GOD’s Love has to be returned, we love because GOD first Loved us. We cannot receive GOD’s Love unless we return it to Him by giving it away, and we cannot give it away unless we truly receive it.

Growing up I knew my parents loved me, I just knew it because I understood it by the fact of their provision and boundaries for me and my siblings. But they did not demonstrate it by their words and affection. So I knew they loved me but I did not receive it in a way that made me better or more obedient to their desires.

To me GOD’s Love has been the same, I know GOD Loves me, I understand the measure of His Love by His Word. I believe it and declare it, I hope in it, but that has not made me better or more obedient to His Will for me.

So I struggle in my walk of faith and obedience, I want to please GOD and do His Will, to hear His voice and understand His purpose in the process. I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES ME, THAT HE MADE ME HIS SON, THAT HE GAVE ME CHRIST’S VICTORIES, THAT HIS WILL FOR ME IS BEYOND WHAT I CAN IMAGINE; but, I struggle. GOD’s Love is received not earned, but I struggle.

I have not believed in the prosperity doctrine from the beginning of my salvation, yet I want GOD to prosper me in all that I do. I have believed in the healing doctrine from the beginning of my salvation, yet I struggle in receiving and ministering healing to others. I know that GOD has given me Christ’s victory and made me a new man, but I struggle with those nagging sins that so easily beset me.

It is GOD’s Love that sets me free from all that is of the flesh and of the world so that I can live in all that is of His Kingdom in the earth as it is in Heaven. So how do I do that, how do I live in GOD’s Love? Not by my deeds which can become religious, not by my obedience that can be come ritual. How do I do the Works of the Father (His Will), how do I learn and memorize His Word (The Bible) without these things becoming religious and ritual?

By trust! In most places where faith is used in the Bible trust is another meaning for the root word. Faith has taken on almost mystical properties because of bad teachings based on Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” NKJV; where we try to conjure up faith (which is a gift from GOD, Ephesians 2:8). In the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) it says, “Trusting is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see.” This makes more sense, if I know GOD through experience and His Word then I can trust Him to do as He says He does and will.

As children we trusted (believed – had faith in) what our parents told us and as we went through life we learned whether they could be depended on (trusted) or not. That is not some mystical thing it is the experience of life. In GOD’s Kingdom on the earth, it is the same thing, when we are first saved we believe GOD because He saved us, as we go (grow) through our Christian life we learn if we can trust GOD or not. The sad thing is that if we learn that we cannot trust GOD it is because we have not experienced GOD; we have experienced what others have taught us that GOD is.

One of the big problems with the Church today is that most Christians do not know the Bible (The Word of GOD) well enough to know when they are being taught error. When we are young Christians we believe what other Christians tell us because we do not know; but GOD expects us to learn of who He is. How do we learn of who GOD is? By His Spirit (Holy Spirit) and His Word (The Bible), these two things GOD has given humanity so that we can know Him and experience Him as He wants us to.

That is the importance of family, first we start as children and we learn to trust or not trust based on our family and friends. Then as adults we marry and relearn the give and take of love and trust. Our relationship with GOD is the same, first we are His children and we learn to trust Him by our experience, He even refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ, so in our preparation for the Marriage Supper we learn the give and take of Love and Trust.

All this is to say that I am learning to stop trying to prove my love for GOD by my obedience and deeds based on what I think GOD expects and to just trust GOD that His Word is True and I can depend on Him to do what He says. This is not an overnight transition but as I care less about me and doing and more about Him and being I know my trust in Him will be fulfilled!

IT IS NOT ABOUT ME – IT IS ABOUT GOD (FATHER, SON AND SPIRIT)!

Proverbs 3:1-8 & 4:40-27 Harmonized

Proverbs 3:1-8 – 4:20-27 CJB

Harmonized

3:1 My son don’t forget my teaching keep my commandments in your heart;

4:20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying; incline your ears to my words.

3:2 for they will add to you many days years of life and peace.

4:22 for they are life to those who find them and health to their whole being.

3:3 Do not let grace and truth leave you – bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4:21 Don’t let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart;

3:4 Then you will win favor and esteem in the sight of GOD and of people.

3:5 Trust in ADONAI with all your heart; do not rely on your own understanding.

3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him; and He will level your paths.

4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze on what lies in front of you.

4:26 Level the path for your feet let all your ways be properly prepared;

4:27 then deviate neither right nor left; and keep your foot far from evil.

3:7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom; but fear ADONAI and turn from evil.

4:24 Keep crooked speech out of your mouth, banish deceit from your lips.

3:8 This will bring health to your body and bring strength to your bones.

4:23 Above everything else guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.

The Difficulty of Prayer!

The Difficulty of Prayer!

In the Gospels we learn that Jesus prayed often and normally alone, many times late at night or early in the morning. He also taught us about how to pray; the pattern of prayer, the LORD’s (Our Father) Prayer, seeking GOD’s Kingdom and Righteousness; praying to the Father in His Name; asking Him directly; praying until we get the answer. Peter, James, John and Paul all taught on prayer; pray without ceasing; pray in faith, praying fervently, praying in the Spirit; Peter was praying and fasting when GOD gave him a revelation and a call to go to the Gentiles, Paul was obviously praying on his trip to Rome and the ship was caught in a storm for two weeks, the Believers were praying when Peter was imprisoned to be executed by Herod. We are called to pray for GOD’s will, for the Church, for the lost, for our government and for our enemies.

But, praying is not always easy! Getting up early, staying up late, finding time during the day, finding a private place, seeking and waiting, physical comfort, hunger or thirst, distracted thinking, sleepy, not hearing from GOD, being awaken in the night by GOD. All of these and more can make praying difficult and easy to skip or ignore.

Most Believers say a quick prayer in the morning or at bedtime, over a meal or when asked. We pray for blessings for our self, our family and friends, our job, our Church, our ministry, for HELP! But, most of us do not kneel or bow or lay face down before GOD in humility and fear. Most of us do not wait as quietly as possible before GOD waiting for Him to speak to us for more than five minutes. Most of us do not intercede for the lost and for our government and over world affairs. Most of us do not even start the day asking for direction and guidance according to GOD’s will.

But, praying is a discipline that we must exercise in our life! This is an area where I at times struggle and at times look forward to. But, I have learned that it is a discipline I cannot ignore, especially when the LORD is calling me to pray. It could not have always been easy for JESUS, as the Son of Man He had physical requirements and needs. But, to stay emotionally and Spiritually whole He had to spend time in the presence of the Father and the Spirit and so do we.

Praying is a discipline because like fasting our body resists the requirements of time and comfort that must be given up to pray earnestly and effectively. Praying is a discipline because we must count the cost sometimes we must pray a long time to get the answer and during that time we must overcome fear and discouragement. Praying is a discipline because sometimes all we hear is no or silence, which is just the same to us. Praying is a discipline because to pray the will of GOD we must have the mind of Christ and that comes from reading and praying over the Bible, and from waiting to hear from the Spirit of the LORD.

Praying is a discipline of which we must count the cost because a lazy ineffective pray life will cost us knowing the will of GOD, it will cost us the peace that passes all understanding in the midst of the trials, tests and disciplines of the Father, it will cost us peace, grace and strength during times of persecution, it could cost us our life and our salvation.

Hatred For GOD's People!

Hatred For GOD’s People!

I was reading Esther where Haman wanted to destroy all the Jews in the Persian realm and I started thinking about the hatred for GOD’s people, the Jews and the Christians. Throughout history many have tried to conquer, subvert and destroy those who love GOD and seek to serve Him in the earth as it is in Heaven.

During the first millennium satan tried to destroy all the humans through deception, when that did not work he tried manipulating their DNA and created the nephilim or giants. He probably thought that he had succeeded when GOD saw that the heart of humanity was evil and decided to destroy humanity. But, GOD found one righteous man, Noah, so He saved him and his family. Then satan again probably thought that he had succeeded when he used Pharaoh to enslave the descendents of Abraham. But, GOD again found one righteous man, Moses to lead the people to freedom.

After GOD established Israel as a nation their neighboring nations continually tried to conquer, subvert and destroy them. But, GOD was always able to find a Judge, a Prophet or a King that was ready to do GOD’s will and deliver the Jewish nation for her enemies. The best Nebuchadnezzar could do was to take the Jews captive and the best Assyrians could do was to displace the Jews. But GOD found Mordecai and Esther to save their people in all of Persia and Israel; and later Maccabeus when the Seleucid Empire tried to subvert the Jews.

When JESUS came to the Jews and revealed GOD’s eternal plan of salvation, the Jews themselves became the persecutors; then not only rejected JESUS and crucified Him they tried to stamp out the new Believers by imprisonment and death. But, GOD had the disciples and the Church grew. Under Roman rule both the Jews and the Christians were persecuted and killed; twice being driven from Rome and accused of trying to burn down Rome. But, GOD found men and women that were willing to proclaim Him and die for their faith.

Then satan corrupted the Church, raising up a religious governmental organization to dominate the world. But, GOD found those who kept their faith in Him and JESUS Christ. The new church led by satan persecuted the real Church of JESUS, imprisoning, exiling and murdering. But, GOD found people like Martin Luther and William Tyndale who believed that the True Gospel should be preached and that every person should have a copy of the Bible.

The struggle continued between the corrupt religions church and the young enthusiastic church into the New World. But, GOD found men like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to found and maintain the United States of America, to stand with Israel as lights of GOD’s free salvation for humanity. During the 1930s satan again raised up a champion of hatred against the Jews and Christians, Adolf Hitler. But, GOD found men like Winston Churchill and F.D. Roosevelt to stand against the dark and destructive forces of hatred. Next came socialism and a liberal agenda that perverts the truth about GOD, salvation and eternity while seeking to destroy Israel and the United States for standing up for the Truth of GOD. Even while almost all of Israel’s neighboring nations (blood cousins) seek to destroy it and the United States and make all nations Islamic.

Next will be the anti-christ who will seek to subvert all religions and governments (including the United States) to his cause to destroy Israel and denounce GOD! But, GOD is looking for those who will stand against the lies and darkness and will stand for GOD’s Truth and Salvation for humanity!

Read, study and meditate on what JESUS said in the Gospels and Revelation; read, study and meditate on the whole Bible and see how it proclaims and supports JESUS’ teachings; “know the Truth and it will make you free”; otherwise you will be deceived by those who seek to destroy Israel and the United States and subvert all the world to their rule.

For the first three hundred years or so the Believers lived according to JESUS’ teachings; “Take up your cross and follow me…if you try to save your life you will lose it, lose your life for Me and you will save it…blessed are you when you are persecuted for My Name’s sake…you will be hated, imprisoned and murdered for My Name’s sake…seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…the works you have seen Me do you will do and even greater…be holy for I am holy…love your brothers as I Love you…love your neighbors as you love yourself…keep My commands…pray, Father in Heaven Your Name is Holy, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven…go into all the world, lay hands on the sick and see them recover, cast out demons, raise the dead and make disciples of the nations.”

Today there are many who claim to be Christian but they do not live the life as JESUS commanded us too. Many seek what GOD can do for them rather then what GOD called them to do in His eternal Kingdom. There are many will find themselves in the category of those in Matthew 7:21-23 and Matthew 25:41-46. But, GOD always has a remnant and today He is raising up a generation for the End Times who will overcome satan and his anti-christ “by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and not loving their lives even to death.”

Legalism or Grace?

Legalism or Grace?

The other day I heard a TV Preacher saying that JESUS’ command to “…seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…” was legalism, this surprised me. He made it sound reasonable as he taught on grace as the gift of GOD, something we just receive by faith. To me that is just religious. The religion of doing nothing because GOD just gives you everything you want and need.

When Jesus taught us to pray “…Your Kingdom come, Your will be done…” and to “…seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…” He was not issuing legal or religious commandments, He was teaching us the grace of GOD’s gift of salvation for humanity.

GOD formed every human being in their mother’s womb and gifted and called us to the purpose of His Kingdom. We usually say something like “When I  found GOD…” or “I found GOD…” but the truth is that almost everyone of us was not seeking GOD or looking for Him at all when we encountered His saving grace of salvation and all that it is and means for our life in this world and in His eternal Kingdom.

There are and always have been those who make serving GOD in a religious and legalistic lifestyle and profession. The Jewish leaders of JESUS’ day were religious and legalistic or they would have know their long awaited and desired messiah; but prophesy had to be fulfilled so in their religious fervor they missed GOD’s true grace and salvation.

The same thing is happening today, the Ten Commandments, the Our Father prayer, the teaching and commandments of JESUS all have been made religious and legalistic by some groups. Some have misused them for their own gain and control over peoples’ lives, they are and have been used to control governments and nations.

The difference between legalism, religion and grace is how we personally relate to GOD, His Word and His Kingdom. GOD’s grace allows us to seek GOD and His Kingdom so that we can do His will in the earth as it is in Heaven without becoming religious or legalistic; having a personal relationship with the Living GOD helps to keep us from becoming religious and legalistic.

Peter, James, John and Jude all repeat the themes of JESUS’ teachings and commandments: we will be persecuted, we must preserve, we must be doing the works of GOD’s Kingdom in the earth, GOD is worthy of our worship and praise, GOD is worthy of our sacrifice and service, obedience is a call and a requirement. JESUS said things like, “If you keep My commandments…When you keep My commandments…”; but not as a legalistic or religious activity but as part of our personal relationship with the Living GOD. One of JESUS’ primary teachings was that GOD is our Father who loves us and has a plan for our life if we yield to obey Him.

This is what the Great Commission is about; if we keep JESUS’ two commandments (these cover everything He taught and exemplified for us) Love and Unity; then we will understand His call for our life and be able to use His gift to our life for His will and purpose because we have a personal relationship with the Living GOD. Those who try to keep His commandments and fulfill His call for the Church without a personal relationship with GOD are those “Christians” JESUS exposed in Matthew 7:21-23.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself!

Love Your Neighbor As You Love Yourself!

Both Jews and Christians claim that Jehovah is their GOD and they try to live by the 10 Commandments. So when JESUS spoke to Jews – whether to one or to the whole nation what He said also applies to the Church. Such as the poor you will always have and you should minister to them. (Deuteronomy 5:11; Matthew 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8) This is proof that GOD does not want all Christians to be rich or materially wealthy, that even in “Christian” communities and nations there will be those who are poor and destitute.

Like love your enemies and pray for those who spitefully use you. In Proverbs GOD says that if we see our enemy under judgment and trials that we should not gloat (rejoice) or He may relent. Why? Because His purpose is not to bless us over them but to bring them to the place of seeing that He is GOD and that He wants to redeem them. This is why in the Church there is much sin! We judge others believers and non-believers, we condemn them and take joy in their adversity and trouble, we pray against them and for their condemnation. “For GOD so Loved the world…that who so ever believes in Him…that none should perish but that all would be saved.” The Church is full of hate because Christians are full of hate, we hate sinners, especially ones we consider to do worse sins than our sins.

A big one is sexual sin, under the Law all sexual sin was judged equally – death; fornication (sex between a man and a woman outside of marriage), adultery (sex between a married person and someone other than their spouse), sodomy (sex where a man puts his penis into a woman’s anus) homosexuality (sex between people of the same sex, man with man, woman with woman) and bestiality (sex between a human and an animal). In our modern society outside the Church all of these are acceptable and even approved forms of sexual relationships. In the Church we only condemn and judge homosexuality and bestiality. Why does GOD judge them all the same? Because they all destroy marriage, they are acts of lust that lead to sin which leads to death (eternal death).

When JESUS met the Samaritan woman at the well He ministers Love to her and over the next two days the whole village is saved. Now many Christians believe that because He did this that divorce and remarriage and even living in an unmarried relationship is ok. Not so! Jesus clearly taught the importance of the marriage covenant and stated that divorce could only be granted due to sexual immorality and that if a divorced person remarried while the ex-spouse was still alive, that was an act of adultery. What Jesus did in the Samaritan village was minister Forgiveness and Love to dozens if not hundreds of Samaritans and bringing a whole community into GOD’s Kingdom ready for the salvation message after His resurrection.

All Christians who hate sinners rather than the sin that binds them – Stop judging, that is a sin! JESUS said you will be judged as you judge…that if you do not forgive you will not be forgiven. The Kingdom message is about GOD’s Love for every person ever born, now alive and all who will be born; that He Loves us and that JESUS died in our place to deliver us from the power of sin and death – He redeemed us to The Father. That is the only message that we are to preach!

If you are born and live you are condemned to hell, salvation is the gift of GOD that redeems all who believe, confess and live accordingly. JESUS told us not to fear those who can kill us but to fear GOD who can destroy body and soul in hell, Paul told us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Peter told us, “Since you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth, so that you have a sincere love for your brothers…” James told us to show our faith by our works. Being born again is not just having our sins forgiven and waiting for Christ’s return. It is about doing the Father’s work in the earth as it is in Heaven; we all have a call and gift from GOD and He does expect us to fulfill it. Being a Christian is not about judging sinners, it is about telling sinners that GOD loves them and Jesus died for them. That is the work of GOD’s Kingdom and we will be judged by our fulfilling His will for us.

Todd Burpo said, “10,000 times I’ve been here and talked about on earth as it is in Heaven and I don’t know if I’ve ever listened to that…did GOD want me to have the same vision as you…of course not…He crushed my pride and opened my heart – to love and the one thing love requires is that I let others know they are not alone.”

When to Pray!

When to Pray!

Palm 32 By David. A maskil:

How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered!

How blessed are those to whom ADONAI imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit!

When I kept silent my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long; day and night your hand was heavy on me: the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)

When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, “I will confess my offenses to ADONAI”; then You, You forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)

This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when You can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.

You are a hiding place for me, You will keep me from distress; You will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah)

“I will instruct and teach you in this way that you are to go; I will give you counsel; My eyes will be watching you.”

Don’t be like a horse or mule that has no understanding, that has to be curbed with bit and bridle, or else it won’t come near you.

Many are the torments of the wicked, but grace surrounds those who trust in ADONAI.

Be glad in ADONAI; rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (CJB)

As I was reading this morning verse six stood out to me, “This is when everyone faithful should pray at a time when You can be found. Then, when the flood waters are raging, they will not reach him.” The key words are when and then: “…when You can be found. Then, when the floodwaters…” Also verses three and five start with when: “When I kept silent…When I acknowledged…”

As I thought about these verses I thought of two other verses, 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Proverbs 1:20-33.

2 Chronicles 7:14 is one of those often quoted but not acted upon verses. “If My people, who are called by My Name will humble themselves and confess their sins; then I will hear from Heaven and I will forgive their sins and I will heal their lands.” (my paraphrase) If and then are the keys words in this verse. If we…then GOD! The responsibility starts with us, we have to be one of those who GOD calls by His Name (not those who call themselves by His Name, study Matthew 7:21-23). Then we have to confess our sins with humility, this leads to repentance. Then He hears our prayers and forgives us and heals our resources.

Proverbs 1:20-33, Wisdom calls aloud in the open air and raises her voice in the public places; she calls out at the street corners and speaks out at entrances to city gates:

“How long, you whose lives have no purpose, will you love thoughtless living? How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?

Repent when I reprove – I will pour My Spirit to you, I will make My Words known to you.

Because you refused when I called and no one paid attention when I put out My hand, but instead you neglected My counsel and would not accept My reproof; I, in turn, will laugh at your distress, and mock when terror comes over you – yes, when terror overtakes you like a storm and your disaster approaches like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble assail you.

Then they will call Me, but I won’t answer; they will seek Me earnestly, but they won’t find Me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of ADONAI, they refused My counsel and despised My reproof.

So they will bear the consequences of their own way and be filled with their own schemes. For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them, and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;

But those who pay attention to Me will live securely, untroubled by fear of misfortune.” (CJB)

The key words are; how long, when, then, bear and will; the theme is if we continue to neglect and reject God and His Word then, when we want and need Him we are not guaranteed to receive His blessings and deliverance. This is why many Believers struggle in life, it’s not about legalism but relationship. If we do not have a relationship with God, if we reject His Life, Light and Love then we have no access to His Grace and Mercy. But, when we understand that we are a sinner and if we ask for forgiveness and receive the instruction and wisdom of His Word; then we can count on being in GOD’s Grace and Mercy no matter the circumstances of our life. (Study Revelation 2:9, 13; 3:3-6, 8-10)