Come Experience Freedom

By God’s Grace

2011-05-04T16:11:00.001-04:00

I have been through so much in the last year. In His grace I have been stripped, I have been exposed, I have felt His hand on me, and I have gone through a great many changes. To all of this I say praise God, yes and amen. It has taken my whole walk to get here. That walk has seen ups and downs, mountains and valleys, times of favor and times of hardship, and I have known what it is to be in and out of season. This has all lead to the place that I am in now. This is the place where all that I have gone through will be put to use, challenged, and fortified. To surrender all this to God has caused a great deal of things to surface in me that needed to surface and be healed. A full redemption is offered to us by Jesus, and that redemption requires our surrender. He can and will do things, supernatural, unbelievable things in us, but the flesh will be forced to diminish as the Spirit grows stronger. This transaction is beautiful and painful. To all who are in it, take heart, to all who have been avoiding it, gird your loins, and to all who desire this, believe and it will become the reality. To one and all grace and peace and favor in the name of our Lord Jesus.

Thank you to one and all!

2011-05-03T15:13:00.002-04:00

The experience of writing this blog has changed the course of my life forever. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to do this. I have been so blessed by our interacting and fellowship together. I am moving into a new phase in life and will be sharing more on that in the next couple of weeks. I have prayed about this blog and feel the Spirit instructing me to leave this blog up and active. Lord willing I will be able to communicate here from time to time and check in on the blog to see how it is doing.

I will be starting a new line of communication toward the end of the month and will also be sharing more about that in the next few weeks. I pray that the things shared here will be a blessing. I pray that if you run across this blog you will be encouraged in every way to press forward in believing in Jesus. I pray that as the Spirit leads you will express your relationship with God with others. May God's grace and favor and love be shed throught the whole world in the same simple way that Jesus operated, one brother to another. Grace and peace and blessings and much love in every way in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Indwelling

2011-03-31T10:51:00.004-04:00

By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

This morning I had a revelation about the pillar of fire. When the children of Israel were wandering in the dessert, there was a pillar guiding them. This pillar was the Lord's presence with them leading them and providing. He was leading them by this pillar, externally, and as a collective.

In the day of Pentecost account in Acts 2, we see that the Holy Spirit moved on men individually and the appearance was that of fire. This little pillar of fire, rest upon them and illuminated their minds. This presence gifted them individually and personally and internally.

To me this symbolizes the fact that Father has by His new covenant moved from without to within. There was a time when the manifestation of God was external and guiding His children by the mass. Now in the new way, God has sent His Spirit to dwell in the hearts and minds of His children. The fiery presence of God has moved from the external and visible, to the internal and spiritual. From this place in the heart Father dwells by faith and works on the believer from the inside out. Praise God for His manifold wisdom and for choosing as His dwelling place the hearts and minds of His children.

Grace and peace to one and all.

It has been two years now!

2011-01-13T12:46:00.002-05:00

On January 19, 2009 the Lord gave me the courage to start communicating through this blog. It took me from the 1st to the 19th to surrender to God's will and actually post for the first time. I deleted so many blogs in those first two weeks, praying continuously for strength, wringing my hands from fear. Fear of man is a powerful thing and will work to hinder us from speaking truth in love. Blindness will cause us to communicate partial truth without love. There are a lot of dynamics at work against us, never forget we wrestle against powers of darkness in high places. However, the most important thing is that we serve a Most Powerful God who is for us, therefore, who can be against us.

I praise God openly here now, in a way that I couldn't when I first started blogging. Father has taken me through so many twists and turns, refining me, extracting things, mortifying the flesh. For all that I praise His name. To walk in the liberty that Jesus purchased for me has changed me forever. There were so many things working against me to keep me from this walk: fear, lies, false teaching, false definitions, sin, doubt, mistrust, and the list goes on. In all that Father came through, arming me, battling with me, and for me when I couldn't. At times I could see the promised land so clear, but most of the time it was out of view, hidden by the valley I found myself wondering through. Each time I came above the clouds I could see the destination a little closer, and then look back to see the place of departure farther and farther behind.

If you are hearing God's call, take heart. Know that those who have gone before us have left us good counsel. The enemy will use all things he can to hinder, but they shall not prevail. Listen to the Spirit within you, guiding you. Trust in God, in all things, at all cost. Gird yourself, step out, strike out in faith, and do what it is that Father is authoring on your heart. He has provision for all of it in place. Don't lean on your own understanding, but in all things trust in Him. It won't all make since, but it is a Miraculous God that we serve, so serve Him well. Be encouraged to do just as Father is calling you to do. In all things give yourself permission to walk in His grace and peace, it will make all the difference in the world. With much love and all hope I encourage you all to seek and serve our Savior Jesus with your whole heart.

Walking through fear.

2010-10-11T21:59:00.002-04:00

Wow it has been a while since I have blogged anything. When I first started this blog I was so full of fear to speak Jesus name publicly and share personal thoughts concerning scripture. It was a big deal, a huge deal. I will not soon forget how I sat staring at the computer deliberating, praying for days before I typed my first blog. I just got back from a two week trip, 7 states, tons of provision, grace and peace abounding, facing personal giants, seeing mountains move, facing some of my oldest and greatest fears head on, being blessed by Fathers servants and hopefully being a blessing. Blogging all this now seems normal. Fascinating what walking things out will do. Taking heart, being courageous, and facing our fears with Father at our side is a major part of any believers life. Be of good courage brothers and sisters you have a great host of company.

We all have fear that needs to be faced. Some fear is greater than others, not all things are equal. Father has a provision through the inner working of His Spirit for all the fear that invades our lives. Be encouraged to take your fears, by name, in prayer, to the very throne room of the Most High God. He and His Son are ever ready to make intercession for us. Let your faith and belief in Jesus manifest itself here in this present world and in this present life, with the intent purpose of overcoming all the fears that hinder freedom. Perfect love casts out all fear, therefore fear is an enemy of love. May our love, over time, become so perfect for our Heavenly Father that is casts out all the fear in our lives. Grace and peace to one and all.

What is important?

2010-08-18T08:55:00.002-04:00

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Phil. 1:15-21

This has always been one of the most powerful sections of scripture for me. This is one of the clearest portraits of real christianity found in scripture. Paul is in prison and some people who claim the name of Jesus and preach about Him are using the gospel to poke at Paul and cause him pain and trouble. These men are preaching Jesus out of envy and rivalry, comparing their situation to Paul's in order to prove themselves and rail accusation at him. They are selfish and ambitious and not sincere, and above all for me they are hurting a fellow brother in Christ, in Jesus name. This is so hard to read and to bear once the situation is understood.

Paul's response is so powerful that it cuts me to the heart even now as I write. WHAT DOES IT MATTER? What difference does it make that these men are hurting me, reviling me while I am in prison for Christ. What does it matter that they are mocking me and using the gospel that I love and am willing to die for against me. JESUS IS BEING PREACHED!!! So for that Paul is praising God and rejoicing. Either way, whether good intention or bad, whether it is to his comfort or to his destruction, the only thing that matters to Paul is that His Lord is being preached.

Rise up and understand brothers and sisters. Rise up and see the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. Rise up and see the potential that we have in Christ. Through the prayers of others and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ we are being delivered. Let us eagerly expect and hope that Christ will be exalted in our bodies. Let this mind be in us: To live is Christ and to die is gain. This is not flowery rhetoric and big talk. Paul is writing this scripture with chains on his wrists, he tells us that. May we walk with Jesus this closely, this purposefully for the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Dare to imagine!!!

2010-08-16T16:44:00.004-04:00

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Eph. 3:20-21

Dare we believe this scripture. Dare we imagine and ask. Dare we take God at His word. I long for the day when I realize what Father has made available to me through Christ Jesus, who is at work within me. I have to confess a growing longing to believe. To actually believe what Father communicates and how He communicates it. So many today listen to the popular christian leaders of this time and have set aside the longing that on occasion rises in the hearts of men.

Dare to dream brothers and sisters and I will dream with you. Dare to trust in God who can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine, according to HIS POWER that is at work within us. Then raise your voice and give glory in THE CHURCH, in the one and only church which is HIS BODY, and glorify Jesus. Let this generation stand up and praise God with our whole hearts, with one voice, and unified in the Love that Jesus is authoring in our hearts. Dare to believe.

Human Tradition

2010-08-12T07:38:00.002-04:00

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

The roots of believing in something other than Christ were sown into the early church by the enemy. Father allowed this. If you are truly seeking God then you will have no problem. You will push through and past all this foolishness and continue to believe the simple truth that the Spirit of God teaches all His children. Continue in Christ, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened by this faith in Jesus, and overflow with thankfulness. Do not let anyone take you captive. Don't listen to others and think that they are speaking for God. Father can speak for Himself, through His Spirit that He sends to be your guarantee, when you believe in Jesus.

Most of modern christianity continues on believing in hollow deceptive philosophy that depends on human tradition. This is the model of the world. Rather we should be firmly and unmovably founded on Christ Jesus and nothing else. Almost all of the christians I come in contact with do what they do because that is how they were raised, or due to a teaching they got from a human tradition. Without thought they go on under this yoke and ignoring the very clear teachings of scripture. I can not count the time clear Word has been refuted by the deceptive teachings of men. Take heart brothers and sisters, turn to Jesus and all is well. Trust in Him and Him only and all is well. For He cares for each of us the same, and His Spirit is always available to teach us of Jesus' love. Grace and peace to one and all.

A word from the heart.

2010-08-05T09:19:00.004-04:00

Haven't done this in a while, so I thought it might be time for a simple word from the heart.

There is a walk in the Spirit that our bible refers to. This walk is foreign to most believers, because to access it requires the individual to walk by faith instead of sight. This stipulation, that Father Himself has authored, can not be circumvented. There is often talk of this walk, but there is a great gulf fixed between talking about this and actually walking it. The bridge is trusting in Jesus.

I have found that it is impossible to explain spiritual things to the logical mind. It took me a long time to come into agreement with all the scripture that plainly teaches this principle. The reason I fought it was simple, I wanted it to be easier and make sense to my mind or flesh. I did not want to let go, to trust God fully. God has given us permission to do all manner of foolishness in His name and never actually know Him. This should give us reason for great caution and self evaluation.

After I gave up on trying in the flesh and surrendered to God's clearly stated method, I began to see results. As we come into agreement with His Word we can see a definite change. When we go from flesh trying to control spirit, to spirit mortifying flesh we are bound to encounter God in a new and real way. The logic and spirit within us are at war. Let the heart dream that all our God has spoken is real and possible. Let the heart strike out on an adventure of faith. Learn from His Spirit how to walk in the unseen. Father is the only one who can teach us how to navigate this extreme calling on our lives. We can not teach one another in this arena. We can encourage, agree, communicate, and speak Word to one another, but at the end of the day Father wants each of us to turn to Him and learn from Him personally.

Take heart and be of good courage. There are many pilgrims on this road ahead, along side, and behind, but the best part of it is Jesus is right there in the middle of it all.

The Lord is near.

2010-08-02T10:28:00.002-04:00

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil.4:4-7

Rejoice with me brothers and sisters, and I rejoice with you. Let us say it again REJOICE!!! Let our gentleness be EVIDENT to all. Not just to those who are of a certain denomination, ethnicity, like mindedness, or disposition. Let our gentleness be evident to ALL! For our LORD is near. He is not far off, He is here in our hearts even as we speak.

Do not be anxious for anything. In other words, don't be anxious at all. Bring everything to God, literally. Bring every prayer and every petition and present your requests to Father. Come to Him with thanksgiving, knowing that our Father who loves us, answers our prayers.

May the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard our hearts. God's peace is not meant for the logical. His peace transcends logical examining and supersedes knowledge. Father guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus and cause us to dwell there, forever.

May we all experience our Heavenly Father in this manner, together. Much love.

Your meetings do more harm than good.

2010-07-29T09:17:00.003-04:00

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 1Cor. 11:17-18

A gathering of believers is to be united. Paul uses very harsh and direct communication about this topic. Your meeting does more harm than good. These divisions, that rule the denominational majority, make the meetings they hold more harm than good. My personal experience bears testimony to this scripture being true. Week after week people come together and are passively or actively supporting division. The fact that this is done in Jesus name, and that there is obviously permission to do this, is not new. Here we see this problem forming in the early days of the gospel.

Let us act as individual members, as scripture counsels, coming together as the Spirit leads. Assembling with joy in our hearts, where ever, and when ever the Spirit guides. Let us be responsible, purposeful, toward the universal body of Christ. Let each member unite together, intentionally, and tend to the needs of the other members. May we become so united in Christ that the world will know that Jesus came to save us.

Mutually Encouraged

2010-07-19T15:29:00.002-04:00

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Romans 1:11-12

My spiritual brother Jerry sent this scripture to me this morning. I can not pass up the opportunity to share this scripture and linger in this brotherly love, publicly. It is our distinct and awesome privilege to share our walk of faith with others.

We should long, as Paul did, to impart to others the spiritual gifts that Father has bestowed upon us, His servants. We should be eager to spend ourselves to strengthen others. Jesus teaches us that as believers we are to be in the business of building up others, not ourselves. What an awesome lesson this verse teaches. If we will simply be willing to hear Father and follow His instruction, He longs for us to impart the talents and Spirit that He has called forth in us, with others. This is a great privilege.

We can walk in a state mutual encouragement by sharing each other's faith. In other words, my faith is not my own, it is to be shared with the body. I'll share mine and you share yours and we will be mutually encouraged. What an awesome way to live. Thank you, Jerry, for blessing me with this scripture, for blessing me with your spiritual gifts, and for walking out this Spirit walk with me and others. May we continue to do so, and never tire of encouraging others to experience this freedom with us and the rest of Jesus' body.

Grace and peace to the whole family of God.

Our High Priest

2010-07-15T15:34:00.002-04:00

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb. 4:14-16

What a privilege that we have. We are all under One Priest now and His name is Jesus. He is so able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He is not familiar with our strengthens, because He is our strength. He knows just how to minister to our weaknesses and guide us through the journey of salvation.

Let us come boldly to His throne of grace and get the help we all need. For our trouble is great here in this world, and our times of need seem to be growing. Help us to come to You Lord Jesus and when we do, receive us. We need Your ministry so badly. Minister to us Lord for Your name sake. Thank You for being our High Priest.

The Word of God is Living

2010-06-29T23:13:00.002-04:00

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb. 4:12-13

Here is the crux of the issue. The Word of God is living and active. It perfectly discerns the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing is hidden from God's sight. Thank You Father for this section of scripture. Remembering a thing, keeping a thing, does not make us holy, You make us Holy. All these teachings, commandments, words, are given to discern the heart: to expose the heart. Thank You for loving us enough to show us ourselves, our great need for You, while You continued to love us. What a testimony to Your Awesomeness.

Uncover the hidden things in our heart by Your teaching on sabbath and sabbath rest. Lay us bare, reveal our great need, then tend to us with Your Loving Care.

Another Day: Father Has Spoken

2010-06-28T23:23:00.003-04:00

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' "And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. Heb. 4:3-11

Thank You Lord that You spoke of the first seventh day, and communicated Your rest in the work that You and only You can do. Thank You also for speaking again, and setting a certain day, another day, calling it TODAY. Thank You that we can rest from our work just as You rest from Your own work. Thank You that we can enter into Your Rest. Help us, strengthen us by Your Spirit, to make every effort to enter into that rest, by believing. OBEDIENT BELIEVING.

A Sabbath Rest For the People of God

2010-06-24T10:22:00.002-04:00

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " Heb. 4:1-3

The promise of entering God's rest still stands. The receivers, keepers, and teachers of the law never entered that rest because of unbelief. The sabbath day was established, just as the command not to murder, to teach us a greater spiritual truth.

The beginning of Kingdom understanding on love started with don't murder. The ultimate eternal truth about the commandment not to murder is the revelation that murder starts with hate in the heart and that is what God is getting at. To not murder is good, but to not hate is the point. Not murdering does not equal not hating. We can hate under the law as long as we don't murder, this misses the eternal point. Once Father circumcises hate from the heart murder is not possible. Where there is no possibility for murder the commandment is not needed.

The same principle is true for the 4th and all the commands. The main theme of the 4th command evolves around resting from work., or ceasing work. When we fully believe that Jesus has saved us according to His loving kindness, gifted to us while we were yet sinners, and there is nothing we can do to merit that gift, we rest. Believing in salvation by grace through faith, and that alone will cause us to cease from working for what has already been established. Until then we will mingle our works with His grace, which hinders eternal fruit being born.

Eternal fruit grows naturally on a branch that is fixed to the True Vine. The Vine and the Vine Desser are the workers and the branch is simply a recipient. Praise be. Therefore let us not be found fallen short concerning this sabbath rest for believers (Jew and Gentile alike), because we too have had this wonderful gospel of Jesus preached to us.

Grace and peace.

Sabbath Rest

2010-06-23T12:44:00.004-04:00

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Heb. 3:16-19

To the chosen, lead of God, redeemed nation of Israel, God gave the sabbath commandment to rest. They were not allowed to enter this rest because of unbelief. Let us do everything we can to understand this, and to encourage others to enter into the promised rest of God by believing in the finished work of Jesus. Let nothing rob us of our rest, our ability to understand it, and to communicate it clearly. Be encouraged brothers and sisters to enter into the eternal rest of God by believing in His Son and our Savior Jesus.

Grace and peace.

He loves us.

2010-04-19T08:11:00.003-04:00

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

Oh yes brothers and sisters. Jesus' love for us is greater than any other thing. Nothing can prevail against His love. NOT EVEN OUR MISTAKES. Raise up your hearts with one voice and praise His name together. Grace and peace to all of God's children.

He came to do His Father's will.

2010-03-16T09:26:00.002-04:00

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.' "First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb. 10:5-10

God established a system of sacrifices as a shadow or type. These things were to point to the sacrifice of Jesus. Those sacrifices did not take away sin or make a person clean. Jesus came in bodily form to do His Father's will. That will was to be an eternal sin offering for all man for all time. The law, established by God to point to Christ, has been replaced by the reality. Jesus is the end and answer to all things. We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all. This was our Father's will.

Lord please cause this truth to sink deep within us and change us from the inside out. Cleanse our hearts and help us to realize that Your will is to make us holy through the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus.

His will vs. my will!

2010-03-15T09:01:00.003-04:00

Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" Matt. 26:53,54

Jesus could have asked His Father to send angels to stop what was happening and defend Him as Peter was trying to. So God was placing before Jesus a way to fulfill the scriptures and surrender into His greater will, but at the same time Jesus new that if He wanted to He could go another way. He has just come from asking Father to take the cup, but Father did not take the cup. So Jesus did not exercise His own right to change the cup Himself.

This defies logic. Jesus could have done for Himself what He was begging His Father to do. He could have called down angels and stopped the madness, and Father would have sent the angels. But, instead Jesus surrendered into the will of His Father and did not exercise His own permitted will.

We are permitted to do our own will as well. I pray that we, like Jesus, will surrender our will and do whatever it is that Father is calling us to.

Denomination=Division=Sinful Nature: 3

2010-03-09T10:06:00.004-05:00

And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. "The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam." Amos 7:8,9

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1Cor. 3:16,17

God teaches us through His servant Amos that He has set a plumb line - Jesus - among His people. He then tore down the High places and destroyed the sanctuaries. Notice He makes sure to name them, that they are Isaac's high places and Israel's sanctuaries, not false high places and sanctuaries, but the ones that He established through His chosen.

Now that all these have been torn down and the Plumb Line has been set, Father has established the eternal truths that these things were to point to. You and I are God's temple and His temple is sacred. No other temple other than you and me, literally, is sacred. All other temples and sanctuaries are false and are not sacred.

Yet we live in a society and an age where men have constructed a multitude of high places and sanctuaries. These stand in direct defiance to Father's work and will never measure up to the Plumb Line that has been eternally established among God's people.

Come out of her my people, is coming. The time is near and is already at hand. If you hear the Lord calling on your heart to come out of this worlds systems of religion then don't wait. Father will take care of you and tend to you, for He is the Eternal Sheppard. We have no need to be taught of men, for God Himself teaches us, and we can trust in that completely. Let us live our lives as a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable service. Knowing that where ever we go and what ever we are doing, we can experience body life, church, fellowship, and communion with Father, Son, Spirit, and the rest of our family. For we truly are His temple.

Denomination=Division=Sinful Nature: 2

2010-03-04T14:24:00.003-05:00

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph. 4:1-6

Keeping the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace can not mean agreeing on every single detail, nor does it mean agree to disagree. What it means is to be in unity and peaceable even though we might disagree. In time and in due season we will all come into agreement, and then eventually we will all finally agree completely in the Kingdom. Division stems from a lot of areas, but all of them are of the flesh. We can come into an understanding of the Truth and His name is Jesus. We can agree on several key points and continue on discussing the others in unity and in bonds of peace. We can speak with one voice and praise God together. Let us be agreeable, peaceable, and unified on purpose and with intent.

I want to be in agreement with my brothers and sisters, all of them. Even the ones who don't currently believe in Jesus, and I believe that one day we will.

Denominations=Division=Sinful Nature: 1

2010-03-01T15:33:00.002-05:00

Lets take a new look at an old topic. I welcome any discussion concerning this matter, including admonishment or rebuke. This topic is of utmost importance. Let us look, together, at these words spoken in prayer, by Jesus, concerning our oneness.

It seems to be clear that all who have accepted Father's words through Jesus are to be one. There is room for us to make mistakes and be misguided, wrong, or even false for a season. Like all other things division can only have a season. It is time for believers to put aside all other matters and be one as Father and Son are one. We can be one in Christ, or He would not have spoken it.

In order to be one we must speak patiently and lovingly to the problem, but speak none the less. I look forward to hearing from my brothers and sisters concerning this issue.

Please look at this section of scripture again with me. I ask sincerely.

For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:8-21

Love is...

2010-02-15T08:22:00.003-05:00

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1Cor. 13:4-8

In the end love will not fail. In the very end we will all see just how Jesus' love will not fail. Until then let us set our faces like flint and not be moved until we are doers of these actions. Let us take our definition of love from these few sentences. Love is not to be felt, it is to be experienced and lived out on purpose. These actions of love will cause feelings, but the feelings are a bi-product, not the point. To love is the point, to feel the love is a gift.

I am constantly failing at living out these actions of love with my wife, but in my heart I want for her to receive these things from me. That, my friends, is not enough. I have to, if I love her, make sure that she receives these things from me. This brings me into a cross roads. You see God does not communicate love looks like this... unless you don't "feel" like giving it. If I am not giving these things to my wife, I am not loving her, plain and simple. The cross roads is I can not seem to give my wife these things without a lot, and I mean a supernatural lot, of help. Father please continue to work in me to live this definition of love out in my life.

The further difficulty with God defining love here in this way is I am to love neighbor and enemy. That means that I am to do all these things for neighbor and enemy including not remembering wrong. I am also to not be easily angered and not seek my own. Just these three stop me in my tracks, much less trying to live out all the above mentioned actions. Father please help create in us a heart that these actions will flow out of. Let us be living vessels for You to pour out these attributes into. I no longer want to governed by how I feel, but need the ability to choose to love over all else. Jesus, please teach us to love You and one another.

Problems being happy.

2010-02-12T08:26:00.003-05:00

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Prov. 15:13

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. Eccl. 3:12

Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. Eccl. 5:19

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. Eccl. 7:14

What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1Cor. 7:29-31

I have struggled with the topic of happiness my whole life, and very pointedly since I have become a believer. I tend to be melancholy and blue. I prefer cloudy rainy days over frisky sun shiny days. This does not mean I am not happy at all, but struggle with the topic. A lot of modern christian teaching communicates that happiness is an objective and goal of believing, and I respectfully disagree.

It is clear that in Eccl. the author communicates to accept ones lot and be happy in His work is a gift from God. I would not argue against that clear fact. The trouble comes in when we add Paul's thought in Cor. that, those who are happy should live as if they were not. We are treading onto the ground of maturity here so let us have mercy with one another. The point of this walk and this life is not to be happy or get happy. The point is to love Father and others. This is sometimes happy, but a lot of times it is like being on the anvil. It seems to me that most times the deep things of God get set aside in the name of happiness.

I am not advocating my perspective and hoping that others become blue and pessimistic because I am. God forbid. I long for lasting joy not only for myself, but also for all my brothers and sisters. What I am trying to communicate is for us to be sober and look deep within the scripture and ourselves so that our happiness may be found in Jesus and not the world. The worst thing a self professed believer can hear is, "you have received your reward". Let us bear one an others burdens and fulfill the law of love. I hope for our every happiness, but that it will now and always be found in a deeper walk with Jesus.