Triumphant Living 274

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people."
(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?  He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)  So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’ For many are called, but few chosen."
Matthew 22:12-14


Have you ever wondered what GOD'S purposes are for you? Are you saved, accepted the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour? Fantastic, PRAISE HIM, heaven is assured! Go to church , listen to Christian radio, have the bumper stickers and the t-shirts?
You got the invitation, RSVP'd, and whether you pass from this life into eternity, or Jesus returns first... you showed up at the Pearly Gates. But is that all there is? When one is conscripted in the military, there is training, you are assigned a post, and you're given the tools. The soldier doesn't go into battle without weapons, and the knowledge, the strategy to gain victory over their adversary. But here is the point: many believers enlist, and that's it. No training, never consulting their superiors, never opening the toolbox or mighty arsenals placed at their disposal. It's time, people. Time to train, time to grasp the hilt of the Sword, the Word, time to close the ranks in the Body of Christ, time to ask Him and receive the revelation of the Knowledge of Jesus, time to get off the fence, out of the pews, and OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONES. Our Father/Bridegroom/Master/Lord is calling each of us, every one of us... he does not want us the just show up at the Wedding Feast, improperly attired and adorned.
Today, ask the Commander for your assignment, put on the Armor, and move in obedience and LOVE.
This is triumphant living.

Reconstruction

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans12:2

 1" This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. "
Jeremiah 18:1-6


God wants to remodel & reconstruct us. We are ultimately like clay in His hands. But what precedes reconstruction is demolition. Walls, old broken foundations, have to be torn out, torn down, blown apart, before the "project" can start to be transformed. People, much more often than not, have preconceived notions of who God is, and the boundaries and the little boxes our minds have put Him in, the shelves and closets we have tried to shove Him into, partitioning Him (we think) from unrighteousness and darkness in our unawakened condition... Demolition is violent, and make no mistake about it, our "remodel" will have some pain involved, it's guaranteed ... When we understand that the reason we should consider all the trials and tribulations (James 1) as JOY is because we are being remodeled - embrace it. It is the REVELATION of the KNOWLEDGE of who God is, and all that we are- that opens our eyes, and shatters preconceptions.
We are being transformed, and our Master Builder/Bridegroom/King will continue His work until the Day.
God really is Love - I know it sounds so cliché, but GOD REALLY IS LOVE...! It is magnetic, we cannot outrun Him, He really is relentless, that ache that is deep inside all of us is the deep-calling-to-deep, spirit-to-spirit pull of the Bridegroom.
It it the reason we were created, and only He can satisfy.
Embrace your remodeling process today.

The Mathematics of Marriage

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9

The two become one ... A mystery...where one plus one equals...ONE!
Marriage is about addition and multiplication, not subtraction or division.
One is a symbol of unity, strength, and purity.
When two hearts are joined together in right marriage, Holy Matrimony, there is a melding of spirits, minds, bodies, and souls...I'm often reminded of this when I will be thinking of my wife, take out my phone to call her and it will suddenly ring because she is calling me, or we will complete each other's sentences...after 22 years this still happens with regularity!
Just as combining lenses in telescopes and microscopes compound and enhance their effects and purposes, so are a husband and wife whom the LORD has put together multiplied in purposes, design, and effect, not dissipated .
Every husband and wife has the responsibility to encourage, enhance, jealously protect and provoke each other to real growth as Christian soldiers, ensure that they have individual and together prayer times... as "iron sharpens iron"...we are not to detract or distract each other as Imitators and disciples of Jesus... To LOVE AS JESUS LOVES. They have to jealously and zealously protect the gates of their hearts, eyes, spirits, and souls - and those of their soul mates.
Marraige is the holy & earthly manifestation of the Bride and the Bridegroom- it is the sign of what is coming when our Messiah/ Bridegroom returns for us- THERE IS GOING TO BE A WEDDING, and it's the reason we're created, HALLELUYAH!

Today dwell on this magnificent mystery, and look up as we draw ever closer to the Wedding of the Ages!

Devoted ?

 1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a]; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[b] the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel.
 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
 13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
Joshua 7

Did you ever wonder why really nice stuff is sometimes referred to as "trappings"? Because without the right perspective, things can become idols, supplanting our right relationship with our Father/Bridegroom/Lord/Master. It's not that having things is wrong at all, it's when they become "devoted things" - idols in principle. Idolatry is adultery...the forsaking of your one true love ... The breaking of covenants and promises, robbing us of the fullness and promises of who and what God wants us to be. Have you ever wanted to have possession of something so badly, preoccupied and craving after it, only to discover how anticlimactic and unfulfilled you were after you finally acquired it, asking yourself , "Is that all there is?", or thinking , " I have it finally..now what?" Whatever that "devoted thing" is, it will only rust or decay, and get in the way of seeing the One & Only. We were created for relationship, to lock gazes with our Abba/Bridegroom/King/Master, this is the only "love connection" that will truly satisfy.
Today get rid of those devoted things, whatever they are, and devote yourself with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength to Him alone.

Fire

"There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up."
Exodus 3:2

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
Psalm 119:105

"But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."
Jer. 20:9

"They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
Acts2:3-4

Last month when we were at International House of Prayer's, ONE THING 2010 event, I was talking to one of the worship team guitarists, Seth Yates, who has the Hebrew word MORIAH embossed on his guitar strap, and we were talking about the Hebrew language, and I suddenly realized that the Lord had actually created the letters of the language to resemble tongues of fire!
Fire has many meanings in the Scriptures ... Power, purification & refining, glory, zeal, enlightenment, destruction,the Lord is an all consuming fire, the Holy Spirit is as fire, He burns with jealousy, the single usage Hebrew word SHALHEVET YAH,, appearing only once in the entire Bible which is enough, means to burn with unquenchable fire...(thanks Ron)...

Now imagine seeing the engine room of a steam ship from a century ago, like in the movies, when the door of the furnace is thrown open and coal is shoveled into it, where you can see the fire raging... Well, I am on fire. I feel as if I am burning inside, deep in my inner man, with His holy fire, Love is the fuel that has ignited this SHALHEVET YAH, it cannot be extinguished. My "cocoon of dullness" (the cares of this world, and the tarnish that had built up on me)that I was wrapped in, has been obliterated. This fire has "burned my bridges" - there is no going back...

There are two things that I ask of the Lord: that I may dwell in His fiery presence forever, and that He uses me to ignite others the same way.

Relentless Shepherd

"   12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."
Matthew 18:2-4

"Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"?"
Isaiah 40:27

Today the Lord has brought to my mind all of the believers I have known through the years, who have wandered off. Tares have crept in, hope and faith demolished by a variety of things, they have gotten lured away by "glittery" idols, others lovers (money, careers, people, addictions,etc). My heart and my spirit aches for them as I pray, but I know that God sees them, He knows them, that He is jealous for them and He loves them , "like a hurricane", and He pursues and shakes us. Sometimes He whispers and puts his gentle arms around us, but sometimes He shouts in our faces and shakes us like rag dolls. He is pulling us back from the precipice - while there is time ...
If those who are "away from home" search their hearts and souls, deep inside, the magnetic draw that is divine and pure Love is undeniable, but perhaps blocked by anger, rage, misunderstandings, offenses, pride, lust, feelings of unworthiness, jealousy, unforgiveness. I know. I was there, stuck in the thistles, until my Good Shepherd, came and pulled me out.
If you are reading this today, right now, it's no coincidence, no accident. Your ways are not hidden from God, you are not forgotten...He loves you with an everlasting love, you are famous in heaven, and you cannot outrun Him.
It's time to surrender, He is relentless, and you will never have the peace that you so desperately crave until you are locked in His embrace again.
Come home today.

The Homecoming

  “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:11-24

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,"
Ephesians 3:20

The Holy Spirit very recently showed me yet another amazing facet of how He loves us ... When this unfaithful wayward son returned home, by all rights he deserved nothing except the full wrath of his father. But the father sees his long lost son coming home from way off, drops everything, runs to meet him as fast as he can, and rolls out the red carpet, giving his son a homecoming he neither deserved or expected.
The son was blown away by the love of his father.

I was a prodigal. I left a home of spiritual privilege, forsook my Father, chased after other idols, loved other things ... squandered my inheritance. My Father has not only run to meet me, He does more than I could ever ask or hope for. He promises the same for each and every one of us .
The latest installment was an extremely personal and tender restoration in my life that has shaken me to my core, and I am blown away by waves of revelation of the knowledge of who my Father/Bridegroom/Lord/King is, and how He sees me and loves me.


"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

   

Kryptonite 174

 1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
   will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
   my God, in whom I trust.”
 3 Surely he will save you
   from the fowler’s snare
   and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
   and under his wings you will find refuge;
   his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
   nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
   nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
   and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
   and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
   no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
   you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
   I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
   I will be with him in trouble,
   I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
   and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91

Refuge, shelter. dwelling place, fortress, strong tower, He who guards the gates of the house of Israel, Faithful One... This God who is Love, wants to us dwell so close to us that we are resting in His shadow. His Word reads, "Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you." He has guardian and warrior angels that are awaiting His dispatch to you in times of trouble!
But why would the omnipotent, omnipresent God of the Universe, the Uncreated, Shoreless bottomless ocean, be concerned with our welfare?
V. 14 BECAUSE HE LOVES ME , SAYS THE LORD, I WILL RESCUE HIM,
I WILL PROTECT HIM BECAUSE HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME.
There it is - Love. Love. Love.
It is all that God desires, all He requires.
It's the mortar of God's refuge/strong tower/hiding place. It is the Material that cements together and builds up the "living stones" - us- into THE CHURCH, ONE BODY, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE MESSIAH. It is love that has torn the veil, and opened the heavens to those who receive it, and it is love that demolishes every barrier, every denomination, every man-made religious burdensome doctrine of demons.
Kryptonite...
John Lennon was right...ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

Hunger & Thirst

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:6

"As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you, Oh God..."
Psalm 42:1

"Hunger is an escort to the deeper things of You..."
-Misty Edwards
"Soul Cry"

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere
Psalm 84:10a

As I read these different scriptures, plus the lyrics from Misty's song, I realized (again) that because of the way we were created by the Uncreated, we are by our very nature, beings that hunger and thirst after Our Father/Bridegroom/King/Master, but because we are in a fallen world we deal with counterfeits, idols, and distractions that perhaps bring a moment of satisfaction and then it's gone, never satisfying our inner hunger and thirst that remains unidentified until Holy Spirit revelation of who God is comes. His essence is not only Love -He has so many attributes - and the cleansing power of His righteousness is poured over us when the object of our hunger and thirst is acquired - communion and relationship with the One and Only. ... Only He can satisy. I wasted so many years of my life chasing things that could never satisfy that hunger and thirst.
There are two Promised Lands- the greatest, lushest, richest of these that flows with all the "milk & honey" is the Spiritual one.
One day in His courts is truly better than ten thousand elsewhere.

Relationships

21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”c
32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:19-32


"1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),
3 so that it may be well with you , and that you may live long on the earth .
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him."
Ephesians 6:1-9

Paul, the author of Ephesians, did not have to research his rabbinical scrolls, or do focus groups, etc., to decide what to write here (or anywhere else in his epistles) ... The Holy Spirit wrote it on the tablet of heart, just as God does with us today. How to act with those we are in various life relationships with comes naturally when one is born again and awakened to the voice of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, our parakletos-(the one who has been sent to come alongside and help and guide us). We have only to listen. Although the Lord can speak to us anyway He desires, it is most often through that still small voice when we are quiet before Him, "leaning in" to hear. Jesus said that the sum of all the scriptures is spelled out simply: " "Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength," and "Love your neighbor as yourself". It is this Love that conforms and transforms us, sweeping away pride, anger, fear, doubt, unforgiveness, and distilling in our hearts the spiritual purity our Abba is desiring in us.
Today, dwell on these things, listen to that still small voice as you go about, and may every interaction you have with every person you touch be driven by love.

Knowing God (Not Just Knowing About God)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."
Ephesians 1:17

"Wake up, sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
   and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14b

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding."
Colossians 1:9

For over 20 years, I knew a lot about God before I realized that I didn't know Him at all! There is a huge chasm of a difference between the two. I would venture so far as to say that there is a very high percentage of Christians, and there are seminaries thar are chock full of those who are studying about God, biblical history, the differences between doctrines, when the Rapture will happen, etc., but there has not been the impartation of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation of who God is!
Call it a "meet & greet"... My definition of REVELATION ( BIG LETTERS - HUGE EVENT), is when the veil is torn off, the Gift wrapping shredded away, like kids do with the wrapping on gifts, only in this case it's the Giver that does the unwrapping! When this revelation impacts, God moves from concept to reality, and this changes everything! The mechanism that drives God to give this tremendous gift to us is when we "get Him" - really get Him (the beginning of revelation) - in our hearts and inner man - that He is our All-In-All, our First Love, the Ultimate Lover, Father/God/Bridegroom/King, our All Consuming (white-phosphorus-hot) Fire, the Uncreated, Shoreless Ocean, Alpha and Omega.
Have you unwrapped your Gift yet?

Worthy of Imitation

"1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks."
Ephesians 5:1-4

Being an "imitator" or a "copy cat" as kids accuse one another of sometimes is generally frowned upon. Plagiarism is considered criminal in the academic world, but in the supernatural spiritual world, we are called to be exactly that- imitators, copy cats. Jesus came and showed us how to live the triumphant life, He endured temptation, and all the things that are common to humanity, and overcame them . He said FOLLOW ME. With a surrendered, broken, and Holy spirit refilled heart, there cannot be any "buts, or what-it's" there, He gave us the ultimate example, and we have a reference manual on the triumphant abundant overcoming life- the Bible, and the Scriptures read that "He has hidden His Word in our hearts that we will not sin against Him.
Walking is accomplished by putting one foot in front of the other, this is how we walk as Christians too...by faith, and not by sight...fixing our eyes on the Real Thing, and doing what He did and does today...Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Clothed in the Holy Spirit, we become like Teflon - the filth, depravity, coarse joking, etc., that formerly clung to us, that we even embraced, slips off of us, has no place in us.
Today, imitate the One who is worthy, You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

The Warning

"There, but for the Grace of God, go I..."
John Bradford, Martyred 1555, Newgate Prison, London

12 "There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?"
James 4:12


1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
Matthew 7:1-5

" Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
Eph. 4:29-32

As I meditated on these scriptures, and on Bradford's phrase, " There, but for the Grace of God, go I", I asked the Lord what the real nature of that phrase is, to which I heard Him say, "It is a warning".
What are our purposes as they relate to each other? If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, and use only words that are edifying, and directed to be tender hearted and forgiving as the Lord is with each of us, where is the purpose of outright judgement? We who are mature do have an obligation, I believe, to "bring up" those who are younger in the Lord, by teaching Christian disciplines, but it is Jesus' love that has been poured out on us, not to hoard, but to reflect and spread out over each other - that solves most issues among us, the living stones, the Church. It is love- the kind of love that our God/Father/Bridegroom/King has lavished on us with abandon, for us to love Him - and each other back with, that He has ruined me with, this amazing love that covers all sins, makes forgiveness reality, enables long-suffering, and it is love that fuels that aspect of our God/Father/Bridegroom/King which is an all consuming fire.
On Judgement Day, there will be plenty to go around, until then, let's go about the business of building the Kingdom, by putting the stones together, not knocking them apart.

Found Faithful

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."
1 Cor.9:24


"Don't give up
Don't give in
If you don't quit
You win"
-Misty Edwards


This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the lord.  
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.  
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
Jer.17:5-8

"I want to run the race,
I want to keep the faith
Help me win the prize
Of the knowledge of You
I want to be found faithful
I want be found steady
I want to be found faithful ... Until the end
Don't want to be ashamed
The day I see your face, God
Keep my footsteps firm
Hold me in your grace
I want to be found faithful"
-Found Faithful
Justin Rizzo

I have met so many people whom I have heard say things like , "I used to be a Christian", or "I used to go to church, but then this happened, or that happened, and my faith was shattered." My heart aches for these; I have been there, where I felt like walking away, throwing in the towel, checking out. I truth is that there was I time that I had walked away from my faith, even though I still showed up the church . I had stopped running the race. But why? Because life wasn't "working out" the way I thought it should, according to my plans, and my definition of what "good" is? Does the pot tell the potter how it will be shaped? We need to remember who we are- and who our God is. Jeremiah says that "blessed is the man whose confidence is in the Lord, but cursed is the man who trusts in people"...
Run the race with steadfastness, don't quit- this is a marathon, not a sprint...God is more than able to keep your footsteps firm and on course. Just keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and not on circumstances. We will win the prize, He will be waiting for us at the finish line.

P.U.S.H.

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
James 5:16b

"pray without ceasing;"
1 Thess. 5:17

27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”[a]
Mark 9:27-30

"...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"
Eph.6:18

How many times have you said, or heard it said, especially in difficult and dire situations,"all we can do is pray." ? Sometimes, praying is not only all we can do, but all we need to do.
Effective fervent prayer, without ceasing, the kind that comes when all other means of affecting a matter have been exhausted, like the prayers of the Psalmist, "Hear My Cry, O God..." The kind of prayer that I often see manifested in the natural, by small children,(sometimes mine!) who look up into the faces of their parents and relentlessly petition, until the parent finally caves in and gives the child what they want.
Why do we often resort to prayer as the last resort, always trying to handle things ourselves, when all the time our Abba, is here waiting for us to call on His Name, with His Holiness inclined towards us? I don't want to wait and make prayer the last option anymore, I want the privilege of prayer to be my first choice.
Lord, help me today, in every situation, to P.U.S.H. - PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS.

His Reward

"May the Lamb of God receive the reward of His suffering..."

Somehow, even though I have been a believer for more than two decades, I cannot remember hearing this phrase until a few months ago, As I was listening to Jonathan David Helser's "The Reward". I began to meditate on this, and today it finally hit me: The Reward is ME, and not just me but each of us, all of us, all of what we are! This converges with what the Lord has been pouring out to me- His life in exchange for ours...how then shall I live? He did not suffer and die for my redemption so that I could squander that inheritance. What shall I give Him in exchange for His life? My mediocrity ... hypocrisy ... laziness...self indulgence? Endless vacations and leisure? How can I waste my time on things like constantly being entertained, social networking, and other activities for my selfish gain?
No, the full reward of His life is my life in turn! Jesus said that I must deny myself, follow after Him, and pick up my cross daily,(Luke 9:23-26),that I must love without having it my own way(1Cor 13:5), crucify my own flesh (Galatians 5:24), and my body is meant to be presented willingly as an instrument of righteousness.
There is no more room in my heart for selfishness, I no longer live, but it's Christ in me who lives. I am his slave, My life is not my own, for I have been bought with a price (Galatians 5:19-20). My time and my God-given talents I will spend praying and sitting in the lap of my Abba, feeding my soul with his Word, serving others (not myself), and sharing the Good News.
In light of His suffering, He deserves every moment.

Rain, Rain...

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:37-39


"And what a fool, they say
To fast and pray
And what a fool, they say
C’mon it’s been two thousand years
Do you really think He’s coming?
C’mon and just get real.
And remember this verse
“And many, many scoffers will come”…
And when the rain starts falling
It’s too late, It’s too late
And when the rain starts falling
It’s too late, It’s too late."

"As In The Days of Noah"
Misty Edwards

Noah building the ark with no help except for his immediate family over the course of approximately 100 years was hard to miss! He must've become somewhat of a local draw, where visitors and travelers were probably directed to his site: " Hey, you must go see this local nut-job, Noah and his delusional family - building this gigantic ship in this arid place, and there is no body of water to be found anywhere, he has flipped his lid...says God told him to build it!", the locals would say...laughing at, scorning and scoffing, persecuting Noah and his family. But Noah knew what God told him- the ark is the only sea going vessel Noah ever built, divine direction downloaded to his brain the exact measurements, and the ability to craft this huge boat. It must've occurred to him that there was a reason why the Lord picked him, at that time, in that place, instead of a whole coastal community building out the vessel in a harbor, or other possibilities. It wasn't done this way because it was the only method possible ... the whole event was a sign, hopefully to awaken a generation of people who were cluelessly pursuing meaningless things, worshipping idols, who would possibly repent, and also be spared. But we know the outcome, the so obvious sign of Noah was minimized and ignored by that self absorbed generation, and because of their evil and idolatry, and unrepentant behavior they were swept away.
We are living in such a generation, a time when God is being removed from public places in the name of "separation of church and state" - a demonic tactic, this is the ME generation. The Lord Jesus has told us - warned us - given us the signs- that there will be another Day like that- no ark needed this time. Our safety is found by being squarely in the center of God's heart, and He is calling out His people . Jesus is the ark of the last generation, the worship and works of spreading the Gospel and works of justice is like the construction period of the ark. We are told that there would be scoffers in the last days, and we would be hated and persecuted for our Christian walk, and imitating Jesus in our lives.
It's not rain that will fall this time, but the day is coming, Jesus is coming . His testimony is reliable and true. Make sure your 'ark' is ready!

You Can Run...

 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
 3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD."
Jonah 1:1-3

 "7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast."
Psalm 139:7-10


Jonah heard it clearly ... The voice of the Lord giving him a clear concise command. This is not the first time Jonah had heard the Lord, and he was not lazy, or unfamiliar, but Jonah had a specific problem with the Ninevites- he didn't like them at all, and in fact had some prejudice against them, as they were pagans, he saw himself and his people as righteous, and he felt that Nineveh was unworthy of a second chance. He knew, deep down, that the people of Nineveh would heed what God was sending him to say, and they would repent, and he wanted no part of it. He wanted to see their destruction, not their redemption. So he ran and tried to hide from the Lord (like that's really possible!), and so intent was God to have Jonah complete his task that He did the craziest thing- He directs a really, really big fish to scoop Jonah up, and deliver Jonah to his destination! This story is as much about God showing Jonah his own hardened heart and changing him, as the repentance and redemption of 120,000 souls.
We can't hide. His purposes will be accomplished, one way or another, and He is looking for those with hearts that desire His will, purpose, and presence.
Isaiah said HERE I AM LORD! SEND ME!
Lord, Here I am,I am ready, willing, and available. No longer will I try and hide from your good plans for my life. Use me today.

Lessons from the Life of Peter

 69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
 70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
 73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.Matthew 26:69-74


15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

When I look at the life of Peter as shown in the Holy Scriptures, I see a man who, although he believed Jesus, struggled with fleshly impulses, preconceived notions of his Messiah, his own impetuosity, his weak love, and poor character - until a resurrected Jesus chased him down, restored him (John.21)and he was later filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). I see my own life to a great degree in Peter's story : bold, brash declarations and promises made when the emotions ran high, but in a weak moment, or a moment of testing when I was surrounded by mockers and scorners, I denied Him...even as my spirit cried out for forgiveness, and inside I "tore my garments", agonizing over my lack of character and my weak love.
But just like the resurrected Yeshua sought to restore a broken Simon Peter, my Father/Lord/Master/ Bridegroom/King chased me down, broke my heart of stone, tore away the swaddling that I was wrapped in, breathed new life into me, awakened me, spoke to me, embraced me. In Him is purpose-I am a son of the living God, a work He is perfecting, part of the Bride He will return for. I live for Him, I am lovesick... My character change, and the ability to reflect His love and compassion to others is made possible only because of His Great Love.
To me, this is where abundant life begins.

The Antidote

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?"
Jer.17:9

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Isaiah 9:2

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light"
Eph.5:8

12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”"
John 8:12

Let's face it, darkness dwells within the human heart. In the days before television, when there was only radio theater, there was a show called "The Shadow", and the slogan was "Who knows what darkness dwells in the hearts of men? THE SHADOW KNOWS..." Always simmering beneath the surface is darkness, the antithesis of the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of carnal living. People naturally gravitate to dirty jokes, immoral behavior, adultery, lies, and worse, because the unrenewed heart is full of darkness. Things haven't changed from the time the Bible was written until now; the tools and technologies have changed, but not the heart.
But Jesus changed everything!
In Him is the Light of Men. He is the Redeemer, The Deliverer ... The Antidote to a deadly disease - Sin. The Light that drives out profound darkness, changes stone cold hearts and dead men's bones into a Spotless Bride living with divine purpose, driven by the revelation of divine love.
Make sure you have taken the Antidote today!

Filling My Tank

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you"
Psalm 56:3

"GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places."
Hab.3:19

"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze."
Psalm 18:33-34

"Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."
Isaiah 40:31

"Nothing is impossible with God"
Luke 1:37

There are times when I am afraid, tired, weak, unsure, discouraged; times when my spiritual and emotional "tank", is on vapors, the needle of my "fuel gauge" on EMPTY. It doesn't last long though- I know who my Master is ... God is my immovable, unshakeable Rock, my King who sits above the circle of the earth... a God who is my spiritual filling station that constantly tops off my "tank". The Word says that "when I call upon Him He will answer me"..."that those who trust in the Lord are like Mt.Zion, which cannot be shaken."
So remember when we are thrown into the lion's den, the furnace of affliction, when sabers are rattled against us, we serve an awesome God! "Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
He enables, strengthens and trains us, and has made us victorious.
Make sure you pull into the "filling station."

Crosses & Fruits

" 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Galatians 5:19-26


"He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. "
Psalm 1:3

"A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit."
Mt. 7:8

Crucifixtion is one of the most brutal methods of execution. The acts of the flesh, though, are themselves deadly, and spiritually brutal in the carnage resulting as consequences, both in this life and as implications in negative spiritual legacies (the sins of the fathers are visited on their children...). There is spiritual necessity in using this brutal imagery in killing off our flesh. With the flesh crucified, and keeping in step with the spirit, and with our roots going down deep, as we are watered by the Word, we are like trees that are planted by streams of living water, which bear fruit in every season, whether there be bad or good "weather". Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control... These are the spiritual manifestations of the fruits that the Lord provided for Adam in Eden.
Taste and see how very good the Lord really is.

One Thing I Desire

"      4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." Rev.2:4a

“May he kiss me with the kisses of his Word!
For your love is better than wine.
Song of Solomon 1:2

 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
1 Cor 13:4-7

"You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength ..."
Deut. 6

When people are head over heels in love, the lover is obsessed with the beloved. Their minds are constantly thinking of how they can please the other, longing to be together, to embrace and feel the beloved's heart beating, locking gazes ... They are lovesick ... all other activities, objects, etc., are also-rans, distractions from where the lover longs to be... this is me. Since receiving such revelation about God's awesome & real love, and returning to my first love, I have been ruined to lesser things, lesser loves, activities that would divert me from locking gazes and embraces with my Bridegroom King Father God. His love is better than wine; it protects, trusts, hopes, nurtures, perseveres, and much more. When Isaiah saw the Glory of the Lord, he said that he was ruined- my spirit resonates the same .
How is your " love life"? I pray that you would be likewise ruined!
His Love is better than wine.
 

Walking out the Promises (Who's Report Will You Believe)?

So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.
Numbers 14:36-38 (read Numbers 13&14)

The children of Israel who were delivered from Pharaoh's slavery, who saw the sea part before their very eyes, who were led by pillars of cloud and fire, who had their daily sustenance provided for them nevertheless took the first opportunity of a bad report from the doubting spies to become discouraged and doubt the Lord's commitment to come through and fulfill His promises to them! The Lord saw the hearts of Joshua and Caleb, and they were the only ones of the exiles to enter into the promised land. The Bible records that the rest of that unbelievingly generation fell in the desert.
The children of Israel are reflections of each of us, and reminders of what can happen when our hearts become hardened and selfish, and we doubt, instead of believing Him, and following the most important commandment -YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, & STRENGTH. Believe His report, where He goes follow. Jesus said , " My sheep hear my voice" . Believe His report, not the discouraging voices that swirl around us. He knows us, loves us, and has a plan for our good, not harm . Jer.29:11

Real Treasure

 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21

Who has ever seen a u-haul following a hearse? When the secret funeral chambers of the various great Pharoah's pyramids were discovered, all of the items they stored for their afterlives were exactly where they were placed. When John D. Rockefeller passed away, his heirs asked his will's executrix how much he left to which he replied, " He left all of it."
What good does it do to spend your God given time in this temporary life gathering, and laying up what will not last? Our time here is the medium in which the Lord has given us to live and move in, and with it, the ability to make our own choices. He said , "See I set before you a way of life and a way of death...Choose this day whom you will serve...therefore choose life." In the inside-out principles of the Spirit, eternal life and treasures in that world are attained by not amassing fortunes for others to enjoy- but by giving it away, using all of our resources to bless and benefit others, pouring ourselves out, like Mary and her alabaster box. As we pour ourselves out, in relationship with your Father, Bridegroom, and King, who is God, and doing works of justice, kindness, and compassion, as Jesus showed us how to do, our heavenly accounts are deposited into, our heavenly mansions built.
How are you investing your time, energy, attention?
Whose accounts are you depositing into?
As we build His house, He builds ours.

XRay Vision

²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
   ²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
   ²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

People often cover their lives with veneers. Fascades that look pretty, happy, righteous, like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. Appearing righteous, and partaking of all the outward religiousity, talking "Christian-ese", but inside lies darkness, soul pollution, and corrupted hearts, with walls put up, fortified by sin. But God has xray vision! Seeing through the games, attitudes, and darkness, He zeroes in on the heart ... it is always our hearts he is examining.
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 2 Chronicles 16:9
God cannot be fooled. He is the Uncreated, Shoreless Ocean, Alpha & Omega, All Consuming Fire.  He sees it all, and He desires purity and righteousness, which only Jesus' blood can give. Fascades and nice veneers are pointless, so let's drop them, surrender, and let the Master renovate your interior.

Obedience

    “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
   29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
   30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
   31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
   “The first,” they answered.
  Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Matthew 21:28-32

God wants obedience, not long winded fancy prayer, lip service, or procrastination. When Jesus saw His disciples and said "Follow Me", the scriptures record that the disciples immediately left their vocations, fathers, homes, etc. and obeyed Him. You cannot fool the Lord, with smooth talking, rationalizations, or good intentions. The tax collector who beat on his chest, crying out for God's mercy and forgiveness was justified and accepted because his heart was broken, contrite, and in desperate need of God - unlike the pompous Pharisee, who was surrounded with all the air of religious superiority and pride, whose heart was not burning with desire for God, and who was all talk, no obedience. He wants obedience, not empty sacrifices.
God made our hearts for His dwelling place! When the heart is full of idols, there cannot be obedience, only when we let the Lord take His place in the center of our hearts is obedience possible. The Bridegroom and the Bride of Christ - us- is the greatest love story ever. There is a wedding day coming!

(I'm On) Fire- Becoming a Nazirite

Song of Solomon 8:6b-7
   "...its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
   like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
   rivers cannot sweep it away. "

All consuming fire...
Fire that cannot be quenched...
Fire shut up in my bones...
I am burning... Even Psalm 42 ("as the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you") does not describe what I am trying to find expression for! I understand now His jealousy, because I live now to abide in Him, to meet with God, talk with and be with Him like Adam was in Eden.

I have no desire or room in my heart for the legitimate or illegitimate pleasures that are indulged in - endless hours of TV, movies, video games, sports enthusiasm, drugs, drunkenness, pornography, the constant need for many in our culture to be entertained. I am on fire, burning, with holy desire- His for me (and for each and all of us), mine for Him. I feel the holy fire of the Nazirites that have passed before me, and the ever exponentially increasing number of those who burn with me right now. This is not about emotions, a crazy fad, or anything else those who don't "get it" would otherwise say or think. The pleasure I seek is to know the extreme pleasure of God's love, and to fulfill His prophetic destiny that He is placing on me, to be obedient to Him alone. Perhaps you are experiencing this right now yourself.

Be still, close your eyes, and look inside, ask the Lord to open your spiritual ears... You will hear Him.

This Changes Everything

How does God really think about you, about us? Have you really grasped that He burns with desire for us - that God really is our bridegroom?
God- the Uncreated, maker of heaven & earth,
the Alpha & Omega, limitless, endless, boundless, all powerful, shoreless ocean- is ravished over you, and He burns with desire for us!
When you understand this , IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

He loves us so much, taking our place on that old rugged cross, His story is wrapped up in us. We are always on His mind, and He wants to lock His gaze with you!
The blueprints to our happiness & success revolves about following Him, loving Him. We are created to love Him and worship Him, it's that simple.
Jesus said, "If you love me, obey my commandments".
When we understand this, IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Song of Solomon reads , "You are my favorite, the one that I love!"
God created us, to love and be loved, and He loves each of us extravagantly, and He is always searching our hearts.
Jesus is God expressing Himself, and He is not passive,
God is not silent or mysterious. He is everywhere.
I want to be so consumed with His written Word- to love Him with the mind He gave me. He desires our obsession with Him.
In Song of Solomon 8:6-7, the Lord says, "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame." The Lord wants us to abide in each other, and abiding means talking, communicating with us, and through us.
When you understand this, IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

To some the above truths may seem radical, crazy, over the top. But I'm okay with that, because EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED for me.
My prayer is that this kind of radical paradigm shift would infect the hearts, minds, and spirits of endless millions, as He continues to be revealed in newness of life to those who are seeking His face.
Seek Him today-you will find Him.

Thanks to Misty Edwards for her message-Session 15, ONE THING 2010 Conference

Two Masters

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Luke 16:13

"Choose this day whom you will serve..."
Joshua 24:15

" 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Deut.30:15-22

"Devoted to the one, and despising the other..." read the words of the Lord Yeshua, again in Luke 16:13. "Two masters simply doesn't work because there is no room in the heart for both. Whether it's adoring money, a person, things, or stuff, it doesnt matter- the other master is an idol and this will seize control. That's the way our Father Creator made us! He gives us the free will to decide who we will serve, but make no mistake ... Our hearts are made for Him and Him alone. The term "Master" denotes someone or something who is directing you, in control of you, much like a bit and bridle placed in the mouth of a horse.
Ex. 34:14-Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.. JEALOUS! Think about that...jealous for us, for relationship with us, to be involved with us, He wants us fully engaged with Him- The Lord is the only legitimate Master , and each of us, deep down, knows it.
If God currently is your Master, thank Him and hold fast, and if He is not, then it's time for the return of the King.
My prayer:
Lord, I desire to have you and you alone as my Master and Lord. I renounce all others, and I commit to being your bondservant. Brand me with your seal, and rivet your yoke on me. I forsake all other lovers, and embrace you, the Lover of my soul. I am ruined, and nothing I desire compares to you.

Lessons from Merivah

 6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
 9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
Numbers 20:6-12

Moses had a personal face to face relationship with the Creator of the Universe, and because he was familiar with God on that level, perhaps he became desensitized, overexposed (if that would even be possible!)to that awesome, personal, and direct exchange. When the throngs of Israeli sojourners complained about no water, quarreling (Merivah is the Hebrew word for quarreling) with their God-given leaders, Moses and Aaron met with the Lord and they were told exactly what to do, and how to do it.
Moses called the people "rebels" , but he in fact had rebelled and was disobedient to the Lord's instruction, his impatience brought on perhaps by the outcries and complaints from the people, and perhaps for a moment pride and arrogance confused him causing him to forget that God is not a genie in a bottle, or one who just fills our wishes! He disobeyed God in the sight of all Israel, and when leaders, whether they are men of God or worldly leaders, act without integrity, their bad choices may cause others to follow their bad examples, resulting in the fall of many.
I believe that it was for this reason that Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, God instead choosing the faithful and obedient Joshua to bring His Chosen people home. The downfall created the potential for the loss of many souls whose faith and obedience were compromised, and God cares greatly for his children (even the complainers) and doesn't want any to perish! The lesson is that we all have others in our spheres of influence, our worlds, who watch us, look up to us, whether we realize it or not. Let each of us consider this responsibility soberly.
Today Lord, we ask for patience, and the ability to obey your direction as given us by the Word, and by the Holy Spirit. Help us to lead others by our walk as we sojourn towards the Promised Land with you.