24Mar2014 - Love or Fear

How you doin?  I often pray for dreams and visitations while I sleep and I get them.  The down side of this is, God is outside of time, so I get these dreams and visitations usually between 2am and 4am.  Of course these dreams and visitations wake me up and most of the time I can't go back to sleep.  Today was no different.  I was woken up by a dream from God about some things I've been praying about this morning around 4am.

While planning for conferences and trying to develop a ministry team, primarily seeking permission from my churches committees, I've seen negative transformation.  Meaning I've watched people go from excited, encouraged, and interested to rebuke, unbelief, doubt, confusion, and most of all fear.  The two Spiritual gifts I'm most interested in are prophecy and discerning of spirits.  Probably not the most favorable combination.  I've been praying for understanding of what happens in this negative transformation and how to go about ministering to the folks that it happens to.  This morning I had a vivid dream and explanation of what happens. 

There are two spirits that drive the world, the Spirit of love and the spirit of fear.  Everything that occurs in life comes out of one of these spirits.  The Spirit of love comes from God and the spirit of fear comes from the Devil.  (A side note: Satan cannot create, he can only corrupt what God created.  Fear of the Lord is different then the spirit of fear.)  The Spirit of love dwells in us and leads to freedom, love, and life eternal.  The spirit of fear can only influence or lie to a believer.  The spirit of fear leads to doubt, unbelief, captivity, and death.  I did a bit of a search in the Bible on the two types of spirits.  My favorite website for reference had 100 verses attached to this subject.  I always read around the verses listed, so it's been an interesting morning.  Here are a few.

1 Peter 5:8, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  I never want to spend too much time looking at the looser in this spiritual war that's already been won.  There's a much deeper scouting report on Satan in Revelation, Daniel, and Ezekiel.  For know, I think most of us know that God offers love and Satan offers fear and is constantly looking to destroy God's children (Revelation 12:4).

John 16:12-15, '“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  That's a much better deal.  The Spirit of truth leads us into all truth.  That's a good word.  How do we know what the truth is.  The Bible is truth.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, ¹³ which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, ^[e]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words."  COME ON!!!!!!!  Several times while talking to these folks who have been influenced by the spirit of fear, I've asked them to tell me the Scripture that supports their rebuke and their reply was, "It's not in the Bible, but that's traditionally what I've been taught".  The Bible speaks very clearly against human wisdom and tradition. 

2 Timothy 1:6-7, "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of ^[f]timidity, but of power and love and ^[g]discipline."  The footnote for discipline is, "or sound judgement".  AWESOME!!!!!!!  Sound judgement enables us to walk with Him and to be encouraged by His refuge.  To know it's safe to walk out on the water of the great unknown where feet may fail.  COME ON!!!!!!!

Hebrews 13:5-6, "... for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”'
These verses, couple with 2 Timothy 1:6-7, can really make you feel safe about heading into the great unknown.  To step out of the boat and to taste and see that the Lord is GOOD.  I saved my favorite for last.
Romans 8:15-17, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery ^[g]leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  That's a great deal.  That's a great gift.
During my SOZO session in the beginning of this month, the theme was "you can't steal my joy... you can't insult me".  Straight out of the pages of Dan Mohler's ministry.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  I'm not perfect at it, but I can certainly feel God changing my heart toward the people who come against what I know to be truth and from the Kingdom.  I feel that God is changing my mind set from crying from people to crying for people.  I do indeed love my process.  Pray against the spirit of fear and for the Spirit of love to lead you today. 

23Mar2014 - Suggested Reading

How you doin?  We made it home last night 12:50am.  Well past my bed time.  Our time with the family was great.  "Moses" at Sight & Sound was great.  Third Day and Skillet was AWESOME!!!!!!!  It was the first time I saw Skillet and they extreme to say the least.  I just love Third Day.  Brandon Heath, Mandessa, and former lead signer of The News Boys (Phil something) were there as well.  Stacey and I are exhausted to say the least.  We will be resting today.  Yesterday morning I read Titus 3, 1 John 3, and Ezekiel 37 from the NASB and the Message.  I haven't been able to these chapters out of my mine.  Pastor Walter did his talk during the "Re-Awakening" conference on Ezekiel 37 and it was great.  The Holy Ghost's part in that story is tremendous.  Any way, have a great day.  I hope you read that suggested reading today.  I'll be back in business as usual tomorrow.

PS   The Flyers beat St. Louis (which has the best record in the NHL) yesterday 4-1.  They have a 5 five game win streak for the first time since March 2012.  The 5 teams they beat are included 3 of the 6 best records in the NHL, plus a team that has a slightly better record then their own.  I'm more then excited.

21Mar2014 - We Also Ought to Love One Another

How you doin?  This will need to be short today.  We are leaving for the annual Osler (Stacey's family) gathering in Lancaster, PA. at 7:30am.  It's a good day to make it short, because 1 John 4 can be summed up in one word... love.

Verse 4, "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  Now that's encouraging. 

Verses 9-11, "By this the love of God was manifested ^[b]in us, that God has sent His ^[c]only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."  This one of those "Oh, yeah.  That makes sense" moments.  If God loved us this much, we should love each other.  Why not?  The manifested love of God should make this an incidental happening.  If God loved us this much, that He sent His Son to die for us and He dwells in us, then that very same love should flow through us.  COME ON!!!!!!!  This Scripture makes perfectly good sense.  Then why do I still feel anger, resentment, hurt, and unforgiveness.  A tough question, no doubt.  I continue to ask God to remove all that stuff from me.  It's coming or should say going.  It's improved in a remarkable way as of late.  Praise God.

Verses 15-17, "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ We have come to know and have believed the love which God has ^[d]for us. God is love,and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  That's yet another great deal.  We're as He is.  COME ON!!!!!!!

Verses 18-19, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear ^[e]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. ¹⁹ We love, because He first loved us."  I'm sure you had these verses memorized, but I copied them anyway.  These verses are famous due to their AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!  Not to over simplify this journey through life, but the great philosopher J. Lennon had it right so many years ago... "All you need is love... love is all you need".  Pray that the Holy Ghost manifest the love of God in you today.  

PS   This is a pleasant follow up to chapter 3.  Enjoy your day off from this email tomorrow.  I will not be sending it out from Lancaster.   

PPS   I was trying to keep it super light today, but I can't let this go.  Verse 2, "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world."  We believe that Jesus was 100% man... 100% dependent on the Holy Spirit.  Like Hebrews says that Jesus set aside His rights and submitted to the will of God the Father to come here in the flesh and die on the cross.  One of the revelations I had while watching the Son of God movie and watching Jesus die on the cross is that Jesus died!  GOD can NOT die right?  So that is one sure example of something that Jesus had to set aside of his God-ness...  He was a man.  Apostle Paul did the miracles of Jesus and he also did extraordinary miracles.  Paul was definitely a man.  Why would Jesus do this?  Set aside his rights as God and come here in the flesh as man?  We believe that scripture shows that he did this to regain authority that Adam (a man) had lost.  Jesus did this to show us what it looks like to live as a man 100% dependent on the Holy Spirit.  1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.  I for one don't want to create or believe a false theology to meet me where I'm at in my sinful state.  I would rather believe the truth and pray that the Holy Ghost continues to bring me up to the standard that Jesus set... as a man.  Claiming that Jesus was 100% God AND 100% man to justify and rationalize my life that look like Jesus', just doesn't work for me.  I'm going after patterning my life after Jesus'.  He is the example a normal Christian life.  Following Jesus doesn't mean walking behind Him, it means following His model.  COME ON!!!!!!!  

20Mar2014 - When He Appears

How you doin?  Paul Boy and Stacey were up for 1.5 hours last night between 2am - 3:30am.  I was only up for 25 minutes of the episode.  Paul Boy gets inflamed bronchioles, which cause him to go into this wheezing, croup cough, choking/gagging, and gasping for air episode.  It really scares him.  It's very sad to watch our baby boy suffer in this way.  Father God, put your healing touch on him.  Stacey needed to use all 7 of the natural or worldly remedies.  Plus she was praying the entire time.  We're thinking it was triggered by swallowing pool water during his swimming lesson on Tues.  Please pray for Paulie.  As usual, the Bethel worship service playing in the back ground is melting me down.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  1 John 3 today. 

This chapter was arguably the hardest chapter in the Bible for me to understand until recently.  This chapter forces me to ask the hardest question ever of myself.  Perhaps it's due to my line of work, but I see this as a Holy sandwich.  The first few and the last few verses are the bread, or daily bread if you will, and the middle verses are meat.  They are heavy and hard to ingest, unless I am receiving the bread daily.  I'm only going to look at the bread today, because that's the part that makes it possible to handle the meat.

Verses 1-3, "See ^[a]how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."  The NIV uses these words in verse 1, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." Just as a reminder, I copy all Scripture from the NASB translation unless otherwise specified.  I love the word "lavished".  It's very descriptive.  Without getting to in depth about this, I how like to suggest that Jesus can reveal Himself to us any time.  The ascended Jesus showed Himself to Saul and transfigured him to Paul.  The same exacted ascended Jesus can show Himself to whom ever He wants, when ever He wants.  I for one ask to see His face regularly.  He has shown me glimpses.  This Scripture does NOT specify when "He appears", but it does say "we will be like Him".  This is some serious identity.  I'm guessing I will be long gone before His return, so I want it now.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I believe it's available to me, now.  I have this hope (which the expectation of something great).  I need to be working on this purity, with His help of course.  The first piece of bread is that we are children of God that have the hope of becoming like Him.  TASTY!!!!!!!

   

Verses 18-22, 

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. ¹⁹ We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will ^[i]assure our heart before Him ^20 [j]in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence ^[k]before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

 "  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  This is incredible Scripture.  Being sin and self conscious causes our own heart to condemn ourselves.  This is obviously no good.  "God is greater then our heart and knows all things".  COME ON!!!!!!!  The part I made larger has a hook connecting it to the rest of this piece of bread.  This piece of bread has more to it.     

Verses 23-24, "

This is His commandment, that we ^[l]believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He ^[m]commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

 "  When I think about my heart condemning me and what that means, I think about my thoughts of how unpleasing I am to Father God.  That's a lie and I curse that thought.  He's greater then my heart.  Father God is pleased with His Son.  It says so in the Bible many times.  Colossians 1 comes to mind and when Jesus was baptized 

as well.  I know it's in other places as well.  Because Christ dwells in me through the Holy Ghost, God is pleased with me.  God is pleased with Jesus who dwells in me, so consequently He is pleased with me.  Now that's a great deal.  Again, it's not what I/you do, it's what He did.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I hope you try to ingest the meat today on your own with this daily bread well in your belly.  Know that God is greater then your heart today.

PS   Verse 8,  "the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil ^[c]has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil."  Here's some of the meat.

19Mar2014 - He Abides in Me/You

How you doin?  Thank you God.  As I was prayer this morning, I was compelled to pray the simplest, but power, three word  prayer... "thank you God".  As I did, the Holy Ghost verified that is was right through the worship music playing.  The Bethel worship session playing in the back ground was one of my two favorite sessions.  The song was "I Want To Know You More" and during the spontaneous worship Gabriel Wilson sings "Thank you Lord... You've Been So Good" over and over.  WOW!!!!!!!  Thank you God.  Simple, but powerful.  Work is very busy.  Not with customers, but with preparing for our busy season.  I'm trying to hear from the Holy Ghost on what the miracle is going to be at my job.  I'm praying, confidently, that He performs the miracle in a way that everyone knows it's Him.  Or at least the people that He wants to know Him through it.  I will say my anticipation is peaking.  My hope is heavenly hope.  I can't wait to see what He does.  1 John 2 today.

So I've been told that this email is like a Bible study.  Praise God!!!!!!!  I can't see how that's a bad thing.  1 John 2 is very heavy reading.  I did find the end of this chapter extremely relevant and encouraging to me.  I hope it encourages you as well. 

Verses 20-21, "^[e]But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. ²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and^[f]because no lie is of the truth."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  That's a promise I'll believe.

Verse 24, "As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."  This verse makes me think of the first time I knew that God loved me and that He saved me from death.  That I was redeemed and reconciled to the Father.  That kid like believe.  Before all the stuff of the world starts it's process of stealing identity, bewitching, separating, deceiving, and corrupting the truth through lies.  Praise Jesus that He's puling me out of unbelief and doubt and into glory.  YES!!!!!!!

Verses 25-27, "This is the promise which He Himself ^[h]made to us: eternal life.²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ As for you,the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ^[i]you abide in Him."  This is my/your identity.  Christ is in me/you and I/you are in Him.  YES & AMEN!!!!!!!  This is by far a God moment for me.  This Scripture clears my conscience and allows me to pray and function from heaven to earth instead of from earth to heaven.  The truth teaches me/you that I abide in Him.  His anointing abides in me.  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  That's a good word.
Verses 28-29, "Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not ^[j]shrink away from Him in shame ^[k]at His coming. ²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is ^[l]born of Him."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Jesus wants to make Himself known to us.  I pray everyday for Jesus to appear to me.  He does through His word, worship, praise, apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelist.  I'll take these instructions to heart.  I pray against shame.  I love the idea of practicing righteousness.  I've been taught all my live that practice makes perfect.  This is yet another great deal from God.  His anointing that abides in me is my righteousness.  So by practicing righteousness, I allow His righteousness to be my righteousness.  It's not what I do... it's what He did.  COME ON!!!!!!!  Abide in Him, because He abides in you, today.
PS   Verse 6, "the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked."
Verses 20-24, all three of the God head are mentioned.  I love it when this occurs. 

18Mar2014 - Fellowship

How you doin?  We had a young couple over for dinner last night and our fellowship was refreshing.  The husband of the couple is eerily like me.  The poor girls hardly got a word in edgewise.  It's very enjoyable being around people on fire for the Lord.  This couple isn't church-ed or influenced by the demonic spirit of religion, unbelief, or doubt.  We were able to speak freely and edify each other.  Most of all we loved our precious Jesus together.  This couple attends Christ Fellowship were the Doug Addison conference is being held.  1 John 1 today.  I must confess, I've been looking forward to getting to this book.

Verse 3, "-what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."  I find myself throwing the word "fellowship" around freely.  In my Bible's dictionary it's defined, "friendship; association; companionship".  I claim to fellowship with a lot of people.  I claim to fellowship with Jesus.  Can I/we comfortably say that we fellowship with each other or, ten times more then that, with Jesus?  Am I friends with the folks that I "fellowship" with at church?  Am I a friend to Jesus?  Webster's defines "association" this way,

1

a :  the act of associating

b :  the state of being associated :  combination, relationship

2

:  an organization of persons having a common interest :  society

3

:  something linked in memory or imagination with a thing or person

4

:  the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories

5

:  the aggregation of chemical species to form (as with hydrogen bonds) loosely bound complexes

6

:  a major unit in ecological community organization characterized by essential uniformity and usually by two or more dominant species

Numbers 2, 4, & 6 stood out to me.  Do we as a church truly have a common interest.  Do I/we truly form mental connection or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories with Jesus.  Perhaps this are tough questions, but the Holy Ghost has the answer to tough questions.  "Companionship" is defined, "the good feeling that comes from being with someone else; the fellowship existing amongcompanions :  company".  Jesus seeks fellowship with me/us.  He wants to keep us in in His company.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  I spent this much time on fellowship for the following verses.

Verses 5-7, "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him andyet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷ but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  I think I'm going to be careful about tossing the word "fellowship" around like it means nothing but hanging out in light meaningless conversation.  Verse 7 is referring to the way that Jesus was "in the Light", as a man.  Association is heavily linked to unity, "common interest".  As we become like Christ, we take on His thoughts, characteristics, and nature.  If we individually become like Him, we consequently have unity and fellowship.  In this Scripture "fellowship" with each other is connected to cleansing from "all sin".  The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I'm having trouble landing this, so I'm just going to stop.  Fellowship with Him today.

PS   I do believe that fellowship with Jesus needs to come first before we can fellowship with each other.  Having fellowship with Jesus will give me common interest with Him.  He's interested in love.  On the heavier side of things, verses 5-10, John confronts 3 false teachings, 1) that can have fellowship with God and go on living in spiritual darkness, 2) that people had no natural tendency toward sin, that they were without sin, and that they were incapable of sinning.  That Christ death wasn't needed., 3) they denied that sin breaks fellowship with god and they denied that their conduct involved any sin at all.  Dig into that while thinking about fellowship with God.  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!! 

17Mar2014 - Glory

How you doin?  What a weekend!  The conference was AWESOME!!!!!!!  Church was AWESOME!!!!!!!  Movie night at our house was AWESOME!!!!!!!  We can't wait to have more guest over to watch the movies.  In reflecting on the weekend, I keep thinking about the glory of God.  So this morning, I was praying and reflecting and I ended up in Colossians 1.

In a time were I need the strength of Jesus more then ever, this was perfect Scripture to read.  As you may recognize, Colossians 1:26-27 are two of my most quoted verses.  Today the preceding verses stood out to me. 

Verses 15-20, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For ^[x]by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[y]is before all things, and in Him all things ^[z]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[aa]it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the ^[ab]fullness to dwell in Him,²⁰ and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in ^[ac]heaven."

This is an incredible description of Jesus.  Jesus really is incomparable.  He is everything.  As usual this entire chapter is AWESOME!!!!!!!  These 5 verses stood out to me, because as I am in such need of the fullness of Christ in me, I need to know what exactly that encompasses.  As I continue to pray for revelation and breakthrough, I tend to lose sight of who I'm asking to be transformed into His likeness.  I find myself paying more attention to revelation and breakthrough then to who Jesus is.  Of course I don't mean to do that, it just happens.  I find the biggest breakthrough happens when my eyes are on Him who dwells in me.  When I'm aware of Him and who/what He is.  The right Gospel teaches me to be in love with Him and to manifest His love, not to be sin and self conscious.  If I'm always after revelation and breakthrough, I loose sight of Him and gain sight of myself.  I'm more focused on myself and calling it a good cause.  So, as I sit here writing this email, the Holy Ghost is convicting me to turn my eyes upon Jesus.  The best part is, revelation and breakthrough will come consequently. 

After hearing Mark Chironna's message on Friday night, I really want to know Jesus.  Not just what He can do for me, but I really want to know Him intimately.  COME ON!!!!!!!  So as it's suggest in verse 27, I will continue in "the hope of glory", knowing that the Christ described in verses 15-20 is in me.  Be reconciled to the Father through His Son's blood today. 

16Mar2014 - The Lord's Grace and Refuge

How you doin?  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  What a great weekend.  The Re-Awakening conference was wonderful.  It's so much fun being around people that are excited about God and His Kingdom.  Two sessions with Mark Chironna and I feel like I received heart and brain surgery.  I may or may not take a break from this email or reduce the frequency in which I send it.  The Holy Ghost hasn't made it clear to me yet.  The Holy Ghost has me in transition/transformation, which tends to be difficult.  Growing pains if you will.  I have learned to enjoy these times knowing that I'm heading into a new glory, a new awareness, knowledge, and closeness with Him.  COME ON!!!!!!!  It's like starting a new workout at the gym.  It hurts at first, but you know it will make you stronger as soon as your body gets use to it or conditioned to it.  I've always said "I don't like going to the gym... I like the results".  The cool thing about God is that I like His gym.  2 Peter 3 today.

Verses 8-9, "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."  These verses help me enjoy my relationship Him and the process He has me in.  I know I still have plenty of things to repent of.  I'm glad to have such a burning desire to live from heaven instead of for heaven.  I want to believe the Scripture that teaches me that Jesus' ascension has me seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).  SO GOOD!!!!!!!

Verses 14-18, "Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, ¹⁵ and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all hisletters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."  AWESOME!!!!!!!  Talk about a loaded 4 verses.  I certainly love God's patients with me.  Verse 16 just blows me away.  I love feeling safe in the refuge of the Lord, so not to be "carried away by the error of unprincipled men".  Verse 18 is the refuge.  COME ON!!!!!!!  "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ", today.

15Mar2014 - The Lord Knows How to Rescue

How you doin?  We a had a tremendous time at the "Re-Awakening" conference yesterday.  Mark Chironna is one of my favorites.  Way too much to get into, especially last night, but I will say it was wonderful.  Three people from our church/Bible study were in attendance, other then Stacey and I.  Two more sessions today (10am and 6pm).  Different speakers then Mark Chironna though.  I hope you can make it out.  2 Peter 2 today.

This chapter is very heavy reading.  Plus, I'm in a place with the Holy Ghost of transformation.  Those two things together are going to equal a short email.  Verses 9-10, "then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from ^[b]temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who ^[c]indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority."  It's really hard for me to put what I learned in this reading down on paper.  I would strongly suggest for you to read the entire chapter for yourself and ask the Holy Ghost to guide you through it.  Verses 9-10, make me secure in God's refuge.  God is the Judge, not me.  He frees people and judges people.  He knows our hearts. 

Verses 20-22, "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. ^22 [h]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”'  This is a significant warning.  In AA we call it "re-trying" (not relapsing).  Re-trying to do something and expect it to have a different result... insanity.  AA taught me that those who "re-try" fall into a deeper darkness.  This scripture certainly support that teaching.  I can recall times early in my walk when I would leave a conference, Bible study, sermon or something, on fire for the Lord.  I would then experience the fading glory.  It would ware off and I would be right back into my unwanted miladies/sins a few days later.  Now, I have an understanding that the Holy Ghost takes me from glory to glory.  His Glory doesn't fade, because I've been drawn closer to Him through faith, grace, study, understanding, increased desire to love Him and most of all my identity in Him and Him in me.  I have a relationship with Him, not temporary experiences with Him.  I don't read this scripture as a warning about mistakes or short comings.  I hear it as deciding to follow Jesus or to follow the world.  To decide to give God our all or not.  To decide to accept the invitation from God to be in an intimate relationship with Him.  To be a believing believer or an unbelieving believer.  To make Jesus the Lord of our life's or not.  Mistakes happen and are forgiven and become fewer as we grow, but decisions to deny power, authority, and a relationship with Him is something all together different.  God doesn't invite us to pull Him out of a box on Sunday morning, dust Him off, and demand that He resigns our "get out of hell free card", so we can go back to our unbelieving, self serving, sinful lives the minute we walk out of the justification/rationalization room called church.  In AA, it's said that justification and rationalization are other words for B.S. 

Well, that's enough preachin for me this morning.  Know that "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation" today.

PS   Here's a potential brain twister, when Jesus knelt down to right in the sand, only 2% to 5% of the population could right in that time.  That 2% to 5% were the highly educated in the schools of the Pharisees.  Jesus also taught and read from the Scriptures in the synagogues.  Jesus also turn over tables in the Temple while the Pharisees were trying to catch Him in error, so to crucify Him and they didn't arrest Him. 

14Mar2014 - Grace and Peace be Multiplied

How you doin?  Thank you God.  The simplest and yet best prayer I can pray is "thank you God".  That really says it all for me these days.  As life happens around me, the Holy Ghost continues to make God's refuge known to me.  I've had some things happen over the past 4 months that have just catapulted me into God's arms.  COME ON!!!!!!!  He is indeed the miracle maker.  I've been up since3:30am trying to figure out why I'm not plotting revenge, praying off anger, and asking for God to take away my resentment, about some resent happenings.  The Holy Ghost made it perfectly clear to me this morning, "you're free".  During Dan Mohler's visit, he imparted something to Stacey and I.  He said, "you can't steal my joy and you can't insult me".  At first I thought, "that looks good on paper".  Since then, it's actually becoming a reality.  Dan Mohler started the nail and last weekend drove it all the way in.  Until I face a circumstance to test these revelations and impartations, I wonder if they really real.  I can truly say, "God is good... He's the real deal".  I'm starting to know Him in my heart and my head more then I thought possible.  2 Peter 1 today.

Verses 1-3, "To those who have received a faith of the same ^[b]kind as ours, ^[c]by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: ² Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us ^[d]by His own glory and ^[e]excellence."  YES & AMEN!!!!!!!  True knowledge is important, if that's not too much of an understatement.  The true knowledge of Him has multiplied grace and peace in me to the point that I'm reintroducing myself to myself.  My boss was even shocked at my agreement with him yesterday.  He text to me "too easy!! What's up?".  I just don't want to fight.  I call that grace and peace.  I've been fighting all my life.  I'll say it again, praying for God to increase my desire to know Him and to love Him, has been answered.  More then answered... honored. 

Verse 8, "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  I put this verse in to dangle a carrot.  You will need to read the preceding verses to hear the qualities we as followers of Jesus should be possessing.  Plus, I love reading "the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ".

Verses 19-21, "So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. ²⁰ But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, ²¹ for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  I know for sure that Jesus is arising in my heart.  I also know that it's safe to listen to men/women "moved by the Holy Spirit".  May "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord", today.

PS   2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."  Once you read 2 Peter 1:5-7, you may see a connection to the "qualities" and "glory to glory".  Stacey and I are definitely being brought into a new glory.  AWESOME!!!!!!!

13Mar2014 - Because He Cares for You

How you doin?  God is good.  I can't get over the love, gratitude, trust, and faith I have in Him and for Him.  I'm finding it easier to give Him everything I have.  Spirit, soul, and body.  I have a working knowledge of Psalm 2:4, 

He who [c]sits in the heavens laughs,

The Lord scoffs at them.

The Lord just isn't affected by Satan's schemes.  After reading those verses yesterday, I'm realizing that Satan can't touch me either, because I'm kept by Jesus.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  So, my cook at work calls me ans says that the grill isn't working.  It's not getting any gas.  Now I'm working during our devotional time.  Stacey's praying and she prays for the Holy Ghost to fix the grill to help me through this already busy and filled with distractions morning.  1 or 2 minutes after Stacey was done praying, my phone rings and my cook says that the grill is working.  I asked him what happen and he said, "Something made me think that I should try it again... so I did and came right on.  Praise Jesus.  He even fixes grills at my job.  As I'm praying and thanking Him, I hear "I want your attention".  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  1 Peter 5 today.

Verses 1-5, "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over [a]those allotted to your charge, but [b]proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading [c]crown of glory. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  I needed to hear these verses this morning.  I love serving God for heaven's rewards and not worldly reward.  

Verses 6-7, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."  COME ON!!!!!!!  Not some of your anxiety, but all of your anxiety.  

Verses 10-11,  "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."  AWESOME!!!!!!!  This is coming true in my life.  In many regards I've "suffered for a little while" and then God has established me in freedom.  In some case I've suffered for a long while, but now that God has touched me the way that He has, a little while is the norm.  I know for sure something huge is going to happen at the conference this weekend.  1) Because something usually does at conferences and 2) because I recognize the Holy Ghost setting me up.  He's so AWESOME!!!!!!!  He does this because He cares for me.  Cast all your anxiety on Him today... because He cares for you. 

12Mar2014 - Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

How you doin?  We attended another tremendous Revival Alliance meeting yesterday.  It's such a relief to be around like minded followers of Jesus.  He have started promoting our next conference with Doug Addison that will be held 6/6-7 at Christ Fellowship.  Nearly every single person I've spoke to is apposed to Doug Addison or scared of him.  Yesterday, everyone was thrilled to hear that he is coming here.  One Pastor friend even said that his wife completed Doug's dream interpretation course and loved it so much that his daughter is now doing it.  I'm guessing they will be at the conference.  Another Pastor was excited that we were going after the stronghold of addictions (all addictions) and equipping folks to minister to the addicted.  He stated that he sees it as a major stronghold. 

The best part about being at the meeting yesterday was freedom.  Freedom from the affect that unbelief and doubt has on me.  As I speak to people who share their unbelief and doubt with me, it feels as though I'm coated by their unbelief and doubt.  In the SOZO ministry, they call this being "slimmed".  They have a process of "brushing off" the "slime", that can coat, weigh down, and even cripple us.  I did a small search on Scripture that teaches us about unbelief.  102 verses from my most frequently used resource.  Don't worry... I'll spare you copying all of them.

Jude 1:17-23, "But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions,^[r]worldly-minded, ^[s]devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting; ²³ save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!   

2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, ^[a]haters of good,⁴ treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of ^[b]godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."  I can't help but think there's a balance between loving the lost and protecting ourselves from harms reach.  Galatians 6:1, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted."  OK!  Got it.

1 John 5:18-20, "We know that no one who is ^[o]born of God sins; but He who was ^[p]born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. ¹⁹ We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." CHECK MATE!!!!!!!  Anyone who has experienced truth knows they have experienced truth because they know.  They know because they've been given "understanding" through Jesus' blood.  Verse 20 makes me give God a shout of praise that my neighbors heard.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I love the fact that Jesus "keeps" me and "the evil one does not touch" me.  I want to "know Him who is true".  I want to be "in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ".  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!

That's plenty for now.  I'll keep "brushing off" the unbelief and doubt that is continually spewed all over me when talking to naysayers and unbelieving believers.  I'll work on my gentleness, as suggested in Galatians 6:1.  I'll also adhere to the warning in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.  Know Him who is true and be in Him who is true today.

PS   If your are attending our next conference or in agreement with Doug Addison's Kingdom message or in agreement with Stacey's and my call to bring the Kingdom message to our area of South Jersey through anointed speakers, please invite people or promote this conference by word of mouth.  And please be praying for us as we, yet again, will be standing our ground in Christ Jesus.

11Mar2014 - Overjoyed When His Glory is Revealed

How you doin?  Stacey's back.  We missed a few days of doing our morning devotions together.  It's very rare that we miss, but we missed for acceptable reasons.  Audrey's birthday was AWESOME!!!!!!!  She's such a good girl.  Paul Boy did a good job handling her being showered with attention.  1 Peter 4 today.

Verses 1-2, "Therefore, since Christ has ^[a]suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has ^[b]suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."  Whenever I read Scripture about  suffering in the flesh, I thought of other people making me suffer.  I still think that is relevant, but know I see it as the internal battle between the sinful nature (flesh) and Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). 

Verses 12-16, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you,as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."  This is one of the three times the word "Christian" is written in the entire Bible.  "Participating in the sufferings of Christ".  Only Jesus' flesh was crucified.  As my flesh is killed of, I receive more revelation of His glory.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I want to be "overjoyed when His glory is revealed".

Verses 10-11, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."  I know this is out of order, but that's how I hear it this morning.  As we as a couple, ministry team, and church head into a stage of building, God made it clear to me to practice or train in the gifts of the Spirit.  I love the language used here, "as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms".  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  I've been up since 2:30am.  I'm not sure why the Holy Ghost got me up this early.  I do know He's got something going on.  We're going to the monthly Revival Alliance meeting today.  Maybe that will be something.  Plus are HUGE weekend of conference and ministry team training.  SO EXCITING!!!!!!!  Be good stewards of God's grace today.

10Mar2014 - The Right to Become a Child of God

How you doin?  It's Audie's 6th birthday today.  Her party yesterday was AWESOME!!!!!!!  We're very blessed with family and friends.  God provided the weather that made it possible for 25 people to be comfortable at our house.  We were outside most of the day.  A great day for celebrating our baby girl's birthday. 

Since I received grace in trade for stuff I didn't want on Saturday, I did a quick search on God's grace.  50+ verses later, I'm glad I did a quick search.  When I think about it, the entire Bible is about God's grace and love and the explanation/description of the new covenant.  I'm not going to copy all 50+ verses.

Romans 5:1-5, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and ^[b]we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but ^[c]we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  These verses are just making me cry.  I have oil coming out of palms.  The Bethel worship service playing in the back ground is killing me.  They're singing "Worthy Is The Lamb". 

Romans 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer ^[d]on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."  This is that old covenant relief I so desperately need.  Grace is what makes it possible for me to live under the new covenant.  COME ON!!!!!!!

John 1:9-13, "There was the true Light ^[g]which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His ^[h]own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,¹³ who were ^[i]born, not of ^[j]blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."  Now that's some serious grace!  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  I'm overwhelmed by God's love me.  His grace is beyond sufficient.  I love the new process and the opened eyes I received through SOZO.  It's more then exciting.

The grace and love of God has poured into my heart through the Holy Ghost.  The grace and love of God gave me the right to be His son through His Son.  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Know that Jesus gave you the right to be a child of God today. 

9Mar2014 - Connecting with Father God

How you doin?  So it's the next day.  The days following Sunday morning church, Bible study, conferences, or in this case SOZO are always very interesting to me.  I loved my SOZO yesterday.  The thing that stood out the most to me was the verification of my everyday connection with the Holy Ghost.  I felt so comfortable with Him.  When I say connection, I mean intimate relationship with Him.  I fellowship with the Holy Ghost continually through out my day.  I speak to Him freely and comfortably and speaks back to me and leads me.  I have such a relationship with Him that He is often sarcastic with me.  Sarcastic in the most wonderful and loving way.  I feel like our relationship is on a personal or intimate level.

I connect with Jesus second most.  I'm learning to be more intimate and personal with Jesus.  I find myself looking at Jesus as part of the Trinity that I can't approach.  I think things like "He has already done SO MUCH for me".  During my 1st SOZO, I saw Jesus' face for the 1st time.  I saw it twice during that session.  It was Jesus that offered me the huge breakthrough that came in my first SOZO.  I am learning to fellowship with Jesus.  I understand that He too invites me into a personal relationship with Him.  As I move away from the old covenant and into the new covenant, it's becoming easier to receive the righteousness, that's Jesus' in the first place, to approach Him on a personal and intimate level.  That process started last April 1st.

So, yesterday's SOZO started another process for me.  I connected to Father God for the first time.  During my SOZO, I saw myself crawling into His lap.  While there, I felt His heart beat.  His heart beat was in sync with mine, but much stronger.  I still didn't actually see much of Him like I have seen Jesus and the Holy Ghost, but I'm down with that.  If Moses couldn't see His face, I'm fine with not seeing His face.  The most super natural part of the session was in 2 parts. 1) The session leader used an exercise for breaking off negative past memories.  He said there's a pocket at the bottom of my skull and the top of my spine that holds a life times worth of negative memories, feelings, and unforgiven sins (unforgiven by me, not God).  He then had me put my hand on that spot and ask Father God to empty or get rid of that pocket and all that's in it. Now all of this is for visualization so don't go feeling for a pocket behind your head.  Here's the wild part.  As I had my hand on this spot and was praying for God to take any/all of my negative past from me, I felt His heart beat again on my hand.  The first time was at least 1 hour earlier.  I know that there is no way that I could have felt my own heart beat where I had my hand.  AWESOME!!!!!!!  2)  This part happened to me during my first SOZO as well.  As I was sitting in my chair, I felt weight on me.  It was perfectly distributed over my body.  It was as if I was sitting on top of myself.  The weight was perfectly in the shape of me.  Now of course it was much lighter then me.  It was a noticeable weight, but not a heavy weight or cumbersome weight.  As I explained what was going on to the session leader he immediately and excitedly said "ask Father God if that's Him".  So I did and He said "yes".  I did cry a little. 

Prior to yesterday, I couldn't and hadn't connected to my heavenly Father to this capacity.  I've always believed in God and known Him to be real in my head, but now I've been started in the process of knowing Him in my heart.  The process of comfortably approaching Him with a clean conscience.  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!! 

Each of the God head hold a special place in my heart and head.  Each individually invite me into a personal and intimate relationship with Him.  There was much more that happen yesterday.  Some will leak out later, no doubt, and some will between me and Him.  Father God did trade me some stuff I didn't want for grace.  AWESOME!!!!!!!  That's a great deal.  The Holy Ghost did offer me a plan for the miracle at my job, but involved loving people, so we're still in negotiations.  I'm guessing He's not budging on His end.  I'll most likely lose the negotiations.  I usually do.  The Holy Ghost also said something about "protecting the owners investment".  I'm still waiting for more details on that one.  I need to go finish getting ready for Audrey's 6th birthday party.  Ask the Holy Ghost to trade something you don't want for something He wants to give you today.