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.

Hammers & Nails

"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."
Luke 9:23-26

We want to be more like Jesus, but the process of being transformed and conformed to become an imitator and follower of the Lord can be difficult to accomplish and frankly a hard pill to swallow for many. Jesus tells us, though, to come after Him, follow Him...to follow Him means we are moving in the same path and direction as Him, with the same destination, eternal communion with Him. This involves denying ourselves. We live in a culture of egocentric self-absorption, even many churches spin a watered-down feel-good message to make their hearers feel warm and fuzzy, and it comes as a shock to realize that we are not the center of our world. It is self denial that is the hammer and nails that crucifies our fleshly and carnal nature on the cross that Jesus told us to pick up daily.
We exist for JESUS-not the other way around - for His pleasure, to bring Him glory, to worship Him, and Him alone.
Denying ourselves means that our lives are not our own, that He is the most important One, and we do not exist to be entertained.
Jesus' love is so all consuming, so wounding, that there is nothing else that satisfies our deepest longings: self gratification , self service, self preservation, are all wiped away. Self denial is that pin hole opened up by the Holy Spirit into our hearts, minds, and spirit that totally blows away the old man, and enables resurrected living.

*Special thanks to Stephen Venable, IHOP-KC, ONETHING 2010 CONFERENCE SESSION 14

Job Descriptions

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

The physiology of viral replication is really quite amazing. Virus have no reproductive systems- they simply attach themselves to a host cell or bacteria, inject their RNA/ genetic material into that cell, thus causing a biological paradigm shift - turning the host cell into a virus factory! This process progresses exponentially, and shockingly fast, as the new viruses do this over and over until their mission- domination - is complete. Viral bioevangelism, if you will. A dim reflection of a very important spiritual principal.

Today too many professing Christians believe that it is the job of "career" missionaries to share the Gospel, and to be representatives of Jesus, while the majority is content to just warm the pews. Is this what Jesus had in mind though? Did He say, "create a job description called "missionary", and let these people go out and tell people about Me ? No, His plan was for all of us, every follower of Jesus, to share and spread this Great News, in viral fashion. Our faith, more importantly, the reason for our faith, was not meant to be hidden, or kept to ourselves. The Holy Spirit has given us each gifts and callings, but they all fall into ancillary roles that support this primary purpose of making humanity followers of Jesus. His parting words to us as He was about to ascend into Heaven: "Go and make disciples of all nations."

Today, Lord, as I go about the business of living, may your Holy Spirit shine in me, and help me live in such a way that people see Jesus in me; empower me to spread and reflect your love and advance your kingdom, and others to do the same, until the whole world hears

Talents, Revisited (No Regrets)

" For we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ...Then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.
Rom. 14:10-12


The parable of the talents is the story of how the Lord expects us to deal with the blessings He sends our way. The following is an insight into the essence of God's expectations for how we spend our lives and how we use the gifts and tools given us by Him.
The judgement seat of Christ is the place where we will receive rewards or trophies, not penalties. Although we are saved as a free gift because of what Jesus did on the Cross, our salvation is worked out with fear and trembling, and the Lord does keep an account of what we did with the "talents" he bestowed on us- physical, mental, financial, spiritual gifts for the purposes of exalting and worshipping Jesus and building his kingdom. Heaven will not be equal for everyone! The varying rewards will be manifested in our glorified bodies, clothing, our dwelling place, position of authority, relationship with God, etc (1 Cor,15:41-42) The rewards express how Jesus feels about our love for Him in this life, and about working with Him in what He considers precious. Rewards are not about gaining superiority over others, as in this world. The plumb line, the measure is not by earthly or human standards, but by the measure of dedication in God's Word:
"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." (2 Cor.10-12).
Our work here- how we handled the talents- is meant to honor the Lord. The directions are clear: buy gold from God refined by fire- Rev.3:18- " I counsel you to buy gold from Me refined by fire, that you may be rich. "Gold" is defined by the anointing to walk out the first commandment, the anointing to receive and return God's love from Him and to Him, as defined by the Sermon on the Mount. There are many other scriptures that explain more: Eph.6:6-8, Heb.6:10, Mt. 10:42, Mt. 22:37-38, 2 Cor. 5:21, Rev.22:12, Mt.6:1-6, Col.3:3-4, 2 Jn 8, Rev. 3:11, Rev.3:18.
What will matter most about our lives is what Jesus will think when our eyes meet on the last day. Would you rather be shocked here and now, or when it's too late to change anything, on the day of judgement?
Quoting Mike Bickle: " The thing I fear the most is having regrets ...my goal is to live in such a way, to use the talents God gives me , so as to not have regrets when I stand before Him."
So how then shall we live from this moment forward? If you have buried the talents God has given you, like I had for so long, dig them up, and get busy building your eternal future.

(Thanks to Mike Bickle, IHOP-KC, from the teaching , "the Judgement Seat of Christ: Living Before God's Eyes")

 

Wasting My Life (The Alabaster Box)

A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
Matthew 26:7-10

Mary poured out the most precious thing she owned on Jesus her Master. Acquired at great price, it cost her plenty, and she prized it highly. I can imagine her hearing that still small voice prompting her to do something very unusual. It was a prophetic act of worship, and to some it appeared that she had wasted this precious and valuable resource.
Jesus also poured himself out for us as a fragrant offering (Ephesians 5:2). We are called to be imitators and followers of Jesus, and since He spared nothing, giving it all at the cross to rescue us...in light of this ongoing revelation, coupled with the desire to know Him in a deeper and more meaningful way, how can I do any less? I desire to pour out my life as a fragrant offering back to my Savior, and although to the world it may appear as my life is being wasted, I look forward to the end of the race, and seeing the acknowledgement and approval in Jesus eyes when we meet at the Seat of Judgement.
How about you? What are you pouring yourself out on? Overtime at the office? Extra-curricular every things that swallow up your time so there is nothing left in your jar to offer up to him?
Maybe it's time for your paradigm shift.

Not Independent, but In-Him-Dependent

The Declaration of Independence is a document that defines our identity as Americans, having thrown off the chains of tyranny as subjects of a harsh, evil king,and we are part of a world that espouses personal independence, however, as Christians, our identity is wrapped up in total dependence of God. It is the Lord who gives us all good things... In Him we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).
Is there any need that we have that our heavenly Father doesn't supply for ?
He is our Refuge and our Fortress (Ps.91:2), our Healer (Ex.15:26b), our Provider (Gen.22:14), Our Banner (Jehovah Nissi Ex.17:15, His Banner over us is love, Song of Solomon 2:4), Jehovah Tzeva'ot( loosely translated into "Lord of Hosts"- real meaning- COMMANDER IN CHIEF, OVER ALL ARMIES) the Lord Our Peace (Jehovah Shalom, Judges 6:24), Adonai Tzidkenu (Righteous God)and He is always there,(Jehovah Shammah, Ez.48:35). In Song of Solomon, the scriptures read , I am be Beloved's and my Beloved is mine, (Song of Solomon 6:3). We can trust Him and have total dependence in Him because when God proclaims something, when He makes a promise, He keeps it!
"God is not a man that He should lie" (Numbers 23:19)
So today - everyday- cast all your cares on Him, for He is the one who cares for you!

Problems and Answers

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.
Romans 1:28-31

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chron.7:14

Although Paul penned Romans almost two millennia ago, and Isaiah's writings are more than 2700 years ago, technologies have changed, but the "problem" is the same. Romans 1:28-31 reads just like it were written today, the manifestations of a fallen humanity everywhere. Idols and wickedness abound, and everywhere we look is the evidence of a puffed up, deceived world, the wreckage of humanity litters the landscape, and battles rage on the earth and in the heavenlies.
The answer?
God provided it-rather Him, even before Adam was shaped, long before the fall of men...JESUS.
Only through Him and with Him alone, only in humility and repentance, casting down vain imaginations and taking empty thoughts captive ... His path is narrow, His yoke easy, His way is the only way.

Who Do You Say He Is?

 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
   29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mark 8:27-30

Jesus asked the question to His disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" He already knew their answers, what their thoughts, opinions, and beliefs were. It was no coincidence that Peter was the one who verbally responded. In this group, where it was just Jesus and the disciples, Peter seized this moment thinking he could have a bit of praise & glory, raising himself upwards in the discipleship hierarchy, the competition that existed between the disciples as they jostled for their perception of Jesus' attention. But How did Peter identify with the Lord Jesus when He was confronted by the servant girl and others in the crowd after Jesus was seized? Peter, when faced with the hard choices, and feeling the need for self preservation, and dealing with peer pressure, denied His previously proclaimed Messiah - not once but three times! After fleeing their presence, Peter reflected, and as He saw the Lord Jesus' gaze piercing his soul, and the Lord's voice again asking: "WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?", Peter agonized and wept bitterly because of his failure to be able to stand in a moment of testing.

So here is the question: When we are "in the world" and in the presence of unbelievers, or when we're around those whom we do not know what they believe, do we proclaim and maintain Jesus as our Messiah, or do we minimize Him, and act like we don't know Him?
We will be challenged, these are days in which being a follower of Jesus will offend many, but that changes nothing. Jesus is the Messiah,and time, culture, and opinions can't change that.
Lord, my prayer is that you will continue to strengthen us as followers of Jesus - as Christians- in the face of adversity and opposition. Let our lives be reflections of Jesus- in everything we do & say, amen.

Yes, Wise Men Still Do Seek Him

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."
Matthew2:1-2


One thing I ask from the lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Psalm 27:8

Ever seen/heard the slogan: " Wise men still seek Him" ?
I'm not amazed that wise men and women still seek Him, rather, I'm amazed when people don't. The Bible says that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but as stated in Psalms 14 and 53, "The fool says in his heart, there is no God"
Jesus says : "Seek and you will find..."
I want to find Him, lay hold of all that He is, dwell in His Temple, and have Him dwell in mine. I want to walk with Him, run with Him, sit quietly before Him. I want to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, hide in the shelter of His wings, I want to be His Beloved, as He is mine. When I think about what "seek" means - this is my definition.

Staying on the Road

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:14

As I was driving today with my teenaged daughter, who is a new driver, I was especially vigilant to make sure she stayed in her lane, and on the road. Out in the country in our region there are many streets that are narrow. There are often no shoulders, and are barely wide enough for two vehicles. Navigating these roads requires concentration and attention; failure to do so could result in going off the road and either into a culvert or worse, down an embankment, with devastating consequences.
As Christians, our walk is like this- Jesus told us so. In order to stay on the path means "keeping our eyes fixed on the Author and Perfector of our Faith"- Jesus. There is no other way, but Jesus. He is our Navigator, Lighthouse, the living embodiment of the Word, Love come down, our Guardian, Guide, Brother, Healer, Counselor, Provider, Propitiator, Lamb, Warrior, Sun and Shield, and more! He is worthy of all praise, all the time, with everything we are.

The Gift

The man woke up from exhaustion- induced sleep in his dark, cold and filthy dungeon cell. He was shackled down with heavy chains, the manacles on his ankles and wrists were tight and sharp, cutting off his circulation, cutting into his flesh. He had confessed to many crimes against the Kingdom, had no alibis, no defense; although he knew the laws, he was powerless to control himself . His life had caught up with him, the sentence pronounced over him was death. Today was the day of his execution.
His jailers brought him out into a square, tying him to a post against a wall. The man could see that opposite from him were the observers' stands and he could see the King and the King's Beloved and only son, the Prince. The firing squad assembled, the judgement pronounced again, a blindfold placed over his eyes...the drums rolled ...ready...aim...there was a pause and then, footsteps. His blindfold was removed and as he blinked, he realized that the person standing before him was the Prince! The Prince untied the convict, who was now watching the King descend his throne in the stands and walk towards him! The King loudly proclaimed the man forgiven, his sentence commuted, embraced him, and placed a royal robe around him, and a gold signet ring on his hand. What happened next was incomprehensible; the Prince stepped to the post, was bound to it, and as the pardoned man watched with the King, the command came : FIRE!
The Prince had taken the full force of the judgement due. As the ex-convict asked the King through tears, "Why,why would you and your son ... do this ... for me? I was guilty and deserving of judgement, not mercy and redemption." The King replied, " We did it for love- our love for you! We have always known about you, followed your life. Our plan for our people is for redemption and deliverance. Today you have become my son, just like the Prince has become your brother. You are pardoned, redeemed, and free. From now on, wear this robe and this ring and forgive as you have been forgiven. This, your renewed life, is my gift to you."

I am the redeemed convict, of course, and so are you! To those who have been forgiven much, much is required. Let us remember the Gift. It was free to us, but it cost the Lord everything. My prayer: "Lord, let us never forget, not for one second, the huge debt we have been released from. Let this drive me, and let my life and dealings with others be a reflection of this Gift."

Underdogs (Not the Way I Would've Done It)

The place & circumstances of Jesus' birth, Gideon's army of 300, David & Goliath, Elijah v. 450 government certified false prophets... When I consider these and so many other events in our Bible, the Lord allows - no, rather, He insists that the odds be so lopsided that the outcome will be perceived absolutely for what they are: Miracles done "with a mighty arm and outstretched hand" - the hand of God. Elijah had his alter and sacrifice absolutely drenched before calling on the Lord, David was a ruddy faced boy facing an enemy's greatest warrior, and the facts of how God choose to come down, and so many other things - just astound me.
I, of course, would not have done any of this that way! Jesus would've been born the son of a kings' dynasty, born in a palace, attended to by legions of servants, announced from the highest places... Everyone would have had no choice but to worship Jesus for who and what He was; every knee would've been bowed. Had I been the Lord, the glory and majesty would've been on such display that the shekinah glory would have been blinding, and the voice of the Lord would not have been a still small voice, but a booming awesome voice, like Charleton Heston, or James Earl Jones!
But this is not the Lord's way.
God is a God of miracles, accomplishing impossible things for His beloved, even today, and He is here in our midst. Take time today, during this season of miracles and giftings, Seek Him while He may yet be found, be still and know that He is always God.
His love endures forever.

Abel's Heart

And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:4

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23-24


You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
Psalm 51:16-17

God accepted Abel's sacrifice/offering, but Cain's He rejected. Why? It wasn't the things that were being offered, it was the heart attitude of Abel & Cain that were diametrically opposed. Abel's heart was pure and contrite, his offerings were made with gladness, and were in themselves an act of worship. But Cain had anger issues, had emnity not only against his brother, but against God. His offerings were presented grudgingly- and the Lord knew all of it.

When we are approaching the Lord's alter, we must do it with love, thanksgiving, reverence, gladness, a desire to be at peace and in unity with our brothers and sisters- a heart like Abel. The Lord doesn't want anything from us- our attention, our tithes, our prayers - anything - unless we bring it with a broken and contrite heart, free from anger, malice, jealousy, greed, and hatred.
Lord, today create in me a pure heart, and renew a right spirit within me.

Made for Intimacy

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."
Matthew 10:30

When I was spending time with my Father today, I was awestruck by how valuable I, you - every person - is to Him! Jesus says in Matthew 10:30: "EVEN THE VERY HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED" ... this is God going to the extreme example of letting us know that He is so involved, our value to Him so inestimable, and that He desires to be so intimate with us that He even knows this detail, which to the human mind may seem impossible. Do you think that anyone who begins to grasp this facet of His amazing love would commit, or even contemplate suicide? Have self esteem issues? Be depressed? This gives me new and supercharged meaning to the scripture; "WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVES US" Rom 8:37
The Lord sees us as we can be, and if we seek after Him, run to Him, meet His embrace, climb into His lap, and seek His Face continually, and conform to His likeness- how we will be.
Ephesians 4:8b reads "...and He gave gifts to His people.."
Today let this word be a gift from the Lord to you.

Mary's Treasure 23

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Luke 2:19

The visit from the angel Gabriel...the visit to Elizabeth ...Elizabeth's Holy Spirit-fueled blessing and proclamation...the Magnificat(Mary's Holy Spirit filled response)...the agonizing journey to Bethlehem (Bethlehem means "house of bread" in Hebrew by the way)... The Birth ...the shepherds, Magi, and untold myriads of those came to worship Yeshua (Jesus) ...Simeon and Anna at the Temple...

From the moment the angel Gabriel appeared to her, the teenaged girl knew that she was a vessel that God had chosen to use to His purposes. She knew that it wasn't about her, and she was willing. She believed Gabriel, trusted God, and as these amazing things happened she treasured them in her heart, the Scriptures say, and pondered them. The image I had this morning regarding Mary's life was like one of those 1,000 piece puzzles that had been dumped out in front of her, only she didn't even have an image of what the end result would look like. One by one the pieces fell into place, as their lives moved forward and Jesus matured, His ministry here on Earth, one astounding event after another, right up to the Cross. Finally, there it was , all the pieces complete, when her son gasped "IT IS FINISHED", the portrait puzzle of God's work before her. I'm sure that Mary never stopped treasuring & pondering, just like we ponder and treasure all God has done and is doing, even though right now we only see and understand a very small part.
My prayer is that our thoughts and mindset would be like Mary's, not just during the Christmas season, but everyday.
Today

Pressed Down, Pressing In 24

"...we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
1Cor.4:8-11

I received a particular word today from a dear and seasoned brother. This word addressed a great pressing down that the body of Christ is experiencing. His word coincided and confirmed a vision that the Lord flashed into my spirit a week ago. In this vision, we, the body of Christ, was collectively being pressed into an ancient olive press, a device that puts tremendous weight and pressure on the objects in the press, for the purpose of slow extraction of the precious essence contained therein. The extraction trough began to drip with pure and fragrant oil, which the Lord showed me was the oil of gladness.
We will go through seasons of pressing, and being pressed down, (always bearing in the body the dying of Jesus, 1Cor. 4:9) we need to press into prayer, opening our soft and tenderized hearts and spirits, in the secret places, our own alters, which God gives us as we seek after Him. It's the pressing in, entering into our Abba's presence, that enables us to manifest the life of Jesus in our mortal flesh.
The pressing down is necessary, as uncomfortable as it is. Pressing down and pressing in go hand in hand, so if you are feeling it- pressed down on every side and smitten but not destroyed- thank the Master! We are being shaped and molded to His likeness and character.

Scratching the Surface 7

"I came to give you Life, and to give it to you more abundantly."
John 10:10

People are busy. Going to and fro, working, eating, be entertained,
people caught up in their daily routines.
Is this life? Is this really living, what Jesus meant when He promised us "abundant life"?
No, we are not even scratching the surface!
Who are we, and why are we here? We were created to worship!
The Lord made us to be in relationship with Him, not just going through the motions of "life".
After Jesus came down as a babe, the Magi came to worship:
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews?
For we saw his star in the east, and came to worship him." Matt. 2:2
These people sought him out, searching their hearts, minds, and at great expense in both their time and material gifts, they found Him, and they worshipped.
Life, abundant life, is wrapped up in worship and communion/relationship with our Father/Lord/Master/Bridegroom/King.
Without worship and relationship with God there is no point of life .
Worship Him alone-live the abundant life today.

Weapons of our Warfare 25

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"
2 Cor.10:3-5

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. "
Ephesians 6:12

In the armories of heaven are weapons of unspeakable power, weapons that are able to lay bare demonic realms, shatter and foil evil plans, and pull down every idol. Every Christian has been given access to them, but there are many who are getting worn out and beaten down because they do not understand the principles of warfare in the spiritual world. The outcomes of battles fought in the heavenlies have already determined battles being fought here and now, and some that have yet to be fought here in this world. We can and must actively engage the enemy of our souls, because like it or not, he has already engaged each of us. We battle anger, greed, jealously, avarice, unforgiveness, illness, addictions, lust ... War was declared on all of us, even as satan was cast from heaven.
So what's it going to be ? Will you roll over, and be destroyed, or will you be more than a conqueror through Jesus?

The Parable of the Sand Dollars 26

When I was about 14, growing up on Miami Beach, my brother, some friends & I went to the beach on Collins Ave., and 22nd St, by Hotel Channin, a hotel owned by a friend's family.
We had discovered that relatively close to shore there were sand dollars laying just under the sand, the outline of their shapes visible, and therefore it was easy to dive down and snatch them up.
They had no real value, but they were cool to look at! We paddled out  about 50 yards off the beach in about 10 feet of water with just two canvas rafts, masks, snorkels and flippers. Unknown to us a hidden danger was working against us; the the tide was going out, and the rafts were not anchored to anything. Every time we dove down, the rafts were a bit farther away from shore. When we finally turned around toward the beach, we suddenly realized how far away we had dwifted from safety; we could hardly see the shore at that point! The swim back was long and arduous; and we were fortunate-watched over by God- that we did not drown, get caught in riptides, or fall prey to a variety of sharks or barracudas known to live in those waters.

The Lord showed me how we at times could become like this:  Engrossed in chasing worthless things, things that had become idols, and not having our eyes fixed on The Only One who is immovable, who cannot be shaken- the LORD only- we had strayed far from the safety and security we had taken for granted.

Never forget where our real hope, trust, and faith belongs- in God our Father, our Rock.
As you go about your day  dwell on His goodness-His greatness-and thank Him continually.
Let praises for Him never cease be in your mouth.

Impact 27

 "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."
Luke 1:1-4

Luke, the non-Jewish physician companion of Paul, was the author of the most pages of the New Covenant(Testament), having penned one of the four Gospel accounts, and the Book of The Acts of the Apostles. The thing that stands out to me reading these opening verses to the third Gospel is how profoundly Luke was impacted by the life of Jesus. He was one of a number who had undertaken to "draw up an account", so that we would know with certainty about the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit so moved upon Luke, making it a mission for him to write what became a canonized Gospel account. He was an evangelist, driven by the Spirit of the Lord to share and teach the Good News. All else was of lesser concern and consequence- he had to tell people about Jesus.
I am embarrassed to say that although Jesus is on my mind day and night, and I desire to drink from His cup, and shine with His light, that I don't always take every opportunity I could to tell those I encounter about the "things that have been handed down to us". As I write this, I pray for the Lord's mercy and grace, and to have the ability to go forward in love and fulfill my responsibilities according to the Great Commission. Jesus is the Reason, for this and every season. Tell somebody today.

Who is your Master/Heart Baptism

"Baptize my heart with Your fire, desire"
Misty Edwards, Baptize My Heart


1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
Romans 6:1-14


As Paul explains here - when sin is present, grace abounds, but what dynamic, what is actually the Key to overcome sin and it's devastating effects? Baptism. But I submit to you, not water baptism, but baptism of the heart, the result of a broken and contrite heart. With real heart baptism we are given a extraordinary gift: a new, resurrected life, having passed from wickedness and slavery into righteousness and freedom.

The Metaphor of the Lamplighter #28

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 NKJV

Before the incandescent light bulb existed streets had gas lamps, lit every evening by men known as lamplighters. Every evening without fail the Lamplighter would go down every dark street, stopping at the gaslight fixtures to illuminate them one by one, until reaching the end of the street, his task was completed. Looking down the street, the lamplighter could see the fruit of his efforts: a path well lit because of his personal and faithful attention.

Recently I had occasion to be part of a gathering to celebrate the 50th birthday of a faithful Christian brother. There were many surprise guests, some coming from hundreds of miles away, who had been touched by this man's love, including 11 boys and young men who he had mentored and trained up over the course of more than two decades. One by one these men testified to the impact of this man on their lives.
His life is like the lamplighters of days gone by.
I want to be like that...like Jesus.
My prayer is that the work that the Lord has begun in me, in us all, would make us lamplighters,
to create and leave behind a legacy of light, until the Day He returns!

Being a Godly Witness (Yes, They Are Watching) 29

"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
1 Peter 2:11-12

As Christians we are in the world, but we are not part of it.
Truly we are strangers in a strange land, and we are called to be different,
like Daniel as an exile in Babylon.
Although he lived in a foreign culture he did not defile himself,
but chose to serve the Lord his entire life.
When we live godly lives we can often draw ridicule from unbelievers (pagans),
but we are being watched, and I believe that these same revilers often harbor secret hopes that our godly lives inspire within them. So keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and keep on walking in those feet that are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

Fearing God 30

"Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:14-15

It was the end of Joshua's life, and having gathered Israel together, he had recounted their history, and some of the miracles, highlights & low points. Summing it all up, He declared : AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.
No wavering, no vacillating. He had seen, heard, and he had a godly fear and understanding of what relationship with the LORD means. The father-child relationship, depending on the Father for all sustenance, guidance, protection, counsel, health, wealth. Joshua had seen and tasted that the LORD IS GOOD.
In the hustle and bustle of life, let us remember the goodness and lovingkindness of our Father. We should shout louder than the fans at any sport event, any concert, even dance like David danced! What tremendous gifts, the Lord has lavished on us.
Serve the LORD - you and your whole house!

Conquering Giants 31

"Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” 
So David put them off."
1 Samuel 17:38-39

As I read this passage, and meditated on it, the Spirit impressed upon me that Saul, who often trusted in his own strength, and not in the Lord's, strived to put his protective natural armor on David, instead of asking the Lord at first for divine guidance, protection, and victory - to which David responded to by taking them off. He realized that Saul's armor was untested, too heavy, clumsy,  and burdensome, and would've made him a sitting duck for Goliath.
God had given David his strength, guidance, protection and victory in the face of seemingly insurmountable overwhelming odds against him!

In our own lives, there are situations that can arise that mirror this story. We are presented with choices, worldly/natural - or - supernatural. The natural solutions are visible, tangible, and to a worldly mind, make sense, but are often the wrong choice. The challenge is to be able to let the God of the Universe, aka our Heavenly Father, do what only He can do.
With God on our side, we can shut the mouths of lions, walk through furnaces, swallow poison and not be harmed, walk though parted seas, and slay giants.
Absolutely nothing is impossible through Him who loves us!

Humility, Esteem, & Conceit 32

"You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, 6 who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. 8 He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! 9 As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
Phil.2:5-11

Philippians 2:2-4
“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

"Pride goes before a fall".
Proverbs 16:18

Jesus our Messiah was the ultimate example of real humility, as stated above in 2 Phil.
Selfless, putting others before Himself (although He was 100% God" ). The only One who really had equality with God is Jesus, but the scripture says that even Jesus "did not consider equality something to be grasped".
Although we should have this kind of humility, God sees us differently! He loves us extravagantly, is devoted to us, He's always near us, desires personal relationship with us, esteems us high enough to have died in our place.
This esteem is for Him to bestow on us, not for us to bestow on ourselves, because we are in danger on becoming conceited, where our eyes are taken off God, and turning inwards to ourselves. This is where self-worship and selfishness grab the reins and can gallop away on a disasterous course.
Today let's consider all that we are in Him- and everything we are not.

From The Heart 33

"Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  
but the word of the Lord endures forever." 
And this is the word that was preached to you."
1 Peter 1:17-19, 22-25

Although technologies have advanced, the human relational dynamics are the same. Peter and Paul dealt with them, and we all deal daily with our own emotions, and the emotions of others who are involved in our lives. This is why real love, the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated and we should imitate, is essential. This supernaturally fueled love prevents a whole spectrum of worldly feelings (jealousy, unforgiveness,etc)from taking root, guides our actions, and covers a multitude of sins (perceived or real) and offenses. Today let's consider the cost Jesus paid for us so that we could have fullness in Him.

Stripping Off the Veil 34

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. 
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: 
"'Holy, holy, holy 
is the Lord God Almighty,' 
who was, and is, and is to come."  
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Rev.4:2-11

The paragraph to follow is gleaned from an email from my dear brother Ron Cantrell, who has an amazing gift with words:
"It is stunning when you discover that while we go about our daily lives, wrapped in cocoons of dullness, insulated from a fiery heaven, billions worship ceaselessly. Seraphim, fire angels, cry out holy, holy, holy, with voices of magnificent flame, flying and calling out one to another. Each cry of holy produces a vision of a characteristic of His Majesty - bytes of glory, intrusions into the lives of men, creative power pounding the universe with life - neverending. "

We are wrapped in cocoons of dullness, only seeing through the mirror dimly right now! On the other side of the veil lies the things described in The Revelation chapter 4, Isaiah 6, and Ezekiel, Daniel, etc, when the veil was rolled back for a moment. These glimpses into glory - our future in Eternity with the Lord- are the cause and inspiration of the Hope we all can embrace. Our opportunity to be part of this having been made possible by the Advent and birth of Jesus. My prayer today is that the Lord would open the eyes of our heart to these truths!

Doing the Right Thing 35

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall."
Romans 14:19-21

After murdering his brother, Cain asked the Lord, " Am I my brother's keeper?"
The answer is, of course, yes, that we are supposed to watch out for, care for, and be considerate of, the welfare of our brothers & sisters. Sometimes, it's not what we do, but what we restrain from doing that is beneficial. Whether it's food or drink related, or what media we may be watching or listening to, or any other activity or behavior that may be OK as a Christian, we might knowingly be in the company of people that may be caused to stumble & fall as a result of our actions.
Love as we know it as Christians brings tremendous freedom, but love demonstrated here is our ability to sometimes deny ourselves when faced with situations such as this. There is no point, no victory, in being able to declare the fact that one was technically correct, while we opened a door to a sibling's weakness that caused their downfall.
Let's watch over and edify each other.

Relationship not Religion 36

Every once in a while I will encounter someone who will ask me about my "religion", or I will overhear a conversation about someone who's Christian walk is referred to their being "religious". Here's the thing: True Christianity is 110% relationship, 0% religion. No one ever got into heaven by sitting in a church, not matter how often they are there, no more so than a person becomes a car by being inside a garage.
The connection that is established when a person gets saved (Confessing with their mouths and believing in their hearts that Jesus is Lord, and realizing that He got up on that cross, and then rose from the dead totally and unequivocally for them), is a Father-to-Child and Bridgegroom-to-Bride dual relationship. Religion is a series of rules and doctrines that weighs people down, saddling them with processes that often prevent the very thing that Jesus came for - to sweep away the sins that beset humanity and cause us to be bound for eternity in hell, rather than eternal communion with our Father/Bridegroom Creator.
Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. Luke 11:46
God created us in His image, loves us, sent His Son to die for us, and we are always on His mind.
That's how special each of us is to Him!

What Does Love Look Like?

"What does love look like?
Is the question I've been pondering,
What does love look like?
What does love look like,
Is the question I've been asking of You.
Once believed that love was romance, just a chance,
I even thought that love was for the lucky and the beautiful,
I once believed that love was momentary bliss, that love was more than this,
All you ever wanted was my attention, all you ever wanted was love from me,
All you ever wanted was my affection, and to sit hear at your feet, so tell me,
What does love look like,
Is the question I've been pondering,
What does love look like,
If all of life comes down to love,
Then tell me, what does love look like,
Is the question I've been pondering,
What does love look like...
Then I sat down, a little frustrated and confused,
If all of life comes down to love, then love has to be more than sentiment, more than selfishness, and selfish gain,
Then I saw Him there, hanging on a tree looking at me,
I saw Him there, hanging on a tree looking at me,
He was looking at me, looking at Him, staring through me,
I could not escape those beautiful eyes...
And I began to weep and weep and weep...
He had arms wide open, a heart exposed
Arms wide open He was bleeding, bleeding...
Love's definition, love's definition was looking at me,
Looking at Him, hanging on a tree,
I began to weep and weep and weep...
This is how I know what love is, this is how I know what love is,
This is how I know what love is,...
And as I sat there, weeping and crying,
Those beautiful eyes, full of desire and love, and He said to me,
YOU SHALL LOVE ME, YOU SHALL LOVE ME ...
With arms wide open, a heart exposed, arms wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding,
With arms wide open, a heart exposed,
Arms a wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding, He said,
YOU SHALL LOVE ME, YOU SHALL LOVE ME, YOU SHALL LOVE ME...
If anybody's looking for love in all the wrong places,
If you've been searching for love, come to Me, come to Me,
Take up your cross, deny yourself, forget your father's house and run with Me,
For you were meant for abandonment wholeheartedly,
You were made for Someone greater, Someone bigger, so follow Me,
You'll come alive when you learn to die,
"Arms Wide Open"' Misty Edwards

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:8-10

What is real love? We live in a world where love is romanticized, where there are many preconditions, where couples get married with parachutes on, only to bail out and pull the ripcord when things don't go as expected. The world is full of jealousy, betrayal, and we are bombarded with examples of such things continuously. In the worldly concept there is no forever, no trust, and the landscape of humanity without Jesus is littered with broken and scarred people struggling through life searching for real love and acceptance.
God is love! For those who have received Him, He walks with us and never leaves or forsakes us, and for those who don't known Him yet as Lord and Savior, or those who have backslidden, he is only as far away as our confessions and repentance. Once we have received such amazing love we are then free to share real love with others.
Today believe, receive, and bask in His Real Love.

True Love 285

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
1 John 4:7-12

What is love, and how would we describe the concept of true love?
V.10 gives us the definition: "This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."...God is Love (v.8) .
When I get aggravated and irritated because a brother or sister did something I didn't like, or didn't do something I expected them to, or I had disagreements with another person, or any one of thousands of possible issues arises, it does me well to remember these verses.
As 1 Cor.13 reads(paraphrased)- if I can prophesy, teach, preach, speak & interpret tongues,
have the gift of healing, but there is no love, the rest is as nothing, it means nothing.
I have missed the entire point of Jesus' mission & the essence of the Holy Scriptures.
My prayer for each of us : Lord teach us to love as you have loved us.
You always see through us, past our mistakes and the wreckage of our own flawed humanity,
past the hurts we have caused...you see us as we will be when we are finally completed in You.
The engine of our metamorphosis as we move forward from garbage to glory is Love.

Jesus and The Concept of Friendship

9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
John 15:9-17

Let's face it: people are different, and we can get on each other's nerves! But Jesus...He loved everyone! He is no respecter of persons, doesn't care what your politics are, color, shape, size, sound of your voice, affluence, is doesn't matter! I am called to love because He loves me, and He laid down His life for me. I must admit that I sometimes find this command daunting. My humanity, and my sometimes Pharisaical critical spirit that causes me to look at others through natural eyes instead of the eyes of Jesus. I'm awestruck and stupefied that He went to the cross like a lamb, beaten and killed as He was scorned. How can I love like that?
He has commanded me to love like He loved me, not a suggestion - a commandment.
I can't do this on my own. My prayer is that today and everyday God will give me, and you, if you struggle in this place- the grace and love to fulfill this commandment straight from Jesus Himself.

More Deliverance

As we lit the candles on the first night of Chanukah, and as Christmas will soon be here, the Lord showed me how the scarlet thread of redemption and deliverance runs through both holidays/observances.
Chanukah celebrates the deliverance of God's people, the Jews, from their oppressors,Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and Christmas is the celebration of the advent/ birth of Jesus The Messiah, the Saviour and Deliverer of all mankind, past, present, & future.

A seemingly different storyline, but the same theme. Only the Lord can rescue us, and He has made a way for us. This season think about God's eternal provision for us, and how he saved and delivered us, and how very much He loves us!

Chanukah: The Light

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John1:4,5

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matt:5:14-16

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

Tonight we celebrate the first night of Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights. Although Chanukah recounts a tremendous story of faith, the devotion and deliverance of his people, the Maccabees, and how the Lord made a one day's supply of oil last for eight days thereby keeping the light burning in the Temple after it was cleansed, Light is the main symbol in Chanukah. References to "light" appear 237 times in the Bible; I selected 3 verses that really speak to me here, and I have unintentionally been blogging about light lately. Light- the Light that is the Lord Jesus- illuminates our path,shows us how to live as disciples(followers) of Jesus, drives away darkness, and is symbolic of wisdom, knowledge, goodness, the very essence of God (1John 1:5). A source of light is fire, which when we surrender to the Lord, burns off and burns out the junk from our lives.
Chanukah is a story of miraculous deliverance, but then, so are the stories of each of our lives! The Bible says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and once having been awakened our temples which were once desecrated by filth and unholiness, have been cleansed, purified, and rededicated to God's holy purposes.
Praise belongs to the Lord who has given us Victory over sin and death, AMEN.