The Bible tells us it’s the kindness of God that draws us to change the way we think. He is so kind! Check out the video and tell me what you think.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Tag: New Age
Good and Bad Judgments
Jesus said, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (NASB, Mat. 7:1-2).
Sometimes we can be very critical of others but what if God was to use our own standard of judgment against us? Would we be able to withstand his judgment?
Check out today’s video and learn more.
Greater Covenant Than Moses?
The Bible tells us that the glory of this new covenant we have with God is greater than the old. There were a lot of glorious things that happened under the old covenant such as fire coming down from heaven, Moses’ face emanating light, the red sea being parted, and the sun standing still in the sky. So how can this be? Check out the latest video and tell me what you think.
Take the Land!
The Kingdom of Israel’s History
In the book of Joshua at this point in Israel’s history, they were going to receive the kingdom that God had promised their fathers. God gave Israel the promised land, but we find out in Judges that they were continually being oppressed by the old inhabitants of the land. Even though God had said that they were to take the land, they never fully kicked out the old inhabitants. They ended up making covenants with them and not listening to the voice of the LORD.
“When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and has cast out many nations before you…seven nations greater and mightier than you; And when the LORD your God shall deliver them before you; you shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; you shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them”
from Deuteronomy 7:1-2
Because Israel did not kick out the old inhabitants, they were continually being oppressed by them and leading them into sin. And Israel was constantly in distress. There was no prosperity in them, they would continually go back and forth. God would see their distress and, out of the love and compassion of his heart, help them. He would raise up someone to defeat the old inhabitants, they called them judges, but as soon as the judge would die the Israelites would go back to their old ways.
our Land Within Us
“The kingdom of God does not come with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”Â
Jesus, The Messiah (from Luke 17:20-21)
The kingdom of God is within you, it’s not in some far away distant land. It is found within the believer of Jesus Christ. Even in Jesus’ time, the people misunderstood what the kingdom of God was and at one point they wanted to take Jesus by force and make him a king, but he hid from them (from John 6:15). His kingdom does not come with physical observation. You will not say here is the kingdom or look it’s over there. It is within you, beloved!
“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”
3 John 1:2
The Israelites would go back in forth and not prosper because the old inhabitants were still living among them. For us, our old inhabitants are thought processes or sometimes familiar spirits that have brought us into bondage and oppression. These old thought processes are attached to the old man’s (or old inhabitant’s) way of thinking. But we know that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new and all things are of God” (from 2 Cor. 5:17-18).
What Does It Mean To Take The Land?
When Yehoshua (Joshua’s name in Hebrew) brought the children of Israel into the promised land he had to take certain strongholds of the enemy. It is the same now when Yehoshua (Jesus, they have the same Hebrew name!) brings us into the promised land (Holy Spirit baptism) there are certain strongholds that need to come down.
When I say take the land ultimately I am saying mind renewal according to Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:2
And when I talk about strongholds I mean it in the biblical sense of strongholds as found in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
If we want to walk in the fullness of what God has for us we must renew our minds to the truth. That is how we are transformed, by renewing our minds. By tearing down strongholds and taking every thought captive that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
It’s in you!
It’s in you believer. The fullness of God is in you. Why do we not experience the fullness? Because we have been deceived into thinking that the kingdom is far off and not within us.
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
Colossians 2:8-10
The fullness that is in Christ is in you! Religion and the traditions of people will have you begging for it when it is in you. Let’s press on to the fullness knowing full well that our Father has not withheld Himself from us.
The Lie of Denial
Was that not what the serpent deceived Eve within the garden? He made her think that God had withheld Himself from her. “You aren’t complete Eve. You are lacking. God has not created you in His image, but if you eat this fruit you will be like Him.” Was that not the lie from the beginning? That we were incomplete and lacking something? But what does the scripture say?
“[God] has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature…”
2 Peter 1:3-4
He has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should fall short of it” (Heb. 4:1). The promise is for us to walk in the fullness, not so that we cross the Jordan and be oppressed by our enemies! We are to take it by force! “…The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force!” (Yehoshua).
We have these promises to become like Him. God has already ordained that we should be like Him! As He is so are we in this world! Why is it not manifesting? Because we are not laying hold of the promises and following Yehoshua. “He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Take the land with Jesus as our captain!
The kingdom of God is in you! Do you want the fullness? God has already commanded for us to come into the fullness. If you think you are walking in the fullness of what God has paid for you and you are not walking even as He walked then you are deceiving yourself.
Let’s take the land inside ourselves! And not be found on the other side of Jordan being crushed by the old inhabitants of the land because we did not believe God for the fullness. He has parted the red sea (water baptism) you have crossed the Jordan (Holy Spirit baptism) now take possession of the land! Kick out those old inhabitants (thoughts that do not align with the word of God) and bring honor to your King!
I love you guys!!!
"Ho, every one that does thirst, come to the waters, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and labor for that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David" (Isaiah 55:1-3).
It’s free! He wants us to have it. He’s not withholding Himself from us. If you find yourself begging it’s probably because of a false idea of who you think God is (aka stronghold).
A quick recap of what was talked about:
- The Kingdom of God is within you.
- Our Father wants us to have the kingdom (Do not fear, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, Luke 12:32).
- The old inhabitants (old man’s way of thinking) will bring you into bondage and oppression.
- Strongholds are mindsets that the old man can hide behind and defend himself from.
- We need to completely destroy the old man’s way of thinking and not leave anything left alive.
- We are made complete and lacking nothing.
- God has given us everything we need that pertains unto life and godliness.
- God has not withheld Himself from us.
- To access the fullness we must renew our minds.
God is Light (2)
Do you know who resisted the kingdom of God the most back in Jesus’ day? It was religious people who desired physical perfection and not mercy. It was people who wanted to see God’s wrath taken out on the ungodly. It was people who didn’t understand the meaning, “You desire mercy and not sacrifice.” It was those same people who thought they were representing God because He is holy and set apart from sin that resisted His Kingdom the most.
I just listened to someone that said if they had only one scripture in the entire Bible and the rest would not exist to us then they would keep Romans 3:23. Because, and I quote, “In this passage is found the very salvation of man.” Romans 3:23 says,
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
There is no salvation in this message. It only leaves you right where you were before, accused, and condemned before God. Some religious sects of Christianity have built their entire ministry off of the ministry of condemnation, but scripture says that ministry has been done away with (reference 2Corinthians chapter 3 below). Why would you continue to build upon something that has been destroyed?
Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excells. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.
2 Corinthians 3:6-11
The Pharisees (religious leaders) who built their ministry off of condemnation were in opposition to the King who was bringing His Kingdom. Get in line with the message of God, “that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
There are a couple times in the gospel of John that Jesus referenced himself as the light of the world and then he would execute some type of judgment. The woman caught in adultery. Jesus shows mercy, “I am the light of the world.” The man who was born blind, and the disciples asked who did the sin the parents or the man? Jesus said, “Neither… I am the light of the world.” Then heals the man.
He was executing God’s judgment on these matters and then equated himself to the light. Because He is the light of life! His judgments manifest the glory and knowledge of God. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. For a woman condemned by her sins, mercy triumphs over judgment. A man born blind because of the effects of sin, I have come to give them life and life more abundant.
Get in line with the message that we have received from Him.
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5-7
Does Your Faith End in Death?
What is faith? And what is its purpose?
We desire to walk in faith, but sometimes we do not even know what faith is. We do not even know how to measure it. I used to think very rigidly when it came to the definition of faith because what was written in Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
I thought, Well if we had faith then the things that we hoped for would manifest in our lives because the substance of our hope is faith. Substance being the material in which a thing is made of.
Substance:
Webster’s Dictionary 1828
1. In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; equally applicable to matter or spirit.
3. The essential part; the main or material part.
To a degree, this is true just look at the people in this world. New agers manifest things for themselves by their own belief. Secular people get the things they hoped for by believing in themselves (actors, athletes, business owners, etc…). It’s all based on their belief because Jesus’ words remain true.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8
This is a spiritual law. It cannot be broken. Jesus is the Word of God and what He speaks is. The children of this world have been able to receive things because of faith, and they don’t even acknowledge the Creator they pay homage to the universe or their hard work. Why? “…[God] makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (from Mat. 5:45). AND they had asked, sought, and knocked…
Some of them have great stories of personal trials that they overcame to get to where they are at. And most people honor them for their diligence and grit to not quit even when times got tough. They aren’t even paying respect to God and yet they attained what they sought after… Let that sink in.
Jesus Demonstrating Faith To Teach Us.
I was asking the Lord today if He knew Lazarus was going to die or if He was just walking in faith? I believe He has shown me it was both. He both knew Lazarus would die and He was walking in faith. Let’s dive into it.
Jesus receives a message from Mary and Martha, "Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick."
When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this."
Then a couple days later Lazarus dies. After Lazarus died Jesus knew it in the spirit and told His disciples.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."
From John chapter 11.
Messengers were not sent in that day unless the person was on their death bed. So when Mary and Martha sent Him that message it was to notify Jesus that His friend that He loved was about to die. But what does He do when He hears the message? He spoke!
Faith speaks. “…I believed, and therefore I have spoken…” (from 2 Cor. 4:13). He spoke the word concerning this man. He refuted the message of these women and said, “this sickness does not lead to death…” He confessed! “…with the MOUTH confession is made unto salvation” (from Rom. 10:10).
The reason why I was asking the Lord if He knew if Lazarus would die or not is because I know how the devil operates when a person moves in faith. He tries to go against the very word or thing they were believing for. So when Jesus said the sickness is not unto death the devil was like, we’ll see about that… and then went and killed him.
I believe what God has revealed to me is that Jesus was goading satan into it. Because He knew His enemy too and knew that the devil wouldn’t be able to help himself except try and make an attempt to say that he has the power. That usurper…
“Faith subdues the facts to the truth”
Then when Jesus knew about Lazarus’ death He tells His disciples plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” Notice here Jesus didn’t refute the fact that Lazarus was dead. Faith does not ignore the facts. Faith subdues the facts to the truth. And what was the truth? “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this” (John 11:4). Then He goes and resurrects the guy.
What was Jesus’ hope? That God would receive glory by the Son being glorified in this. Was His hope fulfilled? Yes. How did His hope get fulfilled? By faith. His faith manifested the hope which He had.
So faith is definitely what our hopes are made of! But God showed me that faith is more than this for the one who believes in Jesus. It is believing in who God is.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
God showed me that for the follower of Jesus faith is believing in the revealed nature of God. Not just the Jehovahistic names (which is good), but in who Jesus has revealed Him to be.
“No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
John 1:18
“Philip said unto Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
John 14:8-9
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; and how is it that you say then, show us the Father?”
The Sad Truth of Religion
Not many people look for faith in the Christian religion. A lot of people have been duped into thinking that Christianity is about being a “good person”, but I am here to tell you it is about faith in Jesus! It is about Faith in the Word of God and manifesting His Word in and through our lives! Not about trying hard to be righteous through our own human effort, but through believing in Him!
While believing in Him we will endure hardships. But when we go through hardships our faith should not rest in our ability, but in who God is. As I said before many people have endured hardships in this world and received what they desired in this earth by believing in themselves and the world honors them for their endurance. But for us, our endurance is not a self-centered belief. It is a belief and trust in who God has revealed Himself to be through the face of Jesus. If we endure it is proof that our faith in God is genuine when we do not quit when times are tough. And our endurance actually brings praise and glory to God!
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:5-7
I love you guys and God bless you in the knowledge of Him through His Son Jesus!
- A BRIEF TAKEAWAY FROM THIS POST:
- Faith is what our hopes are made of.
- Faith speaks.
- Faith does not deny facts.
- Faith brings facts in submission to the truth.
- Faith endures.
- Faith believes in the revealed nature of God through the face of Jesus Christ.
Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ!
Blessings everyone! Yesterday I was thinking about how God sings over us (from Zeph. 3:17). And the song that he sings is one of grace. I believe he continues to sing this song of grace over us until we, in turn, start singing it in this world.
It has been by grace that we were saved through faith (not of works). It is a free gift, and everything that we receive in the Kingdom is freely given. Not through religious works. I am so grateful to God for his goodness, and that because he is good I am free from the works of satan. Sin, sickness, and death are all works of the devil, of which we were all anointed by God to destroy!
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. (2Peter 3:18).
I think it is imperative as a body that we grow in the grace of God. Not in our self-willed attempts of reaching him (whether it be prayer, fasting, or reading scripture) all these things the Pharisees did, and yet they stumbled at the stumbling stone of grace (Jesus). The law truly was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). If we continue in grace we will have peace, but if we try to continue in dead works (religion) we will not have peace.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes… (From Rom. 1:16).
Grace is the answer. Grace is the way. Grace is God’s will for this earth! It was God’s grace that he gave his son. It was God’s grace that he did not hold the world’s sins against them but was reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). And it is this message of grace that we must carry into this world!
The [law] kills, but the spirit gives life from 2 Cor. 3:6
The law points the finger and tells a person all the reasons they are not worthy to receive anything from God. But grace tells us that Jesus did everything so that we can freely receive from God. We must sing the same song our Father is singing over us and join him in song to this world singing, “Grace! Grace unto it!”
Love you guys, you don’t earn anything from our Father. You have freely received everything from him that you need!
"...I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires" (from NLT Bible, 2Peter 1:1-4).
A desire for all the nations of the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. 