Author: Pastor M.G.Larkins

  • Jesus As Your Personal Bridegroom – part 2

    Jesus As Your Personal Bridegroom – part 2

    “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD. It will come about in that day that I will respond, declares the LORD. I will respond to the heavens and they will respond to the earth,” 

    Hosea 2:19 – 21 [NASB]

    As I mentioned in part one of this post, “Jesus As Your Personal Bridegroom”, I want to look at you as the bride of Christ with Jesus as your personal Bridegroom, and how that ties into living in victory and abundance.

    The true is that I am writing this post more so for me than any other reason. What I wanted to take away is:

    • To see how God desires to treat me through my relationship with Jesus. (Hint: It’s not about how perfect I am but about how perfect His love for me is!!!!)
    • To improve my relationship with God through Jesus.
    • To encourage others in the importance of having a personal intimate relationship with God.
    • To get a greater understanding of how I am to interact with my wife (the same way God desires to treat me is how I believe I am meant to treat my wife).
    • To increase the confidence, joy, faith and boldness in my life.
    • To gain a better understanding of my roles as Jesus’ “wife” and what this looks like in day-to-day life and

    In short, to take the quality of my daily living to a higher level.

    In reading these three verses, it’s important to remember that the way that Hebrew teaching hammers a point home is by repeating that point over and over again.

    The more a point is repeated and the closer the points are repeated together,

    The more important that point is.

    Here we see the word betroth mentioned three times in three verses. Now the word in itself simply means to be engaged, but the more I dug into the root meaning of the word betroth, the more I saw how it is connected to consecration or to consecrate and that’s what blew me away!!!

    Consecrate = 1) To make or declare sacred, set apart or dedicated to the service of a deity; 2) To make (something) an object of honor; hallow; 3) To devote or dedicate to some purpose

    God’s Unconditional Love

    So let put this little bit together before I get to far away. Now keep in mind that God is speaking to Israel through Hosea at a time when they were off the hook wild. Serving any and everything but God, just like many of us today.

    At the times when I am at my worst God says that He wants to be betrothed to me FOREVER!!!!

    I can be thankful that my stupid choices, no matter how sinful does not change God’s Love for me!!!!

    God’s desire was and is to make them, you and me sacred. To make us an object of honor, holy to be used and dedicated for His purposes – Forever!!! WOW!!! He loves us even when we are acting a like the biggest fool around!!! We can see this very same loving attitude in Luke 15: 20 [AMP]

    “So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently].”

    Why was the father able to see the son when he was still a long way off? Because he was looking and longing for him!!! So many teach about a God using fire and brimstone. That He is angry because of our sins,

    but very rarely do we think about how our sins can cause God heart break.

    If we look at Hosea being a mirror to how God is feeling, we can see the torment of his profound suffering because of the infidelity (Gomer’s cheating and our serving of other gods) involved.

    Yet His desire is to forever be betrothed, to reconcile and

    to put us back on the path of righteousness.

    And God’s intent is to use Jesus as the husband who fulfills His desire both on a corporate level for the church and on an individual level for us personally.

    “I the Lord have called You [the Messiah] for a righteous purpose and in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and will keep You; I will give You for a covenant to the people [Israel], for a light to the nations [Gentiles],” 

    Isaiah 42:6 [AMP]

    Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness…

    My goal is not to do a full out teaching on righteousness, but to touch on the importance that it has in our daily living and to see how it counters one of Satan main tools, shame

    Satan fights us tooth and nail to keep us trapped in a mindset of sin and condemnation and his main tool for doing this is to use shame. When shame and condemnation become our main focus, when we believe Satan’s lie that we are what we do, then shame and condemnation speak to who we are, our identity.   Since shame based thinking is a primary parenting tool, here in the United States at least, it’s an easy lie for Satan to sell and an easy lie for us to buy.

    Like an iceberg, shame is just the tip, it is above the surface and the greatest amount of mass is hidden from sight. Wherever there is shame you will always find close by; Self-hate, negative judgments (of self and of others), blame, punishment and rejection. Our self-talk in turn reinforces the lies of shame with words like:

    • I am defective (damaged, broken, a mistake, flawed).
    • I am dirty (soiled, ugly, unclean, impure, filthy, and disgusting).
    • I am incompetent (not good enough, inept, ineffectual, and useless).
    • I am unwanted (unloved, unappreciated, and uncherished).
    • I am weak (small, impotent, puny, and feeble).
    • I am bad (awful, dreadful, evil, and despicable).
    • I am pitiful (contemptible, miserable, insignificant).
    • I am nothing (worthless, invisible, unnoticed, and empty).

    Shame and Condemnation Verse Conviction

    This is where you MUST understand the difference between shame or condemnation and that of conviction. Shame or condemnation (from Satan) wants you to not only look at your sinful action(s) but to believe that’s who you are and will always be.

    As opposed to conviction (from God’s Holy Spirit) which wants you to acknowledge your sinful action(s), to know that it is something that you did and then to repent, to change your mind and actions by making choices that line up with God’s Word.

    This is where righteousness comes in. Let’s look at Romans 5:17 – 19 [KJV]

    17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

    I really like the Amplified Version of 18b “…so one Man’s act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.”

    Shame draws its power and strengthens itself in darkness by trying to keep our sin hidden. Whereas Jesus desires to get me to acknowledge my sin (Hebrews 4:16) and then says to me “Let us get past this, we have work to do!”

    Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6:33 [AMP], “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” What Jesus is telling us is that there is an order to getting our needs and desires met. It starts by putting God first – seeking His Kingdom – and then to understand the authority that we have – His righteousness.

    Some Covenant Benefits of Righteousness

    Let me close with a few of the benefits of righteousness.

    As I said earlier my goal is not to do a full teaching on righteousness, but to open us to a greater understanding of what the quality of life that God wants us to enjoy. Please take the time to do your own research on the benefits of righteousness and you will find that I have only touched on a very few of them here!

    This is about the transformation of your heart,

    which is expressed by how you think,

    what you say and the choices that you make.

    Choices that not only benefit you and yours, but choices that show the world that God’s Word is true and alive today. Choices where God and God alone gets the honor and glory, even thou you get the benefits.

    With my next post I want to continue with the benefit and advantages of being the bride of Christ. If you found this post useful, please tell your friends and leave me a comment or two. Until next time, God Bless.

  • Unlocking the Abundant Life

    Unlocking the Abundant Life

    “I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will life). He will come in and he will go out [freely] and will find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.

    John 10:9 – 11 (AMP)

    Is your understanding of being a Christian limited to only getting into heaven after you die? Yet this is the only benefit that so many, many, many Christians are aware of. Bible scholars will tell us that there are over eight thousand covenant promises in the Bible. Sadly, just as many confessed Christians are equally unaware of what a covenant is a sacred, binding relationship initiated by God. More on this in a future blog post.

    With this blog post, I want to fuel your hope and to give your faith a target to aim for. There is so, so much available to us as heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17)

    I first want to point out that Jesus calls Himself “the Good Shephard.”  When we look at this word “Good” in the Greek, its meanings include, genuine, approved, precious, admirable, beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, hence praiseworthy. And the meanings go on and on. What I love here is that His heart for us, as His sheep is that He wants the best for us to the point where He is even willing to die for us to get it. WOW!!!! 

    Next, I want to point out where He says, “…anyone who enters in through Me will be saved….”  When we look at this word in the Greek it is “sozo,” which mean to be whole. This is very telling because we need to understand that without an active living relationship with God through Jesus we ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCONNECTED from our very Source of Life. Please get what I am saying that there is an entire additional aspect of life and existing beyond that of our physical bodies.

    “God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness and let them have complete authority…. So, God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion ….” 

    Genesis 1:26a, 27, 28a (AMP)   

    God told Adam that if he ate of the tree of Knowledge, that he would die. And the death that God spoke of was that of a spiritual death, a disconnection from God, from Life Himself. So, with our confession of Jesus as Savior we are “born again.”  We become whole, we return to spiritual life and the covenant benefits found in having a relationship with God.

    The last sentence of John 10:9 is, “He will come in and he will go out [freely] and will find pasture.”  The word “pasture” in the Greek, “nome,” reaches well beyond our thinking that sheep have a place to go and eat. It means figuratively that we will NEVER have any needs, that you will have growth, increase and that you will be very well supplied to have a fulfilled life. That the abundant life that He is talking about is found in our relationship with as our Shepherd.

    “Therefore, let the whole house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt and acknowledge assuredly that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (the Messiah) – this Jesus Whom you Crucified.”  Acts 2:36 (AMP)

    Please notice the word “both” and the word “and.”  Jesus functions in the role of Christ, Savior, our Messiah!!!  His death, His surrendering to the cross for us, His sheep, and (more importantly) His resurrection served to reconnect us with God, our Source of Life. We become saved, sozo, whole. Yet, He still serves in His role as Shepherd, He is Lord!!!  He still serves as The One Who leads us to the pasture where we can gain access to His promise of an abundant life. WOW!!!  WOW!!!  WOW!!!  Sadly, for way too many Christians, their relationship with Jesus is limited to only acknowledging Him as Savior.

    I want to be very clear, in His role as Savior, Jesus is our door to a relationship with God and our entry way into heaven. And it is in our obedience to His as Lord, to Jesus as our Shepherd that we gain access to the abundant life promised in John 10:10.

    One of the most quoted verses in the world is John 3:16,

    “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (KJV)

    God love for us is unconditional, it is a free gift. Nevertheless, He still created a place called hell. Why? Because we have the power of choice. If we want the benefits attached to God’s love and that of a relationship with His we are REQUIRED to confess and  believe in our hearts that Jesus in His role as Savior surrendered to the cross for us and was resurrected, that He over came death by way of God’s Holy Spirit and IS STILL FULFILLING HIS ROLE AS LORD, His role as our Shepherd!!!  In other words, we have a part to do, God requires action on our part for us to take part in the things that He has already provided. Yes, he provided freely, but we still must take action to receive what He gives us out of His love for us. Let us look at what Jesus says in Luke 6:46 – 49,

    “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord and do not [practice] what I tell you? For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock.  But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great.  (AMP)

    In this passage from Luke, Jesus, Himself tells us the importance of serving, or being obedient to Him as Lord and the impact that serving Him as Lord (Shepherd) has on our lives.

    He ties our being obedient to being the foundation of our lives!!!  Remember that a building’s foundation determines not only the quality of the structure, but also how high the building can be. Also notice that Jesus says, “WHEN a flood arose…,” not if a flood comes. THERE WILL BE STORMS IN EVERY LIFE!!!   And its in serving Jesus as Lord, being obedient, obeying His Words, that we survive that horrors and death that goes hand in hand with sin.

    I will go into deeper detail with part 2 of Unlocking the Abundant Life, but for now let me key in on a few things.

    ·       Jesus in BOTH Savior and Lord.

    ·       Jesus as our Savior returns us to wholeness, to an active and living relationship with God, with Life Himself.

    ·       Jesus, as our Lord and Shepherd desires to lead us to green pastures, to a life that reaches beyond anything that we will do without Him.

    ·       Being obedient aligns us with God’s heart and His desires for us.

    ·       True freedom, safety, and joy are found in obedience.

    ·       Our obedience is an active expression of our love and appreciation of God.

    The last takeaway is where we will pick up in part 2. Until then May God bless you in ways that are beyond your understanding.

  • Jesus As Your Personal Bridegroom

    Jesus As Your Personal Bridegroom

    “For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body. [AMP]

    In my last post, Christianity is A Relationship – Part 2, I mentioned that we would take a look at the different roles that Jesus plays , and in this post I want to look at you as the bride of Christ with Jesus as your personal Bridegroom, and how that ties into living in victory and abundance.

    Moreover, I am sure that most men do not think of Jesus as their personal Bridegroom or Husband, but before we get it into that let us just make sure that we are on the same page when I speak of “…living in victory and abundance.”

    LIVING IN VICTORY AND ABUNDANCE

    To have victory or to be victorious in life is to be fulfilling the purpose for which we were born on a consistent basis in relationship to the times, seasons and circumstances in our life. In other words, are you doing what God wants you to be doing right now, consistently?

    As to abundance, it is about having enough to fulfill the purpose(s) that God has assigned you with enough left over to enjoy life and living. In other words, it might not be a fancy car and a mansion on a hill, but not to break out in cold swear when the phone rings in fear of the bill collectors or not to be worried about how much month is left over after the money is gone.

    This is highly personal and different for each one of us, although we follow the same principles and truths. I am not saying that you have to agree with me, but to understand the context that I am speaking of when I am using these words.

    Even thou I am sharing a somewhat smaller picture of what most people think of a victory and abundance, I also have to say that my experience is when I take responsibility for my life and step out in faith on God’s personal word for me, using His principles, I find that life is both supportive and cooperative. That it is possible to not only to have victory and win, but also to have victory and win in a very big way, to experience great material and emotional abundance and to assist others in winning as well.

    JESUS AS YOUR PERSONAL BRIDEGROOM

    “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” 

    Ephesians 5:22 – 24 [KJV]

    When you look at these verses with the church being that of individual people instead of an institution, verse 23 takes on a completely different meaning from that what is commonly taught. Jesus Christ is your personal bridegroom. Looking at Jesus as my husband has even influenced how I, as a man, chose to interact with my wife, because as funny as it may seem, I am a wife as well.  I want to include verse 22 from the Amplified version, “Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husband as [a service] to the Lord.”

    To make this verse personal, it says, Michael be yielding and obedient to Jesus as your husband as your reasonable service to God. Looking at it this way tells me that most, if not all of the trouble and friction that I have with my wife is a reflection of an area of my own life that I have not or am struggling to submit to God.

    One of the roles that our wives play in our lives (as human beings) is to show us those areas where we still need to grow. It’s that most of the time we don’t like how our wives communicate this truth to us. I know this to be personally true, because there is still a heck of a lot in my life that I have not personally yielded to God and there are still many, many areas in my life where my obedience could greatly improve and my wife and I’m sure yours as well is quick to point this out.

    And yes, I do see all of the men reading this rolling their eyes. Nevertheless, before you tune me out totally, keep reading. No, I am not letting the women off the hook for their choices. Yes, your wife has to be responsible for her actions but you, as her husband and as head of the house are responsible for setting the atmosphere for her to act in a way that both makes you happy and aligns with God’s Word.  

    It is about me as husband to realize that God wants me to treat my wife the very same way He wants to treat me as His wife.

    Let’s go to Hosea 2, please keep in mind that although God is talking to Israel, He is using Hosea and Gomer as real life examples, and that tells me that these principles are both universal and to be personalize for me to apply as an individual in my own relationships. 

    “And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, that you will call Me Ishi [my Husband], and you shall no more call Me Baali [my Baal].  For I will take away the names of Baalim [the Baals] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be mentioned or seriously remembered by their name.  And in that day will I make a covenant for Israel with the living creatures of the open country and with the birds of the heavens and with the creeping things of the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword and [abolish battle equipment and] conflict out of the land and will make you lie down safely.  And I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy.  I will even betroth you to Me in stability and in faithfulness, and you shall know (recognize, be acquainted with, appreciate, give heed to, and cherish) the Lord.  And in that day I will respond, says the Lord; I will respond to the heavens [which ask for rain to pour on the earth], and they shall respond to the earth [which begs for the rain it needs],  And the earth shall respond to the grain and the wine and the oil [which beseech it to bring them forth], and these shall respond to Jezreel [restored Israel, who prays for a supply of them].  And I will sow her for Myself anew in the land, and I will have love, pity, and mercy for her who had not obtained love, pity, and mercy; and I will say to those who were not My people, You are My people, and they shall say, You are my God!”

    Hosea 2:16 – 23 [AMP]

    For the sake of time, instead of me breaking each of these verses down let me simply pull out some to the major or key points.

    • God desires to have an intimate relationship with me as my husband, my supporter and provider. He supports me emotionally and provides for me materially, as well as to impregnate me with His desires for my life and I get to call these desires my dreams, goal and aspiration.
    • He wants our relationship to be so rich and substantial that I will not even be able to remember any of my former lovers.
    • He wants to create for me an environment of peace where I will feel safe and secure.
    • He continuously desires to deepen our intimacy in five key areas: 1) Righteousness, 2) Judgment, 3) Loving kindness, 4) Mercies, and 5) Faithfulness. A passionate and precious bonding in these five areas will reveal to me God’s heart and His desire to meet my every need Spiritual, Soulishly and Physically.
    • In verse 23, the amplified bible breaks down the Hebrew word Racham as “love, pity and mercy”. However, as I dig into the word Racham, I find that it speaks of God’s compassion for me that is expressed by tender affection, He loving longs to be in fellowship with me. He always has mercy for me when, not if, I mess up. And He loves me so deeply that He places a part of Himself inside of me, via His Holy Spirit. God and I are One Spiritually, intimacy at it highest level of existence.

    Before I get into others roles that Jesus plays in our lives, I want to spend some more time in Hosea, and share how God wants for us as men to submit to Jesus as His wife, as well as how He wants us to treat our wives, but I will save that for the next post.

    Please leave a comment or two. I need your feedback. My goal is to grow as a writer and a blogger and I need your help in doing that. Thanks a lot.

  • Christianity is A Relationship – Part 2

    Christianity is A Relationship – Part 2

    “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast for gotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” 

    Hosea 4:6 [KJV]

    In my last post, Christianity is A Relationship – Part 1,  I asked at question, “… if Christianity is meant to take us to a higher level of living, then why are so many Christians living and struggling like the rest of the non-believers of the World?” I think that this question can be answered in so many ways, and since we are tripartite beings any answer would need to take all three levels of existence into consideration. In other words, since we are spirit, who have a soul and live in a body, all three parts play a role in our victory and or defeat with relationship and intimacy with God as your foundation.

    Before we go any farther, let us take a closer look at Hosea 4:6. The verse starts with God making a statement through the prophet Hosea, He says “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge…” get this, the fact that God loves us will not keep up from being destroyed, but praise God, He also tells us the reason why the destruction happens. “…because thou hast rejected knowledge…” This principle tells us that we do have a role to play in the quality life that we lead.

    The Hebrew word for destroyed is “damah”. The Strong’s Concordance gives as one of the meanings for this word, “to be cut off at the sight of the theophany”. A theophany is a tangible manifestation of God.

    The Hebrew word for knowledge is “da’ath”, which the Strong’s defines as, “knowledge, perception, skill, discernment, understanding and wisdom”, all of the key elements that it takes to be successful in life. In other words, without a tangible, physical relationship with God, we are disconnected from the tools that are needed to live the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have, tools that guarantee victory.

    Relationship and Intimacy With God

    Now don’t get it twisted, I’m not saying that we are supposed to have a life without problems, pain or suffering, but that without an active relationship with God, we are cut off from the answers, the revelations and solutions that He wants to impart into our lives.

    It is through revelation, or from seeing things from God’s point of view that we have the ability to turn tests into testimonies, messes into messages of success and stumbling blocks into stepping-stones to victory and higher levels of living.

    Without getting too deep with the rest of the verse, just let me break it down like this; because you reject an active relationship with Me, you are also rejecting the benefits that are found in the tools and resources that I want to give you. Moreover, if you do not have the tools and resources that I want to give you how can you do a proper job of representing me to the world. If you are not maturing and growing from a dynamic connection with Me you are not modeling for your children the skills that are needed to be victorious in life, so they end up just as lost as you are.

    Jesus Is Savior and Lord

    Once again, don’t read something into this that I am not saying, I am not saying that you are not going to heaven, but please understand the difference between the roles that Jesus plays in your life. Let us look at Acts 2:36:

    “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” [KJV]

    Notice that the verse says “both” meaning two roles that Jesus is playing in our lives, one of Lord and one of Christ. It is in His roles as Christ, our Savior, that He reconnects us with Father God and it is in His role as Lord that He provides us with victory in daily living. Let us go to Luke 6:46 – 49

    “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not [practice] what I tell you? For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great.”   [AMP]

    Please take note that the passage says WHEN not IF the torrent broke, so trials, tests, temptations are all part of life, and all three can lead to suffering of some type.

    I can now see that I am going to need a few more posts to do this subject justice. Before I close here are some key point to remember and to put into action:

    • It is only through a tangible, intimate and active relationship with God that will there be an impartation of revelation and the spiritual resource needed for your situation.
    • Realize that you are God’s hands and representation to the world. Acts 1:8 says that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to be a witness, not to do witnessing. To Be a witness is when the world sees the fruit of God’s Word being manifested in your life, which in turn makes your lifestyle your greatest witnessing tool.
    • God loves you to the point that He gave His Son for you, but you are still responsible to step out in faith. In other words, to take action based on faith in His Word and promises for your life. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God.
    • Remember that your children will do what they see you doing, not what you telling them to do, so do your best to align your words and your actions with God’s Word through obedience. This is how you leave an inheritance to your children’s children.
    • Be determined to not only to acknowledge Jesus as Christ, your Savior, but also to serve Him as the Lord of your life.

    In part three, we will take a closer look at how the roles of Jesus and our obedience are the key to living the abundant life that is Jesus died and rose for us to enjoy as we represent God here on earth.

  • Christianity is A Relationship – Part 1

    Christianity is A Relationship – Part 1

    “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  

    Romans 8:28 [KJV]

    I genuinely believe that God has commissioned me to spread the word to four corners of the world that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion and that wealth, as in The Wealth Response, is a quality of living, having very little to do with money.

    In other words, Christianity is a relationship that gives birth to a higher level of living. Since relationships at their deepest levels are about intimacy, “…gives birth to …” is the best phase to use.

    For me, this revelation hits home in a couple of keyways. For one thing it is important to realize that everything in life can be boiled down to relationships and our ability to interact with _________ (God, self, spouse, family, career, environment, you fill in the blank). And the quality of my relationship with God, is meant to overflow in the rest of my life. Primarily, it means total acceptance and unconditional love and using that acceptance and positive energy to move forward for development and growth. As well as for me to develop a faith or trust that God will love and protect me even when I am totally exposed mentally and emotionally while interacting in my relationships.

    This is intimacy at its greatest level.

    I can only become impregnated with greater joy, ideas, and deliverance through exposure. That means that I must be willing to be vulnerable at times to grow and to move forward in life.

    For most, if not all my life, I have felt like an outsider, with my nose pressed against a window longingly wishing that I could come in and join the party. Now, before I go any further, this is not about having a pity party, but to openly and honestly say that I have always had problems connecting with people in a heartfelt way.

    I could point to being born to older parents or the huge age gap between my older sister and me. I could point out that I was ashamed to have an alcoholic father, so I went out of my way never to bring anyone home, resulting in few friends as a child and even fewer as an adult because I lacked many of the social skills that are developed in a healthy childhood.

    When I look back on how I grew up, with the trauma of being in an alcoholic household and all the drama and pain that comes with that experience and environment, for God to choose me to talk about relationships and intimacy is proof that God has a sense of humor. Yet, I must also confess that I unknowingly carried that pain and anguish forward into my personal relationships.

    In my professional role as a life coach, Bible teacher and minister, I have seen, and God has used me in His Holy Spirit moving to heal and restore many marriages over the years. Sadly, my first marriage, which lasted over 30 years, felt more like two individuals cohabiting rather than a deeply connected relationship, and it rightfully ended when I relapsed (again). My second marriage was far from a successful relationship. Filled with the difficulties of two people looking outwardly for a peace, love, and healing that only God can provide, it sadly ended with the unfortunate passing of my wife due to a heart attack.

    I now understand more than ever before that no marriage is problem free. And I genuinely believe more than ever that the problems, attacks on the marriage and situations of life and living are really opportunities for growth and transformation. One of the keys to victory being that the relationship is one that is centered around Christ and learning to look at things from a Godly point of view.

    A foundational Bible verse for me is Hebrews 12:2,

    “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  [KJV]

    When I add to that what 1 John 3:8b says

    “…the reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen and dissolve) the work the devil [has done].”  [AMP]

    Seeing things from a spiritual or Godly point of view is to make the goal more important than the fight that it takes to get to the goal.

    Jesus’ willingness to endure to cross speaks volumes to me. The Hebrew word for endured is “hypomeno,” it means to remain, to endure, to bear bravely and calmly.

    This is where having the mind of Christ comes in. Thus, to bring the three elements of the Wealth Response into play, it means to deal with every problem with the heart of God, from a position of love. 

    • Keep in mind that Godly love is more about action, doing the right thing and the right or good feelings and emotions will follow. 
    • Having the mind of Christ means to look at things from a spiritual point of view.
    • And being able to do this, making healthy, Godly choices, expressed by action because of the power and strength imparted by God’s Holy Spirit.

    Here is where I’m thankful for the truth that God’s Holy Spirit is living inside of me. I can only follow Christ’s example through the power and strength given by God’s Holy Spirit. 

    So, if Christianity is meant to take us to a higher level of living, then why are so many Christians living like the rest of the non-believers of the World? We will take a look at that issue in Part 2 of Christianity is a relationship.

  • Doing The Impossible – Part 2

    Doing The Impossible – Part 2

    Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” 

    Jeremiah 1:5 [KJV]

    Even thou God made this statement to Jeremiah, we know that He is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), meaning that God treats all of His believers the same, what He has promised for one is true for all.

    Let us look at this verse a little closer, only with ourselves in mind, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…”  The Hebrew word of “knew” is yada(ידע); it means to have an intimate knowledge of someone or something.  Throughout the Old Testament, this is the term used for physical intercourse.  It speaks of the highest level of intimacy possible.

    THINK ABOUT THIS, before God even said, “Let there be light.” He had a personal INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF YOU.  No matter what the circumstances around your birth,

    YOU WERE/ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT!!!

    Before we move on, IT IS VITAL THAT YOU GET THIS, not only did you beat unimaginable odds just in being born but also realize that

    GOD KNOWS EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE AND HE STILL CHOOSES YOU!!!  HE KNOWS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE SIN, MISTAKE, MISS STEP AND ANY OTHER WORD THAT YOU WANT TO USE,  AND HE STILL SELECTED YOU TO FULFILL A PART IN HIS PLAN FOR HUMANKIND!!!

    The word intimacy carries with it the aspects of a relationship with someone where we are required to be vulnerable, loving, trusting, giving, etc.

    And there is the problem,

    Life is already whipping my butt and this God Guy is asking me

    to turn this wound, this hurt, this circumstance,

    THIS PAIN OVER TO HIM

    SOMEONE WHO I CAN’T EVEN SEE, FEEL OR TOUCH.

    “We are [children] of God.  Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him listens to us]…” 

    1 John 4:6 a [AMP]

    There is an inherent value at our core that cries out to be reconnected with

    OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER, OUR ABBA FATHER.

    This is the part of us that is exactly like our Creator, which is longing to be nurtured, to grow and to express itself, to be born again.  (Romans 8:16)

    It’s in the nurturing and developing of this core nature that allows you to know and experience the joy and juice of life.

    OUT OF YOUR CORE,

    THE PLACE THAT GOD SANCTIFIED AND ORDAINED,

    STEM THE TOOLS

    THAT ALLOWS YOU TO ENJOY LIFE TO ITS FULLEST.

    The personal fruit, the individual benefits that these tools provide are joy, kindness, courage, authenticity, that sense of freedom, belonging and security that only LOVE HIMSELF can supply. This is that spot in you where the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit take root.

    THIS IS WHERE YOU TAP INTO THE ABILITY TO ENJOY LIFE TO ITS FULLEST.

    THE FOUNDATIONAL BENEFIT FOR HAVING A REVERENTIAL FEAR OF GOD, for engaging in an active, living relationship with Him  is that you are not only reattached to LIFE HIMSELF, but

    YOU ALSO GET TO DISCOVER WHY YOU WERE BORN!!!

    The Amplified Version of Jeremiah 1:5 says that God”…knew and approved of you as His chosen instrument…”

    He said that not only did/does He know you personally, but He also “sanctified” you, “ordained” you.

    He sanctified you;

    He set you apart for a specific purpose.

    In other words, He has a job, a function that fits into His plan for humankind that

    YOU AND ONLY YOU CAN DO.

    He then goes on to say that, He has ALREADY ordained you to fulfill this role.  The Hebrew word for ordained is “nathan”, it means to give, to bestow or to grant.  In other words,

    He also gave you the tools that you will need in order to fulfill your Godly assignment.

    The problem is that most of the tools are inside of us in an undeveloped state, in some type of seed form.  Now we come to an important function of most of life’s battles,

    “The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God.  And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.  [But what of that?]  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!”  

    Romans 8:16 – 18 [AMP]

    A veiled benefit of engaging in life’s battles is that it is in the course of battle we develop the tools, those gifts and talents that were ordained and purposely placed in us by God Himself.

    Life’s suffering; the struggles and circumstances of life and living are the gateways for God’s glory.  In this verse glory speaks of, “the state of blessedness into which believers are to enter through being brought into the likeness of Christ” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).

    Notice HOW God chooses to reveal, to express this glory:

    a)     To us = Giving us the wisdom and revelation to make the best/Godly choice

    b)     In us = Tangible transformation takes place

    c)      For us = Fruit is evident for us to enjoy and for others to see

    d)     Conferred on us = We become God’s ambassadors, where we impact the lives of others 

    Hold on to this truth –

    YOU ARE LIKE A GREAT DIAMOND, BRILLIANT AND PRICELESS.

    THE ONLY THING THAT SEPARATES

    A PRICELESS DIAMOND AND A WORTHLESS LUMP OF COAL

    IS PRESSURE.

    True Godly character is only developed under pressure; this is the tangible process of transformation. We actually need the stress, the pressures of life in order to develop our character in order to become Godly stewards over the things that we want and that God wants to give us. (See my blog “Breaking through the Pain”)

    Remember:

    In order to reach into the greatest joy possible you must

    • Physically spend private time with God
    • Learn to listen to and for His voice
    • Be totally truthful with Him
    • You were born for great things, to do the impossible
    • THIS IS NOT ABOUT PRETENDING THAT THE PULLS OF THE FLESH ARE NOT REAL, BUT REMOVING THEM FROM THE POSITION OF LORDSHIP OVER YOUR LIFE.
    • RECOGNIZE THAT ONE OF THE GREATEST VALUES OF LIFE’S BATTLES IS TO PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.
    • YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TRUST, TO HAVE FAITH IN, A GOD THAT YOU CAN’T SEE TO CONQUER SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SEE, FEEL AND TOUCH.

    Well, I didn’t even get to scratch the surface so, I hope that you will come back for part 3 of “Doing the Impossible”

    Doing the Impossible – Part 3

  • The Guaranteed Key to Victory

    The Guaranteed Key to Victory

    Two of the key elements in experiencing victory and success in every area of life and living are the reasons behind what you are doing (the why) and your mental and emotional state as you are doing it (your attitude).

    This is where having the heart of God (the why) and the mind of Christ (your attitude) come into play.

    I am now aware of the truth that my life to date is largely the total sum of all of the choices that I have made up to this point in time.  Deuteronomy 30:19 makes it plain for all to see,

    “I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live.” [AMP]

    I NOW FULLY UNDERSTAND I HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER.

    GOD DOESN’T MAKE WINNERS OR LOSERS HE MAKES CHOOSERS!!!

    This is both sobering and scary.  Sobering because it implies a responsibility on my part and scary because no matter how much I want to blame someone else or how good my excuses, for the things that I don’t like or want in my life, are all roads lead back to the choices that I have made and are making.

    So what is the KEY FOUNDATIONAL CHOICE that I need to make, that WILL ALWAYS GUARANTEE victory and success?

    “The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.”  

    Proverbs 9:10 [AMP]

    The fear that this verse is talking about is being separated from the SOURCE OF LIFE, that apart from God, I can do nothing of true value.

     Notice that it also says “…the knowledge of the Holy One IS insight and understanding.”  The Holy One is Jesus, that IN HIM IS INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING.

    God provides the why, Jesus provides the how and I get to do it.

    In other words, the greatest value I can bring to this world is being God hands, His representative here on earth and that it is THROUGH JESUS that I will has access to the wisdom that I will need to order to do what God desires for me to do.

    ”But let him who glories glory in this; that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.”  

    Jeremiah 9:24 [AMP]

    “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.  Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me and I will hear and heed you.  Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”  

    Jeremiah 29:11 – 13 [AMP]

    Notice that Jeremiah 9:24 starts with, “But let…” Let speaks of making a choice…

    This is a Choice that I GET to make,

    not one that I HAVE to make.

    And what’s the benefit for making this choice?  It’s in my relationship with God that I get to discover HIS THOUGHT and PLANS for my life.

    The Hebrew word for thought, machashabah(מחשבה) also means purpose, and the Hebrew word for peace(שלום) means completeness, soundness, safety and prosperity.  When I am living my God given purpose,

    I AM WHOLE, LACKING NOTHING, ON A SOLID FOUNDATION  

    THAT PROVIDES PROTECTION AND SECURITY 

    WHERE MY EVERY NEED IS MET ABUNDANTLY.

    It’s when I tap into my God given purpose that I will find true happiness and success.  And it’s impossible for me to tap into this purpose without a vibrant interaction with God, Life Himself.

    In Victorious Nuggets, I list 40 benefits available for all Christians and few of them are;

    1. Forgiven
    2. A partaker of God Divine Nature
    3. I can get all of my needs met
    4. Healing
    5. Authority over Satan
    6. I can be a co-laborer with God

    And the list goes on…..

    It’s in the understanding of my part in God’s plans and purpose 

    that fear loses its grip on my life.

    A Christian with a renewed mind will always look to God’s Word, His promises and His principles for the solution to any situation and/or problem that he or she may be facing.

  • The Golden Key to Your Breakthrough

    The Golden Key to Your Breakthrough

    Over the years, I’ve come to realize that there are different levels of awareness and understanding.

    There’s knowledge, wisdom and revelation. Knowledge is simply a knowing of facts or the memorization of raw data, i.e. 2+2 = 4, the capital of New York is Albany, the pie is bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes – you get the picture.

    It’s only after you gain an understanding of how to use your store house of data that you start moving towards wisdom, i.e., 2 scoops of ice cream, 2 times a day, will make you too big 4 your pants, remember to pre-heat the oven before you put the pie in for the best results.

    Knowledge and wisdom are needed to be able

    To function and enjoy life,

    YET I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONSIDERATION;

    “The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their Praise of Him endures forever.” 

    Psalms 111:10 [AMP]

    Take a look at the key scriptures for day thirty-five again,

    “Now when Jesus went into the region of Ceasarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered him, blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [man] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros – a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, Petra – A huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven.” 

    Matthew 16: 13, 16 – 19 [AMP]

    Notice that Jesus called Peter blessed for receiving a Truth found outside traditional or customary learning. “For flesh and blood [man] have not revealed this to you…”

    It’s important to be open to the truth that there are different levels of learning, knowing and of understanding.

    That the answer that you need might be hiding in

    a strange or unfamiliar place.

    Albert Einstein once stated,

    “No problem can be solved from the same state of mind that created it.”

    I submit to you that much of the time;

    THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE IN LIFE ARE OPPORTUNITIES

    TO ALLOW GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT

    TO ASSIST US IN DISCOVERING AND DEVELOPING

    THE STRENGTH, TALENTS AND GIFTS

    THAT LAY DORMANT INSIDE OF US.

    That the greatest purpose found in any problem is

    To give us a chance to seek out God’s desire for the situation

    And to then surrender to His will for us, no matter what it appears

    To cost us in the present moment.

    Remember, at the end of His earthly ministry, when faced with death,

    Jesus valued obedience over comfort and survival,

    “And He was saying, Abba, [which means] Father, everything is possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You [will].” 

    Mark 14:36 [AMP]

    It would be foolish not to acknowledge that

    The spirit of fear is always around at times like these.

    It takes courage to walk away from the safety and comfort of the crowd. To stand up when everyone else is sitting down, to take a stance when everyone else are tucked safely in their comfort zone, it takes courage to see yourself as a joint-heir of Jesus (Romans 8:17). After all Satan in looking for someone, he may devour.

    It’s crucial to keep in mind that

    COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR

    BUT TO TAKE THE NEEDED ACTION

    In spite of how you may or may not feel and

    TO KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON THE BIGGER PICTURE.

    “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief ] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

    Hebrews 12:2 [AMP]

    The King James version says that Jesus is “…the Author and Finisher of our faith”. Not only did He write your personal story, but also He includes a triumphant ending greater than any movie that you have or will ever see in your life.

    You win, but only if you continue to abide in God’s Word.

    THE PRIZE THAT JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS FOR

    WAS YOU AND TO EMPOWER YOU

    TO DO THE FATHER’S WILL,

    TO BE HIS HANDS AND

    REPRESENTATIVE HERE ON EARTH.

    “And He died for all so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake, so we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divining favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.” 

    2 Corinthians 5:15, 20 [AMP]

    This can only be done successfully through

    The power of God’s Holy Spirit.

    “But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” 

    John 14:26, 27 [AMP]

    ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS THAT ANY PARENT CAN GIVE TO ANY

    CHILD IS TO HELP THEM

    TO LIVE UP TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL.

    It’s only by surrendering to God’s Holy Spirit, the very Same Spirit

    Who is living inside of us at this very moment in time that we can tap

    Into our highest potential, to become and act just like our big brother

    Jesus, our LORD AND SAVIOR.

    “The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].” 

    1 John 3:8b [AMP]

    FOR ME, REVELATION IS WHERE

    GOD AND GOD ALONE

    GETS ALL OF THE HONOR AND GLORY

    EVEN THOUGH I AND/OR OTHERS ARE

    THE ONES WHO ENJOY THE BENEFITS.

    IT IS WHEN GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ONE WHO

    TURNS ON THE LIGHT BULB IN MY HEAD.

  • Doing the Impossible – Part 1

    Doing the Impossible – Part 1

    “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days
    of your life.  As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you.  Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper
    wherever you go.”  

    Joshua 1:5 – 7 [AMP]

    In this passage, God is speaking to Joshua about entering into a promise land, a land of milk and honey, a land that He had given to them 40 years before.  Yet of the 3 million or so people, that God granted this gift to, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones (who were over twenty) that received the benefits of this promise.

    “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.  As  I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you.  Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”  

    Joshua 1:5 – 7 [AMP]

    WHY?

    “Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it.  But his fellow scouts said, We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are stronger than we are. So they brought the Israelites an evil report of the land which they had scouted out, saying, The land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants.  And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.  There we saw Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”  

    Numbers 13:30 – 33 [AMP]

    FEAR OF THE GIANTS WAS MORE SIGNIFICANT TO THEM THAN THE 

    GOD WHO GAVE THE PROMISE AND THE BENEFITS FOUND IN THAT PROMISE.

    WHERE DO YOU FIND THE  STRENGTH, THE POWER, THE COURAGE TO FACE THE VERY THING THAT YOU FEAR? 

    I think that the answer to this question starts with understanding what courage actually is, Macmillian’s dictionary defines courage as, “the ability to do something that you know is right or good, even though it is dangerous, frightening, or very difficult.”

    In other words,

    TO DO WHAT YOU NEED or WANT TO DO EVEN IF YOU ARE AFRAID.

    Here’s the problem, for many, if not most, of us,

    We spend more time trying to get past the things that we fear instead of moving toward the goal that we have set.

    The unspoken dilemma of intellectualizing fear is in trying to wrap your mind around something that taps into a part of you that reaches beyond your ability to think.

     The “know how” or “what to do” is found in our thinking but the energy and/or desire to do it comes from our emotions, our attitude, and our mental state of mind.

    One reason that it’s not always a good thing to know what the battle will bring or the obstacles that one might face in a conflict or even in trying to reach a goal is that this knowledge, real or imagined, gives the spirit of fear a potential handle to manipulate you.

    Many times with too much “thinking” comes a shift, a change of focus.

    The focus is taken off what we want and subtly placed on a pain or difficulty found in the struggle to reach our goal or objective.  The gain or benefit of future goal loses out to present moment safety and comfort.  We put a greater significance on losing what we have versus what we will gain from moving forward.   I want to be very clear here, I am not saying that you should not be prepared for what you may have to face.

    I’m saying that a key foundational deception of Satan is in tricking us into making safety and comfort more important than growth.

    We make the struggle more vital than the benefits to be gained.

    I believe that the promises and benefits that God extended to the Israelites are still available to us in our present time.  While theirs was a promise of a “physical land”, our land of promise is the dream(s) that is in our heart.  And that dream being FROM GOD,

    IS FOR BOTH OUR ENJOYMENT AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF GOD’S KINGDOM AND THAT OF HIS WILL.

    It is only by stepping out in faith that you discover that there has always been a power and strength ready to serve you as you fulfill your God given destiny.  It is only by tapping into the dream that God placed in your heart that you realize and discover that no man can stand against, because of the GREATER ONE, Who is in you, is more dominant, stronger than any opponent or hindrance or seemingly impossible obstacle that you might face.  (1 John 4:4)

    HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOUR DREAM IS FROM GOD?

    Well, this is where the significance of a personal relationship with God comes in,

    “Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, For Skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.  I, Wisdom [from God], find out knowledge and discretion.  The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the LORD [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, and evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.  I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power.”  

    Proverbs 8:10 – 14 [AMPC]

    DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE, TO START LIVING THAT DREAM THAT LINES UP WITH GOD’S WILL

    AND HIS DESIRE FOR YOUR LIFE

    STARTS WITH SPENDING QUALITY TIME IN HIS PRESENCE

    Remember:

    • We are not meant to be led by our emotions, but to use the information that they provide.  Your emotions – energy in motion – have valuable information for you to use. (more on this in a future blog)
    • Satan’s desire is to “shift” your focus, to where comfort becomes more important than growth or any change for the better.
    • That every promise from God IS AVAILABLE TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
    • That the benefits of doing the impossible outweigh the comfort found in wandering in a wilderness of your own making.

    In part 2 of “Doing the Impossible,” we will touch on why and how the benefits of fearing God prevail over fearing your situation no matter how dark it may seem.  And how to take practical steps that tap into the strength, the power, and the courage needed to do the thing(s) that you fear.

  • A Father’s Greatest Desire

    A Father’s Greatest Desire

    “God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  

    1 Corinthians 1:9 [AMP]

    I wanted my first blog for this new website to be a grand slam. To knock the socks off any and everyone who reads it.

    Then it hit me that this way of thinking is one of the top lies that Satan wants us to buy.

    • That God is only interested in the big things in our lives.
    • That He can’t be bothered with the little things.
    • That He has better things to do than hear what I have to say about what I happen to be thinking about at this moment.
    • That He isn’t interested in how I feel about _________ (my self-esteem, my anger, my pain, or even what I might want for dinner)

    That’s when I took a closer look at 1 Corinthians 1:9, “… you were called into companionship and participation …”

    The Greek word for called is “Kaleo” and the Greek word for the phrase companionship and participation is “Koinonia”.

    Kaleo means, “to invite by name with a loud cry” and Koinonia means “to fellowship, to have an interaction on an intimate level.”  God is crying out in a loud voice His desire to have an intimate relationship with YOU

    RIGHT NOW – A CONTINUOUS FELLOWSHIP.

    I think what most of us miss is an understanding that being born again is also an invitation to walk with God in the very same way that Adam did before his act of disobedience.

    Think about it, God’s heartfelt desire is to just spend time with you.

    Wow, the Creator of all that is known has called you – to sit at His feet, to curl up into His loving arms, to put your head on His shoulders, to simply spend time with Him.

    To tell Him about last night, to tell Him that dinner had too much salt on it, or that you can’t find the right pair of shoes to go with that special dress.  He wants you to share with Him about how you are mad at your spouse, your boss, your kids, even your cat or dog.

    It’s knowing that nothing is

    too large or small

    to share with Him.

    It’s the sharing of the small things with Him that gives even more meaning to the times when I get to climb into His gentle arms and tell Him about how my heart feels like it’s going to break into a million pieces.

    How I miss my mother, who is now with Him in Heaven, how I can’t stop crying and I don’t even know why I am feeling this way.  I can tell Him about not feeling loved, not seeing how I am going to get through the storm that is in front of me. I even get to tell Him that I’m pissed off that the doctor said that that tumor is cancerous or that my spouse didn’t come home last night.

    Yes, I get to go to Him boldly like Hebrews 4:16 tells me when I’ve sinned.  Moreover,

    I get to boldly go to Him and let Him love me when my eggs were too runny for breakfast.

    Remember:

    1. God has called you into fellowship with him.
    2. That the more time you spend with Him, the more you become like Him.
    3. Spending time with God helps you to Grow in faith.
    4. It’s in the quiet still time with Him that you gain the energy and strength to be His hands here on earth.
    5. That you get to talk to God about everything in your life from your hang nail to that deep dark corner of your heart that you don’t even want to admit that it exists.

    My greatest desire is for everyone to understand that:

    CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION but

    AN ACTIVITY LIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD 

    THAT WILL GUIDE US THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE AND LIVING.