Unity

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3

What would a unified husband and wife look like? Imagine a family that is fully unified, brother to brother, sister to sister. We live in a world full of discord and disunity so I am not even going to talk about the world, for true unity comes only through the Spirit.

The church in all of its glory is to be a unified body, a healthy living and loving organic body deeply connected to the vine and one another. For the most part the church is me, myself, and I in the west. We copy what the world is doing and the world is only concerned about one thing, itself. There is a greater calling, a calling where unity is the goal and people loving one another deeply from the heart is the norm. How do we get back there? How do we go there? One thing is for sure you must swim against the tide and lead by example.

Humility and gentleness, patience and bearing with one another is where it starts according to Paul. We must be eager or serious to maintain unity and the bond of peace, for without this commitment we will not see it in its fullness.

Can you imagine what a unified church looks like? Can you imagine what we could accomplish for the kingdom? Can you imagine what the world would see in this kind of body that loves deeply, cares freely, creates openly, sustains always, nurtures carefully, listens intently, and is unified fully? This is what we are after. Be blessed.

Too deep for words

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26

Isn't it amazing that God Himself prays for you and me? Doesn't that just mess with your mind? The God of the universe intercedes on your behalf with more than words, deep groanings which no man can understand. These groanings are heavens language, a kingdom unknown to this world. The Spirit of God is your greatest ally. Your back is covered, your life secure in His constant covering.

When your prayers seem to fail guess what? It's okay. He never fails. When your faith seems to fall short. It's okay. His faith never diminishes or fades. You can be confident that today the Holy Spirit of God intercedes on your behalf. He is jealous and passionate for you in ways you will not understand until eternity. We are weak and frail beings in need of a God who is never weak or frail. Our God never sleeps or slumbers but is continually on the watch for us. Amazing that He loves so deeply and carries us in intercession before the Father. This motivates me to want to learn all the more how to pray. Teach us Oh God how to pray! For prayer is the communion with you, the door to the mysteries revealed. Let us hunger and thirst for this communion with the Spirit and the Son and the Father.

The Silent Cry

40 years ago this week a dark cloud settled over this land. A day that will never be forgotten in eternity. A day when man decided to take the lives of the unborn in their own hands and justify it being a choice to live or die. Man is not the author of life or death. Man cannot destroy what God has created. Over 50 million innocent lives have been taken over the past 40 years in a holocaust unlike any the world has ever seen. This nation because of its decision to take away life has opened the doors to a great cloud of darkness and gloom that has continued to see destruction in the most evil forms. Let there be no mistake, we reap what we sow. If we sow life, then we will reap life. If we sow death, then death will be our portion.

Heaven knows the beautiful faces of the millions of babies that have been innocently done away with. They are forever in eternity with a merciful and loving God who knows them each by name and has called them His own. God is always in the business of redeeming and restoring what the enemy has broken or destroyed. The hearts of man are wicked and deceitful above all and in need of the judgements from a loving and jealous God.

There is a verse in Isaiah 61:8 that says,"For I the Lord love justice". Do not be deceived friends, our God is a God of justice and mercy. He will have His way on that terrible day. I long for peace, truth and righteousness to permeate the hearts of every woman, man, and child.

Choose Love

Choose love
Choose life
Its the only way to live, and die
A flower in the desert, love blossoms anywhere

Choose love
Choose life
Its the only way to know, and grow
A sun shining bright, love shines in the night

Choose love
Choose life
Its the only way to see, and be free
A soul comes alive, when love resides

Choose love
Choose life
Its the only way to build, and rebuild
A wall comes down, when love abounds

Choose love
Choose life

Seize the moment...love and let it grow.

Perfected in Love

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

The formula for God abiding in us and His love being perfected through us is love. Love is the measure of how much of God lives in you and me. We have never seen God. No one can see God and live. Moses was the only one that saw God face to face and lived. Loving one another deeply is almost the same as seeing God. According to God if you love one another and you are perfected in this, then you know Him and have 'seen' Him.

I believe we are deeply in need of a revolution of love for one another. I really believe this is the measure in which revival will be poured out. True and genuine love will break open things that otherwise would never be discovered. People are drawn to genuine love, a kind of no strings attached love. This kind of love will bring great freedom. Can you taste and feel it?

Full of fresh Spinach

Jesus said in John 10:10, 'I come to give life, and life to the full'. Jesus is all about fullness, He does not do anything half way or half hearted. Have you read the gospels lately? Have you noticed how intense and focused He was on the mission the Father gave Him?

Last night I had a dream, I will only share the part of the dream that reflects the title of this post. I was speaking in front of a large group of people. Previously to being up in front of this group someone had given me a big clear container of fresh organic spinach. If anyone shops at Costco then you know what I am referring to. In the dream I said that the Father is a good gift giver and I held up the big box of spinach for all to see. I said that what God gives us is Fresh and Full, and it is good for us (nutritious in other words). This box of fresh spinach was symbolic in my dream of the abundant life. It's like fresh manna, you have to eat it everyday or else it will spoil. We have to be connected daily to the vine and remain in Him. Spinach will go bad rather quickly so it must be eaten at a fast pace. Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit all love the fullness. They are the fullness together, they give and release the fullness in each one of their sons and daughters.

My sense in these days is that the Father is longing to release His Holy Spirit to His people without measure, but of course we need to steward this without mixture (compromise, sin, self promotion, etc). He loves to pour out His spirit in ways we cannot even imagine. He is after establishing His Kingdom that will only grow and grow and grow until the fullness of all that is in His heart comes forth. We must be organic, spontaneous, risky, adventurous, and willing to do all that He requires and commands us to do. Obedience is better than sacrifice. So enjoy a big full container of fresh organic spinach today! Be blessed.

Friendship

Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. Think for a moment of the few friends that have been with you through thick and thin. What was it about them that caused you to have such affection for them? What attributes gave you a deep sense of trust and vulnerability with them? I believe that in order to really be successful in this life as Christ disciples then we have to understand the role of friendship.

Jesus Himself said in John 15 that he no longer calls us servants, but friends. He also said that no greater love has anyone than to lay down his life for his friends. This truly is profound and the place where all friendship starts. We have to understand that we are friends of God, if Christ be in you and the fruit you bear is good, then you are a friend of God. God longs for family. He is a family man! He puts the lonely in families as David said in the Psalms. He releases the spirit of adoption and sonship in us. We are sons and daughters of a good Father.

Friendship...the journey of growing deep love, trust, authenticity, vulnerability, and affection is what we are after or rather should be after in the body of Christ. It is risky and will cost, but we must create and sustain deep, healthy friendships that reproduce other deep, healthy friendships that go on to change the world.

I am passionate about this and long to see a reformation of healthy relationships and friendships in the body that cause the world to see Jesus in such a beautiful and powerful way. Let us do away with the pointing finger, cursing someone under our breath. Let us rid ourselves of anything that would stand in the way of love. Love alone wins in the end. How well we learned to love will be the thing that we will be judged on. Not how big our ministry was, or how successful we became, or any number of things. How well we loved our brother and sister, our neighbor and the stranger, our wives and our children. This is what matters.

Friendship...a true gift from God.

Conformed to Transformed

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect". Romans 12:2

Well the reality is that we all struggle to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are a people caught in a body that is perishing and a mind that is naturally hostile to God. So how could there be any real and lasting hope? Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus who is able to transform our mind and heart. We do not have to be conformed to this world which is ruled by the evil one in all its corruption and decay. There is a higher way, but it will cost everything, daily. We must take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him. The road to transformation lies in following The Christ out of darkness and into the light.

The only things that are acceptable and perfect are the things which come straight from heaven. The will of God is determined through the one who has been transformed. You might say or feel as I do, 'but I fall short every day. I sin and do the very things I do not want to do'. Yes, may I remind you that the great apostle Paul himself said these words. If he wrestled and struggled with sin, then we all will too. The hope lies simply in the fact that the more we surrender to Christ, the clearer our hearts and minds become.

It is like being next to a hot fire on a cold winters night. The only way to stay warm is by being as close as you can without getting burned. The further away from the fire, the colder you become. The fire does need to be stoked and refilled with wood in order to be kept burning. Do not give up wherever you are in your pursuit of total transformation of your mind.  It is very feasible. Only in Christ.

A mountain to climb (part 2)

Many peoples will come and say, 'Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths'. Isaiah 2:3

Everyone has had a teacher at one point or another throughout life. Can you imagine the ultimate teacher God Himself teaching you His ways? This is the ultimate experience in life to be taught by the Father himself, not in a classroom but on the very mountain that we are climbing. The mountain of the Lord is a place where we seek the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. It's only in that condition that He will be able to teach us His ways. He longs for students that are wholehearted and surrendered. Yes, of course we do not have to be perfect, just sincere in our seeking of Him.

The goal is to follow Him on His paths. His path leads to life and freedom. His path is the most difficult path we choose but also the most rewarding. Do you recall where he says in the scriptures that broad is the path that leads to destruction, but narrow the path that leads to life? It is the narrow path we must choose. The path of least resistance is not His path. Often His path is marked with danger, trial, and suffering. So why then would anyone choose this path? Are we not creatures that delight in ease and comfort? The road less traveled is not always the first road we run to, on the contrary we have to be led on this path.

He is a great shepherd and He leads His sheep by His very voice. We can trust that He knows what He is doing and even when we are scared, confused, hurt, weary and torn...He knows what He is doing. This is the journey of learning to trust Him. I hope the cry of your heart is to know the Good Shepherd. I hope that you are on this journey, the narrow path that leads to life. He is good, and His loving kindness endures forever.

do you know Jesus?

Jesus is not a Republican.
Jesus is not a Democrat.
Jesus is not Independent or Green Party.
Jesus is not American.
Jesus is not a Christian. (I am really offending some people here I am certain).

JESUS is the CHRIST.

Christian is a term given to Christ followers, but most Christians in America or the West these days simply follow a set of rules and regulations, maybe at best principles that supposedly define Christianity.  But, do they really know Jesus?  Do most pew warmers, Sunday church goers, really know the Christ?  Do we know Him the way He wants to be known?  There is a major difference between knowing about someone, and knowing someone.  You can say that you know about President Obama (even what he likes for food, what is hobbies are, what his kids names are, etc), but do you know President Obama personally?  No.

The difference for some could be life or death.  If Jesus in the gospel of Matthew told those who performed miracles in His name, cast out demons in His name to depart from Him because they did not KNOW Him...what are the chances of the Christ saying this to many church goers across this country or even the world?  A scary and sobering thought.

All of life boils down to knowing Jesus, and knowing Him intimately and personally.  Knowing what He feels, what He desires, what He thinks.  I want to know Jesus in this way.  It is not easy, but very possible.  He says, that His sheep know him by His voice in John 10.  The difference is in His voice.  Do you know His voice, what does it sound like?  Are we listening for His voice?  I am challenged, I hope you are as well.