Peace that surpasses understanding!

All over the world governments are trying to create peace. Some try to attain it through war, others through elections, and some through development. Still, peace is elusive and some of the best efforts man has come up with has gloriously failed to attain what they are looking for. This has created a mindset that we need to find the reason and try something else. The peace that man is looking for is never found in self-effort or even in having enough. Peace is a person and He is called the Prince of Peace. He has a kingdom that is from another world and a kingdom that operates with a different set of rules. His peace does not remove a storm but protects us during the storm. His peace does not call for understanding but requires us to trust. 

Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We read in the Bible that God wants us to have the peace that surpasses understanding. In itself this concept is alien to what we do most of the time. In any crisis we face, we have the need to want to know the "why?" How many times have we heard that question? "If only I knew why this happened", thinking that understanding will bring peace. 

We are geared towards making sense of things. Anything we cannot explain makes us feel like a fish out of water. As husbands, we feel the need to be able to explain why it happened. It gives us a sense of control if we can tell you the “why.” It just makes sense to understand something. I remember when our daughter was about two years old and after every answer we would give her, she would ask “why?” We are born to gather information and learn to survive in our environment.

The kingdom is counter-active to our understanding. The kingdom is not from this world. We run into problems when we try to understand a Spiritual Kingdom with an earthly mentality. The things of the Kingdom of God do not make sense and neither can you explain them with your natural understanding. Natural understanding only increases the tension and frustration we carry. Paul prays that we will receive spiritual understanding in the things of God. This kind of understanding comes when we surrender our need to be in control.

Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

To have the peace of God we must give up our right to want to understand in a natural or carnal sense. A lot of people struggle and lose heart or even faith because they refuse to give up their understanding about the dealings of God in their lives. To have His peace you need to surrender the need to have to explain what God is doing with and through you. If you can explain what God is doing in and through you, then He is not doing something great. My prayer is that God will do something so great that we will not be able to explain it, and have peace about it.

Do you want this today? Do you want to allow Him to be a God that is bigger than what you can explain? Are you willing to surrender the need to be in control? Then you are qualified to have His peace, the peace that will guard your heart and mind.

How do we see each other?

How we see each other?

Just last night I was thinking back on when I was in school. That was 32 years ago that I graduated and I still have friends that I have not seen for that long. After school we all went our different directions and we all ended up somewhere in the world. My best friend from college is living in New Zealand and I have not seen him in years even though we still contact via email or Facebook. I have fond memories of my friends and what we did together. I can recall the times we had together and told stories that would make you laugh and some might even make you cry. I miss my friends, and true friendship is rare these days. I have made lots of new friends over the years and believe those friendships will last a long time as well. I have also experienced platonic friendships that didn’t last. I understand the pain of giving it all just to find out you were used so that they could get something from you. As a Pastor of a church for twelve years, I had to be careful about who to befriend and who to avoid. I must admit that I am a sucker for friendships and will befriend anyone. My wife warned me many times not to do it as she could see the ones that would abuse my time and friendship. I also know the pain of losing a real friend that is impossible to replace. I have cried at their passing and will always remember our times together. I have also made a few friends that are closer than a brother. They are the ones who know my weaknesses and still they love me for who I am and they have proven themselves many times over.

How do I feel about the ones that used me? How do I feel about the great and awesome ones that I have lost? Will that cause me to step back and no longer engage in real relationships? Absolutely not, because each and every one of them has added to my life more than they took away. Even the ones that used me could not take away more than I was willing to give. It was painful to lose even those friendships. So how do I view them today?

2Cor. 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

I refuse to see Jesus as the Christ who walked the earth. We have many great and wonderful stories about Him while He was here but the reality is that He is no longer that Jesus in the sense that He is here to suffer and die for our sins. You see He is the Risen King that overcame sin and the curse. He is no longer a man laying down His divinity, but fully God. He laid His divinity down when HE became a man but after His death and resurrection He is the one that has all authority and power. How do you see Him?

Why is this so important? How do we see each other? Do we still see ourselves as the man we use to be or do we see ourselves as the one that Christ is making us to be? How do you see your friends? Can you see them as redeemed or do you still stumble over their mistakes? I have a friend that was my scuba diving partner when we lived in Florida. He is a true friend and I trusted him with my life many times. He has proven his loyalty and his commitment many times. He is wise and carries something unique in the spirit. He is not perfect, but neither am I, and he has stood with me through thick and thin, in good and bad. We have had our disagreements, but it has never affected the friendship. I am sure he will make mistakes in the future, as will I, but I know he sees me not as I am but as one that is restored and renewed. I choose to see people the same way. He has taught me loyalty and wisdom through his council. He has taught me patience when I lost it and he kept it together. I owe him a lot of thank yous. Rick, I salute you my friend. More than all of this I have seen him being a godly man. He has a heart for missions and is a kingdom connection to the hearts of people like no one else I know. I choose to honor you for your commitment to our friendship. This includes his wife, Annmarie, who has been a true friend to my wife. I salute you woman of God!

How do we see each other? What we believe about God does not define Him. What He believes about us defines Him. What you believe about your friends does not define them. What God believes about them defines them. How do you see others? Seeing them through heaven's eyes is the only way to understand their true value. So even the friendships I lost adds value to my journey because in God’s eyes they had and still have value. I choose to know no one after the flesh, but only after the Spirit!

The Glory 7

His glory for all to see!

God has never desired to have Himself veiled and invisible. When God created the universe as we know it He put within that universe the attributes that would testify of Him and His goodness. Creation declares the invisible attributes of God. When God created Adam He envisioned someone in His image. If you saw Adam you would see ho God is. Adam was to be the visible manifestation of God.

In exodus we have the story of Moses asking to see God’s glory. Moses never asked to see the face of God as we were taught. God in his response to Moses’ request answered with you cannot see my face and live. Lets look at that passage of scripture.

Ex. 33:16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

Ex. 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

Ex. 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Ex. 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Ex. 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

So we see that Moses wanted to see the glory of God. Was the glory of God hidden from Moses and the people? Not really because God was visible by day as a cloud and a pillar of fire by night. They saw the thundering and lightning when God came down to speak to Moses on the mount. So why would Moses ask to see God’s glory? Prior to this request God promises that He will send His presence with them. The word presence is the Hebrew word for face. I believe that Moses wanted a greater revelation than what the rest of the people saw. God responds that He will make His goodness go before Moses and that He will be gracious and merciful to them. Then God makes the statement to Moses.

‘You shall not see My face and live.”

God equates His glory to His face. This is a key for us to understand in the light that God does not want His glory to be hidden. In the next few chapters Moses goes up to see God and when he comes down the mountain his face is shining from the glory of God’s presence.

Ex. 34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

Ex. 34:30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

Ex. 34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.

Ex. 34:32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

Ex. 34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

Moses comes down and his face is shining. Then he speaks to the children of Israel and when he is done he covers his face. Have you ever wondered why? Moses did not cover his face while he was speaking to them. They saw him with his shining face. What happened that caused Moses to cover his face?

2Cor. 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

2Cor. 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

2Cor. 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

2Cor. 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

2Cor. 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

2Cor. 3:12  Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

2Cor. 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished

The glory that Moses carried was under the Old covenant and that was a glory that faded away. As Moses would talk to them the glory on him would fade. When he stopped speaking to them he would cover his face so that they would not see the glory fading. The Old Covenant was not what God intended for us. The blood of sheep and goats and bulls could not do for us what the blood of Jesus did. Their blood covered our sins while the blood of Jesus removed our sins. In the New Covenant we can now have His glory without it fading away. We are encouraged to behold Him and to have Him change us from one decree of glory to the next decree of glory. In the New Testament it does not fade but it increases. The problem is that as long as they read the law the veil remains and the glory is hidden. So when Christ came he came to remove the veil so that the greater glory of the New Covenant can never be hidden.

2Cor. 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

2Cor. 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Cor. 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

As long as we preach the Gospel as a law we are putting a veil over the minds of people. The New Covenant is a message of grace. The New Covenant is the message of Christ and when Jesus is preached the veil is removed and people can se the glory of God, which is Jesus. The enemy has blinded the hearts and minds of people and our job is to unveil Christ so that they can see.

2Cor. 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2Cor. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

2Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels. God has given us the ministry of revealing Him. As we reveal Christ and who He is the light of God who is Jesus will shine in their darkness and bring them to repentance. His glory will be seen on us and when they see what we have it removes the veil that the enemy has placed on them. The veil is removed in Christ. We are Christ containers and we carry His glory to the four corners of the world.

Is. 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

Is. 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Is. 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Look at what the prophet tells us. He doesn’t say sit and wait. No he wants us to act. We need to arise because His light and glory is ready to be revealed on a people. We do not ignore the darkness but we have the solution to the darkness that is covering the earth. The gentiles will run to you when they see what is on you. Are you ready to be revealed?

The Glory 6

What does God want to do with His glory?

Hab. 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God about the things he sees happening before his eyes. What he sees is violence and the unrighteous going about their way and it is as if God is ignoring the problem. He is asking God why is he not saving them from all that the unrighteous is doing. I love the response that God gives him.

God tells him that he is going to send the Chaldeans as a judgment against them for their sins and iniquities. It looks like God is going to make it even harder. This promise is preceded with another promise from God. He promises Habakkuk that he will do something so great that if they were told about it they would not believe.

Hab. 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

Hab. 1:6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

Habakkuk again questions God and wants to know why does he allow these things to happen. He tries to tell God that He is to pure to even look at all these things and why would God allow the wicked to devour the righteous? God responds to him with a clear answer but before God gives him the answer he commands him to do something.

Hab. 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Hab. 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Now you might think that the vision is what God is going to do with the unrighteous. The vision that Habakkuk had to write down is one of the greatest promises of God. Lets see what God promised Habakkuk what HE will do.

Hab. 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

The promise of God and the vision that Habakkuk has to write was that God would fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. People will have wisdom and understand His glory. It will fill the earth from coast to coast as the waters cover the sea. The oceans of this world touch every continent. His glory will touch every continent. As the oceans of this world sustains life and gives life and supply food and sustenance to every continent, so will the glory of God sustain and feed and influence every nation on every continent.

Another thing that God intend to do with His glory is to have a people in the image of Christ. God wants many sons and daughters to look like Christ. We have already seen that Jesus was the image of God and that He had the glory of God. God wants people that can reveal Him properly. To be able to do that God promises that He will make all things work together for our good. Even when I miss it He can use it.

Rom. 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Rom. 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

God never intended for Jesus to be the only one to have His glory. Remember what Adam lost. Jesus is the firstborn among many that would follow. He is also the firstborn from the dead. Before His death and resurrection He was the only begotten Son of God. His death and resurrection qualified Him to be the first of many. After His death and resurrection He is no longer the only begotten but the firstborn of God. Our hope is not in being forgiven but to be raised from the dead. In Him we have already been raised and we have His life and we will never die even if our bodies dies. HE has made it possible for many people to look like Him and be called the sons of God. The Pharisees and the religious folk got mad at Him when He even hinted that He was the Son of God. That statement would mean that He would be equal to God. He was God in the flesh and He had the glory of God. We as sons of God are not equal with God as we are created beings and God has always existed but we have been qualified by Jesus to have the glory of God.

Eph. 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph. 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph. 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Eph. 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Eph. 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Eph. 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Eph. 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph. 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Twice in this passage it states that we are to be the praise of His glory. In verse six and in verse twelve. You will understand it if you knew what Paul is saying here. In verse four he states that we were chosen by God and predestined for adoption as His children. The word “chosen” is a word that means to pick for one self. It also carries the meaning of purpose like when you pick something because you have a purpose in mind. It would be like a horse racer that would go to auction and when he picks the one he would like to buy he would state why he thinks that horse would do. “I pick number seven because he will make me a lot of money.” When God chose you He spoke your destiny over you. “I like Susan because she will be successful in loving the brokenhearted.” “I choose Bill because he will be great at sharing my words with children.” That is how God chose you. To do that He had to save you, cleanse you and deliver you. Now you are qualified to carry His glory. As people of God we are all over the world. On every continent He has people that are His. As we carry His glory he fills the earth with His glory and He is made visible for all to see.

The Glory 5

What is our hope?

Rom. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Rom. 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

To most people their hope is to go to heaven. I remember growing up and the songs we use to sing in church about heaven. “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus we will sing and shout the victory.” Looking at that song I am so glad Jesus blessed us in spite of our stupidity. Our songs were underlined with the idea of us barely making it here and just in the nick of time he saves us and our reward for suffering was getting to be in heaven. With that kind of a mindset we paralyzed ourselves for the kingdom purposes and we ended up being unfruitful in our walk. We only had one thing in mind and that was to get someone else go to heaven but we never understood that the reason he saved us was so much greater than that.

Most of the songs we sang were birthed out of a slave mentality and not a son mentality. Everything was somewhere in the sweet by and by. We were not taught to have dominion and we were never told that we are supposed to bring heaven to earth. Victory was only possible once we stepped over the threshold of glory. Glory was some unattainable distant future thing that you had to die to obtain. Wow, did we miss it.

Other people’s hope was not to get sick or not to be here during the great tribulation. Some people's hope was to be rich and never to be in need or never to suffer. Some people would cringe at the very idea of suffering and many subjects were conveniently ignored and never taught from the pulpit. Preaching about Jesus learning obedience by what he suffered was off the table. There was no glory in that. Suffering sounds so counteractive to heaven. Remember that there is no more suffering in heaven. So the reality of what God is, was totally opposed to what we saw in earth. I am not saying we should all suffer and that will bring God's glory. What I am saying is that we have a warped understanding of what we need to look for and what we need to desire.

According to Paul, who wrote the book of Romans, we have a hope. That hope that we have is to have the glory of God. As a matter of fact he says that we have to rejoice because we have this hope. If you told most Christians you know as friends today that we have this hope, they would have no understanding of what it means. What are you hoping for? Is the glory even on the list?

We all have faith. That is possible because we have all been given a measure of faith. Even the father that asked Jesus to help his unbelief had faith to ask for help. He had more faith than he realized. Faith is the result of hope. Without hope we have no faith or else what would you have faith for? Hope is the gas in the car that makes faith work. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hope is what energizes faith and what gives you something to desire.

Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hope gives substance to faith. Without hope there is no faith. If the enemy steals your hope he stole your faith. We must learn to guard the hope we have in our heart and that is protected by keeping our eyes on the right thing. In Hebrew the word for hope means "to be tied together" with the picture being like a rope that is twisted. We all know that a rope that is twisted is much stronger than just a normal rope. We need to be twisted together with the very thing we hope for. What are you connected to in your life? Paul said our hope is his glory. Get twisted together with the hope of having his glory and carrying his glory into all the earth.

Prov. 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

A lot of people walk around not just physically sick but emotionally sick because they have lost their hope. Things in the world have become greater than God and the weight of struggling has become more of an issue than the provision of God for them. Get your hope back and it will be a tree of life to you. Solomon used this metaphor because the tree of life was what God wanted them to partake of. It was God’s choice for Adam and Eve. In the book of Revelation it speaks about the tree of life and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. The enemy wants to keep you sick and you will be as long as you keep on partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. That tree is a mixture. God hate mixtures. You cannot have life with faith and unbelief at the same time. Stop eating from the tree that the enemy is feeding you. Get your hope back and especially the hope of having His glory.

Rom. 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Paul is praying this for each of us. Someone said one time that when you smile your enemy wonders what you are up to. Joy confuses the enemy. Joy makes the enemy believe he has lost. Praise Him in all your circumstances. God is the God of hope. The enemy is the master of destruction and there is no hope in him. Why would we be giving him the time of day if he cannot offer us anything that can and will bring hope? Only God can give and bring us hope. God wants us to abound in hope. That means that God wants us to have more hope than we need for a situation. Hope releases faith and that faith releases His glory into our circumstances.

God has hope in you. He is hoping for something to be manifested. Remember that He never changed his purpose for us. Remember that sin didn’t change His plans. He is waiting for an inheritance and that inheritance is a son and a daughter having His glory manifested through them. If someone asked you about the things you are hoping for, would you be able to tell them that you desire to have His glory?  People are afraid to touch the glory of God. I am not talking about the ones that want to take the glory for themselves. That is dangerous and stupid. I am talking about the ones that want to manifest God or allow God to manifest through them so that He gets the glory. Jesus had the glory of God and he was fully man. He prays and says that He has given us His glory. We already know that He had the glory of God. He didn’t give us a different glory than what He had. We just need to learn how to carry what He so graciously imparts to us.

1Pet. 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear

The Glory 4

Jesus is the Image of the Father.

Heb. 1:2 (God) hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Heb. 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

Jesus came to show us what the Father looks like. The statement that Jesus makes in the book of John when he says: “who has seen Me has seen the Father,” needs to be looked at more closely. The word for “seen” means to stare at. Have you ever had anyone stare at you? I remember one time in a busy mall I had a man stare at me constantly. His eyes were fixed on me to the point that I felt almost uncomfortable. Eventually he asked me what my name was only to realize I was not the person he thought I was. That is the same meaning of the word that Jesus uses here. If you see Him you will be staring at the Father. So what do we see when we stare at Him?

Jesus is the brightness of the Father's glory. There is no mistaking about what and who you saw when you saw Jesus. You would be looking at the glory of the Father. The Greek word for glory is the word “Doxa” and comes from the root word "dieknuo”, and it simply means to show, to make apparent, or to be.

Glory

1391. doxa, dox´-ah; from the base of 1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective): — dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship.

1380. dokeo, dok-eh´-o; a prolonged form of a primary verb, do/kw doko (used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of 1166) of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem

“1166. deiknu/w deiknuo, dike-noo´-o; a prolonged form of an obsolete primary of the same meaning; to show (literally or figuratively)

He is the brightness of the glory of God. The word brightness means the same as a flashlight. Have you ever taken a picture and the flashlight goes off? The reason for the flash is to make sure the picture is bright and clear and that there is enough light on the subject. Jesus was God’s flashlight to make sure we get a picture of God that is bright and clear. He came to put the light on God so all could see Him. God was no longer hidden, but He was brought out in the open for all to see. Too many people walk around with a picture of God that is under exposed. A picture that is under exposed is dark and it is difficult to see what it is a picture off. You can't see it clearly. Jesus came to make sure we get the right picture. He came to show us the Father.

The second thing Jesus does is that He is the express image of His Father's person. The people in biblical times had a very narrow understanding about God. Remember that they were trained at being judgmental and to live by the Law. Everything had to be scrutinized and if anything did not measure up to their understanding or their interpretation, that person would be guilty with punishment executed as soon as possible. Jesus saw this first hand a couple of times when He would say something outside of their reference point. Sometimes while Jesus was speaking to them they started picking up stones to stone Him. They were confronted with someone that was totally out of the religious box and someone that was “stareingly” revealing God to them. I can feel how uncomfortable they must have felt with Jesus. He was nothing like their expectations. Were they wrong in the way they saw and understood God?

They saw God kill people for disobeying His law and they must have remembered what the law prescribed for those that broke it. I think they missed something. God had overlooked their sins many times when He had all the reason to kill all of them. They missed the grace of God and His longsuffering with them during the times that they sinned. They ignored His grace for them by replacing His grace with the law they emphasized. Jesus came to remind them about His Father's grace.

John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

In this story of the woman caught in adultery we see the heart of God that Jesus revealed. She was guilty of the sin but Jesus refused to respond to their request of finding her guilty. He actually ignores them and starts to write on the ground. I wonder sometimes what He wrote. I wonder if He wrote something like: “Look at yourself and tell me what do you see?” Jesus never ignored the fact that she was guilty because he tells her not to sin anymore. He refused to see her the way they saw her. As we behold Him, He is beholding us. When we see ourselves the way He sees us, we will see Him the way the Father wants us to see Him.

When they kept on pushing Him for a response He simple asks them to see if any of them had no sin. That one would be allowed to throw the first stone. I regret their response to Jesus. They all got convicted by their conscience and left her alone with Jesus. They did not get the point. Jesus was challenging them to look at themselves but at the same time they were staring at God. If they only would see Him instead of themselves, they would not feel condemned, but they would be convicted with the same grace that was available to the woman and was available to them. Staring at God you encounter grace and not the law. Jesus looked at the woman and asked her about those that accused her. Then He said that He does not condemn her either. What a revelation of God. She stared Him down and got saved from condemnation and guilt. Jesus is the express image of His (God) person!

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

When God chose to manifest Jesus He manifested Him with His glory. That glory was not a halo around His head. The glory He carried was grace and truth. We need to make it simple enough to understand. Most people think about glory in a wrong way. How would God reveal His glory? God chose to reveal it in a way that all men could understand and desire. We all need grace more than we know. Without the truth we are lost. Remember that Adam allowed another word to enter the garden. It was coming from the father of all lies. It is easy to understand that God would then reveal His glory through truth and grace because we all needed that. So the obvious question would be to ask where did this glory, revealed in grace and truth, come from?

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  

Jesus brought grace and truth to us and by bringing grace and truth He not only made the Father visible but Jesus came to declare the Father to us. To declare in this passage of scripture means "to bring forth out of the word". We know He was the word from the beginning and the word was made flesh. We beheld the word and in staring at the word that was made flesh we see His glory. That glory originated in God or the Word who is God.

Declared:

1834. exegeomai, ex-ayg-eh´-om-ahee; from 1537 and 2233; to consider out (aloud), i.e. rehearse, unfold: — declare, tell.

1537. ex, ex; a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote)

2233. hegeomai, hayg-eh´-om-ahee; middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of 71; to lead, i.e. command (with official authority); figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider.

So we see that to declare is made up of two words. The first is "ex” and donates the origin or where it is from, also meaning “out of,” and the second part is pointing to a command or a word. He is the word so to make it simple for all to see and understand the explanation for “declare” means that out of the Word He gave the command or description of God. He declares the Father from Himself and from himself originates the grace and the truth that has the glory of God!

Jesus is the image of the Father. Jesus is the glory of the Father. Jesus declares God to us. Jesus can, without reservation, declare: If you have seen Me you have seen My Father!

The Glory 3

What did Adam loose?

Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

This verse is a key to our understanding the question about what Adam lost.

Adam lost eternal life when he sinned. Eternal life does not mean that he lost the ability to live forever. Even sinners will live forever. We are eternal beings created to live forever with God or if you have rejected His sacrifice you will live eternally without God. People are surprised to find out that Adam did not loose the ability to live forever but he lost the ability to know God. Even though Adam died physically he still lived as a spiritual being and so will you even if your body dies. Eternal life is to know God. Ever since the fall of man he has tried to know God and our best effort has made us end up with wisdom but no experience. Sins separated us from God so it is impossible to know Him by experience as long as you are a sinner. You can learn about Him but you will never know Him.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Eternal life is to know God and to know Jesus who was send. This poses a problem for people that ramble off a prayer and never pursue a relationship with God or Jesus. I am not saying they are not saved, as the scripture is clear that all who call on His name shall be saved. What I am saying is that there will be people in eternity with no knowledge of the Father or knowledge of the Son. They will enjoy living in heaven but they will have no understanding of His heart and purposes. It will be like going to work and ending up in a place you like but you don’t know why you are there or what you need to do.

Adam did not only loose the ability to know God but he also lost the glory of God. Sin made man come up short or as you might have been taught, sin made man to miss the mark. What was the mark for man? If man fell short of the glory of God then the glory of God was the mark. The word sin, to miss the mark, in greek is the word “hamartia.”

266. a hamartia, ham-ar-tee´-ah; from 264; a sin (properly abstract): — offence, sin(-ful).

264.  hamartano, ham-ar-tan´-o; perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize)

3313. meros, mer´-os; from an obsolete but more primary form of  meiromai (to get as a section or allotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)

To sin not only meant to miss the mark but it implies that you lost your inheritance. In biblical times inheritance constituted your identity. You inherited the land according to your tribe. That was to stay in your family as an inheritance for your children. The firstborn would receive the double portion of the inheritance. His identity as firstborn would qualify him for the blessing.  Joseph received the many-colored garments because he was the beloved of his father. The garment brought him identity that made his brothers jealous. The first thing they took from him was the garment his father gave him before they sold him into slavery. To sin is to loose your true identity. Adam was created from God so when he sinned he lost his godly identity and would now be known as a sinner and not a son. As a sinner he no longer qualified to carry the glory, as his identity would be opposing the identity of God and he would only misrepresent God. Adam would be religious in his actions trying to represent something he knew about, but didn’t have the ability to demonstrate. He lost the glory of God.

The word for glory in Hebrew is the word “Kabod.”

3519. kabowd, kaw-bode´; from 3513; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness:—glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).

The translation of this word simply means “weight.” For man to fall short of the glory would mean that man did not weigh up to God. Man did not measure up to God’s expectations. If you had to put man on a scale it would be impossible to balance what man was with what God was. Man lost the glory of God and would always come up wanting in everything he would do. To even try to work and earn God’s glory would be absolutely futile. Work does not impart His glory to you. Only His righteousness could qualify you for His glory again. All work of man would only count as debt. No matter what man does he will always miss the mark. Jesus came to restore to us the righteousness of God.

2Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The word righteousness comes from the Hebrew word “Tzadek.”

6663. tsaw-dak´; a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):—cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).

This word means to be made right or forensic clean. Forensic experts look for DNA because your DNA is unique and your identity. On a crime scene the forensic evidence left by the DNA of the person involved would proof that he was on the scene during the time the crime was committed. To be made righteous means that there is no forensic evidence or DNA from the old man that can be used to find you guilty. The enemy has no more evidence against you for the sins you committed. The only evidence is the DNA of God that you now carry.

Amazingly the word tzadek is also the Hebrew word used for the balance beam on a scale. Can you see the picture? Adam lost the glory and would not measure up. He restores back to us His righteousness and now we can carry His glory. The measure He uses is His righteousness that is also the balance beam on the scale of God. He imparts His righteousness so that He can measure us on His scale and the results is that we measure up again to His plan and original purpose for us. He qualifies us for His glory.

By God redeeming man and qualifying us He has made it possible for us to walk in our intended purpose. God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son. The obvious question would be to ask what does Jesus have? If his intend is to make us look like Jesus then Jesus must represent what Adam was before sinning or something even better. I want to propose that God had a greater comeback than the enemy. Not only can we have what Adam had before he sinned but we have something much greater than Adam ever had. Adam had no role model to see what he was to be. We have Jesus and we can see what He wants us to be but more than that, He empowers us to be what Jesus was. Adam saw Eve and said that she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. We see Jesus and make the same declaration that we bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. Adam lost the glory. Jesus came to give us back the glory of God.

The Glory 2

Man in His image.

Gen. 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Man in His image. What a concept! Can you even begin to imagine what it means? Do we really understand the power that this declaration carries? When God created the heavens and the earth He created it to carry the seed of perpetuation. God would create the heavens first. This would be a manifestation of His being. The heavens would carry his glory and reflect his power and ability. The heavens would declare his purpose for all of creation. After He created the heavens, the most possible response to what He did was worship. Day and night they would sing and worship him for what they possessed and carried. His glory filled everything and reflected perfection. Then He decided to create again. This time it would be a visible world reflecting what the heavens carried.

“Light be” He declared and spoke words that would create a visible world. This creation should have the same potential as the heavens He created. He created it with purpose and placed in it the seeds of perpetuation. In the earth was the seed of the trees and the grass that it would bring forth. Earth was the origin and source of every tree that would exist. Out of earth he would call forth the trees and the grass and the creeping animals. God looked at the earth and commanded it to bring forth the trees and the grass with their fruit in them. Each tree carried the seed of the next generation. Each generation would look like the tree and the fruit of it. Each created tree and grass will carry his glory in its own unique and complete identity of what it was and what it looked like. Then He looked at the sea and called forth the sea creatures with their seed in them. They would come forth with the same purpose.

Reproduce what you are and bring forth a generation that would carry his glory in the unique identity of who and what you are. The same happened when God looked at the sky and commanded it to bring forth birds and animals. They would have their seed in them to perpetuate themselves in the earth. They would uniquely carry his glory in the realm that brought them forth. This time the response of creation would be a worship of life and discovering who and what it was by living according to their creative purpose. Earth would bring forth after its kind. The sea would bring forth after its kind and the air would bring forth after its kind. What brought it forth would be what would sustain it. The earth would sustain the trees and animals. The sea would sustain the fish and sea creatures and the air would sustain the birds and the flying insects. Then God created again.

This time a cry came from the creator heart of God. Not a desire but passion to be a source of something so unique and living. A reflection of an undiscovered part of the Godhead not yet seen or discovered in creation. Everything created so far has an origin and a source that can sustain it and make it bring forth according to its kind.

And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” What would this look like? God reflected and manifested in creation. Not just unique in its purpose but purposed in its uniqueness. Men looking like God. God’s exact reflection and shadow. You see man and you will see God. God will be the source and what man will bring forth will look like the seed it came from. Man would perpetuate God in the earth. Man would carry the glory of God from the realm that brought him forth. So God made Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed into him His own life. Adam in earth, made of earth would carry the glory from the heavenly realm and fill the earth with the glory of God. What a wonderful and glorious plan. Heaven would sustain man and be his source of life and inspiration. The only logical response of man to God would be “Abba.” He would be a father and man would be a son of the greater realm that has the greater realities. Man would be a representative on earth of the glory of God.

Adam sinned and disqualified himself from the purpose of God. Sin would not alter the purpose that God had in mind from the beginning of creation. Before the foundation of the world the lamb was slain. God’s provision and foresight manifested when He created the last Adam in Jesus. Jesus would be the very image of God. HE would be the exact representation of the father. In Adam all was lost but in Christ all would be restored. The authority that Adam carried as representative would fall on Jesus, as he would confront the enemy and his works. He came to destroy the work of the enemy and to restore man back to God’s purpose. Satan would be defeated and Jesus would restore man to his origin, to the very source that would sustain and nourish him. Redemption so great that man would be called a new creation. God created again in Christ and this time He guarantees the outcome. They will be called more than conquerors and a people that will crush the enemy’s head. A people that was dead but now was made alive by the resurrection of Christ. The first man a living soul, the new man a life giving spirit. Death is defeated and the curse is reversed. A generation of kings and priests, created to serve in love that qualifies them to carry His glory again.

You were created to live from God. You were created to carry His glory. You are a created being with the sole purpose of bringing forth a generation that will look like the origin it came from.

The Glory 1

The Glory of God

What a great privilege to be part of what God is doing in the earth. What a time to live and be alive. God is doing a new thing and he has invited us to be part of something great. Are you ready to sign up and be part of the things that will bring glory to his name and his kingdom? We are going to look at what his glory is and how we can see it and be part of what he has planned from the foundation of the earth.

1Kings 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

1Kings 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

1Kings 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

1Kings 10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,

1Kings 10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

1Kings 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

1Kings 10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

1Kings 10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

1Kings 10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

The glory is often described as that what gives splendor to something or someone. When the queen of Sheba came to see Solomon she was shown all the things that he build. She was astonished to see how his servants dressed and what they prepared as food for the king. She was astonished to see the glory of his kingdom. The bible says that after she saw it all she had no more spirit left in her. I think she was totally overwhelmed to see all the things Solomon did. Not just that but his wisdom astonished her as well. She called all his people and servants blessed to be part of what God were doing with him. I think this passage sets a course for us to take and look at when we start looking at the glory of God.

What is the glory of God?

A proper description from the bible simply describes the glory of God as “weightiness.” The Hebrew word is “Kabod.” In itself it does not describe a lot for us. So we have to look more into this to understand what the glory of God is. In the New Testament the word for glory is “Doxa” and we will look at that later in this book. For now we are just laying a foundation for us to understand his glory. The psalmist describes his glory as something that is seen in creation.

Psa. 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

We see that his glory is declared to us through the heavens and the firmament. We see his handiwork and they show us who he is. So much is shown through the things that he created that it leaves all men without an excuse. No one can ever say that there is no God because all of creation show us his glory and declares to us what God he is.

Rom. 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom. 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Rom. 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Furthermore we see that God’s glory can manifest in any situation. This might be totally against what you have heard or even believe but God can make all things work together for the good of those that love him. He can also use any situation to reveal his glory. When Lazarus died and Jesus showed up to raise him from the dead, He told Mary that Lazarus death was to the glory of God. Does that mean that God gets glory when people die? Absolutely not but if he wants to use death to reveal his glory and power to raise someone from the dead, he can do so. We need to be careful what we read into this. Sin and sickness and death do not give God glory but when He heals and delivers and resurrect it brings Him glory. His glory is revealed in Him undoing the works of the enemy. People accept it as if their suffering will give God glory. That is a theology that was accepted because we could not explain why bad things happen to good people. Don’t settle for the enemy’s lies.

John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

God’s glory is revealed when he heals the sick and raises the dead. His glory is to undo the work of the enemy. That still doesn’t mean that God can’t and won’t use the enemy to reveal his power and glory. What the enemy means for bad God can use for good.

Ex. 7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

Ex. 7:17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Ex. 7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

Ex. 7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

Ex. 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

Ex. 7:21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

Ex. 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

In the story of Egypt where God sends Moses to deliver the Israelites from slavery, the first plaque that Moses brings is turning the water of the Nile into blood. It says that all the water turned to blood. You would think that the wizards and magicians of Pharaoh would show that they have greater power than God. Remember that God’s glory is in undoing the work of the enemy. So instead of the magicians changing the water back from blood to water, they find some water somewhere and turn that into blood. The enemy could not undo the work and the power of God. They could imitate what God was doing but not reverse His work and power. The enemy is a deceiver and would do things that look like God did it, doing the same thing but there will be no glory in it. Imagine that there are people that believe God makes them sick. God trying to do what the enemy does. It is impossible for God to reveal His glory in the same way the enemy does his stuff. He is God and he has the power to undo the enemy’s stuff and still reveal his glory in what he does.

So we see that one of the clearest ways to see what the glory of God is is to watch him at work. Look for the miracles and the impossible things that are happening in your life. It is a manifestation of his glory.

Reputation

Having a reputation.

I believe that the church has lost it reputation. A big reason for this is that the church has compromised its assignment. When Seal Team Six finally killed Bin Laden, they had a reputation above every other team because of their assignment and the success with which they completed the mission. The assignment of the church was to be different and to be separate from the world. This does not mean we were to avoid the sinners but that we were to bring something to them that the world didn’t offer and could not offer. The fact that the church is not doing this has actually caused us to retreat and lose ground to the kingdom of darkness.

Why is a reputation so important? We read in the bible in the book of Acts that when the seven sons of Sceva tried to cast a demon out of somebody they were faced with a response they did not expect. “Jesus we know and Paul we know, but who are you?” Jesus had a reputation in the kingdom of darkness. His reputation was His mission to destroy the work of darkness. Every devil and demon knew why He was here and what He was suppose to do. His reputation caused devils to run to Him and request of Him to leave them alone and to leave their region. I believe Paul had the same reputation. The devils admit that they know him.

In the story of Gideon we see that God finds him hiding and threshing in a winepress. The Medianites conquered the country and were impoverishing the nation. God finds Gideon and greets him with a destiny.

Judg. 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

Judg. 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

Gideon does not see himself in the way that God sees him. He complains about their fate and if everything the Father has said is true, then why doesn’t he see it? This sounds so familiar. So God commands Gideon to do something. Something that was unthinkable and most probably meant that he would be killed for it. God tells him to take his father's bull and go and break down the false altar of Baal. He told him to sacrifice the bull on the new altar he is to build for God, and use the wood that he cut down from the altar of the false god. One might ask why would God ask him to do that? Gideon had no reputation yet and God wanted to give him one. You don’t get a testimony without a test. No one gets a reputation if he has not done anything. You might get a reputation, but it would not be one you would like anyway. So Gideon goes by night with some friends and does what God commanded him to do. The next day the whole town is in an uproar about what he did and demands he be punished. His father gets up and challenges them to prove if Baal was a god let him fight or avenge himself. Lets look at what happened next.

Judg. 6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

Gideon got a new name and a new reputation. Jerubaal means “destroyer of Baal.” He no longer was known as a man that hides but one that destroys the enemies of God. Moses would not have a reputation without a Pharaoh. David would not have a reputation without a Goliath. Joseph would not have a reputation without a famine. Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not have a reputation without a fiery oven. Daniel would not have a reputation without a lion’s den. Joshua would not have a reputation without a Jericho. Jesus would not have a reputation without a satan.

When Joshua sends out the spies and they met Rahab, she told them that those in Jericho feared Israel. They heard the stories and the reports about the things God did for them at the Red Sea. It caused Israel to have a reputation that placed fear in the enemy’s heart. This reputation caused the enemy to lose strength and the will to fight.  

Josh. 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

Think what your reputation does to your enemy. He is disheartened and not motivated to fight you at all. Reputation is a powerful weapon in a battle. What are you facing today? It has come your way so that God can give you a reputation. You are someone that overcame cancer. You are someone that overcame failure. God makes all things work together for our good. It is not a test, it is a testimony. It is not a failure you are staring down, it is an opportunity to make a name and be known in the kingdom of darkness. God gave Jesus a name above every other name that in His name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Him to be Lord. One of the promises we have in the book of Revelation is that He will give us a new name.

Rev. 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

I believe that new name is the name that lines up with your reputation. I want to encourage you to face every challenge and know that it is God setting you up for greatness. Think what will happen when we as the church take our assignment back. Think about the possibilities when we see every challenge as a place for God to manifest.

Leaving this season.

Leaving a season.

We are at a place in our lives where we are experiencing a change again. To some people it is a time of great frustration and to others it is a time of joy and blessings. For some it is a relief to be able to leave the place because they want to get away from the past.  For others it is hard because they have so many memories about the past. Where do you fit in all of this?

Israel left Egypt and they were rejoicing to be free from slavery. Yet when difficulty arose they were quick to want to go back to Egypt and slavery. They expected to be in the promised land and when they ended up in the wilderness they forgot about the promise. It is important for us to see that when we move on to the next season we will find difficulty and opposition to that season. The difficulty does not change our destiny but instead it confirms our destiny. Remember that there were no giants in Egypt or in the wilderness. I believe the reason we run into these difficulties is because we have to get to a place of determination. Israel lacked the determination to push through and most of the people that left Egypt died in the wilderness. We have one of two choices when we are faced with opposition. First is the easy one and that is to just give up. Just quit and you can stop the opposition. The problem is though that you will not inherit your promise. The second choice is to go back and look at the promise and the power it carries and then to decide that the promise is bigger than your opposition.

Think about Jesus with me for a minute. He was the one that had more opposition than anybody else we might know. We know that He was given the opportunity to give up and quit. When He was tempted, the enemy tempted Him with the opportunity to lose focus and have it all over and done with. He wouldn’t have to die or suffer. The promise Jesus carried was the one thing that kept Him focused.

Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

His promise was to start and finish something. That something is you and me when He saw us as redeemed and saved and restored back to the image of God. That one thing kept Him and gave Him the power to endure the worst opposition and to see it through.

What you give birth to in the time of your wilderness is what will inherit the promise. The people that were born in the wilderness inherited the promise land. Only three other people that came out of Egypt inherited with them the Promised Land. One of them was dead and it was Joseph. Before he died he made them promise that they would take his bones with them. He took the promise that God gave to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and decided that he would still be in Egypt and that was not what God promised. I love it when people can take a promise and demand that they be made a part of it even if it means they are dead by the time the promise is fulfilled. The other two people were Caleb and Joshua. When they spied out the land they refused to look at how big the giants were. They kept on believing that what God had promised them was theirs. The bible says that they had a different spirit in them. The rest of the spies died without the inheritance because they chose to focus on what was opposing them. We need to take our eyes off the enemy and put them back onto the word of God. We needed the adversity in the wilderness to prepare us for the giants that are occupying our promise.

As you move from one season to the next in your life, make sure the promise of God is steadfast in your heart. It always cost a price to grow and increase and if it was easy everybody would be doing it. He calls you into the next season with only the words: “Trust Me.” Are you willing to follow and inherit what is yours?

Grace - 3

Grace – 3

Was grace different in the Old Covenant than what we experience in the New Covenant?  Grace is the same. We all received from the fullness of God. Grace flows from the excess of God. Grace is always enough. When you need it most, grace will show up. I want to look at another story. This time it is Peter. When he needed it most, grace showed up.

Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Luke 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Luke 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Luke 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

In this story we see Peter. He was a fisherman and it was his business. I believe he was a great fisherman to be able to make a living from it. As a fisherman he would know when to fish. In biblical times they would fish at night in some seasons. We see that Peter makes the comment to Jesus that they had fished all night and had caught nothing. Can you imagine what mood he was in? Going home with no fish. Nothing to sell so he could pay the bills or even feed his family. Stayed up all night just so that Jesus could come and use his boat to preach from. I think Peter needed grace just to do that. Grace will show up when you have failed to perform. Grace will show up when your ability to provide has come up short.

So after Jesus preached he asks Peter to go back out to the sea to catch some fish. Shall we say 'try to catch some fish' because the timing to fish was wrong? I love Peter’s response. He had never met Jesus. This is their first encounter. I wonder what Jesus was teaching from Peter’s boat because it gave Peter faith to respond to Jesus’ request. So Peter said to Jesus, "At your word.”  Grace will evoke faith in your heart to respond to the command of God. Grace will show up in the time that is wrong for catching fish and raise enough faith in your heart to do the thing that is contrary to logical reasoning. Grace will release the word in your dry seasons, your not enough seasons, and your “didn’t make it” seasons and cause you to act in faith.

So Peter lets his net down and it was filled with so much fish that the net started to tear. Grace will show up when everybody thinks it is the wrong time and release abundance to you. Peter had to call some of his friends to come and help. They filled their boats to the brim. Grace brought enough fish to the boat so that even his partners had a change of season from nothing to abundance. Their families would also have enough now.

Jesus gives Peter a new career. “From now on you will catch men or be a fisher of men.” When grace shows up it changes your destiny. What skills you have acquired will help but now you will no longer live in the season of what men need, but you will live in the season with what God needs. Peter forsook all he had and followed Jesus. Grace makes it possible for us to transition to the place God has prepared for us. Grace makes it possible to leave what we know so well. Grace leads us into the unknown where we will find that real fulfillment is only in His command.

Peter, you don’t just leave your business and follow someone you just met. How can you be certain that you are not making a mistake? Peter, you worked years to be able to buy a boat. What is the family going to say and what about your wife and your children? Peter knew what grace showed him. In the time of need grace could provide in abundance. If grace can provide so much, then no need in the future could be bigger than grace. He didn’t abandon his business to follow someone that was in need. He abandoned his business to follow someone that is always more than enough. Jesus came full of grace. With Jesus you will never lack any good thing!

Grace - 2

Grace - 2.

We are talking about grace and what it means. Grace is God’s empowerment we experience to fulfill our destiny. We are saved by grace, by His empowerment. Grace does not mean getting away with your sin. God’s mercy is what protects you against the judgment of sin but His grace empowers you to stop sinning. I want to show you another aspect of God’s grace.

1Kings 17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

1Kings 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

1Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

1Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

1Kings 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

1Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

1Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

1Kings 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

1Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

In this story we see Elijah the prophet. He prophesied to Ahab the king that it would not rain for three years. During this famine God had him stay at the brook Kidron. After a while, the brook where he was staying dried up and God sent him to a small town to meet with a widow. Let us see how grace sustained them through the famine.

First of all we see that God had a plan. When the brook dried up God had already chosen a widow to look after the prophet. In our time people are looking to avoid difficult circumstances. They try to avoid anything that might be a threat to their securities of money and property. Grace will sustain you while the famine will deplete the false securities that you have raised up around yourself. We don’t see Elijah panic when the brook dries up. God commands him to go to Zarephath. The name Zarephath means, “refine.” When circumstances come your way they will help you to be refined, and grace will introduce you to God’s provision. Grace will provide you with people that look like the wrong people, but grace comes in a people that can fulfill His purpose

As Elijah gets to the town he finds the widow and asks her to fetch him some water. As she leaves to fetch him water, he asks her for something to eat. Here the whole story takes a turn for the worse, or so it seems. Not only is she a widow, meaning that she had no husband to take care of her, but she tells him that she has only a little bit of flower and oil. As a matter of fact it looks like she has just enough for one meal. Her expectancy is to eat it as her last meal and then wait to die. What kind of a provision is that for the man of God? I wonder if Elijah wondered if he found the right widow? Surely God would send him to someone that had enough for both of them. Grace does not always look like it is what you need. Grace sometimes comes disguised in a famine. Grace sometimes comes disguised in brokenness and even death. You see the grace that was on Elijah's life was the grace that would be over her life. He came looking for a meal but the grace of God that was on him would provide a meal for the widow. The grace on your life today is the grace that will cover your children and your family when they get to a place of lack.

Thirdly, we see that he commands her to go and make a cake for him first. How selfish you might think. Not really, because he tells her that the flower would not deplete and neither would the oil until God sends rain on the earth. To her it was a complete step of faith. When she gave to him first, grace multiplied her possessions and she moved from a place of need to a place of abundance. When we honor the word of God grace will be released over us and cause a multiplication that will change our circumstances from lack to abundance. Just as she honored the word of God from the man of God, we will experience the same thing when we step out in faith. Grace is God’s empowerment to do something that will release abundance over your house.

Lastly, I see that not only did she and Elijah and her son eat all the days of the famine, but her household did as well. I believe there was some family members close by that didn’t have an answer to their need. Maybe she fed them as well. Grace will release over you such abundance that you will have enough and enough to bless others. Abraham found grace in the sight of the Lord. God promised him that he would bless him and make him a blessing. Grace always operates in abundance.

There is enough grace to save you. There is enough grace to heal you. There is enough grace to restore you. There is enough grace for your family and what they might need. Honor God’s word and grace will change your circumstances!

Grace - 1

Grace - 1.

There has been so much written about grace these last few years. It is as if we are having a grace revolution. Grace is more than getting absolved from your sin. Mercy is what happens if you did something wrong and didn’t get penalized for it. His mercy is new every morning. The prophet prayed and asked God to remember mercy in the time of wrath. So what is His grace? We find it very early in the bible. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The word grace in Hebrew means 'to be favored'. Grace states the fact that sin could not take the favor of God away from us. Have you ever heard anyone say: “the favor is on his side.” This simply means that no matter what happens, the odds are always in your favor to come out better on the other side. We will look at a few people in the bible and how grace played a role in their lives.

Gen. 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen. 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Gen. 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Gen. 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Gen. 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

In this story of Noah we see that the whole earth was filled with violence. Think about what the earth looked like when the only thing men could think about was what evil they could commit. Living in this evil generation was one man named Noah. Prior to him finding grace in the eyes of the Lord we don’t know much about him. All we know is that he was a just man, perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God.

Noah obviously made the right choice. Living during a time when everybody else could only think evil and think about evil things to do, he chose to walk with God. Because of his choice to walk with God, he found grace in the eyes of God. Now, before you think that this is proof that we can earn God’s grace by making the right choice, think again. Grace means to have favor. When we have favor from God we live with the grace that God gives. Without that grace we are nothing. The bible says that by grace we are saved and not of ourselves, it is a gift from God. Because God’s grace was on Noah he had the power to make the right choices. Grace is released before you get saved. Grace released the favor of God towards you. Grace empowered Noah to choose God and because of His choice he found the favor or the grace of God. God initiated it and when Noah made the right choice God confirmed his choice by releasing grace.

That same grace that Noah found brought the salvation he and his family would need in time of judgment. God commanded Noah to build the ark and told him exactly how to build it. Noah had the plan to survive the flood that God would send to judge the wickedness of man on the earth. It didn’t mean that Noah would not experience the flood. He would be in the flood but he would have a plan to survive the flood. God released favor or grace towards him and his family before the flood came. Grace will release your deliverance to you before God releases His judgment around you. The same thing happened in Egypt when God told Moses to tell them to apply the blood to the doorposts before He would come and judge the firstborn of Egypt. Grace released their deliverance before God released His judgment. Grace caused them to be safe while the judgment of God killed all the firstborn in Egypt. Grace will preserve you during the time of trouble.

Gen. 9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Gen. 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Gen. 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

Gen. 9:15 And I will remember my covenant………

After the flood we read that Noah and his family went out of the ark and started to populate the earth again. Grace allowed them to have an inheritance. Not only did they inherit the earth, but  God made a covenant with them that would be visible. Every time we see a rainbow we need to remember that God made that covenant with Noah. What made that possible? Grace made it possible. Grace released a new commitment from God towards Noah. Not only that, but when God sees the rainbow it will remind Him about His favor and commitment toward those that have found His favor. Grace was what empowered Noah to follow God and to build the ark. He had to build something that was never built before. He had no reference point, no boat shop to go to, very little support, and very few hands to help him build it. He needed grace to follow God and stick to his choice of walking with God.

Grace will release the power to do what has never been done. Grace will let you do it with no reference point and no one to go to. Grace will let you stick to your choice when you look foolish in the eyes of the world. Grace will cause you to survive when everyone else perishes and will cause you to inherit the things of God with a new command to be fruitful.

Jesus is the Messiah!

Messiah!

We have heard it a thousand times if not a million times. Jesus is the Messiah. Yet very few Christians know that the word Messiah is not mentioned once in the New Testament. People that oppose the very fact that Jesus is the Messiah will be fast to remind you that you have no scripture that says Jesus is the Messiah. The word Messiah is only mentioned twice in scripture in the book of Daniel. What do we do with the New Testament that has no reference to Jesus that is specific to Him being the Messiah?

Dan. 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

We must understand that the Hebrew word for Messiah did not carry the connotation of someone that would come and deliver them and set up a political kingdom. The Jewish people, out of their oppression from their enemies, created that expectancy. The real meaning for the word Messiah simply means “Anointed One.” In biblical times there were three people that were anointed to a specific office or calling. They were a King, a Priest, and a Prophet. So in essence, any one of these three could have been referred to as Messiah. The good news is that Jesus is the only one who has ever qualified for all three of these offices and callings. Some have tried to do more than one but it resulted in severe consequences for them. King Uzziah tried to burn incense and the priests tried to stop him. He refused to listen and was struck with leprosy.

2Chr. 26:18-19 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

Jesus is a Prophet!

Deut. 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Deut. 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Moses predicted that Jesus would be a prophet. Jesus functioned in the office of a prophet.  He was called a prophet, acknowledged as a prophet, and referred to Himself as a prophet. He was anointed to be a prophet and was treated like a prophet when He was not honored in His own country. He came to establish a new prophetic order with a new prophetic mission. He operated not in the spirit of Elijah that called fire down, but He came to save and redeem those that were lost.

Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

Jesus is a Priest!

Heb. 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb. 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

HE came as a Priest not under the priesthood of Aaron but under the priesthood of Melchezidek. He is a High Priest that represents a better covenant. He came to do away with sin, not to sacrifice and cover our sin. He came to bring us better promises and to open up the way for us to come boldly before the Father. As a priest, Aaron could represent the people because he was a person just like us. Jesus was God in the flesh so He could represent us to the Father, but He could also represent the Father to us. In the Old Testament the priest had to sacrifice for himself first, in the New Testament Jesus sacrificed Himself first. He was anointed to be a priest forever, making a sacrifice once for all of us, redeeming us forever from the bondage of sin and the curse.

Jesus is the King!

Rev. 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Let me make it clear from the start. He is not coming back to be a king. He is a king! He has ruled the universe long before He became flesh to save us. He emptied Himself from that realm and took on the realm of the flesh. He didn’t come here just to suffer and die for us, He came here to redeem us back to His kingdom. Him suffering and dying was the price He had to pay to get us saved. His purpose was to restore us back to His original purpose and that was to rule and reign and be sons of a king. People stop at the cross. I thank God for the cross but He is no longer on that cross. He rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father where He waits until all His enemies are made His footstool. He will return one day as King of kings and Lord of lords. We are those kings and lords that He rules over.

Jesus was anointed to fulfill all these offices and callings. He truly is the Messiah or the anointed one. To deny that He is the true Messiah is to deny what He did as Priest, Prophet and King. Was he anointed? You bet He was.

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

With boldness I proclaim that He is Messiah, The anointing that HE had was to break the yoke of sin. I proclaim Him to be the one that is the savior of the world and the one that rules and reigns our lives.

Abundant Life!

Abundant life.

If we equate what we see right now in life to the price Jesus paid we have not understood the value of His sacrifice. We all like to get value for our money. We all like to get value for our time. If you work forty hours a week and only get paid for half of it, you will not sit back and take it. You would demand you get paid for your time and work. "Time is money," they say. Yet we have settled for an inferior result when it comes to the kingdom life. The enemy has indeed come to steal, kill and to destroy. He has lulled is into believing we cannot have it now.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Let me make it very clear that God does not steal, kill or destroy. The question remains: what about all the suffering and death we see? Let us put the blame where it belongs. After Adam and Eve sinned they started the blame game and it has continued unto this day. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the snake and the snake had no leg to stand on. Today people still blame God for things He did not do. We live in a world where people that have rejected God and His reign go about everyday doing their own thing. They have no respect for God or man. They have one desire and that is to enrich themselves and for that, they will steal, kill and even destroy. The enemy gains authority in their lives because they reject the authority of God. He does his work through those that oppose God.

God has all authority. Authority does not equate to permission. Authority is the power to rule in agreement with the will of God. Anytime you do something outside the will of God and purpose of God you do it in self-will and without God’s permission. God’s authority does not stop people from breaking His will. People breaking His will does not mean He gave permission. The fact that the police have authority on the road does not stop people from speeding or breaking the law. If I was speeding and caused an accident and then blamed the police for it, you would most probably think I have the spirit of stupid on me and you would be right. People break the law of God and then when there is pain and suffering they blame God and somehow that is totally acceptable. No, that is stupid.

The enemy steals, kills and destroys. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. What does this life look like?

This life is superior in quality.

This life that God gives is a representation of who He is. God is life! He only gives what He is. This life is His life. He has created us from incorruptible seed. This simply means that His life is devil proof, sickness proof, and death proof. This life is eternal and can never die. When you were born again you received this life. There is nothing else on earth that has the quality of this life because it is eternal and from the heavenlies. Without this life you are nothing and you have nothing.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

This life is super abundant in quantity.

He came to give us life that is abundant. We are not to walk in lack. Jesus never walked in lack. Whenever HE needed something it was made available from the Father. The very reason we need to walk in the miraculous is the fact that we have abundance in quantity. We do not serve a God that has lack. His kingdom does not represent lack. If He needs anything He makes it. It is impossible for God to need something. He came to give us the same abundance.

Psa. 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

His life is excessive in measure.

How big is God? How big and wide is His domain? Can we even fathom His power and His wisdom? Our best prayers limit God. If we don’t comprehend His plan and purpose for people we can never ask for His full will. With limited understanding we will always ask amiss. Take heart because He knows we don’t see things the way He sees them. HE still commanded us to ask. He gives us this wonderful promise. He is looking for someone to agree with Him. Someone that will speak His desire for the nations and He will do above what we ask. He promises to do more than what we ask for. That is Him being excessive in measure.

Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

God wants to bless you. He wants to increase you and your influence in the world. He wants to put you on display and show you off. He wants the world to look at you. His promise to Abraham was to bless him, and to bless him in such a way that he would be a blessing to others. We must stop believing the enemy's lies that God does not care. I cannot explain why all these things happen to good people that don’t deserve a bad wrap from life. All I know is that I refuse to shape my theology by what the enemy does. I choose to count my blessings and believe that God can and will take care of all my needs according to His riches in Glory.

Phil. 4:19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Voice of Eden!

God conscious or work conscious?

What gets your attention? Are you running in the rat race? Are your days and weeks filled with getting work done? Are you motivated by performance? We have become so programmed to work that we have lost the art of being God conscious. Life has dictated what we need to do and what we need to be. It has distracted us from our original purpose. Adam and Eve were commanded to rule and reign the earth from a place of rest. God created everything and then on the sixth day He created Adam. The very next day was the seventh day and it says that God rested. Adams first day of ruling and reigning was a day of resting. From this rest with God man was to exercise his command to have dominion.

What did it looked like on the day that God rested? The bible says that at the end of the sixth day God looked at everything He created and said that it was very good. Nothing was out of place or out of order. Everything functioned as ordained by God. Adam did not have to change anything God made. He was to rule in the sense of accepting all that God created and represent God as heaven's ambassador. Adam did not have to fix anything. Nothing was broken. Adam was not required to do any work in the sense that he had to strive to accomplish something that God forgot to make perfect. So in this world of perfection, Adam rested in all God accomplished. Nothing he could do could make it better. Ruling from the rest of God was effortless.

Then something happened. The enemy came and changed the game plan. He showed up and challenged Adam and Eve that resting is not enough. You have to do something. If you work for it, there will be no consequences. I call it the voice of Eden. Eat of the fruit and you will be like gods. Come on and do something. If you do nothing you will stay like you are. To do nothing won't make you like God!

Gen. 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Adam and Eve fell for the oldest trick in the book. If you do it yourself, you would be more fulfilled and feel more accomplished. Don’t accept it for free, earn it because you will love the way you feel about yourself. Adam and Eve accepted the lie and reached out to eat and partake of the fruit of self-effort. How do I know it? Because right after they sinned they realized they were naked and followed that sin with more works. They made themselves clothes to cover their nakedness. Work, work and more work, which leads to more work.

Gen. 3:11  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

So God comes and visits them the next day. He has to go looking for them because they were hiding. Their works caused condemnation to rule their minds and shame to determine their actions. They were too shameful to face God. So God asks them about their nakedness and their sins. “Who told you that you were naked?” This is a very profound statement God makes. Their works had become a voice in their lives – the voice of Eden. This voice carried condemnation. What they did was not enough. They had to do more next time. Eating was not enough; they now had to make something to cover their consequence from eating. That voice has never been quieted as men and woman have struggled through the ages and would always feel like they needed to do more to be like God. That voice of works would become a slave master that would drive people to be work conscious and not God conscious.

Anytime we miss it we feel that we need to do something to fix it. This voice from Eden has masqueraded itself in the disguise of religion and has enslaved millions and immunized them against the result of what God accomplished in Christ Jesus. The voice of Eden makes it sound foolish to just believe that you can have His righteousness without working for it. The voice from Eden says repenting is too simple and you need to make penance: paying something to get absolved from your sin. I am so glad that God came and made them clothes. He clothed them and I am sure His clothing looked much better. Their works faded in comparison to His works. He wanted to reassure them that He does it better. Stop trying Adam and let Me do it!

Jesus came to do it for us. Can you see what Adam and Eve must have seen after God clothed them? Can you see that His sacrifice is better than any sacrifice you will ever make? Can you see that He wants you to rest in His accomplishment? The voice of Eden says work; God's voice predated Eden and it says rest. The voice of Eden will cause the smell of Adam – sweat – to reveal your effort. The voice of God will reveal His glory. The voice of Eden will make you work conscious; His voice will cause you to be God conscious.

Noah believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Abraham believed and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Abraham is called the father of our faith. Faith has a voice that says rest. Are you tired of trying to do it? He is waiting for you to come to a place of rest. Jesus said that the Father is doing the works. Rest is to watch Him do it and be partakers of His work. Amazing to think God does not mind us being part of what He does so well!

Christian meditation.

Meditation?

We have lost the art of meditation. I know that what most people understand about meditation is either linked to some eastern religion or something bad. Meditation is not original to any eastern religion. David meditated daily on the word of God. Eastern meditation has taken what is sacred and perverted it. There is a big difference between eastern meditations for self-enlightenment and biblical meditation as prescribed in the Word of God!

To start off with, an explanation would be good. In eastern religion they empty their minds and then open up their minds for any spirit to come and fill it with ideas. The other thing they do is what is called mind over matter. They try to empower their mind to physically rule over material matter. This is demonic to say the least. There are no guidelines that govern the outcome and most of the time when people reach that level it is used to manipulate other people and circumstances.

Biblical meditation starts when we take the written word of God, His precepts, and His commandments and we meditate on that. Meditation then comes when you subject your understanding to the wisdom of God. The outcome is sure and most of the time the person meditating gets to a place of repentance and awe of God’s greatness. Instead of emptying your mind, you fill your mind with His word and that is the matter you meditate and think on.

Josh. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Psa. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Not only are we commanded to meditate on God's word, but we are to meditate on God’s works.

Psa. 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Psa. 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

What happens when we meditate on His works? It builds our faith. If God did it then, He can do it now. It reminds us of His ability to do what He said He can do. Another way of meditating is not just thinking about His word and His work, but to talk about it. The bible calls it our testimony. When we share what HE has done, we remember and share and that is also meditating on His works. In the book of Psalm it says that God commanded them to share their testimonies with their children. The reason would be that the children would grow up knowing God’s ability.

Psa. 78:1-7 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments

When they neglected to teach their children they grew up with nothing to meditate on except what they saw in the land: giants. Because they didn’t know the God of their fathers, they fled and feared the enemy. They had the wrong stuff to meditate on. Instead of faith, fear filled their minds and God became smaller than their enemies.

Psa. 78:9-12 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; and forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them. Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

As you can see, they turned back during the battle because they refused to meditate on the things that God did for their fathers in the past. They had no reference to God’s greatness and that made them fear their enemy. When we meditate on the things of God faith rises up in our hearts and God responds to the faith because faith pleases him.

A friend of mine Andre Van Zyl likes to ask people if they ever worry. Almost all of us have done that at some time if we are not doing it right now. He would tell them that worrying is negative meditation. If you have ever worried about something you would remember that it takes up your mind and consumes your day. It is as if it is the only thing you can think about. Well, that is called meditation. It is just negative. If you can worry then you can meditate. Instead of filling your mind with the problem, fill it with His word and see the difference it will make in your life.

No Condemnation!

No condemnation!

Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

This is one word nobody likes. To be condemned means to be found guilty. If you were innocent then there would be no condemnation. We all like to see if we can get away with it. We all carry the secrets of stuff we did and no one knew but us. We all know what it feels like to feel the condemnation of being caught. Condemnation is the checkmark in our hearts that keeps on reminding us that we messed up. How can we get rid of this feeling?

We have all sinned. No man can say that he is without sin. When Jesus came in the flesh He came to a sinful world that had no person that could make a claim to sinlessness. All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God! So to make a statement that there is no more condemnation to them that are in Christ means that there is a group of people that still sin but God no longer holds them guilty. This doesn’t sound right and certainly doesn’t make sense. If I am guilty I am guilty right? What about the consequence of my sins? We are beginning to scratch the surface in our understanding of God’s heart.

When Adam and Eve sinned there were consequences to their act of sin. God cursed the earth and He cursed the enemy for deceiving them and to Adam and Eve He told them what the result of their sin would be. Understand that God never cursed man who was created in His image. There were only consequences from their sin. We have seen this for eons as man has struggled with what sin brought into this world. With the weight of having to deal with that, man has also faced the condemnation of being guilty of his own sins. This was almost like a double whammy.

Jesus came to be the substitute for our sins. God made the only one that ever walked the face of this earth without sin, to become like sin for us. God treated Jesus like He would treat sin. Jesus became sin for us. His life and death equaled the power that sin had over us. Not only did HE die, but He was raised by God to prove to us that God accepted his offering and sacrifice. In his life he equaled the power of sin but in is resurrection He overcame the power of sin. With that, God removed the power of condemnation over us who would accept His sacrifice. There is no more condemnation for us that are in Christ Jesus. That means that God does not hold us guilty and that every time I sin, God looks at the price Jesus paid and finds it to be sufficient for my trespass. God can correct me as a Papa without being mad at me for messing it up. The correction still comes. You see, this does not give me a free ticket to sin and do what I want to. Instead of facing the consequences of my sin, I face the correction of my Father that has my best intentions in His heart. Sin's intention is to destroy and kill, His intention is to restore and grow me into my purpose and destiny.

Not only did His sacrifice remove condemnation from me but it also removed the consequences of sin. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord. Sin's result for me would have been death and destruction but Jesus came and now gives me a reward of eternal life with Him. Some people understand that HE removed condemnation but they still struggle with accepting their circumstances. People expect that because they abused their bodies for years that they will die of cancer or something like that. That is still living with the idea that they must still carry the consequences of their sins. Jesus dealt with that in His death and resurrection, so instead of believing the lie, say no and expect health and healing for your body. If I give you a million dollars and you only use twenty dollars of it, you would live way below what you could have done if you used all the money. Some people live like redemption is worth a million but they only use twenty. Don’t let the enemy fool you into a substandard walk where you barely make it and God gets the glory through your struggle. People will develop the wrong impression about God if you accept such a life style.

You have been forgiven. You have been set free. You have been accepted in the beloved. There is no more condemnation from God towards you. Live like somebody that is free. Live like somebody that is restored. You are not what you used to be and you will never be that person. You are a new creation in Christ.

Shut Up Goliath!

Shut up Goliath!

1Sam. 17:45-46 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

How would you feel if you found out that you were doing something and you were manipulated into doing it? It is absolutely wrong, as we all hate being manipulated no matter who you are. Manipulation comes from someone that has no power or authority. If they have authority, then they can simply command and you will do it, but when they lack authority they have to manipulate. Jesus makes a great and true statement when He declares that all authority has been given unto Him. This simply means that no one has more authority than Him and that also means that it is impossible to manipulate God. I know some people try to do that with their prayers under the guise that they are speaking the “Word.” That has never and will never work.

There was someone in the bible that tried to do that as well. He actually succeeded for 40 days manipulating Israel into a place of fear. His name was Goliath. He was a giant and his stature made him look impressive. He was known as a man of war and his reputation was well established in the camp. He was coming out everyday while the armies was opposing each other, screaming at Israel. “Bring me a man that we can fight. If I win you will serve us, but if he wins we will serve you.” There was no response from Israel as they were all filled with fear. Goliath had no authority but he knew how to intimidate and how to manipulate. The very thing that Israel missed was that they allowed Goliath to set the terms of engagement. No one stood up and said “No.” The enemy is a master at manipulation and intimidation. He hates losing a fight but in order to win he knows that he has to set the terms as to how it is going to go down. People step right into the same spirit that he operates in and they never win.

In the story David’s father sends him to take food to his brothers on the battlefield. When he got there he heard Goliath screaming again. He immediately inquired about it and offered to face the giant. His brothers' first response was for David to go back and watch his father's sheep. Saul the king tried to discourage him from even trying because Goliath was so big and had experience. Nothing could deter David. People that are manipulated into fear will always see their enemy as stronger and more experienced like the Israelites did with Goliath. So David faced Goliath and as soon as Goliath saw him he was disgusted. Davis was a boy coming to fight a man that was too big in his own eyes. Goliath was so caught up with himself that he missed God standing on David’s side.

As soon as Goliath spoke up and started wanting to intimidate David, David interrupts him and instead of Goliath determining how the fight was going to go down, David laid down the new rules of the fight that he was about to engage. He tells Goliath that he is going to kill him and feed his flesh to the birds. You know the story well enough. David was not intimidated by Goliath's size or experience. The enemy wants you to believe he is big and strong. The truth is that he is a defeated enemy and has no authority. God is much bigger and God has all authority. The enemy only gains influence by intimidation and manipulation. Just like David exposed Goliath's weakness by facing him, the enemy knows that if you face him his weakness will show up every time. That is why he must keep manipulating and intimidating to keep looking like he is big. David refused to allow Goliath to call the shots. We need to stand up and oppose the enemy and determine what will happen according to the purpose of God for our lives.

The enemy never determines what the outcome of any battle that you face will be. Jesus already determined the outcome of all battles we will ever face. He will not allow us to be tempted above what we can bear, and when there is temptation, He will send the answer so that we will be able to stand during the trial. Apart from that, Jesus already won against the enemy and the enemy has no authority in your life. You either live by all authority that Jesus has or the enemy that has no authority to manipulate you. The first is wisdom, the second is ignorance. The first is empowering, the last is guaranteed failure. Jesus never fails.