24Apr2014- "Come out of her"

How you doin?  I received a text message last night from someone that I value and love dearly.  It read, "Got your seats held, are the kids with you?".  This lovely man and his wife, who I look to for wisdom, is sitting at a local church at a conference expecting/wanting us to be there.  WOW!!!!!!!  Needless to say this simple act of love drew a tear to my eyes.  Thanks Jack & Jill.  I love you guys dearly.  I'm almost positive I'll see you there tonight.  I shared some of my testimony with a gentlemen that works for Trump Plaza last night and it was amazing to see the powerful effect of a changed life on another person.  I had told my story without mentioning God, Jesus, or the Holy Ghost.  I told it the same way, just without the Holy names.  The person I was speaking to deducted that it was God who saved me.  COME ON!!!!!!!  The transformation that occurred in my life could only be a work of the mighty Father.  I was amazed at how this person recognized God in my story.  I'm not even sure if he's a Christian.  He cursed freely and without reservation and never spoke of his own belief.  Either way, I saw God recognized through testimony without mention of His great name.  AWESOME!!!!!!!  Revelation 18 today.

The first five verses got me this morning:

"After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.² And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “^[a]Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a^[b]prison of every unclean spirit, and a ^[c]prison of every unclean and hateful bird. ³ For all the nations ^[d]have drunk of the wine of the^[e]passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the ^[f]wealth of her ^[g]sensuality.”⁴ I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; ⁵ for her sins have ^[h]piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  First off, I love how the angel's glory or in the NIV "splendor", illuminates the earth.  The imagery in this book is wonder-full.  Verse 3 describes the world's partnering with sin.  Verse 4 is the best.  God is crying out for His people to repent and turn to Him.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  God gave us free will, but He made the glory and splendor of His love known to us.  This should make it easy for us to answer His call or to listen and adhere to His cry.  Verse 5 seems a bit confusing based on Hebrews 8:12, "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." and Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins".  I believe this is talking about an unrepentant people.  If Jesus' acts on the cross (AD33) ushered in the new covenant, then the destruction of the Temple (AD70) was a generation later.  God gave that generation a significant opportunity to repent after Jesus won back the keys to death.  God remembered true blasphemy.  This people group refused to hear God's call/cry.  I always read this type of Scripture with a magnify glass over myself.  I want to be a mature believer that is willing to ask myself tough questions and face refining fires.  YES!!!!!!!  God's glory illuminates the world.  There's no hiding.  God touches or illuminates weak areas in my life so He can do away with the weakness and fill it with His glory.  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  "Come out of her", today.

23Apr2014- Being with Him

How you doin?  Five more chapters in Revelation.  Stacey and I will start over after that in the chronological Bible or a different translation.  I get so frustrated with comments on FB or any other platform that continue to teach old covenant sin/self consciousness.  Religion continues to keep us from our true identity.  This concept of "I'm a sinner saved by grace".  It's just sad that we, as the body of Christ, believe the wrong Gospel.  The Gospel that is commonly shared has very little good news.  Some how the church has been deceived, bewitched, right out of it's birth right.  It's as if the church has become an Esau.  Esau hated his birth right and traded it in for something of the world... a bowl of stew.  The Jews traded in a relationship with God for a list of rules.  I've experienced a few Spiritual gifts, but the two I'm interested in are prophecy and discerning of spirits.  When I look at the church I see the demonic spirit of religion and human tradition holding a large part of the body of Christ in captivity.  In the past I've cried because of what these captives have done to me.  Now God is teaching me to cry for them.  Captivity does not allow for freedom in Christ.  It does not allow for the fullness of identity and destiny in Christ.  I pray for a move of the Holy Ghost that transforms the church into it's created glory.  That is Gen. 1:26, "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”'  I pray that the Holy Ghost transforms me first.  Revelation 17 today.

Verse 14, "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”'  Folks, here's some good news, you're the called, chosen, and faithful.  You're not "a sinner saved by grace", you "WERE a sinner saved by grace".  These events in Revelation are NOT to come, they have come to pass.  We are to be living in the new covenant which was fully released after the destruction of the Temple in AD70.  The Temple was built in/on the old covenant.  God destroyed the Temple as a prophetic act of the new covenant that was to come.  COME ON!!!!!!!  Be with Him today.

PS   In verse 14, it says "those who are with Him".  I believe that we are like who we are around.  It's referred to as "a social phenomenon".  I see it as "a social fact".  I don't think we can over look the fact that the called, chosen, and faithful, are "those who are with Him". 

22Apr2014- Repentance and Blasphemy

How you doin?  After hearing Dan Mohler over this past weekend, I'm trying to yield myself to God.  I so desperately want to live in His manifest love.  I so desire to walk in the full revelation of the identity and destiny of the new covenant.  I'm trying to deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow Jesus.  For know I'm trying to figure out what that means.  It's one of those Scriptures that I've read and pushed off to the side because it doesn't sound fun.  It's now convicting me in a huge way.  I believe that understanding of this commandment will serve to be a passage way to a closer relationship with Him.  A deeper, more intimate, relationship with Him.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  This isn't a study.  It's a conversation with Him.  I know He will tell me through prayer and conversation.  Revelation 16 today.

This chapter is more about God's wrath that I belief has already been poured out in entirety.  I did see a few verses that stood out.  Verse 9, "Men were scorched with ^[g]fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."  Verses 10-11, "Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, ¹¹ and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds." Verse 21, "And huge ^[n]hailstones, about ^[o]one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely ^[p]severe."  "Blasphemed" in the dictionary of my NIV Bible is, "to dishonor or address God with irreverence".  The word "repent" means, "to experience sorrow for and seek to change wrong behavior".  Most of my life I've associated repentance with forgiveness.  As of the past few years I see repentance as my business and forgiveness as God's business.  My free will has everything to do with repentance and God's grace, mercy, and love has everything to do with forgiveness.  My repentance activates God's forgiveness.  I've also seen repentance as something behavioral.  Now I see repentance as relational.  I repent of things that inhibit my relationship with Him.  This is possible because I've heard God's invitation to a relationship with Him.  I'm not about to continue trading my relationship with Him for a list of rules.

Blasphemy is all together different.  Blasphemy could be one of the most misunderstood and misused words in the church.  The most gross misuse of this word is when someone speaks of the knowledge they have of the righteousness, identity, authority, and power they have in Christ and it's said that they are blaspheming God.  Receiving revelation of the truth certainly isn't "to dishonor or address God with irreverence".  This is a Spiritual paradox.  I can't say that I can relate this part of my relationship with God to my relationship with my kids.  It would be easier if I had a great inheritance to offer them here in the natural and they refused to accept it or didn't know they had it.  I do know my heavenly Father has a tremendous inheritance to offer me and my kids and all of us.  Accepting it is NOT blasphemy.  This is going to be hard to land today so I'm just going to stop.  Repent of something that inhibits your relationship with Him today.

PS  Between Stacey and I here this morning, the Holy Ghost is really starting a process of change in us.  We both feel hatred toward this feeling of "I have rights".  "I have rights" is a glaring display of self.  I see myself running full speed toward God, but I'm chained to this wall that's keeping me from running into His arms.  This chain and wall is "rights" and "self".  Again, I'm trying to yield myself to God so this chain and wall are removed.  This is the repentance that I'm talking about.  Repenting of self or denying myself comes as a result of His love.  So I will be praying "to experience sorrow for and seek to change wrong behavior".  Not doing away with misbehavior, but denying my "self", picking up my cross, and following Him.  AWESOME!!!!!!!        

21Apr2014- Response

How you doin?  It's not over.  The difference between "Chreasters" and regular church goers is that regular church goers will be at church next Sunday and "Chreasters" will be there at Christmas.  The difference between "Christians" and followers of Jesus is that "Christians" will go back to life as usual and followers of Jesus will continue to respond to Jesus.  Followers will continue to seek Him, know Him, and love Him.  Followers will realize that the resurrected Jesus is alive in us through the Holy Ghost.  Followers of Jesus will deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Him.  They will follow the example of a life yielded to the Father.  A life lived from heaven to earth instead of earth to heaven.  Followers of Jesus will have wisdom to know that Jesus didn't do what He did just for us to get into heaven.  That's marginally good news.  Good news is that Jesus did what He did on the cross so that we can live free from sin/self and in His righteousness.  COME ON!!!!!!!

Revelation 1:4-6, "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who ^[c]is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins ^[d]by His blood— ⁶ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to ^[e]His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."  Verse 6 doesn't read "to Him be the glory and dominion until Monday after Easter".  It doesn't read "to Him be the glory and dominion on Sunday morning and maybe Weds. night".  I says "forever and ever".  To me that means always and forever. 

I believe that Jesus demands a response.  The Bible describes two responses, 1) people loved Him with all that they had, 2) people hated Him and tried to kill Him.  I'm sure there was a third person.  I believe the Bible refers to them as "lukewarm".  The Bible speaks very poorly of "lukewarm".  Revelation 3:16, ​

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So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will ^[a]spit you out of My mouth.

 ​"  Showing up at church on Sunday to get your "get out of hell free" card stamped and then going back to a life that doesn't reflect the good news of God or the right Gospel is sad.  We've all heard it said "everyday is Easter for the believer".  The key word is "believer".  I find myself getting sucked into unbelief less and less.  My identity in Christ is ever increasing, but I'm more free from the demonic spirit of religion and human tradition then I ever thought possible.  PRAISE JESUS!!!!!!!  Respond to Jesus today.

20Apr2014- Regeneration and Renewing

How you doin?  HE HAS RISEN!!!!!!!  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  So much to say about today.  Jesus conquered death.  Today is the day that death died.  I'm joyful and happy about that.  There are three parts to Jesus' acts on the cross, 1) death, 2) resurrection, 3) ascension.  All my life up unto the past few years I was good with the first two.  Now the third part gets me the most.  When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He sent the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth that reveals the fullness of Christ in me, hope of glory.  COME ON!!!!!!!  I'm beyond charged up.  I can feel Him in me.  It's the most soothing discomfort a person could ever feel.  

I was reading up on the Holy Ghost this morning and one of my favorites is Titus 3:4-8, "But when the kindness of God our Savior andHis love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs ^[a]according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men."  If verses 5-7 don't make you shout out in praise... check your pulse.  Jesus' acts on the cross saved us from death, but that's not even the best part.  His ascension released the Holy Ghost into us for regeneration and renewing.  AWESOME!!!!!!!  The Holy Ghost is my counselor and helper.  The One who reveals the truth and fullness of Christ in me, hope of glory.  Thank you Father God for loving us this much that you sent your Son Jesus to defeat death, which in turn allows the Holy Ghost to regenerate, renew, and transform me into your likeness.  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  Let Jesus' acts on the cross truly do for you what they were intended to do today.  

19Apr2014- Leave Jesus on the Cross

How you doin?  What a treat to see Dan Mohler last night.  I love being around people who have something I want.  Dan has the manifest love of God in him.  He has truth in him.  Dan is about the closest example to Christ likeness that I've ever met in person.  He has a remarkable way of sharing the right Gospel and the good news of God.  He said, "I was taught all my that I accept Christ and then wait for the bus to come pick me up.  There's no good news in that."  If you missed Dan last night, you have two more chances.  He will be at Praise Tabernacle in E.H.T. tonight at 6pm.  He will be at Christ Fellowship again at 10am on Sunday.  Stacey, me, Audrey, and Paulie will be there for the last two meetings.  I hope you're able to come an receive what God offers through Dan.  Revelation 15 today. 

Revelation 15 is 8 verses long.  I only want to talk about one.  Verse 1, "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished."  Here's where eschatology matters.  Believing that we need Jesus to protect us from the wrath of God is just false teaching.  In believing that John's vision in Revelation is of events still to come, it allows for a lack of intimacy with the Father whom we've been reconciled to.  Why would God send His only Son to earth to do what He did just so we can get are "get out of hell free" card and wait for Him to come back and destroy the world.  That's weird.  The old covenant was based on performance and deeds.  The destruction of Jerusalem symbolizes the destruction of the old covenant.  The new covenant is all about relationship with Him.  Receiving the identity He has given us.  God didn't send His Son because we're worthless sinners that have no value to Him.  Again, that would be weird. 

John 3:17-21, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the^[f]only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”'  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  So unless you love darkness, you're in pretty good standing.  You have value.  I love how verse 21 says "he who practices the truth".  It doesn't say "he who is well behaved and follows the rules".  Good behavior and righteous living comes through the truth.  More specifically, practicing the truth. 

I'm so glad for the people/teachers that God has put in my life.  Bill Johnson pointed out how the Jews traded their offer for a relationship with God for a list of rules.  They all had the opportunity to go up to the top of the mountain and meet with God.  They sent Moses and said bring us the rules.  Bill pointed out that this is still happening on a regular bases.

Here's my point in all of this.  God's in a good mood.  God is full of good news.  God has SO many good deals for us.  I can't help but to recognize why this weekend is a weekend of "Christ-ins" celebration.  Believing in religion, human tradition, and trading in a relationship with Him for a set of rules, pulls Jesus right off the cross.  Practicing truth honors what He did on the cross.  It couldn't be a better weekend to ask yourself a hard question... "Do I have a relationship with my Father?".  After all, Jesus reconciled you to Him.  Tell Him you want a relationship with Him today.      

PS   Bill Johnson also said, "God tells us to say "YES" to relationship and I'll how to live it".  He said this in his talk about rules vs relationship.  Here's a 5 min excerpt of the talk,  http://www.bethel.tv/watch/1951/grace-works-sunday-am/2014/03/30

18Apr2014- Preaching Angels

How you doin?  The Flyers played two good periods and one bad period that cost them game one last night.  64% of the teams that win game one go on to win the series.  Come on 36%.  Good Friday.  Does anyone know why we call today Good Friday?  Dan Mohler's at Christ Fellowship tonight.  I can't wait.  Revelation 14 today.

Verse 2, "And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard waslike the sound of harpists playing on their harps."  I often pray to hear God's voice.  I love Scripture that start with "And I heard a voice from heaven".  These verses alert my ear.  This is a tremendous description of what God's voice can sound like.

Verses 6-7, "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who ^[c]live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; ⁷ and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”'  AWESOME!!!!!!!  This is a great set of instructions.  I love the "midheaven" reference.  I believe it's important to know the three levels or realms of heaven.  The first realm is earth, second is where spiritual warfare takes place, and third is where the throne room is.  So John sees this angel flying in the second realm of heaven preaching to those on earth.  COME ON!!!!!!!  That's WAY rad.

Verse 13, "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”'  I assume that when "And I heard a voice from heaven" is said, that it's Father God speaking.  I guess it could be Jesus as well.  Either way, here it's two of the trinity.  God or Jesus and the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost chimes in with "Yes".  It helps me understand why I'm so compelled to shout out in agreement during sermons or conference meetings.

Verses 14-20, are interesting to me.  Reading this through the lens of "Victorious Eschatology", makes sense because it's referring to the destruction of the Temple/Jerusalem in AD70.  The destruction of the Temple/Jerusalem in AD70 was the end of the old covenant.  All that was destroyed was built in/on the old covenant.  Very deep subject matter.  Our friend Jonathan Welton writes books on this stuff if you want know more about it.  The book of Revelation makes more sense when reading it through this lens.  Jonathan points out that the entire Christian church believed that Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation was written about the destruction of the Temple/Jerusalem until the 1800's.  In the 1800's, there was a book written by Darbin, that taught all signs and wonders had ceased and "futurism".  "Futurism" is the belief that Revelation is written about events that are still to come.  A Bible accepted by seminary schools and used by the majority of seminary students, at the time had commentary based on Darbin's teaching.  Never the less, the eschatology that's common in today's church is 200 years old, compared to the over 1800 years of truth.  I'm surprised that human tradition allowed this to happen.  Ok, let me stop being sarcastic.  Look and listen for angels in the second realm of heaven today. 

17Apr2014- The book of life

How you doin?  My annual week off for Holy week starts today.  The restaurant's in great shape and schedule is well covered.  It's time to remember what Jesus did.  I certainly remember what He did all year, but it is intensified during this recognized time we call Easter, Holy week, and Resurrection Day.  I know His death and resurrection are the focal points, but lately the Holy Ghost has been showing me the importance of His ascension.  It was His ascension that sent the Holy Ghost.  Man do I need Him.  I've found that the best way to honor what Jesus did for me isn't to be sad about His crucifixion.  It's best to believe what He says and follow Him.  Follow His example He laid down in the Scriptures.  Though His death reconciled us to God, it was also a tremendous example of spirit over soul, of denying the flesh.  Jesus' time in Gethsemane was about Him denying His flesh and conceding His will to Father God.  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Jesus conceded to the Father and was destined to bear the sin of the world.  I struggle with conceding my will to God and I'm destined to live in His abundant glory and righteousness.  It just doesn't make sense.  Revelation 13 today.

This chapter describes the other 2/3 of the "unholy trinity".  The Beast of the sea (antichrist) and the Beast of the land (false prophet).  The bottom of my NIV Bible says that the number 666 could represent Nero.  Some say that Nero came back from death as the Anti-Christ.  This is WAY over my level of academia.  My Bible's cometary says, "The first readers of this book probably applied the number to the Emperor Nero, who symbolized all the evils of the Roman empire.  (The Greek letters of Nero's name represent numbers that total 666.)"  Nero was emperor from AD54 - AD68... hmm. 

Verses 7-10, "It was also given to him to make war with the ^[e]saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been ^[f]written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ If anyone ^[g]is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the ^[h]perseverance and the faith of the ^[i]saints."  The "it" in verse 7 was the Beast's mouth.  Praise Jesus my name is written in the book of life.  The footnotes in these verses are important.  They helped me understand better. 

Well, I'm going back to praising Jesus instead of trying to figure out what hasn't been revealed to me yet.  I love Jesus more then I ever thought I could or would.  My plan is not to be sad about His death, but to honor, worship, and praise Him by believing Him.  COME ON!!!!!!!  Rejoice in the knowledge that your name is written in the book of life today.     

​PS   I mentioned yesterday that Satan only counterfeits God.  Here's more evidence.  The unholy trinity.  

16Apr2014- the devil has great wrath... not God

How you doin?  Very busy night at work last night.  I'm technically of this week for vacation, but for some reason was very lead to work at least two of my normal days, yesterday and today.  God verified to me that was the right thing to do.  God is really teaching me how to function in the work force with a servants heart.  Continually serving myself causes separation.  Serving others creates community, allies, loyalty, and fellowship.  I'm sure not everyone will see it that way, but that's their business.  Revelation 12 today.

Verses 5-6, "And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to ^[a]rule all the ^[b]nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. ⁶ Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there ^[c]she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days."  I love the imagery in these visions that John had.  How incredible must it have been to see this in a vision.  I love reading about it.

As any sports fan would, I've come to value scouting reports.  To know your enemy is to defeat your enemy.  This natural approach in sports or war works a little in spiritual warfare.  If I know Satan's tactics I can identify his attacks.  It's like having a fail proof identity theft program in my life.  It's also like having a fail proof lie detector in life.  That's a good word.  Of course as Bill Johnson said, "Spiritual warfare is the only warfare that you don't look at your opponent... you look at the Victor".  It's still good for me to know what Satan's trying to do, because it helps me realize better what God's trying to do.  Satan is not the/a Creator.  He is a liar, deceiver, and counterfeiter.  He can only do the opposite of what God does.  So again like Bill Johnson said in humor, "If you're having trouble seeing and hearing what God's doing... look at what Satan's doing".  With that being said I'll remind you of how they teach bankers to identify counterfeit money.  They teach them to know real money so well that they can identify any counterfeit.  So our discernment comes from knowledge of Him.  More then that it comes from an intimate relationship with Him.  COME ON!!!!!!!

Verses 7-17 are some of my favorite verses in the Bible in regards to Jesus' victory over death.  They are also a tremendous scouting report on Satan.  Please take time to read them on your own today.  Here are some of the ones that really stood out to me. Verses 10-12,  "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even ^[e]when faced with death. ¹² For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who ^[f]dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you,having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”'  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Verses 10-11 describe Jesus' victory so well.  The victory that dwells in us.  The victory that we should be living from.  YES!!!!!!!  Verse 12 is the most interesting to me.  I've often heard and have been guilty of giving God credit for stuff that's not His.  For example wrath and bad stuff in the world.  Here in verse 12 it says "because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath".  We tend to over play God's sovereignty.  We tend to think He's punishing us for our sin that His Son paid for in full.  This is the work of the devil.  Romans 9:6-11, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; ^[d]though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified ^[e]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved ^[f]by His life. ¹¹ And not only this, ^[g]but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."  Jesus didn't become flesh and come to earth just to make Himself look good.  Jesus did what He did to beat the devil and give us our intended power and authority.  AWESOME!!!!!!!
Verse 17, "So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her ^[k]children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus."  This is the short version of what Satan is about.  God's is about the opposite.  Don't give God credit for Satan's stuff today.
PS   The Holy Ghost pulled out His tattoo gun this morning.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!

15Apr2014- The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our lord

How you doin?  I love this week.  Holy week is probably my favorite week of the year.  I'm usually off from work all this week, but this year I'm working two days.  It's been very calm so far.  I just can't help but to love Jesus in a noticeable way this week.  I love Him every week, but this week I remember what He did more then normal.  I was listening to worship music yesterday and it was striking my heart strings in a major way.  Worship is important recognition of Him.  Revelation 11 today.

I'm not sure why Revelation isn't impacting me like most books do.  This book seems to require study.  It's hard for me to just read it as a story.  There are a lot of verses that stand out to me, but they are hard for me write about in this daily email.  The Holy Ghost has not pulled out His tattoo gun and drilled verses into me through understanding.  It's ok though.  I just keep reading.

Verses 11-13, "But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. ¹² And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. ¹³ And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; ^[i]seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven."  WOW!!!!!!!  What a scene this is.  Three and half days laying dead in the street being celebrated over and then resurrected.  The bottom cometary of my Bible says that these two men resemble Moses and Elijah.  I've heard others say that they were two nameless priest.  Either way, the power God is AWESOME!!!!!!!

Verses 15, "Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His ^[j]Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”'  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  I love the power and authority of Jesus.  He does reign forever.  He conquered death and reconciled us all back to God.  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ".  That's a belief we lack as followers of Jesus.  Earth is intended to be our Lords Kingdom.  We are not waiting for His return for freedom, we already have it.  Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".  I would suggest that the Holy Ghost is trying to teach us to pray, "Thank you Jesus for trading out the kingdom of the world for Your Kingdom".  COME ON!!!!!!! 
Two times in this chapter there was a loud voice from heaven heard.  God is always speaking to us through His Holy Ghost.  Listen for a loud voice from heaven today.

14Apr2014- Lovingkindness/Truth/Promises

How you doin?  I was watching Bethel TV and Bill Johnson opened a worship service by reading a couple verses from Psalm 86.  Of course the verses he read drew my attention to this Psalm.  In my desire to know how to pray, I certainly look to David for a model.  Psalm 86 is an amazing prayer.

Verses 1-4, "Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.
² Preserve my ^[a]soul, for I am a godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
³ Be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry all day long.
⁴ Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul."

I love how David prays for his soul as though it's very separate from the rest of him.  I think it's because David knew his spirit was seal by God and his heart was set on God, but his soul was flawed.  There are several prayers where David prays for his soul like I would pray for another person.  Certainly something to think about.

Verses 11-14, "Teach me Your way, O Lord;I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
¹² I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
¹³ For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have delivered my soul from the ^[c]depths of ^[d]Sheol."

The footnote for (d) is, "I.e. the nether world".  I love verse 11.  There's something about walking in truth.  Truth to me is vital.  Truth protects me from lies.  Truth protects me from being caught up in religion and human tradition.  I love how David prays this as a declaration.  "I will walk in Your truth".  That's not a soft prayer. 

Verses 15-17, "But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and ^[g]truth.
¹⁶ Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your handmaid.
¹⁷ Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,Because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me."

​WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  God refers to David as a man after His own heart. (Acts 13:22 & 1 Samuel 13:14)  The thing I noticed the most about David's prayers is that he prays about and for the promises of God.  2 Samuel 7:13-16, "​

 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, ¹⁵ but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom shall endure before ^[a]Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’”

 ​  David knew God on a personal level.  As flawed as he was, he walked in the truth of the promises of God.  Declaring God's promises in prayer brings them into a place where they become a reality.  God's promises are truth.  He doesn't promise anything He's not willing to deliver.  He doesn't promise anything He can't deliver.  God's promises are truth.  Psalm 89:19-37 is an amazing Scripture of God's promise and relationship to David.  God states His "lovingkindness" for David three times in that passage.  David speaks of God's "lovingkindness" three times in Psalm 86.  David knew God in his heart and spirit.  David lifted his soul up to God in prayer.  I can't imagine how David felt when he did things wrong.  I can't image the civil war that brewed in him.  The conflict between his spirit and soul.  David walked in the truth of God's promises.  As flawed as he was, it was the knowledge and belief of God's truth/promises that kept him in good relationship with God. 

Keep in mind that David lived under the old covenant and didn't have the Holy Ghost in him.  We live under the new covenant with the Holy Ghost in us.  It's possible for us to be righteous and without blemish.  Our civil war has been won.  The Spirit in us is connected to our spirit.  Our souls should be saved and freed by the Spirit.  Walking in the truth/promises of God is a vital part of following Jesus.  Receive God's abundant lovingkindness and truth today.

12Apr2014-the mystery of God

How you doin?  Stacey and I went on a dinner/movie date last night and had much needed time together.  The kids had a sleep over at Grammy and Pop Pop's.  We finally got a full nights sleep.  I was still up at 4:30am, but I laid in bed praying for an hour.  What valuable time with God that is.  When I pray like I did this morning, it's more like listening.  My part in it is to mention subjects.  I'll lift up a subject in one or two words and then wait to hear what God says about that subject.  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  I've learned to believe what I hear in my spirit and I'm learning to walk in that truth.  It really helps me connect with God on an intimate level.  Communication is a key ingredient in any/all relationships.  Revelation 10 today.

Verses 5-7, "Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, ⁶ and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, ⁷ but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He ^[b]preached to His servants the prophets."  Without getting into  the subject of eschatology verse 6 ends with "that there will be delay no longer".  Just pointing that out.  The thing that got me the most is "then the mystery of God is finished".  It makes me think of what Jesus said on the cross.  Arguably the 3 most powerful words He spoke were, "It is finished".  The "mystery of God" is very curious to me.  I've heard it said so many times "it's a mystery of God" when speaking about subjects or matters that we have not received revelation about... yet.  But here in this vision that I believe was written about in AD 68, speaks of the mystery of God being "finished".  It isn't still to come.  So what is the mystery of God.  The apostle Paul claims that the mystery of God was revealed to him in Colossians 1:24-29, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I ^[ag]do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^[ah]in Christ’s afflictions. ²⁵ Of this church I ^[ai]was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^[aj]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^[ak]saints, ²⁷ to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man ^[al]with all wisdom, so that we may present every man ^[am]complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His ^[an]power, which ^[ao]mightily works within me."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  This book was written about AD 60.  The mystery of God, "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory", was revealed to and preached by Paul.  Just as a reminder, Paul wrote the majority of the New Testament.  In John's vision the seventh angel said that the "mystery of God is finished".  Paul claims to have preached about the "mystery of God" that had been revealed to him.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "mystery of God" isn't a mystery at all.  It may be referred to as a mystery because it doesn't make sense why God did this for an undeserving people, but then His love explains that.  Here's my position, instead of justifying/rationalizing my lack of understanding and Christ likeness, I would rather communicate through prayer so to become intimate with Him.  COME ON!!!!!!!  Ponder the "mystery of God", "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" today.

11Apr2014- they did not repent

How you doin?  We went to see Dale Everett last night and loved it.  He's very anointed in God's grace and wisdom.  Please pray for Stacey.  She's is beyond exhausted.  She posted on Facebook last night, "mama needs 6 hours of sleep in a row".  She didn't get it again last night.  It's been 2 weeks of broken sleep for all of us but Audie.  Stacey and I both feel separate from God, which causes us to feel separate from each other.  I share this type of personal information for two reasons, 1) we're not exempt from the influences of the world that cause separation from God, 2) please pray for us to walk in His Presence.  Right now we're walking in faith.  I'm okay with that.  I can't always depend on walking in a feeling or a mountain top experience.  Walking in faith is good.  I need to connect walking in faith to fellowship with God.  What a project the Holy Ghost has on this one.  Revelation 9 today.

This chapter covers the 5th and 6th sounded trumpets.  Not a pretty picture.  In this horrible picture of plagues, there is some good stuff.  Verse 4, "They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads."  It's Scripture like this that makes me glad to have the seal of God on my forehead. 

Verses 20-21, "The rest of ^[r]mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; ²¹ and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."  So if you take the time to read this chapter today, you'll see some of the most gruesome punishment in the Bible.  Verse 6, "And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them."  It's brutal to read what happens to those that do not have the seal of God on them.  In all this torment and torture, mankind who lived "did not repent".  This is something that I have a hard time wrapping my mind around.  This is why I take such a position against the demonic spirit of religion.  Religion tries to convince us that we can "behave" or "deed" our way into a relationship with Him.  It teaches us to look for Him to save us, when in reality He already has.  Religion is behavior modification, like a long list of chores. Repentance means to turn from your previous ways.  In this Scripture mankind, without the seal of God, experienced horrific torment and torture and still didn't repent.  This sounds all to familiar to me.  Building up tolerance for pain doesn't make it ok to "not repent".  I hope you ask yourself some hard questions when looking at this Scripture.  Just because we don't make statues of idols, doesn't mean we don't have them.  I'm not trying to offend or upset you.  I'm just trying to get you to look hard at what may be causing separation from Him.  Wear the seal of God proudly today.           

PS   I often get 80"s pop/rock prophecy.  Today during devotional time I got, "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", by the Righteous Brothers.  Perhaps it's something to do with their name.  I know this song came out in 1964, but the movie "Top Gun" made it famous for me.  "Top Gun" came out in 1986.  So this song still qualifies as 80's pop/rock prophecy.  WOW!!!!!!!... am I old.

PPS   Stacey pointed out that feelings aren't facts.  Feeling separate from God DOES NOT mean that we are separate from God.  Jesus promises us that He will never leave or forsake us.  Dale Everett said "Don't focus on the problems... focus on the promises".

9Apr2014-Midheaven

How you doin?  Paulie's home!!!  He's not over his illness, he's just home.  Stacey was reading his MRI report and blood work report to me last night and it was enough to make us cry.  The MRI report emphasized the magnitude of the infection in his head which causes pressure and pain.  Poor guy.  I feel so bad for him.  It's interesting how God shows me things about our relationship through my relationship with my kids.  After this I can truly see how God must feel when He sees me in pain.  Not just physical pain, but emotional, metal, and most of all spiritual pain.  It's interesting how I've used this illness to try to teach Paulie how to develop copying mechanisms.  I've also tried to teach him to look to God for comfort, peace, and relief.  I'm trying to apply the same lesson to my own life and relationship with Him.  My biggest thing now is exhaustion.  We were up again last night with Paulie.  As I said, he's home, but not healed.  This is going to be a long road.  I feel asleep while watching the Flyers game last night, but was woken up by the sound of the commentators celebrating them clinching a spot in the playoffs.  17 out the last 19 years in the playoffs.  I do love the Flyers.  Revelation 8 today.

While praying this morning, I was thanking God for this opportunity to hear from Him in this devotional time with Stacey.  Then we read Revelation 8.  It's so hard to understand.  For me this is one peace of a HUGE picture.  I think the reason why the opening of the seals of judgement affected a third of the earth and sky is because the seals of judgement are one of three judgements.  The bowls of judgement and final judgement follow. 

I did like the reference to the second realm of heaven in verse 13, "Then I looked, and I heard ^[g]an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”'  The first realm of heaven is earth.  The second realm is where spiritual warfare occurs.  The third realm is where the throne room is.  This angel was speaking to the fallen angels on the earth.  I'm guessing to the people who are influenced by them as well.  Again, I believe that all of this was speaking about the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.  Eschatology does matter when it comes to how we view ushering in the Kingdom of God.  Way heavy subject matter.  That's something for you to work out on your own.  Dig a little deeper today.   

PS   Speaking of midheaven, on top of all this, I'm sick. 

Paulie's Scare

I guess it was Wednesday when Paulie's headaches started to get worse.  He was complaining about headaches, I would give him some motrin and he would be fine again.  He started waking up in the middle of the night, screaming that his head hurt.  I GOOGLED it and saw that the main cause for headaches in kids is eye strain and allergies.  So on Thursday I took him to the eye doctor.  They said that he is mildly farsighted, and that where he was complaining about the headache (temples) made sense as that is where the eye muscles were located.  We ordered glasses.

That night the crying continued.  Every 3 hours he would wake up screaming that his head hurt.  Friday I took him to the pediatrician.  She looked in his ears, nose, etc.  He didn't have a fever or any signs of an infection, no congestion.  He didn't have a rash and he wasn't vomiting.  She said maybe it was migraines, maybe it was allergies, maybe it was eye strain.  She said if it didn't get better after the weekend to come back.

Again that night we didn't get any sleep.  Every 2 hours he was screaming in pain. Saturday Morning we sat down for breakfast and Paulie threw up.  Now I had concern that he needed to have a CT scan so I took him to the ER.  They did labs and a CT scan.  Nothing really showed up except for "pan sinusitis" on the CT scan.  Pan sinusitis is a sinus infection in every one of the sinuses, not just one.  So he had a dose of IV antibiotics and got discharged with oral antibiotics.

Still no sleep and the pain was still unmanageable.  At 3am Sunday morning Paulie woke up again screaming and he threw up 4 times.  I couldn't get the vomiting to stop.  I took him back to the ER and they admitted him to get pain control and an MRI.  We even had to give him a few doses of Morphine to control the pain.  The man that does the MRI was concerned that Paulie would not hold still.  But after it was over, he commented that Paulie did better than 99% of the patients that get an MRI.

When we got back to the room, Audrey wanted to go play in the toy room and Paulie said he wanted to go too!  This was a first.  So off he went to the playroom.  He ate the 1st thing he had eaten in 2 days: a brownie bite... and he drank some water.  Grammy brought him a flashlight toy which made his day, and we started praising God for answered prayers of Paulie's healing!

The MRI showed the extent of the pan sinusitis and Paulie continued to improve with the IV antibiotics.  On Tuesday afternoon we were discharged!  Praise God!

Paulie continues to improve every day.  We were keeping updates on Facebook and I could not believe the amount of people that were praying and reaching out during this nightmare.  Most of all, we thank God for his love and care for our Paulie.  I don't know why we had to go through this, but we know that we can trust God with our everything... even our Paulie.

Words can't express our thanks to each one of you for praying for our son.  He is 100% healed and better now.  I wouldn't be surprised if we find that his sinuses are completely clear when we follow up in a few weeks with ENT.

Love you all!  Stacey

8Apr2014 - Prayer

How you doin?  I'm sad to say that my exhaustion and strained schedule has put my devotional time on the shelf.  I have been in constant prayer for accelerated healing for Paulie and peace for Stacey and I.  I know my prayers are heard.  Thank you for your prayers.  They are indeed felt.  Hopefully Paulie will be coming home today.  I'm going back to work today which puts more strain on, but we certainly can't afford to lose any more money.  The money I lost this winter looks way bigger now then it did before.  Oh well.  I know God will provide, even when I can't see how.  Stacey and I are learning through all of this.  Praise God.  Keep praying for us please.  This is NOT over.

7Apr2014 - Stand Firmly Against the Forces

How you doin?  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've been posting updates on Facebook.  Stacey always uses Facebook, but rarely ever do.  I think society has worn me down.  If you can't beat them, join them.  Any way, Paulie had his best night in a 6 nights.  He slept most of the night and went the longest amount of time without pain killers.  Praise God.  Stacey got descent rest as well.  Praise God.  A friend of Stacey's reached out to her and mentioned Daniel 10.  So I read it this morning.

Verses 12-14, "Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was ^[o]withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the ^[p]latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.”'  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Yesterday and all week really, I've asking why my prayers are hitting the ceiling.  This Scripture is encouraging.  My prayers are heard, but those who cause illness can impede or slow up the resources of heaven.  So, know I'm saying COME ON... Mike!!!!!!!  We need are boy healed and we know Gods going to do it.  Trust me when I say there is SO much going on here with me.  In the interest of time, I can't share everything.

Verse 18-21, "Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. ¹⁹ He said, “O man of ^[t]high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace ^[u]be with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰ Then he said, “Do you ^[v]understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the ^[w]prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the ^[x]prince of ^[y]Greece is about to come. ²¹ However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who ^[z]stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince."  BREAKTHROUGH!!!!!!!  I'm a total mess.  THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!  I can't even get into want just happen.  Audrey and I are off to the hospital.  We're going to stand firmly against the forces with Mike.  HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!  Be courageous and stand firmly against the forces with us today.

PS   I hope "Stacey's friend" got a chuckle out of that.

-- Life is good, God is better!

6Apr2014 - Effective Prayer

How you doin?  Stacey took Paulie back to the ER this morning at 3:50am.  What a sick (not better then great) feeling.  Watching Stacey walking out the door crying with very sick Paulie in her arms is no fun.  This situation forces us to ask why our prayers aren't healing him.  We may never understand why.  Two things came to my mind after they left.  1) What's going on in the spiritual realm to be causing this in the natural?  2) If we lost Paulie, could I life with that?  That may sound drastic, but death is a reality.  Either way, I started praying differently then I have been over the past few days.  I'm praying for the manifest love of Jesus.  I'm praying for awareness of the spiritual realm.  While pondering the two things that came to mind this morning, I thought of one of my favorite quotes from Bill Johnson, "I will not sacrifice the glory of God on the alter of human understanding".  SO GOOD!!!!!!!  God is good.  I'm sitting here writing this email wondering why I have such a hard time praying in faith, belief, and sold out dependency on the Holy Ghost.  Lord God, please teach me how to pray.  Amen.  Unanswered prayers aren't from a result of God not holding up His end of the deal.  When it comes to either God or me lacking faith, belief, identity, authority, and power, who do you think it is?  In the kids show "Super Why" they say "when we have a problem, we look... in a book".  So I'll give that a try today.  I have a problem, so I'll look in THE book.  James 5 today.

Verse 11, "We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the ^[h]endurance of Job and have seen the ^[i]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful."  This is a promise of God's character and nature that I need to hear in times of lack of understanding like now.

Verse 13-16, "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, ^[k]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵ and the prayer ^[l]offered in faith will ^[m]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, ^[n]they will be forgiven him. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective ^[o]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  Verse 14 has no affect on me.  I wish I had more trust and value for the elder's of my church.  I find myself calling on folks that don't even attend my church.  I guess I'm jaded by their unbelief.  Verse 15 is where the rubber meets the road.  I believe this promise.  Lord grant me the gift of faith for Paulie's sake.

John 14 continues to come to mind as well this morning.  Verses 12-14, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."  I recently heard it said that "My name" means in His will.  I know it's God's will for all to be healed, for all to be SOZO. 

Verses 16-17, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another ^[b]Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you."

Verse 23, "Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."

Of course John 14 is loaded with gems.  These promises are very important to me now more then ever.  Paulie is in a great deal of pain and we need the Holy Ghost.  Help us Lord.  I love the "We" and "Our" in verse 23.  Lord make your abode in us.

PS   They believe that Paulie has Pseudo-tumor Cerebra.  Don't ask me what that is.  In Jesus' name pseudo-tumor cerebra, get out.  Praise you Jesus.  If you want to know more about what's going on please call me.