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September 16, 2008
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IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EVER TO GROW IN GRACE IF YOU ARE UNSETTLED REGARDING YOUR ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOD
The “Gospel” really is "good news" Our word for gospel” actually comes from the word; “gōdspel” [gōd- good + spel- message, news], something accepted as infallible truth. The key is the discovery of the unconditional love and acceptance of God and your identity in Christ. Genesis 1:27 says that “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them”. That means that god is a spirit, he does not have a physical form or a body and He never has. Those who worship Him must do so in spirit. We do not actually “look” like God…our human spirit is the part that looks like God and enables us to be able to relate to Him. Our spirit was created to unite with His Spirit and it is through that Spirit that man enjoyed perfect relationship and fellowship with God. Our spirit is what drives us to want to be accepted, loved, valued and have purpose and meaning in life.
The Christian life is not walking around daily trying to imitate God. We cannot do that nor were we created to do that. And, if you try long enough you will soon discover that you CAN'T...it is impossible to do. You cannot, no more that you can try to live my life. Only I can live my life. From the beginning of creation, Adam and Eve had a “full, visible and perfect representation of God” They did not look like God physically…they had a certain kind of life…God’s life! That is the main issue with the deception of the enemy in the Garden…the serpent said: “you will be like God” They were already “like God”. They were created in His image or likeness…having the same characteristics or nature and creativity as God.
So, here is the good news. Because of the Cross…we have been given the very life of God. Although the Cross forgave us from guilt and shame, it did not give us the power to live here and now in this life. It was the “resurrection” of Christ from the grave and our receiving the power of the Holy Spirit through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. That is the way we live now. That is how we receive His life and nature.
He will now live His life through you! Think about it?! How many times have you said. “I am going to live like a “Christian” if it kills me”? Well, it will! It did me. You can’t do it; you might as well quit trying now! Jesus did not come to save people from going to hell or to get people out of hell... and into heaven; He came to get himself out of heaven and into men!! He did away with sin through His death on the cross, and then endowed you with His life and power and raised you to life spiritually, as He was raised physically.
Walk today in your acceptance and unconditional love. You are precious, valued and appreciated more than you know! You are the very essence of God!!
Gal. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live life in the flesh (Sense Knowledge), but Christ live in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith (belief) in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
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September 5, 2008
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END YOUR STRUGGLE TO RECEIVE FROM GOD---FOREVER!!
Does that sound way too good to be true? When I opened the ministry newsletter the headline grabbed my attention as if a lighting bolt had gone through me. I was always thought that, that was exactly the what you were suppose to do…”Struggling and Suffering for Jesus” It sounded very pious and religious…and hopefully God would see my commitment to settling for living in want and need and my desire to beg and plead with Him and He would finally have mercy on me for all my hard work! WOW! How wrong was I? Struggling was always a way of life and our reward is the mansion in Heaven…with streets paved with gold and no more pain or sickness or heartache…no more death or sadness!
Of course not…you’re dead and in heaven. All of that sounds great…but all that does me no good now…that way of thinking is nothing more than an “escape theology” that is taught by the “church and religion” that in the ”sweet by and by” we are going to be “raptured” out of all this mess. So, we struggle through life waiting for the “Eastern Sky” to split and Jesus to step out and call us home so we do not have to take responsibility for living now! And, besides that, it does me no good now…I need health, prosperity, happiness now…it would probably surprise you to discover that “rapture theology” is not even Biblical! Jesus said; I came to you, so you could have life right now, not when you die…Jesus came out of heaven to bring heaven and put heaven in us!
So, why do so many well meaning people spend there whole life "struggling" trying to get God's attention to get Him to do something or move on their behalf? Why do they do put forth such great effort and make sure that they say all the right words and pray all the right prayers, yet it seems like they are beating "a dead horse"...nothing happens. After years of trying to find the right “formula” to make this thing called “Christianity” work and it doesn’t, they simply give up...get mad...get under all this guilt and condemnation and try to figure out what it is about them that is wrong and why they have such a lack of faith. They spend years wondering why it works for others but never for them! Been there? Huh!
The reason is they have never been taught the good news of the gospel according to grace. When you realize how much God loves you and you were created just to have a relationship with Him and He has actually given you His Life, His Nature and His Being...you already have everything that you need for life. Sin Consciousness (that you will do enough or be good enough) not only robs you of a relationship with Christ…but it ROBS Him of the relationship that HE created you for!!
Righteousness is the very life of Christ inside of us...God actually reproduced himself inside of each of us. (Let us make man in our image [nature]) We have favor with men not based on what you have done…but rather, because people see Him in us and they do not even know why they show us favor. You will not receive healing or favor or prosperity or happiness…He is health, prosperity, life and happiness. You cannot separate the gift from the giver!
In order for the relationship to be nurtured and grow, all we need do is LOVE OTHERS and LOVE HIM. Make it your goal today to learn how much God loves you as demonstrated by your love for others around you. Make an investment in the success of someone today.
1 Timothy 1:5 "The whole point of what we are urging is simply love--love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into the cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religion, but have not the faintest idea of what they are holding forth with such imposing eloquence" (taken from The Message Bible)
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September 4, 2008
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THE "PROMISE LAND" WAS NEVER ABOUT A PIECE OF LAND
Having lived in a large metropolitan city for nearly all of my life, I have become well aware of the plight of the homeless that aimlessly roam the streets and back alleyways of our city searching and seeking a handout or something that they do not even know what they are looking to find. Yet, every night without fail they began to line up like ants at the soup kitchens and Rescue Missions throughout the city seeking a place of shelter, looking for some...doorway, portico, abandoned house or building, any place of protection from the rain and the cold or the darkness of night and a place to lay down for even a few minutes to just to rest and be sheltered from the outside elements of daily life.
When we come into full acceptance and knowledge of our place as the Righteousness of God, and we begin to fully understand how much Father-God loves us and longs for relationship with us, we realize that our entrance into the "Promise Land" is not, and never was about a physical location or piece of land.
The “Promise Land” is a way of thinking. It is a confidence and peace that comes from being in the Shelter of Almighty God. The “Promise Land” is about a place of provision and abundance and protection. It is moving from the bondage and misery of want and lack, moving from “never enough to more than enough”.
This place is a place that I have come to understand as “The Place of Immunity” Francis Fragipane describes it as...”a spiritual fortress and stronghold where we find protection and comfort and a place where we are feed and find of victory over the darkness”. Immunity is defined in the dictionary as "freedom or exemption, as from a penalty, burden, duty or evil." (I think it is interesting that the Hebrew word for “shelter” actually means “victory”!) This is exactly what relationship and our righteousness is all about. This is the place where God created us to live and walk; in freedom from the penalty, guilt, shame and burden of the past, delivered from the duties of legalistic religion and meaningless forms of ritual and performance, trying to find the right “formula” that “hopefully” will work this time. It is a place that we are protected, triumphant and victorious over the assaults that will come against us.
The scriptures teach us that ..."He hath shielded us and cared for us, regarding us as the apple of his eye..." Deut. 32:10. Remember to move through this day in joyful expectation, for you are walking in the Shelter of God where all of your needs have already been met in expectation of your arrival!!
2 Peter 1:3 "For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that are [requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him, Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence” (virtue)
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September 3, 2008
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ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY DEAD?
Have you ever thought about why there is so much talk in popular commercialized and watered-down “Christianity” about sin, repentance for sin and how very little is ever said about Eternal Life? The “church” and “religion” are very quick to always talk about all that is wrong with us, how bad we are, and all of the things that we are not suppose “to do”, but very little is ever said or taught about who we really are. I cannot tell you how many books are written and sermons that have been preached on our “wormship” (DPL emphasis. I love that word. )… we even love to sing “Praise and Worship” songs about our broken nature…or sinful nature.
Because the scriptures teach that we have been given, (by birth) the nature of the adversary (Sin Consciousness). That nature is the cause of all sin, misery and sickness in the human race. It has given us an inferiority complex, a sense of unworthiness, a sense of sin and shame, guilt and fear. It has caused us to live in jealousy and bitterness. The “church” is so very quick to keep us in the bondage of our past and “sin Consciousness”, because many teachers are afraid that is people find our who they really are…they will rebel against the “church” and quit coming…and they will stop “paying” their membership dues to the “country club…or the “church” and the preacher can’t drive the Jaguar anymore….If you think I sound cynical, you are exactly right….the “church” is still talking about things no one cares about anymore…or still answering questions that no one is even asking! (Read George Barna’s book “Revolution”)
In order for this to change, the "sinner" must have a New Nature (Righteousness Consciousness). The old nature has to be taken out of him and the New Nature is imparted in place of the old. This New Nature is Eternal Life. It is the solution to the human problem. It is a complete package: Forgiveness, Healing and Prosperity. Eternal Life was never about dying and going to heaven, just like the “Promised Land” was never about a “piece of property. It was about a way of thinking! Eternal Life is God's Nature.
Eternal Life is the very Nature of God's Substance and His Being. With this new nature comes no more remembrance of a past life, or of sin or mistakes which constantly hold us in bondage and guilt ( which, btw…is exactly where the “church” want to keep us!). This New Nature is our Righteousness, Holiness and Love. It was not “reckoned” to us as it was Abraham and Moses. We are re-created with it…we have become New Creations created in Christ Jesus.
The term "New Creation" means a new thing, something never heard of before!! It means coming out of nothing or having never existed before. Rejoice today in the fact that you are Righteousness of God...you are BRAND NEW!! (Emmanuel...God in a man's body.) God has re-created Himself in you! (WOW!!)
2 Corinthians 5:17: " If any man is in Christ, there is a New Creation: the old things have passed away; and all things have become new."
( Last time I checked…”all” means “all”!)
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September 1, 2008
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TWO KINDS OF TRUTH
This morning I must minister to you out of my recent journey. Have you had one of those days or weeks that just seem to drain every bit of the life you have out of you, emotionally, physically, relationally and spiritually? Believe me! They are going to happen… there are going to be those days that it seems like all HELL is breaking loose in your life and guess what? It is! Jesus said that in the world you will have tribulation, heartache, grief, and despair, and when it comes, know that it did not come from me. Jesus said be excited and happy because I have overcome the world. Greater is He who (lives) in you than he that is in the world. (I John 4:4) God is faithful to perform what He has promised...and it is at times very overwhelming...but IT IS GOD'S ABILITY WITHIN US that we overcome those trying times.
You see; there are two kinds of Truth: Sense Knowledge Truth, and Revelation Truth; or Righteousness Consciousness and Sin Consciousness, and they are always opposed to each other. Sense Knowledge Truth tells you that you are in great need and that in spite of all you do, you will never be good enough and what you do will never be enough...it tells you that you are sick or you are broke and poor and will forever live in poverty and you cannot take one more thing. It is in these times that we MUST remember our confession, not of our sin…and how poor we are, but our confession of who we are! We stand on our confession that we are New Creations...we are in Christ, a child of God with His nature and His substance and His being living inside of us. We stand on our confession that we are the Righteousness of God and that fact alone completely stands opposed to Sense Knowledge.
Look at it his way…The FACT is that my back hurts and I am in pain or in need, but, that is not the TRUTH! You know that as the Righteousness of God, the TRUTH is that pain was apart of, or (under) the CURSE. The finished work of Christ on the Cross put away forever the CURSE. So, FACT is not TRUTH. TRUTH is what Christ accomplished at Calvary! The TRUTH is that we have been REDEEMED from the CURSE.
We are to hold fast to our confession in the face of apparent contradiction...we stand in the presence of Sense Knowledge facts and declare what God says about us!! Sense Knowledge says that it is not true and that you are confessing something that is not true, but you are confessing what God says IS TRUE!
I have come to the place that I live in the spirit realm above the senses; I refuse to be intimidated by sense evidence and have my life governed by what I feel or see. So, Child of God, when all hell is breaking loose (or has broken loose) ...remember, in spite what your senses are feeling, know that your expectations are from Him. The power (His) that is within you is the Holy Spirit and He is greater than the forces that surround you. Today...walk in YOUR power and authority!
Philippians 2:1: “For it is GOD (His life, power and creativity) who is at work within you, willing and working his own good pleasure."
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August 29, 2008
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THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
I have spoken often about the importance of relationship and that we were created for relationship with our Father God…and He really is our Father-God... I have shared with you how important it is to know and understand that because of Jesus finished work at the Cross; we are the Righteousness of God. Because we are the Righteousness of God and we have His life, His power and creativity actually being lived through us, we are able to stand in His (God’s) presence free of guilt, shame, condemnation, or judgment. We are able to stand in the presence of evil or darkness without fear or intimidation and we are able to stand in rightful place and take our authority over every situation and circumstance of life that we face.
This really hit home with me in such a beautiful way no long ago, that I had to share it with you today. I had dinner not long ago with two of the most beautiful people that I have ever had the privilege of calling friends. It had been at least 10 years or so since we last had seen each other...at one point in our lives, we had been as close as any friends could be, we live in the same city...within 40 miles of each other, knew the telephone number and address of each other, and we could have just as easily picked up the phone and spoken on a frequent if not regular basis, but as always, some how right in the middle of life…life happens and it always gets in the way of the things that are most important to us.
When we met for dinner that night, we laughed and we hugged for what seemed like hours...and as we began to talk and get caught up on each others lives, we shared what had been going on for the past 10 years, we talked it was as though the past 10 years had been simply and afternoon apart! Because of the relationship we had always shared, it seemed as if no time had passed at all and we simply took up right where we had left off 10 years earlier. It was amazing that the very same open invitations as before were still there and we began to plan and look forward to our next time together. After all of those years and time that passed, we were still just as close as we had always been.
It is interesting that during our entire dinner conversation that night, there was never one mention of "where have you been...or what happened...! I cannot tell you how many times since that night that God has reminded me that our relationship was a mirror reflection of how much He loves and cares for us and how He can't wait to see us, to hold us, talk and catch up...no matter where we have been or how long it has been since our last meeting. Go see Him today!! He can't wait to see you! You are so precious and valuable to Him!
Luke 15:22-24 "Bring quickly the best robe, and give him a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet...bring out the fatted calf and lets eat and celebrate...feast and be happy...let's party!! (DPL paraphrase) This, my son that was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.
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August 28, 2008
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I AM WHAT GOD SAYS I AM, I CAN HAVE WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN HAVE, AND I CAN DO WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN DO!!!
WOW!! What a powerful confession! Isn’t that so much better and much more enjoyable than walking around telling God what a “worm” you are and how poor, sick, tired, broke and in need you are. That wears me out and I have not even done anything! You do realize that these confessions are a declaration of victory over defeat, failure, poverty, sickness and weakness. You are not confessing sin (as we have been taught by religion to do on a regular basis because it is good for the soul…WRONG!)…because, after all, your sin has already been dealt with at the Cross!! So, why do you feel the need to keep reminding yourself of the very thing that Jesus dealt with for you? (Because it makes you feel better to whine!) God does not even know what you are talking about.
Jesus said in John 8:12; "I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light (knowledge) which is Life.” The definition of "Darkness" literally means; “uncertainty and lack of assurance”. It means hesitancy, halting, fear and that the light has been extinguished and that you are not sure of the next step. As the righteousness of God, you have been delivered out of darkness. (Sense Knowledge...living by what you see, hear feel, taste and smell) You have been translated (transfigured/transferred) into the realm of light. (Revelation Knowledge, Righteousness Consciousness)
As you dare to daily make this confession, (which, by the way, is more than a mere statement). It is your Declaration of Independence! So, hold fast to it and stand on it, refuse to yield to a single moment of fear. Your righteousness wipes out everything that you have ever done. Righteousness is much more than forgiveness, it is a clean slate and a statement that you stand complete in Him. Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes these words; “I am His workmanship created in Christ Jesus”. God has imparted His Nature and His very life, substance and being in you...He has recreated Himself in you...Walk today in the fact that you are more than a conqueror!! (Being “more than a conqueror”; means that you never even went to war!)
Col 1: 13 “He who hath delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
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August 27, 2008
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SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS IS THE MAIN REASON YOUR UNHAPPY!!
Have you ever found yourself becoming frustrated because the more you search for happiness the worse you feel and the more confused you become? The main reason is because we have always confused happiness with destiny... so; we continue to live our lives daily in the insatiable search for something that you are never going to find.
You must understand that your destiny is tied to your identity, and therefore, when you realize that your identity is your destiny, your search for meaning and acceptance is over! This constant search for the perfect job, perfect church, perfect wife or husband, perfect girlfriend or boyfriend will never end until you understand that you will never find those things looking where you have been looking.
We have all been taught to seek out our destiny...I have some life changing news for you today....QUIT LOOKING!! Destiny is NEVER DISCOVERED for your life, Your DESTINY IS ALWAYS UNCOVERED IN YOUR LIFE!! That means that you already have everything and have always had everything that you need to be what God created you to be and created you to do. Your sole purpose for being born is to be in relationship with Him…everything else evolves out of that relationship. You already have your destiny, you need look no further than right inside of you...Your destiny… is your true identity...and when you quit searching for it you will find it.
You see when you know who you are...you don't have to be anybody else...just YOU! You are THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!! Your destiny was placed in you through what Jesus accomplished at the Cross and His words; “It is finished”! Your New Birth created you with His Nature!! No more struggles, no more fear, no more searching!! This is a new day. Celebrate today as you walk in your newly uncovered destiny!
Eph 3:19 “And know the love of Christ which surpasses (sense) knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God"
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August 21, 2008
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ARE YOU TIRED OF GIVING IT ALL YOU'VE GOT?
Have you ever come to the place where you are simply worn out with being worn out? I like to express it this way; “are you sick and tired of being sick and tired”? Does it seem like the "more you do...the “behinder” you get?" If your answer was yes to any of those questions, then you and I have a lot more in common than you might think. We may or may not have met personally, but I can guarantee you, we have all been to the same school... (and we have more than a tee shirt to show for it!) It is called the School of Performance and we are still trying to figure out how to graduate...after all these years.
From the very early years of our childhood and well into our adult lives we are taught to perform to get what we want... Think about it? Everything that we were taught was always CONDITIONAL!
- Eat your supper, AND THEN you can have a cookie.
- Take out the garbage, AND THEN you can have your allowance.
- Finish your "to do" list, AND THEN you can go off with your friends.
- Do you your homework, AND THEN, you can watch TV.
- Use these beauty products, AND THEN you will find the perfect mate.
- Work more hours or more jobs, AND THEN you can have all this stuff!!
- Join our church (religion), AND THEN you will go to heaven.
The list goes on and on and on... We have always been taught that there is a direct correlation between how hard we work and how much we are rewarded. The tragedy of this formula is that we carry it over into every area of our lives including our spiritual lives. You have heard the old saying..."Well, You know…God helps those who help themselves..." The problem is that first it is not biblical and second it is simply not true!! The only place that we can go where we are finally able to stop the performance track is at the end of our rope!!
When you come to the end of yourself and you are worn out and tired of "trying with all your mite to act like a Christian" going through the all the meaningless motions and useless rituals that always leave you feeling worse about YOU then when you began. I have a wonderful word for you today!! QUIT!!
Do you know that the Greek word that we translate "Grace" actually means "Love Gifts". The dictionary definition of “Grace” is very interesting; Grace means: “unmerited help given to people by God, freedom from sin, used as a title in referring to Royalty (your Grace), APPROVAL, ACCEPTANCE, CHARM, ATTRACTIVINESS, and BEAUTY”. WOW! And the very same Grace that has given you salvation, health and prosperity…teaches us how to live everyday...without performing!! NOW, THAT IS The GOSPEL OF GOOD NEWS! (I would go to that church!!)
So, I say to those of you who have spent your lives trying to give it your all...trying to live up to an impossible standard, still seeking ways to be that "good Christian" (which BTW is totally non-existent) trying your very best to please God only to discover that you can't ever do enough...You are ACCEPTED just like you are! This passage is for you today:
Matthew 11:28 "Come to ME, all of you who labor and are heavy laden (with the performance trap of religion), and I will cause to rest. (I will ease and relieve you and refresh your soul {your mind})
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August 20, 2008
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FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN
Have you ever thought about why things seem to go so easy for some believers and it takes every bit of strength you can muster just to get through the day and all of life seems to be such a struggle for others? The Gospel of Luke tells us that "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in years, and in favor with God and Man".
The Greek word that we translate "favor" means: to have “divine influence upon the heart and it's reflection in life”. Do you realize what that means? That means that everywhere you go and everything that you do you have influence that others do not have. There is special consideration upon you that cause people to act different towards you and on your behalf!! (Here is the real "kicker"...most of the time they do not even know why they are doing it!) There is just something that is different about you that cause them to show you preference and preferential treatment above others.
The reason that favor is shown to some and not others is because they have tapped into the power of the Kingdom of God. In other words, they know who they are and whose they are!! Think about this for a minute, do you think for one minute that Nichole Kiddman or Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anniston or President Bush or any one of the top 10 American Idol finalist do not expect to get the very best seat in the very best 5 star restaurant in town or tickets to the sold out hottest show sitting on the front row!! They expect it because they know who they are!! Every morning they walk out of the house to a waiting limo expecting to be treated like the "Celebrity" and the "Star" that they are.
Why should we, as royalty, think or be treated any less? The reason we are not, is because we do not know who we are...Walk around today with you head held high and with a swagger that in the FACT that you are the Righteousness of God. If Jesus walked in the Favor of God and Man during His earth-walk, remember that we have His life and His nature and His creativity being lived through us right now...you and I have the very same power and favor that was available to Jesus, and it is ours TODAY!
So, the next time that you pull right into the front parking place in the crowded Mall parking lot or all of the lines in the grocery store are backed down the aisle and when you go to get in line and they call for a new check out to be opened, they opened a new register just for you! Remind yourself out loud..."that is the favor of God!" Watch for it to happen...it will make you laugh out loud. Enjoy the ”Red Carpet” VIP treatment...it was meant for you! (Don’t be surprised if Ryan Seacrest shows up with a microphone and ask you who you are wearing today!!)
Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom, (in broad and full understanding of who HE was {through study}) in stature and years, and in favor with God and Man.
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August 19, 2008
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YOUR EMOTIONS ARE ALWAYS RULED BY YOUR MIND
We talk a lot about how as the Righteousness of God and how we do not live by Sense Knowledge or what we feel, see, touch, taste and smell. That is what is known as Subjective living…or living by our emotions. You see, emotions have no intellect, they cannot tell the difference between good and bad, between fact and fiction, or between past, present and the future. Emotions simply correspond to how they are programmed. They are programmed by what we think. (“As a man thinks in his heart so he is”)
Our emotions are the most vivid aspect of our daily experiences. How many times have you heard the old cliché; “Perception is reality”. Sadly, for most people that is true. Perception is how we see something. The overwhelming feelings that we have seem like reality because we have not been set free from the bondage of subjective living. Our emotions simply are responders to whatever we put in our minds. You feel something because you think something. When you feel angry you were thinking about something bad or you had some negative experience that you continue to dwell on. You feel intimidated, invaluable and jealous because of an experience that you had where you thought you were being compared to another or in competition with another.
We have these emotions because we see or imagine ourselves to be in a particular place or situation. Think about it, how many times have you had negative thoughts about a situation or a person as you were getting ready in the morning and when you get to work or the office the very first person you see or the first thing that you experience is that scenario that you played out in your mind when you looking in he mirror as you were getting ready. What happens? Automatically you become angry and mad. Nothing has even happened to you!! It is all because of what you allowed to be put in your mind earlier in the morning. Our feelings will only respond to what we put in our minds!!
The focal point of the Bible is never directed toward our feelings but always toward our minds and speaks directly to this in our verse for today, read the scripture out loud to yourself...what does it say? “We are not transformed by the renewing of our emotions, but of our minds”. Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus”. Do you understand that we actually have the Mind of Christ!
Our lives can only be renewed daily as we change our thinking from what we think to the way God thinks. As you present your mind to the Sprit of God, He will use truth to dispel the darkness and negative patterns of thinking. Learn today to look at life and others from His perspective.
Romans 12:2:" Do be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing (always on others, never on yourself) and perfect will.
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August 13, 2008
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WHY IS GOD'S WORD NOT SUFFICIENT?
Do you remember the old cliché..."Well, the Bible said it, I believe it, and that settles it!!" That sounded really spiritual as we quoted it and put it on bumper stickers on the back of our car...but the fact of the matter is that it does not matter whether we believe it or not. The Word speaks for itself and it is settled. So, why is it that it is not enough for us to read what the Bible says, and stand on the fact that it applies to us and simply act on it? It is though we are expecting God to speak to us personally or maybe even audibly. (I have even said, I am waiting to hear from God and I waited...and waited...and waited...) Instead of us standing on the promise of God and moving in what we know, we wait for God to speak to us directly or individually. Again, because we think that He should do something fro us that He has not or is not doing for anyone else! God is never going to do anymore than He has already done. God is not under any obligation to speak anything to us other than what He has already spoken through His Word.
It looks like we are being very spiritual as we wait on God individually, when in fact what we are doing is limiting God--what we are really saying is that His Word is not enough for us-- today. Think about it? What do you think would have happened to the armies of Israel had the soldiers said to Joshua..."You know Josh, before we march around Jericho...I think I need to hear from God personally on this one!"...God did not give the battle plans to all of Israel. God spoke and gave His word to the leaders. Had the army waited to hear from God individually, they would have ended up just like the generation before them DEAD!! They would have never received or entered their promise land.
We miss so much by sitting and waiting on God...thinking that we have to hear from HIM WITH A SPECIAL INVITATION TO MOVE!! So, get up off your “blessed assurance” and take action today on what you know the Word of God says to you...whether or not you "feel any special leading" Remember…You are what He says you are...The Righteousness of God...You can have what He says you can have!! Whether you feel it or not!
I Thessalonians 2:13 "...And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising it's superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it
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August 12, 2008
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TRUE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OCCURS THROUGH INTIMACY
I was approached not long ago at meeting by a young man who had only been married a few months and I could tell by the glow on his face that he was definitely still on his honeymoon... (Do you remember those days?) And to be completely honest with you, of all the things people ask me as I travel, I have never been ask this before. The young man came up to me and said; "Do you operated in the gifts of the Spirit? I responded Yes, and he went on...So, could you tell me what was it that first caused them to manifest in your life?...Wow...I thought...that is a pretty pointed question, Yet , without any hesitation at all, I opened my mouth and out came...intimacy, no question. It was my developing a true intimacy with the Father... Spending time in his presence...just getting alone, closed off with Him just to get to know Him. Just "hanging out together" That has been the thing that has developed areas of my life that I could have never even dreamed could be possible.
It is the very same way that you develop true intimacy (in-to-me-see) with those that are close to you, you do it by spending time with them...finding out what is important to them, what they like and dislike...Would you like to know something that not many come to understand? You see, I have truly found the secret to life...the answer to every situation and circumstance in life...are you ready?...the answer is found in Eph 3:16: " May he grant you out of the rich treasury of HIS glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit (Himself dwelling in your innermost being and personality).
That is it, which is the secret to of a rich spiritual understanding of the Word, the secret of an intimate fellowship with the Father, and the secret of a growing faith. True “intimacy” always and only comes from the "inside out" never from the "the outside in" !
Live life to the fullest today and enjoy today the intimacy of your walk with your Father...you will discover things about you that you never dreamed were possible...watch "the fruits of your spirit" begin to manifest as you step out and begin to walk!
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August 11, 2008
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SIN CONSCIOUSNESS VS RIGHTEOUSNESS CONSCIOUSNESS
(Sense Knowledge vs. Revelation Knowledge)
I will never forget the day or the moment that I came into the realization that I had lived my whole life in Sense Knowledge...living only by what I could see, touch, smell, feel and hear. Little did I realize that all that time that I spent begging and pleading with God to work on my behalf, thinking I simply was not doing enough to please God or that He just was not pleased with me, that “I” was actually the one who had been limiting God and what He was able to do in my life and what He really wanted to do.
You see, all of my Christian experience was spent in doubt and condemnation (Sin Consciousness, feeling guilty because I just was not doing something right…or things would be different)) all of which gave me a sense of inferiority, low self esteem and a complex that robbed me from confidence and faith in myself, in God and His Word. I never truly knew how to pray, thus all of my prayers were prayers of desperation, always begging and pleading with God.
Today, when I hear people begging and pleading with God, to move on their behalf...my heart breaks for them, because I know the bondage of religion they are under and the joy they are missing. “Sin Consciousness” held me in bondage all these years...my life just never was what I thought it should be...I had been very religious and spiritual...doing a lot of things...preaching...mission trips...teaching, giving, singing, praying, working (HARD) for and in the church (I was suffering for Jesus…because that was what I was taught!)...yet for some reason, I was never satisfied...I always miserable and wanting more...I cannot tell you how many times I have read, memorized and quoted scripture after scripture...getting up at 4 & 5 o'clock in the morning walking the floor and praying until 8 and 9, crying and begging and pleading for help and for peace. My college and theological education left me hungry…my theology and theories left me empty...God was never really real to me, always very distant.
When I "got saved" it was all about "being converted", and "joining the church." I never knew that "Eternal Life" was anything other than I was going to heaven when I died...yet there is and was SO much life between my "conversion" and my dying and going to heaven...I never knew "Eternal Life" was about me receiving the very Nature and Life of God. I really was a New Creation, I am the Righteousness of God...I am a partaker of the His Divine Nature, He actually recreated Himself inside of me...my confession (agreement with God) now is my Righteousness Consciousness...not scripture or reciting the promises of God...Walk in your Righteousness today and know that it is not an experience, but it is the doorway to the abundance of a lifetime!!
If this is where you find yourself today, do not get under guilt shame and condemnation. Simply QUIT! Now, how easy was that…? God could less about how good you are at memorizing and using beautiful language and long hours to tell Him about you!
Romans 5: 1, 2: " Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
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August 8, 2008
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SIN CONSCIOUSNESS PRODUCES FALSE CONCEPT OF GOD!
If the title for today's "Power for Living" sounds like a newspaper headline...it should!! It should send shock waves around the universe just as the morning of 9 -11, when we were awakened to the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City...an attack on our freedom, our liberty, our nation and on everything that America has ever stood for. We have shown since that day that we will not stand for that...yet, why do we allow people to live in fear and doubt and condemnation if we could do something about it!! Why do we not wage an “all out war” and attack on “religion”?
Our “Sin Consciousness” (which is living by our 5 senses…sight, feeling, hearing, smell and touch) has made us see God as a holy, just, austere, and unfriendly and unapproachable Being who stands ready to "zap" us with a lighting bolt every time we make a mistake or do something wrong. We have been taught by the “church” and “religiosity” to see God as always on the defensive to discover our sin and condemn us. This concept of God has made us afraid and fearful of Him and caused us to run away from God rather than run to Him. NEWS FLASH! STOP! We have never been given the whole picture...
Everything but relationship has been taught by the “church” and it has never been given its rightful place. We have never been taught to see ourselves as the very sons and daughters of God, only that we are unworthy sinners and “a worm such as I”. Because, we are the Righteousness of God, we have free access to God as our Father (Abba / Daddy, which is where the problem lies for most people!)...Our New Creation should always be at the forefront of our lives, and that all of the old things that were associated with our "fallen nature" are passed away. All of the doubt, fear, condemnation, and the bondage to sickness, disease (dis-ease) and want, living in lack are gone.
Every time that we confess our weakness and beg God for “more power”, we acknowledge our doubt and fear. Each time our prayers are in desperation...we refute the finished work of Jesus on the Cross and belittle ourselves and our position in the Kingdom. We are actually saying that what Jesus did and accomplished at Calvary was not enough for us…that we need Him and have to have Him do something “special” just for us. His death, burial and resurrection for our redemption were not enough!
As a New Creation we are complete in Christ...perfectly cared for and perfectly loved...completely free! (Now... that is story for the papers!!) Help spread the news today!
John 16:27 “For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me {Jesus} and believed that I {Jesus} came from the Father.
I John 1:32 "Beloved, we are now the (adopted) children of God..."
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August 7, 2008
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FAITH IS ONLY A PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE!!
Are you ready for a thought today that is so exciting that you will not hardly be able to sit still...you will have to run out of your house, down the street or around your little cubicle this morning shouting to everyone you see!! Here is the TRUE definition of Faith…
Faith is the knowledge of the reality of our union with Christ in God. Faith knows that we have His Life and Nature in us!
- Faith has ceased to be a problem.
- Righteousness has ceased to be a problem.
- Sin is no more a problem!!
- Lack ceases to be a problem.
- Want and Lack is no more!
- Son-ship has ceased to be a problem.
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We are now New Creations. We are children of God.
We are the Righteousness of God
Now that we understand what it means to be the Righteousness of God, we can and always have been able to approach our Father-God at anytime, anywhere...with any request and know that not only do we have His full attention,(no performance!), we can know that He is so excited to see us and before we even ask we already have what we need! (I am just about beside myself this morning writing this to you...my hair is standing up on my arms and I have chill bumps!!) We are not problem children… we are children endowed with His ability...empowered with His energy.
It is important to understand how powerful it was to be “adopted” in Jewish law. According to the law, a natural born child could be disowned for whatever the reason…but a child that had been “adopted” could never ever be disowned! Satan's dominion over us has been broken. We are complete and it is a finished thing!! GLORY! GLORY! GLORY!
Psalm 27:1 " The Lord is my Light (wisdom and knowledge) and my Salvation (Deliverance, healing, provision)-whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold (a way of thinking) of my life-of whom shall I be afraid!"
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August 6, 2008
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WHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS REALLY MEANS!
From the conception of "Daily Power for Living", you have read as I share with you every day about what God has taught me and is continuing on a daily basis about Righteousness. I truly believe that there is no other word or concept in the Bible that is more misunderstood and under estimated than that of Righteousness. The actual definition of Righteousness is; The very nature and life of God imparted inside of us...which gives us the ability to stand in His presence without fear, guilt, shame, condemnation); yet wrapped within righteousness is everything that all of mankind has searched and longed for. It is the very thing that we crave daily and do not even know what “IT” is that we are seeking. Righteousness is the very thing that has given birth to every major religion in the universe...the search to try to get rid of "Sin Consciousness", low self-esteem, and unworthiness.
We use the word “Righteousness” so casually, without ever really knowing what it truly means...like many words in the scripture we simply read over them and use them and never have full understanding of their meaning. The reason is because we see them from Sense Knowledge eyes and there is no way to fully understand the things of the Spirit without Revelation Knowledge. I will never forget the day that I came to fully understand this message, it has changed my whole life and the way I view scripture and spirituality. I see things that I have never seen; and out of over twenty years of ministry...I had no idea what I was talking about until now
I must stop here and share a personal word...I lived under such guilt, shame, condemnation, fear, anger, depression, frustration, lack, want, jealousy, anxiety, and intimidation, all of which drove me to produce and work harder and harder...trying to be successful that I became my own worst enemy, the biggest problem I had was ME!!...I hated me; other people, church, ministry and I lived in misery (and made everyone around me miserable!!). IDENTITY WAS and IS MY DESTINY! (we will talk more about that later!!)For years...my drive for acceptance, popularity, fame, money, cost me a marriage, a relationship with my daughter, a relationship with my family, friends and ultimately my health! All of this because I had to be RIGHT; and I will have to say that I have never been SO WRONG IN ALL MY LIFE! I was worse than a "Bull in a China Shop" forcing my way through life...pushing and shoving...doing whatever it took to get whatever I WANTED no matter what the cost!! All because I had NO EARTHLY IDEA WHO I WAS!! I finally came to understand that my
Righteousness restores to GOD and Man everything that was lost in "The Fall"....everything that was lost in "MY FALL"....A RELATIONSHIP...with ALL the full rights and privileges. Now, my passion, and reason for getting up everyday, is to share true intimacy (in-to-me-see) with my Father-God...not be seen or noticed.
My desire is now to share daily with you and others, and make sure I do everything and anything I can to assure that you get everything that you want and need and that you WIN everyday...instead of ME!! My passion is to help you gain the freedom that you need from the (error) bondage you have been under that keeps you from getting all that is promised to you. Always remember; True love (agape) means that others always win at your expense!
2 Corinthians 5:21: " For our sake, He made Christ to be sin (take on our sin nature), who knew no sin (had no sin nature), so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as becoming in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved, and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness.]
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August 5, 2008
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FELLOWSHIP IS THE OBJECT OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
I teach nearly every day on Righteousness Consciousness vs. Sin Consciousness, so I think it is important for me to take a minute this morning to explain the difference. Sin Consciousness is identified as always feeling unworthy and never good enough to have a relationship with Father-God, it is always being aware of what we do not have…our want and lack and need...it has nothing to do with “smoking and drinking and hanging out with them that are doing” Sin Consciousness has nothing to do with activities or actions or negative patterns of behavior but rather the awareness of the fact that we think, we will never measure up. We always have to prove ourselves…or if you please, that we are never valuable no matter what. (remember the old hymn…”such a worm as I). Let me put it this way…Sin Consciousness robs us of our faith and fills us with a sense of guilt and shame and unworthiness that dominates our lives. Sin Consciousness was born the moment that Adam hid from God, and he was afraid to meet Him, (Adam, where are you? When God spoke those words…it wasn’t like God did not know where Adam was…) Adam, then tried to cover up his nakedness in the garden. Guilt and shame robs us of our fellowship with God as well as with each other. (Interesting that Adam used a fig leaf which represents “religion” in the Old Testament…hum?)
Think about it this way, how many times have you not returned phone calls or e-mails or stayed away from someone because of something that took place in your relationship that caused you to feel guilty or ashamed or even embarrassed? Or, if you have ever been in the uncomfortable position of “owing” someone money that you may have borrowed from them…and so every time you are around them it is hard to be “present” or have a relationship with that person because you are afraid that they are going to mention what you owe them and you are always wondering if they are going to ask for it back or when you are going to pay it back…Was the relationship with that person broken? NO...the relationship is still there but there was definitely a change in the fellowship...it is no longer there.
That is exactly what Sin Consciousness does; it robs you of that relationship and keeps you out of fellowship because of guilt, shame, fear and inferiority. You always feel like you have “to do” something to have or keep that relationship...even with God. The only way to have a relationship with Him is to pay what you think or have been taught that “you owe Him”…and how uncomfortable is that?
Righteousness, on the other hand, is the ability to stand before the Father without guilt, shame and inferiority...it is all about relationship...and relationships are about fellowship. If you have no fear, shame, guilt or inferiority...then the relationship can be restored. That is exactly what Righteousness Consciousness does, it RESTORES THE RELATIONSHIP. You can be in a relationship and not have fellowship!! The object of Righteousness is relationship; the object of relationship is always going to be fellowship. The word that is translated "fellowship" actually means "communion" or blissful harmony. You see, communion and fellowship are identical; they are the very same word. Communion means that our spirit and God’s Spirit are one! We now assume the true position of a son...not a slave! (Slave equals a works mentality, a slave works for a meager survival, always… barely getting by, while the master thrives and prospers from his work.)...we now bear the burdens of the Father, we now have control of the family business...We now have fellowship with the Father, with the Son and with the Holy Spirit.
Because our relationship is now restored, we enjoy the same unique fellowship with the Father that Jesus did. There was no sense of guilt, no sense of shame, or sin, or inferiority, no sense of condemnation ever present in Jesus life or His spirit. Jesus had no sense of lack or want!! When He needed money, He told Peter (the fisherman) to go do what he did best! ....go fishing and the very first fish he caught would have the money needed in its mouth!! (WOW!! WHAT A CONCEPT!! I can't believe the money didn't fall out of the sky or checks appear in the mailbox!! He (Peter) actually had the skill to go get it! (That is another message for another day!!) Remember; Righteousness means that we have the nature of GOD re-created inside of us...which means that we have Jesus life in us actually being lived through us!! Jesus has no sense of lack of money. Jesus had no sense of lack of love, lack of knowledge or ability in any circumstance. He no Sin-Consciousness, HE had no Inferiority Complex...and NEITHER SHOULD WE!! RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE ALL WE WERE CREATED TO BE. [In relationship with Father-God]
Make it a point today to enjoy your relationships with those whom are the closest to you and around you...help them to see that YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!! It will give you the sweetest and most perfect and enjoyable fellowship that you could ever dream of or imagine! (If you don't enjoy them...you are the one who has the creative ability to restore it!)
I Corinthians 1:9: "God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, (and can be depended on); by Him you were called (invited to participate) in His companionship and partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ.
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August 4, 2008
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IMITATORS OF GOD! WHO ARE YOU KIDDIN’…?
W.W.J.D (What Would Jesus Do)...I have to admit that is a pretty tall order! Every time I see those initials and the bracelets something inside of me just goes banana's...for crying out loud…What do you mean; what would Jesus do? HE ALREADY DID EVERYTHING HE IS GOING TO DO!! What else do we want Him to do? See, here is the issue; ...this is the very problem with RELIGION...it always puts demands on you that there is no way on the “face of the earth” to ever be able to do!! No matter how hard I try or what I do, I can't ever do enough. Imitate God? Live like Jesus lived...come on, who are you kidding?
Jesus never had my job....Jesus never had my wife, my husband, my kids, my car, my bills...YADA…YADA...YADA... then, we get under all kinds of guilt and condemnation because there is just "No Way"...AHH! Or, so you think. What if I told you that I had the secret to being able to live life everyday just like Jesus lived? (I could sell it on e-bay, or QVC and HSN and make a gazillion $$$).
You were exactly right when you said there was no way on earth to be able to do it. The earth way is by Sense Realm Knowledge...living by what we see, smell, feel, hear, touch...living by our five senses, that is the reason why it is so hard, because, we live by what we see. Please understand we were not created to live that way, as a new creation and a new species; we live in the Spirit Realm, living daily by what we know to be the truth, not what we see. That is exactly what Revelation Knowledge is about, living with a recreated spirit.
When you were “saved” or “born again”, you actually received the very Nature and Life of God. (Gen 1:26; Let US make mankind in OUR image (character and likeness) He actually re-created Himself in us. God is not going to anything any more than He has already done. He has given us His very life, (read Phil.1:6), we have His heart, His strength, and His power. He has reproduced Himself in each one of us...He has established and built into each of us Jesus life. That is the reason that God wants a relationship with us more than anything else…He is attracted to that part of Himself in each of us. That is exactly what "Righteousness" means...the nature and life of Father-God. We are now New Creations. So are you ready for the answer? How do we imitate God? (Eph 5:1, 2) “Be imitators of God” (copy Him and follow His example)
WE LOVE! God is Love. We are born of Love. Love is the rule of our lives. Love is the strength of our life. Love is the very beauty of our life. His love is the Righteousness of God in us. Love has no fear, no doubt, and no condemnation. Love is what makes us complete in Him. It is how God sees us...the same way He saw Jesus…through love. We are New Love Creations...we are ruled by love, living in love, letting love live in and through us.
Walk today in the most beautiful thing in the world...The fact that YOU ARE LOVED! (Remember the very last scene in the movie "Grease"...John Travolta and Olivia Newton John..."I get chills...there multiplyin'....you get the picture...God gets chill bumps every time He sees you!!)
Eph 5:1, 2 " Therefore; be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example]. As well - beloved children, [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering (WWJD) and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
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August 1, 2008
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ARE YOU A BELIEVER WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE?
Wow! That statement sounds like an "oxy-moron"...doesn't it? Yet, how can that be? A believer who does not believe? Let me ask you a few questions as we get started. First of all, have you ever gotten up in the morning and you feel terrible? Your depressed, irritable, anxious, frustrated, agitated and you haven't even done anything; you just got up for crying out loud? You feel a sense of guilt and shame...just plain "YUCKY"...You are empty, you are frustrated by all the things, situations and circumstances around you. You’re unhappy, unsatisfied, incomplete and do not feel very valuable or worthwhile?
Do live with a sense of unworthiness, unfaithfulness and lack? It seems as though you catch everything that everyone has and if someone around you even mentions that they feel bad, you start getting sick. You think or at least assume that you are a Christian...yet you live as though the Word of God is just a fairy tale that you pull out and read at night before you go to bed. If you answered YES to any of those questions or you find yourself saying..."yep, that's me!"...then you are the very person that I am talking about.
You have memorized every scripture that you could possibly remember, yet, are not apart of your daily life. You continue to live everyday in sense knowledge. You live by what you can see, feel, touch, smell…living by your senses. Do you find yourself continually talking about your emptiness and praying and begging for faith and power? If that seems to sum up your life…then what has happened is your confession (what you speak) has robbed you of your power, rather than walking in what you have been promised.
The Word of God says that; “He that believes has eternal life." Remember as we have said before, Eternal Life means that you are the Righteousness of God...which means that you have the very nature and life of God inside of you.
You have His fullness of Grace, yet you are empty. You are complete in Him, yet you talk about your lack and want. You are a believer that is a unbelieving!
Let me share a scenario that may help to make this much clearer for you. Ok! Let’s say that you have just finished building your dream house! The house is wired for all the most modern cutting edge and innovative technology...everything is installed, bulbs in the sockets...power and utilities are turned on, you move in your dream house and day after day you stumble around in darkness and all the technology that you have is of no value to you. Why? Because you would not turn on the wall switch and power buttons!! Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Yet, that is exactly what I mean by a “believer that does not believe.
As the Righteousness of God, do you realize that you already have all the power and faith and ability that you will ever need to live an abundant life. Yet, for some reason, you will not use it...We get frustrated and try to pass the blame to God and say that HE does not care or does not hear you or love you…to keep from taking responsibility for yourself. It is not lack on the part of God. It is your lack of taking advantage of what is already available to you. Do not miss another moment, take advantage of all that is and has been already provided for you. You have the ability inside of you. LIVE OUT LOUD TODAY. Take hold ofthe abundant life that has been supplied for you Remember; YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!!
Ephesians 3:20: "Now to Him who by, (the action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayer or wildest imagination, desires, thoughts hopes or dreams).
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July 31, 2008
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SALVATION IS SO MUCH MORE THAN FORGIVENESS OF SIN
In fact...that is such a small part of Salvation that when we begin to understand it, we will see that “salvation” really has more to do with LIFE than DEATH. We have always been taught by the “church” that “salvation” was about "Eternal Life", "going to heaven after we die", "joining the church", “forgiveness of sin”, and a number of other things. We have been led to believe that we have to physically die in order to enjoy all the benefits of the Kingdom of God. No more tears when we get to heaven...no more pain when we get to heaven, no more sadness or sickness, when the REAL truth is that if you do not understand that heaven was a concept foreign to the New Testament believer’s… and that when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God…it was not about a physical location…or a “place” where you go when you die!
If it is really true, that we have to die to experience heaven…then we must concede that Satan who was the author of DEATH actually played a role in our salvation experience... (Now, think about it... How stupid is that?) When in reality, salvation is really about our receiving a re-created spirit...we receive (right now) the Nature and Life of God [which is what "Eternal Life" really means]..., we are new creations, we have a completely new nature. Salvation is really about the union of Love and Man. God is Love. God's Nature becomes man's nature. Man becomes a lover! This new nature in us means that our self-centeredness and selfishness has ended...we are now A NEW SPECIES. (Species- having never been before!) We are God-man... {Immanuel: God in a man's body}
We were created to walk in the realm of the supernatural daily...no longer ruled by our senses...but now by His Spirit in us. Now you can understand why Man was the crowing point of Creation...we are what redemption is all about...to bring man into an actual relationship of a son through our partaking of God's very Nature and His Life (Eternal Life). That ought to make you want to run up and down the road shouting and dancing!! New Creation... enjoy today the fact that you are a over-comer! Good News Flash!!...you don't have to wait until you die to get to heaven...start enjoying it TODAY!!
Ezekiel 36: 26 " A new heart (a recreated spirit) will I give you and a new spirit (Righteousness Consciousness) will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart (Sin Consciousness) out of your flesh and give you a new heart (recreated spirit) of flesh." (Jesus Life which is Righteousness Consciousness)
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July 30, 2008
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"I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT"
Have you ever really considered how many times you have made that statement? That is exactly what Thomas said (in so many words) about believing that Jesus had actually been resurrected from the grave? "...I will not believe unless I can put my finger in the scar print of the nails in His hands and thrust my hand in His side" Sadly, our faith today is no different than that of “Doubting Thomas” ...unless I see it, I won't believe it! Having faith only in what we can see, hear, feel and touch, in other words...Sense Knowledge faith. Living by what we see rather than living in what we know. It was the famous evangelist John G. Lake (speaking in 1030's!) who said; “the church today is more interested in seeking the phenomena of God than they are in the presence of God!" WOW no more true statement has ever been spoken! This is the very reason that so many modern movements today have to have so much physical demonstration as a part of their services (i.e. gold dust, split pulpits, gold teeth appearing...etc, etc etc...) that is Sense Knowledge Faith!
When we begin understand what true Faith really is...rather than believing that it is fairytales and magic, “name it & claim it” theology...we will see that Faith is not something that you do or even something that you develop as we have been taught. Faith is who we are!! The definition of Faith is: the spiritual knowledge of the reality of our union with Christ. In other words, faith is our knowing without a shadow of a doubt that we are the Righteousness of God and that we actually have His Nature and Life in us. God actually re-created Himself inside of us! And He lives His life through us daily in His Son Jesus (...And His name shall be called Immanuel-God in a man's body!!) We must know without a doubt that spiritual things are greater than physical things!! Because everything that is physical was created by a spirit!
Therefore: one of the things that Righteousness does for us is to restore our lostFAITH! We no longer have to see it to believe, it now will be just the opposite...we believe it then we see it!! WOW!! If everyone knew what I am telling you about righteousness, we would become completely independent of circumstances! If we were as conscience of our righteousness and our oneness with God as we are of being weak and unworthy, we would never be sick again, we would never be in want or poverty! If we were as conscience of our union with Christ and His life inside of us, we would never again be held in bondage to pain, suffering, sickness or physical need again!!
Your Righteousness in Christ completely destroys Sin Consciousness, Weakness Consciousness and Want Consciousness. What FREEDOM comes when we take our rightful place in the Kingdom of God!! We finally see that the Kingdom is not a "place we go" but it is US!! Now... things become so much clearer. He is in us. No more fear. No more failure. No more bondage! We understand now that the scripture becomes literally His Word to US!
Make it a point TODAY to enjoy every moment of your new and refreshed liberty in prayer and your new sense of authority as you have been given the right to use the Name of Jesus. Enjoy a renewed fellowship with your Father-God. You shall not want today because you are one with Him. You are His Lips! You are His Hands! He is living inside of you!
ENJOY YOUR REIGN AS A KING TODAY IN THE REALM OF THIS LIFE!! YOU ARE ROYALTY!
I John: 5: 4, 5 " For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world (sense knowledge); and this is the victory (our righteousness...His life inside of us!) that conquerors the world (sense knowledge), even our faith (the knowledge of the reality of our union with Him).
Who is it that is victorious (conquers) over the world (sense knowledge), but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trust in, and relies on that fact]?
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July 19, 2008
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MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
The greatest need that we have in our lives it the need to love ,accepted (for who we are), and valued as a person…We have all suffered from fear and loneliness and rejection…we have all experienced broken lives and shattered dreams in some shape, form or fashion. We have all been on that insatiable search for identity and acceptance and sadly fallen into the trap of performance and doing all that we can do to be approved. If you know me at all, you know that this is my story, and I simply share with you everyday from where I am and have been…what better place to minister from that my own life? I think that is one of the reasons that I love Jesus so much, He has been there and He understands when I tell Him what I am going through.
As you have gotten to know me, you know that I talk a lot about the Grace and Righteousness and the transformation that takes place in our lives because of it.. That transformation is what I call the “Exchanged Life”. Yet, as powerful of transformation as it is…I really do not think that we understand the full scope of what Righteousness is all about. Righteousness means that we have the very Life and Nature of God re-created inside of us…which is Eternal Life. Eternal Life never has been about a location when we die…It gives us the ability to stand in the presence of God with fear, shame, guilt, doubt and condemnation! (Romans 8:1)Righteousness is what came to us as a result of the Cross and it was at the Cross that we were made New Creations.
Sin Consciousness that literally cripples us and robs us of our relationship with Father-God, Self-confidence, and assurance has been completely destroyed. Let me explain it this way, “works”, which is “religion”, which is based on what we (I) do…works, says that God owes us (me) because of our (my) performance or what we (I) have done (prayed cried, begged, gone to church, given money helped the poor in Africa and visited somebody in jail, read my Bible all night) On the other hand, grace and righteousness are about what God has promised. Works is about getting God to respond to me based on what I do and have done. Righteousness is always about what Jesus did at the Cross. Because, I am the Righteousness of God and it gives to us the very same standing that Jesus enjoyed while on His earth walk. Every promise that He ever made to anyone…is all mine. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Jesus KNEW who He was, He had no fear, no doubt, no sense of inferiority in the presence of death or disease, and He had no sense of want or lack. Jesus was the Master of the forces of darkness (ignorance or lack of the knowledge of righteousness). Jesus was not afraid to speak to the circumstances around Him and the very same Life, Power, and Confidence that Jesus had and was aware of...is ours today! Just like Jesus, we already have everything inside of us that is necessary to be what we were created to be. (in relationship with God!!) God expects us to move out and begin to act on what we already have. Not sitting around waiting to hear from God or for Him to do something special (speak or "give you a sign") just for you means that the finished work on the Cross was not enough for you!!...He has to do something special just for you!!
Remember...God is not going to do anything any more than what He has already done! He allowed His Son to die on the Cross. Our standing has been restored!! Take charge today of the circumstances around you and watch the mountains begin to move!! Righteousness is not an experience...It is the Nature of the Father imparted to us. We are MASTERS, KINGS, PRIEST and more than CONQUERORS!
YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!! HE HAS RECREATED HIMSELF INSIDE OF YOU. GO OUT TODAY AND CREATE!!
John 1:6: "For of His fullness we have all received and grace (favor) upon grace (favor)."
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July 28, 2008
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DESTROYING THE DESTRUCTIVE PATTERNS THAT KEEP US IN BONDAGE
How would you like to experience power on a daily basis in your life like you have never seen before? Are you tired of the same old patterns of behavior that keep you frustrated and in a constant state of confusion and uproar? Are you simply just "sick and tired" of always being "sick and tired"? Then; wow…do I have a message for you today! God has put a word in my spirit for you today that will totally set you free forever!! No more performance or struggling trying to get from God! No more staying up all night or getting up at 4:00 AM whining, begging, pleading, crying, seeking, sacrificing... only to come up empty, angry, and worn out!!I promise,you can break this cycle of behavior forever!!
Does this sound too good to be true? If so, please just keep reading. You see, we have been taught for such a long time by the “church” that we are "unworthy", and "unrighteous", (no not one), that we are weak and have no faith...that we have to work our way to healing or into heaven and if we hear anything that sounds even remotely like a message of freedom… we are rebels, and “rent off our clothes” and we run down the street screaming “blasphemy”.
We feel unless we are able to work our way to heaven or healing or forgiveness, and if we could just pray long enough or hard enough, give enough money, time, sweat and blood or give up something like TV or food or some "pleasure" and bring our flesh under subjection... confess our sins enough...that we could in some way get our life straightened out. Yet, the problem still remains that IT DOES NOT WORK! All this is working is just “religion” and is "works righteousness”.Works Righteousness comes when we believe and have been taught that we do not deserve to be in God's presence! So, because we are “sinners and such a worm as I”, we believe that we have to work our way there!!
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! Righteousness can not be gained by works!! You can not give enough, read enough, pray enough, cry, beg, plead, or confess enough sins from childhood until this morning to gain your righteousness. If this describes you...STOP!! Your life depends on it!! Righteousness only comes by FAITH! Faith is our spiritual knowledge of the reality of our union with the Father! In other words; it is His life and nature in us. We are the Righteousness of God! And greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. The spiritual is greater than the physical.Righteousness does not come by anything that you could ever do or have done; it only comes by what has already been done. Christ death on the cross! At His death, you were made righteous.
When we come to the place that we are just as conscience of our identity with the Father and that we can come into His presence without guilt, shame, fear, condemnation, intimidation (which is exactly what Righteousness means) as we are of aware and tell others of our unworthiness and our inability and sickness and poverty...we would NEVER EVER again have pain or be sick or be held in bondage to poverty, lack (unworthiness) and want!
As the Righteousness of God, Christ has completely destroyed the cycle and patterns of negative behavior that have been caused by our Sin Consciousness. Please understand how vitally important this is to you spiritual growth. Righteousness has nothing to do with what you (we) deserve or do not deserve.
Today you can walk completely independent of circumstances FOREVER! Enjoy the discovery of identity as the Righteousness of God!!
John 5: 4, 5: " For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world (sense knowledge, sin consciousness); and this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. (Our Righteousness)
Who is it that is victorious over the world but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God [adheres to, trusts in and relies on].
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July 25, 2008
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UNLEASH THE POWER OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE
How would you like to unleash the power of God in your life? How many times have you prayed and begged for more of the Power of God in you life. How many times have you ever wondered what it would be like to unleash that power in your life on regular daily basis? Not long ago, In the popular movie "Bruce Almighty", the movies main character Jim Carrey (Bruce) is allowed to have the powers of God for one week that most people think are normally associated with God, you the “powers that I am talking about... making stuff move...changing people's voices and a lot of "physical manifestations"...Sense Knowledge! All of the things and stuff that you can see hear, feel, smell and touch! Jim Carrey's character was allowed to have the powers of God because he thought he could do a better job than God was doing!! WOW!! Ever been there?
Well, I have some good news and some bad!First of all, let me give you l the good news...YOU CAN HAVE AND ALREADY DO HAVE THE POWER... (the scripture teaches that we have already been given everything that we need for life and godliness. Now for the bad news; you do not have the "powers" of God but, the “power” of God, His creative ability and His mind! Mostly because, that is not how God works...God is not magician...Although sadly, that is exactly what most churches and lots of modern ecumenical movements think, and they lead well meaning folk to believe. That type of theology leads people to believe that checks are going to magically appear in the mailbox without any effort and new cars are going to appear in the garage simply because we “tithed” and we are going to win the lottery without even buying a ticket! How sadly mistaken they are.The word says that; the very same Power that raised Jesus from the grave is the very same power that we have living inside of us right now! We have His very life and nature.
The nation of Israel had been given and shown the Power of God through the promise of a PROMISED LAND, a land far beyond their wildest expectation or imagination. Yet, the word says that it was because of their UNBELIEF that they were never able to achieve it. (the promised land was never about a piece of property!) They opted for a DEAD RELIGIOUS SYSTEM that was never meant to work. Yet, the only problem was that, all it ever produced was death. We have done and do the very same thing today!
As the Righteousness of God we have a promise also. But, our promise is not a land but a person... Everything that was offered to the Children of Israel is already ours today! We are offered a life with no limits, no boundaries, no fear, worry or envy. No lack or want! As you come to the realization of who you are; the Righteousness of God, with His very life and nature living inside of you will begin to unleash the Power of God in your life in a way that you have never known before. You will begin to see the manifestation of His presence on a daily basis.
So, begin today and everyday on a regular basis remind yourself that; YOU are what God says you are...YOU can have what God says you can have and YOU can do what He says you can do!
I John 3:2: " Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear to you) what we shall be, [hereafter] but we know that when He comes (inside) and is manifested (to us), we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.
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July 24, 2008
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THE REALITY OF A NEW CREATION
Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to be a "new creation? What does the Bible really mean when it says that we are "new creations”? How can we be recreated? The word "creation" literally means: “a new species, something having never existed before...brought into existence out of nothing”. When we read in the book of Genesis that we are made in the "image" of God, what does that really mean? Being made in the image of God is very hard for most people, especially “religious” people to understand…being made in His image does not mean that we "look" like God or that we have His physical appearance, that would be impossible because God is a Spirit…and the Bible tells us that those who worship Him must do so in Spirit., God has never has been in human form. Our being made in the image of God means that we were made having the same quality of character and the very Nature of God. We actually have His creative abilities and His power…As we come to realize that God recreated our spirits, (which is how He recreated Himself inside of us), we now have “Eternal Life’. Eternal Life is the Nature and Life of God within each of us.
Please see that Eternal Life is not a theological or metaphysical idea or theory, but rather actually a "New Creation". Eternal Life is the life of God imparted into us. It is not a theory or religion. It is not a system of doctrines. It is not a creed or set or rules and regulations. It is more than surrender, consecration or repentance. It is more than having our sins forgiven and "joining the church"...It is rather, being born into the Family of God. It is God uniting us with Himself, with His own Nature.
Today you are the beloved!! You have the Nature of God inside of you; you cannot help but love the ones around you. That is why “I can do all things through Christ…it is not you, it is Him acting through you! Look for ways today that you can actively show those around you the Nature of God! You are so loved!! Take this big hug and feel His presence! Pass it on.
John 1:12 "But as many as did receive Him and welcome Him, to them He gave the right and authority (power and privilege) to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in and rely on) His name" [Isaiah 56:5]
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"Father-God; I ask you to pour out your presence and blessings today on my friends, relatives and e-mail recipients who are reading this right now. Show them right now a new revelation of your love and your power which is already available to them in their lives. Holy Spirit,
I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence of your presence through your grace,
I pray these things, in the precious Name of Jesus'. Amen."
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JUuly 23, 2008
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THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT WORDS IN THE UNIVERSE!
If you know me at all by now, you know that above and beyond anything that I do, I am a Bible teacher. I love God’s Word and I love to teach it. As a teacher, words fascinate me. I truly love to study and discover the meaning of words that I have seen countless times and never really truly understood their meaning. No definition has so intrigued me as much as one that God recently revealed to me that has forever, completely changed my life. I think the reason it intrigues me so much is because I grew up thinking, like most people that “grew up” in church, believing that it meant only one thing.
I have come to discover through my life that this definition is so much more than I could have ever imagined, and it’s understanding has opened up a whole new world for me. I am positive today, that it will do the same for you, as it has for me and countless thousands of others. The amazing fact about this definition...when discovered, everything about your life changes. Your creative energy is at once awakened, and your mental processes are changed. It will quicken your sense of perception. It changes habits, corrects behavior and transforms you to the point that many will not even recognize you. People will immediately see the effect that this definition has had on you...in your character, your speech...your habits. It completely changes your personality.
What am I talking about? I am talking about the definition of “Eternal Life”. Eternal Life (Righteousness) is the Nature of God!That is why righteousness provides for us the ability to stand in the presence of God without shame, guilt, inferiority, or condemnation... God sees Himself when He sees us!! The reason for so much change in your life is because His righteousness actually re-creates you into a completely New Species.
Eternal Life has always been described as "conversion", "profession of faith", "getting religion", "joining the church", and many so many other things. So much about it has always been focused on "manner of life" or "change of behavior" rather than what it really means...God imparting Himself in us!! In other words, “Eternal Life” is us receiving the very nature and life of God inside of us. That is what is so powerful about righteousness. Let me help you understand it this way.
When God created Man (Adam…mankind) (Adam and Eve), if you remember, He created Eve (woman-WO-MAN…man with a womb!), by taking a rib from Adam (a part of himself) and He placed it inside of Eve. The very reason that Adam was attracted to Eve was, not just her beauty, but so much more than that, he was attracted to that part of himself in her…God is attracted to us and desires a relationship with us, not because of what we have to offer Him, but because of that part of himself that is in each of us. That is why the only thing He wants is a relationship with us. He loves what we have in common with Him! Think about it for a minute, why are you so attracted to the people you love in your life? Because of what you have in common with each other!!
God actually re-created us as a New Species! That is what the word “creation” means…”never having existed before”! No other religion on the planet offers that to a person!! No other religion gives to man a new nature. They only give attempts or offer ways to change behavior. Your behavior can never be changed without receiving a new Nature!
Receiving Eternal Life is the single most important and miraculous event in our life. It has actually given to us God's very own nature...which; in and of itself, provides a "manner of life" far above anything we could ever think or imagine. I think that Jesus said it best in John 10:10 when He said..."I came that you could have (my life) which is abundant life!!"
2 Corinthians: 5:17: " Therefore if any person is [engrafted] in Christ he is {there is} a new creation (a new species altogether), the old (nature/previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away, the fresh and new has come."
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July 22, 2008
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THE FRUIT OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE
There are certain things that produced in your life when you have a strong self confidence, high self-esteem and high sense of self worth. Self confidence is in knowing who you are. When you are confident in the fact that you have the ability to succeed in life no matter what the challenges or obstacles that may present themselves to you; those obstacles are not barriers, but are rather opportunities to succeed. I tell people everyday that “obstacles never get in the way of a clear vision”!
Self confidence and high self esteem says that you do not have to prove yourself to anyone or try to be something other than who you are. Self Confidence says that you do not always have to be right and there is nothing wrong with admitting that you were wrong. It is foolish to think or believe that you can go through life without trials and tribulation. I know that there are many that teach that being a Christian is a life free of pain and hurt or problems. I have some news for you this morning...they are dead wrong!! We will have "stuff" everyday that will try to come against us. Yet, when it does come it is not from God, who many think would be trying to teach us a lesson!! The word says that when trials and tribulation do come (and they certainly will) and when they do, it is not from God!
Our Righteousness (the ability to stand in God's presence without fear, guilt or shame, condemnation or intimidation) provides the ability to stand in the midst of the circumstances and not be moved by them. Please understand this morning (or whenever you are reading this…) that the circumstance does not change...but rather, we change in how we see the circumstance!
I know that statement is very confusing especially to a lot of “religious” people. It is confusing because “religion’ or works” has always taught that prayer changes things...WRONG! Prayer does not change things… PRAYER CHANGES US!! The circumstance is still there, we just see it different. There are a lot of people today that use prayer as an “escape mechanism” to avoid responsibility! Righteousness is self confidence in who we are... that we have the very life and nature of God inside of us living through us and that we have His ability flowing through us.
Righteousness and confidence also produces many other things in our lives. Over the next days we are going to be talking about some very PRACTICAL application of our Righteousness. It does us no good at all for us to only hear about it and not know how to put it into practice daily our lives.
The Word says for us to not be "hearers only but doers of the Word". It must be acted upon and put into action for it to be of any use to us and for it to produce. Far too many people sit and wait on God to move or do something that He is not going...TO DO!
God has not given us ”just” power and ability. He has given us His life. It is His life inside each one of us that is the POWER, WHICH IS THE ABILITY!! (the word for "power" and "ability" {dunamis... our word for Dynamite!} are both the very same word in the Greek) and God expects us to ACT on and use what He has provided!!
Step out today and stand on who you are and see how the fruit of your Righteousness can be seen and evidenced in your daily activities and routine.
2 Corinthians 9:10: " And [God] who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your {resources for} sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifest itself in active goodness, kindness and charity].
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July 21, 2008
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RIGHTEOUSNESS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!
Ok! So you say that you are ready for a change in your life. You are sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time…Well, the only way that change occurs is to come to terms with you are. Your identity is always tied to your destiny and until you understand that you are the Righteousness of God…and you know that righteousness, means that you have the very nature and life of God re-created inside of you, and that took place the very moment that you received Eternal Life, (accepted Christ as your Savior). That one fact in and of itself changes everything about you, the way you think, the way in which you act, it changes your character and transforms your personality.
Something wonderful takes place inside of you that causes a spirit of excellence to be on everything that you do and say. It not only transforms you, it also transforms those around you. Others cannot help but notice the change that has taken place in you life and it completely raises the standards of others. A spirit of excellence affects the way you talk, the way you dress, your habits and ethics.
All of the things that once were acceptable in your life now, become unacceptable...your attitude towards others changes, because now, you have God's nature living inside of you and you see with new eyes. You see with or through His eyes of Love. This change that has taken place is what gives us the ability to stand...kneel...bow...sit...(my personal favorite) or "just hang out" with God without any guilt of the past, shame of failure or mistakes condemnation or intimidation of not measuring up and simply saturate yourself in Him and His presence. WOW!! Now, how's that for a change?
Go and enjoy today and everyday as the Righteousness of God. You are royalty and reign in THIS LIFE over all the earth. REJOICE!! (which btw...means to jump up and spin about wildly!!) Let you hair down...kick off your shoes (pretend your at the beach…or better still go to the beach)...have some fun today and laugh at yourself and enjoy YOU!! You are a New Creation...there is no one on this earth just like you! CONGRATULATIONS...You made it! You have arrived. You found and discovered your DESTINY....YOU!!
You are so wonderful and such a precious blessing to me...thank you for allowing me to share my life with you everyday!! Have a great week and LAUGH-LOVE-LIVE!
This is the day the Lord hath made, REJOICE and be glad in it!!
Eph. 3:20: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think according to the ability (His power) that works within us.
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July 18, 2008
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THE FRUIT OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE
There are certain things that produced in your life when you have a strong self confidence, high self-esteem and high sense of self worth. Self confidence is in knowing who you are. You are confident in the fact that you have the ability to succeed in life no matter what the challenges or obstacles that may present themselves to you.Those obstacles are not barriers but are rather opportunities to succeed. I tell people everyday that “obstacles never get in the way of a clear vision”!
Self confidence and high self esteem says that you do not have to prove yourself to anyone or try to be something other than who you are. Self Confidence says that you do not always have to be right and there is nothing wrong with admitting that you were wrong. It is foolish to think or believe that you can go through life without trials and tribulation. I know that there are many that teach that being a Christian is a life free of pain and hurt or problems. I have some news for you this morning...they are dead wrong!! We will have "stuff" everyday that will try to come against us. Yet, when it does come it is not from God, who many think would be trying to teach us a lesson!! The word says that when trials and tribulation do come (and they certainly will) and when they do, it is not from God!
Our Righteousness (the ability to stand in God's presence without fear, guilt or shame, condemnation or intimidation) provides the ability to stand in the midst of the circumstances and not be moved by them. Please understand this morning (or whenever you are reading this…) that the circumstance does not change...but rather, we change in how we see the circumstance!
I know that statement is very confusing especially to a lot of “religious” people. It is confusing because “religion’ or works” has always taught that prayer changes things...WRONG! Prayer does not change things… PRAYER CHANGES US!! The circumstance is still there, we just see it different. There are a lot of people today that use prayer as an “escape mechanism” to avoid responsibility! Righteousness is self confidence in who we are... that we have the very life and nature of God inside of us living through us and that we have His ability flowing through us.
Righteousness and confidence also produces many other things in our lives. Over the next days we are going to be talking about some very PRACTICAL application of our Righteousness. It does us no good at all for us to only hear about it and not know how to put it into practice daily our lives.
The Word says for us to not be "hearers only but doers of the Word". It must be acted upon and put into action for it to be of any use to us and for it to produce. Far too many people sit and wait on God to move or do something that He is not going...TO DO!
God has not given us ”just” power and ability. He has given us His life. It is His life inside each one of us that is the POWER, WHICH IS THE ABILITY!! (the word for "power" and "ability" {dunamis... our word for Dynamite!} are both the very same word in the Greek) and God expects us to ACT on and use what He has provided!!
Step out today and stand on who you are and see how the fruit of your Righteousness can be seen and evidenced in your daily activities and routine.
2 Corinthians 9:10: " And [God] who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your {resources for} sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifest itself in active goodness, kindness and charity].
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July 17, 2008
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WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?
Have you ever gotten up in the morning and all of the sudden this feeling of panic and anxiety floods over you like a crashing wave? You have even hardly gotten out of the bed and already your day starts with anxiousness for no reason at all. Fear is the emotion or feeling that tells us that we are not going to make it. Fear tells us that whatever negative emotion that we have been focusing our attention on, is going to get the best of us and we simply cannot take another thing.
The definition of Fear is very interesting. Even the dictionary describes fear as an unexpected, unpleasant often strong emotion cause by an expectation or awareness of danger. Fear is also described in the dictionary as dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror and trepidation. It means to be afraid of something that has no ground. Sadly; fear is the proof that we do not trust God! Because we are told in the scriptures that one of the fruits of a recreated spirit is "Peace", it only makes sense that then that, fear is the absence of God's presence in our lives,
The Apostle Paul speaking to Timothy in I Timothy 1:7 tells him that we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power and authority and of a sound (calm an dwell balanced) mind. In Romans 5:1 the scripture teaches us that; being justified by faith, we have peace. The world’s definition of Peace is the absence of problems or turbulence. Again, the dictionary's definition of Peace is; a state of calm and quite and freedom from disturbing thoughts or emotions. It is interesting to note that it is just the opposite of fear. Look at John 14:1; (Let not) your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on Me. That passage of scripture proves without a shadow of a doubt that we were created to enjoy peace. The phrase “let not’ means that (we) have a choice.
We are assured in the God’s Word that in the physical world that we live in, we will have things, circumstances and situations that will come against us. Yet, in the midst of those things (the circumstances) we have a calm and quietness that surpasses being understood. Isaiah 26:3 says that we can have "perfect peace" in the midst of circumstances...which literally means "peace-peace" or the “peace of peace” itself, when our minds are stayed on Him.
As you move through the day constantly be aware of where your focus is. Circumstances change and situations will constantly fluxuate, and temporal facts continue to evolve. Every problem that we face in life is temporal. Understand that it is for a season, and seasons come and seasons go...but the Word of God is true and TRUTH WILL ALWAYS REMAIN THE SAME! Remember, if is “new and improved” it is not truth and if it is truth it is not new!
John 14:27 “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, I do not give as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled and do not be afraid". [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
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July 16, 2008
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WHY IS GOD'S WORD NOT SUFFICIENT?
Do you remember the old cliché..."Well, the Bible said it, I believe it, and that settles it!!" That sounded really spiritual as we quoted it and put it on bumper stickers on the back of our car...but the fact of the matter is that it does not matter whether we believe it or not. The Word speaks for itself and it is settled. So, why is it that it is not enough for us to read what the Bible says, and stand on the fact that it applies to us and simply act on it? It is though we are expecting God to speak to us personally or maybe even audibly. (I have even said, I am waiting to hear from God and I waited...and waited...and waited...) Instead of us standing on the promise of God and moving in what we know, we wait for God to speak to us directly or individually. Again, because we think that He should do something fro us that He has not or is not doing for anyone else! God is never going to do anymore than He has already done. God is not under any obligation to speak anything to us other than what He has already spoken through His Word.
It looks like we are being very spiritual as we wait on God individually, when in fact what we are doing is limiting God--what we are really saying is that His Word is not enough for us-- today. Think about it? What do you think would have happened to the armies of Israel had the soldiers said to Joshua..."You know Josh, before we march around Jericho...I think I need to hear from God personally on this one!"...God did not give the battle plans to all of Israel. God spoke and gave His word to the leaders. Had the army waited to hear from God individually, they would have ended up just like the generation before them DEAD!! They would have never received or entered their promise land.
We miss so much by sitting and waiting on God...thinking that we have to hear from HIM WITH A SPECIAL INVITATION TO MOVE!! So, get up off your “blessed assurance” and take action today on what you know the Word of God says to you...whether or not you "feel any special leading" Remember…You are what He says you are...The Righteousness of God...You can have what He says you can have!! Whether you feel it or not!
I Thessalonians 2:13 "...And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising it's superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it
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July 15, 2008
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TRUE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OCCURS THROUGH INTIMACY
I was approached not long ago at meeting by a young man who had only been married a few months and I could tell by the glow on his face that he was definitely still on his honeymoon... (Do you remember those days?) And to be completely honest with you, of all the things people ask me as I travel, I have never been ask this before. The young man came up to me and said; "Do you operated in the gifts of the Spirit? I responded Yes, and he went on...So, could you tell me what was it that first caused them to manifest in your life?...Wow...I thought...that is a pretty pointed question, Yet , without any hesitation at all, I opened my mouth and out came...intimacy, no question. It was my developing a true intimacy with the Father... Spending time in his presence...just getting alone, closed off with Him just to get to know Him. Just "hanging out together" That has been the thing that has developed areas of my life that I could have never even dreamed could be possible.
It is the very same way that you develop true intimacy (in-to-me-see) with those that are close to you, you do it by spending time with them...finding out what is important to them, what they like and dislike...Would you like to know something that not many come to understand? You see, I have truly found the secret to life...the answer to every situation and circumstance in life...are you ready?...the answer is found in Eph 3:16: " May he grant you out of the rich treasury of HIS glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit (Himself dwelling in your innermost being and personality).
That is it, which is the secret to of a rich spiritual understanding of the Word, the secret of an intimate fellowship with the Father, and the secret of a growing faith. True “intimacy” always and only comes from the "inside out" never from the "the outside in" !
Live life to the fullest today and enjoy today the intimacy of your walk with your Father...you will discover things about you that you never dreamed were possible...watch "the fruits of your spirit" begin to manifest as you step out and begin to walk!
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS...YOU ARE SO VERY PRECIOUS!!
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July 14, 2008
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SIN CONSCIOUSNESS VS RIGHTEOUSNESS CONSCIOUSNESS
(Sense Knowledge vs. Revelation Knowledge)
I will never forget the day or the moment that I came into the realization that I had lived my whole life in Sense Knowledge...living only by what I could see, touch, smell, feel and hear. Little did I realize that all that time that I spent begging and pleading with God to work on my behalf, thinking I simply was not doing enough to please God or that He just was not pleased with me, that “I” was actually the one who had been limiting God and what He was able to do in my life and what He really wanted to do.
You see, all of my Christian experience was spent in doubt and condemnation (Sin Consciousness, feeling guilty because I just was not doing something right…or things would be different)) all of which gave me a sense of inferiority, low self esteem and a complex that robbed me from confidence and faith in myself, in God and His Word. I never truly knew how to pray, thus all of my prayers were prayers of desperation, always begging and pleading with God.
Today, when I hear people begging and pleading with God, to move on their behalf...my heart breaks for them, because I know the bondage of religion they are under and the joy they are missing. “Sin Consciousness” held me in bondage all these years...my life just never was what I thought it should be...I had been very religious and spiritual...doing a lot of things...preaching...mission trips...teaching, giving, singing, praying, working (HARD) for and in the church (I was suffering for Jesus…because that was what I was taught!)...yet for some reason, I was never satisfied...I always miserable and wanting more...I cannot tell you how many times I have read, memorized and quoted scripture after scripture...getting up at 4 & 5 o'clock in the morning walking the floor and praying until 8 and 9, crying and begging and pleading for help and for peace. My college and theological education left me hungry…my theology and theories left me empty...God was never really real to me, always very distant.
When I "got saved" it was all about "being converted", and "joining the church." I never knew that "Eternal Life" was anything other than I was going to heaven when I died...yet there is and was SO much life between my "conversion" and my dying and going to heaven...I never knew "Eternal Life" was about me receiving the very Nature and Life of God. I really was a New Creation, I am the Righteousness of God...I am a partaker of the His Divine Nature, He actually recreated Himself inside of me...my confession (agreement with God) now is my Righteousness Consciousness...not scripture or reciting the promises of God...Walk in your Righteousness today and know that it is not an experience, but it is the doorway to the abundance of a lifetime!!
If this is where you find yourself today, do not get under guilt shame and condemnation. Simply QUIT! Now, how easy was that…? God could less about how good you are at memorizing and using beautiful language and long hours to tell Him about you!
Romans 5: 1, 2: " Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we (firmly and safely) stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God."
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July 11, 2008
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A NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME!
“DO HAVE YOU MOOD SWINGS”? “DO YOU CRY UNCONTROLLABLY”? “CAN'T SLEEP”? “ARE YOU IRRITABLE”? “IF SO THEN, YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR A STUDY IN DEPRESSION”
I am sure that you have seen and heard the commercials advertising all types of programs that offer studies, programs and FREE remedies for depression and its effects. I am not sure if you realize it or not, but the definition of depression is simply anger that has been directed inward rather than outward. Depression is anger that has manifested in your life due to circumstances that you think is beyond your control. It actually comes from the prison of being stuck in the pain of the past and your insatiable search for significance. Believe me, as one who has been there I know what I am talking about.
Suffice it to say, in the words of C.S. Lewis; “consider me one who has been in the same hospital and can offer some friendly advice on the food”! I spent YEARS of searching and seeking and way more time than I choose to talk about in DEEP depression and years of medication trying to deal with all the stuff I had going on in my life that I did not want to look at. It was no one’s fault but MINE! I tried to blame it on everything from my parents and my past to my ex-wife to the churches that fired me. It was always someone else’s fault…then I did not have to deal with it...I just stayed sick all the time and milked it for all it was worth!
One of the most valuable keys to the healthy life that God created us to have, is to understand that depression and mood swings are determined by where your focus is. You see, whatever is right in front of you at any given moment of the day determines what kind of attitude and mood you will be in. If your focus is on everything that you think is wrong and out of control in your life then you will naturally be in a constant state of frustration, turmoil, anger and depression.
Yet, I have good news for you this morning. There is a cure. It is free…but does not come cheap…You simply change where you focus your attention. You need to remember and constantly remind yourself that you are the Righteousness of God and that you have His very Life and Nature inside of you, then you no longer live "under the circumstances" you will always walk above them!!
God's word tells us that we have been given a name that is above every name...which means that anything that causes you to loose your peace and contentment is simply a "name" and the name you have been given... is the Power of Attorney to use the Name of Jesus, which is above anything else that could EVER get in the way!!
Any of those things that come against you have been put under that name!! Determine today where your focus will lie...it can make or break the situation!! Make a decision and decide today to focus on the positive and watch things around you change...You are the only one that can and will ever make it different!
Luke 10: 38-42: " Now while they were on there way, it occurred that Jesus went to a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and was listening to His teaching. But Martha [overly preoccupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me [start doing her part and lend a hand along with me]! But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things: There is need of only one thing (or a few things). Mary has chosen the good portion {that to which is to her advantage}, which will not be taken away from her.
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July 9, 2008
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WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN...
This morning, my daily thought for you is very simple, short and to the point…I am sure that all of us at some point in our lives have heard the statement “what goes up must come down”...think about it from a different angle or perspective with me for a minute this morning. Do you know that is true that what goes “in” will eventually come “out”? Do you realize that the things that you allow to enter your life determine your character?
You see, what you allow to enter your life through the things that you read or you see or watch, the things that you listen to, or allow to be heard, and yes, even the people that you choose to be around, are all determining factors that shape your character. All of these things will eventually come out of your life in some way or another, whether you want them to or not! Jesus put it this way..."what comes out of a man's mouth comes straight from his heart". Proverbs 4:23 says: “Diligently watch over your heart, for our of your heart flow the issues of life”
The deposits that you have made in your life will be withdrawn when you open your mouth! Everything that goes in your life through your eyes or rather, what you see goes straight to your heart, in the same way, what goes in through your ears and what you hear goes straight to your heart; therefore, just as the scripture teaches us; "as a man thinks in his heart so he is" The words that come out of your mouth come straight from what you have allowed to be deposited into your life.
Therefore, your character (what you do when nobody is watching you!!) determines your the final outcome of your life. Make a decision today to only make deposits into your life of positive and uplifting people, things and resources. Sometimes the very best decision that you will ever make is to learn to simply “cut” loose those things and people that are holding you back! Remember that you are who and what you surround yourself with!! Make a decision today to only allow excellence “in” and “around” your life. You are the one that one must make the choice!!
Matthew 15:17-20: " Do you not see and understand that what goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on to the place where discharges are deposited? (that was a really nice and spiritual way of saying....going to the bathroom!!) But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles him.
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July 8, 2008
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THE REALITY OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Righteousness is the ability to stand in God’s Presence without any fear or doubt, intimidation or feelings of guilt, shame or condemnation!) WOW. Imagine that!
Let these be words of encouragement, motivation and inspiration for you today!!
Every day remember that you are empowered with the very same Spirit that was in Christ Jesus and that the very same power that raised Him from the dead! You will never see and understand this through theoretical, doctrinal, theological eyes or religious performance! Creeds and Doctrines keep us in the bondage of Sin Consciousness. {which is Low self esteem, lack and want…living by what we see rather than what we know.} Our call is to be bigger than our doctrines and creeds. (Religiosity)
His life and ours are now blended into one.
You have received His nature.
His nature now dominates your life.
He is a lover. You are a lover.
He is the strong one. You are the strong with His strength.
He is a conqueror. You are more than a conqueror!
You are born of God. You are an over comer. (Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world)
You are the blessing to the world.
You do not talk about sickness anymore because you are the healed.
You do not live in lack (low self worth and value) and want (or need to be accepted, attention, affection and recognition) because you have full access to everything that Jesus has! God's Life!!
Jesus knew who He was...you are what He says you are!!
You are a son and daughter...not a slave!!
You do not need physical strength, you are the Redeemed. God is the strength of your life.
You do not need man's strength. You have God's strength.
You do not need man's fullness or wisdom. You have God's knowledge. You have the Mind of Christ!
Within YOU resides all the fullness of God in bodily form!! (You actually have His life inside of you…) (HE expects you to use it... THINK people!!)
You do not need man's ability. You have God's creative ability!!
Today you have been lifted into a different realm...the realm of the super--natural. Living in the natural...super abundantly!! Now... it makes perfect sense and you understand what Jesus meant when He said:
John 10:10: "...I came that you could have life (God’s life) and it in abundance!!"
YOU ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING SUPERMAN OR SUPERWOMAN!! You really are!!!!
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Julu 7, 2008
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ARE YOU REALLY HEARING "GOOD NEWS"?
Sadly, most of the preaching that we hear today is not really "Good News". If you know me at all by now, you have learned that I am not big on promotion and lifting up personalities but, I will share with you one of the people that I really love to hear and fully agree with. His name is Dr. Jim Richards of Impact Ministries in Huntsville, AL. Dr. Richards says:” It is not really good news to make people think that God will love them more if they perform correctly" WOW!That is GREAT!
Yet, performance is what we have always been taught, and what every denominational and non-denominational church teaches… behavior over relationship!! This type of teaching only turns people away from God instead of drawing them to Him. We need to hear how much God loves us and the value that He has placed on our life. We are the crowning point of the creation!! We were created with "glory and honor" (dignity and worth). It is out of that worth that our relationship with God has been established. That worth and value provide for us dignity, prestige, distinction and steadfastness. A Spirit of Excellence if you please.
When God said that we were to rule and reign in this life that is exactly how we are to do it, with a Spirit of Excellence. When a person knows who they are, they will never have to prove they have value and "Lord" it over others! Authority is never forced or demanded ...but rather the natural overflow of self worth and value. When we are stripped of value and worth and made to feel like slaves rather than sons and daughters of he most High, and then taught to rule and reign over this life, it is very confusing!!
A person who has a low sense of self worth and value and no realization of dignity is one who is consistently a people pleaser!! Where there is dignity there is self control. When you have no dignity, self worth or value you cannot believe that you are righteous!! That is why I daily, pour into your lives the message of Grace (ability) and your Righteousness...to share with you everything possible that will help you know and understand how much God loves you. Not only does He love you, He actually recreated Himself inside of you and because of that fact alone, there is not anything you cannot do!! (now, it is easy to understand…”I can do all things through Christ)
Let others see God today...treat them with dignity and value and watch how it changes the total atmosphere of where you are. Remember...YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD...YOU ARE A SON AND A DAUGHTER Of A KING, NOT A SLAVE!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVE WHAT IS TRUE!
Hebrews 2:7 & 8: "...You have crowned him (Man) with glory and honor (dignity and worth) and set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things under the subjection of his (Man) feet...He (God) left nothing outside [of man's] control."
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July 3, 2008
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I love to talk and teach about the Righteousness of God. I think it is because of how it completely and totally transformed my life. So, I am desperate to share with this message of Grace, which is the Gospel of Peace and Righteousness with you. It is almost as I have discovered the cure for Cancer and I can no longer contain it! How I want so much for you to grasp and understand the fact the we have been re-created with God's nature in us and that we have His character and His creativity, His very life and being...there are certain rights and privileges that AUTOMATICALLY become ours. As the Righteousness of God, we have been given the Power of Attorney to use the Name of Jesus (John 14:12-15).
As you read this passage of scripture, you will discover that this is not a “Prayer”, as many have always taught, it is not about “asking” for things... but rather when you look at the context of the verses, you realize that is dealing with the forces of evil that try to come against us every day. "Whatever you ask for in my name"...we have always used this to pray for cars, jobs, wives, husbands, finances, and all types of things... we have tried to use this as a virtual "wholesale warehouse of goodies; a spiritual “e-bay” of sorts. That was never the intention; it is rather knowledge that is used to destroy the dominion of lack and unbelief. It is written for to destroy the bondage of those who believe in sickness, weakness, and have no hope. (When you broadcast all over the internet and constantly talk about how sick you are. You believe in sickness!)
Let’s do a simple word study this morning...the word "ask" is the same word as the word "demand"...Now read the verse..."Whatever you demand in my Name, I will make good'! Wow. That changes everything!! We have now moved into the realm of the supernatural where we have actually taken the place of Jesus!! (remember His words; “greater things than these will you be able to do”) We are now doing the work of ministry here that Jesus began. But don't stop reading yet.
In Acts 1:8, just as Jesus was about to ascend to His Father, He made an amazing statement..."But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you..." The word "power" means ability... it comes from the Greek word dunamis /"dunamis"...which is the same root of the word "dynamite"...it is ability to “move the unmovable”!! Jesus says that now you have the ability in my Name to do whatever you need to do!! Now you have the ability to cast out demonic forces, to heal the sick (even yourself!!) and bring deliverance to others from the bondage of want and lack into freedom. The ability to understand the things of God and make them known!! The passage was never intended to be used in reference to asking for "things"!! (Sense Knowledge, living by what you can see rather than what you know)
Ability means wisdom. The definition of “Wisdom” is the correct application of knowledge. It is the ability to take and use the knowledge you have of who you are as the Righteousness of God to handle any and every circumstance in your life and take control over every situation you encounter in life, rather than it taking control of you.
Begin today, to step out of the bondage of the limited existence in which have been just surviving and concentrate today on how unlimited and boundless your life has become as the Righteousness of God.
This is what Righteousness has done for you:
YOU ARE WHO HE SAYS YOU ARE...YOU CAN HAVE WHAT HE SAYS YOU CAN HAVE...YOU CAN KNOW WHAT HE SAYS YOU CAN KNOW AND YOU CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS YOU CAN DO!
Philippians 4:13: " I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infused (His) inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ sufficiency)".
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July 2, 2008
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SIN CONSCIOUSNESS PRODUCES FALSE CONCEPT OF GOD!
If the title for today's "Power for Living" sounds like a newspaper headline...it should!! It should send shock waves around the universe just as the morning of
9 -11, when we awaken to the attack on the Twin Towers in New York...an attack on our freedom, our liberty, our nation and on everything that America has ever stood for. We have shown since that day that we will not stand for that...yet, why do we allow people to live in fear and doubt and condemnation if we could do something about it!! Why do we not wage an “all out war” and attack on “religion”?
Our “Sin Consciousness” (which is living by our 5 senses…sight, feeling, hearing, smell and touch) has made us see God as a holy, just, austere, and unfriendly and unapproachable Being who stands ready to "zap" us with a lighting bolt every time we make a mistake or do something wrong. We have been taught by the “church” and “religiosity” to see God as always on the defensive to discover our sin and condemn us. This concept of God has made us afraid and fearful of Him and caused us to run away from God rather than run to Him. NEWS FLASH! STOP! We have never been given the whole picture...
Everything but relationship has been taught by the “church” and it has never been given its rightful place. We have never been taught to see ourselves as the very sons and daughters of God, only that we are unworthy sinners and “a worm such as I”. Because, we are the Righteousness of God, we have free access to God as our Father (Abba / Daddy, which is where the problem lies for most people!)...Our New Creation should always be at the forefront of our lives, and that all of the old things that were associated with our "fallen nature" are passed away. All of the doubt, fear, condemnation, and the bondage to sickness, disease (dis-ease) and want, living in lack are gone.
Every time that we confess our weakness and beg God for “more power”, we acknowledge our doubt and fear. Each time our prayers are in desperation...we refute the finished work of Jesus on the Cross and belittle ourselves and our position in the Kingdom. We are actually saying that what Jesus did and accomplished at Calvary was not enough for us…that we need Him and have to have Him do something “special” just for us. His death, burial and resurrection for our redemption were not enough!
As a New Creation we are complete in Christ...perfectly cared for and perfectly loved...completely free! (Now... that is story for the papers!!) Help spread the news today!
John 16:27 “For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me {Jesus} and believed that I {Jesus} came from the Father.
I John 1:32 "Beloved, we are now the (adopted) children of God..."
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July 1, 2008
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FORGETTING THE PAST
WOW! Now that is a word in due season!! God has brought to my attention, again this morning that one of the most destructive things in our lives, which is our past, and it literally has the ability to paralyze and poison us. It devastates and stops us in our tracks. It slowly draws and drains all of the life out of us. It does not even have to be the past of 5, 10, 20 or 30 years ago...it could be yesterday or even last night or just a few minutes ago...yet, no matter what the time frame, it has a way of keeping us from making any progress in our lives.
Every person on the face of the earth is naturally a product of the past that we come from and most people have always allowed the past to determine their future. Yet, as we come into the understanding of our Righteousness we know and must accept the FACT that we have no past!! PRAISE GOD!
In Romans 8:1; Paul tells us that "NOW! (that you know who you are)...there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus".No more guilt, shame, intimidation!! True freedom to just be you!! You see, one of the things that our Righteousness gives to us is a pardon from the past and bestows upon us a Spirit of Excellence. That spirit of excellence will not allow us to wallow in the mistake of yesterday... we are “to forget" the things of the past and look to the future. The word "forget" means "unable to think of or recall".
Look at it this way; can you remember what you had for lunch on September 21, 1972 and exactly where you had it? I doubt it! It just does not matter!! What difference does it make?? The only thing you think of... is where are you going to eat today!! So let's go eat!! (You do know that is EXACTLY what Jesus said to the disciples when He met them on the beach after His resurrection...the ones who forgot about Him and all hid in fear...He made breakfast for them and said... “Guy’s...Lets eat!!) In other words, start today to lie down and walk away from the Sin Consciousness (living by what you can see…rather than what you KNOW!!) of what ever happened to you to keep you stuck in yesterday.
Remember. You are the Righteousness of God and you are loved more than you could ever even dream!! I know what I am talking about!! It has changed my life!! Oh yea! BTW...Don't forget to dance some today!!
Philippians 3:13: "...This one thing I do (it is my one aspiration); forgetting that which lies behind me and pushing forward to what lies ahead".
LET'S EAT!!
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June 30, 2008
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ARE YOU TIRED OF GIVING IT ALL YOU'VE GOT?
Have you ever come to the place where you are simply worn out with being worn out? I like to express it this way; “are you sick and tired of being sick and tired”? Does it seem like the "more you do...the “behinder” you get?" If your answer was yes to any of those questions, then you and I have a lot more in common than you might think. We may or may not have met personally, but I can guarantee you, we have all been to the same school... (and we have more than a tee shirt to show for it!) It is called the School of Performance and we are still trying to figure out how to graduate...after all these years.
From the very early years of our childhood and well into our adult lives we are taught to perform to get what we want... Think about it? Everything that we were taught was always CONDITIONAL!
- Eat your supper, AND THEN you can have a cookie.
- Take out the garbage, AND THEN you can have your allowance.
- Finish your "to do" list, AND THEN you can go off with your friends.
- Do you your homework, AND THEN, you can watch TV.
- Use these beauty products, AND THEN you will find the perfect mate.
- Work more hours or more jobs, AND THEN you can have all this stuff!!
- Join our church (religion), AND THEN you will go to heaven.
The list goes on and on and on... We have always been taught that there is a direct correlation between how hard we work and how much we are rewarded. The tragedy of this formula is that we carry it over into every area of our lives including our spiritual lives. You have heard the old saying..."Well, Ya know…God helps those who help themselves..." The problem is that first it is not biblical and second it is simply not true!! The only place that we can go where we are finally able to stop the performance track is at the end of our rope!!
When you come to the end of yourself and you are worn out and tired of "trying with all your mite to act like a Christian" going through the all the meaningless motions and useless rituals that always leave you feeling worse about YOU then when you began. I have a wonderful word for you today!! QUIT!!
Do you know that the Greek word that we translate "Grace" actually means "Love Gifts". The dictionary definition of “Grace” is very interesting; Grace means: “unmerited help given to people by God, freedom from sin, used as a title in referring to Royalty (your Grace), APPROVAL, ACCEPTANCE, CHARM, ATTRACTIVINESS, and BEAUTY”. WOW! And the very same Grace that has given you salvation, health and prosperity…teaches us how to live everyday...without performing!! NOW, THAT IS The GOSPEL OF GOOD NEWS! (I would go to that church!!)
So, I say to those of you who have spent your lives trying to give it your all...trying to live up to an impossible standard, still seeking ways to be that "good Christian" (which BTW is totally non-existent) trying your very best to please God only to discover that you can't ever do enough...You are ACCEPTED just like you are! This passage is for you today:
Matthew 11:28 "Come to ME, all of you who labor and are heavy laden (with the performance trap of religion), and I will cause to rest. (I will ease and relieve you and refresh your soul {your mind})
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June 27, 2008
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FAITH IS ONLY A PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE!!
Are you ready for a thought today that is so exciting that you will not hardly be able to sit still...you will have to run out of your house, down the street or around your little cubicle this morning shouting to everyone you see!! Here is the TRUE definition of Faith…
Faith is the knowledge of the reality of our union with Christ in God. Faith knows that we have His Life and Nature in us!
- Faith has ceased to be a problem.
- Righteousness has ceased to be a problem.
- Sin is no more a problem!!
- Lack ceases to be a problem.
- Want and Lack is no more!
- Son-ship has ceased to be a problem.
We are now New Creations. We are children of God.
We are the Righteousness of God
Now that we understand what it means to be the Righteousness of God, we can and always have been able to approach our Father-God at anytime, anywhere...with any request and know that not only do we have His full attention, (no performance!), we can know that He is so excited to see us and before we even ask we already have what we need! (I am just about beside myself this morning writing this to you...my hair is standing up on my arms and I have chill bumps!!) We are not problem children… we are children endowed with His ability...empowered with His energy.
It is important to understand how powerful it was to be “adopted” in Jewish law. According to the law, a natural born child could be disowned for whatever the reason…but a child that had been “adopted” could never ever be disowned! Satan's dominion over us has been broken. We are complete and it is a finished thing!! GLORY!!!GLORY!!GLORY!!
Psalm 27:1 " The Lord is my Light (wisdom and knowledge) and my Salvation (Deliverance, healing, provision)-whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold (a way of thinking) of my life-of whom shall I be afraid!"
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June 26, 2008
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FELLOWSHIP IS THE OBJECT OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
I teach everyday on Righteousness Consciousness and Sin Consciousness, so I think it is important for me to take a minute this morning to explain the difference. Sin Consciousness (always feeling unworthy and never good enough to have a relationship with Father-God) Sin Consciousness is always being aware of what we do not have…our want and lack and need...it has nothing to do with “smoking and drinking and hanging out with them that are doing” Sin Consciousness has nothing to do with negative patterns of behavior but rather the awareness of the fact that we think, we will never measure up. We always have to prove ourselves…or if you please that we are never valuable no matter what. Let me put it this way…Sin Consciousness robs us of our faith and fills us with a sense of guilt and shame and unworthiness that dominates our lives. Sin Consciousness was born the moment that Adam hid from God, and he was afraid to meet Him, (Adam, where are you? (it wasn’t like God did not know where Adam was…) then tried to cover up his nakedness in the garden. Guilt and shame robs us of our fellowship with God as well as with each other.
Think about it this way, how many times have you not returned phone calls or e-mails or stayed away from someone because of something that took place in your relationship that caused you to feel guilty or ashamed? Or, if you have ever been in the uncomfortable position of “owing” someone money that you may have borrowed from them…and so every time you are around them it is hard to be “present” or have a relationship with that person because you are afraid that they are going to mention what you owe them and you are always wondering if they are going to ask for it back or when you are going to pay it back…Was the relationship with that person broken? NO...the relationship is still there but there was definitely a change in the fellowship...it is no longer there.
That is exactly what Sin Consciousness does; it robs you of that relationship and keeps you out of fellowship because of guilt, shame, fear and inferiority. You always feel like you have to do something to have that relationship...even with God. The only way to have a relationship with Him is to pay what you think or have been taught that “you owe Him”…and how uncomfortable is that?
Righteousness, on the other hand, is the ability to stand before the Father without guilt, shame and inferiority...it is all about relationship...and relationships are about fellowship. If you have no fear, shame, guilt or inferiority...then the relationship can be restored. That is exactly what Righteousness Consciousness does, it RESTORES THE RELATIONSHIP. You can be in a relationship and not have fellowship!! The object of Righteousness is relationship; the object of relationship is always going to be fellowship. The word that is translated "fellowship" actually means "communion" or blissful harmony. You see, communion and fellowship are identical; they are the very same word. Communion means that our spirit and God’s Spirit are one! We now assume the true position of a son...not a slave! (Slave=works mentality, a slave works for a meager survival, always… barely getting by, while the master thrives and prospers from their work.)...we now bear the burdens of the Father, we now have control of the family business...We now have fellowship with the Father, with the Son and with the Holy Spirit.
Because our relationship is now restored, we enjoy the same unique fellowship with the Father that Jesus did. There was no sense of guilt, no sense of shame, or sin, or inferiority, no sense of condemnation ever present in Jesus life or His spirit. Jesus had no sense of lack or want!! When He needed money, He told Peter (the fisherman) to go do what he did best! ....go fishing and the very first fish he caught would have the money needed in its mouth!! (WOW!! WHAT A CONCEPT!! I can't believe the money didn't fall out of the sky or checks appear in the mailbox!! He (Peter) actually had the skill to go get it! (That is another message for another day!!) Remember; Righteousness means that we have the nature of GOD re-created inside of us...which means that we have Jesus life in us actually being lived through us!! Jesus has no sense of lack of money. Jesus had no sense of lack of love, lack of knowledge or ability in any circumstance. He no Sin-Consciousness, HE had no Inferiority Complex...and NEITHER SHOULD WE!! RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE ALL WE WERE CREATED TO BE. [In relationship with Father-God]
Make it a point today to enjoy your relationships with those whom are the closest to you and around you...help them to see that YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!! It will give you the sweetest and most perfect and enjoyable fellowship that you could ever dream of or imagine! (If you don't enjoy them...you are the one who has the creative ability to restore it!)
I Corinthians 1:9: "God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, (and can be depended on); by Him you were called (invited to participate) in His companionship and partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ.
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June 25, 2008
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IMITATORS OF GOD! WHO ARE YOU KIDDIN’…?
W.W.J.D (What Would Jesus Do)...I have to admit that is a pretty tall order! Every time I see those initials and the bracelets something inside of me just goes banana's...for crying out loud…What do you mean; what would Jesus do? HE HAS ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING HE IS GOING TO DO!! What else do we want Him to do? See, here is the issue; ...this is the very problem with RELIGION...it always puts demands on you that there is no way on the “face of the earth” to ever be able to do !! No matter how hard I try or what I do, I can't ever do enough. Imitate God? Live like Jesus lived...come on, who are you kidding?
Jesus never had my job....Jesus never had my wife, husband, kids, car, bills...YADA…YADA...YADA... then, we get under all kinds of guilt and condemnation because there is just "No Way"...AHH! Or, so you think. What if I told you that I had the secret to being able to live life everyday just like Jesus lived? (I could sell it on e-bay, or QVC and HSN and make a gazillion $$$).
You were exactly right when you said there was no way on earth to be able to do it. The earth way is by Sense Realm Knowledge...living by what we see, smell, feel, hear, touch...living by our five senses, that is the reason why it is so hard, because, we live by what we see. Please understand we were not created to live that way, as a new creation and a new species; we live in the Spirit Realm, living daily by what we know to be the truth, not what we see. That is exactly what Revelation Knowledge is about, living with a recreated spirit.
When you were “saved” or “born again”, you actually received the very Nature and Life of God. (Gen 1:26; Let US make mankind in OUR image (character and likeness) He actually re-created Himself in us. God is not going to anything any more than He has already done. He has given us His very life, (read Phil.1:6), we have His heart, His strength, and His power. He has reproduced Himself in each one of us...He has established and built into each of us Jesus life. That is the reason that God wants a relationship with us more than anything else…He is attracted to that part of Himself in each of us. That is exactly what "Righteousness" means...the nature and life of Father-God. We are now New Creations. So are you ready for the answer? How do we imitate God? (Eph 5:1, 2) “Be imitators of God” (copy Him and follow His example)
WE LOVE! God is Love. We are born of Love. Love is the rule of our lives. Love is the strength of our life. Love is the very beauty of our life. His love is the Righteousness of God in us. Love has no fear, no doubt, and no condemnation. Love is what makes us complete in Him. It is how God sees us...the same way He saw Jesus…through love. We are New Love Creations...we are ruled by love, living in love, letting love live in and through us.
Walk today in the most beautiful thing in the world...The fact that YOU ARE LOVED! (Remember the very last scene in the movie "Grease"...John Travolta and Olivia Newton John..."I get chills...there multiplyin'....you get the picture...God gets chill bumps every time He sees you!!)
Eph 5:1, 2 " Therefore; be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example]. As well - beloved children, [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering (WWJD) and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
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June 24, 2008
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ARE YOU A BELIEVER WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE?
Wow! That statement sounds like an "oxy-moron"...doesn't it? Yet, how can that be? A believer who does not believe? Let me ask you a few questions as we get started. First of all, have you ever gotten up in the morning and you feel terrible? Your depressed, irritable, anxious, frustrated, agitated and you haven't even done anything; you just got up for crying out loud? You feel a sense of guilt and shame...just plain "YUCKY"...You are empty, you are frustrated by all the things, situations and circumstances around you. You’re unhappy, unsatisfied, incomplete and do not feel very valuable or worthwhile?
Do live with a sense of unworthiness, unfaithfulness and lack? It seems as though you catch everything that everyone has and if someone around you even mentions that they feel bad, you start getting sick. You think or at least assume that you are a Christian...yet you live as though the Word of God is just a fairy tale that you pull out and read at night before you go to bed. If you answered YES to any of those questions or you find yourself saying..."yep, that's me!"...then you are the very person that I am talking about.
You have memorized every scripture that you could possibly remember, yet, are not apart of your daily life. You continue to live everyday in sense knowledge. You live by what you can see, feel, touch, smell…living by your senses. Do you find yourself continually talking about your emptiness and praying and begging for faith and power? If that seems to sum up your life…then what has happened is your confession (what you speak) has robbed you of your power, rather than walking in what you have been promised.
The Word of God says that; “He that believes has eternal life." Remember as we have said before, Eternal Life means that you are the Righteousness of God...which means that you have the very nature and life of God inside of you.
You have His fullness of Grace, yet you are empty. You are complete in Him, yet you talk about your lack and want. You are a believer that is unbelieving!
Let me share a scenario that may help to make this much clearer for you. Ok! Let’s say that you have just finished building your dream house! The house is wired for all the most modern cutting edge and innovative technology...everything is installed, bulbs in the sockets...power and utilities are turned on, you move in your dream house and day after day you stumble around in darkness and all the technology that you have is of no value to you. Why? Because you would not turn on the wall switch and power buttons!! Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Yet, that is exactly what I mean by a “believer that does not believe.
As the Righteousness of God, do you realize that you already have all the power and faith and ability that you will ever need to live an abundant life. Yet, for some reason, you will not use it...We get frustrated and try to pass the blame to God and say that HE does not care or does not hear you or love you…to keep from taking responsibility for yourself. It is not lack on the part of God. It is your lack of taking advantage of what is already available to you. Do not miss another moment, take advantage of all that is and has been already provided for you. You have the ability inside of you. LIVE OUT LOUD TODAY. Take hold ofthe abundant life that has been supplied for you Remember; YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!!
Ephesians 3:20: "Now to Him who by, (the action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayer or wildest imagination, desires, thoughts hopes or dreams).
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June 23, 2008
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The Secret to Inner Peace
I witnessed something not long ago that to say the least had a very profound effect on me. We know that LIFE and the experiences from it are the best teachers. Well, I was in Target not long ago waiting in the one of the checkout lines that were packed with all of the "Tax free weekend for Back to School" shoppers. There were so many people in the lines that they all seem to run together into the main aisle of the store and honestly you could not tell which line was which.
After a few minutes of waiting, a man came up beside me, who I could tell was obviously in a huge hurry and did not want to wait. He ask me if I was in the line that he wanted to get in and I simply shook my head "no", so he got in line shaking his head in disgust the whole time. He only had two items and so he had gotten into the "Express Lane"... you know, the "6” items or less" lane...well as you can guess would be the case the couple in front of him in the line had more than six items and it sent him into "orbit". I stood there in amazement and watched him as he tried to break in line in front of them, he got right in the face of the gentleman and ask him very loudly if he had a problem reading...could he not see that the sign said "6 items or less”, again he said...”can you not read or do you just not care? Well, as you can imagine...by this time he had the FULL attention of everyone in the front of the store. By this time one of the cashier manager's tried to get him to quiet down and ask him to move to a line with no one in it...but he was insistent and belligerent. The man eventually did move…but only after causing a huge scene to be the center of attention and infuriating the man and his wife.
Again, I stood and watched in amazement as the man who had been "chewed out" and had plainly had enough, walked up the man who was now in another line and either, spit on him or blew on his face as he intentionally walked past him in the lane on his way out of the store, obviously to wait on him outside.
Needless to say, and as you could imagine, it cause quite a scene and was very embarrassing and really very stupid, silly and most of all showed the guy’s ignorance!! Here’s the deal...I can tell you exactly what happened in that store...and it had nothing to do at all with too many items for the checkout lines!!
That whole scene had to do with the fact that man who was so mad... was most likely ask to stop on his way home from work and pick up the case of Cokes and he did not want too, or he had a bad day at work or he had already been chewing on someone or someone had already been chewing on him, or more than likely the case would be that he had something on his mind and he was mad before he ever came in the store. The couple in front of him just happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and got blamed for something that had nothing to do with them. Believe me, one or two items over the limit was not worth what took place!!
You see, the point of my story this morning is that when you do not know who you are and you spend more time focusing on your circumstance than knowing your standing...anything and everything causes you to loose you peace. But, when you know that you are the Righteousness of God, you have a calmness and quietness about your spirit that you crave... (I do) NOTHING moves you off your peace (remember the story of Jesus in front of Pilot before His trial? He never opened His mouth) and if it does move you away from your peace you have allowed your Sense Knowledge to take precedent over your spirit.
My point is this; when you know who you are...you are slow to speak, slow to judge, quick to love and help others... (even those with too many items in line!!) There is a holy calmness about your life, stability and you are un-shakable!! Righteousness gives you dignity and poise with those you encounter daily. Your righteousness makes you the intelligent person rather than showing your ignorance and stupidity!! (Just like my Dad always told me. You can’t fix stupid...)...You can always tell when a person has spent time with the Father and comes away with the assurance of His love, acceptance and care!! Today:
...be strong in the Lord, [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides] Ephesians 6:10
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June 20, 2008
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"I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT"
Have you ever really considered how many times have you have made that statement? That is exactly what Thomas said (in so many words) about believing that Jesus had actually been resurrected from the grave? "...I will not believe unless I can put my finger in the scar print of the nails in His hands and thrust my hand in His side" Sadly, our faith today is no different thatn that of “Doubting Thomas” ...unless I see it, I won't believe it! Having faith only in what we can see, hear, feel and touch, in other words...Sense Knowledge faith. Living by what we see rather than living in what we know. It was the famous evangelist John G. Lake (speaking in 1030's!) who said; “the church today is more interested in seeking the phenomena of God than they are in the presence of God!" WOW no more true statement has ever been spoken! This is the very reason that so many modern movements today have to have so much physical demonstration as a part of their services (i.e. gold dust, split pulpits, gold teeth appearing...etc, etc etc...) that is Sense Knowledge Faith!
When we begin understand what true Faith really is...rather than believing that it is fairytales and magic, “name it & claim it” theology...we will see that Faith is not something that you do or even something that you develop as we have been taught. Faith is who we are!!The definition of Faith is: the spiritual knowledge of the reality of our union with Christ.In other words, faith is our knowing without a shadow of a doubt that we are the Righteousness of God and that we actually have His Nature and Life in us. God actually re-created Himself inside of us! And He lives His life through us daily in His Son Jesus (...And His name shall be called Immanuel-God in a man's body!!)We must know without a doubt that spiritual things are greater than physical things!! Because everything that is physical was created by a spirit!
Therefore: one of the things that Righteousness does for us is to restore our lost FAITH! We no longer have to see it to believe, it now will be just the opposite...we believe it then we see it!! WOW!! If everyone knew what I am telling you about righteousness, we would become completely independent of circumstances! If we were as conscience of our righteousness and our oneness with God as we are of being weak and unworthy, we would never be sick again, we would never be in want or poverty! If we were as conscience of our union with Christ and His life inside of us, we would never again be held in bondage to pain, suffering, sickness or physical need again!!
Your Righteousness in Christ completely destroys Sin Consciousness, Weakness Consciousness and Want Consciousness. What FREEDOM comes when we take our rightful place in the Kingdom of God!! We finally see that the Kingdom is not a "place we go" but it is US!! Now... things become so much clearer. He is in us. No more fear. No more failure. No more bondage! We understand now that the scripture becomes literally His Word to US!
Make it a point TODAY to enjoy every moment of your new and refreshed liberty in prayer and your new sense of authority as you have been given the right to use the Name of Jesus. Enjoy a renewed fellowship with your Father-God. You shall not want today because you are one with Him. You are His Lips! You are His Hands! He is living inside of you!
ENJOY YOUR REIGN AS KINGS TODAY IN THE REALM OF THIS LIFE!!
I John: 5: 4, 5 " For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world (sense knowledge); and this is the victory (our righteousness...His life inside of us!) that conquerors the world (sense knowledge), even our faith (the knowledge of the reality of our union with Him).
Who is it that is victorious (conquers) over the world (sense knowledge), but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trust in, and relies on that fact]?
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June 19, 2008
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MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
The greatest need that we have in our lives is the need to loved, accepted (for who we are), and valued as a person…We have all suffered from fear and loneliness and rejection…we have all experienced broken lives and shattered dreams in some shape, form or fashion. We have all been on that insatiable search for identity and acceptance and sadly fallen into the trap of performance and doing all that we can do to be approved. If you know me at all, you know that this is my story, and I simply share with you everyday from where I am and have been…what better place to minister from that my own life? I think that is one of the reasons that I love Jesus so much, He has been there and He understands when I tell Him what I am going through.
As you have gotten to know me, you know that I talk a lot about the Grace and Righteousness and the transformation that takes place in our lives because of it.. That transformation is what I call the “Exchanged Life”. Yet, as powerful of transformation as it is…I really do not think that we understand the full scope of what Righteousness is all about. Righteousness means the we have the Life and Nature of God re-created inside of us…which is Eternal Life. Eternal Life never has been about a location when we die…It gives us the ability to stand in the presence of God with fear, shame, guilt, doubt and condemnation! (Romans 8:1 )Righteousness is what came to us as a result of the Cross and it was at the Cross that we were made New Creations.
Sin Consciousness that literally cripples us and robs us of our relationship with Father-God, Self-confidence, and assurance has been completely destroyed. Let me explain it this way, “works”, which is “religion”, which is based on what we (I) do…works, says that God owes us (me) because of our (my) performance or what we (I) have done (prayed cried, begged, gone to church, given money helped the poor in Africa and visited somebody in jail, read my Bible all night) On the other hand, grace and righteousness are about what God has promised. Works is about getting God to respond to me based on what I do and have done. Righteousness is always about what Jesus did at the Cross. Because, I am the Righteousness of God and it gives to us the very same standing that Jesus enjoyed while on His earth walk. Every promise that He ever made to anyone…is all mine. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Jesus KNEW who He was, He had no fear, no doubt, no sense of inferiority in the presence of death or disease, and He had no sense of want or lack. Jesus was the Master of the forces of darkness (ignorance or lack of the knowledge of righteousness). Jesus was not afraid to speak to the circumstances around Him and the very same Life, Power, and Confidence that Jesus had and was aware of...is ours today! Just like Jesus, we already have everything inside of us that is necessary to be what we were created to be. (in relationship with God!!) God expects us to move out and begin to act on what we already have. Not sitting around waiting to hear from God or for Him to do something special (speak or "give you a sign") just for you means that the finished work on the Cross was not enough for you!!...He has to do something special just for you!!
Remember...God is not going to do anything any more than what He has already done! He allowed His Son to die on the Cross. Our standing has been restored!! Take charge today of the circumstances around you and watch the mountains begin to move!! Righteousness is not an experience...It is the Nature of the Father imparted to us. We are MASTERS, KINGS, PRIEST and more than CONQUERORS!
YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!! HE HAS RECREATED HIMSELF INSIDE OF YOU. GO OUT TODAY AND CREATE!!
John 1:6: "For of His fullness we have all received and grace (favor) upon grace (favor)."
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June 18, 2008
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DESTROYING THE DESTRUCTIVE PATTERNS THAT KEEP US IN BONDAGE
How would you like to experience power on a daily basis in your life like you have never seen before? Are you tired of the same old patterns of behavior that keep you frustrated and in a constant state of confusion and uproar? Are you simply just "sick and tired" of always being "sick and tired"? Then; wow…do I have a message for you today! God has put a word in my spirit for you today that will totally set you free forever!! No more performance or struggling trying to get from God! No more staying up all night or getting up at 4:00 AM whining, begging, pleading, crying, seeking, sacrificing... only to come up empty, angry, and worn out!! I promise,you can break this cycle of behavior forever!!
Does this sound too good to be true? If so, please just keep reading. You see, we have been taught for such a long time by the “church” that we are "unworthy", and "unrighteous", (no not one), that we are weak and have no faith...that we have to work our way to healing or into heaven and if we hear anything that sounds even remotely like a message of freedom… we are rebels, and “rent off off our clothes” and we run down the street screaming “blasphemy”.
We feel unless we are able to work our way to heaven or healing or forgiveness, and if we could just pray long enough or hard enough, give enough money, time, sweat and blood or give up something like TV or food or some "pleasure" and bring our flesh under subjection... confess our sins enough...that we could in some way get our life straightened out. Yet, the problem still remains that IT DOES NOT WORK! All this is working is just “religion” and is "works righteousness”.Works Righteousness comes when we believe and have been taught that we do not deserve to be in God's presence! So, because we are “sinners and such a worm as I”, we believe that we have to work our way there!!
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! Righteousness can not be gained by works!! You can not give enough, read enough, pray enough, cry, beg, plead, or confess enough sins from childhood until this morning to gain your righteousness. If this describes you...STOP!! Your life depends on it!!Righteousness only comes by FAITH! Faith is our spiritual knowledge of the reality of our union with the Father! In other words; it is His life and nature in us. We are the Righteousness of God! And greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. The spiritual is greater than the physical. Righteousness does not come by anything that you could ever do or have done; it only comes by what has already been done. Christ death on the cross! At His death, you were made righteous.
When we come to the place that we are just as conscience of our identity with the Father and that we can come into His presence without guilt, shame, fear, condemnation, intimidation (which is exactly what Righteousness means) as we are of aware and tell others of our unworthiness and our inability and sickness and poverty...we would NEVER EVER again have pain or be sick or be held in bondage to poverty, lack (unworthiness) and want!
As the Righteousness of God, Christ has completely destroyed the cycle and patterns of negative behavior that have been caused by our Sin Consciousness. Please understand how vitally important this is to you spiritual growth. Righteousness has nothing to do with what you (we) deserve or do not deserve.
Today you can walk completely independent of circumstances FOREVER! Enjoy the discovery of identity as the Righteousness of God!!
John 5: 4, 5: " For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world (sense knowledge, sin consciousness); and this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. (Our Righteousness)
Who is it that is victorious over the world but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God [adheres to, trusts in and relies on].
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June 17, 2008
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DISAPPOINTMENT AND FAILURE ARE EMINENT IF YOU SPEND MORE TIME LISTENING TO YOURSELF THAN TALKING TO YOURSELF!!
Bob George writes in his book “Classic Christianity”, the story of a young boy who one morning went skipping down the huge marble corridors, where armed security took no notice of the child who ran past their post. The boy passed several senior staff members of the building, passing right by a secretary’s desk; the little boy did not even notice her wave on his journey to achieve his goal. In front of the door stood another armed security guard who made no attempt to stop the lad as he ran past him and pushed the door wide open. With a huge smile on his face and laughter, the little boy ran across the Oval Office and climbed onto the lap of the single most powerful man in the world. The very high ranking Cabinet Members and Senior Staff had to wait to finish their conversation as President John F Kennedy said good-morning, and exchanged hugs and kisses with his son John-John. What do you think would have been the reaction of John-John had someone even tried to stop him… “HEY! He is my Daddy”! You see, John- John knew who is father was, and more importantly…he knew who he was! Because of his relationship he had free, clear and complete access to his Dad!
The tragedy of religion, rules and regulations is that it robs us of our identity and leaves us ignorant of who we are! You see, a person has no identity apart from a relationship with a person or anything else. Perfect peace (John 14:27) in the midst of ALL the storms of life will come when we realize that we are focusing on the wrong things. If we do not know who we are and if our thoughts are always tuned in to what is going on around us...our circumstances and the situations and how we feel on the inside about what is happening on the outside we will stay in a constant state of frustration, anger and disappointment. Perfect peace is all about identity.
The Word of God teaches us that "Greater is He (God) in us that he (Satan) that is in the world" When we begin to exchange what we think, for what God says...we willautomatically begin to change! (please notice the emphasis on WE) The circumstances and situations may well be the very same, but we see it completely different!!
Take charge of your thoughts today and begin to EXCHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS FOR GOD'S THOUGHTS!
Joshua 1:8, 9: "This Book of the Law shall never depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe it and do according to all that is written in it. For then YOU shall make your way prosperous, and You shall deal wisely and have good success.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong, vigorous and very courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, fro the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
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June 16, 2008
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STAND YOUR GROUND!!!
I am sure that you have heard it said that the best sermons come out of life. WOW!! It is that fact!! Again, as usual, this morning the Holy Spirit taught me an invaluable lesson!! I remember a situation that took place a while back with our first Greyhound, (Buddy) who unfortunately, died a few months ago.
I had taken Buddy to the park this particular morning because it was raining and as usual and he WILL NOT go out at home and get wet! But he will get wet if he gets to ride in the car to the park...(I don't... know!! Go figure) Anyway, when we got there I noticed a lady with her two dogs, a German Sheppard and Pit Bull that were not on a leash where Buddy and I normally walk. So we decided to go in a different direction and as we were on our way back to the car, I noticed that the lady and the two dogs were no where in sight and Buddy being the creature of habit that he is, wanted to take his normal path and routine... so we did. As we got the top of the hill which is the direction that we would normally walk ...I saw the lady and the two dogs coming across the field...still not on a leash. Buddy never saw them... but I did...and suddenly, I heard a dog barking and I looked up and I saw that the Pit Bull, his ears laid back, teeth snarling and his drewel coming out his mouth, had seen Buddy, and was now charging at him full speed. I will be very frank with you...I knew the dog was there...I was trying to get Buddy back to the car...and when the Pit Bull charged...it unnerved me...no, let me say it like this...for a moment. It scared the h... well you know....out of me and Buddy!!
The first thing that came to my mind was; get between him and Buddy...Buddy was trying to get away and tucked up under me and so there I was, between Buddy and the Pit Bull...with him still charging Buddy. All I had with me was a umbrella and so I yelled as loud as possible NO!! and stomped my feet and swung at him with the umbrella and cracked him right on his head...all the while the lady was yelling at me, "he is friendly he won't hurt him, he is very social..." I was like...look lady this dog may be social some days but he is not being very social this morning and he was out for a fresh Greyhound breakfast!! When I stomped, I stepped on Buddy's foot and he yelled and I yelled again and when I did... I charged the dog and he yelped and ran and got in the lady's truck. I was shaking; Buddy was trembling and frozen in his tracks. It was more than a little unsettling but I learned a valuable lesson...it is funny now. But, believe me that morning it was NOT FUNNY!!
You see, that is EXACTLY the method of operation of the spiritual forces of evil that come against us...on any given day. We know they are there... we are not sure where...and when our guard is down they attack with full vengeance. We can even see them coming at times, yet unless we know that have authority over them they will get the best of us. You see I saw the dog that morning....I saw him coming in full attack mode...and my first and only thought was " get between him and Buddy" He had to get past me to get to Buddy and I was not about to let that happen!!
As frightened as I was and as mean and scary looking as the dog was...when I stood my ground with him and yelled NO! I swung at him with what I had in my hand, he went running to the truck!! He was no threat at all when I took authority over the situation!! I did not say it was not scary for a minute... (I think even the Holy Spirit in me was shaking !!..I know He was 'cause I was!!) But when we took authority...it was not nearly as bad as it seemed.
Let me put it like this...I was the Holy Spirit in Buddy...I was the one who took authority over the situation and protected him...make sense? MY point...you see we have AUTHORITY!! We stand our ground and the enemy will flee. We have authority over danger, sickness, poverty and other situations and circumstances not only in our own lives but in the lives of those around us we love and care for every day!! There is not anything that can get to us or them when we stand on who we are. We are the Righteousness of God!! We are more than conquerors. We are the victor's. Begin NOW...Today!! Stand your ground over your family and loved ones and refuse to allow the spiritual forces of darkness to invade!!
James 4:7: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
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