must be taken and suffer the death of the cross, and Peter rebukes Jesus, wishing the "hardship" away. (We do this, too--even though it is the hardship, the buffeting, the trials that make us strong and build spiritual character, in us). Just like Peter, we want things to be easy and comfortable--and to stay just like that, always. But, if we want the glory that is to come, we have to experience the "cross" to obtain the glory--in other words, "No Cross, No Crown". Jesus immediately rebukes Peter harshly for his immaturity--and dangerous thinking. Jesus goes so far as to say, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." The life of the follower of Christ is spiritual--not natural. Our riches are spiritual, not natural--for those who have natural riches, the spiritual life is that much harder, because it is "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." [Matthew 19:23-25, KJV]. Certainly, our focus must be spiritual, not natural. Our desire should continually be for more of God, not things. Psalm 27:4 says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart." This is key. To delight in the Lord is to crave Him and to be insatiable for Him--never satisfied or filled up with Him. When we are so driven for more and more of Him, then and only then will He write the blank check to give us whatever we want--because He knows that we will only want more of Him! He is thrilled to satisfy that check. As long as our desires are for the earthly, and temporal things of life, He will never trust us with this "check". We can obtain millions, but it has nothing to do with the will or desire of God--simply our own drive or covetousness.
God simply is not in the business of making His people millionaires, billionaires or trillionaires. He is in the business of making us rich in Him and the things of His Spirit. His focus is not on the things that satisfy our flesh--He promises to see to our basic needs, as we take care of His Kingdom. He wants us to be givers and not receivers--none of us should ever be rich--because after our basic needs are met, the extra should be invested back into His Kingdom to care for those whose basic needs have not been met (the New Testament way of life see Acts 2), and to provide for the dreams and visions of the upbuilding of His Kingdom, not our personal ones. The Kingdom's progress has been held up because we are buying selfishly and building bigger barns for ourselves to house what actually belongs to God's Kingdom (now, ask "will a man rob God?"). It is the time to build spiritual treasure--Kingdom treasure, that will last for eternity, that which is incorruptible and gives life.


When Jesus appears, I pray that we have more to show for our time on the earth than things that vanish away and will be no more.

TRAYVON

Something awful happened on February 26th. According to reports, an imperfect teenager (aren't they all?) was spending his 10-day suspension from school at his dad's girlfriend's home. I don't know why he stayed there--maybe, she was home during the day and could make sure Trayvon wasn't smoking more marijuana (which is what he got suspended for). I do know that smoking a few joints--or even having an addiction to marijuana is not punishable by death (at least in America).

On that fateful day, 17-year old Trayvon, went to the store to buy candy and iced tea. Walking through the gated community in Sanford, Florida on his way back to the home where he was staying, he encountered George Zimmerman. By almost every account, Trayvon became a victim, that day. I question any account that makes him anything other than a victim--and the heart of the person giving that account; I am being honest (about my judgmental biases). No matter how I look at this, George Zimmerman couldn't have been a victim--but the perpetrator. George Zimmerman weighs over 200 lbs, while Trayvon Martin weighed only 140. It is doubtful that Trayvon chose Mr. Zimmerman, who was driving an SUV, while Trayvon was on foot--with his only weapons being Skittles and a can of iced tea. Somehow, Mr. Zimmerman saw Trayvon Martin as a threat to his safety, or perhaps his way of life, because he exited his car armed with a Tek-9 and began to follow him (even after he called police, and they instructed him not to do so). In my heart, I believe Mr. Zimmerman saw an opportunity to get rid of one more of them, and be "covered" with an excuse. I could be wrong, it's just a feeling.

There is so much that arises out of this case. This one post couldn't possible deal with it all. Racism--and its pervasiveness in America, how black people respond to racism, our justice system, etc., but as usual, I want to talk about the heart. Or, more correctly, two hearts.

Both Trayvon and Mr. Zimmerman had hearts. Neither of them were perfect--both were flawed. We all are. In the 17 years of Trayvon's life, I'm sure he'd done a lot of dumb things--especially in the last 3 or 4, like most kids. At some point, if given the opportunity, he probably would have looked back and wished he hadn't put his parents through so many headaches. Since, he was a pretty good student, Trayvon most likely would have attended college (hoodie and all--perfect attire for the college campus, you know), and maybe been a very successful person, or maybe just a man with a j-o-b. Whatever, he did with that part of his life, my hope for him is that he would have developed as a godly man, and raised godly children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, breaking the cycle of divorce and separation that happened in his family. It could have happened. I am not saying that Trayvon is in Hell--I have no way of knowing that--grace is in God's Hand; but I am saying that opportunity to be a great man of God, able to do great exploits for the Kingdom of God was snatched away--and that pleases the adversary of our souls. So, I am grieved not only by the natural loss, or the loss his parents and family members have suffered, but also for the possibility of a great man of valor in God's Kingdom--we just don't know why satan wanted him destroyed at such a young age; but he did.

George Zimmerman, a hispanic white man, but clearly more white than hispanic (his name isn't Jorge, and his last name is Zimmerman), still has an opportunity to do what is right. As long as we have breath in us, we can change. The problem for him though, is that he deems himself right, if only on the surface. As long as we contend that we are right, we will not repent and seek forgiveness for the wrong that we have done. It doesn't appear that Mr. Zimmerman, in his 28 years has had to do a lot of repenting. This isn't the first time he's been in trouble. On record ( the son of a retired Orange County magistrate judge and court clerk), has been arrested for domestic violence, resisting an officer without violence and most shockingly, resisting an officer with violence — a  felony charge. All of those cases were closed without any charges. If, there had been charges, Mr. Zimmerman certainly would not have been able to purchase (and get a license for) the handgun he used to kill Trayvon Martin. Even now, after this tragedy, his father still covers for him, not recognizing the great harm he does to his son in not teaching him to accept responsibility for wrongdoing. One day, he will not be able to shield his son from the terror that awaits--it would be better to let him learn the lesson in this life.

 We should pray for George Zimmerman. He deserves to be punished--so do we all, but if we all got what we deserved, where would we be? In the midst of his punishment pray for the mercy of God, that his soul might be saved, and that he will be able to admit truthfully what really exists in his heart. Pray that whether in prison or not, he will find the Truth. He has the chance to not only have his life transformed, but to lead others to Christ, too. George Zimmerman could actually go to prison, have a prison ministry that causes hundreds to come to Christ--and, when they are released they touch others, and so on. Then, this tragedy will have purpose--that's how God turns the evil satan planned around for our good. What satan tried to stop by destroying Trayvon's life and ministry (in the future), God can fufill through George Zimmerman. It would be just like God to do something like that! So, don't hate, just pray.

 Pray for his father, too; and all parents who think that parenting is giving your children whatever they want and protecting them from every difficulty in life, so that they never learn the value of life, and accepting responsibility. Children raised this way, are emotional cripples as adults--people who can't function when things don't go their way.

George Zimmerman has a soul, and somewhere inside is the need for God. He may not--probably does not recognize the yearning and lack of fulfillment. He is angry and violent for a reason. Hurt people, hurt people. Aggression comes from somewhere--it has a root. There's more to the story than meets the natural eye.

Pray for all those involved. Especially, family, prosecutors, judges--because this is a highly charged case; pray for safety and salvation.

Love one another.  














  

FEAR IS NO THREAT

"And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage."     (Judges 6:12, AMP)

Whenever God's people discuss faith and fear, it seems as if we (people) have a storehouse of faith--or at least we (think we) should; and we should never have any fear or trepidation. Truthfully, and honestly, all humans experience fear--it's apart of what makes us human. Fear is necessary for us to be safe. We won't respond appropriately in dangerous situations, without it. There is something called the "fight or flight response"; and it is our bodies natural (and innate) reaction to any perceived attack, and this response prepares us to react quickly in a potentially hazardous crisis or circumstance. God put this in us. Still, many of us, think of fear as an enemy. We assume, I believe wrongfully, that if God detects any vestige of fear in us, than He cannot or will not work in us or for us, doing any exploits--much less great ones.

It is a widely held belief today, that God only responds to our faith. I don't quite understand that, because any faith that "we" have, God gives it to us--we don't muster it up, by our own willpower or strength of mind or spirit, it is His gift. Furthermore, faith is built. Faith comes as we hear the Word of God. When we hear the Word, and it takes root in our hearts, and we begin to live the Word that we hear, and "our" faith grows. More accurately, God's faith in our hearts, grows and stretches, with use. As this happens, fear lessens more and more because we get accustomed to the power of God in our lives to do above all that we ask or think. However, God doesn't wait until we have enough (of our own) faith to interact with us, or to help us--if He did that, none of us would have received salvation, because we couldn't possibly muster it up. God responds to our need, and He responds to repentant hearts.

That's the thing about reading the Bible, without context. The Word of God must be ingested "line upon line and precept upon precept" but not in a monotonous, lifeless way (Isaiah 28:13). The Word of God is to give life to the Spirit of man. We are not to pick and choose one verse here and there, out of context, that make us feel good--and, change the meaning that was intended. Context is of the utmost importance in the reading and study of God's Word. That (dismissing the context) is how we can think that we can't receive from God (or be used by Him) unless we come to God having faith already. It is impossible to please God, without faith--but the great thing about our God is that whatever He requires of us, He supplies to us. He doesn't ask anything of us that He does not give us. He requires holiness--He sanctifies us. He demands righteousness--He counts us righteous, by His own righteousness. And He wants our faith to be in Him--He gives us all the faith that we need--when we need it. We never have to come up with it, on our own. Ask Gideon.

In Judges 6, the Israelites, having fallen back into the old idolatrous ways, now find themselves suffering great oppression under the hands of the Midianites. The Midianites were extremely cruel and destructive. They didn't take from the Israelites, only because they wanted what they had, but often they took from them, simply for the pleasure of destroying it. The name "Midian" means strife. And, they were contentious. Gideon was extremely fearful of them so instead of threshing wheat in the threshingfloor--he took to threshing wheat in the winepress. It had to be most difficult to do, because the winepress was made so opposite of the threshingfloor. But Gideon was desperate to conceal whatever he could from the Midianites. When the Angel of the Lord comes to Gideon, Gideon was soaked in his fear, hiding and threshing, yet the Angel approaches exclaiming, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor"! (KJV). Immediately, Gideon begins his diatribe of all that the people are going through--no mention of the cause (sin, specifically--idolatry); but questions how could God be with them? Also, Gideon does not even address what the Angel of the Lord (God, Himself) has called him. Gideon questions God's faithfulness. Isn't that what we often do when times are desperate? We want to know why God is silent. Why God doesn't change the situation--after all, we have been faithful, haven't we? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did God let our loved one die. Gideon had those kind of questions, too. He didn't doubt God's ability--He knew what God could do--He'd heard all about it, his whole lifetime. He questioned why God wouldn't do it.

God told us before He approached Gideon why He allowed the misery to befall Israel--sin. However, when Gideon asked, He gave no reason. Sometimes, God doesn't answer us, either. He doesn't have to. The thing we have to understand is that sin is always the reason bad things happen (directly or indirectly). It could be our own, it could be someone else's choice to sin around us (and we are affected by it) or it (ultimately) is because sin exists in this world--and has since the beginning. Because sin is in the world, death, destruction, starvation, trafficking of children, incest, molestation, hatred, racism, rape, violence, murder, domestic violence, verbal and emotional abuse, lying, prostitution, homosexuality, and all manner of evil are in the world and we will we touched by these things, because we are in the world. It is par for the course--and, it is ignorant to think that we will go through life in a sin-marred world without experiencing its effects. God never promised us that. What He promised us is victory over it, and that we won't be swallowed up by it, if we choose to walk by faith, in grace.

 In essence, God ignored  Gideon's questions and complaints. God had a plan, and Gideon was in that plan--fears and all, God was unmoved, by them. It was time. And, there was no time to entertain the complaints--it was time to equip Gideon to be the solution. Gideon didn't know that he was to be the solution. God had already called and chosen Gideon, now He is ready to send Gideon, but Gideon is still having an identity crisis. He goes on to tell God how insignificant he is--and we all are, really we are, but God sees us with Himself, in us--and that is a totally different image. When God is in us, we are "mighty men of valor" able to do great exploits!

Our fears don't frighten God. Our fears don't repulse God. Our fears and doubts really don't mean anything to God--when He calls and chooses us, the fears and doubts that linger simply mean that God will be able to get that much more glory. You see, it will be obvious that it wasn't us or our flesh, or any human ability that wrought the work.

 I won't be able to take any credit--all the credit will have to go to God, because I was trembling in the winepress, like Gideon. I was marred by past and feeling hopeless. I was overlooked, rejected and given up on by men, but God saw me and put Himself in me. His Word came alive in me, and took root. He became great in me, and I am a Warrior tearing down the strongholds of the enemy--idolatry, pride, carnality, self-righteousness, elitism, and every facade of righteousness. It is my vocation to build up the Kingdom of God with His Words in my mouth, to encourage God's people on to repentance, to good works, to care for the "least of these" and away from selfishness and self-absorption, greed and building bigger barns. I am called to tear down every wall that divides and separates us, so that we can be one. It is by God's strength--and His faith in me that I will walk in my vocation, victoriously, with others who are called to this same ministry.  

Lord prepare me, and raise up many more soldiers for this intense battle! 









  








  

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT--GET OVER YOURSELF!

^"Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the murmurs and excuses of] every mouth may be hushed and all the world may be held accountable to God.

 For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character].

But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets,

 Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction,

 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.

 [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,

Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.

It was to demonstrate and prove at the present time (in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has [true] faith in Jesus.

 Then what becomes of [our] pride and [our] boasting? It is excluded (banished, ruled out entirely). On what principle? [On the principle] of doing good deeds? No, but on the principle of faith.

For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]"   [Romans 3:19-28, AMP]

Righteousness is the best give--ever! It would seem that we would have to work our way to it, in essence, earn it. But the thing is, not one of us can. It is impossible for a man to earn righteousness--if it were possible then he would have something to boast about about. God will have none of that. He planned this thing so that He would get ALL of the credit, because we serve a jealous God--and frankly, He has every right to be Jealous and to have ALL of the credit. He has created ALL things "and without Him was not anything made that was made".

Besides creation, there are His great and mighty acts of mercy and compassion toward us. His compassion is so extensive that He made a way to deliver us from our choice to sin, before mankind was ever created--and before we even had an opportunity to sin. He knew what we would do, and had a plan. He knew that He Himself would have to pay the debt--with His own precious Blood and Body, so that we might be reconciled and have everlasting life--if we choose. We didn't have a hand in it, but we want credit for it. We want to boast--in our fasting, in our tongues, in our victories over sensual passions, in our righteousnesses--as if it were something that we are able to do by our own willpower. It is only because of the presence of the Holy Ghost residing in us, that we are not utterly destroyed. It is only God's power to save and to keep us that we can walk victoriously-- when we want to do good, but evil is always with us, driving us to do wrong.

The redemption we have was earned--but not by us. It was earned by Jesus Christ. God bought it for us, with His own Righteous Arm; wrapping Himself in a holy Human Body for us so that we might be counted (or imputed) righteous, not because we make ourselves righteous--but because His blood washes us in His righteousness. He declares us righteous--bearing our sin, and standing in our stead before the accuser of all of mankind. None of us is innocent without His declaration of innocence pronounced upon us--and our acceptance of Him.

When we accept the gift of His grace, "It Is Finished!" The Work of the Cross is complete in us; sin and its power to reign in our mortal beings has to surrender its grip and loose its shackles! Grace destroys the yoke of sin's enslavement. We have (Holy Ghost) power to walk in the "newness of life".

ALL who will accept Jesus, without respect of persons can have this awesome gift, without regard to class, color, financial status, education. It's all about love, grace, and humility--because after all, He did the work.